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LUTHER COLLEgE
CHIPS
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
nOvEMbER 12, 2015
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
vOLUME 138, nO. 9
Students organize Keep it Going: Campus Conversation Students, faculty and staff came together in Marty’s for a campuswide conversation on Islamophobia, education and civil rights. JeSSe anderSon STAFF WRITER About 150 students, faculty and staff gathered in Marty’s for a “Keep it Going Event - A Campus Conversation: Islamophobia, Education and Civil Rights” on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Religion major Makayla Marinack (‘16) had the idea for the event and invited a variety of student organizations to sponsor the panel. Marinack was inspired to start this conversation after hearing about the arrest of Ahmed Mohammed, a Muslim 14-year- old in Irving, Texas, who was arrested for bringing a clock to school. The event centered on Mohammed’s arrest and the wider issue of Islamophobia in the United States. Associate Professor of Religion Todd Green, Associate Professor of Education and Assessment Coordinator
SpeaKinG up. Panelists and audience members discuss the controvery surrounding the arrest of 14-year-old Ahmed Mohammed. Jesse Anderson / Chips Jeanette Pillsbury, Belal Krayem (‘18) and Marinack served as panelists for the event. Professor of Religion Robert Shedinger moderated the question–and–answer portion of the panel. The majority of the event was a question and answer session between attendees and the panelists.
According to many on the panel, Mohammed’s story serves as a mirror through which one can examine one’s own prejudice against Muslims and other ethnic minorities. “Is this a school security issue or is it, what I personally think, a call for us to
Sustainability implements plastic recycling program JaCob warehime STAFF WRITER The Center for Sustainable Communities is launching a new recycling program aimed at reducing plastic bags on campus. The program, which was launched last week, collects plastic bags, plastic film and other assorted plastic items. After collection, the plastic is sent to Trex, a plastic composite lumber manufacturing company, where the bags are then melted and turned in to functional items such as benches and decks. Cargill Energy and Waste Fellow Sam Pollan says that plastic bags are becoming a big problem from a waste management standpoint. The new program was conceived as a way to deal with this problem. According to Pollan, if Luther collects 500 pounds of plastic every six months, Trex will donate a bench made out of plastic composite to the campus.
reflect on our own insecurities,” Marinack said. Those on the panel agree that Islamophobia motivated Mohamed’s arrest. panel, PAgE 4
Fraternity offers to walk peers for safety franCeS StevenSon STAFF WRITER
However, Pollan stresses that the new program is not simply about getting a bench every six months. “You can get away with using reusable bags,” Pollan said. “If you can avoid it, try not to buy that many napkins or paper towels. Use cloths. Ideally, that’s what we want, to have reusable products and move away from these single-use things.” Pollan said that the idea for this program came about after engaging in close conversation with Luther students. “I have two really awesome student workers helping us develop a zero waste plan with the projects that are going to get us to a zero waste campus,” Pollan said. These student workers are Jack Rosenwinkel (‘16) and Liam Fraser (‘18). Fraser notes that deciding to tackle the issue of plastic waste on campus was a logical next step.
Luther College fraternity Zeta Tau Psi (ZTY) has created a buddy system to escort students across campus in the evenings in response to a sexual assault that was reported on Oct. 8. The ZTY members decided to create the buddy system to help students who might feel uncomfortable walking across campus at night. ZTY member Cody Duncan (‘17) has been talking to Luther administrators about creating the buddy system and what the members need to do before the service can start. “We decided that something needed to be done,” Duncan said. “The only thing that is a problem right now is that Luther told us two days prior to the service starting that background checks were going to be a necessity.” Volunteer Coordinator for Helping Services with the Domestic Violence Resource Center Nikki Kuhn (‘06) reached out to Duncan with the offer to do the ZTY members’ background checks. Luther’s administration requires the members to have more extensive
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news
PAge 2 november 12, 2015
news editors: AnnA Jeide & KAtie nelson
Spotlight on LIS help desk matIja nIkoLIc stAFF writer The Technology Help Desk, a part of Library and Information Services (LIS), actively serves the student body. Most of the current staff is comprised of students who help their peers solve a wide range of problems, ranging from network connectivity to hardware malfunctions. This academic year the service has tried to make improvements regarding the overall experience and customer satisfaction. While Internet and network connection remain the subject of frustration and debate on social media, staff members put emphasis on the importance of the feedback and questions they receive from students. “I am free to say that the staff is putting the best of their efforts into constantly maintaining and improving every single piece of technology on this campus,” former student worker Ales Varabyou (‘16) said. “It would make everyone’s life easier if students, staff and faculty would immediately report their issues so that they can be addressed accordingly.” This sentiment was echoed by student manager Ryan Bennett (‘16). “We can’t fix a problem if we don’t know there is a problem,” Bennett said. Starting in September the help desk implemented a waiting list, which according to Bennett gives students more fair treatment and respects their time. “The waiting list is not something that we tried before,” Bennett said. “We currently have seven slots for items due for repair. It’s not great customer service to just say, ‘Oh, we can’t fix your computer now
and we’ll come back and fix it then,’ so we just had to find a way to make it more of a first-come, first-serve basis.” The experience at this workstudy has allowed many students to gain relevant experience in their field of study. Varabyou has become a student worker at a workstation to support administration located in Main Building, while Bennett has taken his experience outside of Luther. “I am a computer science major, and it’s pretty relevant for the kinds of things I want to do after Luther,” Bennett said. “For example, last summer I was doing IT work at Disney World in Florida, and since my tasks were similar, I am free to say that this job has really helped me get that position.” Varabyou notes that work at LIS is helpful resume-building material for anyone. “The main reason why I think people should work in the technology help desk and multimedia is because no matter what their major is, technology is going to be a part of their lives, and hands-on experience is very useful,” Varabyou said. The application process for becoming an LIS student worker is currently open for students. Being a computer science major is not a prerequisite, as the help desk team believes that diverse teams are better equipped to solve diverse problems of a diverse campus. “I think that this is a fun, interesting work-study, and we never have two days that are the same,” student worker Michael Espey (‘16) said. Students are encouraged to report their problems directly through a walk-in at the library, help.luther.edu or the “enter a ticket” section at luther.edu/ helpdesk/.
computer work Study. Taylor Gades (‘18) overlooks the tech desk from the LIS help desk office. Matija Nikolic / Chips
SoLvIng probLemS. Michael Espey (‘16) troubleshoots a computer at the Help Desk. Matija Nikolic / Chips
correction In the Nov. 5 issue of Chips, Jorge lopez (‘17) was misidentified as Jorge Loyo (‘18).
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Community book talk highlights Holden Village
Let’S taLk ‘taILIngS.’ Kaethe Schwehn reads from her book “Tailings” at Dragonfly Books downtown on Friday, Nov. 6. Elyse Grothaus / Chips
Dragonfly Books recently hosted a book talk featuring author and professor at St. Olaf College Kaethe Schwehn. Schwehn presented her autobiography “Tailings,” which follows her time living in Holden Village, on Friday, Nov. 6. Holden Village, located in Washington state, is a Lutheran village that Luther College sends students to on educational trips every January-term. Associate Professor of Economics Steve Holland led the J-term trip last year. The focus of his trip was on environmental economics. “We looked at environmental issues facing the Pacific Northwest,” Holland said. “[Associate Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies Program] Jon Jensen (‘89) has gone up there three or four times and is going this January and teaching a very similar course. Jensen’s course is called Environmental Policy.” Holland also attended the book talk and connected with Schwehn’s Holden Village experiences. “It’s written about Kaethe’s time there post-college where she is trying to figure out what to do with her life, and so a lot of it is her reflections,” Holland said. “The book is about Kaethe’s time at Holden and her thought process
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about trying to figure out where her life was going.” Forrest Stewart (‘19) has a personal connection with both Holden Village and Schwehn, even making an appearance in her book. His father was the pastor at Holden Village for three years, so he lived there from ages three through six. When he started school, Schwehn was the student teacher there. He has visited Holden many summers since then as a volunteer. “It really has shaped much of what I understand and a lot of my life,” Stewart said. “I actually have very few memories of Kaethe. I remember the way she would teach me Spanish. But it’s really a fascinating community and living in such tight quarters you get to know everyone. I have great memories overall.” Isaac Jensen (‘17) was one of the students who attended the J-term trip with Holland. He explained his experience at Holden. “When I was there, I took Environmental Economics, which was cool because in some ways Holden is one big experiment in environmental economics,” Jensen said. “We could connect our coursework to every aspect of our experience. There was also a really good balance of academics and free time, because a lot of the learning you do in Holden is on your own. I had a blast, came back to Luther feeling refreshed and revitalized and am certain that I will go back again.” Jensen also explained why he enjoyed the experience, and he recommended that other Luther students should take the opportunity to travel there. “Spending a J-term at Holden Village was an amazing experience,” Jensen said. “The most striking aspect was the profound sense of community which permeates the village. A big part of that is the isolation. Holden is hours away from the nearest town, and there is no cell phone service, meaning that direct interpersonal interactions become a bigger part of your life. There are also a lot of unifying routines, so it really feels like everyone is on the same wavelength.” The Holden Village J-term is offered through the Center for Global Learning once again this year, led by Jon Jensen and focusing on environmental policy.
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Life outside Luther University of Missouri president to resign The president of the University of Missouri system and the head of its flagship campus resigned Monday, Nov. 9, with the football team and others on campus in open revolt over what they saw as indifference to racial tensions at the school. President Tim Wolfe took “full responsibility for the frustration” students expressed and said their complaints were “clear” and “real.” For months, black student groups had complained that Wolfe was unresponsive to racial slurs and other slights on the overwhelmingly white main campus of the state’s four-college system. The University of Missouri system plans to begin several initiatives in the next 90 days that are aimed at improving the racial atmosphere on its four campuses and cultivating diversity and inclusion at the schools. The moves follow racially charged incidents that led to numerous protests at the system’s flagship campus in Columbia, including a hunger strike by a graduate student and at least 30 black football players announcing a strike. SeaWorld to end orca shows by 2017 SeaWorld will end orca shows at its San Diego park after visitors at the tourist attraction made it clear they prefer seeing killer whales act naturally rather than doing tricks, the company’s top executive said Monday, Nov. 9. CEO Joel Manby told investors the park—where the iconic “Shamu” show featuring killer whales doing flips and other stunts debuted decades ago—will offer a different kind of orca experience focusing on the animal’s natural setting and behaviors, starting in 2017. Animal rights activists called the move a marketing gimmick and want the company to phase out holding any whales in captivity. Jet crash causes two fatalities in Ohio A small-business jet crashed into an apartment building on Tuesday, Nov. 10, killing at least two people aboard, authorities said. No one was inside the small brick apartment building or the neighboring home that caught fire. The jet clipped a utility wire on the way down and burst into flames and disintegrated after impact, Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Bill Haymaker said. The plane then hit an embankment beyond the apartment building, causing a nearby house to also burn, he said. Congress OKs Guantanamo detainees bill Congress sent President Obama a $607 billion defense policy bill that he is expected to sign, though he adamantly opposes its ban on moving some Guantanamo Bay detainees to U.S. prisons. The Senate approved the bill 91-3 on Tuesday, just days after the House passed the bipartisan measure 37058. The legislation authorizes Pentagon spending on military personnel, ships, aircrafts and other military equipment. The president plans to send Congress a blueprint for closing the U.S. prison in Cuba. The plan is widely expected to be rejected on Capitol Hill, as many Senators are opposed to any move detaining some of the terror subjects in the U.S. Compliled from: wwww.ap.org
NEWS
PAGE 4 NOVEMBER 12, 2015
NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & KATIE NELSON
Panel discusses Islamophobia PANEL PAGE 1 A student in attendance at the panel asked about other factors that might have contributed to Mohamed’s arrest, one factor being zero-tolerance policies. Associate Professor of Religion Todd Green researches Islamophobia, regularly blogs for the Huffington Post and has recently authored a book “The Fear of Islam: An Introduction to Islamophobia in the West.” “Under what circumstances do you think a child should ever be hauled away in handcuffs in a school?” Green said. According to Green, zero-tolerance policies disproportionally affect students of color and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and therefore are not neutral policies. Pillsbury spoke about her experience as a school administrator in relation to the issue. “I don’t think he violated a zero-tolerance policy because a clock, even ticking, is not on any list of a policy against bringing certain things to school,” Pillsbury said. Marinack asked a question in response. “Was [Mohamed’s teacher] suspicious of an item, the clock, or was she suspicious of
Ahmed?” Marinack said. Krayem, who identifies with three different religions, one being Islam, told attendees about his experience of being Muslim. “People are already looking at [Muslims] as dangerous, even though they haven’t done anything wrong,” Krayem said. According to Krayem, Muslims are often considered guilty until proven innocent. Other students asked questions about ways to educate others about tolerance in their future careers and what can be done in general to counter Islamophobia. According to Green, building relationships is a great way to begin to combat one’s own prejudice. Green clarified what he meant by relationships. “It’s one thing to say I’ve been exposed to a person of a different ethnic background, it’s another thing to say I have an authentic relationship with that person,” Green said. On the institutional level, anti-bias training was mentioned as a way to counter racism. According to Pillsbury, Luther College does not presently provide anti-bias training for faculty. One student took issue with this matter. “Luther as a school, as an institution,
SPEAKING UP. Abdul Hakam El Shitsu (‘18) asks a question to the panelists. Courtesy of Photo Bureau does not have anti-bias training for its teachers, meaning that these biases and these stereotypes that these teachers acquire throughout their lives are not questioned and aren’t critically analyzed, aren’t replaced by better conceptions of who [their students] truly are,” Jorge Lopez (‘17) said. The Diversity Center, Interfaith Student Association, Muslim Student Association
& Allies, Congregational Council, Catholic Student Community, Student Senate, APO, Hola-Enlaces, Peace Scholars and the religion department all sponsored the panel. Students like Marinack who have ideas for future panels are encouraged to contact Coordinator of Student Organizations Kasey Nikkel for the “Keep it Going” conversation series.
Sustainability encourages plastic bag recycling RECYCLING, PAGE 1 “We brainstormed a bunch of ideas at the beginning of this semester of immediate, low-hanging fruit that we could tackle from the sustainability department that might have an impact on campus waste without students or faculty having to do anything,” Fraser said. According to Fraser, Rosenwinkel was the one who initially got in contact with Trex. “The process was basically draft the plan, decide why it needs to be done, who will it impact and how much will it cost,” Fraser said. “Then Jack got in contact with
Upcoming Events
Trex and all of a sudden we had [the bins].” These new recycling bins are located throughout campus and can be found in Olin, Storre Theatre, Dahl Centennial Union loading dock, at the bottom of the stairs by Nordic Brew, Preus Library as well as in Baker Village, Brunsdale Lounge and Farwell. “It’s a pretty cool program,” Fraser said. “All we have to do is go around and get the bags and take them to the sustainability house garage. At the end of the week, we take them to Fareway, and Fareway takes them to Trex.” While Fraser and Pollan are excited for the new program, both worry about whether or not it will catch
Luther’s Zeta Tau Psi fraternity organizes safety escort program BUDDY SYSTEM, PAGE 4
Thursday, November 12 Center Stage Series: “Letters 7:30 p.m., Center for Faith Home”—Griffin Theatre and Life, Main Hall Friday, November 13 Chapel: Guy Nave 10:30 a.m., Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall Theatre Performance: 7:30 p.m., Center for the Sunday in the Park with Arts, Jewel Theatre George Saturday, November 14 Women’s and Men’s 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., Cross Country—NCAA Pella, Iowa III Central Region Championship Football—Simpson College 12:00 p.m., Home Dorian Keyboard Festival 4:30 p.m., Jenson-Noble, Recitals Noble Recital Hall and Choir Room Men’s and Women’s 12:00 p.m., Macalester Swimming and Diving— College, St. Paul, Minn. Roger Ahlman Invitational Sunday, September 14 Symphony Orchestra 4:00 p.m., Center for Faith Concert and Life, Main Hall Compiled from luther.edu
on with students. “There hasn’t been any big announcements about it,” Fraser said. “Students don’t quite know yet that if you just load up your backpack with plastic bags, you can get rid of them instead of throwing them in the trash.” “I think it may take a while for it to really catch on,” Pollan said. “It’s just going to be a matter of monitoring and communication to make sure that everyone’s on the same page.” Students who wish to get involved with other sustainability initiatives are encouraged to contact Pollan.
background checks. “Helping Services doesn’t necessarily do all of the background checks Luther is asking for,” Kuhn said. “We’re really trying to help them to get their buddy system off the ground and running. We think it’s a great cause.” While these background checks are being completed, the ZTY members cannot begin walking students across campus. Luther College Feminists (LC Fems) tried to create a similar service several years ago and had to complete some of the same processes, according to Duncan. “All we’re doing is trying to provide a service to the campus,” Duncan said. “It’s the Luther community; you should feel safe being here. It’s home away from home for a lot of people. Why would we not contribute to the overall safety of the community?” All 19 of the ZTY members
intend to participate in the service. Each night, several members will be on call. Students will be able to call a local number and will be connected with one of the members on call who will meet them and walk them to where they want to be on campus. According to Duncan, the service already seems to have gained popularity. “Just from the hype and the amount of people who have been asking me personally and from what everyone else in the fraternity is saying, I’m thinking it’s going to be a pretty popular thing,” Duncan said. Luther Security will also provide a security escort across campus, according to Director of Luther Security Bob Harri. “Luther Safety and Security has always offered escorts to students and staff on campus and continues to do so,” Harri said. The new buddy system is hoping to create an atmosphere of approachability given that the
system will be operated by students. “Speaking to a large handful of students, one of the things that was said about Security is that they don’t see them as approachable as a normal student,” Duncan said. “They just see Security in a different light. There are more students that might [want to be walked with] than [Security] could necessarily handle. Why would we not help them if we could?” The buddy system is for all students who might feel unsafe on campus at night. “The service is available for anyone to use regardless of gender or age,” Duncan said. “You’re not going to be looked at in a different way if you choose to use the service. We are here to help anyone who feels uncomfortable.” Other community resources are available to students as well. Students can contact Helping Services for Northeast Iowa 24 hour hotline: 1-800-383-2988 in the case of an emergency.
Arts & EntErtAinmEnt
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A&E Editor: jEnnA nElson
novEmbEr 12, 2015
Sunday in the Park with George a Sunday aftErnoon on thE iSland of la GrandE JattE. this pointillism painting by georges seurat is the inpiration for the musical. ElizabEth Stay stAFF WritEr Luther College’s Visual and Performing Arts department will perform the musical, “Sunday in the Park with George,” by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Performances will take place Nov. 13-14 and 19-21 in the Center for the Arts’ Jewel Theatre. The show is inspired by the painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat. Sondheim and Lapine imagine the creation of the famous painting and fictionalize the life of Seurat in the show. Assistant Professor of Theatre Robert Vrtis is the director of the show. “The painting is just incredible,” Vrtis said. “The precision of it, the experimentation of it. It’s really quite a spectacular piece.” Seurat’s painting is done using the pointillism technique which, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is “a technique of painting using tiny dots of various pure colours, which when viewed from a distance are blended by the viewer’s eye.” “I think that, in a way, that’s the experience of art in general,” said Vrtis. “You put things next to each other, but the experience of the art is actually what exists in between the two of you.” Gillian Constable (‘17) plays Dot, one of the lead roles in the play. “[Pointillism is] very precise,” Constable said. “I think that that’s kind of powerful because that’s definitely what’s going on in the show. We have so many intricate details that people probably won’t pick up on but it all adds to making it a finished, polished product.” Stage manager Elaena Hoekstra (‘17) also recognizes the intersection between the painting and themes in the show. “This play really lets you see how every single fine detail of any medium of art is extremely important and should not be undervalued,” Hoekstra said. “I think it is one of the very powerful messages of the show.” Vrtis recognizes that not only does the show have underlying messages about art, but it also represents art in various ways. “One thing I’ve really loved about it is that it’s a really great way of blending multiple arts — the theatrical, musical and visual arts altogether,” Vrtis said. Luther’s theatre department puts on a musical
production every other year. “Even a relatively simple musical is technically complex because there’s the need to technically get the music right,” Vrtis said. According to Hoekstra, there are additional challenges in performing a musical composed by Sondheim, who is notorious for being one of the most difficult composers of his generation. “The music is incredibly difficult,” Constable said. “But once you get it, it’s like, ‘Oh, this is just how someone would interact.’” Music aside, theatrically performing a musical compared to a non-musical play adds many additional challenges. “For me as stage manager, the hardest thing with a musical has been communicating with roughly 30-40 people,” Hoekstra said. “It’s hard to wrangle all of our schedules, but everyone’s been so accommodating and super fun to work with.” Musicals also require a different size and scale of production compared to plays. “[Musicals] are almost always bigger, especially the ones that we do here,” Vrtis said. “I mean our musicals cost at least twice as much as a normal play usually does, and it usually takes at least twice as many people to put it on.” However, bigger casts also allow a larger variety of people to be involved. “Musicals and large cast shows are the best opportunities for firstyears or non-majors who are just interested,” Vrtis said. “That’s the time when we are really able to open up the department and meet new people, get different perspectives and different talents.” The seasoned theatre students appreciate this influx of newcomers as well. “I haven’t been in a show with this many non-theatre majors,” Hoekstra said. “But I think that has been so rewarding. I just think it’s been nice to get more people. Fresh faces always create fresher work.” Taking on a bigger production also can require more intersections college departments. “It’s been very collaborative,” Hoekstra said. “The theatre department has always wanted to have a closer relationship with the music department, and this show really demanded that we did. It was a good way of pushing us out there.” Collaboration is a crucial element of the theatre department, according to Vrtis.
“ not unlike the painting, theater is an art that does not exist unless it’s an interaction between actor and audience. there is no art without an audience.” - robert vrtis
Photo courtesy of luther.edu
an aftErnoon Stroll. (From left) Parker Fretheim (‘19) and marie sauze (‘18) take a stroll though “the park” during rehearsal. Will Heller/ Photo Bureau “Collaboration really seems to be key here and highly valued,” Vrtis said. “Without [it], putting on a musical would be unthinkable.” With performances beginning soon, the preparation process is coming to an end. “So much hard work has gone into this,” Constable said. “It’s been a long and really rewarding process, and we’re all just so excited that it’s happening.” Vrtis encourages people to attend the show. “Bring your friends and bring your enemies,” Vrtis said. “Not unlike the painting, theater is an art that does not exist unless it’s an interaction between actor and audience. There is no art without an audience.” Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13; 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20; and 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 in the Center for the Arts’ Jewel Theatre. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for students and children and free with the Co-curricular Activities Fee. Visit www.tickets.luther.edu for more information about ticket purchasing.
features
PaGe 6 november 12, 2015
features editor: abby CarPenter
Toppling Goliath Expansion
award-winninG brEw. Patrons are served at the toppling Goliath brewery on College drive. ElizabETh hurlEy staff writer & abby CarpEnTEr features editor Busiest on Friday nights, the Toppling Goliath Tap Room, located on College Drive, can be found hosting a mix of regulars, college students and a handful of professors. A modest interior, the place boasts light and dark wood reminiscent of the varying colors of beer and beer barrels, the aroma of craft beer and a few small articles and plaques attesting to Toppling Goliath’s growing reputation. Boasting the number one beer in the world for the past two years, the company is now distributing in Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, and has plans for a new building to expand their capacity. “Toppling Goliath was established in 2009 by Clark and Barb Lewey,” Assistant Manager of Communications at Toppling Goliath Megan Koenigs said. “He was a home brewer initially, making beer
for his family, and he wanted to create craft beers that had big flavors because he couldn’t find any he liked.” Koenigs reveals the story behind the brewery’s name. “Clark Lewey had an LLC that was named Toppling Golliath, but he decided the name would better suit the establishment,” Koenigs said. “We are toppling the big three: Anheiser, Busche and Coors. We’re the David to their Goliath.” Maxfield Elliott (‘16) started work at Toppling Goliath in the beginning of June 2015. According to Elliott, working at Toppling Goliath is awesome. “It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” Elliott said. “You learn a lot of wisdom from the regulars, you learn about what goes into craft beer and you meet people from all over the United States. Everyone is there to have a good time and talk with each other. People just get really close and they hang out, and it’s a great place to talk.” Named the second best brewery in the world,
according to Star Tribune, Toppling Goliath draws in quite a crowd. With beers such as the Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout and Mornin’ Delight, which have been ranked the number one beers in the world for 2013 and 2014 respectively, folks travel from all over the country to get a taste of Toppling’s beers. “As of right now, we have the number one beer with Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout, and we are considered the number two brewery in the world within the beer community,” Koenigs said. “Beer websites are ranking [our beers]. A majority of our beers sit within the top twenty. Mornin’ Delight is now in the top 25-50.” Toppling Goliath has garnered a lot of attention not only within the community, but also nationally and internationally. “That’s the crazy thing,” Elliott said. “People drive from Texas to drink at Toppling Goliath.” According to Elliott, Toppling Goliath is typically
Cody Arndtson / Chips busiest during the summer months due to the tourism season. Elliott said that upwards of 50 percent of the people he serves on a regular basis hadn’t been there before, or had traveled to Decorah to visit Toppling because of its reputation. According to Elliott, there are generally two types of customers: those who know what they want and those who do not. Those who know what they want have either heard of Toppling Goliath, stopped in before or know what they would like based on what they normally drink. With increased notoriety came an increased distributing area. “We started our distributing in the state of Iowa only, so you only received it here on site for a while,” Koenigs said. “Due to our recent expansions we have gotten into Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska.” Elliott says that those who don’t know what they want are generally new to craft beer. In that case, most order their flight of beer to sample the different
beers Toppling Goliath has to offer, and Elliott says he always has to recommend Dorothy’s, Toppling Goliath’s signature beer. “It’s the lager; it’s not bitter at all and it’s really hard to object to,” Elliott said. Heading into the winter months the tourists have slowed, but Elliott is still seeing new faces at the tap room in addition to the regulars. Consisting mostly of patrons who are a little older, Elliott says that there are also a few recent Luther grads in the mix. “The regulars are some of the funniest people I’ve ever met,” Elliott said. “They’re very opinionated, they’re very smart in a lot of ways and they’re extremely passionate about their beer.” Toppling Goliath lovers will soon have a new location to enjoy Toppling Goliath’s brews. “We are building a new facility, which allows for increased expansion and production,” Koenigs said. “The hope is that we will be able to do tours and possibly have a tasting room out there. The ultimate goal is to keep this facility as well. We don’t want to lose this place.” Koenigs is excited for the expansion and hopes that people continue to enjoy Toppling Goliath. “We are constantly expanding and constantly trying to make big beers,” Koenigs said. “We continue to make beers that bring people in, that they can share with their friends and family. Expansion allows for more fun things ahead. We always hope that people will continue to love and want our beers. Decorah is a special place.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 8 NOVEMBER 12, 2015
A&E EDITOR: JENNA NELSON
Motionpoems with Todd Boss: Film and poetry collaborations EMILY CROWE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Poet Todd Boss will be on campus to visit classes this week and to present a series of his collection of Motionpoems on Friday, Nov. 13. He will then return in January to teach a poetry and visual You rare!— You shooting star!— You comet!— How can I connect my love to you, elusive dot-to-dot, reclusive rocket?— All I do is chase you, even when we’re face to face. Loving you, I’m trying to trace— in daylight— constellations!—
CONSTELLATIONS. Poem by Todd Boss. Courtesy of Motionpoems.com
arts class titled Motionpoems. Motionpoems are Boss’s own creation. He writes a poem and then directs a short film that corresponds to the poetry and presents them together. “He writes very beautiful, interesting, rich poems that are short lyrics,” Professor of English Lise Kildegaard said. “Then he wears a different hat as the executive artistic director of what he calls the world’s only film poetry company. He is part of an artistic endeavor which is making films that are connected to contemporary poems.” The style and genre of the films depend on the poem and what statement the hired animator, filmmaker or composer wants to emphasize. “They are quite lovely,” Kildegaard said. “Some of them are very mysterious, some of them are funny, some of them try to dramatize the poem in a very straight-forward way. Others take off from the poem and do something visually associated but not expected. They vary considerably in their style.” Boss and Motionpoems Inc. will also present 13 Motionpoems at the Walker Art Center on Saturday, May 21. “[Boss] is an award-winning poet,” Kildegaard said. “He is very wellknown in poetry circles and he is published by Oxford University Press. But it is because Motionpoems are so interesting and experimental—he really has invented something new— that he can do some very interesting
SHORT SHORTS. Co-founders Todd Boss and Angella Kassube collaborate on “Constellations,” one of their first Motionpoems. Photo courtesy of Motionpoems.com things. He has done interesting art installations that are kind of wild. He once projected images on the side of a gigantic train station depot in St. Paul, [Minnesota].” His work is innovative and will hold the attention of people with a variety of interests, according to Kildegaard. “There are interfaces of poetry and culture [in Boss’s works] that are super interesting and enjoyable,” Kildegaard said. “I think any one who is interested in poetry will really like the Motionpoems. But anyone who is interested in visual arts, film, animation, arts, non-profit work, music, film scoring, soundtrack work or screen play would also be interested
Live from the AM: Roots revival is here ROB MANGES PROGRAM DIRECTOR The roots revival is here, and we can’t ignore it any more. In the last 10 years we’ve seen Mumford and Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show and Trampled by Turtles popularize a type of music that hasn’t had a national audience outside of country music for 30 years. I can’t pin down the exact moment that bluegrass hit a mainstream audience, but if I was a gambling man I’d put my money on “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. The Bob Dylan-influenced folk-ballad has become a defining song of our generation. This flies in the face of all the pretention and disgust that is normally showed to country and roots music. Those same kids who swear they listen to everything but country and rap, they’re howling along with Ketch Secor (banjo player and lead vocals) when “Wagon Wheel” inevitably gets played in the wee hours of the morning at the bar or around the campfire. But beyond
simply having a few hit singles, roots music’s influence goes farther, it’s currently transforming what used to be a niche genre into a new avenue for popular music. I love folk and roots music because it is an art form that is truly reflective of American values and ingenuity. Jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, even rap, they are all musical genres that have been born and grown in America. While it’s easy to dismiss country/ bluegrass as low class or “redneck,” I think that the music itself is so much deeper. The common themes of bluegrass are the themes of the working man’s life. It’s not about getting rich or partying in swanky clubs; it’s about finding a girl you love, struggling against a dead end job or protesting the injustice of our society in a populist and genuine way. Bluegrass and folk music tap into a tradition that is as old as the Mayflower, and it’s inspiring to me when I see hints of this greater American Soul becoming popular again. It starts with a hit song or a subtle use of banjo or mandolin, but
in these works.” Kildegaard also hopes that students with these interests will register for the J-term class. There is limited registration for the course, but students who take the class will have the chance to create films, write poetry, work in the media center with Final Cut Pro and present films and poems to an audience, according to Kildegaard. Boss’s presentation is sponsored by Kildegaard’s Dennis M. Jones Distinguished Teaching Professorship in the Humanities project focused on Short Shorts. The Motionpoems presentation will take place on Friday, Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. in Valders Hall of Science, Room 206.
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features
PaGe 7
features editor: abby CarPenter
november 12, 2015
Astri Snodgrass: Back at Luther samanTha Ea staff writer Adjunct Faculty in Art Astri Snodgrass (‘12) has been filling in this fall semester for Associate Professor of Art Ben Moore (‘02) as he takes parental leave. Snodgrass graduated from Luther with art and Spanish degrees and went on to get her Master of Fine Arts at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Chips: How did you get this job? Snodgrass: I was one of Ben Moore’s students. When I was in school here, I took a lot of classes with Ben Moore. He asked me if I was interested in coming back for a onesemester position for his parental leave this semester. What made you come back to Luther to teach? Well, I already knew that it was going to be difficult to relocate for one semester, but I already knew the place and I already knew the people, for the most part. I knew the department, having gone through it myself, and knew what the program was like when I was here. And it’s such a welcoming place. I was surprised at how many people I still know and still recognize around town. It’s nice to be somewhere I already feel at home. What classes are you teaching? I’m teaching Painting and Foundations. Beginning Painting and Intermediate Painting are at the same time, and Foundations Visual Thinking is my other course, which are all really interesting to teach to see what people come up with for their different projects. How was your transition from student to professor? Well, grad school was kind of a transition
period because I taught all through grad school. I started out as a teaching assistant, and then I started teaching instruction record, being the one teaching the class and grading the students and building the class. So that was three years of being both student and instructor. How is campus life different now as a professor than as a student? It was really surreal at first to be back. It felt like going back to college, but it felt definitely different this time around. During my day, I’m mostly in the CFA (Center for the Arts). Sometimes I go over to the Union or I go workout, but most of the time I’m in the CFA, as opposed to when I was a student. I was kind of all over, all of the time. What is your teaching philosophy? I never want any of my students to be making the same thing at the same time. I would hope that my projects are open enough to where students can bring their own interests and aesthetic choices and make it their own. So it’s not just going through the motions, completing the assignment, but developing that into something they feel ownership over. Do you have any future plans? I am hoping to find a teaching job somewhere, and that this will be a stepping stone into a more permanent teaching job somewhere. I also have a show coming up in Nashville at the Co-op Gallery. That will be held in April or May. Have you experienced any changes as a professor? I think I like Luther more as a professor than a student. As a student, I was much more interested in Decorah as a place than I was in Luther. But as a professor, I’m starting to
painTinG & TEaChinG. adjunct faculty in art astri snodgrass (‘12) returns to luther to teach a semester of art classes for associate Professor of art ben moore (‘02). Samantha Ea / Chips realize more now, in a liberal arts setting as opposed to a large state school that I went to for graduate school, how much the professors care about their students. As someone who was a student here, I really appreciated realizing this side of it. Realizing how much they’re invested and how much they care about the whole person, not just how one person is doing in one class. Tell me about your art. Right now, I’m primarily doing collage. And it’s collage on masking tape; the surface is built on tape. It’s a very physical process, thinking about things that break apart and
get rearranged and put back together. There are painted elements and there are drawn elements. I see it as a mixture between drawing, painting and print-making. Primarily, I think of myself as a painter. Would you say your teaching style is more open? I mean it’s always changing, for sure. I’m definitely still trying to figure out what I value as an educator, what I want and what I can reasonably expect from my students. That’s always changing based on what I see from them, conversations I’ve had with them and from other professors.
No Shave Novemb er at Lut her
The first installation of three following Benjamin Henson (‘16), Thomas Klinkhammer (‘19) and Luke wilson (‘18) through their no shave november beard growing journeys. daniEl ray volunteer writer
While participating in NoShave November is common among Luther College students, their reasons for foregoing the use of a razor are often quite different. Luke Wilson (‘18) is hoping that for the first time in his life, he will be able to grow a respectable beard. “I have a life-goal of being
lookinG oldEr. benjamin Henson (‘16). Daniel Ray / Chips
able to grow a beard, and I’m hoping that maybe this will be the year,” Wilson said. According to Wilson, he isn’t too picky about the end length or appearance of his beard. “I would be happy with anything that resembles a beard,” Wilson said. Benjamin Henson (‘16) is hoping for a beard that will win him the respect of his future students when he teaches music education next spring in Kansas City, Kansas. “I’ll be student teaching starting in January, and I feel like a beard would make me look older,” Henson said. According to Henson, he is hoping for a beard that will make him look like he is in his upper 20s. “I don’t want bushy, but probably close to bushy without being bushy,” Henson said. According to Thomas Klinkhammer (‘19), his entire floor has been encouraged by their Resident Assistant to participate in No-Shave November. “Our RA sent out an email wondering who would like to be involved in No-Shave
November,” Klinkhammer said. “I think the plan is to have before and after pictures.” Klinkhammer is choosing to participate in this month’s hair-growing festivities as it has become a tradition. “I did it last year for fun and the year before, so I guess it’s a tradition to keep doing it,” Klinkhammer said. All three students described their beards in vivid detail. “I would say it looks to be
bEard GamE sTronG. thomas Klinkhammer (‘19). Daniel Ray / Chips
a little darker than the shade of the rest of my hair, and it is very stubbly at this point,” Wilson said. Wilson considered which sport his beard mostly closely resembles. “Maybe golf,” Wilson said. “Crappy golf on a crappy golf course. That’s what my beard is.” Henson expressed concern that his violin-playing and beard-growth might be at odds. “It’s a little patchy on the left side,” Henson said. “And I’d rather it be fuller. And my theory for why it’s a little patchy is when I play violin, I rest that side on the violin and I think the violin stunts the hair growth.” Klinkhammer reports that his beard is somewhat disheveled. “Scratchy, patchy and itchy,” Klinkhammer said. “I’ll go with a sport and say rugby because it’s scraggly and rough.” Wilson and Henson both had interesting strategies for optimizing their beard growth. “Every night, I am washing my face down with soap and then applying a moisturizer to enhance beard growth, because
a moist face can help the length of the beard,” Wilson said. Henson had a more painful solution. “Sometimes I grab hairs and pull on them to make them longer,” he said. Klinkhammer did not identify a particular strategy. This column on No-Shave November will be checking on these three students each week this month to assess and report their progress.
no morE baby faCE. luke wilson (‘18). Daniel Ray / Chips
OPINION
PaGE 9
maNaGING EDITOR: CamERON mEYfERTh
NOvEmBER 12, 2015
Responses to Jesson’s defense of rape culture lecture Claire Boeke (‘16), author of the original critique of Richard Winter’s lecture found in Chips volume 138, number 7, published on Oct. 29, 2015, responds to Director of the Center for Ethics and Public Life Greg Jesson’s response found in Chips volume 138, number 8, published on Nov. 5, 2015. For those of you who were not in attendance, Richard Winter started off his talk by expressing his gratitude to the audience “for listening to [him] on this topic, which [he is] learning a lot about [himself].” I object to the Center for Ethics and Public Life for sponsoring this talk, not because Winter’s opinions offended me, but because I vehemently believe he was not qualified. I think Winter was legitimately concerned about rape culture and had strong opinions about contributing factors, but I would hope our standards for inviting lecturers are higher than good intentions and strong opinions. Winter presented many statistics about porn use and its implications in regards to our relationships, but when asked if he thought certain genres of porn, including feminist porn and BDSM (bondage & discipline, domination & submission, sadism & masochism) porn, which make a conscious effort to model consensual relationships, could contribute to rape culture, he had very little to say, only that he didn’t think much porn of that type existed. How can he make blanket statements about porn culture when he has not studied the variance that exists? Feminist porn portrays relationships in which enthusiastic consent is mandatory and all participants are seen as actors rather than passive objects. The BDSM community has adopted the motto “safe, sane and consensual” and acts as a counterexample to those who believe all violent sex is nonconsensual. BDSM porn often includes a conversation between participants expressing their likes and dislikes, establishing boundaries and agreeing on a safe word. Surely this push for better porn is relevant to discussions of consent and porn culture. Winter also demonstrated a lack of knowledge of communities affected by rape culture. Regardless of his opinion on the gender and sexuality minority (GSM) community, they are affected by rape culture and thus deserve to be part of the conversation. Greg Jesson’s interpretation of the “Sexual Freedom” slide is that Winter was merely listing “every possible sexual variation.” If that is true, why didn’t heterosexual relationships make the list and why were people who identify as transgender mentioned? I will say it again,
transgender is a gender identity, not a sexual orientation. Winter still demonstrates ignorance of the GSM community, even with Jesson’s generous interpretation. Just as egregious was the exclusion of the GSM community from the rest of the presentation. Regardless of Winter’s views, using language that excludes an entire community that is affected by rape culture is irresponsible. Winter’s treatment of other cultures demonstrated that while he could summarize a New York Times article on ISIS, he had not read any relevant academic literature on the institutionalized nature of rape culture worldwide. There are academics who study how rape is not just a byproduct of war but a means by which wars are fought, the crosscultural causes of genderbased violence and the ways in which other cultures have dealt with the prosecution of rapists after wars or even genocide. If Winter has read any of this literature, his presentation did not reflect it. By calling out Winter’s treatment of other cultural and religious groups I am in no way minimizing or dismissing substantiated facts. On the contrary, I am asking that they be addressed in an academic manner that goes deeper than regurgitating stereotypes. While I agree with Jesson’s assertion that a liberal arts education “is about being confronted and challenged with a wide variety of ideas,” I do not think we are obligated to give all opinions equal time and space within our community. When we reach outside the Luther community for speakers, we should be critical of their qualifications. Likewise when making decisions within our community, it is opinions of those who are informed and passionate that should matter. I do not think Jesson is alone on this campus in believing
that all opinions deserve our respect and consideration. In fact, in the same edition of Chips as Jesson’s disproportionate response to my critique, our Student Senate President Jesus Lucero (‘16) expresses the need to bring the student body on board with gender-neutral housing. While I think educating the student body is important, I do not agree that it is a prerequisite to action. Trans* students on this campus are misgendered by professors and peers, lack equitable housing options and are expected to legitimize their gender identity to anyone who is curious. When they advocate for themselves they are asked to be complacent and wait until the campus has received proper education. Why are the opinions of students who are made uncomfortable by the idea of gender-neutral housing being prioritized over the needs of students who are made uncomfortable everyday by the lack of equitable housing? The founders of Luther College did not feel the need to convince their peers that slavery is immoral before they took action. Why are we sitting around comparing ourselves to hand-picked “sister institutions” and taking into account uninformed opinions? Frankly, it’s too late to follow in the footsteps of our founders as progressive leaders. We could at least settle for not being at the end of the pack. While I found Jesson’s response to be a disproportional display of power that at times insulted my character and intelligence, I am thankful for all the meaningful conversations that have occurred because of it, and for the support of many of my peers and professors.
“Winter’s treatment of other cultures demonstrated that while he could summarize a New York Times article on ISIS, he had not read any relevant academic literature on the institutionalized nature of rape culture worldwide.” - Claire Boeke (‘16)
Claire Boeke (‘16)
Women and Gender Studies Board: What are Luther’s standards for academic debate? On Oct. 22, the Center for Ethics and Public Life (CEPL) sponsored a lecture by Richard Winter on sexual freedom and rape culture. We write to express our profound disappointment both in the CEPL’s decision to invite Winter to speak about rape culture and in Greg Jesson’s Nov. 5 editorial response to Claire Boeke’s (‘16) astute critique of the lecture’s shortcomings. Our concerns with Winter’s lecture arise from his lack of sensitivity to Luther College’s commitment to embrace diversity, including cultural and sexual diversity, and his failure to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the systematic social, cultural and historical forces that give rise to sexual violence. If Winter is an expert on this topic, neither his published record nor his lecture indicates this. In his defense of Winter’s lecture in the Nov. 5 issue of Chips, Jesson criticizes colleges for failing to challenge their students’ worldviews, arguing that students ought to be confronted with a wide variety of viewpoints in order to enrich our common life together. Ironically, when Boeke articulated a dissenting viewpoint and challenged the evidentiary basis of Winter’s lecture, Jesson took her to task in a disproportionate, full-page response that belittled her knowledge, cast aspersions on her character, misrepresented some of her positions and sought to marginalize her voice by suggesting that she was out of step with Dean of the College Kevin Kraus and most of the faculty. Jesson’s response to Boeke was inappropriate, and we are disappointed in his failure to build a bridge of dialogue with her and with others who share her concerns. The larger point is not whether Winter must pass an ideological litmus test in order
to speak on our campus. Luther College welcomes all views supported by evidence and reasoned argument, and we expect the CEPL to maintain high standards for the relevant qualifications and expertise of invited speakers. We also expect the CEPL’s director to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct when responding to student concerns about CEPL-sponsored lectures. To address the need for expertise in vetting speakers, we support the move to create a board consisting of faculty, staff and students, in consultation with relevant academic programs, to assist the CEPL in ensuring that lecturers possess the necessary academic credentials to speak on their topic. As educators, we must model the respect necessary for civil dialogue and be sensitive to the asymmetry of power between faculty member and student, so that we may create an environment where we can be challenged by each other. We believe that one way to move forward would be for Jesson to recognize the problematic tone and framing of his letter and to extend to Boeke an apology for not himself keeping the doors of dialogue open. This would signal to all Luther students that this is a community that respects their voices and differences and welcomes their participation in a dialogue that seeks the common good—especially when we disagree about what that means.
“Jesson’s response to Boeke was inappropriate, and we are disappointed in his failure to build a bridge of dialogue with her and with others who share her concerns.” - Women and Gender Studies Board
Women and Gender Studies Board Char Kunkel (Program Director), Maryna Bazylevych, Erin Flater (‘01), Todd Green, Holly Moore, Anna Peterson and Stephanie Travers
OPINION
PAGE 10 NOVEMBER 12, 2015
Luther College Chips Chips is a student publication of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The paper is designed, composed edited and managed entirely by Luther students. It is published weekly during the academic year, excluding the month of January. The opinion section is designed to provide a forum for Chips, its staff members and the Luther community. Opinions expressed in articles, editorials and columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Chips staff. The author is solely responsible for opinions expressed in Chips commentary. Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements. Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document to chipsedt@ luther.edu with Letter to the Editor as a subject line. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing without changing the meaning of the letter. Authors will not be notified of changes prior to publishing. Letters must be signed, 300-400 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before production. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor. Contact Chips: Phone: 563-387-1044 Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips
Fall 2015 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Emily Crowe Cameron Meyferth Anna Jeide Katie Nelson Features Editor: Abby Carpenter A&E Editor: Jenna Nelson Sports Editor: Steve Peterson Staff Writers: Jesse Anderson Cody Arndtson Samantha Ea Elyse Grothaus Elizabeth Hurley Sidney Larson Danny May Matija Nikolic Laura Proescholdt Elizabeth Stay Fran Stevenson Jacob Warehime Head Copy Editor: Bethany Seavers Templeton Copy Editors: Olivia Benson Erika Storvick Ad Representatives: Alex Brandt Hannah Mick Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Photography Coordinator: Abby Carpenter Photographer: Cody Arndtson Design Technician: Kathryn Olson Web Manager: Michael Spear Social Media Director: Britany Thorpe Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: Laura Fuller
MANAGING EDITOR: CAMERON MEYFERTH
Students discuss ethnic diversity in HOLA-Enlaces Letter to the Editor For those of you who attended the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on Thursday, Oct. 29, you may have noticed that there was a disparity in the representation of Hispanic students in the program. Several members of HOLA-Enlaces participated in organizing the program, and out of those students, there was only one Hispanic student. Some who attended the event pointed this out in last week’s issue of Chips, and we also recognize this as a concern. As current and former leaders of HOLA-Enlaces, we have been involved in the organization over the past three years and have had similar conversations about this each year. When we were first-year students, HOLA and Enlaces were separate organizations. The two organizations essentially had similar purposes and missions; teaching English in Postville, volunteering at the local food pantry and hosting cultural events. The main difference between the two groups was the demographic make-up. HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Latinos and Amigos) consisted primarily of Hispanic students, domestic and international, whereas Enlaces was primarily a group of Spanish majors and minors. In the fall of 2013, the two groups merged into one. The purpose of this collaboration was born out of a vision from the leadership at the time to create a more unified and diverse group of Hispanic and nonHispanic students at Luther College that would work together. At first, the membership of the new group was roughly half Hispanic and half non-Hispanic. Unfortunately, we have seen a growing trend of an increase in non-Hispanic students and a significant decrease in the Hispanic membership. The Hispanic population has always been represented in our leadership, even while our group has become increasingly comprised of non-Hispanic students.
While it may have come as a shock at the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration to have a primarily white group of students facilitating the event, we are glad that this issue has been made visible and is now being discussed openly. For the past two years, HOLAEnlaces has been asked by the Spanish epartment and the Diversity Center to assist in putting together a program for Hispanic Heritage Month. This year, we did our best to reach out to Hispanic students at Luther, but very few were interested in participating, leaving us to resort to members from our own organization. While we recognize the obvious issues of representing a culture which is not our own, we still felt that it was important to have student involvement in the event. The students who were interested in participating happened to be mostly non-Hispanic students. We apologize if anyone feels misrepresented by our actions in the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. Starting now, we are beginning to work more closely with the Diversity Center in order to explore ways in which HOLAEnlaces can return to the representation it once had. We are also exploring the possibility of changing our weekly meeting time to make it more accessible for more students to attend and become involved. We welcome any other suggestions or ideas from students, particularly Hispanic students, about what we can do to make HOLAEnlaces a more inclusive organization. We are a group of students who are deeply invested in learning about Hispanic culture, but that cannot replace true representation in our group, a goal that we still strive for. We owe it to our former leaders, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic, to continue the shared vision that inspired them to come together as HOLA-Enlaces in the first place. It would be a shame to see HOLAEnlaces drift apart as Luther strives to be an inclusive community. This semester, we will continue to meet on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. in Valders 349. All are welcome and encouraged to attend, both Hispanic and nonHispanic. We are always open to new suggestions and ideas. If you have any questions, please email holaenlaces@luther.edu. We look forward to continuing this conversation.
“While we recognize the obvious issues of representing a culture which is not our own, we still felt that it was important to have student involvement in the event. The students who were interested in participating happened to be mostly non-Hispanic students.” - Ryan Goos (‘16) and Anna Jeide (‘16)
Ryan Goos (‘16) and Anna Jeide (‘16)
New support group on campus On behalf of the Riverview Center, a non-profit organization that provides support to survivors of sexual assault, a drop-in support group is starting on Luther’s campus. The support group is a once-a-month, confidential group for survivors of sexual assault to express concerns and find support among peers in a comfortable setting facilitated by Riverview staff. The group offers semi-structured activities, selfcare practices and a safe space for sharing if individuals choose to do so. The group is open to all survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment
and stalking, regardless of age, orientation, gender, etc. Knowing that, the Riverview Center staff will evaluate the group’s progress and the need for more specific groups, such as an all-male group, an LGBTQ group, etc. We want the group to be a safe and welcoming space for survivors to be able to share (to the extent that they are comfortable doing so), to be heard and validated, and to heal. It is important to promote local services like this that aim to help survivors of sexual assault, for these efforts let people know that sexual assault is happening and it’s not OK. More importantly, we hope
this support group shows that there are places that really care, and there are opportunities survivors can go to for help if they choose. We hope that anyone who is in need of these supports feels welcome to attend. The group will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 5-6 p.m. in the Center for Women and Gender Equality, 405 High Street, and will continue meeting every third Wednesday of the month. Please call 563-380-3332 with questions or email jessica@ riverviewcenter.org or lynette@ riverviewcenter.org. Riverview Center
sports
page 11
NoVember 12, 2015
sports editor: steVe petersoN
Wrestling season opens with alumni meet
Get LooSe. Current and former Luther wrestlers go through streching together to prepare for their intrasquad meet on saturday, Nov. 7. Sidney LarSen staff writer The Norse wrestlers opened their season with practice on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and an alumni/intrasquad meet on Saturday, Nov. 7. During the meet, the current Norse wrestlers had the opportunity to wrestle their team members as well as Luther College wrestling alums. According to members of the wrestling program, the alumni meet is an important component for the launch the season. Wrestling manager Anna Vasquez (‘17) said that the alumni/intrasquad meet is a way for the wrestlers to have fun at the start of a long and grueling season. “It’s a good way to make wrestling fun until the season starts,” Vasquez said. “Because then it’s all hard work and dedication. It’s still fun for them, but it’s a lot more intense than the alumni meet.” Luther wrestler Matt Chlebek (‘17) believed the meet gave the team valuable practice before the real meets start. “It’s important to get these matches out of the way before our first big tournament next weekend,” Chlebek said. “It’s good experience to wrestle some of the guys on our team and to wrestle some of the alumni guys and learn from their experience.” Former Luther wrestler and Academic All-American Nic Barclay (‘09) said he came to the alumni meet for
Steve PeterSon sports editor Volleyball middle blocker Emma Veum (‘19) was named all-conference by the IIAC last week, while also being honored as the Co-Freshman of the Year. Veum is the first volleyball player from Luther to recieve this honor. Veum led the Norse this season with 286 kills despite missing four matches. She set a school record this season by posting the highest singlematch attack percentage (.810) (17 kills in 21 total attacks) during Luther’s 3-0 victory against Simpson. This was also the IIAC’s highest single-match percentage. Chips: How do feel about your first season playing volleyball at a college level? Veum: I had a great
the sense of family he has with the team. “It’s great just to come back and see the guys and get on the mat with the current team,” Barclay said. “Once you’re part of the Luther wrestling program, it’s like a family.” Nine alums returned to Luther College on Saturday to compete at the meet. Wrestling Head Coach Dave Mitchell said that the team would use their presence as a learning tool this year. “We’re trying to get even more intentional with the meet this year, with kind of a question-and-answer period with alums and current guys,” Mitchell said. “Really, the current guys are in the same shoes the alums were, so there’s a lot that can be learned from them.” According to both current and returning wresters, the alumni/intrasquad meet started off what is sure to be strong season for the Norse. Luther College wrestling is currently ranked third in the nation for Division III, with some very strong athletes, according to Mitchell. “The first ranking came out, and we’re ranked third in the country right now,” Mitchell said. “Five of our guys are ranked in the top 10 in the country in their respective weight classes.” Drew Van Anrooy (‘16) is currently ranked first in the nation at 141 pounds and Dakota Gray (‘16) is ranked second at 149 pounds.
experience my first year playing in college! I came in a scared freshmen and I finished out the season with 18 new sisters who welcomed me and helped me to have the season I had. This was a great team, and I’m lucky to have played with them. What does it mean to you to be named all-conference/ freshman of the year? It’s a huge honor to get just one of these awards, and two of them in one season is amazing. I was thrilled to get this amount of recognition but I’m also keeping myself focused on next year and doing even more. How has volleyball helped in your transition to Luther? It’s been a huge help in getting to know people during my first year here! Volleyball has always been an enormous part of my life, and finding friends who
share that passion has made the transition from home very easy. The time commitment of fall sports has also kept me from feeling very homesick; there just hasn’t been time since I got on campus to worry about anything besides classes and volleyball. What are you most excited for next season? Next season will be our opportunity to go even further in the conference tournament and continue building on last year’s success. The juniors this year are going to do a great job leading the team next year, and I’m also excited to step into more of a leadership role than last year seeing as I won’t be a freshman. Are there aspects of your game that you are trying to improve? The main area that I’m focusing on improving is blocking. I need to penetrate the net and get faster at transitioning out to the pins. I’ve improved a lot over the course of the season with coach’s help but still have a way to go. Favorite pregame music? It’s a tie between “My House” by Flo Rida and “Jordan Belfort” by Wes Walker, anything loud is always good though! Do you have any rituals/ superstitions when you play? I definitely do, and Natalie Ludolph (‘19) thinks it’s
Sidney Larsen / Chips
Mitchell said that he is extremely proud of the work his wrestlers have put forth thus far into the season. “It’s just about finding the priorities and making it happen, so I’m proud of these guys,” Mitchell said. “I think we’re off to a great start.” Mitchell is also happy with what the team accomplished in October and sees November as a chance to step up the intensity. “I think we accomplished what we wanted to accomplish in October,” Mitchell said. “Now we’ve got a new month and we’re starting to compete and we always want to be off to a fast start, so that’s what we’re focused on.” The Norse look forward to their next meet on Saturday, Nov. 14. They will host the Luther Open, which, according to Mitchell, is one of the best tournaments in the region. “It has become one of the biggest and best college open tournaments in the Midwest,” Mitchell said. “We’ll have around 500 college wrestlers from 20 plus schools from Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior colleges. Every division of wrestling will be represented.” Mitchell has high hopes for the rest of the season but recognizes that it will be a lot of work. “I think we can do some great things at the end of the year,” Mitchell said. “But we have a long way to go to get there.”
hilarious. When we’re on the bench and and the match isn’t going well, I’ll move and stand
between different people and call it “mixing up the mojo.” It works every time!
Set it UP. emma Veum (‘19) goes for a spike against Loras. Photo courtesy of Emma Veum
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE PETERSON
NOVEMBER 12, 2O15
Soccer teams lose semifinal games in IIAC tournament
Weekly Standings Football
IIAC 6-0 5-1 4-2 3-3 2-4 2-4 2-4 0-6
Dubuque Wartburg Central Loras Luther Coe Simpson Buena Vista
Recent Scores
Overall 7-2 8-1 6-3 4-5 4-5 3-6 3-6 1-8
Oct. 31 @ Coe, L 22-44 Nov. 7 vs. Loras, W 31-21
Upcoming Schedule
Nov. 14 vs. Simpson, 12:00 PM
Women’s Soccer
FOOT WORK. Aidan O’Driscoll (‘19) and Kyle McNeese (‘16) prepping for their semifinal game against Dubuque. Cody Arndtson / Chips CODY ARNDTSON STAFF WRITER The Luther women’s and men’s soccer seasons are over after losses in the semifinal games of the IIAC Championships. Luther’s women fell to Wartburg 0-2, while the men were defeated by Dubuque 0-1. Finishing the season with a rank of sixth in the region, Head Women’s Soccer Coach Russ Schouweiler (‘05) said that the team has high expectations for the future because of the consistent high level of play. “Now having two great seasons in a row, there is some consistency,” Schouweiler said. “It is not a one hit wonder; we are a top team in the region. If you look at the region rankings from the last two years, there is us and two other schools who are consistenly in it. This showing is not a fluke but just an expectation of where we are at.” The mentality that Schouweiler brings to his coaching is that consistency is important. He also places emphasis on never feeling complacent. “With consistency it is the same message,” Schouweiler said. “If it is not broke, don’t fix it. We try not to overcomplicate things with them and we try to be very transparent in our communication with them and what we want out of every position,
and we do not change too much. And that is the big thing with consistency, our players know what to expect and what it is going to look like. I think that is why we are a step ahead of many teams.” Four seniors have led the team this making a true difference by helping develop a stronger team that will bring about success in the future for Luther College Women’s Soccer (LCWS.) “This year’s seniors have made the program better,” Schouweiler said. “They have added another layer onto the foundation of what we already had. They made it better, it is the best it has ever been and this is the best team ever in LCWS history. Next year when we are lifting trophies, it is their trophy, too. They are a part of our success.” In particular, captain Reggie Young (‘16) has demonstrated what it means to be a true athlete and leader at Luther, according to Schouweiler. “One player that is just a true inspiration and leader, great person and player is Reggie Young,” Schouweiler said. “If I had to point to a student-athlete at Division III, it’s Reggie. The way she balances her life, being in the orchestra, her education, athletics and commitment to the team is fantastic.” Young demonstrated these qualities this year and said her experience at
Luther with women’s soccer has been unforgettable. “I think it has been empowering,” Young said. “It was empowering in the sense that I learned a lot about myself as a person, leader and athlete. But also because there is not quite a feeling like having that collective success or failure. I feel at home here at Luther and with the girls of my team.” The Luther College men’s soccer team is also optimisitic about their future, noting the winning mindset that has been cultivated over the past few seasons. Men’s goalkeeper Tommy Breen (‘16) illustrates that both soccer programs at Luther are going to succeed in the future with the strong foundation that is being laid. “I think both programs continue to grow with talent and experience,” Breen said. “Both coaches are growing in experience as well. These are two coaches that know the game and love the game and that’s where the energy starts from. Both programs have a foundation that is strong with coaches that will drive soccer here at Luther. To see the passion, competition and collaboration across both programs is fantastic to see.” Now that the season is over, both teams look to the off-season for more training in hopes to better next year’s season results.
IIAC 6-1 5-1-1 4-2-1 4-2-1 3-2-2 2-4-1 1-6 0-7
Wartburg Coe Loras Luther Central Dubuque Simpson Buena Vista
Overall 14-4-2 15-1-3 11-5-4 13-5-1 9-6-2 10-7-2 5-13 3-13
Recent Scores
Oct. 31 IIAC Tournament 1st Round vs. Central, W 2-1 Nov. 4 IIAC Tournament - Semifinal @ Wartburg, L 0-2
Men’s Soccer IIAC 7-0 5-2 4-2-1 4-2-1 4-3 2-5 1-6 0-7
Loras Dubuque Luther Simpson Wartburg Coe Central Buena Vista
Overall 14-4-1 12-6-1 11-6-3 9-9-3 11-6-2 6-13-1 4-13 5-12
Recent Scores
Oct. 31 IIAC Tournament - 1st Round vs. Coe, W 4-0 Nov. 4 IIAC Tournament - Semifinal @ Dubuque, L 0-1
Swimming and Diving Coe Men Luther Men Simpson Men Loras Men Coe Women Luther Women Simpson Loras
IIAC 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-1
Overall 1-1 1-2 0-0 2-2 1-1 2-1 0-0 1-0
Recent Scores
Oct. 31 @ UW-Whitewater, L 72-165 Nov. 7 vs. Grinnell College, L, 114-166
Upcoming Schedule
Nov. 14 @ Roger Ahlman Invitational, 12:00 PM
Wrestling
Buena Vista Central Coe Dubuque Loras Luther Simpson Wartburg
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Upcoming Schedule
Nov. 14 Luther Open, All Day