CHIPS November 11, 2015

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SOCCER SEASOn EnDS

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SUnDAY In THE PARK WITH gEORgE

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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

reCyClinG PAgE 4

buddy SyStem, PAgE 4


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CHIPS November 11, 2015 by Luther Chips - Issuu