Chips is experimenting with some new features! Check out “The Norse Poll,” a survey of student opinions on hot topics (page 10), and our new QR Codes to view web content throughout the issue! Ballet dancers perform A Midsummer’s Night Dream
A&E 8
LUTHER COLLEGE
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
CHIPS
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
VOLUME 137, NO. 13
College decides not to host Mumford and Sons festival COLIN ROBINSON STAFF WRITER
ISLAMOPHOBIA IN EUROPE. Students were in Europe during the attacks on Charlie Hebdo in early January. Photo courtesy of luther.edu
Students encounter Islamophobia abroad MAGGIE STEINBERG STAFF WRITER On their first day of studying Islamaphobia in Europe during January Term, 27 Luther students arrived in the Netherlands as antiMuslim and anti-immigration sentiment boiled over in various European countries. Two gunmen opened fire at the office of French satire newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Jan. 7, 2015. The gunmen were labeled as terrorists and
sparked fierce reactions throughout Europe. “The attacks happened on our first full day in Europe,” Andrea Berkeland (‘15) said. “Our whole trip was impacted. During all the subsequent meetings we had, the topic was never far away from the conversation.” The J-term, led by Assistant Professor of Religion Todd Green and Professor of Political Science John Moeller, traveled to the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and England.
Trip blogger Ben Harney (‘15) explained that before the attacks, some people didn’t understand why there was a J-term studying Islam in Europe. “I would get responses saying things like, ‘Isn’t Islam primarily in the Middle East? Why aren’t you going there?’” Harney said. “Or, ‘I didn’t know there was much to discuss there. Are you sure it’s a pressing issue?’” ISLAMOPHOBIA, PAGE 4
College encourages safety precautions ELIZABETH TABAKA STAFF WRITER All Luther students and staff received a security alert with information regarding an intruder discovered in the room of a female student in Dieseth Hall on Jan. 27. The investigation of this incident is still ongoing, according to Director of Campus Safety and Security Bob Harri. “We don’t have much more information than is in the alert right now,” Harri said. “We do have reason to believe that the person came from the inside of Miller, crossed through Brunsdale over into Dieseth and then returned through Brunsdale back to Miller. We are still trying to identify who the person is.” It does not look like this incident was in relation to any other suspicious activity, according to Towers Area Coordinator Jordan Burkhart (‘13). “At this moment it seems like what took place was a single, isolated event,” Burkhart said. “However, Luther and the SAFETY, PAGE 4
Graphic by Samantha Ea
Mumford and Sons showed interest in performing in Decorah during the summer of 2015 as a part of their Gentlemen of the Road (GOTR) concerts, but due to the nature of the band’s needs, Luther officials denied their request. Their request relied largely upon the use of Luther facilities. The internationally renowned folk-rock band had hoped to perform at the end of a two-day music festival in Decorah. “There were two specific [requests],” Vice President for Communications and Marketing Rob Larson said. “The first request was to make space available for camping.” The group sought space for the musicians’ crewmembers and fans to stay near campus. One concern was the potential damage to spaces intended for educational purposes, such as Anderson Prairie, an area set to a specific burn cycle. The burn schedule is intended to promote natural diversity of plant species and camping would have disrupted the cycle. The prairie is also considered a lab space for students, according to Larson. “Our mission is academic, and to give up academic space for this is something we can’t do,” Larson said. “Dr. Carlson made that phrase about ‘the mission being academic. She wasn’t saying that precluded participating in the concert; she was speaking very narrowly to protecting space that is designated for academic purposes.” Aside from space to perform and camp, the concert also depended on the availability of residence halls. “The second request was that they said, ‘We need 2000 beds,’” Larson said. Luther administrators decided they must address what issues could arise from an influx of 2000 people on campus. “We have camps going on with minors,” Larson said. “How do we keep separation? We don’t want a seventh-grader hanging out in the same space.” Most of the official discussions surrounding the decisions have been kept private, resulting in many rumors. “There were a couple Decorah Newspapers articles, and it was something that people were just talking about,” Carl Bates (‘15) said. “This is just kind of something that blew up after we got out of classes [in December]. It was something that was a hot-button issue in town.” There is a lack of common understanding among officials who made the decision and those who have heard the gossip. “The two rumors I’ve heard is one, that it came down to issues with housing,” Bates said. “My first thought would be to worry about safety, litigationtype risks. The other that I’ve heard was kind of an ego-thing from the President’s cabinet. Very few people have the full story with this, and it’s easy to put words in people’s mouths.”