CHIPS March 2, 2016

THE FELLAS PERFoRmS

a&e 5

SYnTHESIZEd EXHIBITIon featuRes 7

BASKETBALL ConFEREnCES sPoRts 11

LUTHER CoLLEgE

“Let the chips fall where they may.”

CHIPS

mARCH 3, 2016

Serving the Luther College community since 1884.

VoLUmE 138, no. 15

Residence Life designates new gender-neutral rooms LauRa PRoeschoLdt STAFF WRITER Two new gender-neutral housing options will be available for the 201617 academic year. The new options are a gender-inclusive cluster on seventh floor Farwell Hall and rooms in Brandt Hall third floor center corridor. In light of these developments, Student Senate has temporarily discontinued pursuing a proposal to make Baker Village co-ed.

The Farwell gender-inclusive cluster differs from the gender-neutral cluster currently in use in Farwell. According to Vice President and Dean of Student Life Corey Landstrom, individuals in the gender-inclusive cluster may room with any person regardless of biological sex or gender identity. This is a change from the gender-neutral cluster in which individuals were required to have single rooms, even if they preferred to have a roommate.

According to Landstrom, Brandt Hall third center corridor will exist as an option to incoming first-years who specify a preference for gender-neutral housing on their housing application or

who communicate a need to Residence Life. On a case by case basis individuals in Brandt third center corridor will be required to have roommates of the same sex. Single rooms will also be available.

Renovations to Brandt Hall third center corridor will be completed over the summer and will include a gender nonspecific restroom and shower facility, according to Director of Facilities Services Jay Uthoff.

According to Student Senate Vice President Nicole Lussier (‘16), the gender-neutral spaces available in Brandt and Farwell relate to two goals set forth by Student Senate this fall: to ensure gender-neutral housing options exist for first-year students and to ensure financial equality between gender-neutral spaces and other housing options on campus. According to Lussier, the Farwell gender-neutral cluster of the past required students to pay single room rates, which are higher than rates for double or triple rooms.

“That was a big issue for us—that people were feeling like they had to pay more to live authentically,” Lussier said.

Student Senate President Jesus Lucero

Farwell Hall will include a gender-neutral option during the 2016-17 school year.

Photo courtesy of luther.edu (‘16) sees the spaces in Farwell and Brandt as a move forward because next year gender-neutral housing options will be available for the first time to all classes at Luther.

According to Lucero, this genderneutral housing development was

Off-campus housing approvals in decline kaRL badGeR STAFF WRITER The recent decline in the amount of students living off-campus has caused both landlords and students to rethink their strategies when deciding whether or not to rent local housing. This change has been more noticeable this year, as only about 20 seniors are currently living off-campus.

Luther College 2015-16 Housing and Dining Contract states, “All full-time students are required to live in college-owned housing during their entire stay at Luther College unless married, of non-traditional age (23 years or older) or commuting from their legal guardians’ homes.”

Luther allows some students to live off-campus when there are not enough rooms on campus to house all students. As a result, students can petition to live off-campus and sign a lease with a local landlord. The number of off-campus students allowed is determined by enrollment, and recent low-enrollment projections have caused Luther to decrease the number of offcampus permits.

Students sometimes have to sign leases before they learn if they have been approved to live off-campus.

Some of these students end up in contracts with both Luther’s room and board and the rent on off-campus housing, having to pay for both.

According to Vice President and Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom, this deadline is difficult to move to earlier in the year to let students sign leases earlier.

“The deadline is set due to all the other factors we must consider regarding projected enrollment for the next year,” Landstrom said. “The multiple departments that provide information to us are also finalizing plans and details are simply not available much earlier.”

Some area landlords have taken serious measures to account for this change.

“I know a lot of the landlords here in town…who have sold their houses,” local renter and Associate Professor of Music Michael Smith said. “Their reaction to this has been, ‘We’re getting out of it — of the student rental. Period.’” off-camPus, PAgE4

influential in Senate’s decision to discontinue pursuing a proposal to make Baker Village co-ed — a proposal that was, in Lucero’s view, a step toward making Baker gender-inclusive.

GendeR-neutRaL, PAgE4

Board of Regents meets, discusses campus climate jacob waRehime nEWS EdIToR The Board of Regents met on Luther’s campus on Feb. 19 and 20. As part of their weekend, the Regents met with three student representatives to discuss on-campus issues.

The board, which is comprised of 29 members come together a few times per year to discuss campus matters.

Among the recent decisions made, tenure was granted to five faculty members: Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Women Gender Studies Maryna Bazylevych, Assistant Professor of Art History Kate Elliott, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Holly Moore, Assistant Professor of French Anne-Marine Feat and Assistant Professor of German Elizabeth Steding.

Four new Regents were also appointed to the Board: Jeffrey Anderson (‘84), Sandee Joppa (‘87), James N. Young (‘81) and Michael Osterholm (‘75).

ReGents, PAgE4

News

Page 2 March 3, 2016

News editors: katie NelsoN & jacob warehiMe

Men of Color meet, hold discussion matiJa nikolic staFF writer The newly formed Men of Color group held their first official meeting on Feb. 23 in the Borlaug Room in Dahl Centenial Union.

The group formed when a few Luther students came together with a goal to continue a discussion on racism, masculinity, stereotypes and gender. In their first meeting, members spent time getting to know one another and setting the agenda for the future. The meeting was directed by Coordinator of Multicultural Student Programs at the Diversity Center Michelle Boike (‘13).

Boike was inspired to start this collective after observing other similar projects at institutions across the country. Besides Boike, Men of Color doesn’t have any official student leaders because the group wants to create an informal wplace where men of color will learn from one another and make new friends.

Men of Color member Pedro Lopez Vega (‘17) said he was drawn to the group because he values what it stands for.

“I first heard of Men of Color by chatting with Boike about similar programs that were going on at other colleges,” Lopez Vega said. “I thought that it was a great idea and I believe that Luther College needs such a group.”

Tapiwa Manjengwa (‘18) echoed this sentiment and said that he thinks having such a group is beneficial because it helps to deconstruct harmful social norms.

“The conversation that we had was

Men of color members Philani Mkhwanazi (‘17), william hatungimana (‘16), arturo rico (‘15), tapiwa Manjengwa (‘17) and Pedro Lopez Vega (‘17) gather during their first meeting.

Matija Nikolic / Chips engaging and encouraging,” Manjengwa said. “This includes the conversation on deconstructing the rhetoric that advocates for patriarchy. The organization is a good platform for men of color to discuss real life issues, particularly here at Luther.”

Lopez Vega agreed with this, noting that the environment created by the group encourages safe, constructive discussion.

“I believe that having a support group is important,” Lopez Vega said. “Especially in a college where you are a part of the minority. The intention behind this group is to create a safe place to talk, network and learn from each other’s experience.”

Manjengwa also noted that the group is just as focused on discussion as it is on helping others to create a positive change in

the world around them.

“This group will enable men of color to challenge each other intellectually and, in turn, build each other to become better students and citizens of the world,” Manjengwa said.

During the first meeting, members watched a TED lecture by Tony Porter titled “A Call to Man.” In the video, Porter made a call to men everywhere, saying, “Don’t ‘act like a man.” By telling powerful stories from his own life, Porter showed how an incorrect mentality among men can lead to disrespect, mistreatment and the abuse of women. Porter’s solution was to break free of this behavior. The video sparked a conversation among the members of Men of Color as they were able to relate with this

sentiment.

Men of Color member Philani Mkhwanazi (‘17) thinks that there is a long battle ahead but is optimistic about the future of this group and the changes they plan to push for. Mkhwanazi said he recognizes a strong passion among the members to this cause.

“I believe that there’s a lot that needs to be talked about,” Mkhwanazi said. “There are a lot of problems that need addressing, such as the way we view ourselves and the way we view people in the community. The way we’ve interacted with other people in this world needs a lot of fine-tuning and attention.”

Men of Color meetings will be held every two weeks, the next being Monday, Mar. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Borlaug Room in the Union.

Sustainability implements new food waste recycling initiative Jana mueller staFF writer The Center for Sustainable Communities recently implemented new composting rules for all buildings that compost on Luther’s campus. The new rules come as the Center for Sustainable Communities begins to enact changes to improve the campus’ waste management system.

The new rules allow for meat and dairy to be composted. The only location not affected by this new rule change will be the cafeteria.

Cargill Energy and Waste Fellow Sam Pollan explains the new procedure.

“Compost from the bins [is collected] three times per week with the truck shift,” Pollan said. “[Student workers] come in and talk with me to discuss different ways to improve and promote composting on campus.”

Environmental studies major Elena Anderson (‘16) is one of these student workers. Anderson, who is one of three workers whose job is focused on composting said the new composting rules exemplify

Luther’s sustainable values.

“Luther strives to be a responsible community, and as unglamorous as [composting] is, being responsible about your waste is important,” Anderson said. “Having a compost infrastructure helps Luther act on its values.”

Pollan is concerned that some people on campus might think that Luther has given up on composting.

However, Pollan pointed out that this is not the case and Luther is still committed to composting.

“We are making an effort to bring all of our food waste into

our compost pile, where we are able to manage that a little more intensively,” Pollan said. “If we don’t do that, the food breaks down into methane in the landfill and costs the school money.”

The first part of the new system is to put all of the uneaten food into the compost bins. In the cafeteria, students will still have to sort out meat, dairy and fried foods.

However, Pollan noted that if a student has a salad with dressing or a sandwich with vegetables, it is OK to put that in the compost.

Pollan said the new composting

rule is one of many new initiatives regarding food waste at Luther.

“We have been approved by the Sustainability Council to install a pulper in the kitchens this summer,” Pollan said. “It will take the place of one of the garbage disposals and make it so that we can capture thousands of pounds of previously sorted out compost and currently generated waste. We will be able to divert all of that to our compost pile.”

Pollan said this technology will also save Luther money and energy.

“The school spends about $2,000 on garbage bags each year,” Pollan said. “This will eliminate about 90 percent of that.”

The pulper will be installed this summer. Pollan hopes this will clear up confusion as to what is going on in the cafeteria and what students should or should not compost.

Baker resident Ellen Badger (‘16) is excited about the new initiatives regarding composting at Luther.

“I don’t think Luther has given up on composting at all,” Badger said. “I think we’ve actually started to be really intentional about it.”

News

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News editors: katie NelsoN & jacob warehiMe thUrsdaY

Seven-Day Forecast

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Dance professor Vazquez-Aguirre offers open course for students

Students attending Vazquez-Aguirre’s course learn about dancing and connecting with their own bodies. ana loPeZ staFF writer Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Andrea Vazquez-Aguirre is offering a dance class that is open to all Luther students on Fridays at 4:30p.m. in the Center for the Arts’ Studio One. The class is intended for students who wish to explore movements and relax. VazquezAguirre said that the idea for the class

originated from enthusiasm among students to have a dance class that would allow them to explore movement concepts and get an introduction to dance. Because there was no course like this currently offered at Luther, she felt that an open class was a good way to offer the opportunity to students.

“It’s something that is not offered in our curriculum currently,” Vazquez-Aguirre said. “It was something new, and there were students that were enthusiastic about it.”

Vazquez-Aguirre and her students in Studio One.

Ana Lopez / Chips

Ana Lopez / Chips

Vazquez-Aguirre described the class as a “multi-level” class. Although every class is prepared beforehand, she modifies the class depending on the students’ experience and abilities. Because of this, the class welcomes all kinds of students.

For William Skrukrud (‘17), it was his first time in a dance class.

“I actually really liked it,” Skrukrud said. “It’s really fun to dance and exercise in general, but especially to dance. It’s great because you don’t have to sign up for another class in your schedule.”

For Skrukrud, this aspect of the class is important.

“It’s a low-risk devotion of time,” Skrukrud said. “I just think it’s great” Vazquez-Aguirre explained that her goal for the class is for students to better understand themselves. “[Students can] come and discover how to connect with their bodies,” Vazquez-Aguirre said. “[They learn] the expressive possibilities of their bodies.”

Students with more experience in dance have also found Vazquez-Aguirre’s class helpful for developing their skills. Grace

Larsen (‘19), who also took Vazquez-Aguirre’s J-term dance class, explained that the open class is a good opportunity for students regardless of their experience.

“I think it’s really cool that anyone can come,” Larsen said. “I wish I would have brought more friends. But next time I’m hoping to bring my roommate to it.

You don’t need any experience at all.”

Victoria Agromayor (‘19) said the class adds variety to her activities out of the classroom.

“It’s a really cool opportunity to have activities going on campus after classes,” Agromayor said. “It’s also a really good way to introduce people to dance.”

One of Vazquez-Aguirre’s favorite things about her open class is not knowing who is coming to the class every session. VazquezAguirre said she likes that she must shape her teaching according to every student. To Vazquez-Aguirre, the class is all about the students.

“I think it’s an essential experience for any student to get in touch with their bodies,” Vazquez-Aguirre said.

Studetnts who are interested in participating or have any questions should email VazquezAguirre at vazqan01@luther.edu.

“I actually really liked it. it’s really fun to dance and exercise in general, but especially to dance.”

-william skrukrud (‘17)

News

Page 4 March 3, 2016

News editors: Katie NeLsoN & Jacob warehiMe

Gender-neutral housing update Gender-neutral, Page 1 “We feel like we’ve now covered every year, and the reason that we were OK with letting go of the possibility of turning Baker into a gender-inclusive or gender-neutral [option] was because we wanted to cover our bases as far as every year having an option, which is great,” Lucero said.

Lucero hopes future classes will take on the Baker proposal.

“Moving forward, if say one year there’s an entire floor of gender-inclusive rooms on [Brandt] third center, then maybe by their senior year this proposal will actually go through and Baker will be available to them,” Lucero said. “That’s the end goal [in the] future, so hopefully everything works out that way.”

The comparably high cost of living in a Baker house ($4,250 for a four-bedroom or $4,970 for a sixbedroom per year, compared to $3,570 for a double or $4,600 for a single per year in Farwell at 2015-16 room rates) and the high number of credits needed to secure a room were two factors that influenced Student Senate’s decision to temporarily discontinue pursuing the Baker proposal, according to Lussier.

“We reevaluated our stance on Baker and, while

it will probably be an option down the line, we sort of shifted focus and started looking at solutions that would affect everyone and provide everyone with an opportunity to live authentically,” Lussier said.

This year has seen a great deal of activity relating to gender-neutral housing. In September, Black Student Union (BSU) and Student Senate drafted a letter to Luther College President Paula Carlson and the Board of Regents outlining the need for additional genderneutral housing options on campus. In late October, BSU and Luther College Feminists camped in tents on library lawn with the goal of bringing visibility to the issue. Also in October, Student Senate hosted a panel on gender-neutral housing to provide more information to faculty, staff and students.

Student Senate Student Athletic Advisory Committee Representative and Student Life Committee member Patrick Larson (‘17) says the activity that took place this fall built the momentum needed for change to occur.

“I think with the Black Student Union kind of pushing for it as well, it really made things start to move quickly, and we knew that students wanted this,” Larson said. “This was something that needed to be done.”

Residence Life decreases offcampus housing approvals

Lauren Mordini (‘16) stocks the kitchen in her rented off-campus house. off-campus, Page 1 Local renter Dan Raney (‘92) notices some tension in the renter relationship with Luther, as renters were not informed when the number of students able to live off-campus was limited.

“They were being upfront with the students, but they were not disclosing it to the renters,” Raney said. “I found it a little bit disconcerting that they wouldn’t say anything or make an announcement [to renters], and I think that it’s just the fact.”

One of the effects of the declining number of students approved for off-campus housing is that students are signing leases later than in previous years, a trend Smith has been particularly aware of.

“Typically, we allow [students] to sign leases up to four or five months even before they got accepted to get off-campus, with the understanding that we’ll let you out of this lease if [Luther doesn’t] let you off campus,” Smith said. “For the past four to five years, before last year anyway, [our houses] were full almost immediately. And right now, I don’t think we’ve got anyone scheduled.”

However, not all landlords have the same policy as Smith.

Brian Huinker, another Decorah landlord who is currently renting space to Luther students, views some changes in the housing landscape positively.

“If I didn’t sign kids to early leases, I was risking not getting my place rented,” Huinker said.

Jacob Warehime / Chips “So it was a bad deal for the kids and it was actually a bad deal for [landlords].”

Will Weeks (‘16), who is currently living off-campus, has noticed this trend as well.

“When I was a freshman, I remember there being 10 college houses off-campus, that number has dramatically decreased,” Weeks said.

Despite the frustration that has been generated over this issue, there still is a sense of optimism that exists among students and landlords.

“Going forward, I envision a day where our enrollment picks up, [where] we’ve got 150 kids living off-campus, but nobody decides where they live until after the room draw,” Huinker said. “That’s good for everybody.”

Regents discuss changes, meet with students reGents, Page 1 The Board also approved proposed renovations to the baseball and softball fields. These renovations will be privately funded and are slated to begin this summer. In addition, the college will begin work on the outdoor tennis portion of the “Athletics Master Plan,” a plan to renovate various sections of Regents Center. This is funded through an anonymous donation of $633,000.

In an email from President Paula Carlson to faculty and staff members sent on Feb. 22 that summarized the meeting, Carlson announced that Suzanne Lyndon (‘95) will be joining the President’s Office as the new Executive Assistant to the President. Lyndon is currently Luther’s Media Coordinator.

Also in the email, Carlson briefly commented on the increase of tuition that resulted from the weekend.

“The Board set the 2016-17 comprehensive fee (tuition, room and board) at $47,960, a 2.9 percent increase over the comprehensive fee for the 2015-16 academic year,” Carlson wrote. “As always, our Financial Aid staff will work with families to keep a Luther education as affordable as possible.”

Over the weekend, Board members met with three student representatives selected by Student Senate: Nicole Lussier (‘16), Andrew Carlson (‘16) and Sukeji Jeffrey (‘17).

According to Lussier, the purpose of these meetings was to establish a connection between the Regents and Luther’s student body.

“Our biggest role is just to be the student voice,” Lussier said. “We’ll get asked questions about how certain decisions would affect students or what students have been up to. We just provide [the Regents] with the student perspective.”

Each of the three student representatives are appointed to a corresponding committee that meets with the Regents.

The three committees are called Campus Life and Student Learning, Finance and Enrollment, and Outreach and Gifts.

Lussier was on the Outreach and Gifts committee, which focused on the development office, donors and anything pertaining to philanthropy on campus.

“I talked a lot about why alumni give and what is the culture of philanthropy on campus,” Lussier said. “How do we promote this idea of giving back? I also filled [the Regents] in on what it’s like to be a student here. ‘Do I feel like philanthropy embodies our culture? Do I feel like students respond well to certain ideas?’”

Lussier also said that she felt this process is important in keeping Luther students connected to the Board of Regents.

“I think it’s really beneficial to make sure information is flowing correctly from the Board of Regents to students,” Lussier said. “The channels of information sometimes get a little convoluted. I think having reps to the Board of Regents provides an extra layer of transparency and really makes the students aware of what the Board of Regents does.”

Erin Ellefsen (‘16) is not a part of Student Senate, but agrees that the relationships between them and the Regents is valuable.

“There would be a huge disconnect between the student body and the regents if there weren’t Student Senate members there — you need somebody who’s experiencing life on campus to actually convey to the regents what’s actually happening,” Ellefsen said.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 5

A&E EDITOR: JENNA NELSON

MARCH 3, 2016

The Fellas sing: ‘The Stories We Tell’

THE FELLAS ARE BACK. Mitchell Stevens (‘17) performs his musical theater solo piece. Throughout the evening each Fella had the chance to step into the spotlight.

Sidney Larsen / Chips SIDNEY LARSEN STAFF WRITER As part of the Water Street Music Series, the musical theater singing group, Fellas (previously known as Fellas in the Cellar), gave two performances to a packed house on Saturday, Feb. 27 at T-Bock’s Upstairs.

These performances marked the Fellas’ second annual appearance as a member of the Water Street Music Series line-up. This year’s theme for the show was “The Stories We Tell.”

According to Student Engagement Coordinator James Odegaard and Fellas member (‘15), “The Stories We Tell” utilized music regarding personal reflections and struggles.

“It’s a lot of personal stories,” Odegaard said. “There are funny ones, there are a couple little love stories and there are some sad

ones, too.”

Odegaard said that being in such an intimate space with such amazing voices made for an incredible experience.

“When you get that sort of intimate setting it just makes music that much more powerful,” Odegaard said.

Wes Frye (‘16) explained that Fellas started last year as the brainchild of Assistant Professor of Music Andrew Last (‘97).

“Last year, it was kind of this flagship thing started by Dr. Last,” Frye said. “It’s just a bunch of guys who he had worked with in the past who he knew had an affinity, as well as a great talent, for musical theater. It was not something any of us expected to take off, but now it’s a staple in the Water Street Music Series.”

While Fellas debuted their talents in Feb. 2015 at the Courtyard and Cellar, they decided to hold

this year’s show at T-Bock’s to accommodate the larger5 number of attendees. The first performance this year, held at 7:30 p.m., was sold out in advance, and the 9:30 p.m. performance saw a large turnout as well.

The group is made up entirely of current Luther students and Luther alums. Fellas singers include Last, Odegaard, Frye, Seamus St. Clair (‘17), Brad Beale (‘14), Jimmy Deignan (‘15), David Pfotenhauer (‘15), Casey Tecklenburg (‘16), Eric Layden (‘08) and Mitchell Stevens (‘17).

Bassist Adam Graf (‘16), drummer Aidan Schmitt (‘17), guitarist Andrew Murray (‘18) and pianist Bryan Banowetz (‘17) made up the instrumental portion of the ensemble.

According to Odegaard, being a member of Fellas offered something a little different from the singing groups on campus.

TOGETHER IN SONG. The eight men gather together for one of their final group pieces of the night.

Sidney Larsen / Chips

“There are a lot of opportunities at Luther for students to be involved in singing,” Odegaard said. “In a capella type stuff and choir, clearly, but I think this was kind of a different outlet.”

Audience member Greg Trahan (‘17) appreciated that he was able to watch familiar faces on stage as members of Fellas.

“I am thrilled that I went,” Trahan said. “It was great music and it was great seeing people that I knew up there.”

Since a portion of the Fellas singers are alums not living in Decorah, some even coming from as far away as Colorado for the show, the success of the group depends on the members’ willingness to practice and prepare on their own. According to Frye, the group is extremely dedicated, making the process of coming together much easier.

“The best thing is that we’re all competent musicians and professional enough to bring it all together,” Frye said. “Not only are we able to do this, but we love doing it, so it just makes the whole process not difficult at all.”

Odegaard echoed Frye’s confidence and explained that the first time all of the Fellas were present at the same time for a rehearsal was the Friday before the Saturday performance, but they were all prepared regardless.

“Everyone in it was some sort of music major or involved in music enough that they’re able to have their own direction and get their music learned,” Odegaard said.

Frye said that watching Fellas perform is a can’t-miss opportunity.

“Who doesn’t love watching a bunch of strapping young men sing musical theater at you?” Frye said. “It’s going to be stuff you’ve never heard before. It’s going to make you laugh, it’s going to make you cry, maybe both at the same time.”

The performance was well received. Trahan commented that he would definitely attend the event again if it is offered in the future and is optimistic that Fellas will perform again.

“I would love it if they would do it again,” Trahan said. “I’m sure they will, and I will definitely come again next year.”

features

Page 6 March 3, 2016

features editor: erika storvick

Freeman publishes again JorAM MutEnGE staff Writer Not much is known about Sappho, a female poet who lived in ancient Greece over 2,000 years ago, as few of Sappho’s works survive today. Professor of Classics Philip Freeman’s new book, “Searching for Sappho: The Lost Songs and World of the First Woman Poet” gives insight into the works of this lost poet.

According to Peter Thonemann, writer for Wall Street Journal Book Review, “Searching for Sappho” is the first book on Sappho for the non-specialist to take fragments of Sappho’s recently published poems into account. Freeman’s inspiration in writing “Searching for Sappho” came from his own desire to find out more about the female poet.

“I’ve read Sappho’s poems for 30 years and I always loved them,” Freeman said. “I wanted to write a book about her so people everywhere can know more about her.”

Freeman has written 13 books over the past 20 years, but he especially enjoyed writing “Searching for Sappho”. However, Freeman stressed that “Searching for Sappho” is not a biography of Sappho.

“It’s about trying to discover as much as we can about her—it’s searching for her,” Freeman said.

In an interview, Freeman elaborated on his research methods and added that finding material for his book was not easy.

“I had to look very losely at her poetry and at what other ancient writers wrote about her to come up with the material,” Freeman said.

Freeman also talked about the relationship between his new book and his research interests. As a classics professor, Freeman specializes in ancient Greece and Rome. According to Freeman, Sappho’s influence is so great that he is willing to devote an entire semester to a class on the study of ancient women.

“I will be offering a course next fall about women in the ancient world,” Freeman said. “‘Searching for Sappho’ fits perfectly with that.”

Many students are excited about his new book, some of whom commented on Freeman’s teaching.

“When he teaches, there’s never a dull moment,” Colin Robinson (‘16) said. “It’s always interesting and you always learn something new.”

Freeman’s research explores various aspects of both Sappho’s writing and her life. Many of the issues Sappho faced in her time are still relevant to discussions that occur today.

“The world is very different, and yet in a lot of ways it’s not,” Freeman said. “There are struggles going on in America about gay marriages, and Sappho was a lesbian in a time where it was very difficult to talk about homosexuality.”

Freeman stressed the relevance of knowledge about ancient history to the contemporary world. Freeman’s students also pointed out the significance of learning ancient history.

“sEArChinG For sAppho.” Professor of classics Philip freeman holds his newest book, “searching for sappho.”

Joram Mutenge / Chips “You can’t really make any progress on the future if you don’t look to the past for examples,” Robinson said. “How are we supposed to grow if we don’t recognize what we’ve done in the past?”

When asked to describe Sappho in one word, Freeman used the word “remarkable,” while Ethan Taylor (‘16), one of Freeman’s students, used the word “groundbreaking.” Although Sappho lived over 2,000 years ago and is still a mystery, her influence is still present today.

“I think a lot of what we perceive as Western culture stems from ideas that were initially in ancient Rome,” Taylor said. “It’s important to know where you’ve come from in order to know where you’re going.”

“i wanted to write a book about her so people everywhere can know more about her.”

- Philip freeman

rEDisCoVErinG olD poEtry. sappho was an ancient greek poet.

Photo courtesy of luther.edu

March at Luther College

CROSSing into March Across 4. Jewish holiday celebrating Esther and Mordecai 5. Roman god of war; March’s namesake 8. “Read across America” Day and Dr. Seuss’ birthday 10. March 15th, a significant day in Julius Caesar 12. Luther College’s spring break begins on this day 14. and (March) leaves like a _______(see down 14) 15. One of March’s zodiac signs 19. Swimming, Indoor track and field, and Wrestling aim for titles at this event 20. Where the Baseball team and President Carlson will be over Spring Break Down 1. Holiday celebrated in honor of this patron saint of Ireland 2. One of March’s birthstones 3. March’s flower 6. Originally proposed by Benjamin Franklin to make better use of daylight 7. Group touring over Spring Break 9. Christian holiday sometimes celebrated in March 11. NCAA Basketball tournament 13. Following February as Black History Month, March is ______ History Month 14. March comes in like a ____ (see across 14) 16. March was originally the _____ month of the year until 1752 17. Location of Habitat for Humanity’s Spring Break trip; Softball and Tennis training trips 18. Holiday celebrated by mathematicians and dessert lovers

*See next issue for the answers Across

Down

4. Jewish holiday celebrating Esther and Mordecai

1. Holiday celebrated in honor of this patron saint of Ireland

5. Roman god of war, March's namesake

2. One of March's birthstones

features

Page 7

features editor:erika storvick

March 3, 2016

Artists synthesize projects up ClosE look. olivia heitz (‘16) incorporates oil, latex, acrylic, milkweed and dirt into the piece “viriditas.”

ElysE GrothAus staff Writer Art majors Olivia Heitz (‘16) and Rachel Madryga (‘16) collaborated as a part of their senior projects to create “Synthesized,” a gallery show on display in the Dahl Centennial Union Gallery from Feb. 27 through March 11.

Heitz and Madryga have known each other for several years and were familiar with each other’s work before working together on this project. Heitz incorporates the natural world into her paintings, while Madryga uses synthetic materials to create her sculptures. They decided to work together on this art gallery in order to study the dynamic between their different styles and the different textures they use. The

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result of their collaboration is a 19 piece show including painting and sculpture work.

“The dynamic of the pieces work well together because both of us are using technically similar materials in completely different ways,” Madryga said. “We wanted the show to overlap. We didn’t want Olivia’s work on one side and mine on the other, but rather to have the art intermingle and have conversations with each other.”

Each piece adds something unique to their collection. Heitz encouraged viewers to study each piece and reflect on how it fits in with their collection.

“When you look at it quickly and just breeze past it, you will miss a lot of the fine details,” Heitz said. “Take the time to get close to it and appreciate all of the little marks and details.”

Their task was not without its challenges, however. Both artists struggled under the time constraint of the project. Through one of their pieces in particular, titled “Livorem Pulmentum,” the pair learned more about collaboration.

“Communication is key in a collaborative art project,” Heitz said. “Especially when we were struggling, if we talked to each other we could figure out what to do next. We also had to learn to be honest with each other if we didn’t like something.”

According to Heitz, there are many challenges beyond communication that come with

creating a collaborative art project.

“We have one collaborative piece that is on the back wall of the gallery,” Heitz said. “That one took a lot of planning and discussions about what we wanted to do: the color scheme, the materials, how we wanted to position it.”

While walking past, Grace Larsen (‘19) was drawn into the gallery room by the art on display.

“I was initially drawn into the room by the beautiful colors,” Larsen said. “I especially loved the collaborative piece in the corner that looked like it was falling off of the wall. I really liked the abstract earthy pieces, and when put together with the more synthetic art, it was so interesting and different to look at.”

The goal of this gallery show was to do more than showcase their individual work. Heitz and Madryga hoped to bring the natural and synthetic worlds together while opening up people’s minds to a different kind of art.

“What we really wanted to do with our show was to challenge the way that people view art, and show how something can be a painting and a sculpture at the same time,” Madryga said. “There is this dynamic conversation with our work that makes people look at art in a contemporary and modern way.”

Heitz and Madryga encourage people to take their time and look closely at the details and hard work that they put into

this project. They will be hosting a gallery reception on Saturday, March 5 from 4-6 p.m. in the Dahl Centennial Union where they will answer questions and

Jenna Nelson / Chips talk about this project. To find out more about their art, you can also visit their websites: wwww. rachelmadrygastudio.com and www.oliviaheitzstudio.com.

EnGAGinG Art. grace Larsen (‘19) explores the “synthesized” gallery in the dahl centennial union.

Elyse Grothaus / Chips

PagE 8

arts & EntErtainMEnt

March 3, 2016

a&E Editor: JEnna nElson

Upright Citizens Brigade and Top Banana perform improv Emma SChlaBaCh staFF WritEr The student members of the Top Banana improv troupe opened for nationally acclaimed New York City improv troupe Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Touring Company for a night filled with laughter and spontaneity in Marty’s on Friday, Feb. 26.

The event was sponsored collaboratively

by Student Activities Council (SAC) Spotlight and Top Banana.

“Top Banana is a comedic improv troupe,” Top Banana member Kajsa Jones said (‘16).

“We do both short form and long form improv.”

Top Banana differs from other groups like Comedy Sportz, a well known improvgame-based troupe.

“What you see when you go to a Comedy Sportz show is all short form improv,” Jones said. “The games never last more than 10 minutes.”

Another member of Top Banana Hannah Miller (‘17), comments on the difference between long and short form improv.

“Rather than doing games, [long form improv] is getting a suggestion and just taking that and building a scene,” Miller said. “[Top Banana] does more with everyone in one game, playing together, doing one thing.”

Miller is a new member to the improv community at Luther College.

“I’ve only been doing [improv] for two years because I started doing it here at Luther,” Miller said. “I am very quickly identifying myself as an improviser. It’s a skill set I didn’t know I had until I started doing it.”

Top Banana itself, is also a fairly new organization on the Luther campus.

“It’s been [on campus] five or six years, so it’s fairly new,” Jones said.

Top Banana was recently added officially to the theatre department.

SAC Spotlight Co-chair Anna Johnson (‘16), helped organize the event with UCB. “[Jones] contacted us early this school year looking to see if bringing Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company would be a possibility for Luther,” Johnson said. “After some time spent working with Top Banana we finally made it happen.”

Jones agrees with Johnson that it took effort to make the collaboration happen.

ComEdy on CampUS. Upright citizens Brigade members draw inspiration from student life on campus to guide their longer improv set.

Megan Oliver / Photo Bureau “It’s definitely been a big project, and we teamed up with a lot of people like SAC and other organizations on campus, so I am hoping that something like [student and professional group collaborations] can keep happening,” Jones said.

Jones is excited to gain some new skills from watching and working with UCB. “I am just really excited to get feedback

from a group that is so well known and is so skilled in improv, so for [Top Banana] it’s a super awesome opportunity,” Jones said.

Miller also expressed her excitement for the performance.

“I am really excited just to watch them,” Miller said. “UCB is the top improv company in the nation and it’s huge. It’s going to be 90 minutes of [UCB] going where the wind

laUgh oUT loUd. top Banana members open the UcB show with a few short sketches.

Megan Oliver / Photo Bureau

takes them.”

Johnson commented on the opportunity to see these two groups in collaboration.

“I am most looking forward to seeing a student group and professional group perform on the same stage,” Johnson said.

“It’s great to have student groups open for these other groups. It’s a wonderful experience.”

UCB also let a workshop for Top Banana and other Luther students before the show.

Top Bannana member Hannah Butler (‘16) attended the workshop.

“We went through some improv basics at first through some warm ups [UCB] led us in,” Butler said. “Then [UCB] started us and stopped us and we talked about different things you could incorporate in the scene.”

After the show, Butler showed her enthusiasm for the performance.

“It was incredible,” Butler said. “It was really fun to see professional people who are passionate about improv do something really impressive.”

Additionally, Butler was excited to see how many Luther students showed up to appreciate the art of improv.

“I think it’s great fun for everyone to see,” Butler said. “It does show, when there were so many people packed in Marty’s, how much the student body appreciates improv.”

OPINION

PAGE 9

MANAGING EDITOR: STEVE PETERSON

Luther College Chips Chips is a student publication of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The paper is designed, composed edited and managed entirely by Luther students. It is published weekly during the academic year, excluding the month of January.

The opinion section is designed to provide a forum for Chips, its staff members and the Luther community.

Opinions expressed in articles, editorials and columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Chips staff.

The author is solely responsible for opinions expressed in Chips commentary.

Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements.

Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document to chipsedt@ luther.edu with Letter to the Editor as a subject line.

Letters to the Editor are subject to editing without changing the meaning of the letter. Authors will not be notified of changes prior to publishing. Letters must be signed, 300-400 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before production. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor.

Contact Chips: Phone: 563-387-1044 Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips

Spring 2016 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:

Anna Jeide Steve Peterson Katie Nelson Jacob Warehime Features Editor: Erika Storvick A&E Editor: Jenna Nelson Sports Editor: Danny May Staff Writers: Karl Badger Elizabeth Bonin Elyse Grothaus Sidney Larsen Ana Lopez Katrina Meyer Jana Mueller Joram Mutenge Matija Nikolic Laura Proescholdt Emma Schlabach Head Copy Editor: Cameron Meyferth Copy Editors: Bethany Seavers Templeton Olivia Benson Ad Representatives: Alex Brandt Jesse Anderson Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Layout and Design Technician: Cameron Meyferth Photography Coordinator: Katie Nelson Photographer: Steve Peterson Web Manager: Michael Vann Social Media Director: Nora Sell Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: Laura Fuller

MARCH 3, 2016

Student calls for room draw reform Letter to the Editor It’s finally that glorious time of year: the snow melts, the end of the school year is within reach and students become stressed about the room draw process. With the final room draw dates taking place shortly after spring break, many students are scrambling to organize their living situation for the next school year. Shortly before the final room draw dates, Residence Life will send each student their room draw number, that is, where the amount of credits they have falls in relation to the rest of the returning student body.

If you’re like me, that number will be a direct reflection of how many credits you have taken here at Luther. Unfortunately, as I (and I’m sure many other students) have come to realize, even in my

senior year, I know for a fact that I have no chance of being towards the top of that list. Students who have participated and completed the AP or IB programs in their high schools were rewarded with college credit. Even students who tested out of certain classes or took certain exams in high school could be eligible for credit hours here at Luther. I wish I had known in advance that I would be punished

by Luther College for choosing to participate in other organizations and sports instead of my school’s IB diploma program. There are also many students here at Luther who went to schools that didn’t offer these programs.

But the inequality doesn’t stop there. Here at Luther College, an NCAA D-III school, athletics do not generate significant revenue.

Fortunately for the school, music does. Students who take music lessons earn credit hours, whereas athletes do not but instead get exempt from a physical education skills course. I truly admire and respect the music students at this school for their hard work and

dedication to their passions, but providing credit hours to music students without reciprocal credits for athletes who also dedicate significant amounts of time to practices, competitions and other team-related events is simply unfair. Is this an example of the college placing more weight on revenue-generating events such as the Dorian festival and Christmas at Luther than sporting events?

To summarize, the room draw process is 100 percent based on credit hours. However, these credits aren’t all earned at Luther.

Students who do not contribute to the Luther music program but contribute in other significant ways are unfairly disadvantaged.

Perhaps a solution is credits earned at Luther, or maybe even a random room draw system by grade. Regardless of the solution, it seems as though the room draw system is the furthest thing from fair and needs to be restructured.

Signed, Joseph Silversmith (‘17)

What’s the point in arguing over Facebook?

Letter to the Editor I don’t think I have ever heard someone say, “I had this great Facebook argument with someone. I’m going to change my mind!” If you have, I am impressed. It has never happened to me, for good reason. Facebook lacks a relationship. As wonderful as Facebook is for comments from Grandma on pictures; there is one thing that it lacks, and that is a face.

What makes Facebook/ Twitter arguments frustrating is that you don’t feel like you’re actually talking to someone. You don’t have to look at someone in the eye and say it. We all have that uncle who posts the political articles that are more opinion than actual fact. They are frustrating and easily get under everyone’s skin. There is a rule at my house, “You don’t comment or share political posts.”

I think it’s a good rule to follow. I am not arguing that opinions should not be shared. I am not arguing that people should not comment. Most of the time these posts don’t help to actually spur discussion but only further polarize people. When scrolling through my newsfeed, I see arguments in the comments of the posted articles.

Almost every time it is just two monologues. It is one

person in support of the article and then an opposing viewpoint. No one in the discussion is listening to each other, no dialogue is created. Facebook doesn’t give a face to the discussion. These arguments don’t bring any closure for anyone. Really, these arguments just end with people rooting themselves further in their own beliefs.

So I write asking a simple thing: understand the ‘why’ behind someone’s belief. If you don’t like what someone posted, see if you can actually meet them. See if you can actually understand why someone believes what they believe. It’s an important part of how we all come to stand the way we do in our beliefs. The most valuable conversations I have had about any issue have come from talking about why the person believes what they do. I was, in these occasions, able to hear what they had to say.

Understanding what lies behind someone’s belief allows both people to have mutual respect.

This enables there to be a positive relationship created no matter the outcome.

I’m not arguing that we all agree, I’m not arguing that you don’t post something— bad rhetoric should be called out. There is not enough discussion of politics and real issues these days. I simply think love should be more a part of how we talk. Our society is in desperate need of meaningful discussion. I hope that when we post, comment, or tweet that it can be done in love. I hope that when we choose to discuss the issues in meaningful ways. And at the end of the day: seek to understand and love, not hate and label.

“Really, these arguments just end with people rooting themselves further in their own beliefs.”

- Jordan Boge (‘18)

Signed, Jordan Boge (‘18)

opinion

pagE 10 March 3, 2016

Managing Editor: stEvE pEtErson

Trump should not be labeled a Fascist Letter to the Editor As an Italian, the United States presidential campaign has often fascinated me, yet it has also, in part, hurt me. I have often heard politicians and voters addressing Donald Trump as a “fascist.” This word is often used lightly, with no real notion of what it means. My native country was the birthplace of Fascism, which took control of the state for 20 years until

the dictator Benito Mussolini was overthrown in 1943. I think that it is not only improper to address Trump as a fascist, but it is also hurtful to those Italians who actually suffered under a fascist state. Trump doesn’t have the instruments to create a Fascist government.

As a starting difference, Trump is running a fair and democratic election.

In Italy in 1922, Mussolini didn’t run for any election. He simply marched on the capital with his supporters and forced the king to appoint him to the position of prime minister. In 1924, Mussolini called for elections to elect a new Fascist government. During those elections, ballots were rigged in favor of the Fascist Party. The Fascist militia forced political opponents to publicly

drink castor oil, which made them die of violent diarrhea.

None of this is ever happening in Trump’s campaign. He has not established a personal militia/party, nor has he sent his men around to kill his opponents. Furthermore, if Trump gets elected he won’t be able to amend or abolish the Constitution without the approval of Congress.When Mussolini was “elected,” the opposition parties were soon made illegal. Mr. Trump couldn’t possibly do the same and banish the democratic government.

My great-grandfather was a Socialist.

He was tortured by Fascist militia and sent into confinement in an islandprison near Sicily, where he spent years constantly under watch by guards.

My great-uncle was a Socialist, too.

One night, the Blackshirts, the Fascist Party’s militia, came to his home and tortured him by pulling away the nails from his fingers and feet. He escaped and secretly immigrated to France.

None of this can happen right now (or in the near future) in the United States. To say that Trump is Fascist is to compare Fascism to a ridiculous, hateful, xenophobic and populist man with a huge cult of personality, which, although disgusting, is still nothing compared to what was experienced by Italians. No one in the United States will experience it, even if Mr. Trump pulls out an unlikely win this November.

Signed, Alessandro Battaglia (‘17)

Learning to take responsibility: a little laundry goes a long way AnnA JEidE Editor-in-chiEf Recently a friend sent me a link to an intriguing blog post from Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). The headline caught my attention, “Relief comes for university kids who don’t know how to do laundry.” At first I thought this might have been a satirical piece. MPR blogger Bob Collins, who wrote the piece, must have been making a joke. Certainly he didn’t mean to point out that university students were in desperate need of “relief ” from doing their laundry in the same way that malnourished populations are in need of hunger “relief.”

I read on to discover that the University of St. Thomas (UST) in St. Paul, Minnesota, has now partnered with a business called Laundry Doctor. Through this partnership, students, faculty and staff can pay to drop off their laundry in a designated locker and expect their clothes to be washed, dried, folded and ready for pick-up in the next 48 hours at a rate of about $75 per 21-pound bag of laundry, according to TommieMedia.com.

The administration of St. Thomas began offering this service in spring semester 2016 based on feedback from parents that their children do not know how to do their laundry, according to Residence Life Associate Director Bryan Helminiak.

Furthermore, the Laundry Doctor Vice President of Marketing and Relations Bonnie Hanson claims that, “It’s really enabling students to do the things that they need to be doing and want to be doing,” Hanson said. “They’re paying for an education. And this frees them up to reap the benefits of their education.”

If I understand this correctly, UST and parents of students acknowledge that some of their students lack basic self-care skills and continue to support that lack of knowledge, not by teaching students how to do their laundry but rather by endorsing that behavior by providing an out-sourced solution to support an individual’s lazy habits.

Upon first read, I found this article to be comical. But

then I thought more seriously about what this scenario might reveal about the attitudes of college students.

It is one thing if students don’t know how to do their laundry (which is shocking as it is). We can’t control what students have or have not learned before coming to college.

It is another thing to encourage someone not to learn basic skills by offering to have a business complete simple tasks for them. Quite frankly, I’m shocked that the Universtiy of St. Thomas is offering these services. In my eyes, it says that the college is endorsing lazy behavior.

Students are busy people. I understand that. We all have busy days extending beyond a regular 9-to-5 schedule. We are up late at night cramming homework and up early to make it to that 8:00 a.m. class.

But in all of the busyness of student life, we have to learn to make time for important tasks. It would be ridiculous if I requested Custodial Services to clean the dirty dishes in my Baker unit because I “need more time to study.” There are certainly days when I wish I could ask for that, but that does nothing to teach me how to be responsible. Likewise, it would be irresponsible of me as a senior, three months away from graduating, to request someone else to do my laundry for me. College is not just about learning from books, but it’s also about learning to be prepared for the future. It is a time to learn how to take care of yourself and become responsible for managing your time, your budget and taking care of your possessions, including your clothes.

Is St. Thomas preparing students for the future?

Furthermore, there is a danger when we buy into the idea that we “don’t have enough time.” We each have 24 hours in a day and we must choose how to use those hours.

We can choose to make time in our schedules, or not. I worry about what message it sends that a university needs to offer laundry service so that students can spend more time studying. What does that say about our priorities? Is academic work more important than taking care of oneself?

It might be easy to say homework is more important than laundry, but is it more important than eating a meal?

Is studying more important than getting a good night’s sleep? Is studying more important than exercising for our physical and mental well-being? If studying holds such a high priority that students “don’t’ have time” to do laundry, where do we draw the line?

I can only speak for myself, but I take great satisfaction in doing laundry. Making time to do laundry allows me to pause. This mundane task comes as a refreshing escape from the incessant voices of society trying convince me that I “don’t have time.”

You made time to read this opinion piece. What will you make time for next?

What exactly is #Luthergives16?

Letter to the Editor A “Giving Day” is 24-hour online fundraising competition that brings communities together around important local causes. It is a unique program in that it raises money through a single online donation platform.

Nearly 1/3 of all colleges and universities in the United States have organized a Giving Day in the last year. The ulitmate goal is to spend nearly 24 hours encouraging alumni to engage with the college in a concentrated and new way, so that they can experience a new type of philanthropy.

But what does this mission mean for Luther College and what exactly is #luthergives16? #luthergives16 is Luther’s first-ever organized Giving Day. From six a.m. to nine p.m., alumni, parents and friends of Luther College will experience a wave of gnome-filled social media awesomeness, including many challenges that will double, triple, or more the impact of their gifts to the Annual Fund. Each gift will support scholarships, academics, and living at Luther. Students are invited to follow alumni social media posts from across the country at luther.edu/ giving-day. You can also join us in Marty’s or tune in online for twelve hours of live-streamed faculty and staff interviews, student performances, and more! Get excited- we are ready to go big AND go gnome!

Signed, James Odegaard (‘15) Student Engagment Coordinator

SPOrtS

Page 11

March 3, 2016

SPOrtS editOr: danny May

Women’s basketball wins regular season conference title

The Luther women’s basketball team celebrates its semifinal win at home.

Katrina Meyer Staff writer The Luther women’s basketball team captured the regular season Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) title on Saturday, Feb. 20 with a 6951 victory over rival Wartburg College.

The Norse women continued their regular-season success into the conference tournament, winning their semifinal game over Buena Vista University, 7465, before falling to Loras College in the finals, 75-60.

The regular season title is a highlight of a lengthy season; the Norse women began organized practice in mid-October.

Guard Anna Madrigal (‘17) explained how it feels to be crowned regular season IIAC champions.

“It’s really rewarding to know that hard work really does pay off,” Madrigal said.

“It’s been a long time coming for this team, so it feels really good to have all of your work recognized.”

Recognition was not the driving force for the team, however. Guard Amanda Busta (‘16) explained that the team has

Katrina Meyer / Chips had its sights set on this conference title. “[Winning the conference title] is something that we expected of ourselves, and we met that goal,” Busta said. “We feel accomplished, and I think we’ve put in the effort and hard work to get where we are.

We wanted to push ourselves, and we did.”

Head Women’s Basketball Coach Amanda Bailey credits the team’s success in the regular season to that hard work. “[Our success is due to] the toughness that our girls play with,” Bailey said.

“Every day someone new steps up.”

Team chemistry has also been a major

factor for the women’s success. Forward Solveig Nelson (‘17) described the close team environment.

“When we’re on the court, we can be competitive with each other and push each other and take each other to our limits,” Nelson said. “But then, when we’re off the court, we’re one big family and we stay together no matter what.”

The Norse women did not earn a berth to the Division III Women’s Basketball Championship, but conference opponents Loras College and Wartburg College both received bids.

Track & Field teams compete at Indoor Conference Championship

The men’s 4 x 800-meter relay team of (left to right) Parker Beard (‘17), Kyle Gilberg (‘19), John Donovan (‘16) and Noah Kudla (‘19). lily KiMe Staff writer The Luther men’s and women’s track & field teams competed in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Championship at Buena Vista University on Feb. 25-27.

The women’s team scored 76 points and finished third, while the men’s team scored 48 points and finished eighth.

The women were led by Tricia Serres’ (‘16) and Elise Heiser’s (‘17) three conference titles, collectively. Serres won the 3000 meter (10:24.35) and the mile (5:04.95), while Heiser won the triple jump (10.72 meters). The distance medley relay team of McKenzie Carney (‘18), Marea Holkesvik (‘16), Sydney Gehrt (‘16) and Serres placed second (12:16.06), while Lauren Mordini (‘16) also earned a spot on the podium with her third-place finish in the 3000 meter (10:43.34).

On the men’s side, Erik Queoff (‘16) and Nick Sigrist (‘18) placed second and third in the pole vault, respectively, posting vaults of 4.39 meters and 4.24 meters. The 4 x 800 meter relay

of Parker Beard (‘17), Kyle Gilberg (‘19), Noah Kudla (‘19) and John Donovan (‘16) also finished on the podium, running 7:57.97 for a second place finish.

Both teams looked to be at their best for the conference championships, which feature schools from across Iowa.

In preparation, the athletes participated in a bonding event called the “Midnight Special,” the weekend prior to the indoor championships, which emphasized team support through bonding.

Women’s Captain Kara Maloney (‘16), who finished fifth in the 5000 meter (19:51.05) and sixth in the 3000 meter at the conference championships, commented on the positive team environment.

“We have an amazing team that really cheers everyone on and fires each other up,” Maloney said. “It’s all about that positive energy and encouraging each other.”

This is not a new goal for the team. Instead of memorizing statistics of opposing teams, Head Track & Field Coach Jeff Wettach (‘79) is a firm believer in athlete development.

Photo courtesy of Samantha Ea

“We focus a lot on the process of developing first, and then performing,” Wettach said. “Whether that’s a time, a height or a distance in our sport, [we focus on that]rather than a place or a ranking. You can’t control your opponents, but you can control what you do, how you prepare and how you perform.”

The team viewed the conference championships as an opportunity for athletes to show off their training. Men’s captain Donovan, who finished fourth in the mile (4:20.00) and was a member of both the 4 x 800-meter relay and the distance medley relay, had high hopes for the meet.

“I think a lot of people are really fit and excited to get out there, compete and run fast,” Donovan said.

As the indoor season draws to a close, some athletes will travel to last-chance meets around the region this weekend in order for a chance to qualify for the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships in Grinnell, Iowa. Those who are not competing for a spot in the national meet will focus on outdoor season, which the Norse will begin on April 2 at the St. Mary’s Invitational in Winona, Minnesota.

SPORTS

PAGE 12

SPORTS EDITOR: DANNY MAY

MARCH 3, 2016

Softball team hosts indoor game series to kick off season

Weekly Standings Wrestling IIAC 7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-7

#1 Wartburg #11 Luther #14 Coe #22 Central Dubuque Loras Buena Vista Simpson

Recent Scores

Overall 19-0 14-5 12-5 9-3 13-10 2-13 3-10 2-11

Feb. 15 vs. St. Olaf, W 47-3 Feb. 28 @ NCAA Division III Central Regional, 2nd of 13

Upcoming Schedule

Mar. 11 @ NCAA Division III Championships, 10:00 AM

Women’s Basketball

Infielder Miranda McCay (‘16) during last year’s regional tournament.

DANNY MAY SPORTS EDITOR The Luther softball team opened its 2016 season on Feb. 27-28 by hosting four games in the Rochester Dome in Rochester, Minnesota. The team faced off against Hamline University, University of Northwestern (MN), St. Catherine University and Carleton College.

On the first day of competition, the Norse women took down Hamline University and University of Northwestern by large margins, winning both games 8-1. On day two, the Norse women fell to St. Catherine University 1-3 before defeating Carleton College 12-3 in six innings.

The Luther Dome Games featured 40 teams from four states over four days of competition. The Rochester Dome provides the Luther Softball team with an opportunity to begin its season in a time of the year that is not conducive to outdoor play.

As the host, the Luther softball team realizes that teams in the Midwest need opportunities to open their seasons indoors. Head

Photo courtesy of Luther College Photo Bureau

Softball Coach and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Renae Hartl echoed this necessity.

“There’s a huge need to play indoors,” Hartl said. “It’s not ideal, but it’s exciting.”

The main differences in playing indoors versus outdoors include the field surface, the lack of weather conditions and the lighting.

Captain and All-American catcher Carli Radil (‘16) explained that the team has had three practices in the Rochester Dome in order to become familiar with the indoor environment. As the team begins its 2016 bid, Radil emphasized that training has been going well.

“I think we are looking good,” Radil said. “I am really excited to be on the field with the team this season. Everyone works very hard every day in practice and [during] the offseason.”

Hard work and past success has earned the team its number-seven ranking in this season’s national Division III preseason poll. Hartl explained that the team does not set specific goals, such as to win a conference title or qualify for the Division III national

The Luther women’s softball team in the Rochester Dome.

Photo courtesy of Lindsey Uphoff

championships, but rather looks to play as late into the season as possible through strength training and staying healthy.

Hartl explained that every game is treated the same as any other.

“We cannot value our season on how we do in the last game,” Hartl said. “Our game on Saturday is just as important to me as is the Iowa Conference Championship.”

The Norse women lost five seniors from last year’s team.

Hartl explained that the team has structured program-specific training approaches that the players embrace, which smoothes the transition from year-to-year.

Pitcher Amanda Witzlib (‘17) commented on filling the gap left by graduation.

“It has been a transition for us,” Witzlib said. “But everyone is really well-rounded on this team, and everyone is stepping up to the plate.”

As the team moves ahead, the athletes embrace the opportunity to play and practice together.

Outfielder Lindsey Uphoff (‘16) explained her experience going into her final season as a Luther softball player.

“Each team is different every year, and each year is full of its own trials and successes,” Uphoff said.

“This team has some piece that I know is going to make this season unforgettable. I’m very lucky to be ending my college softball career with a group that meshes so well on and off the field.”

The Luther softball team will host another series of games in the Rochester Dome this weekend, March 4-5. Two weeks later, the team will resume play when it travels to Florida over spring break, competing in twelve games over the course of seven days.

The Norse women will begin conference play shortly after returning from Florida, and will delve into championship season beginning in May.

IIAC 11-3 10-4 9-5 8-6 8-6 5-9 4-10 1-13

Luther Loras Wartburg Buena Vista Simpson Coe Dubuque Central

Overall 20-7 19-8 19-7 15-11 15-11 15-12 9-16 4-21

Recent Scores

Feb. 25 vs. Buena Vista, W 74-65 Feb. 27 vs. Loras, L 60-75

Men’s Basketball IIAC 11-3 8-6 8-6 8-6 7-7 5-9 5-9 4-10

Dubuque Wartburg Simpson Loras Central Buena Vista Coe Luther

Overall 18-8 16-11 15-11 13-13 19-9 11-16 10-15 5-20

Recent Scores

Feb. 17 @ Coe, L 75-84 Feb. 20 @ Wartburg, L 53-68

Swimming & Diving Luther Men Coe Men Loras Men Simpson Men Luther Women Coe Women Loras Women Simpson Women

IIAC 2-0 2-1 1-2 0-2 2-0 2-1 2-1 0-2

Overall 3-3 4-4 3-4 2-3 4-2 4-4 4-5 2-3

Recent Scores

Feb. 10 @ Liberal Arts Championships, women 1st, men 2nd Feb. 26-27 @ NCAA III Region 2 Diving Championships, Johnson 10th one-meter & 12th 3-meter, Broadbent 13th one-meter & 13th 3-meter

Upcoming Schedule

Mar. 16-19 @ NCAA III National Championships, 10:00 AM

Men’s Tennis #36 Coe Luther Loras Central Buena Vista Simpson Wartburg Dubuque

IIAC 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-1 0-1

Overall 8-1 6-3 1-1 3-3 0-4 7-4 3-3 2-4

Recent Scores

Feb. 21 @ Kalamazoo, L 0-9 Feb. 27 @ St. Olaf, W 8-1

Upcoming Schedule

Mar. 5 @ Macalester, 1:30 PM