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LUTHER COLLEGE
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As nationwide hazing incidents come to light, Student Life and the Inter-Greek Council consider Luther’s own hazing policy and how it affects Greek organizations on campus. SARAH OWENS STAFF WRITER Student Life is in the process of redesigning Luther’s hazing policy in response to recent incidents at several colleges and universities nationwide. Changes and additions to the policy are being made in collaboration with the Inter-Greek Council (IGC). “The only issue that we’ve had related to Greek life is one group that has been approached about possible hazing activities,� IGC President Margaret Meyer (‘16) said. “That might have been the one little spark that ignited this whole reformation. It wasn’t anything that I personally think is on the level of other hazing events going on in the United States, but Luther has the right to say what they think is considered hazing.� Vice President and Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom explains that the hazing policy is ambiguous in comparison to the policies of other institutions, a sentiment shared by some members of Luther’s Greek organizations. “There’s a lot of vague language,� Chi Theta Rho member Claire Dembsky
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Greek organizations review hazing policy INITIATION. Alpha Beta Psi members (from left) Genevieve Valley (‘16), Erika Hinz (‘17) and Kalyn Roisum (‘15) participate in an initiation ceremony. ABY is one of the organizations working to clarify Luther’s hazing policy. Photo courtesy of Meghan Owens (‘15) said. “I know our organization has looked at the policy pretty closely and asked what it means. It’s really difficult to know what’s OK and what’s not, because there’s really nothing in it that says what specific activities aren’t OK. You can go as loose or as strict with those rules as you want. It’s difficult to tell where the line is.� Because of the current policy, many groups are unsure of what is acceptable in the eyes of the Luther community. Members of Greek Life stress that they are willing to adapt to the comfort level of their own pledges as well as the wishes
of all other people present at Luther. “There have been instances where administrators and professors weren’t OK with what we do,� Alpha Beta Psi member Kalyn Roisum (‘15) said. “So we’ve had to take that and adapt what we do every semester. Certain people can’t dress up on certain days because some professors don’t like that, which is fine with us. That’s just how it goes. If you don’t support it, that’s OK.� The activities of pledge month, often associated in pop culture with hazing, aren’t meant to turn anyone away or create embarrassment, according to
Film screening prompts discussion on campus ERIN DANIELSON STAFF WRITER Discussions about masculinity were facilitated after the recent screening of the newly released documentary, “The Mask You Live In� on April 8. The event was sponsored by Active Minds, along with several other organizations on campus. Active Minds helped to organize the showing of “Call Me Crazy,� a documentary on mental illness, last year. According to Active Minds President Katie Kovacovich (‘16), the group wanted to show something similar this spring. “We wanted to do another documentary, and the
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Representation Project came out with ‘The Mask You Live In,’� Kovacovich said. “We thought it would tie in super nicely with the panel ‘From Boys to Men’ that we did last semester. It was something Luther College has been talking about, and we thought Active Minds was a perfect organization to help bring this documentary to campus.� Following the movie, 40 viewers remained to participate in community discussion about the film and how it relates to Luther and society in general. “That’s pretty incredible to get an audience—especially one that’s made up of mostly students— to really want to talk about this and stay,� Kovacovich said. “I
was thrilled by the conversation that was brought to the table, the personal stories, ideas for how we can change things and what we see and hear at Luther and in society. I thought it was all wonderful.� The diverse group of students, faculty and community members was one thing that helped the event have an even greater impact, according to Elena Anderson (‘17). “It was really cool to see so many different people from the community come. There was a group of 12-year-old boys sitting right next to me, and I thought that was really cool that they came out and had this experience,� Anderson said. THE MASK YOU LIVE IN, PAGE 4
Roisum and other Greek representatives. “We don’t care if people know that we’re in a fraternity. What we’re trying to do is to shape pledges and create an environment for people to be themselves and to be open and trust each other,� Zeta Tau Psi President Cody Duncan (‘16) said. “Everything that we do is for a reason. There are always alternatives, and we never make anyone do anything that they’re uncomfortable with. We never make anyone do anything in general.� HAZING POLICY, PAGE 4
CSC readies gardens for summer season, offers classes SAMANTHA PHILLIPS STAFF WRITER As summer approaches, the Luther gardens are being prepared for the summer growing season and the Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC) is offering gardening classes for students, faculty, staff and other community members. With the installment of a high tunnel last fall, Luther student gardeners anticipate a longer growing season and look forward to offering a greater diversity of vegetables in the cafeteria this spring. “We’re going back to what the garden was originally set up to be,â€? student gardener Sarah Forsythe (‘15) said. “For the last couple years, the cafeteria wanted us to grow a lot of the same things ‌ but now we’re switching back to more diverse selections.â€? LUTHER GARDENING, PAGE 4