CHIPS April 27, 2017

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Luther students display Nordic art in local coffee shop.

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Luther alum Erin Alberty (‘01) part of Pulitzerwinning reporting team.

Men’s tennis faces rival Coe College.

LUTHER COLLEGE

“Let the chips fall where they may.”

APRIL 27, 2017

CHIPS

Serving the Luther College community since 1884.

VOLUME 139, NO. 20

Faculty vote to remove fields of study Luther faculty voted on April 11 to remove two majors, three minors, and one full program in a decision that will now move to the Board of Regents for final approval.

BEN SELCKE STAFF WRITER Luther faculty voted on April 11 to remove two majors, three minors and one full program from the college’s offerings in a step attempting to address the major ramifications of declining enrollment. Faculty voted to keep one program from those recommended for removal, and all results will proceed to the Board of Regents for final approval.

Those fields selected for removal are the athletic training major, the dance major, the K-12 health education minor, the physical education minor, secondary education minor in world languages, and the Russian language program. The Chinese program was the only candidate not voted for removal from those considered.

Although faculty voted for the intersections program to be removed, they did so on the condition that the 100-level intersections classes remain, thus eliminating only the 200-, 300-, and 400-level classes. Further, the college will continue to offer dance classes despite the vote for removal of that major.

While initially on the Academic Planning Committee’s (APC) list for removal, the German department revised its major and the APC

Matt Knake (‘14) works in the athletic training clinic. Faculty voted on April 11 to remove the athletic training major.

Photo courtesy of luther.edu subsequently removed the department from the voting list on April 11.

“German is here to stay in its revised form,” APC Chair and Associate Professor of Physics Todd Pedlar said.

If the Board of Regents approves these decisions, there will be a conflict regarding those tenured professors whose area of instruction have been voted for removal. Both the Faculty

Women and gender studies considers changes to program and name XAVIER CONZET STAFF WRITER Luther’s women and gender studies (WGST) department is considering changing its program to more specifically address intersectionality and collaboration, a shift that comes in light of the department’s fall 2016 external review.

According to Professor of Sociology and head of the WGST department Char Kunkel, they have not currently considered a name change for the major, but hope to attract more students and to blend areas of study.

“We hope the potential program

will take shape and rebrand our program to draw more students, provide them an intellectual home, recruit and retain students of difference, and provide an intellectual community that works together instead of siloing differences,” Kunkel said.

Although no decisions have been made regarding a new name, Kunkel presented a powerpoint several times since the fall titled, “Identity Studies: a focus on intersectionality,” indicating that the program may be renamed along those lines. Kunkel’s presentation emphasized that a change to the program could recruit students and faculty from diverse backgrounds

Interests Committee and the Tenure and Promotion Committee are involved in this process, which according the faculty handbook entails “a horizontal shift of responsibility (from one academic department to another or from an academic department to an administrative office.”

REMOVAL | PAGE 1

College 2017-18 budget reductions total $650,000 SHASA SARTIN STAFF WRITER

and retain them for the future as the WGST department attempts to expand the program.

The considerations are influenced by similar changes in gender and sexuality studies departments at other schools, including Beloit College, American University, the University of San Francisco, and two universities in Canada. Those schools have all renamed their departments in favor of titles like Critical Diversity Studies and Critical Identity Studies, and reshaped those programs to offer multiple themes and specializations.

Luther administration announced its plans to cut the college’s budget by approximately $650,000 on April 7, a decision that includes increasing rent to collegeowned rental houses and leaving positions vacated by departing staff unfilled.

President Paula Carlson and Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Runestad announced the budget cuts which will be implemented in the 2017-2018 school year. The plan targets 17 total areas of campus operation, and, according to Carlson’s and Runestad’s document, aims to both maximize available funds and reduce expenses.

Runestad stressed student well-being as imperative for the college in both an interview and in a meeting open to all staff members involved in the budget planning process on April 21. Approximately 25 staff members attended the meeting, which was aimed at clarifying how the administration reached its budget decisions.

WGST | PAGE 4

BUDGET | PAGE 4

NEWS

PAGE 2 APRIL 27, 2017

NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME

Kevin Honz receives two major physics scholarships MADELINE AJACK STAFF WRITER Physics and mathematics double major Kevin Honz (‘18) is the recipient of two major scholarships: the Rossing Scholarship and the Goldwater Scholarship, totaling $17,500.

The Rossing Scholarship is a $10,000 annual fellowship for students studying physics. One student per year is selected. Students must present research, complete an application, and receive a nomination from Luther faculty in order to be considered. The Goldwater Scholarship is a $7,500 annual fellowship for students studying mathematics. The pool of candidates is approximately 1,000 per year, with only around 270 people selected.

“Kevin is one of my advisees,” Professor of Associate Dean and Director of Faculty Development Jeffrey Wilkerson said. “I really encouraged him to apply for the [Rossing Scholarship].”

“I mostly learned about [the Goldwater and Rossing Scholarships] from my academic advisor,” Honz said. “And my advisor said ‘Why don’t you consider applying for this scholarship?’ I gave it a chance but I

didn’t think anything would happen.”

Honz has worked closely with Associate Professor of Physics Erin Flater.

“Kevin is very intelligent,” Flater said. “He understands complex ideas very quickly. He is also quite humble about his abilities.”

Flater was Honz's professor as a student in Physics 281: Modern Physics 1 and Physics 312: Advanced Lab 2.

Honz said that he has always had an interest in mathematics and physics.

“Math came to me first,” Honz said.

“I was in math club in the seventh grade, which was just me and two other kids, and we would learn about natural logs and it was definitely too early to be learning that kind of stuff, but it was new and fun and exciting.”

In high school and in his first two years of college Honz started to develop a love for physics.

“My love for physics has grown out of the beauty I see in math,” Honz said. “It might be cliché, but there is so much beauty in it. The patterns, the simplicity. It can be hard, but there’s an inherent beauty in that.

There is something wonderful in understanding the world through math and physics.”

Honz dedicates much of his time

Kevin Honz ('18) works out a physics equation on a chalk board. Honz is the recipient of both the Rossing Scholarship and the Goldwater Scholarship.

Madeline Ajack ('20) | Chips to his studies and participating in Nordic Choir.

“Kevin has a strong work ethic,” Flater said. “He tends to go above and beyond to make sure he is doing his work as well as he can.”

Those who receive the Goldwater and Rossing scholarships are selected by their academic merit and their applications that are proof of their hard-working academic successes.

“My first reaction was shock,” Honz said. “When I got the email, I definitely

screamed more than I should have. It’s been a very humbling experience and the best kind of overwhelming.”

Honz will use the scholarship money to pay for his tuition and room and board for his undergraduate degree at Luther. Honz also plans to attend graduate school to get his Ph.D. in physics. He is planning on looking for graduate schools over the summer.

“It might be a long shot, but it would be amazing to teach mathematics and physics at the university level,” Honz

said.

Honz would also like to go into professional research in both physics and mathematics.

“If I could say one thing about this fellowship,” Honz said. “It’s that I hope people don't fall into the common misconception that scientists work in a room by themselves and do everything by themselves. Science is collaborative, I would not have been able to get these scholarships without my professors or my friends.”

Lecture explains refugee crisis, analyzes Germany's response OLIVIA ENQUIST STAFF WRITER The Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) held a lecture titled “The European Refugee Crisis: Germany's Answer” on April 12. The lecture was the second in the threepart series titles "Tough Talk, Calm Voices.”

Approximately 100 people attended the lecture. It gave a

Instructor of language and cultural integration strategies to refugees in Münster, Germany, Benjamin M. Stoltenburg talks about the refugee crisis. Olivia Enquist ('19) | Chips

brief background into the events leading up to the Syrian refugee crisis and Europe's response to the influx of refugees. Lecturer Benjamin M. Stoltenburg, an instructor of language and cultural integration strategies to refugees in Münster, Germany, began the lecture by giving the audience a condensed overview of the Arab Spring to provide context for the Syrian civil war and later the refugee crisis. Stoltenburg also explained how the neighboring countries, specifically Jordan, are taking in more refugees, while having less financial ability, than many of the major developed countries such as the U.S., Great Britain, and Australia. He emphasized that it is important for citizens of developed countries to work towards the inclusion of refugees within their society.

Henry Zheng (‘19) said he found the lecture extremely helpful because coverage of the crisis can often be biased, creating a culture of misinformation.

“The refugee crisis is definitely a hot topic on the news,” Zheng said. “And it's definitely important for students and citizens in general to hear both the argument for and against accepting refugees.”

Stoltenburg continued by discussing the work that Germany does — and by extension himself, as an instructor to refugees — to integrate refugees successfully into the society or culture they are placed in. He discussed ways in which the communities work to educate refugees on German culture, including photos that explain the proper social etiquette for a public pool. Stoltenburg emphasized that it was important to understand these people were not immigrants and therefore had very different experiences of people entering the country by choice. He explained, both during the lecture and the discussion afterwards, that as refugees they have no choice in which countries accept them or to where they ultimately immigrate.

“He pointed out that it’s important to know the differences between asylum seekers and immigrants,” Becca Buse (‘19) said. “Asylum seekers cannot choose where they go. If a refugee is placed in Germany they have no choice about it, and can’t really complain about the society. Immigrants have the choice to come to a country because they aren’t in dire need. I think that’s a good reminder. Often we use those words interchangeably or synonymously and they’re not.”

Associate Professor of History and head of the CEPE Victoria Christman said she hoped the lecture made attendees more empathetic.

“I would hope that people came to understand how dire the situations from which these people are fleeing really are,” Christman said. “I think his talk humanized the refugees, but at the same time pointed to some of the real problems involved in the current migrant crisis. It was clear that there are no quick and easy solutions.”

Buse continued to say that she appreciated the CEPE hosting a lecture that increased her own understanding of the crisis and helped engage the community in meaningful discussion.

“I think that it’s important to be having these conversations because there is a lot of misinformation about the world,” Buse said. “A lot of the countries in Europe cannot take all these people. It’s a moral question as to if you think we should help them or not, or if we should start helping the people in our own country first. I think that talking about this, especially with someone with a different viewpoint than your own, is very important. I was glad that I was able to hear some of his solutions to the problem.”

The CEPE will be hosting the final lecture in the “Tough Talk, Calm Voices" series titled “Islam and Pre-emptive Incarceration” on May 3 in Olin 102.

NEWS

PAGE 3

NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME

APRIL 27, 2017

WEATHER THURSDAY Partly Cloudy

45/32 FRIDAY Rain

56/38 SATURDAY Cloudy and windy

52/40 Nora Haugen-Wente ('19) and Abigail Kraus ('19) present to students on how to write a letter to a representative in Olin 102 .

Ana Lopez ('19) | Chips

SUNDAY

Students take initiative against proposed Iowa immigration bill ANA LÓPEZ STAFF WRITER Abigail Kraus (‘19) and Nora HaugenWente (‘19) initiated a stand against a new immigration bill introduced to the Iowa senate by holding a session for students to learn how to write letters to their representatives.

The bill HF485, states employees of local entities must collaborate with law enforcement to release information regarding the immigration status of anyone under “lawful detention or arrest." The bill was passed by the Iowa Senate and now awaits consideration by the Iowa House of Representatives.

During their presentation, Kraus and Haugen-Wente focused on a part of the bill that prohibits local entities from not cooperating with immigration

agents. This form of cooperation specifies the release of the immigration status of any individual on request. If a local entity, such as a college, fails to provide this information, the entity will lose state funding.

According to the amended text of the HF481 bill, one of the penalties of not abiding by the law would include “the denial of state funds to certain entities.”

According to Kraus and HaugenWente, this law is potentially harmful for college students in Iowa, because of admitted undocumented students.

These colleges would be forced to release the immigration status of any student under detention and to cooperate with immigration officers.

The idea to write letters to Iowa representatives came to Kraus and

Annie Horriman ('19) and Anna Becker ('19) complete letters to their representatives.

Ana López ('19) | Chips

Haugen-Wente following a unit in their Social Welfare Policy class.

Kraus and Haugen-Wente went to Des Moines earlier in the year to talk to legislators about the bill. Because the bill was introduced to the House of Representatives, Kraus and HaugenWente decided to raise awareness about it and educate their peers on how to respond by writing to legislators.

“It's really important for students to be involved,” Kraus said. “It is especially important for us young college students to get involved because decisions that are made now will continue to affect us when we are older, so now is the time to speak up for what's right.”

Haugen-Wente said she thinks this initiative would be beneficial for students.

“I think at Luther College sometimes we get trapped in a bubble where we hear about all of these opportunities to advocate for change but nobody really tells us how,” Haugen-Wente said.

“Most of the time we are too busy to seek it out ourselves and I know that this is a really easy way in which we can all become advocates.”

Jorge Contreras (‘20) wrote a letter to a representative during the workshop Kraus and Haugen-Wente held.

“All opinions matter,” Contreras said. “I think that it is important to give them my point of view because my situation is rare. I am writing this letter because we might be able to change things.”

Kraus and Haugen-Wente urge students to write to their representatives if they feel strongly about any issue and to contact either of them if they have questions on how to write an effective letter to a representative.

Rain

46/38 MONDAY Rain

46/40 TUESDAY Light rain

60/41 WEDNESDAY Light rain

58/39 CORRECTIONS In an April 13 article titled "Timeline released for potential cuts," Chips reported multiple times that "programs" might be cut. The potential cuts were for various majors and minors as well as programs, not only programs. This includes the photo caption which incorrectly states: "The dance program is currently among the programs considered to be cut." The dance major was up for vote, not the program.

Further, the article is misleading in its reporting of the faculty vote tallies. The article doesn't mention that specif ic language was used for each individual major/minor/program, not just simply "Should the program be removed," as reported.

Icons designed by Freepik from Flaticon.

NEWS

PAGE 4

APRIL 27, 2017

Life Outside Luther Teacher accused of kidnapping to face federal charges in Tennessee A former Tennessee schoolteacher accused of abducting a 15 year-old girl and taking her on a multi-state trip that included sexual abuse before the pair were found in California will be returned to face federal kidnapping charges in Nashville.

Ex-Guinea minister charged with laundering bribes goes to trial A former government minister in Guinea went to trial in New York on Monday on U.S. charges that he laundered $8.5 million in bribes he took in exchange for helping a Chinese company secure valuable mining rights.

NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME REMOVAL | PAGE 1 According to Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Kevin Kraus, faculty have discussed in detail what the horizontal shift entails.

“The phrasing used in the faculty handbook is a little vague,” Kraus said.

Despite these potential faculty removals, the result of their implementation will fall short of the college’s desired 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Kraus said that, in an APC meeting after the faculty vote, little was discussed regarding further steps to meeting this goal.

If the votes are approved by the Board of Regents, any student currently in one of the designated fields of study — including incoming students this fall —

will be allowed to finish their major.

“There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to figure out what we do next and how we shrink based on these [votes],”

“There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to figure out what we do next and how we shrink based on these votes.”

Academic Planning Committee Chair and Associate Professor of Physics Todd Pedlar Pedlar said.

According to Athletic Training major Gregory Dorow (‘17), the college will need to hire more certified athletic trainers if

BUDGET | PAGE 1

Anti-Semitic acts spiked since Trump election win, watchdog says Anti-Semitic incidents, from bomb threats and cemetery desecration to assaults and bullying, have surged in the United States since the election of President Donald Trump, and a "heightened political atmosphere" played a role in the rise, the Anti-Defamation League said on Monday.

Former Haiti coup leader pleads guilty in U.S. drug case The leader of a 2004 coup that toppled Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide pleaded guilty on Monday to a money laundering charge related to an international drug trafficking scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Top U.S. officials to testify in TrumpRussia probe reboot The U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said on Friday it had invited FBI, NSA, and Obama administration officials to testify as it restarts its investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

Liberal U.S. justices lean toward death row inmate in mental health dispute Liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday indicated support for a convicted murderer held on Alabama's death row who argued he had a right to an independent medical expert to assess his mental health and potentially help him avoid execution.

Death toll in Venezuela's unrest rises to 26 Two Venezuelan men died on Tuesday from gunshots at political demonstrations, bringing the number of fatalities to 26 in this month's protests against President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government.

Compiled from: www.reuters.com

POLICE BLOTTER April 20 Branna Elenz ('17) and Marshall Stay ('17) were each charged with –simple misdemeanors for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The information in the log comes from the Decorah police department activity bulletin.

All those accused of violating the law are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

the vote to remove its major is approved, a change that may require those out-ofseason athletes in need of treatment to schedule an appointment within Luther’s clinic or seek help elsewhere.

“The athletic training program benefited Luther students on both an academic and an athletic front,” Dorow said. “Cutting the program will hurt both of these sides of the liberal arts experience.”

Faculty will vote in May on two other areas of study, Russian Studies and Asian Studies, that were proposed for removal in the APC's initial recommendation.

“The faculty voiced their desire to know the results of the voting on Chinese and Russian language programs [before voting for Asian Studies and Russian Studies],” Pedlar said.

Professor of Sociology and head of the women and gender studies department Char Kunkel speaks at a lecture in February.

Madie Miller ('19) | Photo Bureau WGST | PAGE 1 Kunkel outlined in her powerpoint two potential program frameworks, the second of which would provide four tracks for the major: Gender and Sexuality; Africana and Ethnic; Social Justice; and Embodiment.

In reaction to these considered changes, students have expressed both acceptance and skepticism. For Tatiana Adams (‘19), implementation of these changes provides a logistical challenge but is worthwhile in principle.

“A stronger focus on the dynamics of power and privilege in our society would

help people fight for their rights and succeed later on in life,” Adams said. “There isn’t enough diversity among the faculty and that should change.

But I think people in general are not very interested because the department has not released enough information to know what is actually happening.”

Other students remain neutral.

“I don’t think this will positively or negatively affect the student body,” Kurt Anderson (‘19) said. “However, I think that rewording the definition of diversity to include more than gender or sexuality will be beneficial to society in general.”

In the meeting, Executive Director of the Center for Global Learning and International Administration Jon Lund expressed concerns regarding further reduction of the college’s small staff size, emphasizing the administration’s effect on the student body and student workers.

“Our student workers are running around some days because we’re dumping all of this stuff on them,” Lund said. “Especially now, more so than ever, we have a role in student retention.”

At that same meeting, staff members also expressed concerns about low student work study and summer on-campus wages.

Runestad spoke to the correlation issue of a higher minimum wage necessitating that the college reduce student work hours.

In a shift away from student experience, the staff discussed their experiences creating these suggestions.

Course Materials Buyer and Book Shop Coordinator JoAnn Uhlenhake discussed the struggle to think broadly about the budget.

“When you’re talking budgets, it’s hard to look outside [of ] your own department,” Uhlenhake said. “It’s Luther campus money, but it’s so hard to think that way.”

Other staff members concurred with Uhlenhake. Director of the Book Shop Deanna Casterton shared a similar sentiment.

“These discussions have gotten us from ‘me and my office’ to [the college as a whole],” Casterton said.

Runestad said that in planning the budget cuts the administration focused on areas that have minimal impact on students. “[We asked] how might we still maintain high levels of service and recognize savings,” Runestad said. “This was focused on the operations of the college, which are not things that are necessarily as visible to everyone, but affect the way that we conduct business, the way that we deliver services to students, and the way that we support students while they are here.”

Those less disruptive cuts are seen in the decision to switch to an online course catalogue from the current print version, which Registrar and Assistant to the Dean for Advising Kristin Swanson said has been implemented for over one year. According to Swanson, the registrar’s office provided printed copies of the catalogue to advisors and administrative assistants, and will make the catalogue available online for everyone come next year. Swanson said the change has been well-received. “[Users said] that it is clear, easy to navigate, and most of all [it is] available to a broad range of stakeholders,” Swanson said.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 5

A&E EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

APRIL 27, 2017

Java John’s features Nordic art

Matthew Epsey (‘19) and Garret Baumler (‘20) enjoy the gnome and Nordic landscape pieces.

LILY KIME STAFF WRITER Visitors will find an art display of bicycles, landscapes, and gnomes in earthy tones at Java John’s coffee house in downtown Decorah.

Art and Nordic studies double majors Alexis Hove (‘18) and Hannah Tulgren (‘18) have coordinated with the owner of Java John’s to create an art display during the month of April.

According to Java John’s owner Doug Reid, the local coffee shop has featured student artwork in the past. During one of her frequent study sessions at the location, Tulgren noticed that the artwork had recently been changed.

After inquiring with an employee, she learned that the artist that was scheduled for April was no longer able to display their art as scheduled. Tulgren and Hove then approached Reid and submitted to him examples of their work to see if he would allow the two of them to collaborate for a display.

With Reid’s approval, Tulgren and Hove chose their pieces for display and put their work up on the walls of Java Johns on April 2. Tulgren said that the experience has been surreal.

“I’ve always seen the artwork at Java John’s change because I study there a lot,” Tulgren said. “I always thought it’d be really cool to have my artwork there someday, but I did not think it would be my junior year of college.”

Hove was satisfied with how well the artwork complemented the setting at Java Johns.

“I think [our artworks] fit in really well with the location and the Norwegian [heritage] that Decorah has,” Hove said. “We filled up the space pretty well with all of our works.”

Both Tulgren and Hove used watercolors as their medium for the pieces on display.

Tulgren has worked with watercolors in the past and introduced them to Hove on their study-abroad trip to Norway in the fall of 2016.

According to Hove, the University of Oslo did not offer a studio class, so they decided to take

their artistic studies into their own hands.

When exploring the sights or hiking, Tulgren brought her watercolors and paper with her to practice her skills and fill her sketchbook with landscapes. She especially enjoyed sketching the Arctic Norway mountains.

“I keep [my landscapes] fairly small because I can do intricate work with water droplets or line work,” Tulgren said. “Some of the better, smaller ones just kind of happen. They can happen in only an hour, but it just depends on the landscape and the size of it.”

Although she was new to watercolor when she began the study-abroad trip, Hove became more accustomed to the medium as she practiced. Hove’s artwork was inspired by aspects of the traditions and culture of Norway during her visit.

“For me, watercolor is kind of a meditative thing,” Hove said. “As far the gnomes, I got the idea in Norway. There are cute touristy shops all over that have gnomes that are similar in shape and form, and I really like that aesthetic.”

The community response to this display has been positive, according to Hove. Both artists have sold multiple pieces of their work on display.

Reid is glad that his shop has been able to display this show.

Lily Kime (‘19) | Chips

Garret Baumler (‘20) and Matthew Espey (‘19) observe Alexis Hove’s bicycle paintings in Java Johns.

Lily Kime (‘19) | Chips “We have a place in the local community that allows people to show their art, and we get to have beautiful artwork on our walls that we get to change once a month,” Reid said. “It works out perfectly for us.”

This display will remain in Java John’s for rest of April with pieces still available for purchase. Both artists are continuing to create art and are considering future opportunities

for displays.

Hove is currently conversing with coffee and bicycle shops around both Decorah and Minneapolis to see if they will display her watercolors of bicycles with wheels made of coffee. Java John’s welcomes other current Luther students to contact them to request space in the shop as the location for their future art displays.

FEATURES

PAGE 6 APRIL 27, 2017

FEATURES EDITOR: FRAN STEVENSON

The Pulitzer Prize winning Salt Lake Tribune team including alum Erin Alberty (‘01) [center back].

Luther alum wins Pulitzer Prize EMMA BUSCH STAFF WRITER Luther College alum Erin Alberty (‘01) and her colleagues at The Salt Lake Tribune were stunned when their investigation of sexual assault on Utah college campuses earned a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting on April 10.

“I’m still in disbelief,” Alberty said.

“None of us thought we would win a Pulitzer Prize. Our editors entered our work hoping for maybe a finalist mention. We didn’t write this as a prize entry. It wasn’t a neatly-packaged series. We didn’t even save most of these stories for Sunday publication, which is our big circulation day. We were urgently focused on learning about and showing to our readers what was happening at Utah’s colleges.”

The Salt Lake Tribune’s coverage focused primarily on two schools, Brigham Young University (BYU) and Utah State University (USU), where student concerns arose regarding the universities’ poor reponse to rape cases.

Alberty’s reports on BYU began in an effort to discover whether the university’s strict honor code had a negative impact on crime reporting.

Among other things, BYU’s honor code requires its students to avoid “homosexual behavior” and requires men and women to stay out of each others’ houses during specific hours of the day.

“I had done preliminary reporting that showed some students were concerned that the school might punish a victim for honor code violations and that would prevent them from reporting it,” Alberty said.

“But, I struggled to find crime victims to share their accounts.”

According to Alberty, it was difficult to report on this preliminary finding with no students to speak out about their experiences.

“That changed in April, when one student disclosed at a rape awareness forum on campus that she had been disciplined under the honor code as a result of reporting a rape,” Alberty said. “Then I was able to find many people making references to similar experiences on social media and through other networks of current and former students. I interviewed dozens who described being assaulted; some reported and were investigated, but many more did not report the assaults.”

Coverage increased once more students began to come forward, allowing Alberty and her colleagues to investigate further. By October of 2016, BYU announced plans to change its process of addressing sexual assault.

“When BYU said it would overhaul its process after several months of our stories, I thought we had succeeded in shedding light on the situation,” Alberty said.

BYU’s ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints meant

Photo courtesy of Salt Lake Tribune website

News in Michigan before joining the Salt Lake Tribune team, where she has served as a reporter for ten years.

Emeritus Peter Scholl remembers Alberty as a vocal student and skilled writer and is not surprised by her accomplishments.

“Erin was in one of my Paideia I sections and at least one other class,” Scholl said. “She was a lively student and spoke up a lot. I remember that she was a terrific writer and I think for a time she wanted to join an MFA program after graduating. We used to have a three week

unit on the history and culture of China in Paideia and maybe it was then I might have influenced her interest to teach English in China after graduation.”

Head of Library Operations and Digital Initiatives Librarian Ryan Gjerde (‘99) served as Managing Editor of Chips and remembers Alberty as a talented reporter.

“Staff writers back then were Alberty and the team of Salt Lake all volunteers, and at times it was Tribune writers were unsure how a challenge to recruit and retain their series would be recieved. reporters,” Gjerde said. “I recall that “[The church] is organized around Erin was one whom the section a modern prophet and apostles who editors would fight over each week are believed to receive revelation when assigning articles. Her stories from God.” Alberty said. “BYU is were always well-researched and widely known in Utah as ‘The Lord’s well-written. Personally, I’m a bit starUniversity.’ It’s somewhat different struck to realize I’ve edited the work of from, say, Luther College, whose a Pulitzer Prize winner. Erin’s career ties to the ELCA church are more serves as another great example of relaxed. By contrast, there are a how a Luther education prepares lot of Mormon structural and us for the desire to confront big cultural factors at work in BYU’s questions and seek truth.” policy decisions, and we weren’t Alberty is proud of what she sure our stories would resonate and her colleagues accomplished there.” collaboratively, but remains Despite her concerns about focused on the well-being of the the effect the series would students that participated in their have on the campuses she coverage. wrote about, Alberty knew “The people who the stories needed to be participated in this story written. went through a lot, While at Luther, not just before, Alberty was but as a result of a Chips staff participating member and in the stories. worked in Since the Pulitzer Luther’s media announcement, office.

After I’ve heard from graduating, she so many of them, went abroad and and they’ve all taught English said that they in China for two were happy years. Alberty about it, that previously they were glad reported for our profession The Saginaw recognized News and The Erin Alberty (‘01), member of Pultizer Prize-winning journalism these stories as Photo courtesy of luther.edu important.”

Houghton Daily team.

FEATURES

PAGE 7

FEATURES EDITOR: FRAN STEVENSON

APRIL 27, 2017

SHOC celebrates Custodian Appreciation Day BIZ WAGENSON STAFF WRITER

Jedidiah Nixon (‘17) flips through a book at the the book sale.

National Library week JULIA CURTIS STAFF WRITER Preus Library celebrated the American Library Association (ALA)’s National Library Week with different events, including a book sale, a student library worker appreciation lunch, a video created by the library staff and READ posters. The celebration is designed to send the message, “Libraries are for everyone.” The events took place during the week of April 10 at the same timas as the ALA’s annual celebration, a tradition since 1958.

The book sale is an annual event that Preus Library hosts during National Library Week. It offers hundreds of library books that are out of circulation or donated from alums and retired Luther professors. St. Benedict’s Catholic Church and retired Luther alums donated the vast majority of this year’s books, which ranged in publication, year, and subject.

Biology major Jedidiah Nixon (‘17) purchased books written by Jean-Henri Fabre, a 19th century entomologist.

“I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember,” Nixon said. “PDFs are more convenient, but books are a full sensory experience.”

The book sale also draws Luther students and professors, and community members because of the range in topic and low prices. As the week passed, book prices dropped even more.

Public Services Coordinator Eddy Atwell said the library sold about two-thirds of the donated books. Atwell also mentioned that proceeds from the sale go toward purchasing new books for Preus’ collection. Preus library raised $2,140.25 through the book sale

Julia Curtis (‘17) | Chips

Luther College’s Preus Library sets up display and book sale in honor the American Library Association’s National Libray Week.

this year.

“When people donate, I say, ‘Either we’ll use your books, or more likely, it will go to the book sale’ and [the proceeds will] go to books that we do use,” Atwell said.

“It feels nice that [the money] isn’t lost and goes into new books.”

The video for National Library Week showcased Luther students and what they appreciate most about libraries and Preus Library, such as senior carrels, the Research Help Desk, and places for students to gather and study or work on projects. Student library worker Pharez Monney (‘17) said he and Technical Services Assistant Emily Mineart (‘10) wanted to show how welcoming libraries are to all groups of people.

“I feel like the fact that we have spaces where you can just come in and get access to information is important,” Monney said.

“Information comes with liberation and the more informed you are, the more liberated you are.”

The inspiration for Preus Library’s READ posters came from the original National Library Association’s READ posters.

The original posters featured international celebrities; the Preus Library posters featured ‘Luther celebrities’ like President Paula Carlson and Writing Center tutors.

“In addition to the READ posters, we put up a bunch of posters that said ‘read’ and ‘welcome’ in multiple languages to fit the ‘Libraries are for everyone’ theme,” Mineart said.

ALA sets up an agenda for the week at the national level for public and school libraries.

Every year the ALA makes a kit of materials these libraries can

A poster promoting National Library Week from Preus Library.

Julia Curtis (‘17) | Chips use, but the way each library celebrates the event is based on their community.

“On our social media channels, we’ve been celebrating and advocating libraries as inclusive, welcoming community spaces,” Mineart said. “Everyone is free to encounter ideas and each other and not just get work done, but also feel included in the space.”

Honoring National Library Week is a way to celebrate and remind others what libraries can offer, including informational resources, smart information access, and a love for reading.

“National Library Week is the kick-off week for the series of events that happen between National Library Week and the end of the year,” Head of Library Operations and Digital Initiatives Librarian Ryan Gjerde (‘99) said.

Some of the upcoming Library events include the senior paper ice cream social and “Geocache for College Cash” which teaches students about navigating the world and paying back loans.

Preus also offers study break snacks and treats during finals week.

The fifth annual Custodian Appreciation Day (CAD) was held during shadow block on April 13 in the Center for the Arts (CFA) atrium. The student organization Students Helping Our Community (SHOC) organized the event. The event included live piano music, pastries, and refreshments for the custodians and other attendees courtesy of Peace Dining.

President Carlson attended the event to show her appreciation and say a few words of gratitude. Prior to the event, SHOC tabled to give students a chance to write notes of appreciation. These notes were then presented to the custodians when they came to the atrium.

The day was arranged in order to recognize the Luther staff in charge of keeping buildings and dorms clean and organized. SHOC officer Ben Haerther (‘19) saying thank you to the dedicated Luther staff is the purpose of the event.

“In my opinion, CAD is important because oftentimes [custodians] are under recognized and they do a lot of behind-thescenes work that helps facilitate Luther College and keep us to the high quality standard that we are,” Haerther said. “It’s just something that gets overlooked and we just want to help bring it to attention and help students see all of the hard work they do.”

Luther employees 38 custodians that work around campus to ensure the cleanliness of everything from the furniture students sit on, to the windows students look through.

They are also responsible for the organization and supervision of all student workers in custodial services. Haerther says the custodians deserve appreciation for more than what we see them doing throughout the day.

“Custodians do so much work, especially in the dorms after Saturday nights and they just go the extra mile to get to know their students that are in their building,” Haerther said. “I talked with [Custodian] Lyle and he was so helpful in setting up the event.

And students have told me stories

about him going around and leaving pieces of candy for people who are studying if they look like they are struggling with it. They just do so many things to make Luther a more comfortable place for students.”

Dahl Centennial Union Custodian Kathy Euans expressed that one of her favorite parts of being a custodian is that she is able to meet and interact with Luther students.

“I think the best part of being a custodian at Luther is seeing the students and mingling with them and learning about their futures,” Euans said. “It’s why I really like working in the Union; I get to see and talk to so many students there.”

This year the SHOC executive board decided to add tables and chairs to the event to allow the custodians and student attendees to sit down and engage in more conversation. SHOC officer Jae Creger (‘19) commented on how this made the event more conducive to showing appreciation.

“Last year we didn’t really have tables and everybody just roamed around,” Creger said. “This year I was able to sit down with them and ask them about what they were doing for Easter and their grandkids. We were actually able to socialize with the custodians and that way we were able to get to know them. Because you always see them but you never really stop to talk to them.”

Euans commented on how much she enjoyed SHOC bringing people together to express thankfulness for everything she and her colleagues do.

“Its nice to be able to get out of the [Union and go to an event] to have people show appreciation and receive so many ‘thank you’s,’” Euans said Creger explained that showing how thankful students are for custodians is something that can happen on a daily basis.

“I think students can show appreciation by just stopping by to say ‘thank you’ or by asking them about how they are, or just saying ‘hi’ instead of walking past,” Creger said. “It really makes a difference to them.”

Students, Custodians, and President Paula Carlson attend Custodian Appreciation Day.

Biz Wagenson (‘17) | Chips

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 8 APRIL 27, 2017

A&E EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

SAC Concerts presents X Ambassadors for spring concert SAM MITCHELL STAFF WRITER American rock band X Ambassadors energized Luther students and community members in the Regents Center on April 21. The band’s set included their hit songs “Unsteady,” “Renegades,” and “Jungle.”

X Ambassadors originated from New York and have since relocated to Los Angeles.

The band formed in 2009 and signed their first record deal in 2012. Their music has been featured in various movies and shows, including the movie “Me Before You” and the Netflix show “Orange is the New Black.”

“X Ambassadors music is an upbeat and modern take on American rock,” Student Activities Council (SAC) Concert CoChair Miranda Joslin (‘17) said. “Their sound is simultaneously energetic and jazzy.

They’re the kind of band that is universally enjoyable.”

Around 800 students and community members attended the event.

“Since we’re a smaller school, we don’t have the same numbers at concerts that a bigger school or a state school might have in a stadium,” SAC concert co-chair Annie Goodroad (‘19) said.

Goodroad was especially proud of the turn out because of how much planning she put into the event.

“I knew that [X Ambassadors] were good live, but there is something about the Luther crowd that makes an artist perform better,” Goodroad said. “It seems like every artist that comes to Luther always says, ‘Wow, that crowd was so loud and energetic’.”

Attendee Anna Wehde (‘17) felt that X Ambassadors did a great job of connecting

Noah Feldshuh plays bass and Sam Harris plays guitar.

Photo Bureau | Madie Miller (‘19) with the audience through the music.

“They weren’t just really good musicians, but really good performers,” Wehde said.

“They did a great job of getting people energized in the crowd even if they didn’t know all of [their] songs.”

Joslin’s favorite part of the concert was when the band performed “Unsteady.”

“Something about that moment really struck me,” Joslin said. “I had started filming the song and all of a sudden when [the lead singer] Sam hit the first note of the song and the audience cheered, I couldn’t control the tears.”

Attendee Joseph Tiegen (‘18) enjoyed the musical diversity of X Ambassadors’ set.

“I like that the lead singer tried to bring

his saxophone playing into the performance as much as he could,” Tiegan said. “It helps to break down barriers of instruments that are usually only in the instrumental world.”

According to Joslin and Goodroad, the concert is the fun part, but bringing the artist to Luther is a difficult process. First the SAC committee must discuss artists they think would be good to bring to Luther.

Next, the co-chairs send out an email to their committee to determine the artists for the concert. The final step is to work with agents to get the top artists students vote on to be booked for the concert date.

“X Ambassadors was the top choice, so we are really lucky to have gotten them,” Goodroad said.

Collegium Musicum explores Renaissance sound KRISTEN WUERL STAFF WRITER Collegium Musicum Renaissance and Baroque Ensemble (RBE) is an older ensemble on Luther’s campus, but it is not as old as the music it performs. Collegium Musicum is Luther’s early music ensemble that performs music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods of the 14th through 18th centuries.

Collegium performed a spring concert in the Noble Recital Hall on April 11.

Collegium has a long tradition at Luther. The earliest recorded date of a Collegium performance on campus was on Nov. 19, 1974 when the ensamble performed in Koren.

Instructor in Music Kathy Reed is the current director of the ensemble, playing the harpsichord on some pieces and directing the choral works. Currently the ensemble is comprised of 4 student instrumentalists, four community member instrumentalists, and 12 student singers.

“Renaissance and Baroque music hasn’t always been so popular,” Reed said. “The more we learn about it, the more we find ways to bring it out in performances. In a way, it’s new music because it’s unfamiliar. As soon as you take a more historically appropriate approach [to performing this

Forrest Stewart (‘19) and Olivia Benson (‘18) play the recorder. music] you find wild, interesting, and compelling things about it.”

Collegium showcased these features of Renaissance and Baroque music at its concert. The concert began with instrumental music performed by small student Baroque ensembles.

Students played a total of four pieces. Two were written by notable composers George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Instrumental ensemble members played pieces on

both period and contemporary instruments. According to Reed, certain instruments were popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, but faded after those time periods.

These include the recorder, the harpsichord, and the viola da gamba, an instrument similar to a contemporary cello. The second half of Collegium’s concert featured both instrumental and vocal music, all of which was composed by Josquin des Prez, one of the most notable composers

Photo Bureau | Kien Dao (‘20) of the 15th and 16th centuries. “[Renaissance and Baroque music] is extremely complex and challenging,” Reed said. “The meter changes a lot between duple and triple, and there are syncopated rhythms. You can’t ever just settle down and get in a rut because things have changed so much.”

Collegium co-officer Erin Steward (‘17) enjoys playing and singing this early music.

“I like [Renaissance and Baroque music] because it

presents a challenge,” Steward said. “It’s pretty incredible to see what is written on a page and to learn what someone from that time period would have known to do with what is written.”

Steward, a vocalist and harpsichordist in the ensemble, found one aspect of Collegium to be particularly challenging.

She reads harpsichord music in a style called continuo, a style not written for most modern string instruments.

“The harpsichordist is given the music’s bass line along with some numbers that represent chords,” Steward said. “It is up to the harpsichordist to know what chords to play when, how to line up with the other instrumentalist playing the bass line, and to understand what the melodic lines are doing.”

Reed agrees with Steward in respect to how independent each part in a Renaissance and Baroque ensemble can be.

“There is a high level of community and independence [among ensemble members],” Reed said. “You are playing with other people but the group is small, and there are very few people on a part. Each person needs to stretch him or herself to hold up their end of the music.”

In addition to Collegium’s formal spring concert, the ensemble frequently plays in churches and at Java John’s.

OPINION

PAGE 9

MANAGING EDITOR: MAKEDA BARKLEY

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Emily Crowe Managing Editor Makeda Barkley News Editors Danny May Jacob Warehime Features Editor Fran Stevenson A&E Editor Elizabeth Bonin Sports Editor Katrina Meyer Staff Writers Lily Kime Ana Lopez Sam Mitchell Shasa Sartin Ben Selcke Biz Wagenson

Madeline Ajack Shannon Baker Emma Busch Xavier Conzet Julia Curtis Olivia Enquist

Part-time Writers Nora Felt Kristen Wuerl Head Copy Editor Olivia Benson Copy Editors Elyse Grothaus Sarah Owens Ad Representatives Tyler Hovey Madeline Petellin Web Content Manager Michael Vann Social Media Director Elyse Grothaus Distribution Manager Sarah Owens Faculty Adviser David Faldet

SUBMISSIONS Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted 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, 400-700 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before publication. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor.

Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements.

Opinions expressed in columns and letters are those of the authors(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Chips or organizations with which the author(s) are associated.

APRIL 27, 2017

TO THE EDITOR

In response: “In opposition of blue turf in Oneota Valley” I want to start out by saying that I appreciated Professor Faldet’s article, “In opposition of blue turf in Oneota Valley,” which was published in Chips on April 13. I think that his concerns are genuine, and his passion for Luther College is evident. I also know that he isn’t alone in his thinking. However, I believe that blue turf in Oneota Valley would be a great asset to Luther College, and I feel as if much of the reluctance across campus stems from a general misunderstanding of the situation.

My goal in this letter is not to undermine the opinion of Professor Faldet and those who share his beliefs.

Rather, my goal is to provide a better understanding of the blue turf and give a few reasons why it would be a great addition to the college.

Many people are under the impression that we plan to drop a big, blue carpet bomb in Oneota Valley without any rhyme or reason. I can assure you this is not the case. A lot of time was allocated towards the design of the field to ensure that it does nothing but enhance the signature view of the valley. The field will look sharp and will not be entirely blue. The plan is to have a norse head in the middle, white endzones with “LUTHER” and “NORSE” lettering, and green turf that completely surrounds the field of play. The playing surface will be the only area with blue turf. Green field borders were intentionally designed so that the blue field will not clash with the blue track. This will give Carlson Stadium an awesome new look.

The turf was also designed to be compatible with the sustainable mission of Luther College. The pellets on the turf field will be made from eco-friendly plastic granules, as opposed to the traditional ground up rubber tire. This is the most sustainable option and it’s the same turf that one of our rivals, St. Olaf, installed last year.

100 percent of the funding for the turf field is coming from generous donors who are committed to the betterment of Luther College athletics. When our development office set out on their mission to get donors for the turf field, blue was only an option and not something that was set in stone. Many of the donors loved the idea of blue turf and after giving it some thought, Head Football Coach Hafner decided that it was a great idea. With administrative and donor

support of blue turf, the development office’s approach shifted towards completing the project. Many alumns and friends of Luther College have donated generously to make this project a reality and they are extremely excited about it. How can we undermine these donors by spending their money in a way that was not agreed upon? We can’t and we shouldn’t.

I think the hysteria surrounding the blue turf is causing some people to underestimate its marketability.

Many students and faculty on campus are familiar with Seth Godin’s famous marketing book, “Purple Cow,” which is about coming up with a product or service (a “purple cow”) that sticks out and is worth talking about.

Blue turf is our "purple cow”. Green turf doesn’t have the “wow” factor, and it isn’t the topic of discussion at the dinner table, but blue turf is.

There is no doubt in my mind that blue turf will help the Luther football program with recruiting, but I also think it will help the entire college with recruiting. A blue turf field has the ability to put Luther on the map in a way that it has never been before. Professor Faldet even mentioned a very important impact that blue turf had for Boise State: a “sizable boost in applications” to the school. In a time where reduced enrollment is keeping all upperclassmen on campus and leading to cuts of cherished programs, I see this as a great opportunity to potentially do something about it — to recruit a larger, more diverse student body. The “purple cow” worked at Boise State, and I have no reason to believe it wouldn’t work here.

In my three years as a student-athlete, I’ve grown a special kind of appreciation for Luther College. I want nothing but the best for the Luther community and I firmly believe that blue turf will be a great asset to the valley. However, the only way that it can become the asset that I envision it to be is if the Luther community buys into it. So I ask that you acknowledge the benefits of blue turf and buy into it. If you can get yourself to buy in, I guarantee that when you finally get the chance to look out into the valley at a blue turf field, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Signed, Cory Wirth (‘18)

The Norse Poll

Are you in favor of the grass football field being replaced with blue turf?

LUTHER COLLEGE

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“It would look weird against one of the most natural views on campus. I think it will look like a blue pool. It will be weird to have a blue field next to all the green space.”

-Catherine Karsell (‘17)

“I think it is going to be really cool to have a blue field.”

-Tyler Menegay (‘20)

“I guess I’m torn … it could attract more potential students, it makes sense environmentally, and it is probably better for the football team in terms of injuries. In terms of it being blue, I don’t know if that’s the best choice.”

-Natalie Wade (‘18)

OPINION

PAGE 10 APRIL 27, 2017

MANAGING EDITOR: MAKEDA BARKLEY

STUDENT ORGANIZATION COLUMN

Moving from conversation to action While I am certainly a member of Just Action, I must first state that what I write here does not represent the opinion of the group as a whole. Instead, it represents my thoughts and beliefs derived from a meaningful meeting of minds the group involves me in. These minds are dedicated to identifying, discussing, and resolving issues that negatively impact our humanity.

I am fortunate to work beside so many other people who are also passionate about restoring social justice and all that it encompasses. In spite of our devotion to this cause, the group is not perfect.

Having attended a multitude of our meetings, I noticed one major limitation: the already existent ardency of all other attendants. In other words, Just Action comprises of the people who already attend the various opportunities for insight. While one may not necessarily see this as an issue, it reveals a palpable truth for Luther as a whole, and that is the lack of allies present at platforms where the plight of injustice is being met with persistence.

We must ask ourselves why this is the case. Why are more people not willing to prioritize the equity and inclusion of everyone? Clearly, the answer is not that they are all bigots. Especially in this contemporary era, even with the current Commander-in-Chief, society’s acceptance of the barbaric and overt racism from past periods has subsided. Unfortunately, racism does still exist today and significantly affects our campus and the people on it.

When taking into account Luther and Decorah’s racial demographics, it is evident that the residents who make up this population receive little exposure to people of different colors and creeds. This lack of exposure limits people’s ability to appropriately and respectfully engage with people different from themselves.

Without an opportunity to develop these healthy discussions and interactions, people’s perceptions of others can become hindered by the media’s misleading stereotypes and the systematic structures set in place by white supremacist ideologies. Ignoring this internalized bias is not only inconsiderate; it creates a climate inimical to the health of those affected by the bias.

In order to cease this ignorance, we as a people must wake up and realize exactly what harms

our actions can have. How do we do this? Attend events. Gather information. Really listen to the experiences of others. Empathize with those experiences. Ultimately, do not be afraid to be uncomfortable. Discomfort can easily deter the implementation of just actions from those who are already comfortable.

There have been far too many instances in which the people being affected by these conditions have demanded the rights they deserve but have been ignored. It is going to take a willingness on our part as members of the majority to wake up, push through the discomfort, and stay woke.

“Justice too long delayed is justice denied.” As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. expressed this sentiment in a letter he wrote while imprisoned at the Birmingham Jail, his words present multiple parallels to these current conditions of Luther’s campus climate. Similar to King, there are students here who feel imprisoned in the institution responsible for providing them with a wholesome liberal arts education. Furthermore, they feel as though their voices are consistently being neglected.

Again, the concerns with Luther that these students, and others, bring to light are certainly being heard, but not listened to. The notable difference between being heard and listened to is the presence of commitment and care. Commitment for seeing the solutions through and care for the students, whose experiential reality at Luther should be regarded as expert testimony. Until these attributes are ingrained into the attitudes of administration, the negative impact of prejudice will prosper.

For too long, Luther has simply had conversations about ways we can better ourselves as a community. Yet, there appears to be a lack of initiative to act upon those conversations as an institution. Must we sit idly by waiting for something to happen? Must we ignore the issues that do not directly concern us? The answer is and will always be no.

Signed, Joshua Gonzalez (‘18) Just Action Columnist

EDITORIAL

Campus activism priorities problematic This semester, two proposals for modifying Luther’s campus have sparked public debate. Both the now-declined proposal to build an elementary school on Anderson Prairie and the current proposal to add a blue turf field in Carlson Stadium have prompted active, campusJACOB WAREHIME wide conversations. Both these controversies have NEWS EDITOR also stirred something else — the question: why do we care so much? More specifically, why are these the issues that our campus has collectively decided to bring to the forefront of the public sphere of discussion?

With my ear to the ground like the good news editor I am, I’ve come to learn that this complaint actually breaks

down into two different sub-issues. First, I found that many organizations on campus, especially ones dedicated to social justice, are frustrated with how quickly Anderson Prairie and the blue turf field captured the focus of the students, faculty, and administration — the same focus their respective groups are continually (and depending on who you ask, fruitlessly) courting.

Second of these sub-issues that I have heard debated is the question: does the ability to care so much about a prairie or a football field come from a place of privilege? That is to say, with so many causes out there — so many fights to fight — who among us can afford to put caring about a prairie or a football field at the top of their list? Clearly some of us can. But what does it take to care? Again, these are not my own arguments, simply debates that I have been hearing over the last semester.

So why? Going back to the question posed in the first paragraph, why are these the issues that our campus has collectively decided to bring to the forefront of the public sphere of discussion? Did these issues get brought to the

forefront because money is involved? Did we put stake in them because it is convenient to us? Did we do it because Chips published front page articles on them? Did we do it because we feel that, due to the contained locality of the situation, our voices can actually make a difference? Did we do it because we want a cause to fight for, and things like Anderson Prairie and the blue turf field are accessible outlets to exercise this desire? Did we do it because everyone else did? Or do we do it because, simply put, these issues are, in fact, the most important to us?

I don’t have the answers to these questions. Nor do I think there are even answers to be found. Perhaps the answers lie in the asking of these questions. Then again, perhaps these questions are folly — just another way to complain about people complaining. I would hope it’s more than that. But until we start asking ourselves why people care about the things they do — and until we can come up with our own individual explanations and firmly stand by them — do not be confused when not everybody cares as much as you about the fate of a field or a prairie.

EDITORIAL

Changing the format of interviews for the better Most of the job interviews that I have done have been uncomfortable. I smiled stiffly to interviewers and sat down across from them, hyper aware of my hand placement and posture as I tried to listen to their questions. I prepared for these interviews and had a back pocket full of canned answers about how I demonstrate leadership and how I respond to adversity.

Those answers were mostly genuine, but I walked out of those interviews feeling like I had not accomplished much beyond abstractly showing the interviewers that I DANNY MAY have requisite skills. I accomplished little in NEWS EDITOR showing my personality, and considerably less in sensing theirs, deficiencies that arise out of the flawed and general interview style.

It seems like a lot of employers have an unclear sense of what they really want to accomplish in an interview: a sense of the candidate as a human being, or their ability to answer questions. The formal interview style — candidate sits across from interviewer(s) and they fire off questions and answers — lends itself to exactly what anyone would expect, the canned answers that interviewees prepare ahead of time in an effort to impress potential employers. The problem is that the ability to do so provides insignificant insight

into who it really is sitting across from an interviewer. We effectively have two monologues occurring in a room: one asks, another responds, and then on to the next question, leaving little room for conversational bits in which personality emerges.

Perhaps removing the office setting, where people sit across from one another and are hyper aware of bodily positions, is a start. Instead, people could walk around together, engage in conversation, and free themselves of the stiff and awkward interview setting; basically, make it feel entirely unlike an interview. Reframing the questions asked would also be a step toward gleaning personality. I would much rather talk about my experiences themselves than how I demonstrated a certain skill in a certain instance.

I’m vouching against well-worn formalities which rule out candidates who fold under the high stakes, high pressure interview setting, because it’s frankly an anomalous environment. There are few settings in everyday life as awkward and uncomfortable as a job interview and yet that is the tried-and-true measure on which many employers judge their employee candidates. This system favors those with a quick tongue and immediate charm, characteristics that aren’t essential to many jobs yet have become essential to gaining even minimal consideration for many.

Maybe I’m just saying this because I have faltered in interviews. But if employers want to know potential employees, they shouldn’t meet with them in an office space to talk about skills. They should converse, convey experiences, become familiar with what makes an employee distinct, and walk around to view the workplace itself. Those traits eventually emerge in the job setting itself and gaining insight into them beforehand can filter out those who are only superficially adept in interviews.

So, to any potential employers: let’s talk. And then you can hire me.

SPORTS

PAGE 11

APRIL 27, 2017

SPORTS EDITOR: KATRINA MEYER

Men’s Tennis takes on rival Coe

GILLIAN KLEIN VOLUNTEER WRITER Luther Men’s Tennis took on rival Coe College on April 22, leading up to the IIAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament on May 5-6. Luther lost the match 6-3.

Kyle Appel (‘17) and Trent Schneider (‘18) from Luther took on number 11 ranked Josh Pudio and Luke Ford from Coe College with an 8-6 win for Luther’s team.

The doubles competition continued with the match of Brady Anderson and Nate Greiner from Coe against Anders Jensen (‘18) and Nate Parsons (‘19) from Luther. This time, it was Coe who took the win with a score of 8-3. The last of the doubles matches was a 8-2 win for Coe’s James McManus and Nate Ackert against Luther’s Kenny Goins (‘17) and Jake Smith (‘19).

The doubles matches finished with Coe winning two and Luther winning one. The singles matches

Nate Parsons (‘19) returns a shot against Coe. Photo courtesy of Head Tennis Coach Adam Strand

followed.

The singles matches began with Schneider winning his matches in three sets at number 2 singles.

Competition continued with another Luther win from Sam Buffington (‘17) against Coe’s Ford. Buffington won three sets at number 6 singles. Several other competitive matches took place for Luther including Coe’s number 6 Brady Anderson against Luther’s number 23 Appel. Anderson swept the series with two 6-4 defeats in the match. Luther’s Jensen played Coe’s Pudio with Coe taking the win in 6-3 in the first match and 6-4 in the second match.

Overall, Coe took the final 6-3 win against Luther. The victory secured them the IIAC Conference championship. As conference champions, Coe will also be hosting the IIAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament on May 5-6.

Head Tennis Coach Adam Strand explained the overall goals of the team moving forward with the rest of their season.

“We strive to improve a little bit each day as individuals and as a team,” Strand said. “By continuing to make small, incremental improvements each day, our hope is to give ourselves the best opportunity to win each match this season.”

Kyle Appel (‘17) plays singles against Coe. Photo courtesy of Head Tennis Coach Adam Strand Beyond practice, the team has played several matches over the past few weeks in preparation for the match with Coe. Following improvement in practices and court time, the team set a few goals for the rivalry match. Cam Long (‘19) explained one of the team goals for the meet.

“I think everybody has mostly the same goal,” Long said. “Everyone wants to play well, but in order to do that everyone has to stay focused.”

As Luther continues forward, the team aims to focus on the bigger picture in terms of their season, according to Strand.

“The guys have had a terrific season,” Strand said. “The team is 15-4 overall and 5-0 in 5-4 matches.

It is a high quality group of young men to coach.”

The Norse will compete in the IIAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament May 5-6 to finish their season.

Norse of the Week KATRINA MEYER SPORTS EDITOR Luther Golf attended the Loras Invitational April 2-3. The team placed second out of 11 teams scoring 598 through 36 holes in the two-day tournament. Luther turned the tide after being in fourth place after the first day of competition. In the end, Luther finished only six strokes behind UWStout. This amazing finish was due in part to a first place finish by Joe Fewer (‘19). Fewer won the title by one stroke over Loras firstyear Jake Grabner. This was Fewer’s first individual tournament victory.

Chips: How did it feel to win the Loras Invitational Meet?

Fewer: It was very rewarding. Golf is one of the few sports where you can continue to get better and move up without ever winning. This is actually my first career victory.

It felt very good and rewarding. It was a great

feeling.

What are your goals for golf at Luther?

Golf is both an individual and a team sport. Individually, I’d like to help the team win. Our number one goal for the team is always to win the conference tournament and qualify for the national tournament. That is always the first thing we want, but beyond that, I just try to put up a good number on the scoreboard each time.

When and why did you start playing golf?

I’ve played golf ever since I was little. My dad introduced me to the game and helped me fall in love with it.

What is your favorite part about golf in general?

There are a lot of things that I love about golf. I’d say that the main thing is that the challenges that you face on the golf course really draw a parallel to the challenges that you face in life. One of my favorite players Ben Hogan said ‘Golf is a great game and it

might be the closest game to the game we call life.’ I just think that all the challenges you face, like sometimes

when things aren’t going your way, you have to learn how to adapt. I won the Loras tournament, but

Coach Scott Fjelstul and Joe Fewer (‘19) pose after Fewer’s victory.

Photo Courtesy of Joe Fewer (‘19)

the practice round before that I was struggling with putting. Then I went into the tournament and I was putting really well. Nothing is ever the same, and it is constantly changing. That makes it exciting.

What is your favorite part of golfing at Luther?

My favorite part about golf here at Luther is definitely the team atmosphere. It’s really a great bunch of guys. We all really push each other to get better. [Head Men’s Golf ] Coach Scott Fjelstul (‘83) has been a really big help to me both on and off the field. He’s just a great guy. He has put so much into Luther, and he makes me want to go out and put up a score for him because of all his dedication.

Do you have any role models or athletes that you look up to?

I have quite a few role models. The first and most important is probably my dad. He’s always been there for me and supported me.

He taught me the game and

has helped me get better.

I would also say that John Van Dyke has been a big influence to me. He was my dad’s friend who just recently passed away. One quote that I remember that he said that I think of every time that I’m on the golf course is ‘Keep on smiling and the world will smile back.’ Every time that I am struggling on the course I think of John and what John would do.

He really has made me a better person and golfer. I would also say my favorite golfer is probably Jordan Spieth. I feel like his game is very similar to mine, so I enjoy watching him and seeing how he approaches the game.

What is your favorite hole of golf that you have ever played?

My favorite hole of golf is at my home club. It’s the sixteenth hole and it’s a Par 3. There are 200 yards over the water. If there’s one hole that I could play for the rest of my life, this would be it.

SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: KATRINA MEYER

PAGE 12

APRIL 27, 2017

Men’s Golf competes in Augustana-Rock Island Invitational

Weekly Standings Baseball Wartburg Dubuque Coe Buena Vista Central Luther Loras Nebraska Wes. Simpson

IIAC 12-3 12-3 11-7 9-6 9-7 8-7 5-10 5-14 2-16

Recent Scores

Overall 21-10 18-12 19-11 18-12 17-15 18-13 12-18 12-23 5-25

April 23 vs. Northland College L 2-1 April 23 vs. Northland College W 20-7

Upcoming Schedule

April 28 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University April 29 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University

The Luther Golf team poses after winning the Simpson tournament earlier in the season.

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Betts (‘17)

SHANNON BAKER STAFF WRITER The Luther Men’s Golf team participated in the Augustana-Rock Island Invitational at the Fyre Lake Golf Club in Sherrard, IL, on April 14-15. Twentyone teams competed in the event with Luther coming in seventh overall with a score of 619.

After winning the Simpson tournament at the Indianola Country Club on April 10-11, the Luther Men’s Golf team faced more demanding conditions at the windy Augustana competition, according to Head Men’s Golf Coach Scott Fjelstul (‘83).

“The weather was a factor for us at times, but every day we play is a good learning experience,” Fjelstul said. “It was a very good competition on a very good golf course, which will help us moving forward this spring.”

Andrew Betts (‘17) acknowledged the tough conditions of the Augustana meet, commenting on the Fyre Lake Golf Club’s course’s long holes compared to the smaller Oneota course on which the team is

accustomed to practicing.

According to Betts, the Augustana performances will generate success in the long run despite playing on a different field and not achieving the same outcome as the Simpson tournament.

“We didn’t play the greatest, but it’s positive to see that even our ‘bad’ rounds can still turn out to be alright,” Betts said. “We beat a couple of conference teams there too, which is a good outlook for the future.”

Moving forward, the first part of the IIAC Golf Championships will take place at the Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City, IA, on April 28-29. The top five Luther team members will participate in the event, playing the first 36 holes that weekend. The players will shoot the final 36 holes of the IIAC Championships at the Indianola Country Club in Indianola, IA, on May 5-6.

Fjelstul expects the Championships to be a fun and positive experience for his team.

“We have a good enough team to go to the tournament, relax, and play confident golf,” Fjelstul

said.

“The conference [championships] are always fun, but it still boils down to an individual hole and an individual day. We have to take it one hole at a time.”

Britt Vander Linden (‘17) hopes his team will be able to use their experience at Augustana to improve the team’s cohesiveness for the upcoming IIAC Championships.

“As a team, we just need to all pull together good rounds at the same time instead of one person shooting well while a couple of other people shoot poorly,” Vander Linden said. “Consistency is the key to that. The Augustana tournament was good practice because the competition was tough and we play some tough courses in conference.”

The heavy time commitment that comes with shooting 72 holes in two weekends is nothing new to the Luther Golf team. Unlike most other Luther sports teams, golf is in-season during both the fall and spring, which means a lot of time is dedicated to practice and tournaments, according to Vander Linden.

“It’s a bit of a time crunch

to play all year, because in both semesters we are gone frequently,” Vander Linden said. “If you qualify for every tournament you are gone about five to six weekends [per semester], and practices during the week can last upwards of five hours per day.”

Despite the demanding schedule, Betts feels his teammates have been instrumental in making his time on the golf team worthwhile.

“It helps being with a group of guys who really enjoy the game and who you can lean on for support when you really need it,” Betts said. “The guys on the golf team are definitely my closest friends, and [they’ve] made my experience here so much better.”

Fjelstul believes his players’ commitment to the team and their sport is unparalleled. “[Golf ] is so different than a lot of other sports with two-hour practices.

Sometimes [my] players have to stay home because of academic requirements, but they manage their time very well,” Fjelstul said.

“They work very, very hard, and I am so proud of them.”

Softball

No. 4 Luther No. 12 Central No. 10 Coe Wartburg Buena Vista Loras Nebraska Wes. Simpson Dubuque

IIAC 11-1 9-3 10-4 8-4 6-6 5-7 3-9 3-11 1-11

Overall 33-3 27-7 28-7 20-12 18-14 21-11 16-16 8-26 10-25

Recent Scores

April 23 vs. University of Dubuque W 4-1 April 23 vs. University of Dubuque W 8-0

Upcoming Schedule

April 29 vs. Simpson College May 5-6 IIAC Tournament- Top 6 Teams

Women’s Tennis Luther Coe Dubuque Central Wartburg Loras Simpson Nebraska Wes. Buena Vista

IIAC 8-0 7-1 6-2 5-3 4-4 3-5 2-6 1-7 0-8

Overall 13-11 16-9 9-6 10-7 7-11 15-7 5-11-1 3-18 2-21

Recent Scores

April 23 vs. St. Norbert College W 5-4 April 23 vs. Augustana Rock -Island L 7-2

Upcoming Schedule

April 28-29 NCAA III Automatic Qualifier Tournament

Men’s Tennis Coe Luther Central Wartburg Nebraska Wes. Loras Dubuque Buena Vista Simpson

IIAC 8-0 5-1 5-2 4-3 4-4 3-4 2-4 1-7 0-7

Overall 23-4 15-5 8-14 9-13 6-12 13-5 7-8 3-20 5-13

Recent Scores

April 9 vs. Central College W 9-0 April 22 vs. Coe College L 6-3

Upcoming Schedule

April 30 vs. Augustana- Rock Island May 5-6 IIAC Automatic Qualifier Tournament