A&E 5 DC STUDY AWAY
PARACHUTE PERFORMS
FEATURES 7 JENSEN TENTH AT XC NATS
SPORTS 12
LUTHER COLLEGE
CHIPS
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
DECEMBER 1, 2016
VOLUME 139, NO. 10
BLM panel and demonstrations illustrate unrest SPENCER HODGE STAFF WRITER In light of student organization Just Action’s Black Lives Matter (BLM) mission statement, Black Student Union (BSU) and Just Action hosted a panel discussion titled “Black Lives Matter: The Luther Experience” on Nov. 16. Following the panel, student organization Men of Color and its supporters demonstrated using a megaphone in several oncampus locations on Nov. 22. The demonstrations were Men of Color’s call for discourse and recognition. The BLM mission statement has garnered nearly 800 signatures since its release on Oct. 12, but has not been signed by President Paula Carlson. Nov. 16’s Black Lives Matter panel featured six Luther students and faculty — Assistant Professor of Sociology Ronald Ferguson, Joy Okeke (‘17), Professor of Sociology Charlotte Kunkel, Ashalul Aden (‘20), Harleigh Boldridge (‘18) and Philani Mkhwanazi (‘17) — who spoke of racism on campus and abroad. Each panelist shared stories describing racism amongst their relationships with their friends, the police and anonymous people — sometimes reaching the point of threatening vandalism and bodily harm. Around 150
students, faculty, staff and Decorah community members attended. Afterward, Okeke pleaded with white attendees to become more actively opposed to instances of injustice around campus and to speak to administration when such instances occur. “Join people in the fight to create space for [minorities],” Okeke said. “When you see something going on in your classroom, go to administration and say it wasn’t handled correctly. Because when it’s only dark faces coming to administration, it just becomes ‘one of those things;’ it needs to become a community problem.” Kunkel, the only white panelist, also addressed white attendees directly. “White people must take responsibility for their own racism and not expect people of color to teach them,” Kunkel said. “It is not the responsibility [of people of color] to end this thing; it is yours. This [panel] is an exceptional experience to hear the experiences of folks of color — don’t expect it everyday.” The Men of Color campus demonstrations took place in the Luther cafeteria, Marty’s, Oneota Market and Preus Library. Various speakers lead the group of about 20 students, including Mkhwanazi, Joshua Gonzalez
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
(‘18), Marco Perez (‘17), Kate Larson (‘18) and Derrick Mead (‘20). The demonstrators offered their testimonies of racism experienced on campus and their pleas for conversation and recognition. “The intent was to extend an invitation to people,” Gonzalez said. “[We wanted] to let them know that there is a group of students who are addressing the concerns of students of color and other marginalized groups on campus. We felt it was especially necessary to open up the conversation to the people who don’t know that there are issues — to people who aren’t already allies.” According to Gonzalez, Men of Color plans to collaborate with other social justice voices to deliver President Carlson a list in the coming weeks pertaining to their concerns. The list will likely ask that Carlson allow students to adjust their school records according to their preferred gender pronouns, to make multicultural revisions to the Paideia curriculum and to require students to participate in multicultural assessments such as the “Brown Eyes / Blue Eyes” exercise and the “Intercultural Development Inventory” test. BLM, PAGE 4
Proposal to build school in prairie receives criticism DANNY MAY NEWS EDITOR & JACOB WAREHIME NEWS EDITOR The Decorah Community School Board announced on Nov. 14 its proposal to build a new elementary school in Luther’s Anderson Prairie. Luther’s administration has since entered into discussion with the school board regarding the availability of the site. The announcement of the proposal is being met by pushback from some Luther students and faculty. According to Decorah Community School District Superintendent Michael Haluska, the proposed elementary school would occupy seven acres of the approximately 28.5-acre prairie. The school would border Ridge Road and College Drive and serve students ranging from early childhood through third grade. Students currently attending West Side Early Childhood Center and John Cline Elementary School would be relocated to the new facility. Haluska said that the Decorah Community School Board needs to build a new facility due to capacity issues at current Decorah schools in addition to an anticipated consolidation with North Winneshiek School in 2019. “As you look toward the future, you want to make sure that as you go to build a facility it’s going to
serve the community for the next 50 to 100 years,” Haluska said. Further, Haluska said the school board looks to engage in educational collaboration if the new facility is built in close proximity to Luther’s campus, such as establishing a laboratory-type setting in the prairie and also bringing in Luther students to help teach second languages to elementary students. “I think those opportunities to share programs between the two institutions are about as limitless as our imagination,” Haluska said. According to Haluska, the school board considered seven different sites on which to build its new facility, including Claiborne Drive, renovation of the current school, consolidation into the current North Winneshiek School building and, lastly, Anderson Prairie. The school board worked with the City of Decorah and used a 59-point matrix to rate the various sites, of which the Anderson Prairie site received the highest rating. Luther Vice President for Communications and Marketing Rob K. Larson said that the Luther administration is considering the school board’s proposal with three major aspects in mind: Decorah-Luther community relations, prairie interests and educational collaborative work. Larson emphasized that these considerations are in the early stages. PROPOSAL, PAGE 4
NASA, Zeta Tau Psi host panel on rape culture SHASA SARTIN STAFF WRITER Norse Against Sexual Assault (NASA) and Zeta Tau Psi (ZTY) sponsored a rape culture panel on Nov. 17 in Marty’s, fielding questions regarding campus safety and recent action taken by campus groups. Approximately 50 people attended the discussion. Panelists answered prepared questions before opening the floor to written questions from attendees. Attendees asked questions similar to past panels, such as those regarding Luther’s protocol when a sexual assault is reported and also inquiring for a contextual definition of consent. Additionally, ZTY addressed criticism that the group faced regarding its “Safe Walk Home” initiative. Comprising the student panel were Rebecka Green
(‘19), Wiley Cook (‘18), President of Zeta Tau Psi Cody Duncan (‘17) and NASA Executive Board Member Cecilia Mitchell (‘18). Associate Professor of Political Science Carly Foster was also on the panel and the event was moderated by Hannah Maxa (‘17). Panelists Duncan and Mitchell defined rape culture as the normalization of verbal and physical actions that perpetuate a climate accepting of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Panel members directly addressed the criticism that ZTY has faced this fall regarding its “Safe Walk Home” program, namely that the initiative contributes to the rape culture on Luther’s campus instead of aiding in erasing it. ZTY also received criticism on the basis that they were effectively victim blaming through this initiative. Mitchell dispelled this criticism, however. PANEL, PAGE 4
Panelists discuss rape culture in Marty’s.
Shasa Sartin (‘19) / Chips
NEWS
PAGE 2 DECEMBER 1, 2016
NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME
Faculty allotted supplement over traditional pay increase BEN SELCKE STAFF WRITER The Board of Regents approved a salary supplement in place of the traditional percentage pay increase during their Nov. 4 meeting. The supplement was given instead of the proposed two percent pay increase favored by the Faculty Interest Committee (FIC). When proposing an increase in pay the FIC makes a recommendation that they give to the administration. Taking the faculty recommendation into consideration, the administration then makes a proposal to the Board of Regents where it can be further amended before a vote. The vote this year resulted in a 1,200 dollar bonus for all faculty and administration. The total cost of the bonuses for the college is 650,000 dollars. In comparison, a two percent increase in pay would cost the college roughly 307,010 dollars. However, as FIC Chair and Associate Professor of Philosophy Holly Moore explained, while the initial cost of a bonus is higher, long term it
will cost the college less. “The decision for a one-time payment in lieu of a base salary increase costs approximately 650,000 dollars, but because it comes with no continued commitment, it costs less when taken over more than a year and a half,” Moore said. According to the Faculty Handbook, faculty are rewarded for each year of service with an increase in rank in accordance with the faculty salary scale. The stepped salary scale operates alongside the Regents’ increase in pay. While it is an expected that a step up on the scale will also mean an increase in pay to reward experience, it is not guaranteed. The current salary system to pay faculty was adopted in 1984 with an amendment in 1989. As Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Runestad explained, the system was adopted to make compensation equal among the faculty and as a measure against unfair pay practices present in other institutions. “The system does a really good job
of equal pay,” Runestad said. “Men and women are essentially making exactly the same. In almost every other market there is a disparity in wages so this scale really helps to equalize that, so it’s a fair way to compensate people.” The fact that the salary scale is bound in theory but not always in practice to increases in pay has raised concerns for faculty. According to Moore, the practice of onetime payment is not sustainable. “We are going to advocate strenuously for a return to the old model,” Moore said. “It’s a feature of the salary scale in a certain sense, so really it poses some serious problems for remaining consistent with the faculty handbook which requires the recognition of step advancement.” As Runestad explained, the bonus was given partly out of budgetary concerns, an issue not as noticeable as last year in
spring 2016 when staff signed contracts before the pay increases had been finalized. “Our [first-year] class came in lower than we thought,” Runestad said. “We’re a tuition-driven institution and our persistence rate slipped a little. When you put those forces together we ended up in a different budgetary place then we thought we would be between May and September.” While Runestad emphasized the need for budgetary stability he also recognized the need to compensate faculty for their service. “We recognize that over time living expenses increase and we need to keep pace with that, so percentage increases to salaries are an important way for us to accomplish that,” Runestad said. “Is a flat salary supplement a ten year strategy? Absolutely not, but we’re also working to find that happy middle.”
“We are going to advocate strenuously for a return to the old model.” - Holly Moore
Schweizer joins WMC Board of Trustees EMMA BUSCHE STAFF WRITER Professor of Management Tim Schweizer was elected to the Winneshiek County Medical Center (WMC) Board of Trustees as a write-in candidate on Nov. 8. The WMC Board of Trustees meets once a month and works with the WMC Administration to oversee hospital operations, such as hiring administrators and creating policy for Winneshiek County residents. According to County Auditor Ben Steines (‘97), there were two seats up for election but only one candidate, incumbent Roger Huinker, was on the ballot. “There was a ‘vote for two’
option but only one name,” Steines said. “This allowed people to write in a second person or two people if they didn’t want to vote for Huinker. Tim Schweizer got the most write-in votes, and so he was elected along with Huinker. There were about 100 other people that got write-in votes, but nobody even came close to getting as many as Schweizer.” According to Schweizer, a couple weeks before the election he was approached by a member of the community who asked if he would be interested in the position. Schweizer looked into the WMC Board and spoke to current Head Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Rick Burras, before deciding he was open to being a member. Schweizer said as a member of the board he hopes to maintain the high standards of the WMC.
Professor of Management Tim Schweizer will join the Winneshiek County Medical Center Board of trustees January 2017. Photo courtesy of luther.edu “Decorah is a phenomenal place to live,” Schweizer said. “You’re not going to find a town anywhere near here that can measure up. We have a Mayo Clinic Health system
and a Gundersen clinic here, in addition to a number of high quality independent providers. So my interest is making sure that we keep that medical care quality high, because this is a
very attractive community.” Schweizer signed his oath papers at his first board meeting on Nov. 23 and will officially be sworn in as a member in January 2017.
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME THURSDAY
Seven-Day Forecast
DECEMBER 1, 2016 FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY
N N H H H N W 40/31
37/27
37/28
48/28
LSNA fundraises, installs new AED
42/27
35/24
33/20
Life Outside Luther
White House says no evidence of voter fraud The White House said on Monday that there has been no evidence to support election fraud claims made by Donald Trump in the form of a tweet over the weekend.White House spokesman Josh Earnest deferred comments to reporters during a daily briefing, stating that “What I can say, as an objective fact, is that there has been no evidence produced to substantiate a claim like that.” Car and knife attack at OSU injurs 11 18 year old Abdul Razak Ali Artan was shot and killed by a police officer after attacking and injuring 11 students at Ohio State University on Nov. 8. The suspect drove his car into a group of students before getting out and attacking with a butcher knife. The event is currently being investigated as a possible act of terrorism.
Elise Heiser (‘17), Erika Buchholz (‘17) and Paxton Kempel (‘17) watch as President Paula Carlson cuts the ceremonial ribbon. Danny May (‘17) / Chips EMILY CROWE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & DANNY MAY NEWS EDITOR The Luther Student Nursing Association (LSNA) held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the installation of a new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in Valders Hall of Science of Nov. 22. President Paula J. Carlson performed the ribbon cutting. The LSNA fundraised for the previous three years in order to purchase the AED, now on the wall
just outside of Valders room 240. LSNA Treasurer Paxton Kempel (‘17) is happy that three years of penny wars, four nights of selling grilled cheese sandwiches in dormitories and selling over 100 t-shirts has paid off. “Since our freshman year, the nursing organization on campus has been working to fundraise enough money to support supplying an AED to Valders,” Kempel said. Now, as seniors, the LSNA executive board is proud of their accomplishment and already looking for future ways to serve the college, according to LSNA
President Elise Heiser (‘17). “We have been working with Student Senate to encourage a policy which mandates an AED be present in each Residence Hall on campus,” Heiser said. “In addition, we would like to help support the maintenance and signage of AED’s already present.” The LSNA’s hard work was worth it if it could save someone’s life, according to Heiser. “LSNA is still committed to the betterment of our college,” Heiser said. “As student nurses we are devoted to maintaining the health and safety of our peers.”
Iranian vessel points weapons at U.S. helicopter An Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard vessel pointed its weapons at a United States helicopter on Saturday. The military helicopter was flying over the Strait of Hormuz when the event occured. This incident is the most recent in a sting of similar actions taken by Iranian vessels this year. Scientists record biggest-ever Great Barrier Reef die-off Increased water temperature of the seas surrounding Austrailia’s Great Barrier Reef have killed an approximated 435 miles of coral over the last nine months. According to the World Heritage site, this is offically the worst die-off ever recorded. U.S. opens door to oil exports following a year of external pressure After months of pressure to repeal a 40-year-old ban on exports of most domestic crude oil, the Obama administration announced on Tuesday that they will once again be opening the door to exporting oil. The Bureau of Industry and Security, which regulates exports, said permission had been granted to “some” companies to sell lightly treated condensate abroad. Plane carrying Brazillian soccer team crashes, 75 dead A chartered plane carrying Brazil’s Chapecoense soccer team crashed in the Colombian mountains. 75 people on board were killed. The team, which is a toptier team in Brazil, was traveling to the biggest game in its history.
Compiled from: reuters.com
NEWS
PAGE 4
DECEMBER 1, 2016
NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME
Luther student groups address campus racism BLM, PAGE 1 Following her initial declination to sign the BLM statement, President Carlson’s role in the larger conversation of social justice on campus was criticized again by the BLM panelists, this time for her absence from the forum. According to panelists Okeke and Boldridge, Carlson committed to participating in a panel on Nov. 16 in a personal meeting they had with her regarding the statement on Oct. 6. “I asked her, 'If we had a panel, say, on Nov. 16, 2016, would [you] come?'” Okeke said. “And she said to me ‘yes’ ... I’m incredibly disappointed that [she did not attend]. We asked her; we invited her; we planned the panel around her schedule.” Carlson denies agreeing to the Nov. 16 date during the Oct. 6 meeting, claiming that the event was not scheduled until later and was done so without first checking with her, at which point she was unavailable. “My absence at the discussion wasn't because I ignored the invitation or didn't want to be there,” Carlson said. “The event was scheduled without checking my availability. [In
the Oct. 6 meeting] I offered to participate in a panel discussion but we did not settle on a date at that time. When a student called my office in late October about a date for the panel discussion, I already had a long-standing travel commitment on the date proposed and that scheduling conflict was communicated to the student and to the Diversity Center.” In response to criticism about not signing the BLM statement, Carlson explained that she herself has issued two statements this fall semester — which were shared via email, the Tuesday newsletter and the Luther College Bulletin
— underscoring her devotion to creating an inclusive environment. She added that Luther’s mission statement further outlines the college’s social goals. “[The mission statement] declares our community’s firm support for diversity, equity and inclusion at Luther and in the larger world,” Carlson said. “I believe this is the best way for me, as president of Luther, to articulate my personal commitments, affirm the common goals of the statements, and lift up the college’s enduring commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Philani Mkhwanazi (‘17) speaks at the panel . Spencer Hodge (‘17) / Chips
NASA, ZTY host panel on rape culture PANEL, PAGE 1 “Comments like ‘wear comfortable shoes’ is victim blaming,” Mitchell said. “This is not.” Green also defended ZTY’s efforts, saying that they help in the effort to eliminate rape culture. “You can be realistic while trying to strive for a better community,” Green said during the panel. The panel members acknowledged the proximate risk students face when walking home alone, thus nodding to ZTY’s efforts to increase safety by offering a buddy system. However, Maxa said that change will come systemically. “Nothing’s going to change until the system changes,” Maxa said. In line with Maxa’s statement, Cook spoke about the reality of life in the United States for women. “[We need to] change this ideology [of rape culture],” Cook said. “We are in a society where women are not safe, along with [other] gender and sexual minorities.” Cook issued a call for students to acknowledge their own influence on campus. “You pay money to go here
and feel safe,” Cook said. “Demand that.” Mitchell emphasized her desire to focus the discussion on discourse and action instead of politics. “Usually when we have a panel about sexual assault it’s more geared toward the policies that Luther does, but we really tried to gear it more towards rape culture and what we could do about it,” Mitchell said. “I’m really glad that students went with that, also. You can only talk about policy for so long.” Duncan said that he felt the panel was a move toward eliminating rape culture. Mitchell expressed that she was pleased with the high student attendance. Panelists concluded by asking that people call out peers who are perpetuating rape culture. Duncan asked that students not let the discussion end at the conclusion of the panel, but rather carry discourse forward. “Continue the conversation,” Duncan said. “Continue discussing, telling friends, passing information, asking questions and educating yourself. That’s one of the main things that we can do as a culture and a community: just continue educating ourselves and hopefully move towards a better society.”
Decorah school proposal met with pushback PROPOSAL, PAGE 1
“We are now beginning the process of determining what we consider and how we consider the various issues,” Larson said. “Everything up until now was simply to establish that there was enough possibility that we would enter into discussions, and nothing further.” Promoting the benefits of Anderson Prairie, Professor of Biology Kirk Larsen explained that building the school would negatively affect the both the prairie and the surrounding area. Larsen said the prairie acts to soak up excessive water, such as water from the floods in August, and keeps it from draining into the sewer systems and watersheds. Further, Larsen said that the biology department has been conducting studies in Anderson Prairie since 1994; he has discovered five species of insects that live there that have not been found anywhere else in Iowa. “There are publications that have been based on work in Anderson Prairie,” Larsen said. “For that area to be partially destroyed in this way, there would be no way of duplicating those studies on that site in the future. We’d lose a 30-year-old prairie restoration, basically.” Larsen said that the prairie also serves as a classroom space and as a recruiting tool for prospective students. Associate Professor of Biology Mark
Eichinger added that current students value Anderson Prairie as place for recreation. “It’s an open space, a place to get out and walk,” Eichinger said. “Or, even for a few minutes, to connect to this natural area that we have. I see it as a potential loss for everyone who is on campus.” Larson explained that before moving forward, the Luther administration will consider feedback from various studies, such as traffic and watershed studies, to better understand the potential effects of a new facility in the prairie. As news of the proposal to build on Anderson Prairie spreads, some students are critical of the administration’s decision to enter into discussion with the Decorah Community School Board. Environmental Studies and Biology major Matthew Peterson (‘17) says this decision brings the administration’s intentions into question. “If [Luther administration] is so sustainably-minded, I don’t see why they can’t be ecologically-minded as well,” Peterson said. “That would indicate to me that their priorities in sustainability are more for saving money rather than actually properly caring about the process of sustainability—at least at the administration level.” Biology major Jedidiah Nixon (‘17) echoed Peterson’s sentiment, citing his frustration with the manner in which Luther’s administration handled
announcing the proposal to the student body. “We, as Luther students, have the right to know what is being discussed by our administrators,” Nixon said “But in this instance, we’ve been kept completely out of the loop. There was no mention of this ongoing discussion in either the [Luther College] Bulletin or the Tuesday [newsletter]. We shouldn’t have to turn to decorahnews. com to learn about what our college is doing.” Associate Professor of Education Barbara Bohach said that the education department was not involved in any discussion regarding the proposal but will communicate both with administration and intradepartmentally to determine if it will become involved. “We were surprised by the announcement,” Bohach said. “We want to make sure that our students benefit from working with the schools. Those relationships we want to keep positive, as well as relationships within and between different departments on campus.” In response to ecological and environmental concerns about the proposal to build on this site, Haluska said that the school board has no intention of destroying Anderson Prairie. “We understand the value of it as well,” Haluska said. “It would certainly be of value to our younger students.”
Assistant Professor of Biology and Natural Areas Land Manager Molly McNicoll said that the biology department has composed a statement that underscores its argument for maintaining the entirety of Anderson Prairie. “I think that the benefits for the [proposed] school can be found elsewhere,” McNicoll said. “And not at such a large cost to such a central piece of our campus.” Moving ahead, Larson said the administration looks to address concerns by establishing a platform for community discussion about the proposal. “The administration is going to create a mechanism for its faculty, staff and students to provide input on the various questions well before we get to the point where we’re forming any kind of a recommendation,” Larson said. “We are very mindful that there are concerns that will have to be considered. Some people have the point of view that this is going to look horrible, and we want to hear that.” Luther’s administration and the Decorah School Board have not yet reached a consensus on the cost of the Anderson Prairie site. However, Larson pointed out that Luther would lease the site, not sell it. Larson added that this proposal will require consideration from the Luther College Board of Regents before moving forward.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 5
A&E EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN
DECEMBER 1, 2016
Parachute lands at Luther and performs album “Without You” JULIA CURTIS STAFF WRITER Pop rock band Parachute performed a concert on Nov. 19 in the Regents Center gym. About 200 Luther students and Decorah residents attended the concert. The concert began with opener Lissie, a Quad Cities native. She played a mix of blues and bluegrass music which will be featured on her new LP “My Wild West,” as well as a cover of the song “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi. “It was interesting what [Lissie] did because she mixed rap with a different style of music,” concert attendee Mikayla Brockmeyer (‘17) said. According to Student Activities Committee (SAC) concerts chair Miranda Joslin (‘17), some performers that come to Luther already have an opener. However, SAC Concerts chose the opener for Parachute. Lissie had hoped to play at Luther for some time. “[Lissie] had contacted us a couple years ago and mentioned wanting to perform here,” Joslin said. “She seemed like a really good fit for Parachute so we decided to give it a shot.” The lead singer of Parachute is Will Anderson. The other two members of the group are drummer Johnny Stubblefiled and Kit French on keyboard, vocals and saxaphone. They also incorporated a unique amplifier to create special sound effects. “They use a fan amp,
Lissie opens for Parachute.
Parachute opened with a song from their newest album, “Without You.” something that people in the 70s did, to create a ‘wah-wah’ sound, which not a lot of bands use,” concert attendee Stephanie Duregger (‘17) said. Parachute performed a mix of songs from their previous albums, such as “Forever and Always,” as well as songs from their newer albums like “Without You” and “Hurricane.” They also performed mashups of their songs with other famous songs including “Ain’t No Mountain
High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrill, “Closer” by the Chainsmokers and “Let it Go” by James Bay. Anderson explained that his song “Hurricane” was inspired by his experience of getting dumped by his girlfriend and then learning a month later through a photo on Facebook that his ex-girlfriend was engaged. Anderson performed this song as a solo on an acoustic guitar. The set list intermixed
Nathan Riley (‘18) / Photo Bureau
Kate Knepprath (‘19) / Photo Bureau
slow and fast songs, including pieces where the lead singer encouraged audience participation. Throughout the concert, Parachute asked participants to learn some of the song choruses so they could sing along with the group. One such instance was during the song “What Side of Love.” Parachute asked Luther students to bring out their inner gospel singer. Lastly, Parachute performed an unplanned encore piece, “Kiss Me Slowly.” “They got off stage and everyone started chanting for one more song and Parachute
was so into the crowd that they really wanted to perform another song,” SAC Concerts co-chair Annie Goodroad (‘19) said. After a successful fall concert, SAC Concerts looks ahead to the upcoming spring concert. For Joslin, it is important that bands feel welcome at Luther. When the bands are happy to be on campus, both they and the audience enjoy the performance more. “We want the bands to be happy,” Joslin said. “Because when they’re happy, everyone is happy.”
FEATURES
PAGE 6 DECEMBER 1, 2016
FEATURES EDITOR: FRAN STEVENSON
ArtHaus directors step down LUKE BERKLEY STAFF WRITER ArtHaus Directors Jenni and Eric Petersen-Brant will be stepping down on Dec. 15. The Petersen-Brants will be taking over as directors of the Chatfield Center for the Arts They will continue to reside in Decorah to assist the new director of ArtHaus. ArtHaus has been run by the Peterson-Brants since 2014. Eric Petersen-Brant said that ArtHaus is a staple of the community. “As directors we work for ArtHaus,” Eric Petersen-Brant said. “We can give direction, but it is mainly the board that is in charge of running [the organization]. From there, we strive to make ArtHaus something that is of, for and by the community. We work with people from age two all the way to the elderly. We try to bring the community together with this common idea.” Jenni Petersen-Brant hopes that ArtHaus events continues to bring the Decorah community closer together. “A summation of our ideals of direction is that ArtHaus is a space in downtown Decorah that acts to bring people together through creative expression,” Jenni PetersenBrant said. “We are bringing people together from all walks of life and through the art forms that we use and all in a way that
Jenni Petersen-Brant paints with a young student. is very hands-on. Although we have concerts and poetry slams, there usually are elements of those that we ask people to get involved in.” According to Eric PetersenBrant ArtHaus also is a strong connection to Luther. The Peterson-Brants hoped they
connected the community of Decorah to the community of Luther through ArtHaus events. “We serve as a very strong channel to Luther too,” Eric Peterson-Brant said. “Sometimes the connection there is surprising, especially when we are meeting seniors
Eric Petersen-Brant works on art projects at ArtHaus studio. Photo courtesy of Jenni Petersen-Brant
Photo courtesy of Jenni Petersen-Brant
that say they have never really spent any time in the downtown area. ArtHaus serves as a place where they can come to Luther events downtown and explore.” Eric Petersen-Brant said that ArtHaus will fundamentally stay the same under the new leadership. “I think that both of us are really confident in the systems that were set up while we were here,” Eric Petersen-Brant said. “The work study and the interns have increased, we have increased the amount of programming during Nordic Fest and we continue to play a major role in other festivals too. I think that those systems will not change.” Eric stated that he and Jenni Petersen-Brant were reluctant to take the position in Chatfield, but decided that it was the wisest decisions for their careers. “We were [hesistant] to take the position in Chatfield, but the facility is amazing,” Eric said. “It is a bit different than ArtHaus. This is a really cool opportunity and we didn’t want to move because we like our house here, but then they told us that we could stay in town and run the facility remotely. We couldn’t pass up an opportunity like that.” Arts Administration Intern and Website Administrator Martha Hall (‘18) has a positive outlook on this transitional period. “All of the same activities will go on as far as I know, “ Hall said. “There will be a period of transition when they actually bring in new people, but I think
it will go very well. I think that the new leader will want to keep doing poetry slams because they are a great opportunity for students to get up and share their work. And they are really fun.” Studio and Teaching Assistant Max Green (‘17) will miss the Petersen-Brants’ passion for the arts and addition to the community. “I worked for them in the past and as bosses they were super easy to work with,” Green said. “They were always putting the kids first and making the events the best they could for the kids. As far as them leaving, we are going to miss them. Personally, I am going to miss them a lot. They will still be a part of the community, but we will miss them being a part of running ArtHaus. We will miss their passion for everything they did.” Jenni Petersen-Brant has a very positive outlook on what is to come. “We are excited,” Jenni Petersen-Brant said. “We are referring to this as ArtHaus 3.0, and we look forward to see what this will bring. It is interesting to see how some people react to our stepping down. I think this transition will be good for us to build the identity of a nonprofit. A lot of people didn’t understand what [ArtHaus] was even when we took over and my hope is that the community [is] more understanding of what [ArtHaus] is.” Shannon Dallenbach Burbin has been hired as the new ArtHaus Director and will begin working on Dec. 16, 2016.
FEATURES
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FEATURES EDITOR: FRAN STEVENSON
DECEMBER 1, 2016
Luther Students study politics in Washington D.C.
Students from the Lutheran College Washington Consortium pose in Washington D.C. DMITRY VORONA STAFF WRITER Three students from Luther have spent the fall semester in Washington, D.C. as a part of Lutheran College Washington Consortium: Bakhita Goncalves Soares (‘18), Cierra Buckner (‘18) and Brigid Burke (‘18). Despite the fact that the Washington Semester is not necessarily oriented towards academic studies, according to Soares, the classes she took at Luther helped her in Washington, D.C. “There are so many lessons that we learned in the classes,” Soares said. “I have an idea of what is going on when my bosses are talking about something because I had previous knowledge about it, about the process of a policy and what the issue is about.” According to Soares, during the Washington Semester program, Lutheran College Washington Consortium offers relate to the interests of a particular student. Soares has an internship in the field of environmental policy, whereas other students may participate in the internships related to various advocacy and governmental groups. While the program is primarily for political science majors, students had different reasons for enrolling into the program. Buckner wanted to spend a semester at Howard University, but for a variety of reasons
the Lutheran College Washington Semester was a good compromise. “I was so excited about the prospect of having an internship in the nation’s capital,” Buckner said. “I am working as the arts intern at the D.C. Center for the LGBT community. The position has given me countless opportunities to apply different social work skills to real life situations.” According to Burke her major partially influenced her decision to go to Washington for a semester.
“I am a political science major, so it just made sense for me to go to D.C.,” Burke said. “Additionally, I wanted to be in D.C. for the election.” Students study, participate in internships and interact with people integral in their political fields as part of the consortium. “[The] internship is a big chunk of the program,” Soares said. “Also we have field trips every week and different activities that we do. All of them very informative. [The
Photo courtesy of Bakhita Soares (‘18)
people we meet] are people who are experts in their fields. We had a woman who was in Freedom Riders during the Civil Rights Movement, so it was interesting [to look] at her experience.” Burke elaborated on how the academic environment at Washington, D.C. differs from Luther. “There is not really an academic environment,” Burke said. “The program focuses on the work
experience with the internship.” Buckner further explained the way academics are organized during the semester in Washington, D.C. “Our classes only meet once a week and many of us come from different academic backgrounds,” Bucker said. “That said, although I think diversity of thought is incredibly important, it has been a challenge to have a cohesive learning environment. The work experience I have gained through my internship is incomparable.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 8 DECEMBER 1, 2016
A&E EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN
Dance performance encourages selfreflection on who to trust and why ELIZABETH GARVIN STAFF WRITER The Visual and Performing Arts Department presented “Who Do You Trust?,” a dance performance that interpreted the Paideia theme of trust, on Nov. 17, 18 and 19 in Jewel Theater. The performance featured ten dancers performing separate duets. Professor of Dance and directographer of the production Jane Hawley (‘87) began writing the directions for this piece in 2004 after watching her young sons play together. This made Hawley realize that she trusts children the most. Hawley created a list of directives inspired by her sons. She originally titled it “You Are Not My Enemy.” She defined her role as “directographer” when she distributed these directives to the given duet pairs. From there, students choreographed their own dance based off the directives. Hawley encouraged them to pick partners that were opposite of themselves, whether that be in appearance or personality. “My dance partner Tanner and I were friends going into this production, but our routine allowed for our trust in each other to grow more,” performer Madeline Skjervold (‘19) said. “This performance is a great opportunity for the audience to contemplate who they trust and why they put their trust in those people. Many times, people will realize that they do not trust as many people as they think.” According to Hawley, trust is a unique
Inga Aleckson (‘18) and Moha Jardat (‘19) rehearse for “Who Do You Trust?” theme to explore through dance. “There must be a wild trust between dance partners to be able to throw yourself to the ground and know that your partner will catch you,” Hawley said. Each duet explored different aspects of trust, such as that between friends, romantic partners and family members. The dances illustrated the fluctuation and change that these relationships can experience with their trustworthiness. LaHey particularly enjoyed James Mueller (‘16) and Deveny Miles’ (‘17) duet.
“Deveny and James’ duet was particularly interesting to me,” attendee Becca LaHey (’17) said. “At the start of the duet, she is holding his head. I first met Deveny when we were partnered up in Jane Hawley’s dance class. I held her head as Jane explained the great amount of trust that is put into this move. The head-holder easily could break the neck of the person they are holding. You must have a lot of trust to be held like that. Now Deveny is one of the people that I trust most in this world.” The five dance duets were placed apart
Elizabeth Garvin (‘18) / Chips from each other on stage which allowed for the audience to walk from one dance exhibit to the next as they pleased. Guests were encouraged to circulate the space as each duet interpreted the dance directives differently. Hawley wanted the performance to make audience members to reflect on who they trust. “It’s important to know why you trust someone and how they got there,” Hawley said. “Then to ask yourself if you are a trustworthy person.”
Fall opera scenes portray love and loss MADELINE AJACK VOLUNTEER WRITER The fall Opera Scenes performance presented an array of emotions on the subject of romance and loss between friends and lovers. Alumni Guest Lecturers in Music Chad Sonka (‘12) and Jill Phillips (‘10) directed the scenes on Nov. 18 and 19 in the Noble Recital Hall. The students involved were in the fall semester course called “Opera Workshop: Scenes” in which they intensively rehearsed songs that suited their voices and acting styles. Students had to audition in front of faculty members for the course last spring. After selection, students were cast for their scenes. The performance began with “I Am I, Don Quixote” performed by Mitchell Gage (‘19), Aaron Shouse (‘18) and Grant Holsinger (‘17). Collin Zollinger (‘20), who will be performing in the winter Opera Scenes, reported that theirs was his favorite performance. “I can’t wait to be a part of the next series of these performances,” Zollinger said. “This made me so excited.” Other selections of comedic
performances were “Via resti servita” performed by Hannah Burmahl (‘17) and Alijah Goetting (‘19), “Komm mit mir zum Souper” performed by Brandon Whitish (‘17) and Parker Fretheim (‘19) and “Dieser Anstand…” performed by Katherine Stuelke (‘19) and Shouse. “‘Ai Capricci della Sorte’ was my favorite because they were so animated and made it so fun to watch,” attendee Kailey Gering (‘20) said. “It was also hilarious, and you could tell how hard they worked on it. I loved it.” Natalie Rumer (‘18) and Burmahhl performed “Son nata a lagrimar.” The scene portrayed a mother being torn apart from her beloved stepson as he is being sent to prison for attempted murder. Attendee Libby Swartley (‘20) particularly enjoyed this piece. “It was slower and more sorrowful than the other songs and you could really feel the emotion. It was beautiful,” Swartley said. Attendee Kelly Grba (‘20) said that her favorite piece was “Laurie’s Song.” “I loved the sweet story line of ‘Laurie’s song’,” Grba said. “It’s evident how hard they worked by how wonderful their performance was overall.”
Sonka and Phillips wanted to teach the students valuable lessons through the performance and class. “This is a course that emphasizes efficient preparation as it relates to opera and musical theatre,” Sonka said. “Aspects of that include stage deportment, diction, employing different musical/operatic styles, text and language examination, memorization techniques and opera in a historical context.” Holsinger agreed that he had grown as a singer through this course. “We were taught how to prepare for and perform scene work, which is something that voice students don’t get to work with that often,” Holsinger said. “In fact, the theme for this show is ‘Operatic Duets.’ It takes the group aspect of a scene and makes it even more personal and intimate as far as acting and performing goes.” Holsinger also learned how to sing in different languages, specifically Italian. “I’d say I enjoyed the process because it is fun to sing,” Holsinger said. “A lot of us are studying this for a living and this experience is invaluable. It is really one of the most unique and fun experiences I’ve had during my time at Luther.”
Meredith Diebold (‘18) and Kaitlyn York (‘17) rehearse “Caro Bella!” Madeline Ajack (‘20) / Chips
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: MAKEDA BARKLEY
Response to “I’m a woman and I voted for Trump”
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: Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips Instagram: @luthercollegechips
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DECEMBER 1, 2016
Emily Crowe Makeda Barkley Danny May Jacob Warehime Fran Stevenson Elizabeth Bonin Sidney Larsen Luke Berkley Emma Busch Julia Curtis Biz Garvin Spencer Hodge Lily Kime Ana Lopez Katrina Meyer Shasa Sartin Ben Selcke Dmitry Vorona Elizabeth Wagenson Olivia Benson Elyse Grothaus Sarah Owens Tyler Hovery Madeline Petellin Michael Vann Elyse Grothaus Sarah Owens David Faldet
Letter to the Editor While reading Kia Feia’s (‘19) Letter to the Editor last week, I felt compelled to respond to several statements that I felt were misguided. I want to begin by stating that I absolutely respect her right to an opinion, however, I do not accept her attempt to minimize the divisive, misogynistic, Islamophobic, racist and overall hateful rhetoric that Donald Trump embodies. First and foremost, I wanted to explain that it is not the Republican party that this campus is so strongly against. Rather, it is the hatred and discrimination that Trump encourages that is not welcome on this campus. Trump’s campaign rhetoric is a
threat to the diversity and inclusivity of the Luther community. Her claim this was not a campaign based on the removal of women’s rights, LGBTQ rights or freedom of religion. What else could it be when, as she correctly stated, it was also an election centered around the Supreme Court—a court that will soon be deciding cases potentially allowing for the repeal of rights for those very same groups? What else could it be when Mike Pence believes that it is an individual’s choice to be gay or transgender? When Trump himself called for a Muslim registration system? When Trump brags about committing sexual assault? While these may not be specific policy proposals, you can’t ignore his hateful rhetoric. It is repeated speech like this that shapes how the public views these various minority groups. This is in no way implying that Kia deserves the treatment that she has been receiving from members of our
campus. Such treatment is unacceptable in any situation. However, I do ask her to also put into perspective the hate and fear the candidate that she voted for has encouraged in American society. There are people all around the world that are also legitimately afraid right now. They are afraid because the hateful language that Trump spews has spilled over into our society. They are afraid because their basic rights could be taken away. They are afraid because for their whole lives they have encountered people who won’t sit beside them in class because they are Muslim, because they are transgender, because they are Mexican, because they are different. Most of all, they are afraid because the hatred they have already experienced in their day-to-day lives has only been increasing throughout the course of this election. Signed, Anna Phearman (‘19)
Respect for political orientation Letter to the Editor Before I begin I would like to say that I am a liberal Democrat who voted for Hillary Clinton in this election. I would also like to say that yes, I do not like Donald Trump’s comments he has made towards women, minorities, disabled and others nor many of the policies he has proposed throughout this election. But the thing I have found most disheartening over the last couple of weeks hasn’t been the fact that Trump won or that this victory on his part has emboldened some of his hateful rhetoric, but of the response by many Democrats and their mistreatment of those who voted for Trump. I can’t even count the number of posts I saw on Facebook saying things along the lines of “If you supported Trump then you are a misogynist, bigoted idiot and we can’t be friends.” I find it ironic to hear these sort of comments from the same group of people who say we must be tolerant of everyone’s beliefs. I understand that tensions are high and that his victory was certainly unexpected, but I think taking this anger out on the people who voted for him is not only immature, but it goes against what our country stands for. If we are to truly be the democracy we say we are, then other people’s opinions should be respected, even if you don’t agree with them. These sort of comments will only further agitate the divisiveness that is already plaguing our country. Furthermore, I think the claim that everyone who voted for Trump is a “misogynist, racist idiot” is just not true. I’m sure there were people who voted on these grounds , but they are very much in a minority compared to most of his voters. Many people voted for Trump because they have been unhappy with the status quo and felt that the only way to change the system was to vote someone in who isn’t already a part of the establishment. The idea
of Washington becoming a “swamp that needed to be drained of corruption” was a large theme amongst Trump’s supporters. Clinton was a very unpopular candidate for many reasons, even among democrats. Many people saw her as part of this same establishment with which they have become so disillusioned and wanted to shake up Washington through the only means they saw possible. This is especially true for middle class Americans who are a part of the industrial sector and who lost their jobs over the last four years under Obama’s watch, fearing another four years of the same style of government. That’s why Trump ended up winning the Rust Belt states, which I should point out voted for Obama in the last election. I would have liked to see the first woman president this year, believe me. But just simply the fact that she is a woman is not what turned many voters away from her. So if you’re going to direct your anger anywhere from the results of this election, direct it at the media, who hammered the emails into people’s minds for over a year and a half and turned many voters away from Clinton, despite never finding anything actually incriminating. Blame the media for giving Trump absolutely free coverage on places like CNN back when they didn’t consider him a threat. And remember that for every person in our nation who has been terrified of a Donald Trump victory, there were nearly as many people who have been terrified of a Clinton victory. Now I know that some of you who read this will say to yourselves “you are only stating this opinion because you have white privilege,” and you are probably right. But to discredit my opinion on those grounds alone simply proves my entire point. I may not agree with the decision people made to vote for Trump, but people are only doing what they felt was right. So instead of doing something so unhelpful as lashing out at those with a different opinion than my own, I will instead devote myself to paying closer attention to politics, absolutely making sure I vote in the midterm elections in two years and do everything I can to fight against that which I don’t believe in with an open mind. I challenge you all to do the same. Signed, Trevor Brandt (‘17)
NASA political affiliation disclaimer NASA EXECUTIVE BOARD NASA COLUMN Norse Against Sexual Assault does not have any political affiliation. We believe that you should be a part of helping make our campus safe no matter what your sex, political affiliation, age, race, gender or religious background. However, NASA does not affiliate with those who commit sexual, emotional or physical violence. We do not support anyone who commits acts that make our
campus or country unsafe. NASA will not condone anyone who promotes rape culture. We will continue to raise awareness and promote activism not only on Luther’s campus, but also in the Decorah community and the world at large. To quote Luther’s student sexual misconduct policies and procedure “Luther College is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment where all members of the community— students, faculty, staff, and visitors—are treated with respect and dignity. Therefore,
the college will not tolerate sexual misconduct in any form. Sexual misconduct is not only an act against an individual; it is also an act that affects the entire college community. Acts of sexual harassment, sex offenses, stalking, dating violence and domestic violence are inconsistent with our educational mission” We as Norse Against Sexual Assault will do our part to make sure that Luther upholds these policies, to insure that our campus is safe. Please contact nasa@luther.edu with any questions or concerns.
OPINION
PAGE 10 DECEMBER 1, 2016
MANAGING EDITOR: MAKEDA BARKLEY
Studying humanities in a STEM world
ELIZABETH BONIN A&E EDITOR I hate telling people I'm an English major. The reactions I get are usually questions as to what on earth I'm going to do with that, scoffing remarks because my major is apparently useless or just a controlled nod of the head as if they don't want to say anything to offend me. Feeling as if I have to justify what I'm studying for my future career is probably one of the worst feelings in the world. The ones who always ask what exactly I'm going to do with an English major usually assume I'm studying to either be a teacher or a writer—both of which are wrong.
This is usually followed by a comment on how poor I'm going to be. I encourage those who are not English majors to open your minds as to what we English majors can do in the world. Aside from teaching or writing we can go into journalism, editing, publishing, law, marketing and sales, to name a few. We have more options than one might think. If an English major does want to teach or write, there's nothing wrong with that. Without English teachers, you wouldn't have been able to construct a basic sentence, let alone write all those Paideia papers. Teachers provide us with opportunities for the future. We need them. We need writers as well. In the film “Dead Poet Society,” main character John Keating says "We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." I couldn't agree more with this statement. As a whole, society needs stories to learn, to open our minds and to connect with others. Writing is as noble a profession as any other. Homework is harder than one might think too, and that goes for all majors in the humanities, not just English. Biology,
chemistry and physics homework is of course incredibly difficult and I commend all who study those subjects. What drives me crazy is when I am told that my work is not as difficult because I'm not studying science or math. Maybe I only have to read for homework some nights, but reading and deciphering what Ralph Ellison defines as invisibility for blacks in the 20th century in his novel “Invisible Man” is not exactly leisure reading on the beach, let alone writing a paper on the topic. Art majors will tell you that they can't exactly whip out a great piece in one night either. It takes years of practice for language majors to master fluency. Humanities majors are hard at work, it's simply a different kind of hard work than the sciences. I want to feel like I'm going to change world when I tell someone my major, not like I have to defend why it's important. That's not to say I feel that way all the time. There have been times when someone praises my major and I love that. A random guy I met in Maui was surprised when I told him I was an English major, and he went on and on about how hard that must be and how impressed he was. When I tell people I'm an English major, that's how I want to feel, and that goes for all the humanities. Our studies are difficult. Our work is important. Our future careers will impact the world.
called to "care for all God's people." This is our statement of common purpose—from students, faculty, staff and administrators to alumni and the Board of Regents—and our approach to service and leadership in challenging times. As president, I've shared two statements with you this fall (via email, Tuesday and the Bulletin) emphasizing my personal commitment to learn from each other, embrace diversity and respect the dignity of each person. I've appreciated the opportunity to be in conversation with individuals and with members of campus organizations. I've also continued to work with students, faculty and staff on the search advisory committee to identify and hire a Dean for Institutional Equity and Inclusion. Your Luther education is designed to help you move "beyond immediate interests and present knowledge into a larger world—an education that disciplines minds and develops whole persons equipped to understand and confront a changing society." I'm pleased to see so many of you acting on your passion and commitment to social justice. I respect and encourage your advocacy and political
engagement, both here on campus and in the wider world. Due to an already scheduled work trip, I was unable to participate in the Black Lives Matter panel discussion on Nov. 16, so my office is working with the Black Student Union and the Diversity Center to organize an upcoming campus conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion at Luther. The event will take place next week—watch for the day, time and location in the Tuesday and Bulletin. I know it's a busy time of year, but I hope you will join me for this important conversation. At Luther, we are guided by our core values and commitments—to care for each other and the community, to act with integrity, to seek truth, to embrace diversity and to respect the dignity of each person. This is who we are as a community of faith and learning. I look forward to our continued engagement around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in our life together here at Luther.
Luther values and social justice Letter to the Editor
The Luther community is engaged in serious, ongoing conversations about issues of social justice, and I want to share my thoughts—and the college's core principles—with respect to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. Luther's mission statement articulates our shared values as a community. Our mission statement is clear and resolute with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion: "As people of all backgrounds, we embrace diversity and challenge one another to learn in community, to discern our callings and to serve with distinction for the common good." We are
Signed, President Paula Carlson
A white ally to standing rock: confronting white privilege
Letter to the Editor The hills of North Dakota are very brown this time of year. I closed my eyes for an hour during our road trip out West, and swear I woke up passing by the same scatterings of deadened hills. After hours of this, the first glimpse of the Oceti Sakowin camp at Standing Rock brought sudden relief. This tent city, surrounded by a fence smattered with a series of anti-Dakota Access Pipeline and Mni Wiconi (Water is Life) signs, was greater in size and color than I could have ever expected. The next few days passed in a blur, as the incredible peacefulness and unity of the camp eased all anxieties I held before my travels. A group of us attended a transformative talk on decolonization one evening. The discussion opened my eyes to the real thoughts and concerns Native Americans at camp held about what was happening at Standing Rock and the increasingly white support for the movement. I left the talk enlightened yet more uncertain than ever. I began to question my presence at the camp and my role in the movement. Was my very presence at the camp an act of colonial violence? Was I subconsciously acting on entitlement to Native land and knowledge by traveling to Standing Rock and attending a lecture on decolonization? I frantically phoned my father, an Islamophobia scholar who dedicates his life to speaking out against the injustices imposed on a group of people he is not a part of, to ask for advice. I told him I was questioning my role in a movement I could never truly empathize with but cared deeply about nonetheless. After some self-reflection, I realized I was making the movement more about myself than the Lakota people. I had become engulfed in my own insecurities with the movement and it was
getting in the way of what mattered: helping the people at Standing Rock who would be affected long after I left camp. It’s difficult to self-diagnose white liberal guilt, and what’s even harder is addressing it. Do you throw yourself into social justice movements to help yourself sleep at night in a white-washed world? Do you want to go to Standing Rock so you can experience the historical glory of civil disobedience? If yes, fine. But own it, change it and do something about it. Figure out how you can work towards becoming a selflessly useful ally for the people at Standing Rock. No one can speak on behalf of Native Americans besides Native Americans, but it is possible to speak out about the injustices at Standing Rock without assuming that these injustices affect you in the same way they affect Native Americans. To do nothing—to remain silent—is to side with the oppressors. For me, to remain silent about the atrocities committed against the Lakota people in Standing Rock because I have anxiety about how to correctly be a white ally, is to side with the Dakota Access Pipeline and the military forces violently terrorizing the water protectors. I do not have to believe in, or even fully understand ,Sioux religion and spirituality to know the pipeline would be a devastation and violation of the sacred burial sites and other sacred grounds the Lakota have lived on for centuries. Living on the reservation, drinking their water and exploring their land is not necessary to know the Dakota Access Pipeline poses great threats to the Lakota’s water source. A history degree is not required to know this encroachment on Native land and the brutalization of water protectors is yet another repeat of America’s historically consistent refusal to support and recognize Native sovereignty. You don’t have to go to Standing Rock to be a helpful ally. Speaking out, educating local communities, donating money and supplies and writing letters to political representatives to protest the pipeline are equally powerful. In time, more may be required of us in this struggle for justice. We may sacrifice our bodies and time, or perhaps we’ll speak more loudly and uncomfortably than ever before. No matter what, we would do well to listen less to our guilty consciences and more to the voices of those whose lives are most affected by the injustices taking place at Standing Rock. Signed, Rebecka Green (‘19)
SPORTS
PAGE 11
DECEMBER 1, 2016
SPORTS EDITOR: SIDNEY LARSEN
Norse dive into competition with UWL LILY KIME STAFF WRITER The Luther College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed against the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) at home on Nov. 19, both tallying losses. This meet came at the end ofthe first half of the team’s season, and several athletes had successful finishes. The men’s swim team scored 124 points against UWL’s 170 points. Matt Staver (‘20) and Zach Martin (‘19) both claiming two first place finishes apiece. Staver finished first in the 1000 freestyle and the 200 butterfly. In the 200 butterfly, Staver set a new pool record of 2:01.82. Martin was the first to touch the wall in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke. Jacob Sund (‘17), Staver and Peder Smith (‘20) swept the Men’s 400 Yard IM, placing first, second and third,
Elizabeth Bonin (‘17) completes an inward dive. Lily Kime (‘18) / Chips
respectively. The women’s swimming and diving team scored 81 points against UWL’s 218 points. Kelly Cherrier (‘19) touched the wall first in the 1000 freestyle, with Mimi Finger (‘19) following her in second place. Sam Kraft (‘18) won first in the 500 freestyle, and Pilar Dritz (‘18) claimed first in the 200 backstroke, second in the 400 IM and third in the 100 backstroke. Diver Megan Broadbent (‘18) placed second in the onemeter dive. Head Swim and Dive Coach Nicole Kaupp was content with the results of this meet and the athletes’ performances. “We swam really well,” Kaupp said. “We were at the end of our hard training for the fall, so we’ve been working really hard in the pool, both in terms of yardage quality and quantity. We’ve also been doing a lot of work on dry land. [The athletes] are a little beatup and pretty broken down, but I think they were in pretty great shape when they came out and really improved.” Although this meet was the team’s first in two weeks, the athletes had been participating in intense fall-training. Assistant men’s and women’s swim coach Bethany Nicoll (‘10) was impressed with the results of the meet considering the tough training the athletes had gone through. “We had numerous season-best times and a couple of lifetime best times, which is kind of rare at this point in the season,” Nicoll said. “The swimmers have been working really hard in the water. It was really good to see them swim as fast and strong as they did because we knew how tired they were.” Men’s team co-captain Gunnar Swanson (‘17) said that without divers on their team,
Ally Peter (‘19) swims the freestyle during practice. the men have to compete extra hard in other areas of the meets. “I think a lot of the men left with really high spirits since we knew going in that it was going to be a really tough competition,” Swanson said. “Being that we had no male divers, we definitely had a lot to prove, and I think we did a good job showing up and making a significant impact.” Although neither team finished the meet with a win, Broadbent enjoyed the tough competition that UWL offered and the opportunity it gave Luther athletes to get better. “La Crosse has really always been one of the hardest teams to compete against, but it’s nice to be pushed to that next level of competitiveness,” Broadbent said. “It always shows us where we can improve a little more.”
Lily Kime (‘18) / Chips
With the first half of their season nearing its end, the teams are beginning to look forward to second half of their season. Although Kaupp isn’t setting goals based on the place she wants the teams to earn at the Liberal Arts Conference meet in February, she does have goals for individual improvement for each athlete. “My goals for the rest of the season are to just keep pushing each athlete and get them to be the best that they can be,” Kaupp said. “At the end of the day, if we just focus on the process and being the best that we can be, what we can accomplish as a team will be pretty great.” Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will travel to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN to compete in the Jean Freeman Invitational on Dec. 2-3.
Basketball teams start up season KATRINA MEYER STAFF WRITER The women’s basketball season started on Nov. 15 with a game against the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, WI that ended with a loss of 63-73. The men’s team also started their season on Nov. 15 at the University of WisconsinPlatteville, talling a loss of 39-69. Both teams continued their seasons with tournaments on Nov. 18-19. The men competed at Wheaton College and started the tournament with a loss to Bethel College with a score of 78-88. They went on to play Wheaton College and again suffered a loss of 51-64. The women played at UWSteven’s Point and lost to the host with a score of 51-66 in their first game. Their second game against Illinois Wesleyan ended in a 69-90 loss.
The women played UW-Platteville on Nov. 22 and won 99-90 bringing their season record to 1-3. The men’s team traveled to Winona, MN on Nov. 26 to compete against St. Mary’s University. They suffered a loss of 62-74. This brought the men’s season total to 0-4. Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mark Franzen said that he believes having played away for the first few games has positively affected the team’s future for the season. “It’s a tough schedule, [but] we will benefit from playing on the road against high-level competition,” Franzen said. “We played our best game to date versus Bethel on Saturday. [Bethel is] picked to finish second in the MIAC. We improved offensively on Saturday putting up 78 points.” Men’s basketball team co-captain, Kevin Stafford (‘17), commented on the large amount of new members on the team this year and how they will adjust and improve throughout the
Anna Madrigal (‘17) dribbles past an opponent.
Photo Courtesy of Luther.edu
season. “I feel good [about it],” Stafford said. “We’re all learning — we’re really young this year. We have a few returners who played last year, a lot of new freshmen and a lot of players who played on JV last year … I feel good throughout the first three games. The outcome on the scoreboard and record-wise hasn’t been where we want it to be, but competing-wise I think it is. Everyone’s been working re0..ally hard. You see the progression through each game we play.” The women’s team also lost quite a few senior players last year, but they have 12 first-year players who are adjusting well to collegiate basketball, according to women’s basketball team captain Anna Madrigal (‘17). “For a lot of girls out on the court, this is their first time playing college ball in a Luther jersey,” Madrigal said. “But this team is so athletic and so scrappy, unlike any team I’ve ever been a part of, the inexperience is definitely something we can overcome.” Women’s basketball forward, Solveig Nelson (‘17), explained that the team has kept a focused mind-set in preparation for the season and has tried to apply their theme of GRIT: Guts, Resilience, Intensity and Toughness, to their practices. “We have been focusing on our defense a lot, which is central to the way we play,” Nelson said. “We have overall just been working extremely hard since day one of preseason. Our main goal is to stay gritty and put in everything we have for every practice and game. If we do that, we will be successful.” Madrigal commented that she thinks that the women’s team will focus on getting better with each game and huge improvements will follow. “For this team, we really only care about taking steps forward—the season is a process,” Madrigal said. “Each game, each practice, we have to gain something, we have to get better. The challenges that we’re facing and overcoming at the start of our season are what’s going to put us in a great position come February. I have a feeling this team is going to peak at the perfect time.” The women’s and men’s teams will both compete next at home on Dec. 3 against Coe College.
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: SIDNEY LARSEN
DECEMBER 1, 2016
Isaac Jensen (‘17): 10th fastest man in national D3 pool
Weekly Standings Men’s Basketball Nebraska Wes. Wartburg Central Simpson Buena Vista Loras Coe Dubuque Luther
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Recent Scores
Overall 5-0 5-0 4-0 4-1 2-1 2-2 2-2 1-1 1-4
Nov. 26 @ St. Mary’s University L 62-74 Nov. 28 vs. UW- La Crosse W 67-58
Upcoming Schedule Dec. 3 vs. Coe College 4:00 PM Dec. 7 vs. Simpson College 8:00 PM
Women’s Basketball
Isaac Jensen (‘17) stands with the other All-Americans at the national meet. KATRINA MEYER STAFF WRITER Isaac Jensen (‘17) competed at the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships in Louisville, KY on Nov. 19 and finished 10th out of 278 runners in the 8k course with a time of 24:37.9, earning himself AllAmerican Honors. This marked Jensen’s second individual and third overall appearance at the national meet. He improved his performance from last year’s National Championship where he placed 47th with a time of 25:08. All-American Honors are awarded to the top 35 runners at the National Championship and this is Jensen’s first time receiving these honors. Jensen is the sixth runner in Luther cross country history to place in the top 10 at nationals, and it is the highest place finish by a Luther runner since 2008. Men’s Head Coach Steve Pasche explained how important it was for Jensen to qualify for the national championship for the third time. “This will be his third time running at the National meet,” Pasche said. “That’s pretty cool. There aren’t too many people out there who get to run at the National meet three times. I’m sure he
would have loved to have six of his teammates with him on the line, but he is an awesome representation for us.” Jensen focused on learning from his previous experiences to help him in his final race on the National stage. “I think that last year went well, all things considered,” Jensen said. “I got a personal best by a pretty large margin, but I feel like I really underestimated what I was capable of. This season I have been more deliberate. I have been giving myself the benefit of the doubt and letting myself go out and do my best.” The whole team was excited about Jensen’s success, and were eager to support him, according to team cocaptain Patrick Larson (‘17). “We definitely [had] people traveling to the national meet to support Isaac,” Larson said. “It’s really special whenever Luther is able to send runners to the national championships and we [did] whatever we [could] to support Isaac.” Jensen’s success not only benefitted himself, but also the whole Luther team. Women’s cross-country team co-captain Erin Ellefsen (‘17) highlighted the importance of Jensen’s success for the whole Luther Cross Country program.
“Showing success in our program helps recruiting in general and generates interest when people have successful running careers here,” Ellefsen said. “Also, just seeing any Luther blue on the field at Nationals suggests success in our program which is exciting, but it also keeps people hungry to send a whole team there in the coming seasons. That gives the team a goal which is really valuable going forward.” The team recognized the amount of work that Jensen put into his running career. Fellow teammate Brooke Debroux (‘17) highlighted how proud the team was of Jensen’s success. “I am extremely proud
Photo Courtesy of Luther.edu of Isaac,” Debroux said. “He has put a lot of work in not only this season but the last four years. He was a great representation of Luther Cross Country.” Jensen explained that as a senior, he is happy to end his collegiate running career on such a positive note. “I’m pretty pleased with the way that it ended up playing out,” Jensen said. “I feel that I was able to execute my race strategy and was able to put together as good a race as I could have hoped to. I’m very glad to end my cross country career here on such a good note. It was a ton of fun and a really good opportunity to get out and put together a great race.”
Central Wartburg Nebraska Wes. Loras Coe Buena Vista Luther Dubuque Simpson
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 5-0 4-0 3-1 3-2 1-1 2-3 2-3 2-3 1-3
Recent Scores
Nov. 22 @ UW- Platteville W 99-90 Nov. 28 vs. Alverno College W 86-62
Upcoming Schedule
Dec. 3 vs. Coe College 2:00 PM Dec. 7 vs. Simpson College 6:00 PM
Women’s Swim & Dive Coe Simpson Luther Nebraska Wes. Loras
IIAC 2-0 2-1 0-0 0-1 0-2
Overall 2-1 5-2 1-3 0-2 2-5
Recent Scores
Nov. 5 @ Grinnell College L 89-211 Nov. 19 vs. UW- La Crosse L 81-218
Upcoming Schedule
Dec. 2-3 Jean Freeman Invitational @ University of MN Jan. 7 vs. Loras College 1:00 PM
Men’s Swim & Dive Coe Nebraska Wes. Loras Luther Simpson
IIAC 2-0 1-0 1-1 0-0 0-3
Overall 2-1 2-0 2-5 1-3 2-4
Recent Scores
Nov. 5 @ Grinnell College L 86-198 Nov. 19 vs. UW- La Crosse L 124-170
Upcoming Schedule
Dec. 2-3 Jean Freeman Invitational @ University of MN Jan. 7 vs. Loras Colllege 1:00 PM
Wrestling
Isaac Jensen (‘17) charges towards the finish at the National Cross-Country Championships. Photo Courtesy of Luther.edu
Central Wartburg Dubuque Loras Buena Vista Luther Simpson Coe Nebraska Wes.
IIAC 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-1 0-1
Overall 1-0 1-0 1-1 1-1 0-0 0-1 1-2 0-1 0-2
Recent Scores
Nov. 19 Auggie-Adidas Open NTS Nov. 22 vs. UW- Eau Claire L 15-20
Upcoming Schedule
Dec. 3 Wisconsin Open @ UW-Parkside Dec. 8 vs. UW-La Crosse 7:00 PM