CHIPS October 12, 2017

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Luna Valley Farm hosts weekly pizza night

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Ben Rector performs acoustic set in CFL

Football wins in overtime against Nebraska Wesleyan

COLLEGE

LUTHER “Let the chips fall where they may.”

VOLUME 140, NO. 5 • EST. 1884

OCTOBER 12, 2017

Sexual assault reports increase CARA KEITH STAFF WRITER

Students take a knee during the national anthem at the homecoming football game.

Photo Courtesy of Madie Miller (‘19)

Taking a knee JACOB WAREHIME EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A group of approximately 40 Luther students knelt during the national anthem before Saturday’s homecoming football game. The group, which was organized by the Luther College Black Students Union (BSU), sought to bring awareness to racial injustices and start a conversation in the Luther community.

The students, dressed in all black, made their way down to the front row of the bleachers in Carlson Stadium about ten minutes before the anthem played. They greeted Luther fans and passed out slips of paper which invited others to kneel alongside them. The slips read: “As members of various Luther Organizations, we gather to kneel during the national anthem of the 2017 Homecoming football game to bring awareness to the multitude of injustices people of color face in this country. We hope that you will enter into conversation and community with us as we seek restorative justice for all Americans.”

President of the BSU Harleigh Boldridge (‘18) said the homecoming football game was chosen because of the number of alums present.

“We thought that this was a great time with all the alums being back to give them an opportunity to stand with current students,”

Boldridge said. “I serve on the alumni council and it’s just amazing to hear the passion alums have for current students and the issues they’re going through. We thought this would be a great way to spread awareness of some of the things we experience here on campus.”

Shelja Thakur (‘18) said she knelt because of what it means to those around her.

“For [me] it’s just to stand in solidarity for people because, honestly, this issue affects more people than [me],” Thakur said. “I feel that is our basic duty to stand with other people.”

Asmita Bharam (‘18) said she hopes Saturday’s demonstration starts a dialogue.

“We want to have campus conversations about these issues,” Bharam said. “Let’s talk about this.”

Thakur echoed this sentiment.

“I hope after today [the Luther community] will raise these issues,” Thakur said.

Some spectators shouted at the student demonstrators to “stand up” once the anthem started. However, Boldridge emphasized that the demonstration was intended to be both respectful and inclusive.

“We don’t intend to disrespect anyone,” Boldridge said. “That seems to be a lot of the narrative outside of Luther. Our goal is stand in support of one another, but also with our community. We’re Luther. This place is going to be great.”

Luther College released the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report for the 2016 school year on Sept. 28, 2017. The report showed a rise in the number of sexual assaults and rapes.

According to Associate Director of Human Resources and Title IX Coordinator Matthew Bills, there are multiple factors that have contributed to the increase of sexual assaults reported on Luther College’s campus.

One of these factors is that the Trump administration recently rescinded an Obamaera policy about handling cases of sexual assault. This policy shift changed the way colleges are required to respond to sexual misconduct. Now, colleges have the choice to decide which standard of proof to use when proving the occurrence of sexual misconduct.

Bills also explained how this potentially affects Luther College.

“The key thing there is that none of those changes force colleges to change their current practices,” Bills said. “As we’ve looked at these changes here at Luther College, we do not see any reason to change our policies or the way that we respond to instances of sexual misconduct. We’re definitely not changing our standard of proof.”

The standard of proof that Luther College adheres to is the preponderance of evidence standard, which requires that the defendant should appear more likely to be guilty than not, or that at least 50 percent of the evidence favors the plaintiff ’s claim.

SEXUAL ASSAULT| PAGE 4

Paideia lecture highlights refugee crises ANTHONY RAMÓN PÉREZ SOTO STAFF WRITER Assistant Professor of Social Work Susan Schmidt delivered a lecture titled “The Paradox of Change: Using Migration to Consider the Disruptive and Constructive Power of Change” on Oct. 3 in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall.

Schmidt’s lecture focused on migration and its effects. Schmidt has experience working with unaccompanied children from Central America who immigrate to the United States.

The lecture focused on how people react to changes that are beyond their control, especially

the reactions of children from Mexico and Central America. Schmidt also discussed how being intentional in decisions about change can bring about positive results.

The lecture was a part of the Paideia Texts and Issues Lecture Series. The Paideia Governing Board, in collaboration with the religion department and the visual and performing arts department, developed the theme “Be the Change” for this academic year.

According to Paideia Director and Associate Professor in Library and Information Studies Rebecca Sullivan, Schmidt’s lecture related to this year’s theme.

“Professor Schmidt’s talk was chosen as a lecture that would provide some variety but also give

the lecture series coherence,” Sullivan said. “She had a very good lecture proposal and interesting research.”

In her talk, Schmidt identified three specific methods that can bring about change. She encouraged people to vote, especially young college students, to use reliable and varied sources to be more informed, and to establish connections with people from diverse backgrounds. “[We need to] build authentic relationships with people that are different from ourselves to try to expand our own world views,” Schmidt said.

According to Schmidt, Luther College can welcome people more effectively.

PAIDEIA| PAGE 4

Susan Schmidt talked about the international refugee crises.

Emily Turner (‘19) | Photo Bureau

NEWS

PAGE 2 OCTOBER 12, 2017

NEWS EDITORS: KATRINA MEYER & ANA LÓPEZ

Students present at sustainability conference EMMA BUSCH STAFF WRITER Luther student workers, staff, and volunteers for the Center of Sustainable Communities attended a conference for the Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS) at Central College in Pella, IA on Sept. 29-30.

UMACS consists of 36 colleges in the Midwest, and its primary goal is to develop future leaders of sustainability efforts. It provides opportunities for college students to come together and share their experiences with campus sustainability. Luther has been an active member of UMACS for over a decade and hosted two conferences, first in 2008 and more recently in 2013.

According to Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities Jon Jensen (‘89), Luther attends these conferences every year they are held and began searching for student attendees and presenters last spring.

“My colleague [Assistant Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities] Maren Beard started talking with students to see who seems like they might have something that could be a good presentation or poster to share with others,” Jensen said. “Those students submitted proposals, and if their proposal was accepted, then they went to the conference. We also started looking around and asking others who had expressed an interest [in sustainability] to

see who would like to come.”

The conference consisted of three breakout sessions where students and faculty presented their research and had the opportunity to answer questions from attendees.

Luther students and Zero Waste Educators Liam Fraser (‘18) and Megan Oliver (‘19) gave a presentation titled "Infrastructure, Audits, and Education: A Three-Pronged Approach to Waste Reduction" that detailed their successful efforts to improve waste initiatives on campus. Energy Educators Nathan Campbell (‘18) and Natalie Wade (‘18) presented the findings of their energy monitoring project in Sustainability House. Food and Farm Fellow Sarah Forsythe (‘15) also presented her work on the Luther College Gardens.

According to Fraser, giving a presentation was rewarding and attending presentations from other students was inspiring.

“I think that there are a lot of similar, good things going on around colleges like Luther,” Fraser said. “I thought that we were entirely leading the way in some things, and we are, but also other schools are right out there with us, which is really good to know. Everyone does things a little bit differently.”

Wade said that she was also interested in the similarities between the colleges and found the challenges and successes of other projects reflective of her own experience.

“It was fun to see how similar

Students Nathan Campbell ('18), Josefina Bakhita Goncalves Soares ('18), Shelja Thakur ('18), Natalie Wade ('18), Megan Oliver ('19), Samantha Tollefson ('18), Liam Fraser ('18), Forrest Steward ('19), and Bishal Parajuli ('20) at the UMACS conference.

Photo Courtesy of Sarah Forsythe

and work around the challenges that were specific to the institution,” Wade said.

“Hearing about these differences and similarities helped to provide ideas about what might be beneficial for Luther as we continue to work toward carbon neutrality.”

Wade said. “Hearing about these differences and similarities helped to provide ideas about what might be beneficial for Luther as we continue to work toward carbon neutrality.”

Forsythe said that of the many presentations given by students and faculty from the University of Minnesota, Morris stuck with her, particularly because of its emphasis on the challenges associated with community

outreach and how to overcome them.

“A lot of the presentations there to be asked 'you're passionate about this, so what's next?' and I think that's really important for students to see,” Forsythe said.

“Here's the practical application for all that you're learning and how to talk to people that don't share the same ideas as you. [The ability] to phrase a conversation in a way that allows you to talk to people with differing points of view, understand how other peoples' ideas connect with yours, [knowing] how to present your argument, and understand that you're not always going to change hearts and minds is important.”

Jensen said that the Center

for Sustainable Communities is in the process of redefining the initial priorities the center first developed three years ago.

He hopes that the ideas they encountered at the conference will allow them to connect with more students in order to expand their work on campus and in Decorah.

“Right now we're trying to take a look at where we're at and what our priorities should be moving forward," Jensen said.

"We're trying to find new ways to connect students to work that's happening in the community but also asking what our next steps are here. We want to keep growing and meet the larger needs of the college as we keep working on these initiatives.”

Alums host forum on law school applications JORGE CONTRERAS STAFF WRITER Luther College alums hosted a panel for students thinking about applying to law school on Oct. 5 in Loyalty Hall. Decorah area attorneys, John P. Anderson (‘85), Jana Evelsizer Olson (‘98), and Barrett Gipp (‘02) discussed their experiences working in the legal field and answered questions from students.

Anderson is a circuit court judge for the Bayfield County Circuit Court in Wisconsin.

He was elected to the position in 2003 and was re-elected in 2009 and again in 2015. His current term expires in 2021. Olson and Gipp work for Anderson, Wilmarth, Van Der Maaten, Belay, Fretheim, Gipp & Zahasky law firm in Decorah.

Students engaged in the session by asking several questions. The panel touched on topics including the reasons to attend law school, the locations where students can

Alumns John P. Anderson (‘85), Jana Evelsizer Olson (‘98), and Barrett Gipp (‘02) answer questions during the forum.

Jorge Contreras (‘20) | Chips

practice, and tips for students before and during law school. Other topics included internships, real-life examples of their experiences in the field, the importance of contacts, as well as other details that the alumni shared about their life experience as law school graduates.

At the session, Gipp encouraged students to attend law school because the program is changing in a positive manner.

“I think the degree is becoming more affordable just because of the fact that a lot of states are moving to the Uniform Bar Examination, so whatever score you get here is going to transfer,” Gipp said. “Also, it’s not exactly the same issues that [students] saw with affordability before.”

According to the American Bar Association for Law Students (ABA), as of October 2016, the Uniform Bar Exam has been adopted in 25 states and the District of Columbia.

Students were curious about their chances of getting hired after law school and if the field of law in general is oversaturated.

“In Chicago, I would say definitely thousands of people are getting a law degree every year in the state of Illinois,” Anderson said during the discussion. “It was difficult and challenging for me to get a job right after law school. However, I think it’s a little different as it depends where you are looking at. In some rural areas, it’s hard to attract challenge.

In metropolitan areas I think it tends to be a little more saturated.”

Olson explained that the issue of finding jobs after law school could change depending on the state and gave students advice in how to navigate the job market.

“I think it is more flexible," Olson said. "If you’re willing to move and you’re willing to look and get into areas that might not be your number one choice you will definitely find a job somewhere. Sometimes you can wiggle into an area that will open up into another and it might open into another area, so the biggest thing is to be resourceful and have contacts.”

Olson also emphasized the importance of standardized testing in law school applications.

“I think once you get to the part of applying, the biggest thing is do well in your LSAT,” Olson said. “Take a class that helps you with the preparation for the LSAT and be prepared with that, because that is going to be your launching point for everything else. You get better scholarship offers and you get ranked higher.”

Students were encouraged to reach to the Career Center for more information related to

NEWS

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NEWS EDITORS: KATRINA MEYER & ANA LÓPEZ

OCTOBER 12, 2017

Decorah candidates hold forum on local issues

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Local candidates Decorah Public Library Lorraine Borowski (‘70), current Mayor Pro-Tempore At-Large City Councilman Gary Rustad Ross Hadley (‘95), Brett Robinson Johanna Bergan (‘09) Shirley Vermace Randy Schissel and Cindy Albers Jeff Tomlinson answer questions during the forum held on Oct. 5.

KARL NYCKLEMOE STAFF WRITER Seven local candidates for Decorah public office held an open forum to answer questions related to local issues from the Decorah community on Thursday, Oct. 5th.

The forum was sponsored by the Decorah chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Luther College Political Science Department, and the Luther College Social Work Department.

The forum included the two mayoral candidates: former director of the Decorah Public Library Lorraine Borowski (‘70) and current Mayor Pro-Tempore and At-Large City Councilman Gary Rustad.

The At-Large City Council seat candidates were Luther alum and Amundson’s Clothing owner Ross Hadley (‘95), Fareway meat manager Brett Robinson, Ward 5 incumbent Chuck Lore, Ward 5 candidate Johanna Bergan (‘09), and Parks and Recreation Board incumbent Shirley Vermace.

Not attending the forum were ward

1 incumbent Randy Schissel, Ward 3 incumbent Andy Carlson, Parks and Recreation Board incumbent Cindy Albers, and Parks and Recreation Board candidate Jeff Tomlinson.

The questions asked in the forum ranged from topics such as the Decorah deer population to affordable housing to historical preservation to the possibility of a town recreation center. One issue that arose several times that night was the possibility of a new Menards in Decorah and anxieties about its impact on local businesses and jobs as well as its potential effect on the environment.

Community member and moderator of the forum Carol Hagan believes that the ability to ask candidates these questions is important in deciding which candidate to support.

“You can read about a candidate online, in a newspaper, a flyer, or materials that they publish,” Hagan said. “But when it’s a community forum like this — where they don’t know what they will be asked — they have to respond spontaneously. You can get the big picture of who that [candidate] is and how they conduct themselves in a

Ward 5 candidate Johanna Bergen ('08) and Recreation incumbent Shirley Vermace answer questions from the attendees.

Karl Nycklemoe (‘18) | Chips

setting like this.”

Luther College currently lies on the border of Decorah’s Ward 4 and Ward 5. Ward 5 Luther students live in the Brandt, Larsen, and Olson residence halls, Baker Village, and the offcampus houses on Center Street. Ward 4 residents live in the Farwell, Miller, Dieseth, and Ylvisaker Residence Halls.

This year, all Luther students who live on campus, if registered to vote in Decorah, can vote for the mayoral office, the at-large city council seat, and the parks and recreation board.

Associate Professor of Political Science Carly Foster, an organizer of the forum, believes that voting and being informed on the candidates is important to the election process.

“You don’t want to make an uninformed decision,” Foster said.

“These people will be in positions of authority, and they will be making the rules that we all live under. More information is always better, so we should learn about [the candidates] before we make decisions about who should be in these positions of power.”

Foster, a member of the AAUW and Political Science Department, notes that the AAUW intentionally co-sponsors the event with non-partisan entities.

“Decorah City Council elections are non-partisan,” Foster said. “Officially speaking, [the candidates] are not running as Republicans or Democrats.

If you know the personalities there are obvious alignments, but they are not running as partisan.”

Adam Morgan ('18) attended the forum both out of curiosity and for his social work senior seminar. According to Morgan, these forums are important to both those who attend and the candidates themselves.

“I learned a lot about every single person there, and [the forum] gave me a base to build off as far as who I am more interested in voting for,” Morgan said.

“I think it also helped the candidates get a good feel of the population with who showed up and who they need to gear their campaign towards.”

The election will take place on Nov. 7.

Students can register to vote by visiting the Decorah Courthouse.

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67/52 Corrections In the Vol. 140, No. 4 edition of CHIPS, the story "Women's Tennis beat Wartburg and Loras to remain undefeated in IIAC" had a photo with the caption "Kelsey Kruse ('20) concentrates as she sprints to the ball." The caption should have read "Britta Pressler ('19) concentrates as she sprints to the ball."

In the Vol. 140 No. 3, the story "Family Weekend concert sets the tone for Luther Music ensembles" did not mention that Concert Band and Jazz Orchestra performed a concert on Sept. 23. On the same day, Jazz Band and Jazz Orchestra performed as a part of the Soda Shoppe event.

Icons designed by Freepik from Flaticon.

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NEWS

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OCTOBER 12, 2017

Life Outside Luther Deadly wildfires prompt millions to flee in California Wildfires in California have led Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency in Napa, Sonoma, and Yuba counties. 200,000 people have already fled the area, and at least 10 people are dead. The fires have destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, prompting the evacuation of two hospitals in the area.

Las Vegas gunman opened fire on a security guard before firing into the concert crowd Six minutes before opening fire into the crowd of people where he killed 58 people and wounded many more, the Las Vegas gunman, Stephen Paddock, opened fire on a security guard, Jesus Campos. Campos was shot in the leg.

The FBI is continuing to investigate a motive behind Paddock's actions.

Trump's popularity slips in rural America Enthusiasm for President Trump is slipping in rural areas that were key in winning him the 2016 election, according to a poll conducted by Reuters. One voter from rural Ohio explained that watching Trump make mistake after mistake is getting frustrating, and there is a limit on how many mistakes are acceptable.

The administration's focus on immigration has left a number of people feeling unsettled. Approval of the president's immigration policies has recently dipped under 50%.

Environmental Protection Agency starts to withdraw from Obama's Clean Power Plan Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Scott Pruitt announced that as of Oct. 10, the withdrawal from the Clean Power Plan will begin. Pruitt described the move as the end of the "war on coal."

Many trade organizations support the withdrawal, but green groups are very concerned about the potential consequences for the environment.

As a part of their withdrawal, the EPA is claiming that Obama's Clean Power Plan was illegal.

Republican plans for tax overhaul are having problems in Congress The tax overhaul plan currently in the Senate is already showing signs of disunity in the Republican party. Further complicating that effort, President Trump is continuing to publicly attack prominent senators like John McCain (R-AZ) and Bob Corker (R-TN). Corker is a key player in the tax debate, and after Trump attacked him on Twitter over the weekend, Trump is becoming increasingly isolated from Congressional Republicans.

Without clear guidance from Trump, Republicans are having a hard time keeping their party unified, making it complicated to pass any major legislative changes.

Taken from: reuters.com

NEWS EDITORS: KATRINA MEYER & ANA LÓPEZ

Viniard-Weiderman appointed VP for Communications and Marketing MARTIN DONOVAN STAFF WRITER Aimee Viniard-Weideman began her role as Vice President for Communications and Marketing at Luther College on Sept.

5.

Prior to coming to Luther, ViniardWeideman served as the Assistant Dean and Director of C ommunications and Relations at the University of Minnesota.

V i n i a r d Weideman’s role as Vice President for C ommunications and Marketing is Aimee Viniardto oversee Luther’s Weideman. websites, media, Photo Courtesy of music marketing, Luther.edu and sports information groups, as well as advising Carlson on communication and marketing initiatives. While Viniard-Weideman wants to put her own spin on Luther’s communication and marketing strategies, she also sees the importance of building off the work of previous Vice President for Communications and Marketing Rob Larson.

“Any time you have the opportunity to come in, you are building off the legacy of the person before,” Viniard-Weideman said. “I am very fortunate to have this transition with [Larson].

According to Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Runestad, Viniard-Weideman stood out to Luther faculty and President Paula Carlson.

“Among Aimee’s strengths in higher education, she has spent an extensive amount of time at the University of Minnesota Extension System,” Runestad said. “So [she has] a deep knowledge of higher education, [and] a lot of good and long-term work in a complex environment.

She is a good strategic thinker.”

According to Runestad, it was important that Viniard-Weideman came from Iowa.

“We appreciated that she has some connections to the area through her family and extended family,” Runestad said. “She’s an Iowan who has spent time in La-Crosse and who grew up in this area, so it’s a sense of place.”

Runestad said the search process for Vice President for Communications and Marketing took several months.

The search advisory committee was assembled to provide their opinions to assist Carlson with her decision. The

members of the search advisory committee were selected based on their work with the Vice President for Communications and Marketing. The members of the search advisory committee included Associate Professor of English Amy Weldon, Associate Professor of Nursing Angela Kueny, Professor of Anthropology Colin Betts, Assistant Professor of Music Jennaya Robison ('96), Vice President for Development Jim Jermier, Head Women's Soccer Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Resource Development Russell Schouweiler, Director for the Diversity Center Wintlett Taylor-Browne, and Vice President for Enrollment Scot Schaeffer.

According to Communications and Marketing Fellow Elaena Hoekstra ('17), Viniard-Weideman is well-qualified for the job.

“There is an approach to marketing that I think really resonates with her [that] is called content marketing, where all your marketing is centered around telling a story," Hoekstra said. "She is really in the phase of her job right now where she is learning everything she can about Luther so she can effectively tell Luther’s story.

She can also help us as her team to tell Luther’s story."

SEXUAL ASSAULT| PAGE 4

PAIDEIA| PAGE 4

During the Obama administration, colleges were required to respond to instances of sexual misconduct within an average of 60 days. The Trump administration loosened these guidelines to what needs to be reported, but Bills said that Luther College will continue to respond to reports of sexual assault in a timely manner.

“It’s still our intent to resolve accusations of sexual assault as quickly and fairly as possible,” Bills said. “Allowing these things to drag out makes it worse for both of the parties and the institution.”

Vice President and Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom said that the increase of sexual assaults reported on campus can be attributed to how comfortable students feel about reporting sexual misconduct to Luther College.

“The increase in reported rapes represents a truer picture of the number of assaults that occur at Luther,” Landstrom said.

“As Luther works to remove barriers to reporting acts of sexual violence, provide greater clarity with respect to our process, and to ensure support for students who do report, the expectation has been that we would see an increase in reports."

Member of the Luther group Norse Against Sexual Assault Brigid Burke (‘18) agrees that the increase of reported sexual assaults are a reflection of how much students trust going to Luther College with their reports of sexual misconduct.

“It’s wrong to say that more assaults aren’t going on than are being reported,” Burke said. “And I would bet that pretty much the same number of reports have been going on since I’ve been here and I’m a senior. It’s a good sign that more people have faith in the system.”

There are different things that Luther students can do to become more informed about sexual assault on campus. The Student Life Office offers bystander intervention training by appointment, and there will be a fall week of awareness with events that will allow students to take the “It’s On Us” pledge.

The pledge encourages people to create an environment where sexual assault is unacceptable. The Center of Ethics and Public Engagement will also be hosting two speakers on campus: Jessica Luther and Erin Alberty (‘01), who have published works about sexual assault. They will be speaking Oct. 18 at 7:30 in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall.

If a student experiences sexual assault, there are many people to whom they can report. If they wish, students can report to their RA, Matthew Bills, Student Life Director of Case Management and Assistant Dean Janet Hunter, or law enforcement.

“I think that we as a community can do better at being a place of welcome,” Schmidt said. “I challenge all of us, myself included, as part of the Luther community to think about and work together on ways that we can make Luther feel like a place that is welcoming for all.”

Attendee Sanna Berdahl ('19) expressed her excitement to have learned more about the topic.

“I think that [refugee crises] are situations that more people need to know about in general and especially with the current political climate of how many immigrants and refugees are displaced throughout the world,” Berdahl said.

According to Berdahl, it is essential to obtain reliable information when discussing sensitive situations.

“I really appreciated [Schmidt’s] information and everything she did to encourage us to go out and take action on our own,” Berdahl said.

Berdahl said she was inspired to find different ways that the local community can initiate change.

“I left with a greater idea of how I can help in the world — of what I can do as an individual,” Berdahl said. “ Some people in the audience also talked about some different opportunities [to help]. I left with a greater appreciation of that as well.”

Schmidt said she is confident that different initiatives undertaken at Luther College to become a more inclusive and welcoming place will lead to a positive change.

“I think the college is making efforts in this direction and I think those are some good signs," Schmidt said. "We need to continue that work and to build on it, and all be part of it.”

In the light of the current political climate, Schmidt was encouraged to discern different elements of the dialoge around those issues.

“I challenge us as a society to question some of the dialogue around refugees and immigrants and what our policies priorities are,” Schmidt said. “Luther College students, faculty, staff, and administration: we are also called to be the change.”

Schmidt is certain that our power as individuals is the primary force that makes change happen. “[Change] happens through relationships and also through teachings and through being open to learning and being change and through civic responsibility,” Schmidt said.

The next lecture in the Texts and Issues Lecture Series: "What's to Be Done? Humanizing the Syrian Refugee Crisis," given by Ashalul Aden, ('20) and Assistant Professor of Political Science Pedro dos Santos, will be held on Feb. 27, 2018.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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A&E EDITOR: LILY KIME

OCTOBER 12, 2017

Traditions continue with Homecoming Concert

Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music Joan deAlbuquerque conducts Concert Band during the Homecoming Concert.

GILLIAN KLEIN STAFF WRITER Luther Homecoming festivities concluded with memory-filled, celebratory performance from three of Luther’s top music ensembles on Sunday, Oct. 8.

Students, faculty, and alums filled the Center for Faith and Life (CFL) to hear Nordic Choir, Symphony Orchestra, and Concert Band.

Alums were just one of several spotlight moments in celebration of the 50-year anniversary of the first Nordic Choir international tour.

Approximately 350 people attended. This was the first concert for Nordic Choir, featuring their new conductor, Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music Andrew Last (‘96). It was also the first concert for Symphony Orchestra after downsizing their cello sectio from previous years.

Symphony Orchestra, conducted by head of the music department and Professor of Music Daniel Baldwin, opened the concert with the national anthem, “The Moldau”

by Bedrich Smetana, and the fourth movement of Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

According to cellist and Symphony Orchestra president Sarah Bauer (‘18), Tchaikovsky was predictedto

be the biggest crowd pleaser because it is a staple orchestra piece. The piece transitioned from slow tempo to march-like speed, keeping the audience on their toes.

Despite the reduction in number of musicians in the cello section, the group’s sound did not change dramatically, according to Bauer.

“I did not notice a significant difference in our sound since the cutback is not significant,” Bauer said. “Baldwin selected eight cello players instead of 10 to 11 players.

His reasoning for this was because the cello section has been loud in recent years, and Baldwin wanted better balance.”

When the applause from Symphony finished, two of the four music awards of the night were given out. The Theodore Presser Award was presented to Christopher O’Connell (‘18), and the Richard C. and Joann M. Hemp Family Prize for Orchestral Performance was presented to Charles Craig (‘18). These awards are given to students for their excellence in music performance Concert Band followed the Symphony Orchestra performance and was conducted by Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music Joan deAlbuquerque.

Concert Band began with Joseph

Gillian Klein (‘20) | Chips

Gabrielle Bruns (‘19), Catelyn Janda (‘19), and Morgan Fanning (‘20) play in Symphony Orchestra’s Viola section.

Lily Kime (‘19) | Chips Turrin’s “Regiment of Heroes March” and the third and fourth movements from Phillip Sparke’s “Dance Movements.” Between repertoire, Luther alum David Upham (‘92) was presented with the Carlo A. Sperati Award. Concert Band closed their performance with the playing of J.S. Bach’s “Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just” and John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes.”

Nordic choir closed the concert

Director of Choral Activites and Assistant Professor of Music Andrew Last (‘96) conducts both current Nordic members and alums.

Gillian Klein (‘20) | Chips

by performing five selections, including “Exsultate Deo” by Hans Leo Hassler, “Ye Were Sometimes Darkness” by Randall Thompson, “Exultation” by F. Christensen, “Ezekiel Saw De Wheel” arranged

by William Dawson, and “O Lord God” by Paul Chesnokov.

According to Nordic member and president Aidan Spencer (‘18), Last brings a new sense of community to Nordic. “[Something] I appreciate about Dr. Last is his sense of community he brings to the group,” Spencer said. “He is great at motivating everyone and good at leading a very active and engaging rehearsal. He has passion and cares about what he is doing.”

Nordic Choir has most recently toured the Midwest last January and will tour in Germany this upcoming spring, marking the fifty-year anniversary of Nordic Choir’s first international tour.

According to Spencer, Nordic Choir commemorated the anniversary with their performance of “Ezekiel Saw De Wheel,” a piece sung by the Nordic Choir in 1967, during Homecoming.

“For the most part, Last chose our repertoire selection because the songs were special to him,” Spencer said. “One of the songs was sung

because it was sung in 1967 when Nordic choir first toured.”

Nordic’s spotlight performance also included the presentation of the Weston Noble Award, given to Shelly Schaeufele (‘92). To finish the concert, Last invited Nordic Choir alums to join the choir onstage for their final piece, “O Lord God” by Paul Chesnokov, a piece that has a longstanding tradition in the ensemble. Audience members rose to their feet as the final chord was sung.

Audience members, such as Larry and Marilee Peters, left the performance proud of the talent Luther showcased at the concert. “[The performance] was terrific,” Marilee Peters said. “So many talented young people and, as music people, we really enjoyed it.”

Laura Bianchi (‘20) commented on the pride she felt after the performance.

“Overall, this concert was phenomenal and I’m so proud to call myself a Norse because of it,” Bianchi said.

The featured esnembles will contiue to perform throughout the year, both on campus and beyond.

Symphony Orchestra will tour the Midwest during January 2018, Concert Band will tour the Midwest in the spring of 2018.

FEATURES

PAGE 6 OCTOBER 12, 2017

FEATURES EDITOR: SHASA SARTIN

Luna Valley Farm serves up fresh, Friday night pizza

Luna Valley Farm hosts its weekly pizza night during a beautiful sunset.

ELIZABETH HAND STAFF WRITER This fall, Decorah has welcomed a charming new farm-to-table pizzeria at Luna Valley Farm. This new adventure for owners Tom Beard and Assistant Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities Maren Beard (‘08) has transformed their family farm into a gathering place for the Decorah community and beyond. Their pleased customer base shows how Luna Valley Farm is creating far more than pizza.

Luna Valley Farm hosted pizza nights every Friday since Sept. 8 of this year.

Through the end of October, the Beards will continue to grow the sense of community as people gather in their restaurant under the stars to enjoy wood-fired pizzas. To Maren Beard, spending time with loved ones in a beautiful space with something beautiful to eat is important.

“Our vision really was to bring people together over good food,” Beard said. “[We wanted] to create a place where people can come, relax at the end of a long week, disconnect from technology, and reconnect with each other and with the beautiful landscape that we have in this part of the state.”

Luther students enjoy pizza on a rainy Friday night at Luna Valley Farm.

Elizabeth Hand (‘21) | Chips

Photo courtesy of Luna Valley Farm Although the concept of a ‘pizza farm’ is new to this area, the Beards explained that they have existed for over 20 years in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The relaxing atmosphere and great sense of community they experienced at other Midwestern pizza farms inspired them to bring the experience to Decorah.

“It’s kind of like inviting people out to our home,” Maren Beard said. “Being invited to a farm is different than going to a restaurant. It is more casual, there are more chance encounters, and [there is] more [of a] community feel. It is always good to get out in the country and breath some fresh air and take it all in.”

Both Tom and Maren consider themselves to be ‘creative eaters’ and like to try new food combinations. Still, they wanted to have pizzas that are appealing to everybody, including children. The standard offerings are classic Margherita, Iowa Margherita, which is Margherita with local sausage, and Pepper(on)cini, which is a pepperoni pizza with pepperoncinis on top for added spice. In addition to those three, there are specialty pizzas offered that change every few weeks.

“We both love to cook; love having people over; love growing a garden; and like connecting people with agriculture, with each other, and creating community,” Beard said. “Each crust is hand stretched and lovingly topped.”

Maren Beard has worked in the sustainability department at Luther for nine years and is very passionate about the work involved in creating sustainable communities. Maren Beard’s masters in sustainable food systems combined with her husband’s experience in agriculture complement each other.

Lamb, rosemary, and tomato are a few of the many pizza ingredients that are sourced straight from their organic farm. They also enjoy supporting local producers for honey, pears, and pork. Additionally, they feature a variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from places including Toppling and Goliath Brewery and Wisco Pop. The Beards consider themselves blessed

that the community welcomed their endeavor with open arms. According to Maren Beard, this first season has been successful for Luna Valley Farm because of the family and colleagues who have helped them as well as the customers that came to enjoy artisanal pizza.

“We have the best customers in the world,” Maren Beard said. “People aren’t coming out expecting fast food, they are expecting to have an experience.”

The rainy evening of Oct. 6 had no effect on the spirits of their patrons. Sheltered in their rustic barn, the string lights and mason jar bouquets made it an unforgettable first experience for Jessica Skjonsby (‘17) and Claire Lutter (‘18).

“I love the atmosphere here,” Skjonsby said. “It is very relaxing and rustic. It is open to free-flowing conversation. They are building partnerships with farmers and it is a great addition and something new to Decorah. I’d love to come back to see how they grow and progress.”

Skjonsby, who isn’t typically a fan of pizza, shared her praises of its flavor as well as it being a sustainable and relatively healthy food. Both Skjonsby and Lutter have experience with being RA’s and emphasized how important it is for students to get off campus. They hope that more Luther students take advantage of pizza nights in the future.

“It adds another gem to the treasure chest that is Decorah,” said Lutter. “It is another great addition of something special that everyone in the community can continue to utilize. It’s really exciting to see it be so successful.”

People have come from as far as Des Moines and Minneapolis to enjoy pizza nights at the farm. The Beards have loved watching people from all over Decorah, Winneshiek County, and the Midwest enjoy their time over fresh pizza.

In 2018, Luna Valley Farm plans to be open from May through October. The extended season will open up a whole range of possibilities for pizza toppings and new flavors. The last pizza night of 2017 is Oct. 27.

FEATURES

PAGE 7

FEATURES EDITOR: SHASA SARTIN

Legoadi Ramabele (‘20) models in the 2016 International Fashion Show.

Kien Dao (‘20) | Photo Bureau

OCTOBER 12, 2017

Left to right: Yukesh Mikchan (‘21) and Babba Laminou (‘21) listen to a speaker at the Diversity Center’s annual Student Welcome Dinner.

Hasan Muhammad (‘21)| Photo Bureau

Luther College Diversity Center begins 15th year of equity work JONATHAN KUEHNER STAFF WRITER As the Luther College Diversity Center (LDC) enters its 15th year of service, the staff hope for an increase in awareness and acceptance of diversity within all aspects of identity at Luther.

Located in the Dahl Centennial Union, the LDC is a suite of offices and lounges intended to educate students, faculty, and staff on issues of diversity and equity; to help students with academic and personal problems, and to act as a safe place on campus to study and relax. Communications Assistant Samson Masanga (‘20) said the office’s energy is accepting.

“When you step into this office you can step in as anyone,” Masanga said. “You can start a conversation with anyone and people will listen to you.”

Before the LDC became what it is today, it was two separate

offices: the Multicultural Center and the International Students Office. According to Director of the LDC Wintlett Taylor-Browne, the idea to combine the two offices was offered by a group of students and faculty who wanted to change the atmosphere of the campus to be less discriminatory and better informed.

“We thought it was a good time to bring the Multicultural Center and International Students Office together,” Taylor-Browne said.

“They were different but faced similar challenges.”

In order to celebrate the 15-year milestone of the offices joining, the LDC is holding a “Fifteen for Fifteen” book fund campaign. The goal of this program is to raise $1,000 for each year of the LDC’s existence. These funds will go to the pre-existing Diversity Center Book Fund which is available to help students in need afford textbooks. Donations will also go

to the Sonya Lund International Student Emergency Funds.

A large aspect of the LDC’s work is to support international students as they adjust to life in the United States and at Luther. International Student Coordinator Amy Webber’s work focuses on this aspect of the LDC. “I am responsible for helping [international] students transition to life at Luther, doing orientation for them, and supporting them while they’re here,” Webber said.

“I follow up when they have troubles, deal with immigration issues relative to their student visas, [and] help them remember what they have to do relative to their student visas.”

While the LDC is actively involved in helping international students complete their necessary legal paperwork, this is not the sole purpose of the office.

“We also do work with individual students around

academic advising and helping them to overcome barriers, which may not seem to be a barrier to you but to that particular student [it] may be,” Taylor-Browne said. “We also do education programming and we collaborate with almost every group on campus.”

Although a lot of work done in the LDC pertains to international students, that does not mean other students are excluded.

Students of any ethnic and racial identity, nationality, ability, gender identity, and religious identity are welcome in the LDC. Student Outreach Assistant Steffert Spencer (‘19) commented on the space’s inclusivity.

“It’s a space that welcomes all,” Spencer said. “Everyone can go there. Your background doesn’t matter.”

Spencer went on to describe the role the LDC has in his life when he is not working.

“For me personally, it’s a safe zone where I go and talk about my day,” Spencer said. “Or issues I’ve had throughout the day.”

The LDC carries out a number of programs and assists in the organization of several on-campus groups including Men of Color, Ethnic Beats, and International Students and their Allies. The goal is to build communities that span demographics. Likewise, they publish a weekly newsletter, “Diversity Today,” which seeks to promote healthy conversation and inform people about the diversity inherent to the human population.

Often, student workers in the LDC will conduct interviews for short

articles that are printed alongside pieces by the staff members.

One of the community-building events is Popcorn Thursdays.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to come for freshly made popcorn, conversation, or just a place to relax.

While Popcorn Thursday is a consistent community bonding event, Assistant Director of the LDC Michelle Boike (‘13) said there are differences in who attends now versus her time as a Multicultural Student Assistant.

“The thing that I notice has changed a lot is the groups of people that come into the LDC. Specifically, students have changed a lot from when I started as a first-year to now, when I’m working here,” Boike said. “I would say when I started working here, it was a lot of multicultural and international students and their friends that came in, different people are coming in and people use the space differently.”

Individual students feel the impact of LDC largely through the community it builds.

“You don’t have to be a certain kind of person to interact with anyone else,” Masanga said. “Just as I am I can build connections and interact with anyone.”

The LDC staff hopes more students will be aware of what the LDC is and does and find themselves in its offices and lounges. “[Students] need to come in and ask,” Taylor-Browne said. “Ask us what we do. Come in with an open mind. Come in and be curious.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 8 OCTOBER 12, 2017

A&E EDITOR: LILY KIME

Ben Rector “Lets the Good Times Roll” KRISTEN WUERL STAFF WRITER Singer-songwriter Ben Rector played an acoustic concert in the Center for Faith and Life (CFL) on Saturday Oct. 7 at 7:30 pm.

Student Activities Council (SAC) Concerts sponsored the event as one of the two major concerts during the school year.

Rector played an acoustic set on both guitar and keyboard, along with fellow performer Cody Fry, who sang backup vocals and played both guitar and keyboard, too.

Rector and Fry played 10 songs during the hour-long show. They opened with “When I’m with You,” and followed with songs including “Men That Drive Me Places,” “When a Heart Breaks,” “White Dress,” and Rector’s hit single, “Brand New.” Rector and Fry performed “Sailboat” as an encore for the audience of about 700.

A few songs into the concert, Rector told audience members that Fry would take over the trumpet part of “Let the Good Times Roll.” Instead of playing the trumpet, Fry, in vocal-percussion style, sang the solo.

“Fry’s trumpet solo was really cool,” concert attendee Wylie Cook (‘18) said. “Fry and Rector meshed so well together on stage.”

In addition to talking and joking with the audience between songs, Rector offered opportunities for audience participation.

The audience sang with Rector and offered suggestions when he asked them for a topic that he would use to create the final verse of “Loving You is Easy.” Audience members suggested that Rector sing about how he looks like Los Angeles Rams player Jared Goff, Rector’s experience at Luther, and cats.

Rector chose to sing about cats.

Rector said during the concert he was excited to perform at Luther because his favorite album growing up was Dave

Ben Rector performs his acoustic style in the Center for Faith and Life.

Matthew’s and Tim Reynolds’s “Live at Luther,” which was recorded in the CFL in 1996. To commemorate this event and to express his enthusasism, Fry filmed a video of Rector with the audience in the background near the end of the concert. Rector posted this video on his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Before Rector and Fry played, pop singer John Splithoff opened the concert. Splithoff played a 40 minute acoustic set of seven songs, including “Show Me,” “Torture,” “Stepping Stone,” and “Sing to You.” SAC Concerts co-chair Hailey Mohler (‘18) explained how SAC Concerts brought Rector and Splithoff to campus. “[SAC Concerts] invites everyone from our email list to come to a committee meeting,” Mohler said. “We compile a list of artists that

people are interested in, but we try to keep it reasonably within our budget. From there, we narrow the list down based on artists we’ve heard a lot of, artists people are interested in, and artists we believe will be good to have at Luther based on who we’ve had in the past and who we haven’t had yet.”

After these initial decisions regarding artists, SAC Concerts sends the list to their middle agent. This middle agent communicates with different music companies and advises SAC Concerts on which artists they can realistically host at Luther based on artists’ touring schedules and SAC Concerts’ budget. “[Rector] was our top pick from the final poll we took after narrowing down the artists,” Mohler said. “We felt he’d be the best choice [for Luther], and the committee

Photo Bureau Kien Dao (‘20) | Photo Bureau seemed to like him the best, too.”

With Rector being the artist best fitted for Luther, the CFL was the location best fitted for his acoustic performance, as opposed to Regents Center where past concerts have been held. “[SAC Concerts] decided on the CFL [for Rector’s concert] because of his acoustic performance,” SAC Concerts co-chair Kalie Kampa (‘18) said. “One person and a guitar sounds much better in the CFL than in a gym that echoes.”

Cook agreed that Rector’s performance stood out in the CFL. “[Rector] sounds good live compared to other artists live,” Cook said. “On stage, you can see how he makes his music, and you can see why he makes his music. It was incredible.”

Galileo Galilei comes to life in Jewel GRACE ONSRUD STAFF WRITER “The Life of Galileo,” written by Bertolt Brecht, is a play that explores themes of new discoveries and the struggle against power structures that reject those discoveries. The Luther College Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) put on a production of the play in Jewel Theatre, which opened on Oct. 5 and ran through Oct. 7 in Jewel Theater. VPA’s theme for this year is “Reformation and Revolution,” and this was the first production of the year under said theme.

The show revolves around Galileo Galilei’s life and struggle to have his scientific theories recognized in the face of opposition from the Catholic Church. It is fitting for the theme of “Reformation and Revolution” because Galileo must go against the religious conventions of the time, similar to the way Martin Luther challenged the Church during the time of the Reformation. The story is not completely true to his life, but the program included a brief biography of Galileo for the audience’s reference.

Pablo Gomez Estevez (‘18) composed music for the show. The actors sang his music during the scene changes, adding a new element to the play. The set design created a

space-like scene, including chairs and a cello suspended from the ceiling to represent planets in orbit.

The play is described as a tragedy, but there were also moments of hope and humor in the performance.

The play ends with Galilei’s imprisonement after he was forced to recant his theories. However, there is a hope at the end when his old student, played by Nathan Sunde (‘21), smuggles some of Galileo’s papers out of the country. The cast worked to maintain a balance between serious and light moments and to make sure that the show would resonate with a contemporary audience at Luther.

Professor of Theater Jeff Dintaman said that his greatest challenge in directing the play was keeping the balance between correctly portraying the historical context of the play while highlighting the contemporary relevance of the content. The play was written in 1938 and then later translated from German by David Hare.

“I think that what Hare is doing is he wants us to look at this story that takes place in the 1600s, but also look at it through the lens of Brecht the writer, and then through that 21st century lens,” Dintaman said.

Erik Mueterthies (‘18), a theater

Nathan Sunde (‘21) plays Andrea Sarti, a student of Galileo Galilei, who is played by Erik Mueterthies (‘18) in “Life of Galileo.”

Grace Onsrud (‘20) | Chips major who played Galilei, described the thematic relevance of the play.

“The show is very timely, and that’s definitely one of the reasons we chose it to be done this season,” Mueterthies said. “Whether it’s science denial, or it’s power structures that are unpredictable, it’s very relevant.”

The cast of 12 students began rehearsing during the beginning of September, having around four weeks to prepare the show. They had longer and more frequent rehearsals than usual in order to prepare the

play in such a short amount of time.

Many of the cast members are theater majors and minors, but there were also some who are not theater majors and some for whom this is their first production at Luther. Many members of the cast played multiple roles.

Morgan Fanning (‘20), who played four different roles throughout the play, described a few of the connections that the cast has made to the theme of “Reformation and Revolution” and to issues that society faces today. She hopes that the play

will send a message about giving difficult ideas a chance.

“Don’t shut something down because you don’t like it,” Fanning said. “Even if the truth may seem ugly, you can’t ignore it.”

The next show that VPA will be producing is the musical “Rent,” which will run from Nov. 10-19.

In the spring, there will be a dance production and another play, all under the theme of “Reformation and Revolution,” in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

OPINION

PAGE 9

MANAGING EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Jacob Warehime Managing Editor Elizabeth Bonin News Editors Katrina Meyer Ana López Features Editor Shasa Sartin A&E Editor Lily Kime Sports Editor Ben Selcke Staff Writers Karl Nycklemoe Gillian Klein Grace Onsrud Jonathan Kuehner Jorge Contreras Martin Donovan

Natalie Nelson Emma Busch Olivia Enquist Anthony Ramón Pérez Soto Cara Keith

Part-time Writers Forrest Stewart Kristen Wuerl Martel DenHartog Elizabeth Hand Head Copy Editor Elyse Grothaus Copy Editors Jackie Cychosz Lyndsay Monsen Ad Representatives Bergen Gardner Web Content Manager James Miller Social Media Director Elyse Grothaus Distribution Manager Lyndsay Monsen 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 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.

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.

Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips Instagram: @luthercollegechips

OCTOBER 12, 2017

EDITORIAL

Giving black culture credit Within the past week, 21-year-old model and Nike representative Bella Hadid has been dragged1 incessantly for her embarrassing appearance in Complex Magazine’s sneaker shopping video series. Hadid has been criticized for sounding like an undercover cop as she describes her SHASA SARTIN “sneaker turn offs.”

FEATURES EDITOR That’s how bad it was. While shopping in KITH NYC, also known as hypebeast2 heaven, Hadid said, “If homeboys coming through in these, it’s quiet for him,” as she picks up a pair of Nike shoes that aren’t “fresh” enough. Hadid continues: “But if he comes through in like these, got some air maxes out here, got some Jordans, homeboys gonna like, get it.” In a short 45 second clip she managed to expose3 herself as a culture vulture.

Hadid is an up and coming supermodel—though fashion bloggers are hesitant to place her alongside icons such as Naomi Campbell. Modeling since 2014, she is incredibly successful in her field. She is adored by everyone from Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel to Virgil Abloh of street-wear brand Off-White. In the complete interview, Hadid appears out of her element, however. She 1 Ones ego is figuratively dragged through a pile of dirt for doing something deserves chastising.

2 Someone who wears Supreme everything, wants to be Luka Sabbat, and retweets everything that fashion blog Four Pins posts.

3 To reveal the truth hiding behind the fallacy that someone creates.

attempted to use “dope” and “homeboy” so painfully that I writhed in my chair while watching the video for the first time. Hadid does this in order to gain some kind of cool points as a young person and as a celebrity. The way to get those cool points—to let people know you are on trend and “in touch”—is to utilize black vernacular, also referred to as African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

Black culture is stolen, packaged and sold at ludicrously expensive prices for the consumption of overwhelmingly non-black Americans.

Hadid’s racial identity as Palestinian American does not excuse her from this issue, either. It is an American classic. A recent and notable example of this is a young woman named Kayla Newman from the suburbs of Chicago who created the massively famous phrase “eyebrows on fleek” in a Vine video in 2014. The word “fleek” has since been on countless t-shirts, mugs, and stickers. Newman has yet to receive any royalties from the countless companies that committed intellectual theft from her. This is just one example of how black Americans often watch their culture pried out of their hands by nonblack people looking for a profit.

It is important to make clear that the words and phrases that dictate our popular culture are almost always thanks to black queer people, namely transgender women. You can thank black queer communities for “yaaas!,” “queen Bey gives me life!,” “hunty,” and “throwing shade,” just to name a few.

Taking that into account, have you noticed that most of the American people throwing these words around, sounding like a model we know, have some things in common? These are the people that love Beyoncé but don’t understand why she would dare include Black Panther imagery in her Superbowl performance. The same people who haven’t watched a second of BET (Black Entertainment Television) but Stanley Hudson on The Office is their favorite character. The same people who tweet “*sips tea*” but have never watched RuPaul’s Drag Race. The same people who claim to love Migos and know every word to “Bad and Boujee” but would not dare to kneel at the homecoming football game.

White America loves the distant, abstract, and assumedly ‘meaningless’ aspects of black culture. When it comes to caring about actual black people, Hadid said it best: “it’s quiet.”

EDITORIAL

Luther needs to think about transfer students LYNDSAY MONSEN COPY EDITOR I arrived at Luther College on Sunday August 27, only to be greeted with a “Luther College Class of 2021” mug and an overwhelming sense that I did not belong here. The days that followed were packed with confusion, loneliness, and having to explain at least three dozen times why I transferred. And since I know you will not be able to focus on the rest of this piece unless I tell you my story, here it is.

I transferred from Emerson College in Boston for many reasons. I had been at Emerson for two years, the first of which was incredible. But then several of my friends either transferred or dropped out, and I became less and less passionate about broadcast journalism, which is what I was there to study. I realized that a city school was not for me. Plus, I had been spending my summers working at a Bible camp in

Wisconsin, where I found a sense of calling.

I always knew as a kid that I loved camp, but it took me until serving on summer staff to realize that it was my passion. So, I came to Luther to pursue a future in outdoor ministry—but it was by no means an easy decision. I realized I wanted to transfer only three months ago, around the end of July. And I made that decision surrounded by a community of Jesus-loving people, where I could see nothing beyond leading devotionals on pontoon boats for a bunch of junior high girls and singing “Radical God” at the top of my lungs. I felt happy; I knew camp was what I was supposed to do with the rest of my life, and I was ready to take a big leap of faith into following that.

Then came August 27. At a school where we focus so much on a sense of community, I can say first-handedly that it downright sucks to feel like you do not have a place in it. But I do not want this to seem like a sob story, because it ultimately isn’t. I have found so many great homes across this campus (including at Chips), met some fantastic people, and really felt like I am meant to be here.

But that does not change the fact that our administration, faculty, and student body can do so much more to welcome and include transfer students. If we can be politically correct enough to say “first-year students” instead of “freshmen,” we can be

politically correct enough to extend that to “new students” at Convocation. Maybe we need to train our orientation assistants to not judgingly ask, “but why would you ever leave somewhere like Boston for Iowa?” upon meeting a nervous student for the first time. Let’s take out the part in the “Norse Course” where you physically form the numbers “2021,” because, surprise, that is not the graduation year of everyone participating. And contrary to popular belief professors, not everyone in your classes has taken Paedeia. When applying, the admissions office and Registrar assured me that I would not feel behind because of not taking the infamous course, but it often feels the opposite.

My main point is this: make sure you include transfer students in whatever it is you do on this campus. I cannot speak for all, but my decision to come to Luther was ten times harder than my decision to pick a college the first time around. I still miss my old school, sometimes I miss journalism, and I often find myself wondering if this was the right choice for me. Transfer students are in such a fragile and transitory state, and just because this is not our first rodeo does not mean that we do not ache to fit into the Luther community.

And maybe next year, do not give transfer students a mug that says “Class of 2022.”

OPINION

PAGE 10 OCTOBER 12, 2017

MANAGING EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

TO THE EDITOR

Baker parking passes are too restrictive I am a senior and live in Baker Village.

To my excitement, this is the first year I have ever had a car on campus and was overjoyed by the possibility to frequent Walmart at my own leisure, the ability to drive home at a moment’s notice, to have greater campus accessibility, and the occasional drive through the Decorah countryside. To my dismay, I have been thoroughly disappointed by the Motor Vehicle Registration and Parking Program at Luther. There are distinct sources of my frustrations, and upon talking to my fellow Baker-ites, apartment-inians, and Prairie Housers, I’ve decided to write into Chips in hopes of sparking conversation and change about a frustration many seem to share.

First of all, the Baker “B permit” parking pass is incredibly limiting. We can only park in the city pool lot, the Regents Center lot, and Baker Village parking areas. While the Vehicle Registration and Parking website claims that the program is designed to provide “the achievement of as equitable an arrangement as possible for allocating parking privileges to students on the basis of residence in relation to distance from campus,” it feels as though there is not much thought going towards the off-campus residents in Baker Village.

Besides apartments and commuters, Baker residents live the farthest from campus (to my knowledge) yet are only given the privilege to the lots on the outskirts of campus.

For those of us who have classes in Larsen Hall, Loyalty Hall, Main, Okham, the Center for Fine Arts (CFA), and Jenson Noble, this does not really help us all that much.

L a s t week, many members of the Baker community found their cars adorned with small yellow parking tickets for parking on adjacent public streets, including High Street, Leif Erickson, North Street, Ohio Street, Center Street, Ridge Road, and Riverview Street. General parking passes,

issued to students living anywhere on campus, can park on all of those streets, as well as the library, Jenson, Larsen, Farwell, Olson, City Pool lot, and Regents Center lots.

General pass holders, because they live on campus, do not have as much of a need for that many options. It also seems unfair and confusing that Baker residents can not park on public roads, despite having done so for years and having more of a need to do so than general pass holders.

Additionally, many Baker residents find themselves on campus from early in the morning to late in the evening. Regarding the location of the parking lots to the rest of campus, this often means a long walk in the dark to get back to our vehicles.

“Baker residents live the farthest from campus (to my knowledge), yet they are only given the privilege to the lots on the outskirts of campus.”

-Cassidy Woods (‘18)

The Norse Poll

“I don’t see why people can’t park in the other spaces. If you buy a parking pass for the same price as everyone else you should be able to park wherever you want. They should open it up so if people are staying somewhere else on campus or need to park in one of the other lots they are able to do that.”

-Kalie Kampa (‘18)

“Baker parking is extremely limiting and inconvenient for Baker residents unless you’re planning to go swimming in the public pool because the pool lot is not actually much closer than just walking from Baker. Sometimes that’s not plausible in time constraints or safety. A lot of us are on campus for music and we can’t park anywhere near the music building. It’s not convenient, especially for how much it costs.”

-Meredith Diebold (‘18)

The walk from campus to the available lots are very poorly lit. With increased campus safety alerts, I often do not feel safe making this walk, nor do I want to have to call security every time I need to run to our vehicles or every single night when I finish my studies or extracurricular activities.

In my discussions with other offcampus residents, we have brainstormed multiple solutions. These include being able to park on adjacent streets, contacting Student Senate to make policy changes, making Farwell/Storre lot available for parking, making the Jenson lot an offcampus/commuter lot, a Baker-to-campus hourly security shuttle, greatly reduced parking pass rates due to how limited our options are, or opening the first row of the library lot for off-campus parking. These are just ideas, some more realistic than others.

Most of the time, we walk. On days with inclement weather, particularly long days, or when we are running late, my roommates and I have driven onto campus and simply want more and/or better options for our vehicles.

Signed, Cassidy Woods (‘18)

Should Baker parking permits be expanded to other lots?

“I think that there should be an expansion for parking in Baker because people who live in Baker are far away from every other class, and if they need to drive to class, then it can be very frustrating if they are parked far away.”

-Rachel Schwabenbauer (‘19)

SPORTS

PAGE 11

OCTOBER 12, 2017

SPORTS EDITOR: BEN SELCKE

Men’s and women’s soccer pick up first conference losses NATALIE NELSON STAFF WRITER Both women’s and men’s soccer lost 0-2 to Loras College on Sunday, Oct. 8, the first conference loss for both teams. The games were originally scheduled for Saturday night but were postponed to Sunday afternoon due to the rain.

The men’s team had six shots on goal to Loras’ three. Loras players Marcus Singleton and Luke Denson scored the two goals.

The women’s team had four shots on goal to Loras’ eight. Loras players Kiki Cabrera and Elizabeth Mills scored. Luther goalie Lauren Thormodsgard (‘18) made six saves during the game.

The Head Women’s Soccer Coach Russ Schouweiler commented on the high level of competition during Sunday’s match.

“We tied for first place with [Loras] last year, so we shared the trophy with them,” Schouweiler said. “They play a different brand of soccer than we’re used to and so we’ve got to adjust a little bit. Loras-Luther, soccer-wise, has always been a very good competitive rivalry for us.”

Schouweiler said he was happy with the team’s progress and attitude so far.

“It’s a young team and I’ve asked them to do a lot and to play in a bunch of different spots,” Schouweiler said. “The amount of learning they’ve done and the amount of growth they’ve shown from the middle of August to now is really awesome.”

Meredith Arpey (‘18) agreed that the team has improved together this season.

“It’s a different team, but I think we’re playing really well together,” Arpey said. “We’ve changed up our formation and everyone’s playing new positions, but everyone’s doing really well.

The biggest challenge is just making sure we’re playing our best soccer and just focusing on us.”

Head Men’s Soccer Coach Chris Garcia-Prats, said that

Hanna Christopher (‘19) fights for possession of the ball. conference play will be challenging.

“I think the top six teams probably are able to win the conference championship,” Garcia-Prats said. “Loras has won the conference championship most recently, so obviously we’re trying to get the trophy back to Decorah. Right now, six teams in the conference are in the top 15 teams in the region, so that creates a big challenge.”

Both Luther teams are now 2-1 in their conferences.

According to Schouweiler, the women’s conference is equally challenging.

“I think right now you could still flip a coin to see who will

Photo courtesy of Photo Bureau come out on top,” Schouweiler said. “I think it’s that close.”

Garcia-Prats explained that having a home game for Homecoming was a rare and exciting occurrence.

“I think this is only my second time in ten years to be at home for Homecoming, so it adds a little bit of an edge for us to have support at the game,” Garcia-Prats said.

Since it was Homecoing weekend there was a 20-year reunion for the ‘97 conference championship team, and both teams honored alumni at the games.

Both men’s and women’s soccer will play home games against Wartburg College Friday, Oct. 13.

Volleyball suffers defeat to Wartburg at home OLIVIA ENQUIST STAFF WRITER Conference leader Wartburg College defeated Luther College Women’s Volleyball at home on Oct. 4. Luther lost all three sets with scores of 25-18, 25-11, and 25-21.

The loss dropped Luther’s conference record to 2-2 and to a 10-7 overall score. Wartburg’s win moved their standing to 14-3 overall.

Natalie Cote (‘19) reflected on the defeat.

“They are a really good team who played their best volleyball against us,” Cote said. “We knew going into the game that it would be tough. We learned a lot about how to respond when we aren’t playing our best volleyball and how to adjust to other teams.”

Wartburg College senior and 2016 Iowa Conference MVP Aryn Jones led all attackers with 13 kills and an attack percentage of .524. Throughout the sets, Wartburg controlled much of the net, while Luther maintained an attack percentage of .089. In total, Luther tallied seven total team blocks.

The Luther women’s volleyball team were supported by top attackers Emma Veum (‘19), who was credited with nine kills and three total blocks, Morgan Towne (‘20) with six kills, and Anna Larson (‘19) with five kills.

In the first set of the game, Wartburg maintained a score of 14-10 into the second timeout. While Luther aimed to continue to tighten the gap between the scores, they ultimately lost 25-18 in the first set.

Towne described how playing against Wartburg, a rival team, affected the game.

“Our team was physically prepared, but we were not mentally prepared to take on Wartburg that night,” Towne said. “They are a very tough team to beat and I believe that

Natalie Cote (‘19) sends the ball over the net with a bump. we may have underestimated them. I do think this was a great learning experience for us. I hope that we have the opportunity to play Wartburg again in the future.”

Wartburg established themselves early in the second set, maintaining a score of 14-2 into the second timeout. At one point, play briefly stopped as Wartburg first-year Katie Foster appeared to be injured after diving for the ball. However, play quickly resumed and Wartburg won 25-11.

Assistant Student Manager in charge of statistics, Shannon Baker (‘20) described how team attitude can affect success in a game.

“Not all games are played the same way by any team, whether or not there exists a particular rivalry,” Baker said.

Photo courtesy of Photo Bureau “There are a lot of factors that determine the relative ‘success’ of the game. Individual mindset and collective energy are just a couple of them.”

The third set proved to be the most equal in terms of scoring. Luther maintained a score of 12-12 until Wartburg scored two straight points to regain the lead. Wartburg won the final set 25-21.

Cote reflected on how the matches against Wartburg affected their ranking within the conference.

“We are 2-2 in conference,” Cote said. “We won’t know much about standings until it’s all over. Our conference is well-spread, talent-wise, and teams that shouldn’t lose have been losing. It’s whoever shows up to play.”

SPORTS

PAGE 12

SPORTS EDITOR: BEN SELCKE

OCTOBER 12, 2017

Norse erase 17 point deficit in homecoming stunner

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

IIAC 3-0 3-0 2-2 2-2 2-2 2-2 1-2 1-2 0-4

Recent Scores

Overall 5-0 4-1 3-2 3-3 3-3 3-3 3-2 3-2 0-6

October 7 vs. Nebraska Wes. W 41-39

Upcoming Schedule

October 14 vs. Simpson College

Women’s Soccer Justin Montgomery (‘18) evades a defender as he rushes the ball.

BEN SELCKE SPORTS EDITOR The Luther football team won their Homecoming game against Nebraska Wesleyan University in overtime on Saturday, Oct. 7. Luther won 41-38 to remain undefeated in conference play.

Nebraska Wesleyan University scored the first point of the game with a touchdown seven and a half minutes into the first quarter. Luther answered a minute and a half later to even out the score 7-7, but Nebraska Wesleyan finished the quarter ahead, 14-7.

In the second quarter, Luther scored two additional times and Nebraska scored once to tie the score at 21-21.

Despite Nebraska Wesleyan’s winless record, Luther’s Head Coach Aaron Hafner anticipated a difficult game from the beginning.

“We knew coming in they were going to be a good football team,” Hafner said. “[The game] went back and forth. They would make a big play, we would make a big play. It was just a really hard fought first half.”

Sean Trewin (‘18) echoed Hafner and added that team morale was high.

“Heading into halftime we still had no doubt that this was going to be a hard game,” Trewin said. “We still thought we could pull it off.”

Approaching thunderstorms halted the game two and a half minutes

before halftime. The game delay lasted an hour and a half until the storm passed. The extra time from the first half rolled over into the second half, and the delay was treated as halftime.

Hafner explained his concerns during the long delay.

“Whatever they needed to do to go back out and play, we let them do,” Hafner said. “My biggest concern was that the kids would start getting sore, but I think our kids came out with good intensity and played very hard after [the delay].”

According to Trewin, the rain delay served as a rest for the players, giving them recovery time.

“In halftime, we get our feet underneath us,” Trewin said. “So [this time] we had even more time to recover to keep going. We came out [of the half ] with a lot of energy, which was beneficial for us.”

After the rain delay, Nebraska Wesleyan scored in the final minutes of the second quarter to bring the official score of the first half to 28-21.

In the third quarter, Nebraska extended their lead by 10 points.

According to Hafner, the third quarter was difficult for the Norse because of mistakes made by Luther players and the wet conditions on the field.

“I think the wet ball caused us a couple of fumbles,” Hafner said. “We threw an interception that they took

Chris Schramm (‘20) rushes the ball into Nebraska Wesleyan. territory.

Photo courtesy of Photo Bureau

Photo courtesy of Photo Bureau back and scored a touchdown on that.

I give credit to [Nebraska Wesleyan] for capitalizing on our mistakes, but a lot the issues going on in the game were self-induced.”

According to Hafner, even though the team was down 17 points heading into the fourth quarter, the players maintained their morale.

“There was a great deal of resilience from our team,” Hafner siad. “There are a lot of teams down 17 in the fourth quarter that aren’t going to fight hard.

I didn’t see anything on the sideline to indicate that we weren’t going to fight hard to the end, and it paid off for us.”

According to Hafner, Nick Slaven’s (‘18) kick return in the beginning of the fourth quarter positioned the team well. The Norse controlled the last quarter, scoring 20 unanswered points to win the game.

As a result of his performance in the game, Cory Wirth (‘18) was named IIAC Special Teams Player of the Week. Wirth kicked a 25-yard field goal to win the game in overtime.

Mitchell Van Epps (‘18) credited the team’s experience for turning the game around in the fourth quarter.

“The thing about this team is we’re senior-driven,” Van Epps said. “We’ve been in those situations before where we haven’t seen the outcome that we wanted, so we know how it feels to play from behind. Defensively, you take it one snap at a time and just try to get off the field so the offense is able to score points.”

The rain may have affected the number of fumbles, still the recently installed turf field received praise for how it handled the weather by making the game safer.

“I have been a part of rain games on dirt fields and they’re sloppy and muddy,” Trewin said. “I know that when we’re on the [new] turf and we’re making cuts and tackling, we’re still able to perform. It’s beneficial when we’re trying to keep our feet under us.”

Luther is now ranked second in the conference behind Wartburg College.

Luther’s next football game is away against Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, on Saturday, Oct. 14. Simpson is currently at two wins and two losses in the conference, and this game will be their Homecoming game.

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

IIAC 4-0 2-1-2 2-1-1 2-1-1 2-1 2-1 1-3 1-4 0-4

Overall 10-1-1 8-4-2 10-2-2 6-4-2 11-2 5-6 4-9 4-8-1 2-11-1

Recent Scores

October 8 vs. Loras College L 0-2

Upcoming Schedule

October 10 vs. Simpson College

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

IIAC 4-0 2-1-1 2-1-1 2-1 2-2 2-2 1-2 0-3 0-3

Overall 13-0-1 7-2-3 6-4-2 6-4-2 7-5-1 6-5 8-3 3-8 3-9-1

Recent Scores

October 8 vs. Loras College L 0-2

Upcoming Schedule

October 10 vs. Simpson College

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

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

Overall 8-1 8-3 8-2 7-4 8-4 8-6 2-7 3-7 2-10

Recent Scores

October 7 vs. Simpson College W 6-0

Upcoming Schedule

October 13-14 IIAC Individual Tournament

Volleyball Wartburg Dubuque Coe Buena Vista Loras Luther Nebraska Wes. Simpson Central

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

Recent Scores

Overall 15-5 20-2 11-12 14-9 9-12 12-8 8-10 7-12 8-14

October 7 vs. Gustavus Adolphus College L 0-3

Upcoming Schedule

October 11 vs. Coe College