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Holiday Full of A celebrations Capella! on campus Features 6 A&E 8
CHIPS LUTHER COLLEGE
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December 12, 2013
Vol. 135, No. 12
Since 1884
Sodexo cuts employee benefits
Casey DeLima/Chips
Working behind the counter. Student worker Jocelyn Petersen (‘14) and manager Denise Creek wait to serve customers at Marty’s Cyber Cafe.
Julia Joseph
Staff writer
To comply with the Affordable Care Act, Sodexo is changing how they count part-time versus full-time staff. This has an effect on nine Dining Services employees at Luther, whose
benefits will be cut starting Jan. 1. “There have never been benefits for part-time staff,” Executive Director of Dining Services Wayne Tudor said. “Sodexo looked at hours worked from Oct. 2012 to Oct. 2013. A fulltime employee has to work at least 30 hours a week; anything less is considered part time.”
The Affordable Care Act was signed into U.S law three years ago by President Obama to help with health care. Sodexo could face severe financial penalties if they do not comply with the regulations of the act. “Human Resources came in September to notify us about the upcoming changes,” Dining
Services employee Michelle Davis said. “They did not explain exactly what was going to happen and who it would affect until we received a letter in the mail in November.” Sodexo continued on page 4
Olin floods during Former president Torgerson Thanksgiving break receives sabbatical salary Britta Thompson
Staff writer
A sprinkler problem caused flooding damage in several rooms in Olin over Thanksgiving break. At around 2 p.m. on Nov. 29, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Mike Johnson visited Olin to get something from his office. He discovered that the fire alarm was going off, according to Steve Arneson (‘75) of Facilities Services. Johnson promptly called Security. They saw that water had run
down the stairs and into the Olin lobby. Further investigation by Facilities Services revealed that a malfunctioning sprinkler head in Olin 340, one of the offices, was flooding the inside of the building. “The office was locked, dark, no one was around,” Arneson said. “There was no fire, there was no anything, but for some reason, [the sprinkler head] popped off. To this day, we don’t know why. The water was running for about an hour Flooding continued on page 4
Laura Hayes
to a year’s salary for the
decision was made in the
Following his retirement last year, the Luther College Board of Regents granted former Luther College President Richard Torgerson an amount of money equal
year. Torgerson was the president of the college for fourteen years and in 2009, the Chronicle for Higher Education reported that Torgerson’s base pay was $225,125. Although this
year, faculty members were not informed until the fall. “Faculty have been told that the Board of Regents, who are the fiduciary agents
Staff writer current 2013-2014 school spring of the previous school
Professor candidate for Ellen DeGeneres show Marin Nycklemoe &
Casey DeLima
Britta Thompson/Chips
Clean-up in Room 340. Facilities works to repair and clean up a water-damaged office in Olin that flooded over break.
Torgerson’s salary continued on page 4
Staff writer News editor
Luther College may get five minutes of fame because of the incredible story of a black Labrador named Jake. Professor of Communications studies Kim Powell is also the head of the Northeast Iowa Humane Society chapter and has sent in the story of Jake to the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“Jake was tied up on a short leash for all of his life,” Powell said. “He rubbed most of the skin on his face off out of sheer boredom. It destroyed his nasal cavities and most of his face.” Jake’s owner abandoned him in the country to fend for himself, leaving him injured and alone. Picked up sometime later, Jake was brought to Powell’s attention. She connected him with a foster home. Soon, Jake had reconstructive surgery for his face and his Humane society continued on page 4