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February 23, 2012

Vol. 134, No. 14

Black History Conference recalls country’s past Maria Da Silva/Photo Bureau

Jim Crow in 2012? Michelle Alexander lectures on the mass incarceration of African-Americans across the United States.

Keynote speaker claims systematic discrimination still occurs today Lauren Maze

Staff Writer

In honor of Black History Month, Luther hosted its ninth annual Black History Conference on Feb. 15-16. The theme of this year’s conference, “Modern Blackness and the New Jim Crow(s),” focused on the criminal justice system in America and discrimination of people of color, long after the abolition of Jim Crow laws in 1965.

came up with the idea for a conference because of the activist history associated with black studies.

“We were talking about the discipline of black studies and thought, ‘this discipline is kind of an activist discipline; it has an activist

history and we should do some kind of action or community service as part of the discipline,’” Radford-Hill said. “I said, ‘maybe we could try a conference’ … and they haven’t stopped me since.”

The idea behind the conference is to educate and instruct others about the history of our country, as well as honor those who fought for racial equality.

“I think the idea is to honor a black typical American tradition and heroes,” Professor of English Martin Klammer said. “[We want to] in terms of art, music and literature.”

The conference was composed of many panels led by members of

Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color-Blindness,” Black History continued on page 10

Since 1884

Torgerson to retire Public Information President Richard Torgerson has announced that he will end his tenure as president of the college in the summer of 2013.

“In the summer of 2013 Judy and I will complete 14 amazingly wonderful years at Luther College,” President Torgerson said. “We do not know where our journey might lead us, but we have great faith that once again we will be called to serve where our passions and gifts Paula Meyer, Chair of the Luther College Board of Regents, board for the work and commitment the President and Mrs. Torgerson have invested in the College.

“Both Rick and Judy have devoted their lives to the college and board members, faculty, staff and students have been both inspired and motivated by their passion,” Meyer said.

President’s Torgerson’s accomplishments include the addition of three major facilities Laboratories, The Center for the Arts, and the completion of The Legends Fitness Center - as well as the renovation of four other campus buildings and all student resident halls.

Torgerson continued on page 10

Soak up the sun Solar panels to be installed for Baker Josh Hoffman

Staff Writer

Baker Village is set to be fully powered by the sun beginning June 1.

A 280 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system will make the already highly This will be Luther’s second solar project. A much smaller system currently powers the Sustainability House.

Luther College President Richard Torgerson commended the new project.

“The opportunity to have Baker Village essentially powered by the sun provides further support for Luther’s commitment to be a model for sustainable practices,” Torgerson said. “We are grateful for

this partnership with a local investor who is equally committed to sustainable living.”

The installation of the system will help Luther achieve another of its sustainability goals.

“As a charter signatory to the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment,” the college’s sustainability web page states, “Luther College committed to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by the 2014-2015 school year.”

Professor of Religion Jim MartinSchramm has been involved in the development of the project.

“Baker Village is not connected to the same electricity line that powers the vast

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3. S 2.

Solar Panels continued on page 10 Graphic by Noah Lange/Chips

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February 23, 2012

Competition challenges students to live sustainably Josh Hoffman

Staff Writer

Luther Sustainability’s annual Energy Competition, kicking off this week, strives to reduce energy and water use throughout the dorms on campus.

The competition runs Feb. 20 to March 11 and involves Brandt, Dieseth, Farwell, Larsen, Miller, Olson, Ylvisaker and Baker Village.

Students can pledge to participate on the individual or group level.

“This year the Energy Competition has

part of a larger national push by 170 campuses competing to cumulatively reduce their energy consumption by one gigawatt. This amount of energy of coal and would decrease carbon dioxide output by 16,200,000 cubic feet.

This year’s competition is hyper-focused on expanding student participation.

“I am excited about this year’s energy competition, which is actually a lot different than last year’s

“This year the competition is focused on the individual level, aiming to garner as much participation as possible.”

Sustainability student worker Energy and Rachel Selvig Waste Steward (‘14) said.

Eric Holthaus “Last year the said.

“There’s competition was a large, new more focused on infrastructure for the national level, the competition but this year that includes -Rachel Selvig the competition many ways to is focused on the individual level, aiming to Cash incentives and rewards garner as much participation as have been incorporated into the competition to spur “Students can … see daily visual updates on their bulletin will win a total of $1,400, three boards regarding who is playing and who is winning and get one hall will win the Energy creative [with ways to reduce Competition Trophy.

The Energy Competition is There are three ways to

Walker Nyenhuis/Chips

Lights off, game on. Global Concerns Organizer Jenna Yeakle (‘12) often uses natural light to study and encourages her housemates to turn off electronics and lights when they are not in use. participate in the energy competition.

Students can

details on these methods of participation can be found on the Luther Sustainability website.

“Giving students the

responsibility and leadership in Luther’s sustainability goals Global Concerns Organizer Jenna Yeakle (‘12) said. “When students have a stake in enacting change, they are more apt to

Last year, Ylvisaker Hall won the energy competition.

Students can check their hall’s energy consumption online on Luther’s Energy Dashboard and then compare their hall’s energy usage to that of other halls. This information can also be found dorm. broadcast energy competition information regarding how much energy each dorm has consumed, what dorm rooms are participating, and who has won Strategy sessions conducted

by Hall Captains occur every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. strategy sessions, Hall Captains reveal the goals for the week and further tips on how to live sustainably.

“The ultimate goal is to get students’ behaviors to change,

Josh Hoffman/Chips

Smiles for sustainability. Anna Burke (‘15) and Travis Houle (‘15) show off the poster to be displayed on RA bulletin boards in each dorm that will track the energy reduction of each hall, alert residents to events and show ways to reduce energy.

Selvig said. “We hope anything participants learn during the competition will be incorporated into their normal behavior and

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Life outside Luther News you can use from around the globe

Freeman offers ancient advice for modern politicians John Freude &

Staff Writer

Ashley Matthys

News Editor

primary.

“Now, I was thinking about negative campaigning in this year’s Republican primaries,” Siegel said.

“In this case, when Quintus was writing to his brother of Antonius,

Professor of Classics Philip Freeman was recently featured he wrote scathingly about him. He on National Public Radio’s “All said, how can the man establish Things Considered” to discuss his friendships when he can’t even new translation of a book that gives remember anyone’s name?” ancient Roman Freeman agreed that advice for establishing close ties political success. to supporters is a smart His book, titled campaign tactic.

“How To Win “That’s one of Quintus’ An Election: An pieces of advice – always Ancient Guide remember the names for Modern of your supporters,” Politicians,” Freeman said. “That was brings new light one of the tamer things he to a story that has said about Antonius.” been around since -Philip Freeman Freeman noted that 64 BCE. Quintus also promoted “It’s a story that negative campaign the public is pretty oblivious to, but advertisements against political I’ve known about it for years, and opponents. with the election coming up, it’s a “[Quintus] reminded Cicero to must read,” Freeman said. expose all of the sexual scandals that The book is a letter written by Antonius had been involved in, which Quintus Cicero to his brother Marcus were pretty bad,” Freeman said. “He Cicero advising him on how to run got elected anyway but still, that was his campaign for consul. important ... to always keep in mind “Marcus was an outsider and not your opponent’s weaknesses, and to a part of the Roman nobility, which left him at a serious disadvantage,” Freeman explains. “Not only that, but he was originally a bad speaker and pretty poor, too.”

Some of the advice that Quintus bequeaths to his brother that leads to Marcus’ victory includes “call in favors,” “don’t leave town,” “promise everything to everybody,” and “know the weakness of your opponents and exploit them.”

“It may be from 2,000 years ago, but it’s advice that is still being used today,” Freeman said.

According to Luther’s public

“It may be from 2,000 years ago, but it’s advice that is still being used today.”

book has received national attention, including endorsements from Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush, and Gary Hart, former U.S. senator. ” The host of the radio show, Robert Siegel, related events in the book to occurrences in the 2012 Republican

exploit them.”

Freeman’s appearance on “All Things Considered” on NPR’s day dedicated to politics and elections was part of a week-long tour to promote his book.

“Luther’s Public Relations has done a great job promoting the book and the radio show even contacted me to come and join,” Freeman said.

The promotional tour led Freeman to the set of MSNBC where he took part in a panel of experts to discuss the current state of election strategies compared to the past.

“One of the best parts of being a professor is the ability to do something like this translation and then share it with the public,” Freeman said.

This is by no means Freeman’s years here at Luther.

“I actually translated this book while taking a break from writing the other book I just published, ‘Oh My Gods,’” Freeman said.

Freeman has also published biographies of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and St. Patrick among many others.

Freeman’s book is available in the Luther Shop.

Compiled by: Ashley Matthys News Editor

GOP ‘super PACs’ buoyed by mega donors in January A pair of “super” political action committees supporting top Republican presidential candidates spent nearly $24 million in January, drawing upon major gifts and repeat donations from wealthy business with the government.

to hit the airwaves in key primary states with millions of dollars in expensive TV ads. *** Obama takes tougher stance on higher education Access to college has been the driving force in federal higher education policy for decades. But the Obama administration is pushing a fundamental agenda shift that aggressively brings a new question into the debate: What are people getting for their money?

Students with loans are graduating on average with more than $25,000 in debt. The federal government pours $140 billion annually into federal grants and loans. Unemployment remains high, yet there are projected shortages in many industries with some high-tech companies already complaining about a lack of highly trained workers.

Meanwhile, literacy among college students has declined in the last decade. About 40 percent of college students at four-year schools aren’t graduating, and in two-year programs, only about 40 percent of students graduate or transfer, according to the policy and analysis group College Measures. *** YouTube is enlisting Hollywood’s help to reach a generation of viewers more familiar with smartphones than TV remotes.

The idea is to create 96 additional YouTube channels, which are essentially artists’ home pages, where viewers can see existing video Well-funded videos by a select roster of stars are likely to be more watchable than the average YouTube fare of cute cats and webcam monologues. YouTube is betting that a solid stream of good content will attract more revenue from advertisers, bring viewers back frequently Google TV. *** Inmate massacre underlines Mexico prison problems The revelation that guards likely helped members of the violent Zetas drug cartel slaughter 44 rival inmates and break out of a northern Mexico jail throws new attention on the enormous corruption inside the country’s overcrowded, underfunded prisons.

John Freude/Chips

Political advice that stands the test of time. Professor of Classics Phillip Freeman was featured on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” to discuss his book “How to Win an Election.”

have helped 30 Zetas escape during the confusion of a riot early Sunday in which other Zetas fatally bludgeoned and knifed 44 members of the rival Gulf cartel, Nuevo Leon Gov. Rodrigo Medina said Monday.

The massacre in this northern state was one of the worst prison killings in Mexico in at least a quarter-century and exposed another his drug war.

Board of Regents to begin presidential search Torgerson continued from page 1

President Torgerson also directed two strategic plans to advance the college, and led Luther’s Development team to the completion of three major campaigns for scholarships, facilities and other educational needs.

President Torgerson said serving at Luther has been an

calling as an education leader.

“The Luther community has made this journey one of joy, Torgerson said. “I especially want to express my appreciation to the leadership team at Luther that has contributed so much to the success and achievements we have realized over these years. Leaders can only be successful when they surround themselves with strong and

capable colleagues.”

Regent Chair Meyer said Luther is in excellent position as the board addresses this period of presidential change. facilities are in peak condition and student enrollment has remained relatively steady in an environment that is challenging for many private liberal arts institutions,” Meyer said.

*** Emu escapes from farm, on the run for 5 weeks An elusive emu on the run in Vermont has been amusing residents in communities on Lake Champlain.

The emu’s owner tells WCAX-TV he bought three emus for his grandchildren but they don’t make great pets.

He’s taken out an ad in a local newspaper saying, “Free emu if you can capture it.”

Life outside Luther compiled from: http://ap.org

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Arts & Entertainment

February 23, 2012

Ugandan children show their spirit Empower African Children

Jayne Cole

She began EAC to help provide children with through education and musical performance. She wanted to complete this by focusing on bettering the mind, body and soul.

The Spirit of Uganda performance was then created as a product of EAC to teach children their own culture and provide them with knowledge and leadership skills. Those selected to perform travel each year to the United States to tell their stories through song and dance. All proceeds go directly to the organization.

She hopes that empowering children will lead to a more promising future for Uganda, a country she describes as holding a lot of potential.

“I wanted to create transformative experience programs. That’s where we have seen changes in people’s lives,” Hefley said. “Not only will you see the power of human spirits, these kids are participants in their own solutions. We’re in it together, we are all part of their future.”

Nearly 50% of the population of Uganda are under the age of 18, many orphaned through HIV/AIDS or civil war.

Staff Writer opportunities

The Spirit of Uganda brought Luther College a taste of Ugandan culture through song and dance on Feb. 21. The show was presented by the Performing Arts Committee and sponsored by the Luther College Diversity Council.

The performance was a product of the non-profit organization Empower African Children out of Dallas, Texas and Kamala, Uganda. EAC works to assist orphaned and underprivileged children in Uganda.

The Spirit of Uganda performance is part of the larger Holistic Care Program. The care program also offers educational opportunities, scholarships and counseling. EAC is currently in the process of building a secondary school, which will have a focus on music education.

Founder Alexis Hefley began working in Uganda 19 years ago after quitting her job as a banker.

“I thought there must be more to life,” Hefley said, who started EAC in 2006.

Empower African Children

When soul meets body. The Ugandan children focus on bettering themselves through fun and dance.

The performance features 22 Ugandan youth, all of whom are orphans or were in vulnerable circumstances.

The children are all involved with EAC. “The performance has a lot of energy and a huge cast,” President of the Performing Arts Committee Lindsay Sheridan (‘13) said. “It is vibrant and joyful.

There are bright costumes, rhythmic drumming, all coupled with call and response. It is really beautiful music.”

Artistic Director Peter Kasule is a product of the organization himself. After he finished performing with EAC, he continued his education in the United States and earned a degree in music technology. He later returned to EAC in 2005 and is now in charge of the show’s music and choreography.

“Performing is a voice. We come from a place where children have no voice. Through performing, they are given a voice and a place in society,” Kasule said.

To give the audience a sense of Uganda in 90 minutes, Kasule researched different songs and dances from all corners of the country. He included traditional rhythms, instruments and dress to showcase the Ugandan lifestyle and different tribal groups. Each song serves to tell a story or represent an important Ugandan symbol, such as the “OruntegeNtogoro” courtship dance and the “Kikibi” dance, which includes movements to represent a snake.

“Uganda is a rich and beautiful country. The Spirit of Uganda is hope, joy and understanding of the culture.” Kasule said.

Director of Campus Programming Benji Nichols was excited for the opportunity to host the group and bring their story to the Luther community.

“It truly is young Ugandans with an immense amount of joy in what they are doing and sharing their culture.” Nichols said.

There was a remembrance at the performance for Sylvia Gift Nabukeera, a Luther graduate from Uganda. Nabukeera was killed in Kenya in 2011.

The troupe will continue their stay in the United States until April, when their 23 city tour is complete.

Students may also have noticed a Uwezo Brands stand at the performance. The items for sale are fair trade products, made using African materials.

The brand was created through EAC’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, which focuses on creating economic opportunities. All proceeds from the sales benefit the EAC organization.

For more information and ways to contribute, visit EmpowerAfricanChildren.org and UwezoBrands. com.

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February 23, 2012

Arts & Entertainment

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“Vagina Monologues” pushes the envelope against tampons, douches, etc. in “My Angry

Megan Creasey

Staff Writer Vagina,” while others, like “My Vagina Was My Village,” compiled from Bosnian rape

“Vaginas. Vaginas. No matter how many times you say it, it never sounds like a word you want to say,” the monologue of “The Vagina Monologues” puts forth. Luther students and faculty presented the collection of monologues in its annual performances on Feb. 17-19.

Luther has been putting on a yearly production of “The Vagina Monologues” since not long after Eve Enzler wrote the play in 1996. The show, performed entirely by women, is the cornerstone of V-Day, a movement to stop violence toward women.

The monologues themselves highlight some of these violence issues this year’s director Kelsie Hoehne (‘13) explained.

“There’s always a spotlight monologue, which is a new piece written every year, depending on the current global women’s issues,” Hoehne said.

The monologues cover a wide range of issues and emotions, however; some are celebratory, like “Reclaiming the Word Cunt,” which encourages people to turn a derogatory word into a positive one.

Performer Abby Nance (‘12) sees reclaiming words as an important piece of the women’s movement and of the show.

“Part of the premise of ‘The Vagina Monologues’ is making ‘vagina’ a word that’s acceptable and commonplace, something that isn’t seen as dirty or derogatory. It’s an important step,” Nance said.

Other monologues are funny, like the rant

Audience member Nick Sanches (‘13) was astounded at the stories of genital mutilation.

“When they were talking about the removal of the clitoris, that was really horrible and shocking,” Sanches said.

Although all of the monologues are performed by women, Hoehne wanted men to get involved as well.

“It isn’t just about men being mean to women.

It’s about gendered violence and that is far-reaching,” Hoehne said.

“Everybody has been affected by that in some respect or another.”

The show began with a performance from male cast members of last semester’s Theatre Dance production of the musical “Spring Awakening,” who sang with gusto “The Bitch of Living,” a song about adolescent sexuality.

Men are also encouraged to stand up for women’s rights in the show.

“The last monologue addresses the good guys and asks, ‘Where are you? Where have you been?’ We need guys working with us to end this, because women’s rights are so tied in with other forms of repression,” Nance said.

Fellow performer Aimee Schreiber (‘12) agreed, and hoped to see a large turnout of men.

“I would love to see a whole audience full of gentlemen, I really would,” Schreiber

said. monologues are read from black cue cards.

However, the show can prove challenging “It’s not because we don’t have time to for both actors and audience learn them; it’s a decision of the playwright,” members.

Hoehne explained. “We’re portraying the “My father’s not coming. fact that these aren’t actually our stories, He calls it my ‘theatre but rather that we’re representing production,’” Schreiber women in general or another woman’s laughed.

“But even people who are slightly Schreiber hoped the performance uncomfortable with it will would generate strong emotional enjoy themselves.” responses.

“It also takes a lot of “I want some laughter, and nerves to go onstage I would be a little upset if and talk about taboo no one cried, because there subjects,” performer are some really emotionally Jenna Dosch (‘12) intense moments,” said.

“Saying the Schreiber said. word ‘clitoris’ in front The show brought of an audience isn’t laughter, shock and tears something you do every to both male and female day,” Dosch said. audience members, and Performer Maria the Sunday performance Reyes (‘12) discussed was followed by a the candidness required forum about gendered for the show. violence to encourage “When you talk dialogue about the issues about vaginas raised in “The Vagina onstage, people Monologues.” automatically “I hope the audience think of takes away that ‘Vagina your vagina, Monologues’ is not just but you’re a women’s show or about representing women’s problems,” Nance said. vaginas of other “It’s an important issue to be women,” Reyes said. aware of, no matter what For this reason, the gender you are.”

Photo Bureau Howlin’ for you. giving a haunting performance.

Opinion:

When politics and awards shows mix Ethan Groothuis

A&E Editor

My favorite part of the year is about to come to a close. When a lot of people are getting excited and geared up for Christmas in November and December, I am actively celebrating the that will eventually be nominated are released, as well as all

of the seemingly hundreds of awards shows that precede the Oscars.

While I was hoping that the only drama/politics this year in Oscar season was going to be the ex-producer of ceremonies Brett Ratner’s gay slur/Eddie Murphy dropping out as host

their political nature and not due to the actual achievement in

to win most of the awards this year) “The Descendants” and “Moneyball” are brilliant in many aspects, but crowd pleasers like “The Help” and especially “Extremely Loud and “Extremely Loud and Inredibly Close” was one of the more poorly reviewed movies of 2011, and it seems pretty apparent that its inclusion was because of the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. I do not mean to belittle the travesty that happened on that day, but this is the most prestigeous awards show in the world, and politics should be far removed.

Likewise, “Drive,” once a favorite for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Albert Brooks) as well as many other awards, was snubbed in every category except Best Sound Editing. Not only was “Drive” the best movie made last year, it also was much more willing to break the cinematic mold and test the edges of what has been explored. I feel like this alone is reason enough for a few more nominations, if not the wins it deserves.

It is such a nitpicky thing to gripe about, but the Oscars were once held in a basement where fellow producers would award each other solely for their accomplishments. In recent history, we have had too many political issues invade the ceremony like “Saving Private Ryan” losing to “Shakespeare in Love” because Steven Spielberg was not willing enough to bribe Academy members.

Film District

receives the most nominations of the year (11), they should be projected to win at least one of them, unlike the situation that is currently unfolding. Granted, most of the categories it

Warner Bros.

is nominated in are shared with “The Artist,” but for a movie to be recognized the most in nominations and not win a single one shows a bit of the hypocrisy that currently plagues the Academy.

Despite all of this, I still plan on watching the ceremony this Sunday. Regardless of my feelings toward the movies nominated or not nominated this year, at the very least it is is not an “Avatar” year again.

Try to compete against me by checking out my Oscar predictions ballot on lutherchips.com/arts_entertainment .

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February 23, 2012

‘Fifty Nifty States’ at ArtHaus Emily Temte (‘13) discusses her art exhibit, the work that went into it and the ambiguity of square states Charlie Parrish

Staff Writer

It’s Wednesday morning. The sun is shining through the ArtHaus windows in downtown Decorah. Emily Temte (‘13) points at what might be North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado. “I think it’s Kansas,” she laughs. “We purposely hung all the square states on the same wall, because if you don’t know the states well you can’t tell which is which.”

Temte is gesturing toward her art exhibit, “Fifty Nifty States,” on display at ArtHaus through the end of the month. She was awarded this opportunity through her success in the ArtHaus Emerging Artists’ Exhibition.

She took runner-up to the best in show, Hannah Kosgard (‘13). Kosgard is currently studying abroad, so Temte was selected for this Emerging Artists Solo Exhibition.

“I was looking for a larger project to do,” Temte said. “I had kind of come to a standstill with my work and wasn’t producing anything that I was enjoying or getting a good reaction from professors. I chose to do the fifty states because it would be fifty individual projects, but would fit together as an entire body of work.”

Temte, as ArtHaus’ website describes her, has a “compelling style of drawing.” She uses hundreds of lines to create the shapes she wants. In this exhibit, she utilizes her command over these lines to fill in the shapes of each of the fifty states.

“In the past, I had never really had

Charlie Parrish/Chips

From thirteen original colonies. Emily Temte (‘13) stands in front of Alaska, one of the more complicated of the fifty states she has drawn, and various other states at her ArtHaus exhibit in downtown Decorah. a set shape in mind when I started drawing with lines,” Temte said. “I would just start and work until I felt it was finished in whatever shape that developed. For these, I had to start with the set shape of each state and then fill them in. I was more focused on the individual shapes and the challenge of putting the shapes together in the best way possible than anything else.”

Ian Carstens (‘14) is a close friend of Temte’s who also shares a studio space with her.

“Especially with this new show, there is this honing that I could see happening,” Carstens said. “It seems like she is experimenting with harmony within precision, with those tedious, tedious lines and cutting out the states to make them look exactly like the states.”

Each of the fifty states is represented in ink collage drawings. Each state is drawn on newsprint paper and then mounted onto drawing paper.

Temte took from her experiences with collaging in the past for this project.

“I drew Maine first, and I didn’t like it on normal drawing paper. There was just something not right. It took me a while, trial and error, and I asked— why I am I not collaging these? I like using a more delicate material. The newsprint is far thinner and holds the ink better. You can hardly even tell that the newsprint is there, and I think that might just be because of the lines.”

For each state, Temte used a different pattern or way of using lines to create the shape. She also has some states turned upside down or on their sides, challenging viewers’ perceptions of the

states.

“There is always this conceptual side of her work,” Carstens said. “I know she used to consider herself more of a sculptor or a 3-D artist, and now she is working a majority of the time on a two-dimensional plane, so I see that sculptural aspect of her mindset or artistic drive coming out in how she is shaping the concepts behind these pieces. She is maybe even manipulating the ideas behind the piece, instead of the physical objects.”

Temte produced all of the drawings in the two weeks before the show and completed Alaska and Hawaii, arguably some of the most complex states, last.

She says they are two of her favorites along with her home state, Wisconsin, and what she thinks is Kansas, hanging on the wall of mystery square states.

Sustainability Through Community: A roun Sustainability House, is a ten member house whose members are dedicated to sustainable living. While all of the house’s occupants share a commitment to living in an environmentally friendly manner, they stem from a range of personal and academic backgrounds. This past week I sat down with three LEFSE members – Inga Rohde (‘12), Jill Hughes (‘12) and Mary Ferrian (‘13) – and discussed the nature of the living within a community dedicated to sustainability.

How is LEFSE different from other college houses?

Josh Hoffmann/Chips

From left to right: Sustainability housemates Jill Hughes (‘12), Mary Ferrian (‘13) and Inga Rohde (‘12)

Josh Hoffmann

Staff Writer

Luther’s Environmentally, Fiscally and Socially Responsible Edifice (LEFSE), also known as the

Inga: “Other houses are primarily groups of friends that choose to live together, but Sustainability House is comprised of a random group of people who decide to apply based on their interest and passion to challenge themselves to live more sustainably. It is this randomness of the house’s members that makes it especially unique. It’s also more environmentally friendly. We have a recently installed solar panel that generates enough electricity to cover the house’s energy needs. In addition, we try to be intentional in

what we buy and what we eat. We strive to be mindful of the amount of energy we consume. By living in a community, we can challenge and encourage each other to live more sustainably.”

Jill: “I definitely believe that intentionality is a huge part of living here. The house is not an activity house; rather, it is a lifestyle house. There are no specific rules; we do not have to use only recyclable containers, but we do try to be aware of what containers we use, how much waste we are using, where it goes. As also described by Inga, living sustainably is much easier when one lives in a community that points out different options to each other. I, personally, have learned a lot from living here.”

What do you study and how do your studies affect your passion to live in an environmentally sustainable fashion?

Inga: I am an environmental studies major, chemistry minor. The classes I have taken at Luther have

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February 23, 2012

Summer jobs yield happy campers Lisa Diviney

Staff Writer

The more than 52 summer camps represented at Luther’s annual camp fairs show that there is no shortage of job opportunities available for sutdents looking for summer employment options.

On Feb. 9 and Feb. 16, the Union was full of camp directors, past counselors and those looking for a new camp experience.

Ben Jarvis (‘13), a summer camp counselor, is one such student. Jarvis’ father is in his 24th year as director of Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp, an ELCA summer camp.

The camp is located in Hillside, CO, and is home to nearly 60 staff members each summer, according to their website.

“It was really cool for me to grow up with 60 collegeaged brothers and sisters helping to shape me into who I am now,” Jarvis said. “It helped to give me a deeper sense of who I want to be.”

Having grown up around the camp, Jarvis easily made the leap to camp employee after his junior year of high school.

“It was a fairly smooth transition and I knew more than year,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis has worked at Rainbow Trail every summer since, and he plans to return again this summer.

“I thought about going to a different camp, but what brings me back are the friendships and community I’ve gotten out of Rainbow Trail,” Jarvis said. “Our community doesn’t end in August when camp does.”

Jarvis’ history at Rainbow Trail, as well as his passion about the community, has inspired several of his Luther peers to apply for a counselor position as well.

Anndi Russell (‘13) had never worked at camp before

Anndi Russell

Ahoy, mateys. Laura Harney (‘13), Matt Christiansen (‘13) and two other staffers at Rainbow Trail Lutheran

Ben Jarvis

Ready, set, spike. A camper at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp sets the ball during a game of volleyball.

Rainbow Trail. After being approached by Jarvis about a videographer position, Russell spent the summer documenting staff and camper experiences.

“I got to spend the entire summer in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains of Colorado, hanging out with kids and going on weekend adventures, like cliff jumping and climbing mountains,” Russell said.

Megan Gress (‘14) was also convinced by Jarvis to apply to Rainbow Trail. She completed the application process and had her interview at last week’s camp fair.

“It was so nice to have an interview in person,” Gress said. “They got to know me better, but I also got a feel for the camp and staff to see if that is a place that I want to be.”

Rainbow Trail is not the only camp experience offered at Luther’s camp fair.

Bryce Kilker (‘13) has worked at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp, located on Flathead Lake in Montana, for the past two years.

“I wanted to go to Flathead because they offered so

worked at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp.

Inga Rohde (‘12) has worked at FLBC for the past three summers. Rohde helped with several interviews during the camp fair on Thursday.

“We really just want to get to know the person, to see how they would be able to play off of other staff and how Rohde said.

Though Rohde is retiring from her counselor days, she said she absolutely values her experiences at camp.

“Camp creates this amazing community in which you get to help campers learn more about themselves, and you discover a lot about yourself in the process,” Rohde said.

right outside of Glacier National Park on one of the largest freshwater lakes in the country,” Kilker said.

Kilker served as one of the camp’s sailing instructors, which includes taking campers sailing on the lake for a week at a time.

“Sailing is something that is pretty unique to Flathead as far as summer camps go,” Kilker said. “There are not many lakes where you can take out a 30-foot sailboat and

Lisa Diviney/Chips

Kilker was just one of several Luther students who have

Campaigning for camp. Alex Clark (‘12) meets with students at the Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp booth.

ndtable discussion with LEFSE members challenged me to think more intentionally about my actions. Living in the house is awesome in that I get to live out some of what I have learned in the classroom.”

Jill: “I am an English major, so I have not really studied environmentalism per se, but I think aware citizens are bombarded with a lot of sustainability information that reveals the ways in which humans are impacting the environment. As students who are persuing an education, I think we need to take responsibility for the information out there and look for ways we can alleviate the environmental harm we are causing. Communities like the sustainability house are a good way to make these lifestyle changes happen.”

Mary: “I am a Spanish Major. I got into sustainability as an ECO member freshman year, and I have also taken a variety of environmental studies courses.”

How does living in LEFSE affect your future plans?

Jill: “At first, there were many lifestyle challenges

that were difficult for me to integrate into my life, but over time these challenges have become habits. Now that this transformation has started, I can begin more consciously changing my behavior and forming even more new, environmentally friendly habits. Many of the sustainable practices that we use in this house will follow me throughout my life, and I have been working to spread these to my family members as well.”

the sustainability house, we cook and do everything together. After living here I am definitely more apt to start intellectual conversations.”

Inga: “For me, the community aspect is very important. I am currently applying for Lutheran Volunteer Corps. What intrigued me about this program is the communal living aspect. I always strive to live more sustainably, but living in community assists me in achieving these goals. When living with other people, you are pushed to think outside of yourself.”

Mary: “I have only lived in the house for a week and a half, but during this short time I have witnessed many intellectual conversations that I probably wouldn’t have if I lived elsewhere. Living in community is also great. It is not the same as living in the dorms. At

lc-sustainability-house.blogspot.com

Silly shot. The fall 2011 LEFSE housemates take a funny group shot for the Sustainability House blog.

Opinion

8

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 or 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 word document to chipsedt@luther.edu with “Letter to the Editor” as the 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 by Sunday at 5 p.m. the week before publication.

Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor.

Contact Chips Phone: 563.387.1044 Fax: 563.387.2072 E-mail: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu website: http://lutherchips.com

Spring 2012 Staff Editor-in-Chief................Melissa Erickson Managing Editor.............................Michael Crowe News Editors........................Ingrid Baudler Ashley Matthys Features Editor......................Jessy Machon A&E Editor.......................Ethan Groothuis Sports Editor......................Gunnar Halseth Staff Writers........................Brandon Boles Jayne Cole Megan Creasey Lisa Diviney John Freude Josh Hoffmann Sarah King Hannah Lund Lauren Maze Brita Moore Charlie Parrish Margaret Yapp Head Copy Editor...................Benj Cramer Copy Editors......................Martha Crippen Kirsten Hash Ad Representative.................Charlie Bruer Ad Accountant......................Jack McLeod Photography Coordinator.....Walker Nyenhuis Web Manager..........................Chelsea Hall Design Technician...................Noah Lange Illustrator..........................Michael Johnson Advisor.....................................David Faldet

February 23, 2012

Our Take: Staff Editorial

Incarceration reform

According to civil rights advocate Michelle Alexander, more African Americans are under correctional control today – in prison or jail, on probation or parole – than were enslaved in 1850, a decade before the Civil War began. If that statistic alone doesn’t convince you that the penal system in the U.S. is broken, read on.

In her lecture last week, Alexander called for a reform of incarceration laws, which she believes are both racially targeted and excessive in their punitive actions. Alexander acknowledges that while crime rates have increased, they fail to explain “the sudden and dramatic mass incarceration of African Americans during the past 30 years ... the vast majority of that increase is due to the War on Drugs. Drug offenses alone account for about two-thirds of the increase in the federal inmate population, and more than half of the increase in the state prison population.”

Alexander argued that these injustices perpetrated against those who have already served their debt to society are little more than a modern relabeling of Jim Crow laws of the past, denying ex-cons the right to vote,

actions are met with consequences.

On the other hand, it’s important to consider that not all convictions stem from equal crimes. According to Alexander, where one lives plays a large role in how likely one is to be caught and punished for a crime. Residents in poor neighborhoods are surrounded with drug raids “complete with SWAT teams, tanks, bazookas, grenade launchers and sweeps of entire neighborhoods,” writes Alexander, “But those who live in white communities have little clue to the devastation wrought.”

Simply because we live in a country with equal-opportunity housing, the absence of segregation laws and college campuses that promote diversity

guaranteed to American citizens.

On one hand, it’s easy to see the sanctions placed against these convicts

we face situations inside Luther’s borders and beyond. We can take heart in the fact that we are the next generation entering these institutions with the power to do our part to enact change.

every institution from the federal court system to local police departments is impossible to imagine, much less an upheaval of socio-economic hierarchies and deep-seeded prejudices.

This is a conversation that should not end with the last page of a book or

Le moine et le voyou

by Charlie Parrish (‘13)

Editor’s note: The title for this column comes from the nickname for French composer Francis Poulenc.

Translated idiomatically, the phrase means “Half Monk, Half Delinquent.”

If Ludwig Van Beethoven were alive today as an African-American man, he would be Kanye West. All right, settle down all you classical music nerds, hip-hop heads and general population who think Kanye is a jerk. I mostly just said that to be with me at least a little bit (I don’t completely sympathize with my own opening statement), you might not know enough about either Kanye or Beethoven.

Putting aside the facts that the statement is an impossible possibility and that each man’s music is a completely different genre, the two of them are similar in their uncompromising ideals of creativity, bold honesty and popularity within their time. Bear with me.

The 2010 album, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is to Kanye as the “Eroica” Symphony no. 3 is to Beethoven. Both works are declarations of exceptional creativity; doings of what has never been done before.

Beethoven’s Symphony no. 3 is double the size of any symphony done before it, and marks the beginning of the transition from the Classical era into Romantic era of music. “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” presents an extensive list of featured artists ranging from Bon Iver to Elton

John to Rihanna, and is accompanied by a thirtyminute music video that he directed, “Runaway,” featuring an ensemble of ballet dancers and a Victoria’s Secret model.

Kanye is clearly pushing the boundaries of what music means to us in our present day, just as Beethoven did in the 19th century.

There are stories of Beethoven stopping performances if people were talking in the audiences. He would refuse to play impromptu when asked at parties. Eventually, the rules just didn’t apply to Beethoven. Originally, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 was dedicated to Napoleon, but when Beethoven got word of Napoleon crowning himself emperor he went and tore up the score claiming Napoleon was a “tyrant.”

Kanye has similarly shown this same bold few notorious occasions, claiming “George Bush doesn’t care about black people,” and getting up unannounced at the MTV VMAs to tell Taylor Swift that Beyonce’s video was way better. They both have the same bold honesty, which can be taken as egoism, I will admit.

However, there is more to this apparent egoism.

If you have read my previous columns, you

might be asking yourself by now: “Why is the guy that has been writing about theology, monasticism, solitude and being outdoors suddenly talking about hip-hop and comparing composers to ever live? Well it all relates to the idea of le moine et le voyou – the monk and the deliquent.

So far, I have primarily talked about the delinquency of being monastic, but Kanye and Beethoven represent the monastic virtue of being artists, as Kanye addresses in “Jesus Walks,” “Jesus Walks/God show me the way, cuz the devil’s trynna break me down.”

But I want to say that there is more than that.

There is virtue in his delinquency. Kanye upsets the status quo. So did Beethoven. They make us feel uncomfortable, because we should be uncomfortable with how things are. There’s a great deal of injustice in our world. It’s apparent in the way we treat each other, both individually and as a global community. The attitude of pop culture makes it seems like everything’s ok, but it’s not. We need critical, monastic deliquency, then and now, to point out what’s wrong in the world.

Editorial: Ashley Matthys (‘12)

Acknowledging the whole woman, whole issue

“The Vagina Monologues” have swept the country for over a decade, bringing empowering messages for women to the nationwide stage and to audiences at hundreds of colleges. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to watch this performance right here at Luther, performed by our fellow students and professors. I participated in this performance in 2009 and 2010, an experience that helped incite my passion for speaking out about injustices toward women.

to reconcile with the mission of the V-Day movement. First, most of the monologues were written in 1996. While the annual Spotlight Monologue highlights current issues, the majority of the performance remains unchanged. Unlike classic musicals, “The Vagina Monologues” are not timeless. In order to drive an audience to action and raise awareness about issues affecting women worldwide, there should be a larger focus on 2012 and beyond.

The playwright, Eve Ensler, could do better to further her cause by supporting other female playwrights who could change the performance each year rather than enforcing a list of rules directors must follow for the production so as to not change her “vision.”

Some monologues themselves are problematic, including a Spotlight Monologue titled “Under the Burqa” performed at Luther in 2009. This Associated Collegiate Press National Online Pacemaker Award 2011 piece about the plight of women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule who are required wear a head-to-foot covering called the burqa portrays the lutherchips.com garment as oppressive, a physical expression of the gender inequality that Post, Assistant Professor of Religion Todd Green writes about opposition

to the proposed law in France to ban all forms of “Islamic headwear,” quoting Kenza Drider, a French citizen of Moroccan heritage who wears a niqab (a garment similar to a burqa) who insists that it “symbolizes my freedom of expressing my religion … The niqab is my dignity, my spirituality and my submission to God.” The monologue ignores the fact that some, though admittedly few, women choose to wear the burqa.

Amonologue titled “Reclaiming Cunt” has long made me uncomfortable.

Perhaps it is a personal revulsion to the derogatory term, but I feel that the monologue does nothing to revive the word and makes audiences uncomfortable when they are asked to chant “cunt, cunt, cunt.” Though the monologue attempts to reclaim the word, a feat arguably achieved with some success with the word “queer” in the LGBTQ community, the word still seems to carry the same negative connotation.

My biggest qualm with the production is the reduction of women to one physical entity: the vagina. A line in the monologue “The Vagina Workshop” states that “it was ME, my vagina. It was who I was. It was not an entity. It was inside of me.” Perhaps Ensler meant that the vagina should be revered as part of the whole woman rather than reduced to a shameful organ. Yet that line makes me feel the need to point out the minds, hearts, emotions and countless other components that make women the beautiful, diverse people we are.

I commend the performers and directors for having the courage to step onto a stage in front of their peers and open up discussion about these issues, but I hope that audiences and performers alike will continue the outdated vision of Eve Ensler.

LUTHER COLLEGE CHIPS

Opinion

February 23, 2012

9

Editorial: Michael Crowe (‘13)

Tweet what you mean, mean what you say

This happens to me at least once a day as I troll Twitter, because, hey, I have a life, right? I click retweet on some especially hilarious collection of 140 characters, and the error message explodes across my screen: “It is against the Twitter terms of service to quote or retweet

saying or sharing things they would never dream of in public. (Rep. Anthony Weiner, anyone?)

It’s still you, even through the magic-

Facebook-device, you’re still responsible for your words.

The message a protected Twitter feed sends to me is that someone doesn’t want

source of frustration for me, because my

use a common Twitter-ism.

In all seriousness though, there’s a deeper issue at work here, one that arises so often when concerning issues of online privacy. We’re under the impression as a culture that we can write whatever we want on the Internet and not suffer the consequences. The disconnect granted by a screen and keyboard makes us overthe cases you see in the media of teens partaking in online bullying or people generally overstepping themselves and

Graphic by Noah Lange/Chips

Tweet proud, tweet free. No one wants to hear the stuff you’d want to protect anyway.

to stand behind what they say. We’re accountable. I am. You are. Tough.

On the other hand, it’s easy to see why people are concerned about putting out an appropriate online persona in this age of Facebook and Google, where potential employers can hunt down incriminating online behavior effortlessly. However, if I were a hiring director, a protected account might raise even more questions in my mind than no results at all. What does this person have to hide? We’ve all got our secrets, but if you’ve got something to say, don’t whisper about it.

Shout it if you’re going to say it at all.

I say some stupid stuff sometimes (ok ... frequently), both in real life and online. I think we all do, because we’re human. I’m a goofy dude, and I’m proud of that. But I’m going to stand behind what I say, whether it’s offensive, crude, challenging or just not worth reading.

If I tweet “buttz,” I mean “buttz” with all my heart. So should you.

Bittersweet Senority

by Danielle Koch (‘12)

I’m a daydreamer. My current fantasy plot is this: I present my senior project to my fellow English majors, professors and my parents. I talk about the writing process, how suffering through it has changed me and how it has taken shape.

There are juice and oatmeal cookies to nibble. My parents hug me. My dad says “We have always supported you, but now we understand why you write.”

The dream stops. I come back to reality.

My parents don’t get it. But I wish they could understand my biological need to create new realities with words. I can’t deny that relating this to them is something that I have always wanted and always will.

I can trace many of my characteristics back to my parents. Making people in restaurants stare at me because of my loud laughter comes from my mom. My need to fully immerse myself with my work and being an introvert I inherited from my dad.

Where’s the writer in this family? Where did I come from? Dad scored a 12 on the English portion of his ACT. Mom’s favorite author is Danielle Steel (my namesake). How I turned out is inexplicable.

These last four years, I met many who write. Few of

their parents understand, even though many of these people support their children’s dreams. So mine, like these other parents, may never get it. They will never experience words pouring out like tears streaming down their eyes as they release tightly-clenched truths.

They do not know how inspiration can run from brain cannot comprehend the phenomena upon which I thrive on.

They won’t get it, and they don’t have to. This fantasy doesn’t have to come true.

But there are some that will.

I am the only person that has to understand what I want, especially after graduation.

My post-Luther fantasy is one that will have mornings

Money would come in the form of a nighttime job: a bartender, barista, waiter, sales associate with a closing shift. Or teaching evening creative-writing classes, spurring philosophical dialogue like “write about what your soul looks like. Is it the same as your brain?” or “Use this scenario: The outside world cannot be proved.”

I’ll spend my money on trips—Spain, Mongolia, Vietnam, Georgia, the coast of Greece, Cape Town. I’ll In the last semester, my future is revitalized with these dreams. They are the most tangible resources for my future after Luther.

Dreaming of the future prompts me to look for jobs That way, it’s reasonable to not apply to a job that I will

reporting.

However, I realize that money is needed for my own apartment: another fantasy. If I move back in, as an independent 21/22-year-old in my parents’ house, I can only foresee tension. Dad’s always in bed by 10 p.m. and Mom would wait up for me. She shouldn’t see me stumble through the door at 4 a.m.

As the Luther College dream comes to a close, it’s time to start planning for the future dream. These next few months, I will remind myself not to panic if the future hasn’t revealed itself yet.

Always, I will dream the next dream. And if it seems too far away, I will dream it again.

Par for the Norse

130 West Water St.

563. 382. 5761

LUTHER COLLEGE CHIPS

News

10

February 23, 2012

Black History Month honored with conference Black History continued from page 1

which discusses the way America’s criminal justice system has reestablished Jim Crow. Alexander’s lecture on Feb. 15 focused on this idea of our justice system as a form of Jim Crow.

“Rather than rely on race, we use our criminal justice system to label people of color as criminals,” Alexander said. “Once you’re labeled a felon, the old forms of discrimination become legal. It is the moral equivalent of Jim Crow.”

According to Alexander, once labeled as a felon in our society, it is almost impossible to get a job, salary or even a home.

“The core belief behind all of this is the belief that some of us are not worthy of genuine care, compassion and concern,” Alexander said.

“When we challenge that core belief, the system begins to fall. This is about all of us building a movement for human rights for all of us.”

Each year, the conference also chooses a legacy honoree that embodies the theme of the conference. This year’s legacy honoree was Malcolm X because of

his role as an activist and the years he spent as a prisoner in our criminal justice system. stood up for the rights of black people and gave voice to people who were silenced by violence, innercity discrimination, fear, maybe even by self-hatred,” Radford-Hill said. “Malcolm X is an icon and represents as much the revolutionary movement as the modern black movement.”

Luther will continue to host the Black History Conference each year and hopes to spread an understanding of American history and attract more community members.

“Each year we’ve tried to reach out to more and more people and let them know that black history is actually America’s history and it’s actually your history,” RadfordHill said. “Sometimes people think of black history as just for people of color or just for people of African descended, but that’s not true at all. To know something about this particular group and its experience in the country and the world is to know something about yourself and the world you live in.”

Lauren Maze/Chips

Discussing today’s problems. Dr. Keona Ervin has her book signed by Michelle Alexander.

THIS WEEK IN

Word of the

Week

neophyte

HISTORY

\nee-uh-fahyt\

noun 1. a recent convert; a beginner The librarian called him a neophyte for trying to check out a reference book from the library.

(2/23-3/1)

****

2/23/1945 - During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment of the 5th Division took the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island’s highest peak and most

2/24/1836 - In San Antonio, Texas, Colonel William Travis issued a call for help on behalf of the Texan troops defending the Alamo, which was under attack by the Mexican army.

luther.edu

Pushing toward sustainable housing. Baker Village will be powered by solar panels in the coming months.

Solar energy increase on campus Solar Panel continued from page 1

majority of the Luther campus,” Martin-Schramm said. “As a result, we pay a higher rate for power at Baker Village.”

When the solar panels generate more electricity than Baker Village consumes, the electricity will be “banked” like rollover minutes on a cell phone plan.

“Iowa has a net metering law,” Martin-Schramm said, “which allows you to spin the meter backwards, meaning that any electricity that you gather while the sun is out but don’t use can be stored and used later.”

In addition, Luther is not paying for the system with its own capital as with the wind turbine; rather, it is leasing the equipment for seven years from Decorah Solar Field, LLC, which is owned by a friend of the college and local retired banker, Larry Grimstad.

“After [seven years], the college hopes to purchase the system,” Martin-Schramm said.

The system will be installed on a triangular piece of land the college owns north of Pole Line Road, near the Decorah schools bus barn. A half-mile long underground transmission line will carry the electricity to Baker Village. This will help preserve Anderson Prairie and reduce the visual impact on Baker. Manager of Trade Services Jay Uthoff will take part in the installation process.

“The only thing that will be visible is down at the entrance [to Baker Village],” Uthoff said. “There will be two ground mounted cabinets, one metering cabinet and one switching cabinet. The residents won’t notice anything different.”

The project will be less of a hands-on experience for Luther’s workers than a learning experience.

2/25/1964 - Cassius Clay shocks the odds-makers by dethroning world heavyweight boxing champ Sonny Liston in a seventh-round technical knockout.

2/26/1919 - The Grand Canyon was established in 1919. The Grand Tetons were established 10 years later in 1929.

2/27/1827 - A group of masked and

Solar [of the Twin Cities],” Uthoff said. “And they’re going to contract for all of the installation. We’re probably going to be reviewing some of that … so we can ask questions at that time about what we need to do for maintenance.”

Keeping the system in good condition is not expected to be

costumed students danced through the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, marking the beginning of the city’s famous Mardi Gras celebrations.

United States by Solar World USA and have a 25-year warranty.

“Occasionally [the panels] may need to be cleaned,” Uthoff said. “They should shed most snow by themselves. There will need to be some mowing done and occasional checks for wiring connections.”

The Board of Regents and the City of Decorah have approved the project to move forward this spring.

“The next step is the interconnection agreement with Alliant Energy,” Martin-Schramm said. “They were here last week for a

2/28/1953 - Cambridge University

we expect to receive the interconnection agreement this spring and that should enable us to have the system up and operating

by June 1.”

scientists James D. Watson and Frances H.C. Crick announced that they determined the double-helix structure of DNA, the molecule containing human genes.

2/29/1940 - “Gone with the Wind” was honored with eight Oscars by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Courtesy of http://www.history.com

LUTHER COLLEGE CHIPS

Sports

February 23, 2012

11

Men’s basketball prepares for conference Sarah King

Staff writer

Things are heating up for the Luther College men’s basketball team as they prepare for the Iowa Conference Tournament games beginning this week.

After finishing fifth in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC), the team secured themselves a place in the tournament. The top six teams in the IIAC will play each other this week in hopes of securing the title of champions.

Head coach Mark Franzen, in his sixth season as head coach, commented on the team’s performance throughout the season so far.

“We’ve been up and down a little bit, but I think we’ve had some moments that are really solid,” Franzen said. “I think, like any team, we’re trying to play our best basketball now at the end of the year.”

Captain Matt Zellmer (‘12) agrees the team has done well this season.

“It’s been going all right so far,” Zellmer said. “We start the conference tournament next week so hopefully we can continue to do better up to that point.”

Captain Dane Larson (‘12) believes the team approaches each game in the same way.

“It’s had its ups and downs but definitely more good than bad,” Larson said. “We kind of approach every game the same.

There isn’t one standout team that we feel we need to beat.”

When asked about the challenges throughout the season, Franzen had a positive

Opinion:

Jeremy Lin shoots to the top of NBA stardom Gunnar halseth

sports editor

sports.luther.edu

Check the technique. Tim Merritt (‘13) controls the ball in his stride in a game against Dubuque. outlook, though acknowledged areas in need of improvement.

“We’ve not been as consistent maybe as we’ve been in the past, especially on defense,” Franzen said. “We’ve had some games that have been double overtime like last weekend that were, in essence, over and the other team hit a three [point shot] at the buzzer that we didn’t guard really well. There’ve been some weird things like that but the bottom line is that we have a good group.”

Franzen described the uniqueness of this year’s group of men.

“Every team is different for sure,” Franzen said. “This group has it’s own personality and I think we understand what our personality is a little bit better this time of the year.

The seniors have been good

and they’ve had a lot of success during their time here. Our main focus is to finish strong for those guys.”

Zellmer agrees with Franzen that this year’s team is just as distinct as in the past.

“It’s a different team than the year before, definitely,” Zellmer said. “The personalities are different, but we’re just trying to work hard.”

Larson also believes the diffrence comes from a unique set of personalities each year.

“Every year has been different because of the personalities of my teammates,” Larson said.

“It’s kind of fun to see the different aspects of that.”

The team is also different in its approach to games and their goals.

“We’re a little different than some programs,” Franzen said.

“We don’t have ‘win’ goals.

Our goal is to try to do well and if we do all those things in our system, play great defense, be efficient on offense, if you have enough talent, which we do, then your chance for success goes way up. That’s the challenge, to keep the focus on the system rather than the standings. That’s our overall goal.”

The Luther College Men’s Basketball team defeated Central on Tuesday, February 21, by a score of 63-60. As winners of that game the Norse will continue on to the semifinals Thursday with the championship game ending the tournament Saturday.

The tournament champion will receive the IIAC’s automatic berth into the 2012 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championships.

Men’s tennis wins back-to-back at Mt. Vernon Sports Information The Luther College men’s tennis team opened IIAC league play with an 8-1 victory over Wartburg as the two teams met in Mt. Vernon, Iowa on Saturday, Feb. 18. The Norse nailed down wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles before sweeping the six singles matches.

Tyler Van Heest (‘12) and James Ayer (‘14)pulled away from a 3-3 tie and rattled off five straight games for an 8-3 win at No. 2.

Joe LaFountaine (‘12) and Torstein Jystad (‘15) opened with a service break and then grabbed a second one in the final game of an 8-5 victory at No. 3. The Knights tallied an 8-4 win at No. 1 to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Norse heading into singles play.

After defeating Wartburg in the first match of the day, the Norse went right back to work against the host Cornell Rams and came away with a 7-2 win. Luther jumped out to a 2-1 edge after doubles and picked up five singles wins to maintain a perfect mark in the IIAC. Scott Sundstrom (‘12) and Ramesh Karki (‘14) paired together for the first time this spring and earned an 8-3 win at No. 1 doubles. Tyler Zinnecker and Quinn

The tense and protracted lockout which was the top story in basketball throughout much of the fall seems a distant memory nearly halfway into the 2011-12 NBA season. The remedy: star power, primarily in the form of young gun Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks.

Lin, the undrafted Harvard alum who was passed on by Golden State and Houston, has reinvigorated the New York squad after only a month of starts and become a global sensation in the process. So far Lin has guided his team to a much improved 16-17 record, put bodies in the seats of Madison Square Garden, shirts on fan’s backs, and sparked the fervor dubbed “Linsanity”.

The first American-born NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, Lin has led the Knicks to 8-2 in their last 10 games, seven of those wins in succession. During most of those games Lin was either the high scorer (with his highest being a 38 point haul vs. the Los Angeles Lakers) or the leader in assists.

Lin’s rise has not come without some detractors, however. Lin broke the record for Most Points Scored in the First Five Starts of a Career.

He has also, however, earned the more dubious honor of setting a record for most turnovers during his first four starts by giving the ball away 45 times.

Lin’s tendency to turn the ball over has so far proven to be his Achilles’ Heel, and a stat which reasonably is causing many to question whether the excitement surrounding this young player is merely hype or deserved praise. Time will tell if Lin is the real deal, but for now, it’s hard to not be swept up in all of the Linsanity.

sports.luther.edu

Standing ready. Scott Sundstrom (‘12) waits to return a serve during a practice match.

Foley also made their debut as a duo and raced out to a 7-1 advantage before winning 8-3 at No. 2. Van Heest and Sam Cychosz (‘15) fell behind 6-0 against a strong serving team from Cornell, but rallied back before falling 8-4.

Luther will now set its sights on a pair of nationally ranked foes when the team

travels to Greencastle, Ind. on Saturday, Feb. 25.

The Norse open against DePauw, ranked No. 4 in the Central Region and No. 16 in the nation, before facing Carnegie Mellon, ranked No. 4 in the Atlantic South Region www.hollywoodreporter.com and No. 17 in the nation. The Norse are currently 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the IIAC. Lin goes for a lay-up.

Sports

12

Top 5 in the nation

IIAC 12-4 11-5 11-5 10-6 10-6 8-8 5-11 4-12 1-15

Overall 18-7 15-10 17-8 18-7 16-8 11-13 11-14 7-18 3-22

Recent scores: -Feb. 15 vs. Buena Vista L 49-67 -Feb. 18 vs. Coe L 71-78 OT -Feb. 21 vs. Central W 63-60

brandon boles

staff Writer

Upcoming schedule: -Feb. 25 IIAC Tournament Championship

The Luther College softball team has won the IIAC Conference Championship and has advanced to the NCAA National Tournament in each of their last two seasons.

The recent success of the program has propelled Luther to sports.luther.edu

Team Spirit.

fense.

entire offense that averaged over

ethic.

Weekly Standings Coe Buena Vista Dubuque Central Luther Simpson Wartburg Loras Cornell

Softball begins preseason ranked #5 in NCAA D-III Top-25 Poll

for the team.

The team feels honored to receive one of the highest

February 23, 2012

helped the team to a 41-6 record in 2011. Last season Luther made its 12th appearance in the NCAA

National Tournament.

“We come in focused and

(‘12) said. “We come in with the goal that we learn something

the tradition and histories of the

Even though the pitching staff

Head Coach Renae Hartl said.

The team is hoping to have something that the group would with a deep run in the NCAA

s c h o o l records last season with solid defensive a sub2.00 ERA from their pitching staff. The pitching in the circle will be new

“We come in focused and excited to work on every aspect of the game.”

Abby Christian (‘12)

group.

“Each

whether it is a defensive situation or o ff e n s i v e is prepared and can help our team and

Luther softball will begin the

their

March 2 at the Augsburg Dome in Minneapolis against Hamline

Abby Christian

Let it Fly: Abby Christian (‘12) looks to anchor a high scoring offense this season.

pitcher.

“We defended the ball in the air

is March 27 against UW -Eau Claire.

fundamentals

for

IIAC 13-3 12-4 10-6 10-6 9-7 7-9 6-10 3-13 2-14

Overall 20-5 18-7 15-10 17-8 14-11 9-14 11-14 6-19 7-18

Recent scores: -Feb. 15 vs. Buena Vista L 71-86 -Feb. 18 vs. Coe L 65-81

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

Luther Loras Simpson Coe

Overall 6-2 6-2 1-4 0-7

Recent scores: -Feb. 16-18 Liberal Arts Championships T2 of 10 Upcoming schedule: -Mar. 21 NCAA III National Championships

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

Luther Coe Loras Simpson

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

Recent scores: -Feb. 16-18 Liberal Arts Championships 1 of 12 Upcoming schedule: -Mar. 21 NCAA III National Championships

season in Becca Girvan (‘14). All three of the other pitchers on the

on

Simpson Coe Dubuque Wartburg Loras Cornell Buena Vista Luther Central

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CHIPS LUTHER COLLEGE

brightening your day since 1884

Wrestling Wartburg Coe Cornell Luther Dubuque Central Loras Simpson Buena Vista

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

Overall 19-1 11-3 11-4 13-5 5-6 13-11 5-18 6-14 4-11

Recent scores: -Feb. 10 @ Dubuque W 22-17 Upcoming schedule: -Feb. 24 IIAC Championships -Mar. 9 NCAA III National Championships