Black Student Union welcomes new members
FEATURES 6
Luther meet
hosts
All-American
cross-country SPORTS 12
LUTHER COLLEGE
CHIPS
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
VOLUME 137, NO. 2
Faculty accept retirement incentives EMILY CROWE STAFF WRITER
“AS PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.” Sheila Radford-Hill addresses students at the Diversity Center’s annual New Student Welcome Dinner. Will Heller / Photo Bureau
Faculty and staff discuss race issues MAGGIE STEINBERG STAFF WRITER The recent shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. has sparked debate across the nation concerning racial profiling, police militarization and the state of racial minorities in America. While it seems a shooting in neighboring Missouri is removed from Luther, professors and faculty across campus sense a real need for open discussions on race. Assistant Professor of Africana Studies and History Lauren Anderson and Executive Director of Diversity Center Sheila Radford-
Hill both discussed issues regarding race at Luther and in Decorah. In class, Anderson sees students fall into “ruts” when trying to discuss African American history or the civil rights movement. She attributes this mostly to a sheltered upbringing and a lack of information. “Many Luther students grew up being taught it was unacceptable to use the term ‘black,’” Anderson said. “It’s denying an essential component of someone’s identity. It’s equating race to racism.” She commented on the difficulties of facilitating discussions when students are uncomfortable even saying the word “black.”
Twelve Luther faculty and staff have decided to retire at the end of the year, President Paula Carlson announced during her opening speech. The administration offered a retirement incentive plan to those eligible to retire, according to Associate Professor in Library and Information Studies John Goodin. “I was thinking about when to retire already, which made the retirement plan worth serious consideration,” Goodin said. “The incentive worked.” Timing played a significant role in Goodin’s decision-making process. “I have a wife and four kids, as well as two grandchildren now,” Goodin said. “You talk about this kind of situation, but now that I have grandkids, I really want to see those kids again!” Carlson has adopted the retirement plan but did not create it. According to Professor of English Nicholas Preus, the plan was offered before she took office (‘69). “The plan came from the administration, but of course [Carlson] will be here during the retirement year,” Preus said. Retirement incentive plans can benefit the retirees and the college as a whole. “These kinds of things are in many ways healthy for the college,” Preus said. “You get some new people in shortly out of graduate programs who are doing cutting edge stuff.” RETIREMENT, PAGE 4
RACE, PAGE 2
Students report off-campus thefts NOAH LANGHOLZ STAFF WRITER
Luther students have reported several instances of burglary and break-ins both on and off campus in the last month. According to Eli Klosterboer (‘15) and Ryan Readinger (‘15) intruders entered their off-campus house on Saturday, Sept. 6 between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. The intruders stole possessions from two of the house members including an Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and a backpack. The stolen items were taken from rooms that had been left unlocked.
Some students feel that there is an element of personal betrayal in these crimes. “It’s sad because we have been so trusting,” house resident Erik Anderson (‘15) said. “Now we can’t just have the door open so a friend can come in.” Klosterboer also experienced a theft over the summer at another offcampus house. In both instances, valuable electronics were stolen. Members of Luther staff note that convenience and practicality often coincide in matters of safety THEFTS, PAGE 4
Graphic by Bjorn Myhre
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & MARGARET YAPP
Diversity Center welcomes students through food, community building KATIE NELSON STAFF WRITER
students I hadn’t met before and met sophomores, juniors [and] seniors,” Hatungimana said. “It’s New and returning students were a meeting place and it gives you a invited to attend the annual New glimpse of the place.” Student Welcome Dinner hosted by Radford-Hill stressed the event’s the Diversity Center on Wednesday, sense of community as an important September 10. The event serves as reason to continue hosting it. an introduction and meeting place “When you get into the room and for all international, multicultural you see many, many other people and new students, according to the from many, many different cultures, Diversity Center. The dinner also [you understand] that we are in included prayer and an address by fact, from many, many different President Paula Carlson. backgrounds,” Radford-Hill said. “Everyone is welcome,” “It gives you a sense of belonging, a Publication Assistant for the sense that you’re not alone, a sense Diversity Center Derah Egbuna that you’re not on a predominantly (‘16) said. “It’s white campus a dinner to where you are a say welcome small minority.” to your new The reception life, welcome preceding the to college; dinner also gave to let them Yazdani, who is know that originally from Sheila Radford-Hill Afghanistan, an the Diversity Center is there opportunity to for them if present Carlson they need any help; to make them with an Afghan carpet he made feel more comfortable and at home himself. at Luther.” “It’s part of our culture that you The purpose of the event is to give a gift as a sign of appreciation show new students that they belong, when you are a guest,” Yazdani said. according to Executive Director of “Compared to what Luther gave me, the Diversity Center Sheila Radford- it’s nothing, but I’m still happy that I Hill. could do that.” New students were able to make According to Radford-Hill, the connections at the dinner. New Student Welcome Dinner is “I was feeling close to everyone,” one of the Diversity Center’s most Ali Yazdani (‘18) said. “I wasn’t popular events. feeling as a stranger or like a new “Each year we survey students, student, but like I had been with and we ask them what event that them for a year or something.” they like the best, and every year it William Hatungimana (‘16) gets one of the highest hits on the attended the dinner during his first scale of what we should continue year at Luther. to do,” Radford-Hill said. “In other “I met a lot of multicultural words, students love it.”
“It gives you a sense of belonging, a sense that you’re not alone.” -
RACE, PAGE 1 Radford-Hill has faced similar situations in her classes. “[One] underlying tension has to do with the fact that there [are] often only one or two other people of color in the class,” Radford-Hill said. “They often feel expected to weigh in on race. This pressure is never comfortable and therefore the other black people in the class would often prefer a teacher not to talk about race.” This tension is perpetuated in the demographics of Luther and the upbringing of students. The Southern
Poverty Law Center recently released a report grading every state’s curriculum on the modern civil rights movement. A score of 100 percent means a state’s resources were outstanding in every area. Iowa scored an F with 0 percent. Wisconsin scored similarly, also receiving an F, while Minnesota got a D. “Rather than recognizing the profound national significance of the civil rights movement, many states continue to mistakenly see it as a regional matter, or a topic of interest mainly for black students,” reads the report. “Seven of the 11 highest-
SOLI DEO GLORIA. At the New Student Welcome Dinner, Ali Yazdani (‘18) presented President Carlson with an Afghan carpet he made as a sign of appreciation. Photo Courtesy of Luther College Photo Bureau
FINDING FOOD AND FRIENDS. The New Student Welcome Dinner featured a variety of meal options, including a chicken stir fry. Attendees ate in the Peace Dining Room. Bjorn Myhre / Chips
scoring states are in the South.” In the wider Decorah community, the lack of diversity has proven to be an obstacle for students and faculty of color. Professor of Religion Guy Nave commented on his experiences as an African-American. “Students are amazed to hear that I’m afraid,” Nave said. “When you’re out there, [people] don’t see that you have a Ph.D.” Anderson says that she has had students in her classes who have been stopped by the police in Decorah out of suspicion. In response to students who raise
objections about the existence of police profiling, Anderson urges white students to be open and listen. “Part of white privilege is getting heard,” Anderson said. “Just because you’ve had a positive experience with the police does not negate the fact that someone has had a negative experience with the same police force.” The Decorah Human Rights Commission has sponsored presentations on racial profiling in an effort to bring this issue to light. “Police Chief Bill Nixon shared that it is difficult for smaller departments to find resources to address cultural
competence,” Radford-Hill said. “There is no federal program that has resources to train police in this way, but there are two federal programs that departments can use to purchase military hardware.” Anderson acknowledges that discussing race in Decorah and at Luther can be difficult due to the sensitivity of the subject, but she encourages community members on and off campus to join the discussion. “It’s important to cultivate listening and empathy,” Anderson said. “Empathy doesn’t mean agreement; it just means entering into another person’s experiences.” For students that might be uncomfortable entering into a discussion about race, Nave has this advice: “Enter into conversations with an open mind and without assumptions of other people.” According to Anderson, students who recognize the root of their discomfort are already sparking a small change within themselves. Radford-Hill believes the answer to the question of change is simple: “Positive social change happens when individuals are willing to demand it.”
NEWS
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NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & MARGARET YAPP THURSDAY
Seven-Day Forecast
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 FRIDAY
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Tom Harkin Steak Fry
POLITICS AT STEAK. (From L-R) Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton greet the crowd. Photo Courtesy of Ron Allen
MARGARET YAPP NEWS EDITOR A group of Luther students traveled to the 37th Tom Harkin Steak Fry to hear speeches from Iowa representatives, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. This was the final Tom Harkin Steak Fry, as Harkin will retire from the Senate after completing his fifth term in 2015. Around 20 Luther students were able to attend the event; their trip was paid for by the Iowa Democrats and sponsored by the Rick Edwards campaign. “Edwards is a candidate running for the 55th seat in the Iowa House of Representatives,” Co-President of LC Democrats Charlie Weathers (‘15) said. “He was on our bus and got the chance to talk to students about his ideas.
Current federal U.S. representatives, as well as individuals running for office this fall, gave speeches throughout the day. “A lot of the focus was on [Congressman] Bruce Braley, [Iowa’s] current representative in D.C.,” LC Democrats member Andrea Berkeland (‘15) said. “He is running for Tom Harkin’s seat in the Senate.” Hillary Clinton also spoke at the event, and the political organization Ready For Hillary had a strong presence, according to Berkeland. It was Hillary’s first visit to Iowa in nearly seven years. “Hillary spoke, [but she] didn’t declare her candidacy,” Berkeland said. “She didn’t say anything particularly mind-blowing, but she said things you’d expect from a woman democrat potentially running for president: supporting a higher minimum wage, equal pay for equal work. She talked about Bruce Braley being a great guy, and some memories of Tom Harkin.”
Campus celebrates family Family Weekend began in 1958 as ‘Parent’s Day,’ an event sponsored by the Letterman’s Club. It has since developed into what it is today: one weekend every September when administrators and students collaborate to welcome families onto campus. This year’s Family Weekend will take place September 19-21. Director of Special Programs Sue Drilling (‘78) spearheads Family Weekend planning every year by reaching out to departments, groups and individuals who have participated in the event programming in the past. “I put together the schedule [based] on what I hear back from the rest of campus,” Drilling said. “I talk to campus programming people, other office administrators and faculty who have something going on.” Drilling has worked in event programming at Luther for 15 years. During her time here, many of the Family Weekend events have remained the same, including Soda Shoppe, an annual event hosted by
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the Student Activities Council (SAC). “We ask the jazz band to come play in Marty’s and then we serve ice cream,” SAC Special Events Co-Chair Cierra Stafford (‘16) said. “It’s an event for the whole family.” According to Stafford, there are events and opportunities for families with many different interests. “My parents have never [come] because they’re not into hiking and that kind of
stuff,” Stafford said. “But this year there’s a football game and that really makes them excited to be able the watch the Norse.” Other Family Weekend events include the Adventure Race, several music performances, a treasure hunt in Preus Library, the senior class reception and more. You can find the complete Family Weekend schedule of events at www.luther. edu/parents/family-weekend/schedule/.
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Life Outside Luther Six killed, 15 wounded in East Ukraine City Shelling killed six people and wounded 15 others in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, the city council said Monday. This is the worst reported violence since a cease-fire between Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian troops took effect on Sept. 5. Fighting around the eastern city’s governmentheld airport has left its northern neighborhoods in the crossfire. Two northern neighborhoods were shelled heavily Sunday, leading to the casualties and damaging both homes and offices, the city council said. Hurricane Odile slames Mexico’s Baja California Hurricane Odile blazed a trail of destruction through Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula on Monday that leveled everything from ramshackle homes to luxury hotels and big box stores, leaving entire neighborhoods as disaster zones. About 30,000 tourists were being put up in temporary shelters in hotels and Los Cabos International Airport remained closed. Emergency officials reported that 135 people were treated for minor injuries from flying glass or falling objects, but there were no serious injuries or deaths so far. Generation gap: Young Scots favor independence Across Scotland, dinner table talk is getting heated as families argue over how to vote in Scotland’s independence referendum. A generation gap has opened up, with younger voters more inclined to back independence and their elders tending to say they want to remain in the United Kingdom. Support for the status quo is strongest among the over-60s who worry about the consequences that breaking free would have on pensions, health care and savings; the proindependence movement is largely being driven by under-40s. Neck-and-neck in the polls, the rival campaigns have called on core supporters to make a last ditch attempt to swing the vote by making the debate a family affair. Compiled from: www.ap.org
NEWS
PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
NEWS EDITORS: ANNA JEIDE & MARGARET YAPP
Twelve faculty members to retire
PREUS TO RETIRE. Professor of English Nicholas Preus (‘69) and Colin Robinson (‘16) discuss 18th century British literature in class.
RETIREMENT, PAGE 1 Plans like the one offered to Luther faculty and staff are not unusual in higher education. “Retirement incentive plans both save the institution some money and refresh the system,” Goodin said. “It will be good to have some younger folks come in with new ideas.”
Twelve retiring faculty and staff do not necessarily mean 12 newly opened positions on campus. “Hiring replacements for retirees is not an automatic,” Goodin said. “It’s up to the administration. They have to balance keeping the organization running at a high level with the budget. It’s hard to know.” Though he is retiring from his position at Luther, Goodin plans to stay in the Decorah area. “I will be active in the local music and arts scene,”
Upcoming Events Thursday, September 18 Autism and the barriers to 11:00 a.m., Dahl Centennial becoming a ‘participant’ of Union, Mott Room ‘culture’ Friday, September 19 Women’s Tennis- ITA Regional All Day, St. Peter, Minn. Tournament Family Weekend All Weekend Saturday, September 20 Concert Band and Jazz Orchestra 12:30 p.m., Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall Family Weekend Concert 7:00 p.m., Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall Sunday, September 21 Men’s Soccer 3:00 p.m., Northfield, Minn. Women’s Soccer
1:00 p.m., Northfield, Minn.
Monday, September 22 Men’s Golf- UW-Eau Claire All day, Eau Claire Country Club, Blugold Invitational Eau Claire, Wisc. Tuesday, September 23 Guest Lecture: Tom Morris “Be7:30 p.m., Center for Faith and coming a Successful Human Be- Life, Main Hall ing: A Philosophical Perspective on Fulfillment and Achievement” Wednesday, September 24 Men’s Soccer- St. Olaf College 5:00 p.m., Home Thursday, September 25 Graduate/Professional School Day 10:00 a.m., Dahl Centennial Friday, September 26 Volleyball 1:00 p.m., Lakeland College, Dubuque, Iowa Saturday, September 27 SPIN Theatre Presents: One Act 1:30 p.m., Storre Theatre Festival Information from luther.edu/events
Emily Crowe / Chips
Goodin said. “Decorah is a great place to be involved in music. Now I will have more time to compose and to practice my mandolin.” Preus also plans to stay in the area. “I’m a permanent fixture I’m afraid,” Preus said. “I’m a part of the community and I have been here for a very long time. I’m sure Ill be skulking around the place. I hope to continue my J-term trip [sailing in the Virgin Islands] for at least one more year.”
Students express concern over thefts
Campus Security has been adding precautions to prevent on-campus burglaries from occurring. and security. “Over the last two years we have gone to 24/7 “One advantage of being in a community locked system for our residence hall access like we have at Luther is that it is a relatively doors,” Franzen said. “So the only people that safe place,” Director of Campus Safety and have access to those buildings are the students themselves and the staff that works in the Security Robert Harri said. “ While this helps buildings. We have also added cameras by us feel secure it can entry/exit doors in also make us lax the residence halls.” when it comes to In addition to thinking about our locking doors, safety and security,” there are specific Harri said. “We precautions that can take things for be taken in order granted and leave to keep belongings ourselves and others safe. vulnerable.” “Taking serial According to numbers off of Harri, Farwell electronic devices residents have is a great safety reported five thefts p r e c a u t i o n ,” since Jan. 1 2014. Readinger said. Items that are left “That way you can in the cluster common room are susceptible to confirm that the device is yours if it shows up burglary because doors must remain unlocked. later on.” Luther staff notes that this policy is necessary The likelihood of recovering stolen items for some aspects of residence life. increases when students report thefts. “The cluster common space is considered “Security has done a nice job of investigating a common area in Farwell,” Director of recent thefts and in two cases this fall have Residence Life Kris Franzen said. “The building returned stolen items to students,” Kris Franzen was built in such a way that the kitchens and said. laundry facilities are located inside of clusters. Although these incidents still occur, overall Therefore, locking down those areas would reported thefts have decreased in the last three create a situation where students from other years. Campus Security urges students to use clusters could not access those areas.” caution and report thefts when they occur. THEFTS, PAGE 1
“One advantage of being in a community like we have at Luther is that it is a relatively safe place. While this helps us feel secure it can also make us lax when it comes to thinkin about our safety and security.” - Robert Harri
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A&E EDITOR: DYLAN HINTON
PAGE 5 SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
A first look at “Second Sight” Chips sits down with Jeff and Tessa Evason, SAC Spotlight’s upcoming mentalist duo. NILS JOHNSON STAFF WRITER The Evasons Mind Reading Duo, a mentalist act that promises to showcase a variety of skills such as ESP and “Second Sight,” will be performing at Marty’s on Friday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. Tessa and Jeff Evason have gained international acclaim with their act and claim to be able to tell the audience the middle name of an audience member and even the serial numbers on the dollar bills in their pocket. This curious talent is what compelled Luther College SAC Spotlight members to select the Evasons. SAC co-chair Amelia Hook (‘17) and SAC Vice President Dietrich Jessen (‘15) were part of the selection committee last spring and were able to preview a performance. “They were captivating,” Hook said, “It was just … crazy.” Hook notes that it is not only the incredible feats the Evasons perform that make the duo such a great act, but also their ability to entertain an audience. “Even though they focus on reading one person at a time, the whole audience is involved in it; everyone is a part of it even if you’re not the one being read,” Hook said. Chips was able to catch up with the Evasons about their eclectic act prior to this week’s performance. Chips: What inspired you to start performing your “mind reading” techniques? Jeff Evason: For almost as along as I can remember, I had an interest in magic. At an early age I watched magicians on TV. I stayed in my room for hours trying to guess random outcomes in advance, like the colors of playing cards from a shuffled pack. Later on in life we were introduced to a husband and wife team who did a telepathy and ESP act. They eventually became our mentors and they helped guide and inspire us to focus on a very specialized form of mentalism called “Second Sight.” Tessa Evason: As a young girl I always believed I was intuitive. I felt that I could sense things going on with people
A MAGICAL MATCH. Jeff and Tessa Evason were both drawn to performing at a young age and have been honing their unique art for years. Photo courtesy of Business Speakers Bureau and Entertainment website when I first met them. Growing up surrounded by nature in the beautiful Caribbean island of St. Lucia had a profound effect on the way I live and experience life. Families and friends [on the island] often celebrated with food, song, dance, storytelling. They trusted their intuition and their dreams. This vibrant and harmonious existence created within me an awareness and a strong connection with my subconscious On your webpage, you refer to the art or skill in your performance as being based in elements of “ESP” or in having “second sight.” Do you maintain the belief that your performance relies on a force that is out of your own control? The Evasons: We are primarily entertainers and we don’t claim to have supernatural powers. The powers we have are based on persuasion, focus, intuition, observation, sense perception and psychological feedback. We’re careful about how we define our work. If we tell people it is a trick, they don’t believe us. If we say it’s real, some people are skeptical. So we leave it up to the audience. When people experience it
for themselves they often develop a personal opinion based on their individual proof. What should Luther students expect to see and expect to feel in the upcoming performance? Our performance is an experience that people will see and hear, but mostly it is something they will feel. We’ll invite everyone in the audience to participate. There’s a good chance they’ll have an opportunity to experience a connection with Tessa. Tessa will know things about people that will startle and amaze everyone, without embarrassing anyone. If they’re lucky enough to be chosen to participate in our demonstration of spirit photography, they’ll make a connection beyond anything they could dream of. We try to inspire them to use their imaginations. We want them to experience real magic. We’ll tickle their sixth sense. Tickets for the Evasons’ performance are $10 or free with CAF, and are on sale at the Ticket Office or online at www. tickets.luther.edu.
The Awful Purdies serenade Seed Savers LAURA HAYES STAFF WRITER
The Awful Purdies, a modern folk band based in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, performed at Seed Savers Exchange’s Heritage Farm on Sunday, Sept. 14. The group played to a diverse crowd and led a discussion about local food following the performance.
AWFULLY PURDY. Band member Nicole Upchurch takes her turn at the mic. Laura Hayes/Chips
“When I do my [radio] show for KWLC, I look for three things: songwriting talent, music talent and personality,” KWLC radio host Emma Cassabaum (‘16) said. “The Awful Purdies have all of these, and they’re five badass women.” The Awful Purdies was formed nine years ago out of a desire to create an all-female project. Prior to the Purdies, most of the members had been the only female members in their ensembles and wanted to change that dynamic. “The last nine years have been an exploration of totally different subject matter than any of us had dealt with,” band member Katie Roche said. “As lyricists, we found that creating music with women, who become your extended family after playing together for nine years, creates this comfortable and empowering environment where we’ve blossomed as songwriters and musicians.” Roch said some of these subjects, like childbirth, motherhood and losing a parent are often overlooked in the music industry. One such song, “Oh, Medina!” is about the “beautiful sacrifices that you make as a mother” and was written as a tribute to Roche’s grandmother. Each member of The Awful Purdies writes for the group and takes turns singing lead vocals. As a result, the sound of the Awful Purdies is influenced by a wide variety of genres including bluegrass, folk, jazz and electronic. Despite their varying influences, the group comes together to “purdify” their songs. The Awful Purdies will return to Decorah to perform in “All Recipes
Are Home,” a play commissioned by the Luther College Center Stage Series, Grinnell College and The University of Iowa. The play will be performed on Saturday, April 11 in the CFL and will feature live music from the group. “Commissioning pieces creates the opportunity for something truly distinctive and unique,” Director of Campus Programming Tanya Gertz said. “It’s cool to see a play based on the place that you call home for four years.” The Awful Purdies’ albums “Hiatus” and “The Awful Purdies” are available for purchase on iTunes and the band’s website, www.awfulpurdies.com/buy/. Students are encouraged to contribute to “All Recipes Are Home” by submitting their “Iowa, farm or handeddown family recipes” to luther.edu/recipes/submit.
FEATURES
PAGE 6 SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
FEATURES EDITOR: CASEY DELIMA
Black Student Union revived MATT HELM STAFF WRITER Luther College’s Black Student Union (BSU) was revived last year after a brief hiatus and is now gearing up for the fall semester with a plan that focuses on education and empowerment. “The purpose of the BSU is to educate everyone, including ourselves,” BSU President Pharez Monney (‘17) said. “We are not separating ourselves from the Luther community, but instead we are inviting the entire school to get to know the history of Africans and African-Americans.” BSU meetings will include themed open dialogue discussions based on important issues concerning the black community. The group is also going to attend a conference at Cornell College in Iowa City to see how other Black Student Unions are run. “There are a lot of people, black and white, who believe that because the year is 2014 and we are so far removed from legal discrimination and inequality that race issues don’t really
matter, which is a common misconception,” BSU Vice-President Chelanga Langason (‘16) said. “We are trying to bring the mindset to Luther campus that issues of race are present and important and that we need to make people of color feel welcome.” Members of the BSU believe that the need for the group is even more relevant because of the fact that Luther is a predominately white campus. “It can be hard to come from a place where everyone is like you and then go to Luther where the majority of people don’t look like you and don’t have the same experiences,” Kenechukwu Joy Okeke (‘17) said. “It can be hard to relate or even to know what to say, but the BSU helps take that pressure away for a little while.” There are numerous cultures that make up the black community, and the BSU provides a space for students to celebrate their cultural commonalities and differences. “The BSU helps international students and AfricanAmericans understand each other better,” Sukeji Mikaya (‘17)
said. “In my country we have rich people, poor people and people in the middle. We are just like any other country and now the Americans can know that, too”. The Black Student Union plans on hosting open forums for discussion of important race-related issues, especially in light of the events in Ferguson, Mo., and the death of Michael Brown. “Those who are disempowered by the death of Michael Brown have the responsibility to educate and empower themselves so they don’t feel helpless by the situation that occurred,” Executive Director of the Diversity Center Sheila Radford-Hill said. “An organization like the Black Student Union could be an empowerment engine. It can make us more emboldened to make a claim on Michael Brown’s behalf and on behalf of the millions of African-American men who have suffered this kind of injustice.” The Black Student Union meets on Thursdays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Main 213. The first discussion topic will be the concept of “The Black Family.”
UNITED. Thursday, Sept. 11.
Bjorn Myhre / Chips
Ross Szabo discusses mental health ERIKA STORVICK STAFF WRITER
On Thursday, Sept. 18, students, faculty and the Decorah community will have the opportunity to hear mental health advocate Ross Szabo speak. His lecture, “Behind Happy Faces: Talking About Mental Health,” explores the many mental health issues facing college students today. “The goal of my presentation is to engage people on mental health,” Szabo said. “We need to do more than awareness.” Cydney Haaland (‘15) is responsible for bringing Ross Szabo to Luther through CAMPUSPEAK. As a member of both Active Minds and Launching Luther Leaders (L3), Haaland arranged this talk as a change project, her way of encouraging Luther students to rethink their attitudes toward mental illness. “I did some research on him and really liked his message,” Haaland said. “He does a great job of explaining everything and making it interesting and relatable.” Szabo began speaking at age 17 after he
was hospitalized following a suicide attempt. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 16, Szabo has struggled with his mental health and shares his story to help educate others on what it means to have good mental health. “What’s happening right now is that a lot of people think that the best way to approach mental illness is to just talk about mental illness,” Szabo said. “What ends up happening when you do that is you create this dichotomy where students think, ‘Oh, I either have a mental illness and need to seek help, or I don’t need help at all,’ when the reality is [that] everyone’s goal should be to achieve good mental health.” Szabo speaks at colleges and high schools throughout the country, encouraging young adults to stop hiding mental illness and instead move toward balanced mental health. He has written a book, “Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health,” that is used as a curriculum in
high schools and has developed several college programs, including some for fraternities and sororities and a first-year orientation program. “My goal in mental health advocacy is to get other people to think about what they’re doing,” Szabo said. “How are you going to laugh at what I did because it has a diagnosis, when what you do is just as destructive? We all need to start paying better attention to our mental health because it affects every single part of our lives.” Many college students struggle with mental health, facing everything from excessive stress and anxiety to anger management and clinical depression. Mental illness is considered by many to be a taboo topic, but it does not have to be. “I think society views it as a weakness– ‘why can’t you just be happy?’” Haaland said. “That is an attitude that needs to change.” Luther College has several groups that focus
“The reality is [that] everyone’s goal should be to achieve good .” -Ross Szabo
on mental health awareness. Active Minds is a student organization dedicated to mental health advocacy and education; they meet Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the Women and Gender Equality Center. Luther College Counseling Services and the Nena Amundson Lifetime Wellness Program are dedicated to promoting mental health as well. “I think that mental health awareness is super important,” Active Minds member Katie Kovacovich (‘16) said. “I’m excited for the student body to have the opportunity to learn about suicide prevention and other mental health issues.” Szabo has spoken on the Luther campus before. As the keynote speaker at convocation five years ago, he distinctly remembers the feeling of warmth and unity of Luther’s campus. “It was great,” Szabo said. “Everyone was so open and receptive to the conversation.” On Thursday, Sept. 18, Szabo will return to re-engage in this conversation. His talk will take place in the CFL Main Hall at 7 p.m., free and open to all who wish to learn more about mental health.
FEATURES
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FEATURES EDITOR: CASEY DELIMA
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Lund connects with students world-wide JENNA NELSON STAFF WRITER
Executive Director for Global Learning and International Admissions Jon Lund recently started his 20th year working at Luther College. With backgrounds in Residence Life, the Career Center, and Marketing and Enrollment, Lund has just about seen it all. However, his current position in the Center for Global Learning allows him to closely interact with even more students. Over 400 students on campus that choose to study abroad. He also works with even more students approximately 150 international students on campus from more than 60 different countries. “When I meet with new students who come to Luther for admissions presentations or
AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK.
other things I always tell them to bring their passport because they’re going to need it,” Lund said. Lund leads by example. His personal passport contains a collage of international stamps and visas. “I sort of laugh because one of the first questions I get now from people is, ‘Are you coming or going?’” Lund said. “But on average I’m gone maybe two and a half months out of the year.” In total Lund has visited more than 70 countries out of the nearly 200 worldwide. “But for me I don’t travel to go to countries,” Lund said. “I try to pick places that I think will be fruitful for Luther in terms of bringing in great international students who are going to do really well here and thrive, but also locations that would be really good for our
Casey DeLima/ Chips
traveling students.” Chilean international student Lenny Ulloa Silva (‘16) met with Lund when he was recruiting at universities in Italy. “I came to Luther because he was really professional, and some other schools are selling you,” Ulloa Silva said. “Jon Lund was quite different. He was more like showing us the tools Luther could give you without all the pressure.” Vicky Torrillas (‘17) also met Lund in Italy and has continued the using him as a resource beyond the initial recruitment. “Even after you come to Luther Jon is very consistent with what he says, and you know that if you are having an issue you can go talk to Jon,” Torrillas said. “For example, every summer he does a picnic for all the international students that are staying at Luther. He doesn’t have to, he just likes doing it for fun.” Lund first began logging his time abroad as a student at St. Olaf College. He spent a semester at Cambridge University in England and completed a six to seven week-long backpacking trek through Europe. “There’s no way I think that you can study abroad and continue to see the world in the same way,” Lund said. “I think that fresh set of eyes in looking at things is a really important component.” But with all his hours logged abroad, Lund definitely knows that travel has both its ups and downs. “Everybody over-glamorizes it,” Lund said. “But after a while, I tell people I’m glad I’m
short because I don’t need the leg room, and I’m glad I sleep well on the airplane.” Loss of control was also something that Lund learned to accept over time. “Sometimes things just go awry,” Lund said. “I’ve found myself stuck in the Singapore airport sleeping on a bench. Last year I flew into Tokyo during the worst snow storm they’ve ever had. One year I found myself in Delhi and had to sleep on my luggage. I’ve been in a taxi cab that caught fire in the largest slum in New Delhi, and in Pakistan where literally we had to be escorted from school to school with armed guards, but what sort of unites it all is how highly regarded U.S. education is.” Yet through it all Lund feels extremely privileged to share Luther with so many cultures. “What I love is getting excited, meeting people from other cultures,” Lund said. “I feel privileged to represent Luther to these places.” Lund, who for many years has called Luther his home, appreciates its value. “Luther’s actually pretty special,” Lund said. “Who would imagine you’d come to this beautiful corner of northeast Iowa and from here you see a much larger world, both through the international students who are here and through the ability to study somewhere else?” As Jon Lund embarks on this 20th year here at Luther College, he celebrates his experiences and passion for his role in students’ lives. “I do think I have the coolest job on campus,” Lund said. “It’s hard not to be excited about what you do.”
“I do think I have the coolest job on . It’s hard not to be excited about what you do.” -Jon Lund
Language students practice with peers ABBY CARPENTER STAFF WRITER At Luther, students are required to take one language class, and for some, learning a whole new language can be an overwhelming challenge. It can be difficult to find a place and people with whom to practice speaking the language outside of the classroom. Fortunately, the language departments at Luther offer a variety of different opportunities for students to become acquainted with their language of study outside of class. The Spanish table for example meets every day in the cafeteria from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. in Marty’s on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. “The whole idea of the Spanish table is to provide space for students to speak the language, to get to know each other and to learn about the culture,” Associate Professor of Spanish Alfredo Estenoz said. “It’s a good exchange.” While in class, many students find it intimidating to speak a language with which they are not yet confident. The different language tables can help students build up their confidence by practicing the language among their peers. “It’s a way of speaking in an informal context,” Estenoz said. “The student assistants that work there come from different countries; so that helps the students to hear different
accents and vocabularies, and even slang from different countries.” The different language tables offer unique cultural learning opportunities that students do not receive in class. “It’s cool because I get to meet kids from all over the world, and I got to learn things about their culture that you wouldn’t read in a book or learn about in your classes, like popular musicians,” Quinn Barrett (‘16) said. “You basically get to know about what kids our age are interested in, rather than boring stuff.” The French department also offers a table that meets from 3-4 p.m. on
Tuesdays and Thursdays in Oneota Market, and Tuesday nights from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Marty’s “The French table is different from the Spanish table because the French table is run by a teaching assistant,” Assistant Professor of French Anne-Marine Feat said. “We have a graduate from the University of Western Brittany. They come for a one-year contract, and we’ve been doing that for the past five years.” Like Spanish, French is a language that is commonly studied by Luther students. “French is interesting, because besides English, it’s the only language
¿QUIERES HABLAR CONMIGO? (
that’s spoken on all the continents,” Feat said. “It’s spoken in many more places than Spanish.” Though less commonly studied, the Russian department offers a table that meets on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in Marty’s. The Russian table is run by international student Masha Statkevich (‘16) from Belarus. “This is her third year leading Russian table and she is outstanding,” Full Professor of Russian Studies Laurie Iudin-Nelson said. “She brings history and culture into her sessions.” There are tables offered for the Norwegian and Chinese
departments as well. The Chinese table meets every Thursday from 12:30-1 p.m. in Oneota Market and the Norwegian table only meets on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. in Marty’s. For more information on opportunities in foreign language, students are welcome to visit the Language Learning Center on the second floor in Main, which offers drop-in tutoring service for all foreign languages. “The Language Learning Center has tutors in every language that Luther offers,” Feat said. “And usually the tutors are all too happy to have someone come and talk to them.”
Abby Carpenter / Chips
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 8 SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
A&E EDITOR: DYLAN HINTON
Local stages seek student talent Decorah offers a variety of performance venues for students looking to showcase their talents off campus.
Aase Haugen The Aase Haugen nursing home offers their chapel stage to student musicians willing to play for their residents. Aase Haugen’s Activity Director Sara Nottestad has had difficulty convincing student performers to play at the nursing home over Decorah’s more youthful alternatives, but she still believes it can be a unique opportunity for both students and residents. “People don’t come to the nursing home until they are in the final stretch ... they are in their last couple years,” Nottestad said. “These performances are often their last concert. It would be amazing for someone to come from
Luther to play and share their talent with us. It’s a real gift that can be shared.” Considering the audience, Nottestad prefers acoustic, choral and jazz acts instead of louder acts like rock bands. “I think electric guitar might be a little too intense,” Nottestad said. “At least until we begin to see more of the baby boomers.” Interested musicians can contact Nottestad by phone at 563-382-3603. The Courtyard & Cellar The Courtyard & Cellar on Water Street in Downtown Decorah offers an indoor and outdoor stage to musicians. The enclosed stage is situated with a bar and outdoor patio furniture. A brick staircase leads from the courtyard patio into the darkly lit, wood paneled cellar that offers a corner stage of its own. “We do music occasionally … it kinda depends on seasonality and our room works specifically well with some sounds over others,” co-owner Benji Nichols said. “We’ve done some jazz nights down here, which have been really good, and we’ve had a couple acoustic singer-songwriters whose sounds blended pretty well.” Interested musicians can contact Nichols by email at
courtyardandcellar@gmail.com. Roscoe’s Bar Roscoe’s Bar hires student DJs to man their corner stage every Friday and Saturday night during the year. Head DJ Ryan Castelaz (‘15) has played at Roscoe’s more than 40 times and now coordinates the DJ staff. “At times it’s incredibly exhilarating and incredibly fun to watch everything unfold,” Castelaz said. “You play a song that people love or do a transition that’s just on point, and people just go wild.” While the venue is often electric and exciting, Castelaz says, DJing also comes with a set of challenges. “You just got to know that as a DJ you can’t appease everyone in the room,” Castelaz said. “You just got to focus on providing people the best time you can to the people that will actually let themselves have a good time. It’s the most fun that way.” DJs are paid $40 on Friday nights and $50 on Saturday nights. Castalez has already scheduled DJs through the end of fall semester, but he encourages students who are interested in performing later this year to contact him. There is no experience necessary. Interested parties can contact Castelaz at castry01@luther.edu.
AASE HAUGEN. The nursing home is a venue best suited to mellow, classical acts. Spencer Hodge/Chips
THE COURTYARD & CELLAR. The bar and taproom features an indoor and outdoor stage. Spencer Hodge/Chips
ROSCOE’S BAR. Weekend nights as a DJ at ‘Scoes are high risk, high reward. Spencer Hodge/Chips
SPENCER HODGE STAFF WRITER
Album review:
Alt-J, “This is All Yours”
CARL BATES KWLC STATION MANAGER Alt-J’s debut, “An Awesome Wave,” inspired polarized responses from the album’s listeners. At best, their debut elicited critical acclaim, winning the 2012 Mercury Prize. At worst, reviewers at Mojo and Pitchfork trashed the group’s album. The lead up to their sophomore album, “This Is All Yours,” has only served to further their polarizing reputation; this time, however, the effect permeates throughout their own fan base. The lead single, “Hunger of the Pines,” is a plodding slow burner of a song that features a surprising sample of Miley Cyrus’ song “4x4.” Many reactions to the tune were similar to Stereogum’s Tom Breihan, who wrote that when the Miley sample comes in one might think that the group had accidentally left music playing in another browser tab. The Guardian called the follow up single, “Left Hand Free,” “the least Alt-J song ever.” Alt-J keyboardist
Gus Unger-Hamilton joked about the track by saying, “someone’s going to walk onstage to it at an NRA convention.” Needless to say, I’m sure there were many Alt-J fans who hoped for a similar announcement to the one Grimes made last week when she announced that she was scrapping all the recordings for her upcoming album after the negative reaction to her lead single, “Go.” “This is All Yours” is more or less bookended by three songs centered around Nara, a location that serves as the setting to the album. Unger-Hamilton describes the setting of Nara as “a place in Japan where it’s full of deer, and the deer can sort of run around wherever they want throughout the city. The deer kind of have right of way everywhere. And the idea of the song ‘Nara’ is about wanting to live your life freely as you want because you’re not hurting anybody.” Sonically, this album is much more lush, cinematic and colorful than its predecessor, featuring more acoustic and ambient instrumentation and sounds. This album, however, is a plodder. Besides the jarring “Left Hand Free,” the album features
lackadaisical, slow to medium tempos. At best, the trodding tempos turn into more of a jog, like on the tracks “Hunger of the Pine” and “Nara” where layering textures build to reach euphoric climaxes. I love the minimalistic saxophone on “Hunger of the Pine” and the tasteful, tone-setting city bell in the opening moments of “Nara.” Nevertheless, more often than not this album limps along, frequently taunting the listener into pressing the skip button. In sum, “This is All Yours” provides an unmemorable listening experience. For the best in new independent music, tune into KWLC Radio Monday through Friday from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. KWLC can be found at 1240am on the radio dial or online at kwlc. luther.edu.
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: SARAH KING
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Senate announces goals for the year A Senate Sit-Down We successfully kicked off the new school year with our first Senate meeting, an Executive Board Retreat and a full Senate Retreat! We would like to thank all of the FirstYear students for voting in their class elections and would like to welcome Katy Roets (‘18), Katie Downing (‘18) and Kieran Okerstrom (‘18) as the new FirstYear Class Representatives.
During the full Senate Retreat, we discussed various ways to improve life at Luther as representatives of the student body. We will continue to monitor the progress of the gender-neutral housing proposal and the medical amnesty clause. The five committees within Senate also set up their own goals for the year: The Finance Committee is working on the allocation of student funding, so if you are the head of a student organization, be sure to update your contact information to stay in the loop. The Student Leadership Committee is working to provide more information that is beneficial to student organizations on campus. This will include leadership training, informational packets and
campus connection events. Social media and Meet Your Senator events were at the top of the docket for the Communications Committee. They are working hard this year to keep students informed about the activities of Senate. The Campus Betterment Committee is looking for new ways to encourage students to use double-sided printing, and one member from their board will be sitting in on the weekly Facilities meetings to ensure communication between the Facilities staff and Luther students. The Student Life Committee is looking to do a lot of research this year. How do international students manage during the summer and over breaks? What do students think of various traditions on
campus? Is there a way to provide extra information to students coming to Luther from abroad? This committee hopes to answer these questions as the year goes on. As the school year continues, your Senators would love your feedback and input on things happening around campus. Remember, Senate meetings are open to the public! We meet every Thursday from 9:40-10:50 a.m. in the Loyalty Hall Boardroom. We look forward to working with you all this upcoming year. See you on Thursday! Your President and Vice President, -Libby Logsden Steinberg (‘15)
(‘15)
and
Maggie
Condensing memories Letter to the Editor I spent last spring semester studying abroad in Cork, Ireland. It was a crazy whirlwind of new experiences, new friends and new environments. Since coming home in late May, people have constantly
BAD COFFEE
been asking me, “How was Ireland?” Others, who forget where I spent my semester, ask me; “How was Europe, or wherever you went?” I find these questions fascinating. I don’t know exactly how to answer these questions. So often people ask me about Ireland in passing, when no one has the time to listen to my entire semester being replayed. Most of the time I just say, “Good!” How can I possibly condense five months of experiences into one word, or even one sentence? One sentence is not enough to do my study abroad experience justice. It would take months to explain everything. I was really excited when I came home to tell everyone
about all of my memories and my experiences. But as time has gone on, I’ve come to the conclusion that all of the experiences that I was fortunate enough to have will be all my own. I will never be able to tell everyone about every detail of my trip. I won’t even be able to tell one person every detail. Though it pains me to condense my study abroad memories into the singular word “good,” I am content knowing that my study abroad experience will be anything and everything but “good” to me. -Hayley Ryan (‘15)
Spencer Hodge / Chips
OPINION
PAGE 10 SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
Luther College Chips Chips is a student publication of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The paper is designed, composed edited and managed entirely by Luther students. It is published weekly during the academic year, excluding the month of January. The opinion section is designed to provide a forum for Chips, its staff members and the Luther community. Opinions expressed in articles, editorials and columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Chips staff. The author is solely responsible for opinions expressed in Chips commentary. Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements. Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document to chipsedt@ luther.edu with Letter to the Editor as a subject line. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing without changing the meaning of the letter. Authors will not be notified of changes prior to publishing. Letters must be signed, 300-400 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before production. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor. Contact Chips: Phone: 563-387-1044 Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips Fall 2014 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Walker Nyenhuis Sarah King Anna Jeide Margaret Yapp Features Editor: Casey DeLima A&E Editor: Dylan Hinton Sports Editor: Julia Joseph Staff Writers: Makeda Barkley Abby Carpenter Emily Crowe Laura Hayes Matt Helm Spencer Hodge Jennifer Jansen Nils Johnson Jenna Nelson Katie Nelson Maggie Steinberg Erika Storvick Bailey Mulholland Alison Vuolo Rachel Williams Head Copy Editor: Katie Hale Copy Editors: Cameron Meyferth Bethany Seavers Templeton Ad Representative: Alex Brandt Sam Ward Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Photography Coordinator: Casey DeLima Photographers: Abby Carpenter Bjorn Myhre Design Technician: Bjorn Myhre Web Manager: Isaac Davis Social Media Coordinator: Alex Catena Promotions Director: Zora Hurst Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: David Faldet
MANAGING EDITOR: SARAH KING
Remembering all parts of history BETHANY SEAVERS TEMPLETON COPY EDITOR I remember. I remember sitting in my grandparents’ kitchen before school. I remember the phone ringing, my grandparents saying it was my mom, the shock on their faces. I remember them hastily giving me Goldfish crackers and Sprite, turning on “Bear in the Big Blue House” and then scurrying off to the living room, whispering in hushed tones. I remember my grandma telling me there was a plane crash. Later, I remember my mom telling me that I will later be asked where I was on that day. So I made every seven-year-old effort to take pictures in my brain of what was happening on September 11, 2001, even though I couldn’t
fully grasp what happened. I remember. I also remember September 11, 2010, the first day my school did not have a moment of silence in remembrance. I remember my friends being surprised, angry, sad. I remember not feeling any of those emotions. I remember feeling heartless for not feeling angry that we did not observe the importance of that day, but I also remember knowing. The terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, 2001, was an awful event. However, it is not the first awful event to ever occur in the United States or the world. There are so many events in history where an equal or greater number of lives were lost, and at some point we stopped taking time out of our day to remember those events, too. If we were silent for every day that war, or terrorism, or poverty, or cruel governments caused the loss of lives, there would be no other time. No time to reflect on it, no time to discuss it, no time to hear other perspectives. There would also be no time to celebrate all of the good occurring in our lifetimes. There is evil in this world, yes, but there is also a whole lot of good that deserves being mentioned and celebrated. It is never a bad idea to send up a prayer or positive vibe toward everyone who mourns every September 11th, but it is also important to remember that birthdays are celebrated every September 11th, and everyone deserves to be celebrated.
“ If we were silent for every day that war, or terrorism, or poverty, or cruel governments caused the loss of lives, there would be no other time.” - Bethany Seavers Templeton (‘16)
A distaste for showers of brides and babies SARAH KING MANAGING EDITOR I am not a fan of showers. No, I don’t mean the kind that helps us all maintain healthy hygiene. I think it is important that we all bathe. I do like to be clean. No, the kind of showers I dislike are the celebratory kind, not that personal showers after a good workout or gardening session cannot be personally celebratory as you wash off the blood, sweat and tears. For me, it’s usually gardening. But that’s not what I am referring to now. The day before moving back to Luther, I went to visit of my cousins and pick up her chair, a free offering. When I arrived and hugged my cousin, I was surprised to find how big she had gotten. Now before you call me heartless, let me explain. My cousin is pregnant. Of course I knew this fact. My parents had talked about it over the summer, and I read the good news on Facebook a while ago. However, since I had not seen my cousin in over a year, I still hadn’t fully comprehended how she would look until I saw her again. In the past, by that point in their pregnancies my other cousins would have had a baby shower. Almost just as I was thinking about this, my
mother asked, “When are you having the baby shower?” My cousin replied that she would not have one. When asked why, she said she already has everything she needs, but more importantly I think, she just does not want a baby shower. I felt relieved. Showers to me have always been days filled with tiresome games and endless chitchat with distant relatives who mix my sister and me up. How come only women have to go through this experience? My brothers and father have never attended a groom’s shower or baby shower for the father-to-be. I will say that I am a feminist in the sense of the actual definition as it was explained in Laura Hayes’ opinion article last week. I believe in equal rights for all people. Thus, I think it is quite unfair that only women should have these “showers.” Why do only we women have to unscramble words like “cradle” and “nappies” in order to win a bag of hand lotion and soap? Furthermore, as someone who is a private person, the idea of everyone discussing my personal life is not fun to me. Who says I have to tell you how many fights my significant other and I have ever had and how we resolve so that you can all start the betting pool for how long we will
last? Who says I have to tell you the name of the baby or where it was conceived? Even worse, the notion of other people touching my stomach, as if being pregnant automatically gives everyone, including strangers, the right to touch you, is simply annoying. Pregnant people are people, too! At least ask. I will be happy for friends and family who decide to undertake either one of these major life decisions, and I will celebrate with them in whatever way they wish to. That’s just what you do for those you love. Heck, I will even plan one such event if asked, and if they do, I will definitely come up with games other than unscrambling baby-related words. I hope that in the future, should I decide to go through with either life choice, I would receive the same kind understanding from everyone that my parents and I gave my cousin. How I want to celebrate is my own choice. Of course I will graciously accept any congratulations if it is offered, but I will celebrate as I wish to. Perhaps if we change the nature of these events and invite all who are close to the celebrated, no matter their gender, then they will be more enjoyable. Let’s reinvent the shower!
SPORTS
PAGE 11
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014
SPORTS EDITOR: JULIA JOSEPH
Students petition sleeves in Legends ALISON VUOLO STAFF WRITER The Legends Fitness for Life Center’s “Sleeves Required” policy was challenged by a group of students this past week. Jason Zubay (‘17), Joshua Swanson (‘15) and Windom Shields (‘16) spearheaded this effort by creating a petition and a Facebook page and speaking with several administration members. The policy has been in effect for 14 years and requires those working out in Legends to have shirts with sleeves; forbiddingtank tops or muscle shirts. Zubay, Swanson and Shields created a petition which received more than 50 signatures in a day, according to Swanson. “We had a line of people wanting to sign the petition,” Swanson said. “It’s a matter of comfort, flexibility and range of motion.” According to Shields, the reason the rule is in place is to prevent Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the spread WHAT NOT TO WEAR. of a strand of staph Students want to remove infection. the ban on sleeveless “Staph is not as shirts. Alison Vuolo / Chips common as people
think,” Shields said. “It’s not contracted in the way that people think and it’s not a threat to the weight room. Sleeves aren’t going to prevent anything.” According to Shields turf fields, volleyball courts and wrestling mats are more common places for transmission. In response to the group’s actions thus far, several members of the athletic department issued a statement of explanation. Associate Director of Athletics Renae Hartl, Legends Center Director Cam Schuknecht, Strength Coach Dave O’Connor and Assistant Football Coach Ike Hammerly all signed the statement. The statement identifies reasons other than health for the policy. “At this time, we feel the current policy of requiring sleeves is the best way to ensure that everyone feels comfortable coming in on a campus tour or to work out,” the statement said. “From students to staff and faculty, to emeriti professors, to prospective students and their families and to special guests of the college.” Since August Legends leadership has been under new management. Legends was previously under the leadership of Student Life. “We are absolutely open to change,” Hartl said, “but we want to respect Student Life and the policy they had for 14 years upon taking on new leadership.” Zubay, Swanson and Shields plan to speak with Hartl and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Joe Thompson this coming week. However, it may be some time before students can shed their sleeves. “Our plan is to take several months to absorb and learn the climate of the daily operations in the facility,” the statement read. “We are not going to make a change
ONLY SLEEVES ALLOWED. Kayla Harwick (‘16) follows the clothing rules for Legends. Alison Vuolo / Chips
in policy after the first week of classes for something that has been in place since the center opened in 2001. Making change without proper research and time would be irresponsible.”
Tennis teams serve up winning start FRANCES STEVENSON VOLUNTEER WRITER The Luther men’s tennis team played their first match of the season against the tennis alum on Saturday, Sept. 13. This match brings back alums for a friendly match against current team members. It also gives the current team a competive environment to help them train. The women’s team has had a strong start winning five of their six games so far this season. The teams have worked hard during pre-season to prepare for their fall matches. “The pre-season is a huge advantage,” Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach
Adam Strand (‘04) said. “It’s key to [their] success.” There are 19 intercollegiate sports teams that run during the school year and nine sports camps that run throughout the summer, tennis being one of the largest. These camps and sports teams bring a diverse group of first-year and transfer students every year. “I spent six summers at Luther’s tennis camps,” Claire Christian (‘18) said. “Time not spent in class or at practice is often spent studying or reading.” One of the biggest differences in the tennis teams this year is that most of the players are underclassmen. Strand does not believe this will put them at a disadvantage and hopes that having new players will get everyone on the team out
“The pre-season is a huge advantage. It’s key to [their] success.” - Coach Strand (‘04)
DOUBLE TROUBLE. Current teammates square up against alum players. Will Heller / Photo Bureau.
GOOD SPORTS. In a break from the usual, the men’s tennis team faced alum tennis players on Saturday, Sept. 13 during the home Alumni Match. . Zachary Stottler / Photo Bureau. of their comfort zone. This year the tennis coaching staff welcomes back Assistant Men’s and
ALUM BATTLE. Past tennis players come back for a friendly match against the team. Will Heller / Photo Bureau.
Women’s Tennis Coach Fran Fairfield (‘11). Both Strand and Fairfield have a long history with the sport and played varsity tennis during their times at Luther. When asked what he was most excited about this season, Strand replied that having Fairfield back at Luther was a “huge help to the team” and an “exciting development” that he believes will set the team apart.
Luther hosts 43rd annual All-American meet
Weekly Standings Football
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Luther Simpson #9 Wartburg Central Coe Loras Buena Vista Dubuque
Recent Scores
Overall 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-2 2-2 1-1 0-2 0-2
Sept. 13 @ Northfield, Minn vs. St. Olaf W 20-3
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 20 vs. Grinnell College 1 p.m.
Men’s Soccer 22/10 Luther 10/5 Loras Wartburg Buena Vista Simpson Dubuque Central Coe
RUNNERS TO YOUR MARKS.
MAKEDA BARKLEY The Luther cross country team competed in the annual All-American Invitational Meet on Saturday, Sept. 13. “This is the big meet of the season for us,” Assistant Women’s Cross Country Coach Yarrow Pasche said. The women placed third in the meet with 75 points, finishing behind secondplace Luther Alumni and champions from the college of St. Benedict who finished with 38 points. The men finished fifth with a team total of 109 points, 67 points behind first-place Iowa Central. The meet took place on the Norse’s home course, which winds through parts of Gateway prairie, the disc-golf course and along the Upper Iowa River. Tricia Serres (‘16) placed first in the women’s 5k with a time of 18:13, beating out second-place Hannah Palmeter of NIACC by 21 seconds. This earned
Zachary Stottler / Photo Bureau Serres back-to-back All-American titles, the second Luther runner to have accomplished this feat since the beginning of Luther women’s cross country. Filling out the other top six runners for the Norse women were Kaia Bierman (‘18), McKenzie Carney (‘18), Sarah Owens (‘17), Kara Maloney (‘16), Mallory Carr (‘17) and Hannah Wright (‘18). Tyler Broadwell (‘16), Clare Brandt (‘16), Trever Schwichtenberg (‘17), Scott Mittman (‘15), Kurt Hellmann (‘16), Isaac Jensen (‘17) and Luke Lumbar (‘18) were the top seven runners for the Luther men on Saturday. The home meet drew a large number of Luther supporters, many of whom could be found spread out along the course doing their best to motivate the runners. “It was fun having all the alumni and families out on the course cheering everywhere,” women’s team member Ally Fillmore (‘15) said. Traditionally for high school and college runners, the meet has expanded to include junior high teams in the past decade, which brought the participant total up to nearly 1,200 runners this year. Although the meet was the biggest that
“
the Norse will compete in this season, it was not their most competitive. “It is a good stepping stone, moving us toward bigger races and being more prepared for those races down the road,” Pasche said. “We have a lot of training that we’re doing right now so it’s hard to run your best when you’re training really hard.” With summer and early season training in place, the Norse are displaying a low number of injuries thus far. “People came in very fit and ready,” Pasche said. “I think our team is very healthy and moving into greater health which is a good place to be.” The Norse welcomed a large first-year group to the team this fall, consisting of 11 women and 14 men. With no competition for the next two weeks, it will be all training for the Norse in preparation for the six consecutive weekends of racing to follow. This meet is only the start for the Norse, who feel very confident that it will only get better. “It’s looking really good. We have a great-looking team and we’re pumped to race,” Fillmore said. “We have a lot of potential.”
out on the course
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 5-0 6-1 4-1-1 3-1-1 4-2 1-3-2 1-4 1-6
Recent Scores
Sept. 14 vs. Macalester College W 3-2
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 20 @ UW-Superior 12 p.m.
Women’s Soccer Luther 22/24 Dubuque Loras Buena Vista Central Wartburg Coe Simpson
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 6-0 6-1 4-4 3-1-2 3-2-1 2-2-2 2-3 0-6
Recent Scores
Sept. 13 vs. Macalester College W 2-1
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 21 @ Carleton College 1 p.m.
Volleyball
#20 Coe Wartburg Central Luther Buena Vista Simpson Loras Dubuque
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 11-2 10-2 9-4 7-5 8-7 5-5 4-7 4-9
Recent Scores
Sept. 14 @ Grinnell, Iowa L 1-3, W 3-0
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 19 vs. UW-La Crosse 7 p.m.
Men’s Tennis Dubuque Central Coe Loras Luther Simpson Wartburg Buena Vista
IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 19-20 IIAC Individual Tournament @ Cedar Rapids
Women’s Tennis Coe Wartburg Loras Luther Simpson Central Dubuque Buena Vista
IIAC 4-0 3-1 3-1 2-1 1-2 0-1 0-3 0-4
Overall 8-0 5-2 4-4 5-1 4-4 3-1 2-3 0-6
Recent Scores
Sept. 16 @ University of Dubuque W 8-1
Upcoming Schedule
Sept. 19-20 ITA Regional Tournament @ St. Peter, Minn
TAKING THE LEAD. (On right) Tricia Serres (‘16) won the women’s 4K race with a time of 18:13. Makeda Barkley / Chips