Hillsdale Collegian 12.6.18 by The Hillsdale Collegian

Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

Vol. 142 Issue 13 - December 6, 2018

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Carmel Kookogey | Collegian

College marijuana policy remains, despite state’s legalization By | Nicole Ault Editor-in-Chief Use of recreational marijuana becomes legal for adults over 21 years old in Michigan on Thursday, but at Hillsdale College, drug policy remains the same: Students and employees of the college may not use or possess marijuana. The college forbids marijuana because there is “strong evidence that it is bad for one and hurts one’s ability to think and work at a high level,” said Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn in an email. “The college was founded to ‘improve the hearts and develop the minds’ of the students. This refers to the moral and intellectual virtues, both of which are involved in this policy,” Arnn said. The college’s drug policy as found in the course catalogue forbids “use, possession, distribution, or being in the presence of any amount of a controlled substance (drugs and/or drug paraphernalia: water pipes, bongs, etc.)” for

students. The policy holds students accountable for both on- and off-campus behavior, said Dean of Men Aaron Petersen. This policy is in keeping with the college’s desire to cultivate students who are “healthy, strong human beings,” said Dean of Women Diane Philipp in a statement provided to The Collegian. For college employees, too, drug policy remains as written. The college’s employee handbook states that “the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited at the College.” Though the college does not have to rewrite its employee policy in light of the changes in Michigan law, the human resources department did send out a statement to faculty and staff in a newsletter on Monday to reaffirm the policy. The statement cited federal law — which still criminalizes

marijuana use — and health consequences as the reasons for banning marijuana for employees. But law is not the fundamental factor in the policy. “Federal law says it’s illegal,” said Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé. “But regardless of that, we would not want it on campus.” Péwé said marijuana would be “disruptive” to a good working environment and counter the college’s mission. He said marijuana use among employees at the college is “very rare,” and that he’s had to deal with it perhaps once in 20 years. “We expect a lot from each other,” he said, noting that all organizations make policies for conduct that reflect who the organization is. “As employees, you represent the college. We want to be good human beings. Marijuana changes people’s lives, and usually not in a good way.” Marijuana presents significant health concerns, said Director of Health Services

Teaching certification program makes job search easier for grads By | Jordyn Pair Associate Editor This time last year, aspiring teachers in the 2018 Hillsdale College graduating class would have had a difficult time finding work. But Teachers for Tomorrow has changed that. Sonja Bindus, head of early childhood education and director of the Mary Randall Preschool, is guiding students through the process of applying to and studying with Teachers for Tomorrow, a teacher certification program helping prospective teachers obtain their certification. Teachers for Tomorrow was approved in Michigan in August 2017. “This program expedites the certification process for teacher candidates and provides school districts with qualified teachers,” Bindus

said in an email. “After the teacher has been hired, Teachers for Tomorrow continues professional support and education for three years while the candidate is working in a classroom.” The program costs $5,500 and is offered online, Bindus said. It also requires a bachelor’s degree and a minimum GPA of 2.95. Teachers of Tomorrow operates in 11 states: Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas, with temporary operation in Ohio, Virginia and California according to Bindus. Fourth-grade teacher Erin Wonders ’18 completed the program and gave an informational speech about her experience in early November. The program helps graduates what she called the “social aspects” of teaching, like classroom

Brock Lutz, noting that studies have shown that it leads to cognitive impairment and correlates with schizophrenia, but many of its effects are unknown. “The challenge is that we just don’t know,” Lutz said. “There are health concerns and I think, most of all, health questions.” Lutz said marijuana also has “insidious” emotional consequences from the drug’s sedative effect, which sets long-term users into a mood of complacency toward life. “I’ve noticed among people who are consistent marijuana users is there is a slow-growing mediocrity that sets in. It really mimics what it looks like when someone’s depressed,” Lutz said. Other Michigan colleges are also still banning marijuana, despite the change in state law. Spring Arbor University forbids marijuana, including medical marijuana, for students of any age on and off campus, and will not be

For cross country coverage, see A7.

New volunteers bolster GOAL education programs By | Abraham Sullivan Collegian Freelancer Jumping from 18 to 80 volunteers since last fall, Gier Reading and Journal Buddies is one of two GOAL programs that has seen recent growth. The other is the Public School Tutoring system, which has added a new program in order to better reach students in the community. Gier Reading and Journal Buddies has two parts, each supported by a different group of volunteers: reading volunteers who assist teachers in the classroom,

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always follow only the law: the college has a different purpose from the country, although the purposes are compatible; laws can be silly and wrongheaded. We must obey them, but we are not restricted to doing only what they say.” Petersen said he doesn’t often have to deal with student marijuana use. “Thankfully, it is not something I have to deal with a lot,” he said. “However, it comes up. Every one to two years I will have to address marijuana use with a student or two.” A substance-addicted life is the opposite of what a Hillsdale student’s life should look like, Lutz said. “We really want our students to display grit and resilience and courage in facing life’s problems, because I think our perspective is that people grow and they change as people when they face hard things and go through hard things,” Lutz said. “Drugs stop you from dealing with life. They hide it.”

Arena Lewis (right) runs in the cross country NCAA Division II National Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Saturday. Lewis finished 37th and earned All-American honors for her performance. Sophia Madeda | Courtesy

management. Wonders said the program is flexible, with coursework for the program completed online and taking just under 100 hours in total. The program is flexible in other ways, too. “You can start applying for jobs the second you get accepted into the program,” Wonders said. Although Hillsdale College has an education program, it does not include the certification needed to be allowed to teach in many public schools. Because of this, many graduates end up teaching at a private or charter school. “These schools — mostly private and charter classical schools — want Hillsdale College students because they are broadly educated (the core curriculum), they know their content (challenging majors

See Teaching A2

changing that policy, said Dan Vanderhill, vice president of student development. Vanderhill cited “personal health, spiritual health, and safety” as the reasons for the policy. The University of Michigan’s drug policy on its website declares that the change in state law does not change the school’s no-drug policy for students and employees on campus, citing federal law. “U-M receives federal funding for various uses, including research and student financial aid,” the policy states. “As such, U-M must comply with federal law, including all current federal drug laws.” In a memo to students and staff, Jackson College also cited federal law and federal funding as reasons for maintaining its no-drug policy. But if federal law were to legalize marijuana, Hillsdale College policy likely would remain the same. “That fact alone would not make us change,” Arnn said. “Two reasons why we do not

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and journal buddies, college students who become pen pals with fourth-graders at Gier Elementary School. In the Journal Buddies program, volunteers share a journal with a middle school student, writing letters back and forth as they trade the journal. The program’s tremendous growth has occurred since junior Frances Wiese took over last fall. Wiese attributes the growth to the inherent nature of the program. “I sort of always knew Journal Buddies was a good program for college students, because they don’t have to

leave campus and it’s a really small time commitment,” Wiese said. Besides, the program is a lot of fun, she said. “I think we forget sometimes how fun it is to talk to kids, if that’s not something you’re doing on a regular basis,” she said. “It’s a nice break to get to chat with a fourth grader about what’s going on in their life, which is so different in a lot of ways, but also similar.” The kids are excited about it as well, she said.

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News Debate makes semi-finals in competition at Otterbein

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December 6, 2018

By | Regan Meyer Web Content Editor

The Hillsdale College Mock Trial Team placed second in its final tournament of the semester at Yale University. Emma Eisenman | Courtesy

Mock Trial takes second at Yale By | Alex Nester Assistant Editor The Hillsdale College Mock Trial Team 1126 travelled to New Haven Connecticut this weekend, where they took second place at the Yale Invitational Tournament. Team 1126 tied with Lafayette University’s A team in the first round Saturday, and after some mid-round adjustments to their witness call order, they tied Yale University’s A team in the second round. The team beat Brown University’s A team and Northwestern’s A team on Sunday and finished in second place overall. Junior Mason Aberle, co-captain on Team 1126, won the top attorney award, and sophomore Konrad Ludwig won the top witness award. “Konrad brought it and does it every tournament,” Aberle said. Last year, Team 1126 was invited to Yale’s B tournament. This year, the competition was more challenging, as the other

27 teams in the tournament have all competed at nationals before, sophomore Emma Eisenman said. Hillsdale’s Mock Trial team has not yet attended the national tournament. “Our mentality was that we had nothing to lose, so we just went for it,” Eisenman said. “We were emotionally exhausted but brought it and banded together as a family. We killed it all weekend.” The team attributed their improvement this year to the team’s leadership and the good working relationship between Coach Jon Church ’17 and captains Aberle and sophomore Sophia Klomparens. “Jon and I wanted to make whole structure similar to a football coach and a quarterback. We can’t talk to the coach during play, so it comes down to the captain,” Aberle said. “Sophie and I try to take that on during a round.” This was Klomparens’ first tournament as co-captain for Team 1126. Both Klomparens and Aberle kept the team fo-

cused and serious during the rounds, Eisenman said. “We are always pretty serious during rounds, but coming out of Northwestern, Mason was so serious. ‘This is winnable, this is how we do it,’” Eisenman said. “After that, we all got into it together.” Eisenman commended both captains for their leadership. “A captain is not a boss, he is a leader. We never feel like we are being bossed around, we just band together.” After winter break, Hillsdale College Mock Trial Team 1126 will attend Cornell University’s Big Red Invitational Classic on January 20-21, and Team 1127 will attend Indiana University Hoosier Hoedown Tournament the following weekend. They will go on to the American Mock Trial Association Regional Competition before heading to the Opening Round Championships and, hopefully, the National Championship.

heard before or that I didn’t understand. I was able to address everything.” The team saw competitors from John Carroll College, Central Michigan University, and St. Anselm College. Fresh off of a parliamentary tournament from the weekend before, the debaters used their full semester of experience. “I think everyone has been a lot more dedicated this year and a lot more organized,”

“It’s a lot of research,” Reichard said. “Hopefully we’ll be coming up with some more creative arguments. Coming up with new material rather than just improving what we have now would be really helpful. That’s what I plan to put effort into.” According to Torsoe, Reichard, and Wilson, the team has greatly improved over the course of the season. “Quite a few of our fresh-

Of the four competitors to reach semi-final rounds in the debate tournament at Otterbein University this past weekend, two were Hillsdale students. The Hillsdale College Debate Team sent six students to compete in a Lincoln Douglas debate tournament. Sophomores Katrina Torsoe and TJ Wilson broke out of the preliminary rounds on Sunday. Torsoe lost her semi final round but took third in speaker points. Wilson took first place in the tournament and in speaker points. Sophomore Jadon Buzzard also took sixth in speaker points. “Overall, for the year, the team’s been doing well,” Wilson said. “Personally, I haven’t, so this was me doing better than I normally have, whereas everyone else did as they have done and continued to do well.” Wilson said he performed better this Hillsdale’s Debate Team sent six students to Otterbein University for tournament because he was its last tournament of the fall semester. more prepared, and had a Katrina Torsoe | Courtesy better understanding of the topic, which he said comes sophomore Erin Reichard man have done really well and as the season progresses. said. “I think it’s really starthave put a lot in to it,” Torsoe “I went to two Lincoln ing to pay off. We’ve been said. “They obviously came in Douglas tournaments before successful in basically every with nothing or, at the very this,” Wilson said. “For those, tournament we’ve been to.” most, they came in with high there were lots of new things The Otterbein tournament school experience. It’s always that I hadn’t heard before was the team’s last before been a good team dynamic or didn’t understand and Winter Break, though they’ll and that’s just continued.” those threw me off a lot. At use the time off to continue this tournament, I didn’t go growing for next semester’s against anything that I hadn’t competitions.

Hillsdale students attend First Liberty Fellowship for third year in a row By | Madeline Peltzer Collegian Reporter Students from Hillsdale College recently returned from an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the First Liberty Fellowship, a program that seeks to inspire and equip young people to be advocates for religious freedom. The fellowship is a project of the First Liberty Institute, the largest religious liberty legal organization in the nation. As fellows, students spent five days attending lectures, interacting with religious liberty experts and lawyers, meeting donors, and networking with students from across the country. Senior Katarina Bradford was the first Hillsdale student to take part in the fellowship back in 2016 and quickly became a recruitment ambassador. Since then, Hillsdale has sent a contingent of students

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“Every time I bring in the journals after Christmas break, the kids scream,” she recalled. “They get very excited about it, and very attached and happy to have someone to talk to.” Despite the growth in volunteers, Weise said that the program could use even more. There is still one more fourth grade classroom which doesn’t have journal buddies, and some third grade teachers have shown interest in the program. The public school tutoring program works with Jonesville Middle School, Davis Middle School, and Hillsdale High School, and is run by sophomore Ellie Everts. As she transitioned into leadership this semester, the program made some changes in order to better accommodate students’ needs. Previously, the program included a group tutoring setting at the school, accompanied by drop-in tutoring on the college campus. Now, the program has cut the drop-in tutoring program, and switched to a system of one-on-one tutoring.

every year. Despite this being the fellowship’s most competitive year yet, Hillsdalians accounted for six out of the 16 fellows: juniors Adelaide Holmes, Hadiah Ritchey, Mason Aberle and Lukas Swenson, sophomore Dan Grifferty, and senior Rachel Fredrick. Holmes, a politics major, said her interest in religious liberty inspired her to apply for the fellowship. During the summer between her freshman and sophomore year of college, she learned of a Christian couple who owned a farm in Michigan and partnered with the state to teach underprivileged women how to make a living off the land. However, when the Department of Agriculture discovered that the farm was incorporating prayer and biblical teaching into the curriculum, it stripped them of their state charter, demanded the passwords to their social media sites, and charged them with a fine. Holmes said she This new program matches a volunteer with a student, and can take place at whatever time and place the student needs, offering more flexibility to students’ needs. The group tutoring at the school still takes place. They call the traditional tutoring shifts at the school Traditional PST, or Public School Tutoring, while the new one-on-one system is termed PST Network. School administrators are excited about the new program. “We started advertising the PST Network at Jonesville Middle School, because that’s where I started volunteering. The school administration has always been very eager to work with us,” Everts said. “We got so much interest from parents and teachers that I had to stop accepting applications because we don’t have enough volunteers.” Everts said she wants to see the program grow. “I think we need to expand,” she said. “The more kids that we can match oneon-one with tutors, the better. The need is always there, and it’s always growing.” Sophomore Jenny Buccola

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was incensed. “I was mad that these people didn’t have justice,” she said. “That showed me I was really passionate about religious freedom, and I realized it was something I should look into more deeply.” When Holmes heard about the fellowship from Bradford, she knew she had to apply. This year’s conference kept students busy from 8 a.m. until after 10 p.m., and crammed in 11 lectures from Wednesday through Saturday. The speaker lineup included Ryan T. Anderson of the Heritage Foundation, conservative commentator and podcaster Allie Stuckey, and Eastern University philosophy professor R. J. Snell. Hillsdale’s Matthew Spalding, associate vice president of the Alan P. Kirby Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies in D.C., and Nathan Schlueter, professor of philosophy and religion, were also featured. Schlueter received his Ph.D. in poliis one of the new tutors who are helping with the one-onone tutoring program. She remembers working with a student: “There was this little boy that needed help with spelling, and he had a sentence that he was supposed to find mistakes in about P. T. Barnum, the showman. He didn’t know what that was, so he was reading and reading over and over again, and he says, ‘I think that’s s’posed to say snowman.’ I was like, ‘No, I’m pretty sure it’s showman.’ He thought about it for a minute and goes, ‘Nope. That’s supposed to be snowman.’” While academics is a main focus of the program, Everts explained that the more fundamental goal is to connect with the kids. “The bigger part of what we do, I think, is we serve as role models for these kids,” she said. “These kids don’t have a ton of positive influences in their life, and a good tutor in our program that I look for is a good person. Yeah, you’re going to be tutoring, but what you’re going to be doing even more than that is showing them that you care. Whether or

tics and considers political philosophy to be his area of expertise. His interest in the intersection of these three fields inspired the lecture he gave during the program. “My topic was about why religious liberty is the first liberty,” Schlueter said. “I walked students through a history of religious liberty and broke it down into several key moments. We kind of assume that it’s a basic liberty that’s always been there and that’s mapped onto human nature and that every decent political regime will protect it. But the fact is that it had to be won out through a lot of stress and strain and its achievement was actually very late.” In addition to attending lectures, fellows had the opportunity to explore the nation’s capital. “I think First Liberty did a really good job of balancing learning with fun,” said Ritchey. “Our hotel was within walking distance of the not they pick up the math problem and understand what they’re doing, whether or not they understand this scientific principle, that’s kind of secondary. It’s very important, but it’s secondary to them knowing that somebody cares about them. Buccola agreed, noting that many of the children come from broken homes. “I think it’s really important for us to go in there and give them a view of the outside world: there are things bigger than you, there are things bigger than your school, and there are people that care about you that are older and can be a good stable influence on you,” she said. Everts encourages anyone who is interested in the program to contact her for more information. “For these kids, this is not just a tutoring opportunity,” she said. “The kindness and patience that you show them, even for just one semester of their lives, they’re going to remember that. That does not just sit stagnant in them, that has to change someone, that kind of kindness, that kind of care.”

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National Mall. We went on a Segway tour of D.C, had a private tour of the Capitol, got to go to the Museum of the Bible, ate at the Trump Hotel, and had free time to explore on Saturday night.” Attendees said the program not only allowed them to learn more about religious liberty but also to refine their future goals. Swenson, an economics major, spent this past summer interning with the Minnesota Family Council where he worked on the policy side of religious freedom. He said he appreciated the opportunity First Liberty offered to view the issue from a legal perspective as well. “In terms of career plans, First Liberty expanded my horizons a bit,” Swenson said. “Since the fellowship, I would say I’m more likely to consider going to law school or doing something in the legal field, either for a non-profit advocacy group like Minnesota Family Council or perhaps for

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and minors), and they have a disposition to serve,” said Daniel Coupland, chairman of education, in an email. “That said, some of our graduates want to work in schools — mostly traditional public schools — that require state certification.” Maria Theisen ’18 was one graduate who did not obtain a teaching certification. Because most public schools require a certification to teach, she said, it made searching for a job more difficult “My job search involved many nights scouring LinkedIn for job applications that did not require a teaching certificate,” Theisen said in an email. “I heavily relied on the Classical Schools Job Fair, as well as Handshake, as I knew those schools were familiar with Hillsdale students and their lack of certification.” And although Hillsdale gave her a good education, Theisen spent most of the summer after graduation studying teaching techniques. “Being an English major

First Liberty.” Ritchey agreed. “Religious liberty is an issue that I’d been personally interested in but wasn’t really the route I’d considered going with, mainly because it’s pretty hard to make a career out of one issue,” she said. “If I did end up going to law school, I was hoping to work for a more general firm, but First Liberty was a really cool opportunity to see the possibilities of working as a nonprofit lawyer.” Swenson recommends that anyone with an interest in law or politics or who considers themselves religious should apply for next year’s program. “It was certainly a valuable experience to be able to spend time with like-minded individuals, deepen our understanding of religious liberty, and be encouraged,” he said. “There is value in standing up for what is true and religious liberty is the defense of truth.” taught me the lessons I wanted to teach, but did not provide me lessons in classroom management, curriculum development, and other elements that being a teacher requires beyond teaching each day,” Theisen said. Teachers for Tomorrow help fill in the gaps for students. “The only certification option in the state of Michigan until recently was to complete a post-baccalaureate certification program (sometimes known as an “alternative” certification program),” Coupland said. But these programs can take up to two years to complete and be fairly expensive, Coupland said. “With focus and dedication, a Hillsdale student can now graduate in May and have state certification by the start of the school year in August,” Coupland said.

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December 6, 2018 A3

China’s IP commitment is a victory for U.S. By | Garrison Grisedale Columnist The Trump Administration achieved one of its biggest trade victories on Tuesday when China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced new punishments for Chinese theft of intellectual property (IP). Though the mainstream media has barely covered it, this new commitment from China amounts to one of the most impactful victories in the trade battle to date. Every year, American companies fall victim to hundreds of billions of dollars worth of IP theft at the hands of the Chinese. China’s IP abuses against the U.S. come in a number of ways: Forced technology transfers are one of the major offenses, wherein China’s “joint venture requirement” forces U.S. companies looking to do business in China to transfer their technology to Chinese firms. American firms are likewise coerced into providing China’s state-owned enterprises with below-market acquisition and licensing terms. China then asserts ownership over the licensed technology, as well as ownership of any later technological advances. If U.S. companies refuse to hand over their secrets, the Chinese government carries out police raids on company offices. Other methods of Chinese IP theft include copyright infringement, large-scale counterfeiting of goods, and software piracy. Corporate espionage is a problem, too: Beijing recruits employees within certain U.S. companies to sell those companies’ secrets. “You can’t find a company that hasn’t been assaulted, and half of them don’t even know it,” says Dr. Richard Ellings, executive director of the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property. The estimated cost of these violations? Anywhere from the low end of $225 billion, up to $600 billion per year, according to a 2017 report from U.S. Trade representative Robert Lighthizer. With this change in policy, however, offenders will be noted on a registry, which financial institutions will reference when lending money and granting access to foreign exchange. Offenders’ access to capital and government funding will be cut off, as will their access to foreign trade and company registration. As recently as last month, China denied IP theft even occurred. Any claims of Chinese wrongdoing are based on hearsay and ignore reality, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce claimed. And buried even deeper in Tuesday’s announcement

was another big win for the U.S. in regards to the opioid epidemic. According to the White House Press Secretary, China has agreed to designate Fentanyl as a controlled substance, meaning that the distributors of Chinese Fentanyl in the U.S. will be subject to China’s maximum penalty under the law. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug in our country today, and a 2017 congressional report identified China as the primary source of origin for Fentanyl in the United States. In 2017, the drug was responsible for the deaths of 30,000 Americans, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. All of this speaks to a simple point: Commerce is an instrument of national policy, to be used to achieve both political and economic ends. China certainly understands this. Chinese tariffs have been crafted to specifically target red-state industries, such as automobile manufacturers and soybean farmers. In other words, Chinese tariffs are designed to specifically weaken Trump’s base. The American Founders understood this, too. Throughout the Federalist Papers, Publius makes the point that trade in a commercial republic is a method of achieving national greatness. Independence doesn’t just mean the absence of foreign rule, Publius argues. It also means that other nations will not prescribe for us the conditions of our political existence. In a world of competing nations, commerce isn’t simply for cheaper material goods: It is a means to achieve national independence and the conditions needed to maintain it. And it’s an instrument Trump is wielding effectively. “I am a Tariff Man,” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so. It will always be the best way to max out our economic power.” With this, Trump is telling other nations: If you want the privilege of access to our market — the largest consumer market in the world — you must treat us right, or face the consequences. And China is responding accordingly. Of course, Beijing may not follow through on their promises. But tariffs brought China to the table, and they know the consequences of breaking their promises may prompt serious action on the part of the U.S. Because now, they’re dealing with a Tariff Man. Garrison Grisedale is a senior studying politics.

The opinion of The Collegian editorial staff

As finals loom, students may be looking forward to winter break as a chance to binge watch their favorite Netflix shows, sleep till noon every day, and take parents’ credit cards out for a swing. Rest is important, but it doesn’t mean “lazy” — and we shouldn’t lose sight of the chance the break gives us to be productive and to plan ahead. Now is the time to plan for summer — a three-month

stretch in which Hillsdale students like to keep busy and don’t leave much time to plan. Over summer break, the typical Hillsdale student will probably be spending his time interning on Capitol Hill, touring ruins with fellow collegiate scholars in Greece, or working 40 hours a week waitressing at a local restaurant. These activities, while nourishing to your spirit and good for your future, are not conducive to true rest.

And they aren’t possible without careful planning. Rest isn’t doing nothing. It can be planning for tranquility and adventure later, when you are too busy to think straight. You’ll be more at ease if you do. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, now is the time to apply for summer jobs and internships. Seniors — this is your chance to secure musings of a good job before your last

semester of formal dances with friends, SAB events, and 20page term papers. Take advantage of the time you can spend with relatives and friends. Ask for advice about your future, and take their words to heart. Explore ideas while you have the time. Use your break wisely.

The Democratic Party must fend off Trump’s agenda By | Cal Abbo Assistant Editor Come January, the Democrats will once again control the House and they need to do all they can to fend off the Trump administration’s destructive agenda. The Democratic Party should start by addressing the tens of thousands of Americans who die each year because they lack access to affordable health insurance. A landmark statistical study published in 2009 by the American Journal of Public Health compared death rates of insured and uninsured Americans. After controlling for various factors, the study found that every one million uninsured Americans is correlated with nearly 1,000 extra deaths. Under the Affordable Care Act, the number of uninsured plummeted from 46 million in 2009 to 28 million in 2017. While the Trump-led repeal of the ACA failed even with Republican control in Congress, only Democrats can stand in the way of the GOP’s efforts to dismantle Obamacare, by legislation or executive order. Democrats also need to end the GOP’s damaging military action abroad. Trump has proposed expanded military budgets, which were hastily approved by Congress, each year of his presidency. The U.S. military has flattened cities like Mosul,

Iraq and Raqqa, Syria to expel the remains of ISIS’s regime, exacerbating the refugee problem and killing thousands. Since August 2014, Airwars, an independent organization that tracks civilian casualties, has collected reports of more than 26,594 innocent civilian deaths attributable to the U.S. coalition in the Middle East. And the vast majority of these deaths occurred during U.S. coalition strikes after Trump took office. According to October’s report, “at least 98 civilian non-combatants” were killed in coalition attacks that month. Democrats could restrict the military by rejecting budgets that raise defense spending and demanding more accountability through the control of House committees. Trump’s decision to cozy up to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is proof that Democrats must act. In 2017, he negotiated an agreement to sell $110 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia over the next 10 years. Saudi Arabia then uses those weapons to wage war against Yemen — apologizing only when the media decides to care. Saudi Arabia has also blockaded the important Yemeni port, Hodeida, which means commerce and aid cannot enter the world’s fifth poorest country. This has led to massive cholera outbreaks and has put 13 million people at high risk for starvation in just a few short months.

The U.S. isn’t innocent either: The Trump administration finally ended its direct refueling program in Yemen last month after pressure from American activists protesting the death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered at the behest of Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Without U.S. support, Saudi Arabia couldn’t justify starving another 85,000 Yemeni children. With control of the House, Democrats can work to end U.S. involvement in Yemen and encourage Saudi Arabia to do the same, potentially saving an entire generation from starvation. A similar bill is popular in a Republican-controlled Senate, leaving the Democrats with no excuse. Democrats should also revive oversight of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), which now has the ability to subject all undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. for two years or less to “expedited removal,” a process that essentially eliminates due process and the right to appear before a judge. Before Trump, I.C.E. reserved expedited removal for illegal immigrants found near a border who arrived in the U.S. less than 14 days before their arrest. Administering proper oversight of the National Security Agency, which regularly ignores constitutional limits on surveillance, should be another Democratic reform.

With their recent election gains, Democrats have many more opportunities to help those suffering at the behest of the U.S. But it would require a huge shift for the party. Democrats must be more than a reaction to Trump’s agenda; they must show a new face with a new vision. They must start caring about these people. After all, it was former President Barack Obama, the Democratic champion with a charismatic legacy, who left millions uninsured under the ACA, expanded and multiplied the drone program, brokered a $60 billion arms deal with the Saudis, refused to curb an unjust immigration system, and oversaw a massive, unconstitutional, domestic spying apparatus. Democrats must refuse reactionary politics and embrace a new, life-saving, bold political program that treats Americans and the world’s people with the dignity they deserve. They must embrace and promote Medicare for all, a humane approach to immigration, and a consistent and diplomatic foreign policy that centers on human rights rather than cheap oil. They must brave Trump’s savage politics. They must become the party that cares.

Cal Abbo is a sophomore studying the liberal arts.

What you can’t fit into a blue book By | Erik Halvorson Columnist Three papers due by midnight, two tests the week before finals (who does that?), and, of course, don’t miss class because this material will be 50 percent of the final. Welcome to Hell Week at Hillsdale College, a time when we all ask ourselves, does strength really rejoice in the challenge? With finals right around the corner, the library is packed more than it has been all semester and sleep schedules land in the toilet. Student stress is at an all-time high. I’ve experienced this phenomenon for the past three years, and there seems to be a natural order of things: Too much work and too little time. The end of the semester is a time filled with bleary-eyed students sleepwalking through their lives, praying they make it home for Christmas. But that’s not all that Hell week and finals bring to campus.

This isn’t a cliche pep-talk to remind 1,400 students that everything is going to be okay. This is a reality check. To my peers, I’m right there with you. I have papers due, finals to study for, extracurricular commitments, and not nearly as much time as I wish I had. But I also have much more. I am blessed to be a student at a college that values truth. Here at Hillsdale, we’re surrounded by fellow students and professors that earnestly believe in the value of pursuing the higher things in life. I don’t love studying for finals or painstakingly revising term papers that I should have started weeks earlier, but I do love the eternal things that I am studying. As post-graduate life nears, I know that the coming decades will rarely give me the opportunity to pour over C.S. Lewis, Friedrich Hayek, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Winston Churchill for hours on end. This opportunity is a blessing not to be taken lightly. To the freshmen tackling

Hell Week and finals for the first time: Your class is supposed to be the smartest that has ever traversed this campus, but guess what? You’re going to be challenged and, more likely than not, knocked down. That’s normal — it’s a place every Hillsdale student has been at more than a few times throughout their time here. But the challenges you are sure to face over these last two weeks are just the beginning of a journey that will hopefully help you grow into a fuller, more complete human being. That’s why you are here. That’s why you chose Hillsdale College, of all places. During my time here, rarely have I been accused of being the smartest, most accomplished person in any room. But I have picked up a small scrap of wisdom along the way (four years seems too short a time to learn all the lessons Hillsdale has to offer). Thankfully, amidst the sleepless nights of cramming and hasty paper writing, I’ve come

to understand what my student ambassador told me four short years ago: A Hillsdale education is about the cultivation of your soul in order to live well; it is about preparing yourself to live a life that is edifying not just to yourself, but to those around you, too; and ultimately, it’s about understanding what it really means to be human. Hillsdale students are not defined by the GPA’s on our resumes or the cords we don at graduation. Such things are admittedly of great importance, but they are not ultimately what we will remember when we fondly look back on our college years. Rather, we will remember the small moments we shared with our peers and, hopefully, the lessons of great thinkers that we couldn’t quite fit into a study guide. Friends, embrace the challenge of finals, study hard — and most of all, try to learn a thing or two along the way. Erik Halvorson is a senior studying economics.

Letter to the editor: The manipulation of quotes misleads readers Dear Editor, Last week, Mr. Garrison Grisedale argued that the migrant caravan is the U.S.’s most pressing foreign policy issue. I admittedly and firmly disagree with the piece. But regardless of the reader’s opinion on the migrant caravan, two quotes Mr. Grisedale used to argue that the caravan poses an extreme threat to the U.S. are presented in a misleading light. First, the author quotes an MSNBC reporter as reportedly saying about the demographics of the caravan, “The majority are men … and have not articulated the need for asylum.” The full quote from the MSNBC TV

segment reads far differently: “From what we’ve seen, the majority are actually men, and some of these men have not articulated that need for asylum. Instead, they have talked about going to the U.S. for a better life and to find work.” Though the first four words quoted in the article express the reporter’s point accurately, the omission of “and some of,” along with the rest of the statement drastically twist the reporter’s words to support Mr. Grisedale’s argument. Secondly, Mr. Grisedale includes a quote from a member of the caravan who told Fox News, “Criminals are everywhere.” But this once again omits the remainder of the

quoted individual’s statement. In the full quote from the Fox TV segment the caravan member continued to say: “There are criminals in here, I mean it is, but it is not that many. There is good people here trying to get through Mexico and then get to the U.S. but that doesn’t mean everybody is a criminal.” Does it make sense to say that criminals are everywhere in the caravan, and then state that there aren’t that many? When taken as a whole, the individual’s statement makes far more sense if interpreted as, “Criminals are everywhere in the world, so of course some caravan members are criminals. But that doesn’t mean all or even many of the

members are criminals.” Of course, this puts words into the man’s mouth, and the interpretation may be incorrect. Regardless, the author’s omission of the majority of the full quote alters a slightly ambiguous statement into one that allegedly supports the article’s point of view. The manipulation of quotes is commonplace in modern media and facilitates the dispersal of false information and dishonesty. Arguments and opinions should stand on their own for readers to judge without forced and misleading support. Alex Taylor is a senior studying economics.

A4 December 6, 2018

No. 1 on Princeton Review’s Best College Satire

Vol. 141 Issue 13 - December 6, 2018

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‘My beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy’ @realParryLarnn Hillsdale invites Kanye West to speak at Commencement By | Big Baby Jesus Collegian Reporter

West is back on the block. The rapper, fashion designer, and Lil Pump collaborator has acThank you, Kanye! Very cepted an invitation to deliver Hillsdale College’s 2019 comcool. After taking a leave of ab- mencement address, The Colsence from President Donald legian learned Monday. “We are proud to have at Trump’s retinue to sing karaoke with tech oligarchs, Kanye our campus, Kanye, a man principled in his public life, constitutional in his views, and outspoken in his Christian faith,” College President Larri Arne said in a statement. “We are glad to have him for this culminating ceremony of college life.” Arne was initially hesKanye plans to wear his MAGA hat during itant about Commencement. | Wikimedia Commons the decision,

fearing that West might use the opportunity to launch his impending presidential campaign, as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) did in 2013, or to hawk his new creative projects, as “Donald Drains the Swamp” author Eric Metaxas did in 2014. But when Student Fed showed Arne a 2005 video of West raising money to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, he quickly capitulated. “Churchill once remarked that courage is what it takes to stand up and speak,” Arne said. “And given Kanye’s actions — recent and past — I believe he is an exemplar of courage.” The college’s 167th commencement ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on May 12 in the Biermann Athletics Center. West’s selection marks the end of a four-month-long search for a speaker that included a high-profile rejection from Charlamagne Tha

God, who was unavailable due to a book tour for “The Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me”— which just won the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s prestigious Conservative Book of the Year award. University of Notre Dame professor of political science Patrick Deneen also turned down the college, stating that, as far as he knew, there would be no commencement: All liberally-educated students have “failed.” He did, however, offer to chessbox the professional typist Steven Pinker on stage, just to prove his point. West was unavailable for comment, but his wife, the political activist Kim Kardashian, speculated to The Collegian what topics his speech might touch upon. “Kanye is trying to shy away from overt political messages,” she said. “He feels kinda freeeeee.”

Stop smoking outside the library By | B.L. Azed Meme Queen Put your blunts down, Hillsdale. It’s time to stop smoking weed in front of the library. This isn’t a lecture about the concern of a gateway drugs or a plea to save young minds. This is about respect for fellow students. Pot he ads on campus generally keep a low profile. They don’t litter the sidewalks with bong water. It’s rare the student in the adjacent seat in class reeks of skunk. Still, smokers have inadvertently chosen one of the most highly trafficked areas of campus to light up. It needs to stop. The colonnade between Mossey Library and Grewcock Student Union traps smoke and makes it inescapable. Because the area is walled off on one side and has a roof, smoke often travels up and down the tunnel. Sometimes, it doesn’t travel at all. More often, it creates a

haze outside the doors of the library. With several rotating groups of smokers, the presence of smoke is frequent, if not constant. And since walking through the colonnade is pretty much the only option for those going from Lane or Kendall Halls to the union, it’s easy to get caught in the cloud of smoke lingering outside the library doors. I’m tired of getting a secondhand high. It makes sense that the colonnade is a popular location to smoke. The benches outside the library door, as well as the protection from the wind, make it comfortable, even during the winter. It’s also convenient, nestled between the library and the union. But it’s still an area most students walk through. Smoking there is intrusive and inescapable. Hillsdale College does not ban smoking from campus, although it is forbidden in the residence halls. Exposure to secondhand smoke at work or home increases the likelihood a non-smoker will try other

“I’m tired

of getting a secondhand high.”

illicit activities, like doing heroin or being in the dorm after hours. Even a brief exposure to secondhand smoke can put someone at risk. There is another reason smoking has been banned – most people simply do not want to smell it. Smoking has become increasingly stigmatized, and public a t t i t u d e s The countdown to 4/20 has begun. | Wikimedia have shift- Commons ed. People Alternatively, students once saw it was glamorous, could stand outside the colbut now see it as unhealthy. onnade. Because the close Although catching a whiff wall and overhang trap most of second-hand smoke won’t of the smoke, moving to open have the lasting effects of proair would eliminate most of longed exposure, it can cause the problem. This may not be other problems. We don’t need to ban ideal, but it would certainly smoking from campus en- be more mindful. So before lighting up, take tirely. There are two simpler solutions. Students who wish the extra few steps outside. to continue smoking on the The rest of the student body benches directly outside the (and our lungs) will thank library can switch to edibles. you. They have the same effect, but are less intrusive.

PDA banned at Hillsdale, students rejoice By | Alexi Mester PDA Police Chief There won’t be any mistletoe on campus this Christmas season. The Hillsdale College administration has announced it will be adding a clause to the honor code forbidding public displays of affection. Requested by the staff of the Hillsdale Collegian, this change to the honor code comes in the wake of campus-wide controversy, as students concerned about Hillsdale’s declining moral culture have finally spoken out. “I’ve just been really upset about how much hand-holding I’ve seen lately,” said junior Alix Mester, assistant editor. “I am happy that the deans decided to do something about this. Since we’re now officially a Christian college, I just really think we need to be considering: Are we living up to our reputation as a city on a hill? Men and women should not even be Follow @HDaleCollision

allowed to make eye contact.” Hillsdale College President Harry Larnn said he appreciated that the Collegian staff showed such concern about Hillsdale’s culture and that he hoped this is a sign students will be willing to engage with the broader culture, showing enthusiasm for equally important Fundies leave extra room for Jesus thanks to new Hillsdale honor code. | issues such as pub- Wikimedia Commons lic policies and the dent b*dy. sometimes.” presidential election. “I think it’s great,” freshCollegian Editor-in-Chief He said he also hopes this man Hans-Ell Over said. Nancy No-Nonsense said change will take away dis- “When I come back to Olds she’s grateful for the change, traction and raise the average after dinner, I don’t have to since it could limit the spread GPA. walk past couples kissing by of the flu. “PDA? Not on my good the door anymore.” “At this point in the semesChristian campus. Besides, Sophomore Joey Dateright ter, it’s all hands on deck, not the boys usually aren’t good said he thinks the school has on each other,” she said. “We enough — the girls are smart- gone overboard: “I really can’t afford to lose one of our er,” Larnn said. like my girlfriend, and I just editors to mono.” This change has met with want to walk to class with her mixed reactions from the stuwww.hillsdalecollision.com

Tweets from your college president...

today, a student decided to ask ME what the good was. thank u, next.

ladies if he, -is always running behind -has two organs -costs like $20 million he’s not your man. he’s the chapel. donate here: www.makingyourparentsgobroke.com

@barstooldale taught me love @hillsdalecollegedating taught me patience @hdalefitwatch taught me pain Graphic | Katie Shoe

Aboveground Dating Ring cures social anxiety, homeschool woes By |Reggie Lash Clickbait Editor Students caught in the vicious Hillsdating cycle may see hope on the horizon with the formation of a new club on campus. Just last week, the Student Federation recognized the Aboveground Dating Ring as an official campus club. Formerly known as the Underground Dating Ring, the club aims to set students up on first dates, so they might get used to the idea of casual dating. “Hillsdating is such a toxic culture,” ADR founder Katie Datemuch said. “You’re never going to find your future spouse by going on endless SAGA dates. That’s where we come in. We can fix anyone up with Mr. or Mrs. Right.” Student Fed president Natalie Meckel said she saw the ADR as a chance to help students find their ring by spring. “They don’t need to be underground anymore,” Meckel said. “Everybody knows people come to Hillsdale for that ring by spring. We at Student Fed think that’s something to be proud of.” The administration is also backing the club, saying that the ADR will breed school spirit. “When students get married, they create future Hillsdale students,” Dean of Men Daron Metersen said. “If we can get half this school hitched to each other, we’ll have plenty of students to keep this school going for years to come.” The club and its participants used to be kept tightly under wraps. Now, the club aims to be more open with who is participating. “When we were underground, we had one rule: Don’t talk about the Underground Dating Ring,” Datemuch said. “We were kind of like Fight Club except there’s no men as

attractive as Brad Pitt. Now, we’re open and honest about who our members are, but there’s still no man as attractive as Brad Pitt.” Though some participants say they’re just working on their social skills, others are just following people they’re crushing on. “I’m joining because the cute guy from my psych class told me he wants to join,” freshman Nancy Naive said. “Wouldn’t this just be the cutest story to tell our kids? We’re gonna have five. I’ve already picked out the names.” Will Nancy get paired with her Prince Charming? That’s all up to the ADR board. “We try to pair people up that would at least be compatible,” Datemuch said. “We are also in contact with the people who run the Twitter account Hillsdale Ring by Spring. We take all thirst tweets that are posted on there as possible pairings.” Despite the support of so many students, some are less than pleased with the Fed’s decision. “This is all so unnecessary,” senior Roy Mantic said. “A date is not a marriage proposal. If you like a girl, ask her out. If you need some inspiration, watch “Pirates of the Caribbean”. It works out for Will Turner in the end.” Junior Claire Banks said she find the entire ordeal “ridiculous and demeaning”. “I don’t understand the idea that Hillsdale students are too sheltered or ‘homeschooled’ to deal with members of the opposite sex,” junior Kara Singleton said. “Boys, please just ask a girl out. Girls, stop waiting around for men to ask. Either ask them out or quit waiting around like a lovesick puppy.”

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December 6, 2018 A5

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City Council listens to voters, opting out of weed ordinances

The Will Carleton Poorhouse has a long Christmas tradition. Collegian| Madeleine Miller

Christmas at the Poorhouse: a beloved Hillsdale tradition By | Madeleine Miller Collegian Reporter No twinkling lights or iridescent tinsel strands adorn the humble cobblestone house at 180 Wolcott Street. Instead, pine boughs, red candles, and paper ornaments—softly illuminated by lamplight— lend toa quaint Christmas cheer that harkens to days gone by. Christmas at the Poorhouse, an annual holiday open house that provides area residents entertainment, fellowship, homemade treats, and the opportunity to learn about Hillsdale County heritage. The Hillsdale County Historical Society maintains the Will Carleton Poorhouse, and delights in showcasing it in authentic holiday splendor each December. Members donate time and money to decorate the house, prepare food and baked goods, and coordinate musical acts for the occasion. The Historical Society has hosted Christmas at the Poorhouse since 1989, and it has become a beloved community tradition; this year’s

event, held Dec. 1 and 2, was well-attended. Mary Foulke, a member of the Historical Society Board, appreciates the unfussy festivity of the event. “Christmas at the Poorhouse gives us the opportunity to share what things were like years ago, in simpler times,” she said. “It’s a beautiful simplicity, and it’s a time for reflection.” During the 1850s and 1860s, the Will Carleton Poorhouse served as a residence for the elderly and those who had fallen on hard times. While a student at Hillsdale College, Will Carleton often walked to the poorhouse to visit with the tenants. An internationally renowned poet, he based his best-known poem, “Over the Hill to the Poorhouse,” on his experiences there. Today it serves as a venue for educational community events and a monument to Hillsdale’s early days. Historical society members collaborate to deck the house in accordance to its Victorian beginnings for Christmas at the Poorhouse, this year

relying on natural greens to enliven it. The two-story Poorhouse contains furniture from the 1850s through the 1900s donated by Hillsdale County residents, and visitors were welcome to explore the entire house to get a sense of what life was like in the latter part of 19th century. Volunteers sported period outfits, completing the authenticity of the experience. Margaret Scott, who has been a member of the Historical Society for about 13 years, said Christmas at the Poorhouse is her favorite event the society puts on. “Anyone interested in history would enjoy coming here just to learn about how things were,” she said. This year’s musical lineup was diverse, including a country band, vocalists, a classical guitarist, a french horn player, a violin player, and local musician Bob Pogue. Many of the musical acts incorporate the house’s pump organ. Historical Society member Judy Evans has been planning the entertainment for about 10 years, and books perform-

ers from throughout Hillsdale County. “I try to get a variety,” Evans said. “And I make sure to schedule some time with nothing going on so people can visit.” Jenna Ellis, 12, has been singing at Christmas at the Poorhouse since she was four years old and enjoys the chance to share her talent and passion with the community. She opened with her favorite song, “Away in a Manger.” In addition to enjoying refreshments and fellowship in the poorhouse, attendees were welcome to visit the renovated barn, where vendors and Historical Society volunteers sold baked goods and old-fashioned Christmas decorations. Hillsdale resident Penny Swan has been attending Christmas at the Poorhouse since it started. “It’s one of my favorite things to do,” she said. “Christmas at the Poorhouse is a really neat piece of history.”

By | Jordyn Pair Associate Editor The City of Hillsdale passed two ordinances that will prohibit the public consumption and establishment of stores that sell marijuana at Monday’s city council meeting. The ordinance is part of an “opt-out” procedure of a new state law, allow municipalities to prohibit the legalization of recreational marijuana within its jurisdiction. Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Michigan on Dec. 6, after a bill was passed in early November. The bill included an “opt-out” option, which allows communities to decline to participate in the new state law. The Hillsdale City Council passed both ordinances at its Dec. 3 meeting in an unanimous vote. “I think, considering Hillsdale voted against the legalization of recreational marijuana, that it is totally appropriate to discourage dispensaries from opening in town,” Mayor Adam Stockford said in an email. “We don’t have gentlemen’s clubs or casinos in town either and most of us are fine with that.” The first ordinance prohibits the sale and use of marijuana in a public place. Breaking the ordinance is punishable by a $500 fine. The second ordinance prohibits the establishment of dispensaries within city limits. “The election results in Hillsdale saw not just Hillsdale County but the City of Hillsdale as one of the very few places in the state that voted against recreational marijuana, so I feel pretty comfortable saying that the democratic will of the residents of Hillsdale is that the majority don’t want marijuana businesses here,” Stockford said during the city council meeting. Stockford also drew similarities between marijuana dispensaries and establishments like casinos or men’s clubs, saying that not everything should be allowed simply because they bring in

revenue. “It doesn’t mean we want to change the flavor of our town for every little dollar that’s out there,” Stockford said during the meeting. Other members of the council agreed. “There’s no positive affect to this. It destroys our younger people,” said Councilman Greg Stuchell. “It’s a vice we don’t need.” The meeting also provided an opportunity for city residents to speak publicly about allowing the recreational use of marijuana, with some speaking in favor of the state law. One resident proposed banning public consumption, but allowing a limited number of dispensaries within the city. “Like it or not, it’s here to stay,” she said. Laurie Brandes, the coordinator for the Hillsdale County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, spoke out against allowing recreational marijuana. A study of frequency of marijuana among Hillsdale County 11th graders showed a 55 percent increase in what Brandes called “frequent” use, according to Brandes. “We appreciate the council considering this ordinance to opt out of marijuana business in the city of HIllsdale,” Brandes said. “One of the premises of prevention is to limit supply and we believe not having storefronts in the city of Hillsdale would help limit that issue.” The ordinances will go into effect on Dec. 18, according to Katy Price, the interim city clerk. “It isn’t about limiting freedoms or the marketplace, it’s about maintaining as much independence and local control over our city as possible,” Stockford said in an email. “That’s part of what makes Hillsdale special. We don’t need to be Ann Arbor to be a place of learning and culture or of recreational opportunities. We love what we are.”

‘Something has got to be done’ with road conditions Rippon Avenue residents express anger as city, council fail to provide solutions for roads

By | Josephine von Dohlen City News Editor When Rippon Avenue resident Sarah Guetschow was driving in front of her house a few weeks ago, her car slid in the mud, hitting another car and causing about $5,000 in damage to her vehicle. The problem, she said at the Dec. 3 Hillsdale City Council meeting, is the road conditions on Rippon Avenue, where construction began in the spring to move sewer lines and rebuild the road. “Something has got to be done more than what is being done,” Guetschow said. “There are puddles at the end of every driveway on Rippon Avenue. You sink down when you drive and then water fills that. I don’t know what to think, I don’t know what to do, I’m afraid to back out of my driveway.” With the project taking longer than originally planned and some claiming conditions are not safe as winter approaches, city officials and council members are eager to find a solution for the disappointed Rippon Avenue residents who demanded answers at Monday’s council meeting. Many residents mentioned a lack in clarity regarding water boil notices as one of the many issues with the current situation. Director of Public Services Jake Hammel said that boil notices are continuing to be sent out due

to progress that is being made with water ties. “These are precautionary measures and they are necessary, part of replacing water main infrastructure is that we have to shut things down.” Hammel said. “There’s no way around it.” Asphalt millings have been laid down in several of the high-trafficked areas: intersections of Union Street, Hillsdale Street, some in the the Garden, Mead, and Vine Streets area, as well as Rippon Avenue. “At this point in the game, we can be part of the solution or part of the problem,” Hammel said. “We can woulda, coulda, shoulda, look back at all the things we could have done, but it doesn’t do any good. That’s being part of the problem and we all need to be part of the solution.” Hammel said that when the project started in the spring, they fully intended for it to be complete before winter. “I assure you we didn’t plan to be in this situation,” Hammel said. “We didn’t want to be in this situation, our whole intention was to have this stuff done. But it didn’t happen, so let’s look forward.” As far as safety is concerned, Hammel said he is in constant contact with the Hillsdale Community Schools’ buses to change any routes if safety does become an issue. Due to freezing conditions, concrete will not be able to be

laid for curbs until the spring, Hammel said. Asphalt also poses a similar problem as plants in the area are closed for the season and asphalt can no longer be obtained. Hammel said that he has no concerns about plowing the unfinished streets and that front plows will be used to

still expressed frustration and disappointment. “We’ve all been humiliated by this,” Mayor Adam Stockford said. “Everybody is under a tremendous amount of pressure. Reputations are on the line right now. This council is behind you guys 100 percent. At this point, you guys tell us

“I don’t know what to think, I don’t know what to do, I’m afraid to back out of my driveway,” Sarah Guetschow said. clear the roads. “We will find a way to take care of the snow,” he said. “It’s not impossible and we will get it done.” Hammel said he is doing all he can to provide Brian DuBois, the contractor for the project, with what he can to make sure the city can get the roads done. “We won’t violate the grant and risk costing taxpayers $2 million, but we will get him whatever we can,” Hammel said. While city staff members assured the council and residents that they are doing everything possible to get the project under control, many

what you need and whatever it is, we will try to make that happen.” Stockford was adamant about finding tangible solutions at the Monday meeting. “We do have to look forward, we do have to come up with some sort of solution that makes that road drivable and livable,” Stockford said. “That’s something that has to happen. It has to be drivable this winter. It has to.” Hammel assured Stockford and the residents that “nobody is walking away from this.” “Not the city, not the contractor, We’re doing everything we can do,” Hammel

said. Matt Bell, Ward 4 Councilman, said that more than reputations, jobs are on the line at this point. “I know you guys are doing everything you can, I know the city manager has been working hard on it, too, but at some point after meeting after meeting after meeting, bringing up these safety issues and other things, it’s not getting done or getting done in a way that is fast enough,” Bell said. “I am really worried about having to do those kinds of things.” Bell said that the finger was pointed at the council table as well. “People elected us to do this, so it’s not me saying, ‘You might be fired’, its me saying, ‘We all might be fired’,” he said. DuBois said one of the main issues with the project was a failure of the Infrastructure Capacity Enhancement grant to put forth the promised funds. Several of his workers quit due to a lack of payment. “It was June 1 and when they hadn’t received one payment yet, they walked. ‘If we’re not going to get paid, we’re not going to stay’,” DuBois said. “You’d think $38 an hour would pull them out of the woodwork. It doesn’t. You can’t get an operator for $54 an hour, you can’t get them to come. I had to pull a two guys out of retirement.”

Hillsdale isn’t the only city struggling with lack of allotment of funds with this type of grant. DuBois said that similar projects in Adrian suffer from the same problem. Ward 2 Councilman Will Morrisey encouraged the mayor, other council members, as well as concerned citizens to reach out to their state representatives to get some answers. “That’s a resource that we should push, I don’t think we do it enough,” Morrisey said. City Manager David Mackie said there is no single person to blame for the project’s lack of completion. “This isn’t a simple issue, this is an issue that is created not only by this council, but there are people on the street that caused that issue,” Mackie said. He cited photos and Facebook posts of children playing in the muddy streets. Many residents were offended by Mackie’s comments, which led him to apologize later in the meeting. “There’s a lot of burden to go around here,” Mackie said. “I just ask you to have some confidence. We need to pull together as a team, it includes the residents, it includes the council, it includes the staff.” Mackie said he is working to set up recurring meetings for Rippon Avenue residents and the city to share updates and hear their concerns.

A6 December 6, 2018

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Men's Basketball

Football

Tharp reaches 400 career wins as Chargers begin G-MAC play By | Calli Townsend assistant editor The Hillsdale Chargers and head coach John Tharp earned two more wins on the road last week. The Chargers are now 5-3 overall, and 2-0 in the G-MAC. For Tharp, Thursday’s victory marked his 400th career win. Tharp came to Hillsdale in 2007 from Lawrence University, where he coached for 13 years. Since then, he has earned 197 wins with the Chargers. This makes him the winningest coach in Hillsdale men’s basketball program history, with an overall record of 197-117. “You reflect on the great kids you have over your time, the players and the guys, specifically now at Hillsdale and what the’ve meant to me as players and people,” Tharp said. “It takes the tremendous assistant coaches that have done a ton. All three of them played here, so there’s a lot of gratitude for that.” Tharp’s 400th win came in a close game at Cedarville University on Nov. 29. The Chargers battled back and forth with the Yellow Jackets for a 74-66 victory. The win was Hillsdale’s first conference game and it came with many season-best performances. The Chargers shot a season-best 50.9 percent from the field. Senior guard Harrison Niego scored a season-high 22 points. Junior guard Dylan Lowry followed right behind with a season-high 19 points. The Chargers had a close lead for much of the first half. Cedarville tied the score at 27 with 3:49 to go before halftime, but trailed Hillsdale 36-32 at halftime. The Chargers started slow in the second half, and allowed Cedarville to take a brief 39-38 lead. The

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 | cedarville, oh

FINAL

Hillsdale Chargers

74 Cedarville Yellow Jackets 66 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 | tiffin, oh

Hillsdale Chargers Tiffin Dragons

FINAL

78 71

| hillsdale, mi Malone (5-3, 1-1) vs. Hillsdale (5-3, 2-0) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 | hillsdale, mi Walsh (6-3, 2-0) vs. Hillsdale (5-3, 2-0)

7:30 P.M.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13 | hillsdale, mi

7:30 P.M.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

3:00 P.M.

Lake Erie (5-3, 2-0) vs. Hillsdale (5-3, 2-0) lead changed five times in a five-minute span. After a steal and a three from Lowry with six and a half minutes to go, the Yellow Jackets never came back. “Lowry, in both games, made plays for us that got us going early and some big plays down the stretch,” Tharp said. “He had an exceptional week both offensively and defensively.” Sophomore forward Davis Larson led the Chargers in rebounds with nine, and added seven points. Senior forward Gordon Behr filled nearly every category, adding 12 points, four rebounds, four assists, one block, and a steal. With a quick turnaround, the Chargers were back on the road Saturday morning as they traveled to Tiffin University for their second conference game of the season. The result was another close, 78-71 victory for Hillsdale. Although the Dragons made a three in the first 15 seconds of the game, the Chargers responded well with a 10-0 run, including threes from Behr and Lowry. The Chargers carried this momentum through the end of the first half, and led 41-31 at the

break. Hillsdale led by as many as 14 with just over 10 minutes left in the game, but after a few turnovers and fouls by the Chargers, Tiffin mounted a comeback. Hillsdale led by only three with just over three minutes to go in regulation. At that point, Larson snagged a defensive rebound and drew a foul. He went two for two from the free throw line to get the Chargers back on track. Not long after the ball was back on Hillsdale’s end of the court, Niego grabbed an important offensive rebound and dished the ball to senior forward Jack Cordes, who drained a three to put Hillsdale ahead, 69-63 with a minute and a half left in the game. Larson’s rebounding has been an important part in the Chargers’ success. He said with their two leading rebounders out because of injuries, he feels the need to step up and fill their role. “I kind of had to change my role to guard bigger players or spend most of my effort during the game on the boards instead of trying to score,” he said. “You have to think ‘What’s the way to make

our team better in its current state?’ For me, that’s to get a lot of rebounds.” Tiffin was unable to respond and the Chargers maintained their lead to take the victory. Scoring was well distributed with five Chargers shooting in the double digits. Lowry led with 17, while Larson led in rebounding with seven. Niego and Behr each added 14 points and Connor Hill contributed 10, eight of which came from free throws. Niego played an aggressive game, with six steals and six rebounds as well. “I’m really proud of our guys. We’ve had guys step up,” Tharp said. “Gordon Behr does all those little things not in the box score. Connor Hill was really solid with the ball when they started trapping us all over the place. Our unsung hero has been Jack Cordes. He made a big three and a big tip-in while they were playing hard defense.” Both senior center Nick Czarnowski and senior guard Nate Neveau are battling through injuries and played very limited time last week. “When you have two senior captains get injured, the team as a whole has to step up to fill the gap those guys leave,” Niego said. “It’s been a team effort in practice as well as games and I’m proud the way we have responded to guys being injured.” Hillsdale will be home for its next two games. The Chargers host Malone University tonight at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Hillsdale takes on the Walsh University Cavaliers at 3 p.m. As the week ends, Tharp could be two games closer to his 200th Hillsdale win. “I’m getting old,” Tharp said. “It’s been a long time and I’m thankful that Hillsdale keeps on letting me do it.”

Women's Basketball

Second-half comeback spurs first conference win By | S. Nathaniel Grime sports editor The Hillsdale College Chargers began their G-MAC schedule by splitting a pair of road games against Cedarville University and Tiffin University. On Nov. 29, the Chargers fell to Cedarville, 76-60, and on Saturday, Hillsdale beat Tiffin, 74-65 for its first conference win of the year. The Chargers almost came away empty on the Ohio road trip, and trailed by as many as eight points in the third quarter on Saturday. But senior forward Brittany Gray’s back-to-back three pointers brought Hillsdale within a single possession, and the Chargers led by the end of the third quarter. Hillsdale pulled away in the fourth quarter, and head coach Matt Fritsche said the team’s full potential was on display in the comeback. “We saw who we can be,” Fritsche said. “We had terrific ball movement and great communication defensively. We hope that’s a jumpstart to playing the way we know we can.” Gray nearly recorded a double-double, finishing with nine points and 11 rebounds. Fritsche said getting rebounds on their opponent’s first shot was a big factor in the win. The Chargers have grabbed 73.5 percent of rebounds on the defensive glass, second-best in the conference behind the University of Findlay. Senior guard Allie Dewire, in her second game back from a concussion that held her

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 | cedarville, oh

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60 Cedarville Yellow Jackets 76 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 | tiffin, oh

Hillsdale Chargers Tiffin Dragons THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

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Malone (3-4, 1-1) vs. Hillsdale (2-5, 1-1) | hillsdale, mi Walsh (5-2, 2-0) vs. Hillsdale (2-5, 1-1) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8

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Lake Erie (4-2, 2-0) vs. Hillsdale (2-5, 1-1) out for four games, scored a season-high 21 points, making seven of nine shots from the field, and six of nine free throws. “She was just remarkable,” Fritsche said. “Her effort is always great, but her effort, focus, and decisions against Tiffin were really great.” Coming off the bench to score 20 points was freshman guard Grace Touchette. Touchette started at point guard while Dewire was injured, but didn’t seem to miss a beat in a different role. Senior forward Makenna Ott added 14 points and eight rebounds in a steady performance. The Chargers shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half, compared to just 37.5 percent in the first half. Hillsdale also made six of 11 second-half three-pointers, and leads the G-MAC early in the season in total three-point field goals made.

5:30 P.M. 1:00 P.M. 5:30 P.M.

“We only took great shots. We took very few marginal shots,” Fritsche said. “Everything we took was off of reversals or a punch and kick where they were just easier makes. We moved the ball at a higher level and everything got better.” Gray added that Tiffin’s style of defense allowed the Chargers to dictate the pace and produce the offensive looks they desired. “They weren’t as aggressive defensively,” Gray said. “They didn’t deny the ball, so we had time to stop and look and see what the best pass was. We would touch three or four sides, and get the defense to shift a lot. We got a lot of open shots, and shots were falling too, so that always helps.” Tiffin made just 36 percent of its shots from the floor in the second half. Fritsche said his team’s defense was able to force Tiffin into uncomfortable and contested shots.

“We got them to shoot the shots we wanted them to shoot,” Fritsche said. “We only gave them things that didn’t resemble their strengths.” Through seven games, Hillsdale has five players that are averaging double digits in points per game. Ott and Gray are averaging more than 11 points per game, and Dewire, along with Touchette and freshman guard Lauren Daffenberg, are averaging more than 10 points per game. Touchette has started four of the team’s seven games, and Daffenberg has come off the bench exclusively this season. Both already have 20-point performances this season. “We’re definitely happy that when we sub, our kids all come in and bring something to the table,” Fritsche said. “We don’t have anybody who comes in and hurts our team.” The Chargers host Malone University tonight for their G-MAC home opener. Tipoff is at 5:30 p.m. Hillsdale defeated Malone in its only matchup last season, 66-62. On Saturday, the Chargers host Walsh University at 1 p.m. Hillsdale split two games against Walsh last season, but beat them at home last December, 87-74. The remainder of the team’s games this month will all be in Hillsdale, with three more games between Dec. 13 and Dec. 30. “You’ve gotta think you can win December,” Fritsche said. “That’s gotta be your goal, to be at home and after this week, to be more rested. You have to think that’s a possibility.”

Stewart, Brock lead group recognized by NCAA and G-MAC

By | S. Nathaniel Grime sports editor Ever since the Hillsdale College Chargers qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs after the regular season ended, the individual recognitions have been pouring in. Even after the Chargers’ season came to an end on Nov. 25 in the second round of the playoffs, more honors are being announced. Most notably, senior quarterback Chance Stewart was named the G-MAC Player of the Year, and is one of nine finalists for the Harlon Hill award, the Heisman equivalent for Division II. The winner will be announced Dec. 14. Stewart broke the program’s all-time record for passing yards and touchdown passes this season, becoming the first quarterback in 126 years of Hillsdale football to throw for more than 10,000 yards and 70 touchdowns in a career. “All that stuff is cool. It really is,” Stewart said. “It’s stuff that I’ll be able to someday bring my kids back here and brag to them all about it, and they’ll think it’s the coolest thing in the world.” Stewart threw for 3,588 yards and 28 touchdowns in his senior season, both single-season career-bests. He ended the season ranked third in all of Division II in total passing yards. “For me to be able to accomplish things like that, I have to have a supporting cast around me that really excels,” Stewart said. “It’s easy to put numbers up when you’re a quarterback when you have so much talent around you. I was lucky to be at Hillsdale with such a great supporting cast around me.” Stewart led the G-MAC in nearly every statistical category among quarterbacks, including passing yards, completions, and touchdowns. He also led the conference in total yards and total touchdowns, among all offensive players. Stewart’s favorite target in the passing game during his four years at Hillsdale was senior wide receiver Trey Brock. Brock ended the season leading all of Division II in total receiving yards, with 1,422 in 13 games. He was the only wide receiver in the G-MAC with more than 1,000 yards receiving this season. “Trey had a great year on the field. He made big plays for us every week,” head coach Keith Otterbein said. “He and Chance developed a good chemistry and were on the same page.” Brock averaged 118.5 receiving yards per game. He was the only wide receiver in the G-MAC to average more than 100 per game. His 17 touchdown receptions were a single-season career-best, the most in the G-MAC, and the third most in Division II. On Wednesday, Brock was named First-Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. This is the first time a Hillsdale football player has received All-American recognition since Brock earned Second-Team honors in 2016, his sophomore season. “It means a lot to be recognized,” Brock said. “After a crazy season like the one we had, it’s cool to see a bunch of us getting recognized.” Brock’s 79 total receptions this season and 18 yards per reception were also conference-bests. He ends his four-year Hillsdale career as the program’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and

receiving touchdowns. He holds the all-time receiving yards record by more than a 1,300-yard margin. Otterbein received the G-MAC Coach of the Year award. He led the team to a 9-2 regular season record that included a perfect 8-0 record against conference opponents. Otterbein won the Coach of the Year award in 2009 and 2011 when Hillsdale was in the GLIAC. Since Hillsdale joined the NCAA in 1990, the program has now made three appearances in the Division II playoffs, all under Otterbein. The Chargers’ 40-26 win against Kutztown University in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 18 was the program’s first postseason win since 2009. The team’s 2018 G-MAC championship was the program’s first conference championship since the 2011 GLIAC championship. Otterbein also eclipsed 100 wins in his Hillsdale coaching career in a victory against Ohio Dominican University on Sept. 15. His 108 career wins are 30 shy of Frank “Muddy” Waters, the program’s all-time winningest coach. “It’s such a grind. I think what I really tried to do was enjoy the ride a little bit while it was there. Loving it while I was there and getting up every day and going out there,” Otterbein said of the 2018 season. “This was a great group to coach. They were fun, upbeat, and had great work ethic, along with the efforts of the staff. I can’t tell you how great of a job this staff did coaching.” Along with Stewart, Brock, and Otterbein, a host of Chargers also received recognition from the NCAA and the G-MAC for their performances this season. Stewart and Brock, along with senior center Drew Callahan, earned FirstTeam All-Region honors for Super Region I by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. Senior safety Wyatt Batdorff, sophomore defensive end Zach VanValkenburg, and sophomore kicker Joe Philipp were named Second-Team All-Region. Callahan was named G-MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, Batdorff was named G-MAC Defensive Back of the Year, and VanValkenburg was named G-MAC Defensive Lineman of the Year. Along with Stewart, Brock, Callahan, Batdorff, VanValkenburg, and Philipp, three more Chargers earned First-Team All-Conference recognition from the G-MAC: senior tight end John Brennan, senior linebacker Jay Rose, and junior offensive lineman Mark Konkle. In the next nine months, Otterbein will need to discover who the team’s next starting quarterback will be. Replacing Stewart, like all of the impact seniors from the 2018 season, won’t be easy, especially when so many were recognized among the best and whose names are at the top of the Hillsdale record books. The Chargers didn’t play a single true freshman this season, meaning next year’s team will have an entire squad of redshirt freshman ready to make an impact along with an incoming freshman class. Otterbein said he thinks this year’s success will fuel next year’s expectations. “I think an attitude about what it takes to be a championship team is going to linger from this group,” Otterbein said. “Team 127 is going to have the luxury of those high expectations and standards. A very good foundation for further success has been laid.”

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Men's Cross Country

Sports

Humes earns All-American status at NCAA National Championships By | Sutton Dunwoodie collegian reporter When junior Joey Humes crossed the muddy finish line in 25th place at the NCAA Division II National Championships last Saturday, he became only the third Charger to win All-American honors in men’s cross country in the past decade. Being named to the All-American team is the latest in a long line of awards Humes has won during his career at Hillsdale. But despite his success, it hasn’t always been easy. After winning the GLIAC Freshman of the Year in 2016, Humes missed his sophomore season because the arches in his feet collapsed. Humes said it was caused by running too many miles without any orthotics and a lack of foot strength. In order to return to racing, Humes had to build up his foot strength through physical therapy. “I went to a lot of physical therapy and did a lot of cross training, Humes said. “I was in the pool a lot and biking a

lot, which I ended up hating, but that’s alright.” Humes was able to return to running in November 2017, and was able to get back in shape for the indoor track season. Despite coming off an injury, Humes qualified for the national meets in both indoor and outdoor track in 2018 and earned Second-Team All-American honors in the indoor 1500 meter run. Humes’ junior campaign has been his best yet. In addition to being named an All-American, Humes placed first in three meets, was named to the Midwest All-Region team, and was named G-MAC Athlete of the Week in cross country four times. Humes was the only Charger on the men’s cross country team to qualify for the national meet at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where earlier in the year he placed fourth in the pre-national meet. Assistant coach R.P. White said Humes’ mental strength has been the key to his success. “There's a lot of things you have to be gifted genetically

to be that caliber of an athlete and be an All-American and run as fast as Joey does, but that means nothing without the mental side of things,” White said. “He does such a wonderful job with placing an adequate amount of pressure on himself but he doesn’t overdo it and it doesn’t make him crumble. He always demands a lot from himself.” Humes said he learned how to deal with the stress that comes with big meets freshman year, when he was on a national-qualifying team. “Being among that competition freshman year I was really nervous, but I had the older guys to look up to and they had done it once or twice,” Humes said. Humes said he wasn’t satisfied with winning individual awards this season. He said his hope for next season is that his teammates can use him as inspiration to elevate their own performances, so that the whole team can experience competing for a championship. “I really want the team to go to next year,” Humes said.

Women's Cross Country

Lewis leads Chargers at nationals, named to All-American team By | Calli Townsend assistant editor Junior Arena Lewis was a three-time state champion in high school and a three-time national qualifier in college in cross country and track. To add to her list of accomplishments, she is now an All-American. On Saturday, the Hillsdale women’s cross country team traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the NCAA Division II National Championships. It takes placing in the top 40 to earn the All-American status, and Lewis did just that, finishing in 37th out of 264 runners. “Of course I would’ve rather done better, but All-American is All-American,” Lewis said. “People keep telling me no one is going to remember if you were 37th or third. I’m just super grateful. My parents were there and all the freshman came and Jack was there. It was really cool to have all these people I love so much be there.” In the 2018 cross country season earned the G-MAC cross country Athlete of the Week award two times. She

finished third in the conference, fifth in the Midwest region and 37th in the nation. She earned personal best times in both the 5k and 6k races. Perhaps one of the most important things about her season, however, was the strength she was able to finish with. For the past two years, she had never finished a cross country season fully healthy. “I would usually get injured for a couple of weeks in October,” she said. “This year I’ve been training hard since May.” Assistant coach R.P. White called this a “really key season” for Arena. “She trained at a really high level and competed at a really high level,” White said. “She didn’t miss any meets, other than over fall break to go home, because of injury or illness. She was able to stay really healthy. That’ll be key for her moving forward.” Lewis’ teammates were proud and supportive of her success. Her training partner this season, sophomore Maryssa Depies, jokingly said she’d like to take some of the credit for Arena’s All-American title.

White said he was pleased with Lewis’ performance on Saturday as well. “At nationals she did exactly what we talked about. She executed her race plan and got in good position,” he said. “She competed really hard and held on and was able to be All-American.” As she looks ahead to the quickly-approaching indoor track season, Lewis said her goals include returning to the national meet. “I want to be All-American in the 5k and why not the 3k?” Lewis said. “I’d like to hit some pretty quick times.” Quickness isn’t entirely foreign to this distance runner. In high school Lewis ran on her school’s 200 meter relay many times, along with the 200 meter dash. She even ran the 100 meter dash once. “We had a small team,” Lewis said. “I actually ran the 200 kind of a lot. I ran it at the District meet and I scored. I anchored the 4x200 so I was with all the fast girls in my baggy shorts.” She will be traveling with the Chargers to Grand Valley State University this Friday to compete in the Holiday Open.

“I really, really want the team to go next year.” Sophomore Mark Miller, Humes’ teammate and roommate, said he looks up to Humes as a role model. “Joey is a hard-worker, really fast, and he’s someone I can strive to be like,” Miller said. “He pushes me during training and he has a great work ethic.” Humes will transition directly into the indoor track season on Friday, where he will compete in the 5k at Grand Valley State University. Humes will try to qualify for the national meet in that race, which he said is the easiest track race to switch to after cross country season. White said Humes will continue to win accolades if he continues to prioritize excellence over championships. “If Joey continues to have a growth mindset and us as coaches continue to have a growth mindset, kids like him will just get better and better,” White said. “He’ll be one of the most decorated distance runners that Hillsdale will have had.”

Swimming

Decembrer 6, 2018 A7

Heeres breaks school record By | Liam Bredberg collegian reporter Four members of the Hillsdale College swim team traveled to Calvin College last weekend for an invitational meet between eight schools. Sophomore Katherine Heeres, senior Anika Ellingson, sophomore Emma Rao, and junior Catherine Voisin were standout swimmers during the fall season and continued that trend at the meet. Heeres broke her own Hillsdale record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.63. The previous record was 58.05. She placed seventh in the race on Saturday. “It was really exciting to re-break that record I set almost exactly a year ago and to see how some of the little things I've been working on start to pay off.” Heeres said. Heeres also set another season-best in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:05.80, taking fifth place. She had a fifth-place finish in the 200 freestyle as well,

with a time of 1:55.61. Ellingson earned a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke, coming in at 1:02.66. She also finished fifth in the 200 breastroke with a time of 2:21.00. Voisin added another first-place finish in the 200 butterfly, at 2:06.81. She placed ninth in the 100 butterfly at 57.62, a season-best time, and 20th in the 200 individual medley at 2:17.04, another season-best. Rao finished 12th in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.62, yet another season-best. She also finished 16th in the 100 freestyle, coming in at 54.51. All four swimmers competed in the 400 medley team relay, and finished fifth with a time of 3:55.49. “The team is really pleased with where we're at coming out of mid-seasons,” Heeres said. “I think we're all excited to see how we can continue to improve leading up to G-MACs in February.”

Team takes 19th By | Calli Townsend assistant editor The Hillsdale Chargers ran through herds of people, the rain and mud, and the many hills of Schenley Park at the NCAA Division II National Cross Country Championships on Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was Hillsdale’s sixth consecutive appearance as a team in the national meet. After spending several weeks in the middle of the season unranked, they snuck into the top 25 in 18th after the Midwest Regional meet. The Chargers finished their season ranked 19th in the nation. “Overall it was a tough day,” assistant coach R.P. White said. “I think we set our expectations a little higher than we finished, but ever there we still gained some really good experience.” Junior Arena Lewis led the Chargers through the mud to earn her first All-American title. She finished 37th out of 264 runners with a time of 23:26.6. “I wanted to get top 25. I knew if I raced like I did at regionals, it would’ve been possible,” Lewis said. “But then I got really nervous and tried to mimic the things I did before regionals but I got too caught up in that. Coach and I talked about how intense nerves can really drain you.” Sophomore Maryssa

NCAA DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 | pittsburgh, pa TIME (6K)

Arena Lewis 76. Maryssa Depies 151. Ally Eads 159. Christina Sawyer 180. Lauren Peterson 37.

Depies followed Lewis to take 76th in 24:11.3. “It was awful honestly. It was really hard,” Depies said. “The position you got out in was the position you were stayed in. You were really stuck in the mud. Experience and training were kind of just out the window, but I felt better because I knew what to expect. You can only do so much in the moment. I just felt like I was giving it my all.” ” The course was set up to force runners into packs early on in the race. About 400 meters into the race, runners were funneled into more narrow fencing, making it difficult to pass anyone. Starting strong was crucial. Senior Ally Eads crossed the finish line next in 25:01.8 for 151st place. She finished right ahead of sophomore teammate Christina Sawyer, who finished in 25:09.9 in 159th place. “Each year it is always really rewarding to make it to the

23:26.6 24:11.3 25:01.8 25:09.9 25:30.4

biggest meet of the year and go with my teammates,” Eads said of her fourth and final national cross country race. Sophomore Lauren Peterson competed on the national stage for the first time in her collegiate career. She finished in 180th place with a time of 25:30.4. Junior Kate Vanderstelt finished earned 199th in 25:43.5 and junior Addison Rauch took 222nd with a time of 26:11.3. White said he is glad for the experience for his team. “It’s good to be a sponge and absorb everything,” he said. “That’ll help us for track nationals or next year’s cross country nationals.” Overall, the Chargers were grateful for the opportunity to run. “Even after the race people were in good moods,” Lewis said. “That’s just what like the most, when people aren’t grumpy after races.

charger chatter: Amaka Chikwe amaka chikwe is a sophomore from ypsilanti, michigan. She is studying exercise science at Hillsdale and is a forward on the women's basketball team.

Sophomore Amaka Chikwe

Q: What was the recruiting process like that brought you to Hillsdale?

AC: I was playing a few games at the University of Toledo in high school. The coach saw me and she was like “Our slots are full for your class, but I know a coach at Hillsdale and I’d like him to check you out.” She contacted him and he watched me play in Atlanta. He called me after that tournament. He offered me a full ride to Hillsdale, and I got a tour of the school in the Spring. The campus was very beautiful, and I met with a few of the staff here at Hillsdale. They were very warm and welcoming, and I knew that this is where I wanted to go.

Q: You missed your first season here because of an injury. How difficult was that and what was the recovery process like? What did you learn from not being able to play?

Q: Who are your role models here at Hillsdale or in general, and how have they impacted you, your basketball career, and your life in general?

Q: How has the community on the basketball team encouraged you in your time here at Hillsdale?

AC: There was built up cartilage post my ACL surgery. I had to get my meniscus scoped. It was very humbling. Basketball always came naturally for me, so I had to actually work to be able to play again through rehab. I saw the team dynamics through the way they played and I got to learn the plays we were running a lot better. I was able to become a better teammate, encouraging those playing, and supporting the team in the best way I knew how.

AC: Rachel Smith. She was a former basketball player. She graduated and played for a year or two on the team. But she was like a big sister to me, and was very strong in her faith. She helped me with my growth and helped me realize that I’m a student and an athlete and that I am a daughter of Christ.

AC: The girls are really goofy and caring at the same time. Even though we practice all the time, there’s still joy being with the group of girls. We do fun things outside of basketball, especially like bowling and going to the movies. They’ve also really helped me adjust to the academic life here. My freshman year, if I was struggling in certain classes, they were the ones helping me.

Q: What is the role that basketball has in your life as a whole?

AC: Basketball brought me here to Hillsdale, and so I’m definitely here for a reason. But, I would say basketball is fourth on my list. God is first, then my family, then school, and then basketball. I’m definitely grateful for the gift that was given to me and the opportunity to play basketball. It has helped build me in character and as a person in so many ways. ---compiled by Sofia Krusmark

Culture

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

A8 December 6, 2018

‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’ might split fans By | Phil Berntson Collegian Freelancer On September 23, 2013, I swung into my friend Tyler’s family Subaru, glancing at the time. Tyler handed me his phone and started driving, trusting me to determine the energy of our 20-minute drive. To me, it was obvious what we would be listening to that night. With the release of their latest album “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” on Nov. 30, would it be possible for me to separate my deep-seated nostalgia for The 1975 long enough to write an unbiased review of their third full-length effort? Likely so. Their debut self-titled album happened to arrive right in the middle of my high school experience. My memories have shaped the record as much as the record has shaped my memories. And still, half a decade later, in a new place, with new friends and a new life, it’s hard not to get excited about The 1975. The 1975’s pretentious, melodrama is a constant source of contention with listeners. Love them or hate them though, they have a way of always being talked about. With their follow up to the gaudy, extravagant, sophomore effort titled “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It”, hypnotic frontman Matty Healy embraces the duality of his outfit, steeped in a largely female fan base and boy band-esque media coverage, while at the same time hailed by critics as both innovative and reflective of the greater millennial musical zeitgeist. Bands with initial success, especially success driven by a large and active fanbase, must always walk a line between pleasing their constituents and creating exciting, relevant music. Perhaps no band may be more aware of this duality than The 1975. Healy’s unique self-awareness of their position could serve to vindicate his overbearing sentimentality, evidenced in his melodramatic lyricism. Matty’s vocals— jaunty, raspy, willfully drippy— evoke memories of his British frontman influences including Sting, Noel Gallagher, and Thom Yorke. This kind of emotionalism can polarize music fans. Do Matty and Co. deserve the hate they get for their pretentious, self-serving antics? Probably. Do they deserve the veritable worship by millions of fans around the world for their innovation, energy, and refusal to defined by the status-quo? I would say, yes. Like Healy’s own life, which has been wracked with cycles of drug abuse and rehab, “A Brief Inquiry…” cer-

tainly has its ups and downs. Solid tracks build upon previous 1975 hits, including singles “Sincerity Is Scary” and “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)”, songs which help the listener track the band’s development of their distinct sound. Still others give a nod to obvious 1975 influences, with “Give Yourself A Try”’s ties to Joy Division,” The Man Who Married A Robot / Love Theme” and its clear tribute to Radiohead’s “OK Computer,” or their stadium-shaking closer “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes),” reminiscent of their Manchester forefathers, Oasis. Other tracks fall embarrassingly flat: Ed Sheeran-esque acoustic ballad “Be My Mistake” caters to teenage fangirls, but fails to represent what makes The 1975 so special. “Surrounded By Heads and Bodies”, a soft and rhythmic take on love and pain in rehabilitation, lacks the vocal energy and instrumental diversity to bring it to the level of the runaway song of the entire album, “Couldn’t Be More In Love”, which places Healy’s vocals at their rawest and most enticing on a backdrop of gaudy, hypnotizing 80s synth and a gospel choir. Fan-favorite “Love It If We Made It” shines as probably the most “1975” song on the new record, pairing a heady drum loop with Healy’s melodramatic cry: “Jesus save us / Modernity has failed us / And I’d love it if we made it,” while breakaway stadium anthem “Inside Your Mind” will likely leave fans “oohing” and “aahing” at concerts with its goosebump-inducing guitar loop, courtesy of lead guitarist Adam Hann. Other notable tracks include “I Like America & America Likes Me”, Healy’s sensational rage against the machine, as well as eclectic, electrifying “How To Draw / Petrichor”, which may best represent the titular mission of the album. When Radiohead released Kid A at the turn of the century, fans were split. Questions over Yorke’s vision, their new sound, and their embrace of modern electronic music wracked the same fan base who had rabidly supported them through three records. Whether this will be the case for The 1975’s OK Computer, critically acclaimed yet divisive to their fans, is yet to be determined. Maybe it will just stand as another pretentious and overbearing example of millennial music-making. It just needs a little time, and maybe a little perspective. When I asked my friend Tyler what he thought of “A Brief Inquiry,” he responded with a simple: “I wish they would go back to making huge guitar rock songs instead of overly produced pop music.” There’s a wisdom in that.

‘Triple dog dare you’: See Sauk’s ‘A Christmas Story’ By | Rachel Kookogey Collegian Freelancer The Sauk originally planned to perform “Cheaper By the Dozen” for their December show, but when they unexpectedly got the coveted rights to perform “A Christmas Story,” the producers quickly switched gears. The show will debut in Jonesville at The Sauk’s “Pay What You Can Preview Night” on Thursday, December 6 at 8 p.m. “A Christmas Story” will continue in the theater that weekend and the following weekend, with shows at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets can be bought in advance at TheSauk.org. Director Ron Boyle said he is excited for the performances, as he likes the play a lot better than the movie. “Its warm, its friendly, it makes you feel good, it just moves, moves, moves,” Boyle said. The play is mostly comprised of skits, and Boyle made sure that the performance would capture the details of the story with historically-accurate costumes and props, as well as lighting, sound, and even smoke effects. From the youngest cast member to stage managers, everyone is working hard to capture the youthful essence of the story in every performance of the show. “I’ve told them this is going to be a work in progress until the Sunday we close,” Boyle said. In regards to the work, Boyle said he loves working

The actors of the Sauk Theatre prepare for the cult classic “A Christmas Story.” Rachel Kookogey | Collegian.

with the cast, half of whom are children, all around the actual ages of the characters they play. “I really felt everybody looked the part,” Boyle said, “I really liked the cast, I think they’re well-suited to their parts.” The children said they are also very excited to perform.

For some, it is their Sauk debut, including 11-year old Storm Tremblay, who will play Ralphie. Tremblay said that he “loves how Ralphie really does not give up when he wants something. Once he wants something, he sticks his mind to it.” Meanwhile, 10-year old Tyson Duff has fun portraying

the “sassy, mouthy, mamma’s boy” that is Flick, mainly because he gets to pretend to be a bully. The camaraderie among cast members and crew will be apparent in their performance of the endearing comedy. So I “triple-dog-dare you” to see “A Christmas Story” when it comes out this weekend.

‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ is classic Coen brothers: funny, dark, and beautiful By | Regan Meyer Web Content Editor The theme for “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” borrows from the opening bars of “O What a Beautiful Morning” from “Oklahoma!”. The two films, however have little in common beside those opening bars. The Coen brothers’ new film is a far cry from the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, and nothing about it suggests the peace and tranquility of a beautiful morning. A collection of vignettes, the film follows six different stories that share no connection. Each vignette comes from a collection of short stories written by the Coen brothers over a 20-25-year period. In addition to writing the script, the Coen brothers also directed and produced “The Ballad.” Set in the western United States, post-Civil

War, the film follows various stereotypical Wild West figures including a gunslinger, bank robber, and gold prospector. “The Ballad” as a whole is extremely dark. No story ends in a particularly happy way; four of the six vignettes end with the untimely demise of the main character. There’s also a fair amount of violence, which, though expected from a Western film, is pretty gruesome. At times it can cross the line, like when Scruggs shoots off, one by one, the fingers of a man he’s dueling. But for all the violence and graphic death, there’s also a certain charm to each story, brought by a very human component. Each character has their own unique quirks, whether it’s Scruggs’ musical talent, the bank teller’s precautionary measures to combat bank robbers, or the

prospector’s affection for his gold deposit, affectionately nicknamed “Mr. Pocket”. While the stories are engaging and original, it’s the cinematography that really makes “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” Five of the six tales were filmed on location in New Mexico, Colorado, and Nebraska, while the final tale, “The Mortal Remains,” was filmed on a Hollywood sound stage. The scenery is beautiful, the landscapes seemingly untouched. In a way, the beauty of the settings distracts from the stories. Perhaps, that was the Coens’ point: beauty often distracts us from even the most horrific things. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is no mindless shoot-em-up. The Coens explore deeper themes in the film. Nowhere was Darwin’s survival of the fittest more true than the Wild West. The

theme is explored in each of the tales, but its essence is no better captured than in “All Gold Canyon”. Set in a breathtaking Colorado Canyon, the vignette follows a prospector (Tom Waits) whose search for gold is finally rewarded on the banks of a creek the bottom of the canyon. The prospector struggles against the elements, both natural and human. While a brutal theme, the gorgeous setting balances it out. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is authentic and original. It’s dark and brooding, while humorous and charming. It’s a story of human struggle in one of the most unforgiving places and unforgiving time periods. It’s a breath of fresh air in a world of remakes and reruns. It’s what a film should be.

Coffee and serenades this Saturday By | Ryan Goff Assistant Editor Phi Mu Alpha will host an afternoon of music Saturday in Penny’s. Penny’s, located in the New Dorm, will host four hours of acoustic live sets from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This is the first of what junior and member of Phi Mu Alpha Asa Hoffman said he hopes will become a bimonthly occurrence. “There’s so much musical talent on campus,” Hoffman said. “It’s a shame there aren’t as many opportunities to show their talent.” Hoffman said he wanted to put on events like this after participating in the “Kooncerts” that began last year and have since become a campus fixture on the first Friday of the month. “We’re trying to do Serenade Saturdays at least biweekly because it’s so easy to set up and bring more people to Penny’s,” Hoffman said. Penny’s Manager Emily Barnum `18 said she became acquainted Hoffman from his regular orders of pour-over coffee. “One day I served him his regular pour-over and he

asked me about hosting something like that.” To both Hoffman and to Barnum, the partnership is a win-win. Penny’s is able to draw more students into the café and provide a central meeting place for campus, one of their missions. Since opening for business this semester, it has worked to provide that sort of space so far this semester. It features student artwork on the walls and has hosted numerous campus events. Serenade Saturday is a way to further this goal. “One of the primary reasons for opening Penny’s is to be a place where students can meet and focus on students’ art and talent,” Barnum said. “Music is a great talent and helps us realize that goal.” Creative Manager of Penny’s Caroline Hennekes also said she saw Serenade Saturday as a way to further the vision of Penny’s as a campus meeting space. “What I love about planning this event is that it has pulled musical talent from all across campus and off-campus, giving opportunities both for encouraging musical talents and also to foster community in Penny’s,” she said.

December 6, 2018 A9

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

Science & Tech Hillsdale’s ACS chapter honored with ‘Outstanding Chapter’ Award

Of 400 chapters in the country, Hillsdale’s ACS chapter was chosen to be awarded with the “Outstanding Chapter” Award, along with 69 others chapters. Matthew Young | Courtesy

By | Sofia Kusmark Collegian Reporter Hillsdale College’s American Chemical Society (ACS) chapter won the Outstanding Chapter Award for the 2017-

2018 calendar year. Out of more than 400 chapters, only 69 were selected for Outstanding Chapter. “The award is a testament to how active the Hillsdale College ACS chapter has been, both on and off campus,” said Chairman and Professor of

Chemistry Matthew Young, who is co-faculty adviser for ACS. “All of the credit goes to Dr. Hamilton, the ACS officers, and our student members. Dr. Hamilton has put in a lot of effort over the past several years as the faculty

mentor for our ACS chapter, and the result has been a large and vibrant student organization.” Though the chapter has received “commendable” and “honorable mention,” Christopher Hamilton, professor of chemistry and co-faculty adviser, said the chapter has never received the “Outstanding Chapter” award. He attributed the award to the active involvement of the students. “They are looking for a chapter that is very active that is putting on a variety of events. They want to see that we are promoting chemistry directly, that we are providing outreach events, that we are connecting with other ACS chapters,” Hamilton said. “They also want to see professional development. They want to make sure that we are doing a lot of things and doing these things well.” Already one of the largest chapters in the nation, Hillsdale ACS chapter has hosted a variety of events over the years. Senior and President of ACS chapter Christine Ausherman said the chapter is only doing what is natural to them. “It’s kind of cool that even though we have lots of fun,

and we reach out to schools, we are able to win outstanding chapter,” Ausherman said. “We’ve done what we’ve always done except we’ve reached out more to middle schools, elementary schools, high schools, and now other ACS chapters. Adding those things makes us an “outstanding chapter.” ACS has hosted a variety of events ranging from the first annual “Pie Day run” where students run 3.14 miles and receive pie to now hosting “Science Olympiad,” a science competition for over 200 middle school and high school students. According to Ausherman, volunteerism is key. “We ask for a lot of volunteers and we put on at least one event a month that requires volunteers,” Ausherman said. “We’ve perpetuated this culture that if we want something to be put on, we need volunteers, and we need people to be excited about science.” Aside from steady volunteerism, Hamilton said the chapter’s diversity greatly contributes to its activism on and off campus. “One thing that is great about our chapter is that we have not just chemistry and

biochemistry majors. We have some other science majors and even people who just like chemistry. This helps bring in different perspectives into what we do as a chapter,” Hamilton said. “Hillsdale Students are just really committed and really involved.” Ausherman said this award affects future involvement within the chapter. “We do take ourselves seriously, and recognizing that we are outstanding chapter will help provide more energy and enthusiasm to the chapter itself,” Ausherman said. But she said she does not doubt the value ACS has already had on this campus. “Chemistry is the way in which mankind can appreciate and understand his place in nature. Ir asks the question, ‘what is man’s place in nature and how can we use it?” Ausherman said. “Having something like this club in the liberal arts context dedicated to chemistry, ultimately rounds out the liberal arts experience just as much as the humanities do.”

Conservation Club, AEI Executive Council host professor panel discussion about climate change By | Austin Gergens Collegian Reporter “We can’t keep going on the way we’ve been going, losing control of earth atmosphere,” Chairman and Professor of Physics Kenneth Hayes said. “If you love life and care for those who come after you, you have a moral obligation to do what you can to make things right.” On Nov. 27 at 7 p.m., the Conservation Club and American Enterprise Institute Executive Council sponsored an event that had professors from three departments discuss the issue of Climate Change and possible solutions. “Given that the statistical

evidence for climate change is increasingly undeniable, the question has now shifted from whether the climate is changing at an alarming rate to what measures must be taken to preserve the environment,” Hayes said, reading from an email from Hillsdale AEI Chairman Josiah Johnson. “With that in mind, what can be done from a scientific standpoint to address this issue?” Through a detailed powerpoint presentation providing various graphs assembled by other scientists and Hayes, he explained how CO₂ was the leading factor in causing climate change. He emphasized the slope of

a graph from a Science Magazine article titled “Observed Arctic sea-ice loss directly follows anthropogenic CO₂ emission” that measured the average sea-ice area for the past 30 years. The slope indicated a negative trend with a slope of four square feet of ice lost per tank of gas (15 gallons). While there are tons of ice still afloat in the Arctic Sea, the levels are on the decline at an alarming rate. “There’s a lot of numbers being thrown at you, and if this is the first time seeing this, I’m not expecting you to master it,” Hayes said. “But this number is worth remembering.” “The problem is not engi-

neering or scientific, but getting people to make different choices,” Hayes concluded. Assistant Professor of Politics Adam Carrington, the second speaker, emphasized the need for climate change to be addressed at the voting booth and through the legislative branch. “The trouble is when the rubber hits the road,” Carrington said. “There is a difference between saying so and actually stepping up to make a difference.” Director of the economics program and Professor of Economics Gary Wolfram was the last to speak and expressed the most skepticism towards climate change.

“It’s a significant problem because we don’t really know what’s going on,” Wolfram said. “It could be caused by CO₂ emissions or solar energy changes.” He explained that the U.S. has reduced natural gas emissions more than any other country, seeking alternatives such as nuclear power and horizontal fracking. “Which country has the largest CO₂ emissions? China produces 28% of the world’s emissions, followed closely by India,” Wolfram said. “The two countries increased emissions more than US reduced last year. If you don’t get China and India on board, you’re not going to make any

progress.” Wolfram cited the XPRIZE Foundation, which pledges a 20 million dollar prize to a group that could design a way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and then do something productive with it. “They will probably end up making a combination of solar power and taking carbon out of the atmosphere to solve climate change,” Wolfram said. Students overall found Hayes’ arguments to be compelling. “Since high school, I’ve been a believer in climate change, and my understanding has been increased,” freshman Francis Lucchetti said.

A10 December 6, 2018

Hillsdale Free Methodist Church recently installed an Emergency Action Plan. Brooke Conrad | Collegian

Local churches install safeguards for potential emergencies By | Stefan Kleinhenz Assistant Editor Local churches are taking precautionary measures to keep their parishioners safe. After recent shootings in public places, including places of worship, some local Hillsdale churches are revisiting their emergency policies, while others are creating new policies to ensure people are safe in their church communities. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Free Methodist Church, and Hillsdale Church of the Nazarene all have emergency protocols and handbooks in place to help parishioners handle natural disasters, medical emergencies, and active shooter situations. Peter Becker is the congregational president at St. Paul’s, and, for the past 10 years, he

has also been the chair of the committee that prepares parishioners for emergencies. “We always have faith that God will protect us,” Becker said. “But God also uses people as instruments.” The committee currently consists of 10 to 12 parishioners who have been trained in the committee’s preparations as well as in first aid, CPR, and the operation of automated external defibrillators. Becker said members are typically trained one-on-one as they decide to join the committee. The trained members of the committee are placed on a rotating schedule to ensure that a few members are present in the church’s narthex during every service. “We make sure that if there are any emergencies we can help take care of the people attending the service,” Becker said.

He said the church hasn’t had any cases recently, but, in the past, the committee has dealt with slips and falls. The emergency committee has also performed drills during services to help parishioners prepare for weather emergencies. In July, Corianne Herring created an emergency action plan for Hillsdale Free Methodist, where she attends. Free Methodist didn’t previously have an emergency plan laid out, and she wanted to change that. Herring said her military background trained her to have a plan for everything. She said safety and security is always on her mind. “My church is like my family,” Herring said. “I wanted to make sure we had a plan to keep them safe.” About two months ago, Herring’s emergency plan was distributed to members of the

community, and Herring said it was received well. The emergency plan includes preparations for an active shooter, medical emergencies, and severe weather events. Herring hopes to make a security team sometime in the future. “Sadly the world is not what is used to be,” Herring said. “It’s important that we do everything we can to prepare.” According to the Free Methodist Emergency Action Plan resource guide, “We seek to provide a safe and secure worship environment for our church members and guests. Our goal is to create an alert and aware environment that may be able to prevent an emergency from occurring.” Rev. Mike Prince of the Hillsdale Church of the Nazarene is working with local authorities, representatives, nonprofit organizations, and congregations of faith to

plan a seminar designed to address the issue of safety in churches. The seminar is still in the planning phases, but is expected to take place in February or March of 2019, and its goal is to make sure that all places of worship are on the same page when it comes to safety in their communities. Prince said that with recent gun violence in schools and churches, people need to come together and answer the tough questions to make sure that people are safe. “The church has historically been a safe place to worship,” Prince said. “But we have to make sure we continue to make it a safe place.” The Church of the Nazarene on a national level is currently working on a preparedness plan that allows all its local parishes to be on the same page. The working draft of the preparedness

response plan says that no individual, home, church, or region is immune to natural or human-caused disasters. It also says that response should be a continuous process, and “everything in effective disaster response depends upon planning and preparation at the local church and ministry level.” Prince said the Hillsdale Church of the Nazarene hopes to implement the instructions from the national level of the Church of the Nazarene and work together with other churches in Hillsdale to ensure the church community is kept safe in its place of worship. “The feeling of the church is that we’d rather be prepared than have to deal with the aftermath,” Becker said.

public colleges. Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, like Michigan, also allow citizens to claim vaccination exemptions for personal reasons. Hope, Calvin, Grove City, Beloit and Carleton colleges as well as Ohio Wesleyan and Grand Valley universities grant non-medical exemptions that allow unvaccinated students to attend. Carleton College’s form states that it will grant exemptions for “conscientious or religious purposes,” and Beloit College states that it will allow exemptions if they are necessary “due to religion, personal conviction or medical contraindications.” The other colleges do not specify what category of non-medical exemptions they accept. Ohio Wesleyan University and Calvin College require students to meet with a member of the schools’ medical personnel before approving their requests for exemptions. The other colleges, including Hillsdale College, simply require students to submit a vaccination waiver stating the reason(s) for which they refuse immunizations. Lutz estimates that 25 to 30 students submit vaccination waivers each year. By signing the waiver, students consent to being “excluded from the college for an extended amount of time or until the health risk subsides” in the event of a disease outbreak. Like that of other colleges, Hillsdale’s vaccination waiver informs students who forego immunizations that they are assuming a higher risk to their health than those who accept vaccinations, and obliges them to care for themselves

accordingly. Elizabeth Palmer, a senior majoring in biology, recently presented her research on vaccines. She said she believes it’s important for students to know that their personal immunization choices have campus-wide ramifications, and explained that herd immunity, a population’s collective resis-

tance to a disease that results when a sufficient portion of its members is inoculated, is weakened as more students elect not to vaccinate. “Oftentimes people don’t realize that their choice not to be vaccinated does affect the health of others,” Palmer said. “In order for herd immunity to work, a certain percentage

of the population must be vaccinated.” The young, old, and those with weak immune systems suffer most acutely as herd immunity declines, she explained. “I personally see it as our job, as healthy people, to protect the helpless by vaccinating ourselves,” Palmer said.

School immunization policy is lenient but not uncommon for Midwest schools

The Hillsdale Health & Wellness Center exempts students from required immunizations for personal, religious, or philosophical reasons. Madeleine Miller | Collegian

By | Madeleine Miller Collegian Reporter Hillsdale College’s vaccination policies are more lenient than those of many colleges nationwide, but they closely resemble those of other Midwestern colleges. The college requires students to submit immunization records proving they have received appropriate doses of the Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis, Hepatitis B, Meningococcal, Measles-Mumps-Rubella, and Polio vaccines before registering for classes. Additionally, students must provide a record of a negative Tuberculin test and report either a history of Varicella (Chicken Pox) or that they have been vaccinated for the disease. Students can, however, decline inoculations “for personal, religious, or philosophical reasons,” and instead submit an immunization waiver. It is uncommon for a college to grant vaccination exemptions for non-medical reasons, but Director of Health Services Brock Lutz explained that the college’s

policies are in line with Michigan state law. “Every state has different vaccination policies,” he said. “In Michigan, anyone can opt out ‘for religious or philosophical reasons’ and we adhere to that policy as well.” While all states permit citizens to decline vaccines for medical reasons, and most allow inoculation rejection for religious reasons, Michigan is one of fewer than 20 states that allows citizens to refuse immunizations for personal reasons, according to the website of the Immunization Action Coalition. Hillsdale College’s immunization policy closely matches those of other midwestern colleges, from small, private, liberal arts colleges to large,

Michigan is one of fewer than 20 states that allows citizens to refuse immunizations for personal reasons.