PULSE
A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 1 8 • I s s u e 7 • Vo l u m e 5 • t h e s a u p u l s e . c o m
THE
#MeToo is about more than just physical touch. Pages 10-11
facebook.com/thesaupulse twitter.com/thesaupulse PHOTO BY Kayla Williamson
PREVIEW
TAB LE O F
CONTENTS GOING BACK TO CORE
Some things are better left unchanged
ORMSTON & MUFFITT CLOSING
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CHALK WALK AND MORE Sexual Assault Awareness Month events PAGE 6-7
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PROFESSOR SPOTLIGHT: KUNTZLEMAN PAGE 8
PHOTO BY Morgan Carter
SCHOOL POLICY: SEXUAL HARASSMENT
TAKE A STAND, MAKE A MOVE: TIME’S UP & ME TOO
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ARTIST REVIEW PAGE 12
PAGES 10-11
FLATLINE
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PHOTO BY Elizabeth Koziarski
HOUSE CONCERT
Campus musicians host free concert
BUDDY BASEBALL GAME
PAGES 16-17
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY Hank Bunting
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thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
FIELDHOUSE RENOVATIONS
PAGES 18-19
Why the March For Our Lives encourages the next generation to lead
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EDITORIAL
Age ≠ Influence: The Pulse | Editorial Board
he crowd was excited, senior Andy Bridgeman recalled. There was no counter protesting or animosity, only cars honking in support. While an estimated 800,000 protestors marched in Washington D.C. on March 24, more than 4,000 showed up to Ann Arbor Pioneer High School. Two Spring Arbor University students and one professor joined in marching around the University of Michigan stadium and listening to students and survivors of the Las Vegas shooting. The last student-initiated, wide-scale protest was in 1989, during the Velvet Revolution, eight days after the Berlin Wall fell. The same year, Chinese college students stood in solidarity against the Communist government in Tiananmen Square. Twenty-nine years later, students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. rallied thousands across the world three weeks after a gunman killed 17 of their peers. The most prominent criticism of the movement posits the argument that the students involved in the march cannot address the issue in a meaningful way because they are too young and lack the experience necessary to do so. But youth should not define how well a person can or cannot lead. Throughout time, many young people have created change in the world. In the mid-1400s, Joan of Arc helped end the Siege of Orléans, bringing about a French victory when she was only 17 years old, and is now considered a saint. During World War II, Anne Frank began keeping a diary when her family had to go into hiding. She was 15 when she passed away, but the diary has kept her legacy alive and given people a glimpse into how many people lived during the war. Malala Yousafzai was 11 years old when she began anonymously blogging about her life for the BBC
Urdu. She later survived being shot in the head when she was 15 and has since become a prominent figure in the fighting for the right for education and is now a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and student at Oxford University. The students participating in these marches have drive, passion and experience when it comes to the cause they’re working toward. They may be young, but they are using what they have to effect change in the world. They have found the thing that they are willing to stand up for, even when it becomes difficult. And they have found a following.
Have a response? Send us a Letter to the Editor, and we’ll print it in the next issue! Email us at thesaupulse@arbor.edu.
The Pulse Staff 2017-2018 Editor-in-Chief Kayla Williamson
Sales Manager Kaelyn Hale
Associate Editor Elise Emmert
Design Editor Andri Hill
News Editor Nathan Salsbury
Designers Makana Geppert Noelle Immink Erin Karafa Emily Norton
Features Editor Celeste Fendt A&E Editor Liz Pence
Staff Writers Collin Caroland Heather Clark Caralyn Geyer Brynna Henika Connor Williams
Sports Editor Alex Anhalt
Online Writers Caralyn Geyer Connor Williams Sales Representatives Kelsey Brannon Katie Carroll Mitchell Hodson Cole McEldowney Caytie Sprague Marketing Coordinators Aaliyah Winters Kaleigh Bone Vincent Nowak Alexandria Fulton Alyssa Pluta
Video Team Manager Ryan Sisk
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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News
Ormston and Muffitt Closing Shutdown for 2018-19 year to determine maintenance needs Nathan Salsbury | News Editor
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n March 26, an email landed in the inboxes of Spring Arbor University (SAU) students. Thanks to maintenance needs, Muffitt and Ormston residence halls will not be available for student housing in the 2018-19 school year. “It’s not like there’s anything dangerous going on like structural or anything,” Assistant Director of Residence Life, Jeff Tabone, said. “There are just some systems that could be updated.” Beyond closing for the next year, there isn’t a set date for the residence halls to reopen. Tabone said he doesn’t believe the buildings will remain closed forever but thinks the administration will be mindful of how to use the space in the future. Students currently residing in those buildings had to apply to live in other housing next year, such as Andrews, Lowell or the villages. Janel Coy, junior social work major and current Resident Assistant (RA) of Muffitt Four, is one of the students who has to live in an alternate building next year. She said she will continue to work as an RA, now for a wing of the first floor of Gainey. The only other returning Muffitt resident from this year will be the RA of the other first floor wing. The current Muffitt and Ormston RAs were informed of the closings two days before RA notifications were sent out so they wouldn’t be surprised by an email saying they had been moved. “I would say that Spring Arbor has great pockets of community. Ormston
just happens to be one of them and Muffitt happens to be another,” Tabone said. “I know a lot of the Ormston guys will be heading over to Andrews Hall or the villages. I don’t think community is contingent upon a place. It’s contingent upon the people there.” Besides housing changes for many students, one of the other big questions is the fate of events normally hosted by Ormston and Muffitt. University chaplain, Brian Kono, said one of his first thoughts after hearing about the closing was, “What’s going to happen to Porchfest?” There aren’t official plans for the future of these events, but both Tabone and Coy said S.G.A. may continue Porchfest as a campus event. Along with the closing of the two buildings, Tabone announced that, after nine and a half years, the current school year will be his last at SAU. “I’m finishing up my doctorate at Michigan State,” Tabone said. “I’ll be
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I don’t think community is contingent upon a place. It’s contingent upon the people there. Jeff Tabone
done this May. So I figured that now would be a good time.” As the two residence halls prepare to close, Tabone said, “Change will be inevitable. Yeah it’ll look different, but that’ll be okay.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY White Library
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thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
Vision Remains the Same
News
COL to Return to COR Caralyn Geyer | Staff Writer
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e might be losing Ormston and Muffitt, but not every change is a step away from
the past. For the 2019-2020 school year, Spring Arbor University’s (SAU’s) Christian Perspectives in Liberal Arts (CPLA) program will change its class names from Community of Learners (COL) back to CORE (COR). The name was first changed to COL in the fall semester of 2016, but it did not go into effect until the following fall. At that time, the program also gained a new director, Dr. Tom Holsinger-Friesen. According to Dr. Holsinger-Friesen, the previous COR program saw no change in curriculum for more than twenty years. He said there had become no distinction between COR classes and the general education classes. “The change in the fall of 2016 was to help describe all of the general education classes as Core…because they are unified and fit together and there are pathways among the general education courses to see various disciplines in them,” Holsinger-Friesen said. After the change, HolsingerFriesen said there was feedback regarding originality from both admissions representatives and COL400 students. Holsinger-Friesen said when administration would describe the COL program, the name was not recognized. “I didn’t want to present the impression of major changes on the program when the label from the previous program had served SAU very well in the past,” he said.
He said the school has a “brand equity” attached to COR because of the program’s history and wants it to remain connected to the meaning and tradition of the program for SAU. The change will better help the people on the front lines who are representing the school and the goals of the CPLA program.
“I didn’t want to present the impression of major changes on the program when the label from the previous program had served SAU very well in the past.”
“…also allowing faith to permeate the learning process.” As CPLA director, Holsinger-Friesen said the change is a growing process and he will make future adjustments on a “case-by-case” basis. “CPLA is concerned with its content, but also with making students feel valuable, unique, integrated and keeping the classes as a laboratory for exploring questions.”
Tom Holsinger-Friesen Holsinger-Friesen said CPLA faculty are working on creating consistency and coherency across sections and between teachers by growing the coordination among faculty and defining the program’s vision in detail. COL400 inclass surveys analyzed by Tom Korman, director of SAU’s institutional research, found that students wanted a similar learning experience for the program. According to Holsinger-Friesen, the change is strictly in the acronym and will not do anything to the curriculum and therefore all learning outcomes will remain the same. He said SAU’s vision is looking toward future direction for the program to be more integrated while
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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News
Enough is enough Increasing awareness of sexual assault
Collin Caroland | Staff Writer
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ime’s up. Me too. Church too. These are battle cries. These are calls for help. These are reminders that sexual assault is still a devastating problem on a local, national and global scale. For Sexual Assault Awareness month in April, senior communications major Sarah Buttgen has organized events to help Spring Arbor University (SAU) students recognize and stop sexual assault. The first event of the month taught students what sexual assault is and what consent looks like. A national organization that focuses one sexual violence provided information and resources for the event. “We had a table in front of the DC with resources for people,” Buttgen said. “There were pins that you probably have seen people wearing and information from the Sexual Violence
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PHOTO BY Libby Koziarski
Resource Center on these little palm cards, which are palm-sized brochures that fold out.” The brochures included tips for teaching children about consent, which Buttgen said is important for education majors who want to work with children. According to the cards, children can be taught consent by learning to say no to any unwelcome hugs or touching. Another activity was the Awareness chalk walk, in which SAU community members were encouraged to make a statement about assault with chalk on the sidewalk of the plaza. A panel on bystander intervention took place on April 12, and the BOLD campus prayer group met on April 17. April 25 closes out the series of events with Denim Day.
thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
News
““Denim Day started in Italy when a woman was raped and the judge gave no sentence because the woman was wearing tight jeans which meant she must have been asking for it.” said Buttgen. “The day is meant to really get the idea across that no matter what they are wearing, they are not asking for it. They don’t want it. We are handing out little patches of denim with little phrases as a token to remind people of that.” Buttgen wants to help people recognize that there are things people can do to to help prevent sexual assault in the future, and spreading awareness is the first step to fixing social issues.
PHOTO BY Libby Koziarski
Embrace your voice
PHOTO BY Andri Hill
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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Features
Piecing Together the Puzzle with Dr. Kuntzleman PHOTO BY Erin Karafa
Ellie Brugger | Staff Writer
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r. Tom Kuntzleman is a chemistry professor, science enthusiast, the culprit behind many glowing trash cans and when asked if he likes Bill Nye he said, “yeah, sure.” His office is littered with soda bottles, Mentos wrappers and glow sticks, speaking to some of his favorite experiments he leads in the classroom. The Mentos and soda experiment has been a big part of Kuntzleman’s time at Spring Arbor. He works with students to understand the science behind the reaction. This same curiosity also sparks his experiments with glow sticks.
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“Whatever experiment I’m working on at the time is my favorite,” Kuntzleman said. Kuntzleman is also a strong supporter of the liberal arts. He enjoys how they provide a well-rounded perspective for whatever subject students decide to pursue. However, his favorite subject would have to be science. “Not just chemistry, all science,” he said. Science comes to conclusions and “adds more pieces to the puzzle.” He is a strong supporter of keeping an open mind as this puzzle is built and even enjoys listening to people he disagrees with, like Bill Nye. He claims Nye sometimes exaggerates to prove a point, but he also respects him as a scientist and uses this as an anecdote to encourage being “careful about how we consume information.” Kuntzleman quotes Richard Feynman: “the first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.” Science thoroughly influences the rest of Kuntzleman’s hobbies and achievements, so taking care of his body and being in nature are near the top of his list. He enjoys exercising and has even competed in triathlons. His training grounds include the Falling Waters Trail and Lime Lake. “But if I could be a professional at anything else it would be the electric guitar,” he added. Some of his personal achievements include being a husband and a father, even if “no one hands out awards for
thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
dads or husbands.” He just has to hope he’s done a good job. His father used to tell him not to rest on his laurels, so he declined to share his academic or career accomplishments. Finally, Kuntzleman would like everyone to know he loves talking and getting to know students, so his office in Whiteman Gibbs and his inbox in the black hole that is the worldwide web are always open.
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But if I could be a professional at anything else it would be the electric guitar. Tom Kuntzleman, Professor of Chemistry
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“unwelcome, sexually based behavior such as touching, pressure for dates, sexual comments or jokes and the open display of sexually oriented materials.”
Sexual Assult: Sexual assault (often known as rape) is forcing or coercing an individual to engage in any nonconsensual sexual contact or sexual penetration. It is also a crime if the assailant is your dating partner or spouse.
Features
Sexual Harassment:
This includes: Persistent or repeated unwelcome flirting or persistent pressure for dates
Requests for sexual favors The open display of sexually-oriented pictures, calendars, posters or other material offensive to others
Sexual comments or inappropriate touching Sexually suggestive jokes or gestures
SAU’s Sexual Harassment Policies Celeste Fendt | Features Editor
Take Action: Express your discomfort concerning any conduct that might be considered sexual harassment. Tell the individual engaging in the conduct it is unwelcome. Report the concern to the Office of Student Development and Learning. Campus Safety strongly encourages victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to report the incident in a timely manner. For SAU employees, issues should be reported to the Human Resources Director. For SAU students, issues should be reported to a Student Development Staff Member, the Director of Campus Safety, or a Resident Director. Victims also have the option to contact law enforcement to report their case.
From Campus Safety: Director of Campus Safety Scott Krebill said all Campus Safety employees go through a week-long training program to learn how to respond to cases of sexual harassment or assault. “They receive training on investigating reports and complaints to gather the necessary information and details including names of witnesses, physical evidence and so forth,” Krebill said. Sexual harassment cases reported to the university are handled through the accountability process. Local law enforcement services may be used if necessary in handling these reports. Counseling services are available through the Holton Health and Wellness Center and the Office of Student Development. Krebill’s advice for students who find themselves as bystanders in sexual assault situations is to report or try to stop it from happening. “Students could record and document the behavior,” Krebill said. This may prevent the behavior from happening in the first place.
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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Features
Elise Emmert | Associate Editor
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hen senior Elyse Underwood posted “Me Too” on Facebook, her sister called her, worried, to ask what it was about. “You lived in Chicago,” Underwood said to her. “Tell me there wasn’t a time you got catcalled, tell me there wasn’t a time someone was being creepy toward you, tell me there wasn’t a time when someone wasn’t trying to intimidate you with sexual power.” Underwood said she finds it hard to believe that any woman has not experienced something which could fall under the “Me Too” movement, where they have in some way been hurt through sexual intimidation and power.
Providing Platforms for Voices The “Me Too” social media movement, which began in October 2017, gave people like Underwood the opportunity to spread awareness of the scope of the sexual violence problem. It also allowed people to speak toward the breadth of the problem, since “Me Too” could include sexual assault and sexual harassment. Senior Sarah Buttgen, who has organized on-campus events for April’s
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sexual assault awareness month, believes movements like “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” are encouraging people to talk more openly about their experiences. They give people a sense of strength in numbers and of not being alone in what they experienced. The movement, Buttgen said, did not need any details. People did not have to post anything specific about their experiences. The point was no matter what they had experienced, it had happened to them, and it had hurt them. Posting “Me Too” informed people of that. With so many people using the “Me Too” hashtag, Underwood said she hoped the movement let people see how much sexual violence has affected their lives. Even if they have not experienced or caused sexual assault or harassment, it is possible someone they know has. “This is personal,” Underwood said, “and it’s personal to everyone and it affects everybody.”
The Root of the Problem Underwood said she did not feel that claiming “Me Too” for herself diminished the influence or impact of others’ experiences, which could be
thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
PHOTO BY Kayla Williamson
categorized as “severe,” where hers was not. While the two ends of the spectrum of sexual assault and violence are not the same, Underwood believes the two are directly correlated to one problem. “The root of the issue is the same,”
How to Help Prevent Sexual Violence Buttgen said one tactic for preventing sexual violence is learning to become a good bystander. If something about a situation does not look right, do not be afraid to speak up about it,
them uncomfortable without fear of repercussions is important as well. If people are scared of getting in trouble, Searcy said, they may be more likely to be taken advantage of because they feel they cannot tell anyone about what happened.
Features
Underwood said. “It’s the fact that you can’t respect a person as a person, you can’t see them as your equal, you can’t see them as beyond an object.” Some of the difficulty in fighting sexual violence, Buttgen said, comes with unclear definitions and understandings of what it is. Individual states have different laws defining what rape is, for example. Personally, Buttgen tries to work against such misconceptions by bringing awareness to the different aspects of sexual violence. “I think people just don’t have... enough information about it,” Buttgen said. Buttgen said part of fighting sexual violence is getting people to be more open to talk about it. Doing your own research, as well, by talking to professors or looking up statistics on Google, can help open up the conversation further.
“Consent isn’t just something used in sex. It can be as simple as asking, ‘Can I put my arm around you?’ ‘Can I give you a hug?’ or ‘Can I hold your hand?’” Sarah Buttgen, senior she said. Bystander intervention is a tactic most people learn through the lens of anti-bullying, but it can be applied to sexual violence as well. On a smaller scale, Buttgen suggests talking about what she calls “the extent of consent.” Not every person has the same boundaries concerning touch, and asking about someone’s boundaries can help prevent situations that could make people physically uncomfortable. “Consent isn’t just something used in sex,” Buttgen said. “It can be as simple as asking, ‘Can I put my arm around you?’ ‘Can I give you a hug?’ or ‘Can I hold your hand?’” Senior Simoné Searcy also emphasizes creating and maintaining boundaries in relationships. Having conversations with friends up front about what you are and are not comfortable with, Searcy said, can help prevent uncomfortable situations later. Providing ways for students and others to speak up about things that have happened to them, or about situations that have made
How to Help Victims of Sexual Violence Unfortunately, these methods of prevention will not end sexual violence overnight. There are still people who suffer from the effects of sexual violence. Part of being a good supporter, Buttgen said, includes letting people speak about what they experienced and not discrediting them for it, even if it happened many years ago. “It doesn’t need to have happened in the last thirty seconds for it to have happened,” Buttgen said. Searcy agreed, saying that because people can become desensitized to sexual violence, it can take years to realize that an action or situation was inappropriate, because it seemed fine in the moment. In every situation, Buttgen emphasizes not assuming things about people or what they have experienced. “Just be compassionate,” Buttgen said. “Show love and compassion toward everyone, no matter when it happened or what happened.”
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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A&E
Artist Review
BØRN Again Ellie Brugger | Staff Writer
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ØRNS is a Michigan born artist who released his debut album “Dopamine” in 2015. His full name is Garrett Borns, but his artist name contains an “o” with a stroke. Hi was raised in Grand Haven, Michigan and began writing music when he was twelve. In his early career, hits such as “10,000 Emerald Pools” and “Electric Love” made radio appearances and caught the eye of Taylor Swift who tweeted about their success with her fans and inspired Garrett Borns and his producer to make this full-length album. While this release happened three years ago, another album did not appear until January of this year. This one is entitled “Blue Madonna,” which is also the eleventh song on the album. His musical style attempts to encapsulate the feelings of anticipation and release that accompany waiting. The music builds with a combination of intricate melodies layered over top of each other, culminating in a liberating peak that somewhat resembles the feeling one may get when overlooking the Grand Canyon.
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Some listeners describe his tunes as “majestic, lovelorn anthems” which almost encapsulates the entirety of the ring by spring struggle. Some songs build you up, while others bring you back down. Nevertheless, each of his two albums tell a story from beginning to end, making them helpful to listen to in order for a more artful experience. An anonymous listener said they appreciated his music because “his lyrics are meaningful and the music is catchy.” With some artists, all of their songs sound the same. However, this is not the case with BØRNS. All of his songs have variation “but a good variation.” Some songs have a more acoustic feel while others are more electric, a nod to the versatility of Garrett himself. His lyrics further point to his upbringing as his dad was the owner of an advertising firm. This ingrained the importance of words and helped BØRNS artfully craft the lyrics to all of his songs, which are reflected in the music itself. Both the words and the music work together to create the mood.
thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
BØRNS will be at the Common Ground music festival in July as part of his current tour, but until then his music is available on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, and YouTube.
PHOTOS FROM BØRNS Facebook Page
Conner Williams | Staff Writer
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he time for senior art shows is approaching, and a group of art students have announced the bold plan to do performance art for their exhibits. While their faculty sponsors were initially hesitant to approve their unconventional plans, the art students eventually got permission to bring a new kind of art to the school’s gallery. One student has gathered fifty of her friends to stand positioned throughout the gallery and remain absolutely still. This exhibit is in the style of the popular “living statue” exhibits created by contemporary performance artists. The student’s friends who are not involved in her piece are less than thrilled about her process of practicing for the exhibit. “Sometimes I’ll walk into the room and there will be ten different people standing absolutely still. It just about gives me a heart attack every time I notice one of them standing behind the door or in the closet,” her roommate reports. Another student has written and memorized a dada poem that takes three hours to recite. He plans to wear a plain white jumpsuit that he will gradually paint with food items such as peanut butter and ketchup while
he recites a long chain of nonsensical noises that sound similar to the roaring of a chainsaw. Still another student plans to dance the hokey-pokey while singing the alphabet backwards and flinging ravioli around the room.
FLATLINE
Crossing Boundaries: A New Wave of Artists various performance art pieces in the same room. “They’ve all planned to do things that take up a lot of space, and by some freak accident we don’t have enough time to give them separate time slots in the gallery. So the student who plans to throw ravioli around the room will probably end up hitting the students in the living statue exhibit. And while the other exhibits are going on, the student who wrote a poem will be filling the room with chainsaw noises.” When asked why they chose to form their senior art shows around pieces with so many logistical difficulties, the art students were unanimous in their reply. They wanted a challenge. They wanted to push the borders of art and beauty. They wanted to change the world one projectile food item at a time.
The art faculty, while wishing to encourage the students’ creativity, worries problems will arise when the students attempt to stage their
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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A&E
But we
journey on: A profile on Hank Bunting
Liz Pence | A&E Editor
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young man sits alone center stage, lit only by a spotlight and the electric lamp on the table beside him. The warm light casts a shadow of his nodding head on the walls of Spring Arbor University’s (SAU) White Auditorium, where people have gathered to hear him play. He cradles an acoustic guitar in his lap and coaxes a melody from its strings while the audience listens in rapt attention. This is Hank Bunting’s senior recital. Or perhaps it isn’t. A little after 7:30 PM on April 10, senior Simone Searcy introduced Bunting by giving a disclaimer to the audience. They may have come to see Bunting’s senior recital or to hear music, but they were actually beginning a faith journey – Bunting’s faith journey, which started about thirty miles north of the nation’s capital. Bunting started playing guitar in his junior year of high school in Maryland, his home state. It was a way to connect with God during a difficult point in his life. He knew he wanted to pursue music in college. He just had to pick the right school. “I visited Spring Arbor on a Saturday in J-Term, so the most dead part of the year,” Bunting said. Despite the quiet
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campus, thanks to connections in his home church, he had a good feeling about SAU during his visit, which ultimately led him to enroll. During fall of his freshman year, Bunting was diagnosed with depression. His struggles with depression are articulated in his songs “A Little Longer” and “Out of Breath,” which were both performed at his senior recital. Then, his sophomore year, he was a member of chapel band and eventually joined Wellspring his junior year. His senior year, he became leader of chapel band, along with fellow senior Hennessy Coons, something that he admits challenges him. “[The position] gives me things to be conscious of when we go into chapel,” Bunting said. The position is an opportunity to gauge the environment on campus and try to be empathetic for everyone, not just those that look forward to chapel, but the people on the margins too. After leaving SAU, Bunting will marry senior Katie Clugston in July (#itsbuntingseason) but has two paths to choose from: Serving at a church in Kalamazoo or returning home to Maryland.
thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
“We’ll be wherever we feel like God wants us to be. Both are good options,” Bunting said. The next step will take faith, but it’s a continuation of what began in Maryland and was told about in his senior recital. And it goes on.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY Hank Bunting
Will Shoot For Credit A Free Screening of Student Produced Short Films
Wednesday, May 9th 6:30pm in White Auditorium "For those in the know, "Will Shoot for Credit" is the cutting edge of cinematography and storytelling!"- Dr. Allen Knight “Will Shoot For Credit is classic movie magic and its greatest trick is being something that everyone on campus can enjoy.”- Caleb Carson “Will Shoot For Credit is worth extra credit!”- Prof. Mary Darling
“It is an opportunity for students to prove that hard work pays off.” - Mandeep Kaur
“Will Shoot For Credit is an opportunity to feel like an A- lister as students showcase their talent.” -Jubilee Jackson
“Some of my best evenings at SAU.”Dr. Kimberly Rupert “You know it’s a good class when 80% of the people there aren’t even taking it for credit.”-Andrew Sutton
“Who needs Hulu when there’s Will Shoot For Credit.”- Prof. Jen Letherer
Free popcorn and mocktails April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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Sports
Buddy Baseball
Spring Arbor hosts fundraising Game for local cancer patient Braden Miller
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Heather Clarck | Staff Writer
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ast year at Spring Arbor conventional treatments have little University (SAU)’s home to no effect. Children diagnosed with game against Indiana this cancer generally have a prognosis Wesleyan University, a of a year or less to live. local 8-year-old threw Braden’s family created the first pitch. Braden a Facebook page called “Buddy” Miller was Team Buddy Boy to share the guest of honor, their story of fighting a boy from Spring cancer and updates on Arbor who had diffuse Braden’s health. He is He enjoys life beyond intrinsic pontine glioma currently undergoing anything you can fathom... (DIPG), an inoperable experimental regardless of circumstances. form of brain cancer. chemotherapy in That game raised funds Monterrey, Mexico, Ryan Marken, for Miller’s treatment, since treatments Head Baseball Coach and SAU head baseball other than radiation coach Ryan Marken says are not approved he hopes the event will for use in the become an annual one, United States. celebrating Braden’s progress The family must fly and continuing to raise funds. to Mexico every few weeks At age 7, Braden Miller was for the therapy. These travel diagnosed with DIPG. The treatments expenses and the time the Millers for DIPG are expensive and not often take off from work add to the cost of covered by medical insurance. Even treatment. As costs rise, the family has if they are, DIPG is an extremely organized several fundraisers, one of aggressive form of cancer, and most which was the SAU baseball game.
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thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
PHOTO BY saucougars.com
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Sports SAU baseball player Chris Triplett and his family were close friends of the Millers. When they found out about Braden’s diagnosis, they wanted to support the family and help with the fundraising. They worked with SAU to coordinate an event to raise awareness of the cancer and money for Braden’s treatment. The team decided to dedicate one of their home games to Braden. Braden was allowed to throw first pitch,
sit in the dugout with the team and sign a personal letter of intent to play baseball at SAU for his college years. Marken said Braden, who loves baseball, was thrilled to spend time with the players and be part of the game. This year, the baseball team planned a second game to celebrate Braden’s progress toward recovery. However, due to the Millers’ travel for the treatment and their celebration of Braden’s 9th PHOTO BY Team Buddy Boy Facebook Page
birthday over the weekend of the last home game, plans have been put on hold. Marken said he hopes to find a way to organize around the family’s hectic schedule in some way. He and the team hope to celebrate Braden’s successes with treatment and continue to provide support for the family through funding and awareness. Despite the struggle with cancer and the intensiveness of treatments, Marken said Braden remains cheerful. “He’s an incredible inspiration,” Marken said. “It’s a good reminder for my guys that we’re playing a kid’s game and there are kids out there who would like to play but are fighting for their lives.” Marken said he hopes his team’s connection with Braden reminds them that there is more to life than just playing baseball. He hopes to have Braden attend a game at some point to celebrate his successes with treatment, since Braden is already in his second year with DIPG, and has survived much longer than the initial prognosis. “Every time I’ve talked to Braden, he’s ear to ear smiles,” Marken said. “He enjoys life beyond anything you can fathom…regardless of circumstances.”
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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Sports
What can $1.2 million So long smelly training room. Hello, new change? equipment and facilities. Alex Anhalt | Sports Editor
Construction begins at the end of the semester and should be completed by the start of fall 2018.
The Fieldhouse is getting a new name! The McDonald Athletic Center will be the new home of Cougar basketball and volleyball, named after Coach Donald A. McDonald. McDonald worked at Spring Arbor High School and Junior College from 1945-71.
The current press box will be a suite, and thetraining room will see some updates, as well the team laundry equipment and public restrooms.
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thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
You're coming through loud and clear–or you will be once a new sound system, scoreboard and LED video display are installed.
The new bleachers will be safer and sleeker, and they are going to surround four sides of Bockwitz Court.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY Chris Bauman
April 20, 2018 • thesaupulse.com
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Sports
Athlete of the month Sarah Maschino Brynna Henika | Staff Writer
F
reshman Sarah Maschino has been running track since middle school. In her first year at Spring Arbor University (SAU), she has jumped her way to new school records. We talked to her to find out what her journey looked like.
The Pulse (TP): When did you first fall in love with track? Sarah Mashchino (SM): I’ve been doing track since seventh grade, but I don’t think it was until sophomore or junior year that I really fell in love with track and hurdles. Once I started to get the technique down, my times got faster. The team aspect makes it fun, and once I got connected with the team in high school, it made my experience a lot better. TP: When was the moment where you knew track was the sport for you? SM: It would have to be when I figured out that it was about doing my best rather than comparing myself to other people. I used to get super nervous about meet days, and it took all the fun out of it. When I stopped thinking about what my time was going to be and just ran, without worrying about how I’d place, it actually started to be fun. TP: If you had to choose, what would you say is your favorite event?
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PHOTOS BY Joshua Norton
SM: I really like running the 400m and the 4x1s, but the hurdles are definitely my favorite. TP: How has doing track changed your life? SM: I think it helped me come out of my shell when I was homeschooled. Joining the track team was a way to make friends and get connected at a public school. I think it has also made me a stronger person, both mentally and physically. Running is a mental sport, and I think it has helped me overcome a lot of other things in my life. TP: Were you planning to run track after high school? SM: I wasn’t planning on running track in college, but I talked to Coach [Erika] Vogel anyway. She later called me and I realized I really did want to be on the track team here. It wasn’t in my plan at all, but God knew that I was supposed to be on the track team, so I’m glad that I am. TP: What is your favorite thing about your team here at SAU? SM: I love that my closest friends are on the track team. They’re a really great group in general, but the freshmen are my best friends now. I enjoy that because that’s who I’m spending most of my time with practicing everyday. TP: You’ve broken a few school records. Could you elaborate on that? SM: Yes, I broke the Pentathlon Record for the 60m indoor and the 100m outdoor. If I drop a little bit more time,
thesaupulse.com • April 20, 2018
then I can qualify for the B Standard for nationals on the outdoor race. I haven’t run the times I ran in high school yet, but I know I can drop enough time to get to nationals. TP: What would be your advice to an aspiring student athlete? SM: No matter what, always be doing what you’re doing for God, not for the people around you. If you’re doing it for the people around you, you’re never going to be satisfied or feel complete by what you’re doing. Also, definitely join the team. It’s worth it. TP: How do you see track and field impacting your future? SM: I’ll probably be a runner for the rest of my life because I enjoy doing it, but most likely I’ll go from sprinting to doing longer distances because that’s easier. I can also see myself helping with my high school track team after college, because I think people should be part of a sports team, if that’s something they like. TP: What is the most important thing your coach has taught you? SM: I would say just that I need to calm down and focus, and the fact that I know what I’m doing and I’m doing it for God’s glory, not for myself. As I said before, you need to be doing it for the right reasons, not for people think of you, and doing it for your own time.