PULSE
D e c e m b e r 2 , 2 0 1 6 • I s s u e 4 • Vo l u m e 4 • t h e s a u p u l s e . c o m
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When opinions are as accessible as water, when do opinionated posts turn offensive? f
Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love.
Mexico will pay for the wall!
U of M creates gender neutral pronoun “Ze” Page 4
f
Guns let us protect ourselves so we can be safe.
f
I should be able to choose who my business serves.
#BlackLivesMatter movement views on campus Pages 8-9
A wall will not fix illegal immigration.
f Guns are too accessible to the public. They’re the reason we have so many mass shootings.
facebook.com/thesaupulse twitter.com/thesaupulse
PHOTO BY Andri Hill ILLUSTRATION BY Kayla Williamson
PREVIEW
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
PRONOUN “Ze”
HANDICAP PROPOSAL
PAGE 4
GRADUATE TRENDS
Students present how to improve campus accessibility PAGES 6-7
AN INTERVIEW WITH IRINA BIRD PAGE 10
#BLACKLIVESMATTER ON CAMPUS
PAGE 5
THERAPY DOGS PAGE 11
PAGES 8-9
Doctor STRANGE: MOVIE REVIEW PAGE 15
PHOTO BY Kayla Williamson
ARTIST REVIEW An interview with The Sweeplings PAGES 16-17
YEAR OF THE OFFENDED PAGES 12-14
FLATLINE PAGE 18
SAU’S NEXT TOP PROFESSOR: DR. BRIAN SHAW PAGE 19
NATIONALS BOUND
Both mens and womens soccer teams advance to Florida PAGES 20-21 PHOTO BY Chris Bauman
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thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
PHOTO FROM Sweeplings’ Facebook
HEAD COACH AND ASSISTANT COACH PARTNERSHIP PAGE 23
PREGAME RITUALS PAGE 22
Kayla Williamson | Editor-in-Chief The word “offended,” according to Dictionary.com, means “to irritate, annoy, or anger; cause resentful displeasure in.” In my Communication Theory class, we learned about a theory called Unmet Expectations. According to the class taught by Professor of Communication Paul Patton, unmet expectations in a relationship leads to disappointment. Disappointment unresolved leads to resentment. Resentment unresolved leads to contempt. Do we hold our country, our culture, in contempt? If 2015 (and now into 2016 and ‘17) was the year of the offended, would this mean somewhere along the way, our expectations were unmet? But what are our expectations? “We have this belief that we deserve to be respected. That we deserve to be heard, listened to and valued,”
junior Elyse Underwood said. “While that’s true, and in a perfect world we would get that, Christ wasn’t listened to or valued and was literally crucified for the things he said. If we’re following his example, yes we deserve that as a people but we shouldn’t expect it.” A common theme with everyone Nathan Salsbury and I interviewed for “Warning: this article contains offensive content” (pages 1214) was differentiating between the person and the idea. We have to separate ourselves from other people’s opinions. While we may not mean to come across as offended, typing in all caps, speaking with increased volume or even talking faster can immediately shut down a conversation. If I so much as raise my voice talking to my family about certain issues, they immediately become defensive of whatever I was
Editor-in-Chief Kayla Williamson Associate Editor Amber Cekander
EDITORIAL
Editor’s Note
The Pulse Staff 2016-2017
News Editor Heather Clark A&E Editor Carly Thompson Sports Editor Libby Buckland Business Manager Corina Cekander
PHOTO BY Andri Hill
commenting on. And that’s not their fault. It’s mine for ineffectively communicating. But do you know what bothers me the most about this school? We’re overflowing with grace. We forgive and let bygones be bygones. I have trouble seeing the difference between forgiveness and letting someone walk all over you. But I think the world needs a little bit of what we have here. A community willing to forgive and move on with our lives. ‘Til next time, Kayla Williamson P.S. Shout-out to all the faculty and staff who stood on stage in chapel Nov. 21. Thank you for always having your office doors open and always being ready to listen. We appreciate you.
Lead Copy Editor/ Video Production Manager Brianna Buller Finance Manager Huy Nguyen Photography Editor Kaci Bedgood Design Editor Andri Hill Designers Kaci Bedgood Libby Buckland Hannah Gray Camille Hunter Emily Spencer Staff Writers Michelle Bennett Elise Emmert Celeste Fendt Camille Hunter Olivia Landis Nathan Salsbury Emily Spencer Mary Sramek Liz Pence Online Writers Olivia McRitchie Liz Pence Luke Richardson Emily Spencer Video Production Team Kylie Ambu John Kroll Ryan Sisk Business Team Kaelyn Hale Abby Middleton Kayla Olewinski
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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News
Pronoun Ze: U of M’s new pronoun policy Amber Cekander | Associate Edtior
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n Sept. 28 the University of Michigan (U of M) announced its decision to allow students to choose their own pronouns based on their personal gender identities. The change was brought about by U of M undergraduate student Felix Boratyn, who is transgender, after he was misgendered during a class almost a year ago. The new policy began as a petition on Change.org which asked for pronouns to be included on class rosters and to have an option available on Wolverine Access (U of M’s equivalent of MySAU) where students can choose their personal pronouns. When the petition exceeded 500 signatures, it was brought to Martha Pollack, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, and Kendra Ishop, associate vice president for enrollment management. An email was sent out to U of M students and faculty to announce the change and the inclusion of “ze,” a gender neutral pronoun for those who didn’t identify as either male or female. Faculty were asked to review their class rosters in October to make sure they were using the correct pronouns for each of their students. “Faculty members play a vital role in ensuring all of our community feels valued, respected and included,” the email said. Spring Arbor University Professor and Chairperson of the department of psychology Terry Darling agreed with the statement and said, “From an academic standpoint, I think making students feel more invited to our classes
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creates a better learning environment.” In an article written by Kim Kozlowski for The Detroit News, Boratyn was quoted as saying, “I hope this normalizes the idea that transgender people deserve a place in institutions.”
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I hope this normalizes the idea that transgender people deserve a place in institutions. Felix Boratyn, U of M undergrad student
Backlash soon followed the announcement of the new policy as some perceived it to be an attack on teacher’s academic freedom and authority in their classrooms. “Professors are supposed to have academic freedom,” Darling said, “which, some would say, should expand to how we address students. The other side of this issue is if the person is identifying as transgender then it doesn’t seem like too big a stretch for a professor
thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
to address him or her accordingly.” Other students are rejecting the policy, as well. One U of M student, Grant Strobl, garnered particular attention when he listed his pronoun as “His Majesty.” In the same article by Kozowksi, Strobl said, “The policy is truly ignoring reality... all of these words are going against the mission of the university, and that is to pursue truth.” The policy of allowing gender nonconforming students to change their names and/or pronouns on campus docU of Ments is becoming increasingly prevalent. CampusPride, a nonprofit organization that works “to create a safer college environment for LGBTQ students” has a list on their website of over 150 colleges and universities that have similar programs to either allow transgender, non-binary and gender nonconforming students to change their names or their pronouns on official records and docU of Ments. Darling sees this as part of a culture war. It’s the difficulty of accommodating a minority some have difficulty identifying with and not judging from a lack of information. “The fact that some people don’t fit neatly into binary categories of male/ female should at least make us hesitant to immediately dismiss their perspective without making an effort to understand them,” Darling said.
Heather Clark | News Editor
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hether graduation is a frightening thing looming on the near horizon or a nearly unimaginable end to a future four or more years in the making, it is something students will eventually face. Spring Arbor University (SAU) staff are working to make the transition to postcollege life easier by preparing students while in college and providing resources for use after graduation. Each graduating class, both oncampus and at the SAU global sites, is surveyed upon graduation to determine how many former students are employed, entering a graduate program or still searching for a job. Surveys of the 2015 graduating class, out of which almost three quarters of graduates responded to the survey, showed eighty-four percent employed and seven percent enrolled in continuing education in the overall population of the university and global sites. Career Development Advisor Chad Melton helps curate statistics on graduate employment rates and compiles the yearly reports on employment and graduate education. “We like to show students that this is what our graduates are doing now, give them confidence that employers are seeking out Spring Arbor alumni,” Melton said. Melton also works to create classes and events that allow students to experience what life after college will be like and to gain experience. He helps organize events like Career Week and classes for both undecided students and upperclassmen.
While statistics can tell a story in terms of nU of Mbers, some students would prefer to find out more about post-graduation from a single person who has been where they are. One of the tools Melton uses to help current students connect with alumni is called the Mentoring alumni program which includes a mao of where former students are. Steve Castle, director of alumni relations, said his office contacts graduates and asks them if they would be interested in being contacts for students. They also can sometimes offer internship opportunities with the companies they work for or their own businesses. “Our office has three main foci: stay
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Career Development and alumni relations make transition to post college life easier connected, share your story and support the future,” Castle said. All three of these goals are implemented in the alumni mentoring system. Students can use the map to find people and opportunities in their area, in their major or their professional field, and then contact them for advice or even just to learn more about life after SAU. SAU constantly seeks to improve methods of helping students succeed and also creating new ones. “Give us feedback, because you know what the experience is like,” Castle said. “You can tell us how to market it. You’re the user, so if the resource isn’t helpful, tell us how to make it better.”
PHOTO FROM Pixabay.com
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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News
Handicap Accessibility Proposal How SAU Students are Making a Difference Emily Spencer | Staff Writer Senior social work majors Sarah Young, Katelyn Parker, Vicy Henry and Carly Dehmel recently wrote a proposal to present to the Leadership Board. The purpose of their proposal was to raise awareness about necessary changes on campus that would allow people who are differently abled to have better access to academic buildings. Their attention was first called to this issue during a class brainstorming session about issues on campus. The discussion addressed how difficult it can be for admissions representatives to give the same tour to someone who is wheelchair bound as they give to everyone else. There have been students who ended up leaving SAU because they simply could not get to where they needed to be. According to Young, there was a PHOTO BY Emily Spencer
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day when the elevators in Poling were well they worked. One of the elevators not working, so one such student was is small, making it difficult for any not able to go to class. Other than person who is wheelchair bound to e-mailing her professor, there was use, and the other wouldn’t go to the nothing she could do. top floor, instead sounding an alarm. Student Government Association According to Parker, there were even (SGA) Vice President Alessandra professors attempting to stop Henry Varelis, approached the four about from using the elevators as they were setting up a meeting with the Leadership said to be unsafe. Team. She, along with SGA president, According to the Americans with Joey Dearduff, was able to set up a meeting two weeks later. Even though they only had two weeks to put together a professional presentation, Dehmel Our challenge and our said she enjoyed the hope was to say how experience. “It was humbling and do we make this a place exciting to know we have that is welcoming, that is the power to help fix comforting for people who this,” Dehmel said. The four had to be are differently abled. somewhat selective in Katelyn Parker what they included in the proposal, as attempting to Senior do everything all at once was unrealistic. According to Parker, they decided to focus on academic buildings because everyone on campus must use them. The proposed changes included adding more automatic door openers and fixing any Disabilities Act (ADA), all of SAU’s that may not work in Whiteman-Gibbs elevators are up to code. The elevators and Smith Music Center/Sayre-Decan in the older buildings, like WhitemanHall as well as updating the elevators in Gibbs and Sayre-Decan Hall, were those same buildings. grandfathered in, which means they were In doing research for the proposal, built before the ADA was established in Henry rode the elevators to see how 1990 and are therefore not held to the
thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
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Professors also provided statements for the presentation and have offered help in many capacities. They are working with Director of Alumni Relations, Steve Castle, to work on ideas of how to fund the changes. According to Young, it is important to the group that other students know they can get involved in making changes on campus. “We need to start being those people here, taking actions and steps so we can be those critical participants now, because we’re in a community now,” Young said.
We need to start being those people here, taking actions and steps so we can be those critical participants now, because we’re in a community now. Sarah Young, senior
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same standard as those that were built after 1990. “Our school isn’t a place that is intentionally discriminating or is putting roadblocks in the way. But our challenge and our hope was to say, “How do we make this a place that is welcoming, that is comforting for people who are differently abled?’” Parker said. According to Young, the Leadership Team was immediately on board with what they had to say, setting up a task force to get things started. Dehmel said the four are still very involved in the process of working toward the changes they proposed, having had multiple meetings with the Leadership Team. They are starting with things that can be done immediately. Right now, they are working on putting plaques by elevators with the number to call if they are not working. This gives students the means to fix problems. “The biggest thing about this [proposal] is the issue, but also empowering the students to feel like they can make a difference,” Dehmel said. Though Young, Parker, Henry and Dehmel were the ones to write the proposal and give the presentation, they have had a lot of support from fellow classmates, faculty and staff. Dehmel spoke to Head of Maintenance, Larry Owsley, to get information for the proposal. She said maintenance is extremely eager to help. All students have to do is contact them.
PHOTO BY Emily Spencer
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December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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Seeing past generalizations: SAU Perspectives on #BLACKLIVESMATTER Camille Hunter | Staff Writer
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n his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Today, while King’s words ring on, dissension about racial injustice in
the United States sparks an uproar of societal tension. Spring Arbor University (SAU) students are not exempt from this dissension. Where do we stand? And in what ways do our actions re ect what we stand for? Students and faculty of SAU are sharing their perspectives on the issue so that as a whole, we might know better how to start a meaningful We shouldn’t ever be tired of conversation. hearing people say, ‘Help.’ #BlackLivesMatter (BLM) was founded on Nathan Sam, July 13, 2013, in response sophomore to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. However, BLM quickly evolved into much more than a hashtag on
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social media. The originators of the hashtag, Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors, on blacklivesmatter. com said, “BLM is a call to action and a tactic to (re)build the Black liberation movement by broadening the conversation about state violence.” Critics of BLM have many concerns, one being it is an antiwhite movement, responding with the controversial counter phrase, “All Lives Matter.” BLM’s founders contend, “The statement ‘Black lives matter’ is not an anti-white proposition. Contained within the statement is an unspoken but implied ‘too,’ as in ‘Black lives matter, too,’ which suggests the statement is one of inclusion rather than exclusion.”
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‘‘ ’’ It’s possible to not be personally racist, but to still perpetuate a racialized society. Mark Edwards, Associate Professor of History
SAU Director of Academic Student Connections Willie Lewis uses a metaphor to address the counter phrase, saying we wouldn’t dismiss breast cancer awareness month in order to make it clear all cancers matter. “Of course they all matter,” Lewis said. “Just because you advocate for this movement that is trying to bring light to a situation doesn’t mean you are not in favor of police interactions being fair for everyone.” He mentioned his experience being racially profiled and pulled over in Ypsilanti, or how secondary school administrators will unknowingly discern certain groups of students as more troublemaking. “I see it as an issue because of the implicit biases we all have,” said Lewis. “I’m not talking about prejudices, I’m talking about those internal reactions we have, that we don’t even recognize we’re having…Those types of things play into our interactions. So when
you get to a point where you have life and death situations with police interactions, we just need to be able to have a conversation about that.” As Lewis proposed, no one race or “type” of person is exempt from having implicit biases. These perceptive screens are deeply rooted in a person’s background and experience. However, being aware of one’s own implicit biases may help shed light on the bigger picture: racism is often not intentional. “I don’t think anyone looks at their heart and says, ‘Yup, I’m racist,’” transfer student Simoné Searcy said. “Even if they did, I believe they would think their own brand of racism was harmless and justifiable. What I do believe, however, is that subliminal nuances have been planted in us through media, entertainment and education that lead us to believe generalizations about people that hinder us from seeing those people as actual human beings that were created by God for a purpose.”
Searcy explained that while students may not deliberately separate themselves from one other, the individualism of American culture creates an inadvertent disconnect. She said if you are not seeing examples of racial bias, you are not looking. And as Newsroom’s Will McCavoy said, “The first step in solving a problem is recognizing there is one.” “I think that BLM had good intentions, but when everyone responded with ‘All Lives Matter,’ that divided us further,” Searcy said. “At the end of the day, all we can do is purposely give each day to God and He will give us new eyes. That’s my prayer.”
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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Features
oliver and company Heather Clark | News Editor
D
eitzman Hall’s lower floor becomes a haven for dogdeprived college students at least once a week. These are the days when Dr. Tammy Dindoffer brings her dog, Oliver, to campus. The elevenmonth old golden retriever is not just on campus for the students to enjoy: Oliver is training as a therapy dog. Oliver is Dindoffer’s first therapy dog, although she has trained show dogs before. Since he is less than a year old, he has not undergone the final testing necessary to be certified as a therapy dog. Dindoffer received special permission from the provost to bring Oliver on campus. Oliver must be comfortable with a wide variety of situations. He stays calm around wheelchairs and walkers and knows various simple commands. He also needs to be calm around people at all times. Dindoffer also takes Oliver to the Ganton homes when she brings him to work. She said many of the residents have seen him since she started taking him when he was four months old. “They’ve gotten to see him grow up, and they love him,” Dindoffer said. “He flips a switch or something when he goes in those doors. He knows he’s working.” Oliver isn’t the only dog in training on the campus. Professor of psychology Terri Pardee is training a service dog, which has different qualifications than a therapy dog, for her son Eli, who has mild fetal alcohol syndrome. Miggy, Pardee’s standard poodle, has fur that will not cause allergic reactions, which Pardee said is a good qualification for a service dog.
PHOTO BY Heather Clark
The qualifications for Miggy’s training are different from Oliver’s. There are no official ending tests, Pardee said, but the training is much more rigorous, as the dogs must be able to remain calm even when surrounded by excited children or in noisy environments like stores. Service dogs have more legal rights than therapy dogs since they are required for a person to function and denying them access to areas can be seen as discrimination. While therapy dogs like Oliver stay with their owners and are taken to various locations, service dogs like Miggy are trained and then assigned to the person they will be assisting. Since Pardee’s son Eli will be Miggy’s handler, Pardee will be able to keep him. “He’s been trained to respond to pulls on his harness,” Pardee said.
“He has a ring on it and then a leash that attaches to him and the child. If a child gets overstimulated and panics and tries to bolt, the dog will feel it and lie down and become dead weight.” Training the dogs is not all work, though. Pardee takes Miggy out to the Poling lawn for games of fetch to help channel some of his energy. “He’s still a puppy at heart, and he needs to have time to be one,” Pardee said. “He’ll be working soon enough.”
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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Features
How Christians can navigate hot topics, touchy subjects and heated arguments without
OFFENDING
Listening One rule Stout abides by is to never deny someone their experiences. Whether or not she agrees with their views does not affect her belief in what someone has gone through or felt. The election results have been upsetting, scaring or even hurting a lot of people, Stout said. “I think in a sense what’s almost the most offensive part about the whole thing is the people who just can’t see that or they’re choosing not to see that.” Yet she tries to take the feelings of offense as an opportunity to help people see different perspectives. She sees this happening already—people who come from privilege taking the time to listen to people who have something to lose. “For people who do have privilege, which includes me, it can be easy to immediately get offended or get defensive about that fact and so seeing people trying to overcome that and learn has been cool,” Stout said.
Learning The last time senior Carly Dehmel was offended was the Wednesday before this interview by her fiancé Tony Nelson. “He likes to challenge me. [He says,] ‘You need to think about this Carly,’ and I’ll be like, ‘I ain’t thinking like that,’” Dehmel said. She has learned to take the personal out of the conversations. She understands they both are learning
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and continuing to grow and expand on their opinions. When Nelson comes to Dehmel with something he learned in his philosophy or theology classes, he argues it as fact, she said. Or when her friend Elyse Underwood comes to her with a paper on feminism, speaking it like fact and Dehmel becomes upset, she is reminded they are still learning too. “Just because someone says something once, don’t take it as that’s who they are, that’s who they’re always going to be and that’s going to be a reason I don’t like them because they’re trying to learn just as much as we are,” Dehmel said. As a philosophy major, Nelson has learned to not become offended by ideas, but how it is communicated. He sees lack of social cues such as eye contact or shaking hands as signs of disrespect. “When you study philosophy you come to the realization that no one has it right,” Nelson said. “It’s not so much the idea Kayla Williamson | Editor-in-Chief [that makes you n intense comment thread on offended] but Facebook. A subtweet posted what that idea in the heat of the moment. says about you.” A presidential candidate’s locker room talk. A guest speaker’s choice of words. “I do think there’s definitely a place for being offended,” junior sociology major Caitlin Stout said. “There’s definitely a place for it when it comes to standing up for people groups that are marginalized or talked down to all the time or values that are important to you.”
thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
WARN RN
THIS ARTICLE CLE OFFENSIVE VE
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“I don’t think there’s a standard, clean-cut reaction that all Christians should have,” Assistant Professor of sociology Lloyd Chia said. However Christians should take into consideration how God wants us to act. Nelson said to look at Christ as an example when choosing how to react. Instead of
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Nathan Salsbury | Staff Writer
returning evil with evil, Christians should turn the other cheek and return evil with good. “If I communicate with someone who has offended me, my reaction should always be out of love and grace,” Nelson said. Nelson also said that asking questions for clarification is important when feeling offended. In doing so, the two opposing sides can clear up miscommunications. Another reaction, rather than remaining offended, is to be aware of
“We should react by not just being aware and talking, ‘Oh, it’s so horrible, that offends me,’ but it’s got to move [us] into action,” Darling said.
Offense is not bad As long as people are conscious of how they are reacting, especially in a Christian way, taking offense to something someone says isn’t always bad. “There are so many things you can be offended by,” Chia said. “Being
Features
Reacting
“It’s not so much the idea [that makes you offended] but what that idea says about you.”
-Tony Nelson, senior
what is causing the offense by becoming educated and asking questions about the topic. Then, be involved to make a change. Junior Spencer Crow also thinks that it is important to take some time to process what has been said before taking offense. Associate Professor of Communication Mary Darling also thinks people should think about what is being said and be aware of the meaning before doing anything else.
As comment threads grow longer and more defensive, Twitter rants become personal attacks and words are taken out of context, offense has become the initial reaction to anything controversial. “The emphasis that [millennials] have on respectful and inclusive language—although it can get messy and be annoying, and it can lead to arguments—I think it says a lot about our generation,” Stout said.
offended isn’t wrong. I guess maybe it’s how we react that we have to just be careful.” In reacting, people should be speaking the truth and love God has given them, rather than being mean. This way, their reaction won’t be negative which would make the offensive situation “bad.” “I think that we need to be offended by issues of injustice,” said Darling. “The Bible talks a lot about those injustices.” The Bible contains over 2,000 verses on the poor and oppressed. The verses talk about how the oppressed people are not treated fairly and that should be something that offends Christians and inspires them to help those in need. “I think being offended can, as long as it leads to action, be a noble thing,” Stout said.
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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HOW DO YOU REACT WHEN
YOU ARE
OFFENDED?
The Pulse conducted a survey in November of how SAU students react when they are offended. Here are the results.
72 2 100 SAU 26
ILLUSTRATION BY Kayla Williamson
Out of
were female
17
preferred
not to answer
students
Freshmen
were male
THE OPTIONS 1 - Strongly Disagree 2 - Disagree 3 - Neutral 4 - Agree 5 - Strongly Agree
30
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
5
11
7
5
2
42
en Fri
cebo a F 31.4%
45
21
41
18
ok
2 Super Seniors
9
9
I post my thoughts and opinions on social media.
I express when I’m upset.
I say whatever is on my mind.
37
24
2 22
5
I want to know what other people think before I make a decision.
amily 76.8% F The probability of where someone goes when they’re upset
28
24
ds
85%
23
Anonym
ous 27.2% Social Media
15
5
17
12
I feel pride in our country. 34
34
54
32.4% Twitte
r
The probability of someone’s reaction to something they disagree with
82.6% 71.4% 38.4% 50.8% 76.4% Try to Share my Shut Share other Ignore it
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thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
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A&E
Michelle Bennett | Staff Writer purpose after severely damaging his
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f TV and movie lovers thought “Stranger Things” was strange, they’ve got a surprise in store with yet another mind-bending theatrical masterpiece. “Doctor Strange” hit theatres in early November and definitely challenged the concept of strange. While it was an addition to the intricate universe of Marvel cinema, it was quite unlike previous MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies. Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is an arrogant, egotistical and n a rc i s s i s t i c surgeon w h o loses his sense of
hands in a car accident. He suffers extreme nerve damage and spends what is left of his money to pay for experimental treatments to correct it. Unfortunately, none of the attempts are successful, and he can never operate again. Eventually, Strange is led to The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). She is a very powerful sorcerer who teaches him the art of astral projection and magic in the form of protection and war. He is trained by Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), another powerful magician, and educated by Wong (Benedict Wong), the keeper of the ancient texts of their world. Cumberbatch’s role as Sherlock Holmes in the hit BBC television show “Sherlock” boosted his renown and helped him earn roles like Dr. Strange and Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game.” These roles earned him nominations for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe awards and four Emmy awards, one of which he won. Scott Derrickson sat in the director’s seat. Although he is m o r e
popular in the horror genre, his step into the MCU was entertaining and well done. Action sequences in the mirror dimension, the multiverse and the astral realm were essential to the development of the film. With witty dialogue from Mordo, Wong and Strange, writers Jon Spaihts, Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill allowed for a sense of humor throughout this intense film. Strange’s continual explanation of pop culture references to Wong and Mordo, who inform Strange that they’re not savages despite their reclusive and ancient lifestyle, is one way humor comes through in the film. As the Russo brothers gear up for the third installment of the Avengers in 2018, the introduction and development of “Doctor Strange” was necessary as he will appear in “Avengers: Infinity War.” With movies such as “The Black Panther” and “Thor: R a g n a r o k” c o m i n g next year, “Doctor Strange” will tide fans over until the next Marvel film.
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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A&E
Artist Review:
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hen they aren’t photographing weddings, having phone interviews with small-town college seniors or performing, Cami Bradley of Washington and Whitney Dean of Arizona write and record music for The Sweeplings. The Sweeplings’ sound is made of what Dean called their four main ingredients: their voices, a piano and a guitar. “[The Sweeplings’ music is] cinematic folk [and] Americana-esque,” Dean said. “We’re in a weird spot of being between genres, and that’s kind of intentional.” The also said they try not to focus on being unique. “We try not to focus on how to be different or set apart,” Bradley said. “I feel like if you try too hard to be unique you end up being something everybody already is.” They don’t strive to be “unique,” but they are. Their songs come from personal experiences and the world around them. Before Bradley and Dean formed The Sweeplings, Bradley was a finalist on America’s Got Talent (AGT) season 8. She placed sixth. When asked how AGT affected her as a musician, Bradley revealed how she never planned to perform professionally until she was on AGT. “Before AGT I didn’t care to have music be my profession,” Bradley said. “I was hired at a church and loved what I was doing...When I went on the show I feel like my mindset was transformed into writing and recording and performing. ”
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thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
AGT is how the duo came to be. “Whitney’s wife found me on the show and they reached out to me. It was the beginning of...The Sweeplings,” Bradley said. “We wouldn’t have met if I weren’t on it.” Upon his wife’s request, Dean wrote Bradley a message to see if she was interested in writing or recording a demo. Bradley initially declined Dean’s offer. When Bradley finally agreed, the two began collaborating between Alabama and Washington. “We started writing and playing together [and] it was pretty evident that we had a special musical chemistry, and something worth chasing down to see what might happen,” Dean said about working with Bradley. Working together meant the two needed a group name. “We made up a word that best made sense with who we are as a duo,” Dean said. “We create [sweeping] melodies and are a small group, like a duckling or sapling, which makes us a small group of people that make sweeping melodies––hence, The Sweeplings.” Recently, The Sweeplings’ music was featured on Freeform’s “Pretty Little Liars” and “The Fosters.” Dean expressed gratitude to Freeform for offering them the opportunity to share their music through another art form. “When your art and your emotions get put with somebody else’s art,” Dean said, “it’s really impactful for us. Having our music reach people through
A&E that platform is rewarding and among one of the top things of the list of accomplishments, if not the top one.” The Sweeplings are trying to reach more people with their lyrics and melodies, a goal that would be achieved if they reach their goal of winning a Grammy. “Winning a Grammy would be the apex for us, to just know we put our heart and soul in to it and people actually responded,” Dean said. Dean expounded upon their goals and said winning a Grammy award would affirm that people acknowledge the heart and soul put into their music. While winning a Grammy would be great, the duo said they did not only create music because it was fun, they do it to impact people. “The goal [is to have] people respond to our music,” Dean said. Bradley attributed her success to God, her family and other people in her life. “I feel very passionately that [God] has gifted me with the things I have. I feel like the course of my life has been guided specifically. I wouldn’t be the musician I am today if it weren’t for some hand-picked people placed at the right time to help me.” Dean also attributed his musical success to God, his mother and influential people who guided him during his time at the University of Alabama. “I would attribute all of it to God and putting people in my path,” Dean said. “It seems like it was thought out by somebody other than me, which I would attribute to God’s grace and
taking care of what he wants me to do with my life.” To follow updates on the duo, follow “@TheSweeplings” on Twitter and Instagram. Read the full interview on The Pulse online.
Five Songs To Listen To: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
In Too Deep Carry Me Home Come Rest Your Head On & On Long Way Around
Mary Sramek | Staff Writer
PHOTOS FROM The Sweeplings facebook page
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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Polar vortex to coincide with finals week Elise Emmert | Staff Writer
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eathermen across Michigan are predicting a powerful polar vortex will sweep across the state beginning the week of Dec. 11. Even counties on the east side of the state, far from Lake Michigan’s lake effect, should expect anywhere from three to four feet of snow to start their week. This predicted polar vortex coincides with Spring Arbor University’s (SAU) finals week of the fall semester. The Spring Arbor area is slated to get up to eight feet of snow throughout the week, with plenty of freezing rain to keep things icy and slippery. But even though the snow may pile high, university staff said students should not expect any class or exam cancellations. “Most of the university’s professors live less than ten minutes from campus,” one staff member said. “They’ll ski to campus if they have to.” Many students have expressed disappointment that their classes would likely not be cancelled despite the predicted severity of the weather. “Look, I have to walk pretty far to get to my classes anyways,” one student said, who lives in Ormston Hall. “If it snows that much, I’m not leaving my dorm no matter what.” To combat the difficulty in moving across campus with so much snow and ice in the way, students are advised to leave their dorms for class up to 15 minutes earlier than they usually would.
There are also 50 snowmobiles available to rent from the fieldhouse for an additional 35 dollar parking pass fee. Students may also want to attempt to get to the Dining Commons early for meals, because the hot chocolate is sure to run out quickly. Students who live in the villages should be prepared to evacuate their rooms in the event of power outages. There is limited space for sleeping in Lowell, Gainey and Andrews lobbies, so overflow students will need to find accommodations elsewhere. Students are also warned that the snowplows will likely be running nonstop during finals week. For some students, this will cut into their precious sleeping time when the loud vehicles drive past their dorm windows. For others, the noise will be welcome, as it will keep them awake as they study into the early hours of the morning. “They kept me up last year,” one student said. “I might as well use the time I’m awake to be productive.” But other students are refusing to let the dreary weather get to them, and are bringing out their snowshoes and cross-country skis to enjoy the winter wonderland that will cover the campus. They are also planning a snowman building contest for Wednesday, Dec. 14. Students are encouraged to bring silverware to hide inside the expected 12-foot creation.
thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
Liz Pence | Staff Writer
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n Nov. 6 in the White Auditorium, ten professors gathered to compete in Spring Arbor’s Next Top Professor, a pageant fundraiser hosted by The Pulse. The gathered ten competed for the crown and the sash in a talent portion and a question panel. Some of the included talents were PowerPoint, playing with fire and painting. The latter of the three talents went on to win the pageant – Associate Professor of art Brian Shaw - and the crown and sash. The head of Spring Arbor University’s (SAU) department of art, Shaw’s love and pursuit of a career in art was not cultivated by himself. His parents were a prominent force in his decision to pursue art. Although they were musicians, they encouraged him to continue drawing and creating. His mother collected all of his drawings and stored them in a box. “I remember looking at those later when I was older and thinking, ‘Oh, they’re not very good,’” Shaw said. Shaw’s parents were not the only driving force in his journey. There were two teachers who encouraged him to pursue art. One of these early influences was his fourth grade art teacher, Mrs. Watkins, whom Shaw called “his biggest cheerleader.” The other was his high school art teacher who encouraged him to pursue commercial art as a career. “Those kinds of things help fuel your creativity, make it seem like you’re on the right path and that you can do something with your talent,” Shaw said.
So, when presented with the opportunity to compete for the crown and sash, Shaw knew he had to paint for the talent portion. The only problem was finding an “in” with his audience. “I [didn’t] want to stand up there and do graphic design on a computer,” Shaw said. “So, obviously, you find a hook, and Bob Ross is a hook.” Initially, he was worried college students would not be familiar with Bob Ross – the late host of the PBS instructional art program called “The Joy of Painting.” Once he was assured his audience was familiar with Bob Ross, he knew he had found his way in. When it came time for his talent portion, Shaw emerged onstage as Bob Ross, complete with an afro wig and soft tone of voice. He began his painting of SAU’s campus, which included the new rock monument in the EP Hart Circle, the clock tower and Whiteman-Gibbs, which Shaw described as, “big, bold and white, like [him].” The painting was auctioned off later in the night for $101.
A&E
A conversation with Spring Arbor’s Top Professor – Brian Shaw. All of the proceeds went to benefit The Pulse. For Shaw, part of the fun was getting to spend time with the other faculty backstage, talking about their acts, preparing to perform and sharing a similar anxiety to perform well. “We enjoyed it as a group and knew it was going towards a good cause,” Shaw said. For professors who are interested in inheriting the title of Spring Arbor’s Next Top Professor, Shaw has a few words of advice. “It’s a fun thing to do, if you can poke fun at yourself and joke. As soon as you put a wig on a faculty member, you’re going to get some bonus points,” Shaw said.
PHOTO BY Kaci Jade Bedgood
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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Sports
Cougar Soccer takes on NAIA National Tournamnet Libby Buckland | Sports Editor
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his past month was one of great triumph for the Spring Arbor University (SAU) Cougars. Both the mens and womens soccer teams won their Cross Roads League Tournament Championship which hurtled them forward, advancing to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Tournament. The women gained their first national title in November 2015, after a battle against rival school Lindsey Wilson. Amidst the pressure following their victory, the lady Cougars continued their streak by finishing the regular season play with a nearly perfect record of 15 wins and one tie, outscoring their opponents with a record-setting 72-3 points. In anticipation of their advancement in this years’ National Championship tournament, junior forward and captain Aubrey Schierbeek shared the team’s excitement. “It is exciting to be going back,” Schierbeek said, “but there is also a lot of pressure because everyone is expecting us to go far because we are
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ranked number one.” Even with all the pressure surrounding the team this season, they continued to be successful. Junior captain and center back Sarah Klunder has been on the team for three years. She said she owes the success of their team to their love for each other. “Our success stems from our want to play for our teammates and the girls on our team,” Klunder said. “I think we all play for a higher purpose and just want to give to each other and play for the seniors. We have been with these seniors the longest and it makes it all worth it to see them succeed.” Moving forward, it is important the team keeps their composure and stays as healthy and injury-free as possible. Head coach Jason Crist touched on some of the team’s biggest challenges as they head to Alabama. “We are going to see really good teams,” Crist said. “The returning players all know what to expect and they are all trying to balance that with their academic loads, which is really challenging. They’re trying to get their
thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
homework set up in advance so they won’t be stressed when they are down there.” The opening round of Nationals, round of 32, was hosted at SAU’s home field against Rochester College from Rochester, Mich. The snowy and windy 90 minutes ended victoriously. The Cougars dominated play and pulled out a 5 – 0 win, also breaking the current school record of total goals per season, which is now 85. Sophomore and forward Bethany Balcer was responsible for three of the goals. Spring Arbor returned to Orange Beach, Alabama to defend the National title shortly after Thanksgiving. The Cougars played No. 16 ranked Cumberland University in the second round of the tournament, or sweet 16, on Monday Nov. 28, and once again, rose victorious over their opponent. The final score was 4-0.
Sports Similar to the womens team’s success, the mens team played No. 1 ranked Bethel on Nov. 12 for the Crossroads League title and after a long and grueling fight also emerged victorious when junior Lewis Jones scored the game-wining goal in overtime. The last time the team went to the national tournament was in 2012, before Nate Miller became the head coach. “I am especially proud and excited for these guys because they are my team,” Miller said. “They have been under my direction for all four years.” Miller said there were multiple factors that played into their winning the conference title this season. Among them was the strong team comradery. He said the unbreakable bond between the players on and off the field propelled them to be really successful. “It is so great to see the guys perform well,” Miller said. “I love all of these guys and we have
so much fun. Their commitment level, hard work and ability to invest in each other sets them apart and makes them successful.” The men continued on to Tennessee to play No. 11 ranked Bryan College in the tournament’s opening round. After surrendering a pair of goals during the first half, the cougars were able to buckle down and make a comeback, eventually winning 3-2 during an intense overtime. “Bryan is a very, very talented team, and to be able to assert ourselves on them was impressive,” Miller said. “The guys will enjoy this moment for sure, then we look forward to preparing and travelling really well to the final 16.” The journey did not stop there for the mens team. Soon after their win they traveled to Delray Beach, Fla. to play No. 8 ranked Union College. “The journey with these guys has been really special,” senior goal keeper A b e Bonn s a i d . “We’ve had some awesome results recently that have really validated all of our hard work, team chemistry and belief in each other all year. It’s also been amazing to witness all the support from our family, friends and the entire SAU community. We’re really excited to go to Florida and can’t wait to continue this journey together.” After a grueling match and a tough fight, the Cougars were eventually overcome by their opponent with an end
score of 3-0. Even though the outcome was not as the team had hoped, they did make history by advancing further than any other SAU mens soccer team in the NAIA National tournament. With only two rounds standing between the lady Cougars and the National title, stay tuned for the results of the womens National Tournament play. The finals will be held on Saturday, Dec 3 and will be shown live in the Cougar Den.
PHOTOS BY Chris Bauman
December2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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Pregame Rituals:
How athletes mentally and physically prepare for competition Camille Hunter | Staff Writer
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rom handshakes to headbands, pre-game routines are a significant component of athlete performance. While physical readiness is most often considered when thinking about the ways in which athletes prepare for competition, mental readiness is proven to be just as crucial. In a study done by the Hull researchers from the International Journal of Sport Psychology, participants who scored higher on a prior “mental-toughness” questionnaire reported significantly lower perceived exertion rates while performing athletically. “As one progresses up the chain of great athletic performers, it gets continually more difficult to beat the oppositions by raw physical talent and strength alone,” the study concluded. “The higher one gets [on this chain], the more even the playing field becomes. Consequentially, sport performance is contingent upon mental preparation and psychological strength.” So in what ways do athletes cultivate this mental preparedness? In similar studies, it has been found that in addition to building cognitive tenacity, athletes often employ pregame rituals. With the plethora of sports at Spring Arbor University (SAU), student athletes of all teams practice their own unique rituals. Abbey Fuller, a junior on the womens soccer team, brushes her teeth before every game. As the team blares their pump-up medley in the clubhouse locker room, Fuller heads to the sink during the same song (“Downtown” by Macklemore) to scrub away. “I even bring a travel sized
PHOTO BY Camille Hunter
toothbrush and toothpaste to away games,” Fuller said. “I’ve done it ever since I was a freshman in high school. It just makes me feel clean and ready to roll.” Music is a largely evident component in pre-game rituals. The men’s baseball team deems “300 Violin Orchestra” by Jorge Quintero an especially motivating anthem, while mens soccer player Jake Sterling listens to “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver to calm and steady his mind about an hour before the game. Sterling also has a superstitious routine for putting on his socks, shinguards and cleats. “I always put the left foot on first. I had a good game once doing that and just kept doing it that way,” Sterling said. Socks seem to be a theme among these superstitions: men’s track runner Jay Brayden has worn the exact same pair of socks for every competition in the last four years. Women’s volleyball
thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
player Taylor Johnson folds her right sock down, and teammate Gabby Hillard wears only the Nike specified “left” and “right” socks. The volleyball team has a tradition of shouting the “I believe” chant before leaving the locker room and smacking the door on their way out. Junior Kasey Follis even has a specific yellow headband that she always changes into after warmup. As fall seasons are coming to a close and winter sports are quickly approaching, the SAU campus is full of “good juju.” Whether you’re an athlete, an actor, a worship leader or you simply have a speech in your next class, mental preparation can contribute to your success.
Head coach and assistant coach relationships Olivia Landis | Staff Writer
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key aspect to any team’s success is the relationship between the head coach and their assistant coach. It is important both coaches share the same philosophy. Therefore, the head coaches play an integral role in choosing their assistant. Elizabeth Martinez, womens volleyball head coach, comments on this idea. “I gave a vision of what I wanted to see happen with our team, and Coach B [Richard Bradstreet] had the same ideas and philosophy,” Martinez said. “He is retired, but still has a love for the sport, so him working part time is a great fit.” Bradstreet and Martinez not only share a passion for the sport and a similar coaching philosophy, they also believe in setting high standards for the team. “I wanted someone who understood the life lessons of the sport and the experiences you gain from it,” Martinez said. “Coach B and I both have a passion to show our faith through the sport.” The head coach for mens baseball, Ryan Marken, was able to find an assistant with relative ease. “Coach Colin O’Connel was my roommate and teammate in college, and is still one of my best friends,” Marken said. “I needed a pitching coach, and he is an expert at pitching, so it worked out well. Since we both played under Riggs [Coach Sam Riggleman] we have a very similar philosophy and coaching style.” Marken is in a unique position as he has recently stepped into a new role as head coach, and will rely heavily on all four of his assistant coaches.
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Communication is a very important part of our job. Ryan Cottingham, Men’s Basketball Coach
“I have immense trust in all the men I have hired,” Marken said. “They are good at the areas they coach, and are
very specific with the players in what we need from them.” Another key to success is communication, and with most of the assistant coaches working part time, it can be difficult to get in touch. Mens basketball Ryan Cottingham is familiar with the dilemma, and has found using multiple forms of communication is helpful for connecting. “Communication is a very important part of our job,” Cottingham said. “We have to communicate daily, and do this in a variety of ways- text, email, phone, or face-to-face.” Whether it is communicating, similar philosophies or mutual trust, there is an undeniable bond between head coaches and their assistant coaches. The team needs both in order to be propelled toward success.
Sports
SAU’S DYNAMIC DUOS
PHOTO BY Chris Bauman
December 2, 2016 • thesaupulse.com
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SPORTS
Athlete of the Month
PHOTO BY Chris Bauman
Autumn Goggin Celeste Fendt | Staff Writer
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utumn Goggin is a Spring Arbor University junior who plays for the womens basketball team. Goggin has played basketball competitively since she was in fifth grade. Her love for the sport originally came from her family who encouraged her to play from a young age. “My brothers played and my dad played in college, so it kind of just became a family thing,” Goggin said. Even from her earliest experiences with the sport, Goggin realized a major key to her success was repetition. It was practice that motivated Goggin to try her hardest in order to reach her full potential as an athlete. “My dad used to always tell me to shoot 1000 shots a day and I think over time I persuaded him that maybe 500 was better, but shooting over and over again was the main key for me,” Goggin said. One of Goggin’s biggest accomplishments in her basketball
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career was simply being able to play at the collegiate level. She feels blessed her time with the sport has made such a large impact on her life, especially during her time playing in college. Goggin’s teammates are a support system that helps her set goals and encourages her to strive to be her best every day. “It’s cool I get to play basketball but it’s even cooler I get to play with the girls who are on this team,” Goggin said. “There’s a lot of girls from last year [on the team], but the three freshman that came in are really good and fun to be around. They help make our team better.” This year, the team’s inspiration is 2 Timothy 1:7, which reads, “God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” In addition to this verse, Goggin also gets much of her encouragement from her teammates. “Seeing my teammates succeed is probably one of the coolest things
thesaupulse.com • December 2, 2016
for me,” Goggin said. “Winning games is great but the individual moments of seeing my teammates have breakthroughs of their own is really exciting.” The whole team cherishes Goggin, especially Reyna Luplow, the team’s manager. “I’ve never met anyone like her,” Luplow said. “She plays for the greater purpose…to honor God with the gifts and talents He has given us. It’s evident through Auti in the way she plays and how she treats her teammates that’s her main goal. That is exactly how she lives out her life as well.” Goggin is excited for the team’s journey this year and is ready to tackle each game as it comes.