HAMLINE UNIVERSITY | ST. PAUL, MN | 11.10.21 | VOL. 133 | NO. 6 | HAMLINEORACLE.COM
Online campus culture turns toxic
Hate crime on campus On the heels of recovery from previous incidents earlier in the semester, another hate crime incident recently took place on Hamline’s campus. Anika Besst News Editor abesst01@hamline.edu Content warning: this article includes discussion of racially motivated hate crimes on the Hamline campus.
ILLUSTRATION | ABDIRAHMAN ALI, ORACLE
The Hamline community discusses its own online culture after the Dean of Students sent an email on cyberbullying following the creation of several Hamline Instagram accounts. Lydia Meier News Reporter lmeier05@hamline.edu The anonymous Instagram account ”@ gossipgirl_hamline” entered the online Hamline culture to immediate controversy a few weeks
ago. The self-titled “source into the scandalous lives of piper elites” encourages students to send anonymous tips to “expose” their classmates through a Google form in their bio. The username “@gossipgirl_hamline” appears to be a nod to The CW Television Network’s teen drama series, “Gossip Girl,” which has recently been repopularized by the 2021 sequel series on HBO Max of the same name. The “@gossipgirl_hamline” account appears to be somewhat of a sequel as well, specifically to the Instagram account “@hamlineconfessions.” The account alludes to this on their first post. “Gossip Piper here, I’m here to do something
A race based hate crime in the form of intimidation occurred on Hewitt Avenue near the Bishop statue on Sunday, October 24. Students and staff advisors of the Hamline community experienced this incident as they prepared for a day retreat. Hewitt Avenue is a public street that runs east to west dividing the north and south quadrants of campus. “They were accosted by an individual claiming to be an immigration officer and told them he was in possession of a gun. At no time did the individual show a weapon, however they did exit their vehicle to confront the group,” an email sent to the Hamline community at 10:57 a.m. the same day, wrote. The university sent out this email as part of the commitment consistent with federal law related to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act which requires an institution to inform members of crime on or near campus. Members involved in the situation used bystander intervention techniques that helped in coordination with law enforcement. The person responsible has been arrested and is pending charges from this and other incidents. “We are always on the lookout for anything that indicates people with these repulsive ideas are on or around campus,” Melinda Heikkinen, director of Hamline Public Safety, wrote in an email to the Oracle. “It was a hate crime that happened to a member of the Hamline family. Hamline Public Safety finds
see INSTAGRAM page 2
Who is the Board of Trustees? See page 3.
see INTIMIDATION page 2
For a recap of volleyball see page 9.
Food resource discourse on page 6.
Self care tips on page 12.
2 News
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Staff Editorial: Response to Hamline Instagram accounts Editorial Staff oracle@hamline.edu
EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION Editor-in-Chief Andrea Lindner Managing Editor Elizabeth Lowe News Editor Anika Besst Business Manager Julien Halabi Multimedia Editor Jacob “Coby” Aloi Web Editor Aidan Stromdahl Opinion Editor Vacant Sports Editor Cathryn Salis A&E Editor Olivia Koski Variety Editor Eliza Hagstrom Copy Editors Lydia Meier Illustrators Abdirahman Ali, Sena Ross Senior Reporters Robin Doyscher, Jack Fischer, Kathryn Robinson, Jilly Wortman Reporters Mia Chiang, Ethan Hermann, Lydia Meier, Alison Pasbrig, Ma Shwe Senior Columnist Emily Brown, Will Nelson Columnists Robin Doyscher, Dean Young Senior Photographers Aidan Stromdahl Photographers Taleah Alldritt, Rachel Peterson, Luke Snow, Nathan Steeves Distributor Robin Doyscher Adviser Trevor Maine
POLICIES
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students since 1888. The paper is funded through a student fee levied by the university’s Student Media Board. We are a public forum. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or staff. We do not discriminate in employment. Our mission To cover news, trends, events and entertainment relevant to Hamline undergraduate students. We strive to make our coverage accurately reflect the diverse communities that comprise the student population. Corrections The Oracle welcomes corrections of quotational and factual errors. Please send such commentary to: oracle@hamline.edu and place “Correction” in the subject line. Direct advertising inquiries to oracle@hamline.edu. The Oracle accepts most print and insert requests.
On October 25, all undergraduate students received an email from the Dean of Students office about an Instagram account called “@ Gossipgirl_hamline.” Based on the popular show, “Gossip Girl,” the account aims to encourage students to submit tips in order to dox their classmates and expose them for things they have done. This account is not the first of its kind. Other Instagram and TikTok accounts like “@hamlineconfessions” and now deleted account “@hamlinebackgrounds” have similar goals of ‘exposing’ classmates and sometimes blatantly lying. “@hamlinebackgrounds” in particular was filming students on campus without their consent and captioned the videos with made up descriptions of the people in the videos. While real names were not used, filming students without them knowing is an extreme violation of privacy. All of these accounts should be called out for what they are doing: cyberbullying. And even if someone has done something that they deserve to be called out for, this is not the way to do it. Hiding behind a screen to critique others is in no way brave or heroic. The Oracle stands against this behavior and understands the harm that these accounts can cause, regardless of whether or not you have been specifically targeted. We hope to foster a community of growth and compassion, and understand how important privacy is to students. If you have been directly targeted by these accounts, the Dean of Students office asks that you report it. Additionally, if you have been affected in any way by the actions of these accounts in any way, here are some on campus resources to turn to for support:
INTIMIDATION
(continued from front) these kinds of incidents absolutely abhorrent and are committed to doing everything we can to make sure the perpetrators are brought to justice and bring about a culture where they don’t happen at all. I understand that the last part is a long way from happening, but we are committed to be part of the solution.” Heikkinen works closely in coordination with the St. Paul Police Department as well as communicating with colleagues at other institutions to stay updated on what is happening around to help monitor the situation occurring at Hamline. “We do have a safe campus and campus safety is all of our
Health and Counseling Services (counselinghealth@hamline. edu) Rabbi Esther Adler (eadler01@hamline.edu) Chaplain Kelly Figueroa-Ray (kfigueroaray01@hamline.edu)
Your Editors, Andrea Lindner Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Lowe Managing Editor Anika Besst News Editor
Cathryn Salis Sports Editor Olivia Koski A&E Editor Eliza Hagstrom Variety Editor
Jacob “Coby” Aloi Multimedia Editor
As published on hamlineoracle.com on Friday, November 5.
responsibility. We need to report concerns in a timely manner so that we can utilize all of the resources we have to fully investigate,” Dean of Students Patti Kersten wrote in an email. This incident comes only weeks after Hamline experienced hate speech incidents in a dorm building and a classroom. Heikkinen and Kersten both recognize the thoughtful response by those involved in the October 24 incident. “The Hamline community members who experienced this incident were amazing. They responded in multiple ways that are right in line with our StepUp trainings,” Kersten wrote in an email. “They were direct in addressing the situation, they called public safety for assistance from officers and police, they recorded the incident to provide evidence, they also did things to distract the person and finally when they heard about the possibility of a weapon, they left to ensure they were all safe. And most important, students stepped in to support someone and in their actions said ‘not here,’ we won’t allow this hate here.”
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GRAPHIC | SENA ROSS, ORACLE
News 3
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Board of Trustees explained The Hamline community has faced endless changes in the past two years. One recurring name throughout discussions related to these changes is that of the Board of Trustees, so who is the Board and what role do they play? Anika Besst News Editor abesst01@hamline.edu For Junior Julie Mesita, her limited experience with the Board of Trustees is more than most Hamline students. Mesita remembers giving a board member a tour of campus through her job as a Student Ambassador and attending the 100 Who Influence luncheon her first-year, where student leaders and trustee members discuss the Hamline experience. Other than that, her interactions and understanding of the board and their responsibilities is limited, a perspective echoed by many students. “I don’t really know much of what they do other than give money,” Mesita said. “I don’t know what they do and how they’re supposed to support me.” Almost all institutions of higher education have some sort of governing board. At Hamline, like many institutions, this is the Board of Trustees. At private institutions trustees are elected, while public universities feature both elected and government appointed individuals. Betsey Radtke, Executive Assistant to President Fayneese Miller, serves as liaison to the University Leadership Team. Her role includes many responsibilities, one of which is overseeing Board of Trustees relations. “There is sometimes a misunderstanding about the role of the Board. Often students believe that the Board of Trustees manages or leads the university, but in reality, they empower President Miller to do that,” Radtke said. “[The board has] fiduciary responsibility for the overall mission, policy and direction of the University’s academic and educational purposes.” The responsibility of managing Hamline is delegated to President Miller, the university’s chief executive officer, who then reports to the board. Hamline is a nonprofit, or a 501(c)(3), meaning it is a tax-exempt and charitable organization. Nonprofit Management professor Jim Schiebel has served on around 70 boards, including nonprofits such as TPT and the National Youth Leadership Council, as well as governing the city of St. Paul. He understands the role of a nonprofit board such as Hamline’s Board of Trustees and the responsibilities of governance intimately. “Like any nonprofit or 501(c)(3), number one: The organization’s are mission driven. And so a trustee has to be very wedded, and I would say, be passionate about the mission because you don’t get paid as trustees… People accept a lot of responsibility governing a nonprofit,” Schiebel said. “The trustees are there to not only review but support and ensure that President Miller has what she needs to be an effective and impactful president.” Hamline’s Board of Trustees is composed of Hamline alum, St. Paul and Minnesota community members and others. They meet three times per year. Most members serve on a committee within the board. These committees meet the week before the full Board and bring forth any recommendations that need discussion or approval. The committees cover the topics of academic and student affairs, finance, facilities, investment and trusteeship. There is also an executive Committee which includes the Board officers and committee chairs. In the past two years the role of the board has not changed, with the frequency and mode of their meetings being an evolving factor. Board meetings have moved to virtual platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic with their last meeting this fall operating in a hybrid form. “My hope is one: we have really a long history of being the oldest college, university, but it’s really been that we have a great tradition about higher education… People want to make a difference in the community,” Schibel said. “Our mission is to not only create scholarly people, but to create great public citizens. I think we have a great track record of doing that. And we don’t do it today the way we did it five years ago, or 10 years ago, and then that’s again, what I find exciting… [is] it’s all of our faculty, staff, students, trustees, we all have to be about creating and supporting a university that meets and will address some of the big issues we’re facing today.” For more information on the Board of Trustees, visit: https:// tinyurl.com/y647w66f
PHOTO | NATHAN STEEVES, ORACLE Hamline University’s Old Main houses administrative offices and staff, including President Fayneese Miller’s office.
4 News
INSTAGRAM (continued from front)
that Hamline Confessions is to [sic] afraid to do. Spill your deepest darkest secrets, and by name. Just so you’re all aware, I’m here to play nice. For now. Xoxo, Gossip Piper [kissing emoji],” their post reads. “@Hamlineconfessions” is also an Instagram account that encourages Hamline students to submit anonymous confessions “about anyone and anything at Hamline,” as their own Google form says. “@Hamlineconfessions” attested in an interview over Instagram direct messaging that they don’t want to “bully or target specific people with this account.” The anonymous account owner explains that they only post confessions that reference people by name if the confessions are “tame in nature,” and believes that their refusal to post more incendiary and specific confessions inspired “@gossipgirl_hamline,” who did not respond to the Oracle’s request for comment. Josh Sedarski, a Hamline sophomore and New Student Mentor believes some accounts are beneficial. “There are aspects of accounts like hamlineconfessions that I personally really enjoy … they are spaces for common experiences to be shared positively … besides one instance, they have refrained from posting names,” Sedarski said. Sedarski believes that “@gossipgirl_hamline” has contributed negatively to the Hamline online culture, and labels it as bullying. He notes that there should potentially be a space to “expose” some people, like bigots, but doesn’t think that was the purpose of “@ gossipgirl_hamline.” Prompted by concerned letters from students, Dean of Students Patti Kersten sent an email to all students on October 25 titled “INSTAGRAM WARNING,” in which she condemns “@gossipgirl_hamline” for having “the potential to cause extreme emotional harm” to students. She lists possible effects of cyberbullying and encourages any students affected by “@gossipgirl_hamline” to report it to the Dean of Students office. Although Kersten only mentioned “@gossipgirl_ hamline” in her email, Hamline students were quick to mention other Instagram accounts, including “@hamlineconfessions” and the now deleted “@ hamlinebackgrounds” account. “@Hamlinebackgrounds” follows in the footsteps of a TikTok trend, where anonymous TikTok users post aerial, candid videos of pedestrians and create fictional names and personas for them. Although the trend largely consisted of accounts from large universities, it trickled
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021 down to Hamline a few weeks ago. In the account’s short life before getting taken down or deleted, “@hamlinebackgrounds” posted two videos of identifiable Hamline students with fictitious names. “From my impression, [“@hamlinebackgrounds”] is centered around full-on harassment and bullying,” sophomore Max Ridenour said. “Seeing this page made me feel incredibly on edge and uncomfortable. Not to mention, the ‘jokes’ that are meant to accompany these videos are fictitious and mean-spirited hypothetical situations that play off the physical appearances of the people in their posts.” Senior Amanda Kanninen agreed, and notes that taking videos without students’ consent is “disrespectful.” In a video of two students, “@hamlinebackgrounds” labeled one student as “low key homophobic” and both as “on their way to [S]tarbucks to make the women who work there uncomfortable.” One of the Hamline students in the video identified himself as Avery Nelson. Nelson, a Hamline senior and president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee didn’t take the video too seriously, as he thinks he has demonstrated during his time at Hamline that he isn’t a homophobe. “Obviously it doesn’t feel awesome … but I really didn’t take it too seriously. The only thing I was a little upset about was that I had just gotten a haircut that I really liked the day before and I was then self conscious that my haircut made me look like a homophobe,” he said. Nelson believes that Instagram accounts like these are reminiscent of high school behavior. “Because of [COVID-19], it’s possible that the incoming students didn’t quite get it out of their system in high school and still feel the need to do this type of immature behavior,” he said. Hamline students’ reactions t o “ @ g o s s i p g i r l _ ha m l i n e,” “ @ h a m l i n e c o n f e s s i o n s” a n d “ @ hamlinebackgrounds” has been mixed, with some students expressing outrage, and others expressing disdain. “I feel as though these unofficial accounts are an invasion of privacy,” Sophomore Carmen Garcia wrote. “They spread information about students that may be false, manipulated, or extremely personal. They are detrimental to the student community and can be a leader in some serious mental health issues.” This sentiment is shared by Director of Counseling Services, Hussein Rajput. “Research suggests that
SCREENSHOTS | ANIKA BESST, ORACLE Left: The bio of the the “@gossipgirl_hamline” anyonmous instagram account who called out Hamline students by name according to submissions they received. Right: A screenshot of the “@Hamlineconfessions” account. They also encourage anonymous confessions with the intention of not harming others.
cyberbullying is linked to depression for students (and that LGBTQIA students are targeted at higher rates than others),” Hussein wrote in an email to the Oracle. “Anyone seeking support after experiencing cyberbullying is welcome to contact Counseling Services at 651-523-2204.” Although Kersten notes that since the accounts are all anonymous, there’s not much that the university can do, Sedarski and Ridenour hope that administration continues to listen to students and monitor the online Hamline culture in case the issue becomes more serious. Nelson, on the other hand, believes they will be self-policed by the community. However the situation evolves, escalates or resolves, many students hope that it has been a learning opportunity for the Hamline community. “These accounts have provided a clear reminder to avoid creating and perpetuating these cultures,” Ridenour said. “As a student collective, I feel that we should all uplift each other.” Although there may always be students hoping to perpetrate a culture of drama and gossip, Kersten noted that many students unified to report “@gossipgirl_ hamline” to Instagram, as well as write to notify her of the situation. She encourages students to think about what they are posting on social media, because, when done right, the messaging “can be positive and uplifting.” Note: If you have been targeted by anonymous Hamline Instagram accounts, please report it to the Dean of Students office. For victims of cyberbullying, Counseling and Health Services offers confidential support.
A&E 5
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Our Town coming to our campus With the upcoming show about to kick off Hamline Theatre’s 2021-2022 school year, here’s some information on its production. Robin Doyscher Senior Reporter sdoyscher01@hamline.edu
Hamline Theatre will be putting on a production of “Our Town,” a 1938 three-act play by Thornton Wilder, American playwright and Pulitzer Prize winner. The play explores twelve years in a small town through the various intersecting lives of its inhabitants. A metatheatrical piece set in an actual theatre, “Our Town” is known for its minimalistic style and trademark narration. Hamline Theatre last performed “Our Town” in 1946, and this will be the first 21st century rendition of the play at the school. It is directed by Professor Jeff Turner, the Department Chair. First-year and stage manager Rosie Knowlton talked about the process of creating “Our Town,” and the various moving parts within the show. “The energy is really high because being on Zoom is really tiring and it’s been good to be back. I think we started midway in September, so we just finished tech week and we’re in dress week next week,” Knowlton said. The stage manager is an integral part of any theatrical production. They help manage the day-to-day running of rehearsals, and coordinate various teams together to make the show work. It’s a very intensive and hands-on position marked by intimate knowledge needed of both the various teams and the material.
PHOTO | COURTESY OF HAMLINE THEATRE
“So, basically, I do everything organizational wise so the director can focus on the production. I write everything down about blocking like stage movements and stuff, and I’m the one calling all
the stage cues and everything like that,” Knowlton said. Getting back to in-person rehearsals from a year mostly apart has seemed to increase the amount of excitement among cast and crew for the play. “From my perspective it was a smooth transition, but I am a first-year, but from high school to here it’s been a good transition,” Knowlton said. Since we’re back there’s been a lot of energy to wrangle in.” Knowlton has had various jobs throughout academic theatre, but has a passion for stage managing—being relatively new to Hamline University Theatre, and carrying years of experience. “Yeah, I was either in a show or house managing for a show all four years of high school. House managing is more public service stuff like ushering and ticket stuff, while stage managing was more hands-on,” Knowlton said. As for upcoming productions, there are plans for a spring show and likely various other projects throughout the year. “We’ve got a couple seniors doing their capstone projects and one of them is doing a show potentially in the spring,” Knowlton said. If you are interested in seeing “Our Town,” the play will be hosted at Anne Simley Theatre located in the Drew Fine Arts Building. Opening night is November 12, and it will also be running on November 13, 18, 19 and 20, all at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be reserved online at a price point of $2 for Hamline students and $8 for general admission (email tickets@hamline.edu). Attendees need proof of vaccination or a negative test result within 72 hours before seeing the play, and masks are required regardless of vaccination status.
GRAPHIC | JACOB ‘COBY’ ALOI, ORACLE
6 Opinion
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
We need better food accessibility
Robin Doyscher Columnist sdoyscher01@hamline.edu
Hamline University’s lack of food accessibility is troubling, and is a problem that needs to be addressed. Food inaccessibility for college students is one of those extremely prevalent, yet seldom talked about issues that seems to be an afterthought in the minds of those it easily affects. In Fall 2020, the Hope Center found that 34% of college students experienced food insecurity prior to the pandemic, this problem was only exacerbated by COVID-19. It’s honestly astounding how
despite the fact that one-third of students nationwide suffer from food insecurity, there doesn’t seem to be more university-wide initiatives to address it. I’ve attended a few Food and Chats as of late, and have found them to be illuminating and enriching (please go if you have the chance—they’re on Tuesdays during convo hour!). And at these events I’ve gotten the chance to discuss the topic of food insecurity on campus, and Hamline’s failure at addressing it. First off, Hamline needs to throw its chips all into the Food Resource Center. Not enough people know it exists, and I only heard about it secondhand through a friend. Now, if I were a university with a president who gets paid around $440k a year (completely hypothetically speaking of course), I’d maybe divert some of the excess funds towards advertising the FRC and stocking it as full as possible with fresh produce and canned food. Second off, the dreaded meal plan—the mandatory “option” if you live on campus. As a first-year student having a meal plan sounds nice—not having to cook yourself, or even think about the food you have to choose. But this presents some problems. One, it strips agency from a group of youths who have already had agency taken away from them for the last 18 or so years of their life. Two, part of food security is having the dignified sense of choosing your own preferred meals that align with your health and dietary needs, faith and morals. Hamline not having enough consistent Halal and Kosher foods is a serious oversight for such a campus with a very diverse community. Three, if students are paying exorbitant prices each semester for an (allegedly—for legal purposes) prison-profiteering company to feed them non-nutritious, often bland and barely fresh food,
then the least that can be done is to give them sufficient options. Also, a quick caveat. Shout-out to the kitchen staff. I doubt they get paid very much, and they likely have to deal with a lot of annoying people each day, but they truly are a backbone of this university, and if they were given sufficient resources and funding from our university corporate overlords perhaps they’d be able to both have less stressful jobs and serve students food they want and need. Students who want to opt out of the meal plan and still live on campus have to go through a demeaning process of proving themselves to either have a specific condition like celiac, or to argue on behalf of their faith. So, essentially laying themselves at the feet of the administration to prove that “no, I really can’t eat the food you give me.” How utterly awful must that be? Having to write a proposal and be evaluated by unfeeling individuals who see you less as a person with needs, and more of a complication is truly disappointing. And now, a modest proposal. How is Hamline not sending out surveys or gathering info on the demographics of students in regards to food security? And I mean actual quantifiable survey data, not just tepid google forms where you answer yes or no questions—I mean application level “please tell us the specifics of your dietary needs” type stuff. Hamline will happily find out your family’s tax bracket down to the cent as well as the exact material your toilets are made out of, but can’t be bothered to truly ask your food security status to at least guarantee you’ll always have a cooked, nutritious meal?
To whom it may concern Looking for some advice? send Oracle Senior Columnist Will Nelson your questions at:
tinyurl.com/oracledearwill
and you may see it answered in an upcoming issue of The Oracle! ILLUSTRATION | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE
Opinion 7
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Liberal arts across programs
Dean Young Columnist dyoung04@hamline.edu
A look at liberal arts and the Hamline plan for interdisciplinary learning. When I first enrolled at Hamline, I was concerned about my school choice. Not anything regarding the institution itself, but rather the structure of the undergraduate program connected to my areas of study. Hamline is a liberal arts college, and my areas of study,music and neuroscience, seemed conspicuously at the fringes of the liberal arts focus; I had to ask myself just how appropriate it would be to specialize in areas that the school (supposedly) didn’t. Should music be studied at the conservatory, and science at technology-focused institutions? Having a few years to reflect, I hope to inform any new students as to how the school accommodates academic areas that don’t seem particularly liberal-artsy. Hamline, as with many others across the nation, refers to itself as a liberal arts college; however, I have found
that this nomenclature does not necessarily describe the strengths and sizes of the programs. It should be remembered that liberal arts, as understood today, is quite broad and includes subjects such as life science, music, political science and psychology. Furthermore, departmental associations with traditional liberal arts do not necessarily dominate Hamline’s settings. Hamline’s biology department, for example, is quite large—80 students are signed up for the biology seminar this semester—and consequently hosts considerable student opportunities. Indeed, departments that might be thought to be central at a small, old liberal arts school—such as religion—have been rehoused as their programs have shrunk (a topic for another column). Beyond this, a key benefit to studying a topic at a liberal arts school is the ability to focus on areas outside of your primary area of study. When I first came to Hamline, it seemed as though everyone I met was a double major. Part of this, no doubt, is the liberal arts emphasis; however, I would venture to say the primary reason is the handy structure of the Hamline Plan. The Hamline Plan has its naysayers, to be sure (particularly when class schedules are ruined through needing “one more letter” to graduate), but there is value in the system. Whereas alternative approaches to satisfying breadth of study requirements utilize a common core, Hamline essentially allows you to create your own core which—critically—can include courses from your major(s). Combined with the liberal arts focus of learning across departments, it becomes practically unavoidable to expand your academic focus beyond your area of specialty in a way perhaps not matched by institutions with a singular focus. In fact, the ability to study multiple subjects was one of the driving reasons I chose Hamline: when I told an admission counselor at another Minnesota college of my desire to double major, he informed me with no hesitation that “you don’t want to do that here”; when I spoke to Meg Stehula at Hamline admissions, the reception was markedly different. Whereas the other school used a common core, theHamline Plan system allows the core
to also double as degree requirements in a major. Rather than a major being electives around an unchanging core, the major itself is now partial satisfaction to breadth of study. The flexibility readily facilitates extra areas of study, be it minors, concentrations, or even a second major. This, I suggest, gets to the heart of the liberal arts focus. Some argue that the letter plan system is flawed, as it may require us to take a class for no reason other than to satisfy a letter requirement (this is likely true for me in the upcoming semester). However, is this any different than a core curriculum—except that with a core, we are not given a range of class options from which to choose? Outside of the Hamline plan, the combination of Hamline’s small size and liberal arts focus creates the greatest challenge I have faced at Hamline: involvement opportunities. However, rather than a lack of such opportunities, the main challenge is abundance! It is hard to stay disconnected from outside areas, and for many students with diverse interests, this translates to ample opportunities. It is what allowed me, among other things, to participate on the mock trial team, serve as president of the chemistry club and write for the Oracle. Many of my peers can speak to similar ranges of opportunities and activities they have involved themselves with. Math majors are welcome to theater productions, English majors to choir and music majors to model UN. Certainly I would have missed out on my opportunities if I had gone to a school with a more narrow academic focus. For these reasons—along with several key others to be addressed in a future column—I have not regretted my decision to study at this small liberal arts college. Even for those of us who might not think of ourselves as quintessential liberal arts students, I think that Hamline is doing an appropriate job of providing a worthwhile learning experience, particularly in the realm of interdisciplinary learning. Much of learning is becoming increasingly intersectional, and the liberal arts model at a small school might just be the best way to explore that.
ILLUSTRATION | SENA ROSS, ORACLE
8 Word Search
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Self Care
EXERCISE
SLEEP
BUBBLE BATH
WATCH MOVIES
READ
DRINK TEA
VIDEO GAMES
COMFORT
JOURNAL
SOCIALIZE
COZY CLOTHES FOOD
MEDITATE
GRAPHIC | ANDREA LINDNER, ORACLE
9 Sports
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Siding out the bad luck streak
The Hamline Volleyball team had an outstanding season in their fourth year under MIAC Coach of the Year, Maggie Meixl, making it all the way to the semifinals for the first time in 21 years. Cathryn Salis Sports Editor csalis01@hamline.edu
PHOTO | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE The crowd of students dressed in white was a huge support for the Volleyball team as they faced off against Saint Benedict College last Wednesday. Pounding out the chant “you can’t do that!” on the wall of the risers and under the dozens of feet of whiteshirted students can be quite startling to the many parents that are in attendance of the volleyball quarterfinals of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) playoffs. However, to the students of Hamline University, it is a testament to the passionate support the school has for their athlete peers. The women’s volleyball team competed in the MIAC playoffs during the first week of November and for the first time in over two decades, the Pipers took home a win and an invitation to the second round. Last Wednesday, Saint Benedict College was defeated on Hamline turf in five sets and left in the dust of the playoffs as the Pipers advanced to the semi-finals. Each set was close in score but by the final match, the Pipers took the lead and kept it for the rest of the game, ending it with a score of 15–9. The following Friday, Bethel hosted Hamline and bested the Pipers in four sets, but not without a fight. Many lead changes and strong runs kept the Bethel game exciting for both teams and kept the spectators on the edge of their seats. Piper students packed Bethel’s house to cheer on their peers. On Wednesday, because the Pipers were hosting the game, the Student-
Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Rachel Peirce, the Athletics Operations Coordinator, organized a whiteout theme for the game and encouraged students to come support. “We were handing out t-shirts and stuff and getting the word out through social media...we have members from each sports team in our organization so we were getting the members to get the teams to come out, getting every athlete from every team to come out, getting as many as we can,” Avery Nelson, president of SAAC, said. SAAC’s efforts paid off. All of the event t-shirts were handed out and both the upper and lower stands were utilized by spectators. The student section was huge and they cheered for every impressive contact or point scored by the Pipers. “Great atmosphere, we have a lot of students out here supporting,” senior Teague Bogenholm said. In addition to the hype of a quarterfinals game, the Pipers were honoring a few players and their own coach for conference awards they had won. Jenna Rubbelke, a first-year player and the team’s libero, was named MIAC Rookie of the Year. “I didn’t even know it was an award,” Rubbelke said. Rubbelke, much like the rest of her team, is very pleased with the way her team performed in the season. Rubbelke is the third daughter in her family to play on the Hamline volleyball team and is already helping to make a difference in the future of the team. “This is the first time our team made it past the first round of playoffs and the first time we have ever hosted it here, so we made history and we’re gonna keep making it,” Rubbelke said. The Pipers were also honoring the head Volleyball coach, Maggie Meixl, as MIAC Coach of the Year. Meixl has been the head coach of Hamline Volleyball for four years and credits her team’s success to the players. “I think this senior class really came in, they were my first recruiting class and they have just made the choices to work hard and be
PHOTO | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE Head coach Maggie Meixl was an assistant coach at Hamline before her time as a head coach, which allowed her an opportunity to become familiar with the school and the program before she started recruiting. good teammates and to be their best and I think that they have done an awesome job with that,” Meixl said. Meixl has been head coach at Hamline for five seasons and is now the first Hamline representative to win this award since 2006. “I think it’s really cool that my peers voted me in on that. I think it goes back to the good people, good teammates, good scholars, good athletes fostering that environment,” Meixl said. “I think it’s one of those things that is cool, and also credit is due to the ladies that get it done on the court.” Even though the team has ended their season, the support the Volleyball team received in their latest games is telling of how unending the Piper pride is in these athletes and spectators. As more seasons are wrapping up, spectators are encouraged to direct their love to the season openers and senior nights that are popping up in the athletic schedules in the coming weeks. Meixl is not worried about any lack of passion in the school. “I think that’s also a Hamline thing, people showing up for each other and the support and the good people here,” Meixl said. “It’s such a cool community.”
PHOTOS | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE The Pipers celebrate their win over Saint Benedict only momentarily to show good sportsmanship, but they make sure to uplift each other in their breif celebration.
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The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Opening the gym, occasionally Another replacement for the opportunities that COVID-19 nixxed has opened up to nonathlete students at Hamline. Cathryn Salis Sports Editor csalis01@hamline.edu Two emails have been sent to Hamline students in the past month from the Campus Recreation Program offering a time period in which an “open gym” would be available for anyone to come and use on that day. These open gyms in the fieldhouse have sparked curiosity for many students who do not participate in Varsity sports but still enjoy athletics, but have no access to the facilities. Most of the facilities in Walker Fieldhouse and Hutton Arena have been
limited to athlete-only use since the beginning of the pandemic two spring semesters ago and they have still not opened up for all. However, as is the trend as of late, restrictions are loosening their grip and more opportunities are presenting themselves as alternatives to what was once offered. The concept is not perfect, but it is better than nothing. John Guetter, the director of the Campus Recreation Program, has worked tirelessly to provide all non-athlete students with chances to work out and play sports safely and despite all the restrictions. Guetter spearheaded the effort to create the Bush Aerobic Center, a collection of freeweights and treadmills in the Bush Center lobby, and has restarted the Intramural Sports program on campus. “We know our students who are nonathletes are wanting some access to an
indoor gym space so we in Campus Rec are trying to meet those needs,” Guetter said. With multiple different programs competing for the gym space constantly, finding times to offer open gyms is difficult. Sports teams for basketball and volleyball get first access to the Hutton courts and gymnastics always gets access to the tumbling room before anyone else. The coming winter months will also prove to be a challenge with poor weather and a need to be inside for athletics. “We have some intramural leagues starting soon and it will be a matter of space and time in the fieldhouse. Opportunities will be limited at the start of second semester with additional athletic teams vying for practice time indoors,” Guetter said. Currently, open gyms are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:00
p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will continue at this time for the first semester. Reservations are required in order to contact trace students and masks are required to be worn by students at all times while in the gym, which is no different than the Aerobic Center and indoor intramural teams. Students can sign up for these open gyms on IMLeagues.com under the “open gyms” tab, similar to the intramural and Aerobic Center reservations. The process should be pretty familiar to students who have been involved with Campus Recreation programs in the past two semesters. Once again, Campus Recreation has done its best to offer non-athlete students opportunities to participate in athletic activities despite it all, and students are encouraged to take full advantage of them, responsibly.
SOURCE | IMLEAGUES.COM The tab on IMLeagues.com to sign up for Open Gyms is similar to the tabs used to sign up for the Aerobic Center or Intramurals.
The NCAA and tiny liberal arts colleges As Minnesota’s first university, it seems fitting that despite the size of the school, Hamline’s president and Athletic Director both serve in high-power positions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Cathryn Salis Sports Editor csalis01@hamline.edu The enigma that is the NCAA continues to create resolutions and announce appointments, and to most students at Hamline University, it all becomes white noise. As the sports world has been able to compete in a semi-normal environment once again, most people have taken an ear off what the association has been up to. However, Hamline students should be paying closer attention to the NCAA than ever. Hamline’s president, Faynesse Miller, has assumed the role as a Chairman of the Division III President’s Council and will serve this position until the voting sessions in January. In this role, President Miller has the responsibilities of facilitating meetings, participating in the passing of resolutions and helping to create committees within the NCAA. President Miller also serves on the Constitution Committee, which she was selected and voted on by the Board of Governors to be a part of in August. This Committee holds representatives from all three divisions of collegiate athletics and will be a part of rewriting the
NCAA constitution. “The special constitutional convention is intended to propose dramatic changes to the NCAA constitution to reimagine aspects of college sports, so the Association can more effectively meet the needs of current and future college athletes,” the NCAA website says on the Constitution Committee board announcement. After a year and a half of dramatic and intense changes occurring in the sports world, the association feels that an overhaul is overdue and Hamline’s president will be a part of reshaping the world of college sports for the foreseeable future. In addition to President Miller’s involvement with the NCAA, Hamline’s Associate Vice President and Athletic Director, Jason Verdugo, serves on a few boards as well. He is involved in the NCAA pathway program as “lead consultant for the DIII cohort,” Verdugo said. This program helps to train and prepare potential athletic directors to be ready for leadership roles in college athletics, and Verdugo is the head of the Division III section of the program. Beyond this, Verdugo is a consultant for the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, which helps to foster environments for athletes that promote tolerance for diversity in the college athletics world. This group is very important to the success of the NCAA’s ability to keep college athletes safe and comfortable when competing and participating. Verdugo is able to represent Hamline in this working group and in April of 2020, Hamline was spotlighted by this committee for a student leadership workshop that was held in the athletics community.
SOURCE | NCAA.COM Verdugo is also a member of the student immersion program and serves as a mentor for the program and for the athlete selection process. This program serves as a resource for ethnic minority athletes who are interested in Division III athletics and a few student athletes at Hamline have participated in this program. Both Verdugo and President Miller have made huge impacts in the world of college sports through their involvement with the NCAA and there is much more change to be made on the horizon.
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The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
Bringing faith back Faith: /fāTH/ Noun Is “ a strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.” according to Oxford Languages.
Ma Shwe Variety Reporter mshwe02@hamline.edu Located on the third floor of Anderson Center, you can find numerous groups to relate to, learn and grow from. In the Wesley Center, you will find the Multi-Faith Alliance, a group described by junior and student leader of the organization Fran Zyla as a place for “students to openly discuss their religious backgrounds, learn from and experience other students’ opinions, and a safe place for students to discuss faith and spirituality.” This is Zyla’s first semester as a student leader. In this role, Zyla takes responsibility for setting up meetings, organizing events and forming connections with students. Although this is their first semester, they are excited for what’s to come.
“Hamline used to have a very active Multi-Faith Alliance, but the group stopped meeting because of COVID restrictions, so I] also hope to capture the same positivity and success the group had previously,” Zyla said. The group hopes to cultivate a space of growth and learning for students. “[The goal is] to educate students on religious traditions different from their own, including topical religious issues and current events and provide opportunities for faith-related discussion,” Zyla said. “I believe that this group is important… because college is a time of transition, many of us are still figuring out what we believe or why we believe the things we do, and we can go through this growth together as peers.” Nur Mood is Assistant Director of Social Justice Programs and Strategic Relations, MENA Region, and coordinated the group in 2015. Mood tells of the success of The Multi-Faith Alliance with certificates from “The President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge”. Mood has had many different roles and programs they have participated in. They supervise or coordinate
all religious and non-religious organizations and faith or non-faith or spiritual organizations such as MultiFaith Alliance, Better Together campaign” among numerous other programs and groups. “[The Multi-Faith Alliance is] a way for people from different [a] faith or spirituality where they can come and sit together and have a peaceful discussion... I really like to [be] involved in this kind of … community education, about learning about people’s spirituality or faith,” Mood said. Students can get involved in Multi-Faith Alliance, as there is a Holiday Fair upcoming in late November. “The Holiday Fair will showcase different religious holidays, including those that fall in December, and be a time for students to connect with others interested in spirituality. Additionally, anyone wanting to get involved, learn more about the Multi-Faith Alliance, and be in the loop can email multifaith@hamline. edu,” Zyla said.
A new platform for students Presence is a platform that student orgs use for attendance, event notifications and many other features. Patrick Haught was the forerunner of this program coming to campus.
Eliza Hagstrom Variety Editor ehagstrom01@hamline.edu
Presence is a platform for student orgs on university campuses to utilize for a variety of different things. Assistant Director of Student Activities & Leadership Development Patrick Haught has been trying to get an engagement platform started on campus since he was hired in March 2019. Roughly a year and a half ago, he got the green light to start searching for a platform for Hamline to use. “[It is an] one-stop-shop for student involvement,” Haught said, describing what Presence is at its core. Many students referred to Presence as being ‘like canvas but for student orgs.’ Which is an easy way to refer to something new for students. “[This is a] fair description for those unfamiliar with it but they perform very different functions,” Haught said. Now, why choose Presence over other student engagement platforms? The process of finding the right platform for Hamline began in fall 2020, where companies gave a request for proposal (RFP) to Haught and Patti Kersten, the Vice president of Student Affairs and Dean of Students. The companies would pitch their platforms’ capabilities and price points for Hamline. “Presence is the hottest one, schools are switching to it at a very rapid rate,” Haught said. “Their entire team is made of former student affairs workers and their customer service is exceptional due to this.” The entire staff being former student affairs makes working with them much easier. They know what campuses need and why they would want certain functions, no explanations are necessary. The functions Presence performs that Hamline currently uses are an event calendar for student organizations to have so that other students know what is happening and where. As opposed to the orgs being only on the Hamline website, with Presence students are able to change their organization’s information on their own. This means that usually all of the executive board member information is correct and the organization is able to make sure everything is spelled accurately. Before organizations had to wait for these changes to be made by Hamline. Another helpful aspect in the time of COVID-19 is the attendance feature that orgs can use at their events.
SOURCE | PRESENCE The home page of Hamline’s Presence page features upcoming events and details about it. “If the event[’s] host takes good attendance,” Haught said. “Then if an exposure is known [they] can easily report this to the Covid team.” In order to take attendance at an event an org only needs to scan someone’s Hamline ID or enter in their ID number. They are able to scan with their phones so anyone is able to take attendance at any event that their org hosts. With this school year being the first year that Hamline is using Presence and the first time that the campus has ever had a platform for student involvement Haught was anxious to see how students would react. “[I am] really grateful that people have embraced it as much as they have,” Haught said.
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The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2021
It’s that time of the semester again Dark by 5 p.m., weekly tests and papers and an endless to-do list are all upon us. Now more than ever, students could use some self care.
Take a step back: Sometimes it’s easy to load up your schedule at the beginning of the semester when your spirits are high, but by November, things can feel like too much. Prioritize yourself. If your plate is too full, take some things off of it. Be honest with those around you about what you need. Create spaces where you can recharge. Say no
Kathryn Robinson Variety Reporter krobinson12@hamline.edu
Set boundaries:
As the Halloween costumes are being packed up, and the hat and mittens are coming out, the dark hole of the semester has begun. Midterms are barely behind us, while finals are too far away to have any hope. Many students are burnt out. That’s why it’s important to do some self care. Here’s a list of some possibilities.
to things you do not want or need to be doing. Say yes to things that will make you happy and recharge your battery. Remember to listen to your body and decipher what it needs. Time managment:
Eat a nutritious meal: Nutritious can mean many different things for different people. Try to eat some vegetables and fruit when you can. They help feed your brain and can boost your mood. However, eat comfort food when you need to. Listen to your body and what it needs. Fed is best. Go for a walk: Get some fresh air. Schedule into your Google calendar some time for a walk. Don’t think about all that’s left to do, but instead try to clear your mind. Fresh air helps with depression,anxiety and just stress in general. Move your body and get some happy vibes rolling.
SOURCE |ADOBE STOCK Take a warm shower or bath: Suds up and treat yourself like the royalty you are! Listen to some music or a podcast (check out The Oracle’s podcast!) and relax. Even when the dorm showers are small and clumps of hair are alarmingly close to your foot, it’s still important to not only take care of your hygiene, but your mental health as well.
Procrastinating probably is not doing anything good for your mental health. It’s important to manage your time well, so you aren’t overloaded all in one night. Organization is a great way to help manage stress and anxiety. These are just a few examples of things you can do to manage stress and anxiety. Everyone is different and has different needs. Remember to do what feels right for you, and to ask for help when you need it. Hamline has mental health services if needed. Contact Counseling and Health Services in Manor Hall or online at https://www.hamline.edu/offices/counseling-health/
ILLUSTRATION | SENA ROSS, ORACLE