HAMLINE UNIVERSITY | ST. PAUL, MN | 2.23.22 | VOL. 133 | NO. 11 | HAMLINEORACLE.COM
HUSC survey: masks and online options
see page 3
GRAPHIC | LEO COUGHENOUR, ORACLE
For information on Hamline Theatre’s Experimental Project Series see page 6 & 7.
Hamline Women’s Basketball making history, see page 10.
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The race for student body presidents At HUSC’s February 17 informal presidential debate, candidate teams discussed their platforms. This year’s race is so far defined by issues brought forward by students. Lydia Meier Senior Reporter lmeier05@hamline.edu The race for 2022-23 Hamline Undergraduate Student Congress (HUSC) co-presidents has officially started, after candidates submitted their petitions to appear on the ballot and recently appeared in an informal debate. In the spring of 2021, Hamline students passed a resolution changing the roles of HUSC President and Vice President to External and Internal Presidents, widely referred to as co-presidents. Currently, the External President is Hamline senior Raina Meyer and the internal president is junior Ruben Dominguez. Three teams are running for 2022-23 HUSC co-presidency. Sophomore Maddie Swanson and junior Emily Hilderbrand are current members of the HUSC executive board and are campaigning to positively affect the impact Hamline leaves on students. Sophomores Skyler Rush and Spencer Olson have not served on HUSC, but are running on a platform of “leadership that listens.” In a surprise February 18 announcement, current HUSC executive board members and juniors Lisette Guzman and
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Lindsey Rajala announced their candidacy. Guzman and Rajala will not be on the ballot, and are encouraging supporters to write them in. The informal debate was held on February 17. Over 30 students gathered virtually and physically in Drew Science Center 118 to listen and ask questions of official candidates Swanson, Hilderbrand, Rush and Olson. The event served less as a debate and more as a chance for candidates to speak on their experience, platforms and plans. Hamline senior and HUSC public relations chair Mya Severson ran the debate livestream, and believes it’s important for student voters’ voices to be heard. “HUSC’s tagline is your voice HUSC, and I think the most important questions come from the student body,” Severson said. The debate began with candidate introductions. Swanson, who is running for internal president, is a public health and environmental studies double major. She is involved in the women’s lacrosse team, as well as the wind ensemble and Food Steering Committee. Swanson serves as the technology coordinator on the HUSC executive board. Hilderbrand is running for external president, and is a religion and social justice double major with a minor in digital media arts. They are also Hamline Undergraduate Programming Board (HUPB)’s special event coordinator and the HUSC political affairs chair. “We believe the impact that Hamline leaves on you matters, and that impact is created every day,” Hilderbrand said. Their platform is focused on impact, engagement and
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2 News
EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION Editor-in-Chief Andrea Lindner Managing Editor Elizabeth Lowe News Editor Anika Besst Business Manager Julien Halabi Design Editor Sena Ross Social Media Director Abby Edwards Multimedia Editor Jacob “Coby” Aloi Web Editor Aidan Stromdahl Opinion Editor Robin Doyscher Sports Editor Cathryn Salis A&E Editor Ollie Koski Variety Editor Eliza Hagstrom Copy Editors Vacant Illustrators Abdirahman Ali, Leo Coughenour Senior Reporters Jack Fischer, Lydia Meier, Kathryn Robinson, Jilly Wortman
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Mahle lectures: race and theology 2022 Spring Mahle Lecture: “Let’s Not Go Back To Normal: Racial Reckoning, Repair and Reconciliation” addresses ‘lived theology’ through community programming. Kayla Tester News Reporter ktester01@hamline.edu The Wesley Center is preparing for the spring 2022 Mahle lecture series under the direction of University Chaplain Rev. Kelly Figueroa-Ray. The lectures will be held on March 10-13 at Hamline University and Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church. COVID-19 protocols have limited in-person attendance and will require reservations for in-person admission. Free admission reservations open on February 21. There will also be live streams of select events available for remote viewing. Figueroa-Ray first joined the Hamline University Wesley Center in August of 2021, fulfilling the role as chaplain after the retirement of former chaplain, Rev. Nancy Victorin-Vangerud. The upcoming spring Mahle lectures will be the first series Figueroa-Ray will host at Hamline as chaplain. The lectures examine the nature of Christianity through the medium of ‘lived experience.’ Over the course of three days, the lectures will host community programming featuring keynote speakers to reflect on how the intersection of spirituality and race were brought to the forefront of public discourse due to the pandemic. There are seven guests set to speak on spirituality and activism in progressive Christian thought. Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, assistant professor of music at St. Olaf College and founder of the To Repair Project, will be a keynote speaker, as well as six other panelists that Wondemagegnehu met during the To Repair Project programming last year. Keynote speakers will include a plethora of ‘local community members, activists, clergy and business owners from the Twin Cities’ according to the recently relaunched Wesley Center newsletter. In addition to keynote speakers, there will also be artists, activists, musical performances and Black-owned food vendors and restaurants.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Temporary building The temporary building that was put up outside of the central plant before spring semester near Manor Residence and Melkern Court is to provide a temporary boiler. One of the boilers in the heating plant, located in the facilities building, needs repair. T h e t e m p o ra r y b u i l d i n g a n d coordinating pipes will stand in as that boiler for an expected four months until repairs are completed.
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The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
HUSC survey (continued) Hamline Undergraduate Student Congress has shared results from the COVID-19 survey revealing that access to proper masks and online class resources are on students’ minds. Anika Besst News Editor abesst01@hamline.edu Results from the Hamline Undergraduate Student Congress (HUSC) COVID-19 student survey were shared through email on February 11 highlighting the topics of access to masks and options for online class resources. The email sent from the Dean of Students office included a few statistical summaries of topics as well as a brief list of steps the institution and HUSC are moving toward. The survey, which was sent on January 24 and remained open for a week, received 513 responses, a higher rate than usual on surveys sent like this, something HUSC External President Raina Meyer credits to HUSC members who widely shared the survey through social media and email. “We’re really proud of the reach that we were able to get on our survey… It’s much more than the previous survey regarding COVID modality got and I think it really speaks to how much students needed to have a way to express their feelings,” Meyer said. “I think it also speaks to our efforts as a council to engage students and help them understand that we will utilize their input and help push for the changes they want to see.” The breakdown showed that 27.9% of respondents were first-year, 21.9% sophomore, 24.8% junior and 22.7% senior. The results have been shared with Hamline offices, such as the Dean of Students and the Provost, and administration in an effort to continue the conversation around student needs. “The Dean of Students Office and the Provost office have been incredibly helpful… and they have communicated with higher levels of the administration,
including the President’s staff, to make sure that these student voices are making it to the highest levels of Hamline,” Meyer said. Hamline has been mostly in-person this school year, with hybrid and online options in certain cases. This is a topic of disagreement among the Hamline community as some feel comfortable doing so, while others prefer online platforms. This was reflected in survey results with 36.3% of respondents preferring mostly hybrid or blended modes. Predominately in-person received 33.6%, fully online had 20.7% and other preferences received the remaining 9.4%. With Hamline’s new mask mandate in classroom spaces and any other on-campus area, a multilayered mask must be worn. This includes KN-95s or a surgical mask and cloth mask. Hamline has purchased and distributed over 7,500 KN-95 masks to date, according to Dean of Students Patti Kersten, an initiative that continues with the most recent distribution day happening on February 15. The spring semester began as the Omicron Delta Variant was prevalent, a fear many had as they settled back into campus and academic life. The results showed that 64.1% of respondents reported experiencing worry or anxiety about contracting COVID-19 during this semester. The remaining 32.9% do not experience any and 3% reported other. “Administration and HUSC have continued to purchase KN-95 masks …for students because so many students said that they didn’t have consistent access to high-quality masks. I think it was 57%... before the semester started said that they did not have consistent access,” Meyer said. Between the mask mandate and encouraging boosters, Hamline works to protect itself and the surrounding community. “Currently we have multiple meetings a week to stay current with all aspects of COVID. A group from Hamline are always on the Minnesota Department of Health [MDH] higher ed calls - the information shared on this call provides detailed information to guide our ongoing response as we continue to review masking,
News 3
vaccination/boosters, isolation/quarantine guidelines, testing options/supplies, and a variety of other aspects that assist us in working together to keep our campus as safe as we possibly can,” Kersten wrote in an email statement to the Oracle. The survey email also shared results regarding student experiences related to class accessibility issues because of COVID-19. 48.1% of respondents said no to experiencing any issues, 37.2% said yes, 12.9% said not sure and 1.8% fell into the other. Interim Provost Andy Rundquist has instructed professors to provide alternative learning options for students who are unable to attend class due to COVID19, according to the email. This does not mean there must be a Google Meet or Zoom option for class, but that some form of alternative is created in order for those students not to fall behind. Some examples the email provided include live stream, a recording and creating assignments that can be completed remotely. “It is imperative that these mandatory absences from class do not negatively impact student grades,” the email read. Students are encouraged to contact the Provost or Dean’s office of their college if they are experiencing any accessibility issues due to COVID-19. HUSC is considering sending out another survey halfway through the semester to stay up to date with how students are feeling with the changing nature of the COVID-19 situation. “I can’t speak for future administrations. I hope that they would approach it with a similar outlook, in terms of getting students’ voices and channeling them in a way that is productive. But in our administration, Ruben and I entered the year with really wanting to get as many perspectives as possible and making sure that those don’t just sit within general assemblies and kind of go round and round in circles like it has in the past with HUSC, but really making sure that those opinions get to the higher levels of our university because I think that’s really what students want and they want to see change happen based on that,” Meyer said.
GRAPHIC | SENA ROSS, ORACLE
4 News
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
DEBATE
(continued from front)
transparency, and they plan to increase food accessibility on campus and HUSC engagement with the student body. Between Swanson and Hilderbrand, they have five cumulative years of HUSC experience.
Candidate team Skyler Rush and Spencer Olson
Candidate team Emily Hilderbrand and Maddie Swanson Rush is running for internal president. He’s a business management major, and is a member of Theta Chi’s Hamline chapter. External president candidate Olson is majoring in international business with a Chinese minor. He is a member of the US Army Reserves and is a former member of Theta Chi. Rush and Olson are running on a platform of “leadership that listens,” and hope to increase disability access on campus and HUSC transparency. “From the rumblings and mumblings of students that I’ve talked to and gathered with, they’d appreciate a lot more transparency [from HUSC]... effective leadership begins with listening to your people. Not to say that HUSC hadn’t been doing that, but I feel like an emphasis upon that would make this a lot more successful, and create a more engaged student body,” Olson told the Oracle.
Many students who attended were pleased with the candidates’ answers as a whole. Sophomore Charles Berg believed the conversation was constructive. “I think that we learned a lot about each candidate on both sides and how they would deal with separate issues,” he said. Students also valued the opportunity to learn a bit about the candidate’s themselves. “I thought all of the candidate’s responses were well thought out and insightful. I found the debate to be interesting hearing about each candidate’s perspective as well as their prior experience,” Sophomore Chloe Kucera said. Many members of Theta Chi, Olson’s former and Rush’s current fraternity, showed up to listen to the debate. “I think it’s good that we have two people running and HUSC doesn’t just cycle through people running unopposed over and over,” said Rob Finnestad, Theta Chi president and Hamline sophomore. For Finnestad, the most important issues in this election are gym access for non-athletes and disability access on campus. Kucera and Berg both care most about electing co-presidents who will listen to the student body. For Hamline sophomore Kate Kelly, the most important factor in deciding who to vote for is credentials,
Emily Hilderbrand, Maddie Swanson, Skyler Rush, Spencer Olson (left to right)
a sentiment echoed by many of the questions on experience asked by students during the debate. As HUSC’s public relations chairperson, Severson ran the livestream during the debate. From monitoring the questions in the livestream chat, she believes that as a whole, students care most about social justice issues. “There’s a lot of concerns of helping the students more in a more timely and transparent [manner],” Severson said. For students interested in learning more about the candidates, the informal debate can be viewed on HUSC’s Instagram (@yourvoicehusc). The formal presidential debate will be held Wednesday, February 23 at 7p.m. in Sundin Hall and HUSC General Assembly meetings are held on Tuesdays at 11:30 p.m. in West 204. Voting opens on Feburary 28. You can learn more about the Rush/Olson campaign at their Instagram, @s_and_s_for_prez or their website, https://sites.google.com/hamline.edu/sands-for-husc/ home. Swanson and Hilderbrand’s platform can be found on their Instagram, @emilyandmaddieforhusc. Write-in candidates Rajala and Guzman’s information can be found on their Instagram, @lizlin4president.
HUSC Public Relations Chair and Hamline senior Mya Severson
PHOTOS | LYDIA MEIER, ORACLE
Candidate team Emily Hilderbrand and Maddie Swanson spoke at the February 18 HUSC presidential debate, sharing their plans to increase food accessibility on campus and HUSC engagement with the student body. Swanson and Hilderbrand are running for internal and external president, respectively. Candidate team Skyler Rush and Spencer Olson shared their views on inaccessibility on campus and HUSC transparency during the February 18 HUSC presidential debate. Rush and Olson are running for internal and external president, respectively.
Opinion 5
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Consciousness in the lab
Dean Young Columnist dyoung04@hamline.edu
A brief consideration of the ethics of human brain organoids. For my last column, I addressed the ethics of dataprivacy, a problem outside of my usual field of study but with far-reaching implications and difficult solutions. This week, I intend to focus on an issue closer to my discipline—one perhaps less familiar, but no less important. While this may be well-removed from the types of questions many students outside neuroscience are wont to ask, I find it critical that other fields become aware of the intractable ethical issues in neuroscience. Those who intend to become legislators or attorneys, for example, may find themselves eventually saddled with these issues, and they provide a unique vantage point to address these growing concerns. As such, I welcome my colleagues across all academic fields to tackle these difficult ethical dilemmas. Some neuroethic discussions focus on the protection of alterations to our brains (such as mind-altering implants) or the data generated by our brains (such as thought-reading from brain scans). However, what about the creation of the brains themselves? This idea, which would certainly seem abstract and far removed, is now at hand. In October 2020, the prestigious science journal “Nature” published an article on “human brain organoids” being cultivated in labs. The fancy and futuristic title of these “brain organoids” refers to the attempts to grow a functioning brain from human stem cells. Cultivating a brain in a laboratory broaches many ethical considerations and fosters many
moral quandaries, but the primary focus by “Nature” was the ethics of a created consciousness. To address this concern, two fundamental questions require clear answers: what is consciousness, and what restrictions need to be made around creating it? It turns out the first question is extremely difficult to answer, and the second may be even harder. Consciousness appears superficially easy to recognize—even a toddler is capable of such—yet remains stubborn against definition. Indeed, the philosophy of solipsism indicates that it may be impossible to determine consciousness outside of ourselves. Therefore, it becomes necessary to procure some concrete proxy for consciousness, even if it is incomplete or non-comprehensive. Scientists commonly use electroencephalography, or EEG, for an appropriate measure to detect electrical activity indicative of consciousness. You may recognize the EEG as an array of circular electrodes that are placed on a subject’s head with wires trailing off (we have one in GLC). EEGs measure the electrical activity of neural oscillations, or to use a more familiar term, “brain waves”. Brain waves arise when neurons fire in synchrony; this not only alerts researchers that the neural cells appear to be working in concert (an apparently necessary requirement for consciousness), but the specific shapes of the waves can also tell us what the cell is up to. For example, researchers can determine from brain waves when an individual is concentrated, relaxed, asleep or alert. While an EEG may not be able to define consciousness in an absolute sense, it certainly provides a method to establish consciousness-related states. What if we try to measure organoids with an EEG? Sure enough, recording an organoid as it develops finds cells firing in sync as early as two months, which then transitions to stronger signals becoming distributed in space and time. This is representative of the development of the human brain, where different processes are seen distributed to various regions along the brain in networks. Keep in mind, this brain is approximately one-millionth the size of the average adult human brain; thus, it is not hard to imagine the possibilities of consciousness to increase as the organoids approach full size. Not only do we see the cells begin to fire together, they also begin to turn into specialized neurons for specific jobs—in fact, just as the type we would expect to see in a developing brain. These cellular changes have caused alarm by those concerned with ethical repercussions. The costs are apparent: it is conceivable that one could eventually create a sentient human brain in the lab. If it became conscious, what would this brain experience? It’s hard to say. However, we must recognize that this
is a speculative and currently unattainable position, and can be contrasted with the immediate benefits to be gained. Thanks to human brain organoids, researchers now have a clearer understanding of the brain’s function and are working to use that knowledge to treat a number of conditions, such as brain tumors commonly found in children. This is not to suggest an argument of lesser evil or warranted suffering, but to recognize the distant hypothetical dilemma juxtaposed against an immediate verifiable benefit. Does this mean that such experiments should be left without safeguards? Such a view appears reckless. Rather, careful and thoughtful guidelines are critically needed surrounding the issue of human brain organoids. This task is undoubtedly necessary, but may not be easy. What considerations must be made in the creation of ethical guidelines surrounding such experiments? This will largely be determined by the gauge of consciousness; yet as mentioned above, consciousness remains obstinate against definition. Even if consciousness is neatly defined, one must ask, does consciousness alone demand rights? If so, what rights ought we then give to monkeys, birds or insects? Do we prescribe levels of rights based on degrees of consciousness? Would we let the level of human consciousness determine the threshold for rights? If so, which level of human consciousness (after all, multiple exist)? Asking what level of consciousness provides rights begs a more fundamental question: is consciousness required for rights? If so, does this not contradict the rights we offer to patients who are diagnosed as lacking consciousness? From this, we see that the hardest part surrounding lab-grown consciousness may not be in creating it, but protecting it. Thus, the main issue surrounding human brain organoids does not necessarily lie in the current advances; these small masses of cells allow us to better understand brain function. Much more significant is the responsibility to define the guidelines for tomorrow. It is apparent we need a clear definition of consciousness, a plan regarding organoids that are found to be conscious, and amendable limits surrounding the intentional creation of consciousness. Although it is easier to cease experiments than to seek answers to the above barrage of questions (and many more like it), it is incumbent on us to treat organoids as any advance and determine the necessary limits surrounding the technology. When— and only when—we create these guidelines, we can have security in our advancements of human brain organoids. In order to protect consciousness in the lab, we need to cultivate ethical consciousness surrounding the lab.
PHOTO | WASHINGTON POST, GETTY IMAGES
6 A&E
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Challenging social constructs on stage Hamline theatre begins the spring semester with a showcase of works written and directed by two of this year’s graduating seniors. Ollie Koski A&E Editor okoski01@hamline.edu Robin Doyscher Opinion Editor sdoyscher01@hamline.edu Production experience is something required of theatre arts majors during their time at Hamline, which can entail becoming the director of a show. Students who take this path for their senior project can choose to adapt a previous work or create an original piece. Two student directed performances will take place for the spring semester: “An Evening of Gender F*ckery” by senior MJ Luna and “Over and Out” by senior Bridget Benson. “An Evening of Gender F*ckery” is an exploration of how living in a gendered world affects us all, the inspiration for which Luna explained has been brewing for some time. “I guess I started first conceptualizing it the end of my sophomore year. I didn’t think it was going to be my senior project. It was like a vague idea for a possible show that I would want to create with some friends,” Luna said. “Over and Out” seeks to demystify the politics of the body. Benson elaborated that the idea originally began with an earlier research project. “This show has actually been a year in the making. This started last year when I applied for the summer collaborative undergraduate research grant. I wrote a proposal for it and got accepted into the program. And so, last summer I took 10 weeks to research my driving question, ‘how do Eurocentric beauty standards impact the body?’” Benson said. For some theatre arts majors, crafting a senior project can be their first time in the role of director. Luna talked about how the experience has been unique, despite his extensive history in theatre. “I also stage manage [which is] also in charge of a whole production, but from more of a logistical, technical standpoint than a creative standpoint. It’s definitely been interesting to realize I have full creative control,” Luna said. “Obviously it’s an ensemble piece and I really wanted to make sure that the full cast was able to get their ideas across… but I can just tell you what I want and nobody has to okay it.” Student directors also conduct the casting for their pieces, with auditions being held for student performers. “We [Luna and Benson] had joint auditions together, neither of us had a true cast size we wanted,” Luna said. “We knew we probably didn’t want to go over like six or seven [people], just because once you get larger than that it gets harder to manage. In the scope of our senior projects we didn’t want it to turn into something we couldn’t handle.” Benson explained that the intent behind “Over and Out” was to create an ethnodrama—a form of theatre that dramatizes data from interviews and observations—combining social science research with scriptwriting. “And so I interviewed about a dozen folks who identified [with] bodies that fit outside of Eurocentric beauty standards. So queer bodies, fat bodies, people of color, disabled bodies, Jewish bodies. Basically people who live in bodies that aren’t seen as conventionally beautiful by standards and the
PHOTOS | RACHEL PETERSON, ORACLE Senior Bridget Benson [left] and senior MJ Luna [right] chose to finish their time as theatre arts majors by writing and directing their own shows for their senior projects, which will be performed for a live audience. overwhelming majority of people felt like [that] had an impact on their bodies that was at least daily,” Benson said. Luna elaborated that the inspiration behind his project has been brewing for some time and his experiences outside of theatre have helped it come to fruition. “Throughout my junior year, I was like ‘oh, I could turn this into a senior project,’ because it kinda mixes my two majors together. I’m a theatre arts major and a social justice major, with my social justice concentration in queer studies,” Luna said. “So I have read a lot about things related to gender and being in society as a gendered person. I was just like this could be a very cool, funky thing.” Due to the incorporation of his studies on gender theory in “An Evening of Gender F*ckery,” Luna explained that rehearsals for his team have also involved lots of learning and discussion. “Theory is hard enough, gender theory, especially early gender theory…is very dense and very jargonistic. They did a really, really good job with it, I was impressed. We had some really awesome conversations touching on truth versus reality, being in a gendered world and also how that intersects with other forms of identity,” Luna said. Benson also mentioned wanting to avoid writing for other marginalized groups, and specifically stated the way she got her actors involved in the conceptualizing process. “One of the reasons why I didn’t write a play going into it—which was my original intention—was that I realized that due to the content of the show, it was fairly unethical for me to write for other people’s bodies,” Benson said. “So the first week of rehearsals was just brainstorming, and just talking about the content and the things that we wanted to talk about in the show. I bought people journals and each day I gave them journal prompts.” The timeline for the senior projects this semester is short, beginning as students return from break at the end of January and finishing with performances at the end of this month. Luna spoke about the pressure of these time constraints, but also the benefits. “The spring semester in the theatre department… we have a week, sometimes less than, between
turnarounds for shows. Bridget and I were kind of the ones right out the gate like you’re gonna do your thing, and you’re gonna do it fast and you’re gonna be the first ones to do it,” Luna said. “I think it kind of helped the process that it was so short. [It] kind of forced people into like ‘you don’t have a lot of time to sit around and question your ideas’...they’re like ‘nope, we’re making this happen, because guess what? In less than two weeks, we perform.’ It’s been a very fun process.” Benson talked about the process of creating the content of the show through a collaborative process rather than a singular artistic vision. “We started it in…January and we’re doing something called [de]vised theater where devised theater is creating theatre from the ground up during the rehearsal process rather than starting with a preestablished script,” Benson said. The student directors are not alone, as theatre requires a team effort even from those in the leading roles. Luna has worked closely with friend and fellow senior Donald Birttnen. “I have an awesome team. I have an awesome partner in crime in this—my stage manager is my good friend Donald. He’s been really dope in this whole process of translating my wild and insane gibberish art into things other people can understand,” Luna said. Benson had high praise for her collaborators, mentioning how the cast took many steps to take care of each other while exploring the production’s central question. “And I really couldn’t have done it without my stage manager, Wren Heiman, they’re a first-year and they’re absolutely incredible, and the cast is wonderful too,” Benson said. Hamline’s theatre department will present the “Experimental Process Series” on February 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m., which features “An Evening of Gender F*ckery” by Luna and “Over and Out” by Benson. Tickets can be reserved by emailing tickets@ hamline.edu. Audience members are expected to follow Hamline’s current COVID-19 protocols which includes wearing a mask and providing proof of vaccination.
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
A&E 7
PHOTOS | RACHEL PETERSON, ORACLE Top left: Senior Hanna Dahl stands over first-year Hanna Powell, both are performing in senior Bridget Benson’s original piece “Over and Out.” Top right: Benson watches over the cast as they rehearse. Benson’s inspiration for “Over and Out” came from research she conducted which explored the question ‘How do Eurocentric beauty standards impact the body?’ Bottom: Senior MJ Luna leads the cast for his senior project “An Evening of Gender F*ckery.” Luna is a double major in theatre arts and social justice. His knowledge of gender theory will be a main theme in his original piece.
8 Sports
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Who runs the world/athletic department? Something must be in the water as the women Pipers are dominating in their respective fields and courts this 2021-2022 Jilly Wortman Senior Reporter jwortman01@hamline.edu This year, Hamline’s women athletes have been dominating the scene. Left and right, these athletes have been breaking records, winning matches and being named MIAC athlete of the week. In the fall season, Alexandra Maddux led the Pipers throughout the whole cross country season. During the 2021 MIAC Championship, Maddux placed 14 overall with a time of 23:27. The women’s soccer team finished their conference season 3–7–1. The standout star of the season was Junior Tylar Sayles. November was a big month for the defender. First, Sayles was named to the 2021 MIAC Women’s soccer allconference team. Next Sayles was chosen to participate in the NCAA Division III Student Immersion Program. Volleyball also had a momentous season, the team finished 20–8 overall. The Pipers made it to the second round of the playoffs, ending their eventful season with a close loss to Bethel University. This was the Piper’s first MIAC tournament win in over 20 years. The (volley)ballers had four athletes named to the 2021 All-MIAC team — Senior Sydney Larson, Junior Rachel Rettmann, Graduate student Megan Rubbelke, and First Year Jenna Rubbelke, who was also named Rookie of the Year. Coach Maggie Meixl was also praised for her accomplishments this season in being named the Coach of the Year. Larson gained another accolade this season by being named a 2021 AVCA AllRegion Honorable Mention. The winter cold couldn’t stop the heat coming from the women in Hamline athletics. Women’s Basketball just wrapped up a historic regular season with an overall of 18–6. They will host the first round of the MIAC tournament on February 22. This season marks their most wins in 36 years. Continued on page 9.
PHOTO | RACHEL PETERSON, ORACLE The trophy case in Hutton Arena is filled with various awards presented to Hamline teams over the years.
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Sports 9
PHOTO | RACHEL PETERSON, ORACLE Coach Karen Heggernes, the Women’s Lacrosse head coach with the team’s 2021 MWLC award. The women’s hockey team also just wrapped their regular season with a conference record of 10–4. The junior forward Sophie Rausch was named the MIAC Women’s Hockey Athlete of the Week two separate times; the first was on November 22, 2021 and the second was on February 7, 2022. In the pool, a splash was made by Courtney Broyles. The diver was named MIAC Women’s Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week on January 18 and on February 19, she was named the MIAC Women’s Diver of the Year. Broyles is the first Piper to win the Athlete of the Week distinction for swim and dive in the past fifteen years, and the first Hamline athlete ever to be named Women’s Diver of the Year. This past week Broyles also won the 3-meter dive title, which hasn’t been won by a Hamline Athlete since 1991. Indoor track is winding down and many wins took place, but the season is only getting started. “We are gearing up for Indoor Championships, we are still progressing all the way through May. There is plenty of work still to do, but we are in a good spot and I believe we should conclude the indoor season on a high note,” Coach Vaughn Tackmann said. The track and field team has had three MIAC Indoor Field Athletes of the Weeks honored this season. Jailyn Robinson has been named Athlete of the Week once for her performance in the long jump and Jenneel Rodney has been named twice for the weighted throw. There are high hopes for the spring sports coming up. The softball team kicks off their season on February 27 at the Bethany Lutheran Invitational. Lacrosse has not started yet and they are already getting recognized for their success. Last week, the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference announced their preseason poll and the Pipers took the number one spot. “It confirms our goals for this upcoming season of continuing our legacy of representing Hamline University as the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference Champions for the 5th year in a row,” Coach Karen Heggernes said. Hamline University has lots to look forward to and be proud of by way of the women athletes on campus, representing their Piper pride on and off the field and carving their names on records, awards and distinctions to last for years to come.
PHOTOS | RACHEL PETERSON, ORACLE TOP: NCAA honorations for the hockey team alongside pictures of former head coach and Olympian Natalie Darwitz cements their legacy in the trophy case. BOTTOM: The lacrosse team plans to add to their collection of MWLC awards from over the years in their upcoming spring season. The team is already a top pick in the MIAC based on a recent poll taken and the season has not even started yet. The lacrosse team is one to keep an eye on.
10 Sports
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Top tier: Pipers are shooting for the stars
History is currently in the making as the Hamline Women’s Basketball team continues racking up victories as a golden ticket to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics Conference playoffs for the first time in 36 years. Cole Brennan Sports Reporter cbrennan01@hamline.edu
PHOTO | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE Hamline’s number 15 goes up for a free ball in the battle against Gustavus in Hutton Arena. Marty Mcfly was America’s sweetheart, Madonna was on top of the world and Ronald Reagan was the president of the United States. That was the last time the Hamline Women’s Basketball team won 18 games in a single season. Their current head coach, Alex Focke, was born in that same year. The Pipers are fourth in the MIAC right now with a conference record of 16–5 and an overall record of 18–6. The MIAC playoffs will not only be an opportunity to break the record, but set a new standard for Women’s hoops all together. The team is enjoying success after a frustrating 20202021 season. “I think last year was different, but I think we knew we had the ability to be good,” Sophomore guard Larisa O’Neil said. O’Neil has had some individual success of her own this year, scoring a team high 27 points against Carleton College and going 7 for 11 on threes in that game. The Pipers’ shortened COVID-19 season saw them finish with a record of 2–4. This record was not something that seemed to phase the team. They believe they got better as a unit by the end of the six games and no one was doubting the fact that they would get a second chance the following year. “I feel like this fall felt different. People did a lot more on their own this summer and this fall,” senior guard Sophie Findell said. With the 2020-2021 season filled with team practices with little opportunity to play MIAC opponents, Focke had to draw up a new plan for his squad.
“When you talk about the hardships that many people across the world faced, basketball seems very minor. We looked at last year as an opportunity to really work on fundamentals. We did a lot of skill development drills and strength and conditioning and I think that has helped us this year,” Focke said. The Pipers success comes from a constant resilience to be one of the best teams in the conference and outwork their opponents. Before the season began, they were confident in their abilities and trusted the process. Now that they have felt the feeling of success, they have to find a way to keep their confidence heading into the playoffs. “Our coach always says top tier, that’s top four in the conference. That was our goal,” Findell said. Their goals have been met and now all they want to do is keep the season going and play for the seniors that only have a few more games left in their college career. “I think all of us have the mentality that we can do it, it’s within reach,” O’Neil said. This group of hoopers have experienced much success on the court recently and the energy of the team is not hurting their efficacy, either. “This team has a fun personality and enjoys being around each other. They care about each other and I think that shows up on the court with the way they play,” Focke said. The Hamline Women’s basketball has the talent and chemistry to make a postseason run for Hamline to remember. Regardless of how the playoffs shake out, the momentum from this season will propel the Hamline women’s basketball program to be in the top tier of the MIAC bracket for years to come.
PHOTOS | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE The women’s basketball team at Hamline has been working with Coach Alex Focke for eight years, the last five of those positioning him as the head coach.
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Puzzle 11
GRAPHIC | LEO COUGHENOUR, THE ORACLE
Variety 12
The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Eliminating food insecurity one free meal at a time The Food Resource Center provides students with free, quality food and meals for all students, no matter their income. Kathryn Robinson Senior Reporter krobinson12@hamline.edu The increasing cost of living is straining many Americans’ pockets, and for many Hamline students as well. Juggling school, work and other responsibilities oftentimes does not leave a lot of room to make enough money to fully support oneself. The Food Resource Center (FRC) on campus is a resource that is here to provide free food and meals to help keep the Hamline community fed and supported. Sophia Brown is on an AmeriCorps Food Access VISTA and is in charge of the FRC. “Feed Your Brain was founded as a student organization in the Spring of 2017 dedicated to increasing awareness of food insecurity on college campuses, increasing food access for Hamline students, and creating a center that provides food and other resources to help students meet their basic needs in a manner that strives to uphold dignity and work towards food sovereignty,” Brown said. “The FRC is here because of amazing students who worked tirelessly to bring food to all students.” The FRC has done just that. Bringing in around 350 shoppers a month and distributing nearly 3,000 pounds of food, the FRC is a staple for many students. The FRC also offers microwaveable meals that allow for free, quick and quality food. “The Hamline Food Resource Center seeks to increase awareness of food insecurity on college
SCREENSHOT | ELIZA HAGSTROM, ORACLE A post from the @hufoodaccess with their delivery schedule and QR code.
SCREENSHOT | ELIZA HAGSTROM, ORACLE A post from the @hufoodaccess about their current hours. Posted on Janurary 25, 2022. campuses,” Brown said. When polled on a small sampling of the Hamline student body, nearly 70% of the student body that was surveyed had utilized the FRC. This resource is vital to the community and depended on by so many. Lexi Borgesen, a senior, both works and frequently shops at the FRC. “It’s super fun to connect with shoppers and my community to create a community that cares about food justice,” Borgesen said. Sophomore Austen Harris recently discovered the FRC and now utilizes it often. “It’s a really chill environment, you can just walk around to see what they have, or you can go get a meal or some veggies. Now that I know how to get in and what they have, I feel more comfortable going there for groceries,” Harris said.
ILLUSTRATION | ABDIRAHMAN ALI, ORACLE
SCREENSHOT | ELIZA HAGSTROM, ORACLE A post from the @hufoodaccess on how to order food from them for both in person shopping and order pick ups. Sophomore Martha Seymour often relies on the FRC, and the ability to cut down on cost decreases her stress. “The FRC has been such an important resource for me,” Seymour said. “Last year I was living off campus with roommates and half of our food came from the FRC which was so helpful because we had other bills to pay. Being able to cut down on food costs was such a relief.” The FRC is located at the Walker Field House loading dock. Their Instagram, @hufoodaccess, has their linktree (linktr.ee/foodaccess) that allows students to order groceries, see if they are eligible for SNAP and access to many more resources. In order to get groceries, simply fill out the form in their bio, and then stop by for order pick up or in-person shopping.