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HAMLINE UNIVERSITY | ST. PAUL, MN | 3.24.21 | VOL. 132 | NO. 16 | HAMLINEORACLE.COM

rofessors, rogram review & roblems

A program review is underway with professors experiencing a time constraint and a lack of clarity. CUTOUT | MOLLY LANDAETA, ORACLE Hamline faculty members have experienced a stressful few weeks after the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) was put under an expedited program review (EPR) that gave just three weeks to evaluate each of their departments. The last program review took place during the 2016-17 school year. Program review materials were sent out on Feb. 23 and included a questionnaire given to each department regarding their classes, number of students and plans for innovation, all with a due date of March 12. This short turnaround and the lack of clarity originally given to faculty about why and how the review was being conducted resulted in confusion and worry regarding its potential consequences. “It is sometimes confusing what our objective for this

Anika Besst Senior Reporter abesst01@hamline.edu

Nicole Ronchetti News Reporter nronchetti01@hamline.edu

review is,” said Mike Reynolds, department chair and professor of English, and program director of first-year writing. “What makes a program review less successful is, I think for me, a lack of clarity.” While program reviews are not unusual, the abrupt announcement caught faculty members off guard. It was also a deviation from the recommendations of a subcommittee put together last semester tasked with planning ongoing cyclical reviews which would have tentatively started next fall. “[An ideal review] would provide programs with ample time to prepare materials to understand when their program was going to be under review,” said Kristin Mapel Bloomberg, program director for Women and Gender Studies and a member of the subcommittee last

semester. “That would have been a preferred process than yet another round of emergency program review specifically designed with budget cuts in mind.” This expedited process was initiated to examine the changes that have occurred over the past five years, the most recent relating to the changes in number and type of student enrollment and the drastic and unpredicted changes to departments that COVID-19 has produced.

Make way for Workday Hamline will replace Piperline with the cloudbased HR software Workday. Jack Fischer News Reporter jfischer12@hamline.edu Hamilne has utilized Piperline, a student portal from a software called Banner, for decades in everything from registering for classes to performing degree audits. As technologies and workflows progress and advance, the software originally purchased by the university is now out of date and will

no longer be supported. Hamline had a choice to make — reinvest and purchase new Banner software and upgrade Piperline, or transition to a new, more interconnected software. Either option would have required Hamline to make a significant investment. It has been a long process to transition. Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Andy Runquist has been overseeing the student side of this system. “Our Banner system is made up of a lot of patches that we’ve had to do in house,” Runquist said. “We’ve been using it since at least, I believe it was 1990 or something like that.” As the technology has gotten older,

Hamline has had to hire people to make those patches to a system that has not aged too kindly. Hamline has implemented a slow rollout of the new Workday software. The Human Resources department started using it, on-campus employees use Workday to log their hours and now, next month, undergraduate students will use it to register for classes.

see WORKDAY page 3

see PROGRAM REVIEW page 4

To read about mandatory COVID-19 testing on campus, see page 2

To hear an Indigenous perspective on Line 3 and Hamline’s response, see page 8

To learn how to support AAPI businesses in the Midway, see page 12


2 News

EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION Editor-in-Chief Carmen Danz Managing Editor Molly Landaeta News Editor Audra Grigus Business Manager Elizabeth Lowe Ad Manager Julien Halabi Design Editor Melanie Hopkins Social Media Director Ella Smith Web Editor Aidan Stromdahl Opinion Editor Mien Le Sports Editor Cathryn Salis A&E Editor Olivia Koski Variety Editor Andrea Lindner Copy Editors Eliza Hagstrom, Lydia Meier Illustrators Leo Coughenour, Abdirahman Ali Senior Reporters Kelly Holm, Anika Besst, Robin Doyscher Reporters Nicole Ronchetti, Sarah Sawyer, Ethan Hermann, Jilly Wortman, Leslie Perez, Jack Fischer, Z Martinez, Leslie Perez, Lyla Lee, Kathryn Robinson, Hayden Hayes, Coby Aloi, Nicole Espinoza Senior Columnists Emily Brown, Will Nelson Columnists Hafsa Ahmed, Andrew P Weston, SJ Welch Senior Photographers Melanie Hopkins, Antonio Risso Photographers Emily Lall, Cait Quinn, Aidan Stromdahl, Dasiyah Franklin-Carter, Taleah Aldritt Distributor Robin Doyscher Advisers David Hudson, 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. 1536 Hewitt Ave. MB 107 St. Paul, MN 55104 oracle@hamline.edu hamlineoracle.com issuu.com/theoracle1888 (651)523-2268

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Test or else: the COVID-19 way Students randomly selected for mandatory COVID-19 testing received an email that left many uneasy. Anika Besst Senior Reporter abesst01@hamline.edu Hamline junior jordan Brezinka initially felt angry and defensive upon receiving an email about mandatory surveillance COVID19 testing on March 8. She was one of the 100 students selected randomly for this testing. Surveillance testing is a way to monitor the community, specifically those living in on campus spaces by looking at the test results of a randomly selected subset. The goal is this will allow Counseling and Health to continue supporting those sick, preventing others from getting COVID-19 and keeping the community healthy and safe. “It seemed like I was being threatened and that Hamline didn’t believe I would comply without being strong armed,” Brezinka said. “It really felt as though I was being treated like someone who couldn’t be trusted to do the right thing without consequences looming over my head.” This is the first round of mandatory surveillance testing the university has experienced. Prior to this, Hamline had offered a handful of free testing days throughout the academic year as well as opportunity for scheduled testing appointments. The randomly selected list was created and provided to Counseling and Health from Residential Life and the Dean of Students office. Counseling and Health staff wrote the email, and it was signed by Melinda Heikkinen, director of Public Safety and COVID-19 coordinator. Part of the email read, “You have been randomly selected to participate in the event on Tuesday, March 23. This testing is mandatory. Failure to comply will result in loss of access to campus buildings starting at 3 pm on the day of the event and referral to the conduct system.” The email also explained that it would be a saliva test and how to prepare for testing. Some students who received the email were caught off guard. “Obviously I have no issue with being tested, however, I was a bit shocked to be told I have to be tested or else I’ll lose access to campus buildings,” sophomore Nolan Sherburne said. “The tone was demanding, not inviting.” Widely, students who received the email were confused, but opinions on the tone of the email varied. “I was a little confused at first as to why they were doing this but it was written clearly and professionally and they gave clear instructions and consequences,” said sophomore Angel Kidd. This surveillance testing was not implemented sooner due to a lack of resources though COVID-19 has affected the United States, and Hamline specifically, for over a year.

“The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has advised and encouraged institutions of higher education to conduct both re-entry testing as well as ongoing surveillance testing of students since last summer,” said Jodi Metz, director of Health Services. “Hamline has not previously had the financial or human resources to do this type of testing. MDH has recently offered to support schools that have otherwise not been able to conduct this recommended testing by providing the tests at no cost.” There are two testing events scheduled this spring for March 23 and April 15. Counseling and Health is trying to add a date in May as well depending on access to resources at the state level. In addition to the 100 surveillance tests, Hamline is able to offer 200 Hamline students, faculty or staff a test. The email for surveillance tests was sent first to make certain those students had

PHOTOS | CAIT QUINN, ORACLE TOP: Hamline University is partnering with Vault Health to provide optional testing for all members of the Hamline community on Tuesday, March 23 and Thursday, April 15. BOTTOM: For testing, enter through the main doors of Walker Fieldhouse on the mall to access your free test. Results will be sent via email within 24-72 hours. the most access to appointment slots. “We have learned over the past year that there are many asymptomatic cases of COVID-19, particularly in younger populations,” Metz said. “Surveillance testing is one of the better ways to detect asymptomatic and presymptomatic cases to better prevent transmission of COVID-19.” Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days or have received both doses of the vaccination in the past 90 days and can show either their positive test or their vaccination card are exempt from testing. “The email made me feel worse about getting tested because of the high stakes attached to it,” Brezinka said. “I’ve gotten several COVID tests at this point and I would have been happy to get another if they had framed it more as a request and less as an order coming from someone who knows I can’t refuse.”


News 3

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Workday (continued from front)

“Student workers have been using it to log their hours this entire school year, so from that perspective, there’s a bunch of students who sort of understand what’s coming,” Runquist said. Many students have already interacted with Workday and have varying opinions on the new software. Before registering for classes, students will have to log into Workday and complete an “on boarding.” Students will verify their addresses, contact information, their emergency contacts and sign their FERPA waiver in a few dozen clicks, and will have to do this every year. If a student does not complete this on boarding, a hold will be placed on their account and they will not be able to register for classes, even after getting their tentative schedule approved by their advisor. One of the perks of switching to Workday is that it has allowed the university to look at systems and workflows critically and reassess if there could be easier ways to do things. Runquist said one of these workflows is how students request overrides. With Piperline, students needed to email individual professors to ask for an override and then forward that email to the Registrar’s Office to get an override. “Just one button push, boom, you’ve requested a prerequisite override that goes to the faculty members inbox both their email inbox and their workday inbox,” Rundquist said. ”They can say yes or no right then and there, and then that approval is done when you go to register.” Additionally, Workday will do away with the days

of having to write down or remember PINs given from advisors to allow students to register. “The advisors have to go in and say, you can register. They just press a button in Workday and then you’re good to go,” Runquist said. When students register for classes not all of the features of the new software will be active. A new way to get degree evaluations will not go live until August, and a new way to get on a waitlist for a class will not launch until the fall. While the new user-friendly software seems like it might be a good replacement to Piperline with lots of exciting features and upgrades, the rollout of Workday with student workers this past year has not been the

smoothest. Katelyn Mikesell, a first-year at Hamline and student worker at Starbucks said, “[WorkDay] is nice because everything is there, but it shuts down way too often.” Especially during the first few months of the new timecard software, students often had to work with IT and payroll to fix their apps and allow them to log in. Some students report having to get a “secure email code” every time they want to log in and check in for work. Workday is in and Piperline will be a fossil of the past as the university moves forward. Students should be able to log in and complete their on boarding and FERPA waivers this week and are encouraged to do so as soon as they can to prevent registration holds.

ILLUSTRATIONS | ABDIRAHMAN ALI, ORACLE


4 News

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Program review (continued from front) “Part of my frustration with the current program review process is that it is focused on numbers,” Mapel Bloomberg said. “Numbers tell one story, but I think we also have a larger responsibility to the mission, vision and heritage of this institution in how we create our educational programs.” The current review is being managed by a work group made primarily of two combined faculty committees and the CLA dean, Marcela Kostihova. While both committees are made up of elected faculty members, there was no vote to designate them as in charge of the program review. The matter was decided internally in part due to imposed time constraints. When contacted, the EPR workgroup stressed that expedited review is a supplement to and not a replacement for the proposed cyclical reviews. “Doing a five to 10 year process for all of our programs was not going to address the issues that the university and the college are facing right now, thus the expedited program review,” said Jeff Turner, the department chair of theatre arts and a member of the EPR work group. As the work group goes through the review they are making an effort to be transparent and communicate with faculty members and students. They are available for questions and provide weekly minutes for their meetings to faculty. They are also in contact with HUSC representatives through another committee. Despite this, concerns among faculty and students persist. While changes to the institution are unavoidable, worries continue about program cuts and eliminations, though no alterations to the offered classes of fall 2021 are expected. “It’s very understandable that some faculty would be nervous about this process because let’s face it, we don’t know the extent of it,” said professor Joseph Peschek. “Hamline’s going to have a big budget deficit… and then you start talking about expedited program review and again, it’s very understandable that people might think that their neck is on the chopping block.”

Source: hamline.edu/covid-19/dashboard

ILLUSTRATION | MOLLY LANDAETA, ORACLE

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To find out where to get tested, go to mn.gov/ covid19/ get-tested/ testinglocations


5 Puzzle

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Different Types of Bananas

Banana Names:


6 A&E

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Posthumous acclaim: Chadwick Boseman’s legacy Boseman’s nomination seven months after his death reminds fans worldwide of his impact in the arts community. Nicole Espinoza A&E Reporter nespinoza02@hamline.edu Chadwick Boseman was awarded a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” on Monday morning, making him the first Black actor to be posthumously nominated for an Oscar. One month before this nomination, a Golden Globe award served as a reminder of his influence. Boseman passed away from stage three colon cancer on Aug. 28, 2020, with his family beside him, leaving behind a legacy like no other. Performances such as T’Challa in “Black Panther,” Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall,” Jackie Robinson in “42” and, most recently, Levee in “Ma Rainey” are some of his most well-known roles. Starring alongside Viola Davis, Boseman delivered his final performance with seemingly effortless grace and passion, despite his behind-the-scenes battle with chemotherapy.

“Ma Rainey” gained widespread critical acclaim for the heart-jerking tale of Black experience in the arts industry. Writer Amon Warmann from Empire magazine names the production as legendary: “Boseman and Davis deliver superb performances in this timeless meditation on Black art and those who would exploit it.” Boseman’s legacy first started when he was recognized for his work as a playwright and a director in 2002. His breakout role as Jackie Robinson in “42” projected him further into the Hollywood sphere. Shortly after, his most famous roles acquired him national attention. His rise to fame indeed reflects the “timeless” portrayal of characters that gained him 41 awards along with 91 other nominations. Boseman’s ability to transcend into different characters is most eloquently stated by Variety magazine: “Boseman was a virtuoso actor who had the ability to create a character from the outside in and the inside out.” Boseman’s involvement in playing biopic roles, especially notable in “Ma Rainey,” marks his influence not only as a versatile performer in highly-grossing productions but as an icon of Black excellence. Boseman fundamentally altered the function

of cinematics. Serving in the Marvel Universe as T’Challa, he was cast in the first superhero film that featured a Black protagonist, along with a predominantly Black cast. Boseman’s persistence in representation through biopic roles heightened the need for diverse casting while simultaneously bringing African-American culture to life on screen. Originally, T’Challa was going to have a British accent. The “Black Panther” star worked with a dialect coach to practice an accent based on the Xhosa language, insisting on the honor of African-American heritage and royalty as a long overdue, important moment of the proper portrayal of Black culture. BBC Culture wrote on Boseman’s perseverance and resulting impact: “[Boseman’s] performance [as T’Challa] wouldn’t just be a demonstration of craft... It’s become a piece of history. He’d face a slew of pressures, because a Black epic, even a period piece, is forever expected to be...representative of the past, present, and future.” Captivating, marvelous and unforgettable, Boseman parted from us too soon as many of the greats. His lasting impact through his roles and relentless activism serves as a memorable influence as his role as an icon.

COLLAGE | OLIVIA KOSKI, ORACLE Chadwick Boseman was well known for his roles as T’Challa in “Black Panther” (top left), Jackie Robinson in “42” (bottom left), Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall” (bottom right) and Levee in “Ma Rainey” (top right). A Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Levee is the most recent addition to his many accolades. “Ma Rainey” was released after Boseman’s untimely death on Aug. 28, 2020, following a battle with cancer. The actor and playwright is fondly remembered for his numerous contributions to film.


A&E 7

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Landmark albums by women In honor of Women’s History Month, let us revisit some revolutionary albums by women released over the years. Robin Doyscher Senior Reporter sdoyscher01@hamline.edu For a long time, women have been helping lead the conversation in music, moving forward the art form in many new directions with boundary-pushing albums. The glass ceiling has been shattered by so many incredible releases over the years across so many genres.

Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” (2006) Considered one of the best albums of the twenty-first century, “Back to Black” was the second and final album by singer Amy Winehouse. The singer rode a wave of jazz-influenced pop albums that rocked the mainstream. Bringing her signature mixture of wit and vulnerability, “Back to Black” was solely written by Winehouse and, coupled with impeccable production from Mark Ronson, astounded critics from all corners of the music industry.

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SOURCE | SPOTIFY

SOURCE | SPOTIFY Carole King’s “Tapestry” (1971) “Tapestry” was the second studio album by singer-songwriter Carole King—grammy award-winner, and inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Carole King’s “Tapestry” was primarily written by her, and showcased a litany of songwriting, vocal and instrumental talents. The highly acclaimed album’s conversational and introspective style brought forth a new age of female-led rockpop and furthered the stylings of many female independent artists.

Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” (2016) Considered her most masterful and expansive project, Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” dove deep into the pain, struggles and emotional weight that Black women in America face every day. The trauma of racial injustice was laid bare through both the politically relevant songs and her stunning “Lemonade” film, which was credited to seven directors. Blending R&B and art pop together, the album also explored the infidelity of Beyoncé’s husband, Jay-Z, and was an incredible dive into the psyche of a superstar.

STAFF PICK OF THE WEEK TOPIC: Cartoon Olivia Koski A&E Editor

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)

SOURCE | SPOTIFY

SOURCE | SPOTIFY

Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” (1971) Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” has remained one of the most iconic, animated and real albums for decades since its release in 1971. Known for her distinctive guitar style, Mitchell’s cheerful and eccentric style was highlighted across this album. Mitchell’s music embodied the idea of a free spirit, and brought meaningful pop ballads to a wide audience. So many women have furthered music as a medium over the years that it is difficult to choose the most influential, but starting with a few popular landmarks is the best way to go.

“The remake of SheRa is a show that I needed during my childhood with its refershingly diverse LGBTQ+ representation.There is a balance of heavier topics of identity and mental health with lighthearted humor and endless hope.”


8 Opinion

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Where are you standing?

SJ Welch Guest Columnist swelch03@hamline.edu

An Indigenous student’s perspective on Line 3, and Hamline’s stances during these turbulent times. MY FEET POUNDED on the cold street below me. My heart was heavy with the anticipated grief of a taunted Mississippi River. My soul felt like it was weeping as it sang loudly, “the people gonna rise like water, we are gonna take this crisis down. I hear the voices of my great-granddaughters saying shut this pipeline down.” I am angry. As a white-coded Native American woman coming from the Mdewakanton Lower Sioux Dakota Tribe here in Minnesota, I have mourned the continuation of a pipeline, known as Line 3, burying its way through Indigenous land and sacred earth. This

pipeline carries tar sands oil, detrimental if spilled on Minnesota land, and is being placed by Enbridge, a company notorious for the largest inland oil spill. Additionally, it was signed into fruition as the first ever Missing and Murdered Indigenous task force report came out. This report found that pipeline and construction work creates a demand for sex trafficking that directly correlates with Indigenous women being trafficked into the sex industry at rates disproportionate to other racial identities in the state of Minnesota. I am angry. As an Indigenous woman, I have been taught that water is life. We come from the breaking of water, its presence determines our daily survival, and we will one day return to its life in the soil. The importance of respecting Tanka, or Creator, comes from within. As spirits inhabiting bodies, we have a role to play when it comes to creating a mutual, respectful relationship with the earth. I weep at the prospect of oil spilling into the headwaters of the Mississippi, a river that connects me with my ancestors. I am angry. As a social activist, I have learned a crucial concept of social action: There are many

things we fight for, but we will be held accountable for the things directly within our power to change. Therefore, as an Indigenous Hamline student, I’m struggling to accept the audacity of Hamline to call themselves diverse while actively silent on this issue. I am angry. I’m sick of the endless emails about how “you stand with us.” I don’t want to open another one for as long as I live. As an Indigenous elder in my life says often, “it is not our job to hold white tears”. Instead, I want a list. A list consisting of the ways Hamline plans to change for the better. A list acknowledging the stolen land of my ancestors that Hamline resides on today. I am angry that I have to spend time marching through the streets trying to protect the creation that gives us life every day and give my money to an institution that cannot take the time to give a statement of land acknowledgment. I am angry that every atrocity this year has been met with yet another email from our president expressing empathy while refusing calls to change, such as Aramark. So I leave you with a question I have yet to answer myself: Why would you need to tell me you stand with me, if you were already beside me?

Speakout What are the roles of a leader on campus?

Zach Dickmeyer Senior “I think that the leadership roles offered on campus are very valuable opportunities for students to get experience in a range of different areas, and they can help students learn about new interests that they may have. I hold a leadership role through being a frequent programs coordinator for the Residential Housing Association on campus, and this position has allowed me to hone my skills in organization, time management and communication, and also it has helped me realize that I really enjoy planning events for the Hamline community!”

Casey Anderson Junior “The role of a leader on campus, in my opinion, is to be someone that students feel comfortable going to with questions. I think that it’s someone they can look up to, and ask for advice, and someone to point them in the right direction!”

We want to hear from you. Letters must include submitter’s full name and graduation year (when applicable), be submitted electronically at least three days before publication and must not exceed 700 words. The Oracle does not edit Letters to the Editor, but reserves the right to withhold publication of letters. The content of the Opinion section does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff. E-mail submissions to: oracle@hamline.edu With questions, contact: Drew Science 106

Theo Hoang Sophomore “I think the role of a leader should be inspirational. Someone creates a welcoming environment that excites incoming students that they are attending Hamline and is prepared to tackle tough issues. With the current state that we are living in, fear and uncertainty, a student leader should be able to alleviate that tension and comfort those around them or virtually.”


Opinion 9

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

On looking forward to things

Will Nelson Senior Columnist wnelson08@hamline.edu

Are we living in the future so much that we aren’t trying to enjoy the present? I WAS READING my old journal entries from last year a few days ago. Exactly 365 days ago at the time that I’m writing this, I was thinking about how quarantine might be good for me. If absence makes the heart grow fonder, I reasoned, maybe my crush would realize their feelings for me and we could be together “once it’s all over in a month or so.” We could read books together on a picnic blanket and watch clouds until the sun went

down and the stars came out. A full year later, we’ve both pre t t y m u c h c o m p l e t e l y forgotten about each other, and the pandemic is still in full swing. My crush fizzled out like the smoldering remains of a campfire on a rainy night, and the vision I was so eagerly looking forward to was never realized. Now I’m sitting at my desk with the first dose of the vaccine running through my veins doing nothing but envisioning how great my summer is going to be. Slogging through a springbreak-less semester (and no, a Friday off doesn’t count) with the vaccine rollout sending delicious wafts of hope into our nostrils, looking forward to things seems to have become a favorite pastime. It’s been a hobby throughout the duration of the pandemic, but there’s something about the present moment that says firmly “This really might be over soon,” in Meryl Streep’s voice. Looking forward to things — what else is there to do? It’s hard to get out of bed in the morning without it. Wedding of a lifetime or the last sleeve of Girl Scout cookies — knowing that there’s

something nice in your future feels like a necessity. But how do we know when we’ve taken it too far?

“That’s the funny thing about life, things don’t usually end up like they do in the little scenes you play through your head while you’re lying in bed at night.” We talk a lot about ‘living in the past,’ but I don’t hear many conversations about ‘living in the future.’ Maybe people think dreaming is more commendable, more productive, than reflecting, but it really ends up putting you in just about the same place. Past or future, you’re not living in

the present, and if you’re not mindful of that you risk missing out on it entirely, which would be a major bummer since the present is literally all that there is. I never ended up on that picnic blanket, but I had some nice times anyway. I’ll probably have more in the future, and they probably won’t look anything like I think they will now. That’s the funny thing about life, things don’t usually end up like they do in the little scenes you play through your head while you’re lying in bed at night. You can try your best to set them up, but reality has its own plans. Life is too flighty to let you have that perfect birthday party. One of your friends is bound to have lost their keys and be in a bad mood, or maybe you got spicy buffalo instead of chipotle BBQ sauce with your Chicken McNuggets. There’s nothing you can do about it. Looking forward to things can get you through the night, but enjoying them? That’s irreplaceable.

ILLUSTRATION | LEO COUGHENOUR, ORACLE


10 Sports

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Spring and fall all wrapped into one Fall sports are finally getting the chance to compete after over a year of waiting. A happy ending to the COVID-19 season...or is it? Jilly Wortman Sports Reporter jwortman01@hamline.edu

Verdugo said. Volleyball has also had to make adjustments. The biggest obstacle has been space issues as they overlapped practices with the basketball team. Luckily for them, no other sport is an indoor sport “However, they are now out of season and no one else needs the gym,” Cindy Van Acker, senior on the volleyball team, said. There are also a maximum number of athletes that could potentially be in need of a trainer. “With that many student-athletes active that’s how many studentathletes that could potentially have bumps and bruises and need to get into the training room,” Verdugo said. At this point, most teams have some kind of game scheduled. Cross country is moving to the outdoor track season, volleyball has multiple conference games scheduled, and both of the soccer teams are going to participate in exhibition games. However, football is a different story. “We will be starting spring football practice but no games will be played. We will be set to play as of right now for the fall of 2021,” Triston Thomas, junior on

PHOTOS | CATHRYN SALIS, ORACLE TOP: Athletes carry signs across the softball field on the Hamline campus to help set up for the new season of competition. MIDDLE: The sponsored fences are beginning to be set up for the upcoming season. BOTTOM: Three different seasons fighting for space on the fields can cause lots of scheduling issues.

It has been over a year since fall athletes have had a chance to compete, and their time has finally arrived. Within the next couple of weeks, men’s and women’s soccer, football, volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country will begin games and competitions. Each sport is going about this adjusted season differently with different variations of games. With the uncertainty of this year, everyone has adjusted differently. The same goes for MIAC schools and their choice to opt in or out of fall sports competing. “A lot of schools in our conference have decided to just do internal scrimmages just so coaches can control that atmosphere, especially for injuries,” Jason Verdugo, associate vice president and athletic director, said.

“A lot of schools in our conference have decided to just do internal scrimmages just so coaches can control that atmosphere, especially for injuries.” Jason Verdugo Associate Vice President and Athletic Director

Hamline athletics is doing a mixture of participation levels. Men’s and women’s soccer for example “did not opt into the schedule, the MIAC gave us the opportunity to build our own schedule since there is no championship we got flexibility with when the games could be and versus who and when doesn’t bind us to a schedule,” Verdugo said. Both of the soccer teams currently have three exhibition games scheduled in the upcoming months. Since the majority of athletics has taken place in the second semester of this school year, there has been a juggling act with finding a time and place for every team to have a space available to them. “In Klas, there’s men’s and women’s soccer, lacrosse, track, and football all using that facility and then you still have the academic days schedule so trying to juggle all those sports with games and practice the challenge is the schedule,”

the football team said. They will be playing in the fall but this is the only sport that will not be competing this academic year. “Football will have the opportunity to compete depending on health. I would imagine that they would have a day of competition versus somebody, I just don’t know who or when,” Verdugo said. There is a lot in motion now for fall athletes. Obviously, things are different than normal, but what isn’t this year? This year is being looked at as almost a developmental time. “We want to assess where we are at and obviously try and get better. We want to try and give the seniors an opportunity to have a competition, but at the same time try and build and be healthy for the next year as well,” Verdugo said.


Sports 11

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Weekly MIAC round-up A beginning of a successful season is ushered in by the ending of a similarly competitive one. Cathryn Salis Sports Editor csalis01@hamline.edu Women’s Lacrosse vs. Northwestern Mar 17, 2021 W 16-2 Thewomen’s lacrosse team dominated Northwestern in their first home game of the season. The extremely successful home-opener saw the implementation of the mercy rule in the second half and the Pipers still scored three more goals without a stopping clock. The Northwestern Eagles put away their first goal in the first two minutes of the game, but the Pipers did not let this phase them and proceeded to score five consecutive goals and kept their defense strong. Five different players scored in this half and nine players scored in total from Hamline. As if going into the half with a 5–1 lead over the Eagles wasn’t enough of a momentum boost for the Pipes, an early and final goal for Northwestern

The Pipers forced 31 turnovers as well as leading in shots, with 35 of 41 shots being on net for the Pipers compared to the six shots by the Eagles. Hessler was close to tying not one, but two school records. She had eight ground balls, only one away from the school record of nine. Her eight goals were only two short of the current school record of ten. She did set a new assist record with five assists in this single game and all records were personal highs for Hessler. The Pipers women’s lacrosse team played again on Saturday, March 20 and unfortunately fell 9–6 to Illinois Wesleyan after a conversely intense matchup. Men’s Hockey vs. Saint John’s University Mar 19, 2021 L 3-2 The Hamline men’s hockey team lost to the Saint John’s Johnnies in their last home game of the 2021 season in an action-packed faceoff that could have gone either way. A scoreless first period, a quick back and forth in the second and a successful slap shot in the third gave the game to SJU. This was not without an intense fight by way of the Pipers. Sophomore goalie Kevin Lake recorded 33 saves in the three period game, with the Johnnies shooting 11 times in the first frame alone. The Pipers fought hard on offense, as well, getting off 10 of their own in the same period. With this drive, the Pipers were able to be the first on the board, with a goal from senior Austin Wisely assisted by senior Zak Lambrecht only five minutes

PHOTOS | COURTESY OF HAMLINE ATHLETICS TOP: Men’s hockey seniors played their final game on their home rink at TRIA arena in a tough match against Saint John’s University. BOTTOM: TRIA Rink has been the hockey teams’ home rink since 2018. struggled to recover and the Johnnies were able to maintain their lead. The Pipers are not ending their season with this game, however, the seniors had a memorable sendoff from the TRIA rink with their performance on the ice. For more updated stats and coverage, visit hamlineathletics.com. All games are broadcasted and have live stat links included.

PHOTOS | COURTESY OF HAMLINE ATHLETICS Women’s lacrosse dominated in their home-opener game against Northwestern, with a wide range of players contributing in significant ways to both the stats and score the team recorded. prompted Hamline to lock the game down for good. In the rest of the second half, 11 more goals were scored to end the game at 16–2. The nine women’s lacrosse players who scored include seniors Ashley Hessler, Maria Lewis and Maya Hernandez, junior Tara DeLeo, sophomore Taryn Leonard, and first years Analisa Aragon, Lily Uhl, Emma Moe and Clare Chambers. Senior Alyssa Bryan-Jeffries made four saves in goal and contributed to the strong Pipers defense.

into the second period. The Johnnies made it one after three minutes but in less than 30 seconds the Pipers capitalized on a power play and set the score to 2–1. Senior Kyle Wendorf scored this one with an assist from junior Jeron Hirschfeld. In the last five minutes of the second frame, SJU put it away again and the score was tied at twos. It was no surprise that this momentum led the Johnnies to score the game-winner early in the third period with a slap shot from a faceoff. From this, the Pipers


Variety 12

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021

Let the springtime shine (indoors) While Minnesota springs can come and go, students are bringing the springtime instead into their dorms and houses.

that climb everywhere because they remind me of vine covered houses in New England.”

Kathryn Robinson Variety Reporter krobinson12@hamline.edu The tears of Minnesotans everywhere splashed onto laptops, workspaces and schoolwork when it snowed after a blissful week of spring weather. Jackets, ice scrapers and gloves were put away, all just to be brought out again when the false spring exited. Nevertheless, Hamline students are forcing spring into their dorms and houses by decorating with plants. First year Naomi Breazeale has an aloe vera plant, a haworthia and a heart leaf philodendron in her off campus residence. First year Lexi Borgesen also has an aloe plant, as well as succulents, an iron cross plant and a snake plant. First year Kathleen Kelley has an aloe plant and pixie plants, as well as other miscellaneous plants. While the plants that students have vary, they all share a love of their green friends. “Green is my favorite color and being surrounded by plants just makes me so happy,” Breazeale said. “I specifically love vine type plants

off to bring plants into their spaces because they fear they lack a green thumb. However, resources like Google and other apps have made the process much easier. “I still kind of don’t know how to take care of my plants, but my mom has a green thumb, so I learned from her,” Kelley said. “Honestly I just looked up the plant names online and did what they said,” Borgesen said. Breazeale struggles with knowing when to water her plants, yet she has kept them alive. “I have an app that tells me when

PHOTO | COURTESY OF NAOMI BREAZEALE The adopt a plant event last semester allowed students to adopt their own plants. This succulent plant is still Because of the unusual circumstances this year, specifically for first years, many live alone and see people less. The feeling of bringing life into an isolated dorm was echoed by many. “My plants are pretty and bring more life into the dorm because sometimes it gets stuffy and sad, especially when you’re stressed,” Borgesen said. Kelley echoed with similar remarks. “I wanted something alive in my room that I could take care of,” Kelley said. Some students may feel turned

PHOTO | COURTESY OF LEXI BORGESON Plants like this iron cross have livened up students’ dorm rooms. to water them because I’m terrible at remembering,” Breazeale said. “But my family had a garden growing up plus we always grew plants in elementary

PHOTO | COURTESY OF LEXI BORGESON This gorgeous blooming plant perfectly brings color to any gray day. school, so I know how to take care of plants in general.” When speaking about where to get plants in the Midway area, one place in particular popped up in nearly every conversation: Tay’s Secret Garden, owned by Shontay Evans, is a Blackowned plant shop run out of Evans’ house in St. Paul. “The plants are super pretty and she’s very informed about how to take care of them,” Borgesen said. “ The plants are absolutely gorgeous,” Breazeale said. “For any other plants I get, that’s where I’m headed. Tay’s Secret Garden is located at 1054 Arundel Street in St. Paul. It is open from 1–9 p.m. daily. Her instagram is @shontayevans and her Facebook can be found by searching “Tay’s Secret Garden.”

AAPI-owned Midway businesses

In light of the events in Atlanta on March 16 and the continuous racism experienced by the Asian American Pacific Islander community, it is vital that we support and uplift local AAPI businesses.

Z Martinez Variety Reporter aremmersmartinez01@hamline.edu Sole Cafe resides in St Paul’s Koreatown and is known for its authentic Korean menu. They pride themselves on having all natural, local ingredients and chefs who refuse to take any shortcuts in the process of making the perfect meals for their customers. Their menu contains an abundance of options including meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan items. During lunch, they serve a lot more individual choices while dinner has the most full entrees. They strive to provide the best service to customers and as reviews have stated repeatedly, they do not disappoint in providing a comfortable and friendly environment for everyone. Customers have expressed feeling very happy with

PHOTO | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE Sole Cafe offers traditional home cooked Korean food. Visitors can choose from a variety of food options and they provide dine-in & delivery options. their visit. In the reviews, Customer Joseph Oh states, “This place has home cooked Korean food. It makes me reminisce about the food I grew up with. I feel very much at home and comfortable because it brings up good memories!” Having a full menu of delicious food is something that Pho Pasteur can also identify with. Their specialty is authentic Vietnamese cuisine, they have choices that include: classic Vietnamese, vegetarian, rice platters, vermicelli salad bowl and more. They are also stationed within the Midway area and have been recognized for having tasty options and good prices. One customer left this review after their

visit: “Visiting St. Paul from Illinois. Stopped in to try this new restaurant. What a treat! Casual atmosphere, very welcoming. Service was quick and the menu was extensive. Loved the huge bowl of Pho and the rice platter was delicious! Bubble tea was good, as well. Family owned and run. Reasonably priced. I’d highly recommend.” Being able to sit down and enjoy a meal is always reassuring, but if that is not an option or one would rather cook the meal themselves, then stopping by Kim’s Oriental Market would be the way to go. It is a fairly small store near Snelling Avenue that houses authentic Koreanbased products for purchase. Though the store is small in size, it has a variety of products that include Asian sauces, frozen foods and sweet treats. It had been mentioned by a customer that this is also one of the only places in the Twin Cities that sells binggrae samanco, a frozen treat made of vanilla ice cream and a thin layer of sweet red bean paste, all wrapped within a fish shaped wafer shell. The owners of the store are also known to be very friendly and helpful with questions. Customers leave happy and have a good overall experience. This store is also the main go-to place for

Korean grocery. “The best Korean grocery store in Minnesota!” Customer Will H. left in a review. All these businesses reside on Snelling Avenue in close proximity to one another. Their exact addresses are listed below: Sole Cafe: 684 Snelling Ave N, Saint Paul, MN 55104 Pho Pasteur: 694 Snelling Ave N, Saint Paul, MN 55104 Kim’s Asian Market: 689 Snelling Ave N, Saint Paul, MN 55104

PHOTO | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE Known for its friendly staff & great variety of Korean and Asian food items.


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