4.28.21

HAMLINE UNIVERSITY | ST. PAUL, MN | 4.28.21 | VOL. 132 | NO. 19 | HAMLINEORACLE.COM

COVER DESIGN | MOLLY LANDAETA, ORACLE Quality, informed and ethical journalism for the masses has proven its importance again and again over the course of 2020 and 2021. Among change-making journalists are the Oracle’s own student reporters. Here are some of the most hard-hitting stories we have covered this academic year.

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, Jilly Wortman, Sarah Sawyer, Ethan Hermann, Leslie Perez, Jack Fischer, Z Martinez, Lyla Lee, Kathryn Robinson, Hayden Hayes, AJ Washington Reporters Coby Aloi, Nicole Espinoza Senior Columnists Emily Brown, Will Nelson, Hafsa Ahmed, Andrew P Weston, SJ Welch Senior Photographers Melanie Hopkins, Antonio Risso, Aidan Stromdahl, Emily Lall, Cait Quinn, Dasiyah Franklin-Carter Photographers Taleah Alldritt Distributor Robin Doyscher Advisers David Hudson, Trevor Maine

POLICIES

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The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

Drew Hall due for a facelift Drew Residential Hall will be under construction during the 2021-22 school year, and students and administration deal with the announcement.

Anika Besst Senior Reporter abesst01@hamline.edu Lydia Meier Guest Reporter lmeier05@hamline.edu First year Abby Snider’s 2021-22 school year has been uprooted, once again. Her original housing plan had a wrench thrown in it when she received the email about Drew Hall being closed for renovations next year.

These renovations are slated to begin this summer and last until the summer of 2022, resulting in the hall being closed for the entire 2021-22 academic year.

Students who applied for next year’s housing in Drew Hall were notified of this closing on April 20, over a month after housing applications were submitted and reviewed.

“I guess I just wish they would have… given us some clear, like, heads up beforehand,” Snider said. “I think if they would have, like, even just included a little disclaimer like ‘hey, by the way there’s a chance that Drew is going to be closed next year,’ I definitely… wouldn’t have chosen the room I did. I would have gone and chosen a single in a different hall.”

Snider and other students in this situation received an email from Javier Gutierrez, the associate dean of students, which explained that the Office of Residential Life was officially notified that the residence hall would be offline for the upcoming year. The email also detailed some of the specific renovation plans and told students to contact Res Life to find new housing assignments.

“Each student has different needs,” Gutierrez wrote in an email. “That is why we work with each student or group of roommates rather than make a blanket housing assignment.”

Gutierrez also noted that students have the option to cancel their housing contract.

“When you sign up to live in a dorm hall, you kind of accept that it’s going to be a

PHOTO | CATHRYN SALIS, ORACLE Exposed pipes, bunches of wires and poor lighting make the basement hallways in Drew look unfinished. pretty old building and there’s going to be quirks about it,” Snider said.

This could be expected of a hall built in 1946 with a few additions and small renovations since. The bulk of Drew Hall’s infrastructure and plumbing is the original piping.

Renovations will most likely include a different heating system, and more genderneutral bathrooms and laundry rooms on every floor. The exact renovations are not finalized, but they aim to make the building more accessible and improve infrastructure.

As for the themed floors Drew offers — the Social Justice/LGBTQIA, international students and honors floor — are being relocated so those community living options can still be offered to students for the 202122 school year. The Social Justice/LGBTQIA community will be located in Manor.

“We want to be doing more. The work that’s going on is part of the vision as we were choosing a project, you know, to be able to really have an impact, and an impact that students were committed to right alongside of all of us,” said Patti Kersten, vice president and dean of students.

The renovations have been approved both by the university and the board of trustees, which is necessary for these larger

1536 Hewitt Ave. MB 107 St. Paul, MN 55104 oracle@hamline.edu hamlineoracle.com issuu.com/theoracle1888 (651)523-2268

PHOTO | CATHRYN SALIS, ORACLE Residents of Drew Hall have a good sense of humor about the older building, often playing along with the theory that it is haunted.

projects. Currently, conversations about design are underway with architects and engineers. Eventually, they will do bidding for contractor companies, and construction will begin shortly after that.

Contractors and construction have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which caused supply chain issues, a factor to be considered as this project moves forward.

Though it may be a strenuous process until the fall of 2022, many facilities and staff members are excited for these renovations.

As for communication, Snider mentions how she is already stressed about the last few weeks of classes and finals, and the added stress of finding a new room did not help.

“Especially during the last two weeks of class, it’s like a pretty stressful time… for me it was just like another stressful thing on top of, like, already a stressful time,” Snider said.

Just an hour after Snider and other Drew hopefuls received the email from Res Life, all of Hamline students received another email from the President’s Office. This second message recognized the high levels of stress as it shared changes to grading options for the spring semester.

PHOTO | CATHRYN SALIS, ORACLE Be it saving energy or saving money, the stickers on the light switches scattered around Drew are peeling and faded, indicative of an older effort.

“Over the last few days, administration and faculty have been actively listening to student concerns about stress,” the email read. “We are fully committed to making your educational experience the best we possibly can, and that means looking out for the mental and emotional health of our community.”

Gutierrez explained that students were informed as soon as Res Life learned of the renovations so students had the most adequate time to work towards an alternative reassignment.

An email Snider received on the subject thanked her for her adaptability, but she felt it lacked sincerity.

“I feel like maybe this is me just being like COVID fatigued, and after hearing that so many times… part of me always feels a little bit like it’s not adaptability, because I kind of didn’t have a choice,” Snider said.

Despite her grievances, Snider, like other students, is glad the residence hall is being renovated.

“I think Drew is in need of repairs, so like I’m happy they’re doing it. I just wish they would have told us beforehand,” Snider said.

News 3

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

Starting ‘em young: student journalism In these tumultuous times, Hamline alumni speak on the importance of student journalists and what the future of reporting may hold.

Anika Besst Senior Reporter abesst01@hamline.edu Turbulance is anticipated in most careers and journalism is no exception. As the world grapples with reckonings both big and small, the future of journalism is as uncharted as ever.

To answer the questions of our present, Hamline journalism alumni speak on the power and importance of student reporting and what it means for the future of journalism.

“I think student journalism is real world journalism because you are publishing it, it is going to print,” said 2020 graduate Lydia Hansen. “You’re held to the same standards. And maybe your audience is smaller and maybe it feels like there’s less scrutiny, but really there is and there should be as much scrutiny. Journalism is journalism whether you are students or not.”

Widely, alumni spoke on the importance of student journalism speaking truth to power and holding the institution accountable.

“It is super important that you can and should speak truth to power. You have the power of the free press behind you, it is a crucial factor to any democracy,” said 2010 graduate Serri Graslie.

Graslie also appreciated the general curiosity critical thinking and inquiry

cultivated through the experiences Hamline allowed her.

These remarks were echoed by 2012 alum Erik Burgess who fondly remembers when he and a colleague created a budget review on the Anderson Student Center that spanned two whole pages and took nearly 24 hours to design.

“It was really empowering to learn and to practice speaking and interviewing and being critical of someone who has more power than you,” Burgess said.

As for Hamline’s student journalism, the Oracle has created an honor to uphold since its founding in 1888. It has been published regularly, allowing students experience in many aspects of the journalistic process.

“The importance of student journalism was that I got to try on a bunch of hats and sit in a lot of different seats in a small scale model of a working newsroom,” Hansen said.

Hamline and Oracle alumni have gone on to work at organizations and publications like NPR, The New York Times, Google, Epic, the Grand Forks Herald, N’West Iowa REVIEW and the On Being Podcasts, among many other locations.

Student publications, such as the Oracle, often focus on local stories involving the institution or the surrounding neighborhood, something alumni loved.

“I think the thing that student journalism at Hamline taught me was you really can make a difference and find interesting things to write about if you are genuinely interested in the people in the community… and plugged in to the community,” Hansen said.

As for the changing world of journalism, new technological advancements offer

many possibilities that the world has never encountered before. Similar to the advent of the typewriter, journalism is reminded of its need to be nimble.

For one, cameras are forever changing documentation. Same with the easier accessibility to podcasting platforms, social media and digital blogs.

These changes raise questions never before encountered, mentions Burgess.

“It does blur the line between who’s a journalist and who’s not and so the conversation then becomes why does it matter, and I am not sure that it does matter,” Burgess said.

Alumni reveled at the freedom the Oracle offered as its existence does not rely on a subscription or digital means. This looser budget allows the opportunity to try things and challenge the rules, while still following the ethics of journalism, without the fear of going under.

“It was like a live performance,” said alum Maura Youngman. “Except if you mess up or do really well, it is recorded. So that raises the high stakes further.”

In the constantly changing landscape of journalism, questions arise every day about ethics, integrity, accessibility and transparency. As for how it relates to Hamline, alum hope the university and the Oracle continue to recognize and embrace these changes.

“I think it is important and necessary to have tufts,” Youngman said. “Hopefully [the institution and Hamline] can forgo Minnesota nice for accountability.”

PHOTO | COURTESY OF SERRI GRASLIE Serri Graslie worked as managing editor and editor-in-chief in her time at Hamline.

PHOTO | COURTESY OF LYDIA HANSEN Lydia Hansen worked on for the Oracle for two years and served as the editor-in-chief for the 2019-20 academic year. Hansen now works for the N’West Iowa REVIEW.

PHOTO | COURTESY OF MAURA YOUNGMAN Maura Youngman graduated from Hamline in 2009 after working for the Oracle as an editor for the former Local section and as a news reporter.

PHOTO | COURTESY OF ERIK BURGESS Erik Burgess worked as a reporter and the editor-in-chief in his time with the Oracle.

Recognizing our graduating Oracle staff - Carmen Danz: Editor-in-Chief

- Ella Smith: Social Media Manager

- Molly Landaeta: Managing Editor

- Drew Mares: Web Editor (2020)

- Sabrina Merritt: Managing Editor (2020)

- Kelly Holm: Senior Reporter

- Audra Grigus: News Editor

- Nicole Ronchetti: Senior Reporter

- Levi Jones: Sports Editor (2020)

- Sarah Sawyer: Senior Reporter

4 News

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

Faculty face a revised farewell At the end of a tumultuous year, Hamline faculty are doing their best to support graduating students — from commencement and beyond.

Lydia Meier Guest Reporter lmeier05@hamline.edu The 2020-21 school year has been hard on everyone, especially professors. Hamline faculty have spent the last year adjusting curriculum for online formats and assisting struggling students, yet even as the semester ends, their role is not over.

In the commencement ceremonies of years past, Hamline professors have read names, participated in the processionals and helped to “create the appropriate mood for the ceremony,” Silvester Vicic, a member of the commencement planning team and director of Sundin Music Hall and Conference and Events Management, said. This year, the commencement team hopes to include faculty in the commencement ceremonies, though it will look different than years past.

There are seven in-person commencements spanning three days, in hopes of lowering the risk of COVID-19 transmission. There will be two ceremonies to celebrate the graduates of 2020, and five for the undergraduate and graduate classes of 2021.

The ceremonies will be about an hour long, with time in between for sanitation and logistics. Students

are allotted two guests for the ceremonies that will be held at the RiverCentre in Saint Paul, another break in tradition to end a year of unprecedented changes.

“I care deeply about this rite of passage,” Susi Keefe, a professor in the sociology and public health departments said. “It has always been a desire of mine to be more involved in the ceremonies and I was delighted when the Dean’s Office asked for volunteers.” Keefe will be reading graduates’ names along with Laura Dougherty, a professor of theatre arts.

“Bearing witness to such moments is a gift. And gathering to witness and participate is what makes community,” Dougherty said. “We wear our colors and feel a shared history as a collective… It is a performative act that in its practice is how we get to belong to each other.”

Environmental studies professor Valentine Cadieux said, “I think particularly [commencement is] a nice moment that crosses over this fascinating barrier between family… and the internal community of Hamline.”

Including family was especially important for the commencement committee, but until recently, they were not sure any in-person ceremony was a possibility, including family or not. However, they still tried to communicate what they could.

“We were mindful of trying to communicate as much as possible, without creating the wrong expectations,” Vicic said. Although excited about the opportunity for in-person ceremonies, the commencement team had to guarantee that safety protocols were figured out before

Source: hamline.edu/covid-19/dashboard

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Hamline will be hosting a free COVID-19 vaccination event on April 29 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Walker Fieldhouse. HyVee will be administering Pfizer vaccines for Hamline community members ages 16 and older.

Use the QR Code to go to the scheduling site!

announcing the decision to the school.

Unfortunately, this slow yet crucial decision making process has led to confusion for some faculty members.

“Over the course of the spring, they’ve been sending updates,” Cadieux said.

But, many professors still feel in the dark.

“I don’t feel like I have enough information on that, at this point… I’ll say I’m kind of confused regarding what we’re supposed to be doing at this point,” Professor David Schultz of the Political Science Department said.

This sentiment was echoed by Dougherty and Keefe, though Dougherty added that she has faith she will hear more information before the ceremony.

Beyond commencement, many departments have, as Cadieux puts it, “physically distanced but socially present” plans to celebrate their program-specific graduates beyond commencement. The sociology, anthropology, environmental studies, theater & dance departments, as well as others, have celebrations in the works to celebrate their graduates. COVID-19 has obviously made these celebrations more difficult, but the professors just want to honor their students however possible.

“As a first generation college student, I appreciate all that it takes for our students to reach this moment. It should be celebrated,” Keefe said. “Our students should always feel the power of our support in this moment, but especially this year as they have worked through incredible circumstances and overcome so very much.”

To find out where to get tested for COVID-19, go to mn.gov/covid19/ get-tested/testinglocations

News 5

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

Hamline-Midway centers around community At a Hamline-Midway roundtable on April 19, elected officials connected with residents, expressed concerns on Operation Safety Net. The next day, a decision was reached in the State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin trial.

Lydia Meier Guest Reporter lmeier05@hamline.edu Saint Paul elected officials were among 227 participants gathered for a Hamline-Midway community planning session in preparation for the verdict in the State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin trial. The participants on the Zoom call were welcomed by hosts Sen. Erin Murphy and Saint Paul City Councilmember Mitra Jalali, on April 19. Also in attendance were three other state congress members, four Saint Paul School Board members, a Ramsey County Commissioner and Saint Paul City Councilmember Jane Prince.

PHOTO | LYDIA MEIER, ORACLE A Black Lives Matter flag is held out of a car outside of the Hennepin County Government Center.

Sen. Erin Murphy agreed, saying, “We wanted to make sure we were connecting intentionally in front of a verdict.”

After all the elected officials present had been introduced, the conversation, guided by questions in the chat, turned to Operation Safety Net (OSN). Murphy explained that from what she knew, she believed that OSN was a variety of law enforcement entities, including the National Guard, coming to the cities in preparation for the verdict. OSN was launched early in response to the death of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man shot by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

“I think I could be pretty frank about this… that I think [OSN] was a huge misstep,” Rep. Athena Hollins said. “When we’re talking about law enforcement killing people, the answer is not putting more law enforcement everywhere, as a reaction… I’ve been in a number of meetings with the government, and I would say my statements have fallen on deaf ears.”

In an email a few days later, Hamline senior Rob Greenough said he was hoping for more specifics and was disappointed by the “defeatist attitude of state Rep. Hollins,” specifically in this statement.

Although not all participants agreed with Hollins’

PHOTO | LYDIA MEIER, ORACLE A sign of Gianna and George Floyd is held up against the backdrop of the heavily armored Hennepin County Government Center.

A number of Hamline students and one Hamline professor, who are residents of the Hamline-Midway neighborhood, were in attendance.

The planning session was to communicate with the community ahead of a verdict in the Minnesota v.

Chauvin trial.

“The jury has gone to deliberations, as of a few hours ago,” Councilmember Mitra Jalali said. “No matter what happens we believe it’s important as electeds to push for what our constituents want from us… no matter what happens we are going to need each other.”

PHOTO | LYDIA MEIER, ORACLE Two people raise their fists outside of the Hennepin County Government Center while waiting for the verdict of Minnesota v. Chauvin.

perspective, discussion remained largely civil in the Zoom chat, with resident Heather Quinn writing, “The way the community came together last year was so beautiful, from the neighborhood cleanups to the many food donation and distribution sites. That’s what made me and my family feel safe… OSN does the opposite.

I’d love to know ways that our community can come together and support each other now, not just in the aftermath of crisis.”

In the end, no crisis came to pass. The jury in the Minnesota v. Chauvin trial reached a verdict after 10 hours of deliberation, and Twin Cities community organizer Toussaint Morrison announced “guilty!” to a crowd of hundreds outside the Hennepin County Government Center. Voices immediately spilled into cheers and applause as Morrison read the guilty verdict for each of the three charges against Chauvin.

Likely, there were some Hamline-Midway residents celebrating in the crowd.

Although the fight for racial justice is far from over, the result of the Chauvin trial creates a new precedent: the first time in Minnesota’s history that a white police officer was convicted of killing a Black civilian. The

PHOTO | LYDIA MEIER, ORACLE Two people embrace outside the Hennepin County Government Center after the verdict of Minnesota v.

Chauvin is announced.

Chauvin trial is the center of a larger conversation on racism in America.

Sumaya Ali, a participant at the community planning session, noted that “it’s not really possible to heal from trauma that’s actively being enacted against our communities.”

English professor Mike Reynolds also noted this, and said that he is most worried about the trauma and emotional burden sustained by members of the community, and hopes to focus “community engagement” on mutual protection and support.

“There are long-term needs and issues, as many noted last night, which must continue to be the focus of community organizing and action,” Reynolds said.

“Ideally, an event like [this community conversation] has this short-term impact but also plants seeds and strengthens community networks for long-term transformation.”

In an email a few days later, Hamline student and Midway resident Emma Harrington agreed. “I am glad to see Chauvin convicted of all 3 charges but the police system is still terrorizing communities and taking lives.

We have so much work to do and committing to justice is committing to lifelong work.”

6 A&E

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

Encore! Return of student dance After two seasons on hold, Hamline dance makes a stunning comeback.

Hamline theatre and dance presented “New and Slightly Used Dances,” a culmination of creativity, emotion and expression of movement created over the course of the 2020-21 school year.

Nicole Espinoza A&E Reporter nespinoza02@hamline.edu Hamline’s department of theatre and dance gave a raw outlook on the poignance and turmoil of 2021 through “New and Slightly Used Dances.” The live streamed performance, shown on April 23 and 24, showcased 20 different performances spread out over two 50-minute periods on Zoom, separated by a 10 minute intermission.

The emotional and physical barriers that COVID19 has created are expressed in the structure of the performance, straight down to the dancers themselves. After a member of the group tested positive for the virus, the show was ultimately

cancelled — hence the name, “New and Slightly Used Dances.” The performance was inspired by senior lecturer and artistic director Kaori Kenmotsu, as well as guest choreographers from the Twin Cities Judith James Ries and Darrius Strong.

Despite lacking partner dances for the majority of the performances, the individual dances themselves are full of deep meanings and vibrant movement.

Group dances, individual dances and a few partner dances were used as a moving medium throughout the performance, working as an extension of each individual. The previous theatre department performance, “365 Plays/365 Days,” operated in a similar manner, with masks and socially distanced performances.

One main question persisted: How has COVID-19 affected creativity and performance?

“I think it hits emotional levels,” choreographer and performer, senior Summer Vang said. “It’s been really hard on us for not having contact [because] we really depend on weight sharing and lifting. We had to figure out how to do that while respecting space. We’re moving through each other’s negative spaces. Even without touching, PHOTOS | COURTESY OF HAMLINE THEATRE DEPARTMENT it looks very interactive, still.”

TOP: In the performance of “Figures,” senior Kyrin Sturdivant gracefully As an audience, we are invited dances with sophomore Sarah Ordahl. to interact with the themes MIDDLE: First year Elena Mercado lunges for the sky in the performance presented to us. Mental health, of “Battlefield.” moving on from loss and the joy BOTTOM: Junior Victoria Osanyintola clenches her fist in the perfomance of movement are just a few of the of “IGI.” many representations presented to us in this performance, reminding us of the poignant realities that many have had to suffer through.

The performance community as a whole has struggled throughout the pandemic, as several venues across the states have closed their doors permanently. However, Hamline’s performances have proved to be flexible in order to best cater towards their audience. “[I] hope that the audience would get the same feeling that they would in-person,” member of tech crew and performer, junior Charlie Murphy said. “There’s ways that technology can elevate the performance [and] it might introduce regular dance recital attendees to various different styles.”

Indeed, the mixture of different settings and style of dance proved to be effective in keeping the audience entertained and mesmerized, despite not being in-person.

Hamline theatre overall provided another spectacular performance, showing continued perseverance in a pandemic. As Hamline makes plans to reopen in the fall, the community awaits the resurgence of venues, performances and other events in the future.

A&E 7

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

The spectacular Soeffker Gallery Hamline’s Senior Thesis Exhibition is a showcase of the studio arts and art history graduates’ talents, and this year the graduates are tackling the tumultuous past year of 2020 head on.

Robin Doyscher Senior Reporter sdoyscher01@hamline.edu The quarantine summer’s effect on art can be felt in all mediums, and yet visual art has especially seen its influences and style changed due to the ever-present subject of the COVID19 pandemic.

Senior Helen Dolan’s work is a subversive take on femininity and societal standards. Dolan’s artist statement says “by creating private, intimate spaces, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, I showcase the power of quiet vulnerability.”

“I unravel and everything gets kinda crazy in the end,” Dolan said. “Mainly, the work I do is concentrated in textiles and fiber sculpture. So I do a lot of soft sculpture work and it involves a lot of upholstery, sewing, and I do a lot of hand embroidery. I do a lot of mixed media sculpture.”

‘Quiet vulnerability’ is especially a poignant theme in Helen Dolan’s work, as she examines her own mental state in quarantine through a lens of visual art.

“Those intimate private moments when it’s just you and yourself. I find it interesting when we’re in lockdown and home with ourselves the amount of solitude and Snapchats of that solitude,” Dolan said. “I wanted to capture the intimate moments hidden from public view. It’s melancholy in a way, but also really appears happy on the outside.”

Dolan’s piece, “Stacked Houses,” is made out of wood and kraut. It’s a testament to the idea of intimacy and vulnerability Dolan seeks to achieve through her work.

“When you enter the gallery there are three rooms on top of each other and I furnished them. That piece was the start of exploring quiet vulnerability,” Dolan said.

Another sculptor, senior Elsie Gray, is tackling their own experiences with body image through their work. In her artist statement, Gray mentions using “materials such as steel, wire, wood and melted trash bags to illustrate the internal physicalities of body dysmorphia.”

“My main priority was to draw attention to eating disorders and how it emaciates the body and mind,” Gray said. “Tackling female beauty standards. In my work, I use a lot of garbage bags because I know that feeling of garbage.”

Working with wood and wire was an easy decision for Gray, who has skill with bending materials for her own usage. Especially when it comes to making art that comments on ‘thinness.’

“I usually like to work with cheap wiring you can get at Home Depot to get it as thin as possible,” Gray said. “One of my pieces I used wood, and I made an adult and a mini version symbolizing having illnesses or difficulties in your life at any stage. I really like working with wood, but I really like working with wire as it emphasizes the idea of thinness a little more.”

The Soeffker Gallery displays monumental works from all sorts of landmark artists, but this year’s display has been a labor of love for the studio art students, whose small-size graduating class highlights the dedication and talent needed to pursue the craft they work on.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS The Fulcrum

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PHOTOS | CATHRYN SALIS, ORACLE TOP: Senior Elsie Gray used melted trash bags to form figures representing experiences with body dysmorphia.

BOTTOM: Senior Helen Dolan creates quiet and vulnerable spaces using multiple mediums, including hand embroidery.

STAFF PICK OF THE WEEK TOPIC: Video Games Leo Coughenour Illustrator

Music department gets re-accredited Since the 1960s, Hamline’s music department has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The thorough process of re-accreditation happens every 10 years.

Sarah Sawyer Senior Reporter ssawyer04@hamline.edu The Hamline music faculty have been preparing for a 2020 visit from NASM since 2018. This preparation included putting together a 700 page document and hiring a consultant. COVID-19 delayed the visit to March of 2021. NASM interviewed full

time faculty, adjunct faculty, students and administrators. NASM is an objective and unbiased organization that works with hundreds of institutions. It is a symbol of the department’s high standards and quality of education. They observed classes and inspected facilities.

Yali You, a professor of music at Hamline, noted that one of the accreditors said that Hamline’s self study was among the top five best that he’s seen in 29 years.

“Both were highly impressed with the quality and preparation.” You said.

You reported that the accreditors said, “Self study is very thorough and they have very few concerns. Nothing they see is substandard,” and that “Everything they have seen has been student centered.”

“I’m very happy to report how delighted they were during their visit,”

music department chair and professor Janet Greene said.

Previous visits from NASM have led Hamline to renovate facilities, update filing systems working with ITS and merge the original two track majors. Previously, Hamline had a performance major and a music studies major. These tracks were brought together to maintain both the quality of the music education, prepare students for future employment and work with the mission of Hamline’s liberal arts education.

While the department will not know official suggestions until the report is voted on by the NASM board in November, there were concerns about the facility. Sound safety, air quality, ductwork and humidity control are important for musicians and their instruments.

Friday Night Funkin’ “Friday Night Funkin’ is a rhythm game (similar to Dance Dance Revolution) with a crude sense of humor. It’s still a work in progress, however, a free early demo can be found on Newgrounds. I find that the music is upbeat and fun, and I am excited for the full game to release.”

8 Opinion

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

No time for celebration Speakout

Robin Doyscher Guest Columnist sdoyscher01@hamline.edu

Despite how fortunate the conviction of Derek Chauvin is, justice and equality are still not achieved.

I ADMIT THAT the Derek Chauvin trial has been an emotionally and mentally exhausting ordeal as a Black person. I’m used to my own experiences being drowned out in a sea of performativity and slightly out-of-touch but well meaning white peers who have spirit but aren’t quite aware of the root problems.

However, my peak burnout was achieved with the Derek Chauvin verdict. I was glad that Chauvin was found guilty, but I was immediately weary of all

the people “celebrating” and treating this verdict as justice.

I’m sure it’s easy to feel like it was some sort of amazing 4/20 event or the best thing to happen all year when you are young and don’t truly feel the actual weight of these decisions. But, this doesn’t change the amount of work that has to be done.

Private prisons have not been abolished, more police officers have shot unarmed people and not been convicted and America’s justice system is still wrought with intentional targeting of minorities and the poor. This isn’t a reprieve. This isn’t a victory. This is a step in the right direction, but a tiny one.Truthfully I was very upset with some of my peers for jumping the gun — to use a dad phrase — and treating this as an entertaining victory in the circus of racial justice.

I know I sound angry, but I’m more weary if anything. We cannot view this as an ending.

We cannot allow ourselves to simply turn away from fighting the good fight because we’ve been given an easy out. And I know it’s tempting to view this as a victory. Pushing back against institutions that have been in place for the better part of twoand-a-half centuries feels akin to Sisyphus pushing his rock up the

hill only to be inevitably pushed back down.

However, if the pandemic has taught us anything about our society it’s that we are in desperate need of fixing this country and a world that has been handed to our generation in a broken and fragmented state. There has never been a greater era for enacting social change. The more we call our congressmen and legislators, the more we voice our frustration with the unjust and cruel systems that so many before us have given their lives to, the closer we’ll get to a world that we are proud of handing off to the next generation.

Because I don’t think we’re proud of what our ancestors created — not deep down. I want, more than anything, to love this country. But how can I love a country that doesn’t love my people? How can I fight for liberation alongside peers who don’t take this seriously? I’m far from being a perfect activist, and I need a wake-up call myself, but I’m going to push myself into not becoming complacent with the state of things. We will roll the rock up the hill — and this time we’ll do what Sisyphus couldn’t, and push it past the other side.

Letter to the editor

IN MY 21 years as Oracle adviser my words have very rarely appeared in the paper, and that’s as it should be. This is a paper reported, drawn, photographed, edited and led by students. But I do need to say something today.

I want you to know that working as your adviser, consultant and friend over these past decades has been the greatest honor of my life. You have taught me over and over again of the power of the independent press and the informed, conscientious application of that power to challenge and build our community.

I often say that there is no such thing as “college journalism,” just “journalism,” and you have proven that to me time and time again as you have faced complex, sometimes painful situations with mature reflection and the knowledge that your work can harm as well as help. You have also informed and delighted us, introducing us to students,

faculty, administrators, staff and Hamline neighbors, telling their stories and bringing their voices into our lives.

The “Letter to the adviser” in last week’s issue was a chorus of old and new friends, some people I have been in touch with and others who I have not spoken to in years. It was an overwhelming experience to hear from so many of you what the Oracle meant to you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I think you all know that the Oracle is very special, even among the top college newspapers. It attracts students at every level and from every discipline. There are no grades, no credits, just a love of good work and a sense of belonging to something bigger than any of us, something that has been central to Hamline life since 1888. Whether you took just one picture, wrote or edited one article or led the editorial staff, you are part of that tradition. It

has been my joy to have shared that with you.

I believe the best days of the Oracle lie ahead. Technology has given you new tools, the social and environmental challenges are more urgent and the staff brings more diversity and a wider worldview than ever before. One thing remains the same, and I think it is the magic ingredient: the Oracle is independent; it is not a class, it is not an academic program, it is not a newsletter for the university or the student government. The adviser works for you, not the university. Please keep that spirit alive. If you do, I will rest happy knowing that what we did will endure to make the Hamline community a better informed, fairer and more inclusive place.

David Hudson Professor of English Oracle Co-adviser

How do you feel about this semester ending earlier than usual?

Annika Roe Junior “I feel really rushed, and I don’t have time to finish everything. Overwhelming would be a good way to describe how I feel about school ending so early.”

Marine Lanchava Sophomore “In my opinion, ending the semester earlier than usual might have a couple of good consequences such as freer time for internships, work or other activities. However, shorter term also affects our experience in college.

If this situation only concerns one semester no worries, but if the same happens with the fall semester, it will be unfortunate for college students to lose school hours.”

Joshua Vang Sophomore “The semester ending sooner than usual feels a lot more stressful than usual considering the circumstances everyone is in right now. Not only does it feel more stressful but it really puts more pressure on both the students and the professors to readjust and work harder. I just hope that everyone gets through the semester feeling as though they gave it their all and did the best they could.”

Opinion 9

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

Concerta in a minor; an ode to study drug abuse

Will Nelson Senior Columnist wnelson08@hamline.edu

Adderall, Ritalin and the toxic culture of American higher education.

I’ VE NEVER EXPERIENCED burnout like this in my life. I feel like I’ve skidded to a complete stop six feet from the finish line, hems of my clothing smoldering gently and my face, elbows and knees covered with asphalt burn. Look into the distant, long-suffering eyes of any student on campus and you’ll know I’m not the only one feeling this way.

Spring: a time of new life, budding romance and study drug abuse.

The finals season of 2021 has

been a particularly bad one given the circumstances that I don’t feel the need to list. Conditions have been ripe for many students, myself maybe or maybe not included, to turn to things like Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta or Dexedrine to amp up their scholarly endeavors.

Before I started writing this, I decided to look around on the internet to see what “the experts” had to say about this topic. Like drug education in general in America, I found the results appallingly nearsighted and lacking.

Experts were quick to list “the dangers” of study drug abuse, citing things like mood swings, addiction, anxiety, heart attack and “loss of friends.” The tone of most of these resources was unbearably tongue-in-cheek and glib, essentially chalking up the problem to laziness on the part of students and suggesting that they get more sleep and try harder instead.

It also seems to me that adult professionals are generally under the impression that college students are using study drugs to ‘overachieve.’ This has not been my experience at all. The vast majority of students I know who use study drugs aren’t trying to

overachieve, they’re just trying to achieve. They’re just trying to scrape by.

College students have a lot going on these days. I was talking to my mom the other day over the phone and she mentioned her concern that my spending time at the protests in Brooklyn Center meant that I didn’t have enough time to focus on academics. I had a hard time trying to explain that I felt as if standing up for issues in the community that I care about is equally as important as the education that I’m sinking myself into a lifetime of debt to acquire.

Homework and protests aren’t the only things that students have to worry about either. We’re also trying to flesh out our identities, seek employment and housing, explore our sexualities and make friends. Is it so surprising that when we do find a moment to work on homework that we want, and perhaps need, to make most of it? That’s why students use study drugs.

From a student standpoint, it’s incredibly easy to blame your professors for overwhelming you with homework and exams, but that too is nearsighted. Professors are also experiencing pressures to set certain standards for their students, and even the most

empathetic and understanding of them still has to answer to curricular requirements.

The problem we have here isn’t one of lazy students, nor of inconsiderate professors, it’s a colossal, overarching problem with the culture of American higher education, and no amount of cute self-care Instagram infographics will be able to solve it.

Our education has become so numeric that a difference in a few digits of a test grade can determine whether or not a student can stay in their chosen career path.

There’s precious little room for students to shape their education to fit their needs and wants. The pressure to do well so frequently transcends the pressure to make healthy choices.

Students shouldn’t have to use chemical agents to succeed in college, and the fact that some of them feel as though they need to is a bigger problem than the fact that they do.

If used irresponsibly, study drugs are bad news and can be dangerous, but before we start shaming students for using them and using fear tactics to get them to stop, we should examine the problem within its societal context. Study drug abuse is just a symptom.

ILLUSTRATION | LEO COUGHENOUR, THE ORACLE

10 Sports Recruitment looks different but success stays the same

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

The Hamline women’s hockey team has had to change their approach to this year’s recruitment process but they still found ways to attract people to the rink.

Jilly Wortman Senior Reporter jwortman01@hamline.edu Out with one class and in with the next. Within a few months, the next class of Hamline athletes will be making their way through the doors of Walker and onto the field that they will soon call home. The process of getting them there has had to adapt to how the world is working these days. COVID-19 has made its way into yet another aspect of college life, athletic recruitment.

With everyone seeing fewer people, coaches have had to change their recruitment style.

“In a normal year we would have had our roster solidified by March,” Natalie Darwitz, head women’s hockey coach, said.

Both Hamline athletics and high school athletics have had their schedules pushed back to a later start date.

The women’s hockey team has had some benefits from COVID-19 this year.

Earlier this year the NCAA announced that all athletes would get an extra year of eligibility after this year. As a result, the hockey team has had a few seniors decide to come back. They will also be gaining a few transfer students coming

from DI schools.

“COVID threw a curveball to everybody so that’s just how it’s going to be next year and we’re going to have to make the best of it,” Darwitz said.

This year the women’s hockey team ended their season with a 4–2 record.

Next year there will be the biggest roster since Coach Darwitz started her career at Hamline.

“Normally we carry a roster of around 26 and next year it’ll be around the low 30’s,” Darwitz said.

Since everything was pushed back this year, things happened quicker than they normally would. Most coaches like to watch a recruit in action so they can

see what they are getting. Luckily many schools still had sports seasons this year.

“For us, a big part was going to games once they started which hasn’t changed much from a normal year,” Darwitz said.

Watching an athlete compete with a different team can often be indicative of their commitment to a competitive environment as well as skill level.

“The reason we’ve been successful in the past is because, yeah we have good players on the ice, but it’s the people in the locker room that’s really important to us,” Darwitz said.

The women’s hockey team has a history of success. They have reached two Frozen Fours and multiple national rankings.

“We have to get to know these kids and they have to be a good fit for our program. They have to be a piece of the puzzle, not the puzzle, and in a team sport that is crucial,” Darwitz said. The hockey team’s mentality is all about the team environment and atmosphere. With a group of individuals working together towards a common goal comes success on the ice.

In the end, the women’s hockey team had to adjust with the rest of the world, but through trusting the process they reached the end of the year with a team lined up for next year.

“We normally had more control but we had to relinquish all control and just say, we’ll see what happens and make the best of it and we have a bigger recruiting class because of it,” Darwitz said.

PHOTO | COURTESY OF HAMLINE ATHLETICS SCREENSHOTS | CATHRYN SALIS, THE ORACLE Online resources for potential recruits can be found on the Hamline Athletics website under the HU Recruits tab or in each team’s Recruit Me! tab on their pages. The potential recruits can fill out the form or reach out to the head coaches to start the process.

Sports 11

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

Weekly MIAC round-up Even though the semester is wrapping up, sports seasons are still weeks away from finishing, and the competitive spirit is alive and well in Hamline athletics.

Cathryn Salis Sports Editor csalis01@hamline.edu Lacrosse vs Wartburg April 21, 2021 W 18-3 The Hamline women’s lacrosse team came out of the gates swinging in their recent match against Wartburg. They scored four goals in the first four minutes and never let Wartburg catch their breath.

Sophomore Michaela Arnold scored the first goal of both halves in each of the first possessions.

This win over Wartburg has secured a position of the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference championship for the team for the third time. The Pipers are currently 5–0 in the MWLC and 7–4 overall this season.

Senior Alyssa Bryan-Jefferies performed strongly in goal to secure yet another win, and first-year Justine Case played the net for the last fifteen minutes of the second half.

The Pipers went into the second half with a 10–1 lead and were able to score eight more goals in the second half, netting number 11 two minutes into the last 40 minutes. They were successful in 16 of 17 clear attempts.

Women’s lacrosse will start competition in the MWLC tournament playoffs during the last week of instruction for undergrad students.

Bas e ba ll a t Uni ver si t y o f Wisconsin Superior April 21, 2021 W 5-4, W 19-2 Baseball took after women’s lacrosse on Wednesday, securing the lead at the very beginning of the doubleheader and not letting the reigns go. Junior Cullen Buck hit a single off the first pitch of the game and made it home off a failed pickoff, stealing third, and a wild pitch.

The second inning started in a similar fashion, with first year Colin Schuetz hitting a double and eventually making it home. In the next two innings, Hamline earned one run each and at the top of the fourth, the score was 4–0.

The UW-Superior Yellowjackets scored four times in the next two innings and at the seventh inning, it was tied at fours, sending the game to an eighth.

Sophomore Stephen Schmidt was sent home by senior Zack Langston from first and that would be enough to secure the win for the Pipers after a strong performance in the bottom of the inning.

The second game yielded the highest scoring game for the Hamline baseball team since 2016. The first inning was

PHOTOS | AIDAN STROMDHAL, THE ORACLE TOP: Junior Tara Deleo maintains posession during the women’s lacrosse match against Wartburg college.

BOTTOM LEFT: Junior Lindsey Bernardy took first place in the 400 meter dash and ran two other races.

BOTTOM RIGHT: First year Josh Lynch won the men’s pole vault competition yet again, with a height of 4.00 meters. scoreless, the second ended 2–0 Hamline, and the third ended 12–0.

The Yellowjackets scored their two runs in the fifth inning but the Pipers kept the heat coming. It did not hurt that they were hit by nine pitches in this game, either.

Hamline baseball is currently 3–5 in the MIAC and has many games to go for this season.

Tr a c k a n d F i e l d Hamline Showcase April 22 and 23, 2021 The men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in our home showcase on Friday and Saturday as our last outdoor meet of the regular season. There were many highlights and complete heat sheets can be found on the Hamline athletics page.

For the women’s team, junior Lindsey Bernardy won the 400 meter dash, finishing at

1:00.28. Junior Madison Feicke competed in the javelin throw and earned a distance of 28.72 meters. Junior Alexandra Maddux won the 800 meter dash in 2:13.35, Bernardy only seven seconds behind her. Junior Janneel Rodney won the hammer throw,

claiming a distance of 52.72 meters.

First year Josh Lynch took the men’s pole vault competition, clearing 4.00 meters. Junior Christian Velishek won the men’s high jump at 1.92 meters as well as the 200 meter dash, finishing in 22.73.

Sophomore Josh Peterson finished 0.17 seconds behind Velishek.

For the most up-to-date calendar and stats and to watch live events, visit hamlineathletics.com.

Variety 12

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021

Jumping for joy at new art on campus Talented sculpture student Janell Hammer created a frogalicious art piece to reside near the library.

Kathryn Robinson Senior Reporter krobinson12@hamline.edu Finals week is quickly approaching. Thankfully, now when students gaze out the window at the library, sweat rolling down their brow and stressed for the upcoming tests, they will be met with a large, friendly frog sculpture. Talented first-year student Janell Hammer is the artist behind the charming creation.

Hammer had never created a sculpture before coming to Hamline, but when her sculpture professor told the students to go big, Hammer ran with the opportunity.

“When I was thinking about what I wanted to do, I was thinking about what would be fun because this is the first time I was welding and using concrete,” Hammer said. “That’s when I thought, okay, maybe a frog.”

The significance of frogs for Hammer goes back before this assignment.

“Frogs are really nostalgic for me,” Hammer said.

“When I was younger my dad, brother and I would go catch frogs down by the river by our house.”

However, as nostalgic as frogs are for Hammer, the final version of the frog sculpture is based on a popular meme.

“There’s this meme of a frog sitting on the tailgate of a truck. The frog looked so sad and it was so funny to me, and that’s when I decided to make a large frog sitting on a log,” Hammer said.

A lot of time, planning and materials went into the making of the frog. The most impressive thing is that this is the first time Hammer has done anything

PHOTO | TALEAH ALLDRIFT, ORACLE This eye-catching frog boy sculpture, created by first year Janell Hammer, is made out of chicken wire and plaster. Her masterpiece can be spotted on Hewitt near Bush Library. like this.

“The outside of the frog is wire and it was a wire skeleton,” Hammer said. “Then we used chicken wire to do a layer on the outside, then mesh, and then mortar. I tried to make it as smooth as I could on the outside.”

The decision to put the finished frog sculpture by

the library was one that was decided by the entire sculpture class.

“Our professor wanted to replace the sculpture by the library, and we all voted,” Hammer said. “We thought it would be funny to have a random gold frog next to a library where people are studying to become nurses or something.”

Many students have indeed found the sculpture funny, and it has been widely accepted and loved.

First-year students Kate Kelley and Erika Albrecht both have nothing but kind remarks for the golden frog.

“It is my favorite thing at Hamline,” Kelley said.

“I walked out one day and saw the gold frog, and it made me so happy.”

Albrecht has similar feelings.

“I love the frog and I want it to be there forever,” Albrecht said. “It makes me really happy, and it shows the creativity of Hamline students.”

Having art on campus has certainly lifted the spirits of students, especially during this unusual year.

“Seeing the art on campus helps remind me that students are active and doing stuff, and it makes me interested in what others are doing since I am in such a science based field,” Kelley said.

As an artist herself, Hammer loves seeing art on campus, and it is especially important to her.

“It creates such a warm and homey atmosphere,” Hammer said. “I like seeing art on campus because you know someone put a lot of work into it, and it makes me feel like a community because people are contributing and adding to campus.

The frog sculpture is located outside of the Bush Memorial Library facing Drew Hall. There are many other art pieces around campus as well. A short walk around Hamline to see all of the wonderful art is sure to lift students’ spirits as finals week approaches.

What does fall orientation look like?

Current first years began their college careers working through their computer screens, but it would appear the incoming class may get the chance at more in-person events.

Z Martinez Senior Reporter aremmersmartinez01@hamline.edu Orientation for first-year students was altered in 2020, as with everything at Hamline. At first, new incoming students felt fairly nervous about not only being new college students but having to make connections virtually. It had been a hard transition, yet students rose to the challenge and reflected positively on Hamline’s choices.

First year Jasmin Munoz talked about how she believes Hamline did a good job in handling the very sudden situation and finding ways to make campus welcoming and safe for first-year students. She also felt that because so many events had to be canceled or moved online, she had missed out on what a typical first year looks like for a college student.

“I definitely think that I did miss out a little bit on the first year,” Munoz said.

“Because you know the first year you meet like new people, you join like groups and organizations. And you know we didn’t really get to do that.”

This is something that first year Isaac Alie also agreed with.

“Even though it was online I did get to meet and get close with a couple of people,” Alie said. “But I feel like it would have been a lot better if it was like in person like that relationship would have been built, even more.”

New Student Programs (NSP) has brought up the chance of there being a hybrid style introduction for incoming first-year students.

“The fall is still a little bit up in the air, because we haven’t received the recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health, regarding the

return to campus in the fall so we’re waiting to hear from that,” Becky Kaarbo said, the assistant director for NSP. Kaarbo also mentioned that some aspects of the upcoming year will still be in-person.

“We want to make sure that our new students experience campus for the first time outside of the pressures of their first day of class,” Kaarbo said. “It can be scary the first time to step on campus on moving day and then you go straight to your first class and so our orientation program will still work to bridge that and provide some programming on campus.”

Munoz felt that this is a step in the right direction and that incoming first year students will be able to make the transition from high school to college much easier.

“I actually think that’s kind of good, because we didn’t really get the whole experience,” Munoz said.

Despite feeling disconnected from their own first-year experience, both Munoz and Alie felt that Hamline handled the situation well given the circumstances.

“This was like the first time a scenario like this has come up, and they took action real quick, and they did the best that they could with what they had,” Alie said.

There are still plans for the hybrid-style meetings and events in the upcoming school year that will hopefully help new students adapt to their new college life.

“There’s not a ton specific about fall orientation that I would have to share right now, just because it could all change,” Kaarbo said. “But what we do know and what I can commit to is we will work hard to make sure that we prioritize the student experience in a way that… allows students to feel connected to campus [and] also keeps them safe and healthy.”