CHOIRS ON TOUR
A&E 5
ROB SPILLMAN VISITS
FEATURES 6
BASEBALL SWEEPS SIMPSON
SPORTS 12
LUTHER COLLEGE
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
CHIPS
APRIL 21, 2016
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
VOLUME 138, NO. 21
Cornel West and Robert George discuss civil discourse
Robert George and Cornel West converse with each other during a breakfast open to faculty and students on April 15. ANA LÓPEZ STAFF WRITER The Center for Ethics and Public Life and Campus Programming presented the spring Farwell Distinguished Lecture featuring McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Philosophy at Princeton Robert George and Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological University and Professor Emeritus at Princeton Cornel West, who delivered a lecture titled
“The Bond of Truth Seeking: Friendship and Integrity in an Age of Ideology” on Thursday, April 14 in the Center for Faith and Life. Their lecture touched on themes such as their own friendship, integrity, conviction and how to seek truth and understand differences in academic dialogue. George and West explained that their friendship began after an interview for the Princeton student magazine “The Green Light,” when West’s one-hour interview with George turned into a several hour conversation on truth
Megan Oliver / Photo Bureau
seeking, as well as the beginning of their long friendship. During the opening of his part of the lecture, West explained on a personal note the link that he has with disagreement in human relations. He mentioned the relationship he has with his friend and colleague Robert George, who he referred to as “conservative vanilla brother,” and to himself as a “left-wing chocolate brother” to emphasize their own ideological differences. WEST & GEORGE, PAGE 4
Decorah schools Center for Ethics and deal with threats Public Life re-envisioned KARL BADGER STAFF WRITER Decorah Public Schools and other area schools were on lockdown on Monday, April 11 after two teachers allegedly received threats from Bruce Divers Jr. of Decorah. Divers allegedly sent threats to the teachers via email and Facebook. According to Decorah Public Opinion, Divers, the boyfriend of a parent with a student attending Carrie Lee Elementary School, was angry over the school’s sexual education curriculum, particularly in regards to course material on masturbation. Divers was arrested on April 11 in his home with a no-bond warrant for one serious misdemeanor harassment charge and one simple misdemeanor harassment charge. Divers was also on probation for drug charges, and his harassment charges constitute a probation violation. A probation hearing will address his probation violation, and the charges against him on this Thursday, April 21 according to Decorah Public Opinion. LOCKDOWN, PAGE 4
MATIJA NIKOLIC STAFF WRITER
Associate Professor of History Victoria Christman has been named the next director of the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPL). Christman is expected to begin her five-year term in the fall of 2016. She is succeeding Assisstant Professor of Philosophy Greg Jesson, who started his term in 2012 following the founding director, Professor of Political Science John Moeller. In addition to naming a new director, the center is also undergoing significant re-visioning, including adopting a new name. Luther President Paula J. Carlson appointed a group of 10 faculty and staff to articulate programming possibilities and a new vision for the center. Recommendations included updates related to mission and structure and a revised name, changing “Public Life” to “Public Engagement.” Carlson believes Christman’s experience will make her a good fit as the new CEPL director.
“As the director of Luther’s international studies program, Victoria has demonstrated talent for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in her work with faculty and students,” Carlson said. In accordance with the new structure, Christman will be responsible for providing and encouraging opportunities for sustained conversation about public policy matters, emphasizing the relationship between liberal arts and active citizenship, affirming and advocating the ongoing quest for truth and promoting learning through active engagement, reflection and vocational discernment. Christman explained that she is pleased with the center’s previous achievements and hopes to make further developments in her time as director. “I think there are some very strong features of the existing CEPL such as the Imagine Scholars, Model UN, vocation visitors and research residencies,” Christman said. “They were all implemented over the course of the past nine years with great results and they [will] continue to thrive.” CEPL, PAGE 4
News
pAge 2 April 21, 2016
News editors: kAtie NelsoN & jAcob wArehime
Search for new pastor moves ahead, candidates visit campus Laura ProeschoLdt stAFF writer The search for a new campus pastor continued this week with a visit by the second candidate under consideration by the campus pastor call committee on Wednesday, April 13. The call committee, a group of eight students, faculty and staff charged with carrying out the search for a new campus pastor, is now considering two candidates to fill the position vacated by Pastor Amy Zalk Larson back in June 2015. According to Campus Pastor Mike Blair, due to budgetary considerations, the committee is not currently looking to fill the position vacated by David Vasquez back in January 2015. The first of the two candidates under consideration visited campus on April 4. Both campus visits by the candidates included a campus tour, lunch with Campus Ministries student leaders, a meeting with Luther President Paula J. Carlson, a meeting with the call committee and an afternoon forum open to all members of the campus community. The call committee initially selected three candidates to bring to campus after examining nearly 40 paper applications and conducting eight phone interviews prior to spring break, according to call committee member Carter Johnson (‘16). The third candidate did not visit campus, as they declined to continue with the selection process due to personal considerations. The call committee will meet on Tuesday, April 19 to discuss the visits and consider feedback submitted by students, faculty and staff. From there, the committee will decide to either recommend one of the two candidates currently under consideration to
members of the luther community listen during wednesday’s on-campus candidate visit. the President’s Office or to bring another candidate to campus. After the call committee recommends a candidate, the President’s Office will either extend an offer to the candidate or ask the committee to continue the search. According to Blair, the committee hopes to select a candidate by the conclusion of the semester so that the candidate may begin serving next fall. Blair also added that at this time, the committee asks that the candidates’ names and specific information about the candidates not be released on social media or printed in the news media. This decision stems from a desire to allow the candidates to inform their
“we’ve had the ability to pull candidates from all over the country and have some of of the strongest resume holders in the elcA. i mean, this is a well sought after position and these pastors have experience.” - brandon peck (‘16)
current congregations on their own terms that they are considering the Luther position. The candidates’ resumes are available to Luther students on katie.luther.edu under the course title “campus pastor search.” Students must self-enroll in the course to review the resumes. The two candidates are women ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Congregation Council Deacon of Worship Brandon Peck (‘16) says the high quality of the two candidates makes for a difficult decision for the call committee. “That’s the luxury of being Luther College,” Peck said. “We’ve had the ability to pull candidates from all over the country and have some of the strongest resume-holders in the ELCA. I mean, this is a highly sought-after position, and these pastors have tons of experience.” Congregation Council Deacon of Outreach Melissa Hrdlicka (‘17) agrees that the call committee faces a tough decision.
Laura Proescholdt / Chips
“After the first one [visited] I was like, ‘That’s it—hire her. We’re done. Stop looking,’” Hrdlicka said. “And then after this one [visited] I was like, ‘Dang it, I don’t know,’ because I liked both of them.” Peck says that the choice is hard because the candidates’ strengths lie in different areas. “Both of these candidates have very strong backgrounds in very different things, and I think their ages have a lot to do with that,” Peck said. “One candidate is younger, and she’s very in tune about this idea that the church is not some place that you go, but it’s something that you are and it’s something that you do. And she’s very in tune with things like the changes in the church.” The other candidate, according to Peck, brings a lot of experience to the table. “[She] is very institutionally-minded and knows what it’s like to function within a college setting,” Peck said. “[She] has all of this experience to back up every facet of what college ministries entails.” Johnson asks that members of the campus community contact the call committee if they have strong feelings about the two candidates, especially if they feel adamantly opposed to one candidate. Johnson says that as the call committee considers the candidates, the committee will keep in mind whether or not students felt connected to and energized by the candidate and how the candidate’s “gifts would complement what’s already here and what’s needed here” at Luther.
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Life outside Luther steVe PetersoN mANAgiNg editor
From left to right: duc le (‘18), linh Nguyen (‘18), joshua jackson (‘18), taylor gades (‘18), caleb Anderson (‘17), jusse hirwa (‘17) and william imoehl (‘17). Not pictured: lam Nguyen (‘17) and onward mahachi (‘18). Joram Mutenge / Chips JoraM MuteNGe stAFF writer Nine Luther College students participated in the 22nd annual Iowa Collegiate Mathematics Competition on Saturday, April 2. The competition, which was held at University of Northern Iowa (UNI), is an annual event organized by the Iowa section of the Mathematical Association of America. The competition does not have a fixed venue, and each year the winning school becomes the venue for the next competition. The competition allows a team of three students to work on 10 mathematical problems for three hours. There is no restriction on the number of teams a school can have participating in the competition but schools have to pay a $10 entry fee for every team. If a school has extra students they can form a combined team with other schools. This year, 11 different colleges and universities
with a total of 21 teams participated in the competition. Luther provided three of those teams; Team Sharks (comprised of Taylor Gades (‘18), Linh Nguyen (‘18) and Duc Le (‘18)), Team Derintegrand (comprised of William Imoehl (‘17), Caleb Anderson (‘17) and Lam Nguyen (‘17)) and Team Supernova (comprised of Joshua Jackson (‘18), Onward Mahachi (‘18) and Jusse Hirwa (’17)). Professor of Mathematics Ruth Berger said that Luther’s participants were selected based on their strong mathematical skills. “I asked my colleagues to help me select good math majors and sent out invitations to those students,” Berger said. “Some students already had other commitments for that day, but at Luther we have a large pool of excellent students to draw from.” Berger also added that compared to some of the other teams competing, Luther chooses to be more selective with their teams.
“Some colleges bring busloads of students,” Berger said. “But it’s not about the number, it’s about the good students.” Participant Mahachi said that the competition was tough, but he enjoyed the experience. “Although the competition was challenging, I found it really interesting, and I want to be part of next year’s competition,” Mahachi said. Hirwa also commented on how challenging the competition was. “The problems were structured in such a way that the first two were easy and the last two were almost impossible to solve,” Hirwa said. “The testswas different from a college test in that we had to remember everything we have ever learned in math.” The results of the competition were published two weeks after the competition on April 15. The University of Iowa came in first, finishing with 69 points, and Cornell College finished in second with 68 points. A team consisting of two students from Cornell and one student from Drake University finished third with 56 points. Luther College finished fifth with 50 points. As the winning school, University of Iowa was awarded the traveling trophy and will host next year’s competition. According to Berger, the last time Luther won the competition was in 2005. Berger said she hopes to see Luther emerge victorious in the near future.
Deadly Terror Attacks in Kabul, Afghanistan: According to BBC News, a deadly terror attack rocked the Afghan captial of Kabul on Tuesday, April 19. A suicide bomber detonated a vehicle in the center of the city which was followed by a fierce skirmish in the streets. The explosion was powerful enough to shatter windows over a mile away from the main blast. At the end of the day, 29 people had been confirmed dead and 329 people were seriously injured. It is reported that the majority of the causualites are civilian, although many soldiers and security officers are reported to be among the wounded and killed. A spokesman for the Taliban claimed that the group carried out the attack. This attack comes a few days after the group warned against large-scale attacks as part of its “spring offensive.” The attack was carried out in the neighborhood of Pul-e-Mahmud. The area is primarily home to households, mosques and schools but it is close to the Afghan Ministry of Defense and other government institutions. Majority of ObamaCare Co-Ops expected to collapse: According to Money-CNN.com, eight of the eleven remaining ObamaCare Co-Ops are in critical condition and expected to fail by the end of 2016. The Co-Ops were initially funded by $2.4 billion in taxpayer dollars. 12 of the original 23 government sponsored Co-Ops have already failed. In the latest indiciation of instability in the marketplace under the Affordable Care Act, UnitedHealth, the nations largest health insurer, announced on Tuesday that it would be pulling back from its commitment to ObamaCare and will reduce its participation in the program’s insurance exhanges to just a small group of states. CEO Stephen Hemsley and UnitedHealth’s board of directors made their decision based on expected losses totalling over $1 billon. Insurers say they had to deal with customers who signed up for coverage outside regular enrollement and dumped expensive claims on their books. Analysts expect other insurers to follow UnitedHealth in 2017, especially if high costs continue groups to struggle financially.
NeWs
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NeWs ediTors: KaTie NeLsoN & JaCob Warehime
CEPL hosts George and West GEorGE & WEst, Page 1 West talked about his relationship with George in context of the lecture. “This is an analogy to what it means to be able to have genuine relations,” West said. “To be able to relate at a human level even given your disagreement.” In their lecture, West and George touched on how to answer questions about what it means to be human and engage in conversations about truthseeking. “You shouldn’t believe something with too much conviction, because who knows who is right or wrong?” George said. “The real argument is for intellectual humility, and not for skepticism. The [argument] is that we should have no dogma because dogma is the enemy of truth.” During the lecture, West explained why he believes that today’s society is
in deep trouble as we become more insensitive to immoral activities. West said that seeking truth and understanding is essential to solve the crisis he talked about. “This is a moral and spiritual crisis,” West said. “To be committed to the life of the mind is on one hand to be able to acknowledge the joys of the endless search for truth, and youth and goodness.” Lecture attendee Pedro López Vega (‘17) explained how the lecture was an enlightening experience for his academic development. “The lecture was an amazing experience that gave me the opportunity to see two academic giants,” López said. “They showed how discussion with people that hold different views doesn’t have to end with one view being right or wrong.” During their conversation of integrity, the lecturers touched on
democracy and the current political situation. For Jared Nicolaisen (‘19), this aspect of the lecture was important for him as a student. “They brought ideas from both sides of the political spectrum which I haven’t considered before,” Nicolaisen said. After George and West had the opportunity to deliver their lecture, there was a question and answer section, followed by a reception where Luther alums, faculty, staff and students could gather to talk to West and George. There was also a breakfast reception the next day to offer more question and answer opportunities or for casual conversation for faculty and students in Peace Dining Room. Students filled the room, many of whom were standing. West and George got involved in a lively conversation that included
Cornel West and guy Nave speak before dinner. Annika Vande Krol / Photo Bureau discussions on the nature of liberal arts education and other various topics. This was an opportunity for
students to ask questions and involve in conversation on a more individual basis.
CEPL names Decorah schools lock new director down in wake of threats CEPL, Page 1
Christman is also glad that it is an election year, as she believes that it will be a good start time to her work at the center. “One of the great coincidences of my appointment is that it begins during the final stages of a national election cycle,” Christman said. “Hopefully, that will get the campus thinking and talking about issues that are both intellectual and inherently practical.” Christman looks forward to making the revised CEPL a place that focuses on fostering community and conversation. “When I think of what the CEPE might look like five years from now, I imagine a place brimming with activity,” Christman said. “I envision ongoing partnerships with numerous groups on campus, an active, symbiotic relationship with stakeholders in the Decorah community and beyond, and a physical location on campus where student leaders, faculty, and staff feel free to come together and discuss ideas formally and informally. My hope is that it will be a place bustling with activity and conversation, where the exchange of ideas is constant and unbounded.” Jesson is departing with great memories and hopes that the center will continue to help Luther grow. However, he believes students need to constantly evaluate their priorites in order to acheive this task. He believes that the years students spend at a liberal arts college are a unique chance for them to learn how to really think, speak and write, as they will be applying those skills throughout their professional lives in the future. “You need people who disagree with you, as they will challenge you and push you [forward],” Jesson said. “[British author] Malcolm Malldridge said that the only fish that goes with the stream is the dead fish.” The Center for Ethics and Public Life started in 2006 by a $2.9 million anonymous gift to the college, and its purpose is to engage students in ethical reflection about the challenging issues that affect the public from a local, national and global perspective. The means of achieving this goal are encouraging and supporting deep reflection about ethical matters and responsible citizenship; the CEPL helps students connect the pursuit of learning with what it means to live a meaningful life.
LoCkdoWn, Page 1
On April 11, all schools underwent a lockdown in response to the threats. Police patrol cars were stationed outside of the school and officers were in the school at the beginning of the day to make sure the school remained secure. According to Decorah Police Chief Bill Nixon, the process went over without incident. “Whenever we have an incident like this, it’s a good test of the system,” Nixon said. “There are positive things that come out of these events. We found that communication worked as it should have between our different organizations. Things flowed as we would expect them to.” Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx stressed that he felt the measure taken by the school district was necessary, citing the safety of the children in the schools. “When it comes to children, or any threat, we’re going to take it very seriously,” Marx said. “If we’re wrong, we empathize with people’s inconveniences, but this is a big issue to not take seriously.” Alayna Nelson (‘16) was student teaching at Decorah Middle School when the lockdown took place. Although it was a difficult situation, she does not feel that it added to her teaching work experience. “I haven’t been deterred from teaching from that incident,” Nelson said. “I was actually teaching full-time at this point and I had to do a lot of thinking on my feet due to the large amount of students missing. Many parents decided to keep their students home, so they weren’t all there. While it wasn’t the most ideal situation, I did learn how to react to this sort of situation and how to carry on as normal as possible.” In the aftermath of the incident, Luther education professors made note of how the changing nature of the education profession can lead to the exacerbation of complaints over curriculums. Associate Professor of Education Barbara Bohach, a former elementary school teacher, pointed out how increased access to technology has made it easier to express frustrations in the way that Divers did. “When someone is upset about what’s going on, [email and technology makes] it very easy to send
Teachers at Carrie Lee were sent threatening messages on april 11. Karl Badger / Chips comments,” Bohach said. “Sometimes you should be stepping back and taking a different route than putting things on Facebook or putting things in an email.” Associate Professor of Education and Assessment Coordinator Jeannette Pillsbury, a former K-8 principal, said that the incorporation of more socially oriented issues in curricula has also caused frustrations in the past. “The minute schools were expected to teach about struggles of society, which sex-ed fits into, that added to the tension even before technology made the responses [to curriculum issues] more volatile,” Pillsbury said. Pillsbury also gave advice to aspiring teachers by giving suggestions on how to handle such a situation. “If you found yourself at the receiving end like that teacher, don’t go at it alone,” Pillsbury said. “Make sure you know from the start that you should be communicating with the principal.” This situation was not something Nelson learned how to deal with in her Ed classes, though she says it would be hard to teach. “My education classes never prepared me for something like this,” Nelson said. “Discussions on how to handle this happening as a teacher [would be helpful].We’ve all been through the drills as students, but the reaction teachers have need to be completely different and very professional. However, schools have very different protocols, so it makes it hard to actually teach students what exactly happens during these situations.”
Arts & EntErtAinMEnt
pAgE 5
A&E Editor: JEnnA nElson
April 21, 2016
luther choirs tour the Midwest cathedral. students in Cathedral Choir warm up at Holy trinity lutheran Church in Ankeny, iowa. the choir traveled to four locations in iowa, Missouri and Minnesota. Photo courtesy of Abby Mark elyse Grothaus stAff WritEr Spring semester means hard work and preparation for members of Luther’s Cathedral Choir, Collegiate Chorale and Nordic Choir as they embark on spring tours. All three choirs traveled throughout the Midwest on weekend tours where they performed in churches and schools. Coordinator for Choral Music Marketing and Tours Eric Ellingsen (‘99) has been busy organizing and preparing for spring choral tours. He explained the basic setup of these tours. “Most of the time for these tours, we go to hometowns of choir members or hit hotbeds where there are lots of alumni,” Ellingsen said. “We try to stay within the Midwest for these spring tours, usually staying within Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. Cathedral typically has a three day tour and Collegiate has a four day tour. Nordic has a weekend runout during the spring separate from their big tour in January.” On Friday, April 8 at 4:30 a.m., Cathedral Choir left for Kansas City, Missouri, the first stop on their tour. From there, they drove to Ankeny, Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa, and Mankato, Minnesota. Cathedral Choir performed in a variety of churches and high schools. According to choir president Isaiah Cammon (‘18),
their final concert in Mankato, Minnesota, was special because his family and friends were able to attend. However, even in the smaller venues, Cammon said that they were able to share the gift of music with the audience. “We sang for a small audience at the church in Kansas City, but I will never forget there was this old man in the front, and he just had his eyes closed the whole time, and he was smiling and moving his head with the music,” Cammon said. “Even though the crowd was small, we were able to make an impact on them.” Collegiate Chorale, under the direction of Assistant Professor of Music Andrew Last (‘97), left for tour on Thursday, April 14. Their tour brought them through Mason City, Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Janesville, Wisconsin, and Bloomington, Minnesota. The theme of their concert was related to death and the question of what happens after Alyssa Wildenauer (‘17) explained what the process of preparing for tour was like. “Rehearsals preparing for tour have been very focused lately,” Widenauer said. “We had a little less time to prepare for tour because we sang at a conference earlier in the semester, so that meant we had a lot of intense and focused rehearsals lately. We also met outside of choir in small groups to prepare and rehearse more.” On Friday, April 8, Nordic Choir traveled to Mahtomedi,
Minnesota, for their spring runout tour. They performed two mass pieces with a professional orchestra on Saturday, April 9. From there, Nordic traveled to West Des Moines, Iowa, and performed in two church services. The spring runout is different than the full tour that Nordic Choir does during January Term because it only lasts for a couple days. According to Ellingsen, Nordic Choir practices and works toward this tour during spring semester. Kristy Housholder (‘16) has toured with Nordic choir for three years now under the direction of Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music Allen Hightower. Not only was this Housholder’s final tour, but it was also the final tour that Nordic will ever take with Hightower. “I think we all went into this tour knowing that we needed to appreciate this time,” Housholder said. “I think the last runout is always special because it is the last tour for the senior class, but with the added element of it being Dr. Hightower’s last tour, it made us take in every moment and every note and never take him for granted.” Assistant Professor of Music
Jennaya Robison (‘96) directs Cathedral Choir. She explained why tour is so important for the choirs and the college. “I think the importance of touring is threefold,” Robison said. “It is recruitment for potential student It is also retention for current students, especially when you get into the major touring
ensembles because touring is part of the reason why students want to be in those groups and stay in the music program. The third reason is that we are a college of faith tradition and we are here to spread a message, and the opportunity to spread the message of our program this week was very important.”
nordic. nordic members on bus one travel to Mahtomedi, Minnesota, for their spring runout tour. Photo courtesy of Cecillia Shutt
colleGiate. Collegiate Chorale performing robert ray’s “gospel Mass” during their concert in Janesville, Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of Eric Ellingson
FeatuReS
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FeatuReS editoR: eRika StoRvick
Spillman leads workshop author and editor Rob Spillman discusses his story and creative writing processes with students. Emma Schlabach StaFF WRiteR As part of the tour for his memoir, “All of Tomorrow’s Parties,” the editor of the literary magazine “Tin House” Rob Spillman conducted a writing workshop on campus on Thursday, April 14. He spoke to both Associate Professor of English Amy Weldon and Adjunct Faculty in English Keith Lesmiester’s (‘01) creative writing courses. Later that evening, Spillman also hosted an event at Dragonfly Books downtown. Owner of Dragonfly Books Kate Rattenborg (‘83) collaborated with Weldon and Lesmeister to bring Spillman to campus. “One of the things we do as an independent bookstore is we try to reach out to a few authors and illustrators when they are on tour for a book that has just come out,” Rattenborg said. “Rob Spillman is someone we know through Amy Weldon’s connections on campus, so it was kind of a joint process of reaching out to him.” According to Weldon, she met Spillman through a literary academic connection. As part of his Midwest tour, he offered to stop by Luther. “He took time he didn’t really have to come here,” Weldon said. Spencer Young (‘18), a member of Lesmeister’s creative writing course, participated in Spillman’s workshop. He appreciated the opportunity to work with Spillman
living mEmoir. Rob Spillman delivers a talk at a reading of his memoir at Dragonfly Books. in person and was excited about his presence on campus. “I thought [the events with Spillman] were very personal, which is very important for him and for people who want to take something out of it,” Young said. “I think you need that personality and that connection there to really draw something out of it.” Other students appreciated the way Spillman approached the close reading of text. “My favorite part of Rob’s visit was listening to him dissect small passages of text, analyzing small passages of text
“You may not like what the writer is doing, but you can appreciate what they’re doing.” - Rob Spillman
and having things to look for in the first 300 words,” Sarah Rickertsen (‘16) said. “As a writer and editor, that was prime advice.” Spillman’s in-class workshop was based on a course that he taught previously, in which the writer works on gaining the reader’s trust from the beginning. “It is a semester-long course on establishing authority [in writing] and in it, I only look at the first 300 words,” Spillman said. “By authority, I mean trusting the writer to where you can just give yourself over.” As an avid writer himself, Spillman emphasized the idea that the audience has to trust the writer for the work to be effective and appreciated. “I liken it to a handshake, a handshake
crEativE intErSEction. Rob Spillman uses a venn diagram as part of his creative writing workshop for students. Emma Schlabach / Chips
Emma Schlabach / Chips
from the author that you are going to accept,” Spillman said. “You may not like what the writer is doing, but you can appreciate what they’re doing.” Young admires Spillman’s analogy of likening a reader’s trust to a handshake. After participating in the workshop, he hopes to implement some of Spillman’s strategies into his own work. “I like the way [Spillman] would talk about the words on the page, especially the moment where the author sticks out their hand and says, ‘Here’s the handshake of my story, and you can either take it or leave it’,” Young said. “I really strive to be like that in my own writing and to have something that grabs the reader.” Young also liked the structure of Spillman’s workshop, which focused on reading the first 300 words of other writers’ work and discussing how those authors won over their readers. “Too often in a creative writing track, you get young, happy-go-lucky writers like me that just want to write,” Young said. “Then you never learn from other writers … It’s [reading] that literature that really builds up your writing skills and your writing voice.” Young mentioned his excitement in anticipation of reading Spillman’s newly published memoir, but he especially loves the newest edition of Tin House magazine, which Spillman edits. “Everyone needs to read the newest Tin House issue [which is an issue on faith],” Young said. “I feel that faith has to do with every person’s life here at this college, and it is a very, very rich issue on exploring faith from all perspectives.” Weldon had positive things to say about the benefits Spillman’s visit had, both for professors and students. “I consider this to be pretty directly benefiting students through a professor’s professional connections,” Weldon said. “That’s why it’s important for professors to have these professional connections—to pass on these connections to students.”
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thE hunting ground. FRom leFt: Officer Byron Hook from the Decorah Police Department, Elizabeth Pfile from the Winneshiek Medical Center, Title IX Coordinator Matt Bills, Student Life Health Resources Advocate Janet Hunter, Brigid Burke (`18), Jessica Rupp from Riverview Center, Amy Pfister from the Winneshiek County Medical Center discuss issues of sexual assault after “The Hunting Ground” viewing. Jana Mueller / Chips
NASA hosts documentary, discussion Jana muEllEr StaFF WRiteR
As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Norse Against Sexual Assault (NASA) is sponsoring activities to foster conversation and develop awareness. For one of these events, NASA showed the documentary, “The Hunting Ground,” on Wednesday, April 13 in Valders 206 at 7 p.m. A panel discussion followed the film.
“The Hunting Ground” is an award-winning documentary about sexual assault on college campuses. It focuses on two female sexual assault survivors and their journey to get colleges to listen when students report an assault or rape. The women travel across the country to different campuses and speak to students about how to advocate for themselves. “I think that something like this is so important to see for our campus,” member of NASA Cecilia
Mitchell (‘17) said. “It is emotional and it causes frustration. Rape is a hard thing to talk about, and the intenseness of the movie is a good way to show how people feel about rape and sexual assault.” The premise of the documentary is to reveal that big name schools, including Harvard Law and Swarthmore, do not listen to their students when they report a sexual assault or rape. According to the movie, the presidents and deans
Supporting SurvivorS. Hannah Butler and Jessica Rapp pose with a community tapestry, which represents individuals who stand together to raise sexual assault awareness and supports survivors. Photo courtesy of NASA facebook page
of the schools are more concerned about keeping their reputation. A common theme in the interviews was that alumni giving provides major financial support for schools, and if alumni think there is a sexual assault problem on campus, they are less likely to give as much. “Rape is a really terrible thing, but many survivors will tell you that the aftermath is even worse than the attack,” Mitchell said. “People don’t believe them, they lose friendships, and sometimes they get threats for accusing someone of the assault. What NASA is looking to do is stand in solidarity with survivors and be a resource for them.” Brigid Burke (‘18), a member of NASA and volunteer advocate at Riverview Center in Decorah, is passionate about this issue. She spoke sbout what to say and what not to say to someone after they have been assaulted. “Never tell someone what to do or that they should get help, because they need to be able to make that decision on their own,” Burke said. “Instead of asking someone about what they were drinking or wearing, etc., ask, ‘What can I do for you?’ Tell them that you believe them, and then be a resource for whatever they may need.” Burke also believes that in order to be effective, sexual assault education needs to start earlier. “We need to start sexual assault
awareness at the high school and middle school level,” Burke said. “I will soon be talking to the principals at a few different high school to see if they can start sexual assault awareness in their health classes. By the time kids reach college, it is almost too late to learn; however, I believe that if we start education at an early level, then we will be able to create change in the mindset of kids.” Even if you didn’t learn about this in high school, there is still time to be involved. NASA is an open group and everyone of all genders, ethnicities and orientations are more than welcome to join. “Anyone and everyone who wants to be involved with NASA is more than welcome to,” Mitchell said. “We have people who are survivors, who are friends with survivors, and who are there just because they are passionate about it and want to help. Our meetings are amazing. I always leave feeling like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders because of the discussions we have.” According to the Associate Director of Human Recources, Title IX Coordinator and NASA faculty adviser Matthew Bills, NASA was formed around November 2015 but is not yet an official organization. Looking ahead, members hope to formalize a mission statement, a leadership structure and a transition plan to help maintain momentum for next year. NASA is also sponsoring several other events for the rest of Sexual Assault Awareness month, including bystander intervention training on April 20, Denim Day on Wednesday, April 27, and a Rally Against Sexual Assault on Saturday April 30 where there will be a chance to hear student groups perform and listen to survivors’ stories. “We are a resource for the Luther community,” Bills said. “Currently, we are working on policies, education and awareness. Sexual Assault Awareness Month is still happening!” If you or someone you know is interested in joining NASA, or if you simply have a question, email them at nasa@luther.edu.
arts & EntErtainMEnt
pagE 8 april 21, 2016
a&E Editor: JEnna nElson
the water street music series presents “mozart Underground”
performing with professors. (From left) Heather armstrong, Jim griesheimer, Michelle Brown (‘18) and anneliese Braaten (‘18) perform a classical piece for an audience in decorah’s Courtyard and Cellar. Katrina Meyer / Chips katrina meyer staFF WritEr A group of Luther students and music faculty performed a variety of lesser known Mozart and Bach pieces as a part of Mozart Underground with the Water Street Music Series in The Courtyard and Cellar on Saturday April 16. The performance was a unique one
in a number of ways, starting with the location. According to Assistant Professor of Music Jennaya Robison (‘96) who sang as a part of the ensemble, The Cellar provided a unique venue for the chamber music. It created an atmosphere very different from the traditional classical concerts where Bach and Mozart are typically featured. “I’m really looking forward to
cellar concerts. griesheimer conducts a piece that featured alumni guest lecturer in Music Jill phillips (‘10) and cellist sarah Bauer (‘18). Katrina Meyer / Chips
putting it all together in a setting that’s different from any concert I’ve ever done,” Robison said before concert. “I haven’t ever done a concert that isn’t in a concert hall or school or church, so this will be my first concert venue that’s more off the beaten path.” The group was led by Professor Emeritus Jim Griesheimer, who played oboe and introduced all of the pieces. The introduction of each piece was another part of the unique atmosphere of the concert. Coordinator for Instrumental Music Marketing and Tours and clarinetist for the performance Kate Ailabouni (‘10) explained the value of the introductions Griesheimer gave. “Instead of program notes, it [was] guided by Jim Griesheimer,” Ailabouni said. “He has a really great lecture style that’s rooted in storytelling, and he has a phenomenal memory, so he just has a way of pulling you into the lives behind the music. I think that [was] fun to have in advance of hearing each work.” Another unique aspect of the concert was the casual setting. Many audience members got drinks at the bar to enjoy during the concert. None of the performers were in traditional concert dress and the audience was not dressed as formally as they might normally be for a classical concert. Cellist Sarah Bauer (‘18) was excited for the casual elements of the concerts. “It’s [was] in The Cellar and we were told to just dress nice and casually,” Bauer said. “People [were] drinking, eating and listening to some really great music.” The difference in atmosphere was evident to the attendees. Violinist
Arwen Inman (‘19) explained why it was a refreshing experience. “It was more of a personal experience,” Inman said. “I liked experiencing classical music like that.” Another important aspect of the concert was the music performed. When Griesheimer was putting together the program he selected lesser-known pieces by the two master composers. He explained the value in playing the lesser-known works of famous composers. “There is a ton of great music out there that is never heard,” Griesheimer said. “So this [was] a chance to show off some of these marvelous pieces that are only obscure because Bach wrote so much music that you just can’t get around to everything.” Elizabeth Glennon (‘19), another violin student at the performance, agreed that it was nice to not hear the typical Mozart and Bach chamber repertoire. “It was nice to hear some pieces by such a famous composer that aren’t traditionally played that much,” Glennon said. The Water Street performance was also refreshing for the performers, according to bassoonist Joseph Cowan (‘19). “My favorite part [of the experience] is getting to play music for winds that I probably would never get to play with another group,” Cowan said. The concert, which drew large audiences to the two performances at 4 and 7 p.m., brought together the Luther and Decorah communities for a unique take on Mozart, Bach and classical music overall.
OPINION
PAGE 9
MANAGING EDITOR: STEVE PETERSON
Luther College Chips Chips is a student publication of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The paper is designed, composed edited and managed entirely by Luther students. It is published weekly during the academic year, excluding the month of January. The opinion section is designed to provide a forum for Chips, its staff members and the Luther community. Opinions expressed in articles, editorials and columns do not necessarily represent the views of the Chips staff. The author is solely responsible for opinions expressed in Chips commentary. Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements. Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document to chipsedt@ luther.edu with Letter to the Editor as a subject line. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing without changing the meaning of the letter. Authors will not be notified of changes prior to publishing. Letters must be signed, 300-400 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before production. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor. Contact Chips: Phone: 563-387-1044 Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips
Spring 2016 Staff Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: News Editors:
Anna Jeide Steve Peterson Katie Nelson Jacob Warehime Features Editor: Erika Storvick A&E Editor: Jenna Nelson Sports Editor: Danny May Staff Writers: Karl Badger Elizabeth Bonin Elyse Grothaus Lily Kime Sidney Larsen Ana López Katrina Meyer Jana Mueller Joram Mutenge Matija Nikolic Laura Proescholdt Emma Schlabach Head Copy Editor: Cameron Meyferth Copy Editors: Bethany Seavers Templeton Olivia Benson Ad Representatives: Alex Brandt Jesse Anderson Ad Accountant: Tyler Hovey Layout and Design Technician: Cameron Meyferth Photography Coordinator: Katie Nelson Photographer: Steve Peterson Web Manager: Michael Vann Social Media Director: Nora Sell Distribution Manager: Elizabeth Hurley Adviser: Laura Fuller
APRIL 21, 2016
Student finds issues with advertisment Letter to the Editor I am writing you to address an announcement that I noticed in the April 14 issue of Chips. The announcement can be found on page three which is sponsored by the Winneshiek County Republicans. I usually don’t contribute my voice but now feel the need to do so. I find this announcement problematic in that it thrives upon the use of colorblind ideology. Colorblind ideology is a form of racism that wants us to ignore racialization as a legitimate force within institutions, inequality and oppression. Common phrases of this ideology include: “I don’t see color. I treat everyone the same,” “Race does not matter,” “By bringing up race, you are racist,” “You truly judge people on the content of their character and not the color of the skin” (as mentioned in the announcement), and the list goes on and on. I am not criticizing Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of judging people on the content of their character and not the color of the skin. This is King’s hope, or vision, for the future that one day we will achieve this. However, in the year of 2016 in the United States of America we have not yet achieved such a position where race does not hold such a powerful and societal construction, with regards to the life chances of people of color. Taken out of context, this phrase is contorted to fit the colorblind ideology. The quote is now interpreted as: if one can simply ignore race and see us all as humans, we would
all be better. In fact, when we use phrases like this, we are admitting that we don’t want to talk about race, but praise ourselves that racism is finally over and racial inequality ceases to exist. Rather, the opposite: racism thrives because of its structural functionality. Color and racial differences SHOULD be celebrated, not ignored. For we are called to thrive in our diversity rather than denying its existence and once again whitewash history. It seems that we are more concerned about being called racist then we are about racism. We are all racist. We live, breath and operate in a racist society and therefore cannot help but to breath in the dense smog of colorblind ideology and be affected by such saturation. I always like to have hope in my life as an activist, so I figured I would leave you with some. We created colorblind ideology, and we can deconstruct and eliminate such ideology. When we hear our classmates, professors, parents, siblings and people of everyday interaction use colorblind ideology, we can choose to speak out and refuse to remain silent, complacent and comfortable not talking about race. We can educate ourselves and others about the systemic nature of racism and not just point fingers and blame individuals. We can start to chisel away at the systems of oppression, but the work is hard. Some days I wish I could simply be complacent and stay silent while this issue persits. But my faith in God compels me to to love my neighbors as myself and strive for justice and peace for those in the margins, for that is where God is. When we come together and unite for justice, we can truly live out the mission of our institution to “serve with distinction for the common good” and “care for all God’s people.”
“For we are called to thrive in diversity rather than denying its existence and once again, whitewash history.” - William Cook (‘18)
Norse Poll:
“I try to be open minded and hear them out and actually consider their opinion and take it to heart and see how that matches or doesn’t match with my own opinion.” -Katie Yarwood (‘17)
Signed, William Cook (‘18)
How do you engage in discourse with those who have a different opinion than you do?
“I love to debate so if someone has a valid opinion, I love to talk that out and give our evidence against each other and just talk it out. But not in a hostile way. And just be friendly afterwards.” -Sarah Grabe (‘17)
“It is important to acknowledge that they may have a background different from your own that has caused them to gain their beliefs. And don’t use insults. Be courteous.” -Krista Mathistad (‘17)
opinion
pAge 10 ApriL 21, 2016
MAnAging ediTor: STeve peTerSon
A bid for Student Senate Letter to the Editor This Thursday and Friday is your chance, as a student, to vote for president and vice president of next year’s Student Senate. We, Betsy Fawcett (‘17) and Kyle Knoke (‘17), are asking for your support in this election. As an RA and President of Luther College Democrats and the Junior Class Representative, respectively, we have spent the last
three years pushing for comprehensive policies that improve life for students and encourage campus involvement to empower the Luther community. As a student who has not been directly involved in Student Senate during her Luther career, Betsy looks forward to bringing new perspective and leadership to Senate. She is running for Senate President because she believes in the importance of continuing Senate’s efforts this year to increase the visibility of Student Senate on Luther’s campus. As an RA for first-years, she understands the incredible value of knowing what resources are available to students, but she also knows that it can be hard to find and utilize these resources. As Student
Senate President, she will make it her foremost goal to ensure that Senate, as a body, and representatives individually are held accountable to those that they represent. As a first-year, Kyle worked with the Senate Finance Committee to rewrite the committee bylaws to make funding more accessible to student organizations. He voted to pass common-sense medical amnesty that protects students from discipline for helping their fellow students. As a third year, Kyle sat on the student life and campus life committees. There, he worked with peers and faculty to identify issues on campus and advocated for comprehensive long-term solutions
that will improve the quality of life of students for years to come. As Student Senate Vice President, Kyle wants to continue to listen and be a voice for change. We want to hear from you! Betsy and Kyle welcome Luther students to contact them with concerns either by email or in person. Student Senate works best when we can work with you, our colleagues, friends and constituents to identify campus-wide issues and work together to find long-term comprehensive solutions. Signed, Betsy Fawcett (‘17) Kyle Knoke (‘17)
Senate File 2318: reform in mental health Letter to the Editor Anyone reading this can likely cite tragic examples that have proven to be societal challenges due to the inadequate and ineffective mental health services throughout Iowa. In the last several years, shootings in the United States have tended to have at least one of two common themes: access to guns and individuals, usually men, who have untreated mental health issues. We commend the Iowa General Assembly for its efforts to address the patchwork of mental health services offered for the past 100 years, starting in 2013 with a complete redesign of the mental health system. However, it is now time to complete that work by providing our counties and mental health/ disability services regions with sustained and permanent funding. This is the only way the State of Iowa can meet the underlying goal of the redesign process: to provide access to an expanded level of quality services to all Iowans at an affordable and consistent cost throughout each region. There is currently proposed legislation in the Iowa Senate which, if passed and signed into law by Governor Branstad, will complete this critical funding piece. It is the best of all political worlds: lowers
property taxes statewide, allows for local flexibility to respond to mental health needs and maintains controls to protect taxpayers. Senate File 2318 needs to be passed and signed by Governor Branstad to prevent the disintegration of the successful regional approach to mental health services implemented in 2013. Historically, Iowa has relied on each county to fund and provide mental health services. The funding was primarily property tax. The funding for that system changed in 1996, when the property taxes were capped at about $50 million and the state and counties shared the increased funding going forward. SF 2318 eliminates the 1996 property tax cap and allows the regions—which work with each county’s board of supervisors—to provide sustained funding that is needed to respond to the mental health needs of each area in Iowa. SF 2318 is supported by all the county boards of supervisors and nearly all elected county supervisors, as well as regional mental health officials, and will ensure that every county pays their fair share for mental health service. It is important to point out that Iowa taxpayers are still protected as the regions expand to meet mental health needs. Counties and mental health regions must still have the state approve their services plans, the resulting budgets and any changes to those budgets before they can be implemented. Regions
cannot maintain more than a 25 percent fund balance. Currently, because of the dollar cap freeze, Iowa has small, rural counties subsidizing the most prosperous and growing counties, primarily Johnson, Scott and Polk Counties. SF 2318 is supported by these county and regional officials. With the implementation of SF 2318, property taxes for mental health for 73 small, rural counties could drop, and another 15 would probably see no change to their tax structure. Current projections for fiscal year 2017 show only up to 11 counties could see an increase. But the savings statewide in property tax from this bill would be $7.5 million. As the General Assembly moves toward adjournment, it must resist the urge to let this issue go one more year. The state mental health system needs to have long-term funding to move toward adequate services for its own citizens. Passage of SF 2318 is the right thing to do for the state of Iowa, the right thing to do in support of the state’s ongoing efforts to address the needs related to mental health, and more importantly, passing this into law is the right thing to do for the citizens of Iowa
“The state mental health system needs to have long-term funding to move towards adequate services for its own citizens.” -Senator Mark Segebart and Bob Lincoln
Signed, Senator Mark Segebart, Senate District 6 and Bob Lincoln, Director CSS Mental Health Region
Bicyclist and pedestrian safety reminders Letter to the Editor Now that it is finally spring and more and more people are outside enjoying the weather, I want to extend a reminder to the Luther community about bicycle and pedestrian safety. While my following account may seem trivial, I hope to provide greater education and awareness on bicycle laws and guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety when enjoying the outdoors this spring and summer. Small measures such as wearing a helmet, using hand
signals or having lights when riding at night can make a huge difference in terms of recreational safety. Not wearing a helmet while riding a bike is a safety hazard and most major injuries while biking are caused by not wearing a helmet. So, do yourself a favor and please wear one! Not using a hand signal is like not using your turn signal in a car. Since no one can telepathically communicate their intentions (yet), please use visual hand signals. Under Iowa state law, you are required to be equipped with a white light on the front and a red light or reflector on the back of your bike when riding at night. In addition to these measures, cyclists often follow the same rules of the road as motor vehicles. Obeying traffic
lights, stop signs and other traffic laws are also important. Biking on sidewalks can also be a safety hazard, even greater than biking on the road. With a smaller amount of pavement, cyclists often have to go around pedestrians and even off the paved walkway. This can cause personto-person bike crashes and even just general bike crashes. Since Luther’s campus is largely sidewalks, please exercise caution when using them. If you do use them, please make sure that the people you pass and those around you know that you are there. Whenever passing someone on a public paved trail (like Trout Run Trail) it is always courteous to say, “On your left” or ring a bell prior to making the pass. I would love to see this applied to our campus
as I have had many close encounters with bikes passing me. Bicycle and pedestrian safety is not solely dependent upon the actions taken by those cycling or walking. Rather, people operating motorized vehicles need to be aware of these rules and guidelines. Be sure to follow the rules of the road, stop at crosswalks and maintain a three foot distance between cyclists. Everyone can do their part, not only so that we can ensure safety but also to educate others on these issues. I hope that you keep some of this information in mind during the summer. And as always, have fun and keep pedaling! Signed, Katie Vorderbruggen (‘16)
sPOrts
Page 11
ApriL 21, 2016
SpOrTS ediTOr: dANNy mAy
Luther athletic department enters partnership with Nike SidNey LarSeN staff writer The Luther College Athletic Department announced on Thursday, April 9 that it has entered a partnership with Nike, Inc. for all of its sportswear and footwear. The partnership will be conducted through Nike representative and Luther alum Tim Stork (‘04) and the Sports Page Sporting Goods company. Stork will be working directly with the Luther College Athletic Department, Sports Page Sporting Goods and Nike to facilitate the partnership. Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Head Softball Coach Renae Hartl explained the process Luther went through in order to establish the partnership with Nike. “It was a four to five month process,” Hartl said. “We sent out requests for proposals in the late fall asking companies to respond, and then we had a committee that we put together to evaluate the companies that responded.” According to Vice President for Communications and Marketing Rob Larson, the decision to accept Nike’s proposal involved many facets of the Luther College community, and he played a role in the decision-making process. “Evaluation and selection of the final choice was a collaborative effort between athletics, financial services and marketing,” Larson said. “My involvement included reviewing proposals, meeting
and interviewing the finalists and participating in the construction of the final contract.” The committee was composed of three head coaches: Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach Adam Strand (‘04), Head Football Coach Aaron Hafner and Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach Steve Pasche, plus Associate Director of Athletics Operations and Facilities Alex Smith, Financial Services Controller Peggy Lensing, Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Runestad and Hartl. Hartl said that she is happy with the outcome of the selection process. “We just spent a lot of time evaluating whether or not we wanted to [partner with Nike] and [looking at] all the different options we had,” Hartl said. “We feel like we came up with the best partnership for us.” According to Hartl, due to the nature of Luther Athletics’ buying cycle for apparel, the partnership will not cost Luther any more money than it would normally. “We have four years to transition into 100 percent Nike,” Hartl said. “We’re on a four-year cycle right now so it won’t cost us any more money than it would’ve otherwise.” Hartl did stress that athletes will save money on athletic products because of the Nike agreement. “All of the athletes have access to Nike apparel and
Luther softball team received a new field banner from the partnership with Nike. Sidney Larsen / Chips shoes right now,” Hartl said. “If you wanted to come in as an athlete and say, ‘I need a new pair of shoes,’ your coach could help you get that at a huge discount.” Stork explained his role as a Nike representative to Luther. “As a Nike rep, I will oversee that all needs and resources for Luther are executed,” Stork said. “[I will] support the growth and influence of the institution.” Phil Hemming, owner of Sports Page Sporting Goods,
The Luther athletic department released this announcement of its new partnership with Nike. Photo courtesy of Teri Olson
said that Sports Page is the company that will be creating the artwork for all of the Norse Nike apparel. “We are a sporting goods company that works with coaches and teams to create artwork and designs for their apparel and products,” Hemming said. According to Hemming, Sports Page has been on campus frequently in the past few weeks to build the partnership. He explained that the company has had meetings with coaches from all 19 of the Luther varsity sports teams to discuss future apparel. As a Luther alum, Stork said he is excited to see Nike and Luther working together. “This partnership is the perfect marriage,” Stork said. “The unbounded pride and passion for Luther goes deep. It is that sort of energy that has made Nike the best brand in the world.” Hemming also expressed excitement at the notion of working with Luther College athletics. “Luther was one of my top choices for a place to go to school, so it’s been really fun to get to come back and visit the campus again to talk to the coaches,” Hemming said. “I’m very excited about it. Luther is a hidden gem, and Sports Page wants to help expose that.” The partnership demands that the athletic department
make an effort to incorporate Nike products, but according to Hartl, not all uniforms will need to be converted to Nike apparel right away. “[The uniforms] don’t have to be [Nike],” Hartl said. “But we need to make a best-faith effort to try to get as many Nike products in here as possible. It’s not a contract; it’s an agreement. We kept the agreement very two-way, trying to keep it very good for everybody.” The baseball and softball fields recently debuted two new signs bearing the Nike swoosh at both of their fields. Hartl explained that the teams’ need for new banners coincided with the adoption of the Nike partnership. “Nike will provide some signage for us,” Hartl said. “Football already has a banner and soccer already has banner, and then the Nike thing happened and softball and baseball were getting banners, so I would just say that [the new banners are] due to timing. The athletic department is working on increasing our signage as a whole. As people have probably noticed, we’re trying to make our venues look as nice as we can.” While the athletic department will be transitioning over to a majority of Nike Apparel, Hemming said that this will not affect the products that can be sold in the Luther Bookstore.
SPORTS
PAGE 12
SPORTS EDITOR: DANNY MAY
APRIL 21, 2016
Baseball team sweeps Simpson in home series
Weekly Standings Softball
#2 Luther Simpson Central Buena Vista Coe Wartburg Loras Dubuque
IIAC 7-1 6-2 6-2 5-3 3-5 3-5 0-6 0-6
Recent Scores
Overall 30-2 27-6 20-10 18-13 19-7 13-21 12-16 7-21
Apr. 16 @ Buena Vista (doubleheader), W 2-1, W 5-1 Apr. 19 @ Wartburg (doubleheader), L 4-12, W 14-2
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 23 vs. Central (doubleheader), 2:00 PM
Baseball
Wartburg Buena Vista Coe Luther Dubuque Central Simpson Loras
Jonathan Opdahl (‘16) runs during a game against Wartburg earlier this season. LILY KIME STAFF WRITER The Luther baseball team hosted Simpson College on April 1516 for a four-game series. The Norse swept Simpson, winning all four games. The series featured two doubleheaders, one on each day. In game one on Friday, the Norse won 16-2 as Czenvic Rojer (‘16) went two-for-three at the plate with a home run and five RBI. Nathan Beckman (‘17) pitched five innings in that game to be credited with the win and improved his season record to 5-1. In game two on Friday, Luther’s 14-4 win was highlighted by the Norse scoring 11 runs in the third inning. Mitch Knippenberg (‘16)
tallied three RBI, while Jonathan Opdahl (‘16) went three-for-three with two RBI. Pitcher Teddy Klingsporn (‘17) was credited with the win in the game to improve to 3-0 on the season. Saturday’s games were won by a slimmer margin, but the Norse won 1-0 and 4-3, respectively. In game one, pitcher Blake Peterson (‘16) threw a no-hitter while striking out seven batters. Only one Simpson ball left the infield throughout the game. In game two, a walk-off infield single by Cody Reimer (‘17) in the ninth inning secured the victory for the Norse after they trailed 3-2 entering the inning. After going 7-1 on their spring break trip in Arizona, the Norse
returned to the Midwest and struggled during conference play, with a record of 4-6. The sweep over Simpson gives the Norse momentum as they head deeper into conference play. “We had a really good spring trip, and things haven’t really gotten rolling yet back in Iowa,” Knippenberg said. “Hopefully things will start turning around.” Head Coach Bryan Nikkel echoed that thought, and hoped that the weather and the location of this game would give the team the focus that led to its victories in Arizona as well as contribute to the win during this home series. “We started the season really hot and
Blake Peterson (‘16) on the mound en route to throwing a no-hitter. Lily Kime / Chips
Breanne Pierce / Photo Bureau played some really good baseball,” Nikkel said. “Since we’ve gotten back, we’ve been playing just OK. We’re hoping to break out and get back on track as far as playing a little better defense. Hopefully this weekend will be the weekend that we [get] back on track and play some better baseball. Hopefully playing at home will do that for us.” As the conference tournament looms less than a month away, Zachary Hendrikson (‘16) is confident that the team will have made any changes they need to make in a timely manner. “There’s still some things that we need to clean up and get better at, but I think we’re pretty close to turning the corner of being a really good team,” Hendrikson said. “I think we’ll have made that turn by the time we get to the tournament in about a month.” With its sweep of Simpson, the Luther baseball team improved to 19-7, with an 8-6 record in the Iowa Conference. The Norse now sit in fourth place in the conference. Next, the team will travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for another four-game series against Coe College on April 2223. Coe currently sits just ahead of Luther in the conference standings in third place.
IIAC 13-3 10-4 10-6 9-7 6-8 5-9 5-11 2-12
Overall 20-8 19-7 14-10 20-8 13-13 17-7 8-19 8-16
Recent Scores
Apr. 15-16 vs. Simpson (two doubleheaders), W 16-2, W 14-4, W 1-0, W 4-3 Apr. 19 @ Wartburg (doubleheader), W 2-1, L 4-10
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 22-23 @ Coe (2 doubleheaders), 1:00 PM
Men’s Tennis #37 Coe Luther Wartburg Central Loras Simpson Dubuque Buena Vista
IIAC 5-0 4-0 4-2 2-2 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-6
Overall 18-5 15-9 12-11 8-8 8-6 10-8 3-15 2-19
Recent Scores
Apr. 16 @ Wartburg, W 8-1 Apr. 16 @ Loras (in Waverly, Iowa), W 9-0
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 23 vs. Coe, 1:00 PM
Women’s Tennis Coe Luther Central Wartburg Simpson Loras Dubuque Buena Vista
IIAC 7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 3-4 2-5 1-6 0-7
Overall 12-10 13-6 9-3 8-14 5-12 6-11 1-13 0-10-1
Recent Scores
Apr. 15 @ Winona State, W 8-1 Apr. 16 vs. Carleton, L 1-8
Upcoming Schedule
Apr. 24 @ St. Norbert (in Rock Island, Ill.), 12:00 PM