CHIPS October 5, 2017

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Flip FabriQue performs in the Center for Faith and Life

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Luther College Gardens hosts party

Women’s tennis remains undefeated in IAAC

COLLEGE

LUTHER “Let the chips fall where they may.”

VOLUME 140, NO. 4 • EST. 1884

OCTOBER 5, 2017

Woollacott speaks on near-death experiences Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon Marjorie Woollacott delivered the Oen Distinguished Lecture titled “Near Death Experiences: Windows into the Nature and Origin of Consciousness” on Sept. 26 in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall. The lecture outlined how her spiritual awakening challenged her understanding of consciousness and the function of the brain.

Woollacott has been a neuroscience professor at the University of Oregon for more than three decades where she has written over 180 peer-reviewed research articles.

“What my intention is tonight is to actually take you along on my journey of being a rigorously trained neuroscientist who had an experience in meditation that challenged my materialist world view,” Woollacott said during her lecture. “And then how I began to do research on both meditation and on near-death experiences trying to find new windows into the nature and the origins of consciousness that would help me explain my mediation experience and begin to put my two halves of my life together.”

During the lecture, Woollacott presented evidence to support her hypothesis that people’s awareness traveled outside their physical minds. Woollacott discussed instances where people were able to provide detailed

ANTHONY RAMÓN PÉREZ SOTO STAFF WRITER

descriptions of their near-death experiences, even though they were unconscious. Attendee Asha Aden (‘20) found Woollacott’s evidence intriguing.

“Definitely one of the most compelling [parts of Woollacott’s lecture] was when an individual [had] a near-death experience and they would talk about the circumstance or the situation surrounding them that was going on,” Aden said. “For example, the lady who had the C-section was able to [recount] the nurse press the red code button and [she] was able to see [the surgeon] hold [her] aorta. When she woke up from her surgery, she wasn’t able to speak but she was able to write down all the things that happened, and they confirmed that yes, this happened. Her eyes were taped shut too. So that definitely blew me out of the water.”

Professor of neuroscience Stephanie Fretham discussed how Woollacott’s research challenges the fundamental ideas of neuroscience and how the brain functions.

“It was a very bold hypothesis and a bold paradigm; that there is more than just what happens in your brain,” Fretham said. “It is so interesting to have a discussion about that and really think about that.”

Fretham continued to explain some of the implications of Wollacott’s research in the field of neuroscience.

The Luther College Young Democratic Socialists (LCYDS) is a new, unofficial political group which aims to provide the Luther community with alternative political ideas. Although they are unofficial, they are seeking to be made an officially recognized club through Student Senate.

Sean McKenzie (‘20) and Joseph Keeley (‘20) are the group’s founding members.

The LCYDS felt that after the results of the 2016 presidential election, a clear voice on certain issues was needed at Luther College.

“We did not really see an anticapitalist voice on campus,” McKenzie said. “We wanted a more progressive voice and space for us to talk about politics and the issues in the frame of capitalism being the big cause.”

The students of LCYDS hope that their peers will see this group as an alternative to the mainstream political currents in the U.S. today.

“We want to let students know that there is another option, and that it is viable and practical,” Keeley said.

LCYDS also aims to expand the community’s knowledge on socialism.

“We want to inform the community at Luther about what democratic socialism really is,” Keeley said. “The election showed that young people liked Bernie Sanders, and that it is ok to like that.”

Assistant Professor of Political Science Pedro Dos Santos has been assigned as the group’s advisor. Dos Santos said that he is excited to see the commencement of such an organization at Luther.

“It is interesting to see a group that is trying to get away

WOOLLACOTT | PAGE 4

STUDENT SENATE | PAGE 4

Professor of Neuroscience at University of Oregon Marjorie Woollacott delivers the Oen Distinguished Lecture .

Martin Donovan (‘20) | Chips

MARTIN DONOVAN STAFF WRITER

New political student organization seeks to become official group

Open discussion held on marijuana usage JORGE CONTRERAS STAFF WRITER Counseling Services Wellness and the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) held a discussion session titled “Marijuana: Helpful or Harmful” on Sept. 27. The discussion is the first of the Real Talk Discussion Series, with the goal to engage in open dialogue about topics that relate to students’ well-being.

Several students attended the event and shared their experiences and personal knowledge about marijuana. Counselor Bobbi-Jo Molokken led the discussion and shared facts related to the consumption of the drug, including statistics about marijuana usage on campus. According to several recent surveys, around 11 percent of the student population use marijuana regularly.

This is a sharp contrast to the perceived amount of student users, which is around 70 percent.

The open discussion touched on topics including international laws, health consequences, national regulations, real life stories, and medical and recreational use of marijuana. Molokken said that usage of marijuana tends to decrease after legalization.

She also said that this was seen when states including Colorado and Washington legalized the drug for recreational use. Molokken said that when something is easily accessible, it loses much of the thrill associated with its usage.

o longer an extraordinary activity.

Molokken also commented on the general goals of the Real Talk Discussion Series as well as

MARIJUANA | PAGE 4

Counselor Bobbi-Jo Molokken engages in conversation with students about consumption of marijuana.

Jorge Contreras (‘20) | Chips

NEWS

PAGE 2 OCTOBER 5, 2017

NEWS EDITORS: KATRINA MEYER & ANA LÓPEZ

Luther hosts a variety of events for Reformation anniversary MARTEL DEN HARTOG STAFF WRITER Luther College is hosting a series of events this year to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Committee for the Commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Robert Christman has been working since 2015 to create the year-long event series.

Christman emphasized the importance of referring to the events as a commemoration rather than a celebration.

“That’s not to say that there aren’t some celebratory aspects to it,” Christman said. “But we want to think about it in terms that are not confessionally or denominationally charged.”

One of the goals of the committee is to give a balanced and historical view of Martin Luther.

“We want to give credit for the positive aspects of his thought but also not sweep under the rug those aspects which are not very laudable,” Christman said.

Christman highlighted the importance of student attendance at the Reformation Commemoration events.

“To gain a better sense of Luther College’s ethos and mission, it’s good to know about this component of our heritage,” Christman said.

“The world in which we live in today is easier to understand if you understand the Reformation.”

In order to maintain a broad scope, the committee split up the commemoration into three distinct components. The first component is the impact of the Reformation on spirituality and the role of the church. As part of the Commemoration series, Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, an ordained Lutheran pastor and the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colo., spoke last spring about how the church is still inspired by the Reformation to ask challenging questions and change with the times.

The second component addresses how the Reformation changed Western society and politics throughout history. On Saturday, Oct. 7, Katherine Shaner ('98) will explore Martin Luther’s interpretation of slavery in the New Testament at Luther's 2017 Phi Beta Kappa Humanities Symposium at 9:30 a.m. in the Center for Faith and Life (CFL).

The third component focuses on the impact the Reformation had on art and culture. As a part of that component, Jeffery Chips Smith from the University of Texas at Austin gave a lecture on "Martin Luther and the Reformation's Artistic Challenges." In his lecture, Smith provided several examples of paintings and sculpture that showcased Martin Luther’s views of the Lutheran and Catholic church through art.

“For Martin Luther, art doesn’t serve devotional purposes, but stimulates the memory,” Smith said.

During the lecture, Smith illustrated through pieces of artwork how Martin Luther gained

popularity and appealed to the peasant class of his time. Smith also spoke about the impact the Reformation had on contemporary art.

Patrick Finnegan ('18) said the lecture helped him think about the Reformation in a new light.

“It shows how much the Reformation affected a lot of different things that people don’t typically think about,” Finnegan said.

Member of the Committee for the Commemoration Alex Aakre ('19) also attended Smith's lecture. According to Aakre, the variety of events makes the commemoration significant at Luther College.

Upcoming events include a Reformation Festival Eucharist and Hymn Sing on Oct. 29

in the CFL. Every Lutheran church in Decorah will congregate in the CFL to worship and commemorate at 4:00 p.m. The Reformation Symposium Day on Oct. 31 will start at 9:00 a.m. in the CFL with a keynote speech by Dr. Brad Gregory from the University of Notre Dame, along with several other lectures and musical performances throughout the day. It will be followed by the Reformation Commemoration Concert.

On Nov. 11, Peace Dining will host a St. Martin’s Day Festival Dinner serving a roast goose and featuring theatrical performances. Finally, the St. Thomas Boys Choir from Leipzig, Germany will perform on Nov. 18.

The 500th anniversary of the Reformation will continue to be commemorated throughout the fall.

Photo courtesy of Luther.edu

Women and Gender Studies program undergoes structural changes KARL NYCKLEMOE STAFF WRITER The women and gender studies (WGST) program is considering changes to their name and curriculum. The goal of these changes is to take a more interdisciplinary approach to the major.

The program’s external review last year prompted discussion by highlighting what the program was doing well and what could be changed. Program Director of WGST and Professor of Sociology Charlotte Kunkel explained the recommend changes.

“The suggestion from the reviewers, who are highly involved in the National Women’s Studies Association, recommended that we think about moving more towards intersectionality,” Kunkel said. “[This] means we see women’s studies and gender studies as being intimately interconnected with other oppressions.”

The shift would not move the focus of the program away from the study of women and gender in society, but rather expand it to intentionally include other aspects of identity.

Associate Professor of Political Science Carly Foster, who is also associated with the WGST program, explained the shift.

“At this point in time we are exploring the possibility of shifting from a specific focus on women and gender to a broader, more inclusive focus that will incorporate the critical identity studies,” Foster said. “This would certainly be a place where women and gender studies would fit in, but it could also open up connections between other areas of study.”

Specifically, the changes will include a restructuring of the introductory course of the program, a slight restructuring of the major’s requirements, and possibly new courses added to the program. Kunkel hopes the expanded program will include greater studies into different identities, and unique courses that have not been offered before.

“We are talking about having courses in gender studies

and sexuality, but also courses in race studies, body studies, and other interdisciplinary areas,” Kunkel said. “Many of these courses are already offered, but they may be packaged together differently. This also opens the door for some new courses. I would love to see a course on post-coloniality.”

After receiving the review last year, the WGST board met and discussed the results. The following spring, the program hosted forums to introduce ideas and further discussion, followed by faculty meetings during the summer to address how the transition would work and what the new program would look like. Currently, an official proposal is being drafted and will be submitted to the faculty of the Africana studies, Asian studies, dance, and WGST departments for approval.

While any changes in the curriculum have yet to be officially enacted, the WGST program already has courses that reflect their focus on interdisciplinary and expanded identity studies. This semester, interdisciplinary courses that already count towards the WGST major include the Africana studies and English course African-American Literature, the dance course Contact Improvisation, and the philosophy course Identity and Power. WGST’s current and future interdisciplinary study of identity is important to major Sthela Gun Holly Hanitrinirina (‘19).

“Anything you are doing, no matter what major you are, will relate to identity studies, gender issues, oppression, or inequality,” Hanitrinirina said. “In business, management, accounting, and others, you will see and feel that.”

Looking toward the future, Hanitrinirina also believes that the change in the program will engage a wider community of students. She expects a greater number of non-female identifying students to consider the program as their area of study.

“I think changing the name will work, as it engages people beyond women,” Hanitirnirina said. “It will engage people who want to learn about themselves and learn about others.

Learning about that dynamic between the other and yourself is a good dynamic for a college-level education.”

Beyond engaging a wider group of students, the change in the WGST program is meant to create a better sense of inclusivity in the program and student body as a whole.

Kunkel believes the program changes will give a sense of belonging to students who currently feel isolated or excluded.

“I think [the restructured program] will give students who have formerly struggled with belonging at Luther an intellectual and personal home where they can see and feel belonging at the college,” Kunkel said. “So, students with differences can find a vibrant intellectual, academic, and personal home at Luther.”

Kunkel encourages students with ideas regarding the changes in the WGST program or students who may want to know more about the program to contact her at kunkelch@ luther.edu

Anna Becker ('19) and Gillian Allison ('21) engage in discussion during the fall introduction to Women and Gender Studies course.

Karl Nyckelmoe ('18) I Chips

NEWS

PAGE 3

NEWS EDITORS: KATRINA MEYER & ANA LÓPEZ

OCTOBER 5, 2017

Luther adjusts levee system after last year's floods

WEATHER THURSDAY Showers

62/52 FRIDAY Showers

63/49 SATURDAY The Upper Iowa River runs through Decorah and was the cause of major flooding last fall.

Annika Vande Krol ('19) I Photo Bureau

FORREST STEWART STAFF WRITER Luther College is beginning the process of raising its levee system in accordance to a recommendation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Last year, FEMA informed administration that Luther's dike did not meet the standards necessary for accreditation from the agency. As plans for the raising develop, the school is working with experts to solidify the details of the project.

In a joint statement, Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Runestad and Director of Facilities Services Jay Uthoff gave an update on the process.

“We are [currently] waiting on information from the latest soil borings and evaluation from the geo-tech engineers in relation to the projected height of the levee system,” Runestad and Uthoff said. “Per FEMA regulations, the engineers have to calculate the proposed levee as if water is at the top of the levee.

They are working through what will happen to the soils on the college side of the levee if that were to happen.”

The levee raising is partly in response to a change in the 100-year flood map used by FEMA to set flood insurance premiums.

“When the proposed flood map becomes the map used by FEMA…our

premiums will go up by a significant amount,” Runestad and Uthoff said. “This is because we are listed as protected by levee now, and that will not be the case in the future.”

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the 100-year floodplain is “the area covered by a flood that statistically has a one percent chance of occurring in any given year.”

These floodplain calculations are based on recent flooding patterns and can change over time. Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Chemistry Laura Peterson explained the importance of the changing map.

“Recently FEMA reanalyzed the flood map for Decorah [in order] to figure out what the 100 year floodplain is,” Peterson said. “Their new calculation of the 100year flood would bring water levels higher than the dike was built to sustain.”

The expanding of the floodplain is due to changes in the frequency of flooding events in the Midwest during recent decades. In the last ten years, the Upper Iowa River, which flows through Decorah, has experienced two major flooding events — first in 2008 and then in 2016.

“Flood risk has changed,” Peterson said.

“What this [map update] is saying is that a dike of that size [used to] protect lower campus from this [100-year] flood, and now it doesn’t, meaning that that size of flood is happening more frequently.”

According to Peterson, there are various

The dike between the Upper Iowa River and Luther's practice fields currently serves as a barrier for the school.

Forrest Stewart ('20) I Chips

factors contributing to the increase in flooding frequency, including land use.

Land use refers to the way that landowners impact floodwater's ability to absorb into the ground. As more land is converted into agricultural fields and developed areas with nonporous surfaces, floodwaters have fewer opportunities to discharge. Without these opportunities, more water remains in the river and flooding becomes more frequent.

Peterson said there are ways of combating these effects, especially in the context of agricultural land.

“There are a lot of options and the good news is that most of these options also provide some benefits to farmers,” Peterson said. “[One option is] buffer strips, putting perennial vegetation between the field of crops and a stream.

These deep-rooted perennial grasses usually can help slow the flow of water across the surface and also make the soil more capable of absorbing water so that the water goes down into the soil instead of across the landscape into the stream.”

According to the Iowa Flood Center, an organization through the University of Iowa that helps people understand and be aware of flooding patterns, “conversion from agricultural to tall-grass prairie does not eliminate flooding, but would reduce its severity and frequency.”

Changing climate patterns are also a contributing factor to the expanding floodplain, according to Luther College Sustainability's Zero Waste Educator Liam Fraser ('18).

“It’s unfortunate that we’re in a position where we need to raise the dikes,” Fraser said. “It means that the climate is changing and it’s having negative impacts on Decorah, Luther, [and] also communities downstream.”

Despite his concerns, Fraser added that he understands why the project is necessary.

“We have buildings, we have a dike in place,” Fraser said. “We have to make this investment.”

Currently, there is no set timetable for the project's completion.

“We do not yet have that information.

There are still the unknowns from the geo-technical evaluations that need to be resolved,” Runestad and Uthoff said. “If there are no complications, the project could move forward as soon as summer of 2018.”

Partly cloudy

67/51 SUNDAY Sunny

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Corrections In the Vol. 140, No. 2 edition of Chips, the story "Film crew chronicles Chris Norton's story in upcoming documentary" said that Fotolanthropy only produces one inspiring story to document each year. This is incorrect. Fotolanthropy produces multiple documentaries each year.

Icons designed by Freepik from Flaticon.

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NEWS

PAGE 4

OCTOBER 5, 2017

Life Outside Luther Shooter opens fire at a crowd in a Las Vegas concert On Oct. 1, 64 year-old Stephen Paddock opened fire on a crowd at a festival in Las Vegas, killing at least 59 and injuring over 500 people.

The shooter attacked from the 34th floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel with multiple assault rifles. President Trump said the incident was "an act of pure evil." The motives behind the shooting are still to be determined.

Thorough investigation is taking place to identify the reasons for the attack.

Recent investigations are looking for clues on the motives for the attack by trying to contact the presumed girlfriend of the gunman, a woman by the name of Marilou Danley, who is outside of the country. U.S. law enforcement declared that they are trying to be in conversation with her.

HP Enterprise allows the Russian Defense Agency to review cyberdefense system used by the Pentagon The cyberdefense system of HPE provides most of the cybersecurity for the U.S. military as well as the private sector. HPE performed the review of the software in order to provide the service to the Russian public sector.

Former U.S. intelligence officials fear the review will shed light on security weaknesses for the Pentagon.

Deliveries of TESLA Luxury Electric Cars rose, creating a bottleneck in production The company has reported a rise in the deliveries of their luxury cars, but said that production "bottlenecks" have left the factory behind. The factory released a statement saying that “it is important to emphasize that there are no fundamental issues with the Model 3 production or supply chain,” Tesla said in a statement. The factory emphasized that there were no issues with the models being produced and they are confident the issue will be addressed in the near term.

Administration 'backpedals' on comments about possible citizenship for 'Dreamers' After the declarations to Congress given by U.S. officials on the possibility of granting citizenship to 'Dreamers,' the administration promptly replied to say that the declarations did not reflect the intentions of President Trump. The declarations by the officials were made after Homeland Security Official Michael Dougherty said that the president "would like to work with Congress to get a solution."

Wall Street records limit loses as Asian shares edge down Weakened oil prices prompted Asian shares to go down. This decrease affected Wall Street as well as other Banks around the world. Investors are not expecting monetary response but they are expecting a more reactionary response from central banks.

Experts claim that recent hurricanes might create data abnormalities over the next few months.

Taken from: reuters.com

NEWS EDITORS: KATRINA MEYER & ANA LÓPEZ WOOLLACOTT | PAGE 1 “The traditional view of how memories are formed, emotions happen, and how we experience things is that it is a collection of neural activity,” Fretham said. “If we want to retrieve a memory, that memory is stored somehow within the neural networks so we just have to be able to access it because that is what we had to work with. But [Woollacott’s] idea is that it’s not enough to explain why these people who don’t have any brain activity at all during a [near-death experience] can come back with accurate memories.

So that’s the link that she is trying to figure out.”

Woollacott’s lecture was centered around her neuroscience research. However, the Oen Fellowship is sponsored by the religion department. According to Professor of Religion Robert Shedinger, selecting Woollacott for this year’s Oen Fellowship was timely.

“We were up for an Oen Fellow who would be doing science and religion because the topics rotate with the Oen Fellowship,” Shedinger said. “Doing religion and politics, religion and the arts, and religion and science. So it was just time in the rotation for the religion and science [Oen Fellowship]. Because she is a neuroscientist and Luther just started a neuroscience major, the stars just seemed to be aligned and pointed us in the direction of bringing Marjorie Woollacott.”

Besides giving a lecture on near death experiences and consciousness, Woollacott was also a guest lecturer for three classes: religion 235: Science and Religion, Chemistry 151: Chemical Principles, and Music 430: Cello Seminar.

According to Shedinger, Woollacott’s visit as well as her guest lectures at different classes were significant to the Luther community.

“I think overall her visit for the four days was wellProfessor of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon, Marjorie Woollacott received and she made a real contribution to the lectures on near-death experiences. campus life,” Shedinger said.

Photo courtesy of Emily Turner ('19)

MARIJUANA | PAGE 1 For example, people tend to drink less after they turn 21 because it is no longer an extraordinary activity.

Molokken also commented on the general goals of the Real Talk Discussion Series as well as their potential benefits.

“Our goal is to be able to have a place for students to talk about issues that might relate to mental health that

maybe they don’t get to talk about openly in other places on campus,” Molokken said. “This gives [students] a place to ask questions, share their opinions with their peers, and to think about things that they don’t normally talk about in classes or other places.”

The students were engaged in the discussion and, as Austin Reese (‘20) said, it was a beneficial and informative session.

“I really enjoyed an unbiased conversation on such a controversial

topic,” Reese said. “We discussed a lot of things that I hadn’t considered before. I’m glad that Luther is doing these kind of things.”

The next discussion on the series will be about navigating relationships at college and it will take place on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m.

Molokken said that they will talk more about hookup culture, social media and some of the challenges around romance and relationships while students are in college.

STUDENT SENATE | PAGE 1 engage the students in thoughtful discussions about issues that affect others. The group is a group of really engaged students and that is exciting.”

The LCYDS encourages everybody to engage in different political discussions and invites anyone to come to meetings.

“We want to reach as many people as we can,” McKenzie said.

New student groups at Luther need to get approval before they become official clubs. Members of this group are making those efforts to get the corresponding approval. Therfore, their meetings so far have been strictly unofficial, according to McKenzie.

“This Thursday there will be a vote in the Student Senate, whether to make LCYDS a provisional student organization,” Keeley said. “Once we pass through them, I believe we go to Student Life Committee.”

The initial Student Senate vote was postponed due to time constraints. The vote will take place again on Thursday, Oct. 5. The Student Senate executive board declined to comment on the nature of the discourse surrounding the acceptance of LCYDS as an official club.

Sean McKenzie ('20) and Grace Onsrud ('20)give a presentation about income inequality during a Luther College Young Democratic Socialists meeting Anthony Ramón Pérez Soto (‘20) | Chips

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 5

A&E EDITOR: LILY KIME

OCTOBER 5, 2017

Flip FabriQue wows the crowd with tricks, tumbles, and tales CARA KEITH STAFF WRITER

Flip FabriQue exhilarated the crowd with acrobatic talent and circus skills in the Center for Faith and Life (CFL) on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Flip FabriQue, as a part of the Center Stage Series, formed in 2011 as a group of friends who attended Quebec City Circus School in Quebec City, Canada.

Throughout their time as a group, they have performed with Cirque du Soleil and Cirque Éloize, two award-winning performance companies based out of Montreal.

Before the members of Flip FabriQue joined together to create their own show, they worked for separate companies.

Flip FabriQue member Francis Julien said the group came together to create their own show because they did not have much creative influence in the other shows they were working for.

“We came back and we wanted more,” said Julien. “When you work for other companies, you’re basically an employee, and it’s hard to have your own flavors.

We decided to create a show that would be a tool to express our happiness towards finding each other again.”

The title of Flip FabriQue’s show was “Catch Me” or “Attrape Moi.” Julien explained that the title refers to the time that the members were seperated. They rarely saw each other and would consequently try to “catch” time together whenever possible.

The members of Flip FabriQue want their show to tell a story about friendship and freedom.

Julien explained that the friendship between the members of Flip FabriQue allows them to work together to create

Member of Flip FabriQue Jeremie Arsenault performs a trick with the diabolo during their performance “Catch Me.” Photo Courtesy of Flip Fabrique.com something magical.

“We created our own things,” Julien said. “We had an idea and we went for it. The fact that we have that freedom makes it become more than a circus. It becomes entertainment. It’s a beautiful platform of expression for us.”

Flip FabriQue used a variety of tricks, props, and music to tell the story of their friendship with an upbeat style. The show begins

with the seven performers running into each other during a rainstorm. Then performers showcase a variety of skills to music that best fits the emotion of the particular part of the show.

Each performer showcased a specific talent. Flip FabriQue member Yann LeBlanc performed a hoop act to the song “To Build a Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra. During his performance, fellow members

Members of Flip FabriQue pose in front of the Luther College sign.

Photo Courtesy of Flip FabriQue Facebook page.

of Flip FabriQue looked at photos in an album, which they later stuck to the wall that acted as the backdrop of their show. Next Flip FabriQue member Jade Dussault’s hoop act included a total of 12 hoops that she performed a variety of tricks with simultaneously.

Later in the show, two members had a diabolo battle after an argument that was caused by a popsicle eating contest. The entire performance included stunts using diabolos, yoyos, and sleeping bags. The show ended with tricks performed on the trampowall.

In order to prepare for Flip FabriQue’s performance, the main hall of the CFL required a full week of work by Luther College technicians because they were required to build a new grid from scratch. Director of Campus Programming Paul Atkins said the technicians spent 120 hours of work in order to transform the CFL into a space that could host Flip FabriQue. “We needed to make the CFL look and feel and operate like a typical theater,” said Atkins. “It’s not a typical theater. We got it to a point where the artists come in and they’ll be none the wiser.

They’ll think that’s the way it always looks and functions.”

Although the technicians did all that they could to accommodate Flip FabriQue, the show was customized because the structures needed for some of their acts were unable to be installed in the CFL. According to Julien, Flip FabriQue put forth the effort to create new acts for Luther’s venue and elaborate on acts that were already included.

“There’s no aerial possible,” said Julien. “So we have to take two acts out and create another one to do it here. Sometimes we create other acts for certain venues or situations.”

Even without the aerial acts, Flip FabriQue put on a show that impressed the audience with the amazing feats they performed using hula hoops, a trampoline, and their bodies.

Attendee Jacob Barsness (‘21) was impressed by the flawless stunts.

“I enjoyed Flip FabriQue because it was a really cool experience,” said Barsness. “It was my favorite event on campus thus far. They did stuff that I’ve never seen people do before, and it was amazing.”

Flip FabriQue will continue their tour across the United States, stopping at a few more cities in Iowa before continuing on to Columbia, Missouri.

FEATURES

PAGE 6 OCTOBER 5, 2017

GRACE ONSRUD STAFF WRITER Luther College Gardens hosted their first Garden Party to celebrate the harvest season with around 25 people in attendance on Wednesday Sept. 27.

The Luther College Gardens is run by the Center for Sustainable Communities. They sell the produce from the gardens back to the Caf. Some of the tomatoes, kale, spinach, peppers, eggplants, squash and other vegetables that are served in the Caf were grown at the gardens about one mile away from campus. The cherry tomatoes are usually one of the most popular garden items in the Caf. Food and Farm Fellow Sarah Forsythe, who organized the event, said that she hopes to increase awareness at Luther about what is happening at the gardens.

“I would like for more students to get out to the garden,” Forsythe said. “Not that many people know where it’s at.”

Forsythe hopes to increase student interest and usage in the gardens. This could include students who are interested in volunteering or working on projects related to food or farming. She also hopes that more classes at Luther use the gardens in their curriculum, specifically classes focused on environmental sustainability.

“The gardens were started as a student project and I would love to see more student involvement in it,” Forsythe said.

At the Garden Party, students stopped by after class to take a tour of the gardens and enjoy homemade beet snacks

FEATURES EDITOR: SHASA SARTIN

and fresh vegetables. Some of the students that attended were members of the Luther College Cross Country team.

One of the runners Lauren Mahnke (‘20) enjoyed some snacks in the middle of her run that afternoon.

“We ate some awesome beet chips and probably too many of the beet brownies,” Mahnke said. “There were fresh vegetables laid out on the tables and warm apple cider. The [people] working [were] super sweet to let us come by in the middle of our run.”

Outside of hosting events like Garden Party, student workers help with planting, weeding, harvesting, and washing the produce that is sent to the Caf. The money earned through selling produce to the Caf goes towards funding the Center for Sustainable Communities and purchasing equipment for the gardens.

In 2014, Luther constructed a high tunnel for the gardens that provides an enclosed area for growing vegetables. This allows food to be grown in early spring and late fall, when it would otherwise be too cool for the plants to grow. The extension of the season allows students more time and experience in the gardens and aids in growing more food than would be grown otherwise.

Student worker Marcella Meza (‘18) started working at the Luther College Gardens at the beginning of the semester. She says she enjoys the job because her morning begins with working outside. She also likes seeing the source of the food that ends up in the Caf. “People see ‘student grown’ in the Caf, but they don’t

Lauren Mahnke (‘20) and her Luther Cross Country teammates stop at the garden party.

(Above) Cherry Tomatoes from the Luther College Gardens

Grace Onsrud (‘20) | Chips

always know where it comes from,” Meza said.

There is also community garden space at the Luther College Gardens. In this space, students, faculty and community members are able to rent their own plot. The student plots cost $10 to rent from May to late October.

There are also some larger plots which are mostly used by faculty and staff members.

Ananda Easley (‘19) has a garden plot that she tended to over the summer while she was taking part in facultyled psychology research at Luther. She said that her garden plot was important to her because it allowed her to work outside after spending a lot of time indoors during the day.

“I was doing psychology research over the summer, so I was holed up in a windowless lab on the third floor of Valders,” Easley said. “Escaping every day to my garden plot was a salvation almost.”

Her plot is still in use until the end of her rental period.

Currently, her plot includes a variety of vegetables and flowers, as well as marigolds which serve as a natural pesticide. Easley’s positive experience with Luther College Gardens has inspired her to encourage others involvement.

“We want people to be aware of where their food comes from and that there are options to produce your own and it’s closer than you realize,” Easley said. “And people bond over food too!”

The Center for Sustainable Communities will hold another Garden Party on Oct. 25. The event is free of charge and transportation to the gardens will be provided.

Assorted fresh produce at the Luther College Gardens.

Grace Onsrud (‘20) | Chips

FEATURES

PAGE 7

FEATURES EDITOR: SHASA SARTIN

OCTOBER 5, 2017

Ingeborg Goessl scholarship helps students learn cultural competency EMMA BUSCH STAFF WRITER Study abroad experiences are very helpful in bursting our cultural bubbles. However, access to these experiences is not always easily accessible. Scholarships are often key to providing students with these experiential learning opportunities.

Since 2010, the Ingeborg Goessl Study Abroad Scholarship has supported students who wish to study abroad, particularly those who participate in the Münster semester program hosted by the German department.

Recipients of the Ingeborg Goessl Study Abroad Scholarship are usually participants in the Münster semester program one of the oldest study abroad programs offered by Luther. The program is open to students with varying amounts of German language knowledge and is offered during the spring semester of even-numbered years.

The scholarship is named after alum Dr. Ingeborg Goessl (‘60).

Goessl, a retired German professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, says she provides funds for this scholarship because she believes in the long lasting, positive impact studying abroad can have on a student.

“After teaching German since receiving my graduate degree and

particularly through working with foreign language student teachers, I have always observed how much more a person [or] teacher who has lived abroad can bring to a classroom or to jobs,” Gossel said. “So often graduates have told me how during job interviews the questions focused on those experiences. Study abroad gives most people a broader perspective on life.”

Professor of German Sören Steding is the director of the Münster semester. Student accessibility to the program is important to him.

“Our goal is to provide funds for everyone that wants to go because we strongly believe in the transforming experience of going abroad,” Steding said.

During their time in Münster, students take four courses led by Luther faculty, two of which are German language courses. The other two include a history course on the Reformation and a Paideia II course on memorialization, which is closely connected to the class trips students take during the program.

“We look at how the Holocaust and the Nazi regime are being remembered in Germany,” Steding said. “We always go to Berlin, Munich, and the third trip is usually to a former East German city or to Hamburg. At all these places, we are looking at monuments or institutions of Jewish culture or

remembrance, like museums and memorials.”

According to Münster attendee Delaney Schurer (‘18), these trips allowed her to appreciate the history of the sites they visited and apply that knowledge to current issues in the United States.

“You’re learning about it while you’re also going to visit [these places], so you have so much more context [for] why they were built,” Schurer said. “It just broadens your knowledge of what a memorial is, especially now in such controversial times in the U.S. about memorials.”

In addition to taking courses, students live with German host families and have time to travel independently around the country.

According to Münster student Sam Mitchell (‘18), developing a close relationship with her host family was both fun and beneficial in building her German speaking skills.

“My host family was absolutely hilarious, and we had fun speaking what we would call ‘Denglish,’ or Deutsch-English,” Mitchell said.

“It was a broken language, but I definitely noticed a higher retention rate with German when living with my family.”

Steding said that while he wants students to strengthen their knowledge of the German language, he also hopes that formative self-

reflection will take place within the students.

“As a language teacher, I want them to increase their language abilities,” Steding said. “But for me, the most important part is that people notice that living within a different culture is rewarding in and of itself. By doing this, you reflect on your own culture and own identity and notice that there are a lot of elements by which you define yourself [that] you are not necessarily so aware of [and] you

always take as a given.”

Steding also said he hopes that upon self-reflection, students will begin to look beyond the culture they have grown accustomed to and embrace other cultures.

“To be aware of how your own identity is to a certain degree constructed by your cultural surroundings. Through the means of study abroad, we get less afraid of the other,” Steding said.

The next Münster semester will be early February to May of 2018.

Greta Schmitt (‘17), Julia Curtis (‘17), Delaney Schurer (‘18), Logan Ardovino (‘17), Laura Kalsow (‘17) at a beer garden in Munich, Germany.

Photo courtesy of Delaney Schurer (‘18)

National organization “Girls Who Code” chapter opens in Decorah SHASA SARTIN FEATURES EDITOR & OLIVIA ENQUIST STAFF WRITER Between the ages of six and 12, 66 percent of girls are interested in computer science. By the teenage years, that number will drop to 32 percent, only to drop once more to four percent upon entering college.

Girls Who Code is a nationally-recognized nonprofit organization that was founded in 2012 as a response to the lack of women within computer science-related fields. The program aims to increase the number of women in computer science through national programs that teach programming skills to middle school and high school girls.

Decorah’s Girls Who Code club began when Cerrisa Snethen expressed her concern for girls in technology over a Facebook post. Snethen is now the founder and one of the facilitators of the local chapter. Snethen realized that Decorah needed to do more to support girls’ interest in technology and she saw Girls Who Code as an opportunity to create that support.

The club has held two meetings and currently has eleven members. They meet weekly at Art Haus where Luther computer science students, along with community members, teach girls how to code.

Luther student volunteer Nell Himlie (‘21) described how she became involved with Girls Who Code.

“I heard about it from one of my friends who is in computer science,” Himlie said. “I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make it, but I am so glad that I did. I wish that I had had a Girls Who Code around me [when I was younger] because it would have

definitely inspired my love of programming sooner.”

Students like Himlie are exactly why Snethen wanted to bring this group to Decorah.

“As a woman who works in technology, I was having this frustrating realization that anytime something went wrong architecturally I had to reach out to a dude to fix it,” Snethen said.

“As a child I had always had an aptitude for computers. However, when I got into middle school I remember having this feeling when I would walk into the tech lab or the robotics lab that this was [a] boy space.”

Snethen explained some of the statistics about women in computer science and related fields. In 1984, almost 40 percent of all computer science graduates in America were women.

Today that number has dropped to 18 percent. She also discussed a study which predicted that by 2020 there will be approximately 1.4 million new jobs in technology. Americans are only forecasted to hold 29 percent of those jobs, and only three percent are predicted to be women.

“I got on Facebook and I basically vented about it,” Snethen said.

As a result, some of her Facebook friends reached out and expressed their shared upset about the lack of equal representation in the technology field. This is how Snethen became acquainted with Girls Who Code. “[It is a] national program with girls across cities, and the coolest thing about it is that they are not just learning to code to be marketable in their careers. There’s a real heartbeat behind this organization,” Snethen said.

This led a small group of Decorah community members to network and fundraise to make the Girls Who Code club a reality. One of those community members was Associate

Professor of Theatre Lisa Lantz. Lantz is working on introducing a makerspace in the Center for Fine Arts, and she finds parallels between that addition and supporting Girls Who Code.

“A makerspace, literally, is a place for people to come together to make things,” Lantz said. “A makerspace is a place to provide the tools for your imagination to run wild.”

Lantz believes it is also important for Luther to actively support Girls Who Code. She emphasized the fact that Luther is encompassed in the Decorah community, too.

“This is an opportunity to reach out to the youth within our community and show them that Luther is a welcoming, inspiring, fun, supportive space for them to exist in,” Lantz said. “[Luther is] able to help provide accessibility to students who otherwise may not have access to this. At its core that’s what Girls Who Code is all about: that every single girl deserves a chance to excel.”

Along with support from members of the Luther community, Art Haus have made themselves the location for the groups work. “[Girls Who Code] is sort of housed within Art Haus,” Lantz said. “This is fantastic because the director of Art Haus, Shannon Dallenbach Durbin, has a background in technology.

In her previous position she did a lot with the robotics clubs and technology work. She has great experience with promoting that kind of coursework for students and she agreed to be a home base to the Girls Who Code club.”

As for the future of Girls Who Code Decorah, Snethen wants to leave that up to the girls themselves. She believes her role is one of affirmation and support.

“Basically, the vision is to let them steer the ship,” Snethen said.

“To hold a space for them to see what they create and to just be there to cheer them on.”

PAGE 8

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 5, 2017

A&E EDITOR: LILY KIME

Flamingo Ball in the jungle starts up Luther’s Homecoming Week

Maya Evans (‘19) and Sari Kroschel (‘19) enjoy good company and fun music at the Flamingo Ball.

GILLIAN KLEIN STAFF WRITER The annual Flamingo Ball kicked off Homecoming Week with food, friends, and funky music. Student Activities Council (SAC) Homecoming sponsored the junglethemed event, which took place in Marty’s on Friday, Sept. 29. The event had approximately 150 attendees throughout the night and featured a special performance from Luther’s Ballroom and Swing Club.

SAC Homecoming’s planning to secure a date, organize decorations, and find a disc jockey started last April. Co-Chair of SAC Homecoming Miranda Stark (‘19) highlighted the importance of completing each step in the planning process.

“We began planning in April with finalizing the dates,” Stark said. “After the date and venue were chosen, we chose who we wanted to have as a musical guest. We felt Marty’s best accommodated our choice of a DJ. The theme was selected, and after that, it was just getting the decorations, getting the food ready, asking the committees for help, and executing the event.”

The location of the Flamingo Ball changed from the Regents Center gymnasium to Marty’s last year. Previously, the committee hosted the ball in the Regents Center gymnasium for the spacious area. In more recent years, Marty’s has provided the environment that the SAC Homecoming committee wanted for this event. Stark and her co-chair, Filiberto Lopez (‘19),

Andrew DuFrene (‘18) and Deanna Grelecki (‘19) dance the cha-cha during Ballroom and Swing Club’s showcase at the Flamingo Ball.

Annie Goodroad (‘19) | Photo Bureau

emphasized the reasons why this venue was a more suitable choice for the Flamingo Ball.

“In recent years, since we switched it, we have upped the decorations and publicized it more,” Lopez said. “The venue is more centrally located now and easier for people to access.”

The committee also voted to change the music entertainment to better fit the atmosphere of Marty’s. Lopez and Stark both commented on the reasoning for their decision to hire DJ Ben Nordquist (‘15) for the Flamingo Ball.

“Marty’s has a big party vibe to it, and it was very fitting for the energy,” Lopez said. “Live performers were the traditional entertainment for the ball, but Marty’s is best accommodated by a DJ.” With Nordquist in charge of the jams and Marty’s decorated accordingly, the Homecoming festivities began.

Students arrived in Marty’s and were greeted by various jungle-themed decorations, such as blow-up monkeys, palm trees, and flamingos. Attendees were free to hit the dance floor, munch on various snacks, or strike up conversation with other attendees.

An hour into the event, Luther Ballroom and Swing Club showcased several brief samples of competition dances, including the three-step and cha-cha. Luther Ballroom and Swing Club has a history of performing at the Flamingo Ball, which is a strategy the dance team uses to increase interest in auditioning for the team and in their weekly social lessons, according to Stark.

Annie Goodroad (‘19) | Photo Bureau Luther Ballroom and Swing dancer Deanna Grelecki (‘19) further explained the reason for the swing team’s appearance.

“The Ballroom and Swing team have performed at the Flamingo Ball for the past three years,” Grelecki said. “One of our goals as a team is to make sure we connect to the community and share our love of dance.

Flamingo Ball is a great way to do this since the student body can come and enjoy what we enjoy doing so much.”

After Ballroom and Swing club’s appearance, attendees were invited to return to the dance floor. Attendee Annalise Goodell (‘20) walked out of the dance content.

“The atmosphere was energetic and lively plus the decorations added to the overall aura,” Goodell said. “Overall, the event was a good way to get out and socialize with people I had not met before.”

Returning students were not the only attendees. The majority were first-year students looking to widen social circles and meet returning students. First-year attendee Michael Shaten (‘21) saw his experience as an ice-breaker.

“I attended the event with someone, so I was going to the event to get to know her better,” Shaten said. “As for students who attended to meet new people, it’s a great way, especially as a first-year.”

According to Stark, the Flamingo Ball will most likely continue to be held in Marty’s. The next SAC Homecoming event is Homecoming Jazz Night in Marty’s on Friday, October 6.

“Marty’s has a big party vibe to it, and it was very fitting for the energy [of the Flamingo Ball].”

-Filiberto Lopez (‘19)

OPINION

PAGE 9

MANAGING EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Jacob Warehime Managing Editor Elizabeth Bonin News Editors Katrina Meyer Ana López Features Editor Shasa Sartin A&E Editor Lily Kime Sports Editor Ben Selcke Staff Writers Karl Nycklemoe Gillian Klein Grace Onsrud Jonathan Kuehner Jorge Contreras Martin Donovan

Natalie Nelson Emma Busch Olivia Enquist Anthony Ramón Pérez Soto Cara Keith

Part-time Writers Forrest Stewart Kristen Wuerl Matel DenHartog Elizabeth Hand Head Copy Editor Elyse Grothaus Copy Editors Jackie Cychosz Lyndsay Monsen Ad Representatives Bergen Gardner Web Content Manager James Miller

OCTOBER 5, 2017

EDITORIAL

Overeliance on technology can hinder learning The move to incorporate technology into homework for students is a great idea.

We can find information faster, get immediate feedback, and save paper.

We also have access to a lot of opportunities that did not exist before personal computers.

We can search for old newspaper articles KATRINA MEYER online, we can factNEWS EDITOR check anything when we have a question, or we can quickly translate languages we do not understand into English.

But at the same time, it is possible to take things too far when it comes to technology. While it has its benefits, overeliance on computers for doing homework is a problem. After realizing on a Sunday night that my eyes were sore because I spent the last 10 hours staring at my computer, I started thinking about the consequences of too much screen time.

Aside from the obvious back pain that comes from hunching over a screen all day and the eye soreness that comes from too much time staring at the bright light of the screen, it feels weird to not have a hard copy of a reading on which to follow along. We still certainly have plenty of textbooks to read, but there are more and more

online readings being assigned. It gets hard to focus as you stare endlessly at a screen, and it gets easier to lose your place. You also cannot take notes the same way, and you do not get the satisfaction of turning pages and being able to feel how many pages you have left in your hand.

To combat these problems, lots of teachers will request that students print off the readings and bring them to class. That is not always possible. We all have a set amount of money that we can spend on printing. It is not possible to print off long readings for multiple classes regularly on top of essays and other things we turn in for all of our classes. So most of us decide to rely instead on the computer screen.

I think that it would be beneficial to have an easier way to get readings on paper. Perhaps teachers should give handouts during class or Luther should give students more money to print things. With either of the two options, there could be a vast improvement in learning.

Being able to highlight and take notes along the way helps retain information. It also makes it easier to go back and review what you read for an essay or an exam and means that students are able to do their homework in places that do not have the internet access or an outlet nearby.

All of these add up to some important benefits for students. Obviously, reduction in screen time is not always possible, but any reduction that can be made is for the better. In a generation in which students are frequently criticized for the amount of time that we spend staring at our devices, I think that reducing the time that we actually have to stare at devices is a marked improvement.

Social Media Director Elyse Grothaus Distribution Manager Lyndsay Monsen Faculty Adviser David Faldet

SUBMISSIONS Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted 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, 400-700, words and submitted before Sunday at 5 p.m. the week before publication. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor.

Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements.

Opinions expressed in columns and letters are those of the authors(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Chips or organizations with which the author(s) are associated.

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.

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TO THE EDITOR

Support Boulton for sensible leadership In 2018, Iowa will have one if its most pivotal elections for a new state governor in years. In the 2016 election cycle, Republicans won both chambers of the Iowa State Legislature, which has led to some of the most backward policies ever written and passed in Iowa.

We are currently in a budget shortfall. Planned Parenthood’s funding was cut, which led to the closure of its four Iowa clinics.

Unions have lost most of their power to negotiate and bargain with their employers. Funding to higher education was drastically cut, which lead to cuts in financial aid that previously aided low-income students.

We need practical leadership in Iowa now more than ever. I truly believe that State Senator Nate Boulton (D) can provide this practical leadership, and I am clearly not the only one. Boulton has received endorsements from

major unions such as the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and respected Iowan politicians such as State Senator Liz Mathis (D).

The Norse for Boulton group on campus has already gained a sizeable following, and we are continuing to grow.

Why are so many people endorsing Boulton? It is most likely due to the fact that he never stops fighting and working to make Iowa a better place for workers and families. Boulton has delivered powerful speeches that have inspired his fellow legislatures and ordinary people to keep advocating for what is right on every issue brought before the state legislature.

People are also endorsing Boulton because when Boulton is not fighting for progressive values in the state legislature, he is defending workers’ rights at his private law firm. For example, he took the Branstad-

Reynolds administration to court on workers’ rights twice and won both times.

On the rare occasion that Boulton gets free time, he runs marathons (a total of 37 to be exact). Earlier this year, Boulton ran a marathon and then proceeded to hold a campaign rally directly afterwards.

There are many qualified candidates running for governor this year who would all be better than our current one, but I truly believe that Nate Boulton stands out from all of them. If you would like to learn more about Boulton feel free to contact me at dyckge01@luther.edu or go to his website www.boultonforiowa.com.

I hope you all join me in running with Boulton, because then we can restore Iowa to the greatness that it enjoyed before the BranstadReynolds administration took over.

Signed, Geoffrey Dyck (‘18)

OPINION

PAGE 10 OCTOBER 5, 2017

MANAGING EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

TO THE EDITOR

Deleting Facebook posts prevents helpful dialogue Like every good American, I recently engaged in political threads on Facebook. One thread that caught my attention was a debate over whether or not it is “respectful” to kneel during the national anthem or the waving of the American flag. It struck me that the person who had posted the controversial photo felt the need to not only delete several comments from within the feed due to their hateful nature but even went as far as publicly stating that they had blocked the person who had written the comments.

This is not the first time that I have thought about the ability to delete posts or comments on social media. In August, a different friend of mine had made a victim-shaming post regarding the sexual assault lawsuits surrounding Taylor Swift. After reading some deep, thoughtful comments on said post, she admitted openly that she had not considered other perspectives and realized that she had stepped out of line.

She then proceeded to delete the whole post, including the trail of dialogue and related articles that lead to her conclusion.

This year has been characterized by

social media, social justice, and concern for the first amendment, especially regarding hateful rhetoric. Many folks have also expressed great concern for the lack of dialogue happening in our society. It seems that while a majority of people utilize Facebook as some contemporary agora by sharing their talents, ideologies, experiences, and politics, we have not made significant progress toward resolving these issues.

This may be because we spout off posts in an effort to generate ‘likes,’ but I would like to credit the ‘delete’ button for our stalled discussion.

Consider the situations I mentioned earlier. I think that each Facebook user deleted comments or entire threads for different reasons. In the first scenario, she was protecting other friends from what she considered personal attacks; in the second scenario, my friend was embarrassed in her ignorance. While different, these situations are related.

By deleting comments regarding contemporary issues, both women sought to do good and save face.

But does deleting Facebook posts or comments actually achieve either end?

And if they do, at what cost?

Through deletion, these women have also erased evidence about how we ought to respond to hateful comments or our own ignorance. These women wanted to save face for themselves, but they also opted to protect the reputation for those who make hateful comments.

Silencing those comments did nothing to stop the hate behind them.

Instead, they have erased the trail that would condemn people as hateful.

By deleting hateful posts, they have implicitly allowed hate to continue thriving unchallenged.

And for the sake of myself and others, what looks better: someone who can support their claims and admit when they are wrong or someone who only posts to please?

I propose the following: stop deleting threads because we do not agree with what is being said on them. Let us

“By deleting hateful posts, they have implicitly allowed hate to continue thriving unchallenged.”

-Harleigh Boldridge (‘18)

The Norse Poll

I do believe that deleting Facebook comments that are not yours is not beneficial to anyone involved in the conversation, especially the the person that posted the original statement.

They’re not able to learn from other people’s views and see the world through a different lens.”

-Brian Murman (‘19)

start being proactive in how we handle conversations that go awry. Social media is ripe with opportunities to practice restorative justice, show off one’s skills with dialogue, and learn about the perspective of those who live entirely different lives than we do. Instead of deleting a post, try turning off the notifications for it and let a hateful person run themselves out. Let people make fools of themselves.

Do not be afraid to admit that you are wrong. Since we are not always going to be perfectly articulate or right when we encounter dialogue in person, we might as well utilize any tools we have to get better at communicating with one another.

“I think that definitely prevents helpful dialogue. I don’t condemn the person who does that because you are your own person. If you really immature and you can’t handle hearing the other side, then that’s on you.”

-Elaina Bayse (‘21)

Signed, Harleigh Boldridge (‘18)

Does deleting Facebook posts prevent helpful dialogue?

“Deleting Facebook posts would prevent helpful dialogue as it forces the audience to take parts of the conversation out of context. If you post something opinionated or controversial, you should be prepared to receive different opinions. If you’re confident enough to post it on Facebook in the first place, you should be okay with people posting something that might have a different perspective.”

-Aidan O’Driscoll (‘19)

SPORTS

PAGE 11

OCTOBER 5, 2017

SPORTS EDITOR: BEN SELCKE

Women’s tennis beat Wartburg and Loras to remain undefeated in IIAC JONATHON KUEHNER STAFF WRITER Last week, Women’s Tennis continued their successful season with wins at home and away. On Tuesday, Sept. 26, Luther won 9-0 at home against Loras College, followed by an 8-1 victory at Wartburg College on Saturday, Sept. 30.

These wins add to this season’s record of 6-1. The teams only loss was a home meet against Wheaton College on Sept. 2. The meet against Wheaton College was not part of the Iowa Conference schedule, putting the conference record at 6-0.

Anna Pearson (‘18) reflected on the season and assessed the team’s current position.

“We’re definitely trying to defend the conference title,” Pearson said. “We had a huge win against Coe the other week, which was awesome, and I think we’re all still on a high from that. Now we’re focusing in on these last conference matches and just making sure we’re staying strong all the way through.”

Luther won all their doubles and singles matches during Tuesday’s meet and all but one singles match at Wartburg.

According to Head Tennis Coach Adam Strand (‘04), the team performed well when taking the athletes’ stress levels into account.

“As a whole I thought it was a good, solid

Kelsey Kruse (‘20) concentrates as she sprints to the ball. performance,” Strand said. “Our players [were] coming off a busy weekend and competing in ninety degree weather and humidity at Gustavus.”

Strand also acknowledged the stress of competing during school hours.

“Weekday meets are always tricky because kids are sitting in class all day and have to adjust not just to practice but to competing,”

Front: Claire Christian (‘18), Devon Bourget (‘21) and Stephanie Almquist (‘21) play sets.

Jonathon Kuehner (‘20) | Chips

Strand said. “I thought our players handled it pretty well.”

One factor that improved this week’s outcomes was the notable drop in temperature. This change was felt by players and spectators alike.

“We were expecting hot and humid so it was nice to have a break from that,” Pearson said.

According to the National Weather Service, temperatures earlier this month were in the nineties with little precipitation. These temperatures can be dangerous for athletes due to dehydration and heat-related illness.

According to attendee Ryan Ortega (‘21), spectators also appreciated the cooler temperatures.

“It’s very ideal to be in the sixties,” Ortega said. “It’s warm enough to stay [comfortable] but cool enough you don’t sweat your mind out. Once you get in the nineties you start getting heat exhaustion.”

Spectators at Tuesday’s meet came not only to cheer on the players, but coaches. Joan Strand (‘74), and John Strand (‘72) came to support their son Coach Adam Strand and

Jonathon Kuehner (‘20) | Chips his team.

“We don’t get to go to many meets,” John Strand said. “But it’s fun to follow their tweets and follow the matches.”

Adam Strand appreciated his parents support at the meet.

“My parents are both Luther alums and were both great supporters of me when I was a student athlete here,” Adam Strand said.

“They have continued to be great supporters of me, obviously not just as parents, but also in my coaching career.”

As the end of the fall season approaches, the team hopes to continue their winning trend and hone their skills.

“At this point in our season with two and a half weeks left of our fall, it’s really just fine tuning things and making sure people are healthy and confident,” Strand said. “We’re not going to completely overhaul somebody’s game in two and a half weeks but we just want to get a little bit better.”

The women’s team will continue their season with meets at Simpson College in Indianola and Central College in Pella, Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 7.

Norse of the Week BEN SELCKE SPORTS EDITOR Benjamin Keller leads the men’s soccer team in goals scored this season with four total. Currently, the men’s team is undefeated in the IIAC which positions them third in the conference standing.

What position do you play?

Keller: [I play] Forward, typically it’s the forward’s job to score goals. It’s been nice to be able to contribute in that way.

I’ve been getting lots of opportunities from the guys around me which makes my jobs a lot easier. My job is [also] to be the furthest forward player and hopefully net the ball a couple of times.

What’s your favorite part about playing soccer at Luther?

The people I get to play with. Everyday

is just a new experience and it is so much fun. All thirty plus players are willing to work as hard as they can for each other so it just makes it more of an enjoyable experience and a positive environment.

How are you and the team preparing for the upcoming game against Loras College?

We are just going to keep doing the same stuff we have been doing: focusing on ourselves rather than who we are playing. [We want] to make sure we play our game and do what we’re suppose to do. That give us our best chance at winning no matter who we’re playing.

What are your personal goals for the season and team goals you guys have?

Personally I would like [us] to hopefully be able to win the IIAC. Continuing to lead the team in goals would be good

but it is not anything near and dear to my heart. As long as our team plays well that counts for me. As a team, we want to continue our season for as long as we can.

What are your thoughts on the season so far?

We had a rough start but it helped us find our flaws. It is nice to see five days into our team’s season, this is what is going wrong and what we need to improve. We have been finding lots of stuff out about ourselves which is helping us to grow and mesh together as a team, and hopefully we’ll continue to minimize those flaws to become a pretty decent threat to other teams.

What’s your favorite sports brand?

I have always been a big Nike guy. My older brother always wore Nike, so it just rubbed off on me.

Benjamin Keller (‘20) positions the ball in game against UW-Whitewater.

Kien Dao (‘20) | Photo Bureau

SPORTS

PAGE 12

SPORTS EDITOR: BEN SELCKE

OCTOBER 5, 2017

Men’s Golf tie for 10th at Gustavus Classic NATALIE NELSON STAFF WRITER

The Men’s Golf team shot 618 to finish in a tie for 10 out of 13 teams at the Gustavus Twin Cities Central tournament on Sept. 23 and 24. The two-day, 36hole tournament included a number of highly-ranked Midwest schools.

Individually, Joe Fewer (‘19) placed 10th shooting a 149, and Johnpeter Knutson (‘20) tied for 14th, shooting a 150.

The tournament proved to be a continued success for Fewer, who has been on Luther’s lineup since his first year.

“Joe Fewer has a 73.9 average for the fall, with two top five and two top ten finishes in our fall tournaments,” Head Men’s Golf Coach Scott Fjelstul said.

Fewer pointed out that he is not the only member of the team to have a good start to the season.

“JP [Johnpeter] Knutson had a good finish,” Fewer said, regarding the Twin Cities Central tournament. “He finished in the top 14, which was his career best finish.”

Fjelstul assessed the team’s performance this fall, specifically against high ranked teams.

“We have played a very tough schedule against very good competition on some very good golf courses this fall,” said Fjelstul. “Our best team finish of the fall was at the Midwest Region Classic where we tied for fourth out of 35 teams that week.”

Looking at the overall season,

Weekly Standings Football Wartburg Luther Central Loras Dubuque Coe Buena Vista Simpson Nebraska Wes.

IIAC 2-0 2-0 2-1 2-1 1-1 1-2 1-2 1-2 0-3

Recent Scores

Overall 4-0 3-1 3-2 3-2 3-1 3-2 2-2 2-3 0-5

September 30 vs. Buena Vista W 36-14

Upcoming Schedule

October 7 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University

Women’s Soccer Central Loras Luther Dubuque Coe Wartburg Buena Vista Nebraska Wes. Simpson

From left to right, Johnpeter Knutson (‘20), Joe Fewer (‘19), Connor Gossman (‘18), Ben Grotes (‘18), Carson Hagen (‘21), and Jake Jensen (‘21).

Photo Courtesy of Joe Fewer Fjelstul offered an assessment on their competition.

“We play excellent competition and get to see how our summer work pays off,” Fjelstul said. “We also get to see new guys play in the lineup and get them tournament experience. We will be more experienced and better prepared for the rest of the fall and then for our spring schedule.”

According to Fewer, the fall season helps the team prepare for the upcoming spring.

“We use this fall season to gain more

Johnpeter Knutson (‘20) drives the ball at the Ronnie Eastman Invite, last year.

Photo courtesy of Photo Bureau

experience and to get in tournament reps,” Fewer said. “That helps us to build towards our ultimate goal: the Conference Tournament in May.” Returning to the lineup this year are Fewer, Spencer Horst (‘19), and Ben Grotnes (‘18). However, since conference champions Andrew Betts (‘17) and Peter Kephart (‘17) graduated last year, another goal is to fill the lineup.

“Those two guys were both a part of our back-to-back conference championships and also competing in the national championship two years in a row, so we really lost a lot of experience with those guys,” Fewer said. “[Knutson] has slid into that fourth man spot this year, but we’re searching for that solid fifth man going forward. That’s the big thing we’re looking for in the off-season.”

Fewer is hopeful that the team can repeat its conference championship victory.

“We made golf program history last year in repeating as conference champs,” Fewer said. “Getting back to nationals is a big thing for us. We’re really excited. Coach Fjelstul has done a really nice job. He brings out the best in our games and that’s one thing we’re really lucky to have.”

The fall season schedule finished last weekend at the Viterbo University Ronnie Eastman Invitational in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

IIAC 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-1 0-0-1 0-1-1 0-1 0-2 0-2

Overall 9-1 8-1-1 5-5 5-4-1 8-1-2 6-4-1 2-8-1 3-6-1 3-8

Recent Scores

September 30 vs. Buena Vista W 2-0

Upcoming Schedule

October 7 vs. Loras College

Men’s Soccer Simpson Wartburg Luther Nebraska Wes. Dubuque Coe Buena Vista Central Loras

IIAC 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-1 1-1 0-1 0-1 0-2 0-2

Overall 10-0-1 7-1-2 6-3-1 6-4-1 5-4-1 3-6 3-7-1 7-2 4-5

Recent Scores

October 1 vs. Carleton College W 2-0

Upcoming Schedule

October 4 vs. UW-Platteville

Women’s Tennis Luther Central Coe Wartburg Loras Dubuque Simpson Nebraska Wes. Buena Vista

IIAC 6-0 5-1 5-1 3-2 4-4 3-4 1-5 1-5 0-6

Overall 6-1 7-1 6-3 5-3 8-4 8-5 3-5 1-5 1-8

Recent Scores

September 30 vs. Wartburg College W 8-1

Upcoming Schedule

October 7 vs. Simpson College

Volleyball Wartburg Dubuque Loras Luther Coe Buena Vista Nebraska Wes. Simpson Central

IIAC 3-0 4-1 3-1 2-1 1-2 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3

Overall 13-3 19-1 9-9 10-6 9-12 10-9 7-9 6-8 8-11

Recent Scores

September 30 vs. Buena Vista W 3-1

Upcoming Schedule

October 4 vs. Wartburg College