A3 28 Jan. 2016
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Health prohibits Turner from return to Hillsdale In brief: By | Katie Scheu Collegian Reporter
Professor of Philosophy Donald Turner’s health will prohibit him from returning to teach at Hillsdale College. He is currently living near family and friends in Alabama. Turner said he planned to come back to campus for the 2015-2016 academic year, but as his health declined throughout the summer and into the fall, it became clear to him that teaching again would not be possible. “It all started near the end of July on a trip to Pittsburgh,” Turner said in an email. While in Pittsburgh, Turner suddenly found himself gasping for breath after walking just a few steps. He was hospitalized upon his return to Alabama at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital for a pul-
monary embolism — a blood clot in the lungs. Although he originally expected to stay in the hospital for only a few days, he remained there for one month after he developed severe pneumonia and doctors discovered cancer. After his initial monthlong stay, he returned to the hospital twice more with persistent pneumonia that complicated his cancer treatments. “During the third hospitalization with pneumonia, the doctors recommended that I not try to go back at all, which was very hard for me because I love teaching and I love my students,” Turner said. “I am on oxygen and probably will be for life, and I am on medication, which would make it extremely difficult to try to teach.” Turner is not alone in grieving his absence from the
college. “I don’t know if we’ve come to terms yet with the idea that he’s not coming back,” Professor of Philosophy and Culture Peter Blum said. Blum is a close friend of Turner’s. “Don consistently brought humor and an upbeat attitude that I’m sure we’ll miss,” Blum said. “Don’s just a warm person who everybody loves having around. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like Don. He’s a much loved individual, so we just miss having him around.” The philosophy department now faces emotional and logistical challenges in his absence. Blum said Turner’s absence has led the philosophy department to reconsider its hiring process for the fall 2016 semester. Due to changes in the core requirements,
the department planned to add a new professor but will now adjust its hiring processes in light of Turner’s situation. Loved and cherished, no professor will ever replace Turner, his students said. “His classes were never merely lectures but were focused on student involvement, getting them to focus on the issues and offer their own opinions,” senior Timothy Troutner said. Troutner said he took Turner’s Philosophy of Science Fiction class. He cited the free-range discussion as an “important experience.” Blum attested to Turner’s strength as an educator. “He’s been instrumental. Everybody knows that he’s great in the classroom,” Blum said. “There have always been at least some of our students that have awakened through his intro class and become
interested in philosophy. It’s difficult anytime when you have somebody like that, who’s a significant figure in developing your interests and abilities… It’s a loss.” Blum visited Turner in Alabama over New Year’s weekend, bringing a box of cards and gifts from Hillsdale professors and students. He described Turner as speechless upon receiving the good wishes. “I hope that people around here do not underestimate the importance and the impact of even just a little bit of contact — something on Facebook, an email — and how meaningful that is in terms of support for him,” Blum said. Turner actively checks his Hillsdale email. “I miss my colleagues, and I miss my students,” he said.
Swanson ‘14 running for Nebraska Legislature By |Emma Vinton Assistant Editor “I always knew I wanted to serve my state and my country; I just didn’t exactly know when and how,” alumnus Ian Swanson ’14 told the Collegian. Swanson is running to represent Nebraska’s 31st District of Southwest Omaha. Because Nebraska is unicameral, there is no House and no Senate, only a Legislature of 49 nonpartisan senators. If elected in November, Swanson will become a senator in the Unicameral. After graduating with a major in political economy, Swanson worked as executive director of the Douglas County Republican Party, the most populous county in Nebraska. After seeing the problems in his home state throughout the 2014 cycle, Swanson decided to run for the position in May 2015 and announced his candidacy in July. “I have two choices,” he said. “I can either complain, or I can do something about it.” He faces incumbent democrat Rick Kolowski, but Swanson remains optimistic. “It’s a very challenging thing to run against an incumbent in any office but especially in Nebraska,” Swanson said. “Incumbents usually win. It can be a challenge if you want to make it a challenge. But I love doing it because I know people are crying out for something different, and I want to provide an alternative to the status quo in politics.” Swanson said he applies his Hillsdale degree daily in his campaign, which focuses on three main points: tax re-
form, education reform, and general government accountability. He said he is grateful that his Hillsdale education taught him to love learning and gave him the desire to serve. “It’s been invaluable to me, especially in the relationships I’ve built with my professors because I’ve relied a lot on their wisdom and counsel
“I can either complain, or I can do something about it.” even after I’ve graduated,” he said. Since his campaign kickoff, Swanson said he has been busy door-knocking, phone calling, and connecting with constituents. Two supporters from his alma mater have endorsed him: President Larry Arnn and Hillsdale College Board of Trustees member and former Nebraska Gov. Kay Orr. Both Arnn and Orr encouraged Swanson to run for the position and attended a reception in Omaha last October to support him as a candidate. Swanson said he is thankful for their generosity. “I am so grateful to Dr. Arnn and Gov. Kay Orr for their support,” he said. “They didn’t have to get involved, but they did out of the kindness of their hearts, saying they believed in me.” Arnn said via email that Swanson possesses intelligence, integrity, and commitment to duty. “He loves his country, freedom, and the good it represents in principle,” Arnn
said. “He will be an excellent servant of his district.” Swanson said two professors at Hillsdale — Professors of History Tom Conner and Burt Folsom — were particularly influential to him because of their excellence as teachers and storytellers. Folsom, a fellow Nebraskan who attended the October event in Omaha, said Swanson took three of his history classes while at Hillsdale. “I heard his first speech of the campaign,” Folsom said. “When he was a senior, he was talking about the seat, and I think it really became Ian Swanson ‘14 is challenging democratic incumbant Rick Kolowski in the race to a possibility. represent the 31st District of Southwest Omaha, Nebraska, in the state legislature. He told me that Swanson majored in political economy at Hillsdale. Ian Swanson | Courtesy he felt this was where he would Swanson first when Swanson service and not for ambition’s be able to make a difference.” attended the Hillsdale high sake.” Swanson was also a school summer Churchill The Nebraska primary research assistant for two World War II trip before is set for May 10 with the books that Folsom was starting college at Hillsdale. general election on Nov. 18. writing, one on failed gov“Ian stands out in a Swanson said he is confident ernment subsidies, the other crowd,” Conner said. “From in the success of the camon prison reform. Folsom the first he was mature for paign. said Swanson has a good his age, very serious, yet very “I wouldn’t be doing this work ethic and was a dedipersonable.” unless I plan to win,” he said. cated student of politics and Conner taught Swanson “I’m doing this because I history. American Heritage as well know I can make a differ“He had a good mind for as three upper-level history ence; I know I have the caparetentiveness,” Folsom said. classes. He said Swanson bility. I would not be in the “He loved the presidency. has an active mind and is position I am in today if it Whenever that would come wholesome. weren’t for Hillsdale College, up in class, he would always “It was clear from the onthe things I learned, and the like that because he likes po- set that he was interested in people I met.” litical history in particular.” politics,” Conner said. “His Conner said he met sincerity is aimed at public
‘Jonas’ prevents college trip to March for Life By | Nicole Ault Collegian Reporter “MFL CANCELLATION!!” read the subject line of the email that landed in dozens of inboxes at 3:50 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21. The email arrived just four hours before 84 students and faculty planned to depart campus for a much-anticipated trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the annual March for Life. Two professors and 82 students, including a few from Siena Heights University, intended to travel by bus through the night and arrive in Washington early Friday morning — when weather forecasters were predicting the blizzard, which would later be called winter storm Jonas, would hit the D.C. area. Still,
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things to know this week
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it wasn’t clear how severe the storm would be as of Wednesday. “Things were starting to look dangerous [on Wednesday], but [we] still wanted to go,” Students for Life President senior Nichole Chaney said. On Wednesday, Chaney held an informational meeting for the trip where there was no mention of potential cancellation. Chaney said Dean of Women Diane Philipp asked her and March for Life Trip Coordinator junior Danielle Ciarelli to come to the Dean’s office with the bus contract, on Thursday Philipp advised that they cancel the excursion. “Washington, D.C. declared a state of emergency due to the terrible snow storm, which is the main reason we decided
to cancel,” Philipp said. On Thursday evening, the National Weather Service predicted two feet of snow in the Washington, D.C. area for Friday with over 20 inches of snowfall in the city later that weekend. “I think it was the best decision [to cancel the trip],” Chaney said. Chaney said she was disappointed but noted other groups had become stranded for hours on their way back from the March or had buses called back by their bus companies. Students for Life faculty adviser and Associate Professor of German Fred Yaniga, who has participated in the trip five times since coming to Hillsdale, agreed that the cancellation was a wise choice.
“That doesn’t make it any less painful,” he said. According to Yaniga, Hillsdale students have taken the trip for 10 years and never cancelled before, though they had faced bad weather on previous trips “At Hillsdale we take involvement in politics very seriously. We write about it in the Collegian, we talk about it in the cafeteria — but talk isn’t enough. Sometimes we need to put thoughts to action, and the March for Life is a very demonstrative way,” Yaniga said. “When you get to D.C., you see literally hundreds of thousands of other people — young people — excited, energetic, marching for that cause, and it gives you confidence. It gives you a sense of togetherness, pride, that you can’t
get just by reading newspaper articles or blog posts about the cause.” Students who missed the march this year due to the cancellation will receive a partial refund of the $70 they paid for the trip. “The bus company contract did not permit a ‘same-day’ cancellation,” Philipp said. “[College General Counsel Robert] Norton phoned the company and did negotiate a substantial refund.” Yaniga said he thought the bus company would refund at least two-thirds of the money. “The hope is that we’ll be able to get that money back and use it for next year’s trip. And then we’ll be bigger and better than ever,” he said.
Trump to skip debate
Flint water crisis continues
Citing his ongoing battle with Fox News’s Megyn Kelly, 2016 GOP frontrunner Donald Trump said he would not be attending the Fox News/ Google debate in Des Moines, Iowa. Instead, Trump will host an event in Iowa to raise money for veterans through the Wounded Warriors program.
Members of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration admitted they have no immediate plans to resolve the water crisis plaguing Flint, Michigan, yesterday. Since April, residents of the east-central Michigan city have experienced lead-corroded water pipes, which have poisoned at least 200 children.
Oregon sheriff arrests militia leader Ammon Bundy, leader of the militia that organized a takeover of a federal wildlife facility in Burns, Oregon, was arrested Tuesday after a standoff between Oregon police, the FBI, and Bundy’s militia. He has urged the remaining militia members to stand down, citing the death of a fellow militia member.
Sanders catching up with Clinton Hillary Clinton has reached an all-time low in the most recent national poll facing fellow Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont. Clinton is currently polling at 55 percent and Sanders at 36.
Hillsdale College ranked best value in state of Michigan By | Michael Lucchese Collegian Reporter For the seventh consecutive year, Hillsdale College ranked the best college value in the state of Michigan by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance list. This is also the eighth year in a row that Hillsdale has earned a spot as one of the best valued liberal arts schools in the entire country at No. 21 of 100. “We need to charge more,” College President Larry Arnn said. “We are proud to be able to sustain an excellent college that pursues education in a way established in time and suited to nature. And we’re proud to do it at cost economical to the students,” Arnn said. Unlike many other schools in the country, which have raised tuition costs by an average of five percent over the last ten years, Hillsdale has only raised tuition by 3.4 percent. College Provost David Whalen emphasized how Hillsdale’s financial aid programs enable the school to extend liberal education to students who could not afford it at other universities. “The college strains mightily to remain affordable because our mission is to educate students in essential things, not pursue prestige via high sticker prices,” Whalen said. “True, the cost of educating each student far outstrips tuition, but we rely on the help of our graduates and many others to keep tuition and student debt low,” he said. Many students, such as freshman Andres Torres, could not afford an education at a similar but more expensive institution. “With two older siblings who attended college, I needed financial aid for my family to afford my education without incurring too much debt,” Torres said. “Without Hillsdale’s financial aid, I couldn’t afford to go to college.” More than 92 percent of students receive some form of aid, totaling more than $22 million in the 2014-2015 academic year. On top of that, Hillsdale College provides full scholarships for U.S. military veterans. “Hillsdale’s approach connects students to funding their education more effectively and develop relationships with those who made their education possible: our donors,” Director of Financial Aid Rich Moeggenberg said. Hillsdale College does not accept government funding and therefore finds funding primarily through generous donations from friends of the college. Many donors attend on-campus events, such as the upcoming Center for Constructive Alternatives on “The Art of the Biography.” Students often express their gratitude to their sponsors at these gatherings. “It is a great blessing to attend a first-class institution at a much lower price than comparable colleges,” freshman Tom Ryskamp said. “I am grateful to those who have donated money so that it is possible for more people to attend this great school.”
Panthers and Broncos to face off in the Super Bowl The Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos will face off in Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7. The Panthers defeated the New England Patriots and the Broncos the Arizona Cardinals, for whom Jared Veldheer ‘09 plays. This is Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning’s fourth Super Bowl appearance.