Michigan’s oldest college newspaper
Vol. 142 Issue 17 - February 7, 2019
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Chemistry’s VanOrman named as next provost By | Emma Cummins Assistant Editor The proud owner of a Harley Davidson motorcycle, dedicated chemistry professor for 27 years, and dean of the natural sciences for 13 years, Christopher VanOrman is now ready to take on a new position at Hillsdale College as provost. VanOrman will officially be instated as the chief academic officer of the college on June 1, taking over for Provost David Whalen, who has served in that role for the past eight years. The process of choosing Whalen’s replacement began with nominations from the faculty; academic deans were typically considered as likely choices, and VanOrman’s long and successful career as a dean recommended him to the position. “He is a leading teacher on our campus, a fine scholar who inspires all around him,” President Larry Arnn said in an email to The Collegian. “He is our longest-serving dean, and his service has been exemplary.” His record demonstrates a consistent ability to manage people well, especially in the science department, which has an intense level of activity
and diversity, ment. According to according to Arnn, VanOrman’s Whalen. experience as a “It requires dean of the sciencorganizational es, which is a “core ability, knowlarea in the liberal edge of human arts,” will assist in nature, and an new projects for the ability to win college. the trust and “Chris has keep the trust of worked skillfully a wide variety to build the college of people for a core into an integrity long, long time,” and will continue Whalen said. that,” Arnn said. “We “That’s hard. are working on an That’s rare. He extensive project in has all those the relation between qualities.” natural science and In order to faith.” prepare VaAccording to nOrman for VanOrman, his the position, attention to detail, Whalen will be analytical frameshowing VanOrwork, and ability to man the different Professor of Chemistry and Dean of Natural Sciences Christopher VanOrman is set to take connect with just about aspects of the job the position of provost on June 1. External Affairs anyone on campus will he’s very good at what he to go anywhere except as far for the rest of the assist him immensely does.” away as the English departsemester. VanOrman will to succeed in the position. Whalen will still retain a ment,” Arnn said. “We will essentially shadow Whalen “I’ve always gotten along position in the administration still have his counsel.” in all that he does: attending well with people,” VanOras the associate vice president As Whalen put it, he will board meetings and dean and man said. “It doesn’t matof curriculum, according to be “the official tower-lodged faculty meetings and observter to me whether you’re a contemplative monk for the ing the other odds and ends of Arnn. groundskeeper, maintenance This new position will college.” the job. person, housekeeper, whatinvolve giving advice and proVanOrman met with Arnn “They are going to be huge ever; we all have a job to do, viding insight to the adminis- and Whalen in November to shoes to fill,” VanOrman said and if they don’t do their job tration. interview for the position and then I can’t do mine. And vice of Whalen. “I was very sad to “David is a treasured was informed by Arnn last see him step down because versa.” friend, and he is not allowed Wednesday of his appoint-
Imprimis hits 4 million subscribers
Senior Ben Dietderich’s interview with former Michigan gubernatorial candidate John James at CPAC 2018 won a first place award from the Michigan Assocation of Broadcasters. Scot Bertram | Courtesy.
College station receives awards from Michigan broadcasting group
By | Elizabeth Bianchi Collegian Freelancer The Michigan Association of Broadcasters recently awarded Hillsdale College’s radio station, Radio Free Hillsdale, seven total awards for its work in the past year, including three first-place awards. These awards are open to college stations across the state, including Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University. Despite submitting nominations to only five of the eight radio categories for MAB, Hillsdale College, with its seven recognitions, received more
awards than any other college in Michigan. Scot Bertram, general manager of Radio Free Hillsdale, is ecstatic about the station’s success. “This is just our second year eligible for the MAB awards, so it’s incredible to have this number of students honored,” he said. “Our students and programming are successful because our students want to be good. They want to produce quality shows. They want to get better. It’s satisfying to see others acknowledge that fact.” Three first-place awards were given to Radio Free Hillsdale in the “Current
VanOrman said that he will not continue teaching, at least for the first few years, as he settles into the new position as provost. This is a decision that VanOrman does not take lightly. “I love teaching. I love Hillsdale,” he said. “This will be my 27th year that I’ve taught. The realization that this general chemistry class will be the last course I teach for a couple of years hit me hard.” When he found out that he would become the next provost, VanOrman, while delighted, described a bittersweet feeling. “Later that evening, I was like, ‘oh my gosh, this is it; this is my last semester,’” he said. “That hurt a little bit because I love that.” However, VanOrman said he is ready to take on this new position as a mentor and advisor to the college faculty and staff. “My main goal is to lead the college to make it one of the best liberal arts schools in the country,” VanOrman said. “The deans and faculty that we have are amazing. It’s not like I have to do this all on my own. We work together.”
By | Allison Schuster Assistant Editor Hillsdale College’s Imprimis publication reached 4 million subscribers toward the end of 2018. Since entering circulation in 1972 with 1,000 subscribers, Imprimis’ growth was steady in its early years but has spiked more recently. The admissions and marketing departments both note clear effects in their own departments due to Imprimis’ increasing popularity. Director of Programs for External Affairs Matt Bell said there has been a change in the rate of subscribers Imprimis gained. “From 1972, when the speech digest was first published, to the year 2000, the number of subscribers
Events Program” for sophomore Stefan Kleinheinz’s “The Hillsdale Interview: Ajit Pai”, in “On-Air Personality or Team” for 2018 alumni Sarah Schutte and Chandler Lasch’s “Wait, What Happened?,” and in “Talk Show” for seniors Ben Dietderich and Jenna Suchyta’s show “American View.” The rest of the awards include two second- place honors and two honorable mentions, or third- place honors. Those who received the second- place awards were Dietderich in the “Current Events Program” category for The
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grew from a few thousand to roughly 930,000,” he said in an email. “From 2000 to today, over three million additional subscribers have been added, and the number of new subscriptions continues to grow apace.” Hillsdale College originally created Imprimis as a monthly journal from The Center for Constructive Alternatives to distribute CCA material to friends of the college. Today, however, Imprimis features any speech given in association with Hillsdale College, on or off campus. Some off-campus speeches from former issues include ones from the Allan P. Kirby Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies, the National Leadership Seminar, and a Hillsdale College cruise. Imprimis, translated from Latin to mean “in the first
place,” emphasizes reprinting speeches with limited editing. Articles typically run from 2,400 to 3,600 words and cover a range of topics discussed by speakers. Past speakers featured in Imprimis include Vice President Mike Pence, former President Ronald Reagan, former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, business mogul Steve Forbes, businessman Jay Van Andel, actor Leonard Nimoy from “Star Trek,” and Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s. Although the style and content of speakers may change throughout the years, the college’s mission, as furthered in Imprimis, remains the same. “While many institu-
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Buy warm clothes: ‘This is Michigan’ Student’s sandals defy Arnn’s winter warning By | Joel Meng Collegian Reporter Around 5 p.m. on Jan. 30, hundreds of Hillsdale students’ phones began buzzing and ringing with the latest update from Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn. The update informed students the college would resume classes at 1 p.m. the following day and also sought after the identity of “the young man who was running across the campus in shorts and a T-shirt” when
the temperature was minus 8, minus 36 degrees with windchill. That young man was sophomore Robert Kintz, known to his friends as “Dob.” Kintz explained his actions as a sort of flex. “I’m from Minnesota. I’d been hearing a lot of people from the South complaining,” Kintz said. So I did it “just to prove my Minnesota-ness.” A potential biology major, Kintz said he researched the risks beforehand. “I looked at a chart to see
how long frostbite would take to set in,” Kintz said. “I was outside for barely over a minute.” Kintz said his pinky hurt for a while as he was in the union eating lunch, but after his run back to the dorm, he experienced no lasting pain. Kintz wore black gym shorts, a gray T-shirt from the 2015 Minnesota state cross country championship, and a pair of sandals, one held together by duct tape.
around $300, a total that the seniors could not raise on their own. However, the college and many townspeople donated in order to see the fountain come to actuality. In the Dec. 9, 1971 edition of the Collegian, one article mentioned that students had used a pipe system to get running water from Baw Beese Lake for the fountain. The water sprayed out of the mouth of a stone goose, which was held by a little stone boy. The old fountain was originally placed in front of Central Hall, a picturesque setting that was the shot for many Hillsdale College postcards in
the early 20th century. That fountain was moved to another location on the edge of campus two years later, however, largely due to complaints from students who were getting wet. There was a walkway on either side of the fountain, and depending which way the wind blew on a given day, students would be soaked by the water spraying from the fountain. Despite the epigram “No Effort Lost” inscribed at its base, the college ceased efforts to keep the fountain running
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First fountain made explosive exit in 1940 By | Rachel Kookogey Collegian Freelancer When the class of 2019 recently announced their senior gift of a fountain on the quad, one of the fundraising chairs, senior Andie Chandler, described the fountain as having a “rich history.” Hillsdale has, in fact, had multiple fountains on campus through the decades — including one that students blew up with dynamite in a prank gone wildly awry. The first fountain was donated by the class of 1886 as a senior gift. The news was announced in the May 1886 Follow @HDaleCollegian
The Class of 1886 poses in front of the fountain for which they raised funds. College Archives
edition of the Collegian’s predecessor, the Hillsdale Advance: “With commendable zeal and a bright seizing of the occasion, the departing class leaves a memorial on our campus that will be one of its chief ornaments, a thing of use and beauty—an ample fountain, to be located, probably, in the center of the front walk, halfway to College Hall from the street, in the open circle of evergreens that will stand guard over its splashing waters.” The total cost for the fountain in 1886 was
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