The poetry of Will Carleton The Hillsdale alumnus was also a beloved poet, with works such as “Over the Hill to the Poorhouse” and “Betsey and I Are Out.” B4
Michigan’s oldest college newspaper
‘Beauty and the Beast’ The live-action version of the Disney classic with Emma Watson shows dazzling promise but disappoints in reality.
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Vol. 140 Issue 22 - 23 March 2017
Citgo gas station reopens Watkins Oil recently reopened the Citgo gas station on Broad Street as the Sunrise Shop convenience store. A6
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Arrest of former student concludes two-hour lockdown of campus By | Thomas Novelly Editor-in-Chief A former student was arrested by Coldwater Police on Wednesday, after Hillsdale College received news of a potential threat that sent campus into a two-hour lockdown. College administrators lifted the lockdown at 2:15 p.m., after Coldwater Police reported they had detained the former student. “The college is always going to take every step possible to ensure the safety of the campus community,” Rich Péwé, chief administrative officer for Hillsdale College, said in a press release. “Under the same circumstances, the college would not hesitate to take the same action.” Director of Campus Security
and Emergency Management William Whorley sent students an email at 12:26 p.m. alerting them to stay indoors and to be on the lookout for the suspect. “The college has received information that a person, who left a residence from the surrounding area, may be armed,” Whorley said in the email. “Please stay indoors — You will be advised when it is all clear.” While students sat in A.J.’s Café, the library, and classrooms, college security worked with local law enforcement and actively searched campus for the suspect. Student veterans and Professor of Biology Francis Steiner volunteered to stand outside and guard the building with security, as well. Hillsdale Police Chief Scott Hephner searched the Grewcock Student Union, looking
over balconies and walking past tables to locate the suspect. “There is a threat that is active,” Hephner said during the search. “While it is unlikely here, these lockdown precautions are necessary.” After the lockdown was lifted, numerous students and faculty members shook the hands of local police and college security staff, thanking them for their diligence during the search. “They did very well,” President Larry Arnn said in an email. “They consulted each other, kept me and each other informed, reasoned clearly, and coordinated with law enforcement. I enjoyed the cooperation of the student body and all the staff and faculty.” In addition to thanking the law enforcement, administra-
tors also said they were appreciative of the student body’s quiet and calm demeanor during the lockdown. “We appreciate the way our students responded,” Diane Phillipp, vice president for student affairs for Hillsdale College, said in a press release. “They were calm and respectful of the situation.” Coldwater Police said they wouldn’t comment on the condition of the former student. Arnn said he felt bad for the former student and hoped he would be OK in the future. “Sad about that,” Arnn said, “I wish him well, but I hope he is not a danger or further danger to others.”
Hillsdale College put up a fence around the Quad over spring break, to mark the construction area for Christ Chapel to protect people walking on campus. The fence will stand, for two years. Nina Hufford | Collegian
Fence around Quad to stand until 2019
By | Thomas Novelly Editor-in-Chief Walking to class has become more complicated, and it won’t change for the next two years. As soon as students left campus for spring break on March 10, Hillsdale College installed fencing around the Quad in preparation for the construction of Christ Chapel, blocking off the entirety of the Quad as well as some parking for the student body. “Unfortunately, the project will last two years,” Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said in an email. “There is no way to avoid the inconvenience. The sooner we started in the spring, the quicker we can get certain ‘critical path’ work done before winter.” The fence blocks students from accessing the main entrance of the Grewcock Student Union and the main entrance to the Dow Leadership Center.
As a result, numerous students have complained about the fence, calling it unsightly and a major inconvenience to their campus commute.
next two years, and in some cases, access to Galloway Drive might be temporarily blocked,” Péwé said. “Right now, there is a sidewalk going in which will accommodate student traffic from Galloway Drive to the southeast end of Grewcock.” Additionally, students have wondered why construction could not begin after graduation. While that may be more convenient for students, Péwé said the project must start sooner rather than later. “March and April are better months to mobilize so we can get earth work and foundation work under way in the favorable temperatures,” Péwé said. “It makes my walk to class “A month or two makes a huge an extra five to 10 minutes londifference. March was a better ger,” junior Elyse Hutchenson time versus May to get more said. “I live in Pi Phi and walk competitive bids.” to class from that direction. While the next two years Now the whole way we use to of the incoming construction get on campus is blocked off.” may lead to frustration from With the groundbreaking numerous students, Péwé said it is ultimately in the best interest of everyone. “Everything we do is in pursuit of the mission and the benefit of our students,” Péwé said. “It’s better to complete the project and have a dedication in May 2019 versus September 2019. This way we have a chance of having the 2019 grads take part in the dedication and see the finished chapel before heading out to jobs, grad school, and professional Construction crew members make a new path from Galloway Drive to Galloway Residence to help people get more school.”
“Everything we do is in pursuit of the mission and the benefit of our students.”
ceremony for Christ Chapel on April 6, the college is already taking aggressive steps to start construction on the 27,000-square-foot building. Since the beginning of March, the college has made numerous steps to prepare for the fence and the excavation. Groundskeepers have pulled out shrubs and tall trees as well as the sprinkler system. Péwé said workers will soon begin digging a 26-foot long pit for the foundation, and eventually a tower crane reaching several hundred feet high will be installed within the perimeter to lift heavy materials. Because of numerous safety hazards, Péwé said the fence will not be moving any time soon. To help students navigate around the constricted campus, workers have already started installing new routes. “There will be a good amount of construction traffic on Galloway Drive for the
easily to campus, since the Quad is closed for construction of Christ Chapel. Nina Hufford | Collegian Follow @HDaleCollegian
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Students crowd the Grewcock Student Union, after Hillsdale College went into a full lockdown and asked people to stay indoors. Brendan noble | Courtesy
Students react to lockdown By | Breana Noble News Editor After learning the potential threat made against Hillsdale College on Wednesday allegedly came from a student formerly enrolled at Hillsdale, students said they were surprised and concerned for their former classmate. The suspect was arrested in Coldwater on Wednesday shortly after 2 p.m., according to the Daily Reporter, a newspaper based in Coldwater. Although many said they did not think much of the initial announcement about the lockdown, after learning the suspect once attended the college, students said they prayed for him and hoped that he would get medical help. “It’s a reminder to be understanding and gracious to the people you know, because there are things you don’t know about people, and things you can’t see,” sophomore Bobbie Briggs said. Students said when Director of Security William Whorley initially sent an email to students, faculty, and staff about campus being put on lockdown at 12:26 p.m., they still felt secure, expecting the incident to end shortly. “We didn’t know about it until after noonday prayer,” junior Monicah Wanjiru said. “The initial reaction was that students said, ‘I wonder if I can go to Galloway or the old snack bar.’ We were not scared. Nothing ever happens here.” Freshman Lauren Adams said she didn’t think much of it at first. “I thought it was just someone close to campus,” Adams said. “I mean, this is a school where we get emails about when deer season starts.” Freshman Adelaide Holmes was eating lunch with President Larry Arnn when he got a phone call about the situation. “He was just really open and honest about what was going on,” Holmes said. “He was really peaceful, and that helped me not worry. He knew it was well-handled and under control.” Junior Allison Deckert said she was in a class on the second floor of Lane Hall, during the lockdown, giving her a view of many police vehicles traveling around campus. Shortly after sending the email, an emergency telephone call was made to students and their emergency contacts, informing them of the lockdown and that there wasn’t an immediate threat. “I appreciated the call,” said Mike Bruno, father of senior Frank Bruno. “I wouldn’t have known what was going on without it...The first thing I thought is ‘Wow, this is the type of thing you see on the television, and now it’s happening to us.’ I told Frank to lay low and contact me when it is all safe and cleared up.” Stuck in the buildings they were in, students continued mostly as they were, eating lunch and playing ping pong
and card games in the Grewcock Student Union, while they waited for updates. A.J.’s Café continued its service, as well. “I was in the library, and it was really quiet, like normal,” junior Jessie Kopmeyer said. “They just asked us to move away from the windows, and the librarians were really nice, going around and asking if we wanted water.” Some students said they did have problems with connecting to the internet, especially in the union, as people were trying to find more information about the lockdown on social media and from news reports. After learning that the suspect in the case was a former student, however, current students said it became more personal. “I knew him,” junior Kevin Wilkinson said. “I wouldn’t ever have expected that.” Senior Shelby Nies said she knows the former student, as well. “I didn’t think anything would happen on campus,” Nies said. “I was more concerned for his well being.” Adams said learning that it was a former student made her more nervous. “That freaked me out, because it wasn’t just someone upset and near,” Adams said. “It was someone who knew the college well, and I was in the union with hundreds of people, and that is not a place you want to be.” Kristina Perkins ’16 arrived to campus, during the lockdown, to visit friends. She said she hopes people still see the school as the safe campus that she experienced for four years. Wanjiru said junior Peter Wenger led a group of students for 30 minutes in prayer, since many of them knew him through extracurricular activities. “We prayed for his soul, for grace,” Wanjiru said. “We prayed for him as a friend. It was surprising that this was even possible that a former Hillsdale student did this.” Wenger said the former student was a good friend of his when he attended Hillsdale. “I was concerned for him, and I knew that only God could restore his heart and heal his mind,” Wenger said. Once given the all clear, campus activities continued as normal, and students returned to class. Bon Appétit Management Company, however, did extend lunch dining hours for students who missed their meal while being held in other buildings. After the lockdown, students said they were unclear on what happened, since updates from the college to students did not hold many details, but they said they were grateful that security and police handled the situation. “It’s a comment that students feel safe on campus, because no one was scared by it,” Nies said. “That’s a blessing.” Look for The Hillsdale Collegian