April Issue 2017

PULSE RESTORING

A p r i l 1 4 , 2 0 1 7 • I s s u e 7 • Vo l u m e 4 • t h e s a u p u l s e . c o m

THE

EDEN: a look at the environment and healthy living

6-7 10 12-13 facebook.com/thesaupulse twitter.com/thesaupulse

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Mold Misidentified Environmentally Conscious What we Waste Groundskeepers PHOTO BY Kayla Williamson

PREVIEW

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

THE FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE CONT.

SGA PRESIDENT & VP Q&A

PAGE 4

PAGE 5

ALLERGIES IN THE ARTS After complaints about mold in White Auditorium, we investigated

PAGES 6-7

CASE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES EDUCATION AND INVOLVEMENT PAGES 8-9

LIVING LOCALLY

WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

THE TROUBLE WITH TRASH PAGES 12-13

Bilbro and Moore discuss the keys to local communities

PAGE 11

PAGES 10

PHOTO BY Carly Thompson

DEBATE OVER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF VINYLS

FLATLINE PAGE 14

PAGE 17

ARTIST REVIEW: AMBER RUN PAGE 15

SAU ALUMNI TO RUN IN BOSTON MARATHON

PREPARING SENIOR ART SHOWS PAGE 16 PHOTO BY Carly Thompson

POWERED BY PLANTS PAGE 18

THE PEOPLE BEHIND KEEPING THE CAMPUS GREEN PAGE 20

PAGE 19

INTERVIEWS WITH COACHES’ SPOUSES PHOTO BY Chris Bauman

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thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

PAGES 22-23

EDITORIAL

Guest Column Katie Shotts | Guest Writer

“By inviting the community to become actively involved in environmental sustainability and to think critically about their ecological footprint, we seek to bring shalom to the relationships between God, the environment and humankind.”

This is the mission statement of Students for Sustainable Living (SFSL), a student-led group on Spring Arbor University’s campus. As a group, and as Christ followers, we think the environment is incredibly important. We live in the world, and we want to make it a better place through responsible action, which is something we believe everyone can do through both large and small actions.

Robert Swan, an environmental activist, said in an interview, “The greatest danger to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

It is our responsibility, the responsibility of every person in this world, to decide what each one of us can do to make the world a better place. This is not a political agenda; it is a human one.

The world can be a broken place. It is damaged by fear, selfishness, greed

PHOTO BY Andri Hill

and carelessness, and these grievances apply to the very ground we walk on, the very air we breathe. It doesn’t take radical action to make this world better.

But if we can do anything, shouldn’t we do something?

It doesn’t take a lot to make a big difference, it just takes a lot of people. This is the kind of world that Students for Sustainable Living wants to create.

To find out more about what you can do or to join SFSL, feel free to contact myself or Logan Robart.

Katie Shotts: katelyn. shotts@arbor.edu Logan Robart: logan. robart@arbor.edu

The Pulse Staff 2016-2017 Editor-in-Chief Kayla Williamson Associate Editor Amber Cekander

Finance Manager Huy Nguyen Marketing Coordinator Aaliyah Winters Photography Editor Kaci Bedgood

News Editor Elise Emmert Features Editor Dana Sebald-Van Doren A&E Editor Carly Thompson Sports Editor Libby Buckland Lead Copy Editor/ Video Production Manager Brianna Buller Sales Manager Corina Cekander

Design Editor Andri Hill Designers Kaci Bedgood Rebecca Conley Camille Hunter Emily Spencer Staff Writers Heather Clark Sarah Dean Olivia Landis Liz Pence Luke Richardson Nathan Salsbury Emily Spencer

Online Writers Alex Anhalt Collin Caroland Makana Geppert Dane Parsons Luke Richardson Video Production Team John Kroll Ryan Sisk Sales Team Kaelyn Hale Abby Middleton Kayla Olewinski Newscast Team Kristina Grace Jubilee Jackson Elizabeth Lee

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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THE TRUMP 28

News

THE NEXT

ADMINISTRATION

DAYS OF A review of President Trump and his cabinet’s actions and statements from March 13 to April 11 Kayla Williamson | Editor-in-Chief

MARCH 15

MARCH 16

$

Hawaii federal judge rules against revised travel ban

MARCH 17

President Trump proposes his federal budget plan

After President Trump's first travel ban was blocked, the Trump administration wrote a new one.

But a federal judge said it was "issued with a purpose to disfavor a particular religion."

Secretary of State shuts down any negotiation with North Korea on their nuclear program

In his plan, military spending increased and billions are dedicated to building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rex Tillerson warned North Korea The State Dept. and Environmental Protection Agency of U.S. "preemptive action" if their had budget cuts, and all government arts funding nuclear and missile programs elevate in threat. programs were cut. Now it goes to Congress.

MARCH 17

MARCH 16 The Senate Intelligence says there is no evidence that Former President Obama wiretapped President Trump

MARCH 30

White House official claims Britain could have wiretapped Trump Tower A White House spokesperson repeated a Fox News report that the U.S.'s closest ally eavesdropped on President Trump on behalf of Former President Obama last year.

FBI Director confirms Fox News has since retracted the report, and officials he has no information other than Trump promise it will not happen again.

MARCH 20

Former national security advisor on President Trump's is willing to testify on MARCH 28 claims he was wiretapped MARCH 23 Russian communication White House prevents former acting attorney if granted immunity general from testifying on the Trump Vote to repeal Affordable Care Act postponed Michael Flynn resigned after 24 days Administration's involvement with Russia Since it looked like the replacement on the job after conversations with the Russian ambassador showed Flynn talking about lifting sanctions.

After being fired for telling the Justice Dept. to not defend the travel ban, Sally Yates's hearing on the matter was cancelled with no clear reason.

MARCH 29 Ivanka Trump will become an unpaid advisor to her father, similar to her husband

healthcare bill would not pass, the vote was stalled.

President Trump called for the vote anyway or else the current plan will stay in place.

MARCH 24

MARCH 21

House Republicans pull new healthcare bill; Affordable Care Act stays

Electronics larger than cellphones are banned on U.S. and UK bound flights from 10 Middle Eastern airports

APRIL 3 President Trump signs a bill allowing service providers to use "sensitive" data The bill repealed the Federal Communications Commission's internet privacy rules that required companies to ask permission for user's data to create targeted ads.

Chief strategist Steve Bannon leaves

APRIL 6

National Security Council after only being there to "watch Michael Flynn" according to President Trump

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APRIL 10 Neil Gorsuch swears into the Supreme Court after Senate changes voting rules Also known as "going nuclear," the rule change allows nominees to be confirmed with a simple majority of 51 rather than 60 votes.

APRIL 6

APRIL 7

Leader of the House Intelligence Committee's Russian investigation steps down

White House launches missiles at a Syrian airbase

The bill repealed the Federal Communications Commission's internet privacy rules that required companies to ask permission for user's data to create targeted ads.

After the Syrian airbase launched chemical weapons on civilians earlier last week, President Trump approved the first military intervention in Syria.

Russian officials had been warned before the strike.

thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

Elise Emmert | News Editor

A

fter the election for the new Student Government Association (SGA) president and vice president, The Pulse (TP) sat down with Richard Harris (RH) and Catherine Galloway (CG) to talk with them about running and their vision for the next year.

TP: What made you decide to run for office?

CG: I ran because I have a passion for the campus and I love people, and I feel this university has given so much to me. This is kind of my capacity to give back.

RH: I was considering running for president some time in this year. When we saw the post about running [I thought], “I don’t know how to do this by myself, I need someone who knows how to do it.” Really, Cat was that person I was looking for.

TP: Have Joey Dearduff and Alessandra Varelis given you any tips?

CG: Because we’re not on SGA, Alessandra and Joey have opened SGA meetings and all the knowledge they have up to us, to kind of learn [some stuff] this year before we start next year.

RH: And I’ve had a close relationship with the previous president, Ty [Davis]. He was in the realm of a mentor [to me], so he taught me the ropes around Spring Arbor and such.

TP: What are some of the main goals you hope to accomplish as President and VP next year?

we’re going to do it, we can’t do it alone.

CG: My favorite part is getting to put into action the things that have been put on my heart for campus, and just to be a big part of that. I hate being

News

2017-18 SGA President & Vice President talk the upcoming year

left out of things, and I love that I get to be a part of this.

RH: If you want to see some life on this campus, come on.

Let’s do this thing. Let’s start the show.

PHOTO BY Kaci Bedgood

CG: One of our goals was nutrition, and we’re adding nutrition responsibilities to the Vitality position.

RH: Personally, I would love to see the mentorship program [take off].

TP: How do you plan to show Christ through your administration?

CG: Through loving people, and trying to understand where students are coming from and what they want, and trying to be the best voice for them as possible.

TP: What about these roles makes you the most excited?

RH: I’m excited for unleashing what Spring Arbor is capable of.

We’re going to do some awesome things, and if

Check out more of the Q&A on thesaupulse.com April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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Mold or Not?

News

The Infamous Spot Carly Thompson | A&E Editor In the bottom of a Styrofoam cup lie scrapings of a crumbly substance taken from the wall behind the stage in the Glenn & Ruth White Auditorium (White Auditorium). The substance in question was thought to be mold, but upon further examination the substance was identified as efflorescence, which are “salts embedded in concrete and masonry structures after water has carried them to the surface” according to the U.S. Army Public Health Center (USAPHC).

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On Aug. 31, 2015 a test was done on this particular substance on the crossover wall at the back of White Auditorium. The Arch Environmental Group of Farmington Hills, Michigan (Arch) conducted a mold sampling of the air in the center of the stage, the backstage hallway, the lobby, the outside of the building and the substance covering the cinderblock wall of the backstage hall.

All tests within the building came back with a medium to low mold spore count, which “categorizes an environment that is acceptable for the majority of individuals,” according to Arch. The outside mold spore count was normal for that time of year, and the substance on the cinderblock did not contain the presence of any fungal growth, but rather efflorescence.

The USAPHC states the presence of efflorescence can be detected on masonry due to excessive water damage, commonly from rain water or ground water getting behind the wall. When an excess of water comes in contact with water soluble salts, the water moves to the surface to evaporate, leaving the salts behind. While the salts are rarely harmful, excessive and uncontrolled water damage can lead to more serious issues such as mold and structural concerns.

“This building has poor design,” Dorie Shelby, associate professor of communication and department chair,

thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

said. “The flat roof collects water and is not designed to have things on it, breaching the waterproof surface.

Water is always an issue.”

Efflorescence can be seen as a discoloration and as a powdery, crystalline substance which takes the color of the material and chemicals present on the surface the water moves through. Due to this discoloration and presence of water as the culprit, it is not surprising that mold and efflorescence are often confused. According to USAPHC, the conditions needed for mold to grow are papery substances and biological material, which are not present on the wall in White Auditorium.

When testing the substance on their own on April 3 in Whiteman Gibbs, junior biology majors Justina Peterson and Rachel Nicholas noticed that, when magnified, the substance remained black and white. A feature conducive to mold under magnification is that it is multicolored. The substance also did not appear to be hairy or fuzzy, like mold is.

If the substance can be crushed into a powder or dissolves in water, it is not mold. When testing this substance in water, Nicholas found the pieces that had been crushed into a powder dissolved quite easily in the water.

Both tests reflect that the substance is indeed efflorescence, which can still be a harmful substance if not treated.

Efflorescence salts are usually not a health hazard, but potassium and sodium sulfates in the substance are mild irritants when inhaled or when they come in contact with eyes. This is

Usually green, white or Powdery salt deposits black/colorful under magnification Both occur due Hairy

to excessive water damage

Minor irritations when inhaled or in contact with eyes

News

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Allergic reactions: asthma, skin reactions, Both do not affect all rhinitis/mold smell related: individuals, but can cause headaches, vomiting, serious problems nausea, blocked nose, Not floating respirable structurally or health asthmatic symptoms dust wise to those who are affected Turns to free floating dust naturally Occurs from water evaporating and leaving Needs papery substance salt deposits to grow on

not common with most efflorescence, because it does not become a floating dust naturally, according to USAPHC. However, chemical-laden areas may move harmful substances through the masonry and should receive more care in examination.

A more serious problem of mold was dealt with in Shelby’s office and classroom, but also more recently in the band room after it was severely flooded.

Dr. Bruce Brown, professor of music and music department chair, stated that the university spent quite a bit of money replacing drywall and cabinets, as well as professionally cleaning the instruments to prevent further health concerns.

“It was actually beneficial because it afforded me the opportunity to make the space more functional for my uses,” said Dr. Mark Douglass, assistant professor of music.

One student, senior drama major Rachel Gerrild, often experiences headaches and irritated eyes when in White Auditorium and the Prop Shop.

Although headaches have many causes, hers worsen during long exposure to the space, which is conducive to both a symptom of efflorescence and mold.

Gerrild often spends more time in White Auditorium or the Prop Shop than she does in her own room, and she wishes that these spaces would be tended to more efficiently.

“White Auditorium is a shared space, the music department uses it, the administration uses it to recruit students to come to our school,” Gerrild said.

“The fact that it’s still there, whatever it is, the fact that you can walk backstage, smell it and, when you go back there, you can literally see it is enough to say there’s a problem that has not been addressed fully.”

Although Gerrild does not always feel well when using these spaces, she is happy to continue using them. She asserts that the health and quality of White Auditorium was addressed, but that the Prop Shop is often neglected as far as heating and water damage are

concerned. There is much to consider when caring for buildings, but these problems should be cared for because these spaces are used so frequently and students spend so much time in them.

“People are important and their comfort is important, and they should feel like they have an environment where they get to work to the best of their ability,” Gerrild said. “That can’t be done if they feel sick or unsafe.”

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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Features Sarah Dean | Staff Writer

T

he city of Jackson is lighting Autism Support Network assists in children with autism and their parents up this month, and along with this fundraiser. They specialize in from the Jackson area. SAU students it, the nation and the world. applied behavior analysis therapy, mentor autistic children one-on-one, Together, they are striving to evoke and their main focus is improving leading them through activities such mindfulness about a group of people comprehensive speech and language in as lessons, music and dance. Mentors whom many are touched and inspired those with autism. at CASE help children improve social by: the autistic community. April is cues such as communication, eye autism awareness month. contact and asking questions.

The Jackson area has made it CASE was created in 2012 their goal to come together to

by Professor of Psychology provide support for those Terri Pardee, who directed who stand anywhere on the program with Bonnie the autism spectrum.

Holliday, chair of the On Saturday, April social work department.

1, members of the When Sarah Bartzen, If any of you see somebody Jackson community academic advisor gathered for the annual of the social work making fun of an autistic “Light the Town Blue” department, began student on campus, such as event, where various teaching in 2014, myself, please come adnhelp booths were set up that Holliday encouraged provided information her to take the place stand up for us about autism and its local of director. At the Julie Peterson resource centers, including time, Bartzen had the Spring Arbor University never interacted (SAU) CASE program, the or worked with Center for Autism Spectrum anyone with autism, Enrichment. Balloons were making her quite nervous, released in downtown Jackson, and she said. She thought she might once it was dark, the County Tower say the wrong words or offend Building was lit up blue, representing someone, but by the second week, the the national color for autism. kids and families had captured her heart.

Additionally, a 5k walk/run around Autism Awareness is a worldwide Since becoming the director, Cascades Park in Jackson will take campaign, but it has also intimately Bartzen has moved from high student place on May 1 to raise money for influenced the campus of SAU. Its involvement to facilitating the parent families affected by autism. Jackson CASE program is designed to serve group. Though she greatly enjoys

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thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

’’

shame: openness and sensitivity to what they struggle with is a crucial way to help, she said.

By being a student with autism at SAU, Julie Petersen has helped bridge the gap for autism awareness on campus. Being a teenager and transitioning into college have been especially difficult times in her life.

In light of how the community can be more aware and sensitive, Petersen shared that people with autism like having things a certain way, and they are often targets for bullying.

“If any of you see somebody making fun of an autistic student on campus, such as myself, please come and help stand up for us,” Petersen said.

As much as the vulnerability to bullying is prevalent in people with autism, Bartzen informs us they are often also falsely portrayed in the media. It is said they are not social, yet in Bartzen’s experience, they have been delighted to share and talk about their autism. Petersen also provided clarity in this stigma, as she hopes students will be open to listening to her.

Petersen encourages students to be involved in recognizing and learning more about autism. CASE is a major way to offer support, and being a part of the chalk walk helps the SAU community grow into deeper recognition, an aspect that Petersen appreciates.

In addition to CASE, its directors also set up an autism booth at a baseball game last year, providing hot dogs and information about CASE and autism awareness. They are currently in the process of brainstorming new ways to further implement this campaign.

The opportunity to get involved with CASE is not limited to mentoring.

Other volunteer positions are needed, and simply coming to events, talking with student and faculty directors or coming to observe CASE can make an impact.

“We have students on campus with autism,” Bartzen said. “Become friends with those people. Talk to them. Find out their experiences.”

Bartzen reminds us people with autism are “not one size fits all.” In her eyes, growing in awareness and knowledge of this will help educate and foster understanding of and appreciation for such unique individuals.

Features

advocating for the parents, she misses interacting with the kids and witnessing their beautiful curiosity and excitement.

Bartzen counts it a blessing “to be able to provide such a wonderful enrichment program.”

Senior Deja Williams, student director of CASE, has learned a great deal about autism in her four years with the program. What Williams found most essential for people to realize is that these children have the capacity to understand.

“You have to see both sides: they’re human and they have autism,” Williams said. “A lot of people put their autism first and treat them based on their disorder. Autism doesn’t make that child any less of a child. They still laugh and play.”

The annual chalk walk is administered by CASE as a way to elicit deeper understanding of the ties SAU has to those with autism. This year, students can participate in the chalk walk in mid to late April. Passersby in the plaza have the opportunity to chalk out a puzzle piece on the sidewalk and write the name of someone they know with autism inside. The logo of autism is a puzzle piece, and this symbolizes that each piece fits together. In doing this, the SAU community has a visual representation of the array of lives who are touched by autism.

“We want to let people know this isn’t just a small population,” Williams said. “It affects many people on this campus.”

Williams emphasized the importance of paying attention to the needs of those with autism. Having autism does not imply a sense of

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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Features

HOT and COLD Campus Perspectives on Climate Change Heather Clark | Staff Writer

T

he first thing students need to understand is it is not “global warming,” it is “climate change,” Professor of Biology Chris Newhouse said. The temperature changes being measured are causing not just warmer weather, but spikes in severe weather events, such as tornadoes and hurricanes. Some areas of the world are actually cooler than others.

In his environmental science classes, Newhouse focuses on the biology of climate change. He himself has observed changes in the migratory patterns of local birds and seen several normally seasonal species begin to stay in the area year round. Another rising concern is the spread of the tiger mosquito, a carrier of the Zika virus.

This species normally cannot survive the winters of the northern states but has recently been seen in Michigan.

According to Assistant Professor of Philosophy Matt Hill, who teaches a course on environmental ethics, the real problem of climate change is in the way our actions toward it affect us as human beings. Hill teaches from a standpoint of virtue ethics, which evaluates actions not by expediency but by the way they act on human conscience and values.

For him, pollution, and the resulting climate effects, is an activity of vice because it damages the world we are charged with protecting.

“The question really is, do we want to be the kind of people who pollute?” Hill said.

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Assistant Professor of English Jeff Bilbro, who recently published a book on ecology and environmental care in literature, has a similar view.

Bilbro said the overemphasis on the specific issue of climate change detracts from the idea that we ought to be more careful with our use of resources and sustainable practices because they are beneficial, even if there was no issue of warming temperatures.

Even if someone is not overly concerned with the innate virtues and vices of their actions, Newhouse offered another reason to be concerned.

Climate change may not affect us now, but it is the legacy we will pass on to our children.

Both Bilbro and Newhouse said finding more sustainable, local and natural food sourcing is an important step in offsetting pollution. Newhouse suggested using more efficient transportation, and finding online tools to calculate your carbon footprint. The questions used in these calculations often point out areas where we can make changes, Newhouse said.

Logan Robart, sophomore leader of SAU Students for Sustainable Living, suggested small changes like taking shorter showers, turning off lights you don’t need, buying only what you know you can use and recycling whenever possible.

What can be done about the areas of a carbon footprint we can’t change?

Hill said one of the best ways he

thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

knows to make a difference is the Eden Reforestation Project, which plants trees - a major carbon reducer - for just ten cents a tree.

“Ten to fifteen trees a year offsets your carbon footprint,” Hill said.

He said the organization is a very efficient one and when people donate money they can be sure it is going directly to the tree planting.

This is a simple and cheap way for a college student to make a practical difference in climate change.

“ ”

The question really is, do we want to be the kind of people who pollute?

-Matt Hill, professor of philosophy

Bilbro and Moore host discussions on local culture, economics and politics

Features

Active Localism Carly Thompson | A&E Editor Amber Cekander | Associate Editor

W

e broke bread together by the fire—all seven of us— smack talking Evelyn Waugh and discussing if it is fashionable to wear socks with Chacos. Dr. Jeff Bilbro, assistant professor of English, recited a Sylvia Plath poem from the back porch while we watched geese congregating in the pond. Thus began the second installment of discussions on local economics, politics and culture at the home of Cameron Moore, assistant professor of English.

According to Bilbro, he and Moore had been engaged in localist dialogue for years. Moore’s work on G.K. Chesterton and Bilbro’s on Wendell Berry prompted the two professors to examine the overlapping visions the two authors shared in terms of the cultural and the economic.

“During the recent presidential campaign and election,” Bilbro said, “there was a lot of populist rhetoric and discussion about people who live in rural areas, but much of it was pretty vague.”

To combat these vague conversations, Bilbro and Moore discussed further exploring the origins of local, grounded politics and culture through a series of talks.

The group hosted meetings on February 27 and March 27, the first

at Bilbro’s house and the second at Moore’s. Each meeting finds its focus and discussion through various essays about localist culture, economics and politics from authors including Berry, Chesterton, Christopher Lasch, Allen Tate and Herbert Agar. Copies of the essays can be obtained before the meetings, but reading them prior to the meetings is not a requirement.

“Jeff found everything except the Chesterton reading,” Moore said. “I assume the texts and reading schedule sprang full-formed from his intellect like Athena from the mind of Zeus.”

Both Bilbro and Moore expressed their willingness to continue the meetings and conversations if students remain interested. Bilbro said there is plenty of material to cover multiple meetings.

Students engaged in a discussion of how to bring industry back to local businesses rather than a central hub.

Each student participated in some capacity, fielding questions about how the ideas discussed could be put into practice. With such a small group, all who were present felt comfortable sharing their thoughts.

“I think that a reading group on localism and places offers an interesting proposal for college students whose lives are transient by definition,” Moore

said. “In thinking through the virtues of the local with students we are in a bit of a catch-22 in that while Jeff and I are rooted here in Spring Arbor, our students are not, nor are they likely to be.”

Moore then went on to say that no matter where college students end up in their post-graduate lives, they will be somewhere. A discussion of localist politics, economics and culture can help prepare students to set down roots once they leave Spring Arbor.

Bilbro added that, in the midst of “centralizing, technocratic forces [there is] also a growing interest in developing authentic, local communities. I’m hopeful we can do good work where we are to cultivate the health of our places.”

Final Localist Meeting When: April 24 Where: TBA For more information: email Jeff Bilbro (jeffrey.bilbro@ arbor.edu) or Cameron Moore (cameron.moore@arbor.edu)

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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Features

Secrets of Ex

How SAU deals with waste and the committees that came out of it Luke Richardson | Staff Writer

I

t is the coffee cups students dispose after the morning rush for a caffeine boost. It is the mountains of leftovers thrown away in the Dining Commons (DC). It is the rough drafts of rough drafts of a student’s paper.

This threat to the environment? Trash.

Why so much waste? Spring Arbor University (SAU) has recycling and garbage bins inside every dorm and

village, so there are ample places to collect the refuse of students, but after the custodians come through on their rounds, dozens of pounds of garbage are taken out the back doors to the waiting dumpsters on their way to the landfill each day.

How much exactly does the average student waste? For an environmental science class last fall, I conducted a PHOTO BY Luke Richardson

Aaron Cole boils homemade maple syrup in the fall. Cole recycles the used oil from the DC to fuel the boiler.

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thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

study on how many paper towels a single student uses over a 10-week period. The result was 170 feet for ten weeks: roughly 850 feet per year, the equivalent of 25 trees. Multiply that by the student body of 2,435 and you get 2,069,750 feet of paper towel wasted by the school, the equivalent of 60,875 trees each year.

In 2009, an organization called Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) was created in conjunction with the Business Department with one of their major objectives being campus-wide reform on recycling. Chief of Staff Damon Seacott was on the board responsible for the formation of the group and put his full support behind the measures.

Today, buildings like the campus library and administration offices have multiple recycling stations and bins thanks to this student initiative.

Alumnus Jason Vates even created an official student journal called “Dandelion” about caring for the environment at SAU. The publication included tips for saving resources like gas by carpooling, reflections by faculty and students on the wonders of specific area wildlife, Q&A’s with interested conservationists and even poetry submissions on nature.

“Our hope and vision was to encourage the ongoing stewardship conversation,” Vates said. “Especially around the community, the workplace, the arts and the academics of Spring Arbor University.”

SAU alumnus and former dining commons employee Aaron Cole noticed the DC had been throwing out gallons of old cooking oil. Rather than see it go to waste, Cole elected to take the oil for himself, which he now uses as fuel for his maple syrup boiler in the fall.

Katie Shotts, a junior double major in psychology and sociology, keeps a personal cardboard box in her dorm room to collect her recyclable objects, keeping the dorm trash cans from overflowing.

As a result of SIFE, university administration has co-mingled their recycling bins, thus removing the need for students to sort their recyclables.

Additionally, the DC makes an effort to use leftovers as is allowed by health code standards, but Shotts observed not many foods make the cut. Even with these policies

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to sustainable living,” Shotts said.

“By doing things like printing papers double-sided, not getting paper bags at Ada’s or the Cougar Den or not getting as much food in the DC, we can easily cut down on unnecessary waste.”

Spring Arbor faculty have also expressed advocacy on environmental awareness. Professor

“These experiments allow us to gaze, perhaps only peek, at who is leading who in the dance,” Patton said, “and who is stepping on whose feet, and ultimately, to ask the daring question, ‘What does it all mean?’”

Assistant Professor of Communication Jen Letherer, whose roots are in the country, advocates a

“By doing things like printing papers double sided, not getting paper bags at Ada’s or the Cougar Den or not getting as much food in the DC, we can easily cut down on unnecessary waste.”

Katie Shotts, junior

in place, the mountain of trash created by students continues to grow rapidly.

Shotts and fellow student Logan Robart have started a movement in the same vein as SIFE: The Students for Sustainable Living, encouraging students to “Love creation through education, recreation and responsible action,” as their motto dictates.

“We as a student body have a lot of power to make a difference in regards

of Communication Paul Patton has observed that students’ unhealthy environmental practices stem from disillusionment caused by an overindulgence in technology, making them forget the creation surrounding them. To combat this, Patton developed a 13 week program of fasting from a specific technology or materialistic lifestyle including internet, video games and phone use.

lifestyle of care for God’s creation on campus, describing a duty we have to conserve and recycle.

“The most practical thing when it comes to recycling is just having the mindset of taking care of what’s around you,” Letherer said. “You conserve because you have to, and it’s just the right thing to do.”

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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A&E

SAU group lobbies for outdoor classes Elise Emmert | News Editor The upcoming spring season and warmer weather always results in two things on Spring Arbor University’s (SAU) campus: evidence of student life and student requests for holding classes outside.

For much of this past winter, students have been stuck indoors, avoiding the cold and gloomy weather that grips campus from November to the end of March.

But now, many students are planning to take full advantage of the rising temperatures. Even the SAU elephant was seen getting some fresh air recently.

A new student group, Students for Outdoor Classes (SOC), has sprung up like daisies in the past few weeks.

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Currently, they are holding meetings where members discuss the best ways to get professors to take their lesson plans outside.

“We really want to integrate the concept into our classes and our lives,” the president of SOC said. “What better way to do that than to sit outside by it?”

One member of the group expressed her strategy of faith for moving classes outdoors.

“When I want class to be outside, I bring my sunglasses and a blanket to sit on,” she said. “It’s like that saying, ‘If you pray for rain, bring your umbrella,’ you know?

You’ve got to have faith it’ll happen, and be prepared for it when it does.”

Many professors expressed concern over the rising interest in outdoor classes, and have created an antiSOC group, Professors Against Outdoor Classes (PAOC).

PAOC leaders say holding classes outdoors makes conducting class more difficult because they no longer have access to their PowerPoints. Students are also more likely to become distracted, they claim, not only by the people who walk by but the nature and weather around them as well.

“So many of the students here work at summer camps that being outdoors makes them forget about schoolwork

thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

and focus on their upcoming vacation,” one PAOC professor said.

But the SOC students are undaunted by professor concerns, and have even started lobbying for an outdoor chapel to be held on the library steps. The professor and librarian duo from last month’s Lip Sync have offered to stand in for chapel band.

The SOC group plans to work with SAU’s technology services department to launch a section on the SAU app where students can post in threads about what strategies work for getting professors outside and which professors are easier to crack. Stay tuned for warmer weather and progress!

Liz Pence | Staff Writer For British indie rock band Amber Run, the road to “For a Moment, I Was Lost,” their sophomore album, was a wild and winding path.

“We had been told we would be the biggest band on the planet,” said Amber Run in the album’s biography. “We believed it of course – who wouldn’t want to believe that when you’re 19 and still at university?”

With two extended plays and a fulllength album under their belt, they were rejected by music festivals and radio stations at home and worldwide. These defeats were almost crushing, until they reached an epiphany.

“After a while, we stopped caring,” said the band. “We don’t need [to care]

about those things anymore.”

Instead, Amber Run decided to make music for their fans – the people who supported them from the beginning.

Out of this decision, “For a Moment, I Was Lost” was born.

Released digitally on Feb. 10, the album is an angsty crash course on liminal spaces and trying to find a new place to call your own. Opening the album is “Insomnia,” a piano-driven and upbeat tribute to the things that used to be. Two other notable tracks on the albums are “Fickle Game,” an existential ballad accompanied by moody guitar riffs, and “Haze,” an a capella interlude drenched in harmonies.

Amber Run’s sophomore album

is a moody yet harmonious tribute to the things that are lost in the tides of time and a long love poem for the fans who stood by them when the industry discarded them.

A&E

For a Moment, I Was Lost: Reviewing Amber Run

“For a Moment, I was Lost” Track List: 1. Insomniac

7. White Lie

2. No Answers

8. Perfect

3. Island

9. Dark Bloom

4. Stranger

10. Machine

5. Fickle Game

11. Are you Home?

6. Haze

12. Wast Lands

PHOTO FROM Amber Run Facebook Page

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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A&E

Behind the Gallery Walls

PHOTO BY Sarah Dean ART BY Katie Iversen

A look into preparing senior Sarah Dean | Staff Writer art shows

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altzing through the Ganton Art Gallery in dresses or ties, savoring the unique aesthetics in the room, nibbling on cookies and punch: this may be the lens through which visitors relish in the Spring Arbor University (SAU) senior art shows. While this may sound relaxing, seniors Cloe Hadley and Katie Iversen offer a bit of rawness to the picture in expressing that the process of putting senior art shows together involves a great deal of work.

Both Hadley and Iversen said the process of forming senior shows begins when art students enter as freshmen. The art professors sit down with students yearly to discuss their work, their techniques and their future ideas. Hadley quickly realized the responsibility to organize one-on-one mentor times with professors fell on her shoulders. She would go to class early and seek advice from the different stylistic perspectives of each professor.

Hadley said senior art shows also

focus largely on the market of the art.

During the two-week period following the show, sponsors and campus board members make decisions about purchasing pieces. Students find it necessary to consider what will make them stand out in comparison to other artists.

In addition to the construction of show pieces, other responsibilities are included in preparation.

“What most people don’t realize is the physical demands of putting up a show,” Iversen said.

For Hadley, these responsibilities included sitting down with directors of the gallery, Brian Shaw and Roxanne Kaufman, two months prior to her show to discuss a price list, narrowing the number of her pieces from 60 to 20 and purchasing mats and frames. Framing the art, buying food for the reception and crafting an artist statement were the key elements that required a great deal of time and money for Iversen.

PHOTO BY Sarah Dean

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Art students seek to discover their unique voice in what they produce throughout their four years at SAU. Additionally, Iversen reflects that the senior show is “not an evolution of you as an artist, but a unified, powerful showcase of your talent.” She has found her identity as an artist in the inspiration of nature, specifically Michigan landscapes. Her show “Unsung” was featured on April 2 and represented landscape and still life. Because this has been an area of passion in her life, she seeks to transcribe that into her art.

“Your art is connected to what’s going on in real life; you can’t separate the two,” Iversen said.

For Hadley, it took three years to reveal her love of abstract art. She desired to explore the use of everyday objects. The intermingling of color experimentation and emotional responses in this style are the aspects she deeply enjoys. Her show, which was featured March 19, centered on the idea of “Redemption,” with her final piece being “Survivor.” In this piece, her goal was to convey the message that something better is always coming, even in moments of suffocation.

“I don’t think this series of redemption will ever end,” Hadley said, “this idea of reminding people that redemption is all over the place. Even though we might not be able to see it, we will eventually.”

A&E

Art or Earth?

The Environmental Impact of Vinyl Emily Spencer | Staff Writer

A

hand runs along the edges of albums, sitting in a box in the back of the stack. Selecting an interesting one, they wipe off the dust that had been collecting, pull it out and carefully place it on the record player. It spins silently as the needle falls into place.

Despite the availability of music through internet sources, the popularity of records has resurged.

According to Associate Professor of Music Dr. Richard Hintze, every generation re-popularizes trends from the past. He said adults enjoy it because they get the opportunity to be nostalgic, and it is a good chance for college-aged students to take retro things and personalize them.

Both junior Caitlin Stout and junior Kristen June said that, while they enjoy the convenience of digital music, there is a certain kind of ambiance when they put on a record.

They enjoy the relaxing atmosphere that comes along with playing one.

Stout also said there is an emphasis on the album art that, when it comes to online sources, tends to fall to the wayside.

“I think there’s something to be said for having the physical album covers and appreciating those for what they are as its own separate piece of art from the music,” Stout said.

Another reason Stout likes the trend is people are listening to music they may not have tried otherwise. Hintze said anything that gets people interested in music is worth it.

Unfortunately, records have more of an impact on the environment than

digital copies. According to an article by Nina Rastogi, writer and president of content at Figment, an online writing

“

I think there’s something to be said for having the physical album covers and appreciating those for what they are. . .

said. “And there’s a used book store in Jackson that has a whole room of used records.”

She also uses them for decoration if she doesn’t listen to them anymore, instead of throwing them away.

Hintze said he is not necessarily as concerned about the environmental impact of records as he is other things. While it is good to be conscious, he said there are other issues that could be focused on that may be of greater benefit.

Caitlin Stout, junior

”

forum, records are made of polyvinyl chloride which can be damaging to the earth, particularly if burned. Vinyls also require transportation and uses the fuel, unlike digital music downloaded off the web.

There are ways to cut back on the environmental impact of purchasing records. June prefers to buy records used.

“A variety of my records come from my aunts,” June

April 14, 2017

• thesaupulse.com

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Sports

Powering your body, one plant at a time Nathan Salsbury | Staff Writer

T

and exercise science student, attended one of the meetings with some friends as part of a nutrition class they are taking, but he said he plans to go again.

“ We r e a l l y focus on the science behind the plantbased diet,” Zigler said, “and there’s a lot of research out there right now that really supports it and how it really helps people feel a lot better.”

Each meeting lasts between an hour-and-a-half to two hours with a new topic each week. One of the most recent topics was about how having a plant-based diet can affect a person’s cognitive behavior. Occasionally, the group is also joined by an expert guest speaker who comes to speak about their own field of work.

The meetings are open to anyone, both students at SAU and members of the community. Zigler said people from all over the area, including Eaton Rapids, Marshall, Spring Arbor and Parma have attended.

Christian Dawe, a sophomore health

“We were interested in learning more about it,” Dawe said, “and I learned a lot of cool things I wouldn’t have thought

he group “Powered By Plants” was started a year ago by Dr. Mitch Zigler, associate professor of physical therapy and clinical director at Spring Arbor University (SAU). The group was founded to share sciencebased information about food and how it affects the body from a vegan point of view.

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thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

of otherwise. It was definitely beneficial.”

One of the things Zigler taught those who attended was vegans and vegetarians are not highly concerned with the lack of protein due to not eating meat because there are other ways to get protein. Instead, the concern revolves around finding ways to get vitamin B-12 and minerals like calcium, zinc and iron.

Dawe suggested students who are interested in learning more about how to power their bodies with plantbased foods should attend. He said it is also beneficial to hear about the viable options vegans and vegetarians have.

“The biggest thing they focus on is balancing,” Dawe said. “Because you can be vegan and still be really unhealthy.

It’s just [about] getting the balance of nutrients your body needs.”

Meetings take place once a month.

For more information on when and where the meetings are, students and members of the community can email Zigler at mitchell.zigler@arbor.edu or call him at the Physical Therapy clinic ( 517.750.6800) with any questions.

From Spring Arbor to Boston: Amber Cekander| Associate Editor

Spring Arbor

I

t was an unintentional guilt trip from his parents, in the form of a Christmas card, that re-motivated Spring Arbor University (SAU) alumnus Simon Reidsma to run in the Boston Marathon on April 17. “[The card] had some reindeer on the front of it,” Reidsma said, “and said something cheesy, like, “We hope these bucks help you with your run!” They had given me $100 for a souvenir in Boston. They were so excited to give me the gift; I don’t think they knew I wasn’t planning on doing it.”

Reidsma and fellow SAU alumnus Tyler Babinec both qualified for the Boston marathon at the Whitefish Point Marathon last June. Babinec, too, had his hesitations about running the Boston marathon, but ultimately decided to take the opportunity.

Training to run a 26.2 mile course was no easy feat, and both Reidsma and Babinec had to work physically and mentally to prepare themselves for the race.

“Running is challenging,” Babinec said. “You’ve got to have the right mindset.”

For Reidsma, that mindset included a breaking of daily running habits.

“It didn’t cross my mind I didn’t have to run every day,” Reidsma said.

Reidsma said once he was able to get into a routine where he listened to his body and gave himself time to rest and heal, he was able to push forward in his training.

F o r Reidsma, his family and friends were his primary motivators.

Reidsma’s father, Eric, who ran the Boston marathon in 2008, encouraged his son to enjoy the race as an experience, not as an opportunity to achieve a new best performance.

Babinec’s motivation comes from God and from prayer. Praying while running is a practice Babinec is using to work on his faith.

“I remember who is important in my life and I put them in my steps,” Babinec said.

Both Reidsma and Babinec reflected on their time as part of SAU’s track team in preparation for Boston. The importance of a team and the idea of accountability kept both motivated throughout the training process. In fact, Babinec said he and Reidsma will be

running the marathon in memory of their teammate Quinten Greiner, who passed away last summer.

After the marathon, Reidsma will be taking some time off from running.

Stating his need to “get out and release some energy,” Reidsma plans to engage in other sports he enjoyed before his running career began.

Babinec, who is in the process of obtaining his personal training certification, has plans to run in the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City, five weeks after Boston.

To those looking for a new challenge or goal, whether running-based or not, Reidsma offered the following advice: “Seek some sort of team. If you want to accomplish something you aren’t sure you can make yourself do, it doesn’t hurt to have people there who are

Sports

SAU alumni prepare for one of the world’s largest marathons

trying to do the same things. It makes it fun, too.”

“Find a goal,” Babinec said.

“Challenge yourself. If you set your mind to it, you can do it. Don’t be afraid to give opportunities a try.”

Boston

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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Sports

S

The Grounds Crew

pring Arbor University (SAU) has a grounds crew composed of one full time worker, five to six seasonal student workers and three retired men.

Through the hard work and dedication of these individuals, SAU’s campus has received numerous awards, such as 40th Prettiest Christian Campus in the World by Christian Universities Online.

Not only does this crew keep all of campus in tip-top shape, they continually maintain the athletic fields and facilities with the help of coaches and players. There are three grass fields and one turf athletic field the grounds team is responsible for maintaining.

A common question when tending to outdoor facilities is whether or not it is being done in an environmentally friendly way. BJ Buckland, head of SAU’s ground crew, uses multiple groundskeeping methods proven to

Libby Buckland | Sports Editor impact the environment in a positive light. By utilizing Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a method of fertilizing, maintaining grass and shrubs involving different mowing and watering techniques, it drastically reduces potential harm to the environment.

“It involves different mowing

techniques and watering, top dressing, fertilizing, weeding and pest control,” Buckland said.

A pest can be defined as anything that is not where it is supposed to be. Pests can range from dandelions, cumin, weeds, different insects or even butterflies. If it is bothering people, it is a pest.

Buckland believes in managing pests and keeping them below the threshold. This means keeping people happy, but not necessarily eliminating all pests.

The goal is to create a balance between making things look good and being tolerant of certain pests.

“The Integrated Pest Management means I don’t just go out and spray and kill things,” Buckland said. “By using non-invasive methods, we cut down on the weeds that grow.”

For example, adjusting the height of the grass with mowing techniques, monitoring how often the grass is

A natural balance: How SAU uses environmentally friendly methods of grounds maintenance 20

thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

pollinate. If we spray all of the weeds, we kill the bees.”

Even though the grounds crew can occasionally be seen spraying, it is done at a very controlled rate. Things like wind speed, temperature and humidity levels are all taken into account before spraying. Most of the pesticides used are fairly harmless if they are used in the right way.

All of these techniques are taken into account when tending to the athletic fields on campus as well. However, Buckland said sports fields are one of the areas on campus that gets a little more attention because they need to be suitable for the athletes to perform.

There are certain things, such as topdressing, that are done more often on the athletic fields because people are constantly using them. Topdressing a field means adding a mixture of sand and topsoil over the grass to make it softer and grow thicker. This is essential for athletic fields to help reduce injuries and create a flattened surface to perform on. However, limited funds only allow these techniques to go so far.

The SAU grounds crew also manages their own irrigation systems on campus with water meters. This prevents the water from running all the time, especially if it is raining. Sensors can measure how much water is in the ground and will shut the system off if it is already wet, preventing the waste of water. Buckland said they have installed several new sprinkler systems the past few years to help maintain healthy turf in the main areas of campus.

Through close management and attention to detail, the grounds crew is effectively beautifying both the main campus and the athletic fields in a way that enhances the environment rather than hurting it.

Sports

watered and with how much water all contribute to decreasing the need for fertilizer and weed killer.

“This method saves time, money and is a lot better for the environment,” Buckland said.

Buckland also explained how all of the shrubs and bushes on campus are closely managed. Instead of spraying everything with insect and weed killer, they use a less invasive method of spotspraying. The IPM cuts down on the amount of pesticides used on campus and avoids putting too many chemicals in the earth.

“The goal is to use less pesticides and herbicides,” Buckland said.

The key is having people become more tolerant of some weeds, yet keeping campus green. If you are tolerant of some weeds, you cut down on the amount of chemicals being sprayed.

“There is a reason for not killing every weed on campus,” Buckland said.

“There is a big drive to save the honey bees. If you have nothing flowering, there will be nothing for the bees to

PHOTO BY Libby Buckland

April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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Sports

The Coach Behind your Coach: The Role of SAU Coaches’ Spouses Camille Hunter | Staff Writer Olivia Landis | Staff Writer

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he saying goes that behind every great man is a great woman. In the case of a coach, man or woman, the role of a coach’s spouse can have a major impact on the characteristics of a team. In order to get a closer perspective on this role, The Pulse interviewed several coaches’ spouses and an SAU athelete.

We asked Colton Martinez (husband of womens volleyball coach, Betsey Martinez) what it is like to be a coach’s spouse.

“I love being married to Coach Martinez. It is an amazing opportunity to watch her fulfill her passion of coaching the sport she loves, but also helping change the lives of women.

Being part of the SAUVB family is a great time, and being a “coach’s spouse” is an amazing role.”

‘‘

We asked Jenn Schiable (wife of baseball assistant coach, Jon Schiable) what transitions or changes have been made to her family life since her husband began assistant coaching the baseball team.

“Obviously some changes in our schedules [and] routines had to be made because of all the practices, traveling, games, etc. But when Jon was first approached about coaching we agreed if this couldn’t be a “family thing” then it wasn’t going to work. It’s been great getting our boys, Henry and Luke, at the games, getting to know the players, and interacting with the other baseball families. It’s a great atmosphere to raise the boys in and I have enjoyed building relationships with Alyssa Marken (wife of head coach Ryan Marken) and the baseball moms.”

We asked Darcy Miller (wife of mens soccer coach, Nate Miller) what ways the role has influenced her family life and what ways she is involved with the team.

We, as players, know she loves to watch us play but I think she is more proud of the young men we become in this program.

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Thomas Starks, Men’s Basketball

thesaupulse.com • April 14, 2017

“Out of seven and a half years of marriage, six and a half of those have been with Nate being a coach so I don’t really remember anything different. We have definitely made the decision to make this a family thing. The team is in our house for Bible study and we have guys over for weekly dinners which is the highlight of our two year old’s week.

He has the entire roster memorized and knows which ones have the best soccer hair. We live close to campus so the kids and I spend a lot of time walking over to watch practice and we are able to attend every home game and almost every away game. We love that our kids have the privilege of looking up to such a solid group of guys.”

Thomas Starks (a captain on the mens basketball team) comments on the influence of coach Cottingham’s wife, Christy, and the effect she has had on the team as a whole.

“Mrs. Cottingham is always someone you can count on for support. She comes to as many games as possible, she’s excited for us after our win and she comforts us after our loss. She takes the time to get to know us players on a personal level and she opens up her home to all of us. One thing I love about Mrs. Cottingham is she always takes interest in what is going on in our personal lives. We, as players, know she loves to watch us play but I think she is more proud of the young men we become in this program.”

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April 14, 2017 • thesaupulse.com

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SPORTS

month

of the

Athlete Katrina Tovar

E

Kayla Williamson | Editor-in-Chief

very door in the Tovar household has a basket on the back for pick-up basketball games. The dining room is a ripstick park for siblings. Daily tasks, like eating everything on a plate, turn into bets that usually end in a lot of push-ups for the losers.

“We like to bet,” sophomore Katrina Tovar said. “It’s not like money or anything. It’s physical activity.”

“Pain,” her boyfriend Kevin Smith said.

When Tovar was nine years old, she started gymnastics. When she was 13, she swam in triathlons with her father and sister. In high school, she ran track and field. At Spring Arbor University (SAU) she does hurdles, long jump, triple jump and pole vault, which earned her the All-American title at indoor track nationals this year.

She grew up in an active family, but it was not until high school when her sister swore off sugar that her mother became more food conscious.

“I don’t want to say health freak, but healthier,” Tovar said. “Well, it’s getting there actually.”

Her mother makes sure fruits and vegetables are a part of every meal, which is a habit that has spilled into Tovar’s college eating habits. She tries to eat a vegetable at lunch and dinner and fruit at breakfast and one other meal. But she does not always stick to it at college: Sundays are her cheat days.

“I notice when I don’t eat vegetables and fruit and main food groups, I feel lazy all day long,” Tovar said. “I don’t want to do anything. Maybe it’s just because it’s Sunday, and it just kind of goes all together, the laziness and not eating well. You just want to sleep all day.”

At home it is easier to eat healthier because the produce is organic. Ever since she was young, Tovar and her siblings have helped in the garden, or “mini-farm” with its miniorchard, as Tovar likes to call it.

To va r brings a crate of canned food to school.

She admits if organic food was not as accessible, she would eat more store-bought food.

For example, although she has a bread maker, she and her roommate Aaliyah Winters buy bread from the store because it is easier.

Yet she still eats the healthy food because otherwise she feels groggy and heavy, Tovar said.

“She sticks with it so easily because she’s just really self assured in everything she puts her mind to,” Winters said. “It’s really easy for her catch on to things because it’s just like in her mind. She just has it.”

PHOTOS BY Chris Bauman

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