Two weeks ago, Gustavus announced that Jack Ohle will be the college’s next president. Just after the announcement, THE GUSTAVIAN WEEKLY spent an hour with the new president to ask him about his past experiences, his plans for Gustavus and what talents he will bring to the college. THE WEEKLY also got a chance to ask President Ohle about the school curriculum, problems with student drinking, Gustavus’ role as a Lutheran college and the movement to make Gustavus an RIC institution.

GUSTAVIAN WEEKLY: What do you feel is Gustavus’ biggest challenge for the students and the college as a whole?

President Jack Ohle: I have some ideas as to some of the issues I want to discuss with the faculty and the students, and the Board. It would be premature for me to list what I want to do until I get that feedback. Gustavus is positioned, as fine as any school I know, to really take the next step. Outstanding students, outstanding faculty. We will be working with the Board to look at how you can take Gustavus today and engage the alumni and the entire community in setting in place a plan for the future advancement of the college. I’ve done that for my entire professional career and it’s something I really enjoy doing.

Weekly: Can you elaborate on what you meant by “the next step”?

Ohle: Well, as you know, the Provost has been working on a Strategic Plan, and we will take that and use that as a foundation. So those strategic initiatives that we have identified will be at the heart of how we look with the Board at how to initiate those plans. It’s a very straightforward process. We need to build the endowment. It doesn’t grow overnight; it’s a long process. But that will be a major emphasis. Getting the alumni involved, back for reunions, homecoming activities—just giving them some opportunities to come back and remember their days as Gusties. These institutions survive on the support of the constituents we have. The tuition you pay is very high, but it doesn’t pay the full bill and you have to have resources to run an institution.

Weekly: How do you feel about the effort to make Gustavus an RIC institution?

Ohle: Our alliance group has become a recognized group at Wartburg and I would be supportive in working with the students to make sure that we provide opportunities for our students to express their faith and to express their interest in having that kind of an association.

Weekly: How do you think Gustavus Lutheran heritage or its Lutheran affiliation with the ELCA Church play into our current and future roles as a college?

Ohle: It’s critical. A college cannot be a church and a church cannot be a college. And what I mean by that is we have an obligation as a college to give students a chance to “go deep,” to ask the important questions, to examine and inquire as to how their education can help form their life. We need to be supportive of that as an institution, and to do that, it’s critical to know the foundation on which we were built. I talk about the college as a College of the Church. Then you start to look at interpreting that and how that comes to life in the lives of students and what we do on the campus. What I want to make sure is that we give students the opportunity to explore for their own self, their own faith—not prescribed faith, not prescribed teachings. But give them an opportunity to explore. Now, I come out of a Lutheran tradition, so I am not ashamed of that. I think that is extremely important to me as a person and [as] a person of faith. Kris and I have had the opportunity to do some wonderful things in our relationship with our faith. And that’s what I want students to have an opportunity to do too. So it’s not a prescribed way of thinking or believing; it’s an opportunity for students to really ask those important questions.

Weekly: What kind of role do you see yourself playing in influencing the curricula and faculty?

Ohle: Presidents don’t go there. The curriculum and the academic program is a [perogative] of the faculty. It is the responsibility for the president to provide the resources necessary for faculty, whether it’s teaching, research [or] studying abroad on a sabbatical: its very important to their discipline. Yes, there are things a president can do to support, but it’s a College of the Church; it’s not a prescription. There are students that believe from the end of the spectrum on [one] side to the end of the spectrum on [the other] side, and we have to embrace that as an educational institution. We are not a ‘Bible college’; we are not a ‘Christian college.’ Those terms are normally used with prescriptions. In other words, ‘You must believe this; you must sign an agreement to this to teach,’ or whatever it may be. That doesn’t give people an opportunity to explore and that’s what Gustavus is doing. I would not be being true to being an educator and a person of faith if I was a president who shut people out … I need to make sure that people have an opportunity to grow and we’ll do everything we can to make that happen.

Weekly: Another thing you touched on is the rising cost of tuition. Do you think that these high costs could endanger a private institution like Gustavus?

Ohle: As long as we provide sufficient financial aid, no. Now what’s the solution to financial aid? It’s really in the eye of the beholder. It’s in what you and your families discuss. Some students do it on their own by working and doing things for themselves to provide for their education. [What] I will pledge to [current students] and to students that come here is that we will continue to try to make the education at Gustavus as affordable to you as possible.

Weekly: How do you plan to tackle the alcohol problem on campus?

Ohle: When the phone rings at night, I don’t like it. Every president has a fear. There is nothing worse than having something happen [to students]. It could be a car accident or it could be something else. It would be very easy for me to say education [is the only solution], but I’m a realist and it takes more than that. It takes a community who really embraces alcohol education. It is a problem, clearly and simply and it takes responsibility. The one thing that [students today] are really doing much better than our children did when they were growing up is [that] you are starting to take responsibility for not driving [and] for having a driver available for those who do drink. If a student is having too much, we’ll help walk them out of the place. That can be … tough; students don’t want to try to tell someone else what they can or can’t do, but there is a line that you have to draw in responsibility to that person … when that person gets out of the mindset of being able to make decisions for himself or herself, students have to feel comfortable about taking responsibility for those who are in this community. So that is why I say education, but I say education with much more than that [in mind]. Binge drinking on a college campus is serious. I want to get into the situation of having a community that really cares about each other. I sense that about Gustavus … I know it about Wartburg; we are continually becoming a community and I think Gustavus cares deeply about [those in its community]. When you come to the college, you will carry the responsibility for the community. You’re going to have to do that in your job, in things that you will do with your families, with your relatives, and that is the kind of education I want to make sure we do. It’s tough to do. Some students will say “Hey, Mr. President, you don’t know what you are talking about.” I want to make sure that students have a chance to talk among their peers because they can’t talk to a person my age about it because I’m not going to come across the same way. If you believe it and you talk to them, it’s going to be different.

Director of Student Health Services Heather Dale said that stress can provoke not only mental strain, but physical ailments as well. “In the health service office we see students [who] have physical manifestations of stress. Stress itself can lower your immune system and make you more susceptible to illness,” said Dale.

“As a peer assistant, I feel [that] the stress level of the student body tends to crescendo near the end of the semester,” said Sophomore Political Science Major Jon Kidd.

“[There is] definitely a rise during finals—we see more students with mental health concerns such as depression or anxiety, but we also see students that truly are sick with a viral or illness that at this time of year we wouldn’t expect to see as much. It’s because of the stress factor,” said Dale.

Students on campus have various ways of dealing with stress. “I try to take time out from my busy schedule to spend some time working out in Lund. I find it really releases my stress,” said Sophomore Classics Major Abbey Feenstra.

“We are too stressed about papers to worry about tests. A more constructive way I deal with stress is [to] appreciate and enjoy nature and God,” Sophomore Biology Major Dan Jackson said.

Students can deal with stress productively. “When stress is at a reasonable level, we can excel. Part of it is responding. [Sometimes stress comes from] choices we make. I’ve found we can be serene and calm during stress,” said Chaplain Rachel Larson.

“[Students should] get plenty of sleep. It’s a tough thing to do, but study after study shows that people who sleep more do better on finals than those who stay up and do all-nighters. Eating healthy is important, as well as drinking lots of fluids and getting adequate nutrition and exercise,” said Dale.

Kidd said that spending time outside can be solace enough. “Now is a great time to do those things that really relax you, like reading a book, tossing a Frisbee or taking some time for yourself,” said Kidd.

Gusties can also turn to others for help if they feel overwhelmed. “I encourage people, even if they don’t feel like they have the time, to pause at 10:00 a.m. and come to chapel, or else find another time by themselves to just be quiet, taking a walk in the Arb. [The Chaplain’s Office] is certainly here whenever people need us to visit about what’s going on in [their] lives—pastoral counseling, prayer, trying to figure out what’s next; it’s helpful for people to come in, shut the door, breathe [and] be still. We also work closely with the counseling center; if we feel the person is beyond our capabilities, we will facilitate referrals to them,” said Larson.

Many events are scheduled during finals week to help alleviate stress, as well. Students can look for study breaks in their dorms—with food provided—as well as the “Midnight Express” event on Wednesday, May 21 at 10:00 p.m. in the Caf.

Steve Palmer

“Alaska has every terrain you could ever want,” said Chris. “[There are] oceans, beautiful mountains, tundras up north and beautiful rivers.”

Hailing from the small town of Nikiski, Chris has spent his first year at Gustavus making a positive impact on the community. “He’s one of those people that has a ridiculously good influence on you,” said First-year Jordan Walker, who has become one of Chris’s best friends this year. “Everything he does has a purpose. … [He] is probably the most focused and driven, goal-oriented person I’ve ever met in my life.”

One of Chris’s most admirable traits is his ability to swing dance. Swing has been a part of Chris’s life for a number of years. He helps to organize dances and lessons for Swing Club on Wednesday nights from 9-11 p.m.

“Swing Club on Wednesdays is a really nice way to break loose, smile and get away from studies for a couple hours,” said Chris. “It’s a good social group. When I dance, I can’t help but smile. I just love it. And it’s not a bad workout either, although that’s not why I do it.”

Senior Biochemistry and Chemistry Major Steve Howard lauded Chris’s abilities in Swing Club as a first-year student. “He’s definitely a young talent who’s giving his all to swing,” said Howard.

“He comes every week and has a great time. I can definitely see him as a crucial part of leadership in the next few years.”

Sophomore Stephanie Anderson is also involved in Swing Club and can vouch for Chris’s abilities.

“He’s a phenomenal dancer,” said Anderson. “He’ll teach anyone and is a really, really good listener. I know I can trust him.”

Howard also knows Chris well from Gustavus Swimming and Diving. He praised Chris’s efforts and his positive contribution to the team this year. “He’s a great teammate that’s always cheering on different people,” said Howard. “I’m sure absolutely everyone on the team would say that he’s an excellent team member to have.”

Chris also sings bass in the Choir of Christ Chapel, which recently returned from a tour in Texas. Last December, Chris experienced his first performance in Christmas in Christ Chapel, which has quickly become one of his favorite Gustavus traditions.

“I’d never been part of such a large choral production,” said Chris. “[C in CC] brings the whole community together. We had so many people to perform for. It gave us a purpose [to perform] for people who were looking for a good traditional Christmas program.”

While touring in Texas, Chris was the soloist for “The Prayer of Saint Francis” by William Beckstrand. “I don’t think there’s any better way to express feeling than singing in a tight-knit, well-organized choir,” said Chris. “It’s kind of hard to explain the feelings that you get, but most people in choir understand the adrenaline rush you get after a concert. There’s definitely an energy among the music ensembles that’s hard to explain when you’re up there performing.”
Next year, Chris will start his first year as a Peer Assistant, which is something he has been really looking forward to. “I think you learn a lot about people and yourself when you get the chance to help others,” said Chris. “[As a PA], I’m looking to grow and learn more about people and their interactions.”

In his free time, Chris enjoys being outdoors. That is, when he is not doing homework. “Chris is the bee’s knees, but sometimes I think he needs to let loose,” said Walker. “The other day I forced him to stop doing homework and go fly kites. On the way, he brought his homework, so I threw it out the window of the car. We like to go on adventure runs, going off into the forest and jump[ing] around. That’s a lot of fun.”

Painting has also become an important part of Chris’s life. “Ever since I was young, I enjoyed pulling out some paints and painting by myself,” said Chris. “I love to express myself in an artistic way.”

As a result, Chris decided to take a watercolor course over January Interim Experience. “I got credit for doing art,” said Chris. “It was fun taking a lot of hours in the day to paint a picture, knowing there was a grade pushing you to paint well.”

In the Caf, one of Chris’s favorite places to eat is the salad bar, mostly because of his intolerance to gluten. “I can make my random concoctions or other things,” said Chris. “There are all kinds of possibilities there.”

“I see [gluten intolerance] as a blessing in disguise,” said Chris. “I have to turn away all the delicious pizza, cookies and stuff. It keeps me eating healthier.”

“He eats more honey than anyone I’ve ever met,” said Walker. “Just inordinate amounts of honey.”

Overall, Chris has enjoyed his first year at Gustavus and is looking forward to three more years as a Gustie. This summer, he and Walker plan to live in Anchorage to work and explore the Alaskan wilderness. “In Anchorage I really hope to frolic around in the nature, play with the bears and moose and don’t die,” said Walker. “I’m really just excited for an adventure.”

“I consider myself pretty confident in who I am,” said Chris. “I enjoy learning and expanding my horizons. There is so much more to be learning. I am always changing. But I feel like I know the direction of my life. Life is always changing. It [will] be interesting to see where life takes [me].”

“He’s definitely admirable,” said Walker. “He is always looking at the bigger picture. Everything he does has a purpose to it.”

Photo by: Courtney Woodward

Sam Grace

I’ve always been told that college is a time when you grow, hopefully in the right direction. The tricky part is that whatever growing, evolving or maturing we college students do, we all seem to move at a different pace.

At Gustavus there is a huge range of people in different stages in their life—from those engaged and counting down the days to an eventual wedding, to those who are single with plans to stay that way for a while, to every shade of gray in between.

With so much emphasis placed on the post-college transition that includes getting a job and making a living, the fact that one’s personal and professional lives will change is easy to overlook.

After hours spent searching post-graduation possibilities on the internet, it was easy for me to forget that some students are simultaneously planning weddings. Then three of my friends got engaged in a matter of weeks.

“But they are so young,” I thought, which is really just a way of saying that I feel young and selfish—too young and selfish to seriously consider making a lifetime vow to another person.

But are we really that young? Years ago I remember thinking that early twenties are the perfect age to get married, and many of our parents were married around that age.

First-year Jessica Wagner recently became engaged. “Sometimes I do worry because we are young [and] there is a lot of growing that will happen between now and the time we get married,” she said. “But I don’t necessarily agree with the statement [that I am too young], at least for me.”

Dozens of other Gustavus students have similar plans for a wedding soon after graduation.

Sophomore Religion Major Ben Hilding recently proposed to Senior Psychology Major Alicia Blomquist. “People are at different stages at different times in their lives,” he said.

“For some people it might be outrageous and for some people it is obviously the right thing to do,” Hilding said.

I’ll admit that as a first-year I was in the camp of people who could imagine getting engaged around senior year of college and marrying soon after.

Since then I have consistently gravitated towards another camp of people—those who shudder a bit when they hear about their peers getting engaged, but smile politely, and say “Congratulations!” while a part of them disapproves, and thinks, “But they are so young!”

Perhaps no matter what pains one takes to make life plans, there really is no way to predict what will happen and how future experiences will shape one’s opinions. This might even apply to the possibility of engagement.

“I was not going to get engaged until I was thirty and I was going to have my Ph.D. before,” said Senior History Major Anne Vermersch. “I got engaged when I was seventeen.”

Alicia Blomquist also did not plan on her engagement. “When we met I was at a point where I thought, ‘I don’t want or need a guy in my life right now,’ and that’s when Ben came along,” she said.

Maybe there is no perfect age for marriage that applies to everyone.

“You can’t just make those sweeping generalizations, because everybody’s different,” Wagner said. “We’re not just one uniform population.”

Senior Chemistry Major Nissa Hanneman became engaged to her boyfriend of five months over Spring Break and plans to enter the Peace Corps with her fiancée.

“I do question sometimes: is this what we should be doing right now?” she said. “I always come back to where we are, but I feel like it’s really healthy to ask those questions.”

At the end of the day, the most anyone can hope for in a relationship is for it to be a healthy one. For these couples, recognizing the reality of a lifetime commitment is extremely important.

Hanneman met her future husband while working with him at a camp. They led a canoeing trip together that was an absolute disaster.

“It was a crash course in problem-solving and learning to be there for somebody,” she said.

Anne and Senior Psychology Major Melissa Vermeersch, an engaged lesbian couple, face a unique set of conflicts in their relationship.

“It’s really easy to be a couple when things are going well. As soon as things start getting hard it’s more challenging [to] be a functioning couple,” Anne Vermeersch said.

In addition to the challenges of maintaining a healthy relationship, the couple also spoke of the difficulty in facing daily antagonism from those opposed to their relationship. Through looks of horror from shoppers at the grocery store, verbal harassment from passersby and other outward signs of disapproval, the two learned to deal with conflict early in their relationship.

“It gave us a lot of experience to work off of as a couple. We’ve learned to trust each other and rely on each other,” Anne Vermeersch said.

Hilding said that even in great relationships couples will be faced with conflict and adversity.

“The perfect relationship isn’t one that smiles all the time,” Hilding said. “We do our fair share of smiling but we’re there for each other when things are hard too.”

From all of these couples, we can learn that there are a few prerequisites to a healthy relationship. It is crucial to consider how your values align with those of your partner.

“We obviously have some differences, but the things that matter the most are the same,” said Blomquist. For her and Hilding, their Christian faith is central to their relationship.

“It’s important to think about where you want to end up in the future,” said Junior CJ Erickson, who is engaged to Junior Chemistry Major Carly Johnson. For them, faith was not a large factor, but it was important that they had similar long-term goals.

Both grew up in the same town and eventually plan to return there.

Hanneman said that it is important to think critically about the commitment of marriage. Throughout the excitement of hearing engagement stories, looking at brides’ rings and making wedding plans, it’s easy to overlook the gravity of this commitment.

As Hanneman said,“It’s not about a fancy dress or a diamond ring. It’s about finding somebody that you want to live with and spend the rest of your life with.”

Danielle Harms

Voting on the matter was done by the Gustavus coaching staff and the Student Athletic Advisory Board

Coach of the year:

Steve Wilkinson

It is rare to find a single person who impacts a community in a large way. Steve Wilkinson, however, is one of those people.

Wilkinson was selected as the winner of the U.S. Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Campus Recreation Award earlier this season from a field of over 2,000 ITA coaches from NCAA Divisions I-III, NAIA and junior and community colleges nationwide. The Campus Recreation Award originated in 2003 and is given to collegiate varsity tennis coaches who promote recreational tennis opportunities for students who are not on the varsity squad.

Wilkinson’s approach started with the Tennis and Life Camps which he and his wife Barb have directed every summer since they began in 1977. The Tennis and Life Camps, which are held on the Gustavus campus, offer a wide variety of opportunities aimed to teach and refine skills that will not only be valuable on the tennis court, but also in the classroom or workplace.

Wilkinson has helped transform the men’s tennis program into a dynasty, winning 35 out of the last 38 MIAC titles while compiling an immaculate conference dual match record of 336-1. Wilkinson has also led his team to 15 straight appearances in the NCAA Tennis Championships. He has been named National Coach of the Year by the NAIA twice and has been the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year three times.

After this year’s dominant season in which Wilkinson’s squad went 28-5, he furthered his mark left not only on Gustavus but the MIAC and Division III athletics as a whole. Wilkinson is undoubtedly in the same class as John Gagliardi of St. John’s and John Tschida of St. Thomas as the standards of excellence and domination exuded on the athletic field.

But Wilkinson’s impact stretches much farther than just wins and losses. Between the camps and the large-scale events and championships that he brings to campus. At Gustavus, Steve Wilkinson’s is a staple whose impact is immeasurable. He’s truly a special individual.

Male athlete of the year:

Andy Bryan – Tennis

Andy Bryan is winding down his career with the Gusties in the most desirable way possible.
Bryan, a Senior hailing from Edina, MN will compete in the NCAA Division III National Individual Tournament in Lewiston, Maine; beginning this Saturday, aiming to end his career as a National champion.

After watching his team fall 5-0 to Washington University on Tuesday, Bryan will stay in Maine and compete in the singles and doubles (with Paukert) tournament. In the team’s losing effort, Bryan’s match (which he led 7-5) went unfinished after the opponents clinched midway.

Up to this point, Bryan has a 29-4 record and has played every match as the #1 singles player for the Gusties. He was also an undefeated 4-0 in the MIAC this season as well as 3-0 against nationally-ranked opponents. Overall, Bryan is ranked second in the nation individually and he and doubles partner Junior Charlie Paukart are ranked fourth. About two weeks ago, Bryan was named the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award, given by the coaches of the MIAC to the the player that best combines ability with academic success, sportsmanship and community service.

In his four years of playing tennis on the hill, Bryan will walk away with a 102-25 record overall and a 79-26 mark in doubles play. Last fall, Bryan won the ITA Midwest Regional title in both singles and doubles. He then went on to finish second in singles and fourth in doubles at the ITA Championships in Mobile, AL.

While playing for the Gusties, Bryan has contributed heavily to four consecutive MIAC championships as well as two National third place finishes and a fourth place finish.

Like most athletes competing for Gustavus, Bryan excels in the classroom as well as the tennis court. A biology major carrying a 3.89 GPA, Bryan will be attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Medical School next fall. He has been named an ITA Scholar Athlete selection three times and has been an Academic All-Conference honoree three times as well.

Female athletes of the year:

Stefanie Ubl - Hockey
Jess Vadnais - Basketball

After all of the voting for these awards, the race for Female Athlete of the Year had to be called a tie; and for good reason. Senior Stefanie Ubl and Jess Vadnais have both been stand-out athletes at Gustavus not only this campaign, but also throughout the entirety of their careers.

Ubl, a forward on the women’s hockey team from Maple Grove, MN ,has been an impact player for the Gusties ever since she transferred in from Division I North Dakota. This season, Ubl finished with a team-leading 40 points (13 goals, 14 assists), helping her team to a 25-3 record and an outright MIAC Championship.

She was also honored as the MIAC Most Valuable Player, along with being named to the AHCA All-American team at season’s end. Ubl was the seventh Gustie to be named to the All-American team in the past eight years and she will graduate with a degree in communication studies in next week’s commencement ceremony.

Vadnais, a guard from Hudson, WI, will leave Gustavus as one of the most decorated and honored players in school history. After being named the league MVP following last season, Vadnais averaged 19 points for the second consecutive season.

Gustavus finished with a 18-10 record this past season and snuck into the NCAA Tournament following the MIAC Tournament.

She finished her career ranked first in school history in points (1,788), three-pointers (210), free throws made (481), steals (223) and in the top ten in field goals (3rd - 544), assists (4th - 306), and games played (tied for 4th - 106).

Vadnais was also one of ten finalists for the Josten’s Division III Player of the Year award, a member of the D3hoops.com All-Region Team and an honorable mention to the WBCA/State Farm All-American Team. She was also named the the MIAC All-Conference and All-Defensive teams.

Male team of the year: Tennis

When looking at the recent (and not so recent) history of the Gustavus Men’s Tennis team, one can only describe their performance as dominate. This season was no exception.

Finishing their season with a 29-6 record, the Gusties won another MIAC conference championship—their eighteenth consecutive and forty-second overall. The Gusties put together another one of the exceedingly strong overall performances that fans and followers of the team have grown to expect. The Gusties thrived playing at home, going 20-0 on their own courts.

Led by Male Athlete of the Year Andy Bryan, who went 29-4 this past season, the team was solid from top to bottom. Senior Aaron Zenner and Juniors John Kauss and Ben Tomasek ended their seasons with 20-plus victories apiece individually. Juniors Mike Burdakin and Charlie Paukert finished with 18 and 16 wins respectively playing.

In doubles play, Burdakin and Kauss led the team with 27 wins; playing mostly as the second doubles pair. Bryan and Paukert played the majority of the year as the number one pair and finished with a more-than-modest 24 victories. Tomasek and fellow Junior Nick Hansen finished with 18 wins playing together in the third spot— another solid number for themselves as well as the team.

After a loss to Hawaii Pacific in the early part of February, the Gusties rattled off 17 wins in 18 matches and rose to the top of the polls. They finished the regular season on a thirteen-match winning streak.

After a bye in the first round of the Regional competiton (which was hosted by Gustavus), the Gusties went on to demolish rival Luther and the University of Texas at Tyler with scores of 5-1 and 5-0 respectively.
This past Tuesday, Gustavus fell to Washington University by a score of 5-0 and failed to advance the semifinal round at the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in the past nine years.

Female team of the year: Hockey

The 2007-08 season for the Gustavus Women’s Hockey team was a story of a team on the verge of greatness.

After going 23-2 in the regular season, a pair of losses the the University of Wisconsin- Steven’s Point and going undefeated (18-0) in conference play, spirits were high going into the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They were facing the University of Wisconsin- Superior, a team that had never beaten the Gusties–regular season or not. In a hard-fought contest played in Don Roberts Ice Rink, the Gusties fell by a score of 3-1 and the magical season was over.

The staple of success for the Gusties was their defense. Sophomore goaltender Breanna Scavo was lights out between the pipes for the Gusties. Scavo was 22-3 wearing the three crowns, with nine shutouts and an average goals against of .96. One of the main reasons for her sucess was the suffocating defense played by her teammates. Led by Senior Captain Laura Vannelli, the Gustie defensive unit kept the heat off of Scavo while keeping the puck on the offensive end.

As far as the offense goes, no one was more productive than MIAC MVP Stefanie Ubl. Ubl’s team-leading 40 points jump started the offense and in averaging nearly a goal every game, Ubl lead the team in most every offensive category. Junior Mari Gunderson, Senior Molly Doyle and First-year Allison Harwood followed up Ubl on the stat sheet, finishing the season with 20-plus points throughout the season. Doyle, along with Vannelli, were named as MIAC Players of the Week over the course of the season for their solid efforts.

The Gusties were easily the most decorated of all MIAC teams in their end of the season awards. Along with the MVP, Ubl and three other Gusties, Doyle, Gunderson and First-year Kirstin Peterson were named to the All-Conference first team. Peterson and Harwood were named to the All-Rookie team and Scavo, Vannelli, Junior Jenny Pusch and Sophomore Melissa Mackley were named as Honorable Mentions.

Andy Keenan

Some conversations, however, leave me with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth—namely the conversation about homosexuality. I’m going to be very frank here. I disagree with homosexuality. I am a fairly traditional Christian, and I believe the Bible says that homosexuality is a sin. There have been multiple times when I have brought this point of view into a conversation, and in several of these conversations, I have subsequently been regarded as someone who is intolerant, hateful or ignorant.

I know that this is not something that only happens to me. There are many people in this world who share the viewpoint that I do—that homosexuality is a sin as described in the Bible. Oftentimes, whenever someone expresses such an opinion, they are deemed bigots. This viewpoint is frequently seen as a radical, fundamentalist Christian perspective that goes against the trends of societal progression and equality for all.

This idea that anyone opposed to homosexuality is intolerant or ignorant is something that I cannot agree to disagree upon. Despite my disagreements with homosexuality, I refuse to be labeled as a bigot, as ignorant or as intolerant. Just because I do not agree with homosexuality doesn’t mean I have a problem with homosexual people. I have many homosexual friends and their homosexuality doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, in many of these friendships, they know my views on the subject and still know that I don’t mean it in a hateful way. For me, it’s kind of like Democrats and Republicans—they disagree with each other on some fundamental issues, but each side has friends on either side of the party line.

One could argue that these viewpoints (or other radical Christian perspectives) have been used for centuries to perpetuate hatred and acts of discrimination. In many cases, that has been far too true, and that saddens me. I hate the fact that the Bible has been incorrectly used as a means of perpetuating hatred and discrimination against homosexuals, similar to how it was used to justify the horrors of slavery. The Bible doesn’t ask me to discriminate, hate, punish or judge. The Bible asks that I treat everyone with the same love and respect I would expect to have shown to me. That—as best as I can—is what I do, whether I agree with a person or not. I hate it when someone is discriminated against because of homosexuality and I try to put a stop to it when I see it.

A lovely young relative of mine frequently uses “gay” as a synonym for “stupid” and I try to stop her when she does.

I know that I’m not going to convince anyone to change his or her views about homosexuality in this article, nor is that my intent. If you disagree with me for whatever reason, that’s fine. We’re OK to agree to disagree on that. Please don’t think less of me for my opinion and don’t think that it means I hate or discriminate. If you feel that GLBT persons should be accepted on the basis of equality, extend the same courtesy to me and allow me to equally have and express my own opinion.

Don’t disrespect those who share this view by labeling them as bigots. The majority of us who feel this way don’t harbor any hatred towards homosexuals. It is just a different and equally valid point of view.

The Bible outlines a number of sins, one of which is homosexuality. That is simply how I see it—a sin, one of many. While homosexuality is not one of my sins, I certainly have a variety of other sins, all of which are held equally in God’s eyes. I am no better or worse than any homosexual person. God loves us all despite our sins, and for anyone to say otherwise is what is truly hateful or ignorant.

Kavan Rogness

Many of you probably think that abortion is a taboo issue that just starts fights and is best to only be discussed with those who agree with you. Others of you disagree with abortion personally, but it really isn’t that big of an issue for you because you’ll probably never have to make that decision yourself. Even the libertarian streak in me wants to say that what other people do is none of my business, but if you and I don’t stand up for these most innocent lives, who will?

Most of you have probably already made up your minds on this issue, so my purpose in writing this is to inspire those of you who believe that life begins at conception to fight for the lives of the unborn with everything you’ve got.

The most callous of you don’t believe the fetus becomes human until it is out of the womb. Maybe you should tell that to the pregnant woman who was shot in the Twin Cities a couple weeks ago and lost her baby or the other millions of women who have had devastating miscarriages. I have a picture of a baby 6-8 weeks after conception. You can clearly see the baby has eyes and fingers, but you’ll probably just turn the other way when the doctor performs a saline abortion on the baby when it is up to 16 weeks old. This procedure involves injecting poisonous saline solution into the amniotic fluid that the baby then swallows and is poisoned from. Within one to one and a half hours the baby’s heart will stop and the solution will then burn off the outer layer of the baby’s skin. You can choose to turn the other way when these procedures are performed right here in Minnesota. But if you and I don’t stand up for these most innocent lives, who will?

I could now go through all the other painful and violent abortion procedures, but if you don’t find that one bad enough, I’d just be wasting my time. It makes me want to throw up knowing that so many students on our campus would be more outraged over the death of a favorite dog or cat than a million aborted babies. Animal rights are great, but how about human babies getting at least the same respect?

By far the most self-serving argument for “pro-choice” advocates is that we need to give women their full rights. I’m sorry, but I didn’t know that the right to murder was in the Constitution. Seventy-four percent of women who had abortions said their primary reason was because having a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities. I guess no one ever told them that having sex can sometimes lead to getting pregnant. I’m really glad my mom didn’t use her rights to murder me when she went back to school to get her master’s degree. You can choose just to do what’s easiest for you, but if you and I don’t stand up for these most innocent lives, who will?

Your silence on this issue affects your life, too. During the past 11 years Minnesota taxpayers have paid for approximately 39,000 abortions for a total cost of $10,891,517.69. How does it make you feel knowing that your money is being used to murder babies? I really hope it makes you mad as hell and sickened like it makes me. I’m used to the government wasting my money, but when it is being used to murder children that really bothers me. It is just money and you don’t tell the government where to spend it so it’s really not your problem, but if you and I don’t stand up for these most innocent lives, who will?

Please join with me to help Minnesota and America give life the value it deserves. Write to your congressmen, support adoption agencies or do anything and everything you can to ensure that life once again has value in America. Sure, you can ignore this issue if you want, and let millions more die. You can stop asking your legislators where they stand or overlook their stances against the unborn. You can keep indirectly funding abortions with your tax dollars. You can even talk about how pro-life activists are just crazy Evangelical Christians who want to penalize poor pagans for having promiscuous sex. You can say and do whatever you want. I’m going to fight for the unborn because if you and I don’t stand up for these most innocent lives, who will?

Andrew Evenson

Kjellgren explained that the meal plan change was an effort to keep fee increases to a minimum and to allow Dining Services to manage revenue in a month-to-month approach. Students will be given monthly allocations based on the number of service days in a month, with a $20.00 rollover into the next month.

Kjellgren explained that this change is a response to volatile predictions for the market in the upcoming year. “The commodity and energy markets are some of the most unpredictable; we are seeing anywhere from 9-15 percent increases across all lines of commodities: dairy, meat, bakery items, beverages, produce, prepared grocery items [and the] cost of supplies,” Kjellgren said.

“How can we minimize the impact on students and keep their meal plan as low as possible while paying our bills at the same time? Because of this volatility we are going to be very conscious and watch our monthly budgets very closely,” said Kjellgren.

Sophomore Communication Studies Major Natalie Brady is optimistic about these changes. “It’s going to be easier for students to keep track of where their money is. It is nice that each month, money will rollover and within that month you will be able to spread out what to buy.” Brady said. She said that many students don’t budget their money throughout the semester, and this will help students avoid “having two weeks to spend $400 to spend on chips at the end of the semester.”

While prices in the Market Place are expected to increase over the course of next year, Kjellgren has clarified that students will continue to pay a fixed meal plan price at the beginning of the semester. “We’ll determine the monthly allocation based upon the number of service days in the month. We won’t raise the meal plan fee, but if prices of one item or another skyrockets and we have to increase the price in the Market Place, we’ll make sure the price change is prominently noted so students can make dining decisions accordingly.”

Senior Philosophy Major Andi Twiton serves on the Kitchen Cabinet, an advisory board to Kjellgren comprised of students, faculty and members of Gustavus Greens and Student Senate. Twiton said that these changes might encourage students to take more responsibility and make better purchasing choices. The change to monthly allocation will go along with the Market Place’s goal of teaching students “[how to be] in charge of [their] own finances and [make] economical choices,” Twiton said.

In addition to the changes in meal plan allocation, Dining Services will also be incorporating three different sizes of Tupperware that will be available to students at no cost, said Kjellgren. “It will be a trial run. We will buy a couple thousand [containers] to start with. I hope everyone will embrace this program. There will be a rack with all [of] them in the Cafeteria. It will be an honor system. I don’t know of any other college in the country that is doing it, and there will be a lot [of] eyes on us seeing how successful it is,” Kjellgren said.

He said that the Dining Services staff is really excited about this change because they see students excessively using to-go boxes day after day. “Gusties use over a quarter of a million to-go boxes a year … [that] doesn’t include soup bowls (60,000) or paper beverage containers (290,000),” Kjellgren said.

The success of this program requires the support of students. “I get to-go boxes so often and I just throw them away,” said Brady. “To-go boxes are more convenient, but overall Tupperware is a better idea, because people won’t waste as much. You see people who get a to-go box with one little wrap in it.”

Twiton’s only reservation with the program is the difficulty in getting students to return the containers. “A library custodian said every day they have to pick out plates and forks and cups out of the trash. The Cafeteria loses money from lost plates, lost mugs, lost silverware. Because of that trend, it makes me worry the Tupperware won’t stick around.”

Kjellgren said that the Tupperware will be community-owned and that several departments and organizations have already put money toward this initial first purchase. Student Senate is one such organization, and Sophomore Student Senate Co-President Lucas Neher thinks that students will feel a sense of ownership regarding the containers.

“We need everyone to be aware that right now you won’t get charged to use these, and it is everyone’s responsibility that they get brought back to the Cafeteria … it is going to be a community project and this is going to be a service for free for the students,” Neher said.

First-year Student Senate Co-President Kim Braun said that the Market Place has been open to suggestions during this entire process. “The addition of Tupperware containers is a change requested by the students that the Market Place is doing for the students. It is another example of how they are there working for us and willing to develop and change for … what the Gustavus community wants,” Braun said.

Braun said that students have reason to be optimistic about changes in the Market Place. “It’s something we will have to adjust to, but once we get used to [it], it’s going to be for the best. The monthly budget is going to be an effective and efficient way for the Market Place to budget and [a] way for the students to learn about responsibility, and the Tupperware is just altogether necessary and a great idea,” she said.

Photo by: Alex Stassen

Kelly Nelson

This action was taken based on the recommendation of an Administrative Conference that had been arranged in response to misguided amendments of the Senate’s Constitution earlier this year.

The Administrative Conference was prompted by Senate’s approval of two amendments earlier in the year, one creating a Student Senate Webmaster position and the other altering the requirement that a presidential candidate must have spent two semesters at Gustavus to only one, allowing First-Years to run for the position. Complaints were raised by some claiming that the amendments did not go through the proper procedure called for by the Constitution.

“[Senate has to] propose an amendment one week, talk to the President of the College, Dean of Students, Director of Student Activities and make it public. It then requires a two-thirds majority vote at the next Senate meeting,” said Junior Psychology Major and Parliamentarian Scott Broady. “[Senate] suspended the rules of the Constitution in order to amend it.”

“[The] Fall Semester Senate amended the Constitution unconstitutionally,” said Broady.

The resolution was the result of numerous meetings between J-Board and senators. “[The resolution was the] product of a lot of meetings and work done, Senators working with J-Board. Through that process we came up with the resolution,” said Broady.

The resolution stipulates: “The current Co-Presidents, Cabinet, Executive Committee, and Senate shall continue business as usual until the Co-President election in the fall of 2008.” The election in the fall will be slightly different, because the co-presidents elected will only serve two semesters rather than the three-semester term that Senate adopted.

Elections will also be held in the spring. The pair elected will then be the Senate co-presidents until the spring semester of 2009. The resolution also requested that a committee be formed to revise the Constitution. The committee will be composed of three senators, a student at-large and the Parliamentarian as the chair. The co-presidents will also work with the committee, but will not have a vote in the final decision of the committee.

“[We will work on] overall clarity and making sure it is concise and consistent,” said First-year Co-President Kim Braun. “Our Constitution is much longer than [those of] other schools. We might shorten it to what is most imperative and add to the by-laws.”

The reaction to the resolution was mostly positive. “I think that Senate made a mistake and that it is absolutely necessary to fix it and inform the student body [of] what happened,” said First-year Senator Anna Dzurik.

“I think that Senate is taking responsibility for all its actions and proceeding in an appropriate manner,” said Sophomore Political Science Major and Senator Nick Harper.

“Overall, this [resolution] should help Senate become more transparent and functioning,” said Braun.

The videotaping aspect of the resolution was met with some disagreements. “I like the idea of video recording Senate meetings because students don’t really know what goes on except by word of mouth,” said Dzurik.

“For me personally, I think that videotaping Senate meetings is a little much. Sound recording would have been enough,” said Harper.

Be ready in the fall for a heated political environment, with both national and campus campaigns running at full strength.

Sean Tessmer

Ever wonder what it takes to be a successful college student while still keeping the “big picture” of your life in mind? Well, seeing as though this week’s featured Gustie has found such a balance, let’s take a look at the story of Senior Communication Studies Major Ali Chorley.

Residing from Medina, MN, Ali enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling and is seldom seen without having a white chocolate skim latte from Caribou Coffee in hand.

Ali plans on attending the University of St. Thomas for counseling psychology after next month’s graduation. But before she begins a new academic path, Ali will get married in August. When asked what it’s like balancing college life and planning for such a big event, Ali said, “Having somewhat of a focus on the ‘big picture’ outside of Gustavus has really helped me balance my life.”

Aside from looking ahead, Ali continues to involve herself in campus activities. She is currently a third-year Peer Assistant (PA) and a sexual assault advocate for Nicollet County. Deb Reichel, secretary for the Alcohol and Drug Education Office, said, “Ali has taken the [Peer Assistants] program in new directions this year. She has a lot of knowledge and experience so her absence will be felt next year.”

Academically-speaking, Ali has enjoyed taking a variety of classes at Gustavus. “Even though I’m not a geography major, I loved my geography class with Bob Douglas. Getting to take different topics has been awesome, [hence] the liberal arts education,” Ali said. In terms of activity involvement outside the classroom, Ali speaks fondly of her fellow Peer Assistants. “I love the PAs. [I love] not only what they do, but the relationships I’ve made with them,” Ali said.

According to friend and fellow Peer Assistant, Psychology Major Alicia Blomquist said, “Ali is a strong woman who I believe has made a difference on this college campus. She has devoted much of her time at Gustavus to helping and encouraging peers in many ways which are usually unrecognized. Even though Ali is a very busy gal, she puts her relationships at the top of her priorities and always makes time for her friends. She is a passionate, successful, and beautiful woman who I look up to in many ways.”

During her four years at Gustavus, Ali has been able to develop and express her passions. “One of my biggest passions is wellness, wholeness and educating. So by getting to do things with that all the time, I’ve found my passion in it and it has been amazing,” she said.

Fellow PA and Sophomore Philosophy Major Shane Jensen said, “She has an amazing passion for what she does and that will definitely be missed, because i think it might rub off on me.”

Since Ali is “detail-oriented,” she will look back on her experiences at Gustavus and remember the little things about her undergraduate career. “I’ll remember little things like Kyhl in the caf, going to LineUs shows and traveling with friends—especially traveling to the Bacchus national leadership conference the PAs go to every year.”

Looking forward in her years after graduate school, one of Ali’s biggest hopes is to “do something that I’m passionate about. Trying to integrate all my passions would be ideal. But I also want to be a mom. People often forget how big of a job that is [since] it doesn’t necessarily have monetary value.”

One of Ali’s friends, Junior Communication Studies Major Kristin Mummert, said Ali is a “unique person with a huge heart. She’s intentional about everything she does—every word and every action. She cares so much about this campus—not just about her relationships and friendships, but about the entire Gustavus community.”

Though Ali has inspired many people on campus during her four years as a Gustie, she has some inspirational people of her own. “Judy Douglas has been a major inspiration in my life,” Ali said. “She’s an example of a great person with a lot of passion who is continuing on her journey to give back.” Another inspiration in Ali’s life is her father. “My dad is always keeping me on track with keeping the ‘big picture’ in mind. I look up to him a lot.”

Ali follows the mantra “everything is a journey.” She said, “It’s not so much about a destination as it is about how you get to where you want to go. For me, balancing my life has been a journey. I don’t think I’ll ever find a perfect balance, but I’m going to continue working on it and continue the journey I’m on.”

As Ali prepares to embark on a new path, her advice to returning Gustavus students is “Keep the ‘big picture’ in mind and get involved. Explore different things because now’s the time when you really have the opportunity to [do so].”

As an active Gustavus student, role model and peer leader, there’s no doubt Ali will keep the “big picture” in mind as she embarks on a new journey in the upcoming months.

Photo by: Ben Brandt

Ally Pelton