The Yellow Sheet for Dec. 7, 2006December 7, 2006 | Volume 39, Number 13

News & Announcements

In the Event of a School Closing... When College facilities will be closed or classes delayed or canceled during a work day due to inclement weather conditions, announcements will be made by 6:30 a.m. on the following radio stations: KRBI (1310 AM, St. Peter), KYSM (103.5 FM/1230 AM, Mankato), KNUJ (860 AM, New Ulm), and WCCO (830 AM, Twin Cities). Announcements will also be made by 6:45 a.m. on campus voice mail and e-mail. If the College makes the decision to close, individuals will be paid for regularly scheduled hours for that day. If individuals choose to leave early due to inclement weather, the time off should be taken as unpaid leave or vacation, with supervisor approval. Factors that influence the College's decision to delay or cancel classes include the following: expected precipitation, road conditions, visibility, and wind-chill factor. The College recognizes that its decision to delay/cancel may differ from local area K-12 schools. Gustavus is influenced by the needs of the more than 2,000 students who live in campus housing, as contrasted to different factors and conditions at K-12 schools (e.g., busing, young children, etc.).

St. Lucia Named... During the 66th annual Festival of St. Lucia held this morning, one sophomore and four of her classmates were selected to serve as St. Lucia and the Lucia Court. They are:

• St. Lucia
  Gretchen Libbey
  
  
• Lucia Court Members
  Holly Andersen
  Delphine Broccard
  Kristin Mummert
  Hannah Wunsch
  

St. Lucia and the court are selected based on academic achievement, spiritual leadership, and involvement in community service at Gustavus.

Financial Aid Director Named... Gustavus Adolphus College recently named Mary Booker, a 1991 graduate who worked for the college in admission and financial assistance between 1994 and 1999, as the new director for student financial assistance. She has been associate director of financial aid at Dartmouth College since 2001. Reporting to Vice President for Admission and Student Financial Assistance Mark Anderson, Booker will be responsible for coordinating the often complex financial assistance process for Gustavus students. Booker attained her undergraduate degree from Gustavus in 1992 and her M.A. in liberal studies from Dartmouth. Her career at Gustavus began in 1994 when she became an assistant director of admission, eventually advancing to the position of assistant director of financial aid in 1997. In 1999, she left Gustavus to become the associate director of financial aid at Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio) until 2001, at which time she left to assume her current position at Dartmouth (Hanover, N.H.).

Convention of the Year... The Nobel Conference has been selected as Greater Mankato's 2005-06 Convention of the Year. Each year, the Greater Mankato Convention and Visitors Bureau recognizes conventions, tournaments, and individuals that positively impact the Greater Mankato community. Because of the long history of success of the conference, the impact on tourism and the businiess community, and the recognition the event creates for our region, Gustavus was presented the Convention of the Year Award at a luncheon on Nov. 30.

Donations for the St. Peter Area Food Shelf... Non-perishable food items, cash, and gift certificates will again be accepted at this year's Support Staff Holiday Luncheon on Dec. 20.

Library Hours for Finals and Christmas Break... 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 17; 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18; 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19-Friday, Dec. 22; Closed Saturday, Dec. 23-Wednesday, Dec. 27; 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28; Closed Friday, Dec. 29-Monday, Jan. 1; 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2.

No More Yellow Sheets This Year... With the end of the fall semester and the Holiday break, the Yellow Sheet will not be published again until Jan. 4.

Mileage Rate Increase... Effective January 1, 2007, the standard business mileage rate will be 48.5 cents per mile. The rate, established by the IRS, is used to determine how much an employee's travel expenses (when using his or her own car) are deemed substantiated when the employer provides a mileage allowance under a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement.

Diversity Center Newsletter... The new monthly newsletter produced by the Diversity Center is now online on the Diversity Center's website. The newsletter includes a director's column, a student profile, upcoming events, and more. It will be published the first week of each month. For more information, contact Virgil Jones (vjones@gustavus.edu or x7449).

Don't Get Towed... The city of St. Peter reminds the campus community about its snow emergency ordinance: Snow emergencies will be declared before 5 p.m. and announced on local radio. When a snow emergency is declared, there is NO PARKING on any of the posted SNOW EMERGENCY ROUTES for the entire 48-hour period . Beginning at midnight, for two days, there is NO PARKING on residential streets from midnight until 7 a.m.. Vehicles parked in violation of the snow emergency ordinance will be ticketed (fined $15-50) AND towed at the owners' expense. For more information about this ordinance and which streets are considered snow emergency routes, click here to visit the City of St. Peter's website.

Christmas Recess/January Term Voice Mail... This is a reminder to change your voice mail greeting to accommodate your schedule for the upcoming Christmas Recess and/or January Term. To record an extended absence greeting follow the instructions below.

• Call the system and enter password
• Press 4, Personal Options
• Press 3, Greetings
• Press 2, Extended Absence Greetings
• Listen to the instructions
• Press * to exit until hearing "good-bye"

This will enable callers to decide if they should still leave a message. For further assistance, please call telecommunications (x6261).

Upcoming Music Tours... This year nearly 300 students will participate in music tours with the Gustavus Wind Orchestra, Gustavus Choir, Gustavus Symphony Orchestra, Gustavus Jazz Lab Band, and the Choir of Christ Chapel. The schedule is:

• The Gustavus Choir will tour Spain and Portugal Jan. 11-30. Performances are scheduled for Lisbon, Seville, Milaga, Grenada, and Madrid.
• The Gustavus Wind Orchestra will tour Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois Jan. 26-Feb. 3, with performances in Blue Earth, North Oaks, Duluth, Owatonna, and Monticello, Minn.; Hartford, Wis.; and Wheaton, Ill.
• The Gustavus String Orchestra will tour Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota Jan. 26-Feb. 3, with concerts in Fairmont and Eden Prairie, Minn.; Lincoln, North Platte, and Scottsbluff, Neb.; Rapid City and Sioux, S.D.; and North Newton, Kan.
• The Gustavus Jazz Lab Band and Choir of Christ Chapel will tour during Spring Semester.

Click here to view the complete tour schedules.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Chapel Schedule... All are invited to the worship services at 10 a.m. weekdays and 10:30 a.m. Sundays in Christ Chapel. The upcoming schedule is as follows:

• Dec. 8 -- Taize Morning Prayer
• Dec. 10 -- Third Sunday in Advent, Chaplain Rachel Larson
• Dec. 11 -- Horst Ludwig (modern foreign languages)
• Dec. 12 -- Deborah Goodwin (religion)
• Dec. 13 -- Morning Praise
• Dec. 14 -- Mitch Harris (English)
• Dec. 15 -- Mark Braun, (dean's office)
• Dec. 17 -- Fourth Sunday in Advent, Chaplain Rachel Larson
• Dec. 18 -- Steve Kjellgren (dining services)
• Dec. 19 -- Litany for Travelers

Chapel Services resume Wednesday, January 3 with Morning Praise.

Michael Johnson Continues 35-Year Tradition... Michael Johnson, the singer, songwriter, storyteller, and guitarist who has performed to sold-out audiences at Gustavus Adolphus College annually for over 35 years, returns to Björling Recital Hall once again. The holiday season tradition continues on Friday, Dec. 8 at 8:00 p.m. and is one of only two performances Michael will present in Minnesota this season. Tickets are still available for the concert. The cost is $15 for adults and $12 for students, senior citizens, & GA staff. For ticket purchases, please call the Gustavus Ticket Center at (507) 933-7590 (credit cards accepted at the Ticket Center). Tickets will go on sale one hour prior to the concert in Björling Recital Hall box office.

Faculty and Administrator Invitation... President Jim Peterson and Interim Deans Eric Eliason and Mariangela Maguire invite faculty, faculty emeriti, administrators, and retired administrators and their spouses/partners to a holiday party from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., Dec. 19, in Alumni Hall.

QUITPLAN at Work Tobacco Cessation Program... A valuable new smoking cessation program is coming to Gustavus. It's called QUITPLAN at Work. QUITPLAN at Work focuses on employees and their spouses who want to make a successful quit attempt in the next 30 days. You will have the opportunity, along with your co-workers, to participate in a group led by a professional tobacco cessation counselor. And, it's all free! As part of the program you will receive: a personal plan to stop your tobacco use, detailed information about Zyban and Nicotine Replacement Therapy, the tools needed to help you learn to stop smoking, five weeks of group-led support by a trained professional, connection to a variety of resources, and sevel weekly relapse prevention cards/e-mails at the conclusion of the program. Five classes will be offered on Jan. 4, 11, 18, & 25 and Feb. 1 from 12:30 to 1:30pm. To register or find out more information regarding the program please contact Kari Eckheart at x6416 or keckhear@gustavus.edu. The deadline to register for this class will be Wed. Dec. 20.

Working for Change... "Working for Change: Creating Career Paths to Make a Difference" is the theme of a conference and concert sponsored by the Career Center and scheduled for Saturday, Mar. 17, 2007. This conference is a one-day event providing the opportunity to explore careers with a focus on social justice. Presenters are employed in a variety of non-profits, schools, and other organizations that represent pathways to social change. Attendees will gain a better understanding of career options, learn what it takes to work for change while getting paid, and network with those who have similar interests and values. Features include a keynote speaker and two musical acts, as well as an inspiring theater performance. For more information contact Brian Koeneman (koeneman@gustavus.edu or x7532).

Cancer Support... The campus Cancer Support Group will meet at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 13 in Linner Lounge. Bring a lunch and join the conversation. This group is open to anyone on campus.

OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS OF INTEREST:

A Teddy Bear Christmas at the Cox House...The E. St. Julian Cox House in St. Peter will be open to welcome visitors on Dec. 9 & 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. Guests will be able to view displays of teddy bears, old and new, throughout the historic home, which will be decorated in Victorian Christmas fashion. There will be mulled cider and homemade cookies in the kitchen, and music in the parlor will be provided by a variety of local singers and instrumentalists.

The schedule of musicians is as follows:

Saturday, Dec. 9

1-2:30: Becky Grabow, Scott Hermanson, and members of the St. Peter High School Chamber Singers

2:30-4: Bev Gustafson and the Gustavus Early Music Ensemble

Sunday, Dec. 10

1-2:30: Jim Bakken, Donna Bakken - reed organ, piano, and flute

2:30-4: Piano students of Paul and Helen Baumgartner

The Cox House at 500 N. Washington in St. Peter is owned and operated by the Nicollet County Historical Society. The teddy bears are on loan from St. Peter area Questers. Admission is $3; children under 12 and NCHS members are free.

Holiday Harmony Benefit Concerts... The Minnesota Valley Sweet Adelines and the Mankato Area Riverblenders will perform Christmas concerts titled "Holiday Harmony," to benefit VINE Faith in Action. The concerts are Sunday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. at the Church of St. Peter (1801 W. Broadway, St. Peter) and at 7 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church (720 S. Second St., Mankato). For tickets or more information, contact Lynn Boehne (x7686). Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students.

Christmas with the Riverlights... For nearly 20 years, the Riverlights have been presenting their special sound in concerts and other appearances in the St. Peter/Mankato area and throughout southern Minnesota. Eight vocalists and a pianist make up this talented ensemble, which sometimes includes a string bass or a percussionist. With selections ranging from traditional gospel and spirituals to 20th-century vocal jazz and musical theatre, the Riverlights reach out to a wide audience while focusing on presenting great music to appreciative audiences and supporting local charities. The Arts Center of St. Peter will hold a benefit concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for AC members, and $5 for students; all proceeds will benefit the Arts Center of St. Peter Scholarship programs. The Arts Center is located at 315 S. Minnesota Ave. in St. Peter. For more information, go to www.artscentersp.org, e-mail info@artscentersp.org, or call (507) 931-3630.

A Concert of Peace... Musicorum, an 18-member vocal ensemble directed by Gregory Aune (music), will present its Christmas concert, "A Concert of Peace," at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15th at First Lutheran Church in St. Peter and at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16th at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 207 McConnell St., in Mankato. Works by William Byrd, Vaclav Nelhybel, Malcolm Archer, Dale Warland, David Cherwien, and more will be presented. Singers include Julie Aune, Jenifer Ward (modern languages, literatures, and cultures/German), Rebecca McConnaughey (music), and Ole Karstad ('97). The group will be accompanied by Amy Kortuem on harp, David Fienen (music) on organ, and a Gustavus instrumental ensemble. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for students and are available at the door.

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE:

Stephen Handler (biology 2004) and Pamela Kittelson (biology) co-authored a paper in the December issue of the Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society on how habitat isolation and fragmentation affects the genetic diversity the tallgrass prairie plant, Lithospermum canescens (hoary puccoon). This publication grew out of summer research that was funded by the Maedl Partners in Scholarship Student-Faculty Research Grant.

Mark Bjelland (geography) gave a lecture on November 10 titled "Towards an Urban Renaissance in the U.K." to the geography department at Minnesota State University at Mankato.

Patric Giesler (sociology/anthropology) was recognized in Who's Who Among America's Teachers: Honoring Our Nation's Most Respected Teachers (Volume 3, 10th edition, 2006) on the basis of reviews by National Merit Scholars attending Gustavus who nominated him.

Scott Newstok (English) published an essay on an adaptation of Hamlet in Borrowers and Lenders: The Journal of Shakespearean Appropriation. The essay can be found at http://atropos.english.uga.edu/cocoon/borrowers/request?id=428573. Newstok also presented the opening lecture, "Adapting Othello, Adapting to Europe," at the Yale University Film Studies symposium on Orson Welles on Nov. 30.

Darrell Jodock (religion) gave a paper, "Context, Continuity, and Discontinuity in Hans Schwarz's Survey of Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Theology" on Nov. 20 in Washington, D.C., during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion. The paper was one of four extended reviews of Hans Schwarz's 2005 book, Theology in a Global Context: The Last Two Hundred Years. The author, a professor at the University of Regensburg in Germany, was present at the session and responded to the four reviews. Following the discussion, the editor of the Scottish Journal of Theology requested permission to publish Dr. Jodock's paper. It will appear in that journal.

Patricia Freiert (classics emerita) will be showing her hand-dyed shibori scarves in Mankato this week at the fourth annual Goldsmith's Reunion and Holiday Art Show, Dec. 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Ellerby Room at the Mankato Civic Center. Further information is available at www.goldsmithreunion.com or Stones Throw Gallery. At the Minnesota Craft Council's Fall Show in St. Paul, her work received honorable mention for Best-in-Show.

Steve Wright (music) played with "Klezmer and All That Jazz" for a community concert series in Freeport, N.Y. (Long Island) on Nov. 4. On Nov. 27, he played a jazz concert with "Ellington Echoes" at the Old Log Theatre in Greenwood (Excelsior), Minn.. Two days later, he was the guest clinician for the Mississippi 8 Conference Jazz Festival in Princeton, Minn., working with seven jazz ensembles from the district. On Dec. 7, he will perform at an alumni jazz concert at the University of Iowa Voxman School of Music. Besides playing at the concert, two of his compositions are being featured. Also, on Dec. 21, he will be playing wth the "Twin Cities 7" at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis.

Joyce Sutphen (English) gave a visiting writer's talk for the assembled Introduction to Creative Writing classes at the University of Minnesota; she was a guest speaker at the College of St. Catherine's weekend course in Women and Poetry, and she was also the keynote speaker for the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets' Fall Conference in Eau Claire, Wis. Her poems have recently appeared in Dogwood, The Wolf (London), Water~Stone, Magma 36 (London), Whistling Shade, and online at Poetry Is and Minnesota Artists Online. She and co-editors Connie Wanek and Thom Tammaro anticipate the publication of To Sing Along the Way: Minnesota Women Poets from Pre-territorial Days to the Present (New Rivers Press, 2006) in the next week. Earlier this week, Garrison Keillor read one of her poems on The Writer's Almanac. In addition, her work was featured in a story in the November issue of Static.

BIRTHS:

Noah Kristofer Kracht, son of Kristofer Kracht (communication studies) and Emily Kracht, was born Tuesday, Nov. 28.

OBITUARIES:

• The Rev. Dr. Richard W. Solberg, father of Mary Solberg (religion) and grandfather of Luke Johnson '02 and Johanna Johnson '04, died suddenly on Nov. 15 in Grass Valley, CA. Funeral services were held at Peace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley on Nov. 20. Dr. Solberg's body will be buried in Madison, WI, on Friday, Dec. 8. A complete obituary is available at http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/CO/ELCA_News/encArticleList.asp?article=3486.

NEW FACES:

New Support Staff
Lisa Krueger, Financial Assistance

Position Openings

• Web Application Programmer, Web Services

CONGREGATIONAL OUTREACH:

Partners in Education... Presenters scheduled for this week include Patricia Kazarow (music) who will be continuing in the series of talks, "Different Sides of Christmas," at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 at Christ Lutheran Church in Glencoe, MN. Partners in Education is a program coordinated by the Office of Church Relations in which participating faculty and staff members prepare topical presentations for adult forums, workshops, and seminars in congregations of the ELCA.

Preaching in Congregations... Mary Gaebler will be preaching at Christ the King Lutheran Church in New Ulm, MN. She will be preaching at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, and at 9 and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. This program is coordinated by the Office of Church Relations.

Music in Worship... Any Gustavus music ensemble or soloist is welcome to perform in congregations. For more information, contact Marilyn Beyer (x7001).

FUNDING OPPS:

• National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminars and Institutes... Each year the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) offers faculty opportunities to study humanities topics in a variety of summer seminars and institutes working in collaboration with one or two leading scholars. Those selected to participate in the seminars and institutes will be awarded a fixed stipend based on the length of the seminar or institute to help cover travel costs, books and other research expenses, and living expenses. The available stipends are $1,800 (two weeks), $2,400 (three weeks), $3,000 (four weeks), $3,600 (five weeks), or $4,200 (six weeks). Participants will have access to a major library collection, with time reserved to pursue individual research and study projects. The dates and duration of each project are listed on the website. Requests for application materials or inquiries about a particular seminar or institute are made directly to the director of the respective seminar or institute. The application deadline is March 1, 2007. The list of seminars and institutes for summer 2007, including contact information, is available at http://www.neh.gov/projects/si-university.html.

IN THE MEDIA:

• The announcement of the hiring of Gwendolyn Freed as vice president for college relations ran in the The Free Press of Mankato on Dec. 4.
• A feature on Christmas in Christ Chapel also ran in The Free Press on Dec. 4.
• On Nov. 30, the St. Peter Herald profiled Gustavus Dining Service upon its top 10 ranking for "Best On-Campus Food" by the Princeton Review.
• Larry Potts (chemistry) was featured in a St. Peter Herald story on Nov. 23 about the cardiac rehab program at the St. Peter Community Hospital.
• The campus visit and presentations by Esther Sternberg were previewed by the The Free Press of Mankato on Nov. 19.
• Bruce McClain's (art) retrospective exhibit in the Hillstrom Museum of Art was featured in the The Free Press of Mankato on Nov. 15.
• An article in The Free Press of Mankato on Nov. 15 about the Ney Environmental Learning Center highlighted the work of Gustavus interns.

Anyone who has suggested additions for this list, suggestions for potential future media stories, or interest in being a media source should contact Media Relations Manager Jonathan Kraatz (x7510 or jkraatz@gustavus.edu).

PLUGS:

Log Home for Short-Term Rental: A fully furnished, 3-bedroom, 2-bath log home on Lake Washington is available immediately for rent (Dec. 1-May 30). Includes family room and loft. Cost is $700/ month plus utilities. For more information, call 952-974-0154 after 5:00 p.m.

Carpooling from the Metro Area: Is there a group of drivers already formed? Is there anyone interested in joining up to carpool for J-Term or the Spring (coming from Prior Lake)? Contact Andrea Gross at x7343 or agross@gustavus.edu.

Room Wanted: I would like to rent a furnished room for Spring semester. I will normally only be there on Monday and Tuesday nights, and some weekends. Please call Nancy Hanway at x7388 or email nhanway@gustavus.edu.

Housing Wanted: Visiting professor in religion department seeks studio apartment or small house for spring semester (February - May). Prefers furnished but can consider unfurnished. Contact Sarah Shectman by e-mail at shectman@brandeis.edu or at 415-200-6919.

For Sale: Renovated historical house with new siding, all new windows, brand new kitchen, brand new main-floor bathroom/laundry room, remodeled upstairs bathroom, new carpet, refinished hardwood floors, new outside doors, 4 bedrooms, side porch, all new landscaping, and connected shed. Central air and newer high efficiency furnace. Over 2,000 square feet of living space (not including basement, shed, and porch) Large lot size of 7,750 square feet. Contact Megan Monson-Conlon at (507) 381-1604 or (507) 934-4826.

For Sale: 2000 VW Golf GLS 4-door hatchback, red with black interior. 47,800 miles. New tires and battery. Power steering, brakes, windows, locks, sunroof. Non-smoking driver. Great winter car with good traction and always a reliable starter. Priced below book. Call 469-9737 (cell) to view or for more information.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

To add or change items on the calendar, please fill out and submit a College Calendar event form. View the entire College Calendar online.