The Yellow Sheet for January 17January 17, 2008 | Volume 40, Number 17

Volume 40, Number 17

• News & Announcements
• Grant News
• Campus Happenings
• Off-Campus Events
• Extraordinary People
• New Faces
• Position Openings
• Congregational Outreach
• Funding Opps
• In the Media
• Telecommunications Updates
• Postal Pointers
• Thank Yous
• Calendar of Events
• Submit an Item Online

News & Announcements

Symphony Orchestra Returns to China... The Gustavus Symphony Orchestra leaves tomorrow for a 15-day international concert tour (Jan. 18-Feb. 1) of the People's Republic of China. The 67-piece orchestra, led by conductor Warren Friesen (music) and featuring violin soloist Brian Buckstead (music), is scheduled to make five concert appearances in China, including at the Music School of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. The Gustavus orchestra is returning to China after making a previous visit in 2004. You can follow the group's tour on the new Office of Marketing and Communication blog; Sharon Stevenson and Lisa Westphal (both college relations) will accompany the orchestra, with Sharon providing commentary, photos, and video from the tour. Upon its return, the ensemble will perform its home concert of the music performed on the tour at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 17, in Christ Chapel; that concert is open to the public without charge.

Health Screening 2008... All employees, retirees, and spouses are invited to participate in the 2008 Health Screening free of charge. The dates are Feb. 4-8, and Feb. 11-15. Five-minute time increment appointments will be available during these dates between 6:30 and 9 a.m. on a first-call, first-serve basis. Thirty minutes of release time will be allowed for employees to participate in the screening. To sign up for a time, call the Human Resource Office at x7304 anytime Monday-Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 to 4:45 p.m.

Employee Enhancement Days Set... The 2008 Employee Enhancement Days will be held Tuesday, Feb. 5, and Thursday, Feb. 7, in Alumni Hall. This annual event is open to all employees of the College. A detailed schedule of events will be published in a future issue of the YS.

Grant News

College Meets—and Surpasses—GGF Challenge... Gustavus Adolphus College has earned a $50,000 challenge grant, offered by the Greater Gustavus Fund, by raising more than double that amount. The grant matched, on a one-to-one basis, new and increased unrestricted gifts of $1,000 or more made to the College since June 1, 2007. As a result, the Greater Gustavus Fund Board of Trustees, at its December meeting, announced an additional $50,000 challenge grant. The new grant will match new and increased unrestricted gifts of $5,000 or more made by May 31, 2008. Gifts at this level qualify for the President’s Leadership Circle giving society. The goal is to encourage 10 new members to join this society. (Currently there are 54 members.)

Campus Happenings

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:

• Friday, Jan. 18 - Karen Larson (interdisciplinary studies)
• Sunday, Jan. 20 - Holy Communion: Chaplain Brian Johnson
• Monday, Jan. 21 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Bill Green '72, superintendent of Minneapolis schools
• Tuesday, Jan. 22 - Ruth Johnson (student affairs)
• Wednesday, Jan. 23 - Morning Praise
• Thursday, Jan. 24 - Matthew Panciera (classics)
• Friday, Jan. 25 - TBA

Alumnus Returns to Speak on King Holiday... Minneapolis Schools Superintendent William D. Green ’72 will return to Gustavus on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 21) to speak in chapel. Green, an associate professor of history at Augsburg College, was named superintendent of Minneapolis public schools in February 2007 after serving as interim superintendent during the year before that while a member of the school board. Green will also be meeting students after chapel to discuss his time here at Gustavus as well as his life after Gustavus.

An Interfaith Dialogue on Religion and Violence... Gustavus will serve as a regional partner site for the Trinity Institute's 38th National Theological Conference, "Religion and Violence: Untangling the Roots of Conflict," to be presented via online telecast on Jan. 21-23. The Office of Church Relations will host the conference, which brings together a panel of prominent Christian, Jewish, and Muslim theologians to explore the deeply rooted union of religion and violence. While the conference takes place in New York City, Gustavus's local site will feature the full conference experience with live webcasts of keynote speeches and reflection/discussion groups. Monday's webcast, to be held in the Melva Lind Interpretive Center from 4:30-7:30 p.m., will include an opening reception, theological reflection group, and evensong (led by Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church Katharine Jefferts Schori). Tuesday's events (8 a.m.-4 p.m.) will be telecast in the Jackson Campus Center's St. Peter Room, highlighted by addresses by James H. Cone (Black liberation theologian) and Susannah Heschel (Jewish scholar). Wednesday's schedule (8 a.m.-4:15 p.m., also in the St. Peter Room) will feature James Carroll (Roman Catholic author) and Tariq Ramadan (Islamic scholar). Explore through lectures and interfaith dialogue how religion becomes entangled with violence—not only among extremists, but in our own lives and communities. What are the resources within each tradition for living together in peace without losing unique identities? Registration deadline to participate in the online telecast ($10 materials preparation fee) was Wednesday, Jan. 16; if you have questions or wish more information, contact Marilyn Beyer (church relations) at x7001 or mbeyer@gustavus.edu.

New Exhibition in Hillstrom Museum of Art... Go Figure: Works by Daniel Dallmann and Arnoldus Grüter will open at the Hillstrom Museum of Art on Wednesday, Jan. 23, with an opening reception that evening from 7 to 9 p.m. Both artists will attend the reception and will make comments on their work (starting around 7:30). The exhibit will remain on view through Feb. 26. The exhibition of Dallmann’s and Grüter’s art will include nearly 30 works by each artist, mostly paintings (many on shaped canvases in Grüter’s case) but also some drawings.  Many of the works on view will be available for purchase, and there will be a price list available at the museum desk. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Regular museum hours are weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends 1 to 5 p.m.

Sustainable Farming and Local Foods... Last year, the Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) of Minnesota held their annual conference at Gustavus and enjoyed it so much they decided to come back this year. Their 17th annual conference, titled "Local Foods: The Next Step," will be held on Saturday, Feb. 2, starting at 9 a.m. in the Jackson campus Center. And this year the event includes a "Youth Sustainability Confabulation," starting at 2 p.m. on the previous day—Friday, Feb. 1. The SFA thanks the Gustavus community for welcoming them back to campus and invites your participation. The schedule and program for these events is:

• "Youth Sustainability Confabulation"
  Who: Any young adults (under 35 years old) who want to discuss a wide range of sustainability issues, connect with others and have a good time
  When: Friday, Feb. 1, 2-8 p.m. (Youth Sustainability Confab Celebration starts at 5 p.m.)
  Where: Jackson Campus Center, Gustavus Adolphus College
  Cost: FREE to those 35 years and under (this includes food!)

• SFA's 17th Annual Conference: "Local Foods: The Next Step"
  Who: Members of SFA and anyone else (farmer, consumer, policymaker, interested students) interested in sustainable agriculture and local foods.
  When: Saturday, Feb. 2, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.)
  Where: Jackson Campus Center, Gustavus Adolphus College
  Cost: $35-$55 depending on membership status. Early registration ends January 18. College students and children get free registration and pay only $12 for lunch.

For more information on either of these events or to register, contact Anna Borgendale at communications@sfa-mn.org or go to www.sfa-mn.org.

Good Company, Tasty Meal, and Swing Music on Valentine's Day... Big band and swing music are alive and well in St. Peter! The Echo's, St. Peter’s own big band, bring back the music of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey, and now the Continuing Education program brings them to you on Valentine's Day. You're invited to attend a Valentine’s Day party with a friend or a "dear heart" for good music, good company, and a good meal. The event will be held in Alumni Hall starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 14. Cost is $44 per couple ($22 for lone wolves); reservations should be made by Jan. 28 at the St. Peter Community and Family Education desk in the Community Center. Seating is limited, so reserve early! Parties desiring to share a table (6/table) should make that known when making the reservation. In the event of adverse weather, an alternate date of Feb. 28, 2008, has been booked (same venue, same time). To check on the status of the party if the weather is questionable, call 933-6181 or check http://arboretum.blog.gustavus.edu.

Off-Campus Events of Interest

Faculty Member Exhibiting at Arts Center of Saint Peter... "Samples from the Studio," drawings by Kris Lowe, new drawing teacher in the Department of Art and Art History at Gustavus, is on display at the Arts Center of Saint Peter (315 S. Minnesota Ave.) through Feb. 24. Lowe's drawings have been exhibited nationally, including solo shows at Bradford Gallery in San Francisco, Harvard University and Kingston Gallery in Boston, and locally at Thompson Gallery and Flanders Contemporary Art in Minneapolis. Arts Center hours are Tuesdays through Sundays, 1- 5 p.m., and Thursdays, 1-8 p.m. (The Center is closed Mondays.) There is no fee and the community is encouraged to attend the showing. For more information call: 507-931-3630 or log onto www.artscentersp.org.

Can Homosexuality and Faith Be Peacefully Reconciled?... The topic of homosexuality and how it intersects with the Christian faith is explored in the documentary film For the Bible Tells Me So, which portrays how five Christian families deal with having a gay child. Featured families include those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt, Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson, and Jacob Reitan (who grew up in Mankato). This insightful film attempts to see if faith and homosexuality can ever be peaceably reconciled. It is an award-winning, 90-minute documentary that has been short-listed for the Academy Awards. The film is showing in Mankato, free of charge, on the following dates: January 29 and 31 at the Maverick Four Theater, and January 30 at Minnesota State University Mankato's Ostrander Auditorium. All showings begin at 7 p.m. and are followed by an educational panel. The film is also slated to show at Gustavus in March.

Extraordinary People

On Jan. 5, 2008, Yurie Hong (classics) delivered a paper titled "War in the Womb: Maternal-Fetal Conflict in the Hippocratic Treatise 'On the Nature of the Child'" at the annual meeting of the American Philological Association in Chicago.

Bill Robertz (comm. studies, emeritus) will receive the Pi Kappa Delta Province of the Northern Lights Distinguished Service Award at the Annual Pi Kappa Delta Provincial Tournament Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. on campus. He is being honored for lifetime contributions and service to intercollegiate forensics.

Darrell Jodock and Garrett Paul (both religion) participated in the third joint convocation of ELCA bishops and teaching theologians on Jan. 11-13. About 60 ELCA bishops and a similar number of teaching theologians met in Itasca, Ill., to consider the topic "Accompaniment in Theology and Practice." Also present were bishops and teaching theologians from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. Jodock serves on the steering committee of the Association of Teaching Theologians, one of the co-sponsors of the event. He helped to organize that association in 2001-02, brought together the first joint convocation of bishops and teaching theologians in 2002, and chaired the planning committee for the second in 2005.

New Faces

The following people have recently joined the Gustavus community:

     New Administrators

• Deborah Fors, director of advancement services (institutional advancement)

     New Support Staff

• Karen Mettler, part-time custodian (custodial)

Position Openings

• Director of community service and service-learning (student affairs)

For more information on the aforementioned position(s), call human resources (x7304).

Congregational Outreach

Speaking in Congregations... Mary Gaebler (religion) will be preaching at the 10 a.m. service at Scandian Grove Lutheran Church in St. Peter, Minn., on Sunday, Jan. 20. Sarah Dille (religion) will be preaching at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Minn., at the 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. services on Sunday, Jan. 20. This program is coordinated by the Office of Church Relations.

Retreats... The Office of Church Relations will host a high school retreat for Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church from Apple Valley, Minn., on Saturday, Jan. 19, and Sunday, Jan. 20.

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

Funding Opps

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations' weekly program or funding opportunity highlight:

• Lindbergh Foundation Grants... Each year the Lindbergh Foundation awards grants in amounts of up to $10,580 each to individuals whose initiative seeks to actively further a balance between the advance of technology and the preservation of the natural/human environment. Historically, this program has been a provider of seed money—and credibility—for a variety of innovative research and educational projects. Grants are made in a wide range of categories, including the following: conservation of natural resources, education, and waste minimization and management. For funding beginning in June of 2009, applications are due June 12, 2008. For application information and a listing of past grantees, see http://www.lindberghfoundation.org/grants/index.html.

For more information on grants or proposal preparation, contact Bob Weisenfeld in the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (x7049 or bweis@gustavus.edu).

In the Media

Here are some noteworthy Gustavus-related stories that recently appeared in print or broadcast media around the nation:

• KEYC ran a story on its Jan. 15 newscast about the Gustavus Symphony Orchestra’s tour of China. Manager of Music Tours Lisa Westphal was interviewed for the story.
• In its Jan. 10 edition, the St. Peter Herald printed stories about the "Building Bridges" Conference and an art exhibit at the Arts Center of Saint Peter featuring drawings by Kris Lowe (art).

Anyone who has suggested additions for this list, suggestions for potential future media stories, or interest in being a media source should contact Marketing and Communication (x7520 or ga_news@gustavus.edu).

Telecommunications Updates

The following are changes and additions for the "Personnel Phone Directory 2007-08"

• Neely Camp, college relations, phone: x7173, e-mail: ncamp (addition)
• Lisa Fine, student financial aid, phone: x7537 (deletion)
• Deborah Fors, institutional advancement, phone: x7539, e-mail: dfors (addition)
• Ruth Johnson, student affairs, phone: x7582, e-mail: rjohnso4 (addition)

For further information or corrections, contact Laura McCabe in telecommunications (x6261 or lmccabe@gustavus.edu).

Postal Pointers

Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday... There will be no incoming or outgoing mail on Monday, Jan. 21, 2008. It is a Postal Holiday. FedEx and UPS will provide pick up and delivery.

Thank Yous

From the St. Peter Area Food Shelf... "Our sincere thanks for your donation of 194 pounds of food and $57 in cash and coupons. Your contribution will be used to serve the needs of many area families. The need is great. Last year we distributed 114,712 pounds of food and necessities. Thanks again for your help."



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

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The Yellow Sheet is a newsletter for Gustavus Adolphus College employees produced by the Office of Marketing and Communication. It is published weekly during the academic year (except during the week of Thanksgiving, the Christmas break, Touring Week, and the Spring and Easter breaks). Anyone may submit items by filling out an online submission form. While online, e-mail submissions are preferred, items may also be submitted typewritten on a letter-sized sheet of paper. Send "snail mail" items to: The Yellow Sheet, Office of Marketing and Communication. Items must reach the office no later than 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication. The week of Nobel Conference the deadline is 4:30 p.m. Monday. For more information, contact Steve Waldhauser (ga_news@gustavus.edu or x6413).

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