The Yellow Sheet for September 18September 18, 2008 | Volume 41, Number 3

Volume 41, Number 3

• News & Announcements
• Campus Happenings
• Off-Campus Events
• Extraordinary People
• Position Openings
• Congregational Outreach
• Funding Opps
• In the Media
• Plugs
• Calendar of Events
• Submit an Item Online

News & Announcements

Deadline for Letters in Support of Tenure Candidates Is Sept. 26... Eight members of the faculty are currently being considered for appointments with continuous tenure: Margaret Bloch Qazi (biology), Priscilla Briggs (art & art history), Scott Bur (chemistry), Casey Elledge (religion), Elizabeth Jenner (sociology & anthropology), John Mattson (HES), Sujay Rao (history), and Michelle Twait (library). Letters written on behalf of these candidates should be sent to Provost Mary Morton and should address the criteria for tenure as stated in the Faculty Manual (see below). Letters are due by Friday, Sept. 26, at 4 p.m. All members of the Gustavus community are invited to submit letters. Candidates will have access to their letters. The specific criteria for tenure are as follows:

1. Excellence as a teacher as reflected in quality of and enthusiasm for work, effectiveness of methods, interest in subject matter, concern for student learning, effective advising of students within and outside the major, and continued academic preparation and improvement.
2. An emerging pattern of professional activities as reflected, for example, by publications, presentations at scholarly meetings or conferences and, in the arts, by manifestations of creativity demonstrated through exhibits or performances; another example may be involvement in professional and/or public organizations, boards, and commissions related to one's academic fields or college assignments.
3. An emerging pattern of involvement in the activities of the College.
4. Continuing evidence of sympathy with the aims and purposes of Gustavus Adolphus College as stated in the Mission Statement of the College.

Employee Tuition Benefits Explained... On Monday, Oct. 6, at 11 a.m. there will be an informational session on employee tuition benefits led by Kirk Carlson (student financial assistance) and Richard Aune (admission) for all interested employees. Call Kirk at x6362 for location and more information.

Cultural and Global Competency Working Group Forming... Co-chairs Virgil Jones (diversity development) and Carolyn O'Grady (international and cultural education) invite interested members of the Gustavus community to join the working group charged by Provost Mary Morton with developing pragmatic approaches to Initiative 3.1 of the Strategic Plan focusing on cultural and global competency. If you are interested in participating in this process, contact either of the co-chairs (vjones@gustavus.edu or cogrady@gustavus.edu) by Wednesday, Sept. 24.

Scarecrow Contest Entries Invited... The Fall Fest Open House in the Linnaeus Arboretum will feature a scarecrow contest. Gather together your department, student organization, or friends and start brainstorming a creative scarecrow idea. Prizes will be awarded to the teams that have constructed the most original scarecrows. Straw will be provided at the Borgeson Cabin starting Wednesday, Oct. 1, for your scarecrow building needs. The scarecrow should be positioned near the Borgeson Cabin ready for judging by 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 3. Please notify campus naturalist Bob Dunlap (Linnaeus Arboretum) of your intent to build a scarecrow by Monday, Sept. 29, so that he can insure an adequate straw supply. Take a break from your busy fall schedule, gather your friends and let the creative ideas flow!

Vacation Donations Being Accepted... Employees who would like to donate vacation hours for a Gustavus employee who will be on an approved FMLA leave and will run out of paid-time benefits should complete and sign a request for transfer of vacation hours available at the Office of Human Resources (x7304).

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, Sept. 19 - Doug Thorpe, CVR/Johnson Center Invited Speaker
• Sunday, Sept. 21 - Chaplain Rachel Larson
  
• Monday, Sept. 22 - Sarah Johnson (religion)
• Tuesday, Sept. 23 - Barb Larson Taylor (president's office)
• Wednesday, Sept. 24 - Morning Praise
• Thursday, Sept. 25 - Bishop Jon Anderson: Seminary/Divinity School Day
• Friday, Sept. 26 - Deirdre Rosenfeld (student affairs)

CVR and Johnson Center Combine to Bring in Award-Winning Author... Doug Thorpe, author of Rapture of the Deep: Reflections on the Wild in Art, Wilderness, and the Sacred, winner of the David Family Environmental Book Award, and a member of the Seattle Pacific University English faculty, is visiting the campus on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 18 and 19. Thorpe will be making a public presentation tonight (Thursday, Sept. 18) at 7 p.m. in the Heritage Banquet Room and will be presenting the homily in chapel on Friday, Sept. 19. His visit is cosponsored by the Center for Vocational Reflection and the Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation.

Make Your Own Slippers... Create your own pair of felt slippers using a Scandinavian feltmaking technique with non-woven felt taught by Staci Taylor of Cohasset, Minn. The class will be held on Friday, Sept. 26, 5:30-9:30 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge, Jackson Campus Center but is limited to seven people. The fee is $30 per person (does not include roving material). Advance reservations are required. Contact Kathy at x6514 or kerlands@gustavus.edu to sign up or for more information.

Recital Features World Premiere... John McKay (music, emeritus) will present a piano recital on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in Björling Recital Hall. His program features the world premiere of Mortimer Barron's The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and the composer will be in attendance. Admission is free. This concert is part of a tour of 10 cities in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Iowa made possible in part with the assistance of a McKnight Fellowship grant awarded by the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council with funds provided by the McKnight Foundation.

International Peace Day Lecture... Join in the celebration of International Day of Peace with a free, public lecture by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer titled "Peacemaking and Human Rights: A Call for Faithful Action," on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. in Wallenberg Auditorium, Nobel Hall of Science. The event is co-sponsored by Amnesty International and St. Peter United Methodist Fellowship. For more information, contact Amy Jo Bur at stpumc@hickorytech.net or 507-341-1760.

GLA Membership Tea at the President’s Home... Gustavus Library Associates' Fall Membership Tea will be hosted by President Jack and Kris Ohle on Monday, Sept. 22, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the president’s campus home. GLA has built a library endowment in excess of $2.5 million that supports the academic program of the College. All friends and friends of friends are welcome to attend; no reservations are necessary. For additional information, contact GLA board member Ginny Bakke at x7571, or Dana Lamb at x7550 in the Office of Marketing and Communication.

The New Minnesotans... As part of a series of presentations addressing the theme "Saint Peter - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," the Continuing Education program has scheduled a visit by journalist Gregg Aamot '91 on Tuesday, Sept. 23. His talk begins at 7 p.m. in the Melva Lind Interpretive Center, Linnaeus Arboretum. Cost is $9 for the public (free to Gustavus employees and students). Aamot has written about immigrants and refugees for the Associated Press and Minnesota newspapers for 15 years. He will discuss the core theme of his book, The New Minnesotans, and reflect on Minnesota's immigrant past, comparing and contrasting that long-ago era with today's wave of newcomers.

'Explore the Call'... Seminary & Divinity School Day will be held at Gustavus on Thursday, Sept. 25. This is an event sponsored by the Office of Church Relations. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Bishop Jon Anderson of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA will give the homily during daily chapel. A fair featuring representatives from 17 seminaries and divinity schools will be held in the Heritage Room from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. During a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in Alumni Hall, featured speaker Lee Clarke will present the keynote address, "Explore the Call: Open the Door to Possibilities." Six afternoon breakout sessions will be held in various locations in the Jackson Campus Center between 1:30 and 3:15 p.m. The event is aimed at students who want to explore these graduate school options, but interested faculty members, staff, and others are also welcome for some or all of the day (and the luncheon). Students from other colleges in the area have also been invited to attend. There is no charge for the event, but you must preregister for the luncheon (x7001).

Welsh Weekend of Song... The 2008 Welsh Weekend of Song will be held in late September. The 2008 WWS Concert, at 7:30 p.m. in Björling Recital Hall on Saturday, Sept. 27, will feature Amy Kortuem, Mankato harpist, and her Celtic Band. The program will focus on Welsh folk tunes. Tickets for the concert ($12 adults, $5 students) are available at the Gustavus Ticket Center, on the lower level of the Jackson Student Center.
     The second event of the WWS will be Welsh Hymn Festival of Choirs at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at the First Presbyterian Church in Mankato (Broad and Hickory). The visiting director will be Mary Morris Mergenthal, St. Paul. The performing choir will be the St. Peter Choral Society under the direction of Sara Hayden McKay. There is no admission charge for the Festival but a free will offering will be received. Church musicians from area churches have been invited to attend and participate. Copies of the information brochure about the WWS are available at the Gustavus Ticket Office or Björling Recital Hall lobby or from WWS president Ronald Green (education, emeritus) at 507-934-4122.

Orchestra to Premiere Alumnus's Work at Nobel Conference... The Gustavus Symphony Orchestra will premiere a new composition by alumnus Paul Fraser '05 at this year's Nobel Conference Concert. The concert will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. in Christ Chapel. Fraser's new work, titled Aurora Vitalis, was completed in August 2008 and is based on a Hawaiian creation story that tells of the creation of the world over the course of one evening. The five-minute composition will join other creation story works on the program this year, tying in with the theme of Nobel Conference XLIV: "Who Were the First Humans?" Admission to the concert is free. Fraser (b. 1982) received his B.A. degree from Gustavus in 2005, majoring in music and computer science. He has written for many ensembles, including orchestra, band, chamber groups, pop bands, as well as electronic music. His music has been influenced by modern pop genres, and lately has been programmatic and focused on timbre.

And, Speaking of the Nobel Conference... The Continuing Education program has scheduled a preview of the upcoming Nobel Conference 44, "Who Were the First Humans?" on Monday, Sept. 29, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the Melva Lind Interpretive Center of Linnaeus Arboretum. Conference chair Tim Robinson (psychology) will lead the discussion. Cost is $9 for the public (free for Gustavus students & employees). At the preview, Robinson will provide a layman's introduction to the conference topic and outline the perspectives of the invited speakers. Call x6181 to reserve a place.

Off-Campus Events of Interest

Craft Sale at Community Center... The ninth annual Arts, Craft and Antiques Sale takes place at the St. Peter Community Center on Friday, Sept. 26, 1-6 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 27, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Artists Dorothea Carlson, Dee Engebretson, and Gretchen Koehler (HES, emerita) are featured.

Alpaca Road Trip... All are invited to the fifth annual Nation Wide Farm Tour at Cozy Acres Alpacas on Sept. 27-28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See, feel, and learn about alpacas. Alpacas, alpaca products, and gifts will be available for sale. Cozy Acres Alpacas is located at 34456 405th Ave. Directions from St. Peter: Head north on Hwy. 169 to Hwy. 22; turn west and go approx. 7 miles. Turn north on 403rd Ave., then west on 356th Street. Turn north on 405th Ave. and the farm will be on left hand side of road. If you have any questions, give Kathy Erlandsen (institutional advancement) a call at 952-994-4560. For more information on Cozy Acres Alpacas, visit www.alpacanation.com/cozyacres.asp. You can also find other farms involved in the farm tour by visiting www.explorealpacas.com.

Join a 'Moveable Feast'... Tour local art studios. View pottery, jewelry, and weaving demonstrations and more. Take in poetry, music, and theatre. Purchase one-of-a-kind fine art. The third annual "River Crossings Art Fair in Motion" will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5, at galleries, workshops, and other venues throughout the St. Peter-Mankato area. More than a dozen local artists—including Douglas Nimmo (music) and Patricia Freiert (classics, emerita)—will be showing their work, and many restaurants and galleries, among them the Arts Center of Saint Peter, the Carnegie Art Center in Mankato, the Emy Frentz Art Guild in Mankato, and the Blue Earth County Historical Society, will feature performances and exhibitions. Events and open houses will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visit rivercrossingsart.org for a detailed schedule. River Crossings is a collaborative effort of The Bridge, St. Peter; Twin Rivers Center for the Arts, Mankato; and the Arts Center of Saint Peter. It is made possible by a grant provided by the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council from funds appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature and the McKnight Foundation; additional funding comes from the St. Peter Tourism and Visitors Bureau and the City of Mankato Community Grants Program. Watch for the banners!

Extraordinary People

Laura Behling (English) published a new monograph, Gross Anatomies: Fictions of the Physical in American Literature (Susquehanna University Press, 2008). She also presented "Native Son and Liberty Loans: Faculty-Student Collaborative Research in Literary and Cultural Studies" at the CUR 2008 National Conference in June, and recently published a review of Driving Women: Fiction and Automobile Culture in Twentieth-Century America in Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature.

Joyce Sutphen (English) has had poems published recently in The Gettysburg Review, Whistling Shade, and Country Lines, with poems forthcoming in Water~Stone, Knockout, Alehouse, and on Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac (Sept. 20, 2008). Her recent readings include the Jon Hassler Theatre (Plainview, Minn.), Magers and Quinn Booksellers (Minneapolis), and Nina’s Café (St. Paul). One of her poems is currently part of a project (with Cedar Fence Press) that places poetry in Twin Cities coffee shops and public spaces, and 14 of her poems have been archived on the Poetry Foundation’s website: poetryfoundation.org.

On Sunday, Sept. 14, Lisa Heldke (philosophy) presented an invited lecture, titled "Cultivating Cosmic Patriotism by Cultivating Cosmos: Urban Gardens and Community," in Hamburg, Germany. The lecture was part of the six-week-long "artistic and contextual forum" titled "Culture/Nature," sponsored by IBA (Internationale Bauausstellung) Hamburg. Heldke's lecture was preceded by a three-hour-long bike ride through the gardens of Hamburg's Wilhelmsburg district. No kidding.
     Heldke also has been selected to serve as co-editor of Food, Culture and Society: An International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. She will share the post with Ken Albala, professor of history at the University of the Pacific.

Position Openings

• Director of Student Financial Assistance

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

Congregational Outreach

Partners in Education... Scheduled for this week is the Rev. Grady St. Dennis (church relations) who will be giving his talk, "Observing the Speed Limit of Life," at 7 p.m. at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sunday, Sept. 21. He will also give this talk at Normandale Lutheran Church in Edina, Minn., at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24. 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.

Retreats... The Office of Church Relations will host a confirmation retreat for Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church from Waconia, Minn., on Friday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Sept. 20. Church Relations will also host a retreat for Lord of Life Lutheran Church from Maple Grove, Minn., on Saturday, Sept. 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:

• New NEH Grant Program on Enduring Questions: Pilot Course Grants... The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has just announced a new program titled "Enduring Questions: Pilot Course Grants." Its purpose is to encourage faculty and students at the undergraduate level to grapple with the most fundamental concerns of the humanities, and to join together in deep, sustained programs of reading in order to encounter influential thinkers over the centuries and into the present day. With grants of up to $25,000, the program will support new humanities courses at the undergraduate level including their design and preparation, teaching, and assessment, as well as ancillary activities that enhance faculty-student intellectual community. Courses may be taught by faculty from any department or discipline in the humanities or by faculty outside the humanities (e.g., biology, economics, mathematics, psychology), provided humanities sources are central to the course. The grant period can be from 18 to 24 months and begins in July 2009. The deadline for online applications is November 13. Further information regarding the application process, examples of enduring questions, and purposes for which grant funds can be used are at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/EnduringQuestions.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 locally, regionally, or around the nation:

• The Mankato Free Press printed a story on the front page of its Tuesday, Sept. 9, Valley section about the 9/11 vigil organized by the College Republicans. Senior Carla Shutrop was quoted in the story.
• KEYC-TV ran a story on its 6, 9, and 10 p.m. newscasts on Wednesday, Sept. 10, about the Gustavus football team opening their season on Saturday at Coe College. Head coach Jay Schoenebeck and junior Jordan Becker were interviewed for the story.
• KEYC-TV ran a story on its 10 p.m. newscast on Wednesday, Sept. 10, about the  Gustavus women’s volleyball team’s 3-0 victory over Bethany Lutheran.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story and color photo on the front page of its Thursday, Sept. 11, Sports section about the volleyball team’s 3-0 victory over Bethany Lutheran. Head coach Kari Eckheart and junior Meghan Gehring were quoted in the story.
• The St. Peter Herald printed a story and two color photos in its Thursday, Sept. 11, edition about the two new exhibitions at the Hillstrom Museum of Art.
• The St. Peter Herald printed a story about the Continuing Education program in its Thursday, Sept. 11, edition.
• The St. Peter Herald printed a story about the 9/11 vigil organized by College Republicans in its Thursday, Sept. 11 edition. Senior Carla Shutrop was quoted in the story.
• The St. Peter Herald printed a story on the front page of the Sports section about Gustavus alum Eric Butorac’s success in the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles tournament in its Thursday, Sept. 11, edition.
• The St. Peter Herald, in its Thursday, Sept. 11, edition, printed news briefs about the Donny George lecture, the Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer lecture, and Priscilla Briggs (art & art history) receiving a McKnight Fellowship.
• Senior Carla Shutrop was interviewed on Thursday, Sept. 11, on 103.5 FM about the 9/11 vigil organized by College Republicans.
• KEYC-TV ran stories on its 9 and 10 p.m. newscasts on Thursday, Sept. 11, about the 9/11 vigil organized by College Republicans. Senior Carla Shutrop was interviewed for the story.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a short article on the front page of its Friday, Sept. 12, Currents section about Priscilla Briggs (art & art history) receiving a McKnight Fellowship.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a feature story on the front page of its Sunday, Sept. 14, Currents section about Greg Aune (music). Aune, Al Behrends (fine arts programs), and Michael Jorgenson (music) were quoted.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a news brief about John Pomfret's Reading in Common lecture on the front page of its Sunday, Sept. 14, Currents section.

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).

Plugs

For Sale: Taupe couch, $175; solid oak coffee table with glass inserts on top, $75. Contact 934-4767 or jlammert@gustavus.edu.

Laptop for Sale: 2007 Sony Vaio VGN-FZ100 laptop: 179 GB, Windows Vista, Norton, CD/DVD, wireless. Excellent condition. $600 obo. Call Jeff at 802-579-4558.

Rug for Sale: Pre-1920, antique Mohawk Brothers wool rug for sale. 9'x12'; $300. Contact Nicole Roberts Hoiland (art & art history) at nhoiland@gustavus.edu.

For Sale: Brand new iPod touch 8GB in the packaging, never unwrapped. Retails for $299, will sell for $200. Contact Janine at x7548 or janine@gustavus.edu.

"Plugs" is maintained as a forum by which members of the Gustavus community may offer goods and services to others in the community, or seek the same from them. It is not meant to accommodate ads or announcements from area businesses such as real estate agents and retailers, although from time to time such announcements may be published when deemed to be of particular interest to the community.

 



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 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 (waldo@gustavus.edu or x6413).

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