The Yellow Sheet for April 2April 2, 2009 | Volume 41, Number 26

Volume 41, Number 26

News & Announcements

Commission Gustavus 150 Update... Task Force Progress: Thank you, faculty, staff, and students who helped draft the strategic plans and working group reports that are facilitating the important work of the Commission Gustavus 150 task forces. These major documents, including 7 Strategic Plan Working Group reports, 45 academic-related department/program strategic plans, the Alumni Engagement Report, and 10 Student Affairs strategic plans, have each been assigned to at least one task force. Sub-groups within each task force have been created to effectively review all of these instructive reports and plans. Upon completion, each document will have been assessed by a group of task force members and will inform the recommendations that are currently being drafted by the task forces. The recommendations will be action-oriented and intentionally short. And, if needed, task force members can provide a brief rationale and a measurable outcome. The Board of Trustees will receive these recommendations this summer.
     Task force members have been complimentary and deeply respectful of the daily work of those on campus. An element of the role of the task forces is to provide an additional lens to examine opportunities for excellence and possibilities of transformative experiences for Gustavus students. Another element is to ensure that the recommendations will further strengthen the already overall excellent experiences for students at Gustavus Adolphus College.
     National Summit Meetings: The 16 National Summit meetings are now complete. The most recent meetings were held in Tucson, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. If you have questions about the Commission, please review the website at www.CommissionGustavus150.org or contact Barb Larson Taylor at x7515 or btaylor@gustavus.edu.

'What's in a Name?' (Romeo and Juliet, II, ii, 1-2)... With a search to be undertaken soon for a successor to Ray Thrower as director of Safety and Security, the time seemed right to implement a departmental name change, a move under discussion for some time internally and recently recommended by external departmental reviewers. The name change—to Campus Safety—reflects an increasing breadth of departmental responsibilities, most of which have a safety rather than security focus: fire safety, chemical and radiological safety, employee and student health and safety monitoring, etc. Other departmental roles and responsibilities will remain the same.

Order Your 2008-09 'Gustavian' Yearbook... Orders are now being accepted for copies of the 2009 Gustavian yearbook. The all-color yearbook will cover the 2008-09 academic year with highlights including sports, academics, music, theatre, clubs, Greek organizations, residence halls, faculty and staff, and of course, graduates of the Class of 2009. You may also order online by going to www.gustavus.edu/alumni and look for 2009 Yearbook Order Form link in the left column. Complete the form with payment by April 15. Books will be distributed on campus next fall and will be sent to graduates.

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, April 3 - Thia Cooper (religion)
• Sunday, April 5 - Palm/Passion Sunday: Mary Gaebler (religion)
• Monday, April 6 - Casey Elledge (religion)
• Tuesday, April 7 - Vicar Peter Bauck
• Wednesday, April 8 - Lenten Morning Prayer
• Thursday, April 9 - Maundy Thursday: Chaplain Rachel Larson
• Friday, April 10 - NO SERVICES (Easter Break)

Weekly Birdwalks... Beginning yesterday (April 1), Arboretum naturalist Bob Dunlap will be leading weekly birdwalks in the Arb at 4:30 p.m. Spring has already begun, and by early April new migrants will have already returned to the Linnaeus Arboretum for a stopover on their long journey north. Each week brings new and more surprises; come join the "Birdman" and experience the excitement of spring birding in the Arb! Birdwalks will take place on Wednesday afternoons at 4:30, weather permitting. Binoculars can be provided, or bring your own. Meet outside the Interpretive Center.

Faculty Shop Talk... Joel Carlin (biology) will present the next Faculty Shop Talk of the 2008-09 academic year. His talk, titled "Undergraduate research in aquatic conservation," will be presented on Friday, April 3, at 4:30 p.m. in the Interpretive Center. Feel free to arrive any time after 4:15 p.m. The abstract for this and future talks may be viewed at gustavus.edu/events/shoptalks/.

Choir to Sing Home Concert... Back from a nine-day, eight-concert tour on the West Coast, the Gustavus Choir, under the leadership of Gregory Aune, presents its Home Concert in Christ Chapel on Friday, April 3. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Now in its 77th year, the Gustavus Choir is one of six choirs in an active and highly integrated choral program at the College. This year's Gustavus Choir tour included stops in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Youth Sustainability Confabulation... If you are college student, teenager, young farmer, aspiring farmer, or just a regular person under the age of 35 who wants to shape your own future, you are invited to attend the Youth Sustainability Confabulation (YSC) on Saturday, April 4, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Jackson Campus Center)
     YSC is a youth-driven event sponsored by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota and the Gustavus Community Service Center that brings together young people from across the state to discuss important issues surrounding sustainable food, farming, energy, and the environment. Among the goals of the Confab are to create a forum to amplify the voice of youth and to identify and promote youth leadership aspirations and ability. The YSC also wants to connect you with other concerned young adults who may share your world view, but who also bring their own unique perspective to the Confab.
     This event is free to all and pre-registration is not required. Lunch will be on your own in the Evelyn Young Dining Room. For more detailed information visit www.sfa-mn.org or contact Anne with SFA at communications@sfa-mn.org or 320-226-6318.

Student Dancers to Interpret Hillstrom Exhibits... The adage "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" will be manifest on April 5 and 7 at the Hillstrom Museum of Art as student choreographers and dancers from the Department of Theatre and Dance perform a visual analysis of works currently on display in the Museum. These performances are open to the public and begin at 3:30 p.m. on April 5 and 5:30 p.m. on April 7.

Race and Identity in the 2008 Presidential Election... Kate Wittenstein (history) will deliver a talk for the Continuing Education program on Tuesday, April 14, 7-8 p.m. in the Interpretive Center. Her talk examines the success of President Obama's "transracial" politics as an electoral strategy and explores the potential impact of such a strategy on Black politics and racial identity in the post-2008 period. Cost is $9 for the public; however, Gustavus faculty, staff, and students are admitted without charge.

April Fireside Chat... Come to the Interpretive Center's April Fireside Chat on Friday, April 17, at 11:30 a.m. for a talk by Tim Kennedy (sports information) on the athletic scene at Gustavus. Bring your own lunch or purchase one at the Interpretive Center. For more information, contact Bob at rdunlap@gustavus.edu or 507-933-7199.

'Watercolor Trees'... On Sunday, April 19, 1-5 p.m., and Monday, April 20, 5-9 p.m., in conjunction with the Linnaeus Symposium being held on April 22 (see below), alumna artist Gail Speckmann '73 will present watercolor painting workshops at the Interpretive Center. The workshops are open to anyone with an interest in painting, whether or not you have painted before; cost is $50 ($40 for Friends of Linnaeus Arboretum members). Contact Shirley Mellema at 507-933-6181 for more information, or visit gustavus.edu/arboretum/speckmann.php.

'King's Dream and Obama's Presidency'... The annual Peace Studies-Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Lecture will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday April 21, in Wallenberg Auditorium. Harry M. Williams, the Laird Bell Professor of History at Carleton College, will speak on the relationship between Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream and the Obama presidency.

'Global Trees'... The 2009 Linnaeus Symposium is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22. Featured speakers include Margaret Lowman, Ph.D., adventurer and tropical rainforest canopy biologist, speaking on "Life in the Treetops," and Patrick Hossay, Ph.D., author and political scientist, posing the question, "Can Saving Trees Save Us?" The symposium will also feature a watercolor exhibition by Gail Speckmann '73, arboretum tours, and a video on fair trade. For more information please visit gustavus.edu/arboretum/LinnaeusSymposium.php.

Christian Author-Activist to Speak on Campus... Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and founder of the Philadelphia-based faith community The Simple Way, will speak in Alumni Hall on Thursday, April 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. His free public address is titled "Another World is Possible."
     Claiborne created The Simple Way, which has come to be known as the Potter Street Community, in the heart of Philadelphia. This faith community, and others like it throughout the world, seek to follow Jesus, to rediscover the spirit of the early Church, and to incarnate the Kingdom of God—a way of life standing in stark contrast to the world of militarism and materialism. He is also the author of several books, including The Irresistible Revolution and Jesus for President. His ministry experience is varied, from a 10-week stint working alongside Mother Teresa in Calcutta to a year spent serving the wealthy mega-congregation of Willow Creek Community Church outside of Chicago.
     Claiborne’s appearance is sponsored and coordinated by the Center for Vocational Reflection and the Chaplains' Office and is made possible in part by a grant Gustavus received from the Philip N. Knutson Endowment in Lutheran Campus Ministry, which provides special funding for programs, exhibits, and conferences that address timely life issues and concerns facing Christians in higher education. For more information about Claiborne’s appearance at Gustavus, contact the Center for Vocational Reflection at 507-933-7169 or go online to gustavus.edu/vocation.

Mayday!... “Tiananmen + 20 Years” is the topic of the College's 29th annual MAYDAY! Peace Conference, to be held Wednesday, April 29. Andrew Nathan, a professor of political science at Columbia University and a leading expert on Chinese affairs and politics, opens the daylong conference at 10 a.m. in Christ Chapel. The afternoon keynote speaker is Yang Jianli, a human rights activist and participant in the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations. His talk and the closing ceremony will also be hosted in Christ Chapel. Conference organizers are planning several topic-related workshops, a Democracy Wall, a film festival, and other social-action activities.
     The conference, an annual event designed to educate the campus community and beyond about issues related to peace, human rights, and social justice, is open to the public at no charge. For more information, contact the Office of Marketing and Communication at Gustavus (call 507-933-7520 or e-mail marketing@gustavus.edu).

Robotics Camp... Gustavus Adolphus College and St. Peter Recreation are co-sponsoring a robotics camp geared toward middle school and high school students at the College this summer. The dates are Sunday-Thursday, June 14-18. Campers will program in Robolab, NXT-G and RobotC languages and will compete in a soccer match with numerous robots on the field using the IR sensor and IR ball along with Lego Mindstorm NXTs. Day camper rate is $215; resident camper rate is $295. Participants will be housed in residence halls and served meals through the Dining Service on campus. Questions? Contact Deb Johnson at 507-934-2650 or djohnso@gustavus.edu. Registration is currently available by mail, or online after April 8 through St. Peter Recreation, http://activenet2.active.com/saintpeter/.

Off-Campus Events of Interest

Come See the 'Sky Dance'... Experience one of the grandest spectacles of nature: the aerial courtship display of the male American Woodcock. Coined the "sky dance" by legendary ecologist Aldo Leopold, the display of these chunky, softball-sized birds begins a few minutes after sundown and lasts for an hour or so into the night, a ritual that can be both seen and heard by observers. Meet group leader Bob Dunlap, Linnaeus Arboretum naturalist, at the Interpretive Center on Thursday, April 9, at 7:15 p.m.; from there we will drive to Minneopa State Park.

Gustavus Library Associates Plans 'Shine * A Royal Affair'... On Saturday, November 14, 2009, Gustavus Library Associates will present its 17th biennial Royal Affair in support of the College's library. Shine * A Royal Affair will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis. You can help by volunteering time, donating items for the live and silent auctions, or by attending the gala. For more information, call or e-mail the co-chairs: Susan Wilcox, 952-944-5972, sue0071008@aol.com, or Jan Michaletz, 952-945-9669, jan.michaletz@gmail.com.

Extraordinary People

On March 14, Darrell Jodock (religion) delivered the keynote address for the 2009 "Immersed in the Word" Conference at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, Minn. His topic was "Why and How Is This Old Bible Useful?" Following the keynote, he led three one-hour workshops on "The Power of Story." Then he and the other workshop leaders participated in a panel discussion, during which they responded to questions from the conference participants.

Julie Gilbert and Anna Hulseberg (both library) presented a poster session at the Library Technology Conference at Macalester College on March 18. Their poster, "Collection Development at the Crossroads: The Intersection of Changing Technologies & Evolving Roles," reported the results of workflow analyses for library collection development and electronic resources management.

At the sixth annual Women Celebrating Women (WCW) banquet on March 31, Harriet Mason (Linnaeus Arboretum staff, ret.) was named the 2009 recipient of the St. Peter WCW award. The theme of this year's celebration was "Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet," and Harriet was honored for her contributions through the years of her work at Linnaeus Arboretum and in the St. Peter community.

Cindy Johnson-Groh (biology) has been awarded a Fulbright lecture and research fellowship in Tanzania for the 2009-10 academic year. The fellowship will enable her to teach and conduct research for a book on the natural history and conservation biology of Tanzania, to be used as a textbook for short-term travel courses and an introduction to longer university courses as well as a resource for tourists and guides in the ecotourism and safari industry.

Student News

At the North Central Regional conference of the American College Dance Festival Association held March 18-22 this year at the University of Minnesota, where 13 member schools showed 34 different works, a dance performance by Gustavus students was selected as one of 10 dances to be featured in the Gala Performance on the final day of the conference in the Ted Mann Concert Hall at the University of Minnesota. The Gustavus entry, Shiny Things of the Mind, was choreographed by Cynthia Gutierrez Garner and performed by Siu On Auyeung, Brandon Buesgens, Christine Dornbusch, Shawn Grygo, Patrick Jeffrey, Ryan Mather, Mariah McGill, Jill Van Osdol, and Kayla Winter. It featured costumes designed by Angie Vo, lighting design by Terena Wilkens, and Power Point designed by Micah Maatman. 

Six Gustavus English major honor society members presented at the Sigma Tau Delta 2009 International Conference in Minneapolis, March 26-28. The students, Katie Anderson, Ryan McGinty, Laura Ofstad, Marlene Kvitrud, Abby Travis, and Azra Halilovic, presented their work, ranging from literary criticism to poetry and fiction, on panels with undergraduate honorary members from across the nation. English department faculty sponsor Baker Lawley attended student panels as well as the General Business and Regional Caucuses and the Faculty Sponsor Workshop.

Obituaries

• Larry Haugen, CEO of the St. Peter Chamber of Commerce and a good friend of the College, died unexpectedly last Saturday evening, March 28. Visitation is scheduled for 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, at the St. Peter Funeral Home and for one hour on Friday, April 3, preceding the 1 p.m. funeral service at Trinity Lutheran Church.

To inform the campus community of the death of a current student, employee, or trustee; an emeritus professor or trustee; or an immediate family member of a current employee, contact the Office of the President (x7538 or pleagjel@gustavus.edu). Death announcements and funeral notices for students, current and emeritus faculty and employees, and trustees will be sent to the community via written notice from the president, posted on community-l, the official campus-wide e-mail list, and published in the Yellow Sheet or Summer Scoop. Notices for immediate family members of current employees will be published in the Yellow Sheet or the Summer Scoop unless they occur during a publication break, in which case they will be posted on employee-l.

Congregational Outreach

Retreats... The Office of Church Relations will host a confirmation retreat for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church from New Prague, Minn., this Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4. Cross of Peace and Saint John's Lutheran Churches from Shakopee, Minn., will be at Gustavus for a day retreat on Saturday, April 4; this student retreat will include programming provided by Gustavus Youth Outreach. Also on Saturday, April 4, Church Relations will host a retreat for Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church from Prior Lake, Minn., a group that will also have GYO programming.

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:

• COS Database... COS is a comprehensive database of funding opportunities for faculty across all disciplines, to which the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations subscribes. It is available to faculty members with Gustavus e-mail addresses. It includes an extremely wide range of opportunities from private foundations, public agencies, national and local governments, and corporations, and offers easy-to-use search tools that can search by sponsor or geographic location, among other categories. Searches go beyond keyword searches and allow for a more customized and targeted search of funding opportunities. For specific opportunities, visit http://fundingopps.cos.com/ from on-campus, or http://36682.gaclibproxy.pals.msus.edu from off-campus (you will be redirected to a login page that will allow you to access COS). For any questions or assistance regarding COS searches, please contact Lisa Wojcik by e-mail at lwojcik or by phone at x7045.

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:

• Phi Beta Kappa speaker and classicist Tom Palaima, who was on campus in early March to deliver a talk about ancient and modern narratives of war, mentioned Gustavus in a column, "In education, enthusiasm matters," that he wrote for the Austin American-Statesman. "My own travels and talks for PBK have persuaded me all is not lost," he wrote. "Professors who are devoted to PBK are active all across the country. They teach their students with contagious enthusiasm, as I have seen firsthand at the University of Arkansas, Eastern Illinois University and Jacksonville State University in Alabama, and at smaller jewels like Hendrix College in Arkansas, Gustavus Adolphus and St. Olaf in Minnesota, and Roanoke College in Virginia. . . . Let's get out of the way of teachers at all levels who believe what Phi Beta Kappa stands for: 'Love of learning will captain the ships of our lives.' Their students will do the rest. All of our boats will rise."
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story, "Transparency concerns touch GAC," about faculty concerns regarding the resignation of Provost Mary Morton, on the front page of its Saturday, March 21, Valley section. Luke Garrison, co-president of the Student Senate, Mark Krueger (psychology), and David Obermiller (history) were quoted.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story about the men's hockey team's experience at the Frozen Four in its Tuesday, March 24, Sports section. Head coach Brett Petersen was quoted in the story.
• The Metro Lutheran ran a three-page story about Lutheran colleges and their struggle with the economic downturn in its April 2009 edition. President Ohle was quoted in the article.
• The Metro Lutheran printed a picture of Gustavus student Kacy Wothe meeting with her hometown legislator at the Day at the Capitol event in its April 2009 edition.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a story about Ray Thrower (safety & security) leaving Gustavus for King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in its Thursday, March 26, Valley section. Thrower and Hank Toutain (student affairs) were quoted in the story.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a news brief about the Gustavus Dance Department's strong showing at the American College Dance Festival Association's North Central Regional Conference on the front page of its Thursday, March 26, Currents section.
• The St. Peter Herald printed a news brief about the Gustavus Choir's home concert in its Thursday, March 26, edition.
• The Mankato Free Press printed a news brief about three Gustavus hockey players being named to the AHCA All-America team in its Friday, March 27, Sports section.
• The Student Press Law Center printed a story about copies of the Gustavian Weekly being removed from newsstands on Friday, March 27, due to a story about Case Day. Student Jake Seamans, Hank Toutain (student affairs), and David Kogler (admission) were quoted in the story.
• The Ventura County Star (Calif.) printed a news brief about the Gustavus Choir's performance at California Lutheran University on Friday, March 27.
• Gustavus was mentioned in a Thursday, March 26, MinnPost.com story about renewed political activism following the Obama election.
• The Mankato Free Press mentioned Gustavus in a story about wind energy projects in a Monday, March 30, article. Jim Dontje (Johnson Center) was quoted in the story.

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 2008-09"

• Amy Hughes-Ashley, Dining Service, phone: x7608 (deletion)
• David Schoeb, custodial, phone: x7655 (deletion)
• Karen Swenson, finance office, phone: x7501 (deletion)
• Jayne Wolle, Dining Service, phone: x7608 (deletion)
• Benjamin Zieske, custodial, phone: x6138 (deletion)

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

Plugs

For Rent: Beautiful, turn-of-the-century Victorian-Italianate farmhouse (located outside of St. Peter), now undergoing restoration, will be available for rent fall '09 to visiting faculty, staff, or other. For more information, call Patti at 269-663-7155 or e-mail patrock59@aol.com.

Spring Cleaning Donations: As a fundraiser benefiting the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, Andrea Junso (student activities) will be hosting a garage sale during St. Peter’s citywide garage sale weekend on May 15 & 16. One hundred percent of the money raised will be donated to the Breast Cancer 3 Day. "I will take any and all treasures you have lying around the house and would like to get rid of—one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!" she says. "My goal is to get as many items as possible by May 8, and I would be more than happy to come to your house to pick up your donations. Please e-mail me at ajunso@gustavus.edu or call 382-5418 to arrange a pick-up time." For more information on the three-day event or to donate, visit www.the3day.org/gotoandreajunso.

"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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