Inside Gustavus April 12, 2012 | Volume 44, Number 27

President's Cabinet Summary

The President's Cabinet met on April 3 and April 10 and discussed the following items:

• President Ohle reviewed the tentative May 20-21 Board meeting agenda, including the new trustee orientation scheduled prior to the Board luncheon on Sunday, May 20.

• Professors Steve Mellema and Sujay Rao, Faculty Senate Chair and Vice Chair respectively, gave an update on recent activities of the Faculty Senate, including discussions on Faculty Manual amendments concerning the work of the Personnel Committee, a special meeting scheduled in April with Provost Braun regarding the role of the Faculty Senate in tenure track requests, intellectual property policy, Title IX procedures, and institutional learning outcomes.

• Vice President VanHecke gave an update on the nine male students who were involved in an automobile accident over the weekend. College officials have been and will remain in contact with the families.

• President Ohle confirmed the date of the faculty tenure service as Monday, May 21, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees spring meeting. Newly tenured faculty members will be invited to a luncheon with Board members on that same day.

• President Ohle gave an update on the recent Sesquicentennial events, including events at East Union Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Church in Red Wing, and Chisago Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church.

• President Ohle gave a progress report on the search for the Bernhardson Chair.

• An all-campus meeting has been confirmed for Friday, May 25, 10:30 a.m., in Alumni Hall.

• The all-employee picnic has been scheduled for Thursday, May 31, 11 a.m., in the Evelyn Young Dining Room. 

• President Ohle reviewed the schedule for the many activities next week, including the visits from Rev. Richard Elvee and Dr. Jim McPherson, the Women in Leadership conference, and the GACAC convention.

News & Announcements

Two Profs Honored...Professor of Biology John Lammert and Associate Professor of Political Science Richard Leitch are both included in the Princeton Review’s latest publication, The Best 300 Professors. The book was published on Tuesday, April 3, and profiles 300 outstanding professors at 122 colleges across the country. Read more about this story online.

Dog-gone-it...This a friendly tail-wagging reminder that no dogs are allowed on or off leash in the Linnaeus Arboretum. This policy is effective for everyone. Whereas the Arboretum staff and volunteers love dogs, we are not so fond of having to clean up after them. Moreover dogs are not compatible with the wildlife (birds, badgers, squirrels, fox, and deer). This policy is enforced for the entire Arboretum including the woods and prairie. Dogs are allowed on campus; however owners are expected to pick up after them. Thanks for helping us maintain the Arboretum. If you have any questions contact Cindy Johnson at cindy@gustavus.edu.

Benefit Enrollment Meetings...Benefit Enrollment Meetings will be held in the Heritage Room on Tuesday, April 24 at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, April 25 at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Please plan to attend one of these meetings to learn about changes being made. Watch for benefit information to be distributed via campus mail next week.

Accreditation Update...The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) site visit team arrives at Gustavus in 376 days. One major focus of their review is Criterion 3, Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support. In our self-study we will evaluate the effectiveness of our academic programs, support for student learning and effective teaching, the quality of the faculty and staff who work with students in and out of the classroom, and the enriching aspects of our co-curricular programs. Full details about the Criterion 3 core components can be found on the HLC’s website. For more information on the accreditation process and the Gustavus self-study, contact co-chairs Carolyn Dobler (x7481) or Chris Gilbert (x6093) or e-mail us at hlc2013@gustavus.edu.

Accreditation Open Forums...All Gustavus employees (faculty, staff, administrators) are invited to participate in a series of accreditation open forums covering the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) criteria for accreditation. The first open forums, focused on Criterion 1 (Mission), will be held Tuesday, April 17 and Wednesday, April 18, with two hour-long sessions (2:30 and 3:30 p.m.) each day. Representatives of the HLC Self-Study Steering Committee will lead each session, giving a brief overview of the criterion and evidence gathered thus far, followed by guided discussion of ways in which Gustavus meets or does not meet Criterion 1 requirements. Light refreshments will be provided. Anyone who cannot attend the open forums will still be able to comment via an online feedback form (the URL for the online feedback form will appear in Inside Gustavus and employee-l next week). All open forums will be held in the Faculty-Staff Lounge in the Jackson Campus Center.

Welcome Guests from Elizabethtown College...You’re warmly invited to a wine-and-cheese reception Monday, April 16, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. in the Faculty/Staff Center to help welcome a team from Elizabethtown College, who will be visiting Gustavus through the Council of Independent Colleges' national Network on Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE). NetVUE supports campus visits by teams from colleges and universities who wish to learn from the experience of established and successful vocation initiatives – in our case including the legacy of the former Center for Vocational Reflection, the new Center for Servant Leadership, and the many collaborations that weave together vocational reflection, mentoring, the academic program, the co-curriculum, the work of staff, faculty, and adminstrators, and the entire Gustavus experience. Please join us!

New National Sorority...Alpha Sigma Tau, a national sorority will colonize at Gustavus Adolphus College beginning in the fall semester of 2012. The sorority will begin work on campus this spring by working with an already established interest group and implementing the beginning stages of a marketing plan.

New Minor...The Office of the Provost at Gustavus Adolphus College is pleased to announce the creation of an African Studies minor that will be offered to students beginning with the 2012-13 academic year. Read more about the African Studies Program online.

Twins Tickets...Tickets are still available to join other Gustie employees and their families for an afternoon of outdoor baseball at Target Field on Wednesday, June 27 when the Twins host the Chicago White Sox. Game time is 12:10 p.m. and tickets are $25 per person. Requests for tickets will be filled in the order payment is received. Seats are located in sections 310 and 311. Each person will receive a voucher for a pop and hotdog. Free bus transportation will be provided for those interested and who make reservations in advance. The buses will leave at 10 a.m. at the three flags. Employees may request unpaid release time from their supervisor to attend the game. Please make checks payable to Gustavus and send to the President’s Office. Contact presidentevents@gustavus.edu or x7538 with questions.

Campus Happenings

Celebrating 150 Years of Faith...This Sesquicentennial celebration will take place Saturday, April 21. Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA will give the keynote address at 11 a.m. in Christ Chapel. Longtime Gustavus Chaplain Rev. Richard Q. Elvee will give the homilie at the 10:15 a.m. morning worship ceremony. A food packing service-learning event in assocation with the non-profit organization Feed My Starving Children will take place in the afternoon. More details are available online.

Sesquicentennial Scholar...Gustavus alumnus, Civil War historian, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author James McPherson ’58 will return to his alma mater April 15-17 as a Sesquicentennial Scholar. McPherson will speak publicly during the College's Monday, April 16, daily chapel service at 10 a.m. in Christ Chapel. More information about his visit to campus is available online.

A Night of Poetry...A group of eight distinguished Minnesota poets will come together at Gustavus the evening of Tuesday, April 17 for a celebration of Minnesota poetry in honor of Gustavus Professor of English and Minnesota Poet Laureate Joyce Sutphen. Poets who will read from their works at the event include Candace Black, Phil Bryant '73, Rebecca Fremo, Matt Rasmussen '98, John Rezmerski, Richard Robbins, and Richard Terrill. The event is free and open to the public and will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall.

Art Talk...Eric Denker, senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., will present a public lecture at Gustavus Adolphus College at 3:30 p.m. Sunday April 15. Denker’s lecture is titled “In the Wake of Whistler: Prints of Venice, 1900-1940,” and will take place in Wallenberg Auditorium, located in the College’s Nobel Hall of Science.

Women in Leadership Conference...The second annual Gustavus Women In Leadership Conference, “The Past, Present, and Future of Gustavus Women Leaders,” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 19 in Alumni Hall. The event will consist of presentations, breakout sessions, and panel discussions.

Elvee's Return...Rev. Richard Q. Elvee, a fixture at Gustavus for 38 years from 1962 to 2000, will return to the College for a weeklong stint as Chaplain in Residence April 16-22. It will be his first extended visit to campus since his retirement. He will be involved in numerous events and activities during his time on campus. More details are available online.

Public Lecture...The departments of Philosophy & Classics are sponsoring a talk, "Bent Sticks, Blind Puppies: Stoicism, Emotionality, and Moral Progress," by Professor Margaret R. Graver, Dartmouth College, at 7 p.m. April 18 in Beck Hall 101. Free and open to the public.

Faculty and Admin Service Awards Dinner...This annual dinner will be held Wednesday, May 16 in Alumni Hall, beginning with a social hour at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. The College and the Alumni Association will recognize 2012 reitrees and the commitment of faculty and administrators who have served 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years to the College. Cost is $10 per person and you can register online now. A list of those being recognized follows. Please contact the Alumni Office at x7511 or alumni@gustavus.edu with the name of any person that should be included in the list of honorees or with any questions.

• 10 Years: Joan Anderson, Aaron Banks, Jeff Dahlseid, Casey Elledge, Jeff Jeremiason, Brenda Kelly, Kristofer Kracht, Matthew Panciera, Janine Wotton

• 15 Years: Robert Adney, Glenn Barnette, Stephen Bennett, Leila Brammer, Mike Carroll, John Cha, Kris Glidden, Donna Hewitt, Al Molde, Tim Peterson, Deb Pitton, Amy Seham

• 20 Years: Elizabeth Baer, Jolene Christensen, Carolyn Dobler, Naomi Quiram, Don Scheese, Patricia Snapp, Bruce VanDuser, Warren Wunderlich

• 25 Years: Barbara Fister, Michael Hvidsten, Robert Irvin, Douglas Nimmo, Jeff Stocco

• 35 Years: Al Behrends, Deborah Downs-Miers, Julie Johnson, Karen Larson, Steve Waldhauser

• 40 Years: Dean Wahlund

• Retirees: Bob Douglas, Hayden Duncan, George Georgacarakos, John Holte, Karen Larson, Horst Ludwig, Al Molde

Snakes in the Arb...Bring yourself or the whole family to the Linnaeus Arboretum between 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 14 to meet some live snakes! Get up close and personal with these misunderstood creatures to learn all about their unique adaptations, their habits and habitats, and which snakes you might find in your own backyard. There will be live snakes on-hand with plenty of opportunities to view them up close, and maybe even touch them. This program is free to the public, but reservations are required. Space is limited. Reserve your spot by calling x6184.

Documentary Screening...The Gustavus Adolphus College Student Veterans Organization will host a screening of the documentary film When I Came Home at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19 in Wallenberg Auditorium, located in the Nobel Hall of Science. More information is available online.

Bible Study Fellowship...Bring your lunch and join us for devotions, Bible study, and fellowship from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, in Linner Lounge.

Faculty Shop Talk...Don Scheese (English) will present the next Faculty Shop Talk of the 2011-12 academic year. His talk titled, “A Fulbright Scholar in Ukraine: A Tale of Two Experiences” will be presented at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 13 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 online.

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 13 - Keisha Betchre and Erica Roelofs, Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Work Trips
• Sunday, April 15 - Second Sunday in Easter, Chaplain Rod Anderson
• Monday, April 16 - James McPherson
• Tuesday, April 17 - Deb Pitton and Lori Steffen, Peru January Interim class
• Wednesday, April 18 - Morning Prayer
• Thursday, April 19 - Chaplain Richard Elvee, "Looking Back at Christ Chapel"
• Friday, April 20 - Chaplain Richard Elvee, "Looking Back at This Year's Easter"

Off-Campus Events of Interest

Gustie Breakfast...This month's Gustie Breakfast on Wednesday, April 11 will feature Jim Peterson '64, former Gustavus president. Reserve your spot by e-mailing gustiebreakfast@gustavus.edu or call 507-933-6043. Engage with other friends of Gustavus and learn something about the College. On-campus breakfasts are held at 7:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month in a campus banquet room. Cost is $8 for an individual or $15 per couple, payable at the door. Upcoming breakfasts include Rev. Dennis Johnson '60 on May 9 and Kristofer Kracht, director of forensics at Gustavus on June 13. More information is available online.

Jerry Thompson Benefit...Taco bar and silent auction benefit for Jerry Thompson will be held from 5-11 p.m. Saturday, April 21 at the St. Peter American Legion. Questions can be directed to Carrie Passon at 507-380-7364.

Cycling Event...The Gustavus Environmental Studies Program and Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation, along with the Greater Mankato Bike and Walk Advocates, invite you to get outside and enjoy the Kasota Prairie on Sunday, April 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. Cyclists will start at the St. Peter Food Coop and ride to and from the Kasota Prairie (12 miles round trip). At the Kasota Prairie, walkers can join them (parking at the prairie entrance) for a stroll around the prairie. More details (including route information) can be found online. This event is free and open to the public. Helmets required for bike riders. Contact James Dontje with questions: 507-933-7206 or jdontje@gustavus.edu.

St. Peter Book Festival...St. Peter Reads is hosting the first St. Peter Book Festival highlighting local authors from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 28 at the St. Peter Community Center. This will be a fun, festive occasion to meet many talented authors from the St. Peter area. In addition, two panels are scheduled, one with three Mankato authors writing for the YA audience, and the second panel features Gustavus authors Barbara Fister and Roger McKnight. Books will be available for purchase and drawings for prizes will be held throughout the afternoon. The event is free and open to all.

Celebrating 90 Years...Please join in wishing Bernhard Erling a happy 90th birthday at a reception in his honor from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 15 at First Lutheran Church in St. Peter. A short program will take place at 2:30 p.m.

Obituaries

• Gustavus alumnus and longtime Vice President for Development and College Relations Robert “Bob” Peterson '58 passed away on Tuesday, April 10 at age 81 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. Bob was a Gustie through and through. After graduating from Grantsburg High School in Wisconsin, a two-year stint with the Dayton Company, and four years in the U.S. Navy, Bob came to Gustavus in the fall of 1954. He was a member of the Gustavus Choir and the College Quartet, and served as president of the student body before graduating from the College in 1958. Immediately following his graduation he joined the Gustavus Admission staff and then in 1960 he joined the Development Office where he served for 36 years until his retirement in 1996. Bob served the last 18 years (1978-1996) as Vice President for Development and College Relations. During Bob’s tenure, the College’s endowment experienced steady and significant growth and he also oversaw the successful completion of several capital campaigns.

  Bob received the Greater Gustavus Award in 1979, was named Fundraiser of the Year in 1985 by the Minnesota Chapter of NSFRE, received the ALDE Virgil Anderson Award in 1995, and was presented with the Order of the Polar Star by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in 1996. After his retirement, Bob remained active in college affairs with special interest in the College’s Linnaeus Arboretum. He is survived by his wife Ranae, his two sons Mark ’88 (Brenda) and Kip ’94 (Heidi ’96), four grandchildren, Erik, Cole, Aaron, and Molly, his sister Evelyn, his brother David, and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at First Lutheran Church in St. Peter with visitation one hour before the service. Memorials are preferred to the Ranae J. and Robert A. Peterson Scholarship Fund at Gustavus or to First Lutheran Church in St. Peter.

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 jolene@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 Inside Gustavus or Summer Scoop. Notices for immediate family members of current employees will be published in the Inside Gustavus or the Summer Scoop unless they occur during a publication break, in which case they will be posted on employee-l.

Congregational Outreach

Partners in Education...Darrell Jodock will be speaking at Grace Lutheran Church in Mankato at 10 a.m. Sunday, April 15 on the topic "Understanding Christian Identity Among Religious Pluralism.” Partners in Education is a program sponsored by Church Relations that allows faculty and staff to go to congregation and preach about topics that are relative to today's society.

Pastor-to-Pastor...Bishop John Anderson and Bishop Harold "Huck" Usgaard will speak about "Ministry in Today's Church" on April 12. Mary Hinkle Shore of Luther Seminary will be speaking on the topic, "Reflecting on the Meaning of Call: the Spiritual, Theological, Biblical and Experiential Aspects of Call," on April 13. Pastor-to-Pastor gives pastors a chance to come to campus for a retreat to learn about a variety of ways of doing Ministry. Contact Marilyn Beyer in Church Relations with questions about this program.

Retreats...There will be two confirmation retreats on campus April 13-15 including groups from Peace Lutheran Church in Bloomington, and Zion Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Milaca. The Confirmation Retreats program is sponsored by Church Relations and it allows churches to bring their middle school and high school youth to campus for a weekend of faith, friends, and fun.

Plugs

For Rent...Two bedroom plus den duplex in St. Peter. Wooded lot, quiet and in town. Air conditioning, washer/dryer, large deck and attached garage. $800 per month plus utilities. Available June 1. Call Denise at 507-243-4135.

For Rent...House for let: summer, furnished three bedroom in Mankato Lincoln Park. Available June 19 - August 18. Very reasonable rent in exchange for light yard maintenance. Ideal short term for new faculty, summer visitors. Contact Denis 387-2622.

For Sale...Three bedroom, three bathroom home adjacent to Pittman Hall on Jefferson Avenue. Quiet faculty neighborhood. Hot water heat, air conditioning, three fireplaces, finished basement, two-car heated and attached garage, yard shed. Lot has lovely evergreens, maples and birches. For more information or to see the house call 507-382-7168 or 507-382-1349.

For Sale: Country living in the middle of town. Two story colonial sits on a large lot with views of the valley. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 fireplaces, family room, 4 season porch, large mud room. Energy efficient. View pictures online. Call Dick Martin at 507-380-5496.

For Sale...A four-bedroom home located in St. Peter is available for sale immediately. The home has roughly 2,600 square feet and includes: four bedrooms, living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, family room, and beautiful three-season porch. In addition to an attached garage, the home has a washer/dryer, refrigerator, range/oven, water softener, central air, and fireplace. Inquiries should be made by phone to 740-326-6711.

For Sale...Historic family home located on North Minnesota Avenue in Saint Peter. Three bedrooms (large master bedroom), 2 1/2 baths, partially finished attic, spacious entrance foyer, formal living room/dining room area, kitchen/prep space, hardwood floor, finished basement with knotty pine paneling featuring hot tub room, unattached two-car garage. Call 507-931-3051.

Wanted: Tutoring jobs. I am a non-traditional Gustavus student finishing up coursework for my K-6 teaching license. I have a B.A. degree from Luther College, and have worked as a paraprofessional for five years. I also home-schooled my children for four years. I am looking for students K-6 who could benefit from some extra help in any subject area from now until the end of summer. If interested, please contact Robin at 507-351-2903 or e-mail me at heyrab@hickorytech.net.

"Plugs" is maintained as a forum by which members of the Gustavus community may offer goods and/or 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 or retailers, although from time to time such announcements may be published when deemed to be of particular interest to the community.



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Inside Gustavus 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: Inside Gustavus, Office of Marketing and Communication. Items must reach the office no later than 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication. For more information, contact Matt Thomas (mthomas@gustavus.edu or x7510).

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