The posters display candidates’ platform goals in the few words the posters will allow. Platform goals can be difficult for voters to decipher, said Chelle Lyons Hanson, assistant dean of student leadership and service.

“It’s hard for students to pick that apart,” Lyons Hanson said. “Even as candidates, it’s sometimes difficult to see that issues are more complex than they appear.”

Lyons Hanson advises the executive team for SGA and helps candidates develop their platforms.

“I encourage teams not to make promises they can’t keep,” she said. “I really encourage candidates to talk to people who have some role to play in policy changes.”

Bruce Vieweg, interim dean of students and associate provost, said many of the candidates do not know the cost of the changes they want to propose.

“When we’re proposing big changes, it involves very large sums of money,” Vieweg said.

Vieweg used parking as an example. While parking is an issue on campus, building a new parking lot or a ramp would be an expensive option. A new parking lot would cost $5000 per parking space; a new ramp would cost $15,000 per space. While SGA can propose large changes, it cannot commit college funds toward any of the proposed initiatives.

In general, SGA’s role is to bring student concerns into discussion with college administration. The administration has the responsibility to make policy changes, Lyons Hanson said.

SGA does have power, however, to start initiatives and programs with its own budget. The sustainability fund built into this year’s SGA budget allowed students to have a say in what sustainability looks like at Concordia, Lyons Hanson said.

Recently, SGA used its own power to support student research and fund a new journal. The Lights Out campaign, an initiative to turn off lights on vending machines, is nearly complete. It required no additional funds from either SGA or the college itself.

Kirsten Theye, assistant professor of communication studies, said campaign platforms are problematic in every campaign.

“In general, in all elections, candidates often promote a platform that is not within their power to achieve,” Theye said. “This is something that is not unique for college elections. You talk about what you hope to achieve and align with voters’ values.”

Theye said there would be little to talk about if candidates only discuss issues that are within their control. In presidential elections, candidates often build platforms on issues that require action from Congress. But the key is that the candidates show their constituents that they hear their concerns.

“What they can say is that they hear students, and they can work to make sure the administration hears their concerns,” Theye said.

Current SGA President Tyler Dugger said candidates should set high platform goals.

“They are overreaching,” Dugger said. “They should be stretching. Don’t set a mediocre goal.”

While there is no guarantee what putting a platform into focus will look like, Dugger believes that there is great potential for SGA to make progress on many issues.

“There is no reason to assume that accomplishments can’t be made,” Dugger said.

Vieweg said he has faith in each of the candidates, regardless of their platform goals.

“We can’t go wrong with whoever is elected,” Vieweg said. “All four teams are dynamite.”

In Response to: “Business School to Start New Club,” in last week’s issue of The Concordian:

I have long felt jaded about the prospect of a new business school at Concordia, or more so just the idea of a business school at a liberal arts college in general. The idea has never felt right to me. Individualistic, single-tracked, and largely driven by competition and profit, the world of business seems misplaced at an institution of integrated, multi-disciplinary learning, especially at one so ostensibly attached to its quasi-moral BREW maxim. What place does such a discipline—so blindly devoted to maximizing profits in the name of fiduciary responsibility rather than moral responsibility, so fixed on growth, sustainable or unsustainable, and perhaps worst of all, so monopolized by an elite class sitting on exorbitant wealth—have at an institution like Concordia?

But of course my preconception is prejudiced and narrow-minded. My shallow discernment of business as a practice and academic discipline is perhaps conditioned by headlines of corporate malpractice and caricatures of fat cats and robber barons. We can’t forget the social entrepreneurs and successful philanthropists. But at the same time, extremely unsustainable growth patterns and gross wealth inequalities are not imaginary. It’s becoming harder and harder to excuse members of the business class for risky actions and harmful deals.

Perhaps a discipline so tarnished by perceptions of greed and complicity desperately needs a liberal-arts-educated contingent dedicated to responsible reform. Indeed, the new business school could be an opportunity to positively influence the affairs of the world by sending into society a new business class that is well-rounded and well-informed of the social and environmental implications of its actions. If the business school offered a curriculum that emphasized not only sound business practices, but also practices that are socially and environmentally responsible, then I’m all in. Certainly, the economy could use a new business contingent with fresh and informed ways of thinking about money and growth.  Consider it a covert wing of Occupy Wall Street – occupying from within. There, that’s not so bad.

But is Concordia on track for creating a responsible business class? The Concordian article last week about the new investment club seems to invalidate my ideas as wishful thinking. According to the article, Concordia has received a special $100,000 donation from Steve Scheel, the CEO of Scheels Sporting Goods. The $100,000 will go to a new investing club of students that will invest the donation into financial securities of their choice.

If the club proves successful in its first year, Scheel hopes to make his gift annual. The investing club will consist of two competing teams. Each will manage its own fund starting with $50,000. But Scheel doesn’t stop there. The winning fund—that is, the fund that generates the largest capital returns—will receive a “donor-provided cash prize.” The special prize is supposed to function as a bonus would in a professional fund.

This is unsettling. What chance does the business school have of promoting responsible business practices when we have an investing club that is motivated solely by the prospect of a cash bonus? Despite being in a college environment, a place that encourages innovation and the testing of new ideas, the competing teams will have no incentive to make socially responsible investments. If they want to “win,” they will be sure to invest in corporations that guarantee the most promising returns, regardless of their practices. If a corporation can guarantee a profit, why not invest? Never-mind if the profits are made possible by destructive coal mining, overseas child labor, purchased political influence, or discriminatory employment practices. In this kind of business, profit reigns supreme.

There is an alternative, though. The investment club could experiment with forward-thinking investment practices that consider social and environmental responsibility. They could use their generous gift and knowledge of other disciplines as an opportunity to invest in something good. They don’t even have to abandon the profit-motive. They could lead us to new ways of investing responsibly while still generating worthwhile capital returns. We need audacious business leaders that are willing to look beyond the allure of extravagant bonuses and make a stand for responsible business practices. A liberal arts college could create such leaders, but not with this investment club as planned.

This issue has serious implications about Concordia’s legitimacy as an institution dedicated to its mission and BREW. Yet there is still a chance to have the Offutt School of Business be dedicated to responsible, sustainable development—development that is economically viable, socially acceptable, and ecologically sound. I encourage members of the new business school and especially the new investment club to recognize the opportunity for positive reform. I hope they will see through the profit-motive and instead embrace the prospect of a new responsible business class.

Obviously, the first is paintballing. Nothing says “I love you” quite like a high powered paint ball to the groin/face area. Plus, you get to run around outside and have a winner at the end of the game. You could put money or even love on the table. The movie “10 Things I hate About You” totally had a scene where Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles bond over paintballing. And by bond I mean make out.

Next? Skydiving. Putting your life on the line is sexy, right? Right?! Getting over acrophobia can be sexy. You can fly through the air making hearts with your fingers, swirling like the whirling dervishes you desire to be.

Naps are a must as well. Let’s be real for a second. We Cobbers never get enough sleep. Ever. Learn about each other through osmosis while napping together.

Play some video games. Play everything. Play “Zelda,” “World of Warcraft,” “Call of Duty,” “Frogger,” “Soul Caliber,” “Robot Unicorn Attack.” Someone can be a winner, and the loser can contemplate ways to kill the other, without harming anything more than pixels and pride. Video games increase motor skills, so that’s a plus for all you surgeons-to-be.

Watch “Gossip Girl” or “The Hills.” Basically watch any show that would make you appreciate real people more. Something that would make you see that glimmer of humanity, that original spark that you saw the first time you met. Something that will cause you to ignore the crap they have put you through since.

Date other people. Go on a date with your pathological liar mother, your man-hating sister, your failure brother, your hamster or your distanced father. Go on a date with your best friend who is single, or anyone else. If you know you’re going home to your significant other there is no harm in spending the day spoiling someone who deserves it.

Go ahead and break up. Be serious. Your significant other probably sucks. Statistically speaking not everyone can be in a great relationship and for real you are probably more fantastic without them. If not, try chocolates.

One of the most interesting parts of the panel discussion was a video the presenters displayed. Various students on campus were interviewed and asked random questions about Africa. It was fascinating to notice how little people know about other cultures. I am sure this ignorance pertains to every culture, including mine. When I was in school we perceived the United States and the United Kingdom as some place ‘over there’ without actual knowledge as to where it was located. The same can be said for the perceptions of Africa. Students were asked whether all Africans speak the same language, and some students said “yes.” Actually, there are six main language groups, each with thousands of dialects and interpretations. When asked what they think about Africa, most people included ideas of poverty, jungles and war. But do we really think the entire continent of Africa is the same? In reality, Africa is well developed with more than 54 metropolitan areas.

During the panel, it was brought to our attention the effect popular culture has on our perceptions of Africa. In the 1930s the idea of Africa was portrayed through the popular film “Tarzan,” which has been remade over the generations to emphasize this primitive ‘jungle’ state of being. The depictions of Africa in he widespread film “The Lion King” emphasize the animal kingdom, but leave out the representations of people, most of whom live in the modern day societies that are the same as those in the west.

Some African students on the panel admitted to having been asked whether there were animals roaming in their streets, or if they lived in trees.  Could we call this ignorance? To use such a harsh word to describe the innocent lack of knowledge may be insensitive. But really, in a society as advanced as the U.S. and with easy access to education as well as the internet, it is imperative that individuals are informed about the basic lives of people around the globe.

I do not seek to defend Africa, but rather to bring this to our attention. I think we should take a minute to reflect on a world other than ours. Instead of making assumptions based on what the media portrays, it is always good to build informed ideas.

As much as it is unfair for someone in Africa to think all Americans do is drugs and party, it is just as unfair to think Africans live in trees, and have pet giraffes. Who has a ceiling tall enough for that?

We are now living in a global world, where technology makes information accessible in a split second. Whatever we find on Google or in the news, it is up to us as responsible global citizens to form ideas and opnions based on informed sources.

Photo from GoCobberBlog.com. Sophomore Breann Julius scored two goals against Gustavus, helping the Cobbers tie 3-3 in overtime.

The Cobber Women’s hockey team is having one of the best seasons in program history, and they look to continue that success going forward.

Occasionally, numbers and statistics don’t make sense upon first glance. For example, the women’s hockey team has been nationally ranked since Nov. 28, 2011. They have been in the top ten in the U.S. College Hockey Online national poll. In other years the women would probably be leading the MIAC. This year though, the number one team in the conference is Gustavus Adolphus.

That just gives the team more motivation to maintain their high level of play.

“This season has gone very well so far,” Senior Katelyn Dold said. “Being successful always makes for a more positive and enjoyable atmosphere.”

The Cobbers are tied for second with St. Thomas with 15 points. Their record sits at 10-4-3 overall, and 6-3-3 in conference.

“I think being ranked just sparks us to work harder,” Dold said. “We have to work harder if we don’t want to lose the spot where we’re at, and obviously we want to see ourselves climb even more. I think one of the major impacts is having a solid core, from freshman to seniors and goalies to forwards. We trust each other and that is what will make a team successful.”

It also helps having three players in the top ten in scoring. Dold, Abby Taffe and Breann Julius have scored 36 goals in 17 games this year.

Taffe, who leads the team in points, attributed the success so far to the team putting in hard work at practice.

“The team has been playing so well this year, because we’re all learning what our roles on the team are and know how to push each other,” she said. “We’re constantly mixing things up in practice to challenge each other and make each other better. It takes effort from everyone to earn success, and for the most part we’ve been putting in that effort.”

Julius, the team’s leading goal scorer with 14 goals, also had good things to say about the team’s work ethic.

“We have learned to play with each other and know where each other are going to be on the ice for the crucial times during the game,” she said. “The team works hard in practices all the time and we try to do the little things in practice to make us faster, stronger and hard working.”

The Cobbers have cooled off since their 8-2-1 start; they’ve gone 2-2-2 in their last six games, including a recent tie and loss to Gustavus in their two game series.

“The biggest thing this late in the season is to stay focused,” Dold said. “It gets to be a very long, exhausting season, so staying focused is vital. We come to practice to play hockey, not think about school, work or anything else. We know what we need to do to get one of the open playoff spots, and we won’t stop until we get there.”

Taffe agreed with the midseason grind affecting the team.

“This time of year is always challenging because it has been a long season, and a lot of people tend to get worn down,” she said. “It takes a lot of mental strength to get through an entire season, but we’ve found ways to stay strong. Having wonderful teammates behind you makes it easy to get through these tough times.”

The Cobbers final six conference games are against Hamline, St. Mary’s and Augsburg.  Hamline and St. Mary’s are tied in seventh place, while Augsburg sits in last. The schedule isn’t too daunting, but nothing can be taken for granted as there are only three points separating second through fifth place in the standings.

Julius’ goals for the rest of the season reflect the team’s feelings as well.

“My goals for the rest of the season are to have a home ice advantage for playoffs and to capitalize on every opportunity I have in front of the net to put the puck in the back of the net,” she said.

Dold wants to finish this year on a high note, and she explained the mentality the team needs to lock up crucial home playoff game.

“Just to keep going and not let up. It finally hit me that I’m a senior; it’s my last go at hockey, and I plan on going out with a bang.”

Photo by Brandon King. Junior Haleigh White rests during a roller derby practice with The Fighting Suzies. White joined roller derby immediately after her 21st birthday.

“Empowering. Sweaty. Challenging. Kick-ass-fun.”

This is how junior Haleigh White describes her newfound passion: Roller derby.

According to White, roller derby is a contact sport played on roller skates on an oblong track like one used in track and field competitions. A bout consists of two teams, each made up of four blockers and a jammer, who scores the points. The teams skate around the track as the jammer tries to get through the “pack,” earning a point for her team each time she passes a member of the opposite team.

It was a star-crossed night that evening in 2009 when White first saw a commercial for “Whip It,” the film that put roller derby on the map. That was also the inaugural year of the Fargo-Moorhead Derby Girls. But it wasn’t until fall of her sophomore year that White saw her first bout.

“I thought, this is so B.A.,” White said. “I want to do this.”

However, she found out she had to be 21 in order to join.

“That was the longest two years of my life,” she said. “When I turned 21 in September, I checked their website to see if they were recruiting.”

They weren’t.

“I was pretty bummed out,” she said. “I felt like I really needed something else rather than being at school all the time.”

Then a few days later, White came across a flyer that said “Roller Derby Recruitment Night.” It was that night, and it was in an hour.

“I freaked out,” she said. “It was at Skateland, and I was so nervous I was shaking. I hadn’t used skates since third grade.”

But White made it through the auditions and is now a part of the team The Fighting Suzies. Although it was a bit intimidating at first, she says her team is made up of “fantastic women,” and that they became an “instant family.”

To increase the close-knit feel of the derby team,

each member of the team must come up with a “derby name.” White’s is “MelanBrawly Baby.” It took a lot of thought to come up with the name that now represents, as Baby said, her “alter ego.”

“I asked a lot of people for help. My little brother suggested Death Panda,” she added with a laugh.

Baby said that she can’t even remember some of the peoples’ actual names, since they only go by their derby names.

“That’s the cool thing about roller derby. You get all this gear on and skirts and fishnets and you get this different persona,” Baby said. “You can be anyone you want.”

Despite the fact that Baby is the youngest on her team (the average age of the FM Derby Girls is 29, with some of them over 40), there is no getting past the fact that roller derby is a contact sport.

Photo by Brandon King. The Fighting Suzies pose for a snapshot during a roller derby practice. The Fighting Suzies are a team in the FM Derby Girls league.

Sarah Vlasik, a junior environmental studies major, describes roller derby as “an action packed game which involves the old school roller skates that reminds me of images of cute couples skating in a roller rink, but then brings this insane twist of thrashing and crushing your opponents, which completely erases the cute couples and replaces them with ferocious beasts.”

Vlasik compared the roller derby fan base to those of hockey and rugby, and believes the “brutality of the game” is their common link.

“Americans love to watch people fight, plain and simple,” Vlasik said.

Baby said that their league takes safety very seriously, and that everyone is required to wear protective gear such as kneepads, wrist guards, and mouth guards. Referees check all the gear before each bout, and players can get penalized for not having the proper safety equipment. They even teach the girls how to fall properly, she said.

But although the bouts can get a bit vicious, Baby argues that there is a lot of respect between teams.

“It’s not a big cutthroat competition. Whoever wins, we’re incredibly happy for each other,” she said.

At the bout on Feb. 11, the Fighting Suzies won, beating out the Monkey Wenches. However, despite extensive word-of-mouth advertising, not as many people showed up as the league was hoping.

The FM Derby Girls have been struggling to make rent recently, which results in their lack of funds for advertising. To try and raise more money, they are hosting a Skate-a-thon on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the warehouse where they practice, which is located above Tubs of Fun in Fargo.

Each skater will be sponsored based on how many miles they will skate that day. The league as a whole has set a goal of 500 miles. Baby said by sponsoring the FM Derby Girls, however, you aren’t just helping out the skaters.

Each bout is dedicated to a specific charity, with last weekend’s bout going to help breast cancer awareness. Other charities that have been chosen in the past include the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center and various animal shelters.

Since roller derby is something people of all ages can do, Baby can definitely see herself doing it for years.

“I don’t know where I’ll end up after college,” she said, “but it will probably make a difference if there’s a roller derby team or not.”

The ISO Festival was first proposed in order to create a bond between the tri-colleges with international mission and BREW together through different ethnic groups and cultures. The event included a free international dinner with foods from around the globe and student performances by tri-college students including African dancing, Chinese taiji, singing and acting. The evening ended in an intercultural dance party featuring DJ Promotion 701 in a glow in the dark atmosphere.

Charlie Alvarez, Concordia junior and ISO board member, was excited for this year’s events.

“Last year, I dressed up and performed the salsa,” he said.

Though he did not perform in this year’s festival, he was excited to watch the other talents and traditions of the other students in this year’s show.

“This is just such a great celebration of intercultural diversity,,” he said, connecting to this year’s theme.

The variety in booths was immense. Though bright colors and enthusiasm radiated from each one, each chose different ways to display their country. MSUM’s Japanese club and Concordia’s German club were set up side by side.

The Japanese club had traditional brushes at their booth and wrote down people’s name in beautiful characters on strips of paper. The German booth had display boards with German Coffeehouse culture information and its members informed wanderers of their Fasching festival coming up.

Junior Ariel Sacher helped run the German booth.

“People like stopping by to chat; a common question we get is, What does the German club do?” she said.

This event has provided a great way for people to ask questions about other countries and cultures and to also get involved.

Concordia sophomore Taswar Rahman went to the festival representing both Bangladesh and Sweden.

“I went to this event last year, and it was so much fun,” he said. “It is always so much fun and the best part is the dance at the end of the night with the DJ.”  Rahman, also a member of ISO, estimated that over 49 countries and cultures were represented at the event.

Each year, the ISO festival offers unlikely people the chance to come together and bond over the idea of diversity. People from diverse backgrounds are choosing to call the area home ISO works to welcome and introduce different cultural ideas and perspectives into a beautiful celebration of both similarities and differences.

Senior Rachel Brock woke up when the light in her bedroom turned on around 3:30 a.m. She turned over to find a man standing in her doorway. The light turned off.

“Oh, I think I’m lost,” the man said. He then asked to use her phone.

Brock responded with sternness instead of fear. At first she thought the man was a drunken college student, but she soon realized that he was a stranger.

“He asked me if I was alone,” Brock said. “That was when I was getting scared.”

She started to question his motives and decided it was time to get him out of her room. She told him to wait on the couch in the living room right outside her room. He grabbed at her clothing, so she pushed him out of the doorway and screamed as she ran downstairs to awaken her housemate, Hannah Tower.

Tower could not hear Brock until she was screaming right outside her bedroom door.

“I woke up in a panic,” Tower said.

Tower called 911, and within two minutes a police officer arrived at their home. In the meantime, both girls slowly crept back upstairs.

“I wanted to find a baseball bat, but we didn’t have one,” Tower said. “I thought about grabbing my hairspray.”

The man was already gone.

The police told Brock that the intruder fell three or four times in their front yard before he disappeared. A K-9 unit followed the man’s scent trail but lost it in an area with high foot traffic.

Brock was asked to give a physical description of the intruder, but she quickly forgot what he looked like.

“I wish I would have known to pay attention to any physical features he had,” she said. “Once the adrenaline is gone, you don’t remember.”

Lt. Tory Jacobson, public information officer for the Moorhead Police Department, said the incident is under investigation, but there are no new developments.

Bill MacDonald, director of public safety, said the campus reached the residents of the home by 11 a.m. and offered assistance such as alternative housing, different parking arrangements and time off from classes.

Campus security sent out a timely notice by 10 a.m. with some details about the event. It was not initially clear through the email that Concordia students were involved.

He said the campus has responded with extra safety precautions in response to the break-in. In the days following the incident, public safety added a third officer and an extra vehicle to answer SafeWalk requests.

“We see a peak in requests for SafeWalks when we put out timely notices,” MacDonald said.

MacDonald said public safety receives one to two SafeWalk requests a night. Between the Feb. 9 and Feb. 14, they received 21 total requests.

Students who are located within three or four blocks of campus can request a public safety officer to escort them from one location to another. Since the break-in, MacDonald said.members of the Concordia community may be able to receive assistance outside of the normal range.

SafeWalk requests out side of the normal zone will be taken on a case-by-case basis.

After the local news stations interviewed Brock, professors and fellow students showered her with supportive emails and texts. Some told her that they would keep her in their thoughts and prayers.

“A lot of people didn’t know it happened to a Concordia student,” Brock said.

Others expressed concern that her experience is their worst fear.

“Thank goodness he was short and very drunk,” Brock said. “I’m so grateful that nothing worse happened.”

MacDonald said there have been two major incidents involving Concordia students on average every academic year since he started his job at Concordia in 2008. Many incidents involve unsafe behaviors.

“It always ties into personal safety recommendations,” MacDonald said. “We want people to lock their doors, use SafeWalk and park in well-lit areas.”

On the night the intruder showed up in Brock’s room, a housemate left the door unlocked when she left the house. Brock said even though members of her house always keep the door locked at night, they “just got lazy about the lock.”

Since the break-in, no one has forgotten to lock the door.

While things are returning to normal for most members of the house, Brock still sleeps at her parents’ house. Nightmares haunt her while she sleeps.

“It’s gonna take a couple of weeks to feel comfortable in my own home,” she said. “I feel really vulnerable in my own bedroom.”

I suppose some could call me a “Concordia crusader.” They might be right. It all started when I was a student when I really couldn’t get enough of being involved in the Cobber community. From the orientation committee to the newspaper and yearbook, RA to Homecoming Court, if it involved hanging out with other Cobbers, I was ready. If it involved studying, well, that wasn’t always my idea of a fun time.

I am so inspired by the Concordia mission, its reputation and my connection to it that I cannot hold it in. I am no longer the person I was when I entered the college in 1984 and now am not the same person I was when I graduated in 1988. I think this is now called “BREWing.”

But there continues to be one unsettled matter between Concordia and me: the lack of a Cobber yearbook to document recent years in the college history through the eyes of students. And my feelings have grown even stronger this spring as I prepare to send my oldest child to be a second-generation Cobber this fall.

For me, my work as Editor of the yearbook was an extension of similar work at my high school. It involved writing and page layout. But at Concordia, I was more on my own–more “professional.” I was leading others, making decisions and taking responsibility only taken by the teacher or advisor in high school. It was a real leadership opportunity.

I had to create a budget which needed to be justified, approved and obeyed for the year. It involved posting, interviewing and hiring a staff. A theme was chosen and I was the driver of pushing the theme throughout the entire publication. I pumped out as much text as we needed to fill the pages when we couldn’t find writers. My best assistant and I stayed in Moorhead for a few weeks following graduation to put the finishing touches on the book before it headed to the publisher.

I needed to run an office where I would greet and help fellow students looking to pick up a yearbook or drop off pictures. I needed to appear at various meetings to discuss how particular events would be covered in the yearbook. I needed to gain approval for all page layouts and text through a mostly hands-off advisor who ensured our portrait of Concordia student life was in alignment with the mission and reputation of the institution.

In short, this job was like running a small business: great preparation for a career in the business world. My experience as editor still influences how I handle problems in my work today, especially for projects covering several months. Learning to set the pace for a nine-month project is an experience you rarely get on a semester-based schedule.

I would think students of today would want a hands-on experience like this to talk about in job interviews, to have conversation for those “Tell me about a time when…” questions.

After months of debate about yearbook funding on campus and about whether print or electronic format was the desire of students today, I thought the yearbook revival was nearly complete in some shape or form. So much progress was made, but last fall a new problem arose: a lack of student leadership.

After I inquired about the prospect for a yearbook in 2012-2013, a college official replied, “I should in candor say any option must be considered in light of student indifference to both the product (the printed yearbook) and the work it takes to produce it.”

Really? Not one sophomore or junior student on the Concordia campus today has the wherewithal to do a job like this? I had to compete for the position in the spring 1987.

Taking a yearbook editor position doesn’t pay much and most days there are no kudos. Sometimes there is no acknowledgement any work is even being done. Sometimes people suggest your work product is a waste of money and natural resources.

Sometimes things are worth doing even though there are naysayers.

I read in last week’s Concordian that an intervisitation survey had “an astounding response.” Well, isn’t that a tale as old as time! That battle has raged for at least 30 years. If the new policy is adopted, I fear for the future of the Concordian as a viable publication as intervisitation stories are great fodder for its pages. I would hate for the Concordian to fall by the wayside as the yearbook (called “The Cobber”) has in recent years, losing its relevance to the student community.

While a yearbook doesn’t have nearly the personal impact of intervisitation rules, it is an important record of events for a given year. Perhaps I should have dedicated a page to the intervisitation policy in my 1988 yearbook, but it isn’t really one of the “big” things we talk about at reunions now. Instead, we like to talk about classes and professors we had in common and events we celebrated as a community.

I think Concordia has very unique traditions (beyond intervisitation) that are no longer captured in a lasting publication of some sort. I think this is a loss the student body will not fully understand until years into the future when memories have dimmed.

Questions like: What did our beanies look like? When was the new turf put on the football field: Our junior or senior year? When did they start construction on Offutt School of Business in the old Grant Center? Was the skyway open during construction?

So here is my plea… If there is someone in this readership who can see the value in recording an annual history of events on campus through the eyes of a student and has enough dedication to the institution to see a project through for an entire year to capture it, would you be brave enough to step forward?

Creating a yearbook is a monumental task, but for a small group of people it could be a lasting accomplishment that will be recognized by classmates for years to come.

If any of this speaks to you, reach out to the Office of Student Affairs and Student Government Association before the yearbook is officially declared dead and disappears from campus like Seventh Street.

Squalls of muffled dogs’ howls ring out from back rooms and the underlying scent of Purina permeates the air as Heather Clyde welcomes visitors to the Fargo-Moorhead Humane Society.

The wails swell and fade through the shelter as gravelly barks echo off linoleum floors, and sharp yips push the human ears’ decibel limits.

The dogs, listening for a slammed front door, can sense a new arrival. The local pound rescues from Fargo, West Fargo and Moorhead rouse up a new chorus at the sound of each new visitor.

“Everyone’s trying to decide who’s top dog,” Clyde said.

Walked at least twice daily, the impounded German shepherds and black labs paw their kennels and stand on hind legs, looking expectantly for their next trip outside – or maybe their new owner.

They are playful and flamboyant dogs, not unlike those uncovered at a hoarding incident in Bemidji, Minn., on Jan. 23. Carol Schmidt, 63, of northern Bemidji, currently waits further sentencing after more than 100 dogs were found fenced together on a small acreage plot of her property during a welfare check.

Bemidji courts will decide if she is to remain committed at the Bemidji Community Behavioral Health Hospital, where she is currently seeking treatment.

Dozens of Schmidt’s dogs were remitted to shelters in the Twin Cities by Beltrami Country Human Services of Bemidji, including more than 40 to Golden Valley, Minn.

“They didn’t even contact us,” Clyde said of the relocation effort.

The F-M Humane Society is small, with nine dog kennels in operation. Local flyers for lost yellow labs and prices for newborn kittens jumble its vestibule entrance – wall-tacked and cluttered, vying for attention. It is more schoolhouse than shelter in appearance. With firehouse-red siding and pitched, white trim, the rescue, through foster care and in-house providing, usually accounts for 15 to 18 dogs.

It is a far cry from the 107 Schmidt kept kenneled inside two trailer homes. Hoarding the dogs on her property since her father’s death in 2010, Schmidt’s relocated dogs would have swelled area pound numbers and burdened shelter vacancy if sent to Fargo.

“We took in over 200 dogs last year and sent about 110 to other shelters,” Clyde said, noting that the volume of rescues is spread out over the year.

When asked how many of those 200 dogs were adopted, she deftly replied, “All of them.”

Fargo-Moorhead area pounds took in 1073 dogs in 2011. Of those taken in, 23 were euthanized. Clyde explained how she tries to avoid that outcome.

“I go to the pounds every morning to see who can come up here,” she said over another round of overlapping dogs’ bays. The daily task ensures that no adoptable dog is left behind.

Dogs have three to five days to be recovered by owners or rescued by shelters before being put down by the city.

“We only had to put down two of our dogs last year,” Clyde said. “We try to save as many as we can.”

Lost animals are common for the area, but death can easily be avoided, she said. Hoarding situations like Schmidt’s, while hard on shelter populations and the animals themselves, are not uncommon. Clyde has gone through four hoarding incidents during her tenure as manager.

“We just took in six cats from an animal hoarder [on Jan. 27],” she said.

Fifteen other cats found at the site were seized by animal control.

“The woman was feeding them rice because she couldn’t afford anything else,” she said. “Here she thought she was saving them by bringing them in off the streets, when really it just wasn’t the case.”

And though she’s never dealt with a dog-hoarding incident, Clyde is quick to mention the animals in the shelter often come with baggage.

Dusty is such an example. Set in the corner of Clyde’s office in a black, wire cage, the meek little Chihuahua lies curled under blankets, wary of movement in the room. At once cowed and aggressive, he is one of the 50 dogs the Humane Society took in during January alone.

“He’s a strange one,” Clyde said, watching as Dusty’s bulbous brown eyes flitted around the room. “Just yesterday he was curled up in my lap, licking my face. Now I can’t even touch him.”

Surrendered after his longtime owner passed away, Dusty has multiple handling issues to overcome on his way to being deemed adoptable.

“Most dogs, once you have their trust, you keep it,” she said. “If he was a social dog he’d probably already be adopted by now.”

The same evaluations are being conducted in Golden Valley for many of Schmidt’s dogs, and authorities are looking for signs of stress and aggression caused by living in uninhabitable conditions for so long.

“They were miserable mentally,” Clyde said. “It would be like us living in a crowded room with 30 other people… It’s just not an ideal situation.”

The incident was a good reminder, sure – but is that really the lesson that we should take from the event?

This week, the Concordian covered the same home invasion and interviewed the same sources – only, by the time the Concordian reporter began working on the story, WDAY had already aired their version. And one source indicated to The Concordian that she was unhappy with the WDAY story: She felt it portrayed them as irresponsible for emphasizing the fact that the door was unlocked rather than the fact that someone else was imposing on their home.

So maybe the incident should really serve as a good reminder and a lesson for all of us that it is never alright to blame the victim.

It’s a fallacy that is easy to commit in a culture that supposedly encourages standing up for oneself and making one’s own fortune. If something bad happens to you, it’s your fault for letting your guard down or in some way provoking the wrongdoing, right? Even if that just means a bolt was left unturned.

But victims get blamed even when they don’t let their guard down. Sometimes safety precautions aren’t enough. Take the unlocked door: According to the FBI’s annual uniform crime reports, only about a third of all home invasions occur “without force” – which includes through unlocked doors.

But perhaps the most important thing to remember is that blaming the victim gives people who commit crimes an excuse to commit them. It’s not fair to say that a person who does something wrong fell prey to the temptations of the victim – human beings are equipped with self-restraint and, moreover, someone who commits a crime had the ability to consciously choose whether or not to take advantage of an opportunity for crime. And it’s not fair to say that a victim “had it coming,” because nobody can accurately predict the actions that any small variable might enable or encourage.

If there is anyone who must truly heed this good reminder, it is the news media – and that includes The Concordian. For it is our responsibility to responsibly portray, accurately and objectively, the world in which we live. We ask our sources to give up so much to us: their stories, their trust, their privacy. We must be careful to not also take their dignity in order to spin a better lead.

Peace homes,

Mary Beenken, Editor-in-chief

For The Concordian’s coverage on the break-in, click here.

Fitting, isn’t it—the title?

Fargo can seem like a frozen tundra at times, a desolate, isolated landscape that is not only physically cold, but has the power to strip us of social contact beyond the warm confines of an academic building. A smile is hard to detect between the layers of a scarf; a wave is hard to muster when even the idea of exposing one’s bare hand can be painful.

This tundra is comparable to the arctic mind of the serial killer, according to “Frozen’s” fictional character, Agnes, a forensic psychiatrist presenting her thesis in England. Devoid of emotion and warmth, remorse and guilt, it is this mental environment that allows Ralph, the play’s serial-killer, to feel nothing.

Written by Bryony Lavery and directed by Jennifer Thomas, “Frozen” is the story of a psychiatrist, a serial-killer, and a mother whose daughter was murdered.

Ralph felt nothing when he killed his first victim, his second, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and the seventh—a 10-year old girl by the name of Rona Shirley, daughter of Nancy Shirley.

Before Nancy learns of her daughter’s death, she becomes a public speaker, working for an organization that brings together parents whose children have gone missing. After the police locate the body and her daughter’s death is confirmed, Nancy becomes hardened, groping through the white haze for a way to cope.

Meanwhile, forensic psychiatrist Agnes works with Ralph, applying her research on the mind of the serial-killer. Her thesis explores motives and the killer’s moral compass, the essential question being: Are their actions evil or are they the result of illness?

In order to explore this controversial question, Agnes’ character goes back and forth between her examination of Ralph and the presentation of her findings. The division and seamless flow of these acts are facilitated through the positioning of props and lighting.

A table lies on the right side and an open space on the left. Agnes examines her patient at the table, testing the findings of her research (jerky movements as the patient swivels head, the inability to look up without moving one’s head, etc.). As Agnes assumes the role of presenter, the spotlight follows, shrouding Ralph and the table in darkness, the scene on pause.

Throughout these scenes, we learn that Ralph, like many serial-killers, has suffered extreme abuse during childhood—neglect from his mother and abuse from his stepfather. Not only does this give the audience perspective, Lavery also presents an opportunity for one to empathize with the killer. This again begs the question, are the serial-killer’s actions forgivable?

Agnes, the psychiatrist, feels her own sense of stagnation as well. A colleague of hers dies just when they were becoming close. Her emotional bouts cause the audience to question her mental stability throughout the play. However, Lavery’s message is that we are all prone to becoming stuck, frozen with grief, anger and frustration at points in our lives.

The question one must ask oneself in times of emotional distress is whether or not to remain in that state—frozen. Can one find a way to feel empathetic towards a serial killer? Is it possible to start over again after the death of a loved one?

This message stays suspended in the audience’s minds as they exit the venue. More so than a large stage production, Theatre B’s small setting creates a sense of intimacy with the actors on stage. Utilizing only a table with two chairs, a bench and a few other props, the inventiveness of the director, coupled with lighting and sound cues, create a very realistic experience.

If one has any interest in theatre or is seeking a night of entertainment, “Frozen” will be sure to catch one’s attention. Not to be considered light subject matter, the play’s inventiveness and exploration into a rather hard-to-answer question create a production that is worth seeing.

“Frozen” will be running at Theatre B from February 2 through February 25. More information can be found at Theatre B’s website.

Photo by Paul Flessland. Pamela Mork, an associate professor of chemistry at Concordia, teaches a forensics class for F/M Communiversity.

This winter and spring the Concordia sponsored program F/M Communiversity plans to offer 29 college-like classes without homework or tests to community members. People of all ages and backgrounds can attend.

F/M Communiversity, which combines the words community and university, started in 1965 when Rev. Loren Halvorson from the American Lutheran Church wrote a paper titled “The Church College as a Middle Ground.” According to Susan Wee, director of F/M Communiversity, back then the college and community were more separate. Dr. Hofrenning, formerly a Concordia Religion Department faculty member, soon initiated the seminar “The Church as Middle Ground.”

This was the first seminar for F/M Communiversity, a program that provides an opportunity “for the college to reach out and share the resources we have,” and “to promote lifelong learning,” Wee said.

One upcoming class called Thriving During the Social Media Revolution focuses on how to use social media tools to promote businesses and organizations. This class will be taught by Tracy Briggs, a former reporter, anchor and radio host for WDAY, who now works as the digital content development director for Forum Communications.

Two political themes have also been developed for this year’s program. The Disintegrating Political Climate in the United States theme will have classes discussing the climates, ethics, prosperity and civility in politics. A series of four other courses will follow the theme Great Decisions: Foreign Policy Issue Discussions. Topics include energy markets, the Mexican border, Middle Eastern democracy, and climate change’s effects on oceans.

Classes are taught by faculty members from Concordia College and anyone else in the community with expertise. Wee said it’s surprisingly easy to get people to teach classes.

“People want to be a part of this,” Wee said. “They have a passion in what they know.”

Pamela Mork, an associate professor of chemistry at Concordia, teaches a forensics class for F/M Communiversity. Before coming to Concordia, she worked for the medical examiner in Oklahoma, whose motto was “when your days end, our day begins.”

In the class Mork simulates a crime scene and then participants interview suspects, identify bones, and read blood spatters to determine the number of blows delivered to the victim.

Gary Clark, a Fargo resident, has attended classes with his wife for 15 years. He likes that F/M Communiversity offers the opportunity to learn.

“It gives us information and knowledge about other things that are going on that aren’t in our life,” Clark said.

A committee consisting of faculty from Concordia, Minnesota State University – Moorhead, North Dakota State University and other community members decides what classes will be offered for the year. Fall sessions are held from October to November and Winter/Spring sessions from January to April.

College students can attend the sessions at no cost with a college ID. Many sessions allow walk-ins, but Wee recommends registering before the session.

Other popular classes, according to Wee, include music classes. Recently the Concordia Wind Quintet performed at a restaurant and spoke about their music, instruments and collaboration in music. Upcoming music classes include Revolution, Ravel, Haydn and Bartok, which will prepare attendees for the F-M Symphony Sanford Health Masterworks Series concerts, and Jazz Improvisation 201, a class taught by Concordia Associate Professor of Saxophone Russ Peterson and three other musicians.

Wee encourages people to go out and learn about their passion. For more information visit their website or call 218-299-3438.

While my days are pretty long, typically things wind down later in the afternoon once class and choir rehearsal wrap up. Time after 7:00pm is typically reserved for group projects, homework, and possibly even a social life (whatever that is).

With how hectic things can get, nothing is more frustrating than having to wait in long lines at dinner at DS. Several choirs, the Band and the Orchestra all get out around 6:00 and between that time and about 6:20 approximately 450 students make the march from the music building to Anderson Commons. That doesn’t even include all of those involved in spring sports, whose long practices get done right around that same time as well.

As to be expected, things can get quite busy with so many people coming in right around the same time. Usually after the battle to find a place to sit gets accomplished, it’s downhill from there. However, I recently noticed a new trend: people who aren’t involved in an ensemble or athletic team going to Anderson around 6:15 and then getting frustrated and openly complaining about how busy it is.

As I’ve already stated, I understand your frustration. I hate wasting time and believe you me, standing in a mile-long line for what’s left of the main dinner entrees is not acceptable. But, there’s more to be done than just complaining. I’ve come to realize that in the evening, it’s probably unrealistic to expect to be able to get a popular meal item in a timely fashion, if at all. Bearing that in mind I usually get creative and mix things together. After all, we’ve got things pretty good, being able to know when our next meal is coming. Long DS lines are the perfect example of a “First World Problem.”

But at the same time, if you don’t have anywhere to be before 6, I recommend that you go to DS before the mad rush of hungry and exhausted musicians and athletes. As my friend Megan from “Bridesmaids” would say, “you can’t blame the world for your problems.” Get out there and make the best of the situation. Or look at it from another vantage point: As Captain Spock said in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

Is the solution to a crazy busy DS this simple? Or is it unavoidable? Should there be another dining service option available on campus like there used to be at the Grant Center? I welcome your feedback! Send me your thoughts – or, even better, send them to the Concordian and get your voice published!

Photo by Rachel Torgerson. Senior Vanessa Liming acts in a scene from "Cyrano" as Roxane, one of her many roles in the production. "Cyrano" runs through Feb. 19.

With three main stage acts to her name, senior Vanessa Liming finds her fourth and final stage show both exciting and challenging. Not only does she play Roxane, the female lead, she also plays multiple characters that are male.

Starting on Valentine’s Day through Feb. 19, Concordia’s Theatre will be presenting an adaptation of “Cyrano” in the lab theatre. This classic tale, with many movie and other adaptations, revolves around three friends: Cyrano, Roxane and Christian. A French soldier and a poet, Cyrano is in love with Roxane, but his self-esteem issues as a result of his rather large nose cause him to keep his confession to himself. Christian, like Cyrano, is also in love with Roxane. He, on the other hand, is the total opposite of Cyrano, as freshman Brad Hoelscher, who plays him in this adaptation, describes.

“Cyrano is smooth and charismatic, but Christian is the opposite,” he said. “He is good looking but is not good at talking to women. He is afraid to talk to Roxane.”

With this at play, Cyrano uses Christian as a tool to court Roxane. Junior Kellen Summers, who plays the protagonist Cyrano, summarizes this act with a quote from the play.

“I will be your voice,” he said. “You will be my lips.”

David Wintersteen, associate professor of communication studies and theatre arts, directs this play in his 13^th year at Concordia. Wintersteen asserts that this production is the first faculty-directed play to be held in the lab theater in about 15 years. He explains that the lab theater provides a thrust configuration instead of the usual proscenium stage that most theaters use.

With the thrust configuration, the audience seating will surround or envelope the main stage instead of facing it. Although it is a different stage from stages his three actors are used to working with, he affirms that it is an “exciting opportunity,” for them.

“The lab is an intimate setting,” Liming agreed.

Wintersteen has been accredited by his actors as being not only a director but a helpful coach, especially in a play where two of the three actors play multiple roles.

“David has been so helpful and instructive. It’s not a show without him,” Summers said about Wintersteen’s role in helping him get into character.

Likewise, Liming, who has to transform genders in the play, agreed with Wintersteen’s helpfulness.

“He gave me a lot of good advice about getting into character,” she said.

Something that the audience should look forward to is the sword fighting in the play. Wintersteen describes it as “a dance routine with steel.” Hoelscher, who is having a “fun experience trying to do choreography and acting at the same time,” reveals that all the actors and Wintersteen came up with the choreography for the sword combat.

This was possible as they have previous experience with stage combat. Summers studied stage combat with his director in high school, and he, along with Wintersteen, taught stage combat at the Trollwood Performing Arts School in Moorhead.

But apart from sword fights, the audience can expect to go home with much more. The play has no big costume and makeup changes, and it also makes use of simple scenes and lighting. Wintersteen trusts that the audience “will be provoked to thought and changed during their time with the play.”

The audience will also be able to draw parallels from the play.

“Everyone will find something in the story that they can relate to,” Liming said.

“Cyrano” runs from Feb. 14 to Sat. Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 19 at 2p.m. All showings will be at the lab theater in Frances Frazier Comstock Theatre. Tickets are available at the box office and are free with a student ID.

Hoelscher sums up why students should see this classic.

“It has got everything,” he said. “If you are looking for drama, there are dramatic scenes. There are fun fight scenes, comedic scenes and even musical scenes.”

For the candidates, this is their time to illuminate “differences” between themselves and try to convince the greater student body that they are ultimately best equipped not only to follow through on their trite campaign promises but to “honor the Cobber legacy” or put “students first” or help the campus “move forward.”

Sounds great, right?

In reality, however, none of these campaign slogans and promises really matter because SGA’s “power” is unavailing. SGA candidates quite simply do not know what they are getting into — and if they do, they are not being as transparent as they promise.

First, it should be noted how out of touch every candidate appears to be while campaigning. At the time this article was written, two campaigns released video bios on their respective Facebook pages. In the videos, candidates appear to be reading off a script, promising to be the best advocates for students and share their entirely unoriginal platform goals: eliminate inter-visitation, extend building hours, make the campus more sustainable.

Here is the problem: these platform goals have been the same for the past several SGA elections, a sign not only that their ideas are uninspired and conventional but not accomplishable.

In last year’s election, inter-visitation was the big issue. The candidate (who ultimately won) pledged to eliminate the outdated policy. And what happened? A committee was formed and after several months of surveying and talking with students, a proposal was drafted advocating just that.

But, like everything else SGA submits or proposes, it has to get approved by a more important body: the Concordia administration. Ultimately, if they do not want to approve the proposal, they can put a kibosh on the project immediately, making all of the work SGA has done a waste of time. And what will SGA members do if all of the proper avenues for submitting a proposal that would affect all students (surveying, holding town halls, meeting with staff members) were followed?

Simply put, their power is limited. While the candidates may promise things, like eliminating inter-visitation or “reviewing” the core curriculum, it is out of their hands.

Cobbers have a short memory. Many are wooed by the campaign promises and platform goals of SGA candidates. Yet it is imperative for Concordia’s students to remember that power does not reside within SGA alone, but in the student body’s collective voice. If students solely rely on SGA to represent them (as the administration prefers), few things can truly be accomplished.

“I was definitely overwhelmed,” said Wells, who is now a sophomore.

While the number of students taking science classes has continued to grow, the number of faculty in the science departments has remained the same, creating a challenge for the department to accommodate all of their students.

“We just have to make it work,” said William Todt, chairman of the biology department.

Enrollment at Concordia has remained relatively steady since 2001, but the number of students taking science classes, biology classes in particular, has steadily increased. Currently, 1,339 students are taking a biology course this academic school year, whereas in 2001, 1,010 students were enrolled in these courses.

Todt attributes this increase to a reorganization of the major that has required incoming students to take four classes in sequence rather than three. Also, taking a science course with a lab was added to the core curriculum, bringing more students from outside the science majors into the Jones and Ivers buildings.

Further complicating the issue is that the biology department has striven to incorporate more writing in the classes, which typically would call for fewer students per section. However, smaller class sizes have not been possible with the increased enrollment.

“We have to make a sacrifice,” Todt said. “To increase quantity, we would have to decrease quality.”

Wells said that in addition to having very full lecture classes, the labs are also at capacity and can be stressful. Each lab can hold 32 students, Todt said, and each section is full.

“If there were less people in our labs, we could get through more material faster,” Wells said. “It’s difficult to understand some procedures if a professor isn’t there to walk you through it, but with that many students, there is always a line to ask questions. You really need to rely on your lab partners.”

Despite the increased enrollment, the biology department has not been awarded the ability to hire another full-time professor to alleviate the scheduling issues, Todt said. In order to cover all of the necessary sections, the department relies on adjunct professors, who are typically PhDs, graduate students or otherwise-qualified individuals hired on a semester basis, as needed. Hiring adjunct professors is less expensive than hiring professors full-time, Todt explained.

“We have been trying to make the argument for another biology professor for years,” Todt said, “but we get a little tired beating on that door.”

The last full-time position added to the biology department was six years ago, and since then, they have made do with adjunct professors and strategic scheduling to offer all of the classes and labs their students require. Even so, many students are confronted with scheduling issues when registration comes around. Because sections fill up so quickly, students are forced to postpone taking their science credits until later semesters. Then, when lowerclassmen need to sign up for the classes, the spots are filled by those that couldn’t get in the semesters prior.

“I know that people have a lot of trouble getting into the classes they need,” Wells said. “I know they want to fill up all of the sections that they have available before finding ways to offer new sections, but getting into both the lecture and lab you need is very frustrating.”

The last new position was created to expand the neuroscience minor, a recent addition to the program. However, Todt said that without the adequate amount of faculty, providing enough support in the neuroscience emphasis is “putting a strain on all existing faculty.”

“We are at a point where we will either need to obtain more faculty or admit fewer students to the program,” Todt said.

Meanwhile, the chemistry department lost a faculty position last year due to reorganization of the department, and the physics department is keeping up with covering all of the demanded sections. In fact, associate professor Heidi Manning, chair of the physics department, said that they were able to add an additional section of astronomy this year.

“I don’t see any problems with students getting into our lower-level science classes in the physics department,” said Manning, adding that there are upper-level physics classes that are far from full to capacity.

As the department grows and progress is made on the plans for a new science building, Todt is convinced the funding will be provided to cover the demanded classes. Until then, adjunct professors will be a common addition to the biology department.

“We have been fortunate with the quality of adjunct professors we have found,” Todt said. “They’re our short-term solution to a long-term problem.”

Administration is the answer. From the registrar to the dean of arts and sciences, our administrators are the keepers of the college. But this year, vacancies in important positions have left the folks in Lorentzsen Hall working to compensate. Some have been filled, and others remain open; in the 2011-2012 academic year, the college has seen changes in more than seven spots and is actively searching to fill three.

Another position that underwent a change this year includes the Director of Advancement, to which Larry Papenfuss – previously the Athletic Director – was appointed. Men’s basketball coach Rich Glas has filled Papenfuss’s position.
Rounding out the new hires includes Kristin Brethova, Concordia’s first Sustainability Coordinator, who began last month. Her duties will include ensuring progress in campus sustainability and working closely with the Student Environmental Alliance.

From the list of open positions, the one that affects students most is the registrar. Without a head registrar, the puzzle of finding rooms for classes and times to teach them would be unattended, leaving students in the lurch with questions about course registration. This is one reason why the registrar vacancy was immediately filled by an interim.

Students will notice the empty spot in student affairs less because it is a new position. Previously, the college has hired a dean of student affairs. The difference, said Mark Krejci, provost and dean of the college, is that a vice-president will serve directly on the president’s cabinet.
Do Students Matter? 

Krejci said students can influence who is hired at the administrative level. The best way to participate is to have your voice heard by the Student Government Association.

“The way you impact your school,” he said, “is to go to these elected representatives.”

The SGA members are in regular contact with administrators and can bring the opinions or ideas of the student body to any hiring process. When the person hired will be working more directly with students, however, a student representative is appointed to the search committee.

Nathaniel Cook, former co-president of SEA, was asked by the committee chairperson to assist with the search for a sustainability coordinator. Cook has served on the Sustainability Task Force since his sophomore year and was active in making sure the student voice would be represented during the search.

“You don’t have to be in SGA to make any kind of impact,” Cook said. “In my experience, administrators are extremely open to student voices and suggestions. Not only open, but they expect that.”

Attending events where faculty and staff will be present and participating in Coffee with Cobbers are two more surefire ways to connect with administrators, said Krejci. Or, students can just ask to schedule a meeting.
“We are always willing to sit down and talk with student groups,” he said.
Krejci said that a change in presidential leadership correlates with a change in other administrative positions. One reason not every position was filled rapidly is that they kept “a hold on things, in case the President coming in wanted to change things,” he said.

When important posts are left open, Vice President of Finance Linda Brown said the scramble is only temporary, and does not affect students in a negative way.
“You have good people pick up the slack,” she said.

So while there are missing links in the chain of administration for now, they will be filled when the right person applies for the position. Both Brown and Krejci know that hiring someone who is a wrong fit can create more challenges than simply leaving the spot unfilled.
“Hiring and the development of the people we hire is one of the most important things administration does,” Krejci said. “It’s in order to have a strong Concordia.”

“Any time you have a real world experience, it’s so much better than book learning,” said Steve Scheel, CEO of Scheel’s Sporting Goods and the donor whose $100,000 gift made the organization possible.

“Nothing like this has ever happened for us before,” said Greg Cant, dean of the Offut School of Business. “This donation shows a personal belief in what we’re doing.”

The club will function as two competing investment funds that will each begin with an equal amount of capital, which they will then place in investments of their choosing.

The funds will be mostly student led, he said. There will be an organizational structure where a student fund manager will run his or her fund and each student will carry out specific roles.

For instance, accounting majors can conduct oversight, economics majors can keep track of changes in the economic environment and finance students will likely manage the two competing funds, Cant said.

Should the two funds perform well, there will be a donor-provided cash prize given to the winning fund, distributed to the team by the fund manager, he said. The prize is meant to function as a bonus would in a professional investment fund.

“[Scheel] wants the fund managers to assume the responsibility as if they were actually working in an investment company,” said economics and finance professor Scot Stradley.

Scheel places considerable emphasis on the importance of practical experience.

“Students can work with money in theory,” Scheel said, “but there’s nothing like the real thing.”

Another place to which the capital gains could go would be a scholarship fund for finance majors, said senior Zach Schnitzler, who is helping to get the club up and running.

Right now, Schnitzler said, most of the work is being focused on researching companies for potential investments.

“One of the biggest problems people have with investing is that they don’t do enough research,” said sophomore finance major Matt Gantz.

As a check on the quality of the investments the students pick, there will be an alumni advisory board comprised of former Cobbers with experience in investing that will assess the decisions.

“If things go well, we’ll make this an annual gift,” Scheel said.

Scheel, a 1969 graduate of St. Olaf, said he makes a conscious effort to follow in his father’s footsteps by giving to his local community.

“When we do well in business, we can do good in the community,” he said.

Scheel is not the only one interested in the initiative.

“If we do this well, there are others who will give us further support,” Cant said. “They like to see students doing real-life things with real consequences.”

Though senior finance majors may head the funds, “we want other students to come participate in the process,” Cant said. Any interested Concordia student from any major may play a role.

“We want it open,” he continued. “There are bright students all across this campus.”

In addition to taking advantage of the college’s intellectual capital, Cant said, the ultimate objective of the club is educational.

“We want great opportunities for students,” he said. “Our goal is to improve everyone’s understanding of global capital markets.”

Cant commented that often students do not realize that after they graduate they will likely have the opportunity and means to invest in the not-so-distant future. He said that the skills learned in the club will help students personally, business major or not.