| Summary: | Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has awarded a $150,000 grant to the five colleges that sponsor the annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum. The grant will support the col-leges’ efforts to build a $2 million endowment to cover the costs of maintaining the forum. Thrivent is a not-for-prof-it Fortune 500 financial services organization. The Concordia College Board of Regents recently approved 14 faculty members for promotion and/or tenure. Dr. Pauline Burthwick and Dr. David Wintersteen have been granted tenure. Dr. Susan Larson, Dr. Darin Ulness and Dr. Haimeng Zhang have received tenure and have been promoted to Associate Professor. Madelyn Burchill and Merrie Sue Holtan have been pro-moted to Assistant Professor. Dr. Richard Chapman, Dr. Heidi Manning, Catherine McMullen and Dr. Luanna Stroh have been promoted to Associate Professor. Dr. Per Anderson, Dr. Mark Gealy and Dr. Donald Rice have been promoted to Full Professor. Three faculty members of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., received their doctorates this year. Daniel Anderson, Abra Bush and Basit B. Koshul. Scott Hagen, a 1977 graduate of Concordia College, has been named conductor of The Concordia College Band. Hagen, originally from Park Rapids, Minn., comes to Concordia a third-generation band director. Hagen began his duties at Concordia in August. The CHARIS Ecumenical Center sponsored a summer theological conference titled “God and Science” July 26-28 at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. This conference examined the compatibility between God and science by exploring the theological and ethical implications of scien-tific developments. Sixty high school, church, community and college choir conductors gathered in Moorhead to learn from René Clausen and guest clinicians Z. Randall Stroope and Sigrid Johnson at the seventh annual René Clausen Choral School held July 27-31. As opposed to a workshop format, Clausen has specifi-cally created a "choral school" with more lecture hours and intense content to increase the participant's knowledge of style, literature, performance practice issues, conducting and rehearsal technique. Author and Concordia College Professor W. Scott Olsen embarked on an journey that he believes will lead him to his next book. Olsen travelled from the southern-most city in the continental United States, Key West, Fla., to literally the end of the road in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Olsen logged more than 11,000 miles during his three-week adventure. Olsen says the destinations aren’t the high points of his work. “Nothing pulls us more than the corner we have not rounded or the side of the hill we cannot see. We're always wondering what the next place looks like, what history it offers, what future it promises,” says Olsen. “This trip is a chance to see, in one grand sweep, the arc of North America. From mangrove to fireweed, from manatee to beluga, this trip crosses keys and everglades and mountains and valleys and glaciers and prairie.” Two Concordia faculty members were presented with prestigious awards at the annual Fall Faculty and Administration Banquet on Aug. 26. Dr. Edward A. Schmoll was presented the Ole and Lucy Flaat Distinguished Teaching Award and Dr. Douglas R. Anderson and was presented the Ole and Lucy Flaat Distinguished Scholarship Award. The Flaat Distinguished Teaching Award was estab-lished to honor faculty members who motivate students to reach their potential and who demonstrate a love of learn-ing, as well as demonstrate excellent teaching. NEWS THE CONCORDIAN - CONCORDIA COLLEGE - MOORHEAD, MINNESOTA Volume XCVI, Issue 01 - Friday, September 10, 2004 2 09 10 The Concordian is the official student newspaper of Concordia College. It is published each Friday of the academic year, with the exception of holidays and exam weeks. The purpose of The Concordian is to affirm the mission of Concordia College by cultivating thoughtful and informed students, faculty and staff through the awareness and discussion of college, local, national and world affairs. Letters to the Editor and guest columns are welcome. Letters must be typed, double-spaced and signed with the author’s name, year in school and phone number for verifica-tion. Non-students should include name, office and resi-dency. The Concordian reserves the right to edit obscene and potentially libelous material. All letters become property of The Concordian and will not be returned. Please limit to 250 words. The Concordian Editorial is written by The Concordian Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor and Opinions Editor. The Concordian production studio is located in the base-ment of Fjelstad Hall, office B03. Editorial office phone is (218) 299-3826, advertising/business office phone is (218) 299-3827, fax (218) 299-4313. Our mailing address is FPO 104, Concordia College, 901 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN 56562. Our email address is concord@cord.edu. Advertising deadline is 5 p.m. the Monday before publica-tion. Classified and editorial deadline is 5 p.m. the Tuesday before publication. Subscriptions are available for $10 per semester. Distribution on campus is free and is funded in part by the Student Activity Fee. The Concordian and Concordia College are equal opportunity employers. Opinions expressed in The Concordian are not neces-sarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration. Kim Winnegge. . . . . Managing Editor Lindsay Stordahl. . . . . . News Editor Alexandra Lundahl. . . . . . . . } Michelle Kittelson. . . . . . . . . } Staff Kevin Armbrust. . . . . . . . . . . }Writers Maren Taylor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . } Badar Tareen. . . . . . Opinions Editor Mitch Marr. . . . . . . . . . . . A&E Editor Erica Hall. . . . . . . . . . Features Editor Lindsay Czarnecki. . . . Sports Editor Millie Eidsvaag. . . . . Graphic Editor Susie Kirkham. . . . . . . . . . . . } Copy Kristin Holtz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . } Editors Solveig Nesse. . . . . . . . . Photo Editor Donna Lenius. . . . . . } Larry Largent. . . . . . } Photographers Molly Engstrom. . . } Jason Mangelsen . Business Manager Millie Eidsvaag . Advertising Manager Maren Taylor. . . Circulation Director Cathy McMullen. . . . . . . . . . . Adviser Dr. Pamela Jolicoeur. . . . . . Publisher STAFF Brandon Teachout Editor-in-Chief THE CONCORDIAN A B O U T By Kim Winnegge Last week, Concordia found itself inun-dated with a new class of yellow and maroon beanies. The academic year began on Thursday, but the week began with fes-tivities that only Orientation could bring. Natasha Saxton, Orientation committee chair, explained why this first week is so important to the incoming students. “Orientation is a great way to familiarize students with the campus,” Saxton said. “The great part of having a club is that each clubbie has a chance to bond with a group of people that are also new to the Concordia campus.” From the Cabaret show filled with any-thing from dance to Dr. Seuss monologues to Hands for Change service projects at McDonalds and the Rourke Museum, Orientation kept the new students and their commu-nicators on their toes. When first-year students began arriving on Sunday, professors and football players were there to help move them in while President Pamela Jolicoeur greeted them. Their first days on campus were packed with floor activi-ties, faculty advisor ses-sion, and registration. Saxton felt excited about the budding sense of community this past week. “Hearing all the stories from both com-municators and freshmen about how every-one feels at home has been the biggest high-light of my week,” she said. “I've enjoyed hearing about the communicators who have given a homesick freshman a gift (and in return, received a thank you).” One of the biggest projects the Orientation committee undertakes is the Hands for Change service project. This project gives incoming students a taste of what to expect in the classroom, for many of the professors incorporate service learn-ing. Although the main goal of this service project is to reach out to others in the com-munity, the students are also getting some-thing in return. “It is helping new students realize the importance of their involvement in the community,” Saxton said. “It is a time to bond over a common experience that they all share and work together towards a com-mon goal.” Chelle Lyons Hanson, director of the Office of Student Leadership and Service, agreed. “It’s important for them to know right off the bat that they’re members of this community, even if it is only for four years,” Hanson said. “I think that (Hands for Change is) an opportunity for students to learn.” Kristine Ness, a first-year student, volun-teered at Nokomis, a childcare center in the area. “I think that it’s good to get into the community and help out,” Ness said. “Now we know there’s many ways to get involved in this area.” In addition to the Hands for Change project, students have the opportunity to real-ly get to know their profes-sors and advisors through meetings and sessions throughout the week. For Lindsey Wizik, another first-year student, Convocation was a highlight of Orientation. “It was great to see all the staff in one place,” Wizik said. “That’s not something that you see every day on college campuses.” As for President Joliceoeur’s address, Wizik was impressed. “She seems like a kind and interesting person,” Wizik said. “She had a very wel-coming speech.” Ness felt especially at home during Orientation. “I think that we were welcomed 15,000 times,” Ness said. “I guess they’re just letting us know that they care that we’re here.” Orientation officially ended with the beanie toss on Olin Hill. Saxton stressed the importance of this tradition. “The beanie toss is a great way to cele-brate the accomplishment of finishing Orientation week,” Saxton said. “(It’s) also a way of symbolizing the start of their college career.” For Ness, the toss was more tangible. “I finally got to get rid of it,” Ness said. ORIENTATION 2004 ‘Concordia: Your gateway to the world’ Krejci new interim dean By Brandon Teachout Dr. Mark Krejci was named the interim vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the college by the Board of Regents in May. He replaces Dr. Sabine O’Hara, who left this sum-mer to assume the presi-dency of Roanoke College in Virginia. Krejci, formerly the chair of the psychology department, was looking forward to leaving his administrative duties behind. Instead, he has assumed significantly more. As dean, he is in charge of overseeing all of Concordia’s academic departments and trying to unify their efforts. “I explain it to parents as I’m the one who is ulti-mately responsible for the education, the instruction that their son and daughter receive here,” Krejci said. Krejci stressed that his work at the school has always been directly for the benefit of students. “As faculty I was to work directly with young people to help them become thoughtful and informed,” he said. “(Now) I work for the fac-ulty so they can work for you.” As interim dean, Krejci is responsible for carrying out the work of the last dean and preparing the office for the next. “Sabine did some really nice things for me in terms of getting things in shape for me to take over,” Krejci said. “She deserves some credit.” Krejci anticipates work-ing on the development of new “centers,” like the Center for Responsible Citizenship, for Excellence and for Innovation, but the most important task at hand is the effort to reform the curriculum. Krejci, who is also the chair of the Faculty Senate, works closely with the project, but he is not the head of the effort. “My job as dean is to provide support and encouragement, but the faculty own the curricu-lum,” Krejci said. “That’s my role, to keep the project moving, but in the end it’s the faculty that will do it.” The reform effort has three major aspects of focus: the first-year experi-ence, the core and off-cam-pus experiences. “The well constructed curriculum allows an emerging awareness to come into the student – Ahh! I see what’s going on – I’m getting it!” Another area of focus is the potential development of 12-credit majors. Last year, the art department developed a “super major” alternative to the standard eight-credit major, allowing students to specialize by taking more than Concordia’s cap of 10 courses in one department. Krejci expressed a desire to work with the idea, but again deferred to the facul-ty. “Whether it’ll be a con-tinuing trend is something that will be up to the departments to decide and for senate to decide,” Krejci said. Krejci spoke of the energy he got from walk-ing into and out of class-rooms and is thankful that he will not be entirely removed from that feeling. He is teaching one course, sports psychology. Eventually, Krejci will have to make a decision about whether he is inter-ested in becoming a full-time administrator. He speaks often of his love for teaching and research, and says “I have to discern if I’m willing to give that up.” The decision is not entirely his. “Ultimately it’s the pres-ident that needs to pick the dean she needs,” Krejci said. At this point, Krejci sees himself returning to the faculty next year. For this year, though, he makes an appeal. “I want to have an invi-tation to students: if they want to talk to me about academics, I’d be happy to talk to them. I need the contact with students too.” Summer ‘04 IN BRIEF I want to have an invitation to students: if they want to talk to me about academics, I’d be happy to talk to them. Dr. Mark Krejci Interim Dean “ ” A first-year student helps children with their artistic efforts. The student was part of the Hands for Change program. Photo by Amy Nell. Hearing all the stories from both commu-nicators and fresh-men about how everyone feels at home has been the highlight of my week. Natasha Saxton ‘05 Orientation Committee Chair “ ”
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