College Magazine | Fall/Winter 2014 Give Praise and Glory At the divine intersection of faith and reason Reflecting the mission of the college, St. Norbert College Magazine links the institution’s past and present by Contents chronicling its academic, cultural, spiritual and co-curricular life. ST. NORBERT COLLEGE MAGAZINE In Print Online Vol. 46, No. 3, Fall/Winter 2014 A sampling of related content available at snc.edu/magazine. Cover Story Page 10 Page 14 In Cambodia: Tom Conner (Modern Languages & Literatures) has made “These were the newly minted Gap upwards of 50 visits to the Southeast Asian students, just returned from 26 days Is College Worth It? country but his latest trip (page 6) added in the Boundary Waters. Twenty-six a new and enriching experience. intense days of wilderness backpacking, Higher education has undergone radical kayaking and rock-climbing. As a In returning: Homecoming! It was a group, they fairly vibrated with a sense transformation in recent years, and weekend to celebrate. If you couldn’t be of readiness.” here yourself, we missed you – and we’re – Deirdre Egan-Ryan (English) some have begun to question whether happy to bring the event to you, in pictures (page 7) college is actually . worth the investment Page 27 In readiness: – the time, the energy Green Knight football (page 8) He picked up an MBA well into his and the financial cost. players suited up for a media day seventies and continues to stay abreast of It’s a question we ahead of this year’s season. It was a great developments in his industry. At 90 years took to the experts – way to share the energy and commitment of age, Vince Zehren ’48 truly deserves among them, our own that characterizes this team. the title, lifelong learner. alumni base. In detail: We asked a sample of our Page 19 alumni, is college worth it? The results of our survey (page 17) make for Divine Intersection compelling reading. President’s Report A series of four triptychs that greets both In praise: An imaginative approach to budding and seasoned scientists at the environmental design for the new science President Tom Kunkel takes a look entrance to the new Gehl-Mulva Science center (page 19) nods to our Norbertine back at a year of thoughtful adaptation, Center provides a scriptural resolution roots and our ongoing participation in the entrepreneurship and innovation – to the ongoing dialog between science Catholic intellectual tradition. approaches designed to underpin the and religion, faith and reason. It’s a future success of the college. conversation that lies at the heart of the In charge: Col. Erica Nelson ’90 (page Catholic intellectual tradition. 25) is responsible for 1,200 soldiers, 130 civilians and 700 inmates in two On our cover: The triple-layered Page 12 correctional facilities. We asked her what technique used by design firm Arketype inspires her leadership. gives depth to ethereal images that Team Work Departments represent the full panoply of Creation. In brotherhood: The Norbertines at the Two campus friends formed a temporary Bavarian abbey of Roggenburg have hosted 4 Guest Editorial scholarly partnership to research a more many groups from the college over the years. In October, it was our privilege to 5 News of St. Norbert enduring union: the institution of marriage, and its role as a path to holiness. return the favor (page 28). 23 Alumni of St. Norbert Keep an eye open throughout this edition snc.edu/magazine 28 Connection for more links to content on the web. Follow us on your favorite social media channel, too. Just search for St. Norbert College. In My Words / Raechelle Clemmons News OF ST. NORBERT COLLEGE TOUGH TALK Time to act Season of change n Title IX, enacted Amanda Kim knows in 1972, prohibits gender discrimination discrimination on the and sexual violence basis of gender in hen I arrived at St. Norbert College What disruption in higher education will look are difficult subjects any federally funded a little over two years ago, one of the like is unclear. Christensen argues that disruptive to discuss, but they education program first things I had to get used to was the innovations do not target the core business, and are important ones. or activity. In April of rhythm of the seasons. I moved here from a part of instead compete with “non-consumption.” (In the “For the people who 2011 the Department W have gone through of Education’s the country – California, to be exact – that doesn’t case of higher education, this means people who these situations, we Office of Civil Rights really have seasons, per se. While each time of year aren’t getting a college degree now.) This theory gives need to have these published a letter reflects a transition from the last, fall in particular some hope that whatever upheavals occur, they won’t conversations,” that defined much seems to be, at least to me, the season of change. affect what colleges like ours do. But, Christensen she says. “We higher expectations. The leaves turning colors and falling off the trees, the contends, to survive a disruption in the marketplace need to create an It made clear that infrastructure where the requirements of temperature dramatically dropping … the changes an organization must be modular, with the ability to people can discuss Title IX cover sexual Raechelle Clemmons NEWS are more visible and dramatic than in other seasonal move its component parts around and draw revenue is vice president and their concerns violence, defined as chief information shifts. Or maybe they are just harder to bear, as we go from different sources than before. And that’s enough and how any physical sexual acts officer at St. Norbert, from warm to cold. to give some institutions pause. investigations may perpetrated against a person’s will or where with overall Right now, higher education feels like it, too, is St. Norbert College has been engaged in occur.” The college is responsibility for in a season of change. You only have to glance at a discussions about the changing nature of higher working with student Title IX meets radical hospitality a person is incapable NORBERT OF ST. groups to raise of giving consent. the implementation newspaper to see the signs: changing demographics education for some time. Working with a president of mission-critical awareness and to let ay “Title IX” and for many people, discrimination is still an issue that needs to enhancements that are resulting in a shrinking pool of “traditional” who hails from the newspaper business has made us everyone know “it’s it’s the increase in the number of be dealt with, but it’s difficult for people to n As part of and initiatives in college-bound students; rising tuition costs and all too aware of what disruptive innovations can do not just about being women’s collegiate sports teams that talk about it, so anything we do to get the St. Norbert’s efforts the information student debt; fears about unsustainable business to an industry. One of my roles – and an area of my a victim, but we all jumps to mind. But the federal civil rights conversation going is good,” she says. to raise awareness have a responsibility S and connect staff technology area. models; and questions – from some really successful job that I love the most – is to promote innovation law means much more than that. It’s about To comply with the new guidelines, and students with This year she and well-educated people – about whether college and consider what role technology might play in it, as whether we’re a roommate, a peer or gender equality across the entire college every St. Norbert staff member and the resources they heads the Big Ideas is even worth it. (Which, by the way, we’re tackling well as the role it plays in a liberal arts education more Group, a task force student to provide campus – both on the field and in the student took an online course this semester need, the college has that was formed last head-on in this issue – turn to page 14 to read broadly. We understand the benefits of diversifying, help if someone classroom. to raise awareness about harassment launched a webpage – year to identify the more). Higher education, most agree, is heading while still staying true to our unique identity, to needs it. This is about In 2011, the government expanded the and assault, and about what to do if they www.snc.edu/titleix – next “big idea” for for, or possibly already in the midst of, a season of ensure our long-term sustainability in our rapidly all of us working that serves as a one- scope and intensity of Title IX, making experience it themselves or witness it. stop guide. The page St. Norbert College. disruption. evolving field. Coincidentally, this approach aligns together to make our colleges more accountable when it comes Incoming first-years and all new students not only contains The group’s current campus a safer, more I’ve just come from a national conference nicely within Christensen’s concept of modularity, to addressing and reporting student-on- also attended an in-person class as part of information about focus is the creation welcoming place.” for higher-education information technology with innovations coming from places other than “the Title IX and links on and promotion of student sexual harassment and sexual their orientation process. “It’s really about filing a complaint, it a sustained culture professionals where disruption was a major theme. In core.” violence. In addition, college employees making sure every single employee and also provides multiple of innovation on many ways this makes sense, as much of the talk about The seasons follow their predictable cycle but it’s are required to go through mandated student knows that help is available and resources to the campus.