January 23, 2015 The Houghton Volume 111, Number 12 Houghton College's Student Newspaper t STAR Since 1909 HOUGHTONSTAR.COM | [email protected] | FACEBOOK.COM/THEHOUGHTONSTAR | TWITTER.COM/HOUGHTONSTAR | |NSTAGRAM @HOUGHTONSTAR ARTIST OF THE WEEK: THE RESURRECTION THE "PERFECT' COFFEE ON FREE SPEECH: "PLEASE SILENCE YOUR PHONES."NOW. LAURISSA WIDRICK OF THE LANTHORN I SHOP\ CHARLIE HEBDO \ OPINIONS, P. 6 FEATURES, P. 8 FEATURES, P. 4 FEATURES, P. 5 OPINIONS, P. 6 Successful Walters to Reti re After Twenty Years of Teaching First Honors Weekend DANI EATON Last weekend marked the beginning of the honors week- ends as Houghton hosted 33 potential students and their families, a significant increase from last year. This success is a result of changes not only to the honors program, but the approach to the weekend was slightly dif- ferent as well. One ofthe most substantial changes, according to Director of Honors Pro- 1 '4 grams, Benjamin Lipscomb, 4 4. is the addition of the Honors in London program. Honors in London will be reintroduced as an option for current pro- spective students after a four f year absence from the honors ANT NY D curriculum offerings. Eliza- Theology professor, Michael Walters, who came to Houghton College in 1995, will be retir ng at the end of the spring beth Rutledge, Assistant Di- semester after twenty years ofteaching. rector for Admission Events and Office Operations, thinks SARAH SLATER and Philosophy, bringing to haven't left. So it was kind of a Jonathan Case, the establish- it will also attract more poten- an end a career on the faculty surprise." In 1995, the college ment of the Woolsey lectures, tial students."We believe that at Houghton spanning two de- asked Walters to join the faculty and the recent accreditation of the return of Honors in Lon- Longtime professor, Mi- cades. as a professor in what is now the the theology major. Additional- don will help attract additional chael Walters, will be retiring Walters first carrie to Department ofBiblical Studies, ly, Walters created the Spiritual students to Honors at Hough- from his current position as Houghton as the pastor of Theology, and Philosophy. Dur- Foimation class which has been ton," said Rutledge. "We are Associate Dean of the Area of Houghton Wesleyan Church in ing his time here, as well be- excited to see how many stu- Religion and Global Service 1982, remarking "I originally ing named Chair and Associate and Chair of the Department came thinking it was going Dean, he has assisted with the to be for one year, and I still hiring of faculty like professor See WALTERS page 3 See HONORS page 3 of Biblical Studies, Theology, Potential Plans for Nielsen Explore Wellness The NPEC still sees quite MARY CRONIN 1. 1 a bit of use, though it is not 11 ' 1 as crowded as it has been in r previous years. The build- With the opening of the ing still houses the training Kerr-Pegula Field House and sports medicine staff, (KPFH) this past fall, the fu- physical education classes, as well as men's and women's ture of the Nielsen Physical | Education Center (NPEC) is basketball and women's vol- j in question. Athletic Director, leyball. Varsity spring sports Harold "Skip" Lord, said the teams also may use the NPEC KPFH is an "enhancement" due to weather conditions, ' rather than a replacement though this would occur only if the KPFH was unavailable. for the NPEC. Although the Lord also observed that Nielsen was a replacement for the old Bedford gym, before the KPFH was open, which sat between the Cam- crowding from spring and pus Center and Gillette until winter sports practices of- the late 1970s, the intention ten squeezed out non-varsity for how each of the two cur- athlete students looking to use the NPEC. This was due rent athletic facilities will - be used is much different. to the fact that Houghton has added more athletic teams Lord stated that the KPFH is ANTHONY BURDO an "enhancement," not a re- The Houghton College women's basketball team huddle for a post practice talk in the placement. See N PEC page 2 Nielsen Physcial Education Center on Wednesday night. 2 1 NEWS JANUARY 23,2015 NAT/ONAL U Cuba and U.S. Make Amends C k clude a variety of different citizens. export up to $400 worth of ment to CNN. *--,4 -- points. Among them, a much Since that time, sanctions Cuban goods, and up to $100 However, others ln freer trade between the two within the embargo have worth of articles like alco- power feel differently. On *----- countries, a quadrupling of been gradually reduced, al- hol and tobacco. "I'm going January 19, a group of 78 f '*..16 the amount of remittances lowing for freer travel and to leave a shell, but it's go- lawmakers and other of- Cuban-Americans may send the promise of remittances ing to be a proverbial Easter ficials signed a document A--1_- home (from $500 to $2000 to families and small busi- egg - it's going to be hollow" stating their advocacy for each quarter), as well as the nesses in Cuba. President said Obama referring to the the Obarna administra- ·ti. ability of travelers who meet Obama has been a sizable remaining sanctions within tion's changes in prepara- advocate for these reforms the Cuban embargo. tion for the upcoming State -' certain criteria to fly direct- according to the New York Reactions from Congress of the Union address. No- Times. On December 17, and other government of- table among the signed are i %] 4 ntinlan jferall Zand in President Obama announced ', >1 » 47 recent years of diluted sane- ficials from these changes Secretary of State, George his newest change to the em- have been mixed. Nowhere Schultz; President Clinton's , 4.1 tions embargopresent of in Cuba. the American bargo. In it, diplomatic rela- is this more obvious than National Security Advisor, The origins of the Cuban tions with Cuba would be the fact that the embargo Sandy Berger; and former ANTHONY BURDO Embargo begin with the rise restored for the first time in against Cuba still stands in a U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. to power of Fidel Castro in over 50 years. Additionally, limited sense. To lift the em- and New Mexico governor, 1959 after his successful mil- American citizens wishing bargo would require action Bill Richardson; among oth- JARED CRAM itarized revolt over then lead- to travel to Cuba for educa- by Congress. In an interview ers. In the letter, they were er Fulgensio Batista. Ameri- tional, cultural, or religious with the New York Times, quoted saying, "We may dis- can leaders viewed Castro's reasons, as well as humani- Senator Robert Menendez agree on a number of issues, A landmark moment in ideologies as extremist, tarian work, now have the said Obama's changes were but we've found common Cuban-American relations which led to the implemen- right to do so. In the financial "clearly intended to circum- ground for a simple reason; occurred mid-December tation of a trade embargo, as sector, American banks now vent the intent and spirit of our fifty-four-year-old ap- when President Obama well as a severing of all dip- will have the ability to open the U.S. law and the U.S. proach intended to promote loosened regulations on the lomatic relations with Cuba branches in Cuba, as well as Congress." Others quoted human rights and democ- interactions between the the following year. In 1993, to allow American customers concerns about the implica- racy in Cuba has failed." * two nations. The changes, the U.S. tightened the embar- to use United States credit or tions of these changes, like which were brought about go, forcing Cuban leadership debit cards during their time Florida Senator Marco Ru- after negotiations to re- to sign an agreement with the in Cuba. Finally, imports and bio. "These new policies will lease American government U.S. allowing the emigration exports will be restored in a have the effect of enriching subcontractor Alan Gross of 20,000 Cuban refugees per limited fashion, with Ameri- the tyrant without benefitting Jared is a senior biocheniistry from Cuban custody, in- year to quell protests from its can citizens being able to Cubans," he said in a state- major. teams. agreed stating, "Practice times include creating a wellness as two facilities in which to NPEC Yom page 1 Lord stated this semes- are more consistent." Bell center at the location. "Well- practice them, Lord spoke ter offers a wider variety of also believes the dual use of ness involves the whole per- to the overall fitness level of intramurals, with the future both facilities has had a posi- son," stated Rob Pool, Vice the Houghton College com- since becoming an NCAA possibility of indoor ultimate tive effect on the health habits President of Student Life. The munity stating, "According to Division 111 institution. The frisbee in the KPFH. of students, "I think the addi- whole person refers to one's our wellness and fitness pro- existence of the KPFH serves The new arrangement is tion of KPAC has encouraged academics, spirituality, men- fessors, we are below average to allow for a spreading out of beneficial to current student- more students to work out... tal health, and fitness. "Each [in physical fitness]". indoor winter sports and out- athletes. Emily Cronin, a because they (NPEC and of those aspects are really just Lord hopes that the added door spring sports as well as member of both the women's KPFH) are less crowded." available ...41 la carte cur- space the KPFH adds to both track and field (which is both basketball and softball teams, According to Lord, the rently" Pool added.