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ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPERthewheel-scu.tumblr.com This newspaper, like many other things, is recyclable.

pg. 10

THE HUBCAP

The Wheel Sims, awards, and stories.

LIFT AND SEPARATE

Bosom buddies: how to nd the ultimate bra.

University additions underwayto improve student experience

By Devon Arndtsenior sta writer

A changeo space

See EXPECTING, pg. 2

By BeckyDoucette

and AlexaChihos

News in brie Updates on headlines fromaround town and around theglobe

Census data shows shit in childrearingResults from the 2010 Census Bureau

reveal that women who get their collegedegree are waiting longer to have childrenin comparison to women who did notnish high school. The 2000 census showedthat 42% of women with college degreesbetween the ages of 25 and 34 had children.Ten years later, 76% of the same women,now between 35 and 44 have had children.This could be linked to the rise in womenshigher education since the 1980s, which hasled to women seeking career security andmarriage before having children.

As the end of the academic year approaches,many administrators are hard at workdesigning a strategic growth plan for St.Catherine University (SCU).

Performa Higher Education, an externalconsulting team composed of higher educationprofessionals, campus planners, and designers,is currently collaborating with SCU to considerhow the campus may develop over the nextthree, ve, ten, and even twenty years.

The university has educated women to leadand inuence over the past 100+ years. TheMaster Space Plan seeks to continue thattradition by preserving key features andfacilities. These include investments in

academic, residential and co-curricular facilitiesand fostering a sustainable environment onour campuses, Tom Rooney, Vice Presidentfor Finance and Administration and ChiefFinancial Ofcer, said.

Rooney, Jim Manship (Director of Facilities),and the Presidents Cabinet have beendeveloping a Master Space Plan (MSP) formany years. The 2020 Strategic Plan wasapproved by the Board of Trustees in fall2009, and Rooney and Manship have sincebeen receiving input from students, faculty,administration, alumnae, board, neighbors,and the Sisters of St. Joseph.

On May 5 and 6, SCU students, staff,and faculty had the opportunity to attendworkshops held by Performa. Participantshad an opportunity to discuss future campus

development opportunities with the aid of

a working model of the campus and sharetheir ideas and concerns about the projectplans. Many participants expressed concernsabout parking, housing, and sustainability.

While the issue of parking was not specicallyaddressed, Performa is aware of the issue. Asfor sustainability, Performa is aware of thePresidents Climate Commitment (PCC) andwill take sustainability into account once

the plan is implemented, Carolyn Glime,Vice President/Owner of Performa HigherEducation, said.

Upcoming changes include increasingstudent enrollment in Undergraduate andGraduate Program. Under Vision 2020,SCU would provide additional on-campushousing for students (including student-parents) by building new residence hallsand using the top three oors of WhitbyHall as housing. The plan also includes anathletic eld house and a STEM building.The Minneapolis campus will also undergochanges, including expanded food service.

Performa and administrators are hopefulthat despite the growth, SCU will be able tomaintain a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio andthus plans to increase staff growth by 2%.

As for foreseeable obstac les , theadministration is optimistic. I do not forseeany obstacles working with Performa and keystakeholders in delivering an approved Vision2020 Master Space Plan by October 2011.However, we can expect implementing theplan recommendations will require severalyears and many dollars. Each need will beprioritized given the time and financialresource constraints, Rooney said.

As always, students involvement isencouraged. Students interested shouldcontact student Senate Resident Senator,Brooke Dahler (First Year) and Curt Galloway,Associate Dean and member of the ProjectLeadership Team.

Devon can be reached at

dvarndt@stkate.edu.

Martha Malinski, the director of the Centerfor Community Work and Learning, is thequintessential picture of an expectantmother--and with the baby bump to proveit. Something Malinski has to contend with,however, is that St. Catherine University(SCU) does not have a formal, paid parentalleave for its employees. As a result, Malinski,who is due in late May, will rely on the paidsick days she has accumulated over the sixyears she has worked at SCU in order tohave paid time off during the birth and

early care of her child.The lack of a parental leave policy at SCUis a social justice issue that is not reectiveof womens lives and the multiple realitiesand identities that women have, Malinskisaid. It also is the social justice part of [theuniversitys] mission that compels us evenmore to create a healthy and respectfulwork environment. I believe things like paidleave to lactation spaces to flexible workhours lead to more productive employeesand thats in the students best interest.

In accordance with the federal FamilyMedical Leave Act (FMLA), SCU offers unpaidleave of six weeks to faculty and staff thatqualify as natural or adoptive parents. SCUalso offers unpaid parental leave to regularemployees that work at least part-time.

Although employees can use their paid sickand vacation days as well as le for short-term disability take time off to prepare andcare for their children, many employees feelthat if SCU is to live up to its claim of beingthe most innovative college for women inthe nation, it should take the lead on this

Expecting more SCU faculty and staff shareneed for broader family-oriented services

By Bre Berg and Jennifer

Quayle

sta writers

women-centric issue by implementing aformal paid parental leave.

Currently, Macalester College and HamlineUniversity are the only two Associated Colleges

of the Twin Cities (ACTC) schools offeringtheir employees a six week paid parentalleave. At the University of St. Thomas, anemployee can request up to two weeks ofpaid leave when the birth or adoption of achild occurs.

We make an effort to meet with peoplewho have concerns by sitting down andexplaining their options, Susan Sexton,director of Human Resources, said. Westrive to do that with each employee.

While there isnt a paid parental leaveavailable for employees, there are othermeans of compensation.

Five years ago, SCU began offeringemployees short-term disabili ty, [leave]Sexton said. More people who are preparingto have a child choose this. Short-term

disability is paid at 60 percent of full payand excludes taxes.Navigating the options available can seem

complex and confusing for an employeeas she or he prepares for parental leave.When employees take a leave of absencefrom the university, they typically elect touse any paid sick and vacation days theyhave accrued in order to cover the timethey are gone. Each full-time employeereceives 12 days of sick time per year, whilea part-time employee receives six sick daysper year. After those sick and vacation daysare used, the employee will no longer bepaid for the remaining time of her or hisabsence.

Financially its hard to sift through whatthe best option is as an employee, and every

family situation is different, Malinski said.Many people are reliant on the incomeand cant take that time off.

Paid sick time and vacation days arenot available to every employee; adjunctprofessors, for example, are excluded.When Jennifer Adam, adjunct Family and

Consumer Nutrition Science professorand slide librarian for the art department,was preparing to welcome her son Jorgenthree years ago, she was informed thatwhile she had a limited amount of paidsick and/or vacation days as a part-timeadjunct professor, once she used thoseshe eventually would not be paid at allduring her leave. Adam was on leave for

three months and was relieved to returnto paid employment.

Macalester offers a six-week paid leave forall faculty men and women who are full-time,have worked at the school for at least twoyears, and have two years left on their contract.Part-time faculty are offered over one-halftime if they have worked at Macalester formore than two years continuously. Staff who

are regular full-time employees and haveworked at the college for two years are alsoeligible for this paid parental leave.

Its a very well received and appreciatedbenet, Patrick Stephen, benets managerat Macalester College, said. It supportsour overall philosophy of our approachto a work-life balance. It is rare to notbe gender-specific. It does speak to ourprogressive values at Macalester.

When she first came to work at SCU,Malinski was aware of the unpaid leave.

I think it probably does keep prospectiveemployees from either applying or acceptingpositions, Malinski said. Or it is a reasonwhy people leave and pursue other optionselsewhere for employment.

For example, when assistant professor

of Psychology, Jamie Peterson, was aprospective faculty member, she made ita point to review the SCU parental leavepolicy.

I was dismayed, Peterson said, I wasespecially disappointed because I expected St.

THE

WHEEL

MAY 13, 2011

VOLUME 78

ISSUE 14

Martha Malinski in her ofce in theCenter for Community Work andLearning. Photo by Heather Kolnick.

Michigan students walk out oncommencement ceremony

Over 100 recently graduated lawyersfrom the University of Michigan LawSchool walked out of the commencementceremony in protest of a speech deliveredby anti-gay Ohio Sen. Rob Portman(R). Portman has formally opposed gayadoption in Washington, D.C. and openly

opposes gay marriage. Students whotook part in the protest claimed that theviews portrayed in Sen. Portmans speechwere incompatible with human dignity.

Minneapolis stadium game changerMinneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has

proposed a one billion dollar plan torebuild the Vikings Stadium, renovatethe Target Center, and cut propertytaxes. Rybak requested that the Vikingspay $400 million 45 percent of thetotal cost of the proposed plan, whilethe city and state would make up thedifference. The two to three years it willtake to proceed with the plan will openup 9,000 construction jobs. The proposalis still being negotiated with the Vikings.

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NEWS & OPINION2 | The Wheel May 13, 2011

ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY WHEEL STAFFVolume 78, Issue 14

Editor-in-Chie: TREZA ROSADOLayout Designer: SARAH WENTEAssociate Editor: RACHEL ARMSTRONGAssistant Editors: BECKY DOUCETTE, ALEXA CHIHOSCopy Editor: DANA BLOOMQUISTPhoto Editors: JESSICA JONES, HEATHER KOLNICKPhotographers: SARAH WENTEAdviser: SHEILA ELDREDSenior Sta Writers: CLAIRE DAVIDSON, DANA BLOOMQUIST, JORDYNARNDT, DEVON ARNDT, ELISSA JOHNSON

Sta Writers: BRE BERG, JENNIFER QUAYLE, MAGGIE WEISS, HEATHER

KOLNICK

I you would like to write or The Wheel, please contact us atwheel@stkate.edu.

MISSION STATEMENTThe Wheel aspires to refect the diversity and unique atmosphere thatcomprises St. Catherine University. We strive to provide an inclusivenewspaper primarily or the students and by the students. The Wheelpromotes the vision o empowering women to lead and infuenceas well as an understanding o the university community inside andoutside o the gates. As a sta we aim to meet the highest journal-istic standards and stand in accordance with the 1st Amendment othe Constitution o the United States o America and policies o priorrestraint. The Wheel is not a public relations vehicle or any SCU indi-vidual, group, department or or the college as a whole. We welcomeeedback and encourage an open discourse. The Wheel is supported bystudent unds and is distributed ree o charge.

EXPECTING continued...What is the Family Medical Leave Act?

-The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 is a United States federal law

which requires employers of 50 or more employees to provide unpaid leave and

job protection for its workers during a medical-related leave.

-In order to be covered under FMLA, regular full-time employees and part-time

employees must have worked for their employer for 12 months for 1,250 hours or

more within that year.

-According to the U.S. Department of Labor, The FMLA entitles eligible employeesof covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specied family medical

reasons.

-An employee can take up to 12 work weeks of leave in one year for the birth of

a child, adoption, or foster care of a child.

By Elissa Johnson

political columnist

Theory to action:Together at the end

o the world

At the beginning of the year, I was presented with the idea of penning a political columnfor this ne publication. I thought itd be a great idea; it would keep me informed, helpto link campus, national, and global news, and, more often than not, provide a mediumin which I could share my political opinions with the broader campus community.However, it became somewhat a creature of its own as my writing and thoughts turnedmore toward various kinds of activism. I thought at one point that this column hadshirked its original duties and had become a forum for community organizing. Theconnection can be made clearly enough: individuals are organized generally becauseof or in opposition to some political matter.

This is not what I had originally intended for this column.At the All-College Awards ceremony last week, President Andrea Lee (IHM) gave a

speech that seemed pleasantly appropriate for that type of event. She congratulatednominees, spoke highly of the faculty and staff whose daily encouragement and guidancehelped create a student body that succeeds, and recognized St. Catherine Universitys

(SCU) history of leadership and excellence.For a moment toward the end of her otherwise eloquent speaking, she seemed tobreak from her prompt. With candor, she recounted seeing news coverage of campusesacross the nation with students taking to streets and quads, rejoicing in the murder ofOsama Bin Laden by American forces. These students were representative of a largerAmerican cry of satisfaction at the death of the most wanted terrorist in the world. Moreso, the celebration of college students justified the jubilation as more than merely aYeah! We got em! victory cry and placed the joy in higher education, an elite realmwhere a greater level of analysis and accountability occurs. Surely, if these studentswere celebrating, this was truly an undeniable victory.

President Lee did not stop with this. She described her wonder at why she had notseen SCU students taking to the quad, shouting prideful chants, and basking in theirnewly found American patriotism. She surmised that it was because SCU studentswere reacting to the same event with a different level of analysis. She said SCU studentswere capable of noting the complexity of this assassination and of digging deeper toexamine the effects of such an act beyond their hometowns, immediate families, orthis country. This kind of complex thinking warranted no shouting or assembly. I wasstruck at this moment with a sense of hope that she was right.

I want to believe that the individuals who attend SCU do so for a liberal arts education.I want to believe that SCU students strive to think globally and act locally and that theygo beyond simply noting the complexities of national and global matters by choosing tolive each day in a manner that reects what they want for the world.

I want to believe that SCU faculty and staff promote a global community in theirclassrooms and working environments and that they support diversity in the student body.I want to believe that the faculty and staff will do more (even more) to expose the presenceof privilege and oppression in every lesson, from social work to biology, as these forceswork in our world to inuence every piece of information.

I want to believe that the administration will support faculty in this mission andmake its own commitment to diversity in its hiring practices so that every studentsidentity is reected in the examples of academic leadership. I want to believe that theadministration is still as connected to the student body as the rst sisters who taughtclasses themselves and ran the school with authority and grace.

It takes action to maintain this system of belief. I think this is why my political columntook shape as a call to action more often than not. It seems less taxing to merely keepinformed, but when one is thinking at the level of criticism that President Lee described,one cant help but be distracted by the breadth and depth of politics.

To sustain her hopes, we must move beyond keeping informed; we must push throughfeelings of despair when the world seems too much. We must think and act with our minds,hearts, and guts to create individual accountability. This personal accountability will growas more of us make the commitment to circumstances greater than ourselves. We willconstruct a movement that not only stands for justice, but also knows what a task it i s todene precisely what justice means for each of us.

Years from now, when we will be asked what it was like to nd out that the U.S. had killedthe most wanted terrorist of our generation, we will respond by noting what it felt like tocreate one. When we are asked what it was like to elect the rst African-American presidentof the United States, we will recount what it was like for our nation to doubt his nationalityand capability as a leader. I want to believe that when we are asked what we thought aboutthe major events that have taken place in our lifetimes that we will respond with what wedid to promote what we knew to be right and good and just. I want to believe that eachof you share this hope with me.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard.

Elissa can be reached at ejjohnson@stkate.edu.

Kates, with its strong history of empoweringwomen, to be more nancially supportiveof women and their families.

Right now its those subtle messages thatget sent saying that Im sick when Imtaking care of a child, Malinski said. Thesubtle messages that build up that are not inthe best interest of employees or the overallinstitution or the students experience here.

I appreciate that there are some provisionsfor faculty who go on maternity or paternityleave, Peterson said, however, I dislike thatthe leave is covered under sick or disabilitytime. Caring for a newborn is not somethingthat should qualify as an illness, nor shouldhaving a new baby at home be considereda disability.

Despite the lack of a parental leave policy,many faculty and staff members say they havefound support within their departments,

I found out I had to be on bed rest on aFriday afternoon, and by Monday morningmy colleagues had mobilized: my classeswere covered and plans were in place tomeet my students needs, Peterson said.Dean Alan Silva and my colleagues inthe psychology department and the core

department were amazing.Patricia Montalbano, mother of two andpart-time professor in the English department,currently has a part-time contract.

Im getting a living wage and Imparticipating in the department and givingwhat I can, she said. [SCU] never forcedme to work full-time and its just a really nicebalance of being able to be home part-timeand here part-time.

Ned Moore, social justice coordinator for

Campus Ministry, and his wife are expectingtheir rst child in July. For Moore, his built-in benet of summers off is essential forhis family.

Its such a critical time in the developmentof your family, having that chance to putother things aside and really spend thattime to bond and be together as a familyfor those rst couple weeks, Moore said. Ithink thats also important for society andimportant from a social justice standpoint

that families are valued. As a culture, thereis so much of that rush to be productive andget back to work.

Moore is fortunate in that his child isdue while he is able to have time off. Somefaculty and staff have gone so far as to try toschedule their pregnancies based on SCUsacademic schedule.

Colleagues have told me to try to timethings so that children are born in thesummer, thereby alleviating the needfor compensation while taking care of anewborn at home, Peterson said. However,after struggling with infertility for threeyears, I had given up on timing the birthof a child with my employment contractand I resent the implication that the miracleof pregnancy and childbirth should be

planned around an employment contract.Several of the faculty and staff membersinterviewed shared ideas for a parentalleave policy.

Montalbano recognizes the hypocrisy ofan all-women institution not providing alegitimate parental leave while providingextensive resources for student-parents.

There are so many support systems inplace for student parents that we shouldhave in place for faculty, Montalbano said.

Heidi Anderson-Isaacson, Director ofResidence Life, suggests a time-sharingoption.

I would like to see some kind of paid ortime off option or a sick time sharing pool.There are a lot of people who build up timebut dont use it, Anderson-Isaacson said.There are others who need the time becauseof a family emergency or for bed rest.

Anderson-Isaacson was hired in June 2002and gave birth to twins, Emma and Eleanor,in July 2003.

I felt bad because I was getting pregnantso soon after getting the job and had beenworking only a short time, Anderson-Isaacsonsaid. I was scared about having to go on bedrest because thats even more time. If therehad been a maternity leave policy I wouldnthave pushed so hard to not go on bed rest.

Peterson is currently expecting twins and

has been on bed rest for seven weeks, per herdoctors orders.

I shudder when I think about what wouldhave happened if I didnt have eight weeksof paid time accumulated, Peterson said. Ifthis had happened during my rst or secondyear of teaching, I would have lost over amonth of pay. That loss of pay, combinedwith the medical bills, would have made for

a really expensive leave.If a place like St. Kates isnt willing to doit, then it doesnt give a very good argumentto other institutions and corporations to dotheir part as well, Adam said.

Jennifer can be reached atjequayle@stkate.edu.

Bre can be reached atbmberg@stkate.edu.

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Educating women to lead and inuence.Sound familiar? It should. It is an integral component of the St. Catherine University

(SCU) mission statement. However, I question how well SCU graduates are actuallyprepared to lead and inuence in a complex, globalized world, when so few of themhave familiarity with a second (or third or fourth) language. While many of SCUs

multicultural, international, and foreign language majors and minors have foreignlanguage prociency, the vast majority of SCU students do not. Only eight percentof the students graduating in May 2011 have a major or minor in a foreign language.

Learning a foreign language is about more than memorizing verb conjugations,vocabulary words, and idiomatic expressions.

It is about learning another way of seeing the world, expanding ones understanding

of other cultures, and thus reexamining ones own language and culture. Aspiringleaders are more effective when they can examine issues through multiple lenses. In

light of the Year of the Liberal Arts, learning languages is an integral component ofintellectual inquiry. Foreign languages innately facilitate these processes.

SCU is the only school among the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities, CarletonCollege, and St. Olaf College that does not implement a foreign language prociency

exam upon entry; these schools require two to ve semesters of language study.Conversely, SCU students who have taken several years of high school foreign language

or ASL are permitted to fulll their language requirement without demonstrating

their level of prociency on an exam. Thus, foreign languages are the only liberal artsrequirement at SCU that can be waived based on high school performance. This isconcerning, due to the varying quality of high school language courses.

The argument for not implementing stricter foreign language requirements atSCU is often cited as a nancial and time concern for students. Thus, implementingmore stringent language requirements is perceived as a burden. Both are legitimate

concerns; however, I argue that the perceived value of learning a foreign languageneeds to be reassessed. Learning a foreign language is a key component of the liberalarts and enables students to connect with people, ideas, and regions of the world more

profoundly; other Minnesota private colleges recognize this.Furthermore, there is actually no data that proves we would lose students by increasing

our foreign language requirements or implementing a language prociency exam, as

we have never implemented this rule. Private colleges near us do not seem to be losingany students with a more stringent foreign language requirement.

Students who study foreign languages are high achievers. Having foreign language

or ASL study is a requirement for nomination to Phi Beta Kappa, the most prestigiousliberal arts society in the nation. While foreign language majors only comprise vepercent of the day students graduating in May 2011, they comprise 20 percent of the

Phi Beta Kappa inductees. Furthermore, all three of the French majors graduatingin May 2011 are Phi Beta Kappa inductees. We represent a disproportionately largepercentage given that French majors comprise only one percent of students graduating

in May 2011. Of the 11 Spanish majors and nine Spanish minors, two are Phi BetaKappa inductees. Furthermore, Anika Bratt, a Spanish minor, was the salutatorianfor the December 2010 graduating class.

Studies have shown that studying a foreign language helps native English speakers tobetter understand English grammar and improve their writing skills in English. This

is evident at SCU, as the winners of the top writing awards this year, including theExcellence in Research on Women Award, Best Senior Honors Project Award, and theBonnie Jean Kelly and Joan Kelly Student Excellence in Writing Awards as well as thetwo Kelly Award Honorable Mentions, were all foreign language majors, double majors,

or triple majors. The ability to communicate effectively is an integral component of aliberal arts education. Foreign language majors demonstrate this skill par excellence.

Thus, I would like to ask the SCU administration if, while hosting the various award

ceremonies on campus this spring, they happened to notice how many foreign languagestudents were top award recipients. Is that not the kind of representation SCU woulddesire in the international world?

My hope would be that the answer would be yes. Does it not highlight the need formore legitimate curricular support from SCU for a program that is producing excellentstudents with very little institutional support?

As I conclude this column and my year as the Wheels international columnist, Iwould like to reveal my personal investment in this issue at SCU. I am a French doublemajor, have studied Wolof and Arabic, and teach language and culture at Lac du Bois,

a French immersion camp, during the summer. I believe in the power of language tobridge cultural barriers, foster cross-cultural understanding, and improve ones abilityto communicate in an increasingly intertwined and multicultural world.

Most importantly, I am deeply concerned by SCUs proclaimed support of the liberalarts, internationalization, and fostering of womens leadership while concurrentlyconsolidating the foreign language department, failing to implement a language

proficiency exam, and waiving the language requirement based on high schoolperformance. Learning multiple languages is essential to responsible global citizenship.Inuential global leaders cannot truly address some of the worlds greatest challenges

if they are limited to one language and one way of seeing the world.

World peace would be better fostered if we understood it as paix, jamm, and salaam

as well.

Jordyn can be reached at jearndt@stkate.edu.

Breaking down walls:Dead languages?

By Jordyn Arndtinternational columnist

Editorial:A pre-commencementaddress to the class o 2011

By Trza Rosado

editor-in-chie

My least favorite question to answer over the last four years is also, unfortunately, oneof the most frequently asked.So, how did you decide on St. Kates?It seems like such a simple question. Perhaps you are here, today, because you wanted

to experience a nursing program celebrated for its integration of the humanities and thesciences. Perhaps you are here as a result of your four-years-ago selfs total devotion toboth biology and social justice. Perhaps you felt called by the mission statement were allso familiar with: teaching women to lead and inuence.

More likely however, you came to St. Kates because of the scholarships or because offamily or because you really, really loved the campus.

Most anyone who knows me (and even those who dont know me particularly well)know that the College of St. Catherine was never the school I imagined myself attending.

So whenever people ask me, innocently, Why did you choose St. Kates? my answer isnever the same and its never what they were probably expecting. Instead, this unsuspectingconversant, some fellow student or barista or something, is treated to a philosophical treatiseon how I got here. How this place, over the course of several chance circumstances, choseme. How it kept me and grew me and bent me entirely out of shape and is now sending meoff into the world with a diploma and a skill set mostly composed of critiquing literature

and avoiding unfortunate deadlines.After a 22-hour car ride from northwestern Montana, I arrived on this campus with toomany books and a devastating lack of enthusiasm for meeting new people or touring mynew home. I decorated my (single) dorm room with the Gryfndor colors of scarlet andgold and hung up a poster of Harry Potter preparing to defeat Lord Voldemort.

According to my admittedly limited emotional metaphor, I was Harry Potter and thestate of Minnesota was Lord Voldemort.

Clearly, something really dramatic happened to me between the ages of 18 and 22.Its nearly impossible to pinpoint what, exactly, changed for me about this place and

about my place, here. There is simply something about this College that creeps into yourfundamental framing of the world.

Its the education, I sometimes tell people. And I dont mean the required core coursesor the courses for your major or minor. I mean the experiential education of entering thiscommunion of women, learning and stretching, often uncomfortably, until the metaphoricjoints of our minds get used to the social, political, and spiritual revelations.

Its the eye-opening realization, repeated every day for four years, that the injustices ofthis world extend far beyond the state of our healthcare system or the plight of same-sexcouples in this country. What we had perhaps taken for granted as localized instances of

oppression are actually systemic, interconnected mechanisms of an oppressive hegemonybent on maintaining the status quo.That is to say, more simply, that this world is perhaps more lost now than ever before

and the education weve received at St. Kates has perhaps uniquely prepared us to staredown that status quo and ip it on its head.

I say uniquely because St. Kates, in reality, is no Macalester. It makes no idealistic claimsabout changing the world through a youth revolution. Its ethos is that of quiet, politeexcellence. But there is an undercurrent of activism here that I would challenge any ACTCschool to match. And that activist heart is kept beating by a faculty pushing and proddingits too-polite student body, stoking the res of active resistance over passive assimilation.

For that reason, sometimes, Im convinced the allure of St. Kates actually lies with thefaculty: the professors who meet their students for drinks, who provide us with threedifferent numbers to reach them, who send us notices about lm screenings and free showsand poetry readings. The professors who dont inch when you announce that youre anEnglish major taking general biology and youre unsure what chemistry has to do withanything, ever.

Its the professors, I sometimes tell people. And Im completely condent in thatresponse too.

But then I think about the students Ive encountered in the last four years. These aresome of the mostly profoundly busy people youre likely to come across in an undergraduatesetting. We are busy with so many equally valid and valuable things.

We are passionately living out the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph by ghting thosepositions we nd unjust and unacceptable.

We are busy putting out a student newspaper that attempts, without the aid of a journalismdepartment, to address the myriad concerns of our student and faculty population in anobjective, engaging way.

We are busy greening this beautiful campus, educating students on how to re-use andrecycle while challenging our administration to set a progressive example.

We are organizing events to celebrate our growing international population, introducingan extremely Minnesotan student body to cultures and traditions we might not otherwiseever encounter.

We are (occasionally) protesting administrative policies and ceaselessly ghting forstudent rights.

Basically, we are busy making the oft-criticized multitasking tendencies of our generationinto something more useful than texting while taking lecture notes.

Its the students, I sometimes tell people. And I mean it.

I have to reect on all of these things when I try to address that question asked by myfriends and family and complete strangers:Why St. Kates?I have to walk them through this four-year process of maturing beyond the 18-year old

me and my idealistic dream of what college should be instead of what college could be. Asit turns out, college can be so many things. Too many things to list here. And this collegecan still be so many things. Although it is out of my hands now, I would hope that theadministrators and professors and students I leave behind are left with an indelible imprintof the passion of this years graduating class. I hope that we have left a radical examplefor the direction this institution should take: that of action rather than passivity, progressrather than stagnancy.

And, for us, this graduating class of 2011, our learning doesnt stop with this diploma.If anything, this bit of paper demands we give our ful l attention to the world around us; itshould serve as a constant reminder that we know better. We know better than to sit backand allow the world to continue on, in the same way it always has, without the considerableinuence of our radical, youthful passion.

We know better because we are St. Kates women.

Trza can be reached at tjrosado@stkate.edu.

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OPINION4 | The Wheel May 13, 2011

Letters to

the Editor

Wheel Readers The St. Catherine

University

community continues

to respond to the

tenure case o Sr.

Catherine Michaud

May 9, 2011

Dear Editor,

I am writing this letter in response to yourarticle in the April 29, 2011 issue of The Wheelregarding the tenure denial of Sr. Catherine

Michaud. I am shocked, saddened, and in

disbelief at the Administrations decision todeny tenure to Sr. Catherine.

I am very fortunate to have taken the threeclasses Sr. Catherine teaches at the graduatelevel in the MAT program. Simply put, Sr.

Catherine is the nest teacher I have ever had.She brings out the best in me and makes mewant to live up to her expectation of what I

am capable of. Some of the moments in herclasses when we are talking about God are soreverent, they feel like holy moments, Gods

time. She will have a lifelong effect on me.Besides making me a better student, she

May 8, 2011

Dear Editor,In a recent Wheel article entitled

Tenure Denial Divides regardingSister Catherine Michaud, I fnd itquestionable on the administrativeend that in all o Sister Catherinesevaluations no prior mention wasmade o any deiciency in herscholarship beore tenure wasdenied, as reported by ThomasWest.

Proper protocol in cases o tenure

would have provided Sister Catherinewith the chance to rectiy any

Dear Editor:

The chronology o events described in the story Tenure Denial Divides suggests divisions ar greater than can be ully captured in print. The actual

truths o Dr. Catherine Michauds tenure denial may never become clear to anyone outside o a ew very private conversations. However, positive and

supportive statements about Dr. Michaud rom the past and current theology department chairs indicate that something is terribly amiss in the University

administrations denial o Sr. Catherines request or tenure. Transparency is lacking, or at best, is a misplaced value in an institution that celebrates

multiculturalism, nondiscrimination, and ethical policies and procedures.

It is incomprehensible that the past theology department chairs and the Faculty Personnel Committee would have recommended Dr. Michaud or tenure

i they had any reason to doubt it would have been granted. A successul outcome was anticipated, even expected. Ater all, Dr. Catherine Michaud, CSJhad received exceptional evaluations by two theology department chairs during her 18 years o teaching at SCU, served or several years as Director o

the Masters o Arts in Theology (MAT) Program, and actively served on numerous university committees that benefted rom her expertise and talents.

Something isnt adding up to equal the administrative rationale to deny tenure!

The search or truth and justice are at the heart o Catholic social justice teaching. To act in any other way trivializes the gospel we preach and teach.

Hang in there Dr. Michaud! Truth sets us all ree and justice eventually prevails.

Tanya Williams

tfwill@earthlink.net

As a new certicate seeking student, I am distressedthat a Catholic institution of higher learning, especiallyone with the stellar reputation of St. Catherines, would

be so unjust in their practices of granting tenure. Asa woman of similar age to Sr. Catherine, I cant helpbut wonder if this is a carefully veiled situation of agediscrimination. She is an exceptional educator andmentor for her students, as has been attested to by themany letters in the last issue of the Wheel.

Carole ZempelDirector o Childrens MinistryTransfguration Catholic Church6133 15th Street N.Oakdale, MN 55128czempel@transfgurationmn.org

The Wheel would

like to extend

a thank you to

everyone who

submitted letters.

has made me a better person.

When I weigh the profound impact that Sr.Catherine has had on her students and fellowfaculty against the Administrations decision

to deny tenure to her, its like a math equationthat just simply doesnt add up. How canthey deny future students the opportunity

and the life-changing experience of having

Sr. Catherine as an instructor? Sr. Catherineis a prophet who speaks the word of truth.

I cannot help but wonder if this is the truereason that the Administration wants to getrid of her. Those of us who love Sr. Catherine

and hold her in the highest regard, however,will always remember her and will never forget

the injustice done by this Administration.

Sincerely,

Mari Taffe

mtaffe@comcast.net

inconsistencies barring her romtenure. However, i this was notthe case, then an injustice hasbeen served.

I can only suspect that this lacko observing proper protocolwas irresponsibleor worse yet,intentionalon the part o St.Kates administration.

Unlike [theology aculty Ed]Sellners evocative responseredolent o blind acceptancethatprotocol was ollowed, I am waryo such short-sighted acquiescence

regarding authority. Can we aordsuch compliant postures as this?Could there be another agenda atwork at St. Kates, one that eedsinstitutional coers rather than itsproessed claim o social justice?

So I must ask, has social justicebecome a barren byword at St.Catherine University, evacuated

o the very ethics upon which theSisters o St. Joseph o Carondelet[CSJ] originally ounded this college?

Where have all the CSJs gone?Why is their presence waning inthis school while injustice, like inSister Catherines case, seems tobe on the rise? Could it be thatthis school appears to be dritingaway rom its oundational visiono social justice? Sister Catherineis a poignant reminder o thisdynamic at work.

In a January 5, 2005 MPR interview

on the 100th anniversary o St.Kates, President Leea sister othe Immaculate Heart o Maryorderasserted that it was theSisters o St. Josephs determinedand pioneering spirit that echoesthrough this community, stating,Theres a wonderul quote thatweve used over and over in the

centennial year . . . The soul oa pioneer woman is a beautiulthing, in terms o her willingnessto break new ground, take risks,seek adventure and to do thingsthat hadnt been done beore.

Is not Sister Catherine exemplaro a pioneering woman, the verywoman that President Lee applauds?Willing to break new ground,taking risks, seeking adventure.All o these qualities, purported byPresident Lee as quintessential othe ounding spirit o St. Catherine

University, are the very qualitiesound in Sister Catherinequalities,I opine, unwelcomed by St. Katescurrent administration.

Patricia Chandlerpatriciachandler1969@yahoo.com

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Dear editors of the Wheel:Kudos to you for the excellent, well-balanced story about Dr. Michauds tenure denial in your last

issue. You articulated the situation clearly and sought voices from all sides in a very difcult and

private personnel matter. I would like to suggest for those of us who are very upset and confused by

the universitys action to ask the college with the permission of Sr. Catherine to address the issue

that they say was cause for her denial. Rightfully so, [Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts and

Sciences] Dr. Silva acknowledged her excellent teaching and her very hard work leading the St. Kates

graduate program in theology. Im a two-time graduate of St. Catherine [University] with my MA in

theology. I also enjoyed many years of employment at the college where, as part of the administrative

staff, I celebrated the tenure of many excellent teachers, leaders, and scholars. At the end of each

academic year, all faculty who had published an article, book, or had directed a presentation were

recognized and celebrated. I know from attending these celebrations each year and from reading

many years of internal staff notices celebrating faculty, that Dr. Michaud did a large share of publishing

articles in theological and pastoral ministry journals and contributed a thoughtful article to a well-

received book on Vatican II and late Bishop Raymond Lucker. I have read all of these plus have kept

up-to-date on the countless presentations Sr. Catherine has made on pastoral ministry, Vatican II,

lay ministry, and spiritual direction, both locally and nationally to church groups and her professional

scholarly associations. Her CV, as I understand it, stands strongly with her other outstanding tenured

faculty peers at St. Catherine. Im confused and puzzled that the reason given by Dean Silva and the

college for her denial of tenure is her lack of scholarship. As a long time supervisor and manager who

understands the importance of privacy in all HR decisions, I wonder if her considerable scholarly work

was judged fairly, etc. by the exact same criteria as all other St. Catherine faculty who were awarded

tenure in terms of quality and quantity. I would be terribly disappointed and angry to think that others

with less scholarly credentials were granted tenure while a scholar just as deserving were denied if

ever this came to light. As this probably will never be disclosed, as it hasnt been to Sr. Catherine, I

hope and pray that the destruction of a long and distinguished academic and scholarly career wastruly justied by a tenure system that was completely just based on the mission and Catholic social

justice foundation of St. Catherine University. I would also hope that those who made this decision,

one that is terribly confusing and hurtful to all who know and support the ne work of Sr. Catherine,

feel completely at peace with your decision regarding Dr. Catherine Michauds case.

Sincerely,

Julie Balamut

BA 80, MA 08.

OPINIONMay 13, 2011 The Wheel | 5

Graphic courtesy of http://www.aperfectworld.org/.

May 8, 2011

Sister Catherine was very instrumentalin my being able to fnish my certifcatein spiritual direction this past year. I hadgraduated with my MA in theology in2000 but had not completed one class ormy certifcate. Last summer, I appealedto the department and she met withme. She helped me determine how toproceed and I will receive my certifcatein spiritual direction this spring.

I have not had the privilege o takinga class rom Sister Catherine. Myellow students, however, cannot sayenough about her teaching skills andher determination to have everyonesucceed. It would be a real injustice ishe could not continue the work she isknown or here at St. Kates.

Sincerely,Karen Brubak

Dear Editor,I am writing in response to the ront-page story

about my being denied tenure by the Administrationand the Board o Trustees at St. Catherine.

As someone who assiduously avoids the limelight,

I thank you or the proessional, respectul way youresearched and presented the story. At no point do youthrow your journalism into question with hyperboleor bias. You cannot be accused o creative writing;you truly tried to get to the heart o the matter andin the process revealed some o the inconsistenciescausing the divide in my regard, and perhaps laidopen or inspection the divide that is cutting to thecore o St. Catherine. This is good reporting.

My thanks, too, to The Wheel reporters who

conducted the interviews around campus in the mostproessional manner, and to your talented layouteditor. Your fne work makes us all proud!

O course, my story is not fnished yet so I wantto keep in touch with my aithul students, alums,colleagues, and Sisters o St. Joseph who have notlet me orget or a moment that I am deeply caredor. My new e-mail address is crmichaud@aol.com.

With gratitude,

Sister Catherine Michaud, CSJ

Dear Editor,Kudos to the staff of The Wheel for

the Tenure Denial Divides story.Without this serious journalism,most of us wouldnt know about thetenure denial travesty happeningon our campus.

The facts are that Sr. CatherineMichaud:

began teaching here in 1994after her doctoral work inSystematic Theology at theJesuit school within the TorontoSchool of Theology, Universityof Toronto

headed the Master of ArtsProgram in Theology forseven years in two consecutiveterms plus the nal year of herpredecessors term

developed and taught 17 different

courses at the undergrad andgraduate levels since she cameto St. Catherine [University]

was nominated several times,and then voted Teacher of theYear in 2006

was invited by the theologyfaculty to convert her rolling(renewable) contract to thetenure-track in 2007-08

was endorsed without questionby her peer reviewers, thetheology department chair, theFaculty Personnel Committeeand the administration duringthe initial tenure process (2008)

was recommended for tenureby her peer reviewers, thetheology department chairand the Faculty PersonnelCommittee 2009-10, but wasdenied by the administration

is beloved by her students asa teacher and advisor

and, to the point of criticismfrom the administration (echoedby the Board) who say she didntpublish enough, Sr. Catherine

published book chapters anddelivered scholarly papers whileshe was carrying challengingteaching loads, serving as advisorto graduate and undergraduatestudents, serving as administratorof the MAT program, and directingtwo certificate programs in thetheology department.

Yet, after this wonderful recordof accomplishment over seventeenyears of dedicated service, Sr.Catherine Michaud is now facingunemployment, while this university

will be without one of its nestleaders and outstanding facultymembers.

Shame on the administrativedecision-makers who have broughtabout this failure.

Jennier PedaltyMaster o Arts in Theology Student

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THE HUBCAP6 | The Wheel May 13, 2011

By Rachel Armstrong

associate editor

The couch: How the Wheelofce got a groove

I really hate IKEA.

Its something about the multiple escalators,the arrows on the oor directing you whereto go, the displayed living room sets fullof thirty-dollar pillows I cant afford, thecardboard pizza and rubbery mac n cheeseavailable in the most awkwardly situatedrestaurant Ive ever visited. Its the warehousefeel. The uorescence. The smell of rubberand carpet cleaner. Its contrived, as if thedining room tables and chairs displayed aretelling me: buy us. This is what your houseshould look like, and if it doesnt, youredoing it wrong.

IKEA just stresses me out.

So when our Editor-in-Chief, Trza,suggested the staff take a eld trip there tond a couch for our poor excuse for an ofce,I didnt want to go. I complained, draggedmy feet, tried to make myself completelyunpleasant to be around so someone wouldsay, You know what, Rachel, youre an alrighteditor, but you complain more than Luke

Skywalker in A New Hope. You cant come.

It didnt work. Instead, we piled into TrzasSuzuki and drove to one of the most anxiety-

inducing spaces ever designed.

The rest of the staff really likes IKEA.And, since I was there, I tried too. I sat onthe couches, pointed at pillows, pretended tocook in fake, overly-clean kitchens like thatone scene in 500 Days of Summer. And itwas okay. We discussed potential couches,discussed the cost of potential couches,despaired at the overly priced Swedish pillows,and, sadly, left with only a rug, a few of thosepillows, and a surprising number of plants.

My rst trip to IKEA left me only despairingover the fact that Id have to return againanother day. But, when we got back to the

ofce and put that rug on the oor for therst time, put the pillows in their places,and set the plants next to the computers, Iimagined myself enjoying the Wheel ofce.I though about walking through the doorwithout panicking over the amount of workthere was to do; envisioned a couch underthe windows where we could sit comfortably.

And I thought if IKEA could deliver me

this vision, we could try again. The secondtime, we knew what we were looking for.We found it almost immediately, as if thatmagnicent, tan suede couch was set nearthe top of the escalator for a reason.

Ignoring the arrows directing us through

the displays, I sat on the couch. It wasntperfect, but I could imagine it sitting underthe windows in place of the looming greytable. I could imagine editors coming intothe Wheel ofce of their own free will to talk,check in, even just sit for a while.

It was decided. We hurried through therest of the arrows, into the warehouse areato pick up our couch. This was it. We didit. I would never have to enter an IKEA everagain. We stuck it on a cart, paid, wheeledit out to Trzas Susuki and realized....therewas no way we were getting a couch and fourwomen back to campus in one trip.

Trza and Sarah drove back to campus, andHeather and I went back into IKEA. I was

practically inconsolable, so I bought a sliceof pizza. At a small red table against largewindows that looked out into the parkinggarage, Heather and I ate cardboard pizza,talked, and waited.

What seemed like an eternity later, wewere nally out the sliding glass doors anddriving away from IKEA. Finally.

The Wheel presents: 2010-2011 editorial awards

Best Headline Maker: Rachel Armstrong

Best/Only Ukelele Player: Heather Kolnick

Best Bromance: Heather Kolnick and Sarah Wente

Best Couch: The New One

Most Entertaining Editor on Vicodin: Alexa Chihos

Most Unanswered Emails: Trza Rosado

Most Consecutive Hours Spent in the Wheel Ofce (12+): Sarah Wente

Best Fashion Sense: Jessica Jones

Best Common (or Comma) Sense: Dana Bloomquist

Best at Chasing Down Interviews: Becky Doucette

The Wheels long-sought couch/bed/workspace, acquired after months of planning and

extensive searching. Photo by Sarah Wente.

I can always tell whos working in the

Wheel ofce by what type of music is playing

when I open the door. In all reality, I spend

way too much of my time with the Wheel

staff. Sometimes, thats a good thing, like

when Sarah listens to Jeopardy while doing

layout, or when a Radiohead song plays on

Pandora and everyone stops editing for a

mandatory Radiohead break. Other times,

usually around the fifth time Sarah has

replayed Welcome to the Black Parade, Im

pretty sure everyone in the ofce is thinking,

Can you put in headphones? We all have

our go-to editing favorites. For me, its the

slow-slide of Adeles voice as I scan for comma

splices. For other editors, its the screamed

chorus of Make Damn Sure. Regardless, if

you hang around the Student Organization

Center long enough, youre sure to hear a few

of these tunes oating from the Wheel ofce.

Editors go-to songs: Sarah: Welcome to the Black Parade

- My Chemical Romance

Dana: Anything Mozart (if just

for a break from so many words)

Rachel:Rolling in the Deep - Adele

Treza: Make Damn Sure- Taking

Back Sunday(for the screaming)

Alexa: Meddler - August Burns Red

Becky: The Moment I Said It -

Imogen Heap

Heather: CocoRosie station on

Pandora

Jessica: I Dont Like It Like This -

Radio Dept

Rachel can be reached atrmarmstrong@skate.edu.

Can you put inheadphones?

By Rachel Armstrong

associate editor

Editors share topmusic picks

As we sat in the ofce later, musicplaying, pictures on the walls, twistingthe legs onto the couch, it seemedpossible to enjoy this space. Obviously,the hideous filing cabinets in thecorner still need to go, but the couchallowed a new softness into the ofce.Theres now a place for power naps in

the middle of chaotic layout nights,a place to sit between classes and eatlunch (ever mindful of the delicatesuede, of course).

Theres color in the office, greenthings, soft things. And while the pileof work seems to never end, there is atleast a comfy place to sit while we do it.

It was worth it. And the great partis, I never have to step foot in IKEAever again.

Rachel can be reached atrmarmstrong@stkate.edu.

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THE HUBCAPMay 13, 2011 The Wheel | 7

The Wheel SimSCreated by Alexa Chihos

Introducing...

After getting all four of my wisdom teeth removed and being on various medications, I decided to create a Sims version of The Wheel

editorial staff. The Sims version of the editors may not be completely physically or mentally accurate, but they are a replication of theWheel family that I have grown very fond of and enjoy being with. Oddly enough, the Sims Wheel family acts very close to the realeditorial staff and has made for an enjoyable gaming experience.

Trza Rosado - Editor-in-ChieTraits: Bookworm, Genius, Charasmatic,

Flirty, Computer WhizLietime Goal: Renaissance Sim

Favorites: Cookies, Indie, and Irish Green

Rachel Armstrong - Associate EditorTraits:Natural Cook, Hopeless Romantic,

Good Sense of Humor, Bookworm, GeniusLietime Goal: Professional Author

Favorites: Pancakes, Indie, Aqua

Sarah Wente - Layout DesignerTraits:Computer Whiz, Bookworm, Handy,

Genius, Good Sense of HumorLietime Goal: Become a Creature-Robot

Cross BreaderFavorites: French Toast, Classical, Blue

Sheila Eldred - AdviserTraits: Athletic, Bookworm, Friendly,

Genius, Good Sense of HumorLietime Goal: Star News Anchor

Favorites: Spaghetti, Classical, Turquoise

Heather Kolnick - Photo EditorTraits: Artistic, Virtuoso, Vegetarian,

Charismatic, ExcitableLietime Goal: Master of the Arts

Favorites: Spaghetti With Veggie Sauce,Latin, Red

Alexa Chihos - Assistant EditorTraits: Virtuoso, Good Sense of Humor,Workaholic, Genius, Hopeless Romantic

Lietime Goal: Rock StarFavorites: Lobster. Indie, Green

Becky Doucette - Assistant EditorTraits: Bookworm, Excitable, Ambitious,

Genius, CharismaticLietime Goal: Leader of the Free World

Favorites: Hamburger, Indie, Blue

Jessica Jones - Photo EditorTraits:Artistic, Bookworm, Good, Friendly,

LuckyLietime Goal: Illustrious AuthorFavorites: Wafes, Indie, Purple

Dana Bloomquist - Copy Editor

Traits: Bookworm, Friendly, Good Senseof Humor, Handy, Genius

Lietime Goal: World Renowned SurgeonFavorites: Mac n Cheese, Indie, Green

1 - Alexa, Becky, Trza, andWente talk while Rachel getsup to join the conversation.

2 -Trza converses with Beckyabout books while Alexa talks

to Heather about trees.

3 - Heather enthuses Becky,

Trza, and Alexa about a parkbench.

All Sims and screencaps by

Alexa Chihos.

Heathers rst completed painting.

Treza stares longingly at freshly mademac n cheese.

1

2 3

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FEATURES8 | The Wheel May 13, 2011

Listen local:Flying high onWeights and Wings

By Claire Davidson

music columnist

As St. Catherine University (SCU) reachesan enrollment of nearly 900 student mothers,the university is working to make resourcesand opportunities increasingly available. Someof the programs include Students Who AreParents (SWAP) and the Access and SuccessDepartment. There is also a student parentrepresentative in StudentSenate.

Access and Success islocated on the fourthfloor of the Coeur de

Catherine (CdC), andprovides resources forstudent parents who areeither expecting or currentlyhave children. The fourpart-time staff membersin Access and Success arelicensed social workerswho reach out to student parents througha consistently updated email list.

We actually serve more student-parentsthan the University of Minnesota and wehave a more comprehensive program [thanthat institution], Beth Hamer, Coordinatorfor Access and Success and Day StudentSpecialist, said.

Senior day student and single motherShannon Farrall discussed some of the

difculties of balancing a full course load

By Becky Doucette

assistant editor

SCU works to accomodategrowth of student mother

population

Student art surveyed

Student-parentsthrive

Student made artwork, including

Comfortable by Laura Wiering

and Untitled by Anna Garski, are

on display in the Ariston exhibition.

Copies of the Ariston are avalible

around campus. Photos by Heather

Kolnick.

Junior Anna Garskis self portrait I Just Want to Know won a Research andCreative Work on Women award through the Abigail Quigley McCarthy Center for

Women and is featured in this years gallery.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Matt Wertz, a singer-songwriter and veteranof the booming Nashville music scene. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous; my littlegroupie heart almost skipped a beat when his publicist informed me hed be calling mefrom the road. Wertz was someone I listened to in high school and his apropos Countingto 100 was the song I had my rst kiss too. (Although now extremely comical of course,it was deeply romantic at the time).

Still, its that genuine sentimentality present in Wertzs music that undoubtedly makesgirls swoon over his downplayed Southern charm and smooth voice. (And no doubt, myboyfriend at the time suspected it would get him some play). Wertz visited the Twin Citieslast month as part of his nationwide Weights & Wings tour.

Wertz opened up to me about where he gathers his inspiration, how his practice ofmeditation has helped shape his music, and how he best connects with his audience.

I mentioned to Wertz that I had followed his career over the past several years and thathis latest release seemed to be a noticeable departure from his previous work.

What would make you say that? he asked, catching me off guard.

Stumbling over my words, I nervously suggested that the themes on this album presented abit more depth and perhaps darkness than the light-hearted romance present in past albums.That was denitely intentional, he agreed. I wanted this to be a departure from my

older stuff but I still wanted the fans to connect with the music, so it was about straddlingthat line between the new and the old.

I heard Wertz had gotten the idea for the title of his album from a meditation bookcalled Stranded in the Desert. I asked him if meditation was a newer habit hed pickedup or a long-time practice.

Its actually something Ive been practicing for a long timewhile reading this book, itreally hit me that the weights are as integral as the wings; the dark periods are as importantas the light times and you need to be comfortable with both, Wertz said.

Its an ease that one picks up on quickly while listening to Weights & Wings; anunderstanding that it is the yin and yang of life, which support and give meaning to oneanother. I really got a sense that Wertz attempted that with this album which was recordedin his hometown of Nashville, just a few blocks away from his home.

As we concluded the interview, he disclosed that he was currently driving through sunnyCalifornia.

Its 75 and sunny here, he said.

Looking out my window at another April frost, I told him I was justiably envious.To end the interview, I asked him who some of his favorite musicians of today are.I love Lissie, he said, and I agreed she was a new favorite of mine as well.How does that one song go? he asked cheerfully. When Im alone with you, you make

me feel, you make me feel.Yep, I decided still got that Southern charm.

Claire can be reached at cedavidson@stkate.edu.

with the pressures of motherhood.We have more structured responsibilities:

I have to be home for dinnertime, Farrallsaid. Group projects are the hardest timefor me because I dont have the exibility. Icant just cram out a paper in a day becauseI have to share my day with someone else.

Senior Weekend College student Kristin

Lau, a mother of four and soon-to-be motherof ve, has had similar experiences.Everything is a balancing act. I think

that after a person becomes a parent [heror his] priorities change and [she or he]adjusts as needed; this comes naturally formost, Lau said.

Access and Success began in 1993 on SCUsMinneapolis campus, aided by research andgrant funding. Joan Demeules, the programdirector of Access and Success, was hired toimplement the program.

It started out [as]two staff people whohad heard about aprogram on the EastCoast who were servingstudent parents, I thinkparticularly single

parents, Demeulessaid. And anecdotallythey started hearing thatmore single parentswere enrolling on theMinneapolis campusin the associate degreeprograms.

One of the initial projects, a collaborativeeffort of Access and Success and CommonBond,was the construction of an 8-unit apartmentcomplex near the Minneapolis campus.

The focus initially was on single parents,providing services that would help retain themand help them be successful in completing theireducation. Our focus was on housing, childcare, and supportive services, Demeules said.

After ve years of student parent programs

and services available on the Minneapolis

campus, the Abigail Quigley Center for Womenconducted a survey that documented studentparents on the St. Paul campus.

Colleen Hegranes, the Dean of Students atthe time, established surveys to identify thestudents and their needs. Out of this survey,Access and Success became available to bothcampuses during the 1999-2000 school year.

The 2003 renovation of the CdC incorporateda child-friendly study space and and ofcespace for Access and Success.

We were in the [Abigail Quigley] Centerfor Women for a while, then Campus Ministry,

bouncing around for a home, and then wegot this, Hamer said.The child-friendly study space, on the

fourth oor of the CdC boasts large windowsto ll the room with natural light. On oneside, students can work on one of the fourcomputer stations. On the other side, childrencan play with toys, play dress up, watch DVDs,and participate in other activities.

I know if I have to do a group projectbut I have to bring my daughter, I can sayhey could you meet me up there. And theyusually say Oh thats ne, I never knew thiswas up here,Farrall said.

An off-campus leadership opportunitythrough Access and Success is the Motherto Mother program which began in 1996.Student parents can go and speak about

available resources with teenagers who are

pregnant. Even though Mother to Motheris not an admissions event, students haveattended SCU because of the inspiration.

Outside Access and Success, SWAP, anon-campus club, holds luncheons to discussresources and provides child-friendly eventson campus. Farrall, who is the student parentrepresentative to Student Senate, meets withSWAP to voice any concerns or suggestionsback to Student Senate. This semester, Farralljoined her senate forum with SWAP and25 eager children for an Easter Egg Hunt.Events like these give students children an

exciting view of SCU.They love going to mommys school;its huge and they get so excited when theycome here, Farrall said. And its nice thatwe can bring them here and say you know,this is where I spend so many hours of myday, because they are very aware that youare in school and its important for themto have a role model, seeing others studyingand doing the same thing their mom does.

Overall, SCU has worked to provide a placeof support for both mothers and childrenon campus.

If you are willing to invest [in] St. Kates,St. Kates is willing to invest in you, Demeulessaid.

Becky can be reached at

rjdoucette@stkate.edu.

We actually serve morestudent-parents than the

University of Minnesota...--Beth Hammer, Coordinator

for Access and Success and Day

Student Specialist

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FEATURESMay 13, 2011 The Wheel | 9

In linewithLatiah

By Rachel Armstrong

associate editor

Voting is over and the results are in. JuniorLatifah Kirribeda, president of the StudentSenate for the 2011-2012 school year, satdown with the Wheel to talk about herplans for next year, and how excited she isto get started.

The Wheel (TW): What are your plansor Senate next year?

Latiah: Thats a big question. I dontlike thinking of them as plans, because they

change. Its [one thing] to say, Im going todo this, but you really need to be aware thatyoure going to work with a team of peoplewho have different needs, different goals,different things they need to bring together.

I thought about it two ways: I have internalgoals for the Senate and I have external goalsand visions for the student body. As Senatepresident, you need to have people invested inthe mission and values of the Student Senateand student body right from the beginning.Im thinking of doing leadership assessmentswhere people nd out what their strengthsare as far as working in a team or as leaders,

Student Senate president-elect shares vision

Latifah Kiribedda, future senate presi-dent, being interviewed for the Wheel.Photo by Heather Kolnick.

then having a discussion around how weall may be different people, [but] we are allworking towards the same vision, which is tobe the voice of students on campus. Thatsone of my big [goals], to let people know thatwere in this together, irrespective of peoplesdifferences or what peoples priorities are. Atthe end of the day we need to focus back tothe student body and their voices and theirissues. Thats why were in place.

As far as the student body is concerned,there are a lot [of goals] that the studentshave, from parking to sustainability initiativesto public safety. At the end of the day its

beyond what I care about; it really goes backto what students care about.

TW: Have students approached you withideas or goals already?

Latiah: What Im thinking of doing atthe Senate Fall Retreat is using the input ofpeople who represent particular studentvoices, like resident students, commuters,or international students. Theyll need to

come forward and talk about the differentthings that students care about overall. Wecould have a list of 20 things, but we cantdo all that.

Im a strong believer in having goals that aresmart. We need to prioritize certain things.I will need to challenge the group to come upwith two to four big theme goals. You canonly do so much when youre working in ateam. You can only provide a proposal andhave other people put in their input, and itwill probably blossom into something muchbigger and better.

TW: What has Senate done in the pastthat you would like to continue or build on?

Latiah: I liked the idea of lunch withthe administration. I thought that was areally good initiative. It went really well; wehad students come. Thats pretty powerful,because many times when you have Senateevents only Student Senate members andmembers of the administration [attend].It doesnt make sense; its people who arealready involved. We need students voices.We need students to be able to interact withthe administration. For students to know theadministrators in the university and be ableto utilize them, [they need to] understandwho they are, know where they work. I thinkthats pretty powerful.

Its mostly things that [previous Senateleaders] have done that I think we can eithercontinue doing or do better. Every group,every team has its own leadership style andI think that well be able to do that.

Because this is a student position, apartfrom work I do behind the scenes, its abouttalking to students. When Im in the StudentOrganization Center, when Im in class, or

when Im somewhere and an issue comesup, ... Ill engage students in conversation.

TW: Anything else you want to tell thestudent body?

Latifah: Im just really excited to be honest.Ive gone through a series of emotions: this isreally happening! And Im ready to work aswell. Ive always been that kind of person totake up a leadership role and serve, somethingthat has to do with the community. [As]an international student, this is a majoraccomplishment. You dont think aboutit that way until you hear other people say,Wow! At the same time I also think thatwow amounts to how big of a challenge Ihave. Not just for me but for the students

that I have to serve. But Im up to it. Imready to serve. I like talking to students, Ithink at the end of the day thats why Imthere. Thats my job now.

I want to encourage students to be activelyinvolved in this journey too. Its not enoughto just say what we voice, but we need to beproactive in what we are suggesting. I thinkthat to have effective leadership really youhave to liberate the voice and the leadershipin everyone.

Rachel can be reached atrmarmstrong@stkate.edu.

By Dana Bloomquist

copy editor

Find out whats in store for your experience at Dew DropBop. Take the quick quiz and compare your results with yourfriends.

DDB Quiz

1. Will you attend Dew Drop Bop?a. Yes, all of it!b. Ill stop by, but no guaranteesc. No

2. What are you most excited orabout Dew Drop Bop?a. giant slide/rock climbing wall!b. Im just glad classes are overc. Dew Drop Bop is exciting?

3. Should there be a beer tent at DewDrop Bop?a. Heck yes, its about time I was allowedto let loose on campus!b. Maybe, but Im not 21/dont drink...c. No, they would probably charge toomuch for beer anyway

4. Your idea o a good time at DewDrop Bop is:a. having a mosh pit in the inatableswhile eating tacos in a bagb. walking through and seeing your fellowstudents make fools of themselves on thegiant trampolinesc. waiting patiently in line for an hour topaint a ower pot, and two hours to get afunnel cake

5. Your outt or Dew Drop Bop:a. is already planned: a SKAT-sponsoredofcial DDB T-shirt and booty shorts, nomatter the weatherb. will be a practical ensemble, including aponcho in case it rainsc. will be whatever I throw on in themorning; and I dont plan to s tick aroundand get soaked if it starts to rain!

I you answered...

Mostly as:You are going to have a blast at Dew Drop Bop! You know how to have a goodtime and youre probably going to show it. Get there early to so you can makesure to enjoy all the treats and attractions.

Mostly bs:Dew Drop Bop is going to be pretty fun for you, but it will not the be-all, end-allsocial event of the year. Go with friends, avail yourself of the three free food tick-ets you get, and bring home a souvenir. If all goes well, youre in line to to have ablast at next years Dew Drop Bop!

Mostly cs:Youre a party pooper. The University went to all the trouble of bringing a carni-val to campus, and youre not going to have a great time? Maybe you should joinSKAT so you can make it better next year...

Dana can be reached at dlbloomquist@stkate.edu.

Interested in gettinginvolved?

TheWheelisnoWaccepTing

applicaTionsforThe 2011-2012academicyear!

Available positions include:Copy Editor

Assistant Editors Sta Writers

Contact Becky Doucetteat rjdoucette@stkate.edu

or more inormation

8/6/2019 The Wheel, Volume 78, Issue 14

10/12

FEATURES10 | The Wheel May 13, 2011

Your complete guide tofinding and learning to love theright bra for you

Inspired by The Bra Issue recently postedon autostraddle.com, the Wheel editorial staff

has come together to stage a university-widebra intervention. Thats right, we know that70% of women are wearing bras that do notproperly t them and are struggling with thephysical consequences, not to mention thepotentially damaging effects of an ill-ttingbra on their emotional health and self-image.

Furthermore, women must contendwith the myth that all breasts should beevenly sized, perky, and proportional totheir build. Frankly, thats just not the casefor most women (as youll see), which canmake shopping for these undergarments anoftentimes negative pursuit.

The Wheel wants to encourage you toexplore your options. If youve alwaysbeen a lace-and-bows type of person, wewant to tell you that there are some trendy(and supportive) athletic bras out there. If

you have rarely ventured from the realm offull-coverage cotton, were here to say that aslong as you know what youre doing, a littleunderwire might not be so bad.

Its time to stop settling! The Wheel ishere to provide some advice on what to

By Trza Rosado and Dana

Bloomquist

look for when you get tted, what to lookfor when choosing a bra, and how to nd anundergarment that ts the way you chooseto perform gender.

Whats My Size?

Bra sizes are usually noted with twocomponents, a band number and a cupsize. The band number is an even numberroughly between 30 and 50, and the cup sizeis a letter roughly between A and G (whereA is small and G is large).

Bra sizes are not standardized. This mightseem counterintuitive but you could measureas a 36 DDD and nd that a bra labeled as a34 G ts you better. Dont panic! And dontget too stuck on sizes--if a bra feels right onyou, it likely is right for you.

Get yoursel itted, and dont assumeVictorias Secret is the only option. Thebest way to nd out your size is to get ttedby a professional. If youre uncomfortablebeing seen or touched in that way, you canuse a variety of websites to determine yoursize without taking your top off for a stranger.The typical do-it-yourself bra tter (like theperfectly adequate one on herroom.com), willgive you a simple formula for guring outyour correct bra size, similar to the one below.

Bra sizes are a ratio, not a singlemeasurement. Put on a bra without paddingand get a measuring tape. Measure the

circumference of your torso at the bottomof the bra. This measures your band size.Then, measure the circumference of your torsoaround your nipples, or the broadest part ofyour chest. Subtract the rst measurementfrom the second. The difference is your cupsize--the bigger the difference, the biggeryour cup size.

Unortunately, there can be a ew glaringomissions on bra-itting websites. Forexample, the bra you are using to measureyour cup size could already be the wrongcup size which could throw your wholemeasurement off. Additionally, contrary topopular belief, many womens breasts are notcompletely even: one may be larger, lower, orperkier than the other. Furthermore, breastsdont come in just one shape; they can behigh or low, rm or eshy, pointy or round.Different bras t different breast shapes aswell as different breast sizes. And last butcertainly not least: the nipples. Just like therest of your breasts, nipples vary greatly insize, shape, position, and color. Bras needto take into account how well they willcover the nipples and where yours will twithin the bra.

This eels right...I think?

The bra should ully contain your breasts.This might seem obvious but so many womensettle for bras that dont fully cover the breast,leaving parts of the breast bulging over thetop or sides of the bra. Dont do this! If

I think I hate bras. Since I was in sixth grade, I have had a hard time with bras. You should go

and get tted, people invariably say when I begin my bra saga with them. Oh, Ive been tted.

Every once in a while, when my current bras are so uncomfortable I tear them off as soon as I

get home and can hardly stand to open my closet and look at them when I get dressed, I decide

that maybe they made a mistake or maybe I didnt shop carefully enough last time. So I go and

get tted again. And the attendant once agin comes up with the same verdict: 32F or G. The

thing is, though, bras are about more than size: My breasts happen to not be shaped like the bras

seem to think they should be, so I cant just pick up one of the half-dozen (if Im lucky) bras the

store has and have it t. Sure, theres a lot out there for most body types--sports bras, triangle

bras, plunge bras, contour bras, lifting, minimizing, cleavage-izisng (believe me, I could continue).

But at least for now, Ive come to the unfortunate conclusion that I just cant nd one that really

works for me. Dont get me wrong: by no means do I dislike the twins on my chest. I think theyre

great--as long as Im not exercising, thinking of wearing a tank top, or going to a respectable public

establishment. Because that means I have to wear a bra.

your breasts are peeking out from wherethey shouldnt, you need to move up a size.

I a bra ts you the way it should, the seambetween your breasts should lie fat on yoursternum. There shouldnt be a gap betweenthe center seam and your chest. Also, its acenter seam for a reason--it shouldnt driftonto either of your breasts.

Your bra should not maim you. If yourbra leaves marks and lines, its likely not a

good bra for you. Burn it! Kidding...butreally, toss that bra aside.

The band o your bra should all higherup your back than you probably think. Theband should align with your crease of yourelbow when you hang your arms at yourside. Tighten your straps if it falls any lower!

I one breast is larger than the other, buyor the larget breast.

Bras make me eel weird

Im not the lacy-bra wearing type/I dontknow how I eel about my boobs/I wantto wear mens button-down shirts. All ofthose feelings are ne. However, you shouldstill get yourself tted, even if you plan onexclusively wearing sports bras, racerbacksor the like. Although there is more leewaywith sports bras, having a specic size foryourself can go a long way in getting one thatwill provide support and comfort.

My breasts are practically non-existentbut Im not into the padding thing. Thats oktoo! Try a triangle cup bra or a wrap bra forthose days when going without a bra seemsinappropriate/uncomfortable. Autostraddlealso suggests demi-cups (have the coverageof a normal bra) and balconettes (slightlyless coverage than a demi cup).

To read the original Bra Issue byautostraddle.com, visit http://www.autostraddle.com/the-bra-issue-what-the-

f-should-i-do-with-these-boobs-77172/ .Trza can be reached attjrosado@stkate.eduDana can be reached atdlbloomquist@stkate.edu.

Dana

Photos courtesy of http://media.kohls.com.

As a 34C size, I have had little to no trouble in buying bras,

especially as my mother enjoyed teaching me everything there

was to know about bra shopping. This, I have discovered

entering college, was beyond lucky. Now, without my mothers

help, I had to go shopping for bras for the rst time alone. When

shopping, I wanted to cry as I tried on a lacy, girly bra, my dir ty

little secret of bra choice. I wanted to cry because I was pinched

and prodded at places on my body I didnt even know existed

by wires or fabric I had once thought were cute. In fear of

this same experience, I now rotate between 4 different bras of

multiple sizes, colors, and comfort levelsand only one that

ts correctly can be seen through most of my clothes. I need

to go shoppingbut I can wait until my mom comes with me.

Becky

I used to pretend I didnt have breasts. Which is no mean feat for me, because,

um, I really have breasts. I used to wear a sports bra, and then when didnt hold

me up any more I wore two sports bras. At soccer practice, I wore three just so

they wouldnt hurt so much when I ran. I didnt own any real bras until my mother

staged an intervention in high school and I didnt wear properly sized bras until my

friends staged another intervention about a week ago.

Its always been pretty difcult for me to pretend theyre not there...but now, I

dont really want to pretend.

I was really nervous about getting tted. I mean, the last time I tried, the Victorias

Secret clerk made me feel so awkward and detached from my breasts that I just

bought a couple bras to get out of there. It was terrible.

So when my friend sat me down and said she was worried about my breasts my

mind ew back to that moment in Victorias Secret; to the pretty lace bras that

would never t; to the clerk who chuckled when she measured me; to my blushing

face in the over-bright dressing room mirror.

I mean yeah, I was worried about my breasts too, but I was still trying to pretend

they werent there.

Luckily, my friends are annoyingly, endearingly persistent. Thats how I found

myself with a measuring tape around my chest, surrounded by four excited clerks

and two of my friends in Lane Bryant. It was like I was taking the training wheels off

my bike for these women, I swear. But no one chuckled. No one said, Oh my god,

really? No one said anything, except, What colors do you want?

Wait, they come in different colors in my size?

And thats when I started to get a little bit excited about my breasts. I proclaimed

to my self-congratulatory friends that wearing my new bra was like someone hugging

my breasts at all times.

Better than multiple sports bras, Ill tell you that.

Rachel

Photos courtesy of http://penelopeillustration.com/blog/.

The Wheels bosom buddies tell all...

8/6/2019 The Wheel, Volume 78, Issue 14

11/12

HEALTH The Wheel | 11May 13, 2011

AskKatie! The Ask Katie! peer healthadvisers answer your health-related questions

What is hookah?A hookah is a water pipe that has been

used in the Middle East and Asia to smoketobacco (often called shisha) for centuries.Recently, hookah bars and cafes have beenopening up throughout the United Statesand are growing in popularity among teensand young adults.

The hookah device consists of four parts: A base (smoke chamber) lled with

By Dana Bloomquist

copy editor

The Melting Point:Spring has sprung...but how?

It seems that lately, all around us, spring is in the air. Just take a walk past the quad: trees

are turning green again, new sprouts are poking through the ground around the sidewalk,

and, of course, we are seeing the colorful blossoms of owers.

So yeah, it looks nice. Thats all well and good, but how does it actually happen? There

must be something going on biologically to produce the lush quad we so admire. Lucky

for you, dear reader, the Wheels science columnist is going to get to the bottom of it!

First, plant biology 101:

Plants generally come from seeds. Under the right conditions, a seed will germinate

and start producing a stem and roots. The roots go under ground to gather nutrients

from the soil, while the stem usually develops leaves and stays above ground to conduct

photosynthesis. The roots help anchor the plant in place, and they act as little straws by

sucking up water and minerals from the ground. Stems support the leaves and also serve

as the plumbing system of the plant, moving substances up and down.

How do plants grow?

I mentioned photosynthesis above. But what is photosynthesis, and why is it important?

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants create fuel to do all of the things they need

to to, including grow. Basically, plants need three things to carry out photosynthesis: light,

water, and carbon dioxide (CO2). Light carries energy with it, which plants harness to turn

water and CO2into its fuel. This process is called carbon xation, and is ultimately carried

out by what is called the Calvin cycle. So water and CO2

go into this reaction, but what

comes out? The answer is not only the key component for plants growth, but also our own.

One product of this reaction is sugar, which the plant uses as fuel. The other product is

oxygen, which is what animals (including humans) breathe to stay alive.

What about fowers?

Plants can grow more than just stems, leaves, and roots. Some plants, called angiosperms,

can create owers. The basic function of owers is not to be pretty, but rather to ensure

fertilization of eggs (yes, just like people, owering plants can have eggs and sperm!).

Flowers vary greatly in size, color, and number depending on the species of plant. Generally

speaking, though, owers consume a lot of a plants energy. First of all, plants dont usually

have owers all the time; only when conditions are favorable (meaning that fertilization

is likely to occur) do they produce owers. To actually produce a ower, a plant has to

go through many biochemical changes. Some of these are hormonal, and some require

the plant to make cellular chan