The Pulse - February 2013

A SPRING ARBOR UNIVERSITY PUBLICATION
the
PULSE
Issue 30 February 2013
staf
THE PULSE is a professional team of journalists providing the
community of Spring Arbor with immediate, accurate and relevant
information that concerns the University and surrounding community.
the
PULSE
Issue 30 February 2013
cover photo by Sarah BeardSlee
Editor-in-chief Megan Filipowski
Managing Editor Laura Guikema
Photo Editor Sydney Williams
Lead Designer Tyler Thorne
Business Manager Matt DeMeritt
Social Media Manager Kristen Larson
Counterpoint Correspondent Kerry Wade
Lead Writers Sarah Beardslee
Brittany Bellamy
Bekka Bossenberger
Alexandra Harper
Staf Writer Jesse Gentry
Guest Writer Daniel Peake
Photographer Cam Davis
Copy Editors Megan Donahue
Bethany Hart
Retta Mast
Staf Adviser Terri Reynolds
All editorial pieces published in The Pulse refect the opinion of the writers
and not The Pulse or Spring Arbor University.
page 2 | saupulse.com
contents
letter Letter from the editor pg. 4
calendar SchooL/SportS eventS pg. 5
news dining commonS ceLebrateS grand opening pg. 6
on a miSSion for change pg. 7
Speak with g.r.a.c.e. pg. 8
burLap and Lace pg. 8
the oak tree review accepting SubmiSSionS pg. 9
by the numberS: the new arbor.edu pg. 9
get in the know pg. 10
water workoutS pg. 10
a SimpLer community pg. 11
feLLowShip, forgiveneSS and food pg. 11
Sau focuSeS on food pg. 12
faSting 101 pg. 12
frankenfood and animaLS pg. 12
growing food, growing mindS pg. 13
food in dutch painting pg. 13
a&e birdie takeS fLight in white pg. 14
Sau LoveS drama pg. 14
academy awardS predictionS pg. 15
JuSt give that man an oScar pg. 15
coverS, muSic and worShip pg. 16
Student podcaStS avaiLabLe onLine pg. 16
feature Soda and StorieS pg. 17
roSeS are red, vioLetS are bLue... pg. 18
office Space: the curiouS corner of bobby pratt pg. 19
opinion four Letter identitieS pg. 20
the cuLture of modeSty pg. 21
sports pedS changing baSebaLL pg. 22
Spring arbor athLetic updateS pg. 23
saupulse.com | page 3
Readers of The Pulse,
letter
I
ts the start of my fnal semester here at Spring Arbor University. It is also the start of my last three issues as editor. What lies ahead is scarier
than I imagined deciding what jobs to apply for and what graduate school to attend.
There are moments where I feel unprepared for the next step and Im afraid to leave the comforts of the place that Ive called home for the last
four years.
With that said, I want to make The Pulse the best that it can possibly be and I need your help.
I might faint if I were to get responses from you about article topics and the things that youd like to read about. I might cry tears of joy if you
like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
The Pulse is a great way for you to get the news from around campus. I have a dedicated staff of writers who go to events, even some that I call
upon to go to in advance, others just moments before. They then spend countless hours writing just for you.
Wed love to make sure that youre getting the news you want to read. So please, email me at megan@saupulse.com with your ideas. Wed also love
feedback on what you see published in this issue. Is there something you dont like? Id love to hear about it. Is there something you like? Id love
to hear that too.
I hope you are all having a great start to the semester and enjoy the newest issue of The Pulse.
Thank you,
Megan Filipowski
Editor-in-chief
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calendar
February March
Friday, Feb. 15
Ambassador Young speaks, 5 p.m in the Ralph
Carey Forum (RCF)
Bye Bye, Birdie, 8 p.m. in White Auditorium
Saturday, Feb. 16
Womens basketball game, 1 p.m. at the
feldhouse
Sunday, Feb. 17
Monday, Feb. 18
Week of Hope begins
Chapel, Doug Routledge, 10:05 a.m. at Spring
Arbor Free Methodist Church (SAFMC)
Worship night, 7 p.m. in the Prop Shop
Love your body week kickoff, 7 p.m. in the
RCF
Intramural volleyball tournament continues,
Dunckel Gymnasium
I Am Second meeting, 9:30 p.m. in the RCF
Tuesday, Feb. 19
Week of Hope continues
Love your body week keynote speaker, 7 p.m.
in White Auditorium
Puerto Rico thrift store, 9 p.m. in the RCF
Wednesday, Feb. 20
Chapel, Kathleen MacDonald, 10:05 a.m. at
SAFMC
Resume reviews, 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
outside of the Dining Commons (DC)
Love your body week movie, 6:30 p.m. in
White Auditorium
Free Jazzercise hosted by Vitality, 7 p.m. in the
RCF
Water workout, 8:30 p.m. in the pool
Thursday, Feb. 21
The Rocketboys coffee house, 8 p.m. in the
Cougar Den
Friday, Feb. 22
Mystery date night, 8 p.m. in the DC and RCF
Monday, Feb. 25
Chapel, Mary Darling, 10:05 a.m. at SAFMC
Intramural basketball begins in the feldhouse
Tuesday, Feb. 26
Date auction, 9 p.m. in the RCF
Wednesday, Feb. 27
Student Government Association President/
Vice President applications due
Chapel, Dominic Russo, 10:05 a.m. at SAFMC
Thursday, Feb. 28
Bombastic bowling (freshmen event), 9 p.m. at
Airport Lanes in Jackson
Friday, March 1
Spring Fling dance, 9 p.m. in Dunckel
Gymnasium
Monday, March 4
Chapel, Adam Davidson, 10:05 a.m. at SAFMC
Wednesday, March 6
Chapel, Jaye Hill, 10:05 a.m. at SAFMC
Saturday, March 9 - Sunday, March 17
Spring break!
Monday, March 18
Lip sync audition sign up outside of the DC
Worship night, 7 p.m. in the Prop Shop
Tuesday, March 19
Lip sync audition sign up outside of the DC
Wednesday, March 20
Chapel, Tony Campolo, 10:05 a.m. at SAFMC
Lip sync auditions, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Resume reviews, 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
outside of the DC
Softball game, 4 p.m. at the softball feld
Womens tennis, 4 p.m. at the tennis courts
Thursday, March 21
Lip sync auditions, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Baseball game, 2 p.m. at the baseball feld
Dining Commons celebrates grand opening
news
S
pring Arbor University (SAU) students may
have noticed the Dining Commons (DC) is
looking a little better than usual. With seating
for over 600 people, more food stations and a
modern design, a lot has changed over the six-
month renovation and construction.
Some students praise the Silk milk machine
and others the new waffe favors, but Andrew
Robbins, assistant director of dining services, is
just glad the DC looks more trendy and less like a
school cafeteria.
With this years Focus Series about food, it seemed
ftting for the DC to offcially celebrate its grand
opening on Wednesday, Feb. 13.
The DC had activities from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
to show the students, faculty and community
of Spring Arbor the social responsibility that
Chartwells, SAUs food contractor, guarantees.
Food vendors, including Pepsi, Kelloggs and local
produce sources, attended the grand opening.
HOME.fm broadcast live from the DC from 11
a.m. to 1 p.m.
There were food samplings, raffes and giveaways.
Students had the opportunity to ask questions they
had about food. Since the Focus Series was the
day before Valentines Day, amd there was a cookie
decorating station set up.
Highlights included Chef Sterling making ice
cream using liquid nitrogen and his demonstration
of freezing marshmallows.
The new DC was built to move away from buffet
lines and aim for what Robbins called pulse on
dining.
The new DC features less buffet styles that were
common pre-renovation and now have a more
interactive twist where students can watch their
food being made, said Robbins. Pulse on dining
gives students a deeper aspect to their dining
experience and a chance to interact with the
employees and associates who are presenting and
cooking food for them.
Robbins said the new seating offers a sense of
privacy and calm. Students can come for the
comfort to eat, read or study alone or with a group
of friends. The display table helps show what is on
the menu each day.
Still in effect from last year is the U First
board where students can make requests and give
feedback. Robbins said the U First board gives
employees, Better communication with students
and feedback we need to know to provide a better
program.
Beth Lyman, director of dining services, said the
DC, [had] fun with the food theme.
WRITTEN BY SARAH BEARDSLEE
PHOTOS BY CAM DAVIS
AND ALEXANDRA HARPER
news
On a mission for change
written By Sydney williamS
photoS By Sydney williamS
What you need to know about Spring Break mission trips
S
ervice is the word for more than 50 students
this Spring Break. Mission trips are an
exciting and important component of
Spring Arbor Universitys ministry to the greater
community.
Fundraisers
Participating students work hard for two months
to raise the money they need. Each student sends
50 letters to family, friends and celebrities to ask
for prayers and fnancial support, but they also
host creative fundraisers to manage all of their
expenses.
Hamtramck
A memorable fundraiser for the Hamtramck
missions trip is I Do What I Want, which
allows bidders to win rare opportunities. Bidding
is already closed, but this year students and staff
donated more than $200 to have a chance to create
the Drink of the Week at Sacred Grounds, choose
the Dining Commons menu and shoot with the
local SWAT team.
Las Vegas
The annual Peer Adviser (PA) trip to Las Vegas
needs $16,000, which includes every expense plus
donating generously to each of the ministries
they serve. This year, the trip is doing a unique
fundraiser called Mugs for Vegas, which allows
supporters to buy a hand-decorated, personalized
mug for $10. They have made more than $500
selling the mugs.
PAs sold concessions at the Missions Marketplace
on Feb. 12, collected coins and offered babysitting
services. Each of the PAs also sells their own
personal talents such as photography, cleaning
and back massages.
Puerto Rico
Students planning to go to Puerto Rico are hosting
a variety of fundraisers, which include selling
goods at the Missions Marketplace, Crush for
your Crush Valentines Day deliveries, a thrift
store (Tuesday, Feb. 19 from 9 to 11 p.m.), the
annual date auction (Tuesday, Feb. 26 from 9 to 11
p.m.) and a ping pong tournament on March 2.
Mystery Trip
What if you wanted to serve but fully trusted God
to lead?
Many of the people who choose trips to serve
on may be choosing a certain location, a certain
people group or a certain way of serving,
said Steve Newton, assistant dean for spiritual
formation and the staff leader for the mystery
trip. There is nothing wrong with that. I think the
appeal of this trip is simply trusting. When our
expectations are erased, God can more freely move
and we can more clearly listen.
Limited details about the trip have been revealed,
but the team will serve three different ministries in
both urban and rural settings.
An anonymous source confrmed that the trip is
not in the Spring Arbor and Jackson area.

In addition to sending fundraising letters to family
and friends, the mystery trip team sold chocolate
lollipops, buttons and bracelets at Missions
Marketplace.
They are also planning a Krispy Kreme doughnut
sale on campus.
news
Burlap and lace
I
n the middle of the snow and cold of
February, its diffcult to imagine that spring
is just around the corner. But thanks to the
famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, we know
to expect an early spring.
Besides warmer weather, this spring you can look
forward to the Spring Fling dance, which will be
held on Friday, March 1, in Dunckel Gymnasium.
Tickets will be $4, and you can dance the night
away from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Although the dance does not have a specifc
theme, it will have a rustic and classy tone. Heather
Warfeld, the Student Government Association
director of events, hesitates to call it country
chic because of the connotation that the evening
will be spent line dancing, square dancing or
blasting music from Taylor Swift.
In reality, country chic is the best way Warfeld
feels she can describe how the gym will look for
the dance.
Warfeld said, The gym will have tables decorated
with glass jars tied with twine and burlap lace and
completed with a tea light.
Be sure to bring your camera for pictures, but
there will also be a photo booth set up at the
dance. Treats provided will include smoothies and
a smores bar.
Spring fing preview
A
manda Fron is a junior Special Education
major at Spring Arbor University (SAU),
but she is doing more than just fulflling
her educational requirements.
In August 2011, Fron started a nonproft
organization that awards a $500 scholarship to
special needs children to allow them to attend
SpringHill Camps in Evart, Mich.
The nonproft is called Speak with G.R.A.C.E,
an acronym that means giving respect and
communicating equality. The acronym comes
from Colossians 4:6, Let your conversation be
always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you
may know how to answer everyone.
Fron was a special needs counselor at SpringHill
Camps and worked with campers with disabilities.
She saw how the campers time at SpringHill
enabled them to do things at camp they were not
able to do at home. I saw benefts in the campers
and counselors and saw the need to create a
scholarship for campers with special needs, Fron
said.
Fron recognized that SpringHill was all about
inclusion and that all campers did a variety of
activities together.
In our society the r word [retarded] is used as a
synonym for dumb and stupid. This dehumanizes
those with special needs and disabilities. I want the
r word to be changed to respect; this scholarship
communicates that and provides opportunities for
campers with special needs, said Fron.
Fron said not all parents could afford to send their
children to camp. She also saw the confdence
parents had in sending their children to SpringHill,
where trained professionals care for their children.
The cost for one camper to go to SpringHill camps
is $500. Fron needs to raise $5,000 by next year for
the scholarship to continue.
To start the scholarship, Fron sent 88 appeal letters
to raise money and was recognized as a Hope
Hero of the Month last September by Family Life
Radio.
Next on Frons agenda is to create a pageant for
girls with special needs. Ticket sales will go towards
the scholarship.
Working with the campers at SpringHill has
taught me what it means to be victorious and not
the victim, said Fron.
Speak with G.R.A.C.E.
PHOTOS COURTESY AMANDA FRON AND SPRINGHILL CAMPS
news
The Oak Tree Review accepting submissions
written By Brittany Bellamy
photo courteSy the oak tree review
S
pring Arbor University (SAU)s literary journal the Oak
Tree Review (OTR) is currently accepting submissions.
OTR is a publication run by students and English
professor Dr. Brent Cline. The journal accepts submissions in
fction, non-fction, poetry and reviews.

The student editorial board - editor-in-chief Maggie Tibus,
Abigail Barney and Kerry Wade - plans readings, designs
posters and helps decide which submissions will be published.
Submissions are also reviewed by professors in the English
department before being selected for publication.

This is the sixth year OTR has produced a publication. On
Nov. 15, 2012, the Oak Tree Review hosted a poetry reading
in the Prop Shop, which featured works by the fall poetry
class and SAU professors and staff. After the publication and
distribution of the journal, OTR will host a reading night to
showcase the published authors.

OTR is accepting submissions until Feb. 28. To submit an
original composition, email the work as a Word document
to theoaktreereview@gmail.com. For more information, see
posters around campus or like OTR on Facebook.
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By the numbers: the new arbor.edu
For 3.5 months, Peter Shackelford and Chuck Monahan worked full-time to produce the site. Additional help came from Daniel
Shackelford, Julie Tison and Sydney Williams.
We went from 2,695 pages on the old site to 493 pages on the current site.
1,735 pieces of media (photos, PDFs, videos) have been uploaded to the new site.
During the month of January, the new arbor.edu had 136,094 unique page views and averaged 4,390 page views per day.
280 comments and suggestions have been received through the feedback system from faculty, staff, students and community
members.
Since the hard launch of the site on December 15, the new arbor.edu had 43,711 unique visitors and 189,316 unique page
views.
Approximately 133 Sacred Grounds coffees were consumed during site construction.
A dozen Nerf darts went missing during the production of the site.
compiled By Bekka BoSSenBerger
deSgined By tyler thorne
Water workouts
news
written By laura guikema
photo courteSy Beau ulrey
Get in the know
A
s spring semester kicks into gear, many
sophomore and junior students are
looking ahead to next year and fulflling
their cross cultural requirement. All Spring Arbor
University (SAU) students are required to go on a
CORE 275 cross cultural experience to graduate,
whether it is a January or May term trip or a
semester abroad.

On Thursday, Feb. 28, the Cross Cultural Offce
will host a Market Day from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
for students to come and explore the different
cross cultural options offered for the 2013-2014
school year. Students can learn about the trips, talk
to the professors leading them and pick up the
necessary paperwork.

Those who want to have an early start can take
several steps now to be prepared for Market
Day. The Cross Cultural Offce is open to take
pictures for passports during the frst few weeks
of February.
At the business offce, students can also pay their
study abroad fee, which has been lowered to $150.
The fee covers services including obtaining an
international ID and pictures.

Once students have taken their passport pictures,
paid their fees and obtained their applications,
there are several other steps to enrollment. The
Cross Cultural Studies (CCS) application (available
at Market Day) must be completed as well as
CCS forms with emergency contact information.
Childhood immunization records must be
provided as well.

The Cross Cultural Offce will begin accepting all
of these items Monday, March 4 at 9 a.m. After
that day, students can turn in paperwork any day
between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The CCS tuition beneft available to students who
enrolled in Fall 2011 or later is new this year. It can
be credited to any three-week abroad opportunity
as well as semesters abroad. The tuition beneft
covers a signifcant portion of trips and renders
trips to Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, the
Dominican Republic and others free.

The Gilman Scholarship is also available for
students interested in a semester abroad. There will
be a workshop to learn more about the scholarship
on Thursday, April 25 from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in
the Cross Cultural Offce.

For a list of trips offered for the 2013-2014
year, visit the Cross Cultural Offce on Ogle
Street behind the White Library or check your
campus mail for a cross cultural magazine. For
more information visit arbor.edu/crosscultural
or like the offce on Facebook at facebook.com/
SAUCrossCulturalStudies for a chance to win a
free sweatshirt.
S
pring Arbor University (SAU) health and
wellness club Vitality will offer a free water
workout class Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m.
in the pool. The class began Wednesday, Feb. 6.
The instructor, SAU senior Matt Voiles, taught
swim lessons in high school. He said the class
targets muscle zones in the core, arms and legs.
Each participant will be given a training schedule.
Voiles hopes about 15 people will attend the class
each week, and he said the class will be diffcult.
I might scare some people the frst day, said
Voiles. The course is based on the Navy and
Coast Guard, and there are different strokes and
techniques.
Voiles said the workout will begin with 10 minutes
of continuous swimming. Voiles said he plans to
change the exercises every week. His goal is to help
participants strengthen their endurance.
For me, its about getting back to my roots [and]
doing stuff I love, Voiles said. The class will be
an intense experience with great results.
The class is presented by Vitality, part of the
Student Government Association at SAU. Junior
Sara Burge, director of Vitality, said the class lines
up with Vitalitys goals for the semester.
Burge said Vitalitys goals are to provide student-
taught ftness classes, educate students about
whole-body wellness, reach out to male students
and use SAUs ftness resources.
[Voiles] class is a culmination of all of our
goals, said Burge. Im excited that we get to use
the pool facility. Its a venue we havent used before
[in a Vitality class].
Burge said Vitality will offer one other weekly
student-taught class this semester, but the schedule
has not been set. Vitality will also host classes
with professional ftness instructors, including a
Jazzercise night on Feb. 20 from 7 to 8 p.m. in the
Ralph Carey Forum.
For more information about upcoming Vitality
classes and events, search SAU Vitality on
Facebook.
A new way for SAU students to stay ft
Cross cultural trip info available now
A simpler community
news
WRITTEN BY BEKKA BOSSENBERGER
S
pring Arbor University (SAU) hosted Shane
Claiborne Sunday, Feb. 10 and Monday, Feb.
11. Claiborne co-founded the Simple Way
living community in Philadelphia, Pa. He is an
advocate for community-based living and authentic
love.
By author Tony Campolos urging, SAU professor
Mary Darling booked Claiborne to speak for the
frst time in chapel during the fall of 2007. He did
a great job connecting with people, said Darling.
Darling connected with Claiborne on a personal
level through yearly speaker gatherings
sponsored by Campolo. The two became friends
and Darling did phone interviews with Claiborne
that are featured in her second book.
When I asked him last year to come back for
chapel, I knew his schedule [was] pretty full and
he is limiting how much he speaks, but he said he
would try to make it work, said Darling. I so
appreciate that he did.
Claiborne said his life has been focused on the
question, How can I live on less? He said his
answer was founding Simple Way community,
which he describes as a little village reminiscent
of the early church. Claiborne said the creation
of holy habits and the cultivation of goodness will
naturally be followed by the anchor of community.
He urges his listeners to recapture what it means
to live like Christ in the world.
Claiborne warns that Christians must not turn
their beliefs into a doctrinal statement and that the
body of Christ should let their works demonstrate
their salvation. We should take who we are and
connect it to the brokenness of the world, said
Claiborne.

During an informal question and answer time
with SAU students Sunday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. in
the Ralph Carey Forum, the dialogue often turned
to community. Claiborne said each person deeply
longs for community. He said community can offer
positive peer pressure that pulls others toward
God.
I met Jesus and he messed me up; Ive been
recovering ever since, said Claiborne.
Claiborne said if you cant be present in the
moment, for instance if you are absorbed in
texting, you should remove yourself from that
situation. During his chapel speech he urged
students to unplug from some of the things that
suck life out of us.
Claiborne advised listeners to step outside their
comfort zones. Maybe if we dont have stories
of getting taken advantage of, we arent risking
enough, said Claiborne.
Claiborne said he is not advocating that people
put themselves in a dangerous situation, but
he is advocating for people to overstep their
cozy bubbles and be available to those in need.
Claiborne also told students that Christians
are called to have wisdom and be mindful of
resources, but that a Christ-like lifestyle is much
more than that.
Visit www.thesimpleway.org for more information
on Claiborne and the Simple Way Community.
Claibornes Feb. 10 question and answer
time was recorded and will be uploaded to
arborcounterpoint.com.
I
n preparation for the annual Focus Series,
Spring Arbor University hosted a showing
of the movie Babettes Feast Feb. 11 in the
Ralph Carey Forum at 7 p.m.

Babettes Feast, a 1987 Danish flm, tells the
story of a famous cook who is exiled from her
French homeland and goes to live in a small
Danish fshing village with two pious sisters.

Dr. Robert Moore-Jumonville, professor of
theology, led a discussion before and after the
movie. He said the portrayal of food in the
movie is symbolic of our passions, desires and
longings.

Moore-Jumonville said the flm reminded him
of a quote from Pastor Pam Abbey, who said,
Americans during Hallowthankmas remind me
of myself on those vaguely blue, out-of-sorts
evenings when I fnd myself standing in front of
the refrigerator with a spoon and a carton of ice
cream. I want something. Im not sure what, but
ice cream will have to do. Its sweet and comforting
and plentiful and it takes my mind off whatever it
is that I want but dont have.
Moore-Jumonville read passages of scripture
that demonstrate the longing for God and Gods
provision throughout the Bible.

Moore-Jumonville said the flm included three
lenses depicted by the Danish philosopher Sren
Kierkegaard: ascetic, or abstaining from worldly
pleasures; aesthetic, or appreciating worldly
pleasure and religious, or appreciating the
mystery and food as an icon of the divine.

At the close of the flm, Moore-Jumonville asked
students to defne the flms theme in one world.
Students responses included community,
forgiveness and gratitude.

Of a scene in the movie when members of the
household eat Babettes feast, Moore-Jumonville
said, You see how it heals, how it brings the
community together.

Student Jamie Ward said she attended the flm
because she had read the short story Babbettes
Feast. It was pretty accurate [to the story], said
Ward, and well done for an older movie.

Moore-Jumonville wrapped up the night by saying,
[the flm also shows that] if we try and fail, it isnt
the end.
WRITTEN BY ALEXANDRA HARPER
PHOTO COURTESY INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE Fellowship, forgiveness and food
cover story
SAU focuses on food
written By alexandra harper
S
pring Arbor University (SAU) hosted its annual Focus Series Wednesday, Feb. 13. This years theme was food.

The keynote speaker was Leslie Leyland Fields, editor of the book The Spirit of Food: 34 Writers on Feasting and Fasting Toward God. She shared a
lecture entitled Holy Kale and Noodle Casserole: Return to the Table of God.
We [asked] what role food plays in the Bible, from manna to the Lords Supper, said Dr. Roger Varland, a member of the team in charge of the Focus Series.

Two food-related movies were shown leading up to Focus Series. The movie Babettes Feast was shown Monday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Ralph Carey Forum
(RCF) and Fresh, was shown Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 8:30 p.m. in the RCF.

The Focus Series also included workshops in the morning from SAU faculty and staff members.
D
r. Brent Cline gave an overview of the
discipline of fasting in his workshop
The discipline of fasting: Why its
important and why you might want to avoid it.
Cline said fasting is a pan-cultural discipline: it
takes place in many different religions. Clines
workshop gave an overview of fasting as practiced
by the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
The discipline is not the good thing, said Cline,
it is what it drives us to.
The Eastern Orthodox church practices fasting
because the church believes salvation is a process
of participation. Fasting takes place communally,
with exceptions provided for the infrm. It is a way
to calm passions and turn to God because we are
both spiritual and physical beings.
Fasting does not involve cutting out food entirely,
as is commonly believed. Instead, meat products
such as meat, dairy, eggs and fsh are to be avoided.
Cline listed six major times fasting is practiced
within the church: Lent, which is the frst six
weeks before Easter; Nativity (Nov. 15 to Dec. 24);
Apostles Fast (All Saints Day to Commemoration
of Peter and Paul, June 29); Dormition of
Theotokos (two weeks before August); every
Wednesday and Friday (to commemorate the
betrayal and crucifxion of Christ) and every
Sunday morning before communion.
He also warned about the dangers of fasting.
Cline cautioned against treating fasting as a
bodily activity only, submitting to the legalism
of substitution, becoming vain, wandering into
hypocrisy and thinking in spiritual delusion.
Cline said there are also reasons one should avoid
fasting. If you have a limited knowledge of fasting,
attempt to fast outside of a church body or think
you are your own master, Cline recommended that
you do not fast.
Cline recognized that many students would fnd
his view of fasting different, as most Spring Arbor
University students are Protestants. However, he
encouraged them to take a deep look at fasting
practices in their own lives.
Fasting 101
D
r. Matt Hill, assistant professor of
philosophy, discussed the pros and
cons of genetically modifed organisms
(GMOs) in his workshop Ethical Eating:
Frankenfood and Animals.
Beginning in the 1970s with engineered plants
and in the 1990s with the decoding of the human
genome, GMOs have gained popularity.
Hills main contention is that what we put into
our body becomes who we are. He said students
should become more aware of what food contains
and how much meat is consumed.

Hill said he is weary that GMOs are secretly
ubiquitous and now make up a large portion of
the American food supply.

Although GMOs greatly infuence the effciency of
food production, Hill believes we have the capacity
to feed the world. He said it doesnt involve GMOs
but rather redistribution of government subsidies
currently used for GMOs (mainly corn).

Hill said the issue could become political, based
on the allocation of money given to corporations.
Hill said he would rather individual citizens
provide aid rather than companies accountable to
shareholders. We protest with our wallets, said
Hill.

Hill believes it comes down to pharming vs.
farming. He is concerned with the possible long-
term effects of consuming sterile fsh, massive
amounts of high fructose syrup and 48-day old
chickens. I guess Im just not willing to trust the
maybe, said Hill.
Frankenfood and animals
written By Bekka BoSSenBerger
cover story
D
r. Jeff Bilbro spoke on the act of
gardening as a liturgical practice and how
our consumer industrial culture has come
to see food as a means to an end.
Bilbro quoted Wendell Berrys essay The
Pleasures of Eating: The ideal industrial food
consumer would be strapped to a table with a tube
running from the food factory directly into his or
her stomach. Bilbro said even todays industrial
culture cringes at this extreme. Humans are not
merely machines; humans themselves are part
of the earth. The industrial eater has become
disconnected with the fact that, as Berry said,
eating is an agricultural act.

Bilbro said gardening is a way to reconnect with
the earth. He listed some benefts of gardening:
Gardening can change ones view of aesthetics
and health as one is reconnected to the process of
growth, gardening can help make one aware of the
limits of the place in which one lives, gardening
demands that one is in tune to the seasons and
geography surrounding them and the harvest of a
garden leads to gratitude.
Gardening, as a ritual of returning to creation, can
be seen as a liturgical practice reconnecting todays
industrial generation to the process of growth.
Bilbro and Dr. Jack Baker are starting a community
garden on Spring Arbor University (SAU)s
campus this spring in hope that the harvest will be
somehow incorporated into SAUs catering service,
Chartwells. Students who are interested in helping
run this garden can contact Bilbro and Baker.
Bilbro and Baker will continue the discussion of
liturgy in a Community of Learners seminar on
March 1.
Growing food, growing minds
WRITTEN BY KERRY WADE
PHOTO BY SARAH BEARDSLEE
Gardening as liturgical practice
J
onathan Rinck, professor of art shared the
workshop God is in the Details: Food in
Dutch Painting.

If any of my family knew I was talking about
food today, they would think its hilarious because
I subsist on Ramen noodles and gummy worms,
Rinck said.

Rinck gave a brief history of Dutch painting.
He said when the Reformation occurred and
iconoclasm became rampant, painters had to fnd
private funders and make the religious messages
of their painting less explicit. Thus symbolism
through food was utilized.

Paintings called Vanitas often included symbols
that reminded the viewer that the physical life is
temporary. Flowers were used to remind people
that their bodies would one day wilt and fies often
accompanied the large amounts of fruit.

Rinck also spoke about the dark side of Dutch
symbolism. Some of the paintings showed
merchandise won by the Dutch Empire through
battles, thievery and slavery. He said his lecture
should more accurately be called God is in
the details and so is a bunch of other bad stuff
unfortunately.

Good or bad, Rinck said all symbolism in the
paintings had a spiritual meaning connected to it.
Every seemingly trivial artifact in many of these
paintings actually had meanings attached to them.
Food in Dutch painting
WRITTEN BY ALEXANDRA HARPER
PHOTO BY SARAH BEARDSLEE
Birdie takes fight in White
a&e
F
or the last 53 years, the musical Bye Bye,
Birdie has swept stages with dazzling song
numbers and performances. The legendary
play comes to White Auditorium this weekend
presented by the Spring Arbor University (SAU)
drama and music departments.
The premise of Bye Bye, Birdie centers around
Conrad Birdie, an Elvis Presley-like heartthrob and
teen icon. After Birdie is drafted into the army, his
manager brings him to a small Ohio town for one
last kiss taped live on The Ed Sullivan Show.
However, circumstances of frustrated love
between two parties, including Birdies manager
Albert Peterson, inevitably lead to hilariously
unforeseen mishaps and misfortunes.
With a talented ensemble and brilliant scenic
design, SAU effectively brings the nuance of
Bye Bye, Birdie to life. Director Dr. Paul Patton
continues the legacy of the musical, giving justice
to its fun and comical spirit. However, Patton
purposefully steers the performance toward a
deeper meaning.
Its defnitely one of my favorite musicals because
it addresses two key themes: the televisionization
of reality and the cult of
celebrities, said Patton.
By edifying the icon as opposed to the individual
person of Conrad Birdie, Patton hopes to
emphasize these themes. I want the play to focus
on the idea of our deepest loves. Our deepest
loves often mark us, and we as human beings have
the tendency to create false gods.
With a deeper meaning combined with fun, lively
acting and musical numbers, SAUs Bye Bye,
Birdie is one of the best performances of the
year. The play opened on Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. Other
performances are Feb. 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. and Feb.
17 at 3 p.m.
written By daniel peake
photoS By kriSten larSon
SAU loves drama
written By daniel peake
left to right: ethan lampe, marcy lampe, joshua cloyd, becky veydt connor cheyne
T
he drama department at Spring Arbor
University (SAU) has planned four main
events for the spring semester.
Headed by Dr. Paul Patton and Professor Jen
Letherer, the departments goals are to raise
community interest and overall awareness of the
art of stagecraft.
The frst event, an all-you-can-eat pancake
breakfast, was held on Jan. 19. Many drama
students volunteered to help with the event by
serving food with Minnesota accents and wearing a
wide variety of Midwestern fashion choices.
The drama department plans to use the income
from the breakfast for a spring break trip to
Minnesota. While in Minnesota, drama students
and professors will attend several plays at different
venues. The pancake breakfast was proftable, and
the department reached their monetary goal.
Feb. 14 through Feb. 17, the stage play Bye Bye,
Birdie will be presented in White Auditorium.
Its been a lot of fun preparing for a set like
this, said Paul McKinley, the set carpenter. It is
defnitely one of the most elaborate sets Ive seen
here; I cant wait to see how the audience likes it.
An elaborate set is just one of the many things
the show is promising. Known for its impressive
choreography and intricate musical numbers, a
show of this caliber, according to McKinley, is no
walk in the park.
To close the semester and the school year, the
drama department will reenact the Shakespearian
classic, Twelfth Night. The performance is set to
show at the Michigan Theatre in Jackson in April.
Im really excited about it. Its cool not only to
be in the play but also to be on an actual stage like
the Michigan Theatre; its a great opportunity,
said Andrew King, a freshman whose SAU drama
debut was in the performance of W;t last
December.
For more information about any of these events,
keep an eye out for posters around campus or
contact the drama department.
written By kerry wade and Sydney williamS
a&e
Academy Awards predictions
T
he Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, are awards given for excellent achievement within the flm industry. Nominations are given by the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and were announced on Jan. 10. The Academy Awards are hosted on Feb. 24 and until then, we
speculate (for a full analysis, visit saupulse.com):
Award Kerry Wade: should win/will win Sydney Williams: should win/will win
Best Picture Amour/Amour Amour/Argo
Directing Michael Haneke/Steven Spielberg David O. Russell/Michael Haneke
Actor in a Leading Role Joaquin Phoenix/Daniel Day-Lewis Daniel Day-Lewis/Joaquin Phoenix
Actress in a Leading Role Emmanuelle Riva/Jennifer Lawrence Emmanuelle Riva/Jennifer Lawrence
Writing - Original Screenplay Django Unchained/Amour
Writing - Adapted Screenplay Beasts of the Southern Wild/Silver Linings Playbook
Music - Original Score Lincoln/Life of Pi Life of Pi/Life of Pi
Best Cinematography Skyfall/Life of Pi Skyfall/Life of Pi
Short Film - Animated Head over Heels/Paperman Paperman/Paperman
written By kerry wade and Sydney williamS
Just give that man an Oscar
P
oor Leo
Leonard DiCaprio has never won an Oscar.
People: this is a shame and a scandal.
What about Titanic? Wasnt that nominated
for 14 Oscars? Yes, Titanic won 11 Oscars in
1998, but Kate Winslet stole the Best Actress
nomination from under him. What about Gangs
of New York? Again DiCaprio was snubbed and
his co-star Daniel Day-Lewis took Best Actor.
Before we start shedding tears, there is some hope.
DiCaprio did receive Best Actor nominations for
his work in The Aviator and Blood Diamond.
However, right after that he was snubbed again
receiving no nominations for Inception.
This years Academy awards marks another
nomination-free year for Leonardo DiCaprio,
but he deserves to be recognized for his role
in Quentin Tarantinos Django Unchained.
DiCaprio plays Calvin Candie, the owner of the
most notorious plantation in all of Mississippi.
During one of the most climactic scenes of the
movie DiCaprio slammed his hand down on
the table, slicing it on a piece of glass. Tarantino
kept the cameras rolling while DiCaprio stayed in
character, the blood dripping down his hand. They
used that take in the flm.
A few weeks ago DiCaprio informed the press
that he was taking a break from acting. CBS News
quoted him saying, I am a bit drained. I'm now
going to take a long, long break. I've done three
flms in two years and I'm just worn out. At least
for now, The Great Gatsby, releasing in May
2013, seems like DiCaprios last chance to win an
Oscar. Only time will tell.
- Kerry Wade
R
oger Deakins
You love his work.
True Grit. The Shawshank Redemption. A
Beautiful Mind. No Country for Old Men.
The Big Lebowski. O Brother, Where Art
Thou? The Village.
Skyfall.
No matter which director he works with,
cinematographer Roger Deakins consistently
produces some of the most visually enticing flms
of all time. But despite his reputable repertoire,
he has yet to win an Academy Award. He is one
of the best and most versatile cinematographers
currently working, and his latest movie proves it.
Skyfall is his 10th nomination, and could be his
frst win.
When I saw Skyfall in December, I already knew
what to expect: solid acting (despite a terrible
script), notable directing and the most menacing
and bizarre Bond villain yet. But when I stepped
out of the theater, I was still under Deakins spell.
It was art. It was so beautiful.
The movie was shot primarily on one or two
cameras which remained still during most shots.
When there was action, the camera moved along
with it. Skyfalls 143 minutes held some of
the best color and shadow that Ive ever seen on
screen. Deakins played with reds and golds at the
Macau casino, neons and blues refecting off glass
at the top of a skyscraper in Shanghai, muted
greens and greys at Bonds foggy family home in
Scotland and blacks and oranges in the closer.
Deakins stunned me over and over again with his
interpretation of each location. From the narrow
streets of Istanbul to the natural beauty of the
Scottish Highlands, he showed me what to look
at. The stunt camerawork was steady enough to
maintain the framing, but jarring enough to hold
the suspense. When the mood was more subdued,
he let my eyes trace skylines and shadows.
He is versatile. He takes your breath away. He
knows how to shoot in low light. He leaves your
soul longing for more gorgeous cinematography.
Deakins has mastered wide landscape shots,
precipitous angles, dazzling repetition, fawless
movement, striking shadows, skylines, framing and
rich color.
Now just give that man an Oscar.
- Sydney Williams
a&e
Covers, music and worship
written By JeSSe gentry
photo By cam daviS
T
he live music scene around the Spring
Arbor University (SAU) campus has grown
in recent years, and one of the ways is
through coffee house shows. The most recent
coffee house featured Jeff Anderson on Jan. 29 in
the Cougar Den.
About 30 students were in attendance as Anderson
took the stage, but by the end of the show the
Cougar Den was packed.
Anderson played original songs from his album
In The Shadow (released in 2012) as well as
covers of well-known songs.
Anderson did a rendition of the commonly
covered Hallelujah (by Leonard Cohen). This
particular song seemed to touch the crowd since
audience members were already familiar with it.
This feeling and emotion carried into an
unexpected worship time that led to raised hands
and people on their knees and in tears.
As Anderson shifted into a time of worship, he
played songs like Your Love Never Fails by
Jesus Culture, Hosanna and How He Loves.
Students were soon singing along with raised
hands and closed eyes.
At one point during a worship song, Anderson
stopped and said he had promised God he would
say anything God told him to say, no matter how
stupid or weird it seemed. Anderson said he felt
God telling him there was someone in a section of
the crowd who was going through a diffcult time,
and he prayed for that student.
SAU music promoter Camille Hunter said
Andersons booking agent contacted her in
September and said he was going to be in the area.
At the time the coffee house schedule was full, but
this spot opened up.
I wanted a variety of styles in the artists I brought
in this year, not just what Id prefer to listen to,
Hunter said. He was a really nice, chill guy. He
even gave me a free t-shirt when he heard me say
one of them was cool!
Hunter liked how well Anderson interacted with
the crowd.
The next coffee house will feature The Rocket
Boys, Mike Mains and the Branches and
Dinner and a Suit on Feb. 21. Keep an eye
out for upcoming open mic events throughout
the semester for a chance to show off your own
talents.
Student podcasts available online
written By kerry wade
A
lthough I desperately hope this is not the
case, some of you may still be asking,
What is Counterpoint?
Counterpoint is Spring Arbor University
(SAU)s audio website. It publishes podcasts with
everything from news to poetry to New Years
resolutions.

Haley Taylor, SAU senior and founder of
Counterpoint, puts it this way: We are different
voices, different personalities who work together
to create a harmonic relationship in audio. We
hope to inform you with news, inspire you with art
and challenge you with our different perspectives.
One way Counterpoint is kicking off the new
semester is with a brand new series entitled The
Hypothetical Dinner Guest hosted by Alexandra
Harper. She asks: whom would you invite to dinner
if history and death were no barrier? Last weeks
dinner guest was Daisy Fellows, a woman of
whom Jean Cocteau said launched more fashions
that any other woman in the world.
Counterpoint will also be publishing stories,
poetry and spoken word performed by the
students of SAU. Check out Marcella Jones
reading of Beauty When the Other Dancer Is the
Self by Alice Walker or an embarrassing story
from the high school years of Billy Luke. More
content will be published throughout the semester.
Feel free to go take a look. Listen and enjoy.
Check out new content at arborcounterpoint.com.
Recent Counterpoint headlines:
A Resolution for Books
Hypothetical Dinner Guest: Daisy Fellows
Counterpoints A Christmas Carol
A coffee house success
photo By Sarah BeardSlee
feature
Soda and stories
W
ould you like a soda?
These were the words that began
my interview with Dr. Kimberly Rupert, new
provost and chief academic offcer of Spring
Arbor University (SAU). The question caused
me to glance up from my reading of Dr. Ruperts
credentials. Doctorate in American Studies from
Yale University. Senior vice president and frst
Ombudsperson of American Express Company. A
list of accreditations longer than the Nile River.
I was startled when spoken to and my frst
nonsensical thought was: If I drink the same soda
as her, do my chances of getting into Yales grad
school increase? Probably not.

So tell me a little bit about yourself. Dr. Rupert
said. Surprise #2. I have never had an interview
in which the person starts by asking about
myself. The unwritten hierarchy of interviews is
that the interviewee is the spring of all possible
knowledge and the interviewer is the polite, overly
enthusiastic, rather replaceable bucket drawing
information from that spring.
Completely fustered on how to speak about
myself to someone who could viably say, Well,
last week I was talking to the CEO of American
Express I gave my go-to answer: I am a
professional writing and English literature student.
I read and I write.

Thus, in the frst two minutes of my interview
with Dr. Rupert I refused a grad-school promising
soda, verifed that I was literate, and flled my
fustered quota for a week. Oh, thats wonderful,
said Dr. Rupert, To the extent that Ive interacted
with students [at SAU] Ive been delighted. I would
like to do something like [sitting in on classrooms],
with the professors permission of course, but
Im just now having the opportunity to meet the
faculty in the different departments, so its early
days for that.

Dr. Rupert said she was born in Florida to military
parents. She spent her childhood traveling up and
down the East Coast as well as in Germany and
France. I used to say I missed the good stuff,
said Dr. Rupert, because before I was born my
parents were in India and China.
She went to school in New England, including
Yale, and took a job in the religion department
of Central Michigan University (a job that would
eventually lead her to SAU). She worked at the
Texas Research Associates Corporation on projects
including compiling an international catalog of
Generally Recognized as Safe food additives
before anything was computerized.

She also worked for American Express. I was on
a team that was supposed to last for 18 months,
said Dr. Rupert. I ended up spending 18 years
there. She became a Senior Vice President and
eventually the companys frst Ombudsperson,
a position specifcally created to harbor a safe,
anonymous line for employees to report their
concerns about any aspects of the companys
workings.

Dr. Ruperts favorite travel memory of her time at
American Express was at a business
meeting in France. She knew she had
a military engagement as soon as she
got back from the trip, so the only
clothes she had packed were her suit
for the meeting and her uniform for
the military engagement.
She got a call from American
Express saying they had decided
to prolong the trip for a break on
the French Riviera. Dr. Rupert had
been invited to stay in the home of
some friends of the company. I
already had plans to get my bathing
suit, said Dr. Rupert, but by the
time I arrived and was directed to
my guest room the closet had been
flled with clothing just my size. And
I thought Im going to have a good
weekend.

However, shes experienced more
than just the amusement value of
working at American Express. Dr.
Rupert said, I have a lot of respect
for students who dont think they
can pay for school. She said after
leaving grad school she got a job
but had little money and was once
between paychecks and hadnt eaten
for four days. The only person I
knew there was the president of the
school. So I went to his offce and asked if I could
borrow $20 to get me through the week. He was
very gracious about it, said Dr. Rupert.

Her advice to students would be to allow yourself
to explore a bit to discover what you really love
[in a job]. As one who originally planned to be a
physicist, got a degree in church history and spent
a large part of her life in managerial positions,
Dr. Rupert knows a bit about changing her mind.
She loves that liberal arts educations give students
variety and helps them be open to different types
of study.

As to her new job position, Dr. Rupert said, Im
truly delighted to be here. I truly believe that this is
a calling from God for me to be here to participate
in Spring Arbor being the institution that he wants
it to be for his kingdom and his glory; and thats
why Im particularly delighted to be here.
Meeting SAUs new provost
feature
Roses are red, violets are blue...
written By Bekka BoSSenBerger
graphic courteSy getty imageS
Feb. 14 is here, what are you going to do?
W
hether you regard it as Love Day, Saint
Valentines Day or Singles Awareness
Day, you know the date: Feb. 14.
To some, its just another day spent studying or
working. Junior Timothy Rohrer said, I have a
date with the Cougar Den.

Some dont even observe the coined Hallmark
holiday.

Honestly, Valentines Day means about as much
to me as Groundhog Day - fun, but usually not
worth taking extra time and money to celebrate,
said sophomore Erin Myhre.

Many students plan to spend time in fellowship
with close friends, even if they do have a special
fella or a lovely lady.

I personally feel that Valentines Day is a little
contrived. I think it leads to obligatory gestures
of romance instead of genuine ones, said
sophomore Kayla Chenault. If someone loves
you, they should show it every day and not just
because chocolate hearts are on sale.

Remember to appreciate those people around you
who would sacrifce their invaluable time to simply
talk with you.

It can be about friends or just anyone you love,
and not just in a romantic way. I think that just
your mindset and perspective can make or break
Valentines Day, said junior Julie Keehn.

And you dont need to wait until Feb. 14 to show
someone you care.

Wouldnt it be more special if they did that on
any day out of the blue and not on a day that is
designed for love? said sophomore Amy Drohan.

Of the nearly 1,600 on-campus students who
attend Spring Arbor University (SAU), 30 were
surveyed and only 12 of those had any knowledge
of Saint Valentine.

I would love to see a return to the way St.
Valentine did things. Commercial holidays based
on Christian charity are silly, said senior Zachariah
Deitrich.

Christ calls us to love all people. Valentines Day
is a perfect opportunity to show gratitude to your
peers and remind them of Christs love.

Choose to make a difference... be everyones
Valentine this year, said sophomore Grace
Johnson.

And for post-Valentines Day treats, visit grocery
stores beginning Feb. 15 and snatch up candy for
upwards of 50% off its original price.
Last Valentines Day was pretty special. M
y friends
and I had no signifcant others, but we wanted to
have fun and celebrate the holiday so we dressed up
super fancy and went to the mall, then to the Parlour
for ice cream. W
hile we were at the Parlour, we met
this older couple that had met while going to SAU 20
or 30 years earlier. W
e talked to them for a while and
then they left. W
hen we were ready to leave, we went
to pay and found out that the older couple had taken
care of our bill for us.
- Tania Parsons
I am
cu
rren
tly d
atin
g
a w
o
n
d
erfu
l w
o
m
an

w
o
rk
in
g
in
A
lask
a, so
m
y p
lan
s in
clu
d
e m
ailin
g

a p
ack
ag
e w
ith
a f
am
eless can
d
le [an
d
] in
stan
t
m
eal. I w
ill d
ress u
p
an
d
[h
av
e] a S
k
yp
e can
d
le-lit
d
in
n
er.
- P
au
l M
cK
in
ley
Although I have a signifcant other,
we wont be celebrating together;
he agrees with my feelings about
Valentines and both of us will be
busy anyway. Instead, a few friends
and I are exchanging valentines and
eating desserts together to celebrate
camaraderie and love.
- Kayla Chenault
When I was growing up, we
celebrated Valentines Day at school by
passing out friendly notes to the class.
Simple, innocent reminders of how great that person is.
- Grace Johnson
feature
Offce space: the curious corner of Bobby Pratt
photoS By alexandra harper
O
ne of my early questions when
interviewing Bobby Pratt, assistant dean
of students at Spring Arbor University
(SAU), about his very unique offce space was, Is
that a microwave inside an antique TV?

If youve ever been to Pratts offce, you will
probably know that my question isnt as strange
as it seems. Bizarre but undeniably fascinating
objects litter nearly every surface of his offce. The
few that can be identifed range from architectural
prints to a rather porous toy of Jabba the Hut.
In an attempt to understand and maybe categorize
the contents of Pratts cabinet of curiosities, The
Pulse bravely entered the realm of the strange
and mysterious.

The Pulse (T.P.): If you had to give a theme to
your offce, what would you call it? That is, if you
have a theme for such an eclectic space.

Pratt (B.P.): Yeah, I think that would be the sort
of theme, eclectic. Theyre really just things Ive
picked up traveling or been given or maybe just
seen and thought was really interesting.

T.P.: Lets start with the masks hanging on the wall
behind your desk. Are those from travels?
B.P.: Yeah, most are from my travels. Ones from
Haiti, ones from Africa, anothers from Costa
Rica. That big one in the middle was actually my
grandfathers and was passed down to me.

T.P.: What about on that shelf ? You have a
collection of Coke bottles, and are those ping
pong paddles?

B.P.: They are. The Coke bottles are really just
ones Ive picked up traveling or other people have
brought me when they traveled. Some people
get really into collecting Coke things. I dont
necessarily, I just grab the bottles I really like. And
the ping pong paddles? I really enjoy playing ping
pong. This one (Pratt picked up a single heavy-
looking, metallic paddle) someone actually gave to
me. Its rather old and appears to be made out of
aluminum.

T.P.: Do you have a certain thing in your room that
people comment on the most?

B.P.: Well, that. (Pratt gestured at the old television
that I had previously thought to have a microwave
in the bottom). Its a Motorola 1950s TV. I took
the guts out of it and put a monitor connected
to my computer in where the screen would have
been. I also put a mini fridge below in the speaker
cabinet (not a microwave). People always come in
and say what is that, but its nice because if I have
young kids in here, Ill just fnd a cartoon online
and put it on that screen and they just sit right in
front of it to watch while they wait.
T.P.: Do you have a favorite thing in your offce?

B.P.: Well, everything in here I really like in some
way. I have this great Jabba the Hut fgure I found
at a garage sale. Its probably worth something
now, I dont know. Oh, this is great (He lifted a
wooden head from the top shelf). I found this
at a fea market or somewhere. It was used in
a haberdashery to hold hats. That sign in the
corner is the street sign that used to be in front of
[Andrews] Hall. When they built [what was called]
University Hall they put a new street sign up, so its
like a bit of SAU history.

T.P.: So, if there was a fre down here, what fve
things would you grab?

B.P.: Oh, probably the masks. They have a lot
of value to me. They mark places Ive been and
memories. But there are a lot of things I have in
here that I like because of that.
Do you know a professor on campus who would be great for Marchs Offce
Space article? Maybe they have a quirky collection or a strange invention in
their offce. E-mail megan@saupulse.com with your suggestions and input.
opinion
Four letter identities
photo courteSy getty imageS
I
NFP. ESTJ. These letters and the connotations
they carry are familiar to many people on
Spring Arbor University (SAU)s campus.
Most students took the Myers-Briggs test during
CORE 100. Are you a thinker or a feeler? Are
you a perceiver or a judger? Perhaps the one
distinction that stands out from the rest is: are you
an introvert or an extrovert?

I promise this isnt one of those lets list the
strengths of each and try to force them to love
each other pieces. But I do think this campus
demonstrates a signifcant social stigma toward
introversion. In a place where nearly every piece
of programming contains the word community,
social interaction is defnitely a focus.

Dont try to deny it. In pretty much any
conversation about the Myers-Briggs test, the
introvert/extrovert factor is the primary focus. If
anyone dares to cross over the 50% introvert line,
everyone else feels the compulsion to share their
degree of extroversion. Anything above a 70%
introversion and you go on your peer advisers
watchlist because, obviously, social status and
extroversion are intricately linked.

Before anyone gets offended, let it be established
that I am personally in the middle ground, 52-48
introvert to extrovert, and I have successfully lived
on both sides. There are merits and downfalls to
both. However, extroversion is viewed much more
positively than introversion.

Take Christmas break for example. In the rush
of moving back to SAU after break and the
beginning of interim, the most bantered question
was, How was your break? If I answered with
a list of all the parties and gift exchanges and late
night ice cream runs I participated in, I was met
with a smile and a ready exchange. If I shared how
much I enjoyed being home alone for the frst
three days and reading books, I was met with an
uncomfortable silence.

You only need to look around to see that society
values extroversion. In many business and job
situations, having a people-friendly, on-the-go
demeanor will get you far. But I think it goes
deeper, to the core of the American dream itself -
the pursuit of happiness.
Culture informs us that happiness is obtaining as
much money as you can and being surrounded
by as many people as you can. In this scheme of
things, there is no room for someone who would
rather spend the evening watching movies at
home than hitting the party scene. You must be
constantly going, achieving and socializing if you
want to reach that dangling apple of happiness.

The culture of SAU is a great one; dont get me
wrong. The sense of community and belonging
here is something that is rarely created anywhere
else. However, from the moment freshmen step
on campus, they are immediately pressured into a
mold.

As a freshman, I thought campus events were
almost mandatory. If you didnt go to every single
event and mingle, you would somehow get tossed
out and rejected from the community. If, heaven
forbid, you go to lunch by yourself one time,
you are in need of a social skills intervention.
Everything is focused on molding freshmen into
peppy, mingling extroverts, because that is the
only way to achieve
the model college
experience.

Again, dont take
this wrong. I think
that the freshmen
program does
great things, and
it defnitely helps
freshmen adjust
and integrate into
the larger SAU-
sphere, but it tends
to push toward a
one-size-fts-all
standard.

I have many deep
friendships on this
campus. And yes,
some of them were
developed from
going to coffee
houses and bowling
nights and ice
skating. But some
of them were also developed from skipping these
events and staying up all night talking over ice
cream and a movie. One-on-one lunch dates create
a deeper sense of friendship and closeness than
occupying a giant table with 15 people day after
day ever could.

So where am I going with all of this? Introverts are
not failed extroverts. They are their own people.
The new focus of SAU is live on purpose.
Whatever we do, be it academic, spiritual or social,
should be on purpose.

You dont have to be the smiling, model social
center surrounded constantly by your group of
friends to do it. Whoever you are, however you
relate, you can do so on purpose.
opinion
The culture of modesty
written By kerry wade
photo courteSy getty imageS
A
s with all opinion pieces, let me
remind you that this opinion in no way
representative of the beliefs or opinions
of The Pulse or Spring Arbor University. This
is simply my opinion on this issue in an attempt to
see it in a new light.
You may have already gathered from the title that
the issue I am so hesitant bring up is modesty.
Wait! Dont leave! I know many people reading this
article have grown up in the church and, especially
if you are a female, have heard about this subject
so many times that you would rather be doing very
painful things than reading yet another article on
modesty.
Others may be wary of the subject because it
seems to be just another yardstick Christians use
to judge others. I am not here to give any rules or
cast any judgments. I am here to consider modesty
from a cultural viewpoint.

Growing up, it felt like every Christian camp
and Bible study for girls always included a talk
about modesty. It was always the same: you are all
beautiful; you need to respect yourselves and your
brothers in Christ; to do so dress modestly.
They all stood under Emma Watsons banner, who
said, The less you reveal, the more people can
wonder. However, it was what came next that
really struck a raw point in my heart.
Next would come the helpful suggestions about
modesty. If you place you hands down by your
sides, your shorts must be longer than you middle
fnger no cleavage if a guy sees a bra strap,
he will picture the whole thing, so hide it
wearing a tank top? Be sure to double layer it so it
doesnt ride up when you raise your arms.

Hear me out; I have nothing against these helpful
hints or guidelines, but I do think they can give
people the wrong impression. By implying that
there are right guidelines it is also implying that
there are wrong guidelines.
I think the whole idea of guidelines is looking at
the whole issue from the wrong angle.

I grew up outside of the United States in India.
My church was built in the colonial era and had
not changed in the 200 years since. I say this to
emphasize that this church was highly traditional,
dare I even say conservative.
The women of the church were devoted women
of God who covered their heads with their scarves
during prayer. They came to church dressed in
their best saris. Saris are the traditional dress of
India consisting of a long strip of material that is
wrapped around the waist and then draped over
the shoulder. It left their stomachs completely
bare.

These women were in no way immodest, but if we
were to compare them to the western standard of
modesty taught to middle school girls, they would
appear that way. Modesty is completely dependent
upon culture and social norms.

Modesty cannot be and never has been about a
set of guidelines ... or dare I say rules. Telling a
young girl that showing her midriff is
wrong is not only unbiblical but also
casts judgment upon entire cultures.
In some cultures, showing above
the knees is scandalous while in
coastal areas swimsuits are everyday
attire. The entire concept of what is
scandalous and what turns people
on is very much entangled within
social upbringing and culture.

I know many of you may be saying
that one of the main purposes of
modesty is to protect our brothers
in Christ from stumbling. What
I am about to say I am in no way
justifying or commenting upon that;
I am simply laying out a fact. For
thousands of years cultures in Africa
and Asia did not require women to
wear tops, and these cultures still
functioned. I think it is a dishonor
to men to treat them as animals who
cannot control their urges. These
societies functioned and thrived and
had advanced kingdoms.

I spent my high school years in
Thailand. For one of my Thai
language classes we watched a
documentary on the ancient kingdom
of Thailand. My teacher, a Thai Christian, gave this
disclaimer: traditional Lanna Thai culture women
did not wear tops but were excessively modest in
wearing long skirts.
A majority of traditional Thai art depicts women
without tops. This was never a problem until
Thailand began opening up to tourism in the late
1900s. Thailand began to attract a large number of
men. All of a sudden the topless women became
an issue where it had never been before.

I say all this to make the point that our idea of
what is scandalous or improper is a highly cultural
and social issue. Modesty has nothing to do with
the amount of skin that is shown but rather what
is respectable within the culture you are in. If
people saw modesty as something beyond what
can be measured with a ruler, I would hope they
would not be so quick to judge.
sports
PEDs changing baseball
written By megan FilipowSki
photoS courteSy getty imageS
A
t the end of January, the Baseball Writers
Association of America failed to elect any
members to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The next day, the front page of the sports section
on The New York Times only had the headline,
Welcome to Cooperstown. The rest of the
page was blank until an article about Washington
Redskins quarterback Robert Griffn IIIs injury
during the playoffs.
This is the second time in the last 40 years and the
frst time since 1996 that a player did not receive
the 75 percent of votes required for induction.
The question that lingers over the entire situation
is: what role do steroids play in this?
Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire
were all members of this years Hall of Fame
class. They are just a few of the players who have
verifed rumors that at one point in their
careers they used steroids.
Jose Cansecos book, Juiced was the
frst to reveal the use of performance-
enhancing drugs (PEDs) in baseball.
Major League Baseball (MLB) has been
trying to eliminate the use of steroids,
which have been banned since 1991. MLB
has tested for PEDs since 2003.
In 2003, the rules for PED testing included
one random test per player per year. There
would be no punishment for the frst year.
In 2004, the rules changed. Players would
have two tests that would be given without
any prior warning. There would be a frst
test and a follow up test up seven days later.
If the player tested positive he would be
treated for steroids use. If the player under
this treatment failed again, he would be
subject to discipline: a suspension from an
initial 15 days with a $10,000 fne to one
year with a $100,000 fne.
There were more changes made in 2005,
including that a player who tested positive
for the frst time would be suspended for
10 days and his name would be released to
the public. A 30-day suspension without
pay would be applied for the next offense, 60 days
for the third offense and one year for the fourth.
Alex Sanchez was the frst player to receive a
steroid suspension.
There have been more changes to the rules
about steroids since 2005, but then this article
would just be a list of rules (how exciting!). The
most signifcant and noted change is that the
punishment for a frst time offender is a 50-game
suspension.
Melky Cabrera, who at the time played for the
San Francisco Giants, received one of these
suspensions in the 2012 season. His suspension
was issued just weeks after being named the Most
Valuable Player of the All-Star game. Within the
week, there was another suspension issued to
Bartolo Colon, a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.
Baseball season is now upon us. Pitchers and
catchers have reported for their frst workouts.
Spring training games begin in a week and there
has been news of a PED clinic with links to some
of the most famous athletes in the MLB including
Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez.
As a baseball fan, this unnerves me. The game
where players like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Hank
Aaron and Jackie Robinson made themselves
household names without steroids is being tainted.
Sometimes its hard to escape these things, but the
game is different than it used to be.
Baseball is very much a part of the American
sports culture. With PEDs being part of baseball,
that makes steroids a part of the American sports
culture. We are now watching our favorite players
get suspended for using PEDs. Were seeing
records being displayed with asterisks because of
the steroid use by the player who broke it.
This isnt good for the children who grew up
with Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Cabrera, Braun
and Rodriguez as their role models. These
players association with steroids is likely to
cause those children to be tempted to use
them as well when the time comes for them
to achieve their dreams of being professional
athletes.
Children should be able to love the game and
excel at it because of their talents, not because
they are taking drugs that make them better
performers.
I believe the MLB is taking the right steps to
help with the prevention of PEDs and steroids
throughout the league, but at times when news
like this clinic is discovered those steps just
dont seem like enough.
A lasting impression has been made. Some
childrens role models are taking drugs to be
better performers to learn more money. The
Hall of Fame is without new members because
of the effects of the steroid era.
Baseball is a changing game and Im not certain
I like the direction its headed.
sports
Mens basketball
Team 1 2 Total
Spring Arbor
University
25 44 69
Mount Vernon
Nazarene University
29 34 63
Next game: Feb. 16 at Huntington University, 3
p.m.
Team 1 2 Total
Mount Vernon
Nazarene University
15 29 44
Spring Arbor
University
28 33 61
Next game: Feb. 16 vs. Huntington University, 1
p.m.
Womens basketball
compiled By megan FilipowSki
photoS courteSy Sau athleticS
For detailed game summaries,
visit saucougars.com.
Podcasts about SAU athletics are
available on Facebook by searching for
The SAU Breakdown
saupulse.com | Page 23
Intramural calendar
February:
18 - 21 Volleyball tournament
25 - 28 Basketball season
March:
25 - 27 Basketball tournament
the
PULSE
Offcial newspaper
of Ron Kopicko
website: saupulse.com
twitter: @saupulse
facebook.com/saupulse

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