News

In what was the culmination of a ten-year plan, Luther College installed over $175,000 in new signs around campus over the summer.

In keeping with what has become a nationwide concern, Luther College has decided to expand the reach of health insurance coverage for its students.

“The sense in higher education is that in this complicated health world it is important to have students insured,” Vice President and Dean for Student Life Ann Highum said. “This was the next logical step.”

The familiar faces of Jim Ahles, director of campus safety and security, and Caleb Mattison, sustainability coordinator, will leave Luther after this year. Both Ahles and Mattison are leaving the college under positive circumstances. Ahles is retiring after 30 years on the Luther staff, and Mattison hopes to pursue a different lifestyle.

1. Sixth broken door ends in injury

March 19 — The sixth Dieseth door to be broken this year was kicked in Friday, March 13. Justin Kaspryk (‘12) claimed responsibility for breaking the door and sustained a foot injury from the glass.

Luther and the Decorah Police have not issued charges for the incident.

While Dieseth residents have been assessed fines for the five doors prior, they will not be charged for this incident.

Kaspryk was hosting a prospective student the night of the incident.

He said he broke the door when leaving Dieseth.

“I decided to be a smart-ass and open the door with my foot, which I do all the time just because,” Kaspryk said.

While businesses across the nation struggle for customers, Luther will be set with its annual student enrollment for next year. As of May 1, 665 students had deposited for next fall. Of those, 637 are first-year students and 28 are transfer students.

Several women in the Luther community will gather on Thursday, May 14 to speak for the Women in Politics class’s brown-bag discussion, “Sparks of Activism…Women Transforming Politics.” The event will be held in the Mott room of Dahl Centennial Union at 12:45 p.m.

A new minor is being considered by the Academic Planning Committee in film and visual media. The process of evaluating a newly recognized minor is lengthy and the outcome is uncertain.

As Influenza A (H1N1), formerly termed “swine flu,” attracts international media coverage and concern from health organizations, members of the Luther College community are on constant guard to limit the virus’s potential effect on campus.

After students leave the Luther campus for the summer, the Facilities staff will continue the effort to increase the fluidity of traffic around campus.

When the going gets tough, the tough raise tuition, but for some students, the hefty cost of Luther’s liberal arts education might be weighing more heavily in these hard economic times.

Luther’s increase in comprehensive fees for the 2009-2010 academic year will in fact be the smallest in nine years. With rough economic conditions leaving many families on uncertain financial ground, the possibility of increased transfers and drop-outs has been looming large on the minds of both students and faculty at Luther.

Despite opposition from some in the Luther community, the Pi Sigma Omicron fraternity held its annual party April 24 at Chimney Rock Campground.

“Trout Fry” reeled in a smaller-than-usual crowd, fishing out approximately 250 guests, but those who attended found themselves hooked.

In a time of increasing administrative regulation and elevated student frustration, Luther seniors will get an unprecedented opportunity to socialize at a Luther-sponsored party at the end of the year.

Iowa became the third state to legalize gay marriage April 3. Same-sex couples will be allowed to marry at this month’s end, after the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously deemed the state law limiting marriage to heterosexual couples unconstitutional.

A group of four panelists from Luther’s faculty and staff gathered April 15 to speak about the effects of the current economic crisis and the effect on Luther and its students.