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Students Present Research at Penn-York Conference

This past Saturday, November 9, Professor Laurie Dashnau and ten Houghton students attended and participated in the 14th annual Penn-York Undergraduate Research Conference held at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The university hosted the conference in conjunction with their 50 year celebration of the university’s operation.

Courtesy of Mark Dashnau
Courtesy of Mark Dashnau

The Penn-York Conference is an opportunity for students to make a brief presentation of their research to a group of their peers and to “learn a lot of interesting material from areas outside of their disciplines” said Prof. Dashnau. The conference provides an opportunity for learning and for honing presentation skills. “The conference went very well. I had an opportunity to attend approximately 25 paper readings…. All of the presentations went very well.” said Dashnau.

Seniors Caleb Johnson, David Smith, Jessica Dreiling, Hannah Lily, Ben Murphy, Taylor Ross, Elizabeth Wallace and juniors Sylvia Morrow, Meghan McCuistion, and Stephanie Ford gave oral presentations at the conference. In addition to oral presentations, there were also poster presentations displaying student research and projects.

There was a varied representation of academic areas at the conference, both from the Houghton students and the conference presenters overall. From Houghton, “Five were presenting writing specifically; Caleb Johnson’s paper was from… [an] economics class and the same for Taylor Ross’s paper titled ‘How does Health-Care Affect Economic Freedom?’… Sylvia Morrow presented a physics paper,” said Dashnau. Johnson’s presentation was entitled “Free Trade Agreements,” Smith’s was “The Effects of Nonverbal Communication in the Writing Center,” Dreiling’s “Rapport in the Writing Center,” Murphy’s “The Case for Inclusivity at Houghton College,” and McCuistion’s “Electroencephalographic Measures of Negative Priming Effects on Event-Related Potentials and Reaction Times.”

Junior Sylvia Morrow’s presentation was entitled “Searching for Rigid Triaxial Deformation in 70Ge” and focused on her research that she conducted over the summer on rare nuclear shapes at low energies in 70Ge. Morrow said that “it was a good opportunity to practice bringing science to the public.” For Morrow the conference also presented a chance to “practice my presentation and public speaking skills” she said.

Senior Hannah Lily’s presentation was entitled “Personal Repertoire in Writing Center Consultations” and focused on “how the sharing of details builds repertoire,” said Lily. Lily also commented on her participation in the conference, saying “it was a good experience being able to see everyone else’s presentations and the methods that they presented in, there was a wide variety of topics.”

Besides Houghton, students from Hilbert College, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, Alfred University, St. Bonaventure, and Clarion University of Pennsylvania also presented at the conference.

Dashnau was optimistic for the conference’s growth and development next year. “I’m delighted that next year more students from St. Bonaventure University will be joining us in larger measure… one professor there who also went to the Penn-York Conference has agreed to be the keynote speaker; his name is Gregory Privitera,” said Dashnau. Houghton has hosted the conference in 2007 and there is an expressed hope to host the conference next year.

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Collegiate Baseball Team “Genesee Rapids” to Debut Next Summer

Upcoming efforts to transform incoming traffic to the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex into a positive, continual impact on Houghton may have another attraction to accommodate: that of a collegiate summer baseball team.

FURapidThe idea for such a team was formed by Houghton graduate Ralph Kerr along with the input of the other members in the Houghton Group, an organization working to bring new business and development to the Houghton area with the new traffic brought in by the athletic complex. Originally inspired by his grandson’s position on the Niagara Power team last summer, Kerr began to consider the possibility of bringing such a team to the Allegany County area. “When I saw not just him but other young men from all over the country having an opportunity to grow as Christians and using baseball as a vehicle to do that, I was really thinking it would be terrific if we could replicate that same thing in Houghton where we already have such a beautiful facility that is just going to sit vacant all summer long,” said Kerr.

After convening a group of potential supporters of a new team and presenting his idea to them, community interest in the project became evident. Kerr was also eventually able to gain support from the Houghton Group in finding support from local businesses, including advertising on the field during games, and from members of the team board, who typically make a financial contribution to the team and participate in its management. Further support comes from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), of which the team is an affiliate, which is able to funnel donations to the team through its website.

One of the aspects of the team which drew interest was its potential to bring traffic to Houghton during the summer, a time during which many faculty and students leave the area, leaving a void of activity. “The first thing is simply people coming to their games from out of town. It becomes summer evening fun, wholesome entertainment. Around here, that’s pretty hard to come by. There’s not much going on here during the summertime,” said Ken Bates, a business professor at Houghton, a Houghton Group member, and a team board member. Adding that team members would most likely be staying in the town during practices and home games, Bates cited this as another source of economic activity in the area. Phyllis Gaerte, director of community relations at Houghton College and a Houghton Group member, spoke similarly. “More people in town to support small business is important, and having small businesses to provide for the needs of people who come to town is important,” she said.

As for the team itself, which has been named the Genesee Rapids, the search for skilled players has already begun. The team was awarded a franchise three months ago by the New York Collegiate Baseball League, a league which already comprises twelve other teams from the state of New York. The League was initially hesitant to take on another team, but after a representative toured the athletic field on the college campus, an agreement was reached. “[He] saw our field, walked around the grounds, and got quite excited about the possibility. …he said something to the effect that this field was on par with some of the fields in the major leagues,” related Bates.

Players on teams in the league must be registered college students by the time they play summer games, so most members are typically sophomores or juniors. Describing the recruitment process, Kerr explained, “The League receives applications from players from all over the country and they forward those to us … [and] they fill out a formal application that includes something about their testimony and where they are in their relationship with God as well as the position they’d like to play, a little bit about how well they play, and then we have references from their college coach and then some other references as well.” Kerr explained that the motivation to play on an intercollegiate team isn’t just for entertainment purposes. Some players have intentions of continuing to play even after college. “In 2010, 38 of the players from the league were actually offered major league baseball contracts,” Kerr said.

With recruitment already underway, those involved with the Genesee Rapids have a vision for what the final team will look like. “We are recruiting from all over the United States and Canada, and so we expect to have 30 players on the team. We may have some players from the college team, but we’re limited to four,” said Kerr. Also aiming to achieve ministry through baseball, it is hoped that team members will be Christians or have some foundation or expressed interest in exploring the Christian faith. “What we’re looking for at a minimum is young men who aren’t afraid to have people talk about Christ with them,” said Kerr. “If we can witness to a young man who’s willing to be witnessed to, I’m all for that.”

So far, the creation of the team has continued with positive results. “Just today we offered 12 contracts to our first 12 recruits, so hopefully within the next couple of weeks we’ll be announcing some of our first signees,” said Kerr. Community outlook appears positive as well. “I feel this will be an asset to the community and a catalyst for economic development and community revitalization projects we’re working on right now for the hamlet of Houghton,” said Gaerte.

 

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Music Industry Minor to be Offered Soon

A Music Industry minor has been approved to be included in next year’s catalog. Steven Plate, Associate Dean and Director of the Greatbatch School of Music, said, “We’re excited to be venturing into this vast and exciting area of music.”

Courtesy of houghton.edu
Courtesy of houghton.edu

Mark Hijleh, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and professor of composition and conducting, said, “Offering the music industry minor is an important part of Houghton’s positioning itself for the future. All musicians in the 21st century need to have basic understanding of music technology, recording and the business aspects of music. Having this developing program will provide opportunities for many of our students to gain those abilities and perspectives, in addition to those that go into the field directly.”

The Music Industry minor focuses on business and management aspects of music. Facets studied in the minor include: Commercial music, like sales and music marketing entrepreneurship, performance, artistry, recording industry, music videos, and music editing; and, in addition to commercial music theory, topics such as sound manipulation, and live concert or theatrical elements.

Mark Hijleh said, “In addition to students who want to pursue the music industry professionally, and might major in either business or music, some students who are going into the ministry are likely to be interested.”

Plate said the courses will be accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and also that two courses, ProTools I and II, will issue certificates that are internationally recognized. All courses in the minor will be beneficial for students looking to use music talents for more than just personal enjoyment.

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JET Funding Woes Come to an End

Journey’s End Tutoring (JET) has had trouble finding funds this year. Its operation and future funding have been uncertain as JET leaders are transitioning the program into a more reliable and sustainable budget.

JET is a changing group of Houghton students that have been serving refugee families in Buffalo since 2004. These tutors develop relationships with the families, help them to learn English, and navigate their transition into American culture. JET is a student-led organization, not an official club. Because of this, funding for JET has come from different sources over the years.

Courtesy of thegoodneighborhood.com
Courtesy of thegoodneighborhood.com

JET’s top expense (the bare necessity) is transportation; however JET leaders expressed excitement and enthusiasm at the thought of what could be done with more funding. “With more funding, we could invest in ESL curriculum, picture books, markers and crayons, educational games, and we could buy more resources to support the incredible teaching and ministry taking place in Buffalo.” said Stephanie Ford.

In the past JET was funded by a number of sources. The most significant source was the contribution of Dr. Chuck Massey (professor of Urban Studies in Buffalo) from his budget, and the money that he pieced together from various sources in Buffalo. JET’s budget was usually composed of 3-5 sources at a time. “We always found the money somehow,” said JET president Jina Libby.

This year, JET has experienced a decline in funding for a number of reasons: Dr. Chuck Massey retired, Dr. Galman (who also funded JET) retired, and there have been budget cuts.

Right now, JET is in transition between funding sources. In this phase the SGA has been supportive by approving JET for $1,500 to use this year. JET is transitioning into more sustainable and reliable private funding. Leading this venture is Andrew Gaerte (an advancement and grant officer for Houghton), who is looking for possible donors and pursuing grants for future years. “We currently have a proposal for funding into one of our Western New York Church Partners for funding for the fall 2013 – spring 2014 JET program…. We are also currently working on a grant for the Western New York Foundation to fund the program for the following two years.  Our ultimate goal in approaching foundations for funding is to make the funding of the program more secure and sustainable.” said Gaerte.

So how has JET been doing so far this semester in light of the transition? “Without God’s blessing, JET wouldn’t have happened this year… we had no money to call our own, and borrowed to start out. It was a questionable start that God has blessed.” said Libby.

This year, JET has economized its transportation costs by switching to vans. Previously, one bus and a driver would be hired to take the tutors to Buffalo. The average cost per trip was $475, and per semester $7600. This year, for the first two weeks buses were used and the cost was covered by funds from Greg Bish (on loan to be repaid later by JET). The last few weeks (and the plan for the rest of the year) is for three 11-passenger vans to be driven by certified students, cutting costs down to just gas expenses. The extrapolated cost of this semester is $2300.

JET leaders Caralyn Weisel, Jina Libby, Stephanie Ford, Tiffany Aguas, and Bethany Hillegas all expressed hope for JET’s future and pride in how it has been continuing (even without the people who started it initially).

“Everyone loves JET; it is a core part of Houghton. Everyone wants to help and that is encouraging,” said Bethany Hillegas. JET has been promoted and pushed as a fundamental part of Houghton’s outreach to prospective students, and is in its 9th year of operation. Pamela Witter, Executive Director of Development and the chair of Leadership Allegany summarized JET’s importance to Houghton’s impact, saying, “JET is a very important component of Houghton’s presence in Buffalo and we feel that it is essential to the success of all of our other initiatives in Buffalo as well.”

 

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Bangladesh Faces Uncertain Future

Courtesy of thediplomat.com
Courtesy of thediplomat.com

As it stands, Bangladesh faces a future of political and economic uncertainty. The escalation of hostilities could not have worse timing as the country confronts extreme poverty and a rapidly depreciating manufacturing sector. Within the last month, the country has seen a rapid increase of violence and political unrest as opposition parties increase their capacity in the upcoming election. Additionally, such anti-government protests have forced thousands off the streets of the capital Dhaka as police and paramilitary guards attempt to confine and subdue the opposition. As the January 2014 general election approaches, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) continues to put pressure on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to install a neutral, non-partisan administration to oversee the voting process. However, despite the protests and fighting, Hasina and opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia have failed to come to an agreement despite the desperate state of affairs. In response to the stalemate, the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations have advocated for both parties to come to an expedient consensus in the upcoming months.

Historically, Bangladesh has experienced significant pre-election violence. Dating back to 1996, polls have been interrupted and aborted as a result of intense violence. In 2007, voting was halted due to party opposition that led to military intervention to install a ‘caretaker’ or temporary government. A precedent and mutual distrust among the two leading parties has made elections virtually impossible and less effective.

Furthermore, violent clashes with police and protesters since October 26 have left at least fifteen dead and many more injured. Bangladesh reporters have posted photos of burn victims from recent strikes involving the use of arson. The intensified violence, particularly this year, can be attributed to the war crime tribunal set up in 2010 to try those involved in the human rights violations during the 1971 war in which Bangladesh sought independence from Pakistan. In the wake of verdicts, 150 people have been killed and more than 2,000 people injured by police officials, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report. In relation to the hostilities, the political crisis has also forced store owners and their employees to close their business, pushing an already weak and fragile economy further into a bleak trap. Waiting has burdened their capacity to work, earn money, and provide an income for their starving families as they wait for the violence to subside. “We need to go to the office, we need to work,” exclaimed Abdus Salam, who is one of many local business owners desperately waiting for a political agreement between the conflicting parties.

Moreover, only to add to the tension, poor safety standards and recent incidents have put a halt to the country’s main export. Bangladesh is the second leading exporter of readymade garments, accounting for almost 80% of the country’s exports. Appealing to the government, workers have demanded higher wages and better working conditions. The death of more than a thousand workers within the last year has prompted the global community to scrutinize and condemn the working conditions within the factories. However, Bangladesh’s wage board had proposed an increase of less than what the union demanded, claiming to represent the needs of both the factory owners and the workers. In addition, despite the increase, Bangladesh’s minimum wage will remain one of the lowest in the world.

Decades of rivalry and political division have severely undermined the legitimacy of an effective government in Bangladesh. The country’s future is becoming increasingly uncertain as it remains trapped in a persistent cycle of poverty and turmoil. Can the international community intervene? What will it take to break the cycle of hopelessness, poverty, and repression? As global spectators, we note these questions are all too often repetitive, especially as we consider other countries across the globe who have faced various situations of economic and political instability.

 

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College Announces Significant Academic Budget Cuts for 2014-2015

Faced with an unbalanced budget and two years of low enrollment, President Mullen and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dean Mills Woolsey, announced significant cuts in academics for the 2014-2015 academic year. The information was first announced to faculty and staff on Wednesday morning and then made publicly available on the Houghton website for alumni, students, and parents soon afterward.

“I resonate with the agony of this process,” said President Mullen referencing her own experience as an educator.

The cuts include program eliminations, faculty reductions and cuts, academic administration restructuring, deferred hiring, and significant curricular reorganization.

Luckey_1The main aim of the recent budget decisions are to stabilize the economy of the college. According to Mills Woolsey, the college was forced to cut at least 10-15% of the academic budget due to several issues, the chief of which is declining enrollment — an issue that has plagued the college for the past two years. In addition to this, a deficit budget from last year, rising healthcare costs, the issue of faculty salaries, and added debt from the Kerr-Pegula fieldhouse also contributed to Houghton’s financial difficulties and prompted the cuts.

Among the programs proposed to be eliminated are the French concentration and minor, the informational technology management major, the Islamic studies concentration and minor, the psycholinguistics concentration, and the visual studies major. The elimination of these programs was judged based on the level of appeal and student involvement. “We have a number of good programs,” said Mills Woolsey, “but some of them didn’t take off or appeal to students.” Students currently enrolled in any of the eliminated programs can expect to have a way to complete their work. Along with program eliminations, others, such as the Greatbatch School of Music, are being asked, in Mullen’s words, to “creatively scale-back” their methods of operation in order to help relieve the college budget.

Faculty will also be experiencing reductions and eliminations. The Dean hopes to speak to the faculty that have had their positions reduced or eliminated by November 15. In addition, though hiring will not be completely frozen, some key hires in sociology, finance, web media, and chemistry will be deferred. Many currently vacant positions and positions lost through attrition are also not expected to be filled in the near future.

Academic administration will also be changing as a result of the cuts. The Dean hopes to move the seven academic areas to four and reduce the 18 departments to 11 or 12. This is not expected to have much of an impact on students, though it will affect the faculty.

In the decision making process, the President and the Academic Dean were presented with the decision to declare financial exigency, a condition that could have made the options for cutting costs much simpler, but it was not a route that they thought was appropriate for Houghton’s current predicament. “We don’t want to do that because it says the wrong message,” said Mills Woolsey, “We’re not at the brink of financial disaster, although we’re at a really challenging spot.” Mills Woolsey continued to cite examples of sister Christian colleges who were able to turn their situations around without declaring financial exigency.

Mills Woolsey and Mullen remain hopeful and see these cuts as an opportunity for future growth. While the primary motivator of the cuts is to balance the budget for the next academic year, a secondary motivator is “also to use the moment of cutting to get ourselves in a good position to be a strong college to meet the needs of contemporary students,” said Mills Woolsey. The task will be painful, though, said Mullen, and it will certainly “require ongoing creativity and grit.”

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Winter Sports Begin Training for 2013 Season

As fall sports conference play comes to a close, winter sports begin their training. The men’s and women’s basketball rosters have been finalized and preseason practices have begun for the 2013 season.

Winter_SportThe men’s team has many new players on the team this year due to the loss of four starters. As of now, no captains have been named and may not be for the remainder of the season.

“We actually have guys in every class who have stepped into leadership roles, which has been fun to see,” said Coach Hannan, “Even if a freshman steps up and tries to help a senior, it has been a good dynamic.”

“I think [the start of the season] is good. We have a lot of young guys who are doing well and adjusting well,” said sophomore Brandon Camacho, “We have a lot of guys who have come back and are ready to step up and play better. It looks pretty good this year, so we will see.”

The men recently had a scrimmage against Wells College. Coach Hannan was excited for the team to play against a team that plays in a very different style.

“Ultimately, it boils down to making sure that we are better than last year, not that there was anything bad about last year, but we want to keep improving both on and off the court,” said Hannan, “Spiritually, academically, athletically we want to continue to improve each year.”

The women’s team has only six returners. There are ten new players including seven freshmen and three juniors. Senior Kristen Moose and sophomore Esther Webb have been named captains.

“We are starting off really strong. We had a really good scrimmage on Saturday and we are working well as a team,” said sophomore Maisie Pipher. “We want to be strong in the new league and beat Roberts Wesleyan.”

“It is a great group of girls this year, we got along really well together on and off the court,” said junior Hannah Fink. “I think we are all pretty focused and hard-working so it’s a good group to be a part of. Coach has been running a really good program.”

The team recently had their first scrimmage against Keuka, a strong team which was 24-4 last season with returning starters. Houghton was short a couple key players due to their involvement in other sports; yet, Mucher was pleased with their first performance.

“We have some strengths: we run the floor really well, work well together as a team, better than we did last year right from the start at this point,” said Mucher. “I think it’s because our team chemistry off the court is so strong…. The girls really enjoy each other and that really affects the team.”

Mucher noted the play of sophomore Maisie Pipher as a center and excitement for Marie to play after tearing both ACLs. Juniors Hannah Fink and Stephany Ellison and freshmen Alicia Needham, Grace Bealor, and Hannah Manwaring were noted as new players having an immediate impact.

“I think it is going to take a semester to get into things and get used to the system and the expectations,” said Mucher. “By second semester, when all we have is conference games, I think we will be ready when it comes.”

 

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Second Annual “Make a Difference Day” Promotes Student Volunteerism

Over four-hundred Houghton College students participated in Saturday’s Make a Difference Day, serving at sites across Allegany County. It was a day of sweaty hard work, team collaboration, laughter, conversations about life and service, and working with the heart to make a difference in Houghton’s community.

Courtesy of Collin Belt
Courtesy of Collin Belt

This marks Houghton’s second annual Make a Difference Day. Phyllis Gaerte, director of community relations, said the initiative started with the vision of Allegany County’s higher education institutes uniting to practically serve the county. Gaerte said, “It thrills me to see our students going out and working alongside our neighbors and meeting some real tangible needs in the community.”

Students from Alfred State College, Alfred University, and Houghton College worked in teams of five to twenty-five people. They scrubbed floors, painted walls, picked up trash, raked fall leaves, ripped up carpets, landscaped, and forged trails through dense forests.

Ben Hardy, SGA president, described the number of non-profit and community organizations lacking staffing to complete basic jobs. He said, “They maybe have staffing for day to day activities, but if they need to do some massive cleaning, redecorating, organizing, or a larger project, they may not have the staffing for that. There are ministries, towns, libraries, churches that just need extra hands. It’s service students can get involved in.”

As students served, community members responded. Describing the community response to last year’s Make a Difference Day, Gaerte said, “I have a folder of thank you notes, e-mails, and press from local newspapers that were part of the days following the event.” This year, students saw this same gratefulness as community organizations thanked them for their diligent work, positive attitudes, speed, and genuine desires to serve.

Hardy said, “The fact that so many students are doing it together also means it builds community.” This community was built as students formed a giant snake of people to clear a path through a forest in Letchworth, jumped in the piles of leaves they raked for the Oakwood Cemetery, and shared conversation by the path they forged to the Genesee River.

Junior Collin Belt described this sense of community at the multiple sites he visited, and said, “There was such a spirit of joy. Students took tedious jobs and turned them into games, and as a result they got a lot done. It was a trend throughout the day: people planned what they thought was an exorbitant amount of work, but when a huge team of Houghton students getting together and just having fun would do the work, they would get it done faster than anyone ever expected.”

Students served in midst of the mere glimpses of sun that shone through the grey sky and the strong wind that blew, whipping leaves and burning faces. The weather did not hinder students’ service.

Hardy believes that this Make a Difference Day lies at the heart of Houghton’s Christian faith. He said, “I believe we are called to service. Jesus came to serve and as his disciples, we ought to be serving as well. This was a great opportunity for us to be hands for our community.”

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Co-op Continues to Suffer Financial Hardship

The Allegany Harvest Cooperative Market (Co-op) is struggling financially, and without significant improvement in their sales by December, it will be forced to close.

CoOPDr. Sunshine Sullivan, co-op board president, said that one cause for the current situation is the fact that half the members did not renew their membership for another year. Part of the reason for this is that many members have moved out of the area and no longer find it practical to shop at the co-op.  But, another reason may be that the co-op does not sell all that they need to keep afloat.  Rather than being able to go to the co-op and get all they need, customers often must make a trip there and then to another store, often the Shop-n-Save in Fillmore, to finish buying all their necessary groceries.

Vice-president of the board Peter Meilaender stated that residents in the area were not as interested in organic items in the area as the board members initially thought that they would be. Therefore the number of families included in calculations for weekly organic sales were much lower, resulting in profits that were overall lower than expected.

Another problem the co-op faces is accommodating the diversity in what customers want and need, according to Meilaender.  It has proven more difficult than expected to meet the diverse demands of the people in the area.  Though some may shop at the co-op just for the fresh produce, others come for the organic food or for various other reasons.  Keeping up with these demands continues to be a struggle for the co-op.

Further down the list of difficulties the co-op has faced include issues with its building and with store maintenance. “We’ve had repeated problems with the floor, problems with cooling systems, [and] two changes in management,” Meilaender explained. “All these things cause at least short and sometimes longer problem periods where we have to shut the store temporarily, or sell out (or throw out) stock at a loss, or re-design systems.”  In addition to cutting into its sales during closed days, these problems have cost the co-op money that it cannot afford to spend.

The board members’ ultimate goal, in order to remain in business in the long term, is to earn $4000 more in sales per month. For now, the board members have a target amount of $150 to $200 more monthly.  This would be enough to hire a part-time manager and alleviate much of the current volunteer duties from the board members.

One of the ideas that board members have implemented to increase income is the practice of allowing co-op members to order and pre-pay for items. That way, members can purchase specific items not on shelves and purchase them in bulk.

Sullivan encourages student participation, saying that “students can help by shopping there more and putting suggestions in the suggestion box.”  Although non-members cannot make pre-paid orders, they can advise board members as to which items of which they might like to see more in the co-op. All in all, what the co-op needs more than anything is patronage.

Closure of the co-op, if necessary, will affect many. The store still has loans from the bank and from about forty members who will not be repaid if it closes.  The vendors who currently sell to the co-op will also have to find other venues through which to sell their goods.  In addition, the customers in the Houghton area who depend on the co-op for much of their shopping will be forced to go elsewhere.  Rebecca Rowley stated on Alleganyharvest.coop that, “ The [Allegany Harvest Cooperative Market] will provide a way for me to both get the quality of food I desire and support the local economy without having to track down individual farmers – a win/win situation!”  Closing the co-op will force customers like her to either travel greater distances to acquire the same goods or settle for unwanted food.

Although those who enjoy the benefits of the co-op are many, the store will most likely have to close if it does not gain business soon.  The members do not wish for this to happen; however, a realistic view of the co-op’s current state is required. Until forced to close, it is their wish to keep the store running.

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Houghton-Backed Vocal Group to Give Performance at Carnegie Hall

Members of the Houghton College choirs will be embarking on a trip this spring to perform on the same stage that esteemed musicians such as the New York Philharmonic and The Beatles have graced over the years.

choircloseupcolor3x2jpgLed by Dr. Brandon Johnson, The National Sacred Honor Choir is an ensemble of Christian musicians wishing to spread their faith through music. The choir is made up of both past and present students, faculty, and staff, as well as other professionals and vocalists from around the globe, with Canada, China, Morocco, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe represented among other countries. Accompanied by a skilled orchestra and including performances from professional soloists, the group will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

“There is no more venerated hall in the world than Carnegie and launching this new national initiative at such a celebrated place as Carnegie is both an honor and a sacred trust,” Dr. Stephen Plate, Dean and Director of the Greatbatch School of Music, said. “All the music performed will be done to the glory of the Lord by people who join their God-given talents in honor of the God who is the giver of every good and perfect gift.”

In order to practice for the performance, students involved in this opportunity are required to take a great deal of time out of their schedules: approximately seven and a half hours every week just for choir rehearsals. Participation is by invitation or through audition only. Although Johnson and other faculty members have stopped at several Christian institutions on the east coast for auditions, the majority of student auditioners typically send in a letter of recommendation from a voice instructor which outlines their capabilities. Olivia Roland, a sophomore vocal performance major and soloist for the National Sacred Honor Choir, stressed the amount of work and detail that the choir is putting forth to ensure a spectacular performance this spring. “College choir meets every day for an hour and a half or so,” Roland stated, “Rehearsals are extremely rigorous. It’s hard work, but in the end, it will be so worth it.” Performers not only must integrate their voices with others’ in the group but also work on pronunciation, as the majority of the pieces are written in Latin.

Johnson emphasized that the point of the concert was not simply to perform a set of pieces and showcase the ensemble’s vocal abilities. “There are a lot of great musicians in the world and a lot of opportunities to make really great music, but I wanted to explore the ideas behind whether or not it mattered that we’re Christian, whether it mattered in our music-making, not just in an internal way, but in an external way.” Collin Price, a sophomore vocal music education major and member of the ensemble, also expressed the choir’s first and foremost priority as delivering the message of God through music to Christians and non-Christians alike. “I’ve learned that it’s not always what’s written on the page that matters,” Price said, “It’s how you convey the music and what it means to those listening.”

The audience can expect to hear three works during the choir’s performance: Mozart’s “Requiem”, Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy”, and a new contemporary piece, “Cantate Domino,” by Houghton music professor Dr. David Davies. “It promises to be an emotional and powerful performance,” Plate ensured.

The National Sacred Honor Choir will meet together in New Jersey to rehearse for three days prior to their inaugural performance at Carnegie Hall on March 9, 2014.