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Programs Hope to Improve Transition to Life after College

As seniors graduate this year, Houghton College is revising and enhancing efforts to help students transition out of Houghton and into further education or the working world. Career Services and Student Life are directly involved in programs aimed at the goal of preparing students to enter the world.

December 2012 Graduates. Courtesy of http://www.houghton.edu/
December 2012 Graduates. Courtesy of http://www.houghton.edu/

Vice President for Student Life, Rob Pool, said, “One view is that every aspect of college prepares you to transition out.” In a broad sense, Houghton’s purpose throughout each student’s entire time at Houghton, from enrollment to graduation, is to prepare students for a life focused on and help them transition out of Houghton.

Pool believes that much of the preparation for leaving Houghton is organic—built into the entire Houghton experience—from formal academic and spiritual life activities to residence life and stress management. While Houghton has thus effectively helped students transition into college, it is less clear how successfully Houghton has aided them in transitioning out of college.

Because this preparation is hard to see, some of the new transition endeavors involve, in Pool’s words, “re-packaging”  existing programs so that students see the value of what they already have.  Last year, Career Services held a business-related fashion show to help students know what type of attire is needed for a professional career. Although Career Services gave away hundreds of dollars in professional clothing, only six students participated in the event. This year, the event has been restructured and will be part of the Campus Store’s fashion show on March 15.

There are also new programs, most notably a pilot program for a small group of current sophomores, who in March will attend a retreat designed to help them discover their future vocations and establish a plan for moving toward their goals for the future. Dr. Pool hopes that this program will serve as a model that may be replicated on a larger scale in order that all students can benefit from it.

Career Services is also working hard to make students aware of the opportunities and resources available through their office.

Brian Reitnour works as the Coordinator of Career Services to help students translate their liberal arts education, which encompasses academics, clubs, sports, and other activities, into vocational opportunities beyond Houghton.

As Reitnour designs events and services for students, he tries to figure out what students want, what employers want, and what he can do to bridge the gap between the two. He said, “On a yearly basis, we have to figure out and re-figure out where we want to put our time and energy.”

One connection between students and professionals is Houghton Connects, a feature of the online Job Shop. This service links current students with alumni who have similar interests so that they can develop a mentoring or advising relationship. Additionally, Houghton alumni who are now employers often return to campus to recruit Houghton students. On March 19, eleven employers will be on campus for the Career Fair from 11:00-2:00.

On HELP Day, March 13, Career Services will offer  job- and internship-search workshops, alternative chapels, and financial management workshops to give students knowledge they will need once they leave Houghton.

Other opportunities for students through Career Services include Teacher Recruitment Days in Buffalo, free transportation to the Rochester Area Career Expo, and individual appointments. Reitnour said he finds individual appointments the most effective because students can pursue the help they want, whether that be for resumes, cover letters, graduate school, application processes, or even choosing a major.

Reitnour stressed that Career Services is not only for seniors, although typically about 50% of each year’s graduating class will utilize their services. His word of advice, applicable to all students regardless of academic class, is “Don’t Wait.” Starting sooner—finding internships, writing resumes, applying for interviews—makes the whole process easier.

Likewise, Dr. Pool emphasized the value of starting early. He said that by the end of sophomore year, students should have finalized their academic plans, established clear vocational goals, know how to maintain high wellness levels, and be creating a network of people who can act as mentors and recommenders. These actions are embedded in the Houghton experience and other services such as the events and resources available through Career Services, but Pool hopes the re-working of Houghton’s transitions programs will make these structures more visible and effective.

Surveys show that Houghton students are prepared to encounter the world and become effective leaders in work, ministry, and missions, but Pool said, “We always want to do better.”

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6 New Commercial Music Courses Added

Six new courses were added to Houghton’s course catalogue last month, all of which focus on music technology and the business aspects of the music industry.

news_musicSince the college started offering courses on Pro Tools, much interest has been seen in learning the audio engineering side of music. Kevin Jackson, Director of Sound and Recording and the Pro Tools instructor, has been working to develop Houghton’s music recording department and these six new courses since he joined the college in 2007.
The new courses added to the catalogue are as follows: Introduction to Digital Audio and Technology, Introduction to Music Business, Recording Studio Technique, Critical Listening and the Art of Mixing, Advanced Music Production, and Sound Design and Processing.  All of these classes focus on skills that students would need when going into the music industry, including further instruction in Pro Tools, recording live and studio events, and managing income streams.

When considering which courses to add to the catalogue, Jackson said, “What would benefit Houghton students to be employable when they leave Houghton?”

While some instruction in this area was already offered, students looking to get work in the music industry needed the inclusion of these new courses.

“Knowing how to use a software program and knowing how to get a mixed balance and make something sound musical and compelling are completely different things” said Dan Austin, a senior English major who is planning on going into sound engineering after graduation.

Currently, if a student wants to get the full benefit of both the music and business departments, the course load is very heavy, especially to those pursuing a double major.
“It [music and business] is too big, too much, to do it as a double major,” said Professor Ken Bates, Business Administration.

The long-term dream would be a major or minor, but first Jackson wants to get these six courses underway.

“There’s a lot of red tape [to get through] to be able to make this something more than just courses,” said Jackson.

Houghton alumnus John Buteyn double majored in music and business and currently works with Houghton’s financial services. Jackson and Buteyn are planning on joining forces and teaching the newly added courses. Both have had experience working with bands, recording, and the music industry, and will be excellent resources for students pursuing these fields.

“The industry is becoming more and more ‘you do it all yourself,’” said Buteyn. “An artist needs to be able to manage themselves and produce their own music.”

Jackson’s goal is to prepare students for a range of roles in the music industry.

Jackson’s previous experience working in many major studios will also provide a practical and realistic link to how jobs in the industry actually function.

“We have so many industry connections that we can really plug our students into music industry [internships],” said Jackson.

Besides gaining many practical skills, Jackson really wants prepare Christians to serve God in this field.

“My real vision is that there are . . .  places in the secular industry that need light in a dark place,” said Jackson.  “If we can’t train people to do this and get out into those industries, then we’re losing opportunity.”

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Seven Professors Receive Tenure

Professor Susan Bruxvoort Lipscomb
Professor Susan Bruxvoort Lipscomb

This year, professors Jillian Sokso, Marlene Collins-Blair, Susan Bruxvoort Lipscomb, Ndunge Kiiti, Kristin Camenga, Brandon Hoffman, and David Huth reached tenured status.

The track to tenure begins in a professor’s second year of teaching, when they undergo a review within their department. Then, four years into their appointment, they undergo an intermediate review. Six years into their teaching, the professor is reviewed a final time by the chair of their department and a faculty member. Finally, in the seventh year, the professor is reviewed once more and also undergoes a hearing. In the spring, the Board of Tenure makes a final decision.

“Tenure itself something that is, ultimately, good for the institution because it ensures faculty stability and protects the freedom of scholars to pursue their disciplines”, said Professor Bruxvoort Lipscomb, English, of the process. Tenure can also be a stressful process, Bruxvoort Lipscomb points out. “The process itself, however, produces a lot of anxiety because the stakes are so high–professors who are not granted tenure must leave the institution.”

Professor Sokso, Art
Professor Sokso, Art

 

The tenure process helped Professor Sokso, Art, gain some insight into her work. She said, “Preparing for the reviews and hearing helped me to gain some clear insights about my teaching and research practices, and I feel that I am a better instructor and scholar because of that reflective process, paired with some intentional goal setting for the future.”

All of the tenured professors are great contributors to the communities within their academic disciplines. Sokso recently illustrated one of the criterions for tenure, “integration of faith and teaching/research” in a recent collaboration with Women of Hope International in Sierra Leone. She taught disabled women how to make paper from indigenous plant fibers. She said of the trip, “I saw that opportunity as an authentic extension of both my studio and teaching practices, an example of my commitment to care for God’s creation, and the chance to simply love people who have been abused and disadvantaged their entire lives.”

Professor Camenga, Mathematics, had the chance to attend the Joint Mathematics Meeting in San Diego, California in January with a few of her students after they spent the summer participating in National Science Foundation-funded research. This conference is the premier national mathematics meeting and she said she gets “the greatest joy from the accomplishments of my students.” She said that she celebrates “the unique path that God is taking each of my students and hope that I had a small part in that.”

 

Professor Camenga, Mathematics
Professor Camenga, Mathematics

“With higher education in such a turbulent state right now, I think that many professors feel grateful just to have a job.  And it’s really a great job–one in which we get to pursue intellectual and artistic development and be involved in shaping the minds and vocations of students,” said Bruxvoort Lipscomb.

Achieving tenure is an honor, and all of the professors recognize this fact. Sokso said, “I’m very happy to be among the many established colleagues who have chosen to give of their time, talents and lives to this community.” Bruxvoort Lipscomb said, “I know that I’m grateful for my job at Houghton.  And I’m grateful that it’s more secure now because I successfully completed the tenure process.” Camenga echoed the sentiments of her colleagues saying, “I am honored to have been awarded tenure and promotion and look forward to continuing to serve the Houghton community.”

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Pakistan Faces Internal Strife

Courtesy of nation.com
Courtesy of nation.com

A sit-in protest in Quetta, Pakistan ended on Tuesday when the government allegedly met all of the protesters’ demands. The protest was held as a response to the Saturday bombing of a market district, with the protestors rallying around the families of those who were killed in the bomb blast.
The families refused to bury their dead until the government promised to take action to prevent future bombings.

Quetta is the largest city in the Pakistani district of Balochistan, and has a high population of Hazara, who primarily practice Shia Islam. The Hazara are a distinct ethnic group within northern Pakistan and Afghanistan who trace their ancestry back to the Mongols. Their distinct appearance makes them easy targets for Sunni extremists.

Related protests were held throughout Pakistan, with the largest being in Karachi and Lahore, but also in other cities with sizeable populations of Hazara.

On Tuesday, the Pakistani government arrested one hundred and seventy people in relation to the bombing. Among those taken into custody was a former provincial minister, one of the masterminds of the recent bombings. According to the Pakistani information minister, Qamar Zaman Kaira, the arrests are expected to make a significant difference for regional security.

Four suspects were also killed during Tuesday’s operation. They were allegedly responsible for the past murders of high-ranking police officers and a Shia judge.

Saturday’s blast, which killed eighty-nine individuals, was only the latest in a string of bombings which has left more than two hundred and thirty Pakistani Shi’ite Muslims dead since January 10, when the bombing of a billiards hall in Quetta killed ninety-two people. Since then there have been multiple smaller bombings around Pakistan, including the bombings of a Shia mosque and a police checkpoint at the beginning of February.  A Sunni Muslim extremist group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), has claimed responsibility for the bombing campaign.

LeJ was formed sometime in 1995/1996 as a violent offshoot of a comparatively peaceful religious-political organization known as “Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.” LeJ’s stated goals are to forge Pakistan into a Deobandi Sunni state. They are a takfiri group, which means that they consider all of those who hold different religious beliefs to be infidels. LeJ has been responsible for several previous bombings of Shi’ites in Pakistan, as well as being suspected in a 1998 massacre of Hazara in Afghanistan. Besides bombing Shi’ite Muslims, LeJ has demonstrated a proclivity for bombing Barelvi and Ahmadi Muslims; while the latter two are Sunni sects, they do not share common goals with the Deobandi sect of Sunni Islam.

Pakistan is predominantly Sunni, but has seen a significant rise in sectarian violence in recent years. There have been killings between componential sects of Sunni Islam in addition to the far more common violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims. The first two months of this year have already seen almost two hundred and fifty Pakistani Shia killed by their countrymen. 2012, on record as the deadliest year for Pakistani Shi’ites, saw the deaths of four hundred.
For Pakistani nationals, interracial and intra-religious conflict continues to pose as significant a threat as the more publicized geopolitical conflict which plays out in their country.

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5 Bites Begins Changes

The five convenience stores on campus known collectively as 5 Bites have been undergoing many new changes and improvements, including a new head manager, the implementation of a recycling program and a stamp card program, and the addition of combination packs at a reduced price, since the beginning of the semester.
5 Bites is actually a very new business on campus, having started only two years ago, and it is completely student-run as a program under Houghton Student Enterprises (HSE).

Courtesy of soda-emporium.com
Courtesy of soda-emporium.com

Though a relatively new business, it has been doing quite well.

“This year we kicked off pretty strong and have gotten solid business” said Moeun Sun, Assistant Manager for 5 Bites at Burke Field and Nielsen Physical Education Center.

Senior Austin Rudd has stepped into the position as manager of 5 Bites this semester.  Before the semester even began, Rudd was emailing the managers of the different store locations asking for new ideas to implement this semester.

One new program which 5 Bites has implemented is a stamp card program. Now students can receive a stamp for every 50 cents they spend at a 5 Bites store. Once they have collected twenty stamps, they can redeem the card for a candy bar.

5 Bites has also begun a new recycling program. This program works the same way that it does at any other store location in New York where patrons can get 5 cents for turning in recyclables with an NY State stamp on them.
“It’s a way to encourage people to come to 5 Bites and to thank them,” says Elena Velazquez, store manager for Lambien.

Something that has not yet begun, but will be starting in two weeks, are combination packs.  Each of the store managers for the five locations has put together specialized combination packs which will be sold at about a 15% reduction in the price.  For example, Velazquez made a combination pack for Lambien which includes an IBC Rootbeer, popcorn, and a snickers for $2; if all those items were bought individually, the order would total $3.25 at the Lambein store.

This gives people who are already buying these things a discount,” said Rudd.

Besides these new programs, 5 Bites is also working on getting a computer program with which to do their inventory.

“We have had problems with different software to organize our inventory,” said Velazquez.
However they have recently received new software for free, which should be working soon along with scanners to scan the items which people purchase.

The managers of 5 Bites are also going to be looking for different items to add to their stock and will be choosing new items with the help of student’s feedback.

Overall many new programs have started with other changes underway.
“All of this has happened in just the past couple weeks,” said Velazquez.  

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Next Up in Congress: Immigration Reform?

During the State of the Union Address on Tuesday, President Obama spoke on the topic of immigration reform, saying, “Send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and I will sign it right away.”

Courtesy of bigthink.com
Courtesy of bigthink.com

During his speech, Obama mentioned three things that he wishes in an immigration reform package. One, he desires to continue to increase border security; two, he would establish “a responsible pathway to citizenship” for illegal immigrants already here; and three, he would reform the process of legal immigration so that there would be fewer waiting periods and would attract those that would help create jobs and help to grow the economy.

This was not merely talk. In recent weeks, comprehensive immigration reform has been steadily approaching legislative reality. A bipartisan group of senators, four Democrats and four Republicans, was formed only a few weeks ago with the task of developing a framework for reform that could possibly develop into a bill. This group has spearheaded the effort to come up with solutions to the many problems of immigration in this country – namely, illegal immigration, undocumented workers, insecure borders, and problems with the process of legal immigration, along with other issues.

For once, this seems to be a movement that will receive much, if not total, support in Congress. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that immigration reform makes economic sense as immigrants are a key part of economic growth and development. Given the current economic uncertainty, immigration is a vital issue to address. The GOP also seeks to broaden its base, especially after the last presidential election where most of the Hispanic vote went to President Obama. Offering solutions to the immigration problem and presenting themselves as open to discussion will help develop support for the GOP platforms.

The public has also demonstrated consistent support for immigration reform. According to a Gallup poll, more than seven in ten Americans support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and more than eight in ten Americans support legislation that would require that all employers verify that their employees are living in the United States legally.

Efforts to reach across the aisle and compromise about immigration also seem to be gaining ground, particularly from Senator Marco Rubio (R.-FL) who is quickly becoming a GOP superstar. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has been consistently leading the effort on behalf of the GOP to get discussion going. However, a hurdle that must cleared for legislation regarding immigration is a pivotal controversy within the Republican Party itself.
There are a significant number of GOP members who do not wish a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, saying that it amounts to amnesty. There are others within the party that disagree. Rubio dodged this issue in his speech in the GOP response to the State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening, but in recent weeks he has shown his support for a process of citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

The United States may well be on its way to immigration reform within the coming weeks. As talks and discussions among Congress become more serious and legislation begins to develop, the United States may even be implementing new immigration reform by the next State of the Union Address in 2014.

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Lipscomb Seeks New Perspective on Chapel through Blog

Courtesy of thedoubleusee.wordpress.com
Courtesy of
thedoubleusee.wordpress.com

At the start of the spring semester, Professor Benjamin Lipscomb, philosophy, began a ritual of not only attempting to attend every chapel from now until the end of the school year, but also of  documenting each experience via online blogging.

When asked what he hopes to achieve from undertaking such an intentional challenge, Lipscomb said, “It’s several things; it’s wanting to be more gratefully receptive to the work of my colleagues who put the chapels on, the students, the chapel deacons… it’s partly just seeing what it’s like or what it might do for me; partly to get a better sense of the value or lack of value of it.”
Though the blog’s origin and ultimate subject is Houghton College, Lipscomb aims towards a broader audience by minimizing the use of names and allowing chapel lectures to lead him to more broadly relatable topics.

He said, “I try to keep it anonymous in some small ways.  I don’t use the name ‘Houghton’; I edit comments if they use the name ‘Houghton.’  I never use the name of anyone on campus.”
Lipscomb establishes his goal for such anonymity by saying, “It’s something that also maybe makes [the blog] more widely accessible, as something that someone might be interested in who’s not a Houghton person.  I try to make it about a certain kind of experience that’s recognizable in a number of evangelical communities or evangelical colleges.”

Courtesy of houghton.edui
Courtesy of houghton.edui

 

Professor David Huth, visual communication and media arts, and friend of Lipscomb, said, “The blog certainly isn’t ‘about’ the chapel events, or the chapel program, or even Houghton College. If you read his posts, you can see that all of these things are simply jumping-off places for reflections and questions in his mind. The structure and schedule of Houghton’s chapel programming (and general subject matter of religion and community) are providing prompts for Professor Lipscomb’s thinking.”

Lipscomb’s interest also resides in the exploration of the idea that a mandated chapel schedule serves as a shared, communal experience.

In the first entry of his blog, he wrote concerning this aspect of chapel, saying, “I think it’s supposed to contribute to the formation, both of the spirituality of individual community members and of a communal ethos.  And I’m not being formed in whatever way that is, or not much.  I wonder too what difference it might make in my interactions with students if we had this experience in common.  Would it become a topic with us, a point of connection?”
As the college requires regular chapel attendance of students, and faculty are encouraged to do the same, chapel acts as a point of intersection, which tends to elicit interaction or common conversation amongst chapel attendees.

When asked more about this idea of exploring the effects of such a shared experience, Lipscomb said, “What do I hope might come of it?  I hope more conversation about chapel – not only critical; not even principally critical… We’re a college; we’re a community of intellectual conversation. The more I can cultivate or provoke people to talk about what they’re experiencing, what they’re listening to… the happier I’ll be.”

Thus, Lipscomb views his goal of faithful chapel attendance as not exclusively an act of self-discipline, but rather an act of community.

While discussing such an idea, Lipscomb went on to say, “I’m joining in the community in a way that I haven’t been required to… It seems to me it heightens the sense of community, it makes some more community than there would be otherwise, between the students and myself.  It gives me a chance to see how chapel functions, or whether it functions in that way.”
Since Houghton College refrains from requiring faculty members to attend chapel lectures like it requires of its students, Lipscomb’s new habit also functions as a deliberate act of self-discipline.
Lipscomb plans to explore the students’ chapel requirement in light of the faculty’s lack of requirement.

He said, concerning Houghton’s current chapel practice, “It’s coerced.  Sometimes coercion ends up working for our own good; sometimes it’s just coercion… there are times when we are coerced to do things that are for our good and we’re glad in the end that we have been.  I almost wonder whether the choice should be, ‘We will coerce this of our students and of ourselves as the rest of the community, or we won’t do either.’”

By willingly placing himself in the position of Houghton students, who are required to attend two-thirds of all regular chapels offered, Lipscomb hopes to relate to such an experience while simultaneously analyzing its purpose.

As Lipscomb muses in his blog, “The students living under the requirement–they’re busy.  They make the time; they have to.  What would it be like for me, I wondered, if I did too?”

To read Lipscomb’s blog go to http://thedoubleusee.wordpress.com/

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February Board of Trustees Meeting

The February meeting of Houghton College’s Board of Trustees took place last weekend, February 8-9, during which the key issues facing the college were addressed.

Courtesy of topchristiancolleges.com
Courtesy of topchristiancolleges.com

Among the subjects covered were the sale of the Willard J. Houghton foundation’s old property of Star Lake, the renovation of the Alumni House, a facilities audit, and most notably, the Kerr-Pegula project.

The Board also honored Professor Ron Oakerson, political science, for his work in Sierra Leone—recognizing his leadership of the Houghton partnership on the mango outdoors project there.

The finalized sale of Star Lake, previously owned by the Willard J. Houghton foundation, and formerly the site of Houghton’s now discontinued Adirondacks semester, was another topic approached. The property’s new owners have looked at the possibility of using the property for a Christian camp.

The sale of the property is, in a way, indicative of a larger move on the part of the foundation. The foundation was formed “to work with properties, and now the Willard J. Houghton foundation is moving away from community development toward building funds for endowment,” said President Mullen about the focus shift. “A lot of colleges have foundations that raise funds for the college, that have more flexibility in the kinds of gifts they can receive than a non-profit does…the focus is toward building the endowment for the college.”

An interesting effect of this old community development focus of the foundation is the fact many of the buildings along the Houghton main street, Route 19, are properties purchased at one time by the foundation.

Foundation focuses aside, the Board also addressed the renovations of the Alumni House, which will hopefully serve as “A place where people can connect with alumni and network,” President Mullen said.

The financial resources for the extensive renovations of the house are the not result of funds being extracted from students’ tuition, but instead from fund-raising specifically for the house, and in part, from undesignated estate gifts.

In addition, an audit of the Houghton College facilities is underway; Sodexo has been working with the chief business officer to develop a plan “[to help] us systematically plan for short-term and long-term care of our facilities,” Mullen explained. This way, when the facilities require repair and maintenance, the budget to take care of the facilities’ needs is already in place.

Courtesy of topchristiancolleges.com
Courtesy of topchristiancolleges.com

Perhaps the topic most interesting to students is the status of the Kerr-Pegula project.
“The board authorized the administration to seek contractor bids for the project, and to complete a funding plan that would include a fundraising component as well as financing component,”
Mullen said. “[This plan] will be presented on or around May 1st,” when further decisions about proceeding with the project will be made.

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Pope’s Resignation Ends 600 Year Precedent

Courtesy of http://hereandnow.wbur.org/
Courtesy of http://hereandnow.wbur.org/

In an unexpected move, Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope to resign in almost 600 years when he announced Monday he would step down from his position, citing deteriorating “strength of mind and body.”
“Before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” Benedict said in his speech Monday, delivered to a private church body in Vatican City.

“In today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith…both strength of mind and body are necessary… which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me…Well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome,” he said.

Spiritual leader to the world’s population of over 1 billion Catholics, his quiet announcement Monday prompted immediate and widespread response across the globe. Monday morning saw news agencies as diverse as Aljazeera English to the Washington Post being quickly swamped with coverage of the unexpected announcement. Social media played its part as well, as The New York Times reported, with #pontifexit quickly trending on Twitter only minutes after the statement from the Vatican.

Yet the 85-year old pontiff, unlike the last of his predecessors to step down from the position, resigned in ‘plena libertate,’ translated from the Latin, in which he made his announcement, as being in “full freedom.” The health decline he had experienced in the last months had seen him taken to the altar of Saint Peter’s during Christmas Eve Midnight Mass on a wheeled platform, and his advancing years seem to have taken their toll. During the same mass, the tiredness that appeared to have crept in during the last months also manifested itself as he appeared to doze off during the proceedings; he appears to have done so at points throughout other masses as well.

Shocked though the rest of the world was at the news of the resignation, the pope’s brother, Georg Ratzinger, told German news organization DPA that he had known of the pope’s plan to resign for many months preceding, and that “age was taking its toll” on the pope.

According to the Washington Post, Ratzinger also noted his brother’s gradual decline: “He has gotten tired faster and faster, and walking has become hard for him” but still, Ratzinger also said his brother had done “the best he possibly could have done” in the position. The final decision had been made by Benedict XVI soon after a taxing trip to Mexico and Cuba in early 2012, according to the editor of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, Giovanni Maria Vian.

Born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger in 1927, in Marktl, Bavaria, Germany, the pope led a varied early life, growing up in a tumultuous Germany and at the age of 14 was reluctantly conscripted into Hitler’s Youth. He saw the tragic circumstances of WWII played out, and entered seminary afterward. In 1951, he was ordained as a Catholic priest, and from there built a formidable reputation as one of the staunchly conservative theologians of the Catholic Church.

He met his friend, the future John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla, during the 1978 conclave of cardinals to elect Paul VI’s successor. Nearly thirty years later, on April 19, 2005, Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI by the conclave of cardinals electing the pope following the passing of John Paul II.

As he departs, Pope Benedict XVI leaves a mixed legacy—one that will perhaps be better known for the challenges faced by the conservative pope in a world in which faith has served an increasingly different role than the one it has in the past. During his eight years as pontiff, he has resisted and rejected the issues of ordination of female priests, homosexuality, embryonic stem cell research, and has dealt much with the ongoing problems of rampant child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

The pope will retire after February 28 to “a life dedicated to prayer,” and the next pope may well be in place by Easter, March 31.

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Men’s RDs Depart at End of Spring

Courtesy of Isabeau Higdon

The Residence Life staff is anticipating a smooth transition as Resident Directors Steve Mattiace, of Shenawana Hall, and Marc Smithers, of Rothenbuhler Hall, plan to leave their positions at the close of this spring semester.

Houghton already posted advertisements designed to find replacements for the two RDs.  Jacobsen hopes for applicants who will potentially encourage variation among the Resident Life staff.  He said, concerning any Resident Life applicants, “We like to get a little bit of variety in terms of experience and perspective.”

But such variety will not necessarily change the traditions and dynamics of Shenawana and Rothenbuhler Halls.  While new staff may bring new ideas and skill sets, through deliberate transitional processes, former policies tend to remain in place.

In order to encourage a smooth transition between Resident Directors, Jacobsen said, “Typically we have the current RDs write something like an information packet for any replacement that comes in.”

Marc Smithers, current Resident Director of Rothenbuhler Hall, explains one detail of the transitional practice of passing on knowledge and experience to his future replacement.  He said, “The outgoing RD [writes] a letter to the incoming RD informing them of hall culture/traditions and explaining the vision that we have had for the hall and what we hope it to be in the future.”
The future RD uses this information in adjusting to the new role.

In addition, incoming Resident Assistants for the 2013 fall semester receive hiring and training from the current Resident Directors, so that they might aid in making the transition from one RD to another a smooth one.  Thus, being familiar with current tradition and policies, the RAs possess the abilities to help the prospective RD adjust to managing the dorm.

In addition, Jacobsen said, “We do try to get students on the RA staff in on the actual hiring process.”  The RA’s play an important role in the transition between Resident Directors, not only by helping the replacement Resident Directors, but also by actually helping to choose who among the applicants might best suit their dorm.

Courtesy of Isabeau Higdon
Courtesy of Isabeau Higdon

Concerning the fluidity of the replacement process, Smithers said, “The RD position is one that typically has a fair amount of turnover.”  As Resident Directors often come and go, the hiring process for the position is a familiar and relatively frequent occurrence, and Houghton seems to maintain a good system of transition.  Jacobsen voiced his confidence in the system as well, and said, “Typically I feel positive about our hiring process here.”

According to Smithers, Rothenbuhler Hall in particular will hopefully function the same as always, even as he will be absent next semester.
Smithers said, “I think an RD does his or her job best when the success or failure of a hall does not depend solely on his or her talents. I firmly believe in empowering my staff to cultivate and carry on the culture and vision that we have collectively forged together in Roth, so that when I’m gone, there isn’t a big hole in the life of the hall but that somebody new can come in and add to what we’ve created.”