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News

Houghton Holds Mental Health Awareness Weeks

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 4 in 10 adults have reported having anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This is more than the 1 in 10 adults who reported these symptoms from the months of January to June in 2019. Adults have also reported having difficulties sleeping or eating, as well as an increase in the use of alcohol or other substances, due to the pandemic. 

Nuk Kongkaw, the director of the Mosaic Center, values mental health and sees how it “simultaneously impacts individuals and the relationships around us.” She also feels that “mental health is something people are realizing they can’t ignore as we’ve spent months in isolation or limited contact with others.” The Mosaic Center, along with Residence Life, Chapel and the Center for Student Success thus held Mental Health Awareness Weeks at Houghton College from March 15th to 25th.

Several different events were  held, including a talk-back on BIPOC mental health with Nuk Kongkaw, Nerissa Jones and Pierre Durant, a discussion with the Center for Student Success on how to support friends who are in crisis, a chapel talk with Dr. Mike Lastoria entitled “Leaving Home: Right of Passage in a Virtual World,” and an introduction to the Enneagram and some other tools to help grow your self-awareness and spiritual disciplines. 

Earlier in this event, a stand-up for your brother and sister event was held, along with a roundtable discussion with Rebecca Rowley, Ann Vazquez and JL Miller entitled “Am I a Bad Christian if I Struggle with Mental Health?,” a chapel talk with Pierre Durant entitled “And He Will be Called Wonderful Counselor: A Conversation on Faith, and Race” and a “Be Kind to Your Mind” workshop. 

There were also a number of opportunities to win prizes throughout the event. Several students have won a free yearlong subscription to the meditation app Headspace, and a weighted blanket has also been given away. There is also a grand prize to be won later in the event of a mental health basket. 

One of the hopes Kongkaw mentions she has for this event is that “in helping others care for themselves well, they would then be able to look around them, connect with others, and engage with caring for others”, further adding that “People are best equipped to help others when they have grown in their own self-awareness, know their triggers, and are willing to see their own areas of growth.” ★

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Campus News Sports

Houghton Lacrosse Faces Extinction

Cori Beck (‘20) cradles ball in game. Photo courtesy of Jason Mucher.

By Erin Maggio (’21)

On Thursday January 21, the Houghton Athletic Department announced that its men’s and women’s lacrosse programs would have just one last season of competition this spring before being discontinued. 

This past fall a task force, with representation from athletics and enrollment, was assembled for a formal review which led to the decision that was then finalized in January.  

The press release cites this change being made to allow for resources to be reallocated, especially to give more support to programs they feel have “the potential for greater strategic impact and growth for the department and college.” This includes a plan to put more support into various areas including wellness and recreation programming and the track and field program.

The task force found that there is a growing interest in the health and wellness of the community. In order to fill this, the department is planning to bolster its offerings of fitness opportunities, maximize the use of Houghton’s facilities, launch a club sports program, and  rejuvenate its intramural sports. 

In terms of reallocation in the track and field program, this decision means the addition of two graduate assistant coaches. Director of Athletics Matthew Webb says that “of all our sports, track and field has the greatest potential to grow its roster. We are increasing our expectations for recruitment in this area…[and] we anticipate this investment will have a positive impact on the enrollment of new students at the college.”

Current and former students, though, were not as impressed. Upon hearing of this decision, a group of eight current and former Houghton lacrosse players created an online petition directed to the College’s Board of Trustees. The group—consisting of Nathan Anderson (’21), Andrew Bub (’19), Cole Chapman (’19), Marissa Hews (’20), Quinn Hull (’20), Alyssa Johnson (Strom) (’18), Tom Woodward (’20), and Michael Wrobel (’21)—included a few who originally wrote individual letters to Matthew Webb. According to Hull, all of these were met with nearly identical responses. 

“After receiving those responses, I jumped on a FaceTime call with former teammates of mine Tom Woodward, Nate Anderson, Mike Wrobel, Andrew Bub, and Cole Chapman. We all decided that our next move would be to write to the chairman of the board of trustees for Houghton College in an attempt to have them review this decision. The six of us reached out to Marissa Hews and Alyssa Johnson of the women’s program to help us with their side of things and make sure both teams had a voice in this attempt at a review,” Hull recounted. This letter was included at the beginning of the petition.

Along with other aspects, the letter included qualms with the decision itself. Primarily, they felt the decision was contradictory. Webb stated that the decision was made to “find ways to invest our resources that align with [the Athletic Departments’] priorities for competitive excellence and that support areas where there is the most potential for growth.” However, the petitioners felt that the lacrosse programs supported such ideals of competitive excellence, pointing out the men’s improving winning percentage in the past three seasons as well as the women’s program’s statistical achievements. 

The group also took issue with the handling and timing of the decision. For instance, they say “there was no effort made to save the program through other means,” as they believe there could have been a call for fundraising from alumni or individual team fundraising. Instead, the teams were only notified of the decision once it was final. The decision announcement was also problematic to the group because it was announced after spring semester bills for students were due, which hampered student-athletes’ abilities to transfer. 

The letter continued by outlining ways that the group perceived the lacrosse programs to be behind all along due to the way they were handled, including, but not limited to the men’s program being rushed into participation prior to having a proper lacrosse coach or an initial recruiting class, and a high turnover rate in coaching on the women’s side. The group also included possible alternative solutions to simply cutting the programs “as they sit on the cusp of breakthrough.” 

The petition, which is now closed, amassed 2,074 signatures and 261 comments, including those “from students, faculty, staff, family members, complete strangers, and even from among the ranks of [the programs’] Empire 8 competition like Sage, Hartwick, St. John Fisher, and more,” according to Anderson. 

As of now, it does not look like the alternative solutions will be explored. According to Webb, the department has seen the petition: “our decision follows the essential practice of higher education to regularly assess and realign resources in areas that will realize the greatest impact for the entire student body. Although the petition demonstrates the passion for the lacrosse program and the impact it has had on both our alumni and current athletes, we are confident in the process and our final decision,” he said. 

Both current and former men’s and women’s lacrosse student-athletes attested to Houghton Lacrosse’s positive impact on their lives: 

“There is a very specific culture surrounding the sport of lacrosse. It is one that certainly contrasts with the values Houghton College stands for. In his time at Houghton, Coach Lundeen created a team and culture that consistently went against the grain and did things in a way that countered that culture. This, after all, is essentially what the Christian lifestyle is. The lacrosse program was just one way that Houghton College equipped its students ‘to lead and labor as scholar-servants in a changing world,’” which is what the college’s mission statement articulates, Hull expressed. 

Currently a senior on the men’s lacrosse team, Anderson also testified to the impacts of this culture—“the Houghton men’s lacrosse team, led by Coach Lundeen, has not only shaped my college experience, but the very foundation of who I am today. I have learned hard work, discipline, determination, respect, honor, courage, grace, patience, faith, and trust through my teammates and Coach Lundeen. They are my family.”

Reegan Mitchell (’22) emphasized how being a part of the Houghton Women’s Lacrosse team has been an integral part of her Houghton experience, saying, “I have played lacrosse for several years now, but playing for a team that loves God and wants to serve Him on and off the field is not something I experienced throughout high school. These girls have pushed me to look beyond myself and learn how to best encourage others in ways that are unique to them. This program has carried out the mission of Houghton Athletics [in] encouraging their players to become strong leaders and teaching them how to be Christ-like on and off the field.” 

It is evident that the Houghton Lacrosse programs’ have left a lasting impact on those who participated in them. It seemed to be a consensus that these current and former student-athletes were saddened by the news of the discontinuing of their teams. As the student-athletes simultaneously reflect on the impacts of the lacrosse program and look ahead to their final year of competitions, the athletic department thanked all of the current and former coaches and players of the two teams on February 4 in an update to their statement, while acknowledging the difficult personal and emotional nature of such a decision. 

While there was a wide range in reactions to the news, Mitchell also acknowledged how she felt going into her final season in a Highlanders lacrosse uniform: “one thing that the women’s lacrosse team has talked about is the blessing of having another day. We in no way deserve the gift of sport but we’ve been blessed through many years of this program to have it. We are not promised a tomorrow, we certainly are not promised four years of lacrosse, so I truly feel blessed to at least know I have this season to look forward to, even if it’s the last.”

What are your thoughts and feelings on the news about the Houghton Lacrosse programs? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (star@houghton.edu)!

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Campus News

Dining Services Evolve to Meet Complex Demand

By Johanna Florez (’21)

Changes in dining hall practices and offerings quickly come to the attention of large numbers of students. Many are already aware that the semester’s first three weekends saw three different models of breakfast service; less available is information regarding what went on behind the scenes of this and other recent changes to Houghton’s dining services.

The “Dining Service Regular Hours” distributed via all-campus email on January 21st indicated that the dining hall would not be open until 10:45am on weekends. These were reduced hours compared to the fall semester’s consistent 7-9:30am breakfast slot (which was itself a change from prior years’ continuous grab-and-go dining for students on full access meal plans). The decision to turn weekend breakfasts into a later “brunch” was made in mid-December, according to Metz General Manager Bryon Richards. Multiple departments agreed on the adjustment, including Dining Services, the Office of Student Life, Center for Engagement and Hospitality, and the Office of Finance.

Richards explains that weekend breakfast attendance started being evaluated “about two years ago.” “We… saw a steady decline in participation between each semester,” he says. “We also looked at the trends from other colleges in the region and saw that many had discontinued their weekend breakfast programs and moved to a brunch/dinner pattern on the weekends.” The fall 2020 semester also saw even fewer students than usual coming to breakfast on the weekends: “at most only 80 students” had breakfast in the dining hall on any Saturday or Sunday last semester. With so many students learning remotely, Dining Services anticipated even fewer people eating weekend breakfast. According to Izzy Gritsavage ‘24, who has worked in the dining hall since fall 2020, each hot breakfast requires about six employees and eighteen payroll hours, regardless of how many people come to eat. 

Despite the low average attendance at weekend breakfasts, students voiced concerns via Facebook and email. On Saturday January 30, an email from Marc Smithers informed students that they could request a takeout breakfast on Friday and Saturday afternoons to pick up at dinnertime and eat the following day. Richards later stated, “The decision to offer weekend night before breakfast pickup was always an option that was to be available for those students who still wanted an early breakfast on the weekend due to our changes.”

While no one was able to pick up breakfast that Friday to eat Saturday morning, Sarah Evans ‘22 tried the Sunday morning breakfast out of curiosity. While morning classes and sleeping in on the weekend often keep her from going to the dining hall for breakfast, “I just thought it would be nice to get breakfast and not have to get up early for it,” she says. She found a “sad” packed breakfast of orange juice, a water bottle, a banana, a muffin and a pastry. “I would not have picked the items that they put in there,” she says, also noting that the sign-up process did not ask about food sensitivities.

Smithers’ email promised, “A more formal announcement about this option will be coming out next week.” Two days later, another all-campus email announced the resumption of hot meal service for weekend breakfasts. Richards explains that the responsible departments “realized the timing on the decision to discontinue breakfast service was not the best.”

With in-person dining back open for three meals a day, seven days a week, other new changes are still apparent. The dining hall’s takeout containers were switched from styrofoam to more eco-friendly brown boxes. According to Richards, these are made from “natural molded fiber which is produced from byproducts of crop harvests and produced with a chemical free pulping process.” They are both biodegradable in garbage and recyclable when clean. “As soon as we knew for health and safety reasons we were going to exclusively use single serve products (approximately June 2020) we started the process of identifying more sustainable options,” Richards says. Supply and demand issues delayed access to the brown boxes until this semester.

What are your thoughts and feelings on the changes in the dining hall? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (star@houghton.edu)!

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News

Houghton Professor Performs in “Zoomsical”

Houghton College Professor and director of the Lyric Theatre Amanda Cox has been cast in USUCC: An Original Zoomsical. This show chronicles the story of Hannah the Hound, an adjunct professor of Character Arts at The University School of Unified Character Craft, whose students decide to stage a mutiny after they are unhappy that the school moved online due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Professor Cox portrays the role of Hannah the Hound.

Director Brian Ryu discussed that he and director Julia Krom got the idea for making this Zoomsical “to bring people together and be creative.” Krom also added that the idea to focus on a relevant issue, particularly for those who are attending school in this new environment, was “exciting,” and she also mentioned that working from home “can be tedious,” so “having a project like this as a creative outlet was so fulfilling for us both.” Ryu also brought up that through this musical, they’re showing the schools that did not put the interests of students above their own.

Because this show was filmed remotely, Krom explained that they were able to “secure such prodigious talent, not only because of more available time during the pandemic, but also because we weren’t limited by geography. Cast and crew from Hawaii, LA, Indiana, New York and New Jersey all simultaneously contributed to this beautiful project.”

Both Ryu and Krom were in agreement that casting Professor Cox was an obvious choice. Ryu explained that although they had hundreds of people apply around the world, they did not audition anyone. He also stated that “We loved that Amanda was a professor and had this first-hand experience and interest in helping and educating students. We could tell from the get-go that she believed in the character’s mission and we loved how she brought her own spin to it.” In addition, Krom added that Professor Cox “brings such an effervescent energy to the screen and her background as a professor brought a unique authenticity to the role.” 

Furthermore, Krom says they hope this musical “questions the role of educators for their students during this pandemic.” She also brought up that “Amanda led this discussion with her superb acting and singing, but more so with her advice on the story and project. She was a great mentor for us — both cast and crew — and we hope that whoever watches it comes out sharing her spirit.”

Professor Cox explained that she was cast in this show after submitting to a casting call on Backstage.com. She says she realized quickly that she was in for a “wild and hilarious ride!” as she began to work with the cast and crew. Professor Cox also added that she “really enjoyed filming,” and “learned so much.” She mentioned that in a show like this, the cast not only acts and sings, but they are “also responsible [for] our own lighting, sound, recording our vocals, filming B-roll, etc. We were able to learn so much more about different aspects of TV and film than we would have in a normal production.” Overall, she said that “It has been an incredibly rewarding experience with really wonderful people!”

USUCC: An Original Zoomsical will be available for viewing on the HOCACA TV YouTube Channel, at this link: https://youtube.com/channel/UCH3YOFnkadZXyr39iZ9BECA starting Friday, February 12th.

What are your thoughts and feelings on producing and “performing” a musical like this? Will you wacth? If you do, let the Star know your thoughts! Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (star@houghton.edu)!

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Stories In Focus

How Teaching Remotely Complicates the Teaching Process

Article by Victoria Hock (’23)

As we all know, many changes have been brought to Houghton’s campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, not only are some students learning remotely, but some professors are teaching remotely. 

Professor of Religion Kristina LaCelle Peterson discussed that she misses “being in a room with actual human beings,” and she also added that she’s “grateful for technology that allows us some amount of interaction, but obviously it’s not the same.” As for how she’s changed up her classes to an online format, she mentioned that she has structured her courses with “weekly independent learning opportunities,” which means that “each course is a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning.” She noted that this “puts some of the responsibility for learning back into the hands of students.  This also gives her the chance to “hear a little of what’s going on in each student’s thinking,” which she added is “particularly helpful in big classes.”

Professors Heidi and John Giannini expressed similar sentiments. Professor of Philosophy Heidi Giannini brought up some of the positives to teaching remotely. “In some ways, I think working remotely has made my job easier than many of my colleagues’: I don’t have to worry about delivering the same course in as many formats at once, I don’t lose class time to sanitization procedures, and I can more readily have my students engage in small group work because I don’t have to worry about maintaining social distance.” 

However, she also added that there are a few “significant drawbacks” to being completely online too. Some of the drawbacks that she mentioned include having “less of a personal connection with my students. I worry that when I return to campus, I won’t recognize many of the students I’ve taught this semester because they appear only in little boxes on my screen, a few at a time, and many of them masked.” She also added that the “online dynamic is different from what you have in person,” specifically discussing that it is much easier to start a conversation during in-person classes than online. Professor Giannini also added that students can sometimes be “more frequently distracted” when they are participating in a Zoom class session, and that they can also “seem more hesitant to reach out and ask for help” when a professor is only accessible online. 

Professor of Philosophy John Giannini discussed that there are both well-known and less common differences between teaching online and in-person. “Some of the differences in online teaching are pretty obvious,” he mentioned, bringing up differences such as not being able to give quizzes on paper, that everyone is on computers for the whole class, and that technical issues can sometimes hinder communication. As for some of the more subtle differences, he explained they were things he wasn’t able to foresee. For example, he mentioned that a lot of communication goes on surrounding class time between him and his students, explaining that he chats with students, people ask him “questions that wouldn’t fit in class,” and he compliments people on their work. He then added that “while teaching online a lot of that communication just doesn’t happen.” Professor Giannini has also found “many other subtle ways in which being in a room is different from communicating via an online lobby,” mentioning things like “decreased ability to read body language, or much less fluidity in conversational back-and-forth.” He then added that “Even if you can technically do a lot of the same things online as in person they do not feel the same–and that matters.” 

Overall, much like online learning, online teaching appears to have benefits, such as not losing class time to sanitization procedures and more readily being able to have students engage in small group activities, and drawbacks, such as a higher likelihood of distraction and technical issues sometimes coming up. Online professors have been working their hardest to innovate and create an engaging, beneficial class. Given the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, online teaching may continue, so professors may need to continue innovating, creating an online learning environment that students can benefit and learn from. 

Do you have any professors teaching remotely? How have they handled it? Well? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (star@houghton.edu)!

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News

Though COVID-19 Cases Surge Nearby, Most Students don’t fear a Campus Outbreak

Houghton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, the location of a notable nearby COVID-19 outbreak recently. Credit: Evan Tsai

Article written by Megan Brown (‘23).

October 9th marked the halfway point of Houghton College’s fall semester and served as a reminder that, while active cases on campus remain at zero, the hamlet of Houghton does not fare as well. With 46 new cases of COVID-19 at the Houghton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center as of last Thursday, a case on the college’s campus seems inevitable because of the recent increase.

Even with this grim forecast, few students interviewed expressed additional stress because of the uptick in cases. A couple students even admitted they had not thought about the rise in cases surrounding our campus after the initial email about it from Marc Smithers. Sophomore Psychology major Mackenzie Milne views this as a wake up call, saying “it’s hitting close to home. It is suddenly becoming more of a reality.” 

One worry does unite the students interviewed: the residents and staff at the facility. Communication major Courtney Johson commented, “I think it’s very troubling…because I know a lot of other nursing centers where one person gets it and then a lot of people do. So I am very worried for them.” As the CDC has stated, COVID-19 can be more dangerous when risk factors, such as underlying medical conditions or older age, are involved. Students’ concern lies more with the residents residing at the rehab and nursing facility than with a threat to their safety here on campus. 

For those worried about the threat of COVID-19 coming to campus, Marc Smithers advises that students should not spiral into panic. The absence of students on campus contracting the virus so far this semester shows the dedication of many students’ adherence to the Big Three, which consists of masking, social distancing, and cleanliness. The increase of cases in Allegany County should instead renew the students’ commitment to following COVID-19 guidelines. With a higher concentration of local cases, the chances of a case occurring on campus rises. As Smithers says, “we cannot slip into worry, but we also cannot slip into complacency.”

While students may believe COVID-19 would not dare enter into the creekstone-clad asylum after the success Houghton College has had this semester, Smithers continues to stand by his stance that the campus will soon see an active case “not due to our campus community not practicing safe habits but more so because the virus is just too prevalent in our area.” Precautions to the virus’ spread are in place not because they eliminate the chance of contracting COVID-19 but because they decrease transmission. With a higher volume of cases locally, the chances of a student or faculty member contracting the virus increases, too.

Because of this possibility, the campus needs reminders of safety precautions because it is easy to become relaxed in Houghton’s “new normal.” However, of the students interviewed, only two professors discussed the local rise in cases with their classes: Professors Susan and Benjamin Lipscomb. Both professors reminded students of the proximity of the Houghton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center to the college and, like Marc Smithers, urged students to double down on following COVID-19 protocol.

What are your thoughts and feelings on the surge in COVID-19 cases at the nearby nursing home in Houghton? Worried about the residents? Worried about the safety of those on campus? Not very concerned? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (star@houghton.edu)!

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News

Remote Learning: Hindrance or Help?

By Vicotria Hock (’23)

The COVID-19 Pandemic has resulted in a unique semester for students at Houghton. Some students are learning on campus, with various protocols in place such as the Big Three (masking, hand washing and social distancing) while some are learning from home, entirely online. Others are on campus, but have a mixture of online and in-person classes.

Riley Gastin (’20) is in her final semester at Houghton. She says that “being online for my last semester is bittersweet. Although I am saving a lot of money and I am able to spend time with my family and local friends, I definitely miss being on campus with my friends and professors. Houghton is such a special place which makes it extra hard to be remote. Everyone has been great though, professors and classmates are so helpful and are making this much easier than it could have been.”

Both Cory Messerschmidt (’21) and Isabela Godoy (’23) have acknowledged there are some challenges that have arisen with regards to remote learning. Messerschmidt mentioned that some professors have had difficulty with things such as “sharing their screen” and “making the microphone pick up sound,” though he did mention that he’s “thankful that they’re giving us the option this semester.”

Godoy discussed that for her, the switch to online has been pretty tough. She also stated that there have been some technical difficulties from both her and Houghton, and she added that staying motivated in front of a computer can sometimes be difficult. Having said that, she also feels Houghton has “converted their online teaching decently, but it is still very confusing when you have to check 15 different websites to see what your next homework assignment is.”

Seth Greene (’22) is enjoying the opportunity to spend time at home. He says that the extra time he’s had at home with his friends and family has been “a blessing,” and he also added that he’s  “found professors to be very understanding and accommodating in making sure that remote learners are able to fully participate despite the challenges of virtual schooling.”

Although Ryan Ozzello (’21) is on campus, the majority of his classes are online. He explained, “because it’s virtual, I’m able to create my own learning environment for class and spend more time quiet and focused, the way I learn best.” Outside of class, he’s “able to meet in person with classmates to study and be actively involved in many in-person organizations and clubs.” He ended with some compliments about the experience as a whole so far, saying “Houghton has successfully met me where I am during this less-than-ideal time to ensure that I am learning, growing, and engaging with the full college experience.”

Students have had a variety of different experiences so far this semester. Although there have been a few challenges with online learning, professors have been helpful in ensuring that those students who are online are still able to learn with the rest of the class.

Are you studying remotely this semester? How’s your experience? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (editor@houghtonstar.com)!

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News

Voting this November

Article written by Matthew Uttaro (‘22).

One of the greatest rights afforded to Americans is the right to vote. It gives us the unique ability to hold those in government positions accountable to us, and it makes our voices as citizens powerful beyond our angry tweets and Instagram posts. We have the power to influence government action. Yet, even with this being the case, just over half of those eligible to vote actually do cast a ballot.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 61.4% of the eligible voting population exercised that right in the 2016 election. That means just under 200 million people voted in that election, compared to the total population of the United States that year, 323.1 million. How could the political landscape be different if even just one percent more voted on average?

One of the most common reasons people do not vote is that the process seems too hard. The process of getting registered, of making time in your day to go to your polling place, and making the constant effort of being knowledgeable of the issues seem to be too much alongside our everyday commitments. With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it only gets harder. So why should you make the effort?

Voting is the manifestation of democracy in our country. It allows us to go above and beyond with our beliefs on issues, to make real, substantive change by electing those that we feel will fight for this change. You may view yourself as apolitical, or someone who doesn’t bother with politics at all; however, the case remains that you do something every day thanks to politics. If you are a commuter, you drove here today on a road that was made possible by a political decision. Regardless of your status as a student here, you most likely receive financial aid. The entire concept of student loans was born from a political decision.

Perhaps you are passionate about a specific issue. Maybe you are seeking to make the world a better place for people of all walks of life. While the government may be a key player in the issue you are seeking to address, it may also be the most effective avenue for change. Granted, voting once and doing nothing else may not grant the change you wish to make in the world, but combining it with activism towards that cause and voting every chance you get is most certainly a step in the right direction.

Indeed, the process of voting will be much different this election cycle due to the pandemic. The good news is that you can still vote safely and easily! You can do all things voting-related (besides the actual act of voting) online in New York State, including registering to vote, applying for an absentee ballot, and finding out your polling location. If you live out of state, a number of states have implemented voting reforms designed to make voting easier for this upcoming election. You can go to Vote.Org to find out more about how you can vote in your state.

On September 1, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a new online absentee ballot application portal in which all registered voters can request their ballot in just a few minutes. This supplements the paper application system previously used in which voters had to print off a request form, fill it out, and mail it in to their local Board of Elections. In New York, an excuse is required when applying for an absentee ballot; if Houghton is not in the county you live in, you can check ‘absence from county on Election Day’ as your excuse. If you live within Allegany County and you would rather not vote in person due to worries about COVID-19, you can request an absentee ballot and check ‘temporary illness or physical disability.’ It is important to do this as soon as possible due to current delays with the United States Postal Service.

Another option is voting early. In New York, early voting begins on Saturday, October 24, and runs through Sunday, November 1. What this process allows you to do is to vote at your polling location in your home county before Election Day. What you need to do in order to vote early differs from county to county and of course in different states as well. New York residents can navigate to this website to learn more about early voting based on their county. If you live outside of New York, go to Vote.Org and select your state to find out your voting options.

The final option is to vote in person, as normal, on Election Day. This is most likely not feasible for many students who live outside of this county and/or live far away. Depending on where you live as well, there is a slightly higher risk voting in person on Election Day than it would be to vote by mail or to vote early, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. If you do vote in person, make sure you take the proper precautions and wear a mask as well as wash your hands often. Check with your local Board of Elections to find your polling location as well as when you can vote.

Are you voting in this year’s election? Why or why not? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (editor@houghtonstar.com)!

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News

Tuition Reset Will Make Houghton College Best-Priced Christian College in the Nation


Article written by Vanessa Bray (‘21).

Houghton College is set to become the best priced Christian college in the nation. On September 22, 2020 Houghton announced its plan to reset the college’s annual tuition price. This reset will take effect beginning in the fall of 2021 and every returning and incoming student will be eligible to receive the benefits of this plan. The college’s tuition will be $15,900 for the 2021-22 academic year ($7,950/semester). Under this plan Room, Board and Fee prices have been frozen and will not increase next year. The reset is said to reinforce Houghton’s mission “To provide high-quality Christian education to students from all socioeconomic backgrounds and life circumstances—including those impacted by COVID-19.”

Jason Towers, who worked alongside President Shirley Mullen, Dale Wright (Vice President for Finance), John Oden (Executive Director of Advancement Services and Operations), and Marianne Loper (Director of Student Financial Services) to develop this plan confirmed that they were working on this plan prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Towers said, “This work was started well before the pandemic. . . In looking at graduation trends, we saw a correlation between a student’s decision to continue for all four years at Houghton and finances. Some students with very high potential were unable to benefit fully from a Houghton education and we wanted to ensure that cost was not a barrier for students in their choice of education. The COVID-19 pandemic has created financial hardship for many families and accentuated the need for simplicity in the cost of college. . .This new published cost helps to remove confusion around what a student will pay and makes Houghton an option for more families.”

When asked if Houghton intends to honor this plan indefinitely, Towers had the following to say: “We are committed to this new level of transparency and affordability. Will future years’ tuition prices include small increases to compensate for inflation? At some point, that is certainly possible, but any changes will be based on the new tuition rate of $15,900.” 

Responses to this announcement varied among the student body. An anonymous sophomore excitedly stated, “I think that the tuition reset is super generous especially when so many families are struggling financially due to the current state of global health. I strongly believe that as Christians it is our duty to care for the less fortunate, and this tuition reset is a fantastic way to provide a Christian Liberal Arts education to those who might come from families that are struggling financially during these times.”

Senior Phoebe Mullen stated, “I have to admit that my first response to hearing about the tuition reset was not ‘That’s great!’ but ‘What are they going to cut? Where’s the money coming from?’ If it’s going to benefit students overall, and there’s funding to cover the change, then I’m all for it. My friends are mostly seniors, though, and they’re annoyed we’re not still going to be here for the change!”

According to the statement released by Houghton College’s Public Relations, the college raised $41 million for student scholarships through the generosity of donors to the IMPACT Campaign for Greater Houghton. Returning students can expect the new tuition rates to be partnered with a revised financial aid process. 

Marianne Loper, Director of Financial Services, shared her excitement for the future financial packages that will be available to students,“I cannot even express how thrilled I am to share it with everyone and talk through the math of how it will truly save families money. I have had the opportunity to walk a few students through what their packages will look like for 2021-22.  Every student has been surprised and animated about the numbers.  It is not just the numbers but it is [the] ease and ability to comprehend it.  Students will be able to clearly see how the math worked and could follow every step.  It has been so encouraging to me and confirms this move was the right thing for the college and students.”

With the 2021-2022 FAFSA being available as of October 1st, both Towers and Loper encourage students to start applying early.

What are your thoughts on the impending tuition reset? Thrilled? Suspicious? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (editor@houghtonstar.com)!

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News

We Are All Houghton Project Challenges School to Listen to Past and Present LGBTQ+ Experiences at Houghton

Credit: instagram.com/weareallhoughton/

We recognize that controversy surrounding this topic is ongoing, particularly regarding the recent paintings of the Spirit Rock. The STAR is still working to prepare our coverage of those events, and would invite anyone with thoughts or information on the subject to get in touch with us at star@houghton.edu.

2020 has been a year riddled with controversy, what with the U.S. Presidential Election looming, ongoing discussions concerning the best handling of COVID-19, and protests over racial tensions still dominating the streets of cities across the country. Small, rural Houghton has not been an exception to tensions and polarization, as disagreements have been anything but tepid, especially concerning the We Are All Houghton project recently rolled out by alumni Josh Duttweiler (’15) and Amy Coon (’14). 

We Are All Houghton, presented during the alumni art exhibition RECOLLECTIVE (held September 4, 2020 to October 3, 2020 in the Ortlip Gallery), consisted of light projections of quotes by LGBTQ+ alumni around notable spots on Houghton’s Campus, including buildings like Fancher Hall, Luckey Memorial, and Wesley Chapel. Quotes came from a group of recently graduated alumni—Collin Belt (’15), Mitch Galusha (’14), Sally Jacoby Murphy (’13), Sarah Jacoby Murphy (’13), Holly Chaisson (’16), and Emilie Powles Ocock (’14)—along with some who opted to remain anonymous, including current students.  

This project incorporated an anonymous survey which encouraged any person connected to Houghton College, whose sexual orientation and/or gender identity is “unaccepted by the college”, to answer and participate in. The survey served purposes twofold: one, “to allow those who would like to participate in the show in the Ortlip gallery to do so,” as select quotes would be projected in the gallery in hopes of amplifying additional LGBTQ+ voices from the school, and two, to present findings to the college after the show’s closure, so “administration can both hear from and better understand its students,” the survey form explained. 

Along with the physical exhibit in the Ortlip Gallery, the project has a website, weareallhoughton.com, as well as a page on Instagram (@weareallhoughton) which currently has 705 followers (as of Monday, October 5). The website explains the background and purposes of the project, introduces the alumni involved, and links to the survey. The Instagram page portrays photographs of several of the projections as well as quotes submitted as part of the survey. 

As the website explains, the project was largely in response to Houghton College’s involvement in the Supreme Court Cases regarding interpretation of Title VII and Title IX. The Supreme Court, in August 2020, concluded that firing an employee on the basis of being gay or transgender constitutes a violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This is pertinent because it interprets that Title VII protects LGBTQ+ Employees. Houghton College’s involvement, which became known to a group of alumni in August of 2019, was as an amicus curiae. Essentially, this means that they provided insight or a perspective to the court that they might not have considered or been aware of. The position that the amici took, which included Houghton College, was that the language in Title VII (which also relates to Title IX), does not and should not include protection for LGBTQ+ employees. 

After hearing of this, a group of alumni wrote a letter to President Shirley Mullen to voice their disappointment, both in Houghton’s decision to sign on the amicus brief, as well as their lack of communicating about it to current students and alumni. President Mullen responded, saying “The reason that Houghton signed the amicus brief was to say that the petitioner’s claims should be reviewed in Congress…The question at stake is whether the very best way to provide protection for LGBTQ persons is to ground that protection in the definition of ‘sex’ as that was established in Title VII and Title IX.” 

The exhibit was in response to the college’s involvement in these Supreme Court cases, as well as the experiences of LGBTQ+ students at Houghton at large.

Responses have been multitudinous. Mullen shared an open letter which was posted on the school’s website (see: https://www.houghton.edu/blog/an-open-letter-from-president-mullen/). This addressed the issue and also introduced the panel which they scheduled into Homecoming weekend: Houghton Alumni Family Dinner Conversations: Learning to Discuss Difficult Topics in a Polarized Context, which was held on Friday, October 2. Duttweiler was glad that this panel was being hosted, but “was disappointed that Amy and [him], as the artists of the project would not be included in any further conversation.” 

In terms of general reactions, Duttweiler and Coon expressed their overwhelmed feelings at how many positive responses they received from both participants and allies, saying they received many personal messages of gratitude for the project and, overall, received nearly 100 survey responses from LGBTQ+ current students, alumni, and staff/faculty. Duttweiler said, “their stories are heartbreaking. It’s a sobering reminder of the pain that the college’s policies have caused.” 

Of the matter, Coon shares similar sentiments, but wanted to add that she was “feeling a little disappointed in the reactions of those who are looking for a theological debate,” saying the project is not about that but rather “about truly listening to those who are hurting and learning how to sit in those feelings. I hope when people hear the hurt of their community, they then ask themselves how they can help and what they can do better instead of arguing about who is right and who is wrong.” 

Many of the responses from current students did take this theological approach in showing their disagreement with the project. 

Cory Messerschmidt (’22) believes that the project is a direct attack on the principles of the college. “The college has a God-given duty to shepherd its students…you have to truly love someone to share the truth with them, and the individuals involved with this need to hear the truth of the biblical gospel. This is a great opportunity to love them, but instead we’ve given them a platform for their attack on the college,” he said. 

Another student, Blythe Gilbert (’21), had a similar attitude, focusing more on the aspect of steering LGBTQ+ people away from “homosexuality, or any variety thereof, [which] is forbidden in the Bible.” As Messerschmidt said that Houghton should shepherd its students to the truth, Gilbert emphasized his belief that Christians are called not just to love, but to lovingly correct people to help them move closer to Christ. “To be sure, Houghton should tolerate and welcome LGBT students. I agree, certainly, that they should not be afraid to speak. However, they should not expect a Christian institution to be anything less than truly Christian.” 

Students who expressed their support of the movement focused less on theological debate and arguments, and more on their gratitude for the movement, along with acknowledging the need for support and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ members of the Houghton community. 

Emily Warner (’21) values the way that the project has called Houghton to act, both now and in the future. “Houghton has claimed to care deeply for its queer community. I would love for that to be true. We Are All Houghton is holding Houghton to its word—demanding that Houghton apologizes and does what it needs to ensure that queer students’ experiences are better in the future. I sincerely hope that Houghton will follow through and make concrete changes to care for and support the Houghton queer community, without feeling the need to remind us how wrong they think we are along the way.” 

Skye Chaapel (’23) and Caroline Zimmerman (’24) both pointed out how the project has displayed how the LGBTQ+ community is marginalized and excluded from the overall population on campus, and thus shows the “overwhelming need for [this] representation,” as Zimmerman said. The project, in giving voices to these people, both in alumni and those currently on campus, chipped away at just that. 

Another major focus of many of the supportive responses to the project was the fact that it showed the deep pain that has been inflicted on the LGBTQ+ community on campus. “There may be backlash and misunderstandings, but our classmates, friends, and people we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet are hurting. I just hope that from this we learn to not corner someone into some category or theological argument, but learn to listen to understand,” said Rachel Caine (’23).

If nothing else, it is clear that We Are All Houghton has given voice to those who have not always had the platform to share their experiences safely, and that Houghton’s “community” may have work to do to reconcile that term we value so much with those who have felt anything but welcomed into the community here. 

Duttweiler and Coon plan to continue the project “as long as it is helpful” and are seeking feedback on how to best go about doing this in the future. 

What are your thoughts on the We Are Houghton project? Angered? Validated? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (editor@houghtonstar.com)!