TUESDAY 12/6/11

Published for faculty and staff by the Luther College Public Information office • Copy deadline: Friday, 3 p.m., 75-word limit • Phone: (563) 387-1865 • Email: <tuesday>

Note: All campus telephone numbers are in the 563 area code, all campus email addresses end in @luther.edu • ©2011

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thank you campus

"Where else on earth can one experience the musical expression of peace, love and joy except at the CFL at Luther College!?!" This guest sums up another wonderful Christmas at Luther weekend. Thank you students, conductors and the supporting cast of staff and faculty across campus who made this past weekend such a moving start to the Christmas season. Judy and I are so proud of you!
-President Torgerson

A reminder to turn in the RSVP card for the Luther Christmas party, Thursday,
Dec. 15, 4-6:30 p.m. If you have misplaced your response card or for some reason did not receive an invitation, call the Catering office, 387-1463.

COLLEGE OPERATIONS

Campus programming reminder

Tuesday-Sunday, Dec. 6-11 is considered Finals Prep Week and is intended to provide additional space for students to prepare for tests, papers and finals. These six days are set aside for academic preparation for finals and Luther does not schedule public events during this time. Exceptions include only athletic events, social gatherings, Christmas in the Union and Kwanzaa.

Facilities Service: campus fleet reservations

Reservations for campus fleet vehicles are now being done via the Facilities Services' website. The Vehicle Reservation Request form is located at http://www2.luther.edu/facilities. The following information is required when making the request: type of vehicle, number of vehicles needed, driver's name, destination, date and time of departure/return, account name and number the trip should be charged to. A confirmation will be emailed to the person making the request.

Flexible benefit plan form due Dec. 16

The 2012 flexible benefit plan enrollment forms are in campus mail. Employees must re-enroll each year during the open enrollment period. All employees who work 20 or more hours a week must advise the Office of Human Resources if they want to be enrolled in the Luther College Health Care Reimbursement Plan and/or the Dependent/Child Care Reimbursement Plan for 2012 by Friday, Dec. 16.

Employees may change their health care premium option, add or drop dental insurance during the open enrollment period. Call Marsha, 387-1415 for assistance.

LIS Summer Faculty Workshop Brown Bag Sessions

There is still one opportunity for informal conversation with the technology and information literacy workshop participants representing the art, economics, education, music, nursing, social work and theatre/dance departments, and members of LIS.

Bring a lunch and join us in the Mott Room Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 11:45 a.m.-
1:15 p.m. This is  an open session, so come and go as your schedule allows. Questions? Contact Andi Beckendorf <beckenan>.

Christmas Cheer sponsors

Collection Day is Tuesday, Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. in Marty's. Bring all gifts wrapped and clearly labeled with family number and age and gender of recipient (Ex: Family 77, Boy age 12). After you've dropped off your gifts, please join us for cookies and hot cocoa. Thank you in advance for your generosity this holiday season.

Luther College Cookbooks

The Luther College Cookbook has just arrived in time for Christmas gift giving. The books are for sale in the Book Shop for $12.99. All net proceeds from these sales go to the Sesquicentennial Scholarship Endowed Fund.

Music 'Fireside' sale at the Book Shop

Find many discounted Luther music CDs and DVDs for sale in the Book Shop priced at $3 and $5. These include some past Christmas at Luther and ensemble recordings. Hurry in for these great deals. Sale continues while supplies last. 

Flu clinic Dec. 6

Get your influenza vaccine before the flu season hits. Health Service will hold a flu clinic Tuesday, Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Union. Cost is $20, payable by cash, check or payroll deduction.

Library books due Dec. 10

Books checked out from the main stacks by faculty and staff on or before Sunday, Dec. 4 must be returned by Saturday, Dec. 10. Books may be renewed by emailing <library>. The new due date is May 11, the last day of classes for the spring semester. Books that have already been renewed three times (two years) will not be renewed again; rather you will need to bring these books in physically to the circulation desk to have them checked in and then out again to "re-start the clock." You may "View your account" online at library.luther.edu. to see what you have checked out.

Lecture and Fine Arts funding available

Bringing a speaker, artist, or performer to campus?  Luther's Lecture and Fine Arts money has been pooled as of Dec. 1, with approximately $2,965 to be divided amongst proposals. To submit a request, go to: https://www2.luther.edu/programming/lfa/. Applications received prior to Friday, Dec. 9 will be reviewed in mid-December. Proposals received after Dec. 9 will be reviewed in early February.  Questions? Contact Becky Bowman, <bowmre01>.

United Way update-93 percent

Thank you to all Luther employees and retirees for your support of the United Way. We are at 93 percent of our goal for this year. As we approach the end of 2011, please know all gifts are still very much needed and really do make a difference. Many Luther employees find payroll deduction to be a convenient option. If you need a United Way form, please contact Kelly, <kelly.wedmann> or 387-1066.

EVENTS

Chapel this week

Wednesday, Dec. 7: Robert Larson, Advent series, Journey to the
Light, Luther College Trombone Choir
Thursday, Dec. 8: Morning prayer, Samuel Libra, CRH
Friday, Dec. 9: Kwanzaa chapel, Gospel Choir

College Ministries wishes everyone safe travel and a joyful and blessed Christmas and New Year.

Worship services will not be held on campus from Dec. 12 through the holiday break. Chapel will resume Jan. 4 and Sunday worship will resume Jan. 8.

Retirement party for Sharon Roher

Sharon Roher, administrative assistant in the Alumni Office, will be retiring after 35 years of service to Luther. Join us in wishing her well Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2:30-
4:30 p.m. in the Loyalty Hall Board Room.

'Christmas in the Union'

Santa will make an early stop in Decorah as Luther celebrates "Christmas in the Union" Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Union. Activities will include cookie decorating, hot chocolate and cider, crafts, a holiday movie and music. Santa will be available to pose for pictures with children by the fireplace in the Union Lobby from 5-6 p.m.

Fall science research symposium

The fall science research symposium will be held Thursday, Dec. 8 at 9:40 a.m. in the Sampson-Hoffland atrium and Valders concourse. This is a unified event highlighting undergraduate student research in the sciences at Luther. The symposium includes more than 75 poster presentations by students from classes in biology, chemistry, environmental studies, nursing and psychology, as well as directed research student projects. All members of the Luther community-especially our friends in the humanities and social sciences-are invited to come and see what is going on in the sciences.

Retirement party for Victoria Harvey

Dining Services employee Vicki Harvey is retiring after 26 years of service to Luther. Join us in wishing her well on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 3-4:30 p.m. in the Luther College Cafeteria.

'Sounding the Sonnets' finale Dec. 9

The "Sounding the Sonnets" finale will be held Friday, Dec. 9, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. in Bentdahl Commons with the final sonnet reading from 12:05-12:10 p.m.  A come-and-go gathering, with hot cider, cookies and some free copies of the Complete Shakespeare Sonnets for the most faithful fall semester attenders.

Kwanzaa Festival Dec. 10

The annual Kwanzaa Festival will be celebrated Saturday, Dec. 10, 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Peace Dining. Tickets are $10 and available at the Box Office. Join us for an evening of great entertainment, education and fellowship.

Candlelight service Dec. 11

Join Campus Ministries Sunday, Dec. 11, 9:30 p.m. for a "Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols." Remember Christmas morning as a child?  Family gathered on the living room floor singing Christmas carols and listening to the story of Christ's birth. Wear something comfortable, and join the Luther community as we gather on the CFL stage for a service of readings, carols and candlelight on the last Sunday of the semester.

COMMUNITY

New employee

Paul Ludwig joined Luther as a Campus Programming Technician on Nov. 10. His office is the CFL Technician Booth, telephone 387-1537. 

Peter to leave Luther

Timothy Peter, Luther College professor of music, has accepted the position of director of choral activities and professor of music at Stetson University in DeLand, Fla.

Peter, who has served on the Luther faculty since 1991, will assume his new duties at Stetson in August.

Peter was head of the Luther music department from 2007-11.  He conducts Collegiate Chorale, a 90-voice select junior-senior choral ensemble, and Norsemen, a first-year men's 90-voice choir. His choir was selected to perform at the American Choral Directors National Conference in Chicago in 2011.

Peter has been an integral part of Luther performing and academic music programs.  His teaching duties at Luther have included advanced choral methods and conducting.

Information about his appointment at Stetson is posted on the university's website at: www.stetson.edu/secure/apps/wordpress/?p=17361.

Sympathy

To Brenda Broghamer and family on the Dec. 5 death of her father Roger Westby, 80, of Decorah.  The funeral is Saturday, Dec. 10 at Glenwood Lutheran Church.

To the family and friends of Angeline Jacobson, professor and reference librarian emerita, who died Dec. 1 at the age of 101. Angeline was a reference librarian at Luther from 1951-1976. The funeral for Angeline is Thursday, Dec. 8, 1:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah.

ARTICLES, CREATIONS, HONORS

Christmas at Luther broadcast information

Encourage students to submit writing 

Faculty and staff are asked to encourage student writers to submit their stories to the ACM Nick Adams Short Story Contest. Entries are due to the English Department <boesejud> by Friday, Feb. 10 at noon. For details on format and guidelines, see http://www2.luther.edu/english/student-opportunities/. 

Dining Services yogurt 

UNCLASSIFIED ADS

Sustainability tip

The first four of AASHE's 13 tips for a sustainable holiday: http://www.aashe.org/blog/13-tips-sustainable-holiday-season.

1) Give a gift that will help a child be curious about the natural world, such as a zoo membership, an ant/butterfly farm, science kits, a kite, a tree you plant together, live animal kits, or the garden game.

2) Skip material gifts all together!
**Give an experience:performance/event tickets, a camping trip, cooking classes, a hot air balloon ride
**Give a service provided by you or a local business: a baby-sitting gift certificate, a massage, a dinner out, hire a chef in, dance lessons

3) For adults, gifts you make yourself often have more meaning (and a smaller environmental impact than mass-marketed products):

• Cook or bake a gift
• Write a poem or story about the person
• Glaze some pottery 

4) Give socially conscious gifts. Shop fair trade:

• Ten Thousand Villages Fair Trade Online Store
• Grounds for Change Fair Trade Coffee, Tea & Chocolate
• Fair World Gallery

Wellness tip

Giving may help you live longer

“Being involved in [giving] activities seems to give people a longer life,” says Stephen Post, a professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University in New York. According to a review of research done by the Corporation for National and Community Service in the U.S., people who give their time by volunteering have lower mortality rates than those who do not. “We now have [indisputable] evidence that there is a causal relationship between participating in one’s community and [good] health,” says Linda Graff, a volunteerism consultant based in Dundas, Ont. From: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/embrace-life/wellness/5-ways-giving-is-good-for-your-health?slide=2.

And finally…

Sometimes you can't see yourself clearly until you see yourself through the eyes of others.

-Ellen Degeneres