Connections
A Newsletter for the Viterbo College Community
Vol. 12 No. 23, February 15, 1999
Viterbo student "sleep out" this week
Seventeen students will use refrigerator boxes, blankets, and a wood fire to stay warm this Tuesday, Feb. 16, at a sleep out to demonstrate solidarity with people who are homeless.
The students are from Tom Thibodeau’s class studying homelessness.
"We know that we cannot replicate homelessness and we do not want to," said Thibodeau, a member of the religious studies faculty. "The circumstances in which people find themselves homeless are much too complex for the students to authentically experience but that doesn’t stop us from showing support and empathy and more importantly, attempting to put a human face to this very serious problem."
The course, which is offered for joint credit by the sociology and religious studies departments, has been in existence for 11 years. The sleep out is a prelude to another more intense experience; a trip set for March 3-5 to the homeless shelters of Omaha where students plan to offer a helping hand.
"Basically we would like to become more aware and it’s hard to do that from a textbook," said Brook Holiday, a joint philosophy, liberal studies major.
Students will begin setting up for the night at approximately 5 p.m. in the Assisi Courtyard.
CLEP examinations
Jan Linderbaum, Registrar, reminds all students and faculty that CLEP exams will be offered at Viterbo on Thurs., March 25. The fee for each exam is $44. A limit of two exams may be taken on this day.
Test information, registration forms, and sample questions may be obtained from the registrar's office, MC 212. To allow the time required to order the test materials, the absolute registration deadline is Fri., Feb. 26. Students who wish to repeat a CLEP test must allow six months between test dates.
Wellness week on campus, March 1-5
Mark your calendars! March 1-5 will be the second annual Wellness Week. There will be presentations regarding health issues, screenings: blood sugar and cholesterol; a health fair, and nutritious taste testing.
Watch for the Wellness Week brochure in your mailbox.
Book fair a success!
The Francis Clare Endowment fund is nearly $500 better off after the Book Fair at Barnes & Noble on February 7. Library staff members John Hempstead, S. Jeanine Luger and Marilyn Adam distributed vouchers at the bookstore.
Phyllis Blackstone and her education students, Sheryl Solberg, Karn Ofte, Nini Borrelli, Joy Oellerich, Karrie Steinhart, Missy Hoage, Kelly Casey, Kara Weber, Amy Rorvick, and Christi Graber delighted the youngsters in the crowd with story time.
Many thanks to all who contributed to the fund raiser!
Bits and pieces
Casual Dress Day Fri. Feb.19 Food Pantry Day: support is given to purchase items for the Viterbo College Food Pantry located in the Fine Arts Center. Please pay your $1 at MC reception desk if you are participating in "casual dress day" today.
Class cancellations: Teacher class cancellation line: 796-3080 or 796-3190. Students call for class cancellations: 796-3200.
Employee Assistance Center (EAC) is for all Viterbo employees and their families. For more information contact Franciscan-Skemp (608) 791-9530, (800) 493-3960.
24 hour Security: call x3911.
New library book
Defining Moments: When Managers Must Choose Between Right And Right by Joseph Badaracco, Jr. (HF5387 B33 1997) is a book about work choices and life choices, revealing an alternative approach to help tackle the complex and troubling question of what to do when doing the right thing requires doing something else wrong, or leaving another right thing undone.
Arts & Entertainment
Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece Three Sisters will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Mon., February 18-22, at the La Croix Black Box Theatre.
Three Sisters, written in 1900, portrays Russian culture, values and dreams at the beginning of the 20th century. "The play is relevant today as Russians continue to reconcile their past and present realities with their dreams of a better future," said director Dean Yohnk. "As we approach the beginning of a new century, we too, are forced to consider how we can reconcile who we are with what it is that we want to become."
According to Yohnk, the play is labeled a drama, but there are many light comedic moments."
Busya Lugovier, music instructor, preparatory school of the arts, assisted the cast with the pronunciation of traditional Russian songs.
Tickets are $8, and are available for all performances. For more information call the Box Office, x3100.
Paintings and drawings showing colorful and sympathetic response to the landscape of N.E. Iowa, by Douglas Eckheart, regional artist and professor from Luther College in Decorah Iowa will be exhibited through Fri., Feb. 26 in the Art Department Gallery, FAC third floor.
The Viterbo College Library Gallery is currently exhibiting the work of John Swartwout. John’s imagery—which he defines as dealing with mental illness—and his use of materials combining paint, modeling pastes, corrugated paper and metal is highly personal and unusual. John is a recent graduate of Viterbo College, and has produced a significant body of new work worth stopping by to see!
The Artaria Quartet of Boston will be performing at 7:30 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 19, FAC Recital Hall. For ticket information contact the Box Office, x3100.
Kudos to…
Celebrate "Presidents" week. Take a trip down the south hallway of Brophy Nursing Center. From the east entrance you will pass the office of Lori Lewis, president-elect of the Wisconsin Dietetic Association, Gail Rogers, past president of the La Crosse Dietetic Association, Karen Gibson, current president of the La Crosse Dietetic Association and Rose Kreutz, president-elect of the La Crosse District Nurses Association.
Megan Parker has been named the winner of the Academic Excellence Scholarship for the Class of 1999 at Brookwood High School, Ontario. The state sponsored scholarship offers $2250 per year for four years to students attending an institute of higher learning in Wisconsin and is based on the student’s grade point average after seven semesters. Megan achieved a 98.005. This school year she has been attending Viterbo College under the Youth Options Program.
Have news about your department or students’ accomplishments? Share your achievements with the campus community by sending us a note via "Connections." We’ll help you spread the word.
Campus Ministry news
by Father Tom O’Neill
Lent 1999 begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. Catholics are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all Fridays in Lent and Good Friday. All are to fast (eat only one full meal) on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Operation Rice Bowl: sponsored by Catholic Relief Services to help the less fortunate here and abroad. Operation Rice Bowl helps us during Lent to Pray, Fast, Learn and Give in solidarity with those in need. Contribution containers are available at the Church entrance.
Soup and bread lunch, sponsored by Social Justice Group, will be held each Wed. in the Cafeteria. Free will offerings will go to Operation Rice Bowl.
Ash Wednesday Schedule: Feb. 17:
• 11:45 a.m. Mass and distribution of ashes in College Church;
• 6 p.m. Distribution of ashes.
• 7 to 10 p.m. Evening retreat in College Church.
AGAPE will sponsor two events and all are invited: 1) Wed., Feb. 10, 8:30 p.m.: Snowfootball in the Courtyard (bowling if weather is bad, $4 per bowler); will end with Taize Prayer at 10 pm.; 2) Fat Tuesday Film Fest, Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m., McDonald Apt. 4 (Please bring a snack to share), beverages provided.
Letter to the editor
Thanks to the many book lovers who crowded the store on Sun., Feb.7, and to Barnes and Noble for donating part of the Book Fair proceeds to the Francis Clare Library Endowment of Viterbo College. The name of the fund honors the Franciscan founders of Viterbo College and all Sisters who expressed their faith through library service. The endowment especially honors Sister Frances Claire Mezera, who is in her 44th year of service at Viterbo College Library. The first goal for the endowment is to raise $1,000 for each year of S. Frances Claire’s service. The Book Fair brought us to 90% of that goal. Income from the fund will be used to purchase books and databases and enhance other services.
A plaque recognizing S. Frances Claire’s service will be dedicated at 3 p.m. on April 7. Anyone interested in supporting libraries is welcome to attend.
—John Hempstead, Director, Todd Wehr Library
Attention students and employees
These are the president for a day candidates for 1999:
Telle Rolle: sophomore, biology/ pre-dentistry, representing Inter-Cultural Club: "As president, I would try to enhance the acceptance of diversity and cultural differences for minority students here at Viterbo to feel more at home."
Jenny Drexler: junior, chemistry/pre-medicine, representing Connect. "I’d like being president for a day, ruling this place the Viterbo way. Dr. Medland would take physical chemistry with Dr. Rodgers, a major gem!"
Lise Johnson: junior, sociology/human services emphasis, representing Sociology/Social Work Club: "It would be interesting to learn about the operations of the college from management’s perspective and to share with others what I learn."
Jenny Beck: junior, psychology, representing Sigma Pi Delta: "This would be a great opportunity for me to experience firsthand the responsibilities and duties of our president and enhance my leadership qualities."
Seth Barna: Senior, nursing/biology minor, representing VCSNA: "I would like to become the President For a Day, because as a whole, nursing students feel under represented and misunderstood on this campus."
Election will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thurs. Feb. 18, in the student union. Please support the clubs and students by voting for the candidate you would like to see swap places with Dr. Medland for a day!
News you’ll notice
Mark Franz
Another Year 2000 (Y2K) administrative office system conversion is "in progress." After the successful completion of the Admission’s system in late December and early January, we are currently working with the office of Financial Aid. For many of the administrative offices, the process not only involves the conversion of the data to the Y2K format; we are also concurrently updating the software to the most recent revision. During the period of time when the actual data conversion occurs, we assign a high response priority to immediately address any issues that may result from the conversion. Other non-critical projects that are in progress at the same time will receive a lower priority and may experience delays in completion.
UW-L TARG-IT Center Association discontinued For the past four years, the college has benefited from a consortium relationship with UW-L and WWTC for the purchase of computer hardware through UW-L's TARG-IT Center. Students and faculty were often referred to the TARG-IT center for pre-purchase computer selection assistance and potential discounts on selected hardware. UW-L has determined that the TARG-IT operation is no longer an institutional priority and will cease TARG-IT Center operations at the end of the fiscal year. We have been asked not to refer any Viterbo students or employees to the TARG-IT center for the remainder of the academic year as they prepare to close. The Computer Committee will explore if it is feasible for the college to provide any of the services previously offered by the TARG-IT Center.
Backing up your office computers College employees are reminded that they should be backing up the contents of their office computers on a regular basis to some form of removable media such as a floppy disk or a ZIP disk to protect against loss of data if a hard drive should fail. These drive failures do not happen often but it is best to be prepared for a worst case scenario. Shared administrative databases and files that reside on the network servers or the VAXes are backed up on a nightly basis and email directories that reside on the server are backed up once per week. Each employee is responsible for backing up their own office computer, but if you need assistance in establishing backup procedures or determining which files should be backed up, please contact Neil Rouse x3863, or Ed Morrison, x3864.
Ann Reed: a benefit concert
To help end hunger in the Coulee Region. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 20 in the Viterbo College FAC with a Silent Auction and Exhibits. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Main Theatre. The goal is to assist Greater La Crosse Area Food Pantries and Hunger Initiatives. The event is sponsored by the Women’s Coalition for Women and Children, Lutheran Brotherhood, La Crosse County, and Aid Association of Lutherans.
Tickets are $5, $10, and $15—sliding fee donation, with reserved seating. For ticket information call the Box Office, x3100. For more information, call S. Jean Moore, x3801.
Refreshments will be served.
‘Chance, chamber-fusion’ at Pump House
Chance, a voice-cello duo that played music for the TV program Northern Exposure, brings "Chamber Fusion" to the Pump House at 7:30 p.m. on Fri., Feb 19. Tickets are $12.
Cheryl Leah and Ed Willett, vocalists and composers, are "Chance." They recently were heard at Viterbo college at part of Big Top Chautauqua, and are featured regularly on Wisconsin Public Radio and NPR.
Call the Pump House: 785-1434.
Bishop Morneau coming to La Crosse
The Franciscan Spirituality Center presents The Sacredness of Daily Living with Bishop Robert Morneau from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March 27, at the Marycrest Auditorium, Franciscan Skemp Medical Center. The presentation will focus on finding balance in this hurried world and coming to greater awareness of the sacramentality of daily living. Bishop Morneau, Auxiliary Bishop of Green Bay, is a highly respected retreat director, lecturer and author of 12 books.
To register call 791-5295, or email fscenter@fspa.org. Early registration is encouraged.
Women of Color conference
Combining the Voices of the Past and the Minds of the Present, to Create the Souls of the Future
The conference is sponsored by ALANA (Asian-, Latina-, African-, and Native American-Women) a women of color organization, to help all generations of women of color internalize, conceptualize, and understand more in depth the ground work which has been laid; and to teach methods and personal tactics to continue to build on the ground work as individuals and as a group.
All are invited!
Keynote speakers:
Angela Davis, known for her work to combat all forms of oppression in the U.S. and abroad, will speak at 8 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 26 in the Graff Main Hall Auditorium, UW-L Campus. Tickets: Adults: $10; 18 & under: $5. For ticket information call 785-8898.
Ramona Gonzalez: will speak at 8 p.m on Sat., Feb. 27, Valhalla-Gunning Addition, Cartwright Center, UW-L. Tickets: $7 (includes meal). For more information call 785-8228.
Joan Greendeer-Lee, will speak at 7:30 p.m. on Sat. Feb. 27, Days-Inn La Crosse. Tickets: $13 (includes meal). For more information call 785-8228.
Lenten organ concerts
The Friends of the Symphony and American Guild of Organists are sponsoring Lenten Organ Concerts on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. A free-will contribution would be appreciated. All proceeds will benefit the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra.
The first concert will be February 21, First Congregational Church, 2503 Main St., Thomas Haag, organist.
Quotes
A winner is someone who recognized his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.
—Larry Bird
There is no labor a person does that is undignified; if they do it right.
—Bill Cosby
Statistics
Computer Woes Think you’re the only one who feels the company’s technological capabilities are behind the times? There are plenty of workers-and CEOs who feel the same way. Sixty percent of executives say their computer systems are falling behind.
The most often cited challenges to upgrading computer systems are:
1. Changing computer technology—38 percent
2. Budget constraints—35 percent
3. Changing communications technology—34 percent
4. Employee computer literacy—32 percent
from Olsten Corp., international staffing services firm
Amusing irrelevant facts
Most cows give more milk when they listen to music.
There are more plastic flamingos in America than real ones.
"Kemo Sabe" means "soggy shrub" in Navajo.