Secretariat Feature

http://staticmultimedia.com/movies/secretariat-is-a-winner

The race is on, and starting Friday, October 8, audiences will be able to race the theater to see Disney’s latest inspirational motion picture film about a race horse and its owner. One is a massive, chestnut-colored horse, known to his friends and family as Big Red. Everyone else will call him Secretariat. The other, a self-described Denver housewife, is less recognized, but she is as gallant and charismatic as her steed. Her name is Penny Chenery Tweedy, and her faith in this horse will galvanize the nation, revolutionize horse racing and, ultimately, change her life’s course entirely.

Based on a true story, Secretariat brings the story of the 1973 Triple crown winning horse to life. The story draws fans of past horse films such as Seabiscuit, following the star horse and its owner as they strive to prove themselves to the world. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery Tweedy (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father’s Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing experience. Against all odds, with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), she manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.

“The story is about heart — Secretariat’s and the heart of the woman who owned him. Both were greater than anyone imagined,” said director Randall Wallace, who is the Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated screenwriter of the global hit Braveheart. “I believe that when Secretariat was running the last of his races, he was no longer running against other horses; he was running for the joy in becoming who he was meant to be.”

Wallace compared the film to an impressionistic painting, one adhering to the basic facts but not to the point of turning into a documentary.

“ESPN compiled a list of the 100 top athletes of the 20th century and Secretariat was 35th — and the only non-human on that list,” said producer Mark Ciardi. “That’s how unbelievable his presence was. What makes it really interesting is going underneath that story . We knew we had the ending, but not many people know about Penny’s story, and that was incredibly compelling to us.”

The actual Penny Chenery approved the film when producers approached her with the story idea. Chenery makes a cameo appearance in the film when Secretariat wins the Kentucky Derby.

The horse, itself, also adds its own momentum to the story.

“Horses speak to our primal nature,” said the director. “When all is said and done, this is a story about a tremendous horse. But, beyond that, I wanted to understand and experience the way this unique animal had affected people who themselves were special. All my life, I have been intrigued by the mechanism and the moment of transformation: What happens when what we call a miracle occurs? What happens when someone, in this case a horse, does something that no one else has ever done or that they themselves have never done? What happens when someone stops doubting and starts believing? And this story is full of those moments.”

Most of all, however, Secratariat is about the remarkable transformation that comes about when people, or animals, believe in each other.

“What’s at stake in the story of Secretariat is something that is fundamental to everybody. Destiny comes knocking on the door of Penny Tweedy. She had given up her dreams of a career. She had become a mother of four, a wife, a prominent member of her community. But when her father becomes ill and her mother dies, destiny knocks on her door and says, ‘Penny, here is an opportunity to do something .’ And it was something that nobody else believed that she could do. That was something else that inspired me about this tale — that time and again, she is told that she can’t do this, that this isn’t her identity, that she’s a housewife . And she keeps reinventing herself, tackling issues in a manner that allows her to make her way in what was a man’s world at the time. She’s a mastermind financially, but most of all, she’s a leader,” Wallace said

Amish Grace Review

http://staticmultimedia.com/blu-ray-dvd/amish-grace-docudrama-needs-forgiveness

In all regular fashion, Hallmark provides an inspirational, moving film with Amish Grace, a docudrama following the 2006 tragedy in which a man shot and killed five Amish children and injured five others. In similar regular fashion, the film delivers poor, melodramatic acting, annoying TV blackouts place for commercial breaks, and bits of unrealistic and inaccurate information. Luckily, none of these is enough to hinder the film’s message of grace and forgiveness.

The viewer learns to forgive and love others along with the film’s main character, Ida (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), whose daughter is one of the children killed. Ida has difficulty accepting the Amish community’s way of forgiveness, especially when the community won’t forgive her sister for leaving to join the “modern English” world.

Meanwhile, the wife of the shooter deals with her own conscience and has trouble understanding the welcoming Amish community. As her life crosses paths with Ida, their journeys take new turns and they learn the true meaning of grace.

Grace leaves unfilled holes at the end of the film, however. Ida never reconciles with her husband and the Amish community over the issue of her sister’s “shunning.” Viewers are left wondering if Ida will ever see her sister again and how the film’s concept of grace applies to her sister’s “sin.”

Anyone familiar with the Amish culture will likely be annoyed by the small inaccuracies that appear throughout the film. Such factual errors and changes to the story are to be expected with a film adaptation of real events, however, especially when the film is for a TV channel with a strict budget.

Cheap TV productions come with cheap acting, as well. While the actors in Amish Grace deliver in more intense, emotional scenes, their day-to-day lines come across as canned, unrealistic, and melodramatic.

The faults of Amish Grace, however, are typical of made-for-TV dramas, and such faults have been much worse in other films than they are in Amish Grace. Viewers who watch Amish Grace without high expectations are still sure to be pleased by its inspirational message and extend some grace of their own to the film.

“You Again” has all the ingredients for being a hit Family Comedy

http://staticmultimedia.com/movies/you-again-has-all-the-ingredients-for-being-a-hit-family-comedy

High school. The biggest fight for survival that has ever existed. But when the fight between the popular kids and the not-so-popular kids makes its way to the world of adults, things get messy.

Messy doesn’t even begin to describe what’s in store for Marni (Kristen Bell) when she learns from her mother, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis), that her arch nemesis from high school, Joanna (Odette Yustman), will be marrying her brother (James Wolk). When her family easily warms up to the bride, Marni becomes determined to prove to her family the nightmare she knows Joanna to be. The rivalry intensifies when Joanna’s aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) shows up to help prepare for the wedding. Ramona is Gail’s own high school enemy, and suddenly, everyone begins to take sides.

“I’ve always been interested in producing or writing comedy with heart that is grounded in believable story-telling,” said producer John J. Strauss, screenwriter of the mega-hit There’s Something About Mary as well as Disney’s The Santa Clause 2 and “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” “I like a relatable story that has people behaving in ways that we wish we could in real life but don’t quite. This script had those elements.”

With a classic theme and an all-star cast that includes Betty White, Kristin Chenoweth and Victor Garber, You Again promises non-stop comedy.

Weaver commented on the fun director Andy Fickman brought to the set.

“He is the only director I know who seemed to love all of us as a cast and all of our individual characters at the same time” Weaver said. “He had us all out each day singing and dancing. It was hysterical. He is a sweetheart.”

“The rapport between the cast evolved, thanks to Andy Fickman, who from the very first day set the tone,” Garber said. “The bottom line: We all really enjoyed each other. I think that’s going to translate onto film.”

Betty White also kept the cast laughing, on and off screen.

“No one is funnier than she is—on camera and off,” Fickman said. “She kept the cast and crew laughing every day . Her generous heart and spirit is matched by her beauty and grace.”

A few musical numbers will also contribute to the fun with Mary Ann Kellogg (Twyla Tharp Dance Company) choreographing.

“When you have a movie starring Kristen Bell, Victor Garber, Sean Wing, James Wolk, Christine Lakin and Kristin Chenoweth—all veterans of musical theater, if you don’t throw in two or three musical numbers, you are being wasteful,” Fickman said.

You Again has all the ingredients for being a hit family comedy: familiar family situations—an upcoming wedding, rivalries, high school nemeses—and lots of music, combined with slapstick comedy that will make people laugh out loud.

“There’s so many ways that this movie will reach you,” Weaver said. “Even though there is a lot of broad comedy, this story tackles real feelings people have left over from the struggles of high school, lost friendships and missed chances. It’s a story that resonates with all of us.”

The Point... on Halloween

http://pointmag.biola.edu/read/article/2010/oct/23/whats-point-halloween/

The Point on Halloween from The Point on Vimeo.

Great CA Shakeout at Biola

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/oct/25/biola-safety-quake-californi/

As part of the Great California ShakeOut, La Mirada held its annual earthquake drill at Biola’s Facilities Services building last Thursday.

“Every year they choose a specific location,” said Carissa Brooks, emergency operations manager for Campus Safety. “This year, they chose us. It’s exciting for us.”

Participating alongside the city

In past years, Biola participated in the state-wide ShakeOut by holding emergency preparedness meetings and having practice dorm evacuations. Such activities were done with little contact with the city, but, this year, Biola held an actual drill side-by-side with the city.

“It’s different being able to work with outside agencies,” Brooks said. “Communicating, building that relationship; that aspect is really huge. We have a strong working relationship [with the city, but the] fire department, we don’t have them come out as often.”

Working with other teams

“It gives us a chance to work with their emergency response team in a real type situation,” said Justin Shelby, public information officer for Campus Safety. “We learn an awful lot just from the way they handle the disaster.”

Held on the morning of Oct. 21, the drill involved Campus Safety, Biola staff and La Mirada emergency response teams acting as they would if a 7.8 earthquake occurred. Volunteers planted in the Facilities building pretended to have been injured and trapped by an earthquake, and Campus Safety employees, city response teams and the La Mirada fire department responded to the scene with medical assistance and search and rescue. The inside of the Facilities building was also prepped to appear and sound like a real earthquake had happened, Shelby said.

Simulating realistic appearances

“It was a lot more realistic than I expected it to be,” Shelby said. “They did a lot of work trying to make it look like there’d actually been an earthquake, sound effects, lighting. It looked kind of like a disaster area.”

Shelby said the broad purpose of having such a realistic drill is emergency preparedness. Brook’s position came out of Campus Safety’s decision to focus on preparedness.

“The better Campus Safety can do its job, the more students can focus on being students,” Shelby said. “This is also a good opportunity to put the focus on what are you, yourself, going to do during an emergency. It’s so we can come up with a good plan.”

Planning for emergency

Although such plans are never set in stone, Campus Safety has made a continual effort to have plans, or guidelines and checklists, as Shelby called them, in place to give them a place to start and to remind them of their job in the event of a real emergency.

Campus Safety chief John Ojeisekhoba said Campus Safety employees receive “tactical map books” that give them such guidelines. Campus Safety has also partnered with Auxiliary Services and Facilities Services to buy three storage sheds for emergency supplies. According to Brian Phillips, senior director of operations for Facilities Services, the sheds cost about $25,000 each. One shed contains three days worth of food and water supply that won’t expire for another five years. Campus Safety calculated how many students would stay on campus in the event of an earthquake, Ojeisekhoba said, and purchased $11,000 worth of food, about 3,000 meals ready to eat.

The other sheds contain about $13,000 worth of supplies, Ojeisekhoba said. The second shed contains Facilities supplies such as regenerators, power tools and lanterns that can be used in major situations such as an earthquake or a power outage like the one that occurred last spring. The third shed has supplies for the Health Center that include IV bags, bandages, wheelchairs, stretchers, and other medical supplies.

Such supplies would be needed if a high magnitude earthquake occurred, an event which Brooks said is highly possible.

Keeping Biola safe

Brooks said last week’s drill was an important part of keeping Biola safe, especially in light of Biola’s earthquake-prone location.

“A lot of people have never been in an earthquake,” Brooks said. “The reality of being in one in four years at Biola is pretty big. We’re not taking this lightly.”

According to Brooks, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake is more than likely in the next 30 years.

“You’d be silly to think that it’s not going to happen at some time,” she said. “The reality of an earthquake hitting in our lifetime is something [scientists] are all virtually convinced of.”

Southern California lies on top of several faults, including the San Andreas fault. According to a 2007 Southern California Earthquake Center forecast, California has a 99.7 percent chance of having an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 or higher in the next 30 years. The likelihood of an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 or higher in the next 30 years is 46 percent.

Thanks to drills like the one Biola hosted last week, Campus Safety would be prepared if a major earthquake shook Biola.

Shelby said he was pleased with how the drill went overall.

“It went really well,” he said. “We had good participation both from our staff, La Mirada public safety, and other agencies.”

Pre-law dinner introduces new minor

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/oct/08/pre-law-dinner/

Last week’s pre-law dinner introduced about 35 students interested in pre-law to four guest attorneys, as well as to the new pre-law minor, which is available for the first time this year.

Attorneys Josh Phelps, Alicia Dewey, Kevin Lewis and Riley Todd spoke on the evening of Sept. 29 about their own experiences and talked about how to survive as a Christian in the world of law. Hosted by the department of history, political science and social science, the dinner has been held every other year in the past without the minor, but was held for the second year in a row this year, according to Dave Peters, pre-law advisor and professor of political science.

Interest in pre-law has grown over the years, Peters said, warranting the implementation of an annual dinner and a full pre-law minor.

“There were those that felt that we needed to have something delineated, identified; something we could recommend as a good foundational basis for entry into law school,” Peters said.

Biola’s pre-law minor launched this year

The new minor, which has been in the works for at least 10 years, includes a maximum of 18 units. Students can choose from pre-existing courses such as Colonial Period American Revolution, American Democratic, Rise of Modern America, U.S. Since 1920, Economics, American Constitutional Law and Studies in Political Science. Peters said additional recommended classes may be supplemented as well.

Peters emphasized that anyone could enter law school with any degree, but said many parents of prospective students look for a college with a specific pre-law program. The need to bring in new students warranted the creation of a pre-law minor. While there is no pre-law major, Peters said the pre-law minor can work with any major.

Junior Steven Haddadian is one such case. Haddadian, a marketing major, said he wants to get his law degree for entertainment.

“[Law schools] want your mind to be a clean slate and they want to be able to train you in the manner that they have in mind,” Peters said. “You could be a biology major, sociology major, any kind of major.”

Students excited about the new minor

Students at the pre-law dinner, however, expressed their gratitude for the introduction of a pre-law minor.

Junior Havilah Steinman and freshman Bre Phillips said they’re considering becoming pre-law minors.

“They’re preparing us for law school, teaching us to read, think and analyze,” said junior, pre-law minor Sarah Jurkiewicz.

Steinman said she would like to attend law school and felt the pre-law dinner helps her and other students prepare for law school.

“It’s a great place to network and make connections to get there,” Steinman said. Peters agreed. The minor assures a certain degree of preparation in logic, reasoning, and other areas needed to succeed in pre-law, he said. It also prepares students to be Christians in pre-law, which is why Peters invited only Christian attorneys to speak at the dinner.

Law a divine calling for Christians

“Law school is a very liberal institution,” said Todd, who currently works in the L.A. county district attorney’s office. “Go in as a conservative, you won’t be having tons of friends on Facebook.”

Even in a liberal environment, there is still something to be held accountable to and a reason, as a Christian, to hold others accountable for their actions. Law provides a way bring justice, Lewis said.

“The Bible is divided into law and gospel,” said Lewis, who has his own law firm with his brother. “Both are divine callings because God hates sin, and you can help right a wrong. You’re doing justice.”

Dewey, who is also a history professor at Biola, said Christian integrity also plays a part in law.

“I think integrity is probably the most important opportunity for a lawyer,” Dewey said. “It’s a critical character quality to have. You have to be strong. You can minister to a person.”

Peters said he thought the dinner was successful.

“Students were asking meaningful questions and getting honest answers,” Peters said. “People were there until 10 [p.m.] staying and talking to panelists.”

Enrollment cap

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/oct/06/biola-enrollment-cap/

Biola on-campus enrollment is coming close to the school’s set students limit with 4,878 “full-time equivalent” (FTE), on-campus students, according to final fall 2010 enrollment numbers released by Biola Institutional Research.

“There are procedures for increasing that [FTE] limit, and we are now considering whether we want to apply for an increase,” said Ken Bascom, senior director of facilities planning.

This fall, 3,907 undergraduates are attending Biola along with 1,239 total graduate students. According to Biola Institutional Research, this year’s incoming class marks the school’s largest incoming class ever, with 909 freshmen, 328 transfers and 56 reapplications, while a total of 2,614 continuing students are currently attending Biola.

With enrollment numbers so high, Biola is well on its way to growing beyond the set cap on full-time students allowed on campus. According to Bascom, that cap includes “full-time equivalent” students physically attending the 95-acre campus, although there is no limit on the number of students Biola can enroll worldwide. There are 6,123 Biola students worldwide this fall.

Set enrollment cap limits growth

“The cap is in place so that we can maximize our space without compromising the educational enterprise,” said André Stephens, senior director of undergraduate Admissions. “Biola will continue to work with city officials to determine the number of students we can enroll given the size of our current facilities and parking. Our growth up to this point is under the cap that has been set.”

Biola set the cap in the late 1990s when enrollment was about 3,200, Bascom said. It allowed city experts to create an Environmental Impact Report, which the State of California requires. The enrollment cap became law in a city ordinance in March 2005. The ordinance was part of a master plan developed by Biola.

“When the City Council approved our master plan, that approval was done in the form of a La Mirada city zoning ordinance,” Bascom said. “They classify our campus as a ‘Planned Unit Development.’ The standard procedure for any PUD in the city is that the development plan, or master plan, becomes a city ordinance.”

Sophomore Stephanie McEachen said she thinks Biola should be allowed to grow beyond the cap.

“But that means that the campus needs more space to put those students,” McEachen said.

Enrollment cap does not affect campus construction

Bacom said the cap on enrollment does not affect the physical growth of the Biola campus.

“Biola has several hundred thousand square feet of buildings that it can build without any problem,” Bascom said. “These have already been approved by the city; they are just awaiting donor funds. These include Talbot West, the Center for Science and Health, and the Center for the Arts. These three buildings would add about 250,000 square feet to the instructional space on campus; that is equivalent to more than eight Sutherland Halls.” Bascom said that Biola has permission to build several more buildings beyond the ones he listed. In reaching its enrollment limit, Biola would still be able to expand in building square footage.

“We have a total of nearly 400,000 [sq. ft.] of future building space that we are approved to build under our current plan,” Bascom said. “Most of this space is entirely new buildings rather than remodeling of old buildings.”

Biola continuing recruiting efforts

Despite the cap on enrollment, Admissions will continue to recruit new students, Stephens said. Ongoing efforts include Admissions staff recruiting locally and out of state, campus preview events and tours, student ambassador blogs, the Biola Ethnic Advancement Team visiting local churches and schools, and using Facebook as well as other online marketing efforts.

“I can't say that there is ‘one’ thing that we are doing differently that has made the difference for students choosing to attend Biola,” Stephens said. “However, I do think some of our social networking marketing efforts (specifically on Facebook) has helped, as well as the effort we made to pursue students who fit the Biola profile who initially did not respond to our letters. Biola's reputation in the marketplace as a strong, Christian university with stellar academics resonates with students and families as well.”

Freshman Andrew Cleary said his positive experience with Admissions was part of his decision to attend Biola.

“Admissions was great,” Cleary said. “My counselor did a great job of checking up on me and was genuinely interested in what I was doing.”

Sophomore Cydney Sinner said the community influenced her decision to attend Biola.

“I love this campus,” Sinner said. “I love how everybody comes from different backgrounds of church and can talk about it in a mature manner, and I’ve never been so involved with people just caring about you.”

Stephens also acknowledged the role of a positive community in bringing students to Biola.

“We know that Biola is successful not because of the work that we do, but because of the work of the entire campus community making it a place where students desire to come,” Stephens said. “Obviously, God is the one who directs our paths, so we trust that He is bringing in the increase.”

LA experiences record heat

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/28/los-angeles-record-heat/

Despite record high temperatures in the Los Angeles area this week, Biola students say the generally good weather of Southern California remains an attractive feature of the campus.

“It’s amazing,” senior April Gregory said. “I didn’t realize how perfect it’d be [until I got here].”

While Facebook statuses and local news outlets reported Monday’s record high temperatures, Newsweek recently named Biola one of the top “25 Great Schools With Great Weather.” Ranked at 23, Biola is one of three Christian colleges on Newsweek’s list, along with Westmont College and Pepperdine University. Several of the schools listed are in California, including Stanford University, UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego and Chapman University. Arizona State University came in at number one.

“I would agree with that assessment,” senior Hannah Tyer said of Newsweek’s decision to highlight Biola’s “perfect” weather. “We have very few bad days. It’s an appealing part of Biola. But I’m biased. I like the heat.”

According to Newsweek, Biola has an average temperature of 63 degrees, with an average of 186 sunny days and only 35 rainy days per year.

Monday was not so pleasant when temperatures hit a record high of 112 degrees in La Mirada, according to Weather Underground. At 113 degrees at 12:15 p.m., Downtown Los Angeles melted in the hottest temperatures since the National Weather Service began keeping records in 1877. The new record was one degree above the previous record of 112 degrees, recorded on June 26, 1990.

“Yes, I’d say Biola has good weather on any other day but today,” sophomore Francis Jones said while sitting near Fluor Fountain on Monday. “Today is one of those days when you stay inside. But generally, I don’t have to worry about snow or rain. I don’t recall it ever raining to the point where we weren’t able to go to class. And it’s nice to sit out and feel the breeze.”

The second floor of Sutherland perhaps took the heat the hardest. Facilities Services was already aware of air conditioning failures there, but [Monday’s] temperatures made the failures even clearer, said Chris Reyes, manager of environmental systems. Overall, however, Reyes was pleased with how the systems held up in the heat.

“We did not have any problems meeting the demand of the campus,” he said. “It was really to its max, but we were able to hold it.”

The systems in place at Biola and La Mirada as a whole are not designed to handle heat that extreme, he explained. But it isn’t economical to purchase massive fail-safe systems to meet once-in-a-century demands, Reyes said.

“We had angels around our equipment,” he added.

Sports teams also suffered from the high temperatures.

“It was hot, stupid hot,” freshman DJ Schwab said. “I had baseball practice outside and half the guys on the team almost passed out from dehydration.”

Other students, like freshman Lety Trujillo, said they enjoy the heat. Trujillo said the heat still kept her indoors Monday, however.

“I made sure I brought a water bottle to stay hydrated,” Trujillo said. “I stayed indoors to study and drank water the whole day.”

According to the Student Health Center, Trujillo had the right idea.

“In general, students should stay in an airconditioned room when temps are 111,” Kristin Phelps, director at the Student Health Center, said. “Or stay in a room with window blinds pulled with portable fans going. If outside stay cool by sitting, working, eating and taking a break in the shade during the hottest hours of the day.”

Phelps also suggested students wear wide-brimmed hats to shade their faces and necks. A portable hand fan or a wet bandana or scarf tied around the forehead can help avoid heat stress, Phelps said.

“Drink plenty of fluids like water, gatorade, or a drink with electrolytes,” Phelps said. “One can also suck on ice chips.”

Phelps also gave advice for athletes and those with respiratory problems on warm days. “If it is hot and the air quality is bad those students with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory disease should minimize outdoor activities and stay in an air conditioned room if possible,” Phelps said. “It is advised that students with respiratory disease or heart disease should not participate in P.E. or outdoor physical activity and should stay indoors as much as possible.”

Students examine the ethics of abortion

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/21/ethics-abortion/

Pro-life supporter Scott Klusendorf gave students key arguments against abortion Friday night at a class sponsored by the Biola apologetics department.

“You never want to be on the pro-choice side and have to debate this guy,” comparative religion and apologetics professor Craig Hazen said, introducing the night’s speaker.

About 25 students attended the three-day class, which was offered to the general public, graduate students, and undergraduate students for a $95 fee. The class was also recorded and is available for purchase through the Apologetics office. It will eventually be placed on iTunes University for free viewing.

Klusendorf was one of two speakers for the class entitled “Ethics at the Edge of Life.” Scott Rae, a professor of philosophy of religion and ethics at Biola, spoke at the Thursday and Saturday sessions. Rae brought light to controversies over reproductive technologies and end of life issues, while Klusendorf spent Friday night discussing stem-cell research and abortion.

“I think people are unprepared in situations like infertility or maybe someone thinking about [getting an] abortion, and how they answer them and guide them in what to do,” science and religion graduate student Noelle Delacruz said. “I want to be able to answer questions for people in my church and be a go-to person for them when it’s not being talked about.”

The basics of the abortion debate

Klusendorf said the abortion issue comes down to two questions: Is truth true? And what is it that makes a person valuable?

Several years ago, Nick Cannon wrote a song in which he imagined himself in his mother’s womb, pleading with her to make the right choice, to not “go through with the knife incision.” Klusendorf said people became critical of the song, challenging Cannon’s right to claim to know what would be right for his mother. Such criticisms show the popular assumption that truth is subjective.

Illustrating his second question on the value of life, Klusendorf told students about a time he met a mother in a park who said she was against abortion, but was glad it was legal because she didn’t think it right to impose her view on others. Klusendorf asked her why she opposed abortion, and she replied that she opposed abortion because it kills babies.

“If I hear you correctly, you oppose abortion, but you think it should be legal to kill babies,” Klusendorf said he told her. “‘You know what?’ [she told me,] ‘I’ve never thought of it that way, and it doesn’t sound good when you take the spin off it.”

Approaching the pro-choice position

Klusendorf said it’s important to clarify the issue as he did that day in the park.

“The abortion issue is not complex,” Klusendorf said. It is a matter of “what is the unborn? And can I kill the unborn?”

People who are pro-choice assume that the unborn are not human, Klusendorf said. He encouraged students to look for the assumptions in pro-choice arguments and to “trod out the toddler,” a technique Klusendorf said he uses in his debates.

“Your first words have to be, ‘I have a two year old in front of me,’” Klusendorf said, explaining that a baby in the womb is no different than a two year old.

A parent might want to execute his child in order to save money to pay the bills, but he can’t do that, Klusendorf said. Why? Because the child is human. The moral issue cannot be reduced to a matter of preference.

Responding to common arguments

Klusendorf also rebutted several common arguments that seek to prove the embryo is not yet human.

Many claim that the embryo’s ability to become twins several days after fertilization proves an embryo cannot be a whole human being. Klusendorf said a flat worm cut in two becomes two worms, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a living whole before it was cut. A twin can also be formed of any grown human, but that does not make the original not human.

Klusendorf said the high number of miscarriages cannot be counted as proof that an embryo is not human, either.

“Does it follow that because they die sooner rather than later they were never whole living beings?” Klusendorf asked. “Does it follow that because nature kills, I may deliberately kill [a baby]?”

Klusendorf also pointed out the difference between a car, which is constructed from the outside by parts, and an embryo, which has an inner nature that drives its development.

“From the earliest stages of development, the unborn are distinct, living and whole human beings,” Klusendorf said. “The sperm and egg are only part of a being. The embryo is a whole, living entity.”

Klusendorf said that, in addition to clarifying the issue and answering objections persuasively, Christians should teach and equip others on the issue.

“I think it is one of the issues that is important and timely, an issue that Christians often times don’t have answers to,” graduate apologetics student Rob Baird said. “[Klusendorf] is able to instill confidence in us to present evidence as efficiently and effectively as we can.”

Enrollment impacts many areas

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/02/enrollment-impacts-many-areas/

All students on the fall housing waiting list have been placed, according to André Stephens, senior director of undergraduate admissions. Stephens said the waiting list held about 75 students throughout the placement process.

Housing Impact

With more than 1,200 freshmen, transfers and re-admits arriving at Biola, Biola housing has added extra triples and converted the floor lounges in Hope Hall into dorm rooms to accommodate the flow of new students. Each of the large rooms holds three to four students.

Beth Tabor, associate dean of residence life, said the converted rooms are only a temporary solution. Housing will plan further ahead for next year and set aside more rooms as triples.

“The hope and plan is that it will be a one year solution, and if we can break them down earlier, then will will,” Tabor said.

While students like junior Lauren Wilk who live in the converted rooms are enjoying the extra space, others expressed disappointment.

“The lounges were a good semi-private place to do things like go work out or watch movies, or have some bonding-time,” said sophomore Kristin Walti, who lives in Hope. “Now we can only do that in the floor lobby where it’s often crowded with large groups who tend to be loud.”

“Students are disappointed because the lounges are great spots for community, but it does get 30 more students [housed],” said Hope North residence director Scott Barrett .

Acceptance

Biola needed such extra space this year with the largest incoming class, according to Laura Springer of Biola Institutional Research. Springer said she expects the number of registered students to grow as students finish registration and finalize payments between now and the September 7 deadline.

“I’m more excited than I’ve ever been,” said Biola president Barry Corey, who is entering his fourth year as president. “There are so many signs that God has been blessing the university as we’ve been faithful to Him.”

“We did not lower the standards on admissions. We have a record number of those qualified by the same standards we’ve been using,” Corey said.

Biola has an acceptance rate around 85 percent, according to Stephens. Accepted students must have at least a 920 on their Critical Reading and Math SAT or a 19 on their ACT. In addition to being a believer, admitted students also need at least a 3.0 high school GPA.

“Students who don’t meet those minimum standards, depending on how far below they fall, either are not admitted or have to go through a committee process evaluated by staff and faculty,” said Stephens.

Stephens said Admissions denied almost 200 student applications this year because the students didn’t meet Biola’s standards or didn’t seem to fit the university.

As far as returning students are concerned, Bascom said Biola has one of the best retention rates among schools of its kind, and university leadership spends just as much effort on retaining students as it does gaining new students.

During the three previous fall terms, Biola had an average undergrad retention rate of 93 percent, according to Springer.

Every year, university leaders meet to set goals for the number of incoming and returning students, Stephens said. “[We try] to recruit based on that.”

In addition to its regular efforts, Admissions has put extra emphasis on Facebook and other multimedia methods in its most recent recruiting efforts, Stephens said.

Aspiring for Affordability

Corey said Biola has done its best to stay consistent in the financial awards it gives to incoming students and to make students aware of what aid they will receive over the course of their education.

Stephens pointed to affordability as one of Biola’s 12 goals and aspirations and said there are several reasons other than financial reasons that students leave.

“A lot of families make sacrifices to be here because they believe this is where God is calling them,” Stephens said. “There are definitely more families where parents lost jobs or reduced hours. It’s just a reality we have to work with. It’s exciting for us to be in this economy that’s really tough and to see family and students and faculty committing to Biola.”

Nystrom and Pierce added to Biola staff

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/01/nystrom-and-pierce-added/

Biola welcomes more than 15 new faculty members this fall including the new provost, David Nystrom, and the new vice president for business and financial affairs, Michael Pierce.

Pierce is assuming the role left vacant in February by Carl Schreiber, who served in Biola’s finance department for 22 years. Nystrom takes the place of interim provost Patricia Pike, who returned to her original vice provost role last month.

“Hanging out” with Nystrom

“Students will like [Nystrom] a lot,” Pike said. “He’s very student oriented. He enjoys teaching and wants to continue teaching in the classroom.”

“My goal is for students to not even think twice about coming up to see me,” Nystrom said. “[I want to be] a normal, natural part of the campus environment. I’ll be spending a lot of time in the cafeteria, places where students hang out. I’ve been a youth pastor. I’m used to having students over for dinner.”

Pierce pays tuition

Pierce also relates to students and their families. For Pierce, tuition dollars aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; rather, they’re what he just signed away in a check to Biola University to pay for his sophomore son’s fall semester.

Pierce said paying tuition was a reminder of the plight of many families. As the new head of finances, he determines how to manage revenue from student tuition and fees, which amounted to $110,523,139 in the 2008-2009 fiscal year alone, according to the university’s most recent tax documents.

“You have entrusted Biola with those finances, with that tuition,” he said, adding that it is his responsibility to manage that money effectively and responsibly.

Goals for the Future

Pierce said a conservative approach to the university’s budget is the appropriate one, given the current economy. He emphasized that affordability will continue to be a priority-one discussion. But affordability isn’t the only issue Pierce and his finance team are up against.

“Straight out of the gate, maintaining quality education amid booming enrollment numbers will be a challenge for the finance team,” said Dave Koontz, who temporarily filled the position left by Schreiber. “There will be some finance aspects to that as we hire professors to cover various sections.”

Nystrom expressed his own goals for his time at Biola.

“I don’t hope to change Biola into some preconceived image,” Nystrom said. “I hope to help Biola grow into what is its natural next step.”

Nystrom said he plans to trust and support faculty and students and to help them raise the bar for their expectations of others and of himself. As provost, he said he also wants to demonstrate fidelity to Scripture and awareness of what Scripture says about the human condition.

“The Gospel says there’s no true peace between human beings because we are captive to our desire to have what we want,” Nystrom said. “[But] we can be reconciled to God and to each other.”

Nystrom said such reconciliation includes the union of people of different nationalities. After living in one of the most diverse neighborhoods of Chicago, he brings new insights to the ongoing diversity discussion at Biola.

“I’m as white as they come when you look at me, but have been involved in a number of experiences that have to do with understanding the Kingdom of God in all its diversity,” Nystrom said. “We’re all part of the same body.”

Previous Experience

Nystrom comes to Biola from his role as the vice president for academic affairs at William Jessup Univeristy in Rocklin, Calif. He received his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Davis, and his M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminar--returning later to teach at both schools. He also spent 12 years at North Park University and Theological Seminary in Chicago, as professor, chair of biblical and theological studies, and director of the Institute for Christian Studies.

Pierce, on the other hand, has little experience in higher education. After earning his MBA in finance from California State University, Fullerton, and a bachelor of science in accounting from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pierce spent his career in the business world. Before coming to Biola, Pierce worked in top financial positions at Johnson & Johnson and the Center for Innovation and Strategic Collaboration in Irvine, a research and development company of St. Jude Medical, Inc.

Finishing the Transition

But many of the principles in the for-profit and the not-for-profit world are the same. Koontz said Pierce’s lack of exposure to the world of higher education might actually prove a help rather than a hindrance, as “the current model of higher education is being challenged in some respects,” Koontz said.

“Mike is a sharp guy,” Koontz said. “He’s asking the right questions.”

While the last week has been a “massive orientation,” as Pierce put it, the transition could have been tougher.

“We’ve had a chance to come up to the bookstore and buy the required T-shirts and sweatshirts and mugs,” he joked. “… It made the assimilation to Biola a little bit easier.”

Campus construction continues

http://chimes.biola.edu/content/article/2010/sep/01/campus-construction-continues/

Green will once again cover the bare dirt of Metzger Lawn this week. According to facilities officials, the lawn will be re-sod and open later that week along with the section of sidewalk that is currently blocked off in front of the library. Meanwhile, construction continues on other parts of campus including the Fitness Center and the East Talbot building, and plans are in development for a new parking garage.

Construction Back on Track:

Construction fell behind during the summer due to delays with permits and a late shipment of supplies, but Biola plans to have the East Talbot building ready in time for Fall 2011 classes, said Ken Bascom, senior director of Facilities Planning. If all goes according to plan, the Fitness Center expansion will finish by September 7.

Bascom said future plans may include a Health and Science building and a Center for the Arts building to replace the current McNally buildings. For now, however, the Talbot buildings and the parking garage remain the school’s main priorities.

Possible Parking Structure:

A five level structure, the parking garage would hold about 640 parking spaces and would be located between the baseball field and the pool.

“That could be ready in October of next year,” Bascom said, but stressed that the garage has yet to be fully approved by the President’s Council and the Board of Trustees.

Bascom said the parking this year will likely be the worst in six years. The parking structure under the track and soccer field has already been 100 percent full several times since school began.

“Last year there were 200-400 spaces empty,” Bascom said. “About a dozen are empty today.”

“I park on the street on Biola Avenue,” said sophomore commuter Amanda Sansonetti. “It’s a hassle trying to look for parking. And with the freshman class being the largest, we maybe need a new garage. If half the freshmen have cars, the demand is going to increase.”

On the other side of campus, the re-sodded Metzger Lawn includes updated water piping which will allow sprinklers on one side of the lawn to function when tents and tables cover the other side of the lawn for events.

Talbot Complex:

Workers continue preparations for the nearby Talbot building, with several weeks left before they can lay foundations. The building will house faculty from the Biblical Studies and Theology departments, Biola’s Philosophy of Religion program and all faculty who teach undergraduate Bible classes. Once construction is completed, workers will begin the second phase of the project, which consists of remodeling Feinberg Hall beneath Calvary Chapel and demolishing Myers Hall to make room for the new West Talbot building. The entire building project is estimated to cost $55.4 million, with funding coming from donations and fundraising efforts.

Bascom said 80-90 percent of the $18 million needed to build the East Talbot building has been raised. The construction contract receives $11 million, while $2.2 million goes toward design and permits. Another $2 million pays for furnishings, equipment and other odds and ends. Bascom said an endowment fund has also been raised for any surprise operating costs.

Fitness Center Remodeling:

Construction also continues on the remodeling of the Fitness Center. The expanded workout area will allow for an added row of equipment. The remodeled gym will also include a new facility to be finished in the coming months for the athletic training staff.

According to Bascom, a shipment of supplies that arrived a month late made Facilities Planning prioritize what it needed to finish first. That meant getting the expanded offices and classrooms ready for the fall semester before finishing the Fitness Center.

“We had some crews working seven days a week to get this done,” Bascom said.

The gym has grown by 30 percent, according to Bascom. Four additions to the gym have been made and offices have been rebuilt. The size of the wrestling and weight rooms have increased and all of the coaches’ offices were remodeled to be slightly larger

The entire remodel of the gym cost $1.3 million, which was paid for by unused emergency funds and by Auxiliary Services fees. Bascom said funds for academic buildings like the East Talbot building come from fundraising, while funds for services that directly affect and serve students come from student-generated income.

“We’re very excited about the changes, very thankful for what’s happened on this end of the campus and how it’ll affect the campus,” said athletic director Dave Holmquist.

DBC Comments on the Changes:

“The projects are a sign of a growing, strengthening campus,” said Biola president Barry Corey. “We’re not a great school because we have great buildings, but the strength at Biola is fortified by the fact that we have quality places for students to study and for faculty to serve.”