Print this issueLaptop thefts lead to higher security at library
A sign on the door of the fourth floor of the Hekman Library
A recent increase in thefts at the Hekman Library has students, Campus Safety officials and librarians unsettled. At least five laptops, a power cord and a flash disc have all been stolen in the past two months.
In one instance, a security cable was cut through in order for the laptop to be taken from the student’s carrel. Fortunately this laptop was returned to the library. When commenting on the recent thefts, Paul Fields, Theological Librarian and Curator of the Meeter Center said, “Perhaps the stolen laptop was returned because all of the software was in Korean and that person didn’t want to deal with that.” The laptop was returned with a note indicating that the owner should be grateful that the laptop was returned.
Town hall raises questions about gender discrimination
Panelists at Thursday's town hall meeting
On Thursday, members of the seminary community gathered in the Student Center for an hour-long town hall meeting about gender discrimination.
A panel of three speakers from the Calvin community spoke on the issue: Shirley Hoogstra, vice president for student life at Calvin College; Claudia Beversluis, provost at Calvin College; and Jack Roeda, senior pastor at Church of the Servant in Grand Rapids. The forum was moderated by Professor of Pastoral Care Ron Nydam.
CTS professor receives second doctorate
His colleagues jokingly call him “Doctor Doctor.” You can keep calling him a professor.
On Thursday, Nov 30, the Calvin Theological Seminary community gathered in the Student Center to celebrate Professor of New Testament Mariano Avila’s successful completion of a second doctoral degree program. Avila’s second doctorate was awarded by the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana in Xochimilco, México in the field of political science.
In defense of Grey's Anatomy
Every great love story has a beginning. Once upon a time, Cinderella didn’t know Prince Charming but then, several mice, a pumpkin and fairy godmother later, Cinderella is in love. This love, we are instructed to imagine by the words, “happily ever after,” is cemented forever by marriage, several children, even more grandchildren until ol’ Cinders and Charms are rocking their way into retirement on the front porch of their castle. But, the day before Cinderella slipped into those dainty (and quite impractical) glass stilettos, she was like many of us, twenty-something single folk: trying to hold down a, perhaps, less-than-ideal job, smooth over rough family relationships, establish friendships, playing elaborate games of “what-if,” all the while praying that there is, in fact, a light at the end of the tunnel.
Editorial: Urban ministry amidst Grand Rapids’ decay
A newly-released report from the Brookings Institution contains an alarming statistic: the city of Grand Rapids experienced the greatest increase in poverty rates of any major city in the nation from 1999 to 2005.
The Brookings report, which identified changes in urban and suburban poverty over the last seven years, went on to note that the next five cities with the highest increases in poverty rates were all in Michigan and Ohio (Lansing, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and Columbus, in respective order). The report suggests that this increase in poverty “probably reflects the disproportionate impact of the recent economic downturn on the manufacturing sector, which figures prominently in both these states.”
Letters to the Editor and Notices
Weekly letters to the editor and seminary notices.