Mascot removal -was there collusion?

[nkvu]

[quote  Frosh are no longer required to attend morning chapel. [/quote]

I was a freshman in the fall of 1969. We were not required to attend any chapel services, so it's been a really long time since chapel service attendance was required.

On the other hand we couldn't use a car and were required to take a Saturday morning class. I had to walk across the tundra from what was then new campus to old campus every afternoon to make choir rehearsal in Northern Indiana winters (uphill both ways, of course). I had a Spanish class at 8 am Saturday mornings.  That sucked.

[FieldGoodie05]

[quote  Frosh are no longer required to attend morning chapel.

I was a freshman in the fall of 1969. We were not required to attend any chapel services. Were were required to take a Saturday morning class. I had Spanish at 8 am.  It sucked.
[/quote]

Nor were we required to do that in 2001.  But I believe we "might" have been required to take theology.  Either way, I took (2) theology courses and likely by requirement.

[vu72]

[quote  Frosh are no longer required to attend morning chapel.

I was a freshman in the fall of 1969. We were not required to attend any chapel services. Were were required to take a Saturday morning class. I had Spanish at 8 am.  It sucked.

Nor were we required to do that in 2001.  But I believe we "might" have been required to take theology. Either way, I took (2) theology courses and likely by requirement.
[/quote]

Was same for me back in the day.  To my knowledge, two semesters of theology are still required.  Having said that, those classes had nothing necessarily to do with Lutheranism.

[oklahomamick]

graduated in 2005.  6 credits of theology.

[usc4valpo]

For engineering in the 80s you were required to take 6 hours, for other majors I think it was 9.

[valpotx]

graduated in 2005.  6 credits of theology.

Similar to me, 2 classes of Theology (which I treated more as a History class), and no requirement to attend chapel at any point (graduated 2004).  I don't think that I ever attended anything in the chapel, to be honest, outside of my campus tour.

[usc4valpo]

I took Intro to Christian Theology with Fred Niedner who was great. I took Christian Ethics which was painful - I don't remember the professor but he was very friendly.

[vu84v2]

I took Intro to Christian Theology with Fred Niedner who was great. I took Christian Ethics which was painful - I don't remember the professor but he was very friendly.

Was also an engineering major and hd to take two theology classes. Intro to Christian Theology could have been good, but professor was awful (was not Niedner). Second class required did not have to be anything to do with Christianity and I took History of Religions which studies the foundations and basic thought within all of the other world religions. This may have been the best and most valuable class that I ever took, as it provided tremendous insight for my eventual international work and prevents narrow-minded thinking about other religions.

[usc4valpo]

Great reply 84v2. I did not get the chance to take that course but I really wish I did. Christian ethics was pretty dull.

[crusader05]

When I was there I believe we had free reign on what courses they were as long as they were marked a theo course (Now I believe one course has to specifically be about the Christian Tradition). I took ethics and morality with Weber which was amazing, and then On Death and Dying. Both were great courses with challenging reading.

[valpospartan]

I certainly enjoyed the advent vespers last night.  Of course, President Heckler participated. 

The chapel was pretty well filled, but those attending were chairback types -- not many students at all. Perhaps they should have offered t-shirts and subs to attract them.

As has been stated, times change.  Frosh are no longer required to attend morning chapel.  Lutherans are a minority among the student-body.  The services best attended are no longer on Sunday morning.

Nor at basketball games.   

[crusadermoe]

I guess I figured Vespers would be a big draw with so many of the students now studying music. 

But back to the question at hand.  I think this is the key question: There is evidently some paint touch up needed on the large Crusader.   Is the deflated large Crusader still stored in the ARC somewhere so that funds raised for its painting can be used? 

[VULB#62]

How do you paint vinyl or plastic?  Uh....... Maybe the paint deflection is a distraction?  ( to prolong the collusion conspiracy  ).

[usc4valpo]

I think it would be fun to have a link listing the best and worst professors everyone had at Valpo. I think for many Ferencz Kallay would be up there with one of the best. His lectures were must see.

[vu84v2]

I think it would be fun to have a link listing the best and worst professors everyone had at Valpo. I think for many Ferencz Kallay would be up there with one of the best. His lectures were must see.

It would be a lot of fun to start a thread that lists the best. I would not want to list the worst because, while there are certainly examples of poor teachers, many of them cared about the university and it would be better not to single them out in a negative and public manner.

[VU2014]

I think it would be fun to have a link listing the best and worst professors everyone had at Valpo. I think for many Ferencz Kallay would be up there with one of the best. His lectures were must see.

It would be a lot of fun to start a thread that lists the best. I would not want to list the worst because, while there are certainly examples of poor teachers, many of them cared about the university and it would be better not to single them out in a negative and public manner.

I never had a class with him but I heard that Professor Oren was a real piece of work 

[crusadermoe]

Jim Combs was a unique guy.        Good teacher.  Clothes were an era behind as was the case with most.

[agibson]

Vespers was not well attended? You gotta be kidding me! It used to be an awesome event.

They tinkered with the format a bit this year. For many years (at least 20?) the services were at fairly consistent times... maybe always 7 and 10 PM. The second service was pitched more at students. The first always "sold out", the second didn't. The chapel filled for the first, while attendance for the second was robust, but the building wasn't full, when I went in the late 90's... maybe around 800?

This year the services were 6:30 and 8:30. For maybe the first time the Immanuel (largest local LCMS parish) children's choir sang at both services, not just the earlier. The service was somewhat shorter than in the past.

The first service looked very full this year, I imagine 90%+ or 95%+ of capacity. I don't know whether they turned anyone away. But, "tickets" were (unlike past years) readily available even on the day of the service. (I assume that max capacity of the chapel is less now with chairs than it was with pews; I don't have hard numbers.) I've not heard anything about the second service, except re the Immanuel choir.

I too thought that the typical member of the congregation this year, for the first service, was well on in years - maybe late middle age.

It was a very nice service.

I must admit, I prefer talking about Vespers to parsing conspiracy theories about the mascot!

[valpopal]

I listened to the Union Street podcast this week, and I give credit to Paul for pointing out how the Crusader has been almost completely and consciously expunged throughout the Athletics website this semester at the same time the giant Crusader disappeared. The university's plan in recent years has been to phase out the Crusader and replace it with the non-offensive "Shield of Character" whenever and wherever possible. Everywhere there once had been a Crusader logo in the past has been replaced by the "Shield of Character"—including all clothing promoted for the online store and all the uniforms worn by players in pictures. When new stationary or signage was purchased, the Shield was to replace the Crusader.


Paul also noted that language from past promotions has taken out all references to "follow the Crusaders." Mark attempted to explain the lack of reference to the Crusader as marketing by saying people nationally better know the teams as Valpo—but much of the language on the website was targeted mostly to fans, locals, and Valpo students or alums—and he never could give a good reason for the logo change from Crusader to Shield on all the items that also say "Valpo" or "Valparaiso." Clearly, the goal was to replace all graphics that contain the Crusader logo with the Shield. Both Paul and Mark also recognized the opposition to the Crusader by faculty and administrators on campus, and Mark acknowledged that the identity of the university's teams is decided elsewhere from Athletics.


Unfortunately for the university, one of the lasting images of the Crusader, on the floor at center court, will be more costly to replace, though I'm willing to bet the next time the basketball floor is redone, a Shield will be at center court instead. Then the logic of continuing as the Crusaders will be totally removed as well and another name will be proposed, since it is believed already the absence of the Crusader from everywhere will make it easier to persuade everyone to move away from it.

[VULB#62]

Santa Clara redid their floor and did  a picture of their campus tower. If this is gonna happen a picture of our beautiful  chapel would be fantastic.

[wh]

Will the story about the person who wears the Crusader costume being sick have to be changed now? 

[valpopal]

Will the story about the person who wears the Crusader costume being sick have to be changed now?

No, I know that to be true. But you wonder if the Crusader mascot really mattered to Athletics, why they don't have an understudy, someone to step into the costume when there is a sickness—which is bound to happen at times, especially in northwest Indiana—or other reason for an absence.

[VUGrad1314]

Santa Clara redid their floor and did  a picture of their campus tower. If this is gonna happen a picture of our beautiful  chapel would be fantastic.

I love this idea but in light of the belief that some on campus may be trying to eliminate a knight with no overtly Christian symbols, and that it's been stated (albeit uncorroborated hearsay) that some believe that the chapel isn't welcoming, I very strongly doubt that there's any appetite for a picture of the chapel to be emblazoned on the court which is one of the University's most marketable assets since it's shown on TV several times a year. That would make Valpo seem very unwelcoming to the anti-mascot crowd. Furthermore I don't think it's the greatest use of our facility upgrade funds right now. Something like that would be a great capstone project after the higher priority stuff is finished but in light of the anger and backlash it might generate I can't see them doing it.

[NativeCheesehead]

Call us the Hugging Unicorns if it gets the board to build us a new arena.

[M]

Bye bye Crusader...maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow...but soon.