Top Stories of 2013

With 2013 coming to close, we recap the top stories, chosen by your visits to our website, of the past 12 months. From renowned professors’ passing away to a new collaboration with St. Olaf to a high-profile author giving a lecture on censorship, we take a look at what you viewed over the past year.

Legendary Professor Roy Grow Passes
Roy Grow, the Frank B. Kellogg Professor of International Relations, emeritus, passed away on June 16, 2013. He was known for his uncommon dedication to students, inviting them into his home, leading them to China, and keeping up with graduates all around the world. You can read more about Grow on our Farewells page, which also includes a link to the video from his memorial service, held in conjunction with Reunion activities.

Satanic Verses Author Salman Rushdie Lectures to Packed House at Recreation Center
As part of the Lucas Lectureship Series and as part an ongoing series of events and lectures on censorship, blasphemy and free speech, award-winning author Salman Rushdie presented the 2013 Lucas Lecture, entitled “Censorship and The Satanic Verses: 25 Years Later.”

Fred Rogers Named 2013 Distinguished Business Officer by NACUBO
Fred Rogers ’72, Carleton College Vice President and Treasurer, was recognized as a 2013 Distinguished Business Officer by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) in July. Rogers assumed his current post at Carleton in 2004.

Women’s Physical Educator, Coaching Pioneer Ele Hansen Remembered
Eleanor “Ele” Hansen passed way on July 20 at the age of 92. She served the Women’s Physical Education Department, taught PE classes, and coached women’s softball and cross-country for 34 years, until her retirement in 1986. She remained such a strong supporter of Carleton and individual members of the college community that many didn’t feel she ever really retired. Hansen is the inspiration for The Ele Hansen Award, which annually recognizes two senior female students who bring to their sport the joy of participation and who have positively influenced others through their example, service, and leadership in the athletic or recreation program. Together with Pat Lamb, her life partner of 52 years, Ele advocated for women’s physical education and other issues with a gentle but firm hand. Because of their work, Carleton was ahead of its time in providing a wide range of PE classes and resources. You can read her full obituary on Carleton’s Farewells page.

Carleton Mention by Minnesota Public Radio in “5 Things to Do In Northfield”
Minnesota Public Radio correspondent Molly Bloom features Carleton College in recent blog post, “5 Things To Do in Northfield.” Kicking off the list is the town’s commitment to giving “new life to old buildings” — as an example, Bloom notes the College’s Weitz Center for Creativity, the site of Northfield’s former middle school and original high school. And wrapping up the list is Carleton’s Cowling Arboretum, which Bloom calls “The (literally) hidden gem of Northfield.”

‘Prof Rockers’ The Counterfactuals Release Their Debut Album
In December, Northfield’s ‘prof rockers’ The Counterfactuals released their debut album, “Minimally Decent People.” A digital version of the album is now available for download here. A CD and vinyl LP version are also available for pre-order. Popular with Northfield and Twin Cities audiences alike, The Counterfactuals include assistant professors of philosophy Daniel Groll and Jason Decker and assistant professor of music Andy Flory. Mike Fuerstein, an assistant professor of philosophy from St. Olaf College, rounds out the quartet. The Counterfactuals play an addictive brand of indie jangle-pop, with a signature blend of golden hooks, twangy Americana, and a little bit of grit. The band will host a Northfield CD/album release show on Saturday, January 11, 2014, at J. Grundy’s Rueb-N-Stein’s Upstairs Rueb.

Eight Faculty Members Receive Promotions
The Board of Trustees recently approved the promotion of eight faculty members, effective September 1, 2012. The following faculty have been promoted from associate professor to professor: Stacy N. Beckwith, professor of Hebrew; Amy Erickson, professor of physical education, athletics, and recreation; Gretchen E. Hofmeister, professor of chemistry; David R. Musicant, professor of computer science; Lori K. Pearson, professor of religion; and Linda Rossi, professor of art. The following faculty have been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor: Luciano Henrique Battaglini, associate professor of physical education, athletics, and recreation; and Robert S. Carlson, associate professor of physical education, athletics, and recreation.

Class of 2017 Features 529 Students From 45 States and 23 Countries
Carleton’s class of 2017 arrived on campus in September, selected from a pool of a record 7,045 applicants. The students represent 45 states and 23 countries, with 92 students coming from Minnesota, followed by California (62), Illinois (54), Wisconsin (28), Washington (23), New York (22) and Massachusetts (21). Twenty new students hail from China. Twenty-seven percent of the students identify themselves as people of color, 10 percent are among the first generation in their families to attend college, and 80 percent graduated in the top 10 percent of their class. Nine percent of the students come from countries outside of the United States.

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Awards St. Olaf and Carleton $1.4 million Collaboration Grant
In December, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded Carleton College and St. Olaf College a $1.4 million grant to support increased institutional collaboration. The award funds a four-year project to advance collaboration in library services, information technology, management operations, and academic programs. The project—Broadening the Bridge: Leading Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges into a More Collaborative Future—builds on efforts that began in 2012 with a planning grant from the Foundation. A joint planning team identified the most promising opportunities for collaboration between the two institutions. Carleton and St. Olaf can now implement these plans to strengthen liberal arts learning and teaching in ways that each college could not accomplish individually. The two colleges will also collaborate to reduce current costs or contain cost growth.

Feminist Media Critic and Blogger Anita Sarkeesian Presents First Convocation of 2013
The first convocation of the year, presented by feminist media critic and blogger Anita Sarkeesian, rounds out our top 10. A renowned popular culture critic and creator of the video blog, “Feminist Frequency,” Sarkeesian explored the representation of women in pop culture narratives, including television, movies and gaming. Her presentation was entitled, “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You: Redefining Strong Female Characters.”

Honorable mention: Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist, TV Personality Jonathan Capehart ’89 Presents Opening Convocation; Susan Singer Wins Science Prize for Web-Based Teaching Tool; Carleton Art Professors’ Work Featured in Minneapolis Sculpture Garden; Anne E. Patrick, William H. Laird Professor of Religion and the Liberal Arts, Emerita, awarded John Courtney Murray Award by Catholic Theological Society of America; Six Carls Earn Fulbright Awards.