The Woods

Brad Huffey, associate professor of psychology at SMWC, enjoys some free time fishing in the Amazon River during one of his four visits to Peru since 2005. / Photo provided by Brad Huffey

By Emma Campbell

Staff Writer

(Appeared in the Sept. 7 print edition of The Woods)

Brad Huffey, Ph.D., has spent years studying the psychological treatment of prisoners in the United States. He evaluates inmates’ mental health treatment for Correctional Medical Services and provides psychological services for the Indiana Department of Corrections at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle.** His work focused mainly on individual minds in a society that values individualism.

He wondered how mental health care treatment was different in a country where the collective is celebrated over the individual. To find out, he traveled more than 3,500 miles to Peru.

He is interested in mental health treatment in the prisons because “our current political system is limiting treatment for persons with mental illness and reducing hospital beds for persons with severe mental illness.”

Many of the prison inmates he works with who have mental illnesses were previously hospital patients. Huffey said the U.S. system wants to “graduate” people into the community where the support is often inadequate to keep them on the right track and to keep them from ending up back in the legal system. He wanted to understand the differences between the U.S. system and the Peruvian system.

Since 2005, he has visited Peru on four separate occasions to study and research the cultural differences in mental health treatment of prisoners. Three of Huffey’s four visits to Peru were funded by the Ambassador Jean Wilkowski Global Perspectives Faculty Grant.

The associate professor of psychology at SMWC began his visits not knowing exactly where he would focus.

“The initial research started out as just the practice and education of psychology, because psychology is such an individual-oriented field. I wanted to see how psychology was practiced and taught in a collectivist society.”

According to a 2007 Gallup poll, about half of Peruvians say they are more socialist than capitalist in their attitudes, compared to 16 percent who identify as more capitalist than socialist.

At first, the research was not even meant to take place in Peru. Huffey was originally supposed to conduct his study in Cuba; however, after the lengthy process of getting approved to travel there, he was denied access due to the country’s ongoing political unrest.

Once in Peru, Huffey expanded his focus by visiting the national hospital and national mental hospital, the latter of which serves about 30,000 patients a year. Huffey found differences at the national hospital in Peru, which has a leprosy unit and a unit for the care of tropical diseases.

Huffey said getting into such places can be very difficult, especially for non-natives and non-Spanish speakers.

“What’s unique about Peru is that they do not have the same systems of institutional review in regards to research,” he said. “And so as a researcher going in there, there are a lot of ethical challenges, because you don’t know exactly what to expect once you get there.”

Huffey said the key to navigating these situations is to make connections with those who can gain access to exclusive places.

The prisons and mental health care available in Peru have come under fire from human rights groups such as Amnesty International. The group called for closing Peruvian prisons with harsh or extreme conditions, which include prisons above 13,000 feet in altitude with no heat.

But Huffey said such conditions are not unusual in Peruvian culture, where several cities exist above 13,000 feet and have been populated for centuries.

The people there have adapted to the elevation and cold temperatures and do not use heat, he said. Many of Peru’s citizens live at or below the poverty level, and many of their living conditions would be considered harsh. Huffey said one cannot justify providing prisoners with amenities that the rest of the Andean people do not have.

In Peru, inmates are referred to as “interns.” They have been sent to prison to be reeducated, re-socialized, and rehabilitated. Interns are required to learn a trade and any cause of criminal behavior is treated. In the U.S., inmates are referred to as “offenders” who have been sent to prison to serve time as a punishment for their crimes. Inmates in the U.S. mostly have the free will to choose whether or not they enter a rehabilitation program appropriate for their crimes.

In his visits, he also took time to explore the culture and its people by visiting outdoor markets, dining on local cuisine, fishing on the Amazon River, and visiting with the native Yagua Indian tribe in a location that can only be accessed by either boat or plane.

Huffey said he encourages all students to travel abroad for study, research, or just enjoyment; though he suggests using electronics and technology only when necessary.

“Someone cannot fully immerse themselves into another culture and appreciate it when they can call, email, and Facebook their mom, dad, and friends at the same time,” he said.

** Due to an editing error, the print version of this story included incorrect information about Prof. Huffey’s employment.

Popularity: 77% [?]

By Allison Foster
Staff Writer

(Appeared in the Sept. 7 print edition of The Woods)
Coming to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College as a young woman, I did not know what to expect. The fact that it is an all-women’s school made me skeptical about almost everything. I was afraid that it would be lame and boring, and nothing would ever happen here. After going through orientation, I realized that it’s a lot better than I thought it was going to be.

From the resident and commuter check-in to the picnic with faculty and staff at Deming Park, I think that many freshmen will agree that Playfair was the best event of the entire freshman orientation. Playfair has been around for years, considering the fact that it is was around when my sister was in college in Ohio about 10 years ago.

Freshmen and new students attempt to sit on each other’s knees in a giant circle during on one of the many Playfair activities during orientation. / Photo by Danya Long

Playfair is a social event that allows a group of people to introduce themselves to others, specifically students to other students. Students played games which helped everyone realize that it was alright to be more open and social with people.

Playfair definitly opened up my attitude about SMWC. I was afraid no one would talk to me and people would think I looked weird. It really opened up my eyes. My orientation leader, Cathleen Flynn, was a sweetheart. She and the upperclassmen made me think that I could really get to know people in my class.

One of the activities was pretending to be big name celebrities such as Oprah, Donald Trump, or Martha Stewart and tell people within your group to do whatever you say. So, if you wanted a person in your group to do jumping jacks, then they had no choice but to do it.

Dancing was very popular during Playfair. We danced to introduce ourselves and danced back to back literally, to “Low” by rapper Flo Rida. Upbeat music played during activities to encourage active involvement as well.

Playfair itself was a good experience for me overall. I think that it should be done every year for all incoming freshmen. A lot of the time freshmen are a little apprehensive about coming to college and wonder if they will make new friends and meet new people. Some students are just normally shy when it comes to meeting other people. And some people are just anti-social, not wanting to meet anyone or make new friends at all. But when you come into new situations such as this, you have to be open and ready to step out. Luckily for us at SMWC, we received that opportunity during Playfair that helped us meet a lot of new people in a short amount of time.

Overall, I enjoyed my Playfair experience with everyone who was involved. The experience has allowed not only me to be more open with the students around, but it also has made me feel more comfortable with my decision to come to SMWC.

Popularity: 78% [?]

Orientation leaders Bailey Birt, left, and Nora Dalipi, right, point freshman Ashley DeMoss in the right direction during move-in. / Photo by Danya Long

By Juliette Faraone
Staff Writer

(Appeared in the Sept. 7 print edition of The Woods)

Sophomore Laura Kempton became an orientation leader because she wanted to welcome new students to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and make sure they felt comfortable here.

Kempton was one of 25 orientation leaders who volunteered to introduced new Woodsies to the campus life. Orientation ran from Aug. 19 to Aug. 23. This session is just one way to help entering students adjust and transition into life at SMWC.

On the first day, students were led into the ballroom of Le Fer Hall, where they filled out general forms and received important papers. Incoming students began orientation, meeting for lunch and a welcome address in O’Shaughnessy Dining Hall. After the meal, students split into smaller groups to become better acquainted. Each group had  at least one upperclassman as Orientation Leaders. These OLs had been on campus the week before, training for their roles as student guides.

Kempton worked alongside fellow sophomore Nora Dalipi, as leaders of the Fountain group. Being a returning international student, Dalipi recognized the possible difficulties of the shift from high school to college. As she said, “The first few weeks are always tough, so I wanted to be their support system. I wanted to help them have an easier transition to the Woods.”

Dalipi is not the only international student on campus. This year, SMWC had 20 new students from China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Northern Ireland as well as four returning international students. Because the change in countries can be difficult at times, the 20 incoming global students arrived a week before freshman orientation for their own international orientation.

Junior Samantha Gavin decided to become an international orientation leader for just these reasons. Gavin’s main motivation was “helping the internationals adjust to American and campus life before new student orientation.”

For many of the international students this extra week helped, though at times the schedule seemed too full. Marketing major Lu Yu enjoyed all of the activities at orientation but felt it would be better if there was more free time to rest between activities.

“We usually have a short sleep after lunch in China, so sometimes we will be depressed and tired all the time left without it,” Yu said. “I guess it’s the difference of culture.”
International students Jingwen Chen, also from China, and I-Chieh Wen from Taiwan agreed that orientation could benefit from having a more relaxed schedule, but when asked about campus, both expressed enthusiasm.

Chen said, “The school is so beautiful, and our international orientation leaders’ smiles really impressed me.”

Other students had the same first thoughts regarding SMWC. Freshman Lauren Waters appreciated the peacefulness of campus.

New students high five each other at the beginning of Playfair, a part of freshman orientation at SMWC. / Photo by Danya Long

Waters said, “When I first toured SMWC, I thought the campus was quiet, quaint, and peaceful.”  She went on to say that she “liked how the campus was really ‘in the woods.’”

After moving in and getting organized, students participated in games presented by Playfair, a company specializing in New Student Orientations. The activities featured by Playfair are crazy, fast-paced, ice-breakers through which the entire first-year class gets to know each other in a comfortable environment. The games played during Playfair’s presentation are designed as team-building experiences– powerful programs to encourage campus unity.

Freshman Heather Ennis thought Playfair was beneficial to the orientation experience.

“Though embarrassing at times, it really did help us freshman become familiar with each other,” Ennis said. “It forced you to put yourself out there.’”

Overall, orientation was a success. Though some students felt the schedule was a bit too crowded, most enjoyed the chance to meet and interact with other new classmates. This is essential– if students feel comfortable the first few days, they’re more likely to continue with their higher education.

Nora Dalipi summed up her role as OL by saying, “I also had to make sure they felt comfortable with each other and that by the end of the week, they were ready to start school as college students.  I also had to be available for any questions, concerns, or complaints. Basically, I was one of their first college friends.”

Orientation ended Monday when the new students were released to first Monday check-in. Jeff Malloy, director of Campus Life, said he was pleased with the work the OLs did. “Our evaluations have been very positive of both the leaders and the orientation program.

Popularity: 81% [?]

By Samantha Moore
Staff Writer

(Appeared in the Sept. 7 print edition of The Woods)

The hunt for a new president has begun at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. After the resignation of David Behrs in June of 2010, Dottie King took over as interim president. A search committee has been established in order to find a permanent president.

The committee expects to have narrowed the list of candidates for the position by the end of the month.

Behrs was hired as the president three years ago; his hiring marked the 15th president of the college, as well as the first male president and lay Catholic in the history of SMWC.

David Behrs

In his short tenure as president, Behrs is credited with increasing enrollment, completing a program analysis to help SMWC run more efficiently, and creating more athletic opportunities for students.

Behrs announced in May that he would resign and move back to California with his family. He accepted a position as head of San Domenico, a Catholic K-12 school in the San Francisco Bay area.

King, who previously held the position of vice president for Academic Affairs, has taken over until a new president is hired. She has been a part of SMWC since 2002, when she started as an assistant professor of mathematics.

The process of finding the 16th president of SMWC is well under way, according to Henry Kuehn, a member of the search committee. There are 14 members of the presidential search committee. These include one staff representative, Terry Barr, and one student representative, junior Nicole Wieg.

Other members include committee co-chair Kathryn Martin and Trustees Randy Adams, Dave Bailey, Marcia Schmidt, Alice Shelton, Kathy Lubeznik, Al Watson, and Emeritus Trustee Phillip Summers. The cabinet representative is Art Criss, vice president for Enrollment Management. The faculty representative is Associate Prof. Brad Huffey.** Also on the committee is Sisters of Providence General Council and Trustee Denise Wilkinson.

There are four key steps to filling the position of president. The first step is to contract with a search firm. These search firms are companies that specialize in placing qualified individuals with businesses or schools in hopes of finding their dream jobs or the best fit for them. The committee will then narrow down the field of prospective employees. The third step is to create a short list of candidates. Finally, candidate interviews are planned for February.

Kuehn said the search will not be a closed-door affair. The committee wants students, faculty, parents, and the community to be aware of the progress.

** Due to an editing error, the print version of this story incorrectly stated Prof. Huffey’s title.

Popularity: 57% [?]

By Juliette Faraone

Staff Writer

(Appeared in the Sept.7 print edition of The Woods)

For the fourth year in a row, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College has been listed by the magazine U.S. News and World Report as one of the best undergraduate colleges in the Midwest.

SMWC moved up in its ranking from number 20 last year, to number 18 out of 71 Tier One regional colleges, according to the magazine.

Schools with Tier One status receive higher amounts of research funding, which attracts a larger number of students pursuing careers in research and development. Large corporations view such institutions as providing highly skilled workers that establish a competitive advantage in the marketplace, according to the magazine.

In addition to the honor of being listed among these schools, SMWC was also recognized as having one of the highest percentages of “under-20” classes, with 94 percent of classes having less than 20 students.

“We are proud to be consistently recognized as one of the top colleges in the Midwest,” said Dottie King, interim president of SMWC. “Our commitment to our students continues to focus on academic excellence where students engage in leadership and service; stretch their minds and imagination in and out of the classroom; and see ways to affect positive changes in our global society.”

First published in 1983, the U.S. News college ranking system has grown to become the most complete research tool for students and parents considering higher education. U.S. News and World Report sorts viable schools based on classifications created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

In order to rate the schools, U.S. News first combines the nine Carnegie categories into four main groups: National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities and Regional Colleges.

The group that SMWC falls into is that of “regional colleges.”

Regional colleges, as defined by the Carnegie Foundation, have their primary focus on providing an undergraduate education, which makes them similar in many ways to liberal arts colleges. However, regional colleges award less than 50 percent of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines. This means that at these schools, at least 10 percent of undergraduate degrees granted are bachelor’s degrees.

There are 319 regional colleges in the United States. The magazine ranks these institutions within four regions: North, South, Midwest, and West.

Of the many aspects that shape the rankings’ key measures of worth are peer assessment, retention, graduation rates, faculty, resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and high school counselor ratings of colleges.

Established by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and the Sisters of Providence in 1840, SMWC has the reputation of being the oldest women’s Catholic liberal arts college in the United States.

As noted by U.S. News and World Report, SMWC gives students access to a broad liberal arts-based education, as well as scholarships and financial aid opportunities to make college more affordable. Small class sizes mean more attention to the individual.

According to the U.S. News website, SMWC provides “a value-centered education in a Catholic tradition,” and an extensive assortment of student activities.

The latest rankings, which also include rankings of more than 1,400 schools nationwide, are available to view at http://usnews.com/colleges. The rankings are also in the September print issue, which hit newsstands Aug. 31.

Popularity: 40% [?]

Workers investigate and repair fire damage in the basement of Guerin Hall. The fire started about 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 31 due to electrical problems./ Photo by Annie Jones

By Danya Long

Editor-in-Chief

(Appeared in Sept. 7 issue of The Woods)

Sue Weatherwax walked out of Guerin Hall, which still reeked of smoke on Sept. 1, toting her empty fish tank to her car. Weatherwax, the associate director of publications at SMWC, was one of dozens of faculty and staff members who retrieved their belongings from Guerin offices after the basement fire forced their evacuation the day before.

There was minimal damage to Weatherwax’s office, and all of her fish survived the fire. The only areas of Guerin to suffer significant damage were the basement and the Master of Leadership Development office on the first floor.

The Guerin fire started in the basement around 12:30 p.m. due to a shortage in the electrical wiring. No one was injured in the fire, but many inconveniences arose for the SMWC community. Most of all, every faculty and staff member with an office in Guerin was forced to evacuate and now has been relocated into another building.

The president’s office has been moved to room 141 in Le Fer Hall. The office of financial aid, registrar’s office, and business office have all been relocated to the President’s Room on the first floor of the Rooney Library. The offices of advancement, alumnae relations, publications, graduate programs, Woods External Degree program, and affected faculty have been moved to remote locations around campus and at home for some.

“We are able to perform our jobs in an efficient manner as possible. We all have laptops and are able to access the server to download any projects we are working on at the time,” says Weatherwax about the publication department. “We were able to gather our personal belongings around 2:30 p.m. the same day the fire occurred. Our door was shut, which helped keep the smoke to a minimal. Other than that, the office looked great.”

Sue Weatherwax, associate director of publications at SMWC, carries her empty fish tank out of her Guerin office on Sept. 1 after she was forced to relocate due to smoke damage. / Photo by Colleen Daum

Susan Decker’s office, director of Master of Leadership Development, received the most damage of any office. There are three holes in the floor and a bit of smoke damage, as well as a broken window that had to be knocked out for the fire. Decker praised the work of the firefighters, commenting on the great job they did preserving the things in her office.

“They were able to pull the hard drives from the computers, so the damage was minimal,” said Decker. “I was already taking a couple of days off for labor day so I will be working from home.”

Along with faculty and staff relocations, campus classes were also moved to different areas of the campus. For a list of these new locations, see below.

During the fire, the power was cut to the campus buildings. Because of this, several students were stuck in the elevators in Le Fer Hall. Freshman Madeleine Gonzalez was one of the students stuck.

“We just sat there and talked…We were just trying to stay calm,” said Gonzalez.

Freshman Kayla Scheuerman was also stuck in the elevator with Gonzalez. In an interview via Facebook on Aug. 31, she said she was trapped with four other students. She commented that they did not feel they were in danger.

The majority of the damage done to Guerin Hall was due to smoke and water, according to fire and college officials. The SMWC website reported that smoke also traveled to the Conservatory from a tunnel that connects it to Guerin.
The SMWC website also reported that the process of cleaning offices will take about 3-4 weeks. A thorough Information Technology infrastructure audit may take even longer.

Sugar Creek firefighters arrived at the scene of the electrical fire that started about 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 31 in the basement of Guerin Hall. They were able to extinguish the fire by about 1:30 p.m. / Photo by Annie Jones

Popularity: 36% [?]

By Sarah Cole
Staff Writer

(Appeared in the Sept. 7 print edition of The Woods)

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will host Don Richards, professor of economics at Indiana State University, Wednesday evening as part of the Our Green Valley speaker series. Richards will take the stage at 6 p.m. in Hayes Auditorium in Hulman Hall.

“What Economics Gets Right About Sustainability; What Economics Gets Wrong About Sustainability” will address the intersection of economics and environmental practices.

Richards’ interest in sustainability derives mostly from an interest in sustainable agriculture. He currently teaches an undergraduate course in food, hunger and sustainable agriculture, according to Our Green Valley organizers.

Richards’ research and teaching interests include international trade and finance in less developed nations. He has taught at ISU since 1985, after earning his doctorate from the University of Connecticut.

According to Our Green Valley organizers, Richards is particularly interested in Paraguay and has worked at various times for agencies of the Paraguayan government as an economic policy consultant.

The event is sponsored by Our Green Valley Alliance for Sustainability. The last speaker in this series will feature Mike Moorhead, of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, on Dec. 1, at Ivy Tech. He will discuss biking in Terre Haute.

Our Green Valley is an alliance formed by the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, a project of the Sisters of Providence. Joining White Violet are community partners including Indiana State University, SMWC, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Union Hospital, the Vigo County School Corporation, and Trees, Inc. The event is free and open to the public.

Popularity: 27% [?]