#GoFire is a popular phrase on campus. After Midwest Conference Championships for men's and women's soccer (and two NCAA DIII tournament appearances by the women), the best football team record, 5-5, since 2002, an outstanding season for women's volleyball and women's tennis, and the best women's basketball season since 1996-1997, folks are excited. Add to the mix a new golf performance center, growing momentum for a renovated soccer field, and a seasoned new director of athletics, and you can feel the Prairie Fire building, folks.

This fall, the Knox Department of Theatre decided to cancel the winter term mainstage production of Brecht's The Good Person of Szechwan after students expressed concerns over the play's representation of women and of Asian culture. The decision gained national attention, particularly from conservative media, and added Knox's name to the many colleges and universities that some fear may be sacrificing academic integrity to student activism. The decision was a considered one, made after many discussions between students and faculty, and the department continues to discuss issues regarding race, gender, and power in theatre. Not everyone may agree with the decision, but the dialogue continues, and a different Brecht production was performed this winter.

The many crows who roost on the Knox campus in winter brought with them more than noisy cawing this year. It started with a call from The Register-Mail asking whether or not Knox cuts down trees to prevent these winter visitors from roosting (no, we do not), as Galesburg was considering the idea. Many letters to the editor and calls to the city followed. A few weeks later, we received a Facebook message asking about a crow hanging in effigy on the campus. Turns out, there were a few realistic-looking artificial crows hanging around campus as part of a biology research project. We don't know the results of the research, but we do know that we were happy when our avian friends finally departed.