President Donald Trump delivered a speech to a stadium full of National Rifle Association members in Indianapolis on Friday, April 26. For three days, the NRA hosted its annual meetings and exhibits at Lucas Oil Stadium, where members could browse 15 acres of firearms and accessories. At 11 o’clock on Friday morning, the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action kicked off its leadership forum with a speech from NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox. After an introduction by Vice President Mike … [Read more...]
Healing Tent returns to AU for the week
The Healing Tent returned to campus this semester for a week of worship, prayer and healing, after making its debut at the corner of 5th Street and Nursery Road on November 11 of last year. “It’s just a time of being on your face before the Lord,” said Sarah Pierce, one of the founders of the Healing Tent. “It’s really just between you and God what you want to do that week. The tent is available for anybody to use. Even if there’s no one there you can come in, bring a blanket or a chair and … [Read more...]
Dance sets sights on new studios
Though AU is one of the few Christian colleges to offer a dance program, there was once a time when dancing was forbidden on campus. “The Church of God has a strong animus towards dancing,” explained Erich Yetter, assistant professor of dance. “They thought it was lascivious and led to boys and girls getting together.” When students began leaving campus to dance, the university introduced a dance class as a way to keep students safe. AU’s first dance class developed into what is now the … [Read more...]
Pistole holds student forum
Female musical theatre majors Isabelle Yost and Jamie Valentine sparked a campus-wide conversation about LGBTQ+ issues when they shared a kiss on Reardon stage at Encore. Many students took to the Raven app to voice concerns about AU’s stance and policies regarding same-sex relationships in the week following the event. “People have been thanking me for opening up the dialogue about certain issues on campus, whether we meant to or not,” Yost said in a recent Andersonian interview. As a way … [Read more...]
Candidate banned from SGA election
Candidates who were running in the primary election include Cassie Billings, Elijah Neal and Becca Peach. Troyer Goldman intended to run with Hope Brandenberger but was barred from the race by administration. As grounds for removing Goldman from the race, Dean Chris Confer cited Goldman as being “not in good standing” at the university after sharing a chapel QR code on the Anderson U app last semester. “I appealed the issue of Dean Chris Confer’s misinterpretation of the good standing … [Read more...]
AU welcomes ‘The Cube’
The School of Science and Engineering celebrated the official opening of the Talent Incubator in Decker Hall rooms 336 and 336A on January 23. The Talent Incubator, otherwise known as The Cube, will provide engineering students with hands-on experiences, internships and jobs in software engineering. Dr. Chad Wallace, dean of the School of Science and Engineering, explains the origins of the lab’s unique name. “We were trying to come up with a name with Ontario Systems,” said Wallace. “We … [Read more...]
‘I Kissed A Girl’ and AU didn’t like it
Encore performance prompts LGBT conversation on campus Each spring semester, AU invites students to bring their younger siblings to campus for Lil’ Sibs Weekend where they can attend events such as Encore, a musical event hosted by the Avanti Boosters Club. “We knew that the lights were going to black out,” said Yost. “We decided in that moment, after the lights had blacked out, and we didn’t think anybody would see it. It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t meant to make a statement and it wasn’t … [Read more...]
SGA president steps down, bouldering wall on hold
Victor Mweu made the decision to step down from his position as SGA president effective this semester. In a letter to the student body, Mweu attributed his resignation to an offer to work in the 121st session of the Indiana state senate. He declined to answer further questions. Liam Crays, former SGA vice president, has taken over following Mweu’s resignation. “Since the transition, I have received nothing but love and support,” said Crays. “It was a big surprise and a challenge to me, … [Read more...]
Government shutdown over border wall
The federal government is still in partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass a spending bill on Dec. 22, 2018, due to controversy concerning funding for a border wall. Democrats and Republicans are equally as unwilling to reach a compromise, leaving Congress in gridlock for the foreseeable future. The hotly debated wall was a major component of President Trump’s campaign for the presidency in 2016. A signature feature of Trump’s campaign promise was that the funding for a wall on the … [Read more...]
Needle exchange program reinstated
Since 2002, deaths caused by opioid overdoses in the U.S. have nearly tripled. In 2016, opioids were responsible for more overdose deaths than any other year on record. The effects of the drug crisis are being felt across the nation, and Madison County is no exception. Austin Ross, who works with United Way of Madison County, is a member of AmeriCorps, an organization supported by the federal government with the goal of “helping others and meeting critical needs in the community.” “Most … [Read more...]