On Saturday, select departments, residence halls, social clubs, interest clubs and honor societies will join forces to provide food, entertainment and information during the annual Homecoming street fair. Unlike previous years, the street fair will be held on the KWC walkway and in the Smith-Martin courtyard, running from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. According to Kenny Parson, president of Dativus, his club always looks forward to being part of the street fair. “Dativus will be selling … [Read more...]
AU students participate in global climate strike
Last week, millions of individuals from hundreds of countries stood together for one united cause: the Global Climate Strike. Citizens from the United States, Scotland, Mexico, Canada and other countries gathered in protest of climate change in an effort to raise awareness about protecting the environment. All-in-all, more than six million protesters participated in this worldwide movement. Many AU students were proud to be part of this number. The students who brought … [Read more...]
Campus groundhog threatened with eviction
Students are used to seeing squirrels and rabbits scurrying throughout the Valley, but many were shocked to see that a groundhog has also taken up residence on campus. While many appreciate groundhogs for their ability to see their own shadow, AU students have grown to appreciate the Valley’s newest resident on a deeper level. According to Rachael Shaver, freshman flute performance major, the groundhog is well-known across campus. “He’s kind of like the new mascot around campus,” she … [Read more...]
Is Textbook Butler a money-saver?
At the beginning of every semester, each AU student is faced with the same difficult question: to be a Textbook Butler user or to not be a Textbook Butler user? Introduced to AU in 2012, Textbook Butler is a convenient resource for students that automatically purchases or rents students’ textbooks on a semester-by-semester basis. The cost of this service is then added to students’ accounts. However, students often question whether this program is truly cost-efficient. According to Dustin … [Read more...]
Random room searches now to be conducted with ‘reasonable cause’
Along with many areas across campus, the student handbook received a few updates this summer. The most notable of these updates is a change of wording in the room search policy. AU’s updated room search policy reads, “The university reserves the right to inspect students’ rooms for damage or to enter to make repairs. The university also reserves the right to enter students’ rooms or conduct randomized room searches, given reasonable cause, to ensure adherence to university policies or to … [Read more...]
Where were you when the world stopped?
On September 11, 2001, an entire nation slowed to a somber halt as all eyes turned to its largest city. Eighteen years ago, every citizen stopped their routine and watched in utter disbelief; the United States of America was under attack. President John Pistole remembers the day in great detail. “I was with the FBI in the senior executive service on the inspection division,” he recalled. “I was in upstate New York, and I had just interviewed some people in the local TV and radio … [Read more...]
Campus-wide updates completed during summer
Rodney Raven is not the only thing that has experienced improvement at AU over the summer. Campus staff has been hard at work for the past few months to ensure a warm welcome for students as they return to campus. As Ravens return to their favorite campus coffee shop, they may find it unrecognizable. Last semester, SGA surveyed the student body about what changes they wanted to see the most on campus. Updates to Mocha Joe's won by a landslide. According to Whitney Jimenez, … [Read more...]
AU enrollment numbers reflect gender trends across the nation
Although the official enrollment numbers for AU’s 2019-20 school year have not yet been released, one thing is certain; the freshman class is comprised of more female than male students. Ryon Kaopuiki, vice president for enrollment, explained that, while data does not yet exist for this year, it is clear that the majority of students attending AU are women. “We’re still pulling all the data together,” he said. “The gap isn’t as large as in the past, but it’s still more female than … [Read more...]
SGA plans summer redesign for Mocha Joe’s
When classes resume in the fall, students will return to find Mocha Joe’s sporting an entirely new look. This summer, the beloved campus coffee shop will undergo substantial remodeling. Partnering with the Business and Auxiliary Committee, SGA is overseeing this operation. SGA President Liam Crays spoke to the logistics of the remodeling process. “We are currently in the process of purchasing new items to refresh Mocha Joe’s,” explained Crays. “Most of these updates will be implemented … [Read more...]
Road work begins on College Drive
With the recent commotion on College Drive, students have seen construction workers, trucks, shovels, flaggers, piles of asphalt and a plethora of orange cones. The ruckus has left students confused. Joe Royer, executive director of facilities and property management, explained that the work being done is in preparation for more road construction in the future. “There is a street renovation project for College Drive between University Boulevard and Fifth Street slated to begin May 13 and … [Read more...]