As students are returning for the fall semester, campus hardly looks or feels the same. Although this semester will differ from previous semesters in many ways, Dean of Students Chris Luekenga assures students that the campus-wide procedures and policies are being introduced to ensure students’ health and safety. “We understand that there will be inconveniences and that the campus experience will be different for the fall semester,” said Luekenga. “We also know that Ravens are … [Read more...]
AU to host ‘Black Lives Matter’ series
As the national conversation surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement continues, several members of the AU community have called on the university to use its platform to take a stand. Among other AU affiliates, alumnus Alphonso Blackwell, class of 2020, has offered his input and shared his experiences to shed light on the racial discrimination faced on campus. “I have plenty of stories about my experiences of racism on AU’s campus,” said Blackwell, citing incidents of racial slurs used … [Read more...]
AU to implement COVID-19 policies for fall semester
As countless college campuses across the nation prepare to implement unprecedented health modifications in the wake of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, AU has followed suit. Although the fall semester may look and feel different from previous semesters, Dean of Students Chris Luekenga assures students that these campus-wide procedures and policies are being introduced to ensure students’ health and safety. “We understand that there will be inconveniences and that the campus … [Read more...]
South Campus Apartments to remain open
On January 30, the department of Residence Life announced the closing of AU’s South Campus Apartments. Three months later, in the midst of a national pandemic, this announcement was reversed. According to Maggie Platt, director of Residence Life and Student Conduct, the nearly-50-year-old apartment complex was being sold due to fewer students seeking apartment housing. “When we looked at the number of students who applied for housing, we were going to have quite a few empty spaces spread … [Read more...]
COVID-19 restrictions disrupt students’ plans
With fundraising money collected and arrangements made, junior Spanish major Mckala Lindsey was more than ready to study abroad in Chile this summer. However, her plans were suddenly uprooted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 18, the university canceled in-person classes for the remainder of the semester in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. For many students, this announcement also meant the cancellation of important events and trips. “I attempted to move my study abroad … [Read more...]
Administration approves credit/no credit for Spring semester
Due to complications of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden shift to online classes, university administration has approved the credit/no credit grading policy petitioned by the student body. In an email sent to the student body on April 17, President John Pistole outlined the details of this decision. “Faculty reviewed the student petition for a pass/fail option for Spring 2020 and voted this week to approve a temporary grading policy that will allow undergraduate students to opt for … [Read more...]
Annual Black Bird Film Festival to be held online
Although the communication and design arts department’s Black Bird Film Festival is known for its crimson-red carpet and logo-covered backdrops, it will be adopting a much different look this year. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event that draws crowds of students, faculty, staff and members of the Anderson community will be shifted to an online format. Jack Lugar, associate professor of cinema and media arts and host of the Black Bird Film Festival, explained … [Read more...]
Professor organizes writing challenge to encourage creativity
For the month of April, Professor Jack Lugar of the communication and design arts department has decided to organize a special edition of his annual AU Storytelling Month (StoMo). StoMo, an event that usually takes place in February, is a month-long, campus-wide writing challenge that asks participants to write 500 words a day. While Ravens are quarantined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lugar has decided to create a new edition of this challenge, calling it “StoMo Stay@Home.” “The … [Read more...]
SGA adapts to COVID-19 pandemic
While students and professors are working to get the most out of online education, SGA is also working to adapt to the new circumstances due to COVID-19. Because students will not be returning to campus for the rest of the semester, SGA has decided to postpone their events for this semester, specifically the 5K planned for this spring. Current President Becca Peach and Vice President Carter Haupt, along with President-Elect Daniel Gaines and Dean of Students Chris Leukenga, have been … [Read more...]
Seniors discuss impact of COVID-19 pandemic
For AU's class of 2020, many of their “lasts” came a lot sooner than they thought, and some didn’t even come at all. Along with the news on March 18 that the remainder of the semester would be online, seniors learned that commencement would also be canceled. Senior biology major Ellen Doss decided to take initiative and create a petition to share on social media in hopes that a commencement held at a later date could happen. “This, already on the top of the list of ‘lasts’ the … [Read more...]