As students head home and adjust to the schedule change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the arts on campus are coming to a halt. Musical theatre, cinema and media arts, dance majors, faculty and many others are figuring out what to do next amid these unfortunate circumstances. “The AU dance department is already looking into how to deliver online instruction for a dance course," said assistant professor of dance Erich Yetter. “This is not a highly developed area due to the experiential … [Read more...]
Athletic season suspended amidst national COVID-19 outbreak
“All athletic competition (conference and non-conference) at HCAC member institutions is indefinitely suspended, effective immediately,” read a statement released by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) on March 13. With this statement, the busy season of AU Athletics came to a halt. Among the affected sports are men’s and women’s lacrosse, tennis, baseball and softball. “Sadly our season has come to an end with the growing concern of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said Head … [Read more...]
Professors prepare to go online
AU will be shifting all classes to an online format the week following spring break, university administration announced on March 11. While students are wondering how this switch will be possible for some of their hands-on-learning-oriented classes, professors are finding unique ways to ensure that students will still receive proper instruction. Although she has never taught a course entirely online, Professor Deborah Miller-Fox of the English department has begun the process of … [Read more...]
Classes to be held online amid coronavirus pandemic
All classes will be shifted to an online format the week following spring break, according to university administration. In an email announcement sent out to the student body on March 11, President Pistole explained the details of this decision. “Based on rapidly developing events, for the week following spring break, March 23-27, we will shift all classes to an online, e-learning system,” he said. “There will be no in-person classes that week.” Pistole explained that this decision came … [Read more...]
Tri-S trip postponed due to coronavirus outbreak
With her suitcase packed, her week off of work secured and her sight-seeing planned, junior Public Relations major Macy Jent was eagerly awaiting the Tri-S trip to London for which she would embark in four days. Just like the other students who signed up for the trip, Jent had planned and fully paid for the long-awaited spring break getaway. On March 9, an email was sent out to all students signed up for the March 13 London trip announcing that the trip would be postponed until May. The … [Read more...]
SGA election underway
Beginning on Thursday, March 5, students will have the opportunity to vote for AU’s next SGA president and vice president. Two duos have announced their candidacy: Bryson Sleppy and Elli Brooks, as well as Daniel Gaines and Maddie Rastetter. Sleppy, junior national security major, and Brooks, junior social work major, announced their candidacy in February. “We have a strong love for this place and this community,” said Sleppy. “We love this place, and we want to see it … [Read more...]
Rice Hall deemed unusable
Rice Hall had found a new purpose with the Musical Theater Department. The department had been using the building as a site for rehearsals and select classes until a few weeks ago. In January, the department was asked to take a temporary leave from the facility by the Physical Plant Department. “PPD had all classes and rehearsal leave temporarily, and we’ve heard nothing back since then. That was about a month ago,” said sophomore musical theater major and performer Brady … [Read more...]
High schooler’s half-court shot goes viral
Last Saturday, O.C. Lewis Gymnasium erupted in excitement when incoming freshman Rylan Metz sunk a half-court shot. However, it wasn’t just the satisfaction of sinking the shot that made the crowd go wild—the unlikely basket also came with a full year of free tuition. The video of the moment captured lots of cheer, including the reaction of Trent Palmer, director of young alumni engagement. “It was pandemonium for sure,” Palmer said. “I didn’t even realize until I watched the video that … [Read more...]
Local high school student hits half-court shot worth $30,000
Filming by Skylar Cramer and Jon Williams; Voiceover by Jordan Yaney; Article by Jacey Crawford Alexandria High School's Rylan Metz drained a half-court shot on Saturday, winning a full year of free tuition to AU. Metz, a randomly-selected high school student attending the AU basketball game, was given two chances to make the half-court shot, making the second shot. Metz will be a freshman at AU in the fall and is committed to play baseball. … [Read more...]
Coronavirus epidemic continues
A recently-discovered respiratory disease has been threatening world health at a rapidly growing rate, with tens of thousands around the world currently infected. First found in Wuhan City, China in late 2019, the respiratory disease is one of seven known coronaviruses that affect humans. These six other coronaviruses have been known and studied since the 1960s, with this newly discovered coronavirus being the latest addition to the list. The disease, which is related to the 2003 pandemic … [Read more...]