For years, students have enjoyed two campus events that have become staples of the AU experience: Cheap Thrills, put on by the social club Dativus, and Encore, organized by Avanti Boosters. On Oct. 17 at 8 p.m., the two clubs will be joining forces to create a brand-new event—“Cheap Encore.” Austin Hostetler, a junior music business major and the productions officer for Avanti Boosters, explained that the idea was formed during a meeting between Dean of Students Chris Leukenga and members of … [Read more...]
Students experience quarantine on campus
“It’s okay, because COVID doesn’t spread at night,” said Jessica Pulaski jokingly in an Instagram story, as she and her roommates recorded a nightly walk during quarantine. Like Pulaski and her roommates, 32 AU students are currently under a quarantine order. Their story is a window into what it might be like to quarantine at AU. “My roommate tested positive and I was exposed to her,” said Pulaski, a junior double major of elementary education and complimentary … [Read more...]
AU to implement randomized COVID-19 testing
In a video message to the student body on Sept. 19, Dr. Sarah Neal, lead of AU’s COVID-19 Task Force, announced the introduction of voluntary randomized COVID-19 testing for AU’s campus. “We need to keep testing,” said Neal. “That’s because about 40-45% of all cases are asymptomatic, meaning people have absolutely no symptoms whatsoever. They’re carrying the virus, and they’re sharing it with their friends, even though they don’t mean to.” Due to the significant number COVID-19 cases being … [Read more...]
Leadership relaxes certain housing restrictions
With the first two weeks of fall semester in the rearview mirror, administration has made the decision to eliminate several COVID-19-related housing guidelines and rules. Dillon Lockwood, Resident Director of on-campus apartments, explained in an email to students that these changes made were “based on hallway traffic, quarantine usage, location of bathrooms and style of living.” For apartments and suites—Fair Commons, South Campus Apartments and Myers Hall—some rules remain the … [Read more...]
Q&A: Sarah Neal
AU alumna Dr. Sarah Neal serves as a professor in the nursing department. This year, she has taken on a special role with the university as the lead of the “COVID-19 Task Force.” She has degrees in social work, nursing and public health. What is your role with our university? “As Lead of the COVID task course, I handle all kinds of COVID scenarios. That's coming up with policies and procedures and consulting with all the different campus constituents so that I can help every area on … [Read more...]
New kind of theatre creates opportunities
While the pandemic has created numerous obstacles for the musical theatre department, it has not prevented socially-distanced and masked rehearsals and performances. Although performances this semester will not have live audiences, they still provide unique and innovative opportunities for students. Among the fall productions is one unlike any show performed in AU’s history. Titled “Spoon River Anthology and Beyond,” students from the School of Music, Theatre and Dance are working with … [Read more...]
CAB focuses sights on student engagement
Amidst newly-introduced guidelines and mask mandates, CAB is anticipating another successful year of events on campus. CAB is led by Danie Adams and Kelsi Allen. Adams and Allen have been tasked with planning new events and reorganizing old events to comply with the regulations on campus. Adams, who is also the assistant director of student engagement on campus, explained how CAB went about planning events for campus this year given the circumstances. “This year, we … [Read more...]
Dance majors remain optimistic for coming year
Last school year ended in disappointment for many of the dance majors on campus. The cancellation of Spring into Dance, a professor-choreographed show put on by the dance department, stopped the senior dance majors from having their last chance to showcase their talents on the Reardon stage. For dance majors who did not graduate last year, the optimism of another school year remained. Meredith Haskell, a senior dance major, shared her enthusiasm for returning to campus after … [Read more...]
Students experience chapel in new ways
As students come back to AU’s campus and Christian universities begin to experience their first couple weeks together, it’s evident that spiritual life looks very different. Just like classes and most other events, chapel has switched to a more virtual-driven format. AU has transitioned to a completely virtual format, while also addressing that chapel will no longer be mandatory for students due to the inability to fit everyone in one place safely according to CDC … [Read more...]
Campus arts adapt to new performance guidelines
It’s no question that one of the biggest areas of entertainment affected by the coronavirus pandemic is music, specifically live performances. A normal weekend on AU’s campus consists of some kind of music performance, whether it’s a choir, a musical theater performance or a group performance in Mocha Joe’s. As students travel back to campus for the first time since March, the School of Music, Theater and Dance is working diligently to make these performances happen in a safe way for … [Read more...]