The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced Monday that they are moving several fall sports—including football, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball—to the spring semester in response to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the country. The announcement came via a press release after months of speculation as to whether college sports would be played as scheduled in the fall semester. “The decisions on shifting the competitive seasons for these high contact risk sports … [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
Photo by Nouhad Melki 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 … [Read more...]
COVID-19 forces students to isolate themselves
Due to COVID-19, most students at AU have been forced out of their on-campus residences without many of their belongings or, in some cases, a safe place to go. In addition to this transition, students have also had to adjust to online learning. For junior Emily Frost, the biggest challenge so far has been finding motivation. “It is really hard to want to get work done during the day,” Frost said. “It feels overwhelming, and as an extrovert, it is really hard to stay energized … [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...]
Lacrosse coach discusses abrupt end to season
The lacrosse program at AU was in its second season, and Head Coach Jacob Ashton was prepared to get his boys to conference—until the season abruptly ended due to COVID-19. Ashton grew up in Virginia playing many different sports. In his youth, Ashton played baseball and football. It wasn’t until high school that he decided to make the switch over to lacrosse. Ashton had always been a fan of physical sports and wanted to give something new a try. “I fell in love with it,” Ashton … [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...]