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...]
Social clubs continue building community on campus
Social clubs on campus will be looking to pick up where they left off last school year, while having to adhere to new guidelines. Assistant Director for Student Engagement Danie Adams is hoping that campus life will be prolonged as a result of the implementation of these recently introduced guidelines. “We hope that if we keep guidelines more strict than in years past, we will be helping students to stay healthy and, therefore, to stay on campus longer,” Adams said. “We are … [Read more...]
HCAC postpones all fall sports
On Wednesday, August 26, in accordance with recommendations and risk assessments from the NCAA, the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced their decision to shut down all athletic competitions for the fall semester. Previously, the low-contact sports of men’s and women’s tennis, cross country and golf were given the green light to compete, while high-contact sports, such as men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball and football, were postponed until the spring season. Now, … [Read more...]
President Pistole welcomes students back
By John Pistole Welcome back Ravens! We are so glad you’re back on campus or here for the first time. It’s been such a quiet, surreal time here these last five plus months. And it just confirms what we all know, or will soon learn, that AU is a relational campus community that does best when we can gather in person, augmented of course by online learning as needed and appropriate, as we did last spring. This fall of course is different—so very different—and I’m personally asking each … [Read more...]
New COVID-19 policies implemented on campus
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...]
Andersonian 2020-08-19
Jacey Crawford and President John Pistole discuss AU's COVID-19 guidelines and policies. … [Read more...]
HCAC moves several fall sports to spring season
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...]