Due to a high number of incoming freshman, AU Housing has made the decision to designate Morrison and Martin Halls as freshman dorms. All second-year female students will be housed in Myers Hall beginning this fall. Assistant Dean of Students Jason Stephens says the decision to use Myers Hall for second-year females was made after receiving the anticipated number of new students from the Office of Admissions. “We are on track for next fall to have 550 new students,” says Stephens. … [Read more...]
Former FBI Deputy Director comments on House Intel Committee memo
On Friday, Feb. 2, President Trump authorized the public release of the GOP’s House Intelligence Committee memo alleging abuse of surveillance powers within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The memo details the FBI’s application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) for approval to surveil Carter Page, Donald Trump’s former foreign-policy adviser, during the 2016 election. Following the release of the memo, top FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials have … [Read more...]
Installation of large American flag causes campus controversy
When Storage of America purchased the former Warner Press building on Fifth Street and installed a large American flag on the property, they likely did not anticipate the heated discussion it would prompt on the AU campus next door. When the flagpole was erected, one of the complaints some students and faculty voiced was its obstruction of Park Place Church of God, which serves as a scenic campus landmark. Others emphasized that the sound of the flag blowing on particularly windy days was … [Read more...]
SOTCM students present at regional conference
Over the weekend, two School of Theology and Christian Ministries students presented research at the Student Religious Studies Conference of the Midwest Society of Biblical Literature. Nikki Edrington, a senior Bible and religion major, shared her paper titled “Tearing the Veil: Women’s Roles in an Honor-Shame World.” Ryan Schwartz, a junior Bible and religion major, presented his paper titled “Religious Images in the 4th Century.” … [Read more...]
Women’s March calls for increased political involvement nationwide
With signs in hand and sensible shoes underfoot, millions of women, men, children and pets from around the world took to the streets on Jan. 21 for the second annual Women’s March. According to organizers, last year’s march was about sending a bold message to the new administration, and to the world, that women’s rights are human rights. This year’s goals focused on increasing voter participation with the slogan “Power to the Polls” and encouraging more women to run for political … [Read more...]
Mathematics students present in San Diego
While most AU students were trudging through below-freezing weather at the start of the semester, two mathematics majors were presenting their research project at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in sunny San Diego, California. Both Christina Coats and Ashley King were ecstatic when they discovered that they had been invited to present their research, titled “On the Creation of Rank Two Centrosymmetric Matrices,” at the largest mathematics conference in the world. “When I found out we were … [Read more...]
Science and Engineering Lecture Series begins tomorrow
Tomorrow, Jan. 25, biology professor Dr. Kimberly Lyle-Ippolito will be delivering the first lecture in this year’s Science and Engineering Lecture Series. She will be speaking about CRISPR, a new and controversial technique in molecular biology that allows cells to be genetically modified. “It is being used to edit human embryos,” said Lyle-Ippolito. “They add this to a human embryo in a dish, and it will change the genetic makeup of the embryo. “They can actually correct genetic … [Read more...]
Government shutdown has local implications
For the first time since 2013, the government of the United States has shut down. The shutdown, which occurred on Friday, Jan. 19 at midnight, was the result of the expiration of a spending bill. Republicans and Democrats have reached an impasse regarding the bill, which did not include protections for the children of illegal immigrants, dubbed “Dreamers,” which Democrats are advocating for. After the Senate failed to reach an agreement regarding the bill, the government shut down, leaving … [Read more...]
Influenza cases increase on campus
Each year, the influenza virus kills thousands of people. In Indiana alone this season, 107 people have been confirmed to have lost their lives to the flu. To date this year, only two people under the age of 24 have died from the flu. Although AU’s Health Services could not confirm the number of cases that have been treated so far this semester, they did confirm via email that they have “seen an increase in the number of patients with flu-like symptoms.” According to Dr. Kimberly … [Read more...]
Decker Hall flooding leaves faculty without offices during cleanup
The English department rang in the new year with a bit of rainy weather inside its Decker Hall home. Faculty have dubbed it the “Great English Department Flood of 2018” on Twitter. A frozen heating pipe burst in an English department office on the third floor of Decker Hall sometime on Jan. 1, causing the “Great Flood.” The flooding primarily affected the English department, but also extended to the second and first floors of Decker Hall. “The entire English department suite had up to … [Read more...]