>ady, set, spike
Volleyball finishes second in DePaul Invitational
Painting Samford
Samford professor praised for upholding
Christian values
See page 4
Easy bake oven
Cook up something fresh in the dorm using only
a microwave
See page 6
Samford Crimson
Serving Samford University^Since 1915
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
www.samfordcrimson.com
Volume 93 I Number 2
Convo system
changes for
new students
Lydia Hignite
The Samford Crimson
University Ministries has imple¬
mented a new Convocation system
that will change the way entering
students earn Convo credit.
Freshmen and transfer students
with less than 16 academic credits
will be required to earn 60 Convo
credits in order to graduate, as
opposed to the previous 64 credits.
Each Convocation event will
fall into one of five possible cate¬
gories: Academic Lecture, Christ¬
ian Faith Development, Cultural
and Arts, Personal and Profession¬
al Growth and Faith-Based Ser¬
vice.
“There was a need to have a
system in place that reflected the
current reality, which is that
Convo is now done more than one
way, and it’s much broader,”
University Minister Matt Kerlin
said.
“It tends to cross a lot of aca¬
demic disciplines and so we want¬
ed to design a Convo system that
reflected the fact that faith and
learning happen differently, in dif¬
ferent academic areas.”
The new Convo events into dif¬
ferent categories and freshmen are
now required to earn 15 Convo
credits in each category.
This hinders students from sole¬
ly attending one area of Convoca¬
tion, which was a problem with
the old system, according to
Kerlin.
Sophomores, juniors and sen¬
iors will still adhere to the previ¬
ous Convocation requirements.
The old system entails earning
64 credits, and upperclassmen do
not have to fulfill any category
requirements.
Each, student received a
brochure that explained the new
system at the beginning of last
week. According to the pamphlet,
the focus of the Christian Faith
Development category will be
“worship and spiritual formation,”
whereas Academic Lecture’s will
be “scholarly significance,” and
Cultural Arts will expose students
to “the visual and performing
arts.”
The focuses of Personal and
Professional Growth and Faith-
Based Service will be emotional,
professional, skill-based develop¬
ment and community service.
Faith-Based Service isn’t
required, yet students can substi¬
tute these credits in place of cred¬
its for other categories.
Freshman nursing major Emily
Apple was in favor of the commu¬
nity service Convo credit option.
“It just gives you a better expe¬
rience,” Apple said.
However, the community serv¬
ice project must be approved as
Convo credit prior to involvement.
See CONVO, page 2
Jordan Beard I The Samford Crimson
Students received pamphlets in their Samford mailboxes last
jveek outlining the changes.
Housing rules
newly remodeled
Danielle Cloyd
The Samford Crimson
Samford welcomed a class of
723 new students this semester.
Coming from 25 different
states, the freshmen class is one of
this largest ever on Samford’s
campus.
The growing number of stu¬
dents resulted in several changes
to campus life. The most notable
transformation occurred within the
Residence Life office.
In preparation for this year’s
sizable freshmen class, the univer¬
sity has had to turn several dorms
inside out.
“Assigning students to housing
is like working a new puzzle each
year. We have to fit all die pieces
together, such as the number of
students desiring campus housing,
gender of students and the gender
break-down of buildings, room¬
mate/room requests, etc.,” Resi¬
dence Life Director Lauren Taylor
said. “The challenge each year is
making sure that all the pieces fit
together."
The changes began when the
formerly all-male Pittman dorm
returned to female housing
because 80 female students could
not be accommodated in Vail.
' Freshmen males who were orig¬
inally assigned housing in Pittman
were relocated to Mountain View,
See HOUSING , page 2
Courtesy of
ВШ
Mathews
The old building at Elstal is visibly in need of revamping. The building was previously occupied by Soviet soldiers and has
since not had any residents. Plans to tear down the house are underway.
Samford’s Germany property awaits
promise of new study abroad house
Shannon Dille
The Samford Crimson
Samford’s Daniel House in London has been
enriching students’ lives through the study
abroad program since it was purchased in the
1980’s.
More opportunities are on the horizon for
Samford because of last year’s land purchase
in Berlin, Germany.
The currently house on Samford’s property
is not deemed adequate to fit the needs of those
who will be a part of the study abroad program.
Therefore, Samford has decided to demolish
the old building and erect a new one in its
place.
“The old building at Elstal needs to be
demolished, because it is beyond repair. The
last occupants of the building were Soviet sol¬
diers who lived there before the Berlin Wall
came down,” Provost Brad Creed said.
“Even though we have not constructed a
building on site at Elstal, we have a working
relationship with the school there, and our stu¬
dents are able to use their housing and facilities
for their study-abroad experiences.”
Junior Meg Lozner, a world trade and Ger¬
man major, was able to experience Germany
before the new land was purchased.
Meg was the only Samford student that par¬
ticipated in the Germany study abroad program
last semester.
She attended eight different classes at the
German college Padagogische Hochschule
Weingarten on the border of Switzerland and
Austria.
“It was good because I was forced to speak
German,” Lozner said. “All of the friends I
made were German, and they were very helpful
and patient. If you want to learn a foreign lan¬
guage, that’s the way ttf do it.”
• However, German professor Angela Fergu¬
son said, “Berlin is a place where anyone could
get by speaking only English.”
Since many German citizens speak fluent
English, Ferguson explained Germany would
be suitable for more than just students who
wish to brush up on their language skills.
Ferguson said Germany has a culture that is
rich in history and art.
It may even be possible for students seeking
an art or music appreciation credit to partici¬
pate in the study abroad program at the new
house.
Ferguson said the location is perfect for
those who wish to fully experience all that Ger¬
many has to offer. The house itself is in a small,
peaceful setting, but a 20-minute train ride
offers a whole new experience in the heart of
the city.
The various museums, castles, palaces and
memorials in Berlin are a great way to get a
taste of the rich German historical culture.
“You get a sense of what it is like to be in a
real city like London or Paris,” Ferguson said.
Even Berlin’s open-air markets offer visitors
something that can only be found in Germany.
“I’m excited to see what Samford University
has in store for the Berlin house and how they
will use it for educational and spiritual
advancement,” environmental science and geo¬
graphic information systems major Matt
McEniry said.
“I hope that it is ready before 1 graduate so
I can be able to take part in it.”
Creed said,- “We are working currently on
taking the steps to have the building razed, but
at this time, there are no definite plans to
begin construction on a new building in its
place. For students who are interested in study¬
ing abroad in Germany, my advice is to take
advantage of the programs that Samford offers
in Germany.”
Saints get the spotlight
Lindsay Spencer I The Samford Crimson
i can be found
Depictions of
in tne artwork of
Caroline May
The Samford Crimson
While the main campus was busy with Wel¬
come Back events, the Beeson Divinity School
decided to welcome students by focusing on wor¬
ship and personal devotion through Community
Worship services.
Last year’s service followed the book of
Psalms, but this year the Divinity School focuses
on many of the past Saints who have provided
important examples for walking along the Christ¬
ian path through its series “Walking with the
Saints.” r
“We are pleased to present this guide as a
resource for worship and personal devotion,”
Dean of Beeson Divinity School Timothy George
said.
George decided to concentrate on the saints
since each saint offers a unique message.
The worship services center around
Hebrews 12:1-2 in the New Testament: “There¬
fore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything
that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race
1 out for us.”
“Walking with the Saints” began with a discus¬
sion of Patrick, a Bishop and missionary of Ire¬
land who led many Irish people to convert to
Christianity.
George has invited a wide variety of speakers
who will bring different messages but focus on an
extraordinary individual who has unknowingly
guided many Christians in their walks with Jesus
Christ.
“It’s a new experience every time. Not only do
you get to hear a different speaker each time, but
you get to learn about the Saints as well,” fresh¬
man early childhood education major Stephanie
Pike said.
Most of the saints in the series are represented
in the mural artwork in Hodges Chapel on the
dome and pulpit.
“In addition to the 16 witnesses featured in
the chapel dome, the four Christian preachers
whose likenesses are carved onto the pulpit and
several of the 20th century Christian martyrs
represented, and a few others were included to
help us best represent the diverse work of Chris¬
tians around the world throughout the ages,”
Bridget Rose, curator of Hodges Chapel, said..
See SAINTS, pagcil
EDrrORlAL (205) 726-2998 I BUSINESS (205) 726-2474
Said story ideas to aim9on@samford.edu.