Andrews University Agenda

Andrews University Agenda http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/ News and Events at Andrews University en-us Copyright 2024, Andrews University Fri, 22 Nov 2024 05:47:00 +0000 Fri, 22 Nov 2024 05:47:00 +0000 webmaster@andrews.edu webmaster@andrews.edu Virtual Research Conferences, May 17-21 http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/58338 Wed, 12 May 2021 14:55:20 +0000 Defending the Intrinsic Value of Each Life Lost http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/58208 Friends, On Monday evening, the Derek Chauvin trial went to the jury following closing arguments. This widely followed trial will soon be over. This trial, which brought charges against Chauvin, a former police officer, for the death of George Floyd nearly one year ago, is one that has raised multiple intense emotions throughout the country and the world. In many ways this trial has become about something far more than whether or not one man is guilty. The trial has also had the effect of polarizing opinions on law enforcement and justice. It has specifically raised the sensitive, yet real, issues of systemic racism in our world. With all of this, at the heart of the passionate exchanges surrounding the trial is something very critical, for what is on trial are truly and ultimately the priorities and values of this nation and, further than that, the priorities and values held by each of us, both personally as well as corporately, as a community of faith. These conversations ask whether we, for example, are willing to defend unequivocally our beliefs in the sanctity of life and the intrinsic value of each person as created by God? Are we clear that there are not tiers of human value within God’s kingdom? I recall the famous words of John Donne, “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” I truly believe that if we lose our capacity to mourn lost lives, and if we do not do all we can to save lives, I would suggest that as a community we are at risk of losing our own soul. Irrespective of the verdict of this trial, we do know that a life has been lost and we should care about that. Further, irrespective of the reasons and motivations of the killer, eight lives were lost in a mass shooting in Indianapolis last week. We should also care about that, too. And on any day or week, we could continue sadly with a long list of similar lost lives. As individuals and as a community of faith, we should mourn for those lost lives and we should care greatly about bringing change to society so that fewer lives (all of value) are lost. As you may know, Andrews University is approved as a site for a <a href="https://www.andrews.edu/diversity/trht_campus_center/index.html">Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center</a>, which opened on our campus this past semester. That means we, with a group of other universities in the United States, have been identified as a campus that is not afraid of the difficult questions and we wish to face those hard questions through a process of listening in order to ultimately bring reconciliation and healing. That also means we seek to understand and listen to very real pain that such tragic and high-profile deaths bring to our world, our nation and community. It means we must find a way to frame these difficult conversations in a way that brings our community together in a truly shared commitment. Whatever the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial, it’s inescapable that a tragedy has happened. And whatever the verdict, there will be some who are angry and some who will rejoice. But that is not the end of this story, not the conclusion of this tragedy. As a campus we will find an opportunity through our Office of Diversity & Inclusion and the Center for Faith Engagement to create a listening space for this community as the Chauvin trial ends and a verdict is delivered. As an Andrews University community, please know that we will be there for you. We will want to actively share, listen and learn. We want to take the time to carefully discover together how we can be change agents in a world where value is too often removed from the realities that first, all life is sacred and second, there is no hierarchy of value when it comes to human lives. Please look out for the announcements for those formal opportunities to talk and listen together. Please join us for those honest and meaningful conversations. In the meantime let us pray, today and always, that as individuals and as a community we may have the grace to become truly world changing leaders who value and identify with all human lives. We must do that not just in words but in action. Thank you for your continued prayers and involvement as we continue through this difficult, but essential, journey to understand and assure value, meaning and care for one another. Sincerely, Andrea Luxton President Tue, 20 Apr 2021 12:13:38 +0000 Rise Together: Celebrating Our AAPI Community http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/58162 Dear friends, As many of you may know, the United States has designated the month of May as a time to recognize and celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. "While they share some experiential commonalities, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are a vast and diverse community, some native to the United States, hailing from Hawaii and our Pacific Island territories," said President Barack Obama, as he recognized the significance of this heritage month. "Others trace their heritage to dozens of countries. All are treasured citizens who enrich our Nation in countless ways, and help fulfill the promise of the American dream which has drawn so many to our shores." Unfortunately, since AAPI Heritage Month in May of each year falls during Andrews University’s summer semester and break, we have not typically had a specific official on-campus celebration during that month. We’d like to approach that differently this year, and the Office of Diversity & Inclusion is collaborating with our Center for Faith Engagement, the Proximity Vespers team, as well as our Andrews Filipino International Association, our Southern Asia Student Association, our Andrews Society of Indonesian Students, and our Korean American Student Association to jointly host and present a series of events that I hope and pray will help us appropriately honor, celebrate and affirm Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage and culture. We are also grateful that the BSCF Impact team agreed to provide the Howard Performing Arts Center space for Proximity Vespers this Friday. I hope you can join us at any (or all) of the events and especially for our "Rise Together" vespers this Friday evening. Here’s a list of this month’s events: April 9: "Rise Together" AAPI Heritage Vespers <ul> <li> Proximity Vespers (Livestream also available on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCULcNSIicKJBVEpRXn2RATA">YouTube </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andrewsuniversity">Facebook</a>)</li> <li> Howard Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.</li> <li> Seating is limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.</li> </ul> April 10: Pottalk An AAPI Talk & Potluck (this event will be a follow-up and continuation of our March 22 town hall program, which focused on the need to successfully #StopAsianHate in our world and here in our own communities) <ul> <li> University Towers, 4:30 p.m. (Livestream also available on <a href="https://andrews.zoom.us/j/96449592590">Zoom</a>)</li> <li> Seating is limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.</li> <li> Pre-packaged food will be given to attendees on their way home.</li> </ul> April 10: "Once Upon a Time … in Bollywood" A South Asian Celebration presented by SASA filled with songs, entertainment, snacks and more. <ul> <li> Newbold Auditorium (Buller Hall), 7 p.m.</li> <li> Tickets are available <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sasa-cultural-night-tickets-146153817001">here</a>. All proceeds from the event will go to support the AAPI Community Fund.</li> <li> Seating is limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.</li> </ul> April 16: "Tagumpay" Pilipino Culture Night 2021 presented by AFIA Pilipino Culture Night (PCN) is an annual event AFIA holds to share Filipino culture through performative mediums. This year’s performance will be an original play written by one of our students! <ul> <li> Howard Performing Arts Center, 5 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m.)</li> <li> In-person & livestream tickets can be purchased <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tagumpay-pcn-2021-tickets-146508443699?internal_ref=social">here</a>.</li> <li> Due to University COVID-19 guidelines, seating is limited due to current COVID-19 restrictions for performances in the Howard Performing Arts Center. As a result, in-person attendance to this Pilipino Culture Night is limited to current University students, faculty and staff, and those living in the same household.</li> <li> This production contains intense scenes and the use of a strobe light. Viewer discretion is advised.</li> <li> Food, AFIA merchandise, and playbills will be sold after the play.</li> <li> Proceeds from PCN will be donated to the organization <a href="https://stopaapihate.org/">Stop AAPI Hate</a>.</li> </ul> I am so excited about celebrating and honoring AAPI heritage and culture with our entire Andrews University community. This celebration is especially important now as we seek to understand and confront ongoing racism and violence against our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities here in the United States and throughout our world. This incredible series of programs would not be possible without the talent, commitment, and creative energy of our AAPI students and employees. As we prepare for this month of celebration, reflection and understanding, I want to specifically thank each one of you in those communities for taking the time and effort to invite us into your cultural spaces—especially right now—so that we can better understand, celebrate and appreciate who you are and what it is you experience on an everyday basis. Once again, I invite our entire campus family to join us over the course of the next few weeks as we take the time to intentionally celebrate and fully honor the AAPI members of our community. Grace and peace, Michael Nixon Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion Thu, 08 Apr 2021 22:00:18 +0000 Undergraduate Research & Honors Scholars Symposium http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/58008 Andrews University has placed a strong emphasis on serious scholarship, quality research, and practical Christianity since its establishment as a university in 1960. In keeping with this focus, undergraduate research students (URS) and J.N. Andrews Honors Scholars each year disseminate their scholarly research findings in an annual poster session.  On Friday, March 26, 2021, more than 40 students participated in a virtual poster symposium. <a href="https://undergraduateresearchandhon.sched.com/">Click here</a> to review our students' posters and watch their video presentations.  Students from the disciplines of archaeology, biology, chemistry & biochemistry, computing, communication sciences & disorders, engineering, English, mathematics, music, nursing, physics, population health, nutrition & wellness, and the social & behavioral sciences shared their research methodology and findings and answered questions. Undergraduate research scholars receive tuition scholarships from the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS) to support their research activities each semester. The ORCS seeks to expand the number of students engaged in research by providing support for student presentations at regional and national disciplinary conferences as well as Undergraduate Research Scholarships. Learn more about our <a href="https://www.andrews.edu/services/research/student_resources/undergraduate_research/index.html">Undergraduate Research Scholar Award.</a> Thu, 25 Mar 2021 18:11:42 +0000 Updates on COVID-19 Vaccinations http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/58004 Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:14:39 +0000 Let's Hope Together http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/58078 Greetings friends, Just over a year ago, our Center for Faith Engagement (CFE) took a team of student leaders to a religious conference in Boulder, Colorado. The focus of that gathering was “The Great Disruption: Jesus’ Unprecedented Confrontation with Politics, Theology, and Belonging.” One conference participant during a group discussion shared a sense of personal fatigue about compassion and advocacy. In their words, “With so much going wrong in the world, in our nation, and communities, can we really do it all?” Earlier this week, ten people were senselessly killed in a supermarket in that same city, Boulder, Colorado. Last week, eight people were killed at work in the Atlanta, Georgia, area, and our vice president for Diversity & Inclusion, Michael Nixon, shared some important reflections on those Atlanta killings and hatred and racism against our Asian brothers and sisters in his Divino blog; you can read that post <a href="https://www.andrews.edu/diversity/blog/index.html">here</a>. Since Feb. 1, 2021, the military coup in Myanmar has led to a growing death toll in that country, with over 230 individuals killed so far. Admittedly, this brief and incomplete inventory of recent tragedies presents a fraction of the violent acts committed by one human to another human, all in places around the world that members of our University community call home. As I reflect on these tragedies, you may remember that the Bible speaks about our world only becoming increasingly more violent. And Jesus himself is very clear when he said: “In this world, you will have trouble” (John 16:33). So, it’s a great and urgent question: If even the prophetic imagination of the gospel writers includes global, persistent acts of violence and loss of life and communities in socio-political upheaval, is there anything we can do? It’s a question with a great answer: Yes, there is something you and I can do! First, I believe that we can find significance, encouragement and peace simply by being hopeful. I personally find my hope by trusting in God. The stories and promises shared throughout the Bible show that God is consistently faithful. In my life, and the life stories many others have shared with me, we are all witnesses to God actively journeying with us to get us through difficult moments in our own lives and throughout the world. I find hope in the remaining words in Jesus’ quote that I shared earlier: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” I also find hope when I carry my suffering in solidarity with others. The Bible does contain prophecies that foretell violent and uncertain times. But in the same collection of stories we find individuals and communities encouraging and building each other up to overcome those awful circumstances. For example, there is the story of Esther, a woman who was the member of a persecuted and marginalized group, advocating in the king’s court on behalf of her people. Another Bible story tells of a widower on the verge of losing her children to slavery simply so she could pay her debts, but she is instead delivered by the charity and commerce of her local community. Or, there’s the story of when God works through a young boy with a small lunch to feed thousands. We also read of a moment when even the Son of God is helped by Simon of Cyrene who carries Jesus’ cross the rest of the way. That last story is an important affirmation: God works with and through us to carry the burdens of others. That means something pretty incredible—we can do something! The apostle Paul shares this hope: “That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Corinthians 12:25, 26). For the followers of God, solidarity is an important aspect of justice and even an essential condition for unity. As an Andrews University community, as a people of faith, we can individually and together stand opposed to violent acts against all humans. And we can ultimately experience unity through solidarity in each other’s suffering. This last Monday, a number of our students, faculty and staff gathered together in person (and online) to reflect on the hatred and racism experienced by our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and members of the AAPI community around the world. During that powerful, and often heartbreaking, evening together, one student shared this thought: “We have been quiet all this time … and we've just been waiting to talk like this … why do we feel like strangers here at Andrews … why don't we feel like home ...? I hope Andrews can make us feel like home again ..." That’s a challenging statement to hear, but I truly believe that we can be the embodiment of this student’s hope and can be the fulfillment of God’s promise, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 40:10). Amidst a world that is all too frequently touched by disappointment, hatred and violence, let’s seek each other out to simply and consistently offer our presence and a shoulder to help carry each other’s burdens (sometimes, even before it’s obviously needed!). If you’re personally struggling with these issues, I encourage you to reach out to our chaplains in the <a href="mailto:engagefaith@andrews.edu">Center for Faith Engagement</a> or to our counselors in the <a href="mailto:ctcenter@andrews.edu">Counseling & Testing Center</a> if you need someone to listen, care and pray. I pray that we each lean into these challenging moments by leaning on each other. Let’s be a community—a beloved community—that is hopeful and a community that is ultimately a home for all of us, even and especially when we hurt. Love is Life, José Bourget University Chaplain Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:04:43 +0000 Ending the Virus of Hatred http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/58054 Dear friends, Andrews University joins with the <a href="https://www.nadadventist.org/news/north-american-division-leaders-call-support-asian-american-community">Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America</a>, along with voices from across America and around the world, in fully, strongly condemning the recent acts of racism, violence and hatred directed toward the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. In particular, we directly condemn the violent acts of a gunman <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/03/17/978141138/atlanta-shooting-suspect-is-believed-to-have-visited-spas-he-targeted">who has been charged with killing eight people</a> at Atlanta-area spas in Atlanta, Georgia, earlier this week. While the shooter's motive is not yet clear in his initial interviews with the police, the identity of the victims, which included six women of Asian descent, is a painful reminder of an alarming rise in anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate crimes in the United States—a trend of hatred, violence and even death that must end. This week's incident is only another stark reminder of the pressing need to urgently root out and eliminate this viral pandemic of racism from our nation and world toward our AAPI brothers and sisters and for any other member of our community who experiences racism and acts of hatred and violence. Over the last year, the coalition <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/03/17/978055571/anti-asian-attacks-rise-during-pandemic-read-nprs-stories-on-the-surge-in-violen">Stop AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Hate</a> has tracked incidents of violence and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. In that yearlong <a href="http://templatelab.com/stop-aapi-hate-report/">study</a>, released early this month, nearly 3,800 instances of discrimination had been reported against persons of Asian descent in the past 12 months—<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/03/11/975592502/asian-americans-experience-far-more-hate-incidents-than-numbers-indicate">a number that is likely much higher</a>. Underreporting of these incidents can be due to a number of different factors including, but not limited to, language and cultural barriers, a lack of trust in law enforcement, as well as fears of retaliation in the AAPI community. In particular, it would be a mistake to not also point out, especially during our celebration of Women's History Month, the fact that the majority of victims of recent hate crimes directed toward the AAPI community have been women. Of the 3,800 persons to report anti-AAPI hate incidents recorded by Stop AAPI Hate between March 19, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2021, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/there-were-3-800-anti-asian-racist-incidents-mostly-against-n1261257">68 percent of them were women</a>. There clearly appears to be an intersectional dynamic in which hate-filled perpetrators of violence are perceiving women of AAPI descent as easier targets and are therefore targeting them at a much higher rate. This is part of a tragic legacy where Asian women are also at increased risk as objects of gender-based sexual violence. On Feb. 10, 2020, I, along with our Office of International Student Services & Programs, <a href="http://www.andrews.edu/diversity/blog/?fbclid=IwAR3KB33BjgcP56vgqUrUL_q-iKgN7Tj3mDyomN1sUPOX5qXRxZ2poL0bP3E#event55420">released a Divino statement</a> that launched our campus' #IAmNotAVirus campaign. This campaign was inspired by a global initiative early last year to combat xenophobic fears and racist tropes targeting persons of Asian descent within our community based on false information about the spread of COVID-19, which was just beginning to spread worldwide (at that point last year, there were only 43,000 cases and 1,000 deaths globally, and the disease had just been given the name COVID-19). You may also remember from that Divino post that I received letters from members of our own University community who had been unfairly targeted on the basis of their Asian heritage. At that time, I called on us as a University community to seek to create spaces for our campus community to talk together more thoughtfully and carefully about how we can also celebrate and affirm Asian/Asian American students and employees. The message of that Divino post on #IAmNotAVirus led to a number of reports in local media and in social media shares around the world. It eventually even led to an interview with a newspaper in Hong Kong that had heard about the Divino post and the significance of the campaign to end hatred against Asians. Once again, since February 2020 when that Divino post first appeared, the acts of hatred and violence against the AAPI community have only widened. Our society has also further marginalized our Asian brothers and sisters with the dismaying and widespread use of language like "China Flu" or "Kung Flu" throughout our society and sometimes even from global leaders—inappropriate language that has only further inflamed hatred against the Asian community. I'm also grateful for what our faculty and staff can do to build community and understanding, especially in the face of racism and hatred. My colleague, Duane Covrig, shared a wonderful <a href="https://christianscholars.com/guest-post-anti-asian-racism-during-the-pandemic-how-faculty-on-christian-campuses-can-support-asian-and-asian-american-students/">article</a> last evening from the Christian Scholars Review website. Let me share a remarkable passage from that article, written by Paul Y. Kim, which I think describes an ethical and Christ-like response that a Christian community like Andrews University, a community made up of students, teachers and staff from around the world, should make in the face of hatred and violence like this: "Students often choose to attend Christian colleges and universities based on the strong relationships that are possible with faculty; therefore, it behooves us to provide Christ-like love to our Asian and Asian American students, as they navigate a pandemic world that is filled with hurtful messaging and acts against their own community. Through our collective efforts as faculty, I hope that we can affirm our Asian and Asian American students as image bearers of God (Genesis 1:27), recognize them as an integral part of our learning communities who require a particular type of attention during this time (1 Corinthians 12:12–27), join in their grieving (Romans 12:15), and ultimately point students to the real hope that the diversity of God's family will be fully realized one day (Revelation 7:9–10)." I look forward to continuing to talk with our entire Andrews University community, and to engage with the world we seek to change, as we seek to fully and truly listen to our AAPI brothers and sisters here on campus and around the world and find God-centered ways to pursue tangible and world-changing ways that we can together ensure our community is one where those individuals feel valued, affirmed, respected and supported—and protected always. This coming Monday, March 22, at 8 p.m. in Newbold Auditorium, the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and the Center for Faith Engagement will jointly host a conversation that will give our community, including its students and employees, a space to process these recent events as well as discuss and explore tangible ways our campus community can engage in the movement to stop these acts of hate and violence toward the AAPI community. With this Divino post, I've included a heartbreaking photo that I saw online last evening. The picture eloquently states the approach we should embrace as God's children and proponents of God's kingdom. In the picture, you'll see a young boy carrying a handwritten sign that simply says "Stop Racism! We are not a virus!" (Image Credit: Reuters) That young boy is absolutely right. Hate has no home here, either at Andrews University or around the world. Grace and Peace, Michael Nixon Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion Mon, 22 Mar 2021 12:40:01 +0000 2021 Employee Awards Celebration http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/57957 Visit the 2021 Employee Awards Celebration <a href="https://www.andrews.edu/services/hr/employeeawards/index.html">website</a> to view those who were recognized at the annual event held virtually on Sunday, Feb. 28.  Thu, 04 Mar 2021 23:08:27 +0000