Crystal Luong
News Editor
On the steps of Smothers Theatre, Monday evening reflected a familiar scene from fall semester’s end: Students were being turned away from a full Convocation program. Perhaps it was the result of torrential rains driving many indoors, or others learning to fulfill attendance requirements early instead of waiting until the last minute.
In any case, the Convocation Office has responded to student demands to avoid such further scenes this spring with 12 additional “unlimited seating” events outside of Wednesday morning Fieldhouse programs.
There are hopes that providing more options will ease the crunch at the end of the semester. Convo programs in the final weeks of the fall logged about 500 students per event, according to Guy Chmieleski, Convocation and Student Ministries coordinator.
Will more options lead to the dissipation of disgruntled students and avoid the distribution of “green tickets” to limited seating events? To do so, students are advised to act responsibly.
“Quite honestly, unless students choose to take care of their requirements in a timely manner this semester, the same scenario could still happen,” Chmieleski said. “Much of the onus still falls on the shoulder of each student.”
Freshman Raine Mitchell has taken this cue in her strategy to reach the required 14 Convo credits to earn an “A.”
“I think I’ll get rid of all of them really soon,” said Mitchell, a sports medicine major, “(I’ll) get rid of all 14 in the first five weeks.”
There are currently 13 Wednesday, 10 a.m., Convo programs scheduled, and about 40 additional chances to scan in for credits, not counting foreign-language chapels.
The 12 new unlimited seating Convo programs include eight late-night, student-led worship services in Waves Café, and the last four Celebration Chapels of the semester will be in the outdoor amphitheatre rather than in Stauffer Chapel.
ssuing green tickets to attend small-venue programs will be a thing of the past until they become necessary.
“We cannot patrol hundreds of students waiting in line to get into limited seating programs at the end of the semester,” Chmieleski said. “We just don’t have that kind of person power. The green tickets seemed to be our best option and, if need be, we will use them again.”
Many students are welcoming the Convo series’ changes.
“I think they (administrators) are attempting to do a better job,” said senior Adam Coulson, a political science and philosophy major. “I like the schedule so far.”
The Convocation Office encourages students who have issues with Convo to openly address them through the program’s Web site and PepXpress or via appointment and walk-in talks.
“Our goal is to provide programs where students can be challenged in their faith journey in conjunction with the mission and heritage of Pepperdine University,” Chmieleski said.
01-13-2005