News | 2
News | 3
International students required to quarantine upon arrival to campus
July 2, 2020 Collegedale, Tennessee
Religion | 4
Vespers moves outdoors to safely accomodate more students
Sing through your fear: Learning from the life of Paul and Silas
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Vol. 75 Issue 26 Summer Edition
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Southern’s Board of Trustees approves changes to Fall 2020 schedule
Residence life makes minimal changes to rules, but new precautions set for safety
Taylor Dean News Editor As of last week, the proposal to adjust the Fall 2020 semester schedule that was announced on June 15 was approved by Southern’s Board of Trustees, according to board member Franklin Farrow. The official decision confirms the elimination of mid-term break and will end in-person instruction at Thanksgiving break, followed by two weeks of distance coursework through various methods to complete the semester on December 11.
We’ll continue to communicate like we already are doing now, whether that be through email or the student portal, so that families and students can anticipate their travel plans and parents can prepare for their children to be back sooner than once expected. As stated in the email sent out to students that outlined the new policies for the upcoming semester, this plan reduces travel to and from campus and sends students home during the predicted increase of COVID-19 cases. According to Farrow, the See SCHEDULE on page 2
Thatcher Hall, ladies' residence. Photo courtesy of University Marketing and Relations Department.
Paola Mora Zepeda Editor-in-Chief As Southern’s Campus Preparedness Task Force continues arrangements for a safe reopen of the university, residence life is one of the topics discussed. Though there will be minimal changes to the already existing rules, new precautions will be set in place to ensure the safety of dorm and village residents. Some of the biggest preventive measures include a change in the check-in process, the addition of quarantine halls and the recommendation to wear masks inside the dorms. In previous years, the check-in process has not required students to make prior appointments before moving in. This year, however, Student Development Vice President Dennis Negron reported that the uni-
versity will require students to schedule their arrival date and time beforehand in order to control the number of individuals settling in at one time.
Move-in dates for new students will begin on Aug.14 while dates for returning students will start on Aug.18. An email will be sent out to students later in July with more information about check-in processes. According to Negron, move-in dates for new students will begin on Aug. 14 while dates for returning students will start on Aug.18. An email will be sent
Saving summer: Four Southern students start their own day camp in North Carolina
out to students later in July with more information about check-in processes. In addition to this change, the university will be reserving two halls, one in Thatcher and one in Talge, to quarantine students who have come in contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Each hall will have 30 empty rooms and will accommodate one person per room. The amount of time someone will need to quarantine will depend on when the contact took place. But according to Negron, they will be following the recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where the advised time is 14 days from the last exposure. “Once that period is over and that person doesn't get sick
within that certain amount of time, then they can go back to the regular room,” Negron said. If a student tests positive for COVID-19, he or she will be put into an isolation housing, located in the Upper Stateside Apartments that are used for guest lodging. If the student is asymptomatic, the isolation period will last up to 14 days. If the student is symptomatic, then the Tennessee Department of Health and the University Health Center (UHC) will determine the appropriate approach. The UHC will provide COVID-19 testing, which will be 100% covered by university insurance or family insurance, according to Negron. See LIFE on page 2
Administration changes worship credit requirement, replaces convocation Taylor Dean News Editor
Nicole Robertson, Jake Miller, Katie Robertson, Caleb Raymond. The four Southern students run APCS Kids Camp. Photo courtesy of @kids_.camp via Instagram
Aubri Dancek Staff Jake Miller, junior business management major, got word back in March that his internship was canceled due to the pandemic. Although Miller was not able to spend the summer the way he originally planned, he did find a unique way to gain business experience: by starting his own day camp. In early May Miller attended an event at Asheville Pisgah Christian School (APCS), where he heard parents talk about
how their kids needed to get out of the house. “I’ve been stuck inside since March, and I can’t imagine how hard it would be to be inside for this long at nine years old,” Miller said. “I spent my summers growing up at camp and that was a blessing. At that age, you just want to run around outside and play with your friends.” Hearing the parents talk, gave Miller the idea to start a camp of his own.
“It made me think about how I have all these talented people in my life who have worked at camp or with kids in some way. It’s been so hard to find a job around here, it would be great if we could come up with a way to give back to the community and do something for the kids,” Miller said. Throughout May, Miller worked delivering food for DoorDash and InstaCart during the day and See CAMP on page 2
In an email sent to students on June 15 outlining the top 10 safety policies for the upcoming school year, it was announced that convocations are canceled for the Fall 2020 semester. During a Student Association meeting on June 24, Vice President of Student Development Dennis Negron went into further detail about what worship credits will look like. According to Negron, worship credit requirements for residential students will be as follows: Freshmen and sophomores will need to receive 35 credits, juniors will need 30, seniors will need 25 and seniors graduating in December will need 20. Commuting students, including those from Southern Village, will need to meet the following requirements: freshman and sophomores will need 25 worship credits, juniors will need 22, seniors will need 20 and any senior graduating in December will need 15. In regards to the cancelation of convocations, Negron said there will be no cultural credit
requirement at least for the first semester. However, he said, if there is a vaccine available by next semester, then things could go back to normal.
The reason why we've decided not to have the convocation program is that we don't want students feeling like they have to go when we can only have 300 people in there but we've got 800 people trying to get into the building. “The reason why we've decided not to have the convocation program is that we don't want students feeling like they have to go when we can only have 300 people in there, but we've got 800 people trying to get into the building,” Negron said. “We don't want to cause that stress.” See CREDITS on page 3