As another semester begins, students can expect to see some new changes, among them being the newly added community hour.
Community hour is between 12-1pm on Wednesday’s. It’s a new initiative coming from administration in an attempt to give students, along with faculty and staff, an hour a week to be able to eat lunch together, participate in various events and spend more time with the campus community.
In order to encourage participation within the community, administration has canceled all classes during this time and has discouraged faculty and staff from scheduling meetings during that hour.
Classes that normally meet on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12-1pm have been moved to an asynchronous format on Wednesday’s. Students with a flight block scheduled during this time, however, are still able to fly. Athletic teams are also dissuaded from holding any sort of practice during this time.
So far, there have been a number of community hour events. These include the Student Organization fair, DIY bamboo planters, the well-being fair, some jam sessions and various conversations and coffee.
Assistant Director of The Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Enrichment, Javier Rodriguez, comments on the success of a few community hour events his office hosted.
“I’ve noticed a significant increase in student participation in various events during community hours within The Office for Student Engagement,” said Rodriguez.
“It’s truly encouraging to see the positive impact this dedicated time has had on our campus community. By fostering a culture of involvement and engagement, I believe we’re not only enhancing the success of our programming in this office but also paving the way for success in other areas across our institution. Community Hour is making a real difference in bringing our students together,” said Rodriguez.
Student organizations are also taking advantage of the allotted time to host events and meetings. Departments such as Study Abroad have had an informational session for those interested to leave the country for a semester. The Arts & Ideas committee will be holding various sessions during this time as well, making it easier for students to attend and receive points for class. Upcoming Arts & Ideas events during community hour include a talk about “The Blaxploitation Horror Film: Adaptation, Appropriation and the Gothic” on Sept. 27 in the convocation hall at St. Charles Borromeo and discussing “Making Shakespeare Inclusive” on Oct. 11 in AS-158A.
During the semester, there will be two community hours with extensions for campus-wide events. These community hours will be from 11am-1pm, an hour longer than normal. The first of these was the Mass of the Holy Spirit held on Wednesday Sept. 20 in Convocation Hall in St. Charles Borromeo.
The mass was held by a guest celebrant, Fr. Ed Shea, OFM, a Franciscan Friar originally from the Chicago area who now serves in a new Franciscan Inner City Mission in the Diocese of Gary, IN. A community meal followed the service in the flight deck. For more information about future community hour events check your email weekly.
Photo Credits: Katherine Groppe
