Kevin Coriolan | News Editor

The Academic and Cultural Events Series (ACES) has been altered from its years-old format to better allow students to have options and to utilize its budget.

There are 3 different types of events that will be attended by students of Buena Vista University (BVU) requiring ACES credit: cultural, scholarly and student life. These, with the addition of 2 electives, should total 8 events attended in one semester.

However, students do have the option of attending up to 2 more or less events each semester because of the banking system. Student Senate suggested last spring to Academic Affairs the idea of allowing students to “bank,” to use an extra attendance from one semester for another semester. Students may bank a maximum of two events that would count as their electives for the next semester.

Photo by Tyson Domingo

The changes of the program begin with the replacement of the once known signature events with the now cultural events. The cultural events now include both touring groups and in-house events. Touring groups include musical, drama and comedy performers who will usually perform either in Schaller Chapel or Anderson Auditorium. The in-house performers are BVU community members who are in band, choir or theatre productions.

Previously, signature events were offered only four times a semester with two of them needed to fulfill the required amount of events. With the introduction of the new cultural events, more than four options have been opened up for students to receive credit.

The main purpose for the absorption of signature events into cultural events was to better utilize finances. The performers of the signature events were usually from cities such as Chicago, Minneapolis or New York City. International groups are not uncommon either. These acts are pricey and especially costly considering traveling fees. Not as many of these types of performers are needed to offer to students for fulfillment of attendance through the new format.

“There’s usually one nationally recognized performer each semester,” Associate Dean of the Facutlty Dr. Peter Steinfeld said. Steinfeld has overseen the majority of the program’s revamp.

One other change is that one less scholarly event is needed. This was to allow the student to choose one more elective from the range of events offered.

Steinfeld is a member of the ACES committee that meets once a month in planning and preparation of events to bring to campus. This year will be the first time that there are five faculty members (one from each school) who each bring ideas of what performers or speakers to pursue.

Another member of the committee is junior Student Senator Megan Long. Most of the events are planned a year in advance, but she will be able to help with the ones still needed for this year and the ones upcoming for next academic year.

“It should go smoothly enough and as interesting as previously,” Long said about the ACES program for this year.

Students looking to take part in the banking process should know that a change of grade contract needs to be filled out before the end of the semester. This ensures that the student did not fail in attending the required amount of events. Long says Student Senate will work to communicate this new process to the BVU community.