By Jared Fields, Managing Editor

Students will notice changes on campus upon returning from Christmas break. Aside from the Barnards being gone the entire semester in Oxford, Shane Hughes will leave to accept a campus ministry position in Fort Smith, Ark.

Hughes will leave after being at ACU for 10 years as a student, staff and faculty member.

“I want to do ministry and the position in Fort Smith will allow me to focus on that,” Hughes said. “I really enjoyed my time here. It’s been a great place for me.”

Hughes’ resignation will take effect Jan. 3, giving the university about a month to find a replacement.

Aside from planning Chapel during his absence, Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of spiritual formation, will also look for someone to fill Hughes’ vacancy.

Barnard is posting a job description for an administrative assistant to fill the hole left by Hughes. Though Wayne Barnard will be in Oxford during the spring semester, the new administrative assistant and graduate assistants will handle his day-to-day responsibilities.

“[The administrative assistant] will have it planned and have these different people carry it out,” Wayne Barnard said.

With the daily planning of Chapel planned, the role of leading Chapel will be rotated among different people on campus.

“It will pretty much be a team of people,” Wayne Barnard said. That team will consist of six to 10 people,” he said.

Wayne Barnard said some changes will be made to the Chapel format as well.

“We are looking at having some small groups meeting on Tuesdays because of spring breaks,” he said.

The change will be made to accommodate people who want to participate in Spring Break Campaign Chapel and another Thursday small group Chapel.

Contemplative Chapel, or “Come to the Quiet,” will go from taking place once a month to twice a month.

Dr. Mimi Barnard, director of residence life education and housing, will also have to deal with overseeing her position from afar.

“The spring is much less difficult,” Mimi Barnard said. “I will be a resource for the staff electronically.”

Mimi Barnard said the major events of the spring semester are sophomore sign-ups and the recruiting of new RAs, making her absence less difficult for the staff.

“They don’t always need me here to do that [daily work],” Mimi Barnard said. “I’m really proud of our staff.”