The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Lectureship trumps importance of class attendance

Lectureship trumps importance of class attendance

September 16, 2007 by Optimist Editorial Board

More than 150 speakers from 21 states, nine foreign countries and five continents are coming to ACU for the 90th Bible Lectureship. The 2007 edition also innovates with a new track of 20 lectures designed by students, for students.

Not all students can take advantage of Lectureship, though, unless professors let them out of class.

The diversity of subjects offered at Lectureship from Sunday through Wednesday makes it easy for most professors to find a lecture that can fit into their class schedule. Indeed, many lectures deal with college classes such as history, political science, psychology , sociology and family studies.

Dr. Mark Love, director of Lectureship, encouraged through an e-mail all U100 professors and 35 other faculty members to require students to attend one or two lectures instead of going to class.

ACU professors can choose to require the class to go to a specific session or submit a list of lectures from which students could choose. Most Bible teachers simply ask students to go to the lectures of their choices.

Dr. Darrell Jordan, assistant professor of social work, did not cancel any of his classes but strongly encourages students to attend two lectures: “Extreme Poverty, Social Justice and Social Entrepreneurship” and “God’s Love Bank.” If a student desires to attend a specific session, Jordan will give him or her permission to skip class. The student still needs to submit a critique of the lecture.

Dr. Neal Coates, assistant professors of political science, scanned the Lectureship program while writing the syllabus of his classes in August. He picked the lecture “Micah’s Call to Justice” for the students of his American Foreign Policy class.

His political science students must attend the lecture instead of going to class. Coates’ students can also earn extra credit if they go to the “Extreme Poverty” lecture and write a paper.

Both Jordan and Coates believe that attending these lectures will help students understand better the issues treated in class. They also appreciate the additional value of a Christian perspective.

Lectureship offers the tremendous opportunity to interact with recognized Christian speakers. Students who desire to attend a lecture should receive the permission to skip class.

You really want to hear this speaker from Ghana, Australia or Thailand but must stay in a classroom located next to the lecture room. So close, yet so far, like watching your flight takeoff from the window of the concourse.

Filed Under: Editorials Tagged With: Lectureship

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

About Optimist Editorial Board

You are here: Home / Opinion / Editorials / Lectureship trumps importance of class attendance

Other Opinion:

  • Tariffs are the last thing struggling students need

  • Gen Z won the election for Donald Trump

  • A Swift rebuke: When it comes to politics, celebrities just do not get it

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
optimistsports Optimist Sports @optimistsports ·
26 Jun

The United Athletic Conference is officially taking the place of the Western Athletic Conference in the 2026-2027 athletic year. The UAC is a joint football effort between the WAC and the ASUN but will now extend to all sports. #acuoptimist #acuathletics #wac #uac

Reply on Twitter 1938240320854008109 Retweet on Twitter 1938240320854008109 2 Like on Twitter 1938240320854008109 7 Twitter 1938240320854008109
Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
ashleyh1607 Ashley Henderson @ashleyh1607 ·
3 Jun

My second year at ACU was full of opportunities that grew me as an individual and a journalist.

In my first year as editor in chief of @acuoptimist, we published six print issues, filmed a 3-hour live election show, and revamped our newscast, all while producing news weekly.

Reply on Twitter 1929734328445178254 Retweet on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Like on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Twitter 1929734328445178254

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved