To the Editor:
BYU administration and The Daily Universe stress the importance of attending devotionals. I believe they are a remarkable experience and should be attended by all those who are able to do so. Like many students, I have a class right before devotional at the opposite end of campus. I was told that devotionals were broadcast to the JSB so that students could view them there. However, when friends and I went to the JSB before devotional, the entire auditorium was full! We were then told overflow seating was held in the WSC. We dashed to the Wilk only to find that it too was full. At this point devotional had started, so we attempted to watch online. The server was too full for us to get through! Obviously, the school doesn’t realize the issues with seating for devotional. There should be a better system to communicate where devotional will be shown, and more showings accessible to students. If we really want devotional to be a part of student’s lives, we need to make devotional easy to view instead of a wild goose chase. It would be helpful if The Daily Universe would publish information regarding which viewing areas will be open on campus and when.
I haven't encountered this situation, but from reading your post, I agree with you that it appears to be very problematic. It's disappointing that there wasn't room for you to see the devotional. This is definitely something that BYU should fix. Do you know if it's streamed on the internet? If it's super important to you, you could perhaps look into this as an option.
ReplyDeleteLoved your post! I think this is a very relevant issue, because I've had the same dilemma. I feel like no one is directing us on what to do, so having the Daily Universe posting some help would be wonderful. You were also direct and to the point without becoming accusatory or spiteful, which was nice. Good job!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree! If nothing else they should have posted locations! Though, from what I hear, it sounds like usually someone in a random auditorium will look it up online to project for everyone (and that leads to the whole server issue, BYU needs to get on that, and not only for devotional stuff). But they don't broadcast all the devotionals! I'm pretty sure that the entire school can't fit into the Marriot conference center either, regardless of the fact that not everyone can make it up there between classes.
ReplyDeleteGood thinking! I like how you directly state what your problem is and end your writing by presenting a direct solution.
ReplyDeletethis is a really persuasive post because you're addressing the right people in the right way about a topic they are very passionate about. This has the potential to create change.
ReplyDeleteOne thing you're going to have to argue against is the point Austin makes--that it is streamed online. And the fact that there are over plenty of seats in the Marriott Center, where the devotional is held, to seat EVERYONE that could possibly want to go to devotional. It's not so unreasonable to take the 5 minute walk to the Marriott, is it?
ReplyDelete(I think you can still make this argument, and you're doing a good job at it--you just need to deal with a few more of the counterarguments.)
Note--I did notice that you'd said you're all the way off campus...seeing as devotional starts at 5 after, it still doesn't seem like you wouldn't have time to make it there. Right? (Show us why that's a problem.)
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone. I'll add some more explanation and facts.
ReplyDeleteWhile the Marriott Center seems far away from the Benson building, I've made it to both devotionals so far; it's definitely worth the extra walk!
ReplyDelete