Every Tuesday at 11 a.m. campus shuts down. Most departments lock their doors, students can’t check books out of the library, they can’t even buy food at the Cougareat. It’s time to go to the Devotional at the Marriott Center.
Going from lower campus to the Marriott Center and back sometimes can be quite a hike, especially if rain or snow is pounding on your back.
Dedicated Devotional-goers sometimes leave class early to make sure they get a good seat. All of us have observed those in a 10 a.m. class who pack up early every Tuesday — 10-15 minutes early if they have class on the south side of campus — and head off to the Marriott Center.
If going to the Devotional may cause students to tread through hazardous weather or cut out on class, why aren’t Devotionals shown more places on campus?
Joe White, director of information technology operations, said the official policy, which was established some years ago by the academic vice president’s office, says class facilities are not to be used to show the Devotional.
The intent of the policy, White said, is to encourage everyone to go to the Marriott Center for a united Devotional experience. Also, at the time the policy was established, classrooms were not equipped to show Devotionals, so a fee was associated with setting up and taking down projection equipment.
White said today any room with a projector can show the Devotional, making the task of showing Devotionals as easy as flipping a switch.
Although the official policy says that class facilities are not to be used, there are some exceptions to the rule.
Tuesday approximately 200 students watched John Hughes talk about “Ethics and the Press” from the 400-seat Varsity Theater in the Wilkinson Center.
Jerry Bishop, director of the Wilkinson Center, said R.J. Snow, former advancement vice president, gave him permission in the fall of 1997 to show Devotionals in the Varsity. Bishop said people are still encouraged to go to the Marriott Center, but Snow allowed the exception because of potential weather hazards and to make the Devotional available to more people.
So, since the administration has already made one exception, why not show the Devotionals in other places on campus like the JSB or JKHB auditoriums?
These two buildings both hosted the Devotional during Summer Term 1998.
Devotionals for spring and summer generally take place in the de Jong Concert Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center, which holds about 1,400 people — the average attendance for Devotionals in the spring and summer. This past summer, because the de Jong was being remodeled, Devotionals took place in the JSB, which holds approximately 900 people. Room 2084 JKHB was used as overflow.
That was great for the summer, but will these rooms be used any time in the future?
K. Fred Skousen, advancement vice president, said it is something he has to discuss with President Merrill J. Bateman today during their weekly meeting.
Skousen said that a few years ago Devotional attendance dropped dramatically. President Rex E. Lee and President Bateman have pushed to improve and maintain Devotional attendance.
“There are some persuasive arguments for having Devotionals at multiple places, like bad weather or allowing more people to enjoy the Devotional experience,” Skousen said. “There are also persuasive arguments for having Devotional only at the Marriott Center, like building a tradition of having a certain time and certain place set apart for the BYU community to enjoy Devotional together. If you don’t establish a tradition you could get out of the habit of going.”
The purpose of the Devotional should be first to uplift and edify campus and second to unify us. As long as we go to see the Devotional it shouldn’t matter where we go to see it.
The need to unify the BYU community is real, but it is the Spirit that makes us of one heart and of one mind, not the 10-15 minute hike back and forth to the Marriott Center.
