Every semester, there are undoubtedly an array of ups, downs and in-betweens that occur on Bradley’s campus. The Scout editorial staff has compiled a list of what deserves a thumbs up, thumbs middle or thumbs down for the spring 2023 semester
Thumbs up: Men’s basketball championship game turnout
Perhaps one of Bradley basketball’s greatest moments was winning the MVC regular season championship for the first time in 26 years in front of a full house at Carver Arena. Peoria residents and the Bradley student body flooded the court with red after the final seconds dwindled and Bradley was crowned. After two years of disappointing attendance rates following the COVID-19 pandemic, Bradley basketball finally seemed to be back to full force. A full house with students rushing the court after the game was something that many didn’t think would happen again.
Thumbs up: Take Back the Night March
Sexual assault awareness is very important, and the Take Back the Night March shed a much-needed light on this topic. It was inspiring to see so many people marching across campus for a good cause, and it really revealed the unity among Bradley students and Peoria residents. The march was a great demonstration of solidarity and support for assault survivors, and it’d be nice to see students host another one next year.
Thumbs middle: Webster to MyBradley
What everyone thought might be a major thumbs down turned out to be a thumbs middle. The week before students were scheduled to register for classes, Bradley announced that Webster would be transformed into the student application website MyBradley. With MyBradley, students are able to draft potential schedules, add classes to a “cart” to ease the formal registration process and keep track of their personal information. The cart makes it easier to register for classes, but some students struggled to open the schedule builder, which made it difficult to figure out their classes for next year. As MyBradley continues to see improvements, only time will tell if it gains popularity among students.
Thumbs middle: Recess format change
At the end of March, ACBU announced that it would not be hosting Recess this year and that the concert format would be changing. Going forward, the concert that was once a yearly event will now occur every other year. Some students were not pleased with the change or the late announcement. Nevertheless, this new format is expected to give ACBU more time to plan acts and gain funds that will hope to bring in bigger artists and increase student attendance. While canceling the 2023 edition of Recess was a letdown for those anticipating the event, the decision ultimately creates optimism as students hope to see more popular artists performing in 2024.
Thumbs down: Vehicle thefts
Throughout this semester, the amount of car thefts on and around campus has drastically increased. BUPD and PPD hosted a forum discussing this issue and emphasized locking car windows, keeping valuable belongings out of sight and locking vehicles. Students living on Fredonia Avenue voiced their concerns about the amount of car thefts and were told that there will be more officers patrolling the area. However, students living on Fredonia Avenue claim that there is nowhere near enough patrolling and fear that this issue will persist until more action is taken.
Thumbs down: University emergency response
The recent lockdown on campus displayed how unprepared Bradley’s faculty and staff are for a true emergency. The massive breakdown in communication and faulty security in several buildings was alarming and added unnecessary stress to an already traumatic event. Although this was a bomb threat, many rumors spread that there was an intruder with an assault rifle on campus. With the national rise in mass shootings over the past few years and a surging number of gun crimes in Peoria, we would expect Bradley to be more prepared for this kind of event.