UCMA Perspectives

2008-09-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

The Ivy Jungle Network
Campus Ministry Update (Aug 28, 2008)

Social Norms to Decrease Drinking: A six year study at the University of Virginia has shown some success for their social norms campaign to curb alcohol abuse. The social norms approach attempts to give students a more accurate idea of how much most of their classmates actually drink. Most students overestimate their compatriots' alcohol consumption. UVA students exposed to social norms approach to curb drinking had experienced fewer negative results of drinking including: missed classes, encounters with campus safety and unprotected sex. (Inside Higher Ed August 12, 2008)

Living in Guyland: Sociologist and gender scholar, Michael Kimmel has published a new book that investigates the dominant male culture on many college campuses where young men engage in binge drinking, hazing, and abusive behavior toward women. In his book, Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men, Kimmel stresses that Guyland is both a developmental stage and a social space (often found on campus). Students are taking up to a decade longer to mature than their parents or grandparents did. He also thinks that men are confused by the equality and success women are finding on campus and many retreat into a misogynistic place where a "guy code" dominates that is anti-intellectual and dismissively sexist. He also states that Guyland is a predominantly white phenomenon as the majority of hooking up, hazing, and binge drinking are perpetuated by white males. He also thinks men need to be challenged to a higher bar of conduct and approach to life. (Inside Higher Ed August 21, 2008)

Bartering Sex: A recent survey of students at the University of Michigan found that a number of undergraduate college students are willing to trade sex for favors or gifts. 27% of men and 14% of women not currently in a committed relationship had offered the gifts or favors in exchange for hooking up - from help studying, to laundry, to tickets to a football game. (CNN August 25, 2008)

Dogmatic Environmentalism: Physicist Freeman Dyson argues that environmentalism has replaced socialism as the new secular religion. Writing in the New York Times Review of Books, Dyson describes environmentalism as a "religion of hope and respect of nature." Environmentalism sees waste as sin and green living as the path to righteousness. While he finds the religious ethic sound, he also fears that the dogmatic belief in global warming as the ultimate threat to the planet may short circuit important discussion. (Touchstone July/August 2008 p. 51)

Younger Evangelicals: Some secular experts are shocked to find schools like Wheaton (IL) taking significant steps toward a green campus. Among the 300 Christian schools in the nation, more and more are finding students want the school to support their own commitments to social justice. Christian college students are very likely to engage in community service and disaster relief. They care about topics such as divorce, racism, and homosexuality. They still hold conservative stances on sex and abortion, but are more open to public discourse on challenging issue once thought taboo in such settings. (Newsweek.com August 18, 2008)

Most College Grads Return Home: According to Collegegrad.com, 77% of college graduates moved back in with their parents last year. That number is an increase from 73% the previous year and 67% the year before that. The economy is often cited as a main reason to move back in with mom and dad. Students today have close relationships with their parents and do not seem to have a stigma around moving back home after college. (San Jose Business Journal August 4, 2008)

Community College Boom: In 2007, more than one third of all college students were enrolled in a two-year institution. While official numbers have not been released for the 2008 academic year, community college leaders expect that last year's numbers are at least 10% higher than the 6.2 million students enrolled in 2007. This year will be even higher. The weak economy, new academic programs, and increased recruiting all receive credit for the enrollment increase. (Inside Higher Ed August 22, 2008)

College Degrees Losing Value: People with a college degree will still earn greater pay than those without their BA. However, after decades in which wages outpaced inflation, salaries for those who went to college did not grow in the last year once figures were adjusted for inflation. Adjusted wages in 2007 did not increase from 2006 and were actually 1.7% below those of 2001. College educated labor is much more plentiful as more students have completed degrees. Those with professional and doctoral degrees have seen their adjusted incomes continue to increase. (Wall Street Journal July 17, 2008 D1)

Religoulous: This fall, Bill Maher will release a "documentary" on religion. The "Politically Incorrect" host has never masked his dislike of organized religion. The film, from the director of Borat, traces Maher as he interviews people about their religious beliefs and challenges their faith. Religulous (a combination of religion + ridiculous) will appear in theaters on Oct. 3. (Boston.com August 26, 2008)

Perspectives of the Class of 2012

2008-09-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Beloit College has posted its annual perspectives, which features the things that the class of incoming college freshmen take for granted. Those of us who serve this group may have a wholly different point of view.

The list can be found here.

2008-03-31T11:38:00.001-07:00

The Ivy Jungle Network

Campus Ministry Update

March 2008

Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education

Gen Y Peaks this Year: This year will mark the largest high school graduating class ever with just over 3 million high school graduates. It will also mark the end of a steady growth in graduating class size that has continued since the early 1990's. The overall numbers will begin to drop next year. However, the demographics will vary widely based on region. The South and West will continue to grow, with a continued dramatic increase among non-white Hispanic high school graduates. The Midwest and East will begin to see a steady decline next year. Nationally, the number of white graduates will fall by 11% over the next 12 years, while the percentage of minority graduates increases, with a "majority-minority" class expected in the West in 2010 and in the South in 2017. (Inside Higher Ed March 20, 2008)

Losing Their Religion: A new study by the Pew Charitable Trust shows that nearly a quarter of Americans now embrace a new religion or opted for no religion since their childhood. That number jumps to almost 45% when switches in Protestant denominations are included. On the whole, almost 80% of the US claims to be Christian. But only 51% now claim to be Protestant. One in four 18-29 year olds claims no religious affiliation. 10% of all Americans now claim to be "ex-Catholics." Only 4% of Americans claim to be atheists or agnostics. (AP February 26, 2008)

Txt Me Pls: Growing Leaders recently spent time with a number of focus groups of young adults ages 16-24 and asked them how they most like to receive communication. Texts first, email last, was the message for the group. In order of preference, their answers showed: text messages; MySpace/Facebook; podcasts; instant messaging; cell phone; cd/dvd; books and then email. (Growing Leaders Leadership Link March 2008).

Parents on Facebook: One of the fastest growing demographics on Facebook are moms and dads of high school and college students. When the college focused social network opened their ranks to anyone with an email address in 2006, it created the opportunity for parents to "friend" their offspring and their friends. For many students it poses a dilemma in how to respond to a friend request from mom and dad. While they are happy to proclaim their personal style, interests and exploits to the world, having mom or dad look in may prove to much. Several "abolish parents" groups have now sprung up on the social networking site. (Chicago Tribune online March 14, 2008)

Google Religion Quiz: The consumer approach to religion expressed by today's generation of young adults is perhaps best illustrated by a recent Google ad for a quiz to determine "which religion is right for you?" Unlike generations before which saw religion as a part of heritage and identity, many young people today see it a matter of personal preference, much like finding a suitable haircut or the best flavor of ice cream. Still, most Americans say religion is important to them, with 60% indicating that it is "very important" to them. (Boston Globe online February 29, 2008)

25% of Young Women Infected: Shocking results from a recent study by the Center for Disease Control show that one out of every four girls ages 14-19 has an STD. That translates into approximately 3 million infected girls - about 40% of all girls who admit to having had sex. The infection rate was particularly high among African American girls. The HPV virus was the most common infection. (AP March 11, 2008)

Hazing Happening on Campus: While almost every college has a formal ban on hazing, more than half of those who belong to student organizations say they have experienced it. From fraternities and athletic teams, to choirs and academic societies, students say hazing is happening on campus. Some forms of hazing such as being forced to drink alcohol or physical harm are obvious, but others regarding public singing or chants, wearing embarrassing clothing, or participating in skits or roasts are not. In fact, 9 out of 10 students who reported participating in behavior that is classified as hazing did not think they had been hazed. The study was conducted by two professors from the University of Maine who studied more than 11,000 students from 53 institutions. (AP March 11, 2008)

Drunkorexia: This new term is being used to describe the increasingly common practice of college students (mostly women) who starve themselves in order to "save" calories in preparation for a night of drinking. While the term has only recently been coined, the problem is not new. Studies show that 30% of young women with alcohol problems also struggle with an eating disorder. Health experts fear the practice of limiting food intake has a number of problems associated with it. In addition to fueling eating disorders, women who drink on an empty stomach are much more likely to become drunk more quickly, suffer blackouts, and could be victim of other physical or sexual abuse in their inebriated states. Most women do not realize that alcohol affects the female body more severely than their male peers. Addiction experts point out that 2 years of excessive drinking has the same effect on a woman as 10 years on a man. (CBS January 23, 2008)

Unofficial St. Patty's Day: Because St. Patrick's Day so often fell over Spring Break, a number of bars near the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign began to host an unofficial St. Patrick's Day to capitalize on student drinkers before they left campus. Concerned over the increase in popularity, campus and city officials have begun discussing steps to force bars to keep out underage patrons, wait until later in the day to open and/or serve alcohol, and limit how drinks are served. For the second straight year the university has sought parental help to curtail drunkenness, by sending letters home encouraging parents to talk with students about their conduct during that weekend. (Inside Higher Ed February 29, 2008)

Spring Break Gone Wild: The popular image of spring break on MTV and other media outlets portrays spring break as a constant mix of alcohol and sex. For those who go on such trips, that can be true. The Journal of American College Health estimates that men who go on such trips consume an average of 18 drinks a day while their female companions drink 10. 83% of women report that they have friends who drank a majority of the nights they were on spring break. 59% report they had friends who were sexually active during that time with more than one partner and most said they had friends who had unprotected sex on spring break. (Total Life Counseling Update March 12, 2008)

Spring Break at Home: Despite the ubiquity of coverage on MTV, less than 100,000 college students visit Cancun, Acapulco, Jamaica and the Bahamas over Spring Break each year. That number may be even smaller this year as passport regulations and a struggling economy make it more difficult to travel. A growing number of students are opting for school sponsored service trips, are staying on campus to work, or just going home. (AP March 22, 2008)

Campus Violence On the Decline: Northern Illinois and campus murders in North Carolina and Arkansas have grabbed headlines and created a sense of unease on campus. However, police statistics show that crime is actually on the decline on campus. Violent crime dropped by 9% from 1994 to 2004 (the latest period available) and property crime fell by 30%. Even so, a survey after the murder of the student body president at UNC-Chapel Hill showed that one in five students reported that they did not feel safe on campus. (Inside Higher Ed March 20, 2008).

Campus Footbaths: The University of Michigan has come under fire as it joins more than a dozen other colleges with footbaths in some public restrooms. The fixtures will accommodate Muslims who practice ritual foot washing as part of their daily prayers. Separation of Church and State groups have decried the measure and some conservative groups have protested the "Islamification" of college campuses. University officials have defended the practice saying that the footbaths are available to all students, not just Muslims. (First Things March 2008)

Prison and College: Five states in the US now spend more money on prisons than colleges. A report by the Pew Charitable Trust shows that Vermont, Michigan, Oregon, Connecticut and Delaware all spend more money on incarceration than high education. (Inside Higher Ed February 29, 2008)

Guns on Campus in OK: The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow students who hold conceal and carry gun permits and have undergone special training to have their weapons on university campuses. The Senate is now considering the measure which gained support after a gunman opened fire in a classroom at Northern Illinois University. College administrators remain opposed to the idea of having more guns on campus. The state does have a concealed weapon law, but current restrictions prevent licensed gun owners from carrying their weapons on campus. (AP March 14, 2008)

More Students Seeking Aid: Over 66% of students at four year private institutions apply for federal financial aid, compared with 59% at public schools, and 34% at two year schools. However, in terms of increase in applications, community college applicants far outpace their four year school counterparts. Since 2001, applications from those attending community colleges have increased by 37%, compared with an increase of just 7% for private schools and 10% for public schools. (Inside Higher Ed February 22, 2008)

Watch Ben Stein's Movie: Perhaps the most famous thing he ever said was, "Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?", but former speech writer, game show host, and commentator Ben Stein has joined the ranks of Michael Moore in challenging the establishment in a new documentary, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The movie, which opens on April 18, explores what it considers the dogmatic rule of evolution in science education. While school boards at the elementary and high school levels have debated the role of intelligent design in curriculum, the movie asserts that any break from evolution is not allowed in the world of higher ed. Ben Stein, a Jew, narrates and stars in the film which investigates professors who lost positions for their stance on intelligent design and hopes to invigorate further discussion on college campuses. (Inside Higher Ed March 24, 2008)

Trends in Campus and Ministry Culture

2007-09-20T11:04:00.001-07:00

The following excerpts are from the Ivy Jungle Network's "Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education"

September 2007

Beloit Freshman List
Beloit College has published its annual list about this year's freshman class. Here are some of the highlights regarding the class of 2011, born in 1989:

Born the year the Berlin Wall fell.
Humvees have always been available to the public.
Have never "rolled down" a car window.
Have grown up with bottled water
Nelson Mandela has always been free and a political force in South Africa
Pete Rose has never played baseball
Russia has always had a multi-party political system
The year they were born a Harvard Law Review editor named Barack Obama announced he might some day run for office.
U2 has never brought to mind a spy plane
They first met Jack Nicholson as "the Joker"
Fox has always been a major network
Time has always worked with Warner
MTV has never featured music videos
They are more informed by John Stewart and Stephen Colbert than the newspaper
The world wide web has been an online tool since they year they were born
Dilbert has always been ridiculing cubicle culture
They learned about JFK from Oliver Stone and Malcom X from Spike Lee
Class mates include: Michelle Wie; Jordin Sparks; and Bart Simpson

Young Not Abandoning God

A poll conducted by the Associated Press and MTV indicates that young people who consider themselves religious are happier than those who are not. The survey of 13-24 year olds , indicates that 44% of young people say that religious beliefs are at least very important to them. Only 14% said that it was not important at all. 80% of those who said that spirituality was the most important thing in their lives said they are happy. Only 60% of those who do not consider God important at all indicated happiness. Sociologists say the results confirm the importance of the sense of community found in most religions. (AP August 29,2007)

Spending Power

College students today spend more money than students in any other era. Discretionary spending by this growing demographic is $63 billion, up $10 billion since 2002. Food accounts for the largest chunk of that spending (37%); followed by clothing and shoe purchases. Technology is also very important to these students. Laptops now outnumber desktop computers among all students (63% have a laptop - up from 42% in 2005). Digital cameras, MP3 players and portable game systems are also popular items on campus. (Harris Interactive Trends and Tudes vol. 6. Issue 6 Aug. 2007)

Online World

More than half of college students visit social networking sits (i.e. MySpace; Facebook; etc.) every day. These sites are the preferred mode of communication for more than a quarter of students, whether communicating with friends on campus or staying in touch with friends across the country or around the globe. Online gaming has increased significantly in the last five years from just 2% of students in 2002 to nearly a quarter today. (Harris Interactive Trends and Tudes vol. 6. Issue 6 Aug. 2007)

Playboy Social Networking Hits Campus

The parent company of the infamous magazine has launched a social networking site aimed exclusively at college students. Playboy U resembles the functions of Facebook and signed up several thousand members in its opening weeks. The magazine has continued to lose money and readers over the last number of years. (Chicago Tribune August 23 sec. 1 p. 6)

College Students and Sleep

It may be early in the semester for students to have begun pulling all-nighters, but mid-terms will arrive soon enough. Like generations before them, today's college students will likely load up on caffeine and stay up all night cramming for tests and writing papers. A study by St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY confirms that sleep deprivation causes performance to suffer. In addition to slower recall and more frequent mistakes, a separate study by Stanford University demonstrated that college basketball players who slept 10 hours the night before a game ran faster and made more shots than those who slept six hours or less. (USA Today September 16, 2007)

Txt to Win

Radio stations have discovered text messages as a way to conduct contests and communicate with listeners. Stations have only just begun adopting the practice, but with 76% of mobile phone users texting (over a quarter of them daily), it will soon be common practice across the country. Stations are now developing databases with mobile numbers so they can send announcements and contests directly to their phone carrying listeners. ( Reuters September 16, 2007)

College Students Want Money

According to a study funded by the Pew Charitable Trust, 81% of 18-25 year olds list "getting rich" as either the most important or second most important goal in their lives. Many believe that if they pursue money early in their careers they will later be able to pursue the other things that make them happy and fulfilled. They would do well to heed the words of Robert Reich, former Labor Secretary under President Clinton and current professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy a the University of California Berkley who says, "Any young person who believes they can make loads of money first and then pursue their dreams afterwards is fooling themselves. The pursuit of money as its own end can cause dreams to disappear. (MSNBC September 16 ,2007)

Student Assisted at Bridge Collapse

2007-08-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Minneapolis Star Tribune included an article this morning about a local student, Jenny Graves, who assisted at last week’s bridge collapse. Jenny is an active member of Grace Church in Roseville. To read the article, click here: http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1352423.html.

Response to 35W Bridge Collapse

2007-08-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Our hearts go out to all those who have suffered loss and injury due to the collapse of the 35W bridge. We are praying for you and ready to help where needed.

Thanks to all from around the country and the world who have contacted many of us to see how we're doing and offer encouragement. Please keep our city and our campus in prayer.

Trends in Campus MInistry & Culture

2007-06-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

The following excerpts are from the Ivy Jungle Network's "Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education"

Faith Gaining on Campus: Having joined the faculty at Harvard in 1970, Professor Peter Gomes may have some reference for his comment about the campus saying, “There is probably more active religious life now than there has been in 100 years.” Harvard is not the only place where faculty and administrators say they have seen a rise in religion on campus. Many professors say the enrollment in religion courses is up and more students are majoring in religion than any time in recent decades. A UCLA study showed that 80% of incoming college freshmen believed in God in 2004. Explanations for the rise of religion vary – from the insecurity of the Iraq war and the 9-11 attacks, to an increase of “red” state students at elite universities and an increase of international students on many campuses, to the children of baby boomers exploring a subject that was not forced on them by their parents as in previous generations. UC Berkley (hardly a bastion of conservative ideals) now boasts more than 50 Christian groups on campus. Some attribute the increase in community service to a spiritual longing in students. However others remain skeptical that student attitudes toward religion have really changed, but religion professors generally agree that they have at least seen greater enrollment in their classes. (NY Times online May 2, 2007)

Increasing Interest in Social Justice: As the election cycle heats up, both parties are taking notice of the increasing interest of younger Christian voters in a number of issues related to social justice. AIDS, poverty, and the environment are all of interest to a demographic long associated only with abortion and homosexual issues. One indicator is that evangelical Wheaton College (IL) boasts the second most active chapter of the Student Global AIDS Campaign – behind Harvard. Coupled with greater involvement by a number of campus ministries, today’s students see a very real connection between the gospel and social engagement. (Daily Northwestern April 25, 2007)

InterVarsity Back on Georgetown Campus: Last year Georgetown notified a six evangelical campus ministries, including IVCF that they had been “disaffiliated” as the university streamlined its “Protestant” ministries. After reconsidering the move, InterVarsity has now been readmitted. IVCF president Alec Hill is grateful – not just as a ministry leader, but as a parent of a Georgetown student too. (Christianitytoday.com May 9, 2007)

Cracking Down on Piracy: This spring hundreds of students at more than 60 schools received letters from the Recording Industry Association of America, informing them they had the choice to pay more for songs they had pirated over their school’s networks, or else they would face a lawsuit. At least 500 have paid the fines, some reaching into the thousands of dollars at a price seven times more than had they simply used itunes. Many of the culprits are now urging their schools to warn students about the cost of illegally downloading music. (Chicago Tribune May 14, 2007 sec. 1 p. 3)

Fat with an “F”: Surprising results from an ongoing study of the health of college students shows that nearly 50% of male students and 30% of female students are considered obese or overweight. The results, shared at a meeting for the American Physiological Society, attribute the increase in waist lines to both the college diet and lack of exercise. The survey followed 800 18-25 year olds and found that on average men consumed about 2700 calories a day, women about 1800. The nutritional content was lacking as well – 80% were not getting enough potassium, and most were low on vitamin D and calcium. 95% of men and 70% of women consume too much sodium. More than 1/3 of the students were “inactive” reporting less than 30 minutes of even mild physical exercise a day. (MSNBC.com May 14, 2007)

Taking Courses, But Not Ready for College: Twenty-four years ago, the Department of Education recommended a core course curriculum for students desiring to go on to college. This month, a new report shows that only about one quarter of the students who take the recommended courses are ready for college level work in all four core subject areas. Almost one in five are not ready in any area. The report by the ACT testing group demonstrates that while many high schools offer these courses, the quality may not be up to par for truly college preparatory work. (New York Times May 16, 2007 A21)

Passion Goes Global: Labeled by Christianity Today a the “most influential annual gathering of young evangelicals,” the Passion conferences have grown tremendously over the years with leading artists like Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, and Charlie Hall and gifted communicators like Louie Giglio, John Piper and Beth Moore. After more than 10 years of conferences, the most recent of which topped 20,000, movement leader Louie Giglio has announced that they will not have a Passion ’08 conference. Instead the group will take their message of the sovereignty and glory of God global. Exact details are still be formulated, but Passion tour stops will move from US college campuses to groups in places like Singapore, South Africa and Norway. (Christianity Today April 2007 p. 29-35)

Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus

2007-06-24T11:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/

Randall Bare quoted in the following article was once a campus minister here at U of MN.

May 2, 2007
Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus
By ALAN FINDER

Peter J. Gomes has been at Harvard University for 37 years, and says he remembers when religious people on campus felt under siege. To be seen as religious often meant being dismissed as not very bright, he said.

No longer. At Harvard these days, said Professor Gomes, the university preacher, "There is probably more active religious life now than there has been in 100 years."

Across the country, on secular campuses as varied as Colgate University, the University of Wisconsin and the University of California, Berkeley, chaplains, professors and administrators say students are drawn to religion and spirituality with more fervor than at any time they can remember.

More students are enrolling in religion courses, even majoring in religion; more are living in dormitories or houses where matters of faith and spirituality are a part of daily conversation; and discussion groups are being created for students to grapple with questions like what happens after death, dozens of university officials said in interviews.

A survey on the spiritual lives of college students, the first of its kind, showed in 2004 that more than two-thirds of 112,000 freshmen surveyed said they prayed, and that almost 80 percent believed in God. Nearly half of the freshmen said they were seeking opportunities to grow spiritually, according to the survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Compared with 10 or 15 years ago, "there is a greater interest in religion on campus, both intellectually and spiritually," said Charles L. Cohen, a professor of history and religious studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who for a number of years ran an interdisciplinary major in religious studies. The program was created seven years ago and has 70 to 75 majors each year.

University officials explained the surge of interest in religion as partly a result of the rise of the religious right in politics, which they said has made questions of faith more talked about generally. In addition, they said, the attacks of Sept. 11 underscored for many the influence of religion on world affairs. And an influx of evangelical students at secular universities, along with an increasing number of international students, means students arrive with a broader array of religious experiences.

Professor Gomes (pronounced like "homes") said a more diverse student body at Harvard had meant that "the place is more representative of mainstream America."

"That provides a group of people who don't leave their religion at home," he said.

At Berkeley, a vast number of undergraduates are Asian-American, with many coming from observant Christian homes, said the Rev. Randy Bare, the Presbyterian campus pastor. "That's new, and it's a remarkable shift," Mr. Bare said.

There are 50 to 60 Christian groups on campus, and student attendance at Catholic and Presbyterian churches near campus has picked up significantly, he said. On many other campuses, though, the renewed interest in faith and spirituality has not necessarily translated into increased attendance at religious services.

The Rev. Lloyd Steffen, the chaplain at Lehigh University, is among those who think the war in Iraq has contributed to the interest in religion among students. "I suspect a lot of that has to do with uncertainty over the war," Mr. Steffen said.

"My theory is that the baby boomers decided they weren't going to impose their religious life on their children the way their parents imposed it on them," Mr. Steffen continued. "The idea was to let them come to it themselves. And then they get to campus and things happen; someone dies, a suicide occurs. Real issues arise for them, and they sometimes feel that they don't have resources to deal with them. And sometimes they turn to religion and courses in religion."

Increased participation in community service may also reflect spiritual yearning of students. "We don't use that kind of spiritual language anymore," said Rebecca S. Chopp, the Colgate president. "But if you look at the students, they do."

Some sociologists who study religion are skeptical that students' attitudes have changed significantly, citing a lack of data to compare current students with those of previous generations. But even some of those concerned about the data say something has shifted.

"All I hear from everybody is yes, there is growing interest in religion and spirituality and an openness on college campuses," said Christian Smith, a professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame. "Everybody who is talking about it says something seems to be going on."

David D. Burhans, who retired after 33 years as chaplain at the University of Richmond, said many students "are really exploring, they are really interested in trying things out, in attending one another's services."

Lesleigh Cushing, an assistant professor of religion and Jewish studies at Colgate, said: "I can fill basically any class on the Bible. I wasn't expecting that."

When Benjamin Wright, chairman of the department of religion studies at Lehigh, arrived 17 years ago, two students chose to major in religion. This year there are 18 religion majors, and there were 30 two and three years ago.

At Harvard, more students are enrolling in religion courses and regularly attending religious services, Professor Gomes said. Presbyterian ministries at Berkeley and Wisconsin have built dormitories to offer spiritual services to students and encourage discussion among different faiths. The seven-story building on the Wisconsin campus, which will house 280 students, is to open in August.

At Colgate, five Buddhist and Hindu students received permission to live in a new apartment complex on the edge of campus this year. They call their apartment Asian Spirituality House and they use it for meetings and occasional religious events.

The number of student religious organizations at Colgate has grown to 11 from 5 in recent years. The university's Catholic, Protestant and Jewish chaplains oversee an array of programs and events. Many involve providing food to students, a phenomenon that the university chaplain, Mark Shiner, jokingly calls "gastro-evangelism."

Among the new clubs is one created last year to encourage students to hold wide-ranging dialogues about spirituality and faith. Meeting over lunch on Thursdays in the chapel's basement, the students talk about what happens when you die or the nature of Catholic spirituality.

Called the Heretics Club (the chaplains were looking to grab students' attention), the group listened to John Gattuso talk about his book, "Talking to God: Portrait of a World at Prayer" (Stone Creek Publications, 2006), a collection of essays and photos about prayer in world religions.

"Do you need to believe in God in order to pray?" Mr. Gattuso asked.

The discussion was off and running, with one student saying one needed only to believe in "something outside yourself" and another saying that "sometimes 'Thank you' can be a prayer."

Afterward, several students talked about what attracted them to the sessions, besides the sandwiches, chips and fruit. Gabe Conant, a junior, said he wanted to contemplate personal questions about his own faith. He described them this way: "What are these things I was raised in and do I want to keep them?"

Virginia Tech Tragedy Aftermath

2007-04-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

Christianity Today Weblog:
'We Could Not Reach Out to Him,' Says Campus Crusade Leader
Two days after the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech, many questions remain unanswered. Among them are questions about Cho's personal religious beliefs and his attitude toward Christians. The few details that have emerged in the press so far seem to raise more questions than they answer. Click here for complete article.

Related Links:

Campus prays for answers after shootings | "For Ryan and Emily and for those whose names we do not know," one woman pleaded in a church service held for those seeking solace. "For all the children in our community who are afraid," another said. A third added: "For parents near and far who wonder at a time like this, 'Is my child safe?'" (Associated Press)
Photo: Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship | At Virginia Tech (Associated Press)
Why they kill | What accounts for the increase in mass murder? (James Alan Fox, Los Angeles Times)
Prayer unites shaken town | "We've been praying all day," said one student who had visited an injured friend (The Roanoke Times, Va.)
VT students seek hope in tragedy | After a day of horror and sickening shock, hundreds of Virginia Tech Christians gathered at a campus ministry center to cry, to pray, to worship, and to try to find the God of light at such a dark, dark time (CBN News)
One pastor's take on Virginia Tech - Dealing with tragedy | It's not just "pray, pray, pray" (David Drake, TitusOneNine)
God wants gun control | Left-wing religious officials raced to exploit the Virginia Tech murders by resuscitating their favorite slogans about gun control (Mark D. Tooley, FrontPageMag.com)
Devastated Va. Tech students gather for prayer at Baptist campus center (Associated Baptist Press)
Nation reacts to mass killings | "In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God," the president said. "As the Scriptures tell us, 'Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Baptist Press)
Pastor on Hampton victim: 'To know her was to love her' | Lauren McCain's MySpace site: "The purpose and love of my life is Jesus Christ." (The Virginian-Pilot)
Questioning a tragedy: Where is God? | What many theologians stress is that God is sovereign — although each person has free will to choose between good and evil — and that comfort and hope are found in him. The "whys" to any tragedy may not have satisfying answers soon, or even in this lifetime (Fox News)

Trends in Campus Ministry & Culture

2007-04-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

The following excerpts are from the Ivy Jungle Network's "Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education"

Book Explores the “Hooking Up” College Culture: In her new book, Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love and Lose at Both, writer Laura Sessions explores how the current “hooking up” culture on college campuses today leaves so many women broken and unfulfilled. Sessions first began writing about the sexuality of Gen Y in the late ‘90’s when she covered the increase of oral sex among young teens. Now many of those same kids have gone to college – having only further developed a view of relationships in which sex is largely casual and detached from any serious relationship. When college students “hook up,” both parties understand that whatever happens physically, no further relational implications or obligations are involved. However, she notes that the freedom to “hook up” and “unhook” as casually as they change songs on their iPod is taking a toll on a generations’ emotional health and their views of relationships in general. (MSNBC.com March 5, 2007)

Drugs and Drinking on the Rise: The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse has released a report that shows a significant increase in drug use and frequent binge drinking on college campuses. Compared with 15 years ago, most forms of drug use have increased. Of particular note were the increases in prescription pain medications, marijuana, and cocaine. While the percentage of students who drink has remained flat, the number of people who report frequent binge drinking (three or more times in the previous two weeks) increased to nearly 23%. In addition addiction rates outpace the general population with 22.9% of college students exhibiting alcohol or drug addiction – compared with just 8.5% of all people age 12 and older. (USA Today March 15, 2007 3A)

Teens and Social Networking Sites: According to the Pew Internet Project, more than half of all teens ages 12-17 have created a personal profile on a social networking site. Of those, 85% use MySpace. Older girls (ages 15-17) use social networking sites the most, where 70% say they have a profile. Of those with profiles more than half check and/or update their profile at least once a day. 91% say they use the sites to stay in touch with friends they see frequently – 82% say they use them to stay in touch with friends they rarely see in person. (Pew Internet Memo January 7, 2007)

Colleges Banning Smoking: An increasing number of college campuses are passing outright bans on smoking on campus. According to Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, nearly 50 college campuses have already gone smoke-free, including a number of large state schools such as Indiana, University of North Dakota, and Youngstown State. The bans have received predictably mixed reviews. 31% of college students smoke, compared with about 25% of the overall population. (USA Today March 2, 2007 A1)

Getting an ‘F’ in Religion: Americans are increasingly uniformed about religion. More than half can’t name five of the Ten Commandments. 50% of high school seniors think that Sodom and Gomorrah were married. In his book, Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – and Doesn’t, Boston University religion professor Stephen Prothero argues that Americans are woefully ignorant of the Bbile – and other religious teachings. He believes this is a problem because religious literacy helps people understand literature, history, and current events. Only 8% of high school classes offer any sort of Bible class – a testimony to the interpretation of the separation of church and state. He argues for all students to take a world religions course to better understand the world today. For those short on time, Prothero recommends a quick list of readings on Judaism and Christianity (Genesis and Matthew), Mormonism (the “For Dummies” series); Islam (parts of the Quaran) Hinduism (Vsiwantathan’s Am I a Hindu . . ); and Buddhism (Lopez’s The Story of Buddhism) (USA TODAY March 8, 2007 2D)

Georgia School Sued by Expelled Christian Group: Savannah State University has joined the ranks of other universities that have found themselves in court. SSU faces a suit from the Alliance Defense Fund for Academic Freedom and the National Legal Foundation, who both represent the Christian group Commissioned II Love. The group was expelled from campus last year when the university charged it with “harassment” for sharing the gospel with others on campus and “hazing” for a foot washing ceremony in its worship service. The group claims the university has denied the group First and Fourteenth amendment rights that are explicitly protected in the student handbook. (Associated Content.com March 5, 2007)

Christianity & Politics / Leith Anderson

2006-12-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

Leith Anderson, Pastor of Wooddale Church, talks with Kerri Miller, host of Minnesota Public Radio's "Midmorning" (December 7, 2006) about Christianity, politics, and his interim role as the leader of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Go to information about this interview
and a link to listen to the program.

IVCF Suit against U of WI

2006-12-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

Christianity Today News Briefs

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's suit

CT staff | posted 12/01/2006 09:09AM

• The University of Wisconsin-Superior chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship filed suit in federal court on October 2 against the leadership of the University of Wisconsin system. IVCF wants UW-Superior to reinstate the chapter and to allow the group to choose leaders according to its religious criteria. Earlier this year, the university said IVCF violated antidiscrimination policies by denying leadership roles to practicing homosexuals, and it derecognized the organization.

Link to Source

Campus Culture Trends - November 2007

2006-11-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

Excerpts from the Ivy Jungle Report - November 2006, "Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education"

For complete article go to www.ivyjungle.org.

Students Taking Online Courses Rises Significantly: A year ago, schools reported that nearly one in 10 college students had enrolled in an online course - a trend that many thought was leveling off. Those "experts" were shocked to discover that the number jumped from 1 in 10 to 1 in 6 - more than 3 million students nationwide took an online course during this past year. That represents a 40% increase over the previous year. Half of all students say they expect to take at least some of their course online. Even residential students are increasingly taking some courses online and more and more courses are putting some or all of their content online. (November 9, 2006)

Ethics Report Card: The Josephson Institute has published its report card on ethics among American Youth. In it they show that young people strongly value ethics and character (ie. 98% agree that "it is important for me to be a person with good character") with 83% saying "lying and cheating are not worth it because they hurt your character." 92% report being satisfied with their own ethics and character and nearly 3 out of 4 believe that "when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know." However, this idealism is coupled with cynicism and incongruent behavior: 59% agree that "in the real world successful people do what they have to do to win, even if others consider it cheating." 82% say they lied to a parent in the last 12 months about "something significant." 60% cheated on a test in the last 12 months and 28% stole something from a store during that time. (Josephsoninstitute.org October 15, 2006)

Overconnected: Results from the Pew Internet and American Life Project indicate 87% of 12-17 year olds are regularly online, most of them daily. AOL reports that 66% of its customers prefer Instant Messaging to email. The Kaiser Foundation reports that the average teenager spends 6.5 hours engaging media - not including the extra hour or two spent on social networking sites like myspace or facebook by older teens. The most intense online user: 15-17 year old females. Myspace users can spend hours a day updating their profiles, posting their thoughts and chatting with friends. Some young people say they rarely talk on the phone anymore, with 95% of their communication through the internet. Critics of all this online connectivity fear that young people are not learning to make "real" friends and that communication and interpersonal skills are diminishing as a result. (New York Times Education Life November 5, 2006 pp. 20-23)

High Tech Communication: According to a Harris Interactive poll of teenagers, only 53% of 13-18 year olds say their favorite way to talk to or stay in touch with their friends is "in person." Cell phones, IM's email, and text messages are the preferred communication methods for more than 1/3 of teens. Social networking sites are also important. 36% of teens say they have friends they have never met in person, but only talk to online. On average teens say they have 75 people they consider to be friends on their social networking site. When it comes to honesty and sharing, 41% of teens say they are more outgoing with friends online than in person, 29% say they are more honest, 19% say they prefer to talk about important things online than in person and 30% say they are able to share more with a friend online than in person. (Harris Interactive Trends and Tudes vol. 5 issue 9 October 2006)

Young Adult Morality Differs from Boomers: A recent survey conducted by the Barn Group compares the morals of adults in their 20's and 30's with those of adults 40 and over. The results show a divergence between the "Boomers" and "Busters" with regard to 32 factors of morality - most notably 8 related to sex. Younger adults are far more likely to regard sex outside of marriage, cohabitation, fantasies, and viewing pornography as morally acceptable. Perhaps most disturbing is that those who fit into the "born again" Christian category were not very different from their peers with regard to most measures of morality - especially sex. The research shows that young people reflect the morals of their peer group much more significantly than that of their faith. (Barna.org October 31, 2006)

Pledge of Allegiance Ban: Student leaders at a California community college have received considerable national attention after voting to ban the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of its meetings. Many students at Orange Coast College have protested the move by the student trustees. The leaders say they do not think it right to swear an oath of allegiance to the country or the flag. Other student groups may still use the pledge. (Reuters November 10, 2006)

What Would You Like to Be Famous For? A Harris poll shows that nearly 12% of all respondents say they would like to be famous for being a good person who did humanitarian work - that was the number one single answer. However, the next three most popular were musical performer, athlete or artist. Twice as many people would like to be a pop-culture celebrity as being remembered for doing something good.

Sleep Deprived: Most college students arrive at school having developed poor sleeping habits. 80% of 11-17 year olds do not get enough sleep - sometimes by hours a night. Homework, activities, and media stimulation are all given a share of the blame for why kids sleep so little. Modeling by older adults and the availability of so many activities are certainly a major factor as well. Even those "sleep late" weekends do not often make up for all the lost sleep during the week. The trend seems to get worse when young people move out of the home and live on their own without someone telling them to go to bed. (Chicago Tribune (sec. 13 p. 6 November 5, 2006)

Briefly: Elton John has encouraged the banning of all religion because he believes it promotes hatred toward homosexuals (AP Nov. 12) The UN has been asked to consider "Jedi" an official religion. The latest census in England showed more people claiming to be Jedi than claimed to follow Sikhism, Judaism, and Buddhism (Independent online Nov. 11, 2006)

New York Times Article - Nov. 21, 2006

2006-11-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

A Free-for-All on Science and Religion
by GEORGE JOHNSON

Maybe the pivotal moment came when Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in physics, warned that “the world needs to wake up from its long nightmare of religious belief,” or when a Nobelist in chemistry, Sir Harold Kroto, called for the John Templeton Foundation to give its next $1.5 million prize for “progress in spiritual discoveries” to an atheist — Richard Dawkins, the Oxford evolutionary biologist whose book “The God Delusion” is a national best-seller.

Read the complete article here.

Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education

2006-10-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from the Ivy Jungle Report. For complete article go to www.ivyjungle.org.

College Profs More Religious than Thought: According to a study by Harvard and George Mason University, college professors are more religious than most people think. Only about one quarter of professors deny the existence of God or think it is impossible to know if God exists. The rest believe in God "at least part of the time" or in some kind of higher power. About 40% of professors attend religious services - below the general population average of 47%. These commitments are higher than previous surveys which did not include community college professors who are typically more religious than their counterparts at elite schools. But the study points out that even at the most elite, the majority are not atheists and agnostics. In fact, 20% say they have "no doubt that God exists." (AP October 12, 2006)

Graduating from God: Most teenagers who follow Christ feel that they are a minority in their public high schools and college campuses. Teen Mania garnered front page attention with an article in the New York Times about their Acquire the Fire conferences seeking to rally Christian teenagers into not abandoning the faith. Citing a statistic from Thomas Rainer's "The Bridger Generation," many have been alarmed that only 4% of those in youth groups stay in the faith as they move on to college. Barna has published statistics that show only 5% of teenagers are "Bible-believing" Christians. The methodology of both polls has been questioned, but church leaders agree that the number of students who "graduate from God" is quite alarming. Denominational reports show a 40-80% drop off when students go to college. The Fuller Center for Youth and Family Ministries and the newly formed Youth Transition Network are both making strides to close this gap. (New York Times October 6, 2006 A1; IJN Regional Forum discussion)

Harvard Recommends Religion in Core Curriculum: A faculty committee at Harvard University has recommended that religion once again have a place in the core curriculum for Harvard students. Founded as a training school for ministers, Harvard has long since lost any resemblance to a seminary. Harvard created the committee in response to the critique that the school had become too focused on a very narrow band of academic subjects. Their report recommends mandatory religion courses because religion is a strong force in the lives of students. 71% of incoming students attend some religious service - and nearly all say they discuss religion. Several other schools in the US, including Columbia, SUNY, and George Mason have recently changed their core curriculum to offer a more well rounded liberal arts background for their students (AP October 4, 2006)

Parents, Roommates, and Facebook: Residence Life staff have already been inundated by the concerns of "helicopter parents" who hover over the lives of their students, often intervening in ways that previous generations would have never thought possible. However, this fall, at many schools a new development in this trend has emerged. When roommate assignments are mailed, many students and parents alike immediately turn to Facebook or Myspace to learn about the potential match. Shortly there after, residence life staff say they have been receiving calls from parents who are concerned about the pairing based on what they saw, whether a concern about the student's social life, religious back ground, family of origin, or some other factor. Housing offices say that this was the first year that "I saw something on Facebook" was the reason for requesting a change. (New York Times September 13, 2006 A21)

Married Couples Hit Minority Status in US: Continuing a decades long decline, the percentage of US households consisting of married couples has now fallen below 50%. The American Community Survey released by the Census Bureau shows that 55.2 million of the nations 111.1 million households (49.7%) in 2005 had a man and a woman married to each other in them. Unmarried couples - both same sex and male/female couples - represent about 10% of US households. (Chicago Tribune October 15, 2006 sec.1 p. 7)

Thematic Housing Continues to Grow: In a growing number of dorms across the country, students can select to live in a building or floor with students of like passion. Whether a hall for "Justice, Service, and Change" or based around a foreign language, or an academic major, more and more thematic housing options are emerging. At some, faculty members are assigned to help students plan events for themselves - or for the broader campus. Many students say they are attracted to the community that comes from organizing around a specific area of interest. A University of Missouri study shows that students in thematic housing do better academically. However, some critics fear that thematic housing promotes self segregation and that students miss out on the cross pollinating and learning opportunities of ad hoc living arrangements. (Chicago Tribune September 12, 2006 sec. 5 p.1)

Fasting for Charity During Ramadan

2006-10-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

This fascinating story aired on NPR's "Day to Day" program today. I thought it would be of interest to many of you. -- Dave Burkum

Fasting for Charity During Ramadan

by Chana Joffe-Walt

Day to Day, October 10, 2006 · During the monthlong celebration of Ramadan, Muslim students at the University of Washington are encouraging their non-Muslim peers to fast for charity. The aim is to spread awareness of Islam within their college community.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6231086&ft=1&f=17

InterVarsity Banned at Georgetown

2006-10-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Expelling InterVarsity

Georgetown's Protestant chaplain bars evangelical groups from campus.

Sarah Pulliam | posted 10/10/2006 09:03AM

"InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and five other evangelical groups still hope to reverse Georgetown University's August decision to eject them from the Washington, D.C., campus.

Protestant chaplain Constance Wheeler notified the evangelical groups on August 14 that they would not be allowed to advertise Georgetown as a ministry site or sponsor events such as Bible studies and worship services. . . . ."

Read the complete article at Christianity Today online.

Elaine Pagels Leaves Questions Unanswered

2006-10-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

A response from Dr. Robert Osburn and Pete Lackey of the MacLaurin Institute to the Elaine Pagels lecture at Tedd Mann Concert Hall, University of Minnesota (Oct. 6, 2006).

At noon today (October 6) in the Ted Mann Concert Hall on the University of Minnesota’s West Bank, Princeton New Testament scholar Elaine Pagels lived up to her billing. “She makes the profound accessible,” said Dr. Phil Sellew, University of Minnesota religious studies professor as he introduced Dr. Pagels, who still has six scholarly texts in print. What she failed to do was to offer answers to important questions that many thoughtful New Testament readers would ask...

Find the complete article here.

The New Campus Rebels

2006-10-05T21:09:00.000-07:00

Terry Mattingly's religion column for 09/27/2006

They are the campus rebels, the young women who refuse to play by the rules laid down by a male-dominated culture.

They wish that more young men would focus on their minds and souls, instead of their bodies. They are tired of crude social games that serve the desires of men rather than the dreams of young women.

Link to complete article online.

Link to complete article pdf.

Terry Mattingly (www.tmatt.net) directs the Washington Journalism Center at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. He writes this weekly column for the Scripps Howard News Service.

Next 50 Years in Youth Ministry

2006-10-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

Christianity Today, October 2006

What's Next: Youth Church Reconnect:
What evangelical leaders say are the priorities for the next 50 years in youth ministry.
by LaTonya Taylor

We asked 114 leaders from 11 ministry spheres about evangelical priorities for the next 50 years. Here's what they said about youth ministry. Complete article here.

StarTribune Article - Sept. 25, 2006

2006-09-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

New generation of evangelicals embraces a more moderate focus
An increasingly diverse ideological spectrum takes hold, especially on college campuses, between the extremes marked by two leaders coming soon to Minnesota.
Pamela Miller, Star Tribune

At Bethel University in Arden Hills, long a popular destination for evangelical Christians, a new debate about faith and politics is flourishing.

Students are eager to talk about AIDS in Africa, poverty and pollution and far less likely to focus on gay marriage and abortion. Link to complete article.

http://www.startribune.com/614/story/701414.html

Article in Pioneer Press

2006-09-22T17:47:00.001-07:00

Below is a link to an article which as some very interesting data about the current generation of college students (as well as those who will come along in the next 10 to 15 years or so). This could impact our ministry approach, at least with students.

The article, however, is flawed when it says the Millenials started being
born in the mid 60s. It should have said "mid 80s".

Robert Osburn, PhD
Executive Director
MacLaurin Institute
www.maclaurin.org
osbu0001@umn.edu

A sunnier generation is on the horizon
BY BILL SLOAT
Newhouse News Service

The newest crop of Americans, the Millennials, might not be quite as frosty as the generation that arrived ahead of them.

Behaviorial scientists have issued an exploratory group profile that cautiously forecasts the dawning of a sunnier-side-of-the-street-crowd some 80 million strong and a thaw from Gen X's apparently ingrained cynical streak. Click here to read complete article.

Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education

2006-09-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

The following information is excerpted from IvyJungle.org. For more information about the Ivy Jungle Network or their complete Campus Ministry Updates, visit their website.

InterVarsity Group Banned:
The University of Wisconsin Superior has withheld official student group recognition for the InterVarsity chapter on campus. This is one of a number of lengthy legal battles the organization has had at a variety of campuses around the globe. Most of those disputes, and others with Christian ministries have been decided in favor of the ministries. At UW-Superior, InterVarsity and its 50+ students are still meeting, but without the benefit of recognition, funding, or on campus promotion. (Mission Network News August 18, 2006)

The Beloit List for the Class of 2010:
It is that time of year again when Beloit College publishes it's annual college freshman list. Among this year's highlights: For the class of 2010, mostly born in 1988 - The Soviet Union never existed and there fore is about as scary as the student union. There has always been only one Germany. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents. Smoking has never been permitted on US airlines. They have never had to distinguish between the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams. Google has always been a verb. Text messaging is their email. Bar codes have always been on everything. Madden has always been a game - not a Super Bowl winning coach. Non-denominational mega-churches have always been the fastest growing religious organizations in the US. Reality shows have always been on TV. Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia. Richard M. Daley has always been mayor of Chicago. Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics. To view the entire list go to www.beloit.edu/%7Epubaff/mindset/2010.htm

Religion Is Surviving - Even Thriving in the US:
Results from a national survey released by the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion indicate that religion in the USA is doing just fine. According to the survey, 89% of people in the country attend a local congregation or affiliate with a denomination. That puts just one out of 10 Americans in a category without religious affiliation. Earlier studies had seen one in 7 as non-religious, but the Baylor study said asking about a local congregation revealed many more people attending services - and not claiming a denominational tie. They say that the earlier questions that did not account for attendance or the increasing growth of non-denominational churches, but only asked about denominational affiliation. Of those who do not attend or affiliate with organized religion, only 37% say they do not believe in God. The study also found a number of other paranormal beliefs strong in America - 37% of respondents believe in the lost city of Atlantis, 25% in UFO's and 12% in astrology and psychics. (Houston Chronicle.com September 11, 2006)

Losing Their Religion?:
The Fuller Theological Seminary Center for Youth and Family Ministry has begun exploring the relationship between faith and the transition to college. Many a church and campus leader has lamented that so many students drop out of church once they step on campus. Many factors have been given credit for the change, including: the questioning of faith by faculty and students at college; loneliness; the inability of churches to reach and relate to college students; students not making the effort to fully engage a church and get past the initial awkwardness of somewhere new; and the embrace of less traditional forms of worship and religious experience. The Fuller project is in the first half of a three year study. (Redandblack.com (University of Georgia newspaper) September 13, 2006)

College By the Numbers:
Currently there are: 17.6 million students enrolled in 4216 colleges and universities in the US. 57.2% are women. 30.4% are minorities. 38% of undergrads are 25 or older. 54.3% of college freshmen will graduate in 6 years. The cost for tuition, room and board at a four-year public university runs and average of $12,605. At a private school that average is $34,698. In 1990, those costs were less than half of today's amounts. 80% of college freshmen say they have an interest in spirituality. Only 47% sought out opportunities to help them grow spiritually. (Christian Science Monitor September 13, 2006)

Spiritual Dorm at UC Berkeley:
Not known as an overly friendly campus when it comes to organized religion, UC Berkeley was one of the first schools to have a church sponsored dorm. One campus ministry, Westminster House, offers housing to 125 Berkeley students. They are one of a half dozen schools with such opportunities. The house not only provides an opportunity for students to live in a community where spiritual things are discussed, but also provides revenue for the Presbyterian ministry that owns the building. Students do not have to sign on to a statement of faith to live in the building. Some choose it because it does not have co-ed bathrooms, others because it is close to their academic buildings. Westminster House has opened a second building for another 44 students. The United Methodist Church will open a dorm at Berkeley next year. (SFGate.com August 24, 2006)

Campus Ministries Barred at Georgetown:
Georgetown university recently severed ties with several Christian groups including InterVarsity, Chi Alpha, and Crossroad Christian Fellowship. The school said it had decided to end its relationship with these "affiliated ministries" because it wanted to centralize the administration of its Protestant campus ministry groups, no longer relying on outside staff led groups for help. According to the university, students can continue to meet and promote their groups but outside staff members are not allowed on campus. Students and leaders were taken by surprise and continue to debate the issue on campus. (thehoya.com August 25-Sept. 1)

Campus Culture Trends

2006-06-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Soulless Education - or Why We Need Campus Ministers: Former Dean and current Harvard Professor, Harry Lewis has published Excellence Without a Soul in which he criticizes Harvard and all of higher education for what he calls the "hollowness of undergraduate education." The recent Duke lacrosse scandal and other news items he would say are symptoms of a deeper problem in education today. He believes that Harvard in particular has lost the "moral authority" to shape the souls of its students. Similar to Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind, Lewis claims the university misses the mark in not doing more to help students "sort out" their lives. Instead college presidents are mostly glorified fund raisers, professors are experts in narrow areas of their fields, and few on campus have real concern for the lives of their students. (Wall Street Journal Online May 24, 2006)

iPods Beat Beer: In its biannual survey of what is "in" on college campuses, the Student Monitor has seen beer take a back seat for only the second time in two decades. In 1997, suds placed second to the internet. In 2006, the iPod has moved into first place among things popular on campus. This year it was the leading vote getter with 73%. Last year it placed much lower on the list with only 59%. In second place were beer and facebook.com at 71%. (AP June 8, 2006)

The New Background Check: For some college students who feel they are getting the cold shoulder from job recruiters, the reason may lie in their myspace or facebook profile. Google has long been used by employers to learn more about employee prospects, but now many are looking at networking sites and some are shocked at what they find. Risqu photos, claims of drug and alcohol use or sexual exploits have undermined more than a few job hopefuls. Job recruiters and graduate school admission officers say that such things make students look immature or unprofessional at best - and often raise questions about integrity and judgment. (New York Times, June 11, 2006 p. 1)

Having Read, They Do Not Understand: According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of college graduates able to interpret complex texts has dropped from 40% to 31% since 1992. The center's commissioner says that education has shifted from an ability to comprehend ideas to the ability to "read labels." (Touchstone May 2006 p. 47)

Mainline Decline: The number of young men ordained in the Episcopal church has dropped by more than 90% since the 1960's. Relatively few young women seek ordination and that number has also declined since the 1980's. The one demographic increasing has been women over the age of 35 seeking ordination. (Touchstone May 2006 p. 48)

No Summer Vacation: While some may waste the days away sleeping late, hanging out with friends, and getting on the nerves of their parents, a small but growing number of high school students will be diligently at work boosting their resumes for college. Since 1995, the number of students taking at least one Advanced Placement test has increased 142%, which means summer courses or preparation for some. More than a third of high school seniors performed community service monthly in 2001 - up from less than a quarter in 1981. Even so, only about 6% of high school students spend more than 20 hours a week on non-home work related extra curricular activities. (New York Times June 4, 2006 p. 1)

Soaring Debt: Nearly 2/3 of college graduates have student loan debt upon the completion of their studies. The average note is now $19,000, most of it owed to the government. A study of 12 states showed that New York had the highest debt load at over $20k. Oregon and Minnesota had the highest percentage of students in debt with more than three-quarters having taken out loans. Private lending for student loans has increased from $1.3 billion in 1993-1994 to $10.6 billion in 2003-2004. Federal loans will cost even more this year as interest rates rise on July 1. (AP May 31, 2006)

Taking Relationships Too Seriously: Young people are getting married later, and some (not just their mothers) are concerned that more don't even seem to be looking. Among emerging adults (ages 18-29), only 38% report that they are currently in "committed relationships." Another nearly 40% say they are not even looking for one. Most say they are focused on school, jobs, getting out of debt, and establishing themselves and simply don't have time or energy for a serious relationship. In addition, many have witnessed their parents' marriages end in divorce and fear that kind of pain. Meanwhile, many settle for low commitment sexual "hook-ups" finding it much easier than traditional dating or courtship. (Touchstone May 2006).
____________________________
Excerpted from The Ivy Jungle Network Campus Ministry Update - June 2006.
www.ivyjungle.org

MN Daily Letter - May 24, 2006

2006-05-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

The following appeared in the Minnesota Daily Letters to the Editor, May 25, 2006
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2006/05/24/68404

Appreciate Differences
The week of April 24's series on religion on campus was well-crafted, and for that you deserve kudos from the campus community. For many, our beliefs, including atheistic, are central to our consciousness and ways of living. We especially commend you for letting religious voices speak for themselves.

As leaders of an evangelical campus ministerial coalition that represents more than 20 groups and nearly 1,000 active students, we look forward to creatively engaging and understanding those with other views. The mid-March Muslim-Christian dialogue and last year's joint Muslim-Christian effort to establish a Friendship Bench (on the south side of the Bell Museum of Natural History) are steps in the right direction, as is also professor Indira Junghare's effort to establish an institute for ethics and peacemaking.

Bob Osburn and the University Christian Ministry Association

Campus Culture Trends

2006-05-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Church Attendance: A report from the Gallup poll shows that those identifying themselves as Catholics (45%), Methodists (44%), Presbyterians (44%), Lutherans (43%) and Episcopalians (32%) all attend church less than 50% of the time. Church of Christ led the way with 68% attending every week, followed by Mormons, Pentecostals (65%), Southern Baptists (60%) and non-denominational protestants (54%). (Leadership Network Advance May 2006)

Professors Banning Laptops: While the laptop computer has become a common tool for the graduate and undergraduate students alike, a few professors have begun banning them from classrooms. For some, the ubiquity of wireless internet access means that those students furiously typing in the back row may be taking copious notes - or simply chatting with a friend online or updating their profile on myspace. A law professor at the University of Memphis says his ban is not due to competition from online poker, but the fear that his would be litigants are simply becoming stenographers instead, dutifully transcribing the class, but without any processing or thinking - or learning. (AP May 3, 2006)

Mainline Decline: The Episcopal church saw a drop of nearly 4% in its average Sunday attendance from 2003 to 2004. This came despite a nearly 10% increase in population in most parishes. The church noted that many other mainline denominations have faced a similar shift. (Touchstone April 2006 p. 52)

The High Cost of a College Loan: Nearly 2/3 of college students now use loans to finance their education, up from 46% in 1990. The class of 2004 graduated with an average loan debt of $15,622 for the public school students and $22,581 for those who went to private schools. A 2006 graduate with a consolidated debt of $40,000, they will owe a payment of $243 a month until they are 52. As they begin eyeing their senior discounts, they will have paid over $47,000 in interest alone on that loan. (CNNMoney.com May 2, 2006)

More than Just Advice: Many student papers now have sex advice columns, yet a few schools, including Yale, Harvard, Boston College, and the University of Chicago have taken it a bit farther with student published erotic magazines with full pictorial spreads. Most receive student activities funding (though not necessarily approval from the administration) and utilize student writers and models. The contributors, as well as professors and experts in human sexuality, see the magazines as the outgrowth of a generation that has grown up in a sex saturated media culture. In addition, they point out that feminism has changed so that some now see pornography as expression and not exploitation. Many say the approach of women toward things sexually explicit has changed the most dramatically in the last 15 years. In fact half of the sex magazine founders and editors are women. (NY Times Education Life April 23, 2006 p. 30-31)