The Capstone Creed, a statement of values listed for students to abide by while attending the University, will be the primary focus of a series of events next week making up Capstone Creed Week.
This year a new addition to the creed will be emphasized — individual responsibility.
The new addition, which was proposed early November, though only a one-word change, guarantees that students take responsibility for their own actions, as well as look out for others, said Corrie Harris, director of student involvement.
“What students will agree on is that inward change is not enough,” Harris said. “For change to happen, we must talk about it first.”
Harris said that in years past, there have been several problems on campus she has seen from students “not making thorough decisions” to not looking out for their own peers, resulting in a sense of isolation from the rest of the UA community. In addition, Harris said it is important for students to look after one another as members of a community in order to keep morale solid and intact.
“Our job is to promote the Capstone Creed so people will not have to come to my office due to personal problems,” Harris said.
Last semester, Harris, the Student Leadership Council and more than 30 leaders from various organizations on campus, came together to add the words “individual responsibility” to the creed. Through this new addition to the creed, Harris said students are now able to “have ownership of the creed” by practicing it every day with those around them.
David Jones, assistant vice president for student affairs and executive director of housing and residential communities, said he was present when individual responsibility was proposed to the creed, and said it was a very memorable time for the University.
“The addition of those terms by those council is a seminal moment in the Capstone Creed because it was the first time since its inception that it has been changed,” Jones said. “It reflects the needs of those around us.”
Despite not being written into the creed for years, Jones said the idea of individual responsibility had “always been there” in terms of exercising civic responsibility.
“They recognized that is was easier to make it a little bit,” Jones said. “The first step is making sure we take care of ourselves.”
Echoing the ideas of both Harris and Jones, SGA President Stephen Oliver said the Capstone Creed initiative is very important in terms of drawing the UA community closer together.
“We want to reach out and be there for our friends,” Oliver said. “It creates a sense of community here at the University. We are all a part of the University here. I think it is a very important.”
Oliver also expressed the importance of assimilating into the community by becoming involved in on-campus organizations.
“Being here at UA, just being a student creates a sense of community,” Oliver said. “We do that in the dorms. Being involved in an organization definitely adds to that. That’s why we have people like Corrie to plug these programs.”
Next week, various organizations will be hosting events in honor of Capstone Creed Week. On Monday at 11 p.m., there will be giveaway at the Ferguson Center Plaza to kickoff the week. On Tuesday, there will be a text-messaging scavenger hunt on the second floor of the Ferguson Center from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, there will be bowling outing at Bama Bowl from 9 p.m. to midnightTo close out the week, there will be a ceremony at the Moody Music Building Friday, March 5, at 3:30 p.m.
For more information on other events throughout the week, visit leadership.ua.edu. To see the Capstone Creed, visit quickfacts.ua.edu/creed.html.
