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Wedding 101: A guide to the wedding season inside this issue
Friday, April 24, 2009 :: Vol. 97, No. 52 :: 2 sections, 14 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com
Inside This Issue:
Pg. 3
Debate team advances to national competition
Pg. 5
Pg. 8
‘Steel’-ing the show: Students rock audience with steel drums
Draft dreams: Former ACU football players hope to join NFL
Kittley resigns in reorganization of intramurals By Kelline Linton Chief Copy Editor
Danny Kittley has resigned from the university after 11 years as director of intramural sports and 23 years with the university. “I just retired,” said Kittley, whose final day was Monday. He declined further comment.
Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson, vice president and dean for Student Life, said Kittley’s departure will not affect the students’ intramural experience. “The biggest piece for folks to know is these things happen, people leave, but we are committed to not letting the program suffer,” he said. “On the contrary, we want to use this to grow.”
Thompson said he and Dr. Jeff Arrington, associate dean of Student Life, will begin the search for a new intramurals director as soon as possible and hope to have someone in the position by the summer. He said they would choose the new director through a standard selection process that includes interviews of the top candidates by a committee
that consists of Thompson, Arrington, members of the Student Life staff and students involved in intramural groups. He also said he wants to post the open intramurals director position on the ACU Web site. Thompson began to oversee the intramurals office, which supervises Champ and Rec leagues, when it was moved under Student Life in January.
Handing it Over
Before the change, the intramurals office answered to the Department of Athletics and Athletic Director Jared Mosely. Thompson said the shift to Student Life was made for two reasons. “Since the primary goal is to focus on student recreation, it made a lot of sense to pull the intramural program under the Student Life model,” he said.
Arts Editor
Heather Leiphart :: staff photographer Former SA President Sarah Pulis, senior political science major from Longview, hands a gavel to SA President Charles Gaines, junior social justice major from Cedar Hill, at the traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Gaines, cabinet accept transition of power Managing Editor
Students’ Association Congress members shared feelings of bittersweet memories, hope for the future and satisfaction from servings of glazed cheesecake at the Changing of the Guard ceremony Tuesday night. The ceremony in The Grace Museum courtyard, marked the last formal SA Congress function this semester and the official transition of power to the newly elected Cabinet.
“It’s bittersweet because I’ve put my heart into this organization for four years,” said former SA President Sarah Pulis. “I’m so proud of my time here and feel so blessed by the members of Congress. It’s sad to go, but I know that I’m leaving Congress to very capable, very respectable, outstanding people. So I have full confidence in them and I look forward to seeing what will happen in the Gaines’ administration. I think great things are going to happen.”
Numerous awards were given out after SA Congress members and other prominent ACU leaders savored a meal of grilled chicken, pasta, green beans and dessert catered by Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant. The SA Congress awarded the Milonga Latin Dance with the Student Group of the Year award and Edwards Hall Rep. Jared Elk with the Congressperson of the Year award. The SA executive officers also gave awards to people who significantly helped
See
Kittley page 4
Rushing allows clubs to advertise, expand By Lydia Melby
By Michael Freeman
“The goal is to make this a student-centered program.” The move also allowed Mosely more time to focus on the 16 NCAA sports teams he oversees, Thompson said. “We want to focus more on intramurals and do all we can to bring about the most exciting student-centered IM
and inspired them. Pulis awarded Dr. Caron Gentry, assistant professor of Honors Studies and political science, with the executive president’s award, while former secretary Brianna Allen gave her secretary’s award to Dr. John Willis, Burton Coffman Chair of Biblical Studies and professor of Old Testament. Former treasurer Spencer Hemphill gave his treasurer’s award to his father, Steve. See
Transition page 4
Spring rushing has once again come and gone, and after this preview for next fall rush’s season, many social club members are looking forward to the upcoming pledging process. Spring rushes, which are not required for pledging like fall rushes, are a series of events organized by the various social clubs to advertise their clubs to potential pledges. The events began with the All Club Rush on April 6 and wrapped up Thursday night with the last three spring rushes from GATA, Galaxy and Trojans. “Spring rushing is really important in that it isn’t mandatory, so that makes it really fun because the people that come are people that are just interested to find out more about the different clubs,” said Christina Perkins, president of Alpha Kai Omega and junior psychology major from Conroe. “It’s really important to go out there and meet as many people as you can, that way you get a taste of the different clubs and what they’re about, so you can think about it over the summer and make your decision.” Levi Mawhirter, president of Pi Kappa and junior youth and family ministry major from Waco, also said spring rushing was a fun but important way for clubs to advertise their organizations. “We’re a pretty new club, so we aren’t that well known to the student body, and spring rushing gets our name out there with some of
“
It’s really important to go out there and meet as many people as you can, that way you get a taste of the different clubs…
”
:: Alpha Kai president Chris-
tina Perkins, junior psychology major from Conroe
the bigger clubs,” Mawhirter said. “Everybody loves to get free food, so spring rushing is a great time to just give out free food, be friendly and laid-back and just have a good time with people.” Pi Kappa is one of the lesser-known social clubs on campus, and Mawhirter called it “the social club for the non-social club guy, who doesn’t really care about social clubs or maybe think they even serve a purpose.” He said besides the smaller size of Pi Kappa, what sets it apart is its focus on two things: accountability and service in the community. “Pi kappa is just another option,” Mawhirter said. “It’s not really a traditional club, and I guess different than some of the bigger clubs… [service] is a good way to get outside the ACU bubble and meet the people around our campus and around Abilene.” See
Rushing page 3
Stray cats on campus prompt administrative action By Erin Mangold Student Reporter
Students may have seen wild cats roaming the campus, not Willie the Wildcat, but actual stray cats. Some have spotted these cats running across the university’s lawns or searching the trash bins for food; others have endured their biting or scratching when getting to close to the toms and felines. Physical Resources recently began placing traps around campus in attempt to control the cat epidemic. An announcement on the myACU homepage warned students, faculty and staff to
not let the trapped cats loose because they were a risk to everyone on campus. Stray cats on campus have been a problem for a long time, said Scot Colley, associate director of Physical Resources. “We have been dealing with them for seven years, that I know,” Colley said. “We just occasionally put out traps and City of Abilene Animal Control picks them up.” David Williams, an air conditioner technician by day and kitchen supervisor by night, has been a member of the ACU staff for six years. He said the university has never fully resolved the stray cat problem. “One time, they started trapping them,
and the population went down,” Williams said. “But after a while, they came back and they’re still everywhere.” He and several ACU employees from the kitchen staff decided to take matters into their own hands. “We trapped one of the tom cats, pitched in money, had it neutered and released it, “ Williams said. “Hopefully that will help the problem a little.”
E-mail Mangold at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer A cat stands outside the Brown Library on Wednesday.
ACU WEATHER
Online Poll :
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
High: 84 Low: 66
High: 84 Low: 66
High: 80 Low: 66
a. Adopt them as department mascots. b. They’re doing the right thing. c. Nothing. I like having them around. d. I’ve never seen a cat on campus.
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