2005 09 16

FRIDAY

Optimist the

September 16, 2005

Vol. 94, No. 9 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com

Special team

Minding ‘Body and Soul’

Oscars in mind

The Wildcats have relied heavily on their special teams unit, page 10

A new program allows pre-med and pre-dental students to shadow professionals, page 4

Many fall movies are targeted at Academy Award voters, page 7

University plans college of education n The university’s fourth college will include not only the Education Department but other departments and programs from across campus, said Dr. Jerry Whitworth, chair of the department of education.

Administrators still are determining specific details for the college.

By JONATHAN SMITH Editor in Chief

The university plans to create a college of education and is in the process of developing specifics for that plan, administrators confirmed this week.

Dr. Colleen Durrington,

dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said although details are still being discussed in meetings, a college of education—the university’s fourth college, which the Board of Trustees approved in August—is in the university’s future.

Dr. Jerry Whitworth, chair

of the Department of Education, said the college will include more departments from across campus than just education but those departments are still being determined.

Whitworth said the creation of the college—which has been discussed for several years—will coincide with the

renovation of the Burford Music Hall, which is part of the Centennial Campaign. Burford will serve as the college as the college’s headquarters.

The benefit of creating a college specifically for educationally related departments, Whitworth said, is increased visibility for the programs

that once might only have been a part of much broader colleges. Creating one specific education department also officially brings together all the different departments working toward similar educational purposes and goals.

E-mail Smith at: jvs02a@acu.edu

Doing their bidding

SA amends bylaws for appointees n The executive president can appoint students as representatives who do not meet hours qualifications.

By TIFFANY TAYLOR Features Editor

Congress voted Wednesday to amend the Students’ Association’s by-laws, giving the president power to appoint students to empty academic representative positions, even if they do not meet the hours qualifications.

Sophomore Sen. Brandon Smith and Foster Science Building Rep. Christopher Smith proposed the amendment, which the 26 present members of Congress passed unanimously. Brandon Smith told Congress the amendment was meant to stop Congress from being forced to ignore the by-laws to appoint students to building representative positions, as has happened in years past.

In the past, Congress has suspended the by-laws, an act that is usually used to allow the discussion of topics not on the docket, in order for the president to nominate students who do not have the required 60 hours to be building representatives.

The amendment, which will make suspending the by-laws unnecessary, reads: “In the case of vacancy in the position of Academic Representative, a candidate may be considered for appointment regardless of classification.”

“The steps we took tonight in passing this amendment to the by-laws ensures and just reaffirms the fact that this administration, this Congress, is committed to a more ofSee

SA page 8

Students see shelter life first hand n Seven from ACU volunteer with hurricane evacuees in a San Antonio shelter last weekend.

EMERALD McGOWAN/Staff Photographer

Kaci Mahler, senior elementary education major from Austin, congratulates Kimberly Powell, sophomore accounting major from Franklin, Tenn., on receiving a bid to the women’s social club Sigma Theta Chi on Thursday. Clubs delivered bids Thursday evening, and potential pledges must accept the bid to officially begin the pledging process.

Potential pledges receive bids Thursday night

By MONICA SMITH Staff Writer

The gnashing of teeth combined with the shouts of joy could be heard in various resident halls throughout campus.

The reason: bids have gone out.

Social clubs distributed bids Thursday evening. For some social clubs this week was the last opportunity to show rushes what their club is all about, for others it was a time to relax before pledging begins.

“It’s kind of different, for the guys at least, this week. Coffee is kind of the last rush. We didn’t have any rushes this week. Gal-

axy and [Gamma Sigma Phi] had our coffees Sunday afternoon,” said Luke Reeves, GSP president and senior communication major from Boulder, Colo.

Club members flooded Copy Stop on Wednesday afternoon as they scrambled to get bids completed. Thursday evening members in each club passed out their bids to rushes in the residence halls. The rushes were required to remain in their residence halls or apartments between 5 and 6 p.m.

“Since I’m a junior, this is the first time that I’ll be able to See

BID page 8

Some women will deal with disappointment

By RACHEL LAU Student Reporter

Bids have gone out, and the 2005 pledging season has begun. More than 450 men and women participated in social club rushes for the past three weeks, and the much-anticipated Bid Night begins Friday.

With the large number of girls wanting to pledge the three largest social clubs, including Sigma Theta Chi, Alpha Kai Omega and Ko Jo Kai, many did not get the bid of their choice.

Gentry Rush, senior marketing major from Lewisville and president of Alpha Kai Omega,

said women’s clubs tried to encourage the girls to go to every rush to view their options.

“What all your friends want may not be what you need,” Rush said. “This is not something to think about for one second or follow the crowd on.

It’s something important for what you want, not what your roommate or your mom wants.

Girls shouldn’t feel like they are rejected. It’s not like that.”

Alpha Kai Omega recently celebrated its fifth year and has since then grown to be one of the larger women’s clubs.

See

CLUB page 8

By ANDREA LUCADO Student Reporter

A young mother holds her infant child on a neatly made cot, surrounded by hundreds of other cot clusters. Children play in open areas, and officials stand behind desks at a temporary post office and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Eyes are tired and faces weary, but hostility doesn’t show in the faces of the people living in the old factory.

This scene greeted seven students, who devoted last Saturday to volunteer at the Levi Strauss center, a factory-turned-shelter in San Antonio that houses victims of hurricane Katrina.

The team of volunteers, which consisted of two seniors, one junior and four sophomores, did not expect the organization they found at the shelter. Katie Thompson, sophomore education major from Allen, said she prepared herself to see “cramped living conditions … people everywhere [looking] down-and-out.”

However, when Thompson arrived, she said she found the opposite.

When the students arrived at the center See

SHELTER page 8

Night riders kick-start club n What began as a way for about 30 students to pass time one Friday night, has grown into more than 50 students riding bicycles together each Tuesday night.

By MALLORY SHERWOOD Managing Editor

ANNA CARROLL/Staff Photographer

Allie Rogers, sophomore elementary education major from Athens, attaches a bell to her bike Tuesday night before riding with the new bicycle club.

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Outside of a University Park apartment building stand six standard bikes, two tandem bikes, five unicycles, four long boards and a moped. For Daniel Wheeler and Aaron Bell these modes of transportation are their latest toys.

“We pick them up at garage sales and pawn shops; sometimes we trade things for them,” said Bell, junior communication major from

“Yesterday a girl invited me to Tuesday night bike club, and I started it.”

Aaron Bell, junior communication major from Van, on the growing popularity of bike club

Van. “We are boys who like to play, and when people come over, we want them to have something to do to.”

Play they do, as co-leaders of the newest club on campus: Tuesday night bike club.

Wheeler, senior English major from Van, said the first bike club meeting began after the showing of “Kicking and Screaming,” in Cullen Auditorium on Aug. 26. He said no one knew what to do, so they decided to ride their bikes around campus and town.

Now into its third week,

Abilene Christian University

the Tuesday night bike club has sparked interest.

“It started with 32 friends riding together, and it has grown into something out of control,” Wheeler said.

The first week the co-leaders counted 32 people who had shown up. By the second week, 58 rode and on Tuesday, 53 showed again.

Tuesday night bike club, or Night Riders, as many know it, offers students and faculty the opportunity to ride about See

BIKE page 8

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Campus

Day

Friday, September 16, 2005

16

Calendar & Events Friday

Benefit Concert for victims of Katrina, 8 p.m., Southern Hills Church of Christ auditorium.

FilmFest sign-up deadline, Campus Center ticket windows and Adams Center.

17

Saturday

Service Saturday A Day at the Park, 1:30 p.m., meet at tennis court parking lot.

Home Football Game, 6 p.m., Shotwell Stadium.

Announcements Jamfest Auditions begin Thursday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. in the Bean sprout. Sign up at the volunteer Service Learning Center or e-mail Amanda Spell at amanda. spell@acu.edu or call her at Ext. 2772.

Jamfest will be at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14.

Volunteers are needed to help a hurricane victim move into an apartment at 10 a.m. Saturday. If you can help with this effort please contact Heather Baker at 4371337.

Centennial Homecoming needs hard-working people to serve as members of CAT CREW and partner with the Homecoming Steering Committee for homecoming. Students can apply online at www.acu.edu/ homecoming.

Collegiate Cards are now available in the SA office in the Bean Sprout. Students can use the card to get discounts at Abilene businesses.

A typist is needed for a hearingimpaired student. Good listening and typing skills are necessary, but no tools are needed because the student has a computer. Help is needed on Mondays at noon, Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 3 p.m. and

Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact Mattia Bray at Ext. 2554.

Freshman Follies tickets are now available online for students and members of the community at www.freshmanfollies.com.

International Rescue Com­ mittee needs volunteers to mentor refugee families who have recently moved to Abilene.

For more information, contact Debi Wheeler at 675-5643 Ext. 12.

Big Country Balloon Fest needs volunteers to man ticket booths, silent auction, and the children’s area September 2325 from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. in twohour shifts. For more information, contact Julie Young at 665-6307.

Volunteers are needed to help with the March of Dimes golf tournament fundraiser from Sept.

20-25 at Fairway Oaks Country Club.

The Boys & Girls Club of Abilene needs volunteers Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. to assist with homework and occasionally some teaching. This is a great opportunity to be a positive influence in the life of our youth.

For more information ,contact the Volunteer Service- Learning Center.

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Sunday

Nothing scheduled this day.

19

Monday

Women in Missions Luncheon, 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m., Bible 219.

Volunteer Opportunities The Center for Contem­ porary Arts needs volunteers to greet patrons, answer phone calls and help with gallery set-up and clean-up. For more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

The Lake Stamford relief effort needs three to four volunteers with pick-up trucks to deliver supplies with vans Saturday. Please donate: nonperishable food, paper goods, linens, folding canvas chairs, and cash.

Parents of Children with Down Syndrome needs vol­ unteers to help with child care during support group meetings at 6:45-8:15 p.m. Wednesdays at the Women`s Center of Abilene Re­gional Medical Center. For more information, contact the

Volunteer and Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout.

Healing Hands Inter­national needs volunteers to help local churches prepare, gather and sort clothing for impoverished children on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 2-4:30 p.m. For more information, contact David Catalina at 677-9991.

American Heart Associ­ ations needs help running a golf tournament on Sept. 2025. For more information, contact Jennifer Woodard at 672-0566.

University Place, a retirement living community, needs a volunteer to lead singing for their residents sing song on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. for more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

About This Page The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities.

Groups may send announcements directly to optimist@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor, ACU Box 27892, Abilene, TX 79699.

To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style.

Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:

19 51

CAMPUS NEWS

Friday, September 16, 2005

The best part of studying

Program achieves goal n The accredited program in the College of Arts and Scien­ces gives students more opportunities in the Interior Design Program to find jobs after graduation.

KATHERINE FLANARY/Staff Photographer

Katy Galloway, sophomore social work major from Coppell lay on the bench in the mall area outside of Moody Coliseum on her book bag while reading handouts for class on Thursday afternoon.

Renovation ahead of schedule n University Church of Christ’s renovation includes a covered drive way, multi-purpose gym­nasium, industrial kitchen, four classrooms and a courtyard.

By JACI SCHNEIDER Copy Editor

Construction on University Church of Christ should be finished by November, one month earlier than originally estimated, said Dr. Eddie Sharp, pulpit minister and professor of Bible, missions and ministry.

“We had some good days uninterrupted by weather, and we had good workers,” Sharp said.

Although rain in the city slowed Barret Hall construction, it didn’t affect University Church of Christ’s construction because of the timing.

The $4 million project includes a covered driveway to

protect church attendees from wet weather, a multi-purpose gymnasium, an industrial kitchen, four classrooms and a courtyard.

“This sort of finished a building project that was started in the 1950s,” Sharp said.

He said the church was constructed in the 1940s and houses surrounded the auditorium, leaving no room for parking or additional buildings.

The project also includes converting a field on the corner of Washington Boulevard and East North 15th Street into a parking lot. The university will pay half the cost and the church will pay half, and students can use the lot during the week.

The church had already raised about 85 percent of the construction cost, Sharp said.

Although $700,000 still needs to be raised, Sharp said he’s

confident church members will come through with more donations. And he said with interest rates at a historical low, the church can borrow money to make up the difference.

“We think [the money] will come,” Sharp said.

The gymnasium will work as a gym, a theater and a place for groups to stay. The kitchen is connected, and showers are in the bathrooms.

“This will give us a lot more flexibility,” Sharp said.

Sharp said the building could be used in the future for groups like the victims of the hurricane.

“We can’t be building this for ourselves,” he said. “This has got to be used as a tool ... not as a toy.”

E-mail Schneider at: jrs02a@acu.edu

Edwards Hall receives smelly surprise n Skunks and their families passed by Edwards Hall last week, leaving behind a staunch odor for the sophomore men to enjoy and Physical Resources to catch.

By LAUREN HART Student Reporter

The men of Edwards Hall experienced a peculiar smell throughout their hall last week, only to discover skunks had been lurking nearby.

Students spotted skunks outside Edwards last week, and their odor has permeated the hall. Physical Resources and the Central Plant placed traps around and outside Edwards Hall to catch the animals.

“I’m all for having pets, but this is a little much,” said

Brandon Smith, sophomore political science major from Forth Worth said. Smith said he saw a skunk as he was walking with a friend.

“We saw a skunk walking outside the dorm, and we followed it for a little bit,” Smith said, “not wanting to get too close to it, of course.”

He said he and his friends on 2nd North only smelt the skunks for two days. But the stench spread throughout the hall and went into the residents’ rooms.

Steve Sargent, Edwards Hall resident director, said the skunk odor has slowly subsided and should be gone in the next few days.

Students have spotted skunks and their babies

Page 3

outside Edwards, and Sargent said he assumed they were living in the bushes. Sargent said he was unsure of how the odor entered their building, so he contacted Physical Resources and the Central Plant to investigate and purge the skunks from the area. Currently traps are outside of Edwards to catch the skunks and clear up the air, which has been freshening up slowly.

Although Sargent and other residents of Edwards are enduring the odor, Sargent said he is content that the skunk smell is trickling out.

“At least the skunks don’t live in our apartment,” Sargent said. “So that’s a good thing.”

E-mail Hart at: optimist@acu.edu

and evaluate students’ work, Wasemiller said. The committee then sent a peer evaluation to the FIDER Accreditation Commission, which granted the accreditation.

Wasemiller said students graduating from a FIDER-accredited program should be able to find jobs more easily than students who don’t.

“Employers will gravitate to the FIDER applicant when they have a large pool of applicants. Even without this benefit our students were already being hired, with over 90 percent being fully employed within six months of graduation,” she said.

Faculty members said they are excited about the oppor-

Ellinger was the chair of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, which regulates the practice of architecture and interior design, from 1997-2004. He proposed the legislation that required stuBy KAYLA ANDERSON dents to graduate from an acStudent Reporter credited program.

The interior design proEllinger said he knew when gram received accreditation he proposed the legislation this summer from the only that ACU did not have an acnational accrediting body credited program. for interior design education “But I knew that the right programs. thing to do was get that acThe Foundation for Intecreditation, and I also knew rior Design Education and that the program was strong Research recognized the ACU enough that they could pull it program as accredited July off and do it,” he said.

30. The university is one of Students as well as faconly 13 schools in Texas with ulty had input in the proFIDER accreditation, and it cess. The visiting team met is the only FIwith students DER-accredin each year “It’s going to encourage the department to ited program to ask them among schools grow and will move it into an era that is going about the affiliated with program, said to be much more respected.” the Churches Charity Sibert, of Christ. Only senior interior Steve Ellinger, adjunct professor of interior design 146 programs design major are accredited from Austin.

by FIDER. tunities the accreditation will The visiting team also Kitty Wasemiller, profes- provide for the department. gave faculty and students sor and director of the interi“It’s certainly going to en- suggestions of how to imor design program, and other courage the department to prove the program. The team faculty have been working grow and will move the depart- suggested that students do several years to prepare a cur- ment into an era now that will more sketches by hand inriculum. Gaining accredita- be among the professionals,” stead of working solely on tion requires “a minimum of said Steve Ellinger, adjunct computers, Sibert said. two years of really dedicated, professor of interior design.

The accreditation lasts for focused, hands-on activity,” The department began six years, at which point the Wasemiller said. thinking about gaining ac- program will be re-evaluated.

The interior design faculty creditation in 1999, when the “It’s evolving all of the prepared a self-study evalu- Texas State Legislature passed time, just as any group’s acation and sent the results to a bill requiring students who creditation does,” Wasemiller the FIDER accrediting board in begin their studies after Sept. said. “It’s not static, just as January. A visiting team of two 1, 2006 to graduate from a the professions aren’t static.” educators and one practitio- FIDER-accredited program in ner came to the university for order to take the interior dethree days in April to examine sign licensing exam in Texas, the facilities, observe classes Wasemiller said.

E-mail Anderson at: optimist@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

Page 4

Friday, September 16, 2005

Service Saturday offers students an option to serve n Students interested in ser­v­ing Abilene and the surrounding area can volunteer for two options during Service Satur­day: Eternal Threads or Habitat for Humanity.

By DENTON JOSEY Student Reporter

This weekend marks the first Service Saturday of the semester. Students can choose from a variety of service opportunities and sign up at the ticket window in the Campus Center.

Nancy Coburn, director of the Volunteer and ServiceLearning Center, said this Saturday, five different projects will be available for students to participate in, ranging from putting on price tags to surveying flood damage.

“We have a lot of different needs we’re happy to meet in

Abilene,” Coburn said. “Our existence here isn’t just about us. … I think [service opportunities] help us be more of who Jesus called us to be.”

Jenna Grime, senior English major from Archbold, Ohio, is a mem­ber of the Service Act­ ion Lead­ership Team. Grime encour­ages students to get involved Saturday.

“Due to the excitement of Hurricane Katrina, students are extremely motivated to serve but just aren’t sure where to plug in,” Grime said.

Grime also said while students are eager to serve in response to Hurricane Katrina, they should also remember the hometown needs in Abilene.

“We are called now to meet the needs of those who are closest to us, and Abilene is abundant with needs—we have home-

less sleeping One option On the Web on the streets is to help Eternal www.acu.edu/campusoffices/vslc every night Threads, an orin Abilene,” ganization that Grime said. sells bags hand“It’s time that we, as students, made by women in India and begin to minister to them, guarantees the women are paid bringing them hope and healing for their work. Eternal Threads through the name of Christ. needs volunteers to tag the

“I cannot say enough good things about ACU students that come out­—just a wonderful group of people.”

Karen Mendoza, events coordinator for Habitat for Humanity

“While not all of us will be working with Hurricane victims this Saturday, we need to remember that there are people right here in Abilene who have intense needs, too,” Grime said.

New devotional soon available n Grace devotional ended after more than 11 years when the current leader received another job that will begin during the middle of the fall semester.

By LACI ARMSTRONG Student Reporter

Grace, an areawide Bible study for college students in Abilene, has been active for 11 and a half years; however, this semester Grace isn’t meeting.

Several Grace leaders, including the main worship leader, left because they received jobs in other places.

Luke Norsworthy, an ACU graduate student from Philadelphia, was active in Grace for three years and served as the main speaker for the past two. He said that the reason he isn’t leading Grace now is because he’s leaving soon for a job and doesn’t want to begin Grace and have to leave in the middle of the semester.

“I started going to Grace as a sophomore at ACU, and it has been a true blessing to

me as a student,” Norsworthy said. “It helped me understand how to live as an everyday Christian, not just a Sunday morning worshiper.”

“Some people are upset that we’re not having Grace this year, and I think it’s kind of sad, but I know there are plenty of other things students can be involved in,” he said.

Steven Patterson, producer and engineer of Greenroom Studios in Abilene and the worship leader at University Baptist, is in charge of One, a reworking of the concept of Grace.

“The purpose of Grace in the beginning was to provide a Bible study for college students in Abilene, but it has become something different” Patterson said.

Now called One, the old Grace is being transformed by the vision of Patterson into a place for students and ministers of all denominations to meet in prayer.

“I want One to be a neutral

merchandise for sale.

Volunteers can also help with a garage sale at Colonial Apartments or help clean at Lake Fort Phantom.

For those wanting to help

flood victims, a group will go to Lake Stamford to survey damage and distribute supplies to families affected by recent flooding.

“We were helping facilitate teams in response to the evacuees we were supposed to get in Abilene, but that didn’t happen.

Now we’re trying to help with the Lake Stamford project,” Coburn said.

Another area of need is with Abilene’s Habitat for Humanity.

Karen Mendoza, events coordinator for Habitat, said students have shown a great interest in volunteering in the past.

“I cannot say enough good things about ACU students that come out—just a wonderful group of people, always willing to help,” Mendoza said.

Those participating with Habitat for Humanity will be re-

pairing a home in Abilene.

“When you’re building or rehabbing a home,” Mendoza said. “It is a very rewarding feeling. You drive by a home two years later and say, ‘Hey, I helped build that. I was a part of that.’”

Mendoza said that students should at least spend one morning volunteering to see that “it is not only fun, but rewarding.”

For students not able to participate, more opportunities will be available in the future.

Service Saturdays take place once a month, and the next two will be Oct. 8 and Nov. 12. The Nov. 12 event is the Intercollegiate Community Celebration that teams students from ACU, Hardin Simmons University and McMurry University.

E-mail Josey at: optimist@acu.edu

What was Van Gogh thinking?

On the Web www.oneabilene.com

platform that unifies the body of Christ in Abilene,” Patterson said.

One is not currently meeting because Patterson said leaders are taking a break to reevaluate what the true purpose of the ministry will be.

“Grace isn’t over—God is changing it, and we’re trying to see what he has in store for us.” Patterson said he hopes to have One established by next semester.

The vision of One involves meeting once a month. The meeting would include students and ministers from all universities and churches, and they would unify themselves in prayer.

“It’s about people,” Patterson said. “We want One to serve as a connector of all types of people under one God.” BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

E-mail Armstrong at: optimist@acu.edu

Megan Walters, sophomore psychology major from Dallas, is among the many students looking at a variety of posters at the poster sale in the Campus Center on Wednesday.

Medical students try Body and Soul n The Body and Soul Program offers pre-med and pre-dental students the opportunity to shadow professionals and find internships with new program.

By LUKE HARRIS Staff Writer

Pre-med and pre-dental students can participate in an opportunity to be involved in their chosen field.

The students can shadow doctors in their chosen field, find internships and visit professional schools. The program that provides these opportunities is called Body and Soul and, even though it is a fairly new program, students are actively trying to participate.

Terri Aldriedge, Body and Soul coordinator, said the program began in February, but the university has been planning it for a while. According to national studies, 50 percent of sophomores drop out of the pre-med and pre-dental program, and the university has the same statistics.

The university hired Aldriedge to find out why stu-

dents were dropping the premed and pre-dent programs and what could be done to help. Aldriedge keeps track of freshmen and sophomores by tracking the courses they are taking and the grades they are making.

Aldriedge also finds out which students are eligible for the Body and Soul program and finds doctors or dentists to participate.

Students must have a 3.5 grade point average to participate in the program, and Aldriedge said all of the 16 students that participated last semester gained and maintained that GPA throughout the semester. Sophomores will participate in the program in October of this year, and freshman will be able to participate in April of 2006, when their GPAs will show whether or not they are eligible for the program.

“If your passion is to be a doctor or a dentist, you are going to want to get in and get the experience,” Aldriedge said.

One of the students who is going to get the experi-

ence this October is Reid Bishop, sophomore biology major from Sweetwater.

Bishop said he heard about the program through friends and was very interested by the idea and wanted to participate.

“I really hope that I can study under a doctor that does what I want to do when I become a doctor, to see how it is,” Bishop said.

One of Bishop’s friends, Jim Goggin, sophomore biology major from Fort Worth, participated in the program last April. Goggin shadowed an orthopedic surgeon, watching the doctor make rounds as well as perform some surgeries. Goggin was interested in the surgeries, but he said he was much more interested in watching the doctor make his rounds.

“More than anything, you got to see how he interacted with the patients and his social skills and the care he provided for them was pretty meaningful,” Goggin said.

E-mail Harris at: dlh02a@acu.edu

Campus News

Friday, September 16, 2005

Page 5

Film industry calls student to Hollywood n Taking a job offer at a film production and distribution company was too tempting for one student, who will skip his senior year to move out west .

By ANDREA LUCADO Staff Writer

One of the leading film production and distribution companies in Hollywood recently gained an ACU student as a full-time employee.

Aaron Rector, former senior electronic media major from Abilene, did not have Hollywood in his future plans but found himself on the road Saturday, Sept. 3, headed west.

Rector had one week to make the decision between finishing his senior year or taking a job offered by CineTel Films, a film production and distribution company in West Hollywood. The prospect of working in California began this summer when Rector interned at CineTel Films. The company offered him the Assistant Creator of Development position at the end of the summer, placing Rector at a fork in the road, one leading to a college education in Abilene and the other to California.

For Rector, the decision was a “no-brainer.” He said he has never considered

himself a student “all about school,” so the job possibility was more exciting than debatable.

Rector’s parents played a large role in the consideration process. Rector’s father, Dr. Anthony Rector, medical director at the University Medical Clinic, initially reacted to the CineTel job with the simple words: “Don’t do it.”

Dr. Rector said he has always emphasized education, but both he and his wife have told their children that “life is meant to be lived,” which he believes Aaron is doing by accepting the job offer. Although Dr. Rector

was hesitant to allow his son to move so many miles away, he knows Aaron has a passion for the movie business and making quality films.

On the Web www.cinetelfilms.com

With his mother’s artistic side and a faith encouraged throughout his life, Dr. Rector said he is certain his son can be a light to the sometimes dark film industry.

Aaron Rector will work for a company that has produced and distributed major films such as Gargoyles, Bulletproof and Cyclone, and its

n Seekers of the Word has begun to practice for its local and out-of-town performances, joined by six new members chosen during auditions .

By NATHAN STRAUS Staff Writer

BRIAN SCHMIDT/ Chief Photographer

Lindsey Scraggs, junior biology education major from Abilene, searches in the grass outside Foster Science Building for gumballs as part of her animal biology lab Thursday. The gumball hunt for the lab taught by Tom Lee, professor of biology, represented the relationship between predators and prey and natural selection.

Campus jobs still available

By BRANDON E. COOKS Staff Writer

The catering departments have vacant spots for student employees.

“There are almost always jobs available in the Bean, Bean Sprout and Catering Department,” said Cory Bourg, Food Services director, in an e-mail.

“Students who qualify for college work study can apply with one of the supervisors and begin the paperwork to get approved for work,” he said.

Bourg said students who do not qualify for work-study can still work, but the jobs are not as plentiful.

Although employees are needed Bourg said students must be willing to work.

“Be sure that you really want to work. Some students get a job because their parents tell them to or because friends are working, and it

looks fun,” he said “Work is to be taken seriously, and although it can be fun at times, it’s still a responsibility,” Bourg said.

Even though jobs maybe vast in number in certain areas of employment, some student workers suggest to future student employees to find jobs that fits their lifestyles.

“When applying for a job, you should find a place that makes you feel comfortable and does not make you com-

On the Web http://www.acu.edu/jobscareers.html

promise your values, like church and other extracurriculars,” said Shelby Coates, sophomore sociology major from Clarksville, Tenn.

“The motivation behind me having my jobs are because of my car payments, insurance, cell phone bill, gas, maintenance, and other random expenses,” she said.

Coates has two on-campus jobs, one at Pizza Hut and the other KACU. “I chose my jobs because

tion company and selecting a script for their use. He said he is looking forward to Los Angeles and the independence this job will bring him. And although Rector will not be graduating this May as planned, he said he intends to graduate later in the future.

To get more information on CineTel films or how to get an internship with the company, visit their Web site at www.cinetelfilms.com

E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu

Seekers adds members

Treasure hunting

n Students interested in finding jobs might find it convenient to apply for work on campus, and choose jobs that fit their lifestyle and school schedule.

list of well-known actors is extensive, including Christian Slater and Lara Flynn Boyle.

With a company that has achieved so much, Rector said he is “super excited to be starting a new point in life.”

Even while driving toward his future West Coast home, he said he was not nervous, only sad to leave his friends, roommates and family and disappointed he will would his younger brother’s first year at ACU. Rector’s first project as assistant creator of development will be signing National Lampoon with the produc-

they’re very flexible with my schedule,” Coates said. “And plus KACU gives me the experience I need with my future career.”

“For students looking for on-campus or off-campus jobs; I really recommend going online and searching,” Coates said. “There are a lot of opportunities for employment found on the web.”

Matt Saller, junior finance major, from Nashville, Tenn. who works in the university post office agreed with Coates “Find a job with consistent hours, and make sure there is a comfortable work setting,” Saller said.

Saller said he suggests to college students looking for work to find and on-campus job.

“On-campus jobs are convenient, and they save you lots of money,” he said.

For more information on jobs on or off campus go to http://www.acu.edu/jobscareers.html on the web.

E-mail Cooks at: bec03c@acu.edu

The Seekers of the Word, an ACU-based drama team, recently conducted Operation Platypus, a welcoming party for their newest members, who have already completed auditions.

Seekers members chose six new members out of the 11 hopeful applicants, and now Seekers of the Word is not recruiting any more for the rest of the semester.

Seekers has 15 members, but only 13 participate in each show; two alternate after every show.

Abby Loe, junior psychology major from Amarillo and president of the Seekers of the Word, said the Seekers didn’t get as many

applicants during this audition as they did for their last audition, but she said numbers depend on interest and advertising.

The group has not yet set the date of the first performance. Loe said the Seekers usually do three or four out-of-town performances, and up to five or six in-town performances, some off campus, some on campus.

“We want the audience to get a sense of hope that God can take care of all our problems, and that we don’t need to worry ourselves about them,” Loe said.

The first practice took place Saturday, and during the practice, Seekers reviewed their rules and traditions, many of which are only known to current and past members.

“My favorite skit we do is called Trust,” Loe said. Amber Larson, business major from Tucson, AZ, said it is

a skit where a young girl is let down by men in her life, and her friends try to tell her that Jesus will not let her down, and she eventually accepts him. Larson said Trust is her favorite skit as well.

“What we like to see is the audience expression when one of the skits just hits home and makes them think of a familiar situation or story in a different way,” Larson said.

Larson said the Seekers of the Word first began in 1981 as the Sunkiss Players. They were based in Maryland, but Joe Cardot brought the group to ACU when he was leader of the group. The Seekers of the Word also visit other churches that ask for help to get their own drama team started.

E-mail Straus at: optimist@acu.edu

Discount card supports locals n SA will take a larger role in distributing Collegiate Cards, which offer discounts to students and provide advertising for local businesses.

By MICHAEL KNUTZ Student Reporter

The Students’ Association plans to hand out discount cards to students after an announcement in Chapel sometime next week.

The Collegiate Card offers many discounts at local fastfood restaurants, video rental stores and automotive repair shops—as well as Internet discounts.

SA wants to provide Collegiate Cards for as many students as possible, SA vice president Melanie Booker said. This year SA ordered 3,500 Collegiate Cards, which cost the Students’ Association $4,044.

SA plans to have representatives hand the cards to students as they walk out of Chapel, which will be a change

from recent years. In the past, the cards were placed in ACU mailboxes or handed out by academic representatives in residence halls or academic departments.

Implementing such a personal approach to issuing Collegiate Cards is “more valuable for building relationships” between SA and students, SA president Justin Scott said.

Although the Collegiate Card program is primarily focused on introducing new students to local businesses, SA provides the Collegiate Card for all students who want one, and is the only organization to do so.

Students can also get a Collegiate Card by visiting the SA office, on the lower level of the Campus Center, behind the Bean Sprout.

SA’s goal is to give out 3,000 cards this year, which would surpass last year’s mark of 2,700, Booker said.

Booker also said many students have already begun to

come by the SA office to get a card, which is a good sign that the word is getting out.

Taco Bueno, Box Office Video and Firestone Tire & Services Centers are just a few examples of the many locations offering discounts under the Collegiate Card service, according to the Collegiate Card Web site. This and other information about the possible discounts for the Collegiate Card can be found on the Collegiate Card’s Web site, http://www.thecollegiatecard.com.

The Collegiate Card is a tool organized by a private company, sponsored by on-campus organizations, such as the Students’ Association, at more than 200 colleges in 14 states. The discount program, which ACU students began in 1999, is designed to serve two basic functions: help students save money and advertise local businesses.

E-mail Knutz at: optimist@acu.edu

ViewsFriday Optimist

Page 6

Even drug offenders need an education

The issue:

Clinton’s administration passed a bill that denies drug offenders federal college funding, unless he or she is enrolled in a drug treatment program.

Our view:

We see this bill as a second chance for people who made a mistake to get an education, while being treated in a rehab program of some sort. This decision holds drug offenders accountable but still gives them a level of responsibility that will motivate many of them to excel in school.

The Solution:

Every person, even a drug offender, is capable of and eligible for a college education if he or she is willing to take steps designated by the government.

involving the piece of inforWe believe that education is available to anyone in the possession mation that our country who truly wants and seeks it. or sale of a source did not controlled have. substance The statement shall not be eligible to receive this bill’s amendment in 1998, omitted says, “A student any grant, loan or work assis- 160,500 potential students whose eligibility has been sustance under this title.” have been blocked from colle- pended may resume eligibility The bill goes on to say that giate advancement because of before the end of the ineligibilif convicted of one drug pos- their drug convictions. ity period if the student satissession, a student cannot 160,500—an unfathomable factorily completes a drug rereceive federal education or number of students whom the habilitation program.” work funding for at least a U.S. government has allegedly These are considerable exyear, and of two possessions, kept from going to college. tracts to simply leave out. at least two years.

This number just doesn’t seem The first source led us to At first glance, the bill to click with education stan- believe the government was seemed a bit harsh, possibly dards in the United States. simply denying education to unconstitutional.

The Education Development students who messed up with Many organizations have Center, Inc. Web site contains drugs once or twice. been created that are against an actual copy of the amended The actual bill led us to the the bill. One of them, linked bill. The bill read exactly as truth, which says that the govto several anti-drug restriction the first source had portrayed ernment will allow a drug ofcoalitions, states that since it, but contained one valuable fender federal funding if he or

There is nothing wrong with America that can’t be cured by what is right with America.

These naive yet insightful words spoken by Bill Clinton, our nation’s 42nd president, have ignited new meaning to his and Congress’ revisions to the Higher Education Act in 1998. This act, originally signed by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, was created to watch the operations of federally funded higher education programs, along with giving blacks more rights—financial aid being the main component of these rights.

The Clinton administration’s addition to the bill states that “a student who has been convicted of any offense under any federal or state law

Cole Williams

Let Loose

Facebook finds unlikely subscribers Wayne Barnard is my friend.

I asked him to be my friend on Facebook.com, and he confirmed the request. Apparently, we have several things in common, such as our love for muI am the sic and a few of the Enemy same movSarah ies. If I am Carlson ever stuck in an elevator with the dean of Campus Life, I can ask him what his favorite song on Coldplay’s X&Y is, how long he’s been a Dave fan and which one of the Harry Potter books he favors most.

The Facebook, for the adults out there, is an online directory that connects students through various social networks, whether

September 16, 2005

Facebook connects people, and it’s probably one of the best inventions on the Internet lately. they are labeled as friends or if they join the same group, which can be for a social club, student group or special interest group.

Once ACU was added to the real Facebook network and we moved pass our poser sites, College Facebook and ACU Facebook, students went crazy.

Back to Wayne. He has more friends than me. He’s only been a member since mid-August and I’ve been addicted since mid-April, but he’s got about 75 more friends than me, not counting the friends I have at other schools. I guess his exposure is greater than mine.

Or, maybe people just want to say they are his friend and have therefore asked him.

Why Facebook is so time consuming, I’m not sure,

but once you start cruising through the various groups to join and reading people’s profiles, hours can pass before you come up for air.

The groups “Texas should conquer the rest of the United States and name them Texas #2-50,” “Keep those collars down” in reference to notorious collar-poppers and “I’ve died on the Oregon Trail” are my current favorite groups I’m a member of.

Maybe it’s our need for acceptance and wanting to belong to a unique group that draws us to the Web site, or seeing who has the same interests you do. But one thing is certain: Facebook connects people, and it’s probably one of the best inventions on the Internet lately.

People I haven’t seen, much less thought about,

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu

“We need to be conserving resources and sending money to those in need.”

In Your Words How can we as Christians help and support those who need help, whether they’re in Abilene or New Orleans?

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

Buying a box of cereal at According to the Wal-mart Abilene’s new super Wal- employee information on mart while shopping for Walmart.com, part-time emschool supplies or a pair of ployees earn full healthcare jeans seems after two years of employcheap and ment, compared to compaconvenient, nies such as Costco, which but many gives its employees full people don’t healthcare after six months. know that Costco also pays its workers, price and on average, 42 percent highconvenience er wages than Sam’s Club, a come at a Wal-mart owned wholesale high cost to store, according to the New Much Ado A m e r i c a n York Times.

About consumers.

A Wal-mart spokesperSomething Wal-mart son, according to Frontline, of admitted to the Los Angeles Jaci Schneider boasts low prices, Times that a job at Wal-mart which ben- probably isn’t ideal for the efit college students living on sole provider of a family. a tight budget, but Wal-mart Frontline also reported that could damage the U.S. econo- in 2003, Wal-Mart stores in my and hurt its consumers in California paid hourly associthe long run. ates an average of $9.64 per Wal-mart doesn’t magical- hour, which was nearly $10 ly come by its low prices. Like less than the average hourly any other business, the store wage California supermarket makes a profit on its goods. workers made.

According to a PBS Frontline According to walmartreport, in watch.com, a order to Web site dediMany people don’t know cated to studyprovide c u s t o m - that price and convenience ing the impact ers with of Wal-mart on come at a high cost to low prices society and the American consumers. on those positive and goods, it negative effects forces supthe store has on pliers to lower their prices. communities, when Wal-mart For example, Levi Strauss workers don’t make enough worked with Wal-mart to pro- money to live on, they reduce a cheaper line of jeans ceive food stamps, Medicaid to sell at the store in 2003, and public housing. These according to Fast Company cost more than $1.5 billion in magazine. The partnership federal tax dollars every year, with Wal-mart boosted Levi’s or nearly $500,000 for every profits, but weeks later, the Wal-mart store. company announced it would By these estimates, the stop manufacturing clothes two Wal-marts in Abilene in the United States. It would could cost taxpayers about instead import them from $100,000 every year—conChina and close its two facto- sumers who benefit from ries in San Antonio—leaving Wal-mart’s great low prices.

2,500 U.S. employees jobless.

So next time you go to WalWal-mart supporters argue mart to buy a pair of jeans, these laid-off workers can consider the long-term confind employment at a newly sequences of your purchase. built Wal-mart, but research Think beyond the smiley indicates Wal-mart’s wages face and seemingly low price. and benefits don’t compare with manufacturing jobs, esE-mail the Schneider at: jrs02a@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu pecially at entry level.

“We as Christians should be sending money and praying for those in need.”

Eric Johnson

Junior nursing major from Abilene

attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy.

Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.

Wal-mart not so friendly after all

“If we were to start giving in any way we can—money, prayer and supplies—we could help a lot of people.”

Kelly Herttenberger

Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration.

Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing personal

in years, going back to the early days of high school, have sent me messages and requested to be my friend.

I know of friends who have had people contact them who used to know them in elementary school. We don’t really talk, maybe send a few messages back and forth. But for the most part, we’ve just acknowledged that we’re “friends.” I keep accruing these friends for reasons I’m not entirely sure of, but it’s still nice to see where people are nowadays and what they’re doing.

While I may not have 605 friends as one of my friends does, I’ll keep feeding my addiction of acceptance and the need to fulfill my procrastination quota for the day with Facebook.

Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

Sports desk: (325) 674-2684

Isaac Vasquez

Junior interior design major from San Angelo

Optimist Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

“It seems like a lot of people are helping, but we need to continue sending money.”

Jessica McBride

Junior finance major from Boerne

the

she commits to and completes rehabilitation and passes two unannounced drug tests.

The shortcoming is not in Clinton’s Higher Education Act amendments, rather in the laziness of drug offenders who don’t have enough of a desire for education to go through a rehab program and become clean, and activists who don’t think that these offenders should have to take steps towards being clean to gain federal funding.

We support the rehab requirements, we support education and we believe that education is available to anyone in the country who truly wants and seeks it.

Junior graphic design major from Houston

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ArtsFriday Optimist

September 16, 2005

Box Office Figures for the weekend of September 9-11, in millions. Total grosses in parenthesis.

1. The Exorcism of Emily Rose—$30.1 (new) 2. The 40-Year-Old Virgin—$7.7 ($82.1) 3. The Transporter 2—$7.4 ($30.3) 4. The Constant Gardener—$4.7 ($19) 5. Red Eye—$4.5 ($51.2) 6. The Man—$4.1 (new) 7. The Brothers Grimm—$3.3 ($33.3) 8. Wedding Crashers—$3.3 ($200) 9. Four Brothers—$2.9 ($68.3) 10. March of the Penguins—$2.6 ($67)

Today’s Movies Just Like Heaven (PG-13)—starring Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Heder, Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg; directed by Mark Waters.

After David (Ruffalo) sublets a San Francisco apartment, he soon discovers he’s not alone.

Elizabeth (Witherspoon) begins to appear in the apartment, claiming it is hers and demanding an explanation as to why he’s there. David believes she’s a ghost and contacts a psychic (Heder, Napoleon Dynamite) to deal with her.

But, Elizabeth is convinced she’s not dead, even though she was in a tragic car accident.

Romance ensues. Cue Unchained Melody and add a conspiracy and we’ve got ourselves Ghost.

Lord of War (PG13)—starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto, Ethan Hawke; directed by Andrew Niccol.

Cage stars as Yuri Orlov, an arms dealer who delivers weaponry to notorious dictators and deadly fighters around the world, struggling to keep one step ahead of an Interpol agent (Hawke). Orlov has to not only answer to questioning government agencies but also his own conscience. Let’s hope he has a change of heart because selling weapons to dangerous people is not cool.

Page 7

Fall movies begin race for Globes, Oscar

By SARAH CARLSON Arts Editor

After a summer of blockbusters and thrillers, the Golden Globe and Oscar race begins.

Studios pull out all the stops beginning in the fall, saving their cinematic jewels until the end of the year—a prime slot to remain fresh in the minds of movie goers and Academy members.

Already creating buzz is the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the legendary artist and Reese Witherspoon as his wife, June Carter Cash. Biopics are a plenty this fall, with George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck, detailing CBS’s Edward R. Murrow’s resistance to Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s red scare in the 1950s, and Capote, a look at Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman), author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Capote travels to Kansas to cover a murder along side his friend, Harper Lee (Catherine Keener),

Elizabethtown, a coming-of-age story (as all his films are in a sense) where Orlando Bloom travels cross-country to meet his recently deceased father’s family. Considering Bloom won’t have a sword, bow or any period piece costume, the question of whether or not he can act should be answered.

Also notable are Joss Whedon’s Serenity, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, Derailed, Shopgirl, The Family Stone, Jarhead, Thank You for Smoking, Syriana and the film production of the musical Rent.

Here’s a list of fall and early winter movies that appear to be worth your viewing.

September 23 Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride Voices of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter A History of Violence Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Maria Botello

September 30 Serenity Nathon Fillion The Greatest Game Ever Played Shia LaBeouf Little Manhattan Bradley Whitford, Cynthia Nixon Capote (limited) Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener Proof Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jake Gyllenhaal

October 7 Good Night, and Good Luck David Strathairn, George Clooney In Her Shoes Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette

October 14 Elizabethtown Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst

Oliver Twist Ben Kingsley Flight Plan Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard

Prime Uma Thurman

Rent Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs

The Weather Man Nicholas Cage, Michael Caine

November 4

Where the Truth Lies Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth

The Family Stone Sarah Jessica Parker

Dreamer Kurt Russel, Dakota Fanning

author of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Cameron Crowe, director of Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, brings us his latest in

Richard Gere, Juliette Bin­oche

Chicken Little Voices of Zach Braff, John Cusack

Derailed Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston

Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon star as Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash in the Cash biopic Walk the Line, opening Nov. 18.

Zeta Jones, Rufus Sewell

North Country Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson

October 21

photo courtesy of www.rottentomatoes.com

Photo courtesy of www.rottentomatoes.com

Susan Sarandon, Judy Greer and Orlando Bloom star in Cameron Crowe’s latest Elizabethtown, about a young man (Bloom) who makes a crosscountry trip for his father’s funeral and learns about life, love and forgiveness. Opens Oct. 14.

Shopgirl Steve Martin, Claire Danes Stay Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor

October 28 The Legend of Zorro Antonio Banderas, Catherine

Jarhead Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx The Matador Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear V for Vendetta Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving

November 9 The New World Colin Farrell, Christian Bale

November 18 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint Pride & Prejudice Keira Knightley, Judi Dench, Donald Sutherland Walk the Line Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon

November 23 Syriana George Clooney, Matt Damon Ice Harvest John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton Yours, Mine & Ours Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo

November 11 Bee Season

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu

A special, ‘Grand’ afternoon for relief efforts n The Theatre Department performed a special production of “A Grand Night for Singing,” and raised more than $1,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

By KELLINE LINTON Staff Writer

The special production of A Grand Night for Singing on Sunday raised about $1,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

The total amount collected from the event, not only from the $15 ticket sales, but also from numerous

patron donations, totaled $1,333, and after royalties a little less than $1,000 dollars went to relief efforts.

Eighty patrons attended the performance with the desire to give.

Kristen Cothran, freshman undeclared major from Dallas, attended the special production.

“I realize that through watching the performance, I can give to those in need; I can give back the things I’ve been given,” Cothran said.

Dawne Swearingen, director and choreographer of

the production, originally broached the idea to perform for Katrina proceeds.

The cast members and production staff were excited by the thought, she said.

“All as a faculty and students wanted to do something,” Swearingen said. “As artists, they wanted to help make a difference—financially and emotionally. Their art is giving back to the community,” Swearingen said.

Swearingen recently moved from New York City, and A Grand Night for Singing was her first official

project as faculty member.

For her, Hurricane Katrina was reminiscent of Sept. 11 and the collapse of the World Trade towers.

“I wanted to remind people there is a God out there; I wanted to give them a sense of hope, an appreciation of one another and the relationships in life,” Swearingen said.

The 10 cast members, including eight seniors and two juniors, willingly gave up their Sunday to work in the additional performance.

“We wanted to show that

we cared and were thinking of those that were hurting right now,” said actor Sunday Ibok, senior musical theatre major from El Paso.

Fellow actor Heather Ketchersid, senior musical theatre major from Dallas, agreed.

“The most important thing as far as a Christian department is showing Jesus,” Ketchersid said, “and it was a great way to express our faith.”

E-mail Linton at: krl04b@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Page 8

SA: Congress approves Continued from page 1

Friday, September 16, 2005

Going along for the ride

quickened the approval process, which was longer last year because of disagreement on suspending the by-laws, Christopher Smith said.

“Congress is notorious for not agreeing on how to handle the suspension of the by-laws,” Smith said.

“It’s probably one of the

wanted to avoid the “fiasco” of the previous year. ficial, more responsible, If the amendment had more professional Students’ not been allowed time durAssociation,” Brandon Smith ing the meeting, or if Consaid. “It makes us more legitgress had not approved it, imate in the school’s eyes.”

Christopher Smith said he Brandon Smith said he would have objected an aphoped amending the bypointment. laws, instead of suspendHis plan was to raise ing them every year when points of order at every the president step of the appoints memapproval probers of Concess, since gress, sets a each would be “I believe that as a legislative body, it is better precillegal. Finally, critical that congress set an example edent for Conif Congress by following its own rules.” gress. His parthad voted to ner in drafting approve the Christopher Smith, Foster building representative the amendnominees unment, Chrisder the bytopher Smith, laws lacking said he also felt passing more controversial things the amendment, Christothis amendment was im- we do every now and then, pher Smith said he would portant to the credibility of but by casting this vote, we have voted in opposition of congress. didn’t have to talk about the appointments. However, “I believe that as a legis- that.”

Christopher Smith said he lative body, it is critical that Addressing the need for was happy with the results. congress set an example by an amendment was not on “I’m glad we’ve been able following its own rules,” the docket for this Students’ to get this resolved the way Christopher Smith said.

Association meeting, but it should have been resolved Allowing Justin Scott, Christopher Smith said it in years past,” Christopher president, to comfortably was necessary because Con- Smith said. nominate the 10 students gress planned to vote on the on the list who didn’t qual- approval of the nominees ify because of hours, also during the meeting, and he E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu

Bid: Night holds mystery Continued from page 1 be on the other side of pledging,” said Jayma Burbank, Ko Jo Kai member and junior Integrated marketing major from Leesburg, Fla. “I’m looking forward to having a little sis and being an encouragement to her.

I’m also looking forward to getting to watch all the fun instead of the one doing the entertaining. Second time around is way more interesting, There’s so many more facets to it.”

The majority of clubs be-

gin Bid Night Friday evening around 4 p.m., and it ends Saturday morning. Though Big Night is still an evening of mystery for many participants, they know to expect some traditions.

“Not a whole lot that I’m supposed to say that’s planned,” Reeves said. “The big thing that GSP is known for is the holding of the watermelons. At 4:30 p.m. at the amphitheater, all the new members hold watermelons in suits. It’s hard, and they get sweaty. People can come by and see us.”

Pledging season begins after Big Night. Pledges must participate in a variety of activities, such as individual visits, which help the pledges become acquainted with every member of the club and learn the club’s traditions. Pledges create Homecoming floats and participate in Sing Song. In addition, depending on the club, some pledges must sit together in Chapel as well as wear a uniform and pin.

E-mail Smith at: mxs02a@acu.edu

Shelter: Center welcomes guests Continued from page 1 early Saturday they found themselves in a clean, well-run facility. The students worked most of the morning hours, organizing clothes donated by the Salvation Army and the Red Cross and distributing wrist bands that identified parents as heads-of-household.

They spent the afternoon playing with children at the shelter and talking to various families and enjoying a surprise visit by Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen of the San Antonio Spurs.

The Levi Strauss center, in the south side of San Antonio, was ready to accept people by Sept. 3. The first 500 to arrive were overflow from Kelley Air Force Base, the main shelter in San Antonio and within two days, the Levi Strauss Center held more than 1,800 occupants and was running on an organized schedule.

Robert Marbut, co-director

of operations, was responsible for much of the organization.

Marbut’s first plan of action: “bedtime.” He walked the floor every night, megaphone in hand, warning the guests that the lights would be dimmed in a few minutes and turned back on in the morning. The response was positive. Many woke in the morning saying, “that’s the first time I’ve slept in seven days.”

Marbut’s system has become successful over the past two weeks.

“Nobody’s in prison here,” he said, “it’s America.” All the evacuees, referred to as “guests” in the Levi Strauss Center, are free to leave as they please, and the building has no metal-detectors. This has relieved tension between the operators and the residents along with building a respect among everyone in the shelter, Marbut said. Guests have 24-hour access to food and several showers, many of which were built by the guests themselves.

Marbut said the community has given so much that the center is never in need of essentials, but 12,000 victims are still trapped in Louisiana, and he hopes some of them can eventually find refuge in the shelter.

“Our goal is to help every guest to the best of our ability and get every one back to normalcy in their lives,” Marbut said. The “our” refers to 170 volunteers running the center on 24-hour shifts.

More than two thirds of the guests have moved out of the Levi Strauss Center and onto rebuilding their lives, but many remain who have lived there since it opened to evacuees.

Marbut said he has no intention of closing down the center any time soon and hopes to start another with Oak Hills Church in San Antonio specifically for victims with special needs.

E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu

EMERALD McGOWAN/Staff Photographer

Korie Darby, freshman interior design major from Kingwood, hitches a ride in front of the Campus Center from Kellie Ethington, freshman communication disorders major from Kingwood, while both women advertise on Thursday for Freshman Action Counsel’s Redneck Skating.

Club: Pledges open-minded Continued from page 1 Liz Franklin, a junior marketing major from Arlington, is rushing for her second time after rushing last year for the club of her first choice, Sigma Theta Chi. Franklin said it worked out for the best that she didn’t end up pledging. “I ended up studying abroad in Oxford, which changed my life,” she said. “It’s hard to not take it personally, but the more

time passed, it wasn’t a personal thing. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t’ get into the clubs that you want because there’s more to life.”

Franklin said she is rushing Sigma Theta Chi again this year because she really enjoys the company of the girls in the club, and she’ll get to do fun college things she won’t get to do in the future.

She said she continues to approach pledging with an open mind.

“This year, I figured if it’s not supposed to be, then it’s not supposed to be. Either way, I think that God will teach me something throughout.”

Pledging for both men and women will begin after Bid Night and will end by the week after Homecoming.

E-mail Lau at: optimist@acu.edu

Bike: Club attracts all groups Continued from page 1 10 miles around campus and in the surrounding areas at night with a large group of people.

The route begins on campus at the courtyard of University Park Apartments, where riders meet at 9 p.m. for bike maintenance and wait for more to join them.

By 9:15 p.m. the group has left UP, heading for the tennis courts where those playing tennis are circled as the riders repeatedly chant, “Tuesday night … where’s your bike?”

After the group cycle across campus, forming various formations such as the Flying V and the Figure Eight among others, they head down Washington Street to Cal Young Park and jump into the creek.

“It’s the dirtiest, nastiest creek in town, but because there are so many people, everyone cheers and wants

to jump in and do tricks,” Bell said.

Riders both wet and dry then ride back to campus along Highway 80 and Judge Ely Boulevard, where they meet at UP again for a victory lap and inspirational speeches, given by Bryce Doty, class of 2005.

“People of all ages like to ride bikes,” Bell said. “This is something people can do who want to be active without being competitive. It is absolutely the funnest thing you can do on campus.”

Word of the Tuesday night bike club spread across campus and all types of people want to ride.

Wheeler said that a professor was expected to join them last Tuesday to ride as well as a man with a handicap bike, who pedals with his arms.

“I’ve had professors mention the bike club in class before, and yesterday a girl invited me to Tuesday night bike club, and I started it,”

Bell said.

He said the bike club also received an unofficial invitation to participate in the Homecoming Parade, but said the club would decline because it was during daylight hours.

Others find the club exciting as well.

Leah Robison, junior political science major from Midland joined the club two weeks ago after a friend mentioned it.

“I love riding bikes, and we ride bikes at night, what could be better?” Robison said.

After riding the first time, Robison went again and said it is a weekly thing for her.

“Riding bikes is a fun thing to do,” she said. “It is also a great way to meet people you wouldn’t normally hang out with. Everyone with a love for bikes and riding at night should definitely be there.”

E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu

SPORTS JUMPS

Friday, September 16, 2005

Page 9

Hockey: Team expects more wins Continued from page 10

from Midland.

“The level of play is good.

It’s really awesome to see.

It’s 15 minutes of action, non-stop,” Andrews said. “It makes for a real interesting sport to watch.”

The team faces the dilemma of playing an exciting sport that doesn’t attract a large following.

“It’d be nice to have a bigger fan base on campus.

People on campus don’t real-

ly know about us,” Andrews said. “Three to four people at a hockey game would be awesome.”

To Andrews’ recollection, not one member of the faculty has ever been to an ACU hockey game.

“It’d be nice to have more support from ACU, but up to this point what they’ve given, we’ve made do with,” Andrews said.

“At some point you think someone would say, ‘Man, this team is really good and they rep-

resent our school all across the nation.’”

Andrews sees another dominant year for the hockey team.

“I definitely see this team making an impact in the SCHL; I’d be disappointed if this team did not receive a bid to nationals.”

With no facilities set aside, the team practices at Cal Young Park. The game consists of three 15-minute periods. “It’s a lot different than what people think,” Dickison

said. “Most of the games are high-scoring; sometimes it gets really tight.”

Like basketball, ten players participate—each team has a goalie and four players in the game. “Basically it’s like ice hockey without the ice and shoulder pads,” Dickison said.

The team has already begun practice, but anyone interested can e-mail Dickison at cgd02b@acu.edu.

E-mail Josey at: jdj03e@acu.edu

Reeling it in

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Senior running back Rashon Myles catches a pass in practice Thursday.

Sports: More to begin in late fall Continued from page 10 Students from every classification can participate whether they just want to have fun or whether they enjoy the competition. Teams that register range from groups of friends that have met on campus to teams affiliated with social clubs.

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Senior outside hitter Michelle Bernhardt goes for the kill in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over St. Edward’s University in Moody Coliseum.

LSC: Conference play to test team Continued from page 10 needs to continue to improve steadily throughout the season, but not reach a peak of improvement until the end of the season.

Six Wildcats reached double digits in one of the three main statistical categories, senior Michelle Bernhardt reaching double digits in two categories, with 15 kills and 10 digs. Seniors Amanda Slate and Ashley Motola joined her with 15 and 10 kills, respectively, while sophomore Liz Snoddy lead the way in digs with 22, followed by junior Malia Plumlee’s 11, and Senior Lindsey Martin chipped in with 45 assists.

Motola said the team has

not been playing to its potential, but she has seen vast improvements, especially on defense.

“We’ve always had a dominant offense, that’s something that we’ve always never had a problem with,” she said. “But this year, ... our defense had just been improved so much; we’ve got a lot more confidence in our defense, and we’ve all finally found our niche in our positions.”

The team now turns its attention on the Lone Star Conference as it begins conference play by hosting the LSC Crossover Tournament Friday and Saturday.

Horn said she looks for the team to make an impact in the conference this week-

end, both physically through wins and mentally through intimidation. Horn said that all 13 LSC teams will be at the tournament, and many of the players will get to see what the other teams are like, in addition to the coaching staff scouting each team.

“Hopefully we’ll make a statement to where everybody is a little bit nervous when they play us,” she said. “If we come in and play well and dominate in the tournament this weekend, then I think that will help when [we] go into Angelo State’s gym and try to beat them or when [we]’re on the road at Kingsville.”

Part of the reason the team feels that they need to make an impact at the

tournament is because opponents are looking at the team this year to the success it had last season and this season, raising the Wildcats into the national rankings.

“The difference between last year and this year is that we have the target on our back; everyone is wanting to knock us off,-- we’re ranked now, we’re picked to win our conference,” Horn said. “A lot of times it can be real easy, if you’re not on one night, then somebody’s going to knock you off because everybody’s going to come with their ‘A’ game against you, so we’ve got to be ready every time we step foot on the court.”

E-mail Schmidt at: bms02e@acu.edu

Football: Important home game Continued from page 10 made 13 tackles and had an interception to earn LSC North Division Defensive Player of the Week honors.

His interception in the second quarter led to a field goal.

“He’s a physical football player and did a real good job for them,” Thomsen said. “You’ve always got to be aware of where he is and run the ball away from him.”

Offensively for the Lions, senior running back Roger Daley racked up 135 yards on 13 carries. Of Daley’s

135 yards, 67 of them came on a touchdown run for the Lions’ final score of the game.

The Wildcats will have to play well in all aspects of the game to get their second win. However, the team has relied heavily on the play of its special teams unit to keep it in the first two games. In the first week, ACU returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and in the second game blocked a punt and a field goal.

“Obviously, it kept us in the first game, and you could make an argument that it won us the second

game,” Thomsen said of the special teams performance.

“Plays in the special teams have changed the game for us.”

In the win against Northeastern State, the Wildcats were without six pre-season starters due to injury.

Two offensive and defensive linemen are out, as are free safety Omar Tejeda and outside linebacker Brandon Henry. Henry and offensive lineman Cody Savage are listed as questionable, but may see limited play.

Billy Malone is expected to return this week at quarterback after going out with

a concussion in the third quarter of last week’s game.

Malone has been monitored throughout the week and should be ready to go this weekend.

Thomsen said he is glad to be at home with a tough opponent coming to Abilene.

“Hopefully we’ll get a good crowd and get the home field behind us to motivate us,” Thomsen said.

The game begins at 6 p.m. at Shotwell Stadium, with the gates opening at 5 p.m.

E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu

The spring semester will offer softball, indoor and outdoor soccer, 5-on-5 flag football, basketball and volleyball.

Sign-up dates, schedules, and entry fees are available in the intramural office in Bennett Gymnasium.

E-mail Cunningham at: optimist@acu.edu

Golf: Team learns from first meet Continued from page 10 Curtis Harris came within one stroke of the all-tournament team by triple-bogeying the final hole, but was only concerned with how his last strokes would cost the team.

“I played well all day until the last hole. I took a triple there, cost me individuals in the tournament,” Harris said, “but it hurts more just losing those strokes for the team.”

Some of the final-round woes can be attributed to the inexperience and youth of the team.

Campbell said he was nervous at the end of the tournament because the team had a chance to win.

“In most of our tournaments the past two years, we haven’t been in contention to win. It was nice to be nervous because we had a chance to win,” Campbell said.

Aside from the sub-par final round and the seventh-place finish last year in the conference tournament, the golf team seemed optimistic with their play to start this year and about the rest of the up-coming season.

“I think ACU will be winning a few tournaments this year,” Harris said. “We definitely have the potential to win it all this year; we’re just solid all the way around.”

Campbell said he was excited about his players this year and their potential. With the golf team showing considerable improvement over the last two years and in the team’s first tournament this year, it seems ACU will have plenty of victories to look forward to — maybe even a Lone Star Conference championship.

E-mail Holland at: optimist@acu.edu

SportsFriday Optimist

Page 10 Standings Football Team Angelo St. TAMU-K WTAMU Tarleton St. ACU

MSU

Conf. Overall 1-0 3-0 2-0 3-0 1-0 3-0 1-0 2-0 1-0 1-1 0-1 0-1

Volleyball Team Conf. Overall Tarleton St. 0-0 5-2 ACU

0-0 7-3 WTAMU 0-0 7-5 Angelo St. 0-0 4-6 TAMU-K 0-0 2-9 ENMU 0-0 0-6

Scores Saturday

volleyball ACU 3, Wayland Baptist 0 ACU 3, Southwest Baptist 0 football ACU 20, NSU 14 (OT)

ACU hosts LSC crossover play Golf team n The Wildcats host the LSC Crossover Tournament this weekend, play UCO on Friday.

opens well, runner-up at Coody

Volleyball off the team’s momentum. Horn said that the drop in intensity was best illustrated by the team’s hitting percentage, which fell from .350 and .353 in the first two games, to .188 in the third game, where the team committed as many errors, nine, as the first two games combined.

Despite the fall-off in the third game, the team still improved statistically from previous games, most in service, where the Wildcats tripled their aces total from five against Southwest Baptist Saturday, to 15.

The team also drastically lowered its service errors, from 16 against Southwest, to five.

Horn said she was proud of the team’s improvement, especially in serving, which has been a problem area in the past. She also said the team

By BRIAN SCHMIDT Chief Photographer

The Wildcats showed two different sides in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over St. Edward’s University, as they looked dominant in the first two games, but then dropped off their intensity level for a hard-fought third and final game.

In games one and two, the Wildcats dominated the Hilltoppers, 30-17 and 30-12, with a brutal offense and an efficient defense. However, the team began to fall off in its second game as it fell from leads of 11-1 and 20-3. Between games two and three, a 10-minute break seemed to further disrupt the team’s play as it lost its domination from the previous games. The game went back and forth, finally ending at 30-28.

Head coach Brek Horn attributed the fall-off to a major loss of intensity, due in part to the break, which threw

See

LSC page 9

n The men’s golf team posted a 12-overpar 296 to capture second place Tuesday.

By BRIAN HOLLAND Student Reporter

brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Senior setter Lindsey Martin sets the ball for a teammate during Tuesday’s 3-0 home win against St. Edward’s.

Tuesday

volleyball ACU 3, St. Edward’s 0 Golf Cameron University 582 ACU 588

West Texas A&M SW Okla. St. St. Edward’s

594 595 597

Upcoming Schedule Friday

Tennis New Mexico Invitational, Women: 11 a.m., Men: noon

Saturday

football ACU vs. A&M-Commerce, 6 p.m. volleyball ACU vs. SE Oklahoma St., 1 p.m.

ACU vs. Midwestern St., 5 p.m.

Monday

Golf The Territory Classic, 9 a.m.

Tuesday

Golf The Territory Classic, 9 a.m.

brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Head coach Brek Horn talks to her team during a time out in the first game of ACU’s 3-0 victory over St. Edward’s on Tuesday.

Hockey team ready for season n ACU roller hockey enters it’s sixth season after great success in the past.

Roller Hockey

By Denton Josey Staff Writer

• Home games listed in italics

Briefs Saturday’s game to honor Dyess Air Force Base.

The ACU athletics department will honor Dyess Air Force Base personnel on Saturday with Dyess Appreciation Day at Shotwell Stadium during the Wildcats’ Lone Star Conference crossover football game against Texas A&MCommerce.

Anyone presenting a valid military identification card will be admitted free to the game. Dependent children will be admitted free with an accompanying sponsor. The gates will open at 5 p.m. with kickoff slated for 6 p.m.

Colonel Garrett Harencak, commander of the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess, will join ACU president Dr. Royce Money on the field for the pre-game coin toss. All Dyess guests will be invited onto the field at halftime for a special time of recognition.

T-shirts will be given out to the first 400 Dyess guests to arrive at the stadium, and the first 1,000 fans will receive yellow ribbon stickers. The ACU Students’ Association will be on hand to do face painting.

Dyess B-1Bs and the 7th Bomb Wing make up a large portion of the U.S. Air Force bomber force. Dyess has played a vital role in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The B-1B continues to produce effective sorties at Dyess and the “Bastion in the Big Country” continues to flourish and remains one our nation’s most revered bases.

-Courtesy of ACU Sports Information

The golf team posted a 12-over-par 296 in the final round of the Charles Coody West Texas Intercollegiate golf tournament to grab second place this week. Going into Tuesday’s final round, ACU trailed Southwestern Oklahoma State by just one stroke, but the team ended the day a distant six strokes behind Cameron University, reigning champion of this event.

“I guess it was disappointing that we had played so well and got ourselves in position to win and then we just couldn’t quite pull it out at the end,” said Mike Campbell, head coach.

A Cameron Aggie team that started the day in last place but fired a teambest 287 for Tuesday’s round surprised the Wildcats.

One of the pleasant surprises coming out of the two-day long tournament was the emergence of the depth on the Wildcat roster. Curtis Harris, Hilton Funk, and junior varsity golfer, Cain Daly, came within mere strokes of the all-tournament team. Cian tied Curtis Harris for the best score on the team at 145.

See

Volleyball ACU vs Central Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m.

Tennis New Mexico Invitational, Women: 11 a.m., Men: noon

September 16, 2005

The ACU hockey team enters a new season with high expectations, and with good reason, but their question is: Will anyone notice?

Great play and impressive records have ensured that teams across the nation know who the ACU hockey team is, and the team hopes another national tournament bid will catch some attention on campus.

Entering its sixth season in the Division II Southwest Collegiate Hockey League, the roller hockey team looks to improve on last year’s outstanding finish of third in the conference with a 13-3-2 record.

In five years, the team has lost only 17 games but has received little recognition from the campus.

For the past three years, Caleb Dickison, junior exercise science major from St. Louis, has learned to deal with silent success.

“We’ve been invited to nationals three out of five years we’ve played,” Dickison said. “Obviously none of

us gets the exposure, nobody really knows who we are; we just love to play.”

After winning the conference title in 2001-02, it has been difficult for the team to improve, especially considering the competition. The team competes in NCAA Division II, so team plays against schools where enrollment can reach 18,000.

“We are proud to play for ACU and wear those colors and that name. We try to represent ACU and their values,” Dickison said.

Despite the tremendous competition, the team has managed to have the kind of success that usually is attributed to the ACU track and field team; except the hockey team celebrates with far less fanfare.

“We’re always in the top three in our conference,” Dickison said.

“We’re not stumbling over ourselves or falling down all the time, which is what a lot of people think it is.”

Ashley Rosbury, senior family studies major from St. Louis, travels with the team to watch it play.

“Being from a place where there is

hockey and then coming here where there’s not a lot of enthusiasm, it is good to see it,” Rosbury said. “They’re really good at working together. It’s cool to watch them gel throughout the season.”

Rosbury has to travel around the country in order to watch the team, because the team has no home games, only weekend tournaments throughout Texas and Louisiana.

The team not only receives little moral support, but also has to pay for most of the $3,400 team fee, which pays for referees and tournaments, with almost no help.

Certainly appreciative, the team of about ten players is thankful to the Students Association for financial contributions in the past.

“What we get we’re more than thankful for,” Dickison said.

Road trips to tournaments in cities such as Dallas, Arlington and Houston are often on a budget.

“I’ve stayed in hotel rooms where it’s $20 to $25 a night, and with six guys in a room it gets crazy,” said Jon Andrews, junior marketing major See

HOCKEY page 9

GOLF page 9

Intramural flag football under way n Flag football began Friday, with three more sports coming later in the fall.

By ZACH CUNNINGHAM Student Reporter

The intramural flag football season began last Friday with 58 teams registered for the competition. The fall semester also offer more sports to participate in, such as waterball, 3-on-3 basketball and a tennis tournament.

“We have approximately 67 to 72 percent of the school’s enrollment involved in intramural sports,” said director of intramurals Danny Kittley. “This is approximately 3,100 students. It’s a great way to exercise and meet people.”

ACU intramural sports draw a higher percentage of participation from students than most other schools, said sports coordinator John Ross. The competitiveness level of intramurals is also on a scale that makes it comparable with Division 1 schools.

“It’s a competitive thing. It’s not only just something to go out and have fun doing,” Ross said. “There are championships that you can compete for and win.”

“The Champion’s league is very competitive,” Kittley said, “We send a flag football team to regionals and nationals every year. We also have sent a basketball team to regionals for several years.”

See

SPORTS page 9

A&M-Commerce next test for football team n ACU comes home to play in front of the home crowd against Texas A&M-Commerce, who beat Midwestern St. 27-25 last week for their first win of the season.

By JARED FIELDS Sports Editor

In two games this season, the Wildcats have gone down to the wire in each game.

Saturday’s game at Shotwell Stadium against Texas A&MCommerce may not be any different.

Last week against a very talented Midwestern State team, Commerce pulled off a 27-25 win, their first win of the season.

“I think they have the edge coming in based on what they did last week against a great

Football team,” Thomsen said. “Our guys are going to have to fight like crazy.”

Thomsen’s team knows how to fight. Last week the Wildcats came from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to win in overtime against Northeastern State.

“Our players don’t believe they’re out of it. That’s half the battle,” Thomsen said.

“They always feel like we’ve got a chance.”

The Lions come into Saturday’s game 1-2, their first two losses coming to Southern Arkansas and Tarleton State.

In last week’s game, Lions senior linebacker J.D. Hearn See

FOOTBALL page 9

brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Junior safety Danieal Manning attempts to block a field goal during practice Thursday. Manning blocked a field goal and a punt in last week’s 20-14 overtime win against Northeastern State University.