Vol. 94, No. 22 1 section, 10 pages
FRIDAY
November 4, 2005
www.acuoptimist.com
Sneak preview
On track to win
FilmFest opens Friday night, and ArtsFriday takes a look at this year’s entries, page 7
The men’s cross country team is highly favored to win its regional championship, page 10
Restoration movement Buildings and businesses such as the Paramount Theatre and Frontier Texas! have been part of a 15-year effort to restore downtown Abilene By TIFFANY TAYLOR Features Editor
As a 3-year-old, Robert Holiday remembers attending shows at The Paramount Theatre. Abi lene had other theatres, but this was the most beautiful and lavish. And a whole night’s entertainment cost only 9 cents. Built during the depression, the theatre was made to be magical for those who lived a different life. “They would build a theatre and then, for a little while, they could be in a palace,” Holiday said. The theatre became his second home. Forty-six years later, Holiday was part of the government preservation league that intervened when the owner scheduled to destroy The Paramount. Once the historical building was saved, the preservation
league found someone to restore it to its current state. The restoration served as a catalyst, Holiday said, for the movement to revitalize downtown Abilene, which, by the early 1990s, had also lost the interest of the public. Beginning in the early ’90s, various
downtown Abilene in the ’90s can be traced back to World War II. Soldiers came home, and an economic boom ensued that left America too rich, too fast and too impatient for the downtown mentality. McCaleb, now vice president of the univer-
ty and purpose that no strip mall will never have. He wanted to keep a center of town that draws the community and creates consistency for visitors. Many who have worked hard to make downtown viable feel the same way. “I like a little charm in life. You can go to the mall or strip mall, but that’s not charm,” said Tom Rigsby, president of the Downtown Association. When he entered office as mayor, McCaleb said he remembers boarded up buildings, empty streets and cracked sidewalks. An old scrap metal yard provided a harsh welcome to visitors, who saw the yard first when traveling toward the downtown area. After visiting downtowns in other cities, McCaleb said he knew that Abilene would either have to make a point to save the deteriorating district,
“You want to keep the heart of the city alive and vital and healthy. If the heart of the city starts dying, then the whole city can die.” Dr. Gary McCaleb, vice president of the university and former mayor of Abilene
groups followed the preservation league’s lead and began a restoration process of downtown that continues today.
A Shaky Beginning Former mayor Gary McCaleb, who was elected in 1990 at the same time downtown redevelopment was beginning, said he thinks the condition of
sity, said the Abilene residents replaced downtown with malls and trips to Dallas. A domino effect occurred until the area was empty, and officials discussed tearing down downtown. Resisting the urges to start from scratch, Caleb said he couldn’t bear taking away this alternative to the mall culture because downtown has a beau-
See
DOWNTOWN page 8
School receives record donation n A $10 million endowment fund, the largest scholarship gift given in university history, will provide 50 full-tuition scholarships for the Graduate School of Theology. By EMERALD McGOWAN Student Reporter
Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, announced at 6 p.m. Thursday a $10 million scholarship endowment gift given to the Graduate School of Theology by two former residents of Abilene. “Just think from here until the Lord comes how many thousands of students will benefit from this generous gift,” Money said. The interest earned from the endowment money will establish 50 full-tuition scholarships to graduate ministry students. “This gift will literally change lives,” said Dr. Jack Reese, dean See
GIFT page 8
Student sought for local film role Photos by Anna Carroll and Brian Schmidt
Businesses like the Paramount Theatre, Frontier Texas! and the Grace Museum have helped keep Abilene’s downtown area alive.
Sing Song preparations begin early n Expecting strong interest in the 50th annual Sing Song performance in February, tickets went on sale almost three months earlier than past years. By AARON BALLARD Staff Writer
Sing Song tickets went on sale nearly three months earlier than usual this year in anticipation of a big turnout for the 50th annual show. Typically, Sing Song tickets have not gone on sale until January. This year, however, Kendall Massey,
director of Sing Song for his third year, decided to begin selling tickets during Homecoming weekend. “The 50th show is a big deal,” Massey said. “It’s a milestone year.” In addition to the earlier start, tickets also cost about $2 more than last year. Tickets for the first two performances, Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m., cost $14 for general seating, $16 for premium seating and $18 for prime seating. Most of the about 3,900 seats available for each performance are considered prime seats.
Tickets for the final performance, Saturday at 8 p.m., all cost $20. “Saturday night always has the biggest turnout,” Massey said. “We are trying to do things to increase inMassey terest in the others, but it’s hard. Everyone wants to see who wins.” The early start provides See
TICKETS page 8
n Freshman senators will begin interviewing the nine director applicants for their class Sing Song act this week and hope to select a director by Wednesday. By LAUREN HART Student Reporter
Nine freshmen have applied and will interview for director of the freshman class Sing Song act with freshman class senators. Last week freshmen could begin applying for freshman class Sing Song director by filling out an application, which
was available in the Students’ Association office. SA freshman class senators are assessing the applications and are in the process of determining the best qualified director. “There is a good group of senators to represent the freshman class,” said Spencer Hemphill, freshman accounting and Spanish major from Longview. “This year there is a good opportunity to have a good act to represent the freshman class.” Hemphill created the apSee
SONG page 8
n The independent film calls for a male between the ages of 18 and 25, and those interested can go to the Campus Center on Saturday from 2-5 p.m. for an audition. By DENTON JOSEY Student Reporter
While many people dream of heading to Hollywood to find fame and fortune, students who wish they could be in movies don’t have to go any farther than the McGlothlin Campus Center this Saturday. A film production company will give auditions from 2-5 p.m. in hopes of finding the last member for an independent movie being filmed in Abilene. No experience with acting or movies is necessary, but the role calls for a male between the ages of 18 and 25. Matt Maxwell, junior electronic media major from See
MOVIE page 8
SA debates congressional powers n A bill, tabled until next week, would give Students’ Association executive officers the power to stop legislation before Congress has the opportunity to discuss it. By TIFFANY TAYLOR Features Editor
A bill giving the Students’ Association’s executive officers power to keep items they deem frivolous or unprepared off the docket was put on hold Wednesday, delaying further discussion for a week.
If Congress votes to pass the bill, executive officers can vote, with a two thirds majority, to keep legislation they think serves no purpose from even appearing before Congress, said Smith and Adams halls Rep. Matt Worthington, author of the bill. Worthington said he wrote the bill because he doesn’t think members of Congress have submitted enough substance this semester, bring-
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
ing up items that are difficult to turn into action. “I think that when we do that, we lower the standards,” Worthington said. Executive officers would serve as a type of filter, Worthington said, forcing members of Congress to better prepare legislation and choose more constructive projects. “Giving the power to them is going to challenge us,” Worthington said.
However, the bill sparked a debate because many members of Congress said the contents took powers away from Congress. Junior Sen. Lauren Hart said she couldn’t imagine passing a bill that took away Congress’ right to choose which items were important enough to support. Also opposing the bill, Foster Science Building Rep. Christopher Smith said instead of encouraging Congress to work See
SA page 8
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Mabee Hall Rep. Caleb Archer discusses a bill that would have given Students’ Association executive officers the power to stop legislation before it reached Congress as junior Sen. Casey Bingham waits his turn to speak Wednesday.
Abilene Christian University
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:
Friday, November 4, 2005
04
Calendar & Events Friday
Purple Friday. Essence of Ebony Skate Night, 12:30 p.m.- 2:30 a.m., Skateland. FilmFest 2005: Milestones, 7 p.m., Paramount Theatre. Essence of Ebony Poetry Night sign-up, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center ticket window.
05
Saturday
Essence of Ebony Poetry Night, 7:30 p.m., Bean Sprout. FilmFest Symposium, 10 a.m., COBA Room 115.
06
Sunday
Nothing scheduled this day.
Announcements The ACU Chapter of the NAACP will have an informational meeting in the Bean from 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursday. Dr. Abraham J. Malherbe, Buckingham Professor Emeritus at Yale University, will give the 19th annual Carmichael-Walling Lectures Thursday. Malherbe will lecture on “Indispensable Intermediaries: Paul’s CoWorkers” at 4 p.m. and on “Mutual Ministry in the Pauline Churches” at 7:30 p.m. in Room 130 of the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building. Lester Holt Centennial Speaker Series is rescheduled for Dec. 1. By popular demand at FilmFest, there will be a Viewer’s Choice award this year. To participate, students can view the films on ACU Channel 24 (SATV) or go online to view the movies at http://homepage.mac.com/ acandleburns/FilmFest/Menu37. html. Students can cast votes before Friday at noon at http://
w w w. a c u . e d u / f i l m f e s t 2 0 0 5 / viewerschoice.html. Winners will be announced at the Premier and Awards Night. Prizes include iPod nanos, cash awards and more. Sing Song “The 50TH Show” tickets are now on sale for the 50th annual ACU Sing Song. Visit http://www.acusingsong.com/ for more information. Pat Summerall Centennial Speaker Series luncheon will be Tuesday at Teague Special Event Center. For ACU faculty/staff, table sponsorships are $300, general admission tickets are $20, student tickets are $10, and student sponsorships are $10. Purchase tickets by calling 674-2622. The Intercollegiate Community Celebration is Nov. 12. Students from Hardin-Simmons and McMurry will join for a united day of fellowship and service with local agencies and neighborhoods. The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. with worship. Service projects are from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner will be from 7-8:30 p.m. at the homes of faculty and staff from the three universities.
07
Monday
Shades ticket sales, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Campus Center ticket window.
08
Tuesday
Pat Summerall Centennial Speaker Series, 11:45 a.m., Teague Special Events Center.
Music Department Alumni Recital featuring Glenda Weatherford, 8 p.m., Williams Performing Arts Center.
International Food Festival, 7 p.m., Hilton Room.
SIFE Enterprise City, 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m., Hilton Room.
Shades ticket sales, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Campus Center ticket window.
Volunteer Opportunities The Neighborhoods In Progress group needs volunteers to help with installing a sprinkler system in some neighborhood housing Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to noon until the project is complete. No experience is necessary, and all equipment is provided. For more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout. March of Dimes needs volunteers to help decorate, monitor the silent auction and clean up after a black-tie fundraising dinner on Monday and
Tuesday. For more information, contact Jennifer Woodard at 6720566. Weekend Campaigns are open on the following weekends: Sunday through Nov. 18-20. For more information, contact Jonathan Wood at 210-273-1466 or e-mail him at jrw02i@acu.edu. There will be an ACU Environmental Science Service Project on Saturday at Lake Kirby. Volunteers will clean up litter around the lake and recycle items. Contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center for more information.
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.
Credited Chapels remaining:
53 17
Friday, November 4, 2005
Page 3
CAMPUS NEWS
‘Optimist’ named one of 25 best college newspapers in the country n The ‘Optimist’ staff was awarded the 2005 Pacemaker Award on Saturday along with universities such as Harvard, Pepperdine and Vanderbilt. By AARON BALLARD Staff Writer
The Optimist was awarded the 2005 Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press on Saturday, which recognized it as one of the top 25 college newspapers in the country. “The Pacemaker is the highest honor a college newspaper can receive,” said Kenneth
Pybus, assistant journalism professor and Optimist adviser. “When you win, it really means something.” Every year, universities from around the United States, both public and private, submit three issues of their newspapers to the contest. This year, the deadline was June 7. Smith About 50 finalists are then selected and notified a month before the
How does your garden grow?
fall convention, where the 25 winners are announced. “To be one of those 25 is quite an honor,” said Jonathan Smith, second-year editor in chief of The Optimist. Judges select Pacemakers based on the following: coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics. “The Pacemaker is often billed as the collegiate equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize because the competition is so great,” Pybus said. “The num-
By TAKISHA KNIGHT Page 2 Editor
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
for the staff,” Smith said. “It shows that even though we’re one of the smaller schools that entered the contest, we produce work at least as good as some of the larger programs.” The awards were handed out last the weekend at the National College Media Convention in Kansas City, Mo. Both Pybus and Smith attended. The Optimist enters the contest every year, Pybus said. The last time The Optimist won or was even named a finalist was in 1983. “This is something we’re always shooting for,” Pybus
said. “It puts the paper on the map when it comes to students finding jobs with a professional newspaper when they graduate.” The ACP is a national organization of college publications. It sponsors a wide variety of competitions in several categories, including the Pacemaker Awards, which began in 1927. “Last year’s staff deserves all the credit,” Smith said. “One person doesn’t make the whole paper. The credit goes to everyone.” E-mail Ballard at: agb04b@acu.edu
Center opens for the ACU community n The Center for Conflict Resolution provides academic degrees and a place where the community and students can resolve problems.
Tymon Bloomer, freshman environmental science major from Houston and Physical Resources student worker, adds mulch to the flower beds around trees in the campus mall area Wednesday.
ber and the quality of the entries are truly unparalleled.” Other notable winners of the Pacemaker this year include Harvard University, Pepperdine University, George Washington University, Northwestern University, the University of Nebraska, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt University. The University of Texas at Dallas was the only other university in Texas to win. “To be compared to some of the larger and more wellknown programs around the country is quite an honor
Dr. Robert Strader receives only $1 a month as mediator in residence at the Center for Conflict Resolution. He said he doesn’t mind. The former army brigadier general, medical staff vice president and oral surgeon said he’s in it for the cause. “The reason that I want to be here is that I want to do something significant in my life, and I have the financial capability of doing it for a dollar a month,” Strader said. Every day, Strader shows up for work ready to help students, faculty members, organizations, businesses and ministries resolve their issues in a Christ-like manner, he said. Joe Cope, executive director for the center, said the Center for Conflict Resolution was established in 2000 at Strader’s suggestion.
“ACU’s primary mission is to teach students to go out into the world and be Christian leaders. You cannot be a Christian leader unless you really understand dispute resolution,” Strader said. People reconcile in a room with plush caramelcolored chairs that spin around a wooden round table with a candy dish for a center piece. Cope said it is called “the caucus room.” Across the hall is a similar room with a larger table, Cope where the serious confrontations occur. Down the hall is a comfortable room with four recliners and a coffee table for a more intimate environment. The center has taken on a variety of cases within businesses, faculty, families and students. Cope said he helped reunite broken families, settle roommate disputes and
“You cannot be a Christian leader unless you really understand dispute resolution.” Dr. Robert Strader, member on the Board of Trustees
resolve harassment cases. Conflict resolution is often use as an alternative to court battles. “Our program is based on the Matthew 18 model— reconciliation,” Cope said. Matthew 18 talks about how Christians are to resolve their issues using reconciliation, he said. “The academic program we focus on is academic and service oriented,” Cope said. Conflict resolution is currently a graduate interdisciplinary program that combines four disciplines: psychology, communication, education and Bible. A student majoring in either major can qualify for certification in conflict resolution after taking an additional course within the program. The certificate could increase professional value, Cope said. Many people who get certified are not necessarily try-
ing to become professional conflict resolutionists, he said. Instead, they are looking to develop themselves professionally. Cope said, he has certified ministers, business people and many others. The Conflict Resolution Center is open to students and the university community free of charge to resolve issues ranging from roommate problems, settling money disagreements outside of the courtroom and other personal conflicts. Cope said the main priority is to settle the conflict while maintaining relationships as Christ directed in the book of Matthew.
E-mail Knight at: tnk03a@acu.edu
CAMPUS NEWS
Page 4
Friday, November 4, 2005
Concert brings alumni
We could so do that
n Alumni will return to the Music Department to perform in the ACU Alumni Concert, comprised of professionals who graduated in the past 30 years. By KENNY McENTIRE Student Reporter
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Michael Roberts, sophomore Christian ministry major from Boerne; Katie Morrison, freshman photojournalism major from Nashville; and Mason Shirley, freshman Biblical text major from Corpus Christi, watch FilmFest videos online on a laptop in the Campus Center on Wednesday.
Fashion show educates n Students learned how to dress for the office and leisure time as an adult in the workplace during the American Interior Designers’ professional dress fashion show. By ANDREA LUCADO Student Reporter
Every day students wear various clothes on campus, including baseball caps, sweat shirts, flip-flops and even pajamas. Knowing how to dress professionally is not in the university’s curriculum, but the Fashion Forward 2005 fashion show on Thursday night enlightened the fashionably ignorant. Fashion Forward 2005 was presented by the American Society of Interior Designers, a student organization in the interior design department, and was sponsored by Dillard’s department store. The Williams Performing Arts Center lobby served as
the show’s venue with space for up to 200 attendees. Leigh Gregoire, junior interior design major from San Antonio and the president elect of ASID, formed the idea for the fashion show this summer and has worked on the project all semester. She said she wanted to show college students what will be expected of them during job interviews and in the workplace. Kitty Wasemiller, professor of interior design and faculty sponsor for ASID, said the show was for students. “Our goal is to help students have a clear awareness of professional dress,” she said. Gregoire chose about 20 male and female students to model the business attire. Each model wore two outfits from the Dillard’s clothing lines. One was a business suit appropriate for an office setting, and the other was a more casual outfit for
after-work outings. The models walked the catwalk to music spun by a local disc jockey, whom Dillard’s also provided, and the Shades Step Squad performed during intermission. Hilary Vick, junior marketing major from North Richland Hills, helped Gregoire with a few ideas for Fashion Forward 2005. She said she wanted to be a fashion merchandising major, but since the university no longer offers that degree, this show gave those who are fashion-minded some experience. Vick is not the only student missing a fashion department on campus. Emily Spurlock, sophomore elementary education major from Abilene, modeled for Fashion Forward 2005. She said she also wanted to be a fashion merchandising major.
E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu
The Music Department will sponsor the ACU Alumni Concert at the Williams Performing Arts Center Recital Hall on Monday. The concert will feature six alumni from the Music Department and is free and open to the public. The artists performing have all graduated from the Music Department in the past 30 years. All of the artists playing are working on graduate studies or are on
the music staff at universities throughout the country. “It’ll be a short sweet evening,” said Cheryl Lemmons, teacher of piano in the Music Department and performer in the Alumni Concert. The event should last about an hour and 15 minutes. Performing on Monday will be two vocalists, two solo pianists, one accompanying pianist and one percussionist. The vocalists are tenor Jamie Dahman and tenor Eric Schmidt; they will sing music from Ernst Chausson and arias by Bellini and Puccini with the accompanying piano work of Cheryl Lemmons. Kenyon Williams will perform percussion; he is a graduate of ACU and has
done musical work for ACU theatre. Williams will play a marimba concerto by David Gillingham, said Greg Straughn, chair of the Music Department, in an e-mail. The two solo pianists will perform music by Franz Liszt and Muzio Clementi. One of the alumni who will play is Charles Rix, class of 1978. Rix played with the Houston Symphony and has given concerts at conservatories and colleges of music in Russia and performed on Russian television and radio. The other solo pianist will be Pauline Kung Bjorem, who is a piano teacher at the university. E-mail McEntire at: optimist@acu.edu
Church leaders congregate n A program that supports small churches, which often take place in the leader’s home, is preparing church leaders to branch out and create small church networks.
that a lot of the mission principles that we’ve been teaching for years about how to do effective mission work overseas also apply to the United States,” Smith said. One of the principles Greenhouse teaches is the idea of evangelizing to people by going out in the world to where they are rather than inviting them to churches, Smith said. Simple church leaders form relationships with people at work or school that often lead to the formation of a simple church. Greenhouse is a two-part program. The first part focuses on evangelism and planting simple churches, Smith said. The second part, which takes place one year later, focuses on developing leadership and networks among simple churches. The Greenhouse conference is mainly by invitation. Smith and the other facilitators have invited church leaders from across the United States and a
thoughts that were already forming in my mind. “It grounded everything that I thought in scripture. And it gave really good scriptural evidence for what we wanted to do, which is form By KAYLA ANDERSON churches or fellowships out of Student Reporter natural relationships that we Church leaders from have,” Holt said. Abilene and other parts of the A person in any career country will meet in the Hilton can work as a missionary by Room on Friday through Sunplanting simple churches, day for a Greenhouse training Holt said. retreat, which will prepare “I would love to see more attendees to begin planting ACU students and Christians small churches. in other colleges stay in their These small churches, ofmajor and really see that as ten called organic churches, their ministry, and quietly and simple churches or house slowly begin to touch those churches, are different from around them,” Holt said. traditional churches in that Holt said he thinks it is they are comprised of a small important for Christians ingroup of people who meet in terested in church planting to someone’s home, office or acquire some knowledge and other location, said Dr. Kent experience before beginning, Smith, mission coordinator and Greenhouse is one way to for North America and one of get that experience. the instructors of the Green“You wouldn’t send dochouse conference. tors into surgery without The workshop, sponsored ever having cut on a body, so by Church you shouldn’t Multiplicasend churchtion Associplanters into “I would love to see more ACU students and ates, takes the field withplace all over Christians from other colleges stay in their major out ever beand really see that as their ministry.” the United ing involved in States and is church-plantSteve Holt, missions major in the Anderson Graduate School of Theology designed to ing,” Holt said. “help people Several simdevelop some ple churches Biblical perspectives on evan- few graduate and undergradu- have already been established gelism: how to connect with ate missions students. Smith in Abilene, and leaders of the unreached people and how to said he expects more than 40 churches are working to create help new communities of faith people to attend. a network of simple churches, form around those people,” After the conference, par- Smith said. Smith said. ticipants meet monthly to “A lot more people are wakMore than 200 million peo- support each other. ing up to the fact that mission ple in the United States do not Steve Holt, missions ma- work is not just over there attend any church regularly, jor in the Anderson Graduate somewhere,” Smith said. “It’s which makes the United States School of Theology, attended down the street on Treadthe third-largest national mis- Greenhouse last year. away. It’s across town by the sion field in the world after “I’ve always had a feeling in Air Force base. It’s on our China and India, Smith said. my spirit that we need to start campus and in our dorms. If Greenhouse focuses main- thinking different ways about we have eyes to see, it’s right ly on missions in the United church-planting in North in front of us.” States and Canada. America,” Holt said. “Green“We’re beginning to realize house put some meat on some E-mail Anderson at: optimist@acu.edu
CAMPUS NEWS
Friday, November 4, 2005
Page 5
Space-themed ice cream parlor to open n A Hardin-Simmons University senior is opening an ice cream parlor that will include several televisions, nightly movies and glow-in-the-dark booths. By DANI LINTHICUM Staff Writer
Imagine walking into an ice cream and coffee shop with four flat screen televisions, glow-in-the-dark booths and homemade ice cream and drinks — this is a picture of “Third Rock
Creamery,” a new shop opening soon on Judge Ely Boulevard. In addition to the four screens on the inside the shop, owners are constructing a deck outside, which will have seating and feature an 8-foot-wide movie screen, complete with surround sound. “I’m planning to show a movie every night out there,” said Robert Lord, the owner of Third Rock Creamery and
28-year-old senior at Hardin-Simmons University. Third Rock Creamery is not a chain but a solution to the constant complaints of “there’s nothing to do in Abilene” by college students. “It’s my own idea,” Lord said. “It’s just going to be a cool place where people can come and hang out and talk or watch movies, sports or whatever.” The Creamery is entirely
Runners raise money n Two years after the death of former student Tiffany Hamilton, SIFE organized the 5K run that raises money for Hamilton’s family, who are still paying medical bills. By RACHEL LAU Student Reporter
Despite being tired, about 60 energetic students and faculty members participated at the third annual Tiffany Hamilton 5K Run at 9 a.m. Saturday at the ACU cross country course behind Sherrod apartments. Students in Free Enterprise organized the run in a continued effort to raise support for the family of the late Tiffany Hamilton to help pay medical bills. SIFE has raised $800 from the run and donations so far. T-shirts are still being sold to raise more money. Hamilton, a former ACU student, died of a severe case of pneumonia in September 2003. She left behind her parents and 12 younger siblings. Some students may know two of her brothers, Derrick and Jarrad Hamil-
ton, who both attended the university. Derrick served in Iraq a few years ago, and Jarrad has been there since earlier this year. The number of runners almost doubled from last year’s participants. Each runner paid $10 and received a T-shirt. Alanna Blair, SIFE member and the event’s committee leader, said that, after 2 years, it was still important to support the Hamiltons. “It’s so easy to forget when a month passes, and new things happen,” said Blair, financial management major from Naperville, Ill. Blair said she was happy about the support people showed by donating money even without running. “I thought it was really cool how students really are compassionate, and they’re just willing to give that up for someone they didn’t even know,” she said. Jim Riley, junior political science major from Phoenix, Ariz., said he
didn’t know Hamilton but wanted to participate to show his support. Riley ran as a member of Lynay, a servant-leadership group that Tiffany, Derrick and Jarrad were a part of. “It brought a great sense of community because we were all running to help a family,” he said. “If Tiffany was anything like Jarrad, then I know she was a great person.” Thirty-four students from Lynay participated Saturday. Riley placed second among the men. Students still have a chance to donate beginning Tuesday at the ticket windows, where T-shirts will be on sale for $5. A SIFE member will then present the proceeds to Hamilton’s brother, Derrick. “It’s important to let their family know that they aren’t forgotten, and they’re being honored and remembered through the event,” Rojas said. “It’s service.” E-mail Lau at: optimist@acu.edu
space-themed, complete with glow-in-the-dark patterns in the booths and fiber-optic stars glowing on the ceiling. Lord plans to stay open until at least 12:30 a.m. on the weekends and 11 p.m. on weeknights. In addition to homemade ice cream, complete with “frost-top” mixing counters similar to those at Cold Stone Creamery, Lord also plans to serve various
coffee beverages as well. The shop will be completely outfitted with coffee bean roaster and espresso machine, Lord said. “We’re going to have about 20 flavors of ice cream,” Lord said, “And frozen coffee drinks made with our homemade coffee ice cream is going to be amazing.” Lord is hiring employees for the shop and encourages any students who are
interested to apply. “It’s going to be a fun place to work,” Lord said. “The starting pay will be $6 an hour, as well, which is better then a lot of places in town.” Third Rock Creamery is scheduled to open within a month. All students interested in employment can call Lord directly at (713) 922-8032. E-mail Linthicum at: del01a@acu.edu
Retreat gives needed break n The Big Purple’s annual band retreat is scheduled to begin Friday, giving band members one last chance to spend time together before the season ends. By GARY RHODES Student Reporter
The Big Purple Marching Band will have its annual retreat Friday to Sunday at the Heart of Texas Bible Camp in Brady. The retreat continues a long-standing band tradition and features events such as class competitions, intramural games and a talent show. The talent show, which band members call a notalent show, is an opportunity for the classes to perform skits for each other and to have fun and laugh at some inside jokes, said Jesiree Guerrero, senior
integrated marketing and communication major from Abilene and Big Purple president. For some, the retreat comes at the perfect time. “It’s definitely a break— a minivacation with some of my best friends,” said Chris Whiteley, junior youth and family ministry major and band chaplain from Fort Worth. The retreat weekend is one of the last times this semester the marching band will be together as a group. Soon they will split up into separate bands for the concert season, said Sam Selby, junior biology major from Abilene and Big Purple vice president. For many band members, spending a weekend together without instru-
ments is one of the main attractions of the weekend. “You get to know each other in a format that is not just band,” Selby said. “You get to see a different side of people.” That sense of family and community is important to many members. “When we leave, we feel so much more like a family,” Whiteley said. Guerrero said she expects 115 band members to attend the retreat. 150 students are in the Big Purple Marching Band. The theme for the weekend will be “Set Me Free,” and many of the devotionals and worship times build upon that theme.
E-mail Rhodes at: optimist@acu.edu
Page 6
November 4, 2005
Gay marriage voting evokes political tension
The issue:
Texans will vote to amend the Constitution concerning gay marriage and civil unions laws. As this controversial issue surfaces, many will disagree and tensions will arise.
Our view:
Remember that just because someone disagrees with your method of handling an issue like gay marriage, doesn’t mean he or she has a differing opinion on the core principle.
The solution:
Voters and non-voters alike should not cast judgement upon someone’s character because of his or her political opinions.
Many Texans of all political affiliations will vote Tuesday on amending the Texas Constitution on gay marriage. As disputes among the church rapidly rise during this time of indecision, political tension naturally rises amid these disagreements. Tuesday, Texans will vote on Proposition 2, a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman and touches on other issues relating to homosexuality and marriage. Voters must realize that whatever tensions arise, may come out of differing opinions about how social reform
should be conhas an opposOften, disagreements aren’t issues of fronted, not necing opinion on a morality, rather they are disagreements essarily differmajor issue like about the way issues should be handled. ences in values. gay marriage, The proposed doesn’t mean he constitutional amendment should react to such regula- or she doesn’t necessarily denies the recognition of civ- tions and political changes. think the issues are any less il unions and denies recogniDuring this unsure time, wrong or any more right. tion to gay married couples, a Texan may, as a reflex, They simply take a different regardless of what state in judge another person by the approach to how these iswhich they were married. stance he or she takes on sues should be confronted. A similar law, the Defense the issue of gay marriage. For example, you might of Marriage Act, was passed You might ask, “How can see homosexuality as an isby the Texas Legislature in you vote in favor of civil sue that needs to be dealt May of 2003 and denies ho- unions or even gay mar- with politically—using laws mosexuals marriage and civ- riages and still claim Chris- and constitutional amendil union rights. tianity?” Another might ask, ments. However, you might The Defense of Marriage “How can you take away equally see the wrong in Act and the latest constitu- someone’s right to decide homosexuality, but decide tional amendment brought up how they want to live his or that a person should make for Texans, including Chris- her life?” his or her own choice on tians, the issue of how they Just because someone the matter.
College habits are real world crimes
Cole Williams
Let Loose
Think before you commit on my friend’s wall?” a crime, and if you’re going I don’t think that will go to buy a lottery ticket us- over too well. ing stolen • In college, you can ocfunds, at casionally sleep through least use your classes, as long as you cash. have the tilted baseball hat L a s t trick figured out. In real life, week a you probably won’t be alw o m a n lowed to wear a baseball hat from a to your business meetings, town near and your boss probably Much Ado About my home won’t fall for the chin-restin Oregon ing-on-your-fist trick either. Something was arrest• While living in a dorm Jaci ed for us- or apartment, some stuing a stolen dents sneak prohibited Schneider credit card items, such as candles, to purchase a winning lot- small pets and electrical aptery ticket. pliances, into their rooms She won $1 million but without letting their RAs or could wind up with nothing landlords know. if convicted. Although many people And to make matters get away with that here, in worse, the police found real life, having a prohibited evidence of item, such as a methama meth lab, phetamine has much Most students will lab in her bigger consesay they learned a home while quences than they were lot at college, but be a $100 fine. searching for • On camwary of those habthe card. pus, you can its that could come Apparentborrow a back to hurt you in friend’s ID ly, the womthe future. an didn’t card for a really want meal at the any money; Jelly Bean or if she did, she would have Bean Sprout, but in real life, at least used the stolen card you can’t “borrow” someto get cash before buying one’s credit card to buy the ticket. anything, especially not a Now, I’m not sure if this lottery ticket. woman ever attended colMost students will say lege, but this story has they’ve learned a lot in helped me realize that col- their time at college, and lege might be confusing I’m pretty sure most of it some students, and I’d like is good knowledge. But be to use this column to clear a wary of those habits that few things up: could come back to hurt • You can procrastinate you in the future. for hours on Facebook while I would hate to read in college, but in real life, about one of my fellow stuthat might not be allowed. dents on CNN.com a few Picture your boss saying years from now and laugh this: “Hey, did you finish at their stupid crimes. that report?” You reply, “Ummm, not yet. How about I get it done E-mail Schneider at: jrs02a@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu at about 2 a.m., after I write
Fall brings thought of new roommate
I love Fall (whatever that means in West Texas). Fall is typically characterized by football, sweatshirts, looking forward to Thanksgiving break, and in many university residence halls, that slow-burning, passive-agColumn Like I gressive tension that exSee ’Em ists between Steve non-compatible freshman Holt roommates. Some of you freshmen know what I’m talking about —the “roommate from Heaven” you bragged about in August has since grown horns. He eats your Moon Pies. She “baby talks” to her boyfriend on the phone. You see him wearing your pants in the Campus Center. Her mom stays in your room on the weekend.
Fall is typically characterized by football, sweatshirts, looking forward to Thanksgiving break and a slow-burning, passive-aggressive tension between non-compatible freshman roommates. True story. The list goes on … Whatever your peeve, you’re sure of one thing: Next semester, he or she is toast. Gloria Gainor rings in your ears as you assure your other friends, “I will survive!” It’s time to find a new roommate. Then the reality of this new resolution sets in: at some point, your current roommate needs to know this tid-bit of important information. A painfully passive-aggressive person myself, I don’t have any constructive advice on how to tell roomy-zilla that you’re moving on to greener pastures. I can, however, offer a “top-10 list” of sorts on how not to break the “bad” news to your roommate from you-know-where. So, without further ado, here are the top-10 worst
ways to tell your current roommate you’re finding a new one next semester: 10. “I hate you, and I’m leaving. Can I take the T.V.?” 9. Putting her stuff out in the hall. (very subtle…) 8. Burning “I’m getting a new roommate. With Love, Jen” in the lawn of Nelson Hall. 7. Writing it in an Instant Message—from across the room. Talk about awkward. 6. “It’s not me, it’s you. Jerk.” 5. Trying to explain it on one of those “dorm room dry erase boards.” Quite possibly the worst communication medium on the planet. 4. Putting her stuff in the disgusting dorm dumpster. 3. “Um, hey, man. How’s your semester been? Mine? Oh, school is kicking my tail.
We are going to disagree on major issues. But often, these disagreements among parties are not issues of morality, rather they are disagreements about the method by which these issues should be handled. Before judgment is cast upon someone else about the rightness or wrongness of homosexuality, one should be reminded that we aren’t going to unanimously agree on how social reform should take place. As Thomas Jefferson said in his first inaugural address: “Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.”
Listen, we haven’t really talked much this semester. I guess we’ve both been really busy … you, especially, eating my moon pies, wearing my pants, phone cuddling with your girlfriend—we’re through!” 2. You: “Knock-knock.” Her: “Who’s there?” You: “Ima.” Her: “Ima who?” You: “Ima dropping you like a hot rock starting in January.” And now for the worst possible way to tell your current roommate you’re finding a new one next semester? 1. Just letting him or her return to an empty room after Christmas. Be nice to each other, students—even when “roommate break-up” is imminent. For those of you who have decided to stick it out with Mr. or Mrs. Wrong—a great reward awaits you in the end.
E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu
Student says Christ-centered social clubs do exist I am not a fan of blanket statements, so I was very disappointed when a letter to the editor on Wednesday included a blanket statement. The letter assumes that every club falsely plays the “Jesus card” and has nothing to do with Christ. I admit that many clubs on campus do not project themselves in a good light, especially in light of recent
Your Voice In response to Valerie Morby’s “Social club concern” letter to the editor in Wednesday’s issue of the Optimist. events. Bad news often overshadows good news, because human nature tends to lead us to be interested in the prurient side of things.
I cannot help but feel offended by the letter because one of our new members was quoted about his spiritual life in the article to which the letter refers. I do not mean to simply advertise my own club or set it up on a pedestal as an ideal club or one that is better than all the others. But I would like to make mention of our club’s purpose:
Our club was founded on the same principles as the Promise Keepers, hence Pi Kappa. At most of our gatherings, we recite our commitments and quote our theme passage of Philippians 2:1-11. We are a club committed to Christ and focused on the importance of relationships in our community. Our pledging process is one of building people up,
not tearing them down. We teach lessons about the importance of Christian community through our pledging process. We are not elitist, because we include people in our activities who are not members. I know there are a few other clubs out there that follow through with similar principles. Not all social clubs falsely play the “Jesus
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
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. Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
card.” There are some that do, but there are a few clubs (maybe not as noticeable) that actually act the Jesus card. I encourage everyone to find those clubs that do act in a positive, Christian manner and appreciate what they bring to this campus. Daniel Gray junior social work major from Collierville, Tenn.
Editorial and Management Board
Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Newsroom: (325) 674-2439
Sports desk: (325) 674-2684
Jonathan Smith
Mitch Holt
Editor in Chief
Opinion Editor
Mallory Sherwood
Brian Schmidt
Managing Editor
Chief Photographer
Jaci Schneider
Jared Fields
Copy Editor
Sports Editor
Photo department: (325) 674-2499
Advertising office: (325) 674-2463
Sarah Carlson
Christi Stark
Arts Editor
Advertising Manager
Tiffany Taylor
Kenneth Pybus
Features Editor
Adviser
Subscriptions ($40/academic year): (325) 674-2296.
Online: www.acuoptimist.com
November 4, 2005
Page 7
Box Office Figures for the weekend of October 28-30, in millions. Total grosses in parenthesis. 1. Saw II—$31.7 (new) 2. The Legend of Zorro—$16.3 (new) 3. Prime—$6.2 (new) 4. Dreamer—$6.1 ($17.4) 5. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit—$4.3 ($49.7) 6. The Weather Man— $4.2 (new) 7. Doom—$4.2 ($23) 8. North Country—$3.6 ($12.1) 9. The Fog—$3.1 ($25.3) 10. Flightplan—$2.7 ($81.3)
Today’s Movies Jarhead (R)—starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard; directed by Sam Mendes. Based on the book of the same name, Jarhead chronicles one marine’s (Gyllenhaal) experience in the Gulf War. Director Sam Mendes is back for his third film, trying to live up to his Oscar-winning debut, American Beauty. Chicken Little (PG)— starring the voices of Zach Braff, Joan Cusack, Donn Knotts; directed by Mark Dindal. Disney’s latest presents a new twist on the classic story of Chicken Little, where a chicken creates a widespread panic when he mistakes a falling acorn for a falling piece of sky.
New York Times BestSeller List, Fiction Numbers indicate: current position, last week’s position and total weeks on the list. 1/-/1 At First Sight, by Nicholas Sparks 2/1/2 Knife of Dreams, by Robert Jordan 3/4/2 Consent to Kill, by Vince Flynn 4/2/3 The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly 5/3/3 Blue Smoke, by Nora Roberts 6/-/1 The Ambler Warning, by Robert Ludlum 7/4/3 Son of a Witch, by Gregory Maguire 8/5/2 A Wedding in December, by Anita Shreve 9/-/1 Saving Fish From Drowning, by Amy Tan 10/6/4 A Breath of Snow and Ashes, by Diana Gabaldon
n Film Fest 2005: Milestones is at 7 p.m. Friday at the Paramount Theatre downtown. Professionals judged the 11 entries, and winners will be awarded at the premiere. By SARAH CARLSON Arts Editor
What began as an idea by Doug Darby, creative director at the Adams Center for Teaching Excellence, FilmFest has flourished into a noteworthy competition for aspiring filmmakers or students just wanting to scratch their creative itch. Last year’s FilmFest proved entertaining, but the pilot year was only a trial run compared to this year. Entries are more polished and thought-provoking, and the creators have allowed the audience to have a say on which film is the best. Last year’s top winner, As
Light is Lost in Light, was the best executed of all the entries but was met with laughter and confusion by much of the audience, whose favorites were snubbed from awards. This year, all 11 entries were available for viewing online beforehand, and students could vote for their favorite film. Including the audience is a step in the right direction, and with consistent participation and improvement of the event, FilmFest could and should stand as a university tradition akin to Sing Song—an event that brings students, faculty, staff and alumni together to create a worthwhile product. Voting is now closed online for the audience favorite, but here’s a glimpse at the lineup for FilmFest 2005: Milestones:
They Call You Holy Category: Music Video
Cody Veteto, technical director, set design Ryan Jones, director, writer Scott Morrison, sound design Doug Walton, producer
Miss Friday Night Lights Category: Music Video Chad Carnes, producer, set design A.J. Smith, writer, director, technical director, sound design
Awake, You Sleepers
Tickets are $3 and can be bought at the Campus Center ticket windows until 3:30 p.m., or at the door. If you are buying at the door, be sure to arrive no later than 6:30 p.m. to ensure a seat and that the show will begin on time.
Category: Drama Elena Stevenson, sound design Amanda McGee, producer, director, writer, production designer Josh Martin, technical director
Thanatos
By My Thundering Hordes
Category: Drama John Bemrich, technical director and sound designer April Cordero, director, producer, writer, production designer
Carlotta
PHOTO courtesy of filmfest
FilmFest 2005 is at 7 p.m. Friday at the Paramount Theatre, located at 352 Cypress St.
Dreamless
Category: Action/Thriller Nick Hester, technical director Lance Ferguson, production designer Seth Adcock, producer Chad Zellner, director David Hewell, sound design David Chisolm, writer
A.J. Smith, senior political science major from Pampa, left, and Chad Carnes, senior accounting major from Tracy, Calif., perform on the roof of the Grace Museum during their film, Miss Friday Night Lights.
Ticket Info
Category: Drama Kendra Heard, director Kenny Jones, production designer Alex York, technical director Nikki Bogle, producer Andrew Loveland, sound designer
Category: Drama Kayla Leech, producer Martin Walker, director, writer Emily Pollastro, technical director
Existencia Clandestina
Refills Category: Drama Michael Breeden, producer, production design Bo Mechinus, director, writer Nick Hester, technical director Richard Schissler, sound design
New River Category: Music Video Danny Gambero, director,
sound design, writer Brad Hoover, producer, production design Scott Delony, technical director
noc Category: Drama Brady Rector, director, producer, writer Chris Tarrant, technical director, sound design Scott Taylor, production designer
Crazy But True Category: Drama Ben Fike, sound design Ben Hernandez, technical director, sound design Judges for FilmFest 2005: Stephen Bailey (’92) Randy Brewer (’93) Nelson Coates (’84) Rob Gibbs Kurt Heinecke Les Hunter (’86) David Leeson (’78) Vonn Miller Martin Perry (’83) Brandon Scott Thomas (’92) Rob Thomas Hunter, Brewer, Leeson and Scott Thomas will be present at the premiere Friday night, as well as at the Judge’s Symposium Saturday at 10 a.m. in Room 115 of the College of Business Administration Building. Tickets for the symposium are $3 as well and are available in the Campus Center ticket windows. E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu
Musician Jeremy Camp to perform at Civic Center n Christian artist Jeremy Camp will perform at the Abilene Civic Center on Wednesday, along with Bethany Dillon and The Afters, part of Camp’s Restored Tour. By ANNA CARROLL Student Reporter
Christian rock artist Jeremy Camp will be in concert at the Abilene Civic Center Wednesday at 7 p.m. Camp is on the second leg of his tour promoting his third CD, Restored. Bethany Dillon and The Afters will join Camp in his tour. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Beltway Park, the Civic Center and online at itickets.com for $15 or at the door for $20. Group tickets can be purchased for
$10 a person with a minimum group of 10 people. This will be Camp’s third time to perform in concert for Beltway Park Baptist Church’s concert ministry, Live at the Park, said Keith Dodderer, concert promoter. Dodderer’s job as promoter includes choosing the artists who come to Abilene. He said he tries to focus on artists who will attract young people. “We limit our concerts to youth-oriented concerts because that’s the audience we are trying to reach,” Dodderer said. “We want Christian kids listening to Christian rock music and non Christian kids to come to the concerts.” Last year, Camp won two
Dove Awards, the Gospel Music Association’s highest honor, for Male Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year. He also released two albums last year: Carried Me: The Worship Project and Restored. Camp’s first album, Stay, was released in 2002 and had four hit singles including “I Still Believe” and “Walk By Faith.” “I really connected with his song ’I Still Believe’ after I lost my dad,” said Rebecca Venable, junior secondary education English major from Longmont, Colo. Camp also lost an important person in his life. In 2001, Camp lost his wife, Melissa, to cancer. “I Still Believe” was the first song he wrote after losing his wife,
according to Christianmusic.com. He is now married to Adrienne, former lead singer for The Benjamin Gate, a Christian rock band, and has a daughter, Isabella Rose. Bethany Dillon will also perform at the concert. In 2004, when she was 16 years old, Dillon released her first album with her No.1 single, “All I Need.” On her second album, Imagination, Dillon wrote or co-wrote every song, according to her Web site. The Afters, a four-man band based out of Texas,
joined the Restored Tour on Oct. 28 after the band Tree 63 left. Originally known as Blisse, their first album, When The World Is Wonderful, was released in 2001. With their new name, The Afters recorded their second album, I Wish We All Could Win, which was coproduced by ACU alumnus Brown Bannister, according to the band’s Web site. The Afters opened for Camp on his Undone Tour.
E-mail Carroll at: optimist@acu.edu
FROM THE FRONT PAGE
Page 8
Friday, November 4, 2005
Downtown: Businesses renovate heart of Abilene Continued from page 1 or it would die.
City Lends a Hand Other cities had successfully revitalized their downtowns, McCaleb said. Abilene could do the same. The city hired a group specialized in downtown development to survey the situation and help the city form a plan for revitalization. Although McCaleb said the city couldn’t control downtown’s economy, the
city decided to support growth from a certain distance. New sidewalks and street signs cleaned up downtown’s appearance, but the city invested even more money in buying some of the larger structures downtown. Instead of being torn down, the buildings were sold at a low price to parties who were willing to fix them, McCaleb said. “You want to keep the heart of the city alive and vital and healthy,” McCaleb said, “If the heart of the city starts dying,
then the whole city can die.”
Heart of downtown Working to keep downtown floating are groups like the Downtown Association, the Center for Contemporary Arts and various small businesses. Now standing where the metal scrap yard was, is Frontier Texas, a visitor’s center, interactive museum hybrid. Opened in April 2004, 50,000 people visited Frontier Texas within its first year, establishing it as a legitimate downtown
pull, said Jeff Salmon, executive director of Frontier Texas. Every demographic is represented in the total number of visitors, which Salmon said will strengthen downtown, keeping it from fading in the future. Salmon said he feels a steady flow of entertainment downtown will be the key to members of the public finally thinking of the area as a place to spend their free time. “There has to be a lot of standing events for them,” Salmon said. “That’s what it
takes to make an entertainment district.” The Downtown Association uses its fees, manpower and donations to support events that need help getting off the ground. Through the years, the organization has helped sponsor ArtWalk and, every winter, City Sidewalks. The winter event includes a parade and several games, scheduled to take place the same day the city decorates for the holidays and lights the Christmas tree. “There’s a lot more going
on in downtown Abilene than people seem to be aware of,” Rigsby said. Holiday said he would love for his beloved Paramount to be a part of a revived district. If nothing else, he will help keep the theatre open, compromising some of his favorite old films for newer releases if necessary. And after he’s gone, he said he hopes others will continue the job. “If not, I’ll come back and haunt them.” E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu
Gift: Fund will establish 50 full-tuition scholarships Continued from page 1 of the College of Biblical Studies. “It will have a deep and immediate impact on students.” Many graduate students carry the debts of their education into the mission and ministry fields, Reese said, so with the help of this endowment, graduate students will be able to begin their ministries focused on the work of God rather than
burdened by debt. Lacy and Dorothy Harber, former residents of Abilene and owners of Abilene-based G&L Tools, the largest oil field service company in the nation, donated the endowment. The Harbors have spent time traveling the world on mission trips, specifically to Africa and said they are honored to be a part of the work at ACU. The Harbers also said they
planned to give more endowments to the university in the future. “We’ve been blessed with good health and tens of thousands of friends,” said Lacy Harber. “We’ve also been blessed monetarily. But we’re only stewards; the money isn’t ours.” “We’re most happy that we’re doing this while we can celebrate the effects,” Dorothy
Harber said. “It’s a pleasure to be a part of what’s happening here at ACU and to watch it grow. We want to share in it.” Graduate student Aaron Metcalf thanked the Harbers for providing a sense of mission to both him and his fellow students. Metcalf described his own struggle to afford his education, and he said he was encouraged by the fact that someone believed in him and in the
mission he felt called to do. “On behalf of all the grad students who can now leave their suitcases unpacked and in the closet, thank you,” he said to the Harbers. The announcement was followed by a dinner in the Living Room of the Campus Center where students and faculty could meet and get to know the Harbers. The Harber endowment is
one of the largest gifts ever donated to the university and is certainly the largest scholarship donation in ACU’s history, Money said. “This endowment is a powerful combination of the Lord placing people like Lacy and Dorothy with people who want to dedicate their lives to serving the Lord,” he said. E-mail McGowan at: optimist@acu.edu
Tickets: Sing Song sales begin early Song: Students can Continued from page 1 a great opportunity for more sales. “Since we got such an early start, it’s hard to judge how well sales are doing because there is nothing to compare it to,” Massey said. “But obviously, we are ahead of schedule.” Because this is the 50th year for Sing Song and the Centennial year for the university, many are anticipating all three shows to sell out, Massey said. Usually Saturday night is the only performance
to sell out, although last year, Saturday afternoon came very close as well. “A lot of people are saying that all three will sell out, but I never know,” Massey said. “There are so many things to consider when it comes to predicting sales. I can’t say until the show actually sells out.” Last year, Sing Song grossed $122,000, but because of high expenses, it did not make any profits. In fact, Sing Song has not made money in a very long time, Massey said. “We are working on that,”
Massey said. “This year we hope to gross a lot more, and our goal is to actually make a profit. The show needs to make money. Not only does it put Campus Life at a disadvantage, but it also hurts Sing Song. I can’t move forward and make changes until Sing Song starts making money.” The best way to purchase tickets is online at www.acusingsong.com, Massey said. In addition, an order form can be downloaded from that site and faxed or mailed in. Order forms are also avail-
able in the Campus Center, as well as in an upcoming issue of ACU Today. Tickets will not be sent out in the mail until Jan. 17. “We do this to protect the customers, so that they will have the tickets when the time comes,” Massey said. “You’d be surprised how many people lose their tickets.” In the future, Massey said he hopes to simplify the process of selling Sing Song tickets. E-mail Ballard at: agb04b@acu.edu
SA: Congress passes two bills Continued from page 1 harder, the bill would take work away from Congress and give it to the executive officers. Instead of being an issue of Congress loosing power, Worthington said the bill was meant to be a response to Congress not using its power and therefore giving it to a group of people who will. “If we’re not taking the powers, then why not give it to someone who cares?” Worthington said.
When creating the bill, Worthington said he was thinking of the current SA and doesn’t believe the executive officers would abuse their control over legislation. However, the bill does state that future Congresses can vote at the beginning of each year on whether to uphold the bill. Worthington said if, during a certain year, Congress does not feel comfortable granting these rights to the executive officers, it can vote accordingly. In contrast with Worthing-
ton’s bill, another bill, which supports SA’s efforts encouraging students to vote on Proposition 2, passed without difficulty. Proposition 2, the Marriage Amendment, bans same-sex marriages in the Texas State Constitution, an addition to state law, which already bans same-sex marriages and civil unions. Although Texans will vote on Proposition 2 on Nov. 8 with eight other propositions, COBA Rep. Paul Harshman, coauthor of the SA bill, said he
thinks Proposition 2 is especially important. Because the future of the marriage debate will affect university students in the future, Harshman said he wants SA to encourage students to contact the elections office and vote early or on the official day at Hillcrest Church of Christ. “A lot of people are at the age of disillusionment with the government and don’t se the impact of voting on their lives,” Harshman said. E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu
interview for director Continued from page 1
plications and said the deadline to turn in applications was last Monday by 5 p.m. The five freshman senators met on Tuesday to discuss the interview process, which will be conducted this week. Hemphill said he hopes the interviews will be completed by Friday or early next week at the latest. By Wednesday, the freshman class will know its director. Erin Dimas, junior agribusiness major from Sacramento, Calif. and chief development officer for SA, said she made 22 copies of the application, and a interested freshmen took all of them. Sarah Christian, freshman animal science major from Abilene, was one student interested in being director for the freshman class. “If you were to meet me, you wouldn’t pin me to be a Sing Song director or think that I have the guts to do it, but this is something that I’d like to do and could be good at,” Christian said. Christian said she was in the Sing Song children’s act
from the time she was five to 10 years old and has attended Sing Song almost every year since. “I have a lot of fun ideas, and I want everyone to hear them. I felt like I needed to do this, even if I don’t get it,” Christian said. Paige Legan, freshman family studies major from Dallas, said she is excited about Sing Song and getting to be a part of it for the first time. She said her cousin directed the freshman class act several years ago. “She was the first person to introduce me to Sing Song, and I’ve known people at my church who’ve been in it,” Legan said. Although many choose to try out for freshman class Sing Song, freshmen have other options, too. “I’m not a good singer, but I do want to be an usher. I want to be involved, and being an usher is not as much practice,” Legan said. For more information about freshmen involvement in Sing Song contact one of the five SA freshman class senators. E-mail Hart at: optimist@acu.edu
Movie: Alumnus needs students to audition for film Continued from page 1 Abilene, is the local production coordinator for the yet-to-betitled movie. Maxwell said the movie is difficult to classify but calling it “a supernatural thriller” would be the closest label. Though four professional actors are already on board with the project, screenwriter and director Cary Roberts said he wanted to extend an opportunity to students for one of the parts. Roberts, who wrote the script, said he hopes to find someone to fit the role he has
open, but he may not find anyone. “I wanted to make sure I turned over every rock I could,” Roberts said. “I have no preconceived notions.” Maxwell said the audition will be at the university in hopes of finding an “Abilene-own thoroughbred, hoping to find a secret actor in someone.” Though he lives in Austin, Roberts’ production company, Mandatory Chapel, Inc., has partners in Los Angeles. The base of operations is Austin, not Los Angeles, because “It’s Texas-Chic. That’s hot in Hollywood right now, at least un-
til something else from Texas bombs, like The Alamo,” Roberts said. Growing up in Abilene and attending ACU from 1986 to 1989, Roberts knows the area well and decided it would be a good location for his movie. “One of my mentors said that if you have a limited budget, find a great location and film there,” he said. Roberts said another reason he wants to shoot the movie in Abilene is “because there are abandoned, subterranean missile silos there. Instead of trying to build those 18 stories under the ground,
we just went there.” “Inspiration for the story,” Roberts said, “is based on of Paleolithic history of West Texas and modern rights of passage.” When Roberts lived in Abilene as a child, missile silos intrigued him and his friends. “It was our West TexasGoonies quest to break into a missile silo,” Roberts said. “Invariably we’d get over the fence, and a girl would scream, and we’d all end up running, so I never had success.” The movie has no target audience, Roberts said, but “it’ll appeal to people who grew up in West Texas and
anthropologists.” Roberts plans to begin filming in December when the semester wraps up. He said he hopes to finish by the beginning of the new year and have the final cut ready for a spring release. Upon the completion of the movie, Roberts plans to enter it in various film festivals. “Because of the nature of the project, it will spend the first part of its life on the festival circuit,” Roberts said. “The ultimate goal would be to secure some sort of distribution deal.” Roberts said he isn’t making the movie solely for finan-
cial reasons. “I’m doing it because I want to; it’s a personal project,” he said. “We’ll worry about the commercial viability later.” The movie has no implicit message, Roberts said. “Your work is a reflection of who you are, so if there’s a message, that’s it.” Roberts offers this invitation to any men interested: “If you’ve ever been interested in acting, or if it is something you’d like to know more about, this is a project in your own backyard.” E-mail Josey at: optimist@acu.edu
SPORTS JUMPS
Friday, November 4, 2005
Page 9
Indians: Last game for Wildcats Continued from page 10 two touchdowns, while completing seven of 11 passes for 149 yards and two more touchdowns. Polk’s 393 total yards helped the Indians accumulate 668 total yards of offense in their 62-27 win. “He’s like a Michael Vick in D-II,” head coach Chris Thomsen said. “He’s a guy that can make everybody miss on one play, and we’ve got to stop him.” Manning is impressed with another player, junior running back Ross Harrison. “By far probably one of the best running backs we’ve faced,” said Manning. That includes Tarleton State running back Ross, who leads the LSC in rushing. Thomsen said the re-
ceiving corps is also strong on offense and gives the Wildcats some challenges on defense. “We want to stop them from running and make them pass,” Manning said. “So we’ll try to make them a one dimensional team.”
redshirt freshman Nick Bird will make his second start at quarterback. Redshirt freshman Taber Minner will start at running back after rushing for more than 100 yards in the last two games. Minner took the place of
“If you don’t stop their run game, then they’re going to beat you.” Chris Thomsen, ACU head football coach
Thomsen said his priority is stopping the quarterback. “If you don’t stop their run game, then they’re going to beat you,” Thomsen said. For the Wildcat offense,
senior Rashon Myles, who sprained his left ankle in the Angelo State game. Myles ran 12 times last week for 43 yards, but Thomsen said he looked better in practice this week. “He actually looked
pretty good at practice yesterday,” Thomsen said Wednesday. “I’m looking forward to getting some production from him.” The Indians’ season mirrors the Wildcats. They got off to a decent 2-1 start, lost three in a row, and are now on a three-game winning streak. The Indians record may be a mediocre 5-4 overall, but the team is on a hot streak and has the LSC’s South Division Offensive Player of the Week in Polk. “He’s got a great supporting cast, he’s got great coaches,” Manning said. “It’s going to be a nice game this weekend.”
E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu
File photo by brian schmidt/Chief Photographer
Olha Kryv’yak runs in the ACU Classic on Sept. 9. Kryv’yak will compete in the NCAA South Central Regional Championships this weekend.
Regional: Men ranked first, women third Continued from page 10 team has. “We’ve got three that could easily finish in the top five, just like last year,” Hood said. “The difference is that they’ll have more of a supporting cast behind them.” The men’s team certainly will be aided by Serge Gasore, who was named the Lone Star Conference Fresh-
man of the Year last week. Gasore, along with freshman Phillip Birgen and senior Martin O’Kello, earned all-LSC honors for finishing in the top-10 at the conference meet on Oct. 22. But putting all accolades behind them, the men’s and women’s runners have one goal ahead of them: Qualifying for nationals. E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu
brian schmidt/Chief Photographer
Senior linebacker Matt Allen and sophomore defensive back Barrett Boone celebrate Saturday’s 19-3 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Volleyball: Tournament seed at stake Continued from page 10 the season. The Buffs are on a nine-game win streak and will look to split the season series on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The Wildcats seem confident in their ability to get another win against West
Texas A&M this season, even if it means winning in a tough environment. “I’d say it’s 100%,” says senior outside hitter Michelle Bernhardt about the Wildcats’ chances of winning. The road for the volleyball team not only leads
into a large crowd at Canyon on Thursday, but also ends the Wildcat’s regular season at Portales against Eastern New Mexico on Saturday, where no current Wildcat player has won. Eastern New Mexico is out of the post-season after reaching the regional semi-
Intramurals: Tournament Continued from page 10
File photo by brian schmidt/Chief Photographer
Freshman Serge Gasore runs in the ACU Classic on Sept. 9. After the LSC Championships, he was named LSC Freshman of the Year.
“I have a lot of fun refereeing the games. You get to meet a lot of new people,” said Kallie Moore, sophomore elementary education major from Abilene.
Winners of the tournament will receive an intramural championship T-shirt. Social clubs are competing for two points for their club. For more information about the three-on-three
basketball tournament, email Susan Hardcastle at susan.hardcastle@acu.edu. Students can also contact Danny Kittley at kittleyd@ acu.edu E-mail Rembert at: optimist@acu.edu
finals last year. The Zias are 7-18, and 2-6 in the LSC South Division this year. If the Wildcats earn the right to have the LSC Tournament, the tournament will be Nov. 10-12 in Moody Coliseum. E-mail Holland at: optimist@acu.edu
Page 10
November 4, 2005 Standings Football
Team Conf. Overall 7-1 9-1 WTAMU Angelo St. 6-2 8-2 Tarleton St. 6-2 7-2 TAMU-K 5-3 6-3 Midwestern 4-4 5-4 ACU 4-4 4-5
Volleyball Team Div. ACU 8-0 WTAMU 7-1 TAMU-K 5-4 ENMU 2-6 Tarleton St. 2-7 Angelo St. 1-7
Overall 25-3 25-7 10-18 7-18 16-16 9-21
Scores Saturday
FOOTball ACU 18, Tarleton State 7 Volleyball ACU 3, Texas A&M-Kingsville 1
Tuesday
Volleyball ACU 3, Angelo State 1
Upcoming Schedule Saturday
Football ACU vs. Midwestern State, 1 p.m. VOlleyball ACU at Eastern New Mexico, 3 p.m. Cross country Women: NCAA Division II Regional Championships, 11 a.m. Men: NCAA Division II Regional Championships, noon
• Home games listed in italics
Briefs Wildcats up to No. 11 in AVCA poll. The Wildcats moved to No. 11 in the latest AVCA poll from No. 13 last week. The NCAA also released its newest regional poll this week, where the Wildcats remained at No. 3 behind Nebraska-Kearney and Metropolitan State. Nebraska-Kearney is No. 1 in the AVCA national poll.
Basketball tournament begins today in Bennett n A three-on-three basketball tournament begins Friday in Bennett Gym. The double elimination tournament has two levels of competition. By DEMARCQUEZ REMBERT Student Reporter
The three-on-three intramural basketball tournament will be in Bennett Gymnasium on Friday. The deadline to sign up to play in the tournament was Thursday. The cost to enter the tournament is $35 a team. The tournament will begin Friday night and end Saturday. It is a double elimination tournament, just as the popular “Hoop It up” tournament is played. Each team is allowed to have as many players as it wants but only three players can play at a time. Students can play at two different levels in the intramural tournament. The less competitive or fun play is called the Recreational League. The serious, more competitive league is called the Champion League. “If you have never been to an intramural game before you should go, it’s wonderful. The games can get very exciting and competitive,” said Susan Hardcastle, administrative coordinator of intramural sports. Many social clubs participate in the tournament, also. “Last year, a social club wore green business suits in their games just to be silly,” Hardcastle said. Last year 21 teams played in the tournament. Planners expect more teams to participate this year. Students can also work as referees in the tournament. See
INTRAMURALS page 9
brian schmidt/Chief Photographer
Running back Taber Minner tries to run around Javelinas defensive tackle Wilbert Martin in Saturday’s 19-3 win at Shotwell Stadium.
Indians are ‘Cats finale
n Junior Danieal Manning is a candidate for the Harlon Hill Award going into the Wildcats final game Saturday against Midwestern State. By JARED FIELDS Sports Editor
Danieal Manning has NFL scouts watching him and is a candidate to be one of the top NCAA Division-II football players in the nation. However, with the final game of the season this weekend at Midwestern State, Manning is just as ready for the game against the Indians, even if it has no playoff implications. “Scouts from the NFL
Football talked to me, but I really didn’t pay much attention to them,” Manning said. “I told them I wanted to talk to them after the season.” Manning, a junior defensive back and return specialist, is one of only four defensive players selected, as a candidate for the Harlon Hill Award. Twenty-six players of all positions are chosen as candidates total. The award is given to the best Division II football player each year. “Lot of hard work I’ve been through on that finally getting noticed,” Manning said. “It’s just a great
honor.” Other players nominated from the Lone Star Conference are Texas A&M-Kingsville linebacker Deandrae Fillmore, West Texas A&M quarterback Dalton Bell and Tarleton State running back Derrick Ross. Midwestern State doesn’t have a player on the Harlon Hill ballot but has two offensive playmakers that could test the Wildcats’ stingy defense on Saturday. In last week’s game against Eastern New Mexico, sophomore quarterback Daniel Polk ran for 244 yards on just 12 carries and See
INDIANS page 9
brian schmidt/Chief Photographer
Junior Danieal Manning drags Javelinas’ players on a kick return during the Wildcats 19-3 win.
Wildcats play final match before post-season n The No. 11 Wildcats finish the regular season this weekend against Eastern New Mexico in Portales, N.M., before the LSC Conference Tournament. By BRIAN HOLLAND Student Reporter
Brian Schmidt/Chief Photographer
Freshman outside hitter Jessica Reyna digs the ball during the Wildcats last home game, a 3-0 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
The volleyball team heads into Thursday’s game at West Texas A&M with an 8-0 mark in the Lone Star Conference’s South division, needing a win to clench their second straight divisional championship. The Wildcats stand at 25-3 overall on the year thanks to a 25-game win streak following their first
Volleyball tournament of the season. The Wildcats have been playing especially well as of late. “We’ve been playing the best we’ve played in a couple weeks,” said head coach Brek Horn. The game will decide who will win the Lone Star Conference’s South Division and will also be the game that decides who will host this year’s Lone Star post-season tournament. The Wildcats captured their fifth win in division play to defeat the Lady Buffs
in straight sets earlier this season on Oct. 8th to hand the Buffs their only loss but still only lead West Texas A&M by one game coming into the match. The game has been moved from where the Lady Buffs usually play, into First United Bank Center, an arena built to hold a larger capacity, to accommodate for an expected larger crowd. The Wildcats have been perfect on the road against conference foes thus far, but face one of the tougher places to play on the road of See
Scenarios for Wildcats to host LSC Tournament If the Wildcats: Win Thursday, they clinch the LSC South title. Lose Thursday, they must win a game against West Texas A&M and win Saturday against Eastern New Mexico. Lose 3-0 Thursday,, they must sweep Eastern New Mexico on Saturday.
VOLLEYBALL page 9
ACU teams play host to regional meet at Sherrod Park n The NCAA Division II South Central Region Cross Country Championships will be held at Sherrod Park on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. By STEVE HOLT Sports Writer
ACU will play host to the NCAA Division II South Central Region Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Sherrod Park, and the men’s team is highly favored to pick up its sixth straight championship. Sophomore Nicodemus Naimadu is expected to run away with the men’s 10-kilometer race, which will begin a noon Saturday, immediately following the women’s six-kilometer race, which will begin at 11 a.m. “I think it would be news if Nicodemus or someone from Abilene Christian didn’t win the individual title, and it
Cross Country would be news if the men’s team didn’t win the overall title,” head coach Derek Hood said of his men’s team, which actually dropped to No. 4 in the national coaches rankings. The top three men’s teams and top two women’s teams will advance to the NCAA Division II Championships, which will be Nov. 19 in Pomona, Calif. In addition to team qualifying, the top two individuals in each race (men’s and women’s) not on an advancing team will also move on to the national meet. Furthermore, individuals finishing in the top-5 but not on a qualifying team or one of the top two individuals can also earn a bid to nationals. The women’s race is a little less predictable for the Wildcats, as ACU is ranked
brian schmidt/Chief Photographer
Members of the men’s cross country team and ACU student, but unattached runner, Laurent Ngirakamaro pull away from the pack at the ACU Classic on Sept. 9 at Sherrod Park, the site of this year’s regional meet. No. 3 in the South Central Region and has not qualified for the national meet in many years. ACU’s top three women, senior Trina Cox,
sophomore Olha Kryv’yak and senior Adeh Mwamba all qualified for the national meet in 2004 and are expected to do the same Saturday.
Hood said he relishes the pressure to send two teams to the national meet for the first time in a long while. “We need the pressure,” he
said. “We need these meets to have some meaning.” Twenty teams will compete in Saturday’s race, including Missouri Southern, whose men’s team is ranked No. 2 in the regional rankings behind ACU. Third-ranked East Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri State likely will pressure Missouri Southern for the second team qualifying spot. On the women’s side, ACU will need to defeat at least one of the top two teams in the region, Central Missouri State and Pittsburgh State, to advance to the national meet. Truman State, ranked fourth in the region, will be nipping at the Wildcats’ heels come 11 a.m. Saturday. Hood said that though the top-three women’s runners have not changed from last year, the rest of the See
Regional page 9