Vol. 94, No. 33 1 section, 10 pages
FRIDAY
February 3, 2006
www.acuoptimist.com
Season opener
Seek and find
Galactica empire
The Wildcats enter the season second in conference, page 10
Seekers of the Word added seven new actors, page 4
Sci-Fi Channel’s Battlestar Galactica offers escapism, entertainment, page 7
Candidates take to campaign trail n Dr. Mel Hailey and Kevin Christian are looking to students for support in the upcoming primary and general elections for the Texas House of Representatives. By DENTON JOSEY Student Reporter
Two of the candidates running for the 71st House District seat in the Texas House of Representatives are look-
Group to show ‘Invisible Children’
ing to ACU students for support. Republican candidate Kevin Christian, class of 2000, said voters from the university will be influential in the election. “By motivating the student body at ACU, the students can affect the outcome of the election,” Christian said. Dr. Mel Hailey, chair of the Political Science Department,
is the only Democratic representative running in the election. While he said he hopes to have support from voters at the university, Hailey said he is hesitant to use his position at the university as a platform. “I’d love to have every student on the ACU campus helping me, but I can’t get up and ask for that in my classes because that would be inap-
propriate,” Hailey said. Christian, who is a sponsor for Gamma Sigma Phi, has been in the Campus Center, contacted the social clubs at ACU and addressed Student Congress about the election. He has also passed out bumper stickers, T-shirts, signs and even created a group on facebook.com. Both candidates have traveled around Taylor and Nolan
See
Senior brick road
University to focus on neighbors n The Students’ Association is partnering with the Office of Neighborhood Relations to stress the need for cleaning up the areas around campus. By JACI SCHNEIDER Copy Editor
Beer bottles litter gutters, dingy couches occupy porches, and cars park in the front lawns of rundown houses in parts of the Cedar Creek Neighborhood surrounding campus. Although parts of the neighborhood remain clean and well-kept, one office on campus is working to ensure that the neighborhood around campus does not degenerate into a ghetto in the next few years. The Office of Neighborhood Relations is raising awareness among students that they do not need to leave ACU to make a difference in the world; they can start in their own neighborhood.
Staff Writer
INVISIBLE page 8
Primary elections will be in March, and the winners will face in November’s general election.
ELECTION page 8
By MITCH HOLT
See
Two candidates in the race for District 71’s seat in the Texas House have university ties: • Democrat Dr. Mel Hailey, chair of the Department of Political Science • Republican Kevin Christian, class of 2000
counties, meeting constituents and door-knocking. “There’s no audience too small for me to visit,” Hailey said. Being a professor in the midst of campaigning, Hailey said he tries to make clear that he is not using the classroom for campaigning. Though some students have
n The documentary, which will be shown on campus Feb. 12-15, details the lives and struggles of children growing up in poverty and fear in Uganda, Africa.
A documentary about a Ugandan tragedy will hit campus Feb. 12-15. Invisible Children is the documentary brainchild of three young Californians who set out to film a trip to Africa but discovered a larger issue along the way. During their travels, the three young adults uncovered children being kidnapped by a rebel group called the Lord’s Resistance Army and forced to fight as child soldiers. This discovery ins t a n t l y changed the nature of their film, McVey according to the IC Web site. Dan McVey, professor and Africa missions coordinator, first saw the film about a year ago. “The film is a very accurate portrayal of the existing problems in northern Uganda and southern Sudan,” McVey said. “It also evokes strong emotions because it deals with children; I’ve seen how true the whole scenario is.” McVey spent 22 years as a missionary to northern Africa, mostly in Ghana, but he said he witnessed similar situations in his travels to Uganda. He said although he has already seen the film, he is looking forward to the expanded version. The documentary reveals the horrors of this previously untold story — the horror of the kidnapped children becoming desensitized to fighting and, in turn, eventually become vicious fighters themselves, according to the Web site. Other children escape and hide in fear for their lives. These children, as young as 8 years old, face a lose-lose situation because they are either kidnapped and forced to fight or dodge the guerilla fighters and live in poverty and fear. Representatives for the cause will visit Abilene as part of a nationwide effort to spread this film to universities and churches all across the country. During February,
Road to Austin
See
NEIGHBORHOOD page 8
Professors reflect on sabbaticals n Faculty members can apply for a semester- or year-long break from teaching to pursue other academic endeavors, such as writing a book. By SHERRI SNYDER Student Reporter
Brian Schmidt/Chief Photographer
Tim Savage from Physical Resources adds bricks to the Senior Walk between the Campus Center and the Beauchamp Amphitheater on Thursday. Bricks commemorate graduated students and can be purchased by seniors for $100.
The decision about which professors will be awarded a sabbatical next year is still weeks away; candidates await an application and review process before they are informed of the Provosts’ choice. Sabbaticals, handled through the Faculty Renewal Leave program, are a semester- or year-long paid break from teaching. The objective of a sabbatical is to provide faculty members with a notable period of time to devote enrichment and reflection that might See
SABBATICAL page 8
KACU to sponsor two-week trip to Italy n Listeners and KACU supporters can join the trip with a $3,495 fee, which includes airfare, ground transportation, two meals a day and a guided tour. By DENTON JOSEY Student Reporter
This spring Abilene Public Radio KACU will travel to Europe for an eight-day tour of southern Italy. For two weeks, KACU has promoted the trip on the air and has received many calls from interested listeners, KACU develop-
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
ment direcguided tour “It’s our attempt to touch the world and other tor Loree with a bilincultures and to inform the Abilene community.” Houghton gual guide. said. “With a Loree Houghton, KACU development director “It’s our guide, you attempt to get so much touch the world and other conference in Los Angeles. more out of it when you uncultures and to inform the The travel company KACU derstand what you are seeAbilene community,” Hough- is using, Cross-Cultural Jour- ing,” Houghton said. ton said. neys, introduced KACU to The trip is designed to Houghton, along with the idea of travel tours as give the tourists time on Terri Peterson, membership fundraisers, so a portion of their own as well, so the director and business man- each traveler’s fee will go to schedule is not too crowded ager, and John Burt, general KACU. with things to do. manager and program direcIncluded in the $3,495 cost “Each day something is tor, got the idea for the trip is airfare, ground transporta- planned, but you don’t have from a National Public Radio tion, two meals a day and a to do it,” Peterson said. “DeAbilene Christian University
pending on what it is, you’re finished by 2 or 3 p.m. and then you have the rest of the day off.” The trip, which is planned for May 22-30, takes participants on a guided tour that will include visits to Naples, the Isle of Capri, Pompei, Herculaneum and several cities along the Amalfi Coast. Peterson, the trip coordinator, said the price for the trip is comparable to one that could be found with a See
KACU page 8
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