Vol. 94, No. 40 1 section, 8 pages
WEDNESDAY March 1, 2006
www.acuoptimist.com
Fleeting ranking
Flipping out
Despite a 3-1 weekend record, the Wildcats fell to No. 2 in the nation this week, page 8
A coin toss will keep the women’s basketball team out of the conference tournament, page 8
Congress approves new constitution n If the student body approves of the new governing document later this semester, students living off campus will be represented by two new voting members on Congress. By JONATHAN SMITH Editor in Chief
In one of the longest and most lively Students’ Association meetings of the year, Congress approved a new ver-
sion of its constitution, which the entire student body now will have an opportunity to ratify in a special election later this semester. The three-hour meeting Feb. 22 produced a constitution that increases residential representation on Congress, removes the International Students Association liaison as a voting member and includes other minor changes through-
out the six-page document. To open the session, president Justin Scott explained to Congress the history of the ISA liaison, which was instituted four years ago, and its decision to do away with the position. “The reason that position was instituted was that ISA and SA wanted closer
cooperation between their groups,” Scott said. Scott said he still wanted cooperation between the groups; however, he recognized that because ISA is also one of the groups that requests money from Congress, giving them a specific seat on Congress — an opportunity not afforded to other
student groups — created a conflict of interest. “In the interest of equity, we decided we should take that [seat] away from ISA,” Scott said. Almost as soon as the new constitution was placed before Congress for discussion, members began making amendments ranging from See
Constitutional Congress The Students’ Association’s new constitution will go into effect if students approve it in a special election later this semester. Some changes in the new document include: • Two representatives for students living off campus. • International Students Association no longer has a specific voting seat. • Sophomores can officially run for vice president or treasurer
SA page 7
Friends, family mourn Stevens during funeral
Wordly wisdom
n Ruth Stevens, wife of the university’s eighth president, John Stevens, died Feb. 18, and Dr. Royce Money said her funeral was a moving and appropriate tribute. By MALLORY SHERWOOD Managing Editor
Emerald McGowan/Staff Photographer
Carol Evans, English teacher, and Kathleen Norris talk about one of Norris’ poems that she read during the Centennial Speaker Series lecture Monday night in Hart Auditorium. Norris is a New York Times best-selling author of books such as The Cloister Walk and Dakota: A Spiritual Geography.
Friends, family, faculty and staff of ACU gathered Thursday at University Church of Christ to celebrate the life of Ruth Stevens, wife of Dr. John Stevens, the university’s eighth president. Ruth, who was 80 years old, died Feb. 18 at her home while in hospice care after nearly a year of declining health. Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, and Dr. Eddie Sharp, pulpit minister at UCC and instructor
of Bible, missions and ministry, were two of three men who spoke at Ruth’s funeral. They described her as strong, extremely talented and a volunteer extraordin a i r e — j u s t a few of her many attributes, Money said. M o n e y Stevens said the funeral was a moving and appropriate tribute to Ruth. “Her life was her eulogy,” he said. “All we did was remind people what Ruth was really like and that she was a woman of faith.” Money said it was an honor See
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Renowned author speaks on campus More students n Kathleen Norris, best-selling author of books like ‘The Cloister Walk,’ spoke about the power words can have and how they can be “wiser than we are.” By ANNA CARROLL Student Reporter
A New York Times bestselling author spent a day fulfilling her speaking engagements on campus Monday. Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk and Dakota: A Spiritual Geography among many others, spoke to groups of students and faculty throughout the day as a part of the Centennial Speaker Series. Norris concluded her day with a lecture titled, “To Say ‘God is Love’ is the Same as Saying ‘Eat Wheaties,’” in Hart Auditorium. She began her lecture by explaining the
title, which Thomas Merton, Catholic monk and writer, first used about 60 years ago when he said words were being reduced to the level of the commercial. Norris said writers like Merton help people see how words have been drained of their meanings. She illustrated this by sharing advertisements that use religious language to sell products. “It’s increasingly difficult for us to hold anything apart and say this is sacred and not for sale; this is reserved for our sacred space,” she said. Norris spoke about the marketing of products being used to make us see things as “keys to our identity.” She said Christians need to “allow things to become mere things again” and adopt an “I don’t care” attitude. Norris also addressed
the importance of having Christians in the field of marketing. “I think that having marketing majors who have a perspective on what’s godly and what’s not godly is more valuable than ever,” she said in response to a student’s question. Norris ended her lecture by reading poems to illustrate an idea that a professor once told her: “our words are wiser than we are.” Dr. Nancy Shankle, cochair of the academic sub committee of the Centennial steering committee, said Norris was asked to speak because of her accessibility and presence as a speaker. Shankle, chair of the department of English and professor of English, said the academic committee wanted to bring speakers like Norris to
declare majors n During the past four years, the number of students with undeclared majors has halved, which some say makes it easier for students to complete degrees in four years. By KELSI PEACE Staff Writer
Emerald McGowan/Staff Photographer
Renowned author Kathleen Norris speaks to the crowd Monday night in Hart Auditorium as part of the Centennial Speaker Series. campus to remind ourselves that we are an institution of Christian higher education. E-mail Carroll at: optimist@acu.edu
The number of undeclared students for this semester has encouraged faculty and staff who have been assisting students in selecting a major. In 2001, 293 students had not declared a major; this semester only 145 students are undeclared. This year’s statistics prove that last year’s 147 undeclared students was not an anomaly. The improvement is signifi-
Justice group aims to ‘give hope’ n International Justice Mission’s awareness week included a showing of ‘Hotel Rwanda’ Tuesday and ends with prayer around the GATA Fountain on Friday. By NATHAN DRISKELL Student Reporter
This week the International Justice Mission seeks to promote awareness of social injustice and raise funds during its first awareness week of the semester, themed “Give Hope.” IJM will have a booth set up in the Campus Center until Fri-
day for students to learn more about the group. It will also sell light blue bracelets that say “Hope” in eight languages, in keeping with the week’s theme. Spiritual Life Director Mark Lewis said he hopes this week will be a reminder of the injustices occurring in other parts of the world. “I am hoping that all who hear will be reminded of the truth of the degree of suffering that is taking place throughout the world, and that we as Christians are not given the luxury of ignoring it, but we are given the op-
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
portunity to do something about it,” Lewis said. The awareness week began Tuesday night with a screening of the movie Hotel Rwanda in Hart Auditorium. It will conclude with a time of intercessory prayer after Chapel on Friday around the GATA fountain, said Brandon Smith, special events coordinator for IJM and sophomore political science and international studies major from Overland Park, Kan. David Altuna, an IJM member and sophomore biochemistry major from Austin, said
IJM page 7
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NUMBERS page 7
Spirited show
the reason most people don’t help the cause of IJM and other similar organizations is that they don’t know how. “I think the hardest thing is there’s not like starving children on our campus that they can walk up to and feed,” Altuna said. “I think students want to help; I think they don’t always know the best way to help.” Students can support IJM by buying a “hope” bracelet for $1. Lewis said that any contributions the group reSee
cant: declaring a major early in one’s college career increases the probability of graduating in four years, which in turn decreases student debt. In 2006, the four-year graduation rate is the highest on record: 37.3 percent. Dr. Charles Mattis, dean of the FirstMattis Year Program, said a Christian education is a costly investment. It is ACU’s responsibility, Mattis said, to help students make
Brian Schmidt/Chief Photographer
Participators in the ACU cheerleaders’ Junior Cheerleading Camp perform during halftime of the women’s basketball game Saturday in Moody Coliseum.
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