2006 04 28

Vol. 94, No. 52 1 section, 8 pages

FRIDAY

April 28, 2006

www.acuoptimist.com

Shattered ‘Dreamz’

International affair

Football favorite

American Idol knock-off misses its mark on the big screen, page 4

The International Students Association ends the semester with a banquet Saturday, page 3

Danieal Manning awaits his future in the NFL Draft on Saturday, page 8

General review will be shown to faculty

Wilson to take Baylor post this summer n Dr. Eric Wilson, assistant director of music and Big Purple Band director, will take the position of band director at Baylor University in Waco this summer.

Dr. Eric Wilson will leave ACU’s Music Department to begin a new phase in his life.

“My main Wilson desire is to be used by God to make a difference, and I hope to con-

By BLYTHE THOMPSON Student Reporter

Baylor University in Waco will have a new director of bands beginning July 3 when

n Faculty are expected to vote on the General Education Review committee’s report about core course changes by October after the material is presented Monday.

tinue that desire at Baylor,” Wilson said.

Baylor University is three times the size of ACU and is similar to the university in that it is Christian-based.

Greg Straughn, chair of the Music Department, said Wilson’s new position is an opportunity for ACU to place a talented alumnus in a very distinguished pro-

gram at Baylor.

“It is a bittersweet moment for the ACU Music Department,” Straughn said. “On the one hand, we’re losing a terrific musician, colleague, conductor and friend of the department.”

Among Wilson’s accomplishments while at ACU are his strides taken with the enrollment in the band pro-

gram, which has doubled in size in four years, Straughn said.

While under his direction, the Wind Ensemble accomplished many feats. Last year, the Wind Ensemble received the honor of performing at the Texas Music Educators Association in San Antonio.

See

BAND page 7

How low can you go?

By JACI SCHNEIDER Copy Editor

The General Education Review steering committee will submit a semi-final report about core courses to the faculty for its review and consideration at a meeting of the University General Education Council on Friday, said Dr. Jeff Arrington, chair of the committee and assistant provost for student learning, in an e-mail.

The committee will present the report to the full faculty at a meeting Monday.

The report addresses courses all students are required to take to graduate, regardless of their majors, such as English 111 and 112, exercise science courses, Bible courses and Communication 111.

“The general education program will influence the education of every student who comes to ACU,” Arrington said.

In the next few months, the committee will continue to update its work and ask for feedback from the faculty, and it is aiming to present a final report to the faculty for a vote next October.

Although the committee began meeting in January 2003 and intended to finish the review by the end of 2005 spring semester, Arrington said most universities take about four years to complete their core course reviews.

“So, although this has been a long process, it is not unusual,” Arrington said.

Dr. Nicki Rippee, chair of the Exercise Science Department and member of the review committee, said she’s See

GER page 7

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Kenny McGowan, senior biochemistry major from Ontario, Ore., participates in the limbo at University Park Apartments’ luau Thursday, which was intended to promote the fun atmosphere of UP.

Faculty discuss effects of ‘Facebook’ n Thursday’s meeting informed faculty about the dangers of students posting too much information on Web sites such as ‘Facebook’ and ‘MySpace.’

By JARED FIELDS Sports Editor

Faculty met in the Living Room of the Campus Center on Thursday to discuss on-

line community forums like Facebook.com and MySpace. com.

Web sites like Facebook allow users to create online profiles that can be seen by other users and gives people a chance to communicate on the Internet.

The meeting focused on informing faculty about Facebook and how it affects

students.

Some of the problems discussed in the forum students providing too much information online for potential employers or graduate schools to view or for stalkers to find.

George Saltsman, director of education technology for the Adams Center of Teaching Excellence, was one of

the moderators for the program and said the focus was mainly for teachers.

“We wanted to create a forum in which faculty could come together and ask questions,” Saltsman said. “It was a faculty dialogue regarding Facebook, just like a classroom discussion.”

See

Potential Facebook Problems Students can run into problems by posting too much information online because of: • Stalkers who could find students on campus because of postings • Potential employers or graduate schools who may refuse to hire students because of postings

FACEBOOK page 7

Executive officers choose secretary

Planning begins for Welcome Week

n The Students’ Association secretary spends at least 20 hours a week in the office at the front desk answering phones and scheduling meetings.

n Student directors, mentor group leaders, peer group leaders and a steering committee have been chosen for next fall’s Welcome Week on Aug. 22-26.

By JONATHAN SMITH Editor In Chief

The Students’ Association’s search for an executive secretary crossed oceans and international borders before ending with a selection late last week.

Executive officers selected Matt Worthington, sophomore English major from San Antonio who currently is studying abroad in Oxford, as next year’s secretary. Worthington will join president Maher Saab, vice president Jordan Williams and treasurer Tyler Cosgrove on the executive cabi-

net of SA, and he said he is already looking forward to the job.

“I really like working with people and in the job of SA secretary, you not only get to work alongside some very hardworking people within the SA office and within Congress, but you also get to spend time with some equally hardworking individuals and organizations,” Worthington said in an e-mail.

As secretary, Worthington will spend at least 20 hours a week in the SA office, mainly at the front desk, talking with people who come in the office, answering the phone, scheduling meetings and carrying out tasks for the other See

SA page 7

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

By WHITNEY MANN Student Reporter

BRIAN SCHMIDT/File Photo

Aaron Bell, junior communication major from Van, and Shannon Lair, sophomore elementary education major from Apple Valley, Minn., led transfer group No. 1 during Welcome Week last August.

Student directors have picked “Beyond Belief” as the theme for this fall’s Welcome Week, which is a time of orientation for incoming freshman and transfer students the week before school begins Aug. 22-26.

The four student directors, formerly known as co-chairs, chose Ephesians 4:1 as the verse behind their theme: “As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

Melissa Landry, student di-

Abilene Christian University

rector and junior accounting major from Plano, said the reason the directors chose the theme and verse this year is because students come to the university with an unknown path ahead but are encouraged to put their faith in God and see where he leads them.

Landry said preparations for Welcome Week are starting off well. Including the student directors, 25 steering committee members, 120 mentor group leaders, 48 peer leaders and a campus crew also are helping with preparations.

“I love the concept of welcoming new students, and I enjoy seeing the number of upperclassmen who help out,” Landry said.

Each committee takes care See

WELCOME WEEK page 7

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Friday, April 28, 2006

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Calendar & Events Friday

Purple Friday.

CAB Free Movie: Glory Road, 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

Women’s Survey, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Campus Center.

Kirk Goodwin Fun Run sign-ups, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.

Honors Students Association Murder Mystery Dinner, 7-10 p.m., Windsor Hotel Ballroom.

Die Fledermaus, 8 p.m., Paramount Theatre.

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Saturday

Monday

Die Fledermaus, 8 p.m., Paramount Theatre.

Chess Club tables, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Campus Center.

Global Commute, 6 p.m., Bennett Gym.

Low Brass Studio Recital, 7 p.m., William Performance Arts Center Recital Hall.

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Sunday

Jordana Torrez Senior Vocal Recital, 3 p.m., William Performance Arts Center Recital Hall.

Abigaile Payne Senior Piano Recital, 8 p.m., William Performance Arts Center Recital Hall.

Volunteer Opportunities Thomas Elementary is seeking ACU students who would be willing to assist students in taking and grading a reading and math benchmark test at the student’s grade level. It ends Friday. Hours are from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

Students can sign up to carry a flag in the Parade of Flags during Opening Assembly on Aug. 28. The Opening Assembly of 2006 marks the 101st official opening of another fall semester at ACU. Current students and employees for the fall 2006 semester who want to participate can contact the Office of University Events at 674-2632 or send an email to UniversityEvents@acu.edu.

Applicants must include their name, e-mail address and which flag they prefer. Flags are assigned on firstcome basis. For more information contact the Volunteer and Service-

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Learning Center.

A family from Burundi currently living in Abilene needs students who can periodically provide transportation for shopping and other needs. Contact Susan Moellinger at abileneed@capitalsenior.com or call 793-1144.

American Heart Association needs volunteers to prepare gift bags Tuesday and Wednesday.

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

Thomas Elementary School needs volunteers to help with an area wide 5th-grade track meet from 4-7 p.m. Thursday and from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at Elmer Gray Stadium. For more information contact the Volunteer and ServiceLearning Center or just show up at the awards table on the field to volunteer.

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Tuesday

Abilene Collegiate Orchestra, 8 p.m., Hardin-Simmons University Behrens Chapel Auditorium.

Trumpet Studio Recital, 7 p.m., William Performance Arts Center Recital Hall.

Announcements Students can vote for Homer Hiccolm and the Rocketboys to compete to play at Cornerstone Festival in Bushnel, Ill. Cornerstone is the largest Christian music festival in the world with an annual attendance of nearly 40,000 people. Visit http:// www.cornerstonefestival.com/ newbandshowcase.cfm to vote. Voting ends May 28.

Transfer group leaders are needed by Welcome Week 2006. For more information, e-mail Casey Thomas at clt03e@acu.edu. There will be an interview and a short

information sheet to fill out.

Abilene will host The Panda Cup 2006, an international soccer tournament at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Beijing BTV Sangao Football Club and 10 dignitaries will arrive in Abilene on Friday. Adult tickets are $5 and student tickets are $3.

There will be a free soccer clinic with instruction from the Chinese Sangao players from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday. To attend, participants must present ticket their stubs from Friday night’s game.

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.

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Friday, April 28, 2006

Page 3

CAMPUS NEWS

UP attracts new residents n Residence director Chris Windsor said although some offcampus apartments might appear cheaper, UP rent includes cable, water, gas and Internet bills.

By MICHELLE JIMENEZ Student Reporter

Posters proclaiming “Put on your lei and limbo on over to University Park for the biggest bash of the year,” hang on the walls and doors of sophomore residence halls.

University Park Apartments had a luau party Thursday aimed at recruiting future UP residents.

Sophomores, current residents of UP and others interested in living there could attend the luau from 3-7 p.m. at the volleyball court at the back the UP. As advertised, the luau featured a hot dog eating contest, limbo contest, volleyball tournament, hula-hoop contest, free food and prizes.

Power 103, an Abilene radio station, provided live music.

Chris Windsor, graduate student and resident director

of UP, said he wants to show students that UP is a “fun place to stay.”

Parties with free food usually take place once a month, and every Thursday residents are invited to enjoy free coffee, snacks and live music at the “coffee house.”

Christina Villa, junior nutrition major from Oxnard, Calif., is a resident of UP. “It’s really cool that they have free activities because they have free food. Me and my roommate always go because they have free food,” Villa said.

Sometimes, Villa said, residents can enjoy free breakfasts and lunches.

Besides having free food, another advantage of living at UP is the proximity to campus.

Jared Sharp, junior youth and family ministry major from McKinney, has lived at UP for a year and said he likes being close to campus.

“You don’t have to drive, so you save money on gas,” Sharp said.

One qualm students have

when UP is mentioned, is about the cost of rent. Rent ranges from $311 a month for the four-bedroom unit to $599 a month for the efficiency unit.

“You can’t really compete with the cheap housing here,” Windsor said. He agrees that the rent at UP is more expensive, but once all the other bills such as gas, electricity, water, cable and Internet are added in, it evens out.

“It winds up that I think you’re getting a better deal here,” Windsor said.

UP pays the water, cable, gas and Internet bills. The only bill residents are required to pay is the electricity bill.

There is no deadline in turning in applications to live in UP. It’s at a first-come, first-serve basis. UP already is at 80 percent capacity for next fall and is expected to be full by mid-summer.

E-mail Jimenez at: optimist@acu.edu

Social clubs elect leaders n New presidents and officers for campus social clubs adjust to their new roles and take advice from previous officers about what to expect in their new positions.

By DENTON JOSEY Student Reporter

As social club rushes take place on campus and around Abilene, social clubs have seen for the first time what their new leadership looks like in action. Recent elections have put new officers in many clubs.

Frater Sodalis president Brady Hilton, junior electronic media major from Abilene, said he didn’t do much to campaign except give a two-minute speech.

“There wasn’t really much campaigning; we have nominations. We had nine good guys running this year,” Hilton said. “I was vice president last year. I guess they appreciated the way I handled my office last year.”

Hilton said he wanted to be president because he was nominated.

“If you are viewed as a leader, whether you want to or not you should step up and lead,” he said. “Club is bigger than one person.

If they feel you’re the guy they want to lead, then you should lead them.”

Frater Sodalis’ president last year, Mac Leavell, senior management major from San Antonio, gave Hilton good advice. “[He] told me you can’t take your position lightly, but you got to have fun with it, you’re not above anybody; you’re a servant for club,” Hilton said.

Already feeling the responsibility, Hilton said his duties have him busy.

“It’s been crazy, this week I’ve had four meetings,” he

“If you are viewed as a leader, whether you want to or not, you should step up and lead.”

Brady Hilton, junior electronic media major from Abilene and new Frat president

said. “And I think I’m halfway done.”

Unlike politicians that promise change, Hilton said he plans on continuing what is already taking place.

“I feel like we’ve done so well in the last three years that it would be hard for me to mess it up,” Hilton said.

“It’ll be a good year next year and we just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

A lot of the presidents next year are trying to better social clubs as a whole in the face of campus, get their club name out to freshmen and have a good reputation, Hilton said.

“We’ve tried to write up a constitution that would help social clubs be responsible for social clubs,” he said.

“After what’s happened this year, we’re trying to up the incentives for social clubs.”

Shelbi Watten, junior broadcast journalism major from Coppell, is now the president of Ko Jo Kai. “Ever since I’ve joined club, I’ve wanted to help make a difference in the way Ko Jo Kai is,” Watten said.

“All the clubs have certain stereotypes and most of those are untrue. One of my goals is to make Ko Jo Kai a club that people respect and see as a club of Godly women over anything else.”

Like Hilton, Watten said she has already experienced the busy side of being president.

“Meg Goggin, our former president, told me I’d be getting lots of phone calls,” Watten said. “You don’t realize what an influx of voicemails, messages and phone calls you get with something

Newly elected social club presidents • Miranda Griffith, Alpha Kai Omega • Lindsey Jessup, Delta Theta • Becca Cawyer, GATA • Hannah Williams, Sigma Theta Chi • Brittany Groves, Tri Kappa Gamma • Shelbi Watten, Ko Jo Kai • Christopher Smith, Delta Chi Rho • Elliot Wood, Galaxy • Jordan Gay, Gamma Sigma Phi • John Cogburn, Pi Kappa • Scooter Thompson, Trojans • Brady Hilton, Frater Sodalis

as simple as being a social club president.”

Ko Jo Kai is already evaluating the way it handles pledging under their new president, she said.

“We want to make sure that everything we do is put into a Godly light and that when women pledge our club, they don’t feel like they are being wrong,” Watten said. “We want to improve our pledging to be more purposeful.”

Another area Watten said she is trying to improve is relationships between clubs.

The Kojies and Sigma Theta Chi recently had a dual rush despite a long rivalry.

“Rivalries aside, God is first, service is first and that is what’s most important,” Watten said.

E-mail Josey at: optimist@acu.edu

Taking a mud bath

Anna Carroll/Staff Photographer

Michelle Hurley, freshman exercise science and nutrition major from Abilene, falls into the mud pit at the end of the slip and slide at the Backyard Bash behind Smith and Adams halls Saturday. The event was open to all students.

ISA puts on cultural banquet n Members of the International Students Association will bid farewell to senior officers and introduce new officers Saturday at the Abilene Country Club.

By SHERRI SNYDER Student Reporter

At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, ACU students from around the world will gather at the Abilene Country Club for the annual International Students Association banquet.

Students performing various cultural dances will take the main stage, followed by a farewell to current officers and introduction of new officers. Also on the night’s agenda are a picture slideshow, performances in poetry recital and singing in different languages.

Last year, about 165 students and faculty attended.

Laura Blake, coordinator of ISA, said she expects between

120 and 150 students to attend this year.

Jeremy Cox, junior family studies major from Houston, isn’t an official member of ISA but plans to attend the banquet to see friends and watch the show.

“I enjoy experiencing people from different cultures,” he said. “I like culture and diversity.”

Blake said the purpose of the annual event is to celebrate the year and to give a farewell to graduating ISA officers and seniors.

“It’s a chance to just dress up and enjoy being together,” she said.

Kanako Ishimaru, senior marketing major from Japan and vice president of ISA, will perform a skit with other officers, exaggerating one another’s characteristics.

Ishimaru, who acted as advertising director last year, has been a member of ISA for

ISA banquet When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Abilene Country Club Who: International Students Association What: Dinner with various cultural forms of entertainment. all four of her years at ACU. She will speak Saturday evening, a tradition for graduating ISA officers as they hand their positions over to their replacements.

“It will be weird to have a speech as a senior and to see the new officers take over,” she said.

She said she looks forward to the time spent with friends and the chance to dress up.

“I graduate in May,” she said. “It’s nice to see everybody before I leave, just for the memories.”

E-mail Snyder at: optimist@acu.edu

Page 4

April 28, 2006 Box Office

Figures for the weekend of April 21-23, in millions.

Total grosses in parentheses.

1. Silent Hill — $20.2 (new) 2. Scary Movie 4 — $16.8 ($67.5) 3. The Sentinel — $14.4 (new) 4. Ice Age: The Meltdown— $13.3 ($168.3) 5. The Wild — $8.3 ($22.2) 6. The Benchwarmers— $7.3 ($47.1) 7. Take the Lead — $4.2 ($29.5) 8. Inside Man — $3.7 ($81.3) 9. American Dreamz — $3.7 (new) 10. Friends With Money— $3.2 ($5)

Today’s Movies Akeelah and the Bee (PG) — starring Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne; directed by Doug Atchison.

A shy, south Los Angeles 12-year-old girl with a gift for words is coached by teachers and friends at school for various spelling bees, including the mother of them all: the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. United 93 (R) — starring David Alan Bashe, Richard Bekins; directed by Paul Greengrass.

A real-time look at the Sept. 11, 2001, hijacking of United Airlines flight 93—the plane whose passengers fought the terrorists and prevented them from flying the plane into the U.S. Capitol, which was an act that cost them their lives.

Reality check for ‘Dreamz:’ film’s not funny

By SARAH CARLSON Arts Editor

Stephen Colbert is brilliant.

Monday through Thursday nights on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” Colbert takes on the persona of a right wing, in-your-face TV news pundit who’ll defend the Bush administration to the death. He’s like Bill O’Reilly, only likeable.

It’s all an act, though, and his shtick only works because his impersonations of the pundits are dead-on, inane outcries about the government and all. He’s studied his targets and by taking on their characteristics, he is able to in turn make fun of them by pointing out their flaws through irony, sarcasm and wit. That’s the nature of a satire.

American Dreamz wants to be as funny and satirical as an episode of “The Colbert Report” or “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” but fails miserably. In what could have been an interesting look at pop culture, writer and director Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy, In Good Company) instead overreaches in this silly excuse for a satire that draws more yawns than chuckles.

The film attempts to be an indictment on American society — one that is at war in Iraq, lead by a less-than-smart president with a chief of staff who does all the talking, and in which a popular TV show that finds the next big pop star garners more public interest than current affairs.

Sounds familiar. Still, the film pulls punches left and right and takes easy shots at the president and other Americans that never follow through.

Overview American Dreamz PP Rated: PG-13 (for brief strong language and some sexual references) Starring: Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore, Chris Klein, Jennifer Coolidge Directed by: Paul Weitz Release Date: April 21

Martin Tweed (Hugh Grant) hosts the phenomenally popular reality show “American Dreamz,” a play on “American Idol,” and is a cross between the real show’s snotty British judge, Simon Cowell, and pretentious host, Ryan Seacrest.

Tweed has no morals or integrity and only cares about the bottom line: what will bring in more ratings.

For the next season of “American Dreamz,” Tweed scours the country in search of the next poor soul he and his producers can market to America. Playing the blonde, small town girl-next-door is Sally Kendoo (Mandy Moore). Providing the ethnic variety for the show is Omer (Sam Golzari), a trained Iraqi terrorist, with a passion for show tunes, sent to live with relatives in Orange County, Calif.

While Tweed is casting the next season of the show, trouble is brewing in Washington. President Staton (Dennis Quaid), fresh off reelection and an obvious par-

Stick It (PG-13) — starring Jeff Bridges, Missy Peregrym; directed by Jessica Bendinger.

In what looks like Bring It On with gymnastics, Haley Graham is a rebellious 17-year-old whose trouble with the law has landed her with a stint in the regimented world of gymnastics.

RV (PG) — starring Robin Williams, Cheryl Hines; directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.

An overworked dad takes his family on a vacation in an RV.

Photo courtesy of WWW.IMAGE.NET

Sally Kendoo (Mandy Moore) performs at the finale of the TV show “American Dreamz” in the film American Dreamz, now in theatres.

Photo courtesy of www.image.net

First Lady Staton (Marcia Gay Harden), left, reads top secret files for her husband, President Staton (Dennis Quaid), right, in American Dreamz, the latest film from writer and director Paul Weitz. ody of President Bush, has decided to take a break from running the country by closing himself off in his room and reading newspapers and books, items he usually has avoided. His chief of staff (Willem Dafoe), who looks a lot like Vice President Dick Cheney, does the talking for him, and along with the first lady (Marcia Gay Harden), consoles Staton and encourages him to stop reading and get back out in public.

Once members of the press begin questioning the mental stability of the president, the unnamed chief of staff swiftly attempts to save face by scheduling back-toback public appearances for Staton, including one as a guest judge on the “American Dreamz” finale.

Making Staton have the mental capacity of a thirdgrader is the easy way out, and here’s where Weitz could have learned a trick or two from Colbert. Staton is the version of Bush that some critics assume is the reality, not the persona presented to the American public. Bush has his verbal guffaws and incredulous facial expressions, so why not use those as a starting point for a characterization?

One scene shows Staton describing his belief that he’s been appointed by God to his position of power, and another shows the chief of staff telling the White House press

core to not ask questions about the president and to remember that, because the country is at war, they should focus on what’s really important. These critiques of current trends in our society are not without merit, but they’re not fully developed.

Because Weitz doesn’t delve into the real problems behind these characters, based on real people, the critiques are barely noted and come across as merely whines from self-proclaimed martyrs. These issues deserve more than the canned presumptions displayed in the film.

The scenes between Staton and his chief of staff fall flat because there’s no meat to them. There’s a line somewhere between imitating a person and imitating an idea of a person or a caricature of them. It’s thin, but it’s there. Will Ferrell impersonating Bush on “Saturday Night Live:” funny. President Staton in American Dreamz: not funny.

Moore makes an impressive turn as Sally, proving she’s grown past her teen pop days. Too bad this film’s humor isn’t as biting as another film of Moore’s, Saved! It’s also unfortunate that Jennifer Coolidge (Best in Show, American Pie, Legally Blonde) wasn’t given better material to work with to deliver her usual, hilarious deadpan. Grant’s por-

trayal of Tweed is confusing; we see glimpses of humanity coming from him, or a deeper sense of self-awareness than you’d expect, but they’re few and far between.

In American Dreamz, Weitz apparently wants to comment on the state of American society and our preference to choose our own reality — believe what we want to believe — rather than accept the reality that’s been dealt to us. He’s got a point, but it’s lost amid the fruitless noise coming from the underdeveloped and stereotypical characters’ mouths.

His previous films, mainly About a Boy, have had a certain charm and wit to them that American Dreamz lacks.

The only thing I left the theatre with was a bitter taste in my mouth and a shared sense of his disillusionment.

Toward the end of the film, one of the characters says that Americans can’t be held responsible for the actions of their country, which was surprising to hear. Perhaps Weitz forgot to take his own advice and did what he is criticizing others for: he created his own version of reality.

American society deserves its share of criticism, as does the current administration, but American Dreamz doesn’t cut it.

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu

Friday, April 28, 2006

Page 5

CAMPUS NEWS

SA offers reimbursement to Outdoor Club for snacks n After about half a box of 96 Clif Bars were mistaken for free snacks in the SA office, Congress is encouraging members to pay the Outdoor Club for any bars they ate.

By KELSI PEACE Staff Writer

When a box of Clif Bars intended for the Outdoor Club arrived in the Students’ Association office addressed to Melanie Booker, SA vice president, students ate the bars, leaving SA and the Outdoor Club to find a way to pay for the missing snacks.

The Outdoor Club ordered the Clif bars through the International Mountain Biking Association, intending to use them for an ad-

venture race this May. The group intended to use any leftover bars during other events the Outdoor Club will have, such as canoeing, biking, running or bike trail clearing events.

Of the 96 bars sent to the Outdoor Club, 43 were eaten, leaving only 53 bars for use.

The bars, which were mailed to the Outdoor Club on Feb. 24, still had not surfaced on campus by spring break. So on March 30, Dusty Vaughn, president of the Outdoor Club and senior biology major from Spring Hill, Tenn., contacted Austin Brennen, SA chief financial officer, who helped him locate the halfempty box of bars.

Vaughn immediately scheduled a meeting with SA to dis-

Asian heritage goes on display for month n Cultural student advisers in the Office of Student Multicultural Enrichment sponsored several events and displays to observe Asian Heritage Month on campus.

By AARON BALLARD Staff Writer

To celebrate Asian Heritage Month, the cultural student advisers from the Office of Student Multicultural Enrichment sponsored an Asian Food Rave on Thursday.

“Because April is the Asian Heritage Month, we want to recognize this culture and its importance in our community,” said Esmeralda Silva, cultural student adviser and sophomore finance major from Torreon, Mexico.

The event featured, among many things, free food, students demonstrating how to

make sushi and origami, and several students performing martial arts.

This is the first time the cultural student advisers have put on an event like this.

“This is an important event because it is an opportunity for people to experience a different culture, including its art, food, and so on,” Silva said.

Because the Office of Student Multicultural Enrichment provided the funds for the Asian Food Rave, it was completely free for those who wished to attend.

“A student would get a lot out of coming, such as free food, knowledge on how to make origami and sushi, and an intercultural experience with our Japanese, Malay, and Chinese students,” Silva said.

E-mail Ballard at: agb04b@acu.edu

Hockey team offers clinic for children n The Key City Hockey Association and players from ACU have organized the event for the first time in hopes of attracting more younger players to the sport.

By ASHLEY ROBINSON Student Reporter

The university’s roller hockey team and the Key City Hockey Association will have a hockey clinic for children on Saturday at Cal Young Park on T & P Lane.

The purpose of the clinic is to teach basic hockey skills including skating, shooting, passing and puck handling, said Caleb Dickison, senior exercise science pre-physical therapy major from St. Louis.

“This is the first clinic that has been put on by the league, so we are hoping that it will go well,” Dickison said.

Dickison, who is in charge of the clinic, is a member of ACU’s roller hockey team. The team has eight members who play other teams at colleges throughout the southwest.

Although the season is already over, the hockey team hopes to give back to local youth.

“We want to show our appreciation and the idea of a clinic was brought up, and we thought doing it would be an

On the Web www.keycityhockey.com

excellent way to give back to the league,” Dickison said.

Lisa Dickison, Caleb’s mother, acts as the team’s mom.

“I am so excited to see these guys do this clinic,” she said. “They love hockey and want to share that love of the game with anyone that is interested.”

The clinic is from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, and is open to all youth ages 5 to 17 who have an interest in hockey.

The cost of the clinic is $15, which includes a T-shirt, hot dog and a drink for each player.

“My husband and I will be there on Saturday to help out however we can,” Lisa Dickison said.

The Key City Hockey Association League offers teams for all age groups.

“The City League has given a lot to the ACU hockey team and have been very understanding and willing to work with us, allowing us to practice and become a better team,” Caleb Dickison said.

E-mail Robinson at: optimist@acu.edu

cuss possible solutions.

The confusion occurred because the Outdoor Club used SA’s credit card to order the Clif Bars, which listed the SA address on the box instead of the Outdoor Club’s address.

“I glanced at the label, and it was really easy to see how that happened,” said Brett Deaton, vice president of the Outdoor Club.

SA usually keeps food in the office, said SA president Justin Scott, so he said the misunderstanding was logical. “[Students] probably assumed that the Clif Bars were in that category and went ahead and ate the bars without knowing that the Clif Bars had been ordered by the Outdoor Club for a specific purpose.”

Deaton, senior physics major from Staunton, Va., said he was frustrated that no one asked before opening the box, but said it was “an understandable mistake.”

Tyler Cosgrove, SA treasurer, was unable to attend the meeting scheduled with the Outdoor Club, so Scott and Booker attended the meeting instead.

After a meeting that left both SA and the Outdoor Club satisfied, a jar was placed in the SA office for students to anonymously give money if they had eaten a bar. “[Outdoor Club] didn’t want to make money — we just wanted to hold everyone accountable,” Deaton said.

SA also sought accountabil-

ity for itself.

“We realize that anything that is down here in the office is our responsibility and we wanted to hold ourselves and people that might have eaten the bars mistakenly accountable through the opportunity to repay the cost of the eaten bars,” Scott said.

So far, the jar remains nearly empty, and if it is not filled, Scott and Booker will cover the cost themselves.

“Sometimes, responsibility just falls with the leadership,” Booker said.

Deaton said he was impressed with SA’s response, and was especially appreciative of the “really helpful, apologetic, thoughtful” way in which Booker responded.

“Melanie was really insistent on us getting the exact retail value of the bars,” Deaton said.

“This situation did not turn into a large fiasco because the Outdoor Club has an outstanding group of leaders and officers,” Scott said.

Money from the jar in the SA office will cover the cost of the bars and help contribute to Earth Week events and the adventure race.

The Outdoor Club contacted IMBA and explained the situation, and IMBA has already sent replacements.

Retail price for a Clif Bar is $1.35, and the Clif Bar jar is located in the SA office in the Bean Sprout.

E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu

Speaker draws positive reviews n Author, political philosopher Dr. Jean Bethke Elshtain spoke April 20 about the presentation of good and evil in today’s society as part of the Centennial Speaker Series.

By JAYME SMITH Staff Writer

Faculty, students and members of the Abilene community gathered to hear political philosopher, Dr. Jean Bethke Elshtain, speak about Harry Potter and St. Augustine’s view of evil April 20 in Chapel on the Hill.

Elshtain is the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics at the University of Chicago. She was the seventh of eight Centennial speakers to visit the university.

Elshtain’s speech, titled “Harry Potter, St. Augustine and the Confrontation with Evil,” left an array of emotions with her audience.

Jennifer Ellison, Centennial Activities coordinator, said Elshtain’s visit went very well and her lecture was impressive.

Gary Rhodes/Contributing Photographer

Dr. Jean Bethke Elshtain speaks to faculty, students and members of the Abilene community April 20 as part of the Centennial Speaker Series.

“I heard nothing but rave reviews about her presentation and what she had to say from others who were also there,” Ellison said. “She was energetic, witty and presented an intelligent lecture.”

Throughout the day, Elshtain, author of Public Man Private Woman: Women in Social and Political Thought and Democracy on Trial, discussed J.K. Rowling’s presentation of good and evil in the Harry Potter

series, gave her thoughts about mentoring women in higher education, and spoke about Christians’ methods of engagement in public life.

Dr. Caron Gentry, assistant professor of political science, said about 130 to 150 people attended Elshtain’s Thursday events.

“Many of the students who heard her speak have told me her lectures are challenging but enjoyable,” Gentry said. “One student found the philosopher

so intriguing that the student wished she could sit down and talk to Elshtain one-on-one.”

Gentry said Elshtain is an inspiration to her own research and teaching.

“I found it interesting when she talked about the world removing religious language like ‘sin’ and ‘evil’ out of public conversation and replacing it with ‘syndrome’ and ‘broken,’” Gentry said. “I also found it funny to find a top leading intellectual discuss Harry Potter.”

It was a privilege to have Elshtain as a guest speaker on campus, Ellison said. “[She’s] an extremely prestigious speaker and world-renowned philosopher,” Ellison said. “Her books, articles and journals are held in high regard and her expertise on political and ethical subjects is coveted.

“She is booked far in advance for speaking engagements throughout the world, and it was an honor for ACU to have her here during our Centennial year.”

E-mail Smith at: jls04j@acu.edu

Page 6

April 28, 2006

Education Review deserves university’s time The Issue:

A semi-final report of General Education Review steering committee, responsible for core course changes, will be announced Monday.

Our view:

Despite a lengthy process, the review was necessary and deserves the university’s attention.

The solution:

Focus on what is best for the students and the university when making decisions about core courses.

The General Education Review steering committee will present a report to the entire faculty Monday about core course changes.

All students are required to take core courses, regardless of major. A few examples of core courses include exercise science activity classes, English 111 and 112 and fine arts.

The changes in core courses will affect all students and all departments and should not be taken lightly.

A committee has been researching for this report since 2003 and presented three different options to faculty last year. Faculty responded to the options and the com-

mittee has ing such Although the process is long, and some faculty memsince been a divisive bers might be getting antsy, the GER deserves as much continuing topic as thought and discussion as has been devoted to it. research general and refining education. its ideas. thought.

The committee needs to hear Although the process has The GER committee was all the qualms departments been long, and some faculty probably too eager to an- have, take them into considmembers might be getting nounce an early implemen- eration and then make a fiantsy about seeing a final tation plan when it aimed nal decision. product, the GER deserves as for beginning the changes When faculty members much thought and discussion this fall, but the university hear the report the commitas has been devoted to it. Stu- will benefit from a well- tee presents Monday, they dents will spend thousands thought out plan that has need be careful not to take of dollars on these courses, not been rushed just to a defensive stance or jump departments will grow or meet a deadline. to conclusions. When core shrink based on them, and But at the same time, the courses change, it might be they will be a part of every process cannot be drawn easy for departments to feel student’s ACU experience. out forever. The faculty will as though they are being atCore course review deserves never be able to come to a tacked or favored. Faculty time, attention and serious unanimous decision regard- members need to look be-

Let Loose

Cole Williams

University slacks on job placement I love ACU. I really do. I have had the best time of my life here. I love to brag to friends from other colleges about my professors, about the fun I had sneaking into my dorm after curfew, and about all of the Weekend Campaigns that I had the privilege to go on my freshman and sophomore years.

I have enjoyed the last two years learning to dance with the Swing Cats, and am proud now to say that this white boy from the Panhandle is a hepcat on the floor.

But then come December 2006, I’ll be handed a heavy piece of paper with glossy font and be shown the door so that my apartment will be open for students next year.

Which brings me to Tonight’s Word. What Now? It is true that most graduates with my degree continue

Letter to the Editor Senior criticizes university’s job placement program, saying more help is needed.

onto graduate studies after they walk across the stage, and my professors all push us to continue our education. But frankly I am tired of school. I have been a student for the past 16 years. I am ready to receive money for all of my hard work for a change.

So why does it seem that ACU has left me out to dry after graduation? I have never seen a single job fair on campus. Not one. Asking around I found that ACU does have a job placement program. It has a flashy name and a poorly designed Web site, and I check it often hoping that I’ll find

some spark advertisement that catches my eye. I select every degree listed that could possibly be confused with my own, and find these positions: Management & Administration, Insurance, Business and Management, Banking & Investments, Human Resources, Financial Planning, etc. I’m graduating with a degree in Engineering Physics. Surely ACU can find me something remotely applicable. Rather, of the 124 job openings listed for me, 92 were business positions.

The next highest number were education positions (which is at least applicable if I wanted to teach.) There was one opening for Dell Computers, but when I opened the link the primary responsibilities were to: Sell Dell products and services.

Unless you are a business major, ACU is really

poor at helping students land jobs, which is partially what I am paying them for.

I firmly believe I am receiving as good an education as I could receive anywhere.

And yet, I find myself searching company Web sites instead of looking to ACU for placement.

This I believe is ACU’s biggest fault. Other schools work on placing students in jobs. ACU does not. Why? It is something ACU seriously needs to improve upon.

But as it stands now, when graduation rolls around, ACU Students can expect little or no help finding jobs. I guess I need to start studying for that GRE this summer.

Dallas May senior engineering physics major from Fritch

In Your Words If you could do away with one core class, what would it be?

“U-100, it’s a class that makes us write papers about crap.”

“Lifetime Wellness; the teacher takes the class way too seriously, when it should be a blowoff.”

“Intro to Music, because learning classical music at 8 a.m. in the morning does not help you learn — it helps you sleep.”

Heath Huston

Jason Davis

Abby Moore

sophomore marketing major from Southlake

freshman animal science major from Chattanooga, Tenn.

sophomore biochemistry major from Canton

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

E-mail the Optimist at: optimist@acu.edu

Stories remain greatest reward Stories have an amazing Without a doubt, Alfred’s way of shaping lives. story has shaped mine.

As I prepare to graduate Marvin Bien-Aime is a with a master’s degree, I Wildcat sprinter whose cannot help story has influenced me but reflect greatly. Born to poor Haion the story tian immigrants in Florida, of my past Bien-Aime began running six years as track and field as a high an Optimist school junior, but failed to staffer and qualify for his state meet. the stories After walking on to the ACU which team without a scholarship, Column Like I in I’ve been Bien-Aime has worked his See’ Em immersed. way to becoming the fastSteve Holt I am est man in Division II track c o m p l e t - and field (as well as earning ing my 12th semester on a scholarship). This sumstaff; I’ve had five editing mer, he will represent Haiti or writing positions since in the Caribbean Games.

2000. I’ve worked under Marvin’s determination three extremely competent and love for Haiti puts a editors. I have helped cover smile on my face. two presidential elections, Gilbert Tuhabonye’s as well as the Sept. 11 at- story was the most inspitacks, an “anthrax scare” in rational story I have ever the Administration Build- told. Gilbert earned numering, and the U.S. strikes on ous all-America designaAfghanistan and Baghdad. tions for a Wildcat track Stories I have written and field team that won have ranged from a history seven national championof pranks at ACU to the ships during his career. story of a young Indone- The Burundian’s running sian piano virtuoso. I have exploits were made all the given my spin on more extraordistories of politics, nary when one All of these faith and sports, considers that stories have among others. he shouldn’t But in the past be alive today. written me six years with Amid a civil much more the Optimist, I war that pitted than I wrote have been most the Hutu tribe them. influenced by against the stories that have Tutsis, a young emerged from my cover- Gilbert and hundreds of age of ACU’s storied track his Tutsi classmates and and field and cross country teachers were locked inteams. When I volunteered side their school building to cover the sports as a and burned. After eight freshman, I did not know hours of torture, the badly this decision would be one burned Gilbert used a huof the most important of man bone to break a winthe next six years. dow and escape.

Beyond weekly stories Gilbert’s story has on the outcomes of meets, changed many lives, includI was exposed to the heart- ing mine. breaking and motivational All of these stories have stories of many athletes written me much more than who overcame much on I wrote them. This never their path to ACU. would have been possible My first feature story were it not for this learnprofiled Alfred Rugema, a ing lab we call the Optimist. scrawny sophomore, who Over the last 12 semesters, escaped his war-torn na- my work with the Optimist tion of Burundi after see- has been often challenging ing his family slaughtered. but never dissatisfying.

Rugema went on to become Thank you, Alfred, MarACU’s first individual cross vin, Gilbert and others. country national champion, Thank you, Optimist. Thank also earning one individual you, Lord. title, eight runner-up finishes and seven all-America E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu recognitions on the track.

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

yond their own departments and at the welfare of the university and the student as a whole.

The committee and faculty need to keep students first when making core course decisions. Students are the ones taking the courses and hopefully learning from them. If students report that a course has no value to them, faculty should seriously look at the reasons and what needs to change. Core courses should educate students and help them live out the mission of the university.

Editorial and Management Board Jonathan Smith

Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

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Online: www.acuoptimist.com

Friday, April 28, 2006

Page 7

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Welcome Week: Committees chose events, activities Continued from page 1 of a different aspect of Welcome Week, she said.

Student directors oversee the details of Welcome Week and make sure each task is fulfilled to make the week run smoothly. The steering committee works behind the scenes and takes care of the organization of the week, she said.

The campus crew works primarily during Welcome

Week to help serve meals and set up for events.

The other two committees, mentor group leaders and peer leaders, deal directly with the new students. Incoming freshmen and transfer students are placed in groups depending on their major to make up their University 100 class. Each group has a peer leader that guides the group and helps the students transition into their first college semester. Mentor group leaders

stay with the students during Welcome Week to help them become familiar with the campus and each other.

Transfer students are placed into their own group by majors, but the transfer group leaders are still in the interviewing process and have not been selected yet.

Much of the preparation students are working on is deciding when each event should take place, Landry said. The directors look at

surveys from last year to help improve Welcome Week.

However, some events never change because of their popularity.

The main highlights that take place every year during Welcome Week are Moody Mornings, Candlelight and Sunrise devotionals, group discussion times and a giant Twister game.

For some of the students helping, Welcome Week is an important part of their

year because they remember what their own Welcome Week was like.

Landry was on the steering committee last year and a mentor group leader the year before, and she said she is excited about helping again this year.

Cara Gentry, sophomore communication major and ministry minor from Granbury and steering committee member, said she helps during Welcome Week be-

cause she wants to help incoming students.

“I have a great love for ACU and a passion for welcoming new students,” Gentry said. “I want to do everything I can to ease any difficult transition for the students and help them have fun while I’m at it.”

E-mail Mann at: optimist@acu.edu

SA: Worthington Facebook: Professors address issues chosen for position Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1 executive officers. Saab said Worthington’s personality made him a good fit for the position.

“He’ll be a really good personable face and good personable attitude that will be the first face you see when you walk in the SA door,” Saab said.

Worthington echoed that excitement about being, in many respects, the face of SA. “I really like to see what people are about, be it the vision they have for their organization, their life story or what they want to do with their lives,” Worthington said, “and as SA secretary, you’re bound to encounter a slice of that every time someone walks into the office since you’re the first person they see.”

Worthington served on Congress in the fall as a Smith Hall representative but didn’t this semester while he was studying abroad in England

—something that he said has made preparing for his new job difficult.

“Being 5,000 miles away, it’s been an obstacle trying to become familiar with [the executive officers’] visions and ideas, but as I’ve been discussing with them lately and I’m gradually relayed bits of information, I’m beginning to overcome all of that,” he said.

Worthington said he looks forward to being in a position to communicate with students and student groups on campus. He already has begun considering possibilities for increasing and encouraging communication with students and Congress.

“I feel like communicating is my natural gift—it’s definitely my passion,” Worthington said. “The job of SA secretary is a venue in which I get to communicate with all kinds of people, and when I get to do what I love doing as a job, that makes it even better.”

E-mail Smith at: jvs02a@acu.edu

Move: Wilson begins new position July 3 Continued from page 1 Not only does Wilson conduct but he’s also an awardwinning saxophonist. His honors include being a featured soloist for the North American Saxophone Alliance, Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra and University of Michigan Chamber Orchestra.

In 2001, Wilson earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan, but he earned his undergraduate degree from ACU.

Wilson said he is looking forward to the challenges and opportunity that lie before him in terms of being part of the established music program at Baylor and getting to know the students there.

The Music Department will interview some applicants for Wilson’s position before his departure. The applicants will work with the Wind Ensemble, and faculty and students will evaluate them.

E-mail Thompson at: optimist@acu.edu

Dr. Bill Rankin, associate professor of English, said faculty showed enough interest in the meeting to force a change of location. ”There is tons of interest,” Rankin said. “I think faculty have been slower to catch on, but people are really interested.”

While the focus of the meeting was educating Rankin faculty about Facebook, student safety was also an important topic discussed.

Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, said he thinks

“It’s clear right now that we need to do some education of ‘MySpace’ and ‘Facebook’. ... We want to help students make good decisions.”

Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life

Facebook has great potential to benefit faculty and students, that people need more education about it.

“It’s clear right now that we need to do some education of Facebook and MySpace,” Barnard said. “In the fall, this will lead to informing students more. I think we’ll see some policies develop.”

Barnard said that any changes in policy are unknown now, but they are a possibility.

“We don’t want to surprise students with new policies.

The real reason of this is not for the university, it’s for students,” Barnard said. “We want

to help students make good decisions.”

Rankin shares Barnard’s concerns for students.

“We want people to think seriously about what they’re doing,” Rankin said. “That doesn’t just concern Facebook, but everything here.”

Saltsman said he wants professors to know the dangers students can face from posting too much information on Facebook.

“We’re concerned about what students put on there, and we need faculty to be aware of what those risks are,” Saltsman said.

Dr. K.B. Massingill, director of the Adams Center, said any learning on campus has to be centered around faculty, and Facebook gives professors that chance.

“A lot of what we base learning on is social learning theory, and it says 90 percent of learning occurs outside the classroom,” Massingill said.

“So we have this huge social phenomenon and 90 percent of learning occurring outside the classroom: that creates a great opportunity.”

E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu

GER: Process begins final stage Continued from page 1 glad the committee put so much time into the review.

“I think it’s taken so long because we want to be sure that what we have is a good plan,” Rippee said. “Almost every department is going to be affected in some way.”

During the 2004-05 school year, the committee sent out three different curriculum plans to faculty to begin discussion, Arrington said.

“It was clear from those discussions that the faculty needed a great deal more information before they could vote to move in this new direction,” Arrington said. “I think that a hurried response, or a proposal that failed to include those dis-

cussions would have been very poorly received.”

Arrington said the process of course review takes so long because it is so complex and involves bringing together many different aspects of student learning.

When deciding on courses, the committee focuses on “student learning outcomes,” Rippee which is what the university wants every graduate “to know, value and be able to do,” Arrington said.

The committee also looks at curriculum design and

evaluates content of courses, teaching styles and university support. Also built into the review are assessment schemes. “[They] allow us to measure success at achieving the outcomes and provide guidance in a continual process of curriculum review and adjustment,” Arrington said.

Rippee said the committee also spent a lot of time looking at the general education programs at other universities and seeing how ACU’s plan should be different and similar to those programs.

“We looked at what is unique about ACU,” Rippee said. “We kept in mind what the ACU student should look like.”

Rippee also said the pro-

cess is very difficult because each department sees itself as being the most important for students’ general educations. However, she said the committee members have realized that they have to look at what is best when looking at the big picture. She said she thinks the faculty will also realize this when voting on the changes in October.

The changes the committee and faculty agree upon will go into effect over the course of the next four to five years, Arrington said.

“I believe that we must be faithful stewards of the trust that students and parents place in us when they choose ACU,” Arrington said.

E-mail Schneider at: jrs02a@acu.edu

Page 8

April 28, 2006 Standings BASEBALL

Team Div. Overall Angelo St. 12-4 36-14 ACU 11-5 38-12 WTAMU 9-7 24-25 TAMU-K 6-10 32-18 Tarleton St. 5-11 16-34 5-11 23-29 ENMU

Manning awaits NFL draft Saturday n Former ACU football standout Danieal Manning awaits his NFL future in Saturday’s draft.

Manning declared for the draft this winter after his junior year.

By JARED FIELDS Sports Editor

SOFTBALL Team ACU TX Woman’s Angelo St. TAMU-K ENMU

Tarleton St.

Div. Overall 18-4 38-15 13-8 25-34 13-9 31-24 12-9 25-26 13-11 33-21 9-15 25-22

Scores

Saturday at the NFL Draft, former all-American Danieal Manning will find out what team he’ll play for next year.

Manning, with family and friends, will watch the draft from home in Corsicana.

As a junior, Manning caught NFL scouts’ attention, and then decided to skip his

NFL Draft senior year at ACU to enter the draft. Since declaring for the draft and signing an agent, Manning’s stock and reputation have only grown.

He was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game in January with some of the best players in the nation. From there, Manning received an invite to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. After the combine and other workouts with teams, people outside of the NFL community have learned about Manning.

Before the combine, many

experts ranked Manning as close to the 100th overall best player. After his performance in the combine, however, Manning shot up the draft boards to the 50s and 60s range.

Mel Kiper Jr., a draft analyst for ESPN, predicts Manning Manning to be a second round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in his mock draft.

Kiper has spoken of Manning many times on TV and radio,

and ranks him as the fifth best safety in the draft.

Other draft experts say Manning will be drafted high, anywhere between the middle of the second to the third round.

Regular people are even catching on to the buzz that has surrounded Manning.

Message boards on NFL team Web sites discuss the possibility of drafting Manning.

The Steelers, Patriots, 49’ers, Bengals, Jaguars, Buccaneers and Colts, just to name a few, have posts about drafting Manning in the second or third rounds.

Manning’s agent, Russell

Hicks of Coast 2 Coast Sports Management in Houston, said many teams have shown interest. Hicks said the latest team to contact Manning were representatives from the Steelers, who came to visit Manning on Wednesday.

“Right now, everything is just playing by ear,” Hicks said. “My best bet is that he’ll go [in the draft] anywhere between the middle of the second round, to the third.

Someone may even draft him who hasn’t really shown any interest.”

E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu

Saturday baseball Eastern New Mexico 4, ACU 0 ACU 6, Eastern New Mexico 1 softball ACU 7, Texas Woman’s 0 Texas Woman’s 1, ACU 2

Soccer team gains first players for 2007 team

Tuesday

baseball ACU 12, Incarnate Word 0

Upcoming Schedule Friday

n The school’s newest athletic team, women’s soccer, will have an open tryout in June and has added seven to the roster.

Track & field ACU at Penn Relays Carnival, Philadelphia ACU at Drake Relays, Des Moines soFtBall ACU at LSC Tournament, Irving tennis ACU at Alumni Weekend, Eager Tennis Pavilion baseball ACU vs. West Texas A&M 4 p.m. (DH)

By PATRICK LOVELESS Sports Writer

his best games late in the season. Polk will look to get Moore and the rest of the bullpen as much experience as possible this weekend against the Buffalos in preparation for the conference tournament.

Although the win against Incarnate Word had no influence on conference standings, it may play a role in ACU’s chances to qualify for the regional tournament scheduled May 17-20. If the Wildcats do not secure a spot by winning the LSC tournament May 6-9, their future in the regional tournament lies in the hands of the South Central Regional Committee — a committee on which head coach Britt Bonneau sits.

The Wildcats’ first game against West Texas A&M at 4 p.m. Friday at Crutcher Scott Field.

The women of ACU now have a new chance to play competitive sports at the Division II level by joining the school’s newest team: women’s soccer. Current assistant softball coach Casey Wilson will assume the new team’s head coach position beginning June 1. Wilson, however, already has begun recruiting high schoolers and junior college students to fill the roster.

“Since we don’t have the ability to give out scholarships to these players, many won’t be coming until the 2008 season,” Wilson said about his prospective recruits, “Our top recruit will be attending North Texas next year to get some school hours out of the way until we can give her a scholarship to come play here at ACU.” Though many of Wilson’s high school prospects are from the local Abilene area, he found a few prospects at a tournament in Longview earlier this year.

Because the team will begin play next year, Wilson is also searching the campus for current female students who are interested in trying out for the team. He already has held one round of tryouts and has added seven to the roster.

“One of the girls who really stuck out was Jordan Reese,” Wilson said.

“She is a really good ball player from Abilene High who can be a top Division II player.”

Others who made the team include Sarah Aguilar, Lauren Baker, Alyssa Hawkins, Kate Norris, Jamie Worflar and Kathy Maxwell.

However, seven is not enough for a full roster, so Wilson will have a second schoolwide tryout June 24. Any current female student is welcome to try out for any position on the team.

“We think the interest here at ACU for women’s soccer is big enough that we should be able to get a full roster and be able to field a strong team next spring,” Wilson said.

E-mail Johnson at: djj05a@acu.edu

E-mail Loveless at: spl05a@acu.edu

Saturday

Track & fieLD ACU at Penn Relays Carnival, Philadelphia ACU at Drake Relays, Des Moines Softball ACU at LSC Tournament, Irving tennis ACU at Alumni Weekend, Eager Tennis Pavilion baseball ACU vs. West Texas A&M noon (DH)

Monday

Golf ACU at NCAA II South Central Regional, Duncan, Okla.

Tuesday

Golf ACU at NCAA II South Central Regional, Duncan, Okla.

Wednesday

Golf ACU at NCAA II South Central Regional, Duncan, Okla.

• Home games listed in italics

Briefs Two softball players named LSC Players of the Week.

Seniors Jade Wilson and Jennifer Leal received LSC South Co-Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

Wilson went 5 for 7 in the Wildcat’s series against Texas Woman’s University. She hit two home runs, drove in seven RBI and scored five runs. Two of her home runs won games for the Wildcats.

Leal went 2-0 and allowed a 0.64 ERA in her two games. In her first game, Leal gave up one run on eight hits and struck out four batters. In her second game she allowed only four hits in a shutout.

Pairings announced for LSC Softball Tournament.

The Wildcats play at 11 a.m.

Friday in Irving. They will play the winner between Southeastern Oklahoma and Angelo State.

If the Wildcats win, they will play at 3 p.m., but if they lose they will play immediately after their first game, at 1 p.m.

Depending on how the Wildcats do Friday, they will play at 11 a.m., or at 1 p.m., in the championship game.

brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Brandon Moore throws a pitch in Tuesday’s game against Incarnate Word. Moore allowed only five hits and one walk, and he struck out eight batters in seven innings. The Wildcat’s took the victory 12-0 and now look to take the confidence from their win into their final series against West Texas A&M this weekend at Crutcher Scott Field, which they need to sweep to climb to the top of the conference.

Wildcats look to sweep Buffs n In order to win the LSC South Division, the Wildcats need a sweep of West Texas A&M and for Tarleton State to take a few games from Angelo State.

By DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Writer

The No. 4 Wildcats have secured a spot in the LSC tournament with their 11-5 conference record and are in first place in the Southern Central Division II region, but that doesn’t mean their final series against West Texas A&M this weekend holds no importance.

If the Wildcats want to win the Southern Division of the LSC, they will need to sweep the West Texas A&M Buffalos and hope Tarleton State takes at least one game from conference-leading Angelo State. A Wildcat sweep will not come easily though, as the Buffalos will be looking for at least

Baseball one win to secure a spot of their own in the conference tournament. They also are coming off last weekend’s sweep of Tarleton.

“One of our goals, besides making it to regional and eventually the College World Series, is to win the South Division of the LSC,” said assistant coach Brandon Stover. “Although securing a spot should relax the guys, we’re still interested in winning the South, so we need to play well this weekend to win three or four games.”

Playing well is something the Wildcats have had no problem doing, as seen through their 12-0 blowout of regional opponent Incarnate Word on Tuesday.

Wildcat third baseman Alec Sowards led the Wildcats with three hits in the win, and senior pitcher

Brandon Moore denied Incarnate any opportunity of a comeback. Moore was awarded the shutout victory after only allowing five hits, one walk and striking out eight batters in seven innings. Moore also started in ACU’s first win over Incarnate Word in February and was due for an exceptional starting performance after a surprisingly tame showing earlier in the season.

“Moore had a slow start this year, but he pitched a great game on Tuesday, and now we can look to him as a starter or reliever in the upcoming tournaments,” said pitching coach Coy Polk.

Polk said that now Moore has found his rhythm, he will give the Wildcats more flexibility when choosing who to start in the remaining games. Moore’s late bloom is reminiscent of last year when he pitched

Track teams to attend biggest meets in nation n Head track and field coach Don Hood said after the LSC meet his teams are confident heading into the Penn Relay Carnival and the Drake Relays this weekend.

By STEVE HOLT Sports Writer

This weekend, ACU athletes will travel to Philadelphia and Des Moines for two of the biggest track and field events in the United States — the Penn Relay Carnival and the Drake Relays, respectively.

This year marks the 112th running of the Penn Relays, now the largest early-season track and field meet in the United States, drawing crowds of 45,000 or more for Saturday’s final events.

Track & Field Drake is no slouch of a track meet either, celebrating its 96th competition this year.

Wildcat athletes will face some of the best collegiate and elite competition in the world, hoping to post improved times and marks in their events.

Most of the running and field event semifinal and final heats will take place Friday and Saturday.

Head coach Don Hood said coming off the most successful conference meet in years, his teams feel confident about the rest of the season, starting this weekend in Philadelphia and Des Moines.

“The key to the rest of the season will be to stay healthy

and competitive,” Hood said.

“I feel like the conference meet was a great confidence booster to both teams to let us see how strong we are and how good we can be when our mindset is on competing.”

Following this weekend’s action, Wildcat athletes will have two opportunities to post provisional or automatic qualifying times and marks before the NCAA Division II Championships, May 25-27 in Emporia, Kan. On May 6, ACU athletes will compete at the Texas-Arlington Open in Arlington, and will compete May 11 in front of a home crowd at the ACU Twilight Open.

E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu

Brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Sophomore Nick Moore clears the bar at the LSC Championships at Elmer Gray Stadium, where he finished second with a height of 4.80 meters.