Features Page 5
Sick of Love Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone vol. 102, no. 34
wednesday, february 05, 2014
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
INSIDE NEWS The Abilene community cleans up Cedar Creek and encourages volunteers to help every Saturday
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SPORTS Men’s basketball player Parker Wentz earns a prestigious academic honor
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OPINION
ACU delayed classes on Monday due to Sunday night’s winter storm that caused icy conditions. Left: Jaci Browning breaks out her ice scraper to defeat the ice on Monday. By JC Peeples. Top: Icicles line a wire next to Morris Hall. By Meghan Eager. Middle: The snow builds up on crops grown by ACU students at Rhoden Farm. By Wyatt Morgan Bottom: ACU students spend time growing crops and taking care of animals at the ACU Farm. By Wyatt Morgan.
The Editorial Board talks about the buzz around the new Coke commercial
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Spring enrollment sees steady increase Marissa Jones
SPORTS
editor in chief
ACU men’s and women’s basketball return from road trips Page 8
NEWS Sing Song tickets sell quickly for the Saturday show Page 4
The university’s spring retention rate is slightly higher than last year’s rate, an upward trend that has been evident in recent years. The total number of students reduced from 4,461 to 4,168. The 93.4
student reporter
The men’s tennis team hosted several talented teams in Teague while the women played well on the road Page 8
NEWS The Ag department sells fresh eggs and beef to raise funds
the university.” Tamara Long, director of admissions, said the university isn’t focusing on increasing the size of the incoming freshman but of selectivity. Herridge said the change to block tuition has made a significant difference in the affordability of the university and has had a positive
inf luence on retention rates. Though this spring’s rates are promising, they don’t necessarily indicate the rate of students who will return next fall. “It’s a great number, but there’s a lot of work to do,” Herridge said. However, predictions for next fall’s retention rates are looking consis-
tent with what has been seen in previous years. As part of ACU’s 21st Century Vision made in 2007, a goal was made to obtain a retention rate of 80 percent. Last year’s rate was 79.4 percent, but that doesn’t mean the university will achieve that number next fall, see Enrollment page 4
Seniors to have candlelight devo, send-off Dystanie Douglas
SPORTS
percent retention rate, compared to last year’s 92.3 percent rate, is an upward trend that can be attributed to several factors, said Bart Herridge, director of student retention and services. “We’re bring in freshman classes that are more likely to retain in general,” Herridge said. “They’re better fits for
The Student Alumni Association will be hosting a Candlelight Devo/senior send-off. The Candlelight Devo is an annual tradition that typically takes place during welcome week. It is a memorable experience for all students that attend ACU. In the Candlelight Devo each new student is given a candle to light, and then they walk through a tunnel of Upperclassmen and Alumni who sing hymns and spiritual songs to welcome
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We do such a great job of welcoming the freshmen, why not further that and do it as a senior?”
Aubree Selinger, senior family studies major from Grapevine, is the president of the Student Alumni Association and is organizing the event. Aubree selinger “I went to a conference president of the student alumni association this summer and I saw different traditions that go on at different campuses,” them to the ACU commu- Selinger said. “I thought to nity. myself ‘I wish we had someThis year, the Student thing that we could comAlumni Association has de- memorate more.’” cided to change up the traSellinger said that is when dition of Candlelight Devo she realized that Candlelight by using it not only as way of Devo could also be a senior welcoming new students to commemorative tradition. ACU, but as a way of telling “We do such a great job graduating seniors, good- of welcoming the freshmen, bye. why not further that and do
it as a senior?” Selinger said. At the the first Candlelight Devo, the light represents new light, and journey students are about to embark on throughout the next four years at ACU. At the senior Candlelight Devo, there is a different message. Selinger said that they want to send the message that although the seniors are leaving ACU, they do not want to make it a sad experience. “Your lighting your candle and your now apart of the alumni group and family, still part of ACU, and your taking that light into the world,” she said.
The Candlelight Devo, to many students, is one of the many ACU traditions that they keep with them throughout their time here. “I would be a part of the senior Candlelight Devo,” said Jacob Kilpatrick, senior youth and family ministry major from Mesquite. “Candlelight Devo was one of my favorite experiences when I got here at ACU and I really felt a part of a community.” The Candelight Devo will take place April 29 in the Amphitheater. contact the optimist at optimist@acu.edu
Week focuses on individual, not marriage Page 4
ONLINE VIDEO Watch why ACU students volunteer to help clean up the Cedar Creek Waterway
Read more at acuoptimist.com
Allison brown student reporter This week, the ACU Counseling Center and the Family Studies department are co-sponsoring the annual Sacred Relationships Week. Sacred Relationships Week is a time set aside to talk more directly about relationships on campus through a series of Chapel talks, forums and panel discussions. With the theme of “Yourself In Relationship”, this year’s Sacred Relationships Week is more focused on the individual, not just dating or marriage. Tim Ehrhart, counselor at the Counseling Center,
helped organize and facilitate the week’s events. “Our theme is tailored to being true to who we are,” Ehrhart said. “My goal is to look at all the different facets of relationship and promote healthy, sacred relationships and this year, really focus on how to be ourselves in the midst of all of that.” Steve Rowlands, director of the ACU Counseling Center, thinks that relationships start with the individual. “We believe that every relationship evolves out of our own personal stuff,” Rowlands said. “So if I can take care of myself in a healthy way, I will have healthier relation-
ships with others.” Rowlands said in the past, the week has tended to focus on marriage and dating, but that isn’t necessarily the goal. “We’re not pushing marriage,” Rowlands said. “But we know that most students probably are going to be married, and most probably want to be married.” “We really want to equip them for that relationship, but we also want to equip them for relationships in general,” Jarred schuetze Staff Photographer Rowlands said. Gary Oliver, a guest speaker, talks in a Chapel forum on With topics ranging from looking at who you Monday for Sacred Relationships Week. are individually, to premarital counseling, the what their relationship grates a lot of different week has much to offer status is. Rowlands said see sacred page 4 for all students, no matter the planning team inte-
Abilene Christian University
Wednesday 02.05.14
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Wednesday 8 p.m. Sundaes on
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Monday in Campus Center Living Room
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5:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Houston Baptist University 7:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Houston Baptist University
Chapel checkup To date:
Friday
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8 a.m. Mock Interviews
Saturday
7:30 Winter Comedy: Is He Dead? at Fulks Theatre
1 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Texas A&M Corpus Chirsti 3 p.m. Men’s Basketball vs. Texas A&M Corpus Chirsti
Around Abilene
Remaining:
25 75 @acuoptimist
Feb. 05
Feb. 06
Feb. 07
Feb. 08
7 p.m Ignite Campus Bash at Onstead Packer Biblical Studies Building.
5 p.m. the 25th Annual Big Country Celebrity Ultimate Hunt will be hosted at MCM Elagante Suites. The two-day event will consist of quail hunting at the Sporting Clay Shoot. For more information, call 325-677-6815 or visit www.driabilene.org.
7:30 p.m. ACU Theatre is performing Is He Dead at Fulks Theatre.
8 a.m. Primetime Family Entertainent Center is hosting the 7th Annual Joseph Thomas Memorial Triathalon. The event will consist of skee ball, mini-golf and bowling. For more information, contact John Thomas at 325-7251380.
8 p.m. Pullman Standard is performing at Jack Rabbit Slims.
The Optimist optimist@acu.edu Police Log Announcements The ACU Ministry Events Office has opened the annual Student Art Contest for Summit. Students are encouraged to submit original artwork, photography, drawings or other artwork to communicate the Summit 2014 theme. The selected work will be rewarded a $100 prize and will advertise the 2014 Summit. All submissions should be emailed to summit@acu.edu by Feb. 21.
ACU Theatre is perfoming Mark Twain’s “Is He Dead” at 7:30 p.m. at Fulks Theatre on Feb. 7 - 8, 14 - 15, 21 - 22.
Women who would like to donate their old prom dresses, accessories and shoes can email aet12a@acu.edu for more information on how to donate to Pre-production for ACU Filmfest has the charity Prom Queen. Donations will begun and filming will begin Feb. 17. be accepted until Feb. 7. The theme is “Shift.” For more information, like the ACU Filmfest Facebook The Premarital Counseling Chapel Series page. begins Feb. 6. The series will be six sessions long with a two-hour follow-up with Sanctify Hip Hop Company will be hav- a counselor. The cost is $35 per couple and, The College of Business Administration ing auditions in Studio A of the Student upon completion, couples will be eligible Crossings Cafe is taking orders for Valen- Recreaction and Wellness Center. Au- to receive a $60 marriage license discount tine’s Day cookies until Feb. 11. Cookies are ditions will be Feb. 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 from Twogether Texas. For more informa$5.50 each. p.m. and Feb. 8 from 8 p.m. to 4 p.m. tion, email tim.ehrhart@acu.edu.
Shake the Dust: A Senior Art Show will open Feb. 7 in ACU’s on-campus Shore Art Gallery at 5:30 p.m. University Park Apartments will be hosting its annual Sing Song Open House Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shades Step Squad will have auditions Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. in room 103 of the Onstead Packer Biblical Studies Building and Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. in Studio A of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.
Volunteer Opp0rtunities The International Rescue Committee in Abilene needs your help in welcoming refugees to our community. We are seeking the following donations: hygiene and cleaning supplies, bed linen, towels and kitchen items (dishware, silverware, pots/pans etc). Donations are accepted Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-4pm or by appointment. Theirr office is located at 3303 North Third Street Suite D in Abilene, Texas. For more information contact MariePascale Manishimwe at 325-675-5643. Treadaway Kids is looking for more students and volunteers to join the group. For more information, contact Carly Henderson at cah10a@acu.edu. JUMP @ Abilene North Apartments is seeking students to asssist in teaching the Gospel to at-risk low-income children. Students must be avaliable to volunteer from 4 - 5:30 p.m. on Mondays. Service opportunity begins Jan. 27 and lasts until April. 28. For more information, contact Caroline Thompson at 281-782-2956 or crt12a@acu.edu. Friends for Life is seeking volunteers to help with both elderly residents and independent living elderly. Nursing home service opportunities include visiting, playing games, reading to the blind and assisting in arts and crafts. Independent living service opportunities include mowing lawns, grocery shopping and changing light bulbs. To volunteer contact Cecilia Barahona at 325672-2635 or cecilia@friendsforlife.org. The Noah Project is seeking volunteers to help with tasks such as answering phone calls, providing child care and doing maintenance and housekeeping. To volunteer call 325-676-7107. Love and Care Ministries is looking for volunteers to help with sorting clothing, stocking their food pantry, assisting in prayers in their prayer room and serving food to the homeless. For more information call 325670-0246. Volunteers are needed at the BCFS Abilene Transition Center for event planning and setup, assisting in teaching life skills classes, accompanying transport, visiting homes and/or assisting in construction of facilities for assisting in the betterment of male and female youth ages 15 - 25. This opportunity is open each morning Mondays through Fridays. Students interested must contact Johnny Nguyen at 325-6920033 or jnguyen@bcfs.net. The Betty Hardwick Center is seeking volunteers for the Human Resources Center to help with filing and organizing. This job requires someone with attention to detail who wishes to learn more about Human Resources. The job is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. If you are interested, please contact Martin Walker at 325-690-5235 or mwalker@bhcmhmr.or. University Place is seeking volunteers to help with resident birthday parties for residents on the third Wednesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. For more information contact Linda Tijerina at 325-676-9946.
House of Faith is an organization that seeks to take Jesus to neighborhood children. Volunteers are needed to help with the various programs they do throughout the week. Backyard Bible studies are hosted Mondays and Wednesdays and a youth program takes place on Thursday evenings. The organization is seeking volunteers who can commit to a specific day a week. House of Faith lasts from 3 - 5:30 p.m. To volunteer or gain more information contact Amy Jeffers at abj09a@ acu.edu or call 832-331-5324.
The International Rescue Committee is asking for Digital TV Converter Boxes to accompany several older televisions for refugees within Abilene. Drop offs are requested at the office located on 3303 N. 3rd Street, Suite D from 2 - 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesday. This is a helpful way to make a difference in the lives of refugees who recently resettled into the local community. For more information, contact Marie-Pascale Manishimwe at 325-6755643.
Rescue the Animals is seeking volunteers to work at the adoption center performing a variety of tasks, from playing with the animals to working in the office. For more information visit their website at http://www. rescuetheanimals.org/volunteer.
The Food Bank of West Central Texas needs volunteers to help sort and stock food and other items any weekday Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Food Bank is located at 5505 N. 1st St. For more information contact Janice Serrault at 325-695-6311 or abfoodbk@camalott.com.
The Abilene Zoo is looking for volunteers to help with general labor such as grounds cleanup and painting any weekday at any time between 12 - 4 p.m. The Zoo is located at 2070 Zoo Ln. Contact Joy Harsh at 325-676-6487 for more information. Breakfast on Beech Street is seeking volunteers to help set up, prepare and serve breakfast to homeless/lower income folks any Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at 5:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 5 a.m. B.O.B.S. is located at First Christian Church on 3rd St. and Beech St. Service times must be scheduled in advance. To serve on Mondays contact Jody Depriest at 325-669-3312 or jody.depriest@ gmail.com. To serve on Tuesdays contact Allen Daugherty at 325-660-6949 or ale.al@suddenlink. net. To serve on Wednesdays contact Jane Harvey at 325-695-0092 or jharvread@aol.com. To serve on Thursdays contact Margaret Beasley at 325-692-4149 or mbeasley5@suddenlink.net. To serve on Fridays contact Rachel Brown at rdb08a@acu.edu. The Christian Service Center is seeking volunteers to help with filling requests for items such as clothing and bedding from the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick up donated items. Volunteers are needed every weekday and the first Saturday of each month between 9 - 12 p.m. and 1 - 4 p.m. For more information contact Roberta Brown at 325-673-7561 orrobertabrown51@hotmail. com. Visit http://www.uccabilene.org/ministries/csc. htm. The National Center For Children’s Illustrated Literature is looking for volunteers to greet patrons, assist with art activities, sell books and make visitors feel welcome. Help is also needed for special events like Artwalk and exhibit openings. The NCCIL is located at 102 Cedar St. For more information on times and dates contact Debby Lillick at 325-673-4586 or visit http://www.nccil.org/index.htm. Christian Homes & Family Services is seeking volunteers to do minor landscaping such as raking, trimming bushes, minor apartment repairs and general upkeep Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information contact Shaylee Honey at 325677-2205 or Shoney@ChristianHomes.com.
Meals on Wheels Plus needs volunteer drivers to deliver afternoon meals to seniors and adults with disabilities Monday - Friday between 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. Training is provided. For more information contact Samantha Barker at 352-672-5050 or visit http://mealsonwheelsplus.com. The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers for a variety of needs such as sorting and pricing items in the thrift store, helping in the kitchen and/or doing yard work. Times are flexible and volunteers are needed Monday - Saturday. The Salvation Army is located at 1726 Butternut St. For more information contact J.D. Alonzo at 325-677-1408 or visit www. satruck.com. Big Brothers/Big Sisters offers two volunteer programs. Lunch Buddies pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister to have lunch with once a week for 30 minutes. Lunch Buddies has a preferred time of 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Community Based program pairs volunteers with a little brother or sister that they will hang out with two to four times a month. Both programs require committment to the program for 12 - 18 months. To sign up stop by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters office at 547 Chestnut St. or contact Randy Woods at 325-674-3102. Christian Ministries Food Pantry needs volunteers to help with tasks such as cleaning up, stocking shelves and bagging flour. It is looking for students who can make a commitment of 1 - 3 hours a week. For more information contact Becky Almanza at 325-673-5295 or balmanza7@sbcglobal.net. The Center for Contemporary Arts needs a gallery assistant to greet partons, answer phones and answer basic questions about the Center and its programs. Volunteer opportunities are 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Tuesdays - Fridays. For more information contact Jennifer Parks at 325-677-8389 or jennifer@center-arts.com. For additional volunteer opportunities visit: www. acu.edu/campusoffices/ccsl/ministry-service/volunteer-opportunities/
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ACU and Abilenians work at Cedar Creek Micah Hermsdorf student reporter The Abilene community has the opportunity to volunteer and clean up the junk yard on South 5th as a progressive stepping stone in the Cedar Creek Waterway project this Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The junk yard clean-up is part of the ongoing development of Cedar Creek Waterway and its vision to transform Abilene into an oasis of new recreational spaces and improve the quality of life. The Cedar Creek Waterway project envisions a series of Abilene park spaces linked by hiking, biking, and jogging trails from Kirby Lake all the way to Fort Phantom. The project also involves a winding path of
freshwater ponds, dams, waterfalls and fountains. The Cedar Creek Waterway project intends to flourish the area with decks and patios, farmer’s markets, picnic areas, pavilions and restaurants. The waterway also plans to include activities such as kayaking, paddle boating, outdoor concerts and horseback riding. ACU student Sara Bishop, sophomore animal science major from Longmont, Colo., has taken interest in the project. “The Agriculture and Environmental Science Club has personally adopted a section of the Cedar Creek Waterway to take care of,” Bishop said. “Our hope is to improve the appearance of the location as well as care for the surrounding environment.”
Dr. James Cooke, environmental science professor at ACU, is also a major contributor in motivating people to become interested in the nature Abilene has to offer. “My interest in the the project is to help people realize the beauty of Abilene and the livability and quality of life that we could have,” Cooke said. To some Abilene is thought to be hot, dusty, flat and boring. But Cedar Creek Waterway may change this perception. Its recreational and health benefits, small business opportunities, restaurants and outdoor facilities would highlight the true beauty the city has to offer. “Once you go down there and look at it, you are going to see the vision,” Cooke said. “You’re going
to understand the beauty of it.” Abilene is a growing city and this project is a way for the community to be involved in its development . “This project allows students to give back to the community they live in,” Bishop said. “It helps them appreciate where they live and the beauty of Abilene.” The project is still in its early stages, but the end result will produce beneficial, economic developments, health and recreational value and a community that is building towards a higher quality of life. “This is kind of like planting trees,” Cooke said. “In my life time, I benefitted from the trees that were planted by people that came before me. And in my life time, I have
Brittany Jackson Managing Editor
Students and members of the Abilene community clean up a dumpsite for the Cedar Creek Waterway project. planted trees that will ben- out Cedar Creek Waterefit the people who come way?’ ” after me. And this is a project 50 years from now that contact the optimist at people will be saying, ‘Can jmcnetwork@acu.edu you imagine Abilene with-
ACU choir tours Dallas for the weekend Catherine Blakemore student reporter After a semester of preparation, the ACU Music Department’s A Cappella Chorus performed last weekend at various churches and schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for their Spring Tour. The trip was led by Director of Choral Activities Jeffery Goolsby. “All this is covered in the music department budget,” Goolsby said. “It’s very ex-
pensive when you consider the hotel costs, all the meals, renting the charter bus. This is a huge investment for the university and for the department.” Spring Tour has not only proved to be rewarding and memorable, but also a great way to show ACU talent in areas where many prospective students interested in music could come from. “It’s not just recruiting. It’s outreach and public relations in some ways,” Goolsby said. “It’s getting the ACU name out there and putting
our students in front of different audiences so people know that ACU is here and we have a wonderful music department and fine choir.” Working Monday through Thursday from 5-6 p.m., the group has perfected their selection of songs. The students have continued to work on 14 songs since winter break. Last weekend gave the students the chance to perform and get feedback from a few different live audiences. “We’ve worked really hard. I’m really proud of
how we sound right now. And I think it’s really going to show,” said Katherine Cotten, a sophomore music education major from Richardson. Students got to show the work and time they put into the musical pieces and had the chance to bond and be together with the whole choir. Bree Hembree, senior vocal performance major from North Richland Hills and the president of A Cappella, along with senior vocal performance major Jarrett Ward
from Houston have toured with the ACU choir for the past four years. “We really like spending time with each other,” Hembree said. “It’s probably the thing we look forward to the most on tour. It sounds cheesy, but – all of us being on the bus, being crazy and being loud and playing games – it’s a lot of fun to hang out with each other.” Aside from their Sunday night concert being cancelled due to weather, the choir stayed positive during the tour despite the exhaust-
ing number of performances. The tour offered a great way for the students to gain insight into audience response and the fast-paced style of back-to-back performances. “There’s definitely mixed emotions, it’s been our last tour and the experience of getting to perform this music,. It’s probably something I’ll remember for the rest of my life just because it’s so rewarding,” Ward said. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
FilmFest experiences increase of applicants Nathan Lundeen student reporter This year’s FilmFest is the 10th FilmFest to be held at ACU and is marked by the largest number of participating teams the event has ever had. When asked what his favorite memory of FilmFest was, Lucius Patenaude senior multimedia major from Benbrook said, “Well, they’re all fond memories.” This year, Patenaude will be adding many more fond memories. Patenaude and Katheryn Cansino, senior accounting major from
George West, are co-chairs of this year’s FilmFest. FilmFest began fall of 2013 when filmmakers met at the Networking Hours to get to know each other and to form teams. The theme for this year’s FilmFest was also announced - “Shift.” Ten teams signed up to participate in FilmFest this year, the largest number of teams to sign up with the possibility of more. At the beginning of January, teams began preproduction work. Props were collected and scripts were written. At the close of Sing Song, the different teams will be filming until March 17, the deadline
for submitting a 10-minute video to the judges. On March 21, the FilmFest Gala will take place. The Monday before Spring Break, students may submit published or unpublished scripts to the Script Writing Competition, a first for FilmFest. Teams can still sign up for this year’s FilmFest, the deadline being March 17. “All anyone has to do is contact one of the production team members and we will help you get plugged in,” Cansino said. More information can be found on the Facebook page ACU FilmFest.
The FilmFest Gala is at the end of FilmFest where students can come and watch the screenings of the films that were submitted. Also occurring at the FilmFest Gala is an awards ceremony done in the spirit of the Oscars. Students are expected to be in formal attire. “This is the Oscars of ACU and we want it to feel like it,” Cansino said. “So we are asking attendees to put on their Hollywood glam and come to the Paramount Theatre for an amazing night.” Awards will be handed out based on the type of films submitted and what the judges comment on. Po-
tential judges include Randy Brewer, Chris Young and Will Bakke. “We are looking to include some of the music and dance Student Groups on campus as part of the event,” Cansino said. Katheryn Cansino joined FilmFest after hearing about the event. First, she helped run The FilmFest Gala, and later she found out about the FilmFest production team. She applied and was selected to be executive producer. Lucius Patenaude enrolled at ACU intending to do films. He heard about FilmFest and realized it was something he had to do.
Patenaude said that his first film was awful but he walked away with a great experience and he learned a lot. During his sophomore year, he participated in FilmFest again. “This isn’t perfect but I am proud of it,” Patenaude said about his sophomore film. When asked what he would tell students who were considering entering the FilmFest, Patenaude said,“Just do it.”
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Chapel credits earned at basketball games Matt Sloan Sports Director The Department of Athletics partnered with the Chapel office last week to put together an event that allowed students to receive Chapel credits for attending basketball games. Students were required to attend the second half of the women’s basketball game and the first half of the men’s basketball game to receive three Chapel
credits. The same formula was used last year as well when Chapel credits were offered at basketball games for the first time. “Athletics approached Student Life several years ago about the possibility of offering Chapel credits for athletic events,” said Mark Lewis, assistant dean of spiritual life and Chapel programs. “Fall of 2012 they proposed having a spiritually-themed speaker talk at the two half times of the women’s and men’s bas-
ketball games. As a result of that, we did this on Jan. 26, 2013. We had approximately 600 students attend. The speakers were well received and their message and testimonies were powerful. The Jan. 23 event with Dr. Kelvin Kelley, associate professor of theology from Hardin-Simmons University, was received well. We had 500 students slide in and out.” Many students welcomed the opportunity to get a few Chapel credits and
to be a part of an ACU athletic event. “I think it is a neat incentive for students to come to the game,” said Brandon Wianecki, junior history major from Idalou. “But I do think since our athletic programs are now held to a Div. I standard, our fans should be held to the same standard. I think we should support athletes without any incentives.” The three Chapel credits were awarded for students who stayed from halftime
to halftime. Although three credits is more than most forums, Lewis thought it was a fair number considering the amount of time students were asked to commit to the games. “We are limited in the number of Chapel forum credits we can offer each semester, so we have to be judicious in allotting the credits,” Lewis said. “Sometimes it means we are able to allot one credit for every 30 minutes of the forum, but sometimes we aren’t
able to adhere to that formula.” This is the second year in a row that Chapel credits have been offered at basketball games, and Lewis thinks opportunities like this will continue in the future. “At present, the plan is to do this one time per school year,” Lewis said.
contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu
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Wednesday 02.05.14
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Saturday Sing Song tickets almost sold out Logan Sartain student reporter Less than 50 tickets remain for Saturday night’s final 2014 Sing Song performance. The seats available for Saturday night’s show are in the upper levels of the side sections of Moody Coliseum. Friday night’s performance still has available seats in all sections, and most sections still have available seats for Saturday afternoon’s show. Director of Student
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Saturday night tickets for section F...typically sell out in November.” Tom Craig Director of Student Productions
Productions, Tom Craig, has been in charge of Sing Song for seven years now. “Saturday night tickets for section F, which sit directly facing the Sing Song stage, typically sell out in November,” Craig said. As for the best seat in the house, that is a matter
of opinion. “The definition of the best seat in the house for Sing Song,” Craig said, “is equal to the definition of the best barbeque in West Texas.” For those who prefer to see the show straight on, section F is the favorite. Those who want to be close to the action prefer floor seats, and for those that want a peek at what is going on backstage, sections “M” or “U” are ideal, Craig said. Wherever anyone sits, sound quality should not be a problem. Craig said a
sound engineering company out of Dallas is hired each year to ensure that each seat in Moody Coliseum has the best possible sound quality. Sales from the past few years have been fairly consistent, Craig said. On Thursday night, there will be a preview show for the ACU community. Tickets for this show will all be general admission with no assigned seating. Admission will cost $10 for faculty, staff and the general public and $5 for students with a valid
student ID. The Thursday night showing will start at 7 p.m. in Moody Coliseum and the doors will open at 6 p.m. Ticket sales for Sing Song this year started at Homecoming. Calling in is the most common method of buying tickets, Brady Johnson, Sing Song co-chair in charge of business. “Especially since we got back from Christmas break, it’s been tons of calls everyday,” said Johnson, senior multimedia major from Round Rock. The show times are Fri-
day, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $16 for Friday night, $19 for Saturday afternoon and $25 for Saturday night. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone or in person downstairs in the campus center. Johnson said he and the other co-chairs are excited about the possibility of selling out Saturday night’s show.
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Department sells eggs, beef for fundraiser Grace Coan student reporter The Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Department is selling Rhoden Farm’s fresh eggs and ground beef as a way to raise money for their department and give back to ACU. The farm stays involved with ACU through horsemanship classes offered at the Rhoden Farms located on Texas 351, giving ACU students the opportunity to ride horses to earn a PEAC credit. Selling eggs and beef to faculty and students is another way Rhoden’s Farm stays connected. ACU alumni Jason Davis, and wife, Erin, run the Rhoden Farm and began selling eggs and beef to give back to the Agriculture and Environmental Sciences department. Rhoden became ACU’s primary farm in the early 2000s. It has been an resource for students to have the opportunity to gain experience and a
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You’re not going to find any freezer beef like this or eggs like this at the supermarket.” Brody Benge sophomore agribusiness major from Lubbock
paycheck from working on the farm. Brody Benge, sophomore agribusiness major from Lubbock works three days a week at the Rhoden farms. “It was something grown here around the area by the students and by the faculty,” Benge said. Eggs are $3 per dozen. The chickens are freerange and they lay cagefree eggs. Fresh deliveries are made every Monday at noon. Natural, hormonefree beef is $6.50 per lb. “It’s just something to be involved with,” Benge said, “It’s a way for the department to make some money.” Bryce Gerlach, senior wildlife management major from Far Hills, N.J.,
grew up on a farm and has always worked with animals. As a member of the Agriculture and Enviornmental Club, he said he appreciates what Rhoden Farm is doing to fundraise money. “It’s a good way to support our department,” Gerlach said. Fresh eggs and beef can be picked up on the first f loor of the Admin building in room 131. The products are kept in the refrigerator. Payments can be made through cash or check. “You’re not going to find any freezer beef like this or eggs like this at the supermarket,” Benge said. For additional questions, contact the Agriculture and Environmental Sciences department at (325) 674-2401 or talk to Mandy Scudder.
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Wyatt Morgan Staff Photographer
ACU students spend time growing crops and taking care of animals at the ACU Farm.
Globetrotters revist ACU to perform again Collin Weider assistant sports editor The Globetrotters return for a third time to Moody Coliseum Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. They visited ACU in 2008 and in 2012 bringing large crowds both years. John Houser, assistant director of athletic for operations, thinks the third trip will still bring in a large audience with multiple nuances. “They don’t do the same show twice,” Houser said,
“there will be some similarities but also a lot of new stuff and new players.” The Globetrotters have visited much larger venues than Abilene. “It’s a big deal for Abilene itself because of the small town surrounding,” said Cory Driskill, associate director of athletics for student-athlete wellness. One difference will be the fans’ participation in an online vote as part of the “Fans Rule” World Tour. Fans can vote on multiple
rule changes in the game by tweeting or going to the #vote tab at Harlemglobetrotters.com. For example, the “Hot Hand Jersey” rule will allow players to pass a jersey amongst themselves. The player wearing the jersey will receive double points for a shot. Fan participation has been key in all of the globetrotter’s performances and could help bring the Trotters back in the future. “The nice thing about Abilene is that it is one of the bigger cities in this area
of west Texas so it’s a big deal for them to want to come back,” Driskill said. Tickets cost $22.00 and can be found on either the Harlem Globetrotter’s website or at acusports. com. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the game. Fans are encouraged to purchase soon, because previous games drew large crowds, especially the 2012 appearance that brought 3,200 fans to Moody Coliseum. “We will probably have around three or four thou-
sand fans,” Houser said. The roster includes some of the most out-ofthis-world players and nicknames. Stretch Middleton, for instance, is the third tallest player in the Trotters history at 7’ 4”. Too Tall Hall is another player known for his height but because he stands at 5’ 2”. The roster also includes familiar faces and names from previous games like Big Easy Lofton, Special K Dailey and TNT Maddox. The North American leg of the “Fans Rule” World
Tour started Sept. 20 and will not end until April 15, with the Globetrotters playing almost 300 games. The trip covers most of North America with games in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico. This tour celebrates the 88 years that the original Harlem Globetrotters have entertained fans around the world.
contact weider at cpw11a@acu.edu
Enrollment: Retention continues to rise from page 1
works to achieve this goal is by helping students build “Every group is different. community. We’re not necessarily as“We try to find ways to suming we’ll get to 80 per- build community so that cent this year, but that’s people here feel plugged ultimately our long term in with other people, that goal.” they feel like this is a place Herridge said one im- for them and that they fit,” portant way his office Herridge said. “The reten-
tion is going to follow, but our focus is on community.” The university has encountered a new trend because of the switch to block tuition. Students are entering ACU with college credit because of Advanced Placement and dual credit class-
“
We try to find ways to build community so that people here feel plugged in with other people” Bart Herridge director of student retention and services
es. These hours combined with the switch to block tu-
ition is causing a new phenomenon. Herridge said they’re seeing a large number of students with senior hours that aren’t necessarily graduating. “One of the interesting things we’re trying to figure out is we’re not exactly sure how many [seniors] are actually not going to be here next year,” Herridge said.
“We’re trying to forecast with almost nothing to go on in terms of the history of understanding on how that enrollment flow is actually moving through the university.”
contact Jones at mnj10a@acu.edu
Sacred: Sessions start from page 1 facets of relationships into the themes of the week. “We’re always trying to think about skills,” Rowlands said, “Like how to deal with conflict, how to communicate, how to voice your needs, how to be okay with yourself. How can we help people have better relationships?” This year’s planning committee has put a lot of time and thought into the week to make sure students get the most out of the events that are planned. Elizabeth Watters, sophomore family studies major from Houston said more advertising and flyers were sent out this year than in past years. “We’ve tried to make this more available to students by having a table set up in the campus center
with lots of giveaways,” Watters said. “We want students to know that this isn’t just for if you are dating. This is for everyone.” Julia Prior, junior family studies major from Fort Worth, said she has enjoyed being part of planning the events and getting speakers lined up. “We all bounced ideas off of each other with our professors to decide on speakers,” Prior said. “It’s been so great being a part of this and I am really excited for the week.” Sacred Relationships Week has been on campus for more than 10 years now, and it continues to help students. Ehrhart said this week’s origins stem from the writings of author Gary Thomas. Thomas, who has written numerous books on sacred marriage, parenting and other
relationships, asked the question, “What if relationships were designed to make us holy, not happy?” This question has been influential in the plans made for the week. The Counseling Center and family studies department hope that students will leave the week more equipped with relational skills, ready to grow as individuals. “We are all created for community and we all walk in relationships,” Ehrhart said. “Relationships are about the process of refinement. They are not just about finding someone, but God using that experience to refine us.”
contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
5
featureS
Wednesday 02.05.13
SICK OF LOVESICK Gabi Powell
|
features editor
Roses are red, violets are blue, for those against heart-themed holidays, this one’s for you.
LOVE DATA Teacher of the Year Joyce Haley thstudents how advertisis training ing and ethics mix.
14
cards
17%
34%
52%
35%
clothing
47%
dining flowers
HOW AMERICANS CELEBRATE:
14%
53
$
] [
amount the average consumer spends
116.21
percentage of women who reported would end the relationship if they did not receive a gift for Valentine’s.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Number of Valentine’s Day cards exchanged annually.
180 million
]
a few gifts here and there hardly make a relationship. “Still, the relationship we have to Valentine’s Day is an ambivalent one, sort of a love-hate relationship,” McAnulty said. “We can’t live without our cultural myths, but we are at the same time increasingly uneasy with them, because part of us sees through them.” McAnulty likened our reasoning of Valentine’s Day to that in the Wizard of Oz. We know there’s a man behind the curtain, but part of us would like to pretend there really is a powerful wizard who will fix our problems. “We’d like to think some chocolate and flowers will ensure, or at least symbolize, lasting love,” he said. But all of the pessimism could be the push needed to revise Valentine’s reputation. “Like all cynicism, if it moves us to more positive, genuine and meaningful action, then the outcome could be good,” McAnulty said. “If it just makes us cynical and leads to resignation and inactivity, then that would be sad. Maybe we can redeem the day with more personal and genuine gifts, a personal handwritten poem, an act of service, some hand picked flowers or an honest talk about the state of our relationship.” The website stvalentinesday.org reported more than 36 million heartshaped boxes of those mystery chocolates are sold for Valentine’s Day each year, leaving many to question where the love is on this lovesick holiday. For Hall, the love will be found at Sing Song, where he’ll “take the senior class act on a romantic, magical date to the Sing Song stage, directing them to a sweeping victory that Friday night.” “Real talk,” he said, “I won’t actually be celebrating either Valentine’s Day or Anti-Valentine’s Day, as I will be far too busy with Sing Song to take a pretty girl to a nice dinner. Although, under different circumstances, I’d love to, and probably would.” McAnulty recognizes the irony in the way a historical martyr is celebrated in today’s society. “It is a bit ironic that a day originally associated with a kind of spiritual love, that would lead one to be willing to be martyred [Saint Valentine of Rome], would have devolved into a much cheaper, superficial celebration characterized by words someone else wrote on a card, and purchased gifts that someone else made that one might give to someone who is simply the girlfriend or boyfriend of the moment,” McAnulty said. “Yeah, you guessed it, I’m a Valentine’s Day cynic.” But some are more hopeful romantics. “To me, the holiday is about love,” said Stacy Acton, senior elementary education major from Boulder, “not commercialism and candy hearts. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate love?” Acton said she will be having an unconventional Valentine’s Day date, celebrating with fellow single women. “We love each other, and we’ll be spending lunchtime at Bonzai’s celebrating that,” she said. “We also love sushi, more than people should probably love any food item. But, hey, love is love.” And while many feel Valentine’s Day is not worth the bother, not all have completely banned the be-mine celebration. “If a pretty lady comes up to me and says, ‘Want to be my Valentine and stuff?’ I’m likely to roll with it,” said Martin. “Otherwise I’ll probably weep in a corner.“
jewelry candy
V
alentine’s Day is very much like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. While the couplecrowds will flock to restaurants for their holiday-demanded dates, many others simply want Cupid muzzled. Next week, approximately 142 million Valentine’s Day cards will be exchanged, around 8 billion candy hearts will be produced and the total U.S. candy sales for 2014 are projected to be $1.057 billion, according to the National Confectioner’s Association. But not all are buying into the heartthrobbing hype. “On the 14th, I’ll be treating it just like any other day,” said John Martin, senior ad/PR major from Pflugerville. Martin represents one sector of the Valentine’s crowd who will choose to either celebrate, protest or be apathetic to its happening altogether. A growing number are asking Cupid to leave the arrows at home in lieu of an Anti-Valentine’s Day celebration. Commiserating the event, also known as Single Awareness Day, includes black and broken-hearted decorations and swapping ex-tales. Anti-romance is running rampant, with an emerging market targeting those who refuse any roses. Greeting card companies have launched lines to service the loveless, and websites, such as CafePress, feature over 10,500 customizable products aimed at anti-sweethearts. Dr. David McAnulty, associate professor of psychology, explained the mentality behind this movement. “I think the Anti-Valentine’s Day trend is most likely related to consumer cynicism,” he said. “People increasingly see the day as manufactured by business and not a genuine celebration of love. A fair amount of psychological research is taking place investigating social cynicism, political cynicism and consumer cynicism. In the past, personality research tended to see social cynicism as a particular personality trait.” Dr. McAnulty credits our realism about relationships to be another factor contributing to the trend. “Most people realize that relationships are hard work,” he said. “With many, and most, marriages and romances failing, there is a fine line between celebrating a relationship by doing nice things for one another to enhance the relationship, such as buying flowers, cards, chocolates and intimate clothing – all things people who love Valentine’s Day tend to do – and living in a fantasy world.” Many students said they feel the antitrend is especially popular among college students. “Anti-Valentine’s Day is bigger because if people can’t have a significant other, they want to be a part of something,” Martin said. “And if they unite together, maybe they’ll find someone to smooch in their heart-hater club.” “I think Anti-Valentine’s Day is being celebrated more as single people start to shrug off the pressure of dating, especially in an environment such as ACU,” said Jake Hall, senior English education major from Springtown. “Between all the early engagements, serious relationships, dating blog posts and ring-byspring jokes that we see on a daily basis, I think people are becoming more and more disenfranchised to the idea of dating in college, or at all, ever.” In a time when cultural myths are being deconstructed, McAnulty said he thinks people increasingly realize that
contact powell gmp10b@acu.edu
69 percent of Americans prefer chocolate over flowers on Valentine’s Day.
sources:
-National Confectioners Association’s 2014 survey -National Federation of Retailers
Photos above: (left to right) nancy ndekwe, john martin and chantal mwiza | deanna romero chief Photographer
Opinion
6
Wednesday 02.05.14
editorial
Criticism of Coke ad stems from ignorance the issue A Coca-Cola Super Bowl ad featuring the song “America the Beautiful” in several languages received negative responses.
our take The commercial was well-done and its message should be embraced rather than of criticized.
The Broncos and Seahawks weren’t the only ones butting heads during Sunday’s Super Bowl. Coca-Cola aired a commercial entitled “It’s Beautiful,” prompting the hashtag “AmericaIsBeautiful” and sparking shocking social media responses from viewers. The ad featured the song “America the Beautiful” sung in seven languages, including Eng-
lish, Tagalog, Spanish, Spanish, Hebrew, Hindi, Keres and SenegaleseFrench. The ad showed people of different ethnicities and races participating in their daily activities and drinking Coke. After the commercial aired, it received overwhelming criticism on Facebook and Twitter by people who believe English is the only language that should be spoken in
America. Some people even threatened to boycott Coca-Cola because an “American song” was sung in a language other than English. These negative reactions were completely uncalled for and ignorant. According to the CIA World Factbook, the United States has no official language. While 82 percent of Americans speak English, it is not this country’s native language and many other languages are spoken by Americans every day. The ad was well done and presented an accurate representation of what America stands for. The commercial reached
the ultimate audience by relating to so many different groups of people. Not long after criticism
“
tiful’ is a great example of the magic that makes our country so special, and a powerful message that spreads optimism, promotes inclusion and celebrates humanity values that are core to us and that matter to CocaCola,” said Sonya Soutus, senior vice president of Public Affairs and Communications, Coca-Cola North America. Coke made a bold statement with “It’s Beautiful.” While the subject of diversity in America is a complicated issue with many possible implications, the message of the commercial should be supported rather than criticized.
... the message of the commercial should be supported rather than criticized.”
of the ad began, CocaCola executives released statements defending their commercial. “We believe ‘It’s Beau-
Not all of the ad’s feedback was negative. Many people praised it for serving as a reminder of America’s beauty and diversity. Some people suggested those making negative comments had reverted back to attitudes from the 1950s. According to a release from Coca-Cola, a 90-second version of the ad will air Friday night during the broadcast of the Olympic Opening Ceremony. We can only hope it will get a better, more appropriate response this time. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
DAILY doodle dosage
Column
Ben Todd
Praying for the Super Bowl THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
MARISSA JONES EDITOR IN CHIEF
On Sunday 111.5 million of us gathered together to witness miracles. We partook of the game day snacks. Some even tithed $2000 and made the pilgrimage to be there in person. And 33 percent of football fans prayed to God to help their team win, according to a poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute. This bothers me. The thing is, I completely understand this. I regularly pray for trivial things. Traffic, an overloaded schedule, public speaking – they’re high stress situations, and I often have a knee jerk reaction to pray. It’s a comfort thing, and I think there are good intentions behind finding comfort in prayer. But it’s dangerous as well because I think our prayers reveal our priorities. I think what bothers me most about this statistic about prayer is what it says about our priorities. My history teaches once said: You can tell what a society cares about most by looking at what its biggest, most elaborate buildings are. Our stadiums make a statement. One of NASA’s satellites captured a photo of the clearly visible MetLife Stadium the Super Bowl was played in. Our priorities are clear even from space. Follow the money – I’d say that’s a pretty accu-
rate cliche and is another reliable way to reveal society’s values. At first, I empathized immensely with the Broncos and the embarrassment they must have been feeling. I mean, just the look of utter defeat on Peyton Manning’s face was heart-breaking. But then I remembered how much money they were probably still getting. A $46,000 bonus for loosing to be exact. That was enough to dry up my pity. Winning is significantly more profitable though, and the Seahawks received a bonus of $92,000. Now, I don’ think the Super Bowl is bad. (Even though the painful 43-8 blowout makes that harder to say.) And I’m not trying to make anyone feel overly self-conscious or inhibited about how they pray – I think that’s also dangerous – but I think prayer gives us a beautiful and valuable opportunity to cultivate our priorities. I don’t think football should make our top ten list, or even our top fifty. Society has made it clear what it values, and we should make a conscious effort to push against that. I prefer to think God is more of a soccer fan, anyways. going.
contact Jones at MNJ10a@acu.edu
Column
The 10 best modes of transportation is quite a hassle, it’s just so fascinating to watch the world from way up high. I can spend an entire flight staring out the window and be perfectly happy. 7. Ferrari Want to turn some heads? Rev the engine. 6. Dragon These fearsome beasts breath fire and fly. I’d never have to worry about someone stealing my ride. But parking might be a problem. 5. The TARDIS I’ve just started watching “Doctor Who,” and already fallen in love with the iconic blue police box that moves through time and space. I’d never be late to class again. 4. Transformer These giant extra-terrestrial robots can turn into any kind of vehicle they desire. Imagine riding in an intelligent, cannon-toting Camaro. Tailgaters would no longer be a problem. 3. Speeder bike from
DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE
MELANY COX OPINION PAGE EDITOR
I’ve traveled a lot during my life, so I’ve gotten to use many different methods to get from place to place. I’ve experienced cars, planes, trains, buses, boats, bicycles, horses, taxies, subways, a gondola and even a helicopter. Each of these forms has provided its own unique adventure, some good and some bad. Yet even with all these experiences under my belt, there are still many modes of transportation I want to try. Granted, some are fictional. Since there are so many various ways to get from one place to another, it’s difficult to decide which is the best. Nevertheless, I’ve narrowed down 10 of the best
modes of transportation, both real and imaginary. 10. Carl Fredrickson’s house from Up Just how many balloons does it take to make a house fly? With a floating house I would never have to purchase an airplane ticket ever again. Packing would be unnecessary and so would finding a hotel. I could leave anytime I wanted. After all, “adventure is out there.” 9. Train This might be a let down after a floating house, but trains are a much faster way to get where you need to go. They provide one of the best ways to view the scenery. 8. Airplane While getting on a plane
Return of the Jedi When I rode my bicycle as a kid, I would pretend I was driving one of these highspeed, levitating speeders through my neighborhood. They are incredibly fast and perfect for maneuvering through slow traffic. 2. Appa the 10-ton flying bison from Avatar: The Last Airbender You have a Lexus? That’s nice. My giant fluffy monster can fly. 1. Pirate Ship Sailing the seven seas... a pirate’s life for me. I’ll probably never get to sail on a pirate ship, own a Ferrari or travel with the Doctor, but there are still many exciting methods of travel that I have yet to experience. So I’ll continue to wait patiently for someone to invent a flying car. contact Cox at MKC09B@acu.edu
hashtagACU Feb. 4 12:24 p.m. Feb. 4 1:31 p.m.
Forgot my paper in the dorm. Got to walk all the way back to get it. #thestruggle
@AllisonCaitlin8
ACU Library: aka the place to watch a guy in an argyle sweater interview another guy in an argyle sweater, while listening to couples argue
@emjmuhl
Feb. 4 5:32 p.m.
Everyone needs to chill over Sing Song, just think we are only dressing up in weird costumes and singing & dancing in front of our parents
@Jordan_Derrick
Feb. 2 12:02 a.m. Jan. 31 10:42 a.m.
It’s not worth arguing with the crazy people in my core class.
@kleex3 Feb. 2 2:48 p.m.
Feb. 1 6:56 p.m.
Is it worth joining christian mingle if I already to to ACU?
@The_smeegs13
Love that ACU is so tech savvy, yet I can drop a letter grade in class if I have any electronics out in class. #iPad #iPhone @overheardACU
@EmsCaroline
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.
published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board
E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
Jan. 31 10:18 a.m.
Uhhh....girlscout cookies for sale in the campus center #isthisreallife #thinmints @overheardACU
Speaking of Rome in bible.. *Hey now, Hey now, this is what dreams are made of*
@LilyAuker
@maleahhodge
@PascalLacoss
Feb. 3 12:55 p.m.
Feb. 3 8:46 p.m.
Feb. 4 11:02 a.m.
Everyone on the ACU grounds crew deserves a raise. #Unwaivering #Unrecognized #UnderAppreciated
Let’s be real, any time someone tweets #ACUdifference, they’re just lobbying for a spot in @acuoptimist
@abby_ayers
@Kailebuh
Nothing like not checking my chapel emails then going to moody and hearing “WELCOME TO FRESHMAN CHAPEL!!!”
@LeroyMay
Marissa Jones
Kirsten Holman
JP Festa
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Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609
Feb. 3 3:43 p.m.
S/O to whomever decided to have Sing Song on Valentines Day weekend, you gava ll the single people something to do. @acuoptimist
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7
sports
wednesday 02.05.14
Cortes, Wildcats finish strong at home price bahcall sports reporter Last weekend, the men and women tennis teams took the court for four matches. The men split the four matches posting a 2-2 record over the weekend while the women went 2-1. The men started out the weekend losing to the country’s No. 1 junior college, Tyler, 5-2, and No. 8 Div. III program from Trinity, 4-3. The next day, the men turned it around and swept the double header against Permian Basin and McMurry, winning both 5-2. The team’s main focus is on progress not necesDeana romero chief hotographer sarily the outcome. Assis- Junior Borja Cortes looks to return a serve for ACU in his tant coach John Walker match this past weekend in Abilene. said the weekend was
productive. “Our level of play was excellent both days. On Friday, we played two very good teams. They were strong from top to bottom in both singles and doubles,” Walker said. “We will get better and tougher as a result of these types of matches. Many times loses like we had on Friday are excellent wake-up calls. Our team as a group played much tougher from start to finish on Saturday.” Number one Borja Cortes had his undefeated start spoiled by two singles losses at the start of the tournament. Number two Nicklas Wingord had to retire his final match because of an injury, but isn’t expected to miss any practices or matches. Marco Bensley and Jason Proctor were the
only singles winners on Friday. On Saturday the team’s fortune changed as they rolled in win after win. Cortes won both singles matches and doubles, starting the team off strong. Another strong doubles team was Jason Proctor and Michael Morris as they went 3-1 over the weekend. Morris, who has returned after taking a year off, is getting back into the groove. “In doubles, I was really satisfied, and Jason and I have a lot of chemistry as a doubles team but I still need to make improvements in my singles game,” Morris said. “I didn’t play last year because I felt burned out. Although it is still hard to rebuild my game after not playing after a year, I feel that I have a better approach to practice
and matches now that I love the game more than ever.” The women lead by senior Micah Hermsdorf won their first two matches as a D-1 program. They defeated Wright State, 4-3, and Cincinnati, 4-3 as well. However, Xavier snapped their two-match winning streak with a 5-2 loss as three singles matches were decided by a third-set tie-breaker. The women improved to a 2-1 record and the men remain at .500 with a 4-4 record. The men are on the road this weekend to Dallas and the women will play their first home matches of the season.
contact bahcall at pmb09a@acu.edu
Wentz selected to Academic All-District team daniel Zepeda sports editor Sophomore guard Parker Wentz was recently selected to the Capital One Academic All-District seven men’s basketball team on Thursday, Jan. 30. Wentz was one of five players selected from district seven which includes all NCAA Div. I schools within Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. “It’s a great honor,” Wentz said. “I feel extremely blessed to have been selected.” Joining Wentz on the Academic All-District team is Nebraska’s Shavon Shields, Oklahoma State’s Christien Sager and Phil Forte III and Montana’s Jordan Gregory. To be eligible for selection, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his or her current institution and be nominated by his or her sports information director. “It’s an incredible honor and one that he definitely deserves,” head coach Joe Golding said. “He’s been incredible for us this year and he’s the type of person that the ACU student body, staff and alumni should really be proud of.” Wentz is a native of Lubbock where he played at Trinity Christian high school. As a pre-dentistry/biology major, Wentz has a 3.9 GPA, has made the ACU Dean’s Honor Roll on three occasions and was selected as the ACU Athletics Student-Athlete of the Month in November of 2013. “I’ve always tried to put in my very best in ev-
“
Whether it’s basketball or school, I try to give everything I have.” Paker wentz sophomore guard
erything I do,” Wentz said. “Whether it’s basketball or school, I try to give everything I have.” Wentz is averaging 11.1 points per game, a Southland conference leading 2.5 three-point FG made per game and is fifth in the conference in three-point percentage with 43 percent. He is one of the conference leaders in minutes played per game, especially with the lack of depth the Wildcats have this year. Wentz’s highlight play of the year so far came on his game-winning lay-up against the Universtiy of Central Arkansas. With just 4.4 seconds left in the game, and the Wildcats trailing by one, Wentz caught the inbound pass and sprinted the entire length of the court to put up the game-winning shot for ACU. With the selection, Wentz now has the opportunity to become the program’s first Academic All-American since Athletics Director Jared Mosley received the distinction in 1999. “It’s exciting to be put into the same conversation as him,” Wentz said. “He’s a legend and I just hope I can have a career like he did.” The Div. I Academic AllAmerican team for men’s basketball will be released Thursday, Feb. 20.
Paige otway Staff Photographer contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
Sophomore guard Parker Wentz pushs the ball upcourt in the WIldcat’s game against Sam Houston State. Parker is averaging 11.1 points per game on 46 percent shooting.
Super Bowl: Defense wins championships SLOAN RANGER MATTHEW SLOAN SPORTS DIRECTOR
Super Bowl XLVIII was a disaster from the start. The Broncos started the game by botching a snap and it only got worse from there. The Broncos could not protect Peyton Manning or hold onto the ball the entire game, proving once again that defense wins championships. In this pass-happy NFL that Rodger Goodell built, we have bought into the lie that an elite quarterback and a high-flying offense are necessary to win Super Bowls. That is clearly not the truth. One of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game rolled into New York with three Pro Bowl-caliber receivers and an elite tight end, but Manning left with one touchdown. The weather was not a factor, but what
many have called the best offense ever was unable to score points. The NFL made several rule changes that favor offenses. Defensive backs are not allowed to make contact with receivers after five yards anymore, and delivering bone-crushing hits above the shoulders is a flag. However, the Seahawks adjusted their game while
“
still creating the havoc that is the calling card of any great defense. Peyton Manning’s famous pre-snap antics have been well documented, from his hand signals to his much-publicized yelling of “Omaha” before nearly every play. But nothing that Manning did could stop the Seahawks from flying around the field, tackling efficiently and putting pressure on the quarterback. Offense in the NFL is just like an orchestra. It takes each person on the field doing his job precisely in order to be successful. While the
The ‘Boys never gave up more than 17 points in a Super Bowl win. In the 48 years the Super Bowl has been played, the winning team has given up more than 30 points one time.
rest of America is enamored with 11 men working in perfect synchronization, the much-overlooked defenses are simply trying to throw off someone’s rhythm. The Hawks played press coverage for most of the game in order to throw off the timing of the Broncos and force Manning to hold the ball. Meanwhile, Seattle’s pass rushers came screaming off the edge with nasty intentions and put pressure on the quarterback, which forced Manning to get rid of the ball quickly. The simple paradox created by Seattle’s defense was enough to cause four turnovers and dominate the game. Great offenses put fans in the seats and sell jerseys, but they don’t win championships. Tom Brady won all three of his rings behind a stout defense and a great running game. Terry Bradshaw’s four rings came behind the Steel Curtain. The Cowboys have
won five Super Bowls behind Hall of Fame quarterbacks Rodger Staubach and Troy Aikman. However, the ‘boys never game up more than 17 points in a Super Bowl win. In the 48 years the Super Bowl has been played, the winning team has given up more than 30 points one time.
Seattle’s victory is just another reminder of what the statistics have been saying for 50 years. Defense always has and always will win championships.
contact sloan at mes10b@acu.edu
sports
wednesday 02.05.14
Wildcats drop both on the road reese gwin sports reporter The ACU women’s basketball team dropped both of its games on the road last week. The first came in a 59-80 loss to Stephen F. Austin University, and the second was a fourpoint nail biter to Northwestern State University. The Wildcats were hampered by the Ladyjacks with the absence of Whitney West to f lu-like symptoms. The sophomore guard is the team’s primary point guard and the leader of the offense, but without her the ’Cats failed to find a scoring rhythm. “Without Whitney, we started four players in a different position than they normally play,” head coach Julie Goodenough said. “We had a rough start without Whitney, and it impacted us heavily not having her available to
play that day.” ACU had a dismal day from behind the arc, shooting only 16.6 percent. Nonetheless, the Wildcats took the court against Northwestern two days later with their point guard and shooting back. The ‘Cats took a fourpoint lead into the halftime locker room, but the Lady Demons out-scored the ’Cats 45-31 in the second half and won 76-72. The second half woes were products of first half fouls. “Early in the second half, Renata [Marquez] and Suzzy Dimba were in foul trouble and spent a huge part of the second half on the bench,” Goodenough said. “That led to some mismatch issues for us, and we got ourselves into a little bit of a hole because two of our starters were sitting on our bench for so long in the second half.”
The defeat marked ACU’s fourth loss in five games, the third of which was only a two-possession margin ballgame. Freshman Alexis Mason led the Wildcats in scoring with 18, and Marquez still dropped 16 despite the foul trouble. Sydney Shelstead came off the bench with 16 and Suzzy Dimba grabbed 11 boards. The ’Cats have fallen below .500 in conference play with a record of 3-4, but still boast a 12-10 overall record. The road has been the toughest challenge for ACU thus far in Div. I, but the team is near perfect at home with an 8-2 record. The Wildcats are home this week where they will look to regain their consistency and stop their slide.
Senior forward Renata Marquez drives the lane against Sam Houston State in their game at Moody Coliseum.
Men’s basketball falls to 1-7 in SLC daniel zepeda sports editor The offensive woes continued for the men’s basketball team against Northwestern as they shot just 37 percent in the Wildcats 84-66 loss on Saturday. The game gives ACU a 7-15 overall record, and a dismal 1-7 Southland Conference record. “We got in a hole early on but were able to bounce back and make it a close game at halftime,” head coach Joe Golding said. “Second half though, we turned it over twenty times and we couldn’t get as many stops.” ACU shot well beyond the arc, sinking 12-23 three-point attempts. The team was also 12-14 from the charity strike, but committed 20 turnovers, off of which NSU converted 31 points. In the past three games, ACU has averaged nearly 20 turnovers a game, and teams are averaging 26 points off of those turnovers. “In the past six games since we’ve lost H [Harrison Hawkins] and LD [LaDarrien Williams] we’ve had 45 assists and 110 turnovers,” Golding said. “It’s tough with our personnel right now, but if we can limit the turnovers, then it keeps us in games and prevents us from hindering ourselves.” The Wildcats fell behind early in the game, down 15-0, but rallied to finish the first half strong, trailing 42-35 at halftime. Sophomore guard Parker Wentz contributed 17 of his 18 points in the first half, shooting 5-7 from threepoint range. “They ran a zone that allowed me and the rest of the guys to find some holes,” Wentz said. “We have to take care of the ball better though.”
standings Men’s basketball
Team
Div.
Ovrl
SFA SHSU Nicholls St. TAMU-CC NO NSU MSU UIW ORU SELU UCA Lamar ACU HBU
9-0 8-2 7-2 7-3 5-4 5-4 5-4 4-4 4-5 4-5 2-7 2-8 1-7 1-9
20-2 16-6 10-8 10-13 8-9 9-11 7-14 16-5 10-12 9-11 5-15 3-19 7-15 4-18
woMen’s basketball
deanna romero chief Photographer contact gwin at erg12a@acu.edu
8
Team
Div.
Ovrl
UCA Lamar SFA Nicholls St. SELU MSU NSU SHSU HBU ORU ACU TAMU-CC UIW NO
7-2 7-3 6-3 6-3 5-3 5-4 5-4 5-5 5-5 4-5 3-4 3-7 2-6 0-9
13-7 12-9 12-9 11-9 6-14 12-8 12-9 10-11 9-12 5-14 12-10 10-11 8-12 0-20
Who’s Hot Junior tennis athlete Borja Cortes played well this past weekend. He defeated his first singles oponent in straight sets (6-0, 6-0) and later won in doubles with sophomore Nicklas Wingord (6-0). He also defeated his second singles opponent (6-3, 5-6, 6-3) and won in doubles again with junior Guilherme Gesser (6-3).
The Demons came out in the second half firing on all cylinders, going on an early run to push their lead back to double digits. Over the span of 12 minutes, NSU continued to push the lead behind a 22-9 run that essentially ended the contest. “They get the majority of their points from running the ball in transition so we thought if we were able to keep them in the half court, we’d have a shot,” Golding said. Junior guard Rafael Farley had his best game of the season, finishing with 18 points on 6-8 three-point shooting. He also added six rebounds and two steals. Sophomore forward James Pegues added 12 points along with three steals. Northwestern was led by the continued shooting streak of senior guard Brison White, as he finished the game with 28 points on 11-14 shooting. Twenty-eight points is the highest ACU has given up to a single opposing player this year. The Wildcats will look to bounce back from the losses and play against Houston Baptist on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Moody Coliseum. The game will be a whiteout, and 250 ACU white T-shirts will be handed out before the game. “I’ve been really impressed with our student body,” Golding said. “The guys really get a boost from that and I really appreciate what they’ve been trying to do this year. It’s nice to see some of that tradition coming back.”
briefings Football head coach Ken Collums will announce the program’s signing class today at 5 p.m. in Living Room of the McGlothlin Campus Center. The event is open to the public. Sophomore guard Parker Wentz was named to the Capital One Academic AllDistrict 7 men’s basketball team on Thursday, Jan. 30. 250 “white out” shirts will be given out for Thursday’s basketball games in Moody Coliseum against Houston Baptist University. 250 “pink out” shirts will be given out for Satuday’s basketball games in Moody Coliseum against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Follow @OptimistSports on Twitter for the latest ACU sports news.
Upcoming paige otway Staff Photographer
contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
Junior guard Rafael Farley looks to drive towards the left part of the court in the Wildcats game against the Sam Houston Bearkats. The WIldcats lost their home game, 70-51.
Women’s basketball will play Houston Baptist Thursday at 5 p.m. in Moody Coliseum.
ACU dominates in Texas Tech Open Emily seidel sports reporter ACU track and field finished its third weekend of the season with another impressive performance, featuring a set of personal bests and top-10 placements at the Masked Rider Open in Lubbock. The meet, hosted by Texas Tech, showcased the strength of the field event. The Wildcats in particular had significant accomplishments in pole vaulting, weight-throwing and the heptathlon. Sophomore Luke Woods recorded personal bests in five events: 55m, shot put, high jump, 55 hurdles and pole vault. He earned a lifetime best
Men’s basketball will take on Houston Baptist on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. after of 4,880 points for ACU, Rainey throwing for coach Vladyslav Gorben- 25-27, the Wildcats are the conclusion of the shattering the previous 18.65m and 16.92m, re- ko, who works primarily hoping to continue the women’s game. high of 4,520 which won him the Lone Star Conference championship in February 2013. Woods’ score included a second-place finish in the hurdles behind teammate Jeremy Tatham, a runner-up spot in the 1000-meter run at 2:53.36, and a first-place leap of 4.10m in the pole vault. Tatham turned in a personal record long jump of 6.21m in his first heptathlon, contributing to his total of 3,850 points, but recorded no height in the pole vault event. ACU finished second and third in the men’s weight throw, with Baptiste Kerjean and Jelani
spectively. In the women’s weight throw, Shalaina Lakey earned fourth place with 16.94m, while Lauren Hartwick came in sixth with 16.49m, a personal best. Kenzie Walker recorded the ninth best women’s pole vaulting height in ACU history, with a personal record of 3.65m that earned her a fourth place spot in the event on Saturday. Darian Hogg and Malcolm Barnes finished fifth and 10th in men’s triple jump with distances of 14.30m and 13.53m, respectively. “Our goal is to see our athletes improve their marks with every competition.,” said assistant
with horizontal jumpers. “It will result in their peak performance on the day of the Southland Conference Championship. However, there is still time left and work to do before the meet.” In track events, the Wildcats came out just as strong. Upperclassmen Reyare Thomas and Daniel Block both finished second in their events with personal records. This is Block’s second runner-up finish of the season, following his notable time of 1:52.67 in the men’s 800-meters at the Texas A&M 10-Team Invitational on Jan. 18. With the Southland Conference Championships coming up on Feb.
success of their last three weekends of competition. “It’s still a little early to be able to tell how we’ll do this year,” Block said. “That said, we do have a number of athletes that should certainly challenge for a Conference victory in their respective events.” The ‘Cats compete again this weekend, Feb. 7-8, at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque.
contact seidel at eks13b@acu.edu
Track travels to Albuquerque, N.M. to compete against the University of New Mexico on Friday and Saturday. Women’s tennis will stay in Abilene to take on Texas-Permian Basin at 8 a.m. Saturday and then will play Trinity University at noon. Men’s tennis will travel to Dallas this Saturday to take on Southern Methodist Universtiy at 11 a.m. and then will play a TBA team later on at 4 p.m.