OPTIMIST THE
MONDAY August 23, 2004
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 1 1 section, 12 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Team nationally ranked:
Clinic, counseling center expanded:
Business boom:
The volleyball team is rated 28th nationally in a preseason coaches poll. Page 12
The counseling center moved to the lower level of McKinzie Hall, allowing the center and the medical clinic to double in size. Page 4
Five new businesses in Abilene have opened with more on the way. Page 3
‘She loved everyone’ Junior killed Aug. 14 while driving home to San Antonio By JONATHAN SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF
Although memories will pour out from the friends of Cheryl Halbert, they all cycle back to one thing: Cheryl’s love. Her love for people. Her love for family. Her love for friends. Her love for kids.
“She loved everyone,” said Andrea Schweikhard, junior communication major from Tulsa, Okla., and one of Halbert’s roommates. “She would cry with you immediately if something was wrong, but then she would calm you down immediately. She would listen as long as she needed to, and then she would give the best advice.” Halbert, 20, was killed Aug. 14 driving to San Antonio on U.S. Highway 87 near Mason when she lost control of the
vehicle and struck a tree. Chris Meeks, junior accounting major from Rockwall, was injured in the accident and was airlifted to Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo where glass was removed from his eye. Funeral services were Wednesday at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. Family and friends shared some of their favorite memories, and her brother Brett read excerpts from her diary from various points in her life—on Spring Break
Campaigns, at summer camp and studying abroad in Oxford. Women from Sigma Theta Chi, Halbert’s social club, brought yellow roses to the front during one song. Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, said he would speak to Halbert’s brothers, Brett, who lives in Abilene, and Darren, an incoming freshman, as well as her friends about having a memorial service for her See Halbert Page 10
COURTESY PHOTO
Cheryl Halbert, right-center, poses in front of Stonehenge last semester with roommates Angela Meyer, Andrea Schweikhard and Julianne Batts. Halbert was killed Aug. 14 driving to San Antonio.
Net worth increases $21 million Operating deficit half of what once was anticipated last year By JONATHAN SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF
EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
Freshman and transfer students participate in Welcome Week’s annual Candlelight Devo on Tuesday in the Beauchamp Amphitheater. Mike Cope, Highland Church of Christ preacher, was the keynote speaker for the event that brought to a close the opening day of Welcome Week.
Students’ lights shine despite rain Record number of new students work around storms By JACI SCHNEIDER OPINION EDITOR
Rain, upperclassmen and fun welcomed a record number of new students to campus last week. Although frequent thunderstorms dampened campus throughout Welcome Week, they didn’t dampen spirits. “We’ve had rain and all kinds of stuff that hasn’t really gone our way,” said Amber Cardot, a Welcome Week student director and a senior psychology major from Abilene. “But everybody has been really understanding.” Welcome Week officially began at 2 p.m. last Tuesday at the opening ceremonies in Moody Coliseum. From that point until Saturday afternoon, activities kept
new students busy. From lunch and dinner to Giant Twister to service projects and intramurals, students had plenty of opportunities to get involved. Of the more than 1,100 students who registered for the week, 70 auditioned for the talent show, and 800 signed up for intramurals, Cardot said. Turnout for activities was high as well, Cardot said. As an incentive to encourage students to attend activities, directors constructed “Dorothy the Cowgirl” to make an appearance at certain events. To enter the drawings, students had to record where they saw the Cowgirl throughout the week. Biketown donated a bike, and Wal-Mart donated a flat-screen TV. Heavy rain forced the four student directors — Cardot, Jonathan Ross, Misty Willcox and Demetrius Collins — to be creative this week. A service project Friday of playing with kids in Abilene
turned into writing letters to those children. The outdoor concert Friday night had to be moved indoors to Bennett Gymnasium, and inflatable games was canceled. Many students were disappointed that intramural football had to be canceled because the field was too wet to play on, Cardot said. The week was also a time for new students to meet people in their mentor groups and adjust to life at ACU. “It’s been fun and exhilarating,” said Josh Smith, a freshman business management major from Austin. However, some students found Welcome Week a little overwhelming. “It’s been the longest week of my life, but it kind of threw me into college,” said Lindsey Sisk, undeclared major from Boerne. E-mail Schneider at: jrs02a@acu.edu
See FINANCE Page 10
New Chapel coordinator begins work Chapel may not meet in Moody Coliseum on Thursdays this year By LORI BREDEMEYER EYAKEM GULILAT/Staff Photographer
Gillian Newcum sings in the Welcome Week talent show Saturday night in Moody Coliseum.
Enrollment forecasts show increasing numbers Exact figures will not be known until third week of school By SARAH CARLSON COPY EDITOR
Enrollment is predicted to increase slightly this fall compared to last school year with the largest freshman class in ACU history, administration and admission officials said. Official 12th-day enrollment figures will not be released for a few weeks. “We expect to meet or exceed our forecast, which was
for around 4,700 students,” said Jack Rich, executive vice president and administrator over recruiting and admissions. Rich is forecasting an increase of 20 students this fall, and more than 1,000 freshmen are expected to be enrolled, a number larger than last year. Robert Heil, director of enrollment operations, said he anticipates the freshman class to have 50 more students than last year, and he said the administration is pleased with the academic quality and diversity of the entering class. “It's been exciting this week
to watch the new students arrive to begin their college careers at ACU,” Heil said. The number of students attending Passport and the number of freshmen preregistered for classes validates the expectations for a larger freshman class, Heil said. He said freshman dorms are also at full capacity. Heil said enrollment in the graduate school is expected to increase as well. “Enrollment is looking stronger than the last two years” because the entering class is larger, said Tim Johnston, chief
The university realized a $21 million increase in net worth for the 2003-04 school year—the largest increase in net worth since 2000—said Phil Schubert, vice president of finance. Strong, yearlong investment gains in a market that had suffered for all investors the previous two years allowed the endowment to grow to $168 million, the highest it has ever been. Schubert said only 5 percent of the endowment is available for operating costs—costs required for the everyday operation of the university, such as salaries and health care costs. Most of the earnings in net worth are tied into investments in the endowment and are inaccessible for use with the operating budget. Because of that and a culmination of rising operating costs during the past couple years, the university had a $1.5 million operating budget deficit for ‘03-04. “Our projections from where we would end the year from an operating standpoint this last year ended up better than where we expected,” Schubert said, because at one point during the year officials estimated that deficit could grow as high as $3 million. Realizing the budget deficits would only continue to grow and peak at about $5 million in two years if nothing was done, the university organized 13 strategic teams last year to analyze most all facets of the university to look for cost-
strategic enrollment officer. Overall enrollment will depend on how many people return, Johnston said. At least 520 students graduated in May, the largest graduating class in ACU history, and Rich said more students are graduating in four years than in the past. Johnston said the graduating class was factored into enrollment projections, and it looks like this year’s senior class will be slightly smaller. E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu
Rich
Johnston
MANAGING EDITOR
The Chapel program is undergoing some tweaking this year, and a new coordinator recently has begun working. Shane Hughes, the new coordinator of Chapel programs who is taking Brad Carter’s place, started work two weeks ago. He said so far everything has gone smoothly. “I think that working with Chapel is like the soul of ACU, and it’s a place where we all get to come together,” he said. “It’s fun to be a part of that.” Hughes recently graduated from ACU with a Master of Divinity, and Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, said the department was lucky to find him. “Shane surfaced as a person who brings great skill,” Barnard said. “He has been trained theologically … and he has a great relationship with our Bible faculty and with ministers in town. We’re very blessed.” Barnard said a team of people on campus work to organize and develop Chapel, but Hughes is the person to coordinate everything. See CHAPEL Page 10