WEDNESDAY November 17, 2004
OPTIMIST THE
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 25 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Thriving on memories:
Sign up for Sing Song staff:
Tough competition:
Rita Harrell copes with her husband’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Page 8
Students can apply for the Sing Song production staff this week, and interviews will be conducted with applicants Saturday. Page 3
The men’s basketball team played two Division I schools this weekend. Page 10
Employees receive one-time pay next month Supplemental payment to come instead of annual salary raise By JONATHAN SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF
In lieu of annual raises, fulland half-time faculty and staff will receive a one-time supplemental pay Dec. 1. Full-time employees will receive $750,
and half-time employees will receive $375, as long as they were employed by June 1. Phil Schubert, vice president of finance, said he realizes the one-time payment will not replace annual raises university employees have grown accustomed to receiving. “We take very seriously the fact that we didn’t give raises last year,” Schubert said. “We recognize we’ve lost ground
Rain leaves Sociology out to dry
with respect to competitive salaries.” The university decided against giving raises this year when facing a possible $5 million deficit if nothing was done. Dr. Schubert Royce Money, president of the university,
organized 13 teams to look for cost-cutting strategies for the university, and they suggested cutting pay raises this year. “We couldn’t make longterm commitments to raises without knowing more about the financial direction,” Schubert said. He said the one-time pay will cost the university about $700,000, but raises would have cost twice that. As a result
of the cost-cutting strategies, Schubert has said the university now has a balanced budget. “It’s unfortunate we got there last year, but we had to deal with it responsibly,” Schubert said. “There are a lot of positive factors that converged and put us in a better situation.” Some of those positive factors include a record fall enrollment, strong investments
and a growing endowment. That allowed Schubert to increase the budgeted one-time pay amount from less than $500 for employees to the current levels. Schubert said he has not heard much response from faculty since the totals were announced earlier this semester, and Dr. Ginna Sadler, chair See PAY Page 7
Conference champs set for regional tournament
Four classrooms in Administration Building flood during weekend By LORI BREDEMEYER MANAGING EDITOR
Sociology instructors opened their classroom doors in the Administration Building on Monday to find standing water, forcing classes to be canceled and the Sociology Department to modify schedules and find substitute rooms. Rooms 100, 101, 102 and 103 and a storage room in the north wing of the Administration Building were affected by the water leak, said Dr. Bill Culp, chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Work. He said all classes that were to meet in those rooms did not convene, and staff in the president’s office had to move files out of the storage room. “Two of our classrooms will be out of use, See FLOOD Page 7
School sees no increase in flu cases Rector gives students with flu passes from class for one week By CHRISTY GOWER FEATURES EDITOR
Despite the nationwide shortage of flu vaccinations, ACU has seen an average number of cases so far, said Dr. Tony Rector, medical director for clinical services. He said the clinic has only treated about eight to 10 cases, which is about the same number as in the previous couple of years. Because of the vaccination shortage, though, Rector is giving students with the flu passes to stay out of class for five to seven days. He said he is doing this for two reasons: to give the students the rest they need to recover and to control the spread of the flu. “If someone is essentially quarantined to See HEALTH Page 7
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Michelle Bernhardt, junior outside hitter; Ashlee Motola, junior right-side hitter; Sophia Kindred, senior middle blocker; Liz Snoddy, freshman outside hitter; and Lindsey Martin, junior setter, celebrate after winning the first game of the match 30-19 against Cameron University for the Lone Star Conference title on Saturday. The Wildcats swept the match 3-0, going on to receive a berth in the NCAA Division II Southwest Region tournament. See page 10 for more coverage.
Alumnus to represent Texas in Congress Former Harris County district judge elected with 55 percent of vote
“As a judge, I’ve done everything I’d wanted to do. Now I’m ready to take on another endeavor.” Ted Poe, newly elected U.S. Congressman representing Texas’ 2nd District
By SARAH CARLSON COPY EDITOR
ACU alumnus and former Harris County District Judge Ted Poe was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 2 to represent Texas’ 2nd District. Republican Poe ran and won against incumbent Democrat Nick Lampson from the old District 9 with
55 percent of the vote. Last year’s redistricting put Lampson in the new District 2, which included Humble, the town outside of Houston where Poe has lived for 27 years. Poe said the new district contained about 50 percent new constituents and 50 percent of Lampson’s, and the campaign ran smoothly.
He said he decided to run for Congress as a change of pace, having spent so many years on the judge’s bench. “As a judge, I’ve done everything I’d want to do,” Poe said. “I’ve tried all the cases I’d like to, and now I’m ready to take on another endeavor.”
Poe served as the district judge for 22 years, trying 25,000 cases and became famous for his creative sentencing of criminals through the use of shame as punishment. Before his appointment as a Harris County judge, Poe served as chief felony prosecutor with the Harris Country District Attorney fresh out of the University of Houston Law Center, and he didn’t lose a case for eight years. In 1999, he helped write legislation allowing Texas judges to order public See POE Page 7
Haseltine shines at FilmFest Theatre major’s film wins five of nine awards in competition By DEE TRAVIS ARTS EDITOR
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Kelly Haseltine, senior theatre major from Abilene, speaks to the audience after her film, “As a Light is Lost in Light,” won the best overall film award at FilmFest on Friday with her teammates Amanda McGee, senior theatre major from Plano, and Amy Simpson, sophomore theatre major from Denver.
Kelly Haseltine was not even planning to attend FilmFest, much less winning four awards. Haseltine, senior theatre major from Abilene, was scheduled to be at a play rehearsal during FilmFest. Walking on stage to receive her fourth award, Haseltine said, “I’m really glad I was able to come tonight.” As a Light is Lost in Light, the film directed by Haseltine, won five of FilmFest’s nine
awards, including best entertainment film and best film overall. “I was completely surprised and very honored that our film was so well received by the judges,” Haseltine said in an email. “My team brought incredible storytelling and artistic skills to the table, and I’m proud of their professionalism and talent.” Haseltine also received awards for best director and best producer, and Amanda McGee, senior theatre major from Plano, brought As a Light is Lost in Light another award for best production design. FilmFest was conducted at the Paramount Theatre and was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., but the event began 20
minutes late. “People were lined up almost all the way around the block to buy tickets,” said Doug Darby, director of FilmFest and multimedia coordinator for the Adams Center for Teaching Excellence. “We began taking tickets out to the people in line, and we still got off to a late start.” He said about 1,000 people attended the event. “The event was an overwhelming success,” Darby said. “It far exceeded what I could have imagined.” Eighteen films were entered into FilmFest in three categories, but only the three finalists from each category were shown. See FILMFEST Page 7