OPTIMIST THE
WEDNESDAY December 1, 2004
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 27 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Getting a Second Wind:
Survey says:
National treasure:
A faculty and staff intramural team dominates another flag football season. Page 5
An online Chapel survey worth two Chapel credits was available for students to complete during Thanksgiving break. Page 3
Nicodemus Naimadu became the second Wildcat to win a cross country title. Page 8
Thanksgiving travel raises safety concerns Four students involved in wrecks while driving during holiday break By LORI BREDEMEYER MANAGING EDITOR
Drivers traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday encountered heavier traffic and more serious driving conditions, and a few students were involved in wrecks last weekend. Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, said he knows at
least four students who had wrecks during the break, although he does not have many details. Caden Jameson, sophomore management major from Lovington, N.M., was seriously injured in a wreck with his uncle and friend near his hometown Sunday morning. Barnard said Jameson is currently being treated at Covenant Health System in Lubbock, and it is unknown how long he will remain there. Katie Ritter, freshman biology major from Louise, and
Joelly Rasamoelina, freshman sociology major from Fianrantsdai, Madagascar, were involved in a wreck outside of Mineral Wells on Sunday and were taken to Palo Pinto General Hospital in Mineral Wells. Both girls are now back at school. Philip Greer, freshman management major from Colorado Springs, Colo., called Barnard to say he had totaled his truck and he would have to ride back to school with someSee WRECKS Page 3
ACU chief of police warns students to take highway precautions By MALLORY SHERWOOD STAFF WRITER
In 11 days, ACU’s campus will appear deserted. Most of the 5,800 students, faculty and staff will be finished attending and teaching classes, and students will have departed to enjoy the onemonth Christmas break. If statistics are correct,
though, nearly 4,020 deaths will result from crash-related accidents nationwide during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day because of driver fatigue, speeding and cell phone use, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “You don’t want to be that statistic,” said Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU police. “Every year, every holiday travel season there are tragic accidents, like the Easter tragedy with the Nigerian students in 2002.
There are some people who think it won’t happen to them or to ACU students. It did, and it can.” Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Last year, a crash-related injury occurred every five seconds and a crash-related death every 12 minutes on average during the holiday season, said Jeffrey See SAFETY Page 3
‘On the first day of Christmas’
Third Day concert canceled Low ticket sales prompt band’s manager to make decision By TIFFANY TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
Third Day’s Live Wire concert, scheduled for Dec. 1 at Taylor County Coliseum, was canceled Nov. 23 by the band’s manager. Rochelle Johnson, administrative vice president for the Taylor County Expo Center, said low ticket sales, less than 500 sold as of Tuesday, caused the band’s manager to cancel the show. Tickets can be refunded by the sources tickets were purchased from. Those who bought tickets over the phone or on the Internet will have the $28.50 returned to their credit card. Tickets bought from the Expo Center can be returned Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The Expo Center requires the band to pay $2,500 up front, utilities, 10 percent of sales and sales tax. Outback Concerts, Third Day’s promoter, also receives a piece of the earnings. “There’s a whole bunch of cost that goes into making a concert,” Johnson said. Bands choose either to demand a percentage of money from ticket sales or to ask for money up front. Receiving money up front is less risky for the band, Johnson said, but it puts more pressure on the promoter, who won’t see any money if there isn’t any left over after the band is paid. She said asking for a percentage of the ticket sales is riskier for the band, but it can be potentially more rewarding than receiving money up front in the case of a huge turnout. Johnson said she believes gambling on the likelihood of last-minute boom in ticket sales, which is common in Abilene, was too risky for the promoter and manager. Nick Bradshaw, director of youth ministry at KGNZ, has seen a successful Third Day concert in Abilene before and believed the See CONCERT Page 4
EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
The combined orchestras of Abilene and Cooper high schools play during the annual Lighting of the Tree ceremony at the Abilene Civic Center on Tuesday night.
Sing Song directors begin organizing acts Class senators responsible for choosing directors By DANIELLE LINTHICUM STUDENT REPORTER
Eric Johnson and Brenna Schartz have attended Sing Song since they were kids. Now they are co-directors of the sophomore class Sing Song act, and, along with the other class directors, are preparing for next semester’s show, the 49th, on Feb. 18 and 19.
Both said they are thrilled to be directing this year. “I always thought it would be really cool if I could direct an act,” said Schartz, sophomore elementary education major from North Richland Hills. “And now I'm actually doing it.” “I’ve always loved Sing Song,” said Johnson, sophomore finance major from Boerne. “And I’m so excited to be co-directing it this year. It’s unique; Sing Song is one of the main reasons that I came here to school.”
Crunch time
Schartz and Johnson, along with the other class directors, were chosen by their senators, said Sarah Woodroof, Students’ Association secretary and junior history major from Nashville, Tenn. “Some classes have application processes; some just decide,” Woodroof said. “I was involved my freshman year and directed the sophomore act last year. It has always been fun.” Schartz said she is excited about meeting and spending time
with people during Sing Song. “That’s going to be the most rewarding part of it all,” Schartz said. Woodroof said she has seen a lot of enthusiasm for the show this year and also likes spending time with people while rehearsing. “It is something that the whole campus has in common,” she said. “It’s a chance to see people that you normally wouldn’t get to see.” See DIRECTORS Page 4
Chapel changes considered Community-formation Chapel could begin next semester By JACI SCHNEIDER OPINION EDITOR
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Amber Phillips, sophomore finance major from Houston, studies for her geology test on the third floor of the Brown Library on Tuesday. For many students, studying began this week for their last round of tests before finals. Others finish class projects and begin to think about finals.
Although original plans for Thursday Chapel never materialized this semester, coordinators said they hope to offer one special Chapel in Chapel on the Hill or Hart Auditorium in the spring, as well as small-group Chapels. Chapel has met in Moody Coliseum on Thursdays this semester even though coordinators had planned to have community-formation Chapels in three locations in addition to small-group Chapels. The locations proved too small for the number of students attending on Thursdays.
The new Thursday Chapel next semester will allow only a few hundred people to attend who are not in a small group. “Once the room is full, people will either have to miss Chapel, or they will join a small group,” said Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, in an e-mail. Barnard said Mark Lewis, director of spiritual life and student ministries, will possibly lead Thursday Chapel next semester. The three community-formation Chapels were supposed to be in Biblical Studies Building Room 114, Hart Auditorium and Cullen Auditorium; however, space in the three locations is limited, and attendance in Moody didn’t reach small enough numbers until too late in the
semester, said Shane Hughes, Chapel coordinator. On average this semester, about 1,370 students have attended Chapel in Moody on Thursdays, which Hughes said has gone well. Because of the attendance, coordinators combined the three planned ideas for community-formation Chapels into the themes covered in Chapel in Moody. “We rotated the three different ideas in and out of Moody,” Hughes said. Professors and ministers gave testimonies of their faith and shared personal stories with students who met in Moody, Barnard said. “Since we have been talking this semester about Life in the Spirit,” Barnard said, “it See CHAPEL Page 4