OPTIMIST_2005-01-28

OPTIMIST THE

FRIDAY January 28, 2005

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Abilene Christian University

Vol. 93, No. 32 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Special ‘Delivery’:

Globetrotting into Moody Coliseum:

High expectations:

Elvis Costello mixes rock ‘n’ roll, blues and country in his latest album.

Page 5

The Harlem Globetrotters, the world-renowned, traveling basketball team, will play in Moody Coliseum on Feb. 3.

Page 9

The men’s track team looks to defend its title, while the women hope to regain theirs.

Page 10

Searching for

A desire for peace and truth in life led Dr. Fred Aquino away from his religious upbringing but finally back to God and the Church.

Authenticity

By Lori Bredemeyer, managing editor

Enrollment projections follow trend for spring About 300 students leave university, including December graduates

By MALLORY SHERWOOD FEATURES EDITOR

EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer

Dr. Fred Aquino, assistant professor of systematic theology, grew up as a Roman Catholic but turned from God in his teens. His search for truth in his life led him back to God and to ACU as an undergraduate and graduate student. He has now taught at ACU for almost seven years.

Dr. Fred Aquino teaches at a Church of appreciation and patience.” dards of living added to his confusion and Christ university, but unlike many of the Aquino, 41, allows his faith to lead his life unbelief. professors at ACU who have followed that now, but he did not always have so much “I also saw institutionally just tradition their entire lives, Aquino began his devotion to God. In high school, he started hypocrisy—racism, people who claimed to with different religious views. to question why things happen and gave up be Christian and were at times no different Aquino, assistant professor of systematic his belief in God. from the people who didn’t claim to be relitheology, grew up in Niagara Falls, N.Y., with “I never could make sense of why people gious at all,” he said. “So I pretty much his Italian Roman Catholic family in the ’60s who talked about religion were sometimes checked out and thought, ‘I’m going to find and ’70s. He said although authenticity elsewhere.’ his views on God and reli“I tried through sex; I gion have changed since “I remember reading the Gospels for the first time in my life. tried through drugs; I tried then, he continues to allow through relationships; I I discovered that the figure Jesus could heal broken people.” that upbringing to influtried through several ence his life and works to avenues, and I still found Dr. Fred Aquino, assistant professor of systematic theology balance his Roman myself lacking. … There Catholic background with was this longing for his current Church of wholeness and longing for Christ beliefs. incapable of giving answers to questions peace and authenticity.”

“For Roman Catholics who become evan- like, ‘Why do horrific tragedies happen in Aquino said he continued searching for gelicals or members of the Churches of the world?’ And I remember when I was 14 that wholeness throughout his teens and Christ, the tendency is to go back and basi- or 15 asking God to explain to me how to into the Air Force, where he worked as a firecally obliterate everything that you've inher- reconcile the notion of a good and all-know- fighter. One time on a flight, his friend, ited as a Roman Catholic, so there's this anti- ing and all-powerful God and the obvious Bruce Cutshall, tried to talk to Aquino about Catholic sentiment. However, I've tried to and pervasive aspects of evil in the world.”

See AQUINO Page 8 work through this tension with great care, Aquino said conflicting morals and stan-

By SARAH CARLSON ARTS EDITOR

Abilene residents have two new options for dining: T.C. Luigi’s Pizza and Oscar’s Restaurant, both of which opened in November.

T.C. Luigi’s serves New York-

style pizza as well as Greek and Mediterranean food, the owner of the franchise being from Greece.

Greg Bondick, along with his wife, Lynnette, bought into the Arizona franchise and opened their restaurant at 4001 John Knox Blvd. near Target.

Bondick owned a local Pizza Inn and said he has been in the restaurant and pizza business for many years. He found the Web site for Luigi’s while he was searching

for franchise opportunities and said he couldn’t pass it up. He said the traditional New York pizza’s crust is thin and crispy but still foldable, and they also offer a deep-dish pizza.

“We’re just ordinary pizza at an ordinary price,” Bondick said.

“That’s our motto.”

He said the prices are competitive, business is doing well, and even though Luigi’s doesn’t currently offer any student specials, it has

See ENROLLMENT Page 8

SA approves project funds for Sikes Hall

Congress to look for more funding to connect Sikes, WPAC parking lots

By JONATHAN SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF

several lunch specials he thinks students will like.

T.C. Luigi’s is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends and delivers all over Abilene.

For something closer to campus, Oscar’s Restaurant offers a variety of food ranging from Mexican dishes, breakfast burritos, rib-eye steak, cheeseburgers

The Students’ Association’s first official business meeting of the semester Wednesday began by revisiting a project approved last semester.

Sikes Hall Rep. Lauren Hart explained that although the university’s administration was in favor of Congress’ proposed project to connect the Sikes and Williams Performing Arts Center parking lots, the money was not available this semester for the $9,000 project.

Connecting the parking lots would have allowed traffic flow to circulate around Sikes instead of coming to a dead end. In November, SA approved funding for part of the project — an amount to be determined at a later date. On Wednesday, Congress reaffirmed that commitment by unanimously approving $2,000 for the construction costs.

Although the university cannot fund the rest of the project this semester, Hart said she still wants to see the parking lots connected.

“I’m going to do my very best to find donors because I want to see this done before the end of the semester,” Hart said.

See RESTAURANTS Page 8

See SA Page 8

New restaurants provide foreign flavor T.C. Luigi’s, Oscar’s restaurants looking to entice students

The Admissions Office estimates an increase in enrollment from the 2004 spring semester, and official numbers were not released until Wednesday.

Robert Heil, director of admissions and enrollment management, said between 4,375 and 4,440 students enrolled this semester.

University officials are inHeil creasing recruiting efforts as the Centennial Campaign draws near. They said they hope to counter the number of students who leave after the fall semester.

This past fall, ACU set a new record with an entering class of more than 1,200 students.

Total enrollment was 4,786 students.

More than 300 students left ACU after the fall semester, including December graduates, but this is a trend that occurs every year, Heil

$20,000 donated to Theatre Department Gift given to honor Rob Sommerwerck, who died in 2003

By LORI BREDEMEYER MANAGING EDITOR

The mother and step-father of Rob Sommerwerck donated $20,000 to the Theatre Department, and Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, presented the check in Thursday’s theatre small-group Chapel to Adam Hester, chair of

the department.

Sommerwerck was killed April 15, 2003, when his car was broadsided by a truck on East Highway 80 near Loop 322. He was 20.

Barnard said James and Sheril Brown of Cypress, Sommerwerck’s step-father and mother, wrote him a letter dated Jan. 10 that he received last week. The $20,000 check was included with the letter, and Barnard said he was “blown away.”

“I think it speaks volumes

of our Theatre Department,” Barnard said. “I think a culture exists in our Theatre Department that is very accepting and loving and friendly, and Rob was a recipient of that.”

Although Sommerwerck had not declared a major, Barnard described during the presentation how he found a place to fit in with the theatre students.

“He had found his home, literally, in the Theatre Department,” Barnard said. “In fact, it was in this department

that he had his most meaningful sense of belonging here at ACU. … He felt deeply about the love and the acceptance he had found here with his theatre friends.”

Hester said during Chapel that Sommerwerck was the kind of person everybody loved to be around.

“When we think about Rob, we think about a kind of joyousness about Rob,” he said.

“He was both goofy and friendSee GIFT Page 8

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Shenoa Cramer, junior theatre major from Houston, speaks after Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of campus life, presented the Theatre Department with a $20,000 gift honoring Rob Sommerwerck, who died in 2003.

CAMPUS Friday, January 28, 2005

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Calendar&Events 30

Friday

Latin America Study Abroad meeting, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Mabee Library Auditorium.

Purple Friday, 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Living Room.

Honors Student Association meeting, 3 p.m., Administration Building Room 216.

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DAY

Sunday

Sophomore Sing Song rehearsal, 24 p.m., Hilton Room.

Siggies Sing Song rehearsal, 7-9 p.m., Hilton Room.

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Monday

Summer camps job fair, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Hilton Room.

Saturday

Shades Show, 8 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

“Sex and the Single Christian” discussion panel, 7 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

Baseball banquet, 6-9:30 p.m., Hilton Room.

Black History show rehearsal, 7:3010 p.m., Living Room.

Announcements Creative Services needs photographs of ACU, especially prior to 1950. If a student or his/her relatives have color or black-and-white photographs, Creative Services would like to either borrow them or accept them as donations to ACU archives and/or the photographic history book of ACU for the

Centennial. For more information, contact Ron Hadfield at Ext. 2690 or e-mail hadfieldr@acu.edu.

Recent problems with the ID system have be corrected. Meal plans, door access and labs are working properly. For questions or concerns, call Ext. 2962 or Team 55 at Ext. 5555.

About This Page The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities.

Groups may send announcements directly to optimist@jmc.acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor, ACU Box 27892, Abilene, TX 79699.

To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style.

Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.

Senior class Sing Song rehearsal, 910:45 p.m., Hilton Room.

“From the Top,” 7 p.m., Paramount Theatre.

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Sophomore class Sing Song rehearsal, 9-10:45 p.m., Hilton Room.

Tuesday

“The Two Powers,” part of Healthy Relationships Week series, 11 a.m., Moody Coliseum.

Healthy Relationships Week brown bag luncheons, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Hilton Room and Living Room.

Black History show rehearsal, 7:3010 p.m., Living Room.

Resume workshops, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Living Room.

Chapel Check-Up Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:

14 57

CAMPUS NEWS

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Friday, January 28, 2005

Leaders encouraged by SA vision Student leaders attend Invision workshop, learn to build, unite

BY TIFFANY TAYLOR PAGE 2 EDITOR

The Students’ Association sponsored the second annual Invision Saturday in the north lobby of the Williams Performing Arts Center.

Invision, SA’s spring leadership event for academic and social clubs, brought together 111 student officers and leaders.

Because nearly 90 percent of clubs vote for new officers in the spring, SA wanted to sponsor an entertaining mini-leadership camp that focused on coping with these transitions, said Melanie Booker, senior political science major from Sugar Land and vice president of SA. Joel Quile, director of ministry for Crosswind Ministry and associate campus minister for Highland Church of Christ, spoke about the importance of transition.

Students then split into

groups for a workshop aimed at mirroring leadership in a club or other organization. Each group was given a set of Legos and a picture of a finished Lego piece without instructions.

After each round, the teams were given further instructions to help them.

With the first round, only the leaders could read the instructions, but they could not touch the Legos. Next, the leaders were allowed to touch the Legos; and finally, the whole group was allowed to see the instructions and help the leaders. Not until the final round could the teams finish the Lego piece within the time limit.

“Just like in the real world, you’re given the pieces, but you may not have ever done it before,” Booker said. She wants this activity to help leaders realize how impaired future leaders of their organization will be if left without instructions.

Students were given questions to discuss within their groups and a personal questionnaire to take home. The last question on the questionnaire

asked: “What is something you can leave behind as footsteps for others to follow?” SA plans to e-mail all the responses to student leaders who attended.

“The food was great, the speaker, Joel Quile, was right on target, and I think it was a very well-received event by everyone who attended,” said Jefferey Rasco, senior business major from Abilene. Rasco, the vice president of Gamma Sigma Phi and a senior senator, said his social club places importance on preparing future leaders.

“It did open my eyes to the lack of leadership transition in other organizations,” he said.

Booker said Invision is an important SA service.

“SA really feels it has the responsibility to mentor to student groups,” Booker said. “If we thought we could have put it into a manual, we would have, but we thought we needed a whole night.

“There isn’t a one-size-fitsall transition for a group.”

E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu

SA looking to remodel Campus Center Student input needed for possible summer renovations

BY DANIÈLE NTAHONKIRIYE STUDENT REPORTER

Students’ Association representatives plan to survey students’ opinions about the Campus Center Monday.

The administration is addressing the idea of renovating the area, but actual development will not begin until the summer.

“We are looking at some possible ways to make the Campus Center a little bit more lively, where people enjoy hanging out, relaxing and meet peoples’ needs,” said Layne Rouse, SA president.

Rouse said the university could use better meeting spaces.

“We wanted to somehow gather students’ input for the center of student involvement, and we hope some of the students’ ideas, especially the ones that come up over and over again, can be included in the Campus Center’s renovation,” Rouse said.

He said four SA representatives will survey students to develop as many ideas as possible.

Freshman Sen. Jordan Williams said SA is planning to put couches in the Campus Center and have students come in and give feedback on it.

SA wants to have surveys available for more student input and involvement in the plans

and think more student activities should be free.

“The recreation center is a place where very few people go because, not only do they charge for everything you do, but it’s not open for long hours,” said Williams.

Freshman Sen. Brandon Smith invites all students to help bring this project off the ground by participating in the survey as soon as it is available.

“The main reason why we want to start to do this is because there is no real place for students to just relax and have fun during the day and evenings,” Smith said.

E-mail Ntahonkiriye at: optimist@acu.edu

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Mark Perry, senior accounting and finance major from San Antonio, guides Andrea Gallman, junior history major from Houston, Lauren Graham, senior interdisciplinary major from Abilene, and Katie Alfson, junior animal science major from Westlyn, Ore., through constructing a Lego car during the SA Invision workshop on Sunday in the Williams Performing Arts Center.

CAMPUS NEWS

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Centennial book in progress Campaign to begin 2005 school year with photographic book MALLORY SHERWOOD FEATURES EDITOR

The Centennial Campaign’s yearlong celebration will begin in February with production of a photographic book honoring ACU and its 100-year history.

Ron Hadfield, director of creative services and editor of ACU Today magazine, plans to begin compiling the 192-page, hardback book that will be for sale for $40 to $50 this August.

“The book will be one of the finest things alumni can buy to remember the Centennial,” Hadfield said. “We want it to be one of the best things we’ve ever done and to be worth the investment, something [people] buy for friends and family members who know and love ACU.”

The President’s Council on the Centennial believed ACU needed to produce a special coffee-table book to commemorate the centennial, said Michelle Morris, assistant vice president for the university and Alumni Relations and Centennial Celebration director, in an e-mail.

Hadfield and two graphic designers, Ken Stewart and Greg Golden, have been designing the untitled centennial book for more than a year. The book will contain hundreds of pictures gathered from ACU’s archive, the library’s archive, donations from ACU alumni and a dozen or more narrative essays about the university.

“Alumni have donated photos they may have had in their cedar chests, file cabinets or attic,” Hadfield said. “People have been taking pictures from the beginning of the school in 1906 and last year we had one donated from 1918.We want

BY TIFFANY TAYLOR PAGE 2 EDITOR

ACU’s Credit Union has temporarily set up shop in Room 112 in the Administration Building. The Credit Union’s new home, Room 113 is being renovated from a computer lab.

“We’re repurposing the room from a lab to an office space,” said Bob Nevill, director of physical resources.

Nevill recently received the plans for the project and is now taking bids from subcontractors, who will complete specialized portions of the work, Nevill said. He predicts the work on Room 113 will be finished in about six weeks.

The changes will not be radical, and the finished product will resemble a bank, Nevill said. The biggest issue Nevill said he’s encountered is asbestos, which he said sounds

worse than it really is.

“Almost any building that’s over 30 to 40 years old has asbestos issues,” Nevill said. A specialty contractor will seal the room and take up the tiles, which are the source of the asbestos.

The Credit Union has been unable to set up all of the materials in its temporary space, but it is keeping some nonessentials in a storage closet.

Lycia Hardin, manager of the Credit Union, said she likes the new location.

“We have several members who are no longer employees of ACU,” Hardin said, mentioning customers who found it hard to walk down the stairs at the Credit Union’s old location, McKinzie Hall. “We’re handicap accessible now, where we weren’t before. So we’re very pleased.

“It’ll probably increase our business, being in a more seeable location, more convenient,” she said.

The Credit Union’s old location is now used by the Career Development office, part of a

Do we really want to volunteer?

the book to have the best photography of the last 100 years.”

Hadfield is also hoping for the book’s production to remain in the ACU community.

“My goal is for it to be completely written, designed and put together by alumni of the university,” Hadfield said. “It will make it a more meaningful project in the end.”

Morris said 8,000 books will be ordered this summer, but people will have the chance this spring to pre-order the book.

Hadfield and Morris both look forward to when the book is complete.

“You don’t get to do a centennial very often; it is a privilege to work on a project like that,” Hadfield said. “It’ll be a lot of hard work, but it will be worth the effort.”

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu

ACU Credit Union finds home Cheap computers for sale from old computer lab

Friday, January 28, 2005

plan to have the Office of Career and Academic Development, the University Testing Center, and the Counseling Center all in one location.

“Part of the deal was that the Credit Union would have to move to the other building,” said Karen Whitemeyer, testing coordinator.

Nevill said computers removed from the Administration Building lab have reached the maximum age for use on the ACU campus. The computers will be sold in the Campus Center to individuals wanting a cheaper computer, which will help offset the cost of buying new computers.

New computers bought to replace these will be given to the library. The library is currently deciding how to best use these computers in an effort to make the library more studentfriendly, Nevill said.

E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu

Annette Royal, Ortiz Elementary School campus coordinator for Communities in Schools, explains to Andrew Crist, freshman biology major from St. Louis, Mo., and Kelly Klinkerman, freshman business major from St. Louis, Mo., about volunteering for Communities in Schools during the Service Expo in the Campus Center.

Alumni award nominations due Feb. 7 One-hundred twelve awards to be given to alumni for Centennial

BY DANIÈLE NTAHONKIRIYE STUDENT REPORTER

Nominations are wanted for the Distinguished Alumni Citation and “Change the World” Awards.

The Alumni Advisory Board will present 12 Distinguished Alumni Citations instead of the usual four because the ACU Centennial is at hand, said Betsey Craig, coordinator of Alumni Communications, in Craig an e-mail.

The awardees are chosen from all three colleges at the university.

Nominations are due Feb. 7 and are accepted from all arenas, including alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of the university.

“Distinguished Alumni Citations should include a distinctive personal and professional achievement that has merited the honor and praise of peers and colleagues,”

Craig said.

Recipients maintain a relationship with ACU and are dedicated to their church and community.

For DACs, nominations should include support materials about the nominee.

Biographical information and character are examples of details that distinguish one nominee from another.

One-hundred “Change the World” Awards will also be presented.

“These awards were created to recognize individuals who quietly make a difference in small or large ways on the campus, in the community and throughout the world,” Craig said.

Members of the Alumni Advisory Board decided to present 12 DACs and 100 CTW Awards as contribution to the Centennial Celebration and recognition of worthy alumni who make a difference to ACU. The board will select recipients of the awards in February, and the Alumni Relations Office will be coordinating selection and presentations.

“When and where they will all be presented will be determined after the selections are made. Many will be

made in hometowns; some will be made on campus—it will depend on the recipient, timing, etc..,” Craig said.

For more information on alumni awards, including selection criteria and past recipients, see the Web site at http://www.acu.edu/alumni/a wards.html. Also see the winter 2005 issue of “ACU Today” magazine (available from Creative Services in the Vanderpool Building, next door to Copy Stop.)

Nominations for Distinguished Alumni Citations can be made online at http://w w w. a c u . e d u / a l u m n i awards/nominations.htm For more information on the Alumni Advisory Board, see the Web site at http://www.acu.edu/alumni/team/aab.html.

Individuals can be nominated for “Change the World” Awards at http://www.acu.edu/events/changetheworld/nominate.html.

Information for either award can be sent to Betsey Craig at ACU Box 29131 or craig@alumni.acu.edu.

E-mail Ntahonkiriye at: optimist@acu.edu

“Urban Jungle” show begins Saturday First of Shades’ three spring performances expects large crowd

BY VALERIE HANNEKEN STAFF WRITER

Purchased ticket sales reached 100 Wednesday for the upcoming Shades performance, with only two days of sales. Members anticipate additional ticket sales before the show.

The theme for the Shades performance, “Urban Jungle”, incorporates both male and female acts.

“We picked the theme Urban Jungle because there are two squads in Shades: men’s and women’s. The girls’ individual part is titled “Stomp” and the boys’ part is “Enter the Jungle,” said Emanuel White, junior graphic design major from Fort Worth and head captain of Shades.

The two themes joined together to create the show Urban Jungle.

The group will perform Urban Jungle Saturday at 8 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium.

Ticket prices are $4 at the ticket windows in the Campus Center, and $5 at the door.

“I am very excited that the show is coming up soon,” White said.

Since the first week of school, the 25 Shades members have been practicing almost every day. The stomp group practices Tuesday and Thursday from 8-10 p.m. and has added Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings now that the performance date is close.

White says that during the past two weeks members have been fine-tuning the performance.

“The practices are extremely rigorous; we have to be meticulous with our moves,” said Jonathan Holloway, soph-

omore biology major from Wylie.

“It takes a good sense of rhythm and working together as a team.”

The show format will consist of an opener with all Shades members followed by separate men and women’s acts.

Other show fillers will include soloists, a comedy act and band performances. The show will conclude with a finale where the whole team joins together again and performs an Urban Jungle routine.

After this weekend’s performance, Shades will begin preparing for their next show.

“This year we will be in the Sing Song production, and then we will start preparing for our last show on April 16,” White said.

E-mail Hanneken at: vlh03a@acu.edu

ARTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST

January 28, 2005

Mitch’s rating system 80-100: Exceptional. The album kept my attention from beginning to end.

Musically and lyrically a strong album—must-have.

This also means that this given album is better than 80-100 percent of the albums I've reviewed or heard.

60-79: Very good. Several things were lacking, but overall it’s till an album to write home about. It’s undoubtedly worth buying, depending on your musical tastes, and better than 60-79 percent of the albums I've reviewed or heard.

40-59: Below average to average. Some of it’s good, but not worth buying.

Borrow it if you must.

0-39: If an album receives a score in this range, I was probably handsomely paid to review the album. It’s not worth even considering a listen.

The Box Office Figures are for the weekend of January 21-23 and are in millions. Total grosses in parenthesis.

1 Are We There Yet?—$18.6 (new) 2 Coach Carter—$10.5 ($42.8) 3 Meet the Fockers—$9.7 ($247.2) 4 In Good Company—$8 ($27.4) 5 Racing Stripes—$6.8 ($27.1) 6 Assault on Precinct 13—$6.5 (new) 7 White Noise—$5 ($49.4) 8 The Aviator—$4.8 ($58) 9 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera—$4.6 ($33.1) 10 Elektra—$4 ($20.4)

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Elvis lives: Costello a great ‘Delivery Man’

By MITCH HOLT STAFF WRITER

Elvis Costello & The Imposters The Delivery Man Lost Highway Records Rating: 60 As the ’60s ended, when Beatlemania was reluctantly coming to an end and our parents’ hair was losing a few inches, music took a backseat to rehabilitation clinics and tie-dye burning festivals.

During these years of musical rebuilding, a delightful little music scene was forming across the Atlantic in the heartland of England. The punk rock movement took full swing as youngsters zealously preached their anti-Thatcher, anti-capitalist gospel, and the day of DIY (Do It Yourself) began its reign.

Caught in the mix of this era, Elvis Costello distanced himself from this scene musically but became a role model in his lyrics of substance and ironic angst. He was linked to the punk rockers simply because of his relentless lyrics.

Costello is arguably one of the greatest musicians of all time on an album-to-album basis.

Approaching a 30-year career, Costello still plays small clubs

in cities all over the globe — by choice.

Costello, born Declan McManus in London in 1955, went to school until he was 17, dropped out and worked as a computer programmer and folk club performer until he was signed to Stiff Records in the mid ’70s. Costello’s debut album, My Aim is True, was released in 1977 and was a stepping-stone into the next wave of popular music. Hints of The Beatles and Elvis Presley are sprinkled sporadically throughout the album, but not enough to dub the release unoriginal.

In the early to middle years of his career, Costello dabbled in musical collaborations, but dwelled mainly in the world of his solo career. More recently, Costello has become known for his collaborations, especially his arguably most famous collaboration with Burt Bacharach. Why this is, I don’t know.

The Delivery Man, Costello’s most recent full-length release, was recorded in the heart of the Delta — Oxford, Miss.,— located between his musical birthplace, Tupelo, and Memphis, Tenn. Memphis, birthplace of blues and stepfather of rock-and-roll, is clearly audible in the album, as much as a

city can actually be heard in a musical composition.

Twangy steel guitars provide a good ole country feel to the album as well. Perhaps the star pupil in Costello’s list of tracks that make up the album is Nothing Clings Like Ivy. The song features female country legend Emmylou Harris and is pure country and pure awesome through and through.

The lyrics are solid, subtle, less abrasive and picturesque.

Costello’s words paint a different picture with every song.

The songs become slightly repetitive after awhile and I found myself skipping through the last half of a song or two here and there, but this isn’t too detrimental to the album.

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the album isn’t in the songwriting or the presence of legendary accompaniment.

The songwriting is good, and very few elements can beat musical cameos from Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams, but the vintage sound of the album is what drew me in.

We now live in a recording world of multi-tracking, notealtering and, well, cheating, but Costello keeps it real on The Delivery Man. The album, recorded in mid-2004, doesn’t sound completely old fashioned, but holds the precise

Photo courtesy of WWW.ACLFESTIVAL.COM

Elvis Costello has been performing for almost 30 years. His latest album, ‘The Delivery Man,’ is in stores now, and a deluxe edition of the album will be released March 1. rawness that an old-time rock indulge in Elvis Costello. ‘n’ roll/Memphis blues/country album should have.

The album gets my marks.

E-mail Holt at: Pick up The Delivery Man and mah02f@acu.edu

Art galleries, concerts, films abundant in Abilene

By SARAH CARLSON ARTS EDITOR

While Abilene may not be the center of Western civilization, residents have a variety of options to keep themselves entertained. Here is a sample of upcoming events in town for your enjoyment.

The Grace Museum is hosting Nigel McGilchrist, art historian and scholar, next week

during the presentation of three Italian Renaissance paintings. He will have several lectures with museum guests and students during his stay, finishing with a free Gallery Talk at 6:30 p.m. Thursday entitled Three Master Italian Renaissance Paintings: The Stories They Tell and the History They Illuminate.

The Historic Paramount will host a live taping for the

national broadcast of “From The Top,” sponsored by KACU. The radio show features exceptional young classical musicians in a chance to show off their chops and is hosted by Christopher O’Riley. The performance starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are available at the Paramount Theatre box office between noon and 5 p.m. or by calling 676-0648, or calling KACU at 800-933KACU (5228) Adult tickets

are $20, KACU members’ are $15 and students’ are $10.

Also at the Paramount in early February is the film In America, the story of family of Irish immigrants as they move to New York City, chasing the American dream and coming to terms with their past. The film shows Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with ArtWalk. The Paramount Valentine’s Day classic film is

1934’s It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert and winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture. The film will be shown Feb. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for both films are $5 for adults and $4 for students.

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu

VIEWSFRIDAY OPTIMIST

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Iraqi elections need to go forward

The issue: The Iraqi election is scheduled for Sunday, and the possibility of increased violence is imminent.

Our view: A time will never come when the elections can take place without violence and controversy, but the process of democracy needs to begin.

The solution: The Iraqi election should not be canceled, and Iraqis need to vote, not succumb to fear.

January 28, 2005

The Iraqi elections are scheduled for Sunday when Iraqis will elect a 275seat National Assembly and 19 regional legislatures. The Assembly will have one year to write a constitution and elect a president and deputies who will choose a prime minister. The constitution must then be ratified in the fall before a permanent government can be elected in December under the new constitution.

The political climate in Iraq is dangerous, but it is necessary

While never perfect, the road to freedom is always marred with obstacles but is a road worth taking. We hope this step toward a new government will provide a greater respect for justice and equality.

It is important for Iraqis not to succumb to fear and terror by militants and vote on Sunday.

To quote one of our nation’s forefathers, Benjamin Franklin, “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

the nation for the election The building of a democracy is a slow and often to and its people to continue as tedious process, but the process must begin. as soon as posscheduled on sible. Life for Sunday for the Iraqis has been promotion of democracy and the beginning of if they are not allowed to vote dangerous and will continue to the slow transition into a more in the election. The Sunni be, even immediately after the minority has oppressed the election. stable and peaceful society.

A group of insurgents Several candidates for the Shiite majority in Iraq for Iraqi election have been assas- decades with the help of should not decide the fate of a sinated in recent weeks, and Saddam Hussein. With Hussein nation. The Sunni minority militant groups are threatening arrested and democracy com- should, however, be allowed to all Iraqis who participate in the ing to Iraq, Shiites are looking partake in the political process and not be persecuted for doing democratic process. Car bomb- to regain power.

The building of a democracy so. If they do not, the election ings and kidnappings have increased as of late and after is a slow and often tedious rightfully will be seen as unfair the election, a civil war could process, but the process must and invalid in their eyes, thus surface by radical Sunni forces begin in order to bring security causing even more violence.

All for the prez’s new precedent

Daniel Barcroft

In My Words

YOUR VOICE

I just finished reading your comments concerning the extravagance of the Presidential inauguration festivities. It is noted that you use quotes from the N.Y. TIMES (“All the news that fits ...”) and CNN (“Conservatives Need Not apply”). In fairness, perhaps you would be interested in considering some of the facts presented in this article from NEWSMAX. I can agree in part, with many of the points you are making. However, it should be made clear that extravagance at these celebrations is not a “political party thing.” If so, then according to this article, President Roosevelt and the Democrats hold the record.

Some people will always argue over what is a “waste of money” or too extravagant.

(You may not be old enough to remember the controversy over the GATA Fountain.) Could I make better use of forty million

Re: The Optimist, January 21.

“Prez’s party sets wrong precedent” by Sarah Carlson, Arts Editor

dollars? Possibly, but most likely many would disagree with my “distribution of the funds.”

As long as the celebration is being paid for by individuals and corporations and not tax money, I say, “Thank God we live in a country where we are celebrating freedom and all the blessings that are ours in this great United States of America.” Some people feel that is a celebration worth giving their money for. I will just thank them ... and enjoy the party.

Bryan Boss Class of ‘60 Canton, PA

Celebs obligated to use fame for good In response to Tiffany Williams’s opinion article “Stop talking and start signing checks,” I must ask Ms. Williams, when was the last time you saw George Clooney’s tax return? How did you acquire the list of celebrity donations from the Tsunami Aid telethon? How do you know that celebrities are NOT donating everything they can not only to tsunami relief but other relief and charitable organizations as well? If you have such proof, you should have presented it in your article, but my assumption is that you do not have such proof. In my opinion, celebrities have an obligation to use their fame to promote benevolence and charity, and that is exactly

Re: The Optimist, January 21, “Stop talking and star t signing checks” by Tiffany Williams, Copy Editor

what they did on the telethon.

To criticize them for not putting “ their money where their mouth is” is not only presumptuous and judgmental, but very irresponsible without appropriate proof. I urge you to reconsider your article, and moderate your flippant criticism in the future.

Jason Martin class of 1999

Readers should have given more Still, I am thankful for the money that was contributed.

It's a sign of hope that people still have compassion for others in their hearts. I can't criticize other people for the help they gave (regardless of how much more they could have given). I could have given more, too (and should have).

Stephen Patterson youth and family ministry

Missing Conan? Fill in with Darth Tater Star Wars Episode III is due out May 19, and I’m pumped.

Now I couldn’t care less about the movie. I still haven’t seen the second episode, and I don’t have plans to.

But I’m ready for the premovie hype, the rolling Gray scores of Matters propaganda.

Warren Gray I’m ready for Darth Tater.

The latest in Hasbro’s line of Mr. Potato Head figures, Darth Tater is the spud-like rendering of Darth Vader, Star War’s sinister villain. In addition to normal removal parts such as eyes and a mouth, the vegetable from the dark side will come fully equipped with a light saber, cape and helmet; James Earl Jones voice not included.

I personally think it speaks volumes for the Vader per-

or to refuse to print letters containing personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy.

Please limit letters to 350 words or less. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

without a doubt. Triumph’s work in the “interview,” as with all of his ground-breaking escapades, is cutting edge and norm-defiant. It’s journalism at its best, and he’s not afraid to ask the tough questions.

“Where’s the button that calls your parents to come pick you up?” Triumph asked the Darth wannabe after the costumed man proudly displayed the “control panel” with which he controlled his Vader-esque heavy breathing.

Haven’t seen Triumph’s work yet, well you should.

Check out Conan at 11:30 p.m. on channel…oh yeah, we don’t get NBC anymore.

Let that sink in. We don’t get NBC, but do you really care?

Seriously, who really misses it? NBC is like similarly

Respond to Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu

Do you think the Iraqi election will go forward as planned or be postponed?

“I guess I haven’t really been keeping up with it enough to know.”

“Honestly, I haven’t been keeping up with the news, so I don’t know.”

The Optimist, January 21, “Stop talking and star t signing checks” by Tiffany Williams, Copy Editor

Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist Editorial Board 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, its Editorial Board or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors

sona when a black helmet with a futuristic face mask can make a potato look menacing. And for a price less than the cost of the cajun chicken pasta at Chile’s, Darth Tater can be yours.

I’m looking forward to purchasing one simply for the memories it would evoke of ol’ Darth. No, not of Vader staring at a bewildered Luke Skywalker before unleashing the statement that must have taken months of therapy to get past, “Luke, I’m your father.”

My favorite Vader memory involves a hand-puppet, not a light saber, and doesn’t include Jones’ voice at all.

Triumph The Insult Comic Dog’s interrogation of a Vader look-alike at the opening of Episode II on The Late Show with Conan O’Brien is tops,

defunct hockey: Besides a highlight or two a week, there’s nothing worth watching. With Friends, the NFL and the NBA all long gone from the network’s programming ledger, not much of substance is left.

The loss of Conan has stung, but the occasional shot of Letterman adequately heals those wounds. Scrubs is a fresh and funny sit-com, but The Simpsons, Arrested Development, Family Guy and Seinfeld reruns fill most of that void for me.

Yes, it would be nice to see the COX-KRBC feud come to an end. Goodness knows Conan’s unique brand of latenight humor would be a welcomed addition to my living room.

But at this point, I’d settle for a Darth Tater.

In Your Words

Re:

major from Kennedale

NBC is like similarly defunct hockey. Besides a highlight or two, there’s nothing worth watching.

“I haven’t heard anything about politics besides that there was an Inauguration this semester.”

“All I know is people are being killed.”

Marsha Weingard

Sam Selby

Kyle Stallard

Jessica Sneed

senior communication major from Rockview, Ill.

sophomore biology major from Abilene

sophomore youth and family ministry major from Houston

freshman marketing major from Keller

OPTIMIST THE

The Optimist Editorial Board

Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Abilene Christian University

Editor in Chief

Opinion Editor

Arts Editor

Faculty Adviser

Jonathan Smith

Jaci Schneider

Sarah Carlson

Dr. Cheryl Bacon

Managing Editor

Copy Editor

Chief Photographer

Ad Manager

Lori Bredemeyer

Tiffany Williams

Brian Schmidt

Christi Stark

Optimist contact information Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

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Subscriptions ($45/academic year): (325) 674-2296

Online: www.acuoptimist.com

CAMPUS NEWS

Friday, January 28, 2005

Page 7

Core curriculum to change Nine faculty members will choose variations by end of semester

By DANIELLE LINTHICUM STAFF WRITER

Dr. Pat Simpson, newly appointed co-chair of the General Education Review Steering Committee, will play an even bigger role in reviewing ACU’s core curriculum, and the committee seems pleased to have her help.

“We are at the beginning of a new phase of the process, and the addition of another leader will help the process as we move forward over the next semester,” said Dr. Jeff Arrington, associate dean of Campus Life and chair of the committee.

GERSC is proposing ways to change the ACU core curriculum, and Simpson has moved from a member position to committee co-chair to help make the proposals a

reality. Three drafts are being tailored to change the core curriculum for today’s students, Simpson said.

“We realize the world is different now,” said Simpson, who is also a professor of education and reading program director.

“Students are different now, and it’s time for us as faculty to think about how we can give our students the knowledge, skills and values that they need.”

The draft proposals are characterized by a stronger connection between the core learning curriculum and the major areas of study, Simpson said. GERSC is also concerned with strengthening the quantitative reasoning and communication aspects of the curriculum.

Kitty Wasemiller, interior design program director, is also a member of the committee.

“The committee's goal has been to investigate what is being done, inform our cam-

Pumping iron

pus of new perspectives, listen to the feedback from colleagues and weave all of that together with the goals of ACU,” Wasemiller said. “It has been very enlightening, exciting and thought provoking.”

The members of GERSC hope to decide on a course of action by the end of the semester and begin implementation of the new curriculum by summer or fall, Simpson said.

“We want to plan carefully and have good quality,” Simpson said. “We want these changes to be valuable.”

The committee is comprised of nine faculty members who hail from all three colleges on campus to help create balance, Simpson said.

“We are really thinking about who the students are,” she said. “What is our vision for the ACU graduate, and how will these changes help them in our changing world?”

E-mail Linthicum at: del01a@acu.edu

Lasting memories for sale DVD includes footage of all entries, music and production tips

By SHAVONNE HERNDON STUDENT REPORTER

All the student films entered in FilmFest can be seen on DVD, which includes everything from music to production tips. The DVD can be purchased for $10.

In FilmFest’s first year, students accepted and responded positively, thus allowing FilmFest to come back for a second year.

“The show exceeded everyone’s expectations,” said Doug Darby, multimedia coordina-

tor and FilmFest director.

“For a first year event, it was an incredible success.

“We created a DVD to provide everyone a chance to see all the qualifying candidates,” Darby said.

Darby explained that the capacity of a single-sided DVD has been maxed out with the movies from this year’s event.

With this in mind, the production staff and Darby are making plans to expand the capacity of next year’s DVD and provide enhanced features.

“We want this to be something that will be more than a passive visual record of the

event and provide an enriched understanding of FilmFest,” Darby said.

The proceeds collected from the tickets, T-shirts and DVD sales will cover the remaining cost of production work of FilmFest.

“We feel confident that FilmFest will continue to develop and serve as a unique outlet for creative expression and learning.”

Anyone interested should contact Lisa Phin, co-chair of FilmFest 2004 at lxp00b@acu.edu.

E-mail Herndon at: optimist@acu.edu

SALT cancels Service Saturday Next opportunity for participation will be Feb. 26

By MARY TAN STUDENT REPORTER

ACU students who wanted to participate in this weekend’s Service Saturday will have to wait another month.

The Service Action Leadership Team canceled the service activities, which were originally scheduled for Jan. 29. The next sessions will be held Feb. 26 and Mar. 19.

“They decided not to have two service projects in January,” said Erin Martin, sophomore youth and family ministry major from Houston and chair of the Service Saturday Committee.

SALT organized the Martin Luther King Service Day two weeks ago.

Martin said the decision came from the co-chairs of SALT and Nancy Coburn,

director of the Volunteer and Service Learning Center.

Committee members remain optimistic despite the cancellation.

“It gives us more time to work on those in the future,” Martin said.

Details for the upcoming Service Saturdays have yet to be worked out, but plans are going well. SALT has more time to hear from and schedule interested participants, Martin said.

Originally, ACU students helped at a variety of different sites like local churches, the children’s home, the Abilene Adult Daycare Center and the Environmental Recycling Center.

SALT has made plans to add new sites and activities.

“I hope the students get involved,” Martin said. “We want to show God’s love to the people of Abilene.”

Service Saturday was created to offer students a variety of organized service

More info For more information, students may contact Nancy Coburn or Rita Harrell at the Volunteer and Service Learning Center (Ext..2932), or visit the SALT Web site at: http://www.acu.edu/students/salt.html.

opportunities and cater to the community’s needs. It occurs at least twice per semester and attracts about 100-120 students. The Service Saturday Committee hopes more students will become involved this semester, Martin said.

“Serving is important,” Martin said. “I believe we are called to do it.”

E-mail Tan at: optimist@acu.edu

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Paul Isham, junior business management major from Gunnison, Colo., and Kyle Williams, junior business management major from Flint, Mich., work out using free weights in the south exercise room of Gibson Health and P.E. Center during free time on Thursday while Wade Holmes, senior marketing management major from Arlington, looks on.

Job searching made easier CareerLink offers career-hunting tips for students

By LAURA STORK STAFF WRITER

Students interested in finding an internship or job can register with CareerLink, ACU’s online career management system, and attend the Résumé Workshop next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Students who register before Feb. 28 or attend the workshop will be entered in a drawing to win a free mini iPod. CareerLink connects students searching for employment with employers and alumni.

The Resumé Workshop, which is an outlet of CareerLink, will teach students how to prepare a resumé that will make an impression on potential employers, said Cynthia Cooke, career and academic advisor.

The Resumé Workshop will take place on Tuesday from 4:30-5:20 p.m. and Wednesday from noon to 12:50 p.m.

“It’s no longer good enough to have a one-size-fits-all resumé,” Cooke said.

“Students need to have a resume that is specific for what they are applying for.”

Students who register at www.acu.edu/careerlink can post résumés, create an online portfolio, search and apply for job opportunities, schedule interviews and develop contacts with ACU alumni.

“It’s a hub, a center place to find jobs,” said Matt Boisvert, director of career and academic development.

ACU’s CareerLink made a trial run in the College of Business last year, said Boisvert, who spoke to COBA students about the benefits of the Web site.

Emily Tate, senior marketing major from Crowley, said Boisvert’s visit sparked her interest in attending a training session.

“CareerLink has helped me get an internship in the past,” Tate said. “Now I’m looking for a job because I am graduating in May; this allows employers to find me.”

Cooke said students don’t have to be near graduation to begin this process. In fact, the more informed they are at the beginning of their college career, the better.

This year all University Seminar classes required students to create a CareerLink account. Cooke said freshmen who are exposed to the job finding process early will be

able to see what is necessary for later.

Anna Lee Shoulders, senior communication major from Keller, recently registered with CareerLink to find a career path she might be interested in after graduation.

“The hardest part of finding a career is knowing where to begin. CareerLink is a great place to begin; it’s a resource that most students don’t even know about,” Shoulders said in an e-mail.

Besides employment opportunities, Boisvert said the most powerful tool CareerLink offers is the alumni mentor feature.

Mentors can post their career profile, conduct mock interviews and host job shadowing. As students view mentor posts, they are able to learn about their chosen field and career path.

“It’s not Monster.com and will never have 20,000 active job postings, but it does link students with the career world,” Boisvert said. “Every job that is posted was specifically given to our school for an ACU student. Because it is listed here, they have an edge at getting that job.”

E-mail Stork at: las00f@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Page 8

Friday, January 28, 2005

Aquino: Professor tries to ‘imagine what it’s like to be a student’ Continued from Page 1

here in the graduate school in systematic theology, which historically has not been a very prominent part of our tradition or our school systems,” he said. “The description of the job really did fit my training. They wanted someone who could provide broader exposure to the

icism,” he said, “but we all have those influences from where we came from. I would think that he’s kept some of the good aspects of that upbringing.”

Morris said he and Aquino have some of the same students, many of whom are minoring in philosophy, and

God and gave him a pocket version of the Gospels.

“I remember reading the Gospels for the first time in my life,” he said. “I had heard them in church, but actually reading them I discovered that the figure Jesus could heal broken people. I found that wholeness and eventually re-accepted “He’s a difficult teacher. Students say he’s difficult and that.”

Cutshall helped guide they still enjoy the classes—that’s a good thing.” him as a new Christian and led him to the Church Dr. Paul Morris, professor of physics and philosophy of Christ, which eventually led him to make a decision about his future—he Christian tradition. ... So I he usually hears good things wanted to go college. from them about Aquino.

Aquino became a student applied.”

“They say he’s a wonderful Aquino has been teaching at ACU, receiving his bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies, on campus for almost seven teacher; he challenges them to his master’s in New Testament years, and he said his past think,” Morris said. “He’s a Greek and his Master of experiences help him in his difficult teacher. Students say he’s difficult and yet they still Divinity. He earned a Ph.D. in classes.

Dr. Paul Morris, professor enjoy the classes — that’s a systematic theology from Southern Methodist Univer- of physics and philosophy, is good thing.”

Aquino said he always tries sity. Aquino also married co-teaching a class called Michelle Tucker 13 years ago Philosophy, Religion and Sci- to consider what students and has two children, David, ence with Aquino this spring might want in a teacher, and for the second time. Morris he thinks most of his students 5, and Elizabeth, 1.

When he was still working said Aquino’s background have a positive view of him. on his dissertation, Aquino does show in class but not He once received an e-mail from a student thanking him overtly. applied for a job at ACU. “He doesn’t teach Cathol- for going out of his way to lis“There was a job opening

ten to his classes.

“I try to imagine what it’s like to be a student,” he said, “and if I were sitting in the room, I might say ‘he’s honest, he doesn’t avoid hard issues, he respects—maybe too much—students and allows them to have their own opinions, really cares about what he does, not afraid to be himself, doesn’t hide his notes, might yet behind chase rabbits occasionally but does it because he cares, and has time for students.’”

He said he also tries to be an example of the qualities he’d like to see in others.

“My perspective now is that I try in my teaching and in my life to be an expression of what I desire,” he said. “So if I desire authenticity, and I desire kindness, and I desire love and desire faithfulness and honesty … I try to be an expression of that in class, rather than sitting on the sidelines and criticizing things that I don’t like.”

EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer

E-mail Bredemeyer at: lmb00g@acu.edu

Dr. Fred Aquino, assistant professor of systematic theology, addresses his class Thursday in the Biblical Studies Building.

SA: Some groups want more funds Continued from Page 1

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, prays during theatre small-group Chapel on Thursday with Adam Hester, chair of the theatre department, after presenting a check to Hester and the department for $20,000 from Rob Sommerwerck’s step-father and mother, James and Sheril Brown of Cypress.

Gift: Money a surprise to friend Continued from Page 1 ly and had one of those open hearts that you just rarely see in people. … I really think about joy when I think about him.”

He said he was quite surprised when he learned Wednesday night about the gift.

“I guess we’re just so stunned at having received it, we haven’t really had time to process it,” Hester said. “It’s an astonishing gift, and I couldn’t be more grateful, especially for the reason it was given. That means a huge, huge deal to us,

and I think it also reflects the kind of students that we have.

We’re so proud of our students, and I think this shows the nature of who they are.”

Hester said the money is “truly a godsend” as the department was making decisions about how to replace some equipment. He said he hasn’t had much time to consider how to use the money, but he has a few ideas, like replacing a lighting board that will be used in the coming months for productions.

Shenoa Cramer, junior theatre major from Houston, was

in a University Seminar Learning Community with Sommerwerck, and she said she was surprised immediately before Chapel when she found out about the gift.

“It’s fitting—I don’t think he was capable of having one bad thought about anybody,” Cramer said. “He wanted to give and give, and so for them giving us this money, it’s just fitting. … Their son was amazing, and it’s just an amazing gift.”

Hart also told Congress that costs could be significantly reduced if the project was completed in conjunction with another planned project on campus. She said she would continue looking for ways to fund the cost whether in its entirety or at a reduced cost.

Executive treasurer Tyler Cosgrove also told Congress several student groups had Cosgrove come to him complaining about the amount of money they received from SA. He asked Congress members to help him by further explaining to student group leaders they knew that SA did have tight budget restrictions.

Student groups asked for about as much money as Congress had for its entire budget—about $111,000. The budget, which Congress approved two weeks ago, called for $46,580 to go to student groups.

“The main need is to be able to communicate to them one-

power that now essentially rests with the treasurer alone.

Overall, Cosgrove said he thought the budgeting process went smoothly this semester considering how quickly it had to be done. In the fall, Cosgrove said he had several weeks to prepare a budget because most groups do not need money immediately. This semester, groups had activities as early as the second week of school and needed money budgeted to them as soon as possible.

As a result, Cosgrove was unable to individually meet with representatives from each student group to help explain SA’s budgeting process. He said that probably contributed to why some student groups were upset with what they received.

“Some groups feel that their cause is greater than another group’s cause,” Cosgrove said.

“Every group contributes in some form or fashion. The numbers may be different in how many are impacted and how many are involved. If we based budgets on that, some groups would get money and others would not.”

E-mail Smith at: jvs02a@acu.edu

Restaurants: New eateries open Continued from Page 1

E-mail Bredemeyer at: lmb00g@acu.edu

on-one that we aren’t going to be able to fund them 100 percent,” Cosgrove said after the meeting.

Student group budgets are paired down using several budgetary principles, such as how much SA will give toward transportation, hotel and conference fees.

Congress was also able to have $12,567 rollover from last semester to this semester’s budget.

Cosgrove said the result was more frugal spending within Congress and some groups not using all the money budgeted to them.

“We were not wasting money just because it was sitting there, and we had it,” he said.

Cosgrove said he is experimenting with several new ideas this semester for the budget and finances.

Instead of making Congress members go through the appropriations committee to fund projects that come up during the semester, Cosgrove set aside $3,000 for Congress to use at its discretion during the semester.

He also organized an SA finance committee that will eventually be responsible for helping fund Congress and student groups through loans—a

and what owner Oscar Abila calls “the best chicken fried steak you’ve ever eaten.”

Abila said this specialty is made from scratch, and customers should be prepared to wait about five minutes more for their chicken fried steak to arrive.

The restaurant opened before Thanksgiving, and Abila said the holidays didn’t help business pick up as much as he had hoped. He said he remains optimistic, however, and he wants ACU students to take advantage of Oscar’s proximity to campus. Located at 1665 Highway 351, heading east on Ambler past Interstate 20,

Abila said he often sees students running by and is willing to offer them free glasses of water if they come through the drive-thru. Students also can receive either a free drink or a 10 percent discount off their meal with their student ID. “You can just chill out here and eat—it’s a cool place,” Abila said. “We’re so close, why wouldn’t you want to come try it?”

Oscar’s is open 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day except Sunday, when it opens at 10 a.m. He said the restaurant has a large dining area and kitchen, plenty of parking spaces, and pool tables and arcade games.

Abila built the restaurant himself and is proud of its features,

right down to the women’s bathroom, which he said is so beautiful “you would want to come live in there.”

Abila is from Haskell and said he took a gamble at the restaurant business by opening Oscar’s, something he has always wanted to do.

“Everybody’s got their dream, right?” Abila said. “I just jumped into it. I’m crossing the river here, I’m right in the middle, and either I swim back or swim forward—it’s the same distance.

“I took a year and a half to build this place, but I’m here.”

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu

Enrollment: Numbers dropped Continued from Page 1 said. Typically spring enrollment is about 200 students less than a fall semester enrollment count.

Jack Rich, executive vice president and administrator over recruiting and admissions, said 10 to 12 percent of the freshRich man class leave after their first semester.

According to the ACU enrollment statistics online, enrollment drops 6-8 percent every year between the fall and spring semesters.

But even with the enrollment drop from the fall, budg-

et expectations should still exceed the average for this school year, Rich said.

Higher graduation rates influence enrollment, Rich said.

“Higher percentages of students are graduating in four years, which tends to reduce the number of enrollment because students aren’t coming back for the next semester,” he said. “They aren’t needing five to six years anymore. We’ve tried to improve graduation rates, and so we are pleased with that.”

“The number of new entering students, the number of December graduates and retention rates can all impact enrollment,” Heil said.

The Admissions Office also is pleased with the expecta-

tion of future growth. To work toward this goal, officials plan to continue to work to bring more students in, Rich said.

“We have a great recruiting team,” Heil said. “We also have so many alumni throughout the U.S. that volunteer their time to help recruit students to ACU,” Heil said.

With the Centennial Campaign scheduled to begin in the fall of 2005, the Admissions Office is setting more goals.

“ACU’s Centennial vision calls for enrollment of 4,800 to 5,200 students by 2006,” Heil said. “This past fall’s enrollment put us very close to that goal.”

E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu

SPORTS JUMPS

Friday, January 28, 2005

Page 9

Performers to compete in Moody Coliseum Harlem Globetrotters prepare to play at ACU on Feb. 3

By SHAVONNE HERNDON STUDENT REPORTER

The Harlem Globetrotters have been around for nearly 80 years; their history speaks for itself.

The Harlem-based basketball team tours throughout the

United States and the world.

They have performed before over 120 million people in 117 countries.

On Feb. 3, the Globetrotters will be making their stop in Abilene at Moody Coliseum.

The event begins at 7 p.m.

“I can go anywhere and people know who we are, and that is credit to the people who have come before myself and my teammates,” said forward Eugene Edgerson.

“We go all throughout the world,” he said. “I love to travel, and I love playing this game.

It’s exciting to have the opportunity to do both.”

The team combines athleticism with comedy to entertain audiences.

Owner Mannie Jackson never knew where the creation of the alternative basketball team would take him. He certainly did not know the team would ever be as famous as it is

today. Jackson’s original goal was to make the Globetrotters the first choice for family entertainment.

Not only do they perform in front of many families, the team is a family as well.

“It’s a family atmosphere anytime we are together,” Edgerson said. “We have fun together, and that’s what it’s all about.”

He said spectators welcome their unique brand of

basketball.

“We play a hard-fought game,” Edgerson said. “Many people think we just entertain, but it’s real basketball involved.

Most of our tricks are from basic fundamentals.”

“Everyone gets the glory and credit, not just one individual.”

Many hours are put in each week in order to perform at a high level.. Edgerson said the team practices everyday for

about two hours before each game, and they play everyday.

“Serving our community is something we take pride in,” Edgerson said. “It’s not just a part of the job. We love to do it.”

Tickets are on sale now at the Athletic Ticket Office.

Prices are $24 for floor seats and $18 for other seats.

E-mail Herndon at: optimist@acu.edu

Men: Next four games on the road

Gray: Women unleash surprises

Continued from Page 10

Continued from Page 10

future they’ll have to do it on the road where before Thursday’s game they were 1-5.

After Saturday’s game in Wichita Falls, the team will face Eastern New Mexico and West Texas A&M on the road, making it four straight games away from Moody Coliseum where the team has posted a 7-5 record. Head coach Klint Pleasant said the team doesn’t see playing on the road as a bad thing because it is a good time for the team to bond and jell together.

doubters wrong.

“We’re going to surprise a lot of people this year,” Wildcat guard Ashley King said with a smile after the team’s 71-61 win over Texas Wo m a n ’s University last week.

The Wildcats followed that win with a 76-66 win over Texas A & M Guiton Kingsville to push their record to 12-4, 3-0. And instead of looking up at the top teams in the division, the Wildcats are the team at the top. ACU Barr is in first place and leads the conference in scoring by a large margin.

Even the way the Wildcats have scored their points has been surprising. When posts Lynsie Blau and Melanie Carter graduated, it appeared ACU would turn to a more perimeter style of offense with King and point guard Kristal Robeson leading the attack.

But of course, these Wildcats don’t always do as most expect.

With recent strong games from posts Stephanie Riles and Jamie Boles, both have leapfrogged King into the top two scoring spots on the team.

Riles is averaging 13.7 points a

E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu

Intramurals: More sports yet to come Continued from Page 10 crowd.

The deadline for other intramurals is still weeks away.

Softball and indoor and outdoor soccer are the next sports to begin. Anyone who wants to participate should look in the Intramural Office in Bennett Gym or on the Intramural Sports Web site for additional deadlines and prices.

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu

Stephanie Riles, senior forward, fights through the Lady Javelinas defender for a layup during the game on Saturday. Riles leads the team with 13.7 points per game.

game with Boles right behind her at 13.3. The two players are also the top rebounders on the squad.

But the scoring hasn’t come from just the two posts. ACU has been led in scoring by a different player in each of the last six games. Besides Riles, Boles and King, who is averaging just over 12 points a game, Ashlee Barr, Alex Guiton and Kierstan Barbee have had big games in that stretch.

The emergence of freshmen Barr and Guiton has been another in a long line of surprises. Guiton was expected to share time at the point guard position with Robeson this season, but when Robeson had to leave the team for family reasons, Guiton was forced into action. After an adjustment period, she has been in integral part of the team’s recent success, including eight wins in its last nine outings.

Barr and Barbee have provided energy off the bench, with Barbee going so far as to claim LSC South Division Women’s Player of the Week honors last week. The award was a testament to the team mentality the Wildcats have embraced.

With four tough division road games on the schedule during the next two weeks, the Wildcats are hoping to keep up their positive momentum and hold on to first place.

And at this point, who would doubt that they could.

E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu

Track: Next meet in Lubbock Continued from Page 10 meters indoors and the 5,000 meters outdoors. Naimadu is coming off of a stellar cross country season, where he became just the second individual to win a Division II cross country title.

A senior from St. Louis and two Ukrainians will be the athletes to watch around the sand pits this season. Senior Ben Washington was the outdoor triple jump champion in 2003, but junior Yevgen Pashchenko took that title from him a year later. Newcomer Vladyslav Gorbenko should push both Washington and Pashchenko.

“They will be a fun group to see compete,” Murray said of the jumpers.

Nearly every notable ACU athlete will compete Saturday in Lubbock, including the men’s and women’s 4x400meter relay teams, expected to post some good times this season.

Murray said the indoor season serves more as training ground for the outdoor season.

“Indoor is a great time to run competitive races while getting ready for the outdoor season,” Murray said. “We take it seriously and try to give our athletes plenty of opportunities to qualify for Nationals and do

well in their races.”

Another thing Murray takes seriously is winning. Since joining the ACU coaching staff in 1991, Murray has been a part of Lone Star Conference and NCAA Division II championships in either cross country or track and field. He makes it crystal clear that the goal this spring is no different.

“One of our goals is always to get to the NCAA [Division] II National championship, and this group of athletes is committed to achieving this goal.”

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu

Stephon Greenlee, freshman hurdler, Doug Bongmba, sophomore 800-meter specialist, and Robert Louis run sprints during track practice Thursday at Elmer Gray Stadium.

SPORTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST

Page 10

High expectations set on track team

LSC South Standings current through 01-26-05

Men’s Basketball Team A&M-Kingsville A&M-Commerce Midwestern State West Texas A&M ACU Angelo State E. New Mexico

Div. 2-0 2-1 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2 0-3

Tot. 11-6 15-3 10-8 8-10 8-10 8-10 7-11

Women’s Basketball Team ACU West Texas A&M A&M-Commerce Angelo State Texas Woman’s E. New Mexico Midwestern State A&M-Kingsville

Div. 3-0 3-1 3-1 2-1 2-2 1-3 1-3 0-4

January 28, 2005

Tot. 12-4 12-5 8-9 14-2 9-7 7-10 6-11 4-13

Upcoming events in Wildcat sports...

51 track and fielders train for NCAA D-II championship titles

By STEVE HOLT SPORT WRITER

Life is good for head track and field coach Jon Murray.

On Jan. 18, Murray’s wife, Samantha, gave birth to the couple’s third child.

Four days later, the most successful Division II track and field program in the nation kicked off its indoor season with a bang in Lubbock and Fayetteville, Ark., qualifying 13 individuals and three relay teams for the national meet.

Saturday, Murray will take his teams back to Lubbock for

the Wes Kittley Classic and Masters Track and Field Meet.

Murray, in his 14th season with ACU track and field and fourth as head coach, said his expectations are high for his squad of 51 men and women.

“I have been pleased with the shape the majority of the team came back from the holidays,” he said. “The team this year has worked hard all fall, and this work is going to pay off this spring.”

The men’s team has swept both the indoor and outdoor titles the past three seasons and has won 18 national championships with Murray coaching. The women have enjoyed similar success, claiming 13 national titles since 1991, but will look to return to the top of Division II this sea-

son after four seasons of subpar finishes at nationals.

“I feel our women should be better than last year,” Murray said. “We have several new runners who will contribute right away on the national level.”

Leading the way for the women will be senior national pole vault champion Katie Eckley and teammate Val Gorter, who became the Nos. 1 and 2 Division II pole vaulters of all time in 2004. Eckley and Gorter likely will be pushed by sophomore Angie Aguilar, who already has an NCAA-leading vault of 12-5 _ under her belt this season.

“Our female pole vaulters are always special,” Murray said.

Adeh Mwamba returns to

the roster after finishing second in the 1,500 meters and third in the 5,000 meters at the 2004 outdoor meet. Mwamba will add the 800 meters to her slate this season and will be joined by talented newcomer Denise Morgan, who already has the top time in the nation after last weekend’s meet in Lubbock.

The story of the season could be the sisters – the Hunt sisters, that is. Twin sophomore sprinters Brooklyn and Jessica are on the hunt for a family sweep in the 200-meter dash, the newest event added to the indoor national meet.

Brooklyn finished seventh in the event in 2004, while Jessica was eighth. They’ll be challenged heavily, however, by newcomer Shawna-Kaye

Thompson, one of the top high school sprinters and hurdlers from Kingston, Jamaica.

On the men’s side, the expectations will be high for athletes in the jumps and middle- and long-distance events.

Returning for the indoor season only, all-American Bernard Manirakiza will try to defend his indoor 800- and 1,500-meter titles. Joining him in the middle distance events will be South African transfer Lucky Hadebe, who specializes in the mile, and senior standout Martin O’Kello.

Leading the longer distances will be freshmen Nicodemus Naimadu and Laurent Ngirakamaro, who likely will focus on the 3,000 See TRACK Page 9

(home events in italics)

Saturday, January 29 WBB: Midwestern State, 6 p.m.

MBB: Midwestern State, 8 p.m.

Thursday, February 3 WBB: Eastern New Mexico, 5:30 p.m.

MBB: Eastern New Mexico, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 5 WBB: West Texas A&M, 6 p.m.

MBB: West Texas A&M, 8 p.m.

Thursday, February 10 WBB: Eastern New Mexico, 6 p.m.

B-ball battles begin Clubs, teams compete in intramural basketball tournament

By JARED FIELDS SPORTS WRITER

With the start of the new semester, intramural sports have resumed for the spring season. It is too early for most sports to begin play, but many students are already playing intramural basketball.

In the men’s championship league, Team Dime and Gamma Sigma Phi look to be the favorites early in the season. In the women’s league, Sigma Theta Chi members are off to an early lead, but anything can happen with the three other teams.

The men’s championship league has six teams: Team Dime, GSP, the Contenders, Game Over, Frat One and Galaxy. Tuesday unbeaten teams played each other.

First, Team Dime played GSP. After a well-played game, Team Dime pulled away for a six-point win to stay undefeated at 3-0, while GSP dropped to 2-1 and The Contenders were able to pull out a victory over Game Over.

Team Dime member Drew Whitmire said, “They were our best competition so far, they played us a good game.”

In the women’s championship league, competition is heating up. GATA, Delta Theta, Siggies, and Kojies will compete for the title. Siggies are leading the standings with a 2-0 record.

Kojies and Delta Theta are both 1-1 and GATA is 0-2.

Two games remain for each team until the playoffs. The playoff format is the same as most tournaments: a team is out after one loss.

The Recreation League has 20 men’s teams and five women’s teams. League games are played in Moody Coliseum and draw a big See INTRAMURALS Page 9

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Brooklyn Hunt, sophomore sprinter, Eryka Morris and Tashia Wooldridge, freshman sprinter, run 100-meter sprints during practice at Elmer Gray Stadium on Thursday.

Men look to improve to make tournament Only four teams from South Division will go to LSC tourney Byy KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS WRITER

With four Lone Star Conference South Division games behind them, the Wildcat basketball team has eight games to reach its goal of making the LSC tournament on March 1.

Before Thursday’s game with the No. 9-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce, ACU came off of its first conference win at home on Monday with a 101-94 victory over Angelo State. David Baxter scorched the Rams for 44 points including eight 3-point field goals, which tied a school record.

As of Wednesday, Commerce’s record stood at 15-3, and Saturday the team will continue its road trip in a game with Midwestern State-who handed Commerce a 5853 loss Jan. 10.

Midwestern, however, hasn’t had the success that the Lions have enjoyed, as its overall record stands at 10-8 with a 2-1 mark in LSC South Division Play. The Indians also defeated Eastern New Mexico in Clovis, N.M. Monday in a 92-86 win in overtime. Their only conference loss came to West Texas A&M on Saturday as the

Buffaloes dominated in a 8152 victory.

Midwestern has its own weapons to unleash on ACU’s Baxter – the conference’s second leading scorer – and Hakim Rasul, who leads the conference in scoring and, as of Monday, was the nation’s fourth-leading scorer.

Jay January leads Midwestern in scoring at 15.9 points per game, and Justin James is the conference’s second-leading rebounder at 10.1 per game. James averages a double-double serving as the team’s second-leading scorer at 11.1 per contest.

The Wildcats and Indians should match-up similarly – both teams are among the top in the conference in scoring and near the bottom in scoring defense. ACU is No. 2 in the LSC in scoring at 81.5 points per game while allowing a conference-worst 79.8 per game. The Indians are fifth in scoring at 76.9 and ninth in scoring defense giving up 72.1 points per contest.

The conference tournament allows four teams from each division to participate, so for the Wildcats to make their first appearance since the 1997-98 season, it will take an improvement from last season’s 3-9 conference record. And for the near See MEN Page 9

Wildcat women on the road to victory

BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer

Hakim Rasul, junior forward, goes in for a layup while avoiding an Angelo State defender during the 101-94 Wildcat victory on Monday in Moody Coliseum. Despite their early struggles, the men are still focused on their goal of being one of four LSC South Division teams to make the LSC Tournament on March 1.

The ACU women’s basketball team loves surprises.

Experts and outsiders tabbed the 2004-05 campaign as a “rebuilding” year for the women’s team.

In a preseason poll, Lone Star Conference head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives Gray picked the team to finish Matters Warren Gray fifth out of eight teams in the South Division.

Their reasoning seemed logical. Teams that lose four starters rarely garner much respect. The same goes for teams with four freshmen, and both cases held true for this year’s squad.

But the ACU coaches and players weren’t listening. Now they’re having fun proving the See GRAY Page 9