WEDNESDAY April 27, 2005
OPTIMIST THE
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 52 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Jamming for justice:
Officials make plans for library addition:
Titles for tennis teams:
International Justice Mission raised money last week by sponsoring a concert. Page 3
A group of students is conducting research to gather faculty opinion about how best to renovate Brown Library and expand its resources. Page 4
The men and women were victorious in the Lone Star Conference Championships. Page 10
Former student acknowledges past plagiarism Townsel alleges U.N. ambassador nominee behaved ‘like madman’
now stands at the center of a national controversy over allegations she made against the nominee for United Nations ambassador, John Bolton. Melody Townsel, now a Dallas public relations executive, sent a letter to members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in early April asking it to block Bolton’s nom-
By JONATHAN SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF
A former ACU student who once was removed from the Optimist staff for plagiarism
ination for U.N. ambassador. In her letter, Townsel accuses Bolton of chasing her through her Moscow hotel halls in 1994 and “behaving like a madman.” Townsel, who worked with U.S. Agency for International Development at the time, came to Moscow to complain about a company USAID had contracted — a
company Bolton then represented as private attorney. Ever since President Bush nominated Bolton to represent the United States in the United Nations in early March, Bolton’s temperament has come under attack by those who believe he is not fit to represent the United States in the United Nations. The Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee looked prepared to vote on Bolton’s nomination April 19. Some speculated Bolton would be approved 10-8 along a party-line vote, with Republicans supporting Bolton. However, after the committee heard Townsel’s allegations, Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said he wanted more time to
Shaved ice helps beat spring heat
further investigate the allegations. This prompted Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind. and chair of the committee, to postpone the vote until next month. “Townsel will be among the many people that the committee will interview before the vote on Bolton, which is schedSee TOWNSEL Page 5
Sexuality discussed in Chapel Faculty member, student address struggles with same-sex attraction By LORI BREDEMEYER MANAGING EDITOR
Two members of the ACU community are addressing homosexuality and relating their own experiences with same-sex attraction during the last two Thursday Chapels of the year. This Thursday, Dr. Sally Gary, assistant professor of communication, and Darren Curry, senior marketing major from Oklahoma City, will continue their discussion from last week about same-sex attraction and how they have struggled with and overcome it. Dr. Wayne Barnard, dean of Campus Life, said this is an issue that the Christian community no longer can ignore. See HOMOSEXUALITY Page 5
Job market Blogs offer students way to stay connected to benefit graduates EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
Seth Tatom, senior at Abilene High School and employee at Cajun Cones on Judge Ely Boulevard, uses the ice machine to make a snowcone Tuesday afternoon.
Technology helps friends to stay in touch, news to travel around world By DANIELLE LINTHICUM STAFF WRITER
“I think this is my prime time, two in the morning. I’m often up, writing in something, my journal, this Xanga, or a paper that I’ve been putting off for weeks.” So begins a recent post on Brent Hines’ Web log or “blog.” “I really enjoy writing on my blog,” said Hines, sophomore international relations major from Belton. “I use it to talk to people, share plans or just spill my guts.” Blogs are online journals or
forums in which modern poets, philosophers, political commentators or bored college students are finding their voice and sharing it with the world. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, univer-
blogs as a way to easily communicate with friends back home. Anyone can begin a blog on a Web site such as Xanga, Myspace, Blogspot or countless others. People use online journals for many things, from keeping in
“You don’t have someone staring at you while you reveal your innermost feelings, which makes it a lot easier to do.” Brian Bah, sophomore undecided major from McKinney
sity students are among the top users of blogs in the country, and ACU students are no exception. Many out-of-state students use
touch to expressing opinions, from inside jokes to poetry. At ACU, faculty and students alike use blogs regularly.
New SA officers appointed Development, financial, communication officers selected this week By JACI SCHNEIDER OPINION EDITOR
Students’ Association executive officers chose their administrative officers last Wednesday. Erin Dimas will be chief development officer, Valerie Hanneken will be chief communication officer, and Austin Brennen will be chief financial officer. Justin Scott, president of SA, said the executive officers looked at three factors when deciding whom to appoint. “You look at peoples’ skills for the position and their back-
grounds,” Scott said. “And how they would interact in the office, personality wise. “We also look at peoples’ schedules,” he said. Scott said he looks forward to working with the three new officers next semester. “They’re all very energetic people and really enthusiastic,” he said. Brennen, previously the representative for the College of Business Administration, ran unopposed for chief financial officer, and he said he looks forward to working with Tyler Cosgrove, executive treasure, Melanie Booker, executive vice president and Scott. He said he applied for the position because he wanted to be more involved in SA.
“I saw the ways SA could be improved and saw great things it was doing and wanted to be a part of that,” Brennen said. “Tyler and Justin have some great ideas about getting word out about student organization and events,” he said. “Lots of student groups need money, and I help them find different ways of getting that money.” Brennen said he hopes that student leaders can attend a conference in August that will teach how to write research grants to receive money. Dimas, former representative for the Zona Luce Building, said she also became interested in the position of chief development officer because of See SA Page 7
Keep in touch
“It’s a way for me to keep in touch,” said Bethany Stavros, freshman English major from San Diego, Calif. “You can e-mail everyone, but then you have to type in all the e-mail addresses, and it's pretty hard to get everyone together at the same time to instant message.” Kathryn Short, freshman psychology major from Ojai, Calif., uses livejournal.com, because her friends in California use it. Short and her friends keep each other updated on what is going on in their lives through Livejournal. “Mostly I write about how my college experience is going and what I like and don’t like about
Students graduating this year who dread what comes after the next two weeks of school can begin to look on the bright side. Statistics show that ACU students are finding jobs at the fastest rate in the past four years. “This is the best job market we have seen since Sept. 11,” said Matt Boisvert, director of Career and Academic Development. He said he can tell the market has grown
See BLOGS Page 7
See JOBS Page 7
Seniors can look forward to more opportunities for advancement By MALLORY SHERWOOD FEATURES EDITOR
Senior’s moment
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Landon Speights, senior management major from Missouri City, addresses the audience during Chapel featuring senior speakers on Monday.