OPTIMIST THE
FRIDAY April 29, 2005
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 53 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Summer cinema:
Student bands unite:
Best of Barker:
Discover what blockbuster movies will premier in the summer movie review. Page 5
Two ACU students have created the Abilene Band Network, which will help bands and musicians connect and find venues in which to play. Page 7
Senior Ryan Barker holds the Lone Star Conference record for career RBI. Page 10
Trevathan room dedicated Ad Building classroom where professor taught named in his honor By TIFFANY TAYLOR PAGE 2 EDITOR
A plaque honoring the late Dr. Charles Trevathan now hangs to the right of Administration Building Room 103,
following a ceremony dedicating the room to the former professor. The plaque is a reminder to everyone, from students to alumni, of Trevathan’s regular presence in the room before his death in October. “It’s a place where students can come back and say, ‘Yeah, I remember being in this classroom,’ and they can say, ‘I can
see Dr. T pacing back and forth up there,” said Dr. Bill Culp, chair of the Department of Sociology and Social Work. Culp said he felt the students already identified the room with Trevathan because he often taught there, and dedicating the room in his memory seemed appropriate. See ROOM Page 8
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Caite Jones, senior human development and family studies major from Lubbock and former student of Dr. Charles Trevathan, talks to Phyllis Trevathan at a ceremony honoring Charles on Wednesday.
New hall attracts freshman attention
Discussions, feedback force team to push back spring deadline By SARAH CARLSON ARTS EDITOR
Tentative target dates have been set by the General Education Review steering committee for when curriculum proposals will be written and discussed. The committee is looking to have a rewritten proposal based on faculty discussions by midSeptember, followed by six weeks of discussion and possibly ending with a final gathering of feedback in a proposal at the end of October, said Dr. Jeff Arrington, associate dean of Campus Life and co-chair of the General Education Review Committee. Faculty discussions have Arrington continued throughout the semester, and the amount of feedback pushed tentative dates for a rewritten proposal from April to the fall. “We’ve had a lot of participation and a lot of input, and that’s as it should be,” said Pat
Majority of women choose Barret Hall as top residence choice By MALLORY SHERWOOD FEATURES EDITOR
Online housing registration for next year’s sophomores ended this year without many problems. Barret Hall, the sophomore women’s residence hall, was most women’s first choice, but bad weather could delay the work schedule. One hundred sixty-two students can live in the residence hall, and the rooms are full. Barret Hall will have 22 suites, which house eight students. Each suite includes four rooms for roommate pairs and a living area that the Barnard students share with a chair, couch and television. Many girls didn’t get their first choice and are waiting to try again in the fall. Kim Craddock, freshman electronic media major from Atlanta, is one of the students who registered to live in Barret Hall but did not get it. “My roommate was pretty upset that we didn’t get it because they are supposed to be really nice, but I am not too worried about it,” Craddock said. She said they received their second choice of Sikes Hall but will try again in the fall to be placed in Barret, if it is complete. Dr. Mimi Barnard, director of Residence Life Education and Housing, said construction should be complete by the fall, but many weather-induced delays and problems because of the steel needed to build the hall have put workers behind. “I am really concerned about See BARRET Page 8
See REVIEW Page 8
Harrell to join Regent grad school in fall Assistant professor of theatre to leave for Virginia this summer By TIFFANY WILLIAMS COPY EDITOR
By JEREMY L. POND STUDENT REPORTER
Area restaurants and lodging facilities are anticipating a substantial increase in revenue as family and friends come to Abilene for the May 7 commencements at ACU, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry universities. The increase in business
ther, walks for hundreds of homeless adolescents on the streets of Denver, a problem he is frequently reminded of through his work on the Board of Directors of the ministry organization Dry Bones Denver. Robinson the humanitarian wants to under-
After teaching for three years at the university, Eric Harrell, assistant professor of theatre, will leave ACU to join the faculty of Regent University this summer. Regent, a Christian graduate school located in Virginia Beach, Va., recently began a master of fine arts program, which appealed to Harrell, who has always wanted to teach at the graduate level, said Adam Hester, chair of the Theatre Department. “It kind of satisfies one of the things he wanted to do eventually,” Hester said. “But it came a little quicker than he anticipated.” Harrell said he made the decision to leave ACU about a month ago. “It was a difficult decision,” he said. “I am very happy at my job in ACU, and I believe strongly in the work we do here. I wanted to continue teaching at a Christian university, and Regent has a cutting-edge graduate performance program.” He said one of his favorite productions to direct was last semester’s Homecoming musical Kiss Me Kate, and he has enjoyed working with
See DENVER Page 8
See HARRELL Page 8
EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
Jeff Robinson waves to a passing car as he walks north on Highway 83/84 with his dog, Walker, Thursday afternoon. Robinson is walking from Galveston to Denver to raise funds for adolescents who live on the streets of Denver.
Using his soles to save souls Walk from Galveston to Denver to raise funds for homeless ministry By TIFFANY WILLIAMS COPY EDITOR
Jeff Robinson’s feet are covered in painful blisters, but he continues to walk. As the mid-day sun blazes down on him, with his 50pound pack across his shoulders, he takes a drink of water and presses on. Only phone calls from
his wife, who remains at the home they share in Duncanville, slow him down as he treks along Highway 84. The destination: Denver. Perhaps only the disadvantaged youth whom Robinson toils for fully understand his experience. Robinson, a 50-year-old husband, father of two and proud grandfa-
Graduation means business Some hotels have been booked since October for weekend of May 7
Committee to continue reworking proposal
during graduation weekend is tremendous, said Candice Parks, assistant general manager of Whitten Inn located at Highway 351 and Interstate 20. “We easily do 100 percent more business during the weekend of graduation than we do on an average weekend,” she said. “I expect to be working 12- to 16-hour shifts.” If someone tries to book a room now for the weekend of May 7, Parks said they will be out of luck. “We’ve been booked solid
for that weekend since October,” she said. “You see the same trend at other hotels around town too.” Josh Allen, manager of Joe Allen’s Bar-B-Que and Catering, said he is looking forward to increased business during commencement weekend, although he could not say exactly how much extra business he was expecting. “You can always speculate about what business will be like, but we really don’t know See ECONOMY Page 8
Final Exam Schedule (May 2-6) Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
8-10 a.m.
ENGL 103, 106, 107, 111/112 ACCT 210/211
1 p.m. MWF
8 a.m. TR
8 a.m. MWF
10 a.m.-noon
10 a.m. MWF
CHEM 133/134 MATH 120/130
Noon TR
9:30 a.m. TR
Noon-2 p.m.
3 p.m. TR
1:30 p.m. TR
Noon MWF
3 p.m. MWF
2-4 p.m.
2 p.m. MWF
COMS 111
9 a.m. MWF
4-6 p.m.
HIST 221/222
4:30 p.m. TR
4 p.m. MWF
Exam Time
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Monday
6/6:30 p.m. M
6/6:30 p.m. T
6/6:30 p.m. R
CAMPUS Friday, April 29, 2005
29
DAY
Calendar&Events Friday
Shorts: The 2005 Studio Premiere Festival of 10-minute plays, 8 p.m., Culp Theatre.
Hello Book photo contest submission deadline.
Freshman class formal, Civic Center.
Purple Friday, 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Living Room. Survival Kits pick-up, 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Shinnery Review sale, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center. Freshman Formal sign-ups, 11 a.m.2 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Faculty/Staff encouragement cards, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Campus Center. Mac General Maintenance computer training class, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Zellner Hall. International Spring Banquet, 6:30 p.m., Abilene Country Club. Ocean’s Twelve showing, 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.
30
Saturday
Survival Kits pick-up, 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows. Shorts: The 2005 Studio Premiere Festival of 10-minute plays, 2 and 8 p.m., Culp Theatre.
01
Sunday
02
Monday
Survival Kits pick-up, 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
Dead Day.
Survival Kits pick-up, 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.
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.
03
Tuesday
04
Wednesday
Final Exams.
Final Exams.
Trendy’s sale, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Campus Center.
Trendy’s sale, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Campus Center.
Shinnery Review sale, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center.
Shinnery Review sale, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center
Volunteer Opportunities Volunteers are needed to spend time with residents of Christian Village playing dominoes Mondays at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call Nathan Gray at 677-6142. Volunteers are needed to mentor families who have
recently moved to Abilene through the refugee program. Mentors would assist in transportation, help tutor students with homework and be a translator. For more information, call Debi Wheeler at 6755643
Announcements Order a copy of the Sing Song CD with music from hosts and hostesses singing songs from Sing Song 2005 Off the Charts. The CD also includes recordings of the 2005 winning acts. For more information, call Ext. 2847. To purchase the Sing Song 2005 Off the Charts DVD, contact VideoWorks at Ext. 2847. Deadline for submissions to the Hello Book photo contest is Friday. All students may submit a vertical photo with the theme Triumphant. The winning photo will be published on the cover of the 2005-06 Hello Book. Photos may be dropped off at Don H. Morris Center Room 301,
mailed to ACU Box 27892 or emailed as a .tiff or .jpeg file to christi.stark@acu.edu. For more information, call Ext. 2463. The Freshman class formal will take place Friday at the Civic Center in downtown Abilene. The attendance fee is $25, which pays for a T-shirt, pictures, dinner and two games of putt-putt golf. Students are invited to attend the International Spring Banquet at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Abilene Country Club. Tickets are $15 per person and should be purchased as soon as possible. For more information, please contact Laura Blake at laura.blake@acu.edu or Ext. 2821.
Chapel Check-Up Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:
71 00
CAMPUS NEWS
Friday, April 29, 2005
‘Reader’s Digest’ honors alumnus Max Lucado named Best Preacher in America in magazine By TIFFANY TAYLOR PAGE 2 EDITOR
Reader’s Digest magazine included alumnus Max Lucado in it’s America’s 100 Best list, naming him Best Preacher in America in the May issue. Lucado is the senior minister of Oak Hills Church, where 5,000 members make up his congregation in San Antonio. Lucado has been preaching there since 1988. He appreciates the honor but doesn’t take the recognition too seriously, said Lucado, who graduated from ACU in 1979 with an undergraduate degree in journalism and mass communication and a master’s degree in Bible and biblical related stud-
ies. “I take it with a grain of salt,” Lucado said. “It could be I’m the only preacher they know of.” Lucado said readers have to realize he is being honored at the same time the Best Pizza in America is being honored. Continuing to downplay his honor, Lucado said he “couldn’t have a better job” and considers himself an example of God’s ability to use anyone. “There are so many people who do so much more than I do,” Lucado said. Referencing the Bible story in the book of Numbers about Balaam’s speaking donkey, Lucado said his humility comes from knowing that God can use anyone. “There’s a story in the Bible about God talking through a donkey,” he said. “That’s me right there—president of the donkey club.” Dr. Charlie Marler, Lucado’s former professor of journalism
and mass communication, said he remembers Lucado as being extremely likable. “Everyone liked Max,” Marler said. “He’s so unassuming and is as powerful of a speaker as he is a writer,” said Marler, professor emeritus and senior faculty of journalism and mass communication. Marler, who taught Lucado copy editing, basic news, contract writing and possibly communication law, said he thinks Lucado is an effective speaker because he can connect with various audiences. “He humanizes, or makes the Gospel relevant, every time he talks or writes, ” Marler said. “His writing is very accessible. He doesn’t cast things in high theology terms.” Being named Best Preacher in America has resulted in phone calls, articles written about him and congratulations from people around him, Lucado said.
Journey not yet over for seniors Faculty and staff offer reminders to seniors in preparation for May By EMERALD MCGOWAN STUDENT REPORTER
With the arrival of warmer temperatures and better weather, most students are looking toward summer, but seniors are looking toward graduation. Some faculty and staff suggest seniors take care of small things in preparation for graduation. The first thing seniors should do is make sure they have their package of commencement filled out, said June Black, graduation assistant in the Office of the Registrar. Black said most seniors have completed the task, but some still need to turn in the package.
Next, seniors should check with the Student Financial Services to make sure they have paid their balances and have no holds on their accounts, Black said. Some loans and grants, such as Stafford or Perkins, require students complete exit interviews before graduation, said Jackie Clark, student service representative at Student Financial Services. The interviews serve as an environment for the student to contact a representative of their lender, learn how much money they owe and how they can manage their loans after graduation. Seniors should also contact their departmental advisers to make sure they have completed all their department requirements, Black said. Seniors will be able to purchase all of their commencement supplies in The Campus Store, Black said. Graduation invitations are already on sale
and commencement regalia will go on sale May 3. Students should try on their caps and gowns make sure it fits correctly. Hoods are available in colors corresponding to majors, so seniors should make sure they have the correct color. Kacey Higgins, assistant to the dean of the Graduate School, also had suggestions. “Seniors should make sure that ACU has a current address at which to reach them after graduation,” Higgins said. “It’s more of a precaution in case we need to send transcripts or any money a senior didn’t collect before they left.” Higgins also suggested seniors should be sure to finish any final projects, pay any outstanding parking tickets and return books to the Brown Library. E-mail McGowan at: optimist@acu.edu
Page 3
Speed Demon
“The risk is that you might take it seriously,” Lucado said. He has been in the spotlight many times before for his bestselling books, but Lucado said he has to remember that those who applaud him often know little about him. On the other hand, ACU feels the positive effects of Lucado’s popularity. The university receives good publicity any time ACU is mentioned in a national publication, said Amber Peck, director of Alumni Relations. “Affirmative news about any alumnus helps reinforce a positive perspective and feelings of good will toward the university, whether you’re a parent, student, member of the faculty or staff, prospective student or donor,” Peck said. BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu
Jamie Worflar, freshman integrated marketing and communication major from Highland, Ill., participates in a typing contest while Tim Rogers, freshman finance major from Houston, watches during ‘Survivor’ hosted by the Office of Career and Academic Development Wednesday in the Hilton Room.
CAMPUS NEWS
Page 4
Friday, April 29, 2005
Steering Committee continues plans for Welcome Week Students next fall to be ‘Free at Last’ at freshman orientation By LACI ARMSTRONG STUDENT REPORTER
Several student leaders are working to prepare a week to give direction to the new students who will show up on ACU’s doorstep this fall. The Welcome Week Steering Committee is working with Eric Gumm, assistant director of the First-Year Program and director of orientation, to create a week for incoming students and show them how to become involved
in the community. In preparation for Welcome Week 2005, the Steering Committee is trying to organize its resources to help with freshman orientation week, said Kristina Anderson, junior communication major from Canton. Anderson is a student director of Welcome Week. “We’re trying to grab everyone we can who wants to help new students become acquainted with life at ACU,” Anderson said. The Steering Committee members are not a part of any of the mentor groups during Welcome Week. “We run Moody Morning
and are involved with tons and tons of behind the scenes work. We meet and greet the freshmen every morning and try to set a high excitement level for the week,” Anderson said.
said they’re right on time. “This is because we have a very talented group of student leaders who have a good work ethic and are excited to serve the freshmen,” Anderson said. Welcome Week will take
“Welcome Week is one of my favorite things about ACU, and I want to give that back.” Kristina Anderson, junior communication major from Canton
Last year, the members of the Steering Committee were running behind schedule for preparation for Welcome Week, but this year Anderson
Better than the chicken dance
place August 16-20, and the theme is “Free at Last” inspired by Galatians 5:1. “We wanted to have a theme that would create a
connection to freshmen,” Anderson said. “A lot of freshmen, when entering college, have a sense of freedom after leaving home. This verse reminds them that they also have freedom in Christ. They are free from the old rules but still have responsibility.” About 200 students have volunteered for Welcome Week. Anderson predicts there might possibly be as many as 300 student volunteers after the Campus Crew sign up is over. Campus Crew is a group of volunteers who help with behind-the-scene work during Welcome Week. They help with meals and set up the evening dinners.
An orientation fee of $115 for Passport, which is an academic orientation time for new students and their parents, and Welcome Week is charged to students’ ACU bill. For Anderson, Welcome Week is a chance to serve. “I’ve tried my best to serve and give back to the university. Welcome Week is one of my favorite things about ACU, and I want to give that back,” Anderson said. Students can contact the First-Year Program at Ext. 2212 to volunteer to be a part of Campus Crew. E-mail Armstrong at: optimist@acu.edu
Stress builds near end of year University doctor says students should find healthy ways to relax
“We tend to not change our habits until struck by a crisis or emergency. Prevention is the best route.” Dr. Tony Rector, medical director of clinical services
By SARAH SCHAEFER STUDENT REPORTER
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Sara Eligado, freshman nursing major from San Jose, Calif., performs with other Shades members during the step team’s routine during Praise Day in Chapel on Wednesday.
Students to focus on missions Ministry organizations send groups to spread message around world
“They’ll be learning about new cultures, how to adapt and how to survive in a new world.” Wimon Walker, instructor of Bible, missions and ministry
By BRANDON E. COOKS STUDENT REPORTER
Traveling, homesickness, adapting to different cultures, encouraging people and spreading the Gospel are only some of the aspects Wimon Walker, instructor of Bible, missions and ministry, uses to describe the World Wide Witness and Let’s Start Talking proWalker grams. “We have 30 to 40 students this summer who will be sent to 20 different sites in the world,” Walker said. “On the other hand, with Let’s Start Talking, we have 500 people, some ACU students, that will be sent out into roughly 50 countries to share the Gospel.” Walker said students of WWW and LST will go to destinations such as England, France, Uganda, Tanzania, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Aus-
tralia, New Zealand, the Bronx, Burkina Faso, and others. “This is the very first year we’ve had students go to Burkina Faso,” Walker said. The ministry programs allow students to spend between six and 10 weeks in different countries and continents and spread the Bible message under the guidance of missionaries who have lived in the countries for several years. According to the WWW Web site, the program “seeks to provide students with practical missions experience to go along with the classroom teaching they receive while at ACU. Under the guidance of effective, experienced missionaries, students will have the opportunity to develop ministry skills that will enable them to serve the church wherever they live and whatever their career.” Walker said the programs coincide and support each other because WWW recruits students for LST. However, the programs are also different.
“LST is a ministry of Churches of Christ that make contact with churches by teaching and reading the Bible in English with those from other nations who do not speak English,” according to www.lst.org. “It’s a wonderful ministry, and I’m really glad we have ACU students involved in it to teach others, “Walker said. He added that although students will be spreading the Gospel and teaching, this will also be a learning experience for them. “Our students are going to learn and to serve; they’ll be learning about new cultures how to adapt, and how to survive in a completely new world,” Walker said. “The quality of one’s spiritual life does have an impact on the adaptation to new environments this experience will create an environment that will somewhat force students to grow.”
E-mail Cooks at: optimist@acu.edu
Caffeine might appear as a best friend during the hectic week of finals, but in reality, caffeine can work as a foe. Stress is apparent in many students’ lives as the semester winds down and the final week of school approaches. Many students are stressed and try to stay awake by using caffeine as a means to assist them. But caffeine is not the answer. Dr. Tony Rector, medical director of clinical services, receives many patients experiencing symptoms of stress in the University Medical Clinic. Rector said most of the stress could be avoided at the beginning of the semester by developing a healthy life style. “Less-than-ideal time management leads to cramming, which leads to staying up all night, and sleep deprivation leads to tension,” Rector said. “We tend to not change our habits until struck by a crisis or emergency. Prevention is
the best route.” Most of the common stressors for students are academics, time management and study skills, Rector said. Rector said the physical response to stress resembles an anxiety disorder with symptoms like headaches, nausea, abdominal cramps, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue and muscle tension. “Students who enter the clinic for stress-related issues tend to be underclassmen,” Rector said. “Underclassmen experience stress because they haven’t adapted to the college role yet; some seniors experience stress because they are launching into the next chapter of their life.” Adrianne Forsythe, senior business major from Wichita, Kansas, said she is not worried about life after graduation. “I’m not stressed at all,” Forsythe said. “I am going to have a year-long internship as a youth intern. It is nice to know that I have this upcom-
ing summer and fall all planned out.” Although Forsythe is confident about the future, Bethany Knox, education major from San Angelo, is not so certain. “After graduation, I am moving to San Antonio,” Knox said. “I have an apartment but no job yet. I am confident that I will eventually get a job, but it still stresses me out. I am also really stressed about leaving the friends that I have made at ACU.” Rector said another way to cope with stress is to eat proper nutrition and to keep the brain healthy. “A common observation is that light exercise makes the brain more efficient,” Rector said. “And I would also recommend not having more than two servings of caffeine per day.” E-mail Schaefer at: optimist@acu.edu
Parents help students survive Organization distributes kits to ease pressure during finals week By MARY TAN STAFF WRITER
Help is on the way for some stressed-out students. Packages containing stationery and snacks will be handed out Friday and Monday in the Campus Center ticket windows to students whose parents purchased a Survival Kit for them. Each Survival Kit includes Scantron test forms, pencils and snacks such as chocolate, beef jerky and Fruit Rollups. It can be bought for $12 through The Campus Store and Wildcat Parents, an organization for parents and guardians of Adkins students. “The kits give parents an opportunity to say ‘Hey, mom and dad miss you,’” said Samantha Adkins, coordinator of Alumni Relations and liaison for Wildcat Parents. She added
that 600 kits are usually given out in two days. Recipients of the Survival Kits are notified several days earlier by a postcard, an e-mail and a phone call, and Adkins said many of the students are surprised when informed. “They usually get really excited,” Adkins said. “It’s a nice surprise to have, especially during finals week.” Marilyn Coates, a member of Wildcat Parents, said she has bought Survival Kits for her daughters for two years. “It’s something fun, and it really cheers them up,” she said. Chequesha Warren, a student worker at The Campus Store and junior history major from Austin, said about 120 Survival Kits have been sold so far, but more were expected to be sold within the week. Wildcat Parents and The Campus Store sell other Wildcat Kits, such as Cookie Junkie, a package of assorted cookies, and the Snacker, a package of snacks and drinks, as well as gifts such as birthday cakes and a balloon bouquet. This is the first time Wildcat Parents and The Campus Store have worked together to sell the kits, and
Adkins said she thought the partnership was a success. Two new kits will be added next year: a Get Well Kit, containing soup, crackers and a balloon, and a Laundry Kit, containing detergent, fabric softener, an ACU laundry bag as well as a laundry card. The money raised through the sale of Wildcat Kits is used to fund other Wildcat Parents events, such as the annual Midnight Breakfast, which will be Monday at 10:30 p.m. in the Bean. Adkins said she expected a big turnout for Midnight Breakfast, where there will be food, karaoke and the chance to win prizes. Parents stay informed about these events and other programs through annual newsletters sent by the Alumni Relations office, Adkins said. “It’s nice for them to have a direct link to us,” she said. “We want to give them peace of mind and show them that we will take care of their children.”
E-mail Tan at: mtt04b@acu.edu
ARTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
April 29, 2005
The Box Office Figures are for the weekend of April 22-24 and are in millions. Total grosses in parenthesis. 1 The Interpreter—$22.8 (new) 2 The Amityville Horror—$13.7 ($43.3) 3 Sahara—$9 ($48.9) 4 A Lot Like Love—$7.6 (new) 5 Kung Fu Hustle—$6.7 ($7.5) 6 Fever Pitch—$5.5 ($31.5) 7 Sin City—$3.7 ($67.3) 8 Guess Who—$3.5 ($62.4) 9 Robots—$3.4 ($120.3) 10 King’s Ransom—$2.1 (new)
Today’s Movies Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (PG)—starring Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell; directed by Garth Jennings One day, Arthur Dent (Freeman) learns he is about to lose his house, his best friend is a space alien, and Earth is going to be demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass, whatever that is. So, he takes the logical step of hitchhiking through the galaxy on a passing spacecraft and having all sorts of adventures. XXX: State of the Union (PG-13) — Starring Ice Cube, Samuel L. Jackson, Willem Dafoe; directed by Lee Tamahori For some reason, one XXX wasn’t enough. So, in this venture, Ice Cube is the new XXX agent hired by Jackson’s character Augustus Gibbons (horrible fake name) to thwart a military splinter group led by Dafoe that is trying to overthrow the government.
Video Releases Out Tuesday, May 3: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera (PG-13) National Treasure (PG)
Summer nights filled with stars, blockbusters By SARAH CARLSON
Well’s sci-fi classic of how one family fights to survive during the battle for humankind. (June 29)
ARTS EDITOR
After one of the dullest spring movie seasons in recent memory, this year’s lineup of summer flicks is action-packed and, like last year, filled with sequels. Here are a few highlights:
July Fantastic Four Starring Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis; directed by Tim Story Another comic book brought to life, this time from the longest-running series of all time. (July 8)
May Kingdom of Heaven Starring Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Jeremy Irons, Eva Green, David Thewlis; directed by Ridley Scott Bloom stars as Balian, a peasant who becomes a knight, falls in love with a forbidden princess, fights for Europe against Jerusalem in a series of battles for the Holy Land shortly before the Third Crusade, and saves the kingdom. (May 6)
Photo courtesy of WWW.ROTTENTOMATOES.COM
Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) embraces his wife Senator Amidala (Natalie Portman) in ‘Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith’ opening May 19. peting organizations without knowing it. (June 10)
June Cinderella Man Starring
Russell
Crowe,
Photo courtesy of WWW.ROTTENTOMATOES.COM
English soldiers ride in battle during the Crusades in the film ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ opening May 6. Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti; Star Wars: Episode III— directed by Ron Howard Revenge of the Sith Crowe brings the story of Starring Hayden Christ- boxing champion Jim Braddock ensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan to the screen, detailing his initial McGregor, Ian McDiarmid, failure and later unexpected rise Samuel L. Jackson; directed by in the ring during the Great George Lucas Depression. (June 3) In the sixth and final installment in the Star Wars series, we Mr. and Mrs. Smith see Anakin Skywalker (ChristStarring Brad Pitt, Angelina ensen) descend from mere Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam shadiness to the dark side of the Brody; directed by Doug Liman force as he becomes Darth Pitt and Jolie are John and Vader, along with all those crazy Jane Smith, a seemingly normal clone wars in between. (May suburban couple who are in fact 19) both assassins working for com-
Theatre tries on 10 pairs of ‘Shorts’ Year’s final production presents several short plays in a row By MITCH HOLT STAFF WRITER
Students from the Theatre Department will perform short, student-directed plays this week in Culp Theatre for the first time in the history of the department. The four showings of these 10-minute plays will be at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. The show will cost $10, which can be charged to students’ ACU accounts. “These short plays are a great opportunity for theatre,” said Chris Peck, senior theatre major from Albuquerque, N.M., and director of one of the short plays. “In a full twoand-a-half-hour play, you have to sit through the whole thing, even if you don’t like it; however, with these short plays, if you don’t like one of them, just
Page 5
wait 10 minutes, and another play will come on.” Seating is configured to host 150 guests, said Adam Hester, chair of the Theatre Department. “At this point, Friday and Saturday nights are sold out,” he said. “Remaining are tickets for Thursday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.” Peck said organizers in the Theatre Department have taken several short plays that might not normally flow together and put them into a festival setting. “There is a flow and rhythm that brings the festival together into a pleasant time of shows,” he said. “We’re really trying to create an effective tempo for the night.” This event began as an effort to give more student directors in the department an opportunity to direct and make their work known, said Jay Reese, theatre major from Abilene and actor in Red Coat, one of the short plays. “The department used to
have only one student-directed show per year, so there were a lot of student directors who didn’t get a chance to direct,” Reese said. “This event will provide them with an opportunity to put on a small-scale production and have their work seen by the public.” Each play flows well with the next because of the transitions, said Ryan Fonville, senior theatre major from Montgomery, Ala., and director of Out West, one of the festival’s plays. “At the end of each play, soothing music plays while the set is change, and a bell rings to set off the next play,” he said. “We are in a part of the semester that is stressful with school and exams,” Fonville said. “These plays will allow the audience to kick back and watch some exceptional and unconventional theatre.” E-mail Holt at: mah02f@acu.edu
Batman Begins Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Liam Neeson; directed by Christopher Nolan No sequel has come close to replicating the original Batman, Michael Keeton, but this installment might come close. Bringing in characters such as The Scarecrow, the fifth Batman flick looks at the origins of Batman and Bruce Wayne’s early life. (June 17)
by J.J. Abrams With J.J. Abrams at the helm (Television’s Alias and Lost) and Cruise, one of the few true movie stars around, in the lead, the third action film has potential to be as entertaining as the first, which, though hard to believe, was released 10 years ago. (June 25)
War of the Worlds Starring Tom Cruise, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins, Dakota Fanning; directed by Steven Spielberg A modern retelling of H.G.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Starring Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, Helena Bonham Carter; directed by Tim Burton Anything Depp touches turns to gold, especially his collaborations with Burton, a true genius of his time. Don’t expect I’ve Got a Golden Ticket—this is a rendition of Rohl Dahl’s book and not the ’70s musical. You can expect wonders, especially with Freddie Highmore (Peter in Finding Neverland) as Charlie. (July 15) E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu
Bewitched Starring Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Steve Carell; directed by Nora Ephron Not your typical adaptation of a classic sitcom. A producer remakes the show, casting Ferrell as husband Darrin and Kidman as his wife Samantha, who is a witch. Unbeknownst to him, Kidman is in fact a witch, now pretending to be a character who is a witch. (June 24)
Mission Impossible 3 Starring Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Scarlett Johansson, Carrie-Ann Moss; directed
Photo courtesy of WWW.ROTTENTOMATOES.COM
The cast of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ in Willy Wonka’s factory. The film opens July 15.
VIEWSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
Page 6
April 29, 2005
Staff rates top 10 news stories of school year As another year comes to a close, the Optimist staff reflects on more than eight months of news stories, columns and editorials. In a year that some of us considered light on news, the ACU and Abilene community has still had its share of excitement, tragedy and even scandal. The Optimist’s Top 10 stories of the year include: Three members and four pledges of Gamma Sigma Phi steal the $3,500 Frater Sodalis crest on Oct. 1 from the newly renovated Larry “Satch” Sanders Intramural Field. The incident resulted in $1,400 in fines being levied against the men as well as other university- and club-sanctioned punishments.
10
9
The university begins construction on its first new residence
hall in almost 30 years, Barret Hall. Named for the university’s first president, A.B. Barret, the hall is scheduled for completion Aug. 1, and sophomore women will be the first residents. Students return from Christmas break to find KRBC, the local NBC affiliate, no longer being offered by Cox Communications because of a dispute over compensation. After about two months without the station, the university cut a deal in March to begin broadcasting KRBC on campus again while the rest of the community’s Cox subscribers go without it.
8
Head football coach Gary Gaines and basketball coach Klint Pleasant announce their resignations in the spring. Gaines, only months after the release of Friday Night Lights, a movie detailing his high school coaching days at Odessa,
7
D-Abilene, for the U.S. House of Representatives. Texas redistricting in 2003 pitted incumbents Stenholm, congressman for more than 25 years, and Neugebauer, first elected in 2003, against each other.
In a year that some of us considered light on news, the ACU community had its share of excitement accepts the athletic director position for Ector County School District. Pleasant accepted a position as associate vice president of Special Projects at Rochester College in Michigan. This month, former student Melody Townsel accuses U.N. ambassador nominee John Bolton of harassment in 1994. Earlier this week, before the Optimist first published reports that Townsel had plagiarized while at ACU and the University of Texas at Arlington, Townsel acknowledged her past with plagiarism in a letter distributed through popular political blogs.
6
5
Dr. Royce Money and Dr. Mark Love announce in February that Lectureship will move to September in
2006. During the transition, the university will conduct the final February Lectureship in 2006 before conducting the first September Lectureship seven months later. The first Malagasy students arrive at the university in the fall after Dr. John Tyson, vice president for development, made several trips to Madagascar last year to meet with its president about sending students. The students’ presence prompts several visits from Malagasy officials, including the president himself.
The Students’ Association discovered in the fall it owed $30,000 for an electronic bowling scoring system that should have come out of last year’s budget. Although the reason for this was never announced, poor management and record keeping by members of last year’s administration seemed to be the cause. Treasurer Tyler Cosgrove orchestrated a loan from the university’s administration that could be paid over four semesters.
President Bush was re-elected over Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., in the November election, and Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, defeated Rep. Charlie Stenholm,
Tragically, the university has lost several members of its community to death in the past nine months. The year began with junior Cheryl Halbert’s death in a car crash
2
4
3
1
“Hello there! Don’t forget overworked and overwhelmed to sign up for Life in Hell than I have in my entire life, today!” but I’ve had so much fun It’s amazing how true and doing it. My staff has had untrue this impromptu duels with cardstatement has board swords and watched the proven this Numa Numa video so many year. It’s print- times that we can all do the ed on a sticker motions. During a lightning promoting a storm last fall, we played in comic strip the rushing water in the pathcalled “Life in way between the Don Morris Hell” that’s and Mabee, claiming the Lori’s Story been taped to stream as our own and appromy computer priately naming it the River Lori since August, Sanguine, which means both Bredemeyer and I’ve seen it bloodthirsty and optimistic. Besides having fun and jokeach day that I’ve worked at ing around in the office, I’ve my desk. My time on the Optimist staff also enjoyed writing and am has been a whirlwind of good proud of the pieces I’ve composed this year, days and bad, even though the each one teaching me a lesson Although many ones I’m most pleased with or giving me a people on campus were the hardest new memory. write. I’ve One of the might not recog- to reported on running jokes in nize me or know wrecks, aborthe office this homosexuyear is that I’m my name, I feel tion, ality and my the “death beat” reporter. I’ve I’ve influenced the favorite politician losing his written almost ACU community re-election to every story that’s Congress. I’ve involved a death: written columns one covering Cheryl Halbert’s memorial about the right to die and service, two about Dr. Charles child abuse, and I even admitTrevathan, one about the youth ted that I smoked — and quit. Although many people on at Highland Church of Christ and several more in between. campus might not recognize The days I called a mourning me or know my name, I feel widow or parent or roommate I’ve influenced the ACU community. People remember certainly were hellish. Another death this year events through the media, and didn’t affect anyone on cam- some students and employees pus but me — my grandpa died at the university will rememunexpectedly the first week of ber their time here through Christmas break. I had the stories I’ve written. Imagining that the work planned to live with him during the holidays while I I’ve done has helped someone worked in San Angelo, and he or changed something or will had been looking forward to allow someone to remember, the time he’d have to spend makes my time on staff worth with me — his oldest of five everything — through all the grandchildren and the one he good times and bad. As graduation approaches, saw least often. His death cast a dark shadow in the middle I’m sad I’ll have to leave my friends, my staff and a large of my senior year. But it taught me another part of my life behind. But lesson: “If God brings you to after the experiences I’ve had it, He will bring you through on the Optimist staff, I’m conit.” fident that when we face times This statement also is taped of suffering or times of sucto my desk, and I see it every cess, God will bring us day, too. My tenure at the through it. Optimist has not always been difficult, and God has helped me through the bad days and allowed me to have many good ones. Respond to Bredemeyer at: This year I’ve been more lmb00g@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu
Cartoon expert signs off after four years Six years is a long time to be in college. When I got here, Charles Schulz was still alive. I still remember what I was doing when I heard he’d died. Four years is a long time to be on the Optimist staff. Even longer to hold a single No Pun for job there. A year before Barcroft they hired me Daniel as cartoon guy, Barcroft the Optimist called me “Cartoon Expert” in the headline of a letter to the editor I had written. I was so proud. For one thing, it marked the first time anybody took something I wrote and edited things out of it until it made absolutely no sense at all. That hasn’t really happened since, unless you count some of the headlines that have run over my columns. But I’ll always secretly hold the Optimist to that statement. I’ll always consider it official because they printed the words. I really think I am a “cartoon expert.” I really believe that you’d be hardpressed to find any other stu-
It’s because I care so much about cartoons that I am glad many people think I’ve done a good job. dent who knows more about American cartoons (print or animated) or the Muppets than I do. It’s because I care so much about cartoons that I wanted the job of cartoonist in the first place, and it’s because I care so much about cartoons that I am glad many people think I’ve done a good job as Optimist cartoonist. Cartoons are fantastic. If you think cartoons are art, they’re my favorite art form. If you don’t think cartoons are really art, they’re what I most prefer to art. The Mona Lisa is the most famous piece of art ever created. But nobody opens to the Renaissance section of the newspaper while eating breakfast to see if she’ll finally get that kite to fly. Nobody wonders what Michelangelo’s David is up to today or is eager to see what Andy Warhol thinks we should do about Tom DeLay. You can really get a lot of perspective from a cartoon. Read any topical editorial cartoon more than a year old, and
you wonder what it’s even about much of the time. Read a 50-year-old Peanuts strip, and people are still the same today. I hope my cartoon and column “work” have done well on both fronts. I hope I did some that really illustrated a good view on a particular issue, and I hope I did some other ones that got pinned up on a bulletin board somewhere and enjoyed for a while. I hope I really made you think about some things. I hope somebody somewhere caught one of my references to They Might Be Giants. But most of all, I hope my stuff was fun. Of all my cartoons that even have the potential to be any good in a few years, all of them are fun. I hope everybody gets the sense from my general work that I’m having fun. First of all, because I am, and second, because fun is contagious, and you have to save it up like squirrels save acorns to get you through times that are less fun. I think the world could stand to have a few more people giving out acorns.
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
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
And what better place to remind people that life isn’t all bad and serious than a newspaper? Newspapers always seem to me to read like this: horrible tragedy, serious incompetence, important attention-grabber, and Hey! Ha ha! Funny picture! Then, it’s back to heavy controversy. I feel pretty heavily what Porky Pine said once in Pogo, (for my money, the second-best comic strip ever written) “Don’t take life so serious, son. It ain’t no how permanent.” I think that’s pretty nice for a professional credo. I hope I lived up to it. So … I’ve mentioned Peanuts, the Muppets, squirrels and TMBG. Pretty good for a last column, I think. The only other thing I want to mention is what an honor it has been to work with the staffs of the Optimist. I’m hard-pressed to find a single collection of more professional students, or a group that will go further in their (hopefully our) lives. See ya in the funny papers.
Respond to Barcroft at: dwb99a@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu
OPTIMIST THE
No matter the circumstances, the Optimist has been honored to bring you the news this year. With events such as the university’s centennial year, the 50th Sing Song and the final February Lectureship already on the calendar, 200506 already promises to be a news-filled year. We hope we have fulfilled our responsibility to you, the readers, and we look forward to bringing you the news again.
Life lessons learned with the ‘Optimist’
Daniel Barcroft
In My Words
days before the beginning of Welcome Week. Trustee Bob Onstead died of a heart attack in early August. In October, popular teacher Dr. Charles Trevathan died after suffering a heart attack in his office. A car wreck involving eight members of the Highland Church of Christ also affected many in the ACU community. Seven were injured, and 11year-old Brody Bourland died in the wreck that occurred while the group returned from Arlington.
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
Sports desk: (325) 674-2684
Photo department: (325) 674-2499
Advertising office: (325) 674-2463
Subscriptions ($45/academic year): (325) 674-2296
Online: www.acuoptimist.com
CAMPUS NEWS
Friday, April 29, 2005
Page 7
Students create Abilene Band Network for campus bands Help from design students, funding for equipment needed By MARY TAN STAFF WRITER
The Abilene Band Network, recently created by two ACU students, is an organization that plans to provide more opportunities for student bands to play on and off campus, as well as recruit musicians who don’t have a band. “Right now, there are tons of student bands here that have nowhere to play,” said Jordan Williams, freshman management major from Longview. “There are lots of bands dying out because they don’t know where to go to get something together.” Williams said about 10 to 15 bands joined ABN, and many
more have been showing interest. Jennifer Fuentes, junior graphic design major from Abilene, said ABN would help other clubs and organizations on campus as well. “We could help facilitate other organizations that need entertainment for some event or function but don’t know who to contact,” she said. “We want to be the place for them to get information about student bands.” However, lack of funding or sponsors make it difficult for ABN to carry out some of its plans. “Right now, we have no great equipment available, but we’re going to need some that we can use on a regular basis and for larger concerts, and it isn’t cheap,” Williams said. Funding would also enable them to invite popular bands like Reliant K, Williams said.
“My dream for ABN is that in a couple of years, we could bring in huge bands from all over the place and get some of our best bands to open for them,” Williams said. “It would give them huge exposure.” Williams said he had a meet-
“My dream for ABN is that in a couple of years, we could bring in huge bands from all over the place and get some of our best bands to open for them. Jordan Williams, freshman management major from Longview
ing with members of the Students’ Association and administration, and they were “all behind it.” “Everybody wants to see something happen, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to make it successful,” he said. Fuentes agreed and said she had heard positive feedback
By TIFFANY TAYLOR PAGE 2 EDITOR
The public portion of ACU’s Web site will undergo renovation this summer, leading to changes in the design of key pages and the reorganization of content. Members of the Web Integration and Programming Department are working with Creative Services and a Web strategy team to visually change the front page of www.acu.edu and make information easier to obtain for the primary users of the Web site: alumni and prospective students. “Our goal is to move from being merely an information presence on the Web to being a home for the ACU worldwide community,” said Carmen Foster, Web master of the public portion of ACU.edu. “This new site will have audience-driven content with a growing focus toward online services such as finding jobs, connecting with alumni, subscribing to e-mail newsletters, buying tickets, scheduling events, reading news and generally conducting everyday business online.” Foster conducted most of the research and said sending surveys and usability tests to students, parents, faculty and staff led her to believe changes needed to be made to keep up with trends. The average reader only spends five minutes on the site, and site designers need to offer complete customer service to connect people to ACU, Foster said. The front page will be more current and include news and pictures, and the Web site will be better organized, said Michelle Morris, vice president for University Relations.
Other decisions have not been made at this point in the process. James Langford, director of Web Integration and Programming, said staff in the department has discussed ways to improve the search engine on ACU.edu. A different search engine could be purchased, but the extra improvement is not in the staff’s budget. A Google search engine can be acquired for free, but once downloaded, the information does not update, Langford said. However, actually paying for Google would, once again be too much money. Although the majority of work will be done on the public side of the Web site, Langford said my.acu.edu will also undergo modifications in the fall. The goal is to add more indicators such as credit balance to students’ home pages, Langford said. Langford said Web site changes, “won’t affect Internet access at all,” because the new and old pages will not be connected. “We’ll be making necessary changes to the old Web site, while we’re building the new site,” Langford said. Unlike changes made to Webmail over spring break, Web site renovations over the summer will not make the site more incompatible with specific browsers. Foster doesn’t foresee problems for students, but she does think students will take some time to feel comfortable with the site. “It will probably feel like going into a new department store for the first time, but it won’t take students long to figure out where their favorite department is located,” Foster said. Those involved in the developments hope to have key portions of the site renovated by the beginning of the next school year, Morris said. E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu
make things really convenient for them.” For now, Williams said plans for next semester included having weekly concerts in the Bean Sprout or the Hard Wood Café and larger concerts that feature popular student bands once a month. Fuentes said she would love
to see bands play in the Beauchamp Amphitheater and grassy lots around campus. Other plans include collaborating with artists to have an art and music show. “Music is a tool that can involve so many people and include so many other things,” Fuentes said. “Personally, I would like to see it go beyond entertainment; we could use it as a form of ministry.” Fuentes said working with Hardin-Simmons and McMurry universities and their bands is a possibility. “We have to interact with other communities–that’s the only way new ideas can come,” she said. “Besides, students might get tired of hearing the same bands all the time.” Williams said he hopes ABN would generate enough curiosity and become a “big enough deal” so that record labels will look at the organization and the
bands it manages. But to do that, the organization needed more than just bands and musicians. “We’ll need students who can work in other areas: database, graphic design, sound, lighting,” Williams said. Fuentes said the group also needs students to help ABN form an official logo, mission statement and purpose. “We want people who know what they are doing and have the heart for it,” she said. “We’re only students, not professionals. This will definitely be a team thing.” She said students who wanted to be involved should contact the organization as soon as possible so plans will be more concrete by next fall. For more information, students may e-mail Williams at jdw03a@acu.edu. E-mail Tan at: mtt04b@acu.edu
Where did all his strength go?
Web sites to undergo design renovations University’s home page, ‘my.ACU’ to receive changes during summer
from the bands and other students. “A lot of people are excited about it, and they know they have someone to go to now,” she said. “If they wanted to, they could put it all together themselves, but with ABN, it would
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Philip Campbell, sophomore youth and family ministry major from Nashville, Tenn., receives a haircut from Ruth Kelly, junior math and biology major from Pasadena, in the mall area in front of the Campus Center on Thursday. Campbell said he decided to have his hair cut because a public haircut would be interesting, and he wanted people to recognize how well Kelly could cut hair.
Retiring faculty, staff to be honored Employees receive awards, pins for years of service to university By EVAN BLACK STUDENT REPORTER
The annual Staff and Faculty Appreciation Dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Teague Special Events Center. All faculty and staff members are invited to attend the free dinner and are allowed to bring their spouses. The dinner will recognize all faculty and staff members and celebrate this year’s three retirees: Diane Atchison, academic adviser for the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication; Ronald
Clark, groundskeeper; and Dr. Neil Lightfoot, professor of graduate Bible and ministry. Dr. Caron Gentry, assistant professor of political science and the Honors Program, attended the event last year. “The dinner last year was really fun,” Gentry said. “It was a good night for conversation and a great way to meet new people.” Gentry said the evening was memorable, and her favorite part was when the retirees were commemorated. “They all gave a farewell speech,” Gentry said. “It was really touching.” Those retiring are allowed to bring 30 guests, and the presentation in their honor includes a personal slide show and a brief speech about each retiree from
ACU President Dr. Royce Money, said Joyce Voss, administrative coordinator for Human Resources. “The highlight of the evening is definitely the retirees,” Voss said. Voss, who is helping plan the event for the first time, said they also recognize faculty and staff for the years they have worked at ACU. Faculty and staff members receive certificates and pins for every five years they have worked for the university. Bill Hilton, vice president emeritus, will receive a pin for 55 years with the university, and Joe Marshall, professor of English, will receive a pin for 50 years with the university. Donna Davis, employee services coordinator, is planning the
dinner for the fourth time and expects 600 to 800 people to attend. Seven awards will also be given at the event, including two Outstanding Staff Member Awards and the University Seminar Teacher of the Year Award, Davis said. “It’s always a very special night, especially for those retiring,” Davis said. Faculty and staff who want attend the dinner should have sent R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, Davis said. “The dinner shows what a great place we work at,” she said. “I mean 55 years is a long time!”
E-mail Black at: optimist@acu.edu
FROM THE FRONT PAGE
Page 8
Friday, April 29, 2005
Harrell: Theatre professor to leave university to teach at Regent Continued from Page 1 student directors who are preparing a Shorts festival, which will premier this weekend. He said he will find it hard to leave the people in Abilene, particularly from ACU, and he and his wife, Holly, will miss Highland Church of Christ. “We have a lot of really good friends here that it will be hard to say goodbye to,” he said, although he is looking forward to his new home. “Regent is in
Virginia Beach, right on the coast, and it really is a beautiful place to live.” Harrell calls the upcoming months a “summer of transitions.” The Harrells have a 2year-old daughter, and a son will be born in June. The family plans to move in August. “It will be crazy—moving with a newborn,” he said. “We’re going out there in a few weeks to house hunt, just so we can begin the process right now.” Harrell said his new home
also will offer many opportunities for his career as an actor and director. He said Regent owns Christian Broadcast Network, which operates with a strong emphasis in Christian cinema, television and theatre. “As an actor, there are many opportunities there,” he said. “Mel Gibson was there last year previewing The Passion, and a Tony-award-winning actress, Kristen Chenoweth, visited.” Hester said he already has
taken steps to fill Harrell’s position, and he has encountered positive results. He said Dawne Swearingen, a New York City actress, called him several months ago before Harrell resigned to tell him she was interested in teaching theatre at ACU. “She said when that window came open, she would love to jump in,” Hester said. “When Eric told me he was leaving, Dawne and I talked again. She was stunned. We were able to
get the interviews with the provost, dean and a group of our students and staff. If you weren’t a Christian, you would think it’s completely coincidental.” Hester said Swearingen was hired to direct a dinner theatre in the past, and he is confident in her abilities, although she hasn’t been hired yet. Swearingen interviewed for the position Saturday. “We should know exactly where we are in a couple of weeks,” he said.
Hester said Harrell will be deeply missed in the Theatre Department and applauds his progress teaching an advanced directing class. “We are excited for him,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for him, but to lose him is tough. We are pretty tightly knit in our department, so that’s hard, but we are also really happy for his success.” E-mail Williams at: tnt00b@acu.edu
Review: Groups to meet in fall Continued from Page 1 Simpson, professor of education and co-chair of the committee along with Arrington. “General Education belongs to the faculty and university.” The committee first is looking at broader themes of education and what the university wants students to have learned and virtues they should have by the time they graduate. Writing and communication skills, working with groups of people with different backgrounds, awareness of social injustice, healthy lifestyles and how the Christian faith influences choices are some of the areas being reviewed by the committee. “We have come up with a lot
of new ideas,” Arrington said. “We asked, ‘How should an ACU education compare to another institution’s?’ We feel we have to address more in an ACU education than other schools have to.” Arrington said faculty members have come to a general consensus in several areas pertaining to curriculum. The areas of quantitative reasoning, writing, communication and critical thinking will be implemented in the core course curriculum and are all agreed upon. Arrington said the committee felt these issues were more important to focus on initially than smaller factors such as how many exercise science or history classes will be required.
Those issues will be discussed, though, once the greater theme of what type of education should be offered is agreed upon. Because of the time crunch most faculty members face at the end of the year, all other committee and faculty meetings for the semester have been canceled, Arrington said, but the committee will continue to communicate with faculty via e-mail throughout the summer with meetings resuming in the fall. “The idea is that we come out of this with a product worth all the time that was put in,” Arrington said. EMILY CHASTAIN/Staff Photographer
E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu
Jeff Robinson straps on his pack as he prepares to walk Thursday afternoon. He began walking in Galveston on April 1 and plans to climb Mt. Elbert at the end of his journey to raise money for homeless adolescents.
Barret: Officials consider options Denver: Walk to help homeless Continued from Page 1 it being completed,” Barnard said, “so we are praying for good weather.” She said the process has a domino effect, and unless everything is done correctly, delays are inevitable. Barnard said she met with the new residents of Barret Hall to discuss community living and the possibility of it not being completed on time. She explained three possibilities to the women. The women might be placed in vacant rooms in other women’s residence halls until the building is completed. Barnard said she couldn’t imagine it taking longer than four to six weeks after school begins.
She said the latter is a worst-case scenario. Kevin Watson, associate vice president of Administrative Services, said in an email the construction is behind schedule, but he doesn’t think it will cause too much of a problem. He said he is holding the general contractor to his schedule and will not decrease pressure until the job is finished. He also said he has no way of knowing if the completion will be delayed.
E-mail Sherwood at: mes02e@acu.edu
Room: Trevathan remembered Continued from Page 1 “Any time we build identity with one another, and especially when that identity tends to be associated with locations, it’s appropriate to go ahead and acknowledge that openly,” Culp said. Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, who worked with Culp to organize the dedication, also noted the strong association between Trevathan and the classroom. “It was practically the only classroom he taught in semester after semester,” Money said, “so in the minds of students, they connected him with that classroom.” Phyllis Trevathan, Charles Trevathan’s widow, said she regularly visits her husband’s old classroom and believes she will
“I’m booked with places to stay almost through the end of May,” he said, “so it doesn’t look stand the struggles homeless like I’ll have to spend much time youth face, while Robinson the in my tent.” fundraiser wants to increase Walker wears a pack as well, money for their recovery. a red and black bag harnessed He will arrive in Abilene on securely across his middle. Thursday and will give several Sherri Robinson said her husspeeches in front of church conband uses his cell phone to stay gregations — Southern Hills, connected to his family, friends Hillcrest and University churchand strangers who are interested es of Christ. He plans to visit in his trek. He also carries the Chapel on Friday, and on laptop, which is connected to Saturday, Southern Hills will wireless Internet, to receive esponsor a fundraiser at 6 p.m. mail, check daily maps and Tickets cost $5. Robinson hopes update journal entries on his students will walk with him and Web site, www.walkingtodenver. a local Boy Scout troop on Saturday from Abilene to Trent. com. Robinson said he has enIn a recent journal entry, Jeff countered support in nearly Robinson writes, “It’s 4:15 every town he has walked [a.m.], and I’m up … sort of. through since he departed from Feet on the floor. Living out of two backpacks is very interestGalveston on April 1. He moding. First, I’ll estly said his bandage my only complaint “God sends these little visitations to me feet. … No are the blisters new blisters on his feet, disthrough the day to keep me going.” on toes or couraging him from reaching Jeff Robinson, who is walking to Denver to raise money for homeless adolescents a n y w h e r e else. Maybe his goal of crossmy feet are ing 20 miles a finally getting day. accustomed to this daily regi“The blisters have really been est mountain in Colorado. “One of the reasons he is ment.” the most difficult thing,” he said. “It was pretty painful, and I doing all of this is he loves the His walk begins at 6 a.m. Jeff spent many days trying to walk ministry,” she said. “This was Robinson travels with a sign and hoping they would heal kind of his thing, and he’ll tell above his head, which reads you the Lord just kind of plant- “Walking to Denver .com.” quickly.” His wife, Sherri, said she ed it on his brain. He has a diffi“My favorite time of the day became worried about the blis- cult time doing anything for Dry to walk is just before sunrise,” he ters in the middle of the first Bones from here because the said. “It’s cool, the sky is usually week of the trek and drove to kids won’t really trust him if he very beautiful, and it always meet Robinson to take him to comes down for a week and then thrills me when I hear the first goes back home.” the doctor. bird of the morning. “The kids are cheering me on “The first week was horren“There are times when peodous,” she said. “His feet look from a distance,” Jeff Robinson ple on the road stop and talk to better now, but they are still said. me or I get phone calls from He carries two packs filled friends. God sends these little swollen, and he has one blister that is an aggravation that he with daily necessities and a small visitations to me through the laptop, cell phone, rain gear and day to keep me going.” can’t seem to get rid of.” Sherri Robinson said the a tent. He said he has only had to health of her husband’s travel use the tent once because people E-mail Williams at: companion, a pooch named have opened their homes to him. tnt00b@acu.edu
Continued from Page 1 Another possibility is that students from Barret who live in Abilene can house other girls. “I’m hoping that we have quite a few Abilene residents who can take their roommate and some friends home for a couple of weeks until it gets done,” Barnard said. The third alternative is for faculty and staff to house the women. “It has happened before when Nelson was being built that students had to be placed across Abilene for several months,” Barnard said. “Just the other day, Dr. Money told me that he has room for four, and I know we have room for several as well.”
enjoy seeing the plaque on the wall as she passes. She said the dedication is fitting because her husband loved what he did in that classroom. Phyllis Trevathan said Charles often spoke of how much he enjoyed teaching. “He told his classes, ‘I want to go from class to heaven.’ He said that so many times,” Phyllis Trevathan said. She said it is fitting that the room be dedicated to him. Culp also worked to find something important to Charles Trevathan that could be hung inside the room and found a plaque Campus Life had given him when he left the department to teach sociology. The plaque that now hangs inside the room is a copy of the original because Phyllis Trevathan said she wanted to keep the
original. In the end, both Culp and Money said the dedicated classroom will serve as a reminder to students. “I like our students to have reminders of the people who have gone before and have made outstanding contributions to the university,” Money said. Culp said the dedication is also a way to tell about Charles Trevathan’s life to future students and faculty. “I think it’s also important for new students and faculty when they come on board and they say, ‘Who’s that?’ And I just say, ‘Let me tell you,’” Culp said. “‘Let me tell you a story about a fellow that you should have gotten to know.’” E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu
Walker, seems to be faring better than Rob’s. She admits she worries about him, but after visiting Dry Bones Denver herself, she believes in his cause. “A lot of these kids are on something,” she said. “One drug rehab center will take any of the kids, but it still costs about $8,000. Sending them home is not always the best solution. They need a permanent place to stay and help getting their GED. Sometimes the workers spend the first year just trying to get these kids to trust them.” Sherri Robinson said her husband loves the outdoors, especially hiking in Colorado. He began his trip at sea level in Galveston, and on day 95 of the journey, he plans to reach the summit of Mt. Elbert, the high-
Economy: Local businesses benefit from commencement Continued from Page 1 what the numbers will be,” Allen said. “We just try to be here to serve our customers no matter how many people are coming in.” Restaurants and lodgings are not the only businesses that will benefit. Joel Harris, president of
Box Office Video, said his three rental stores will receive more business after classes end, despite the exodus of students returning home for the summer. “We are a very family-oriented business,” Harris said. “Families tend to rent more movies during the summer because
their kids are out of school.” Harris also noted that many students stay in Abilene during the summer, and his business sees about a 10 percent increase. “The students who stay here tend to rent twice as many movies during the summer than they do during the school year
because they aren’t having to worry about homework,” he said. Local proprietors said they expect income to return to normal levels after commencement. E-mail Pond at: optimist@acu.edu
SPORTS JUMPS
Friday, April 29, 2005
Page 9
Barker: Holds LSC, school record for RBI; aims to reach World Series Continued from Page 10 Barker has spent much of his career at ACU in different positions on the field. His freshman season he played designated hitter, right field and third base in the post-season. His sophomore year he added first base and shortstop with reappearances in right field and third. Last season he spent most of his time at third base with a few stops at short, before finding a semi-permanent position at first his senior season. “Our program is built on these types of kids,” Bonneau said of four-year players. “And Ryan’s no exception; you know you get comfortable with a guy who can play where ever on the field and consistently fill the middle of the batting lineup.” Heading into the final regular season series of his senior year, Barker already holds the school record for RBI. The previous record was held by Hyde who had 154, but Barker surpassed him March 9 with a three-RBI performance against Arkansas Tech in Russellville,
Ark. Barker has since placed a significant gap between himself and Hyde as he has knocked in 182 through Saturday’s game with Texas A&M-Kingsville. If the school record wasn’t enough, Barker set the Lone Star Conference record for career RBI during a four-game set with Tarleton State at Crutcher Scott Field. On April 9, his two RBI eclipsed the mark of 175 set by Central Oklahoma’s John Rogers. With Barker’s Wildcats at 3813 thus far in the 2005 season, the team is in the running to host the NCAA regional tournament May 18-21. So, a fourgame set with Eastern New Mexico to end the season and the strong possibility of postseason play gives the Humble native a chance at other school records for career hitting. Through Friday, Barker stands second in total hits with 254 trailing Matt Davidson’s mark of 276, second in runs scored with 175 trailing Davidson’s mark of 227, and tied for second in doubles with Brandon McNab at 53 trailing
File Photo By BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Barker, first baseman, steps into the box and prepares to hit in the game against St. Edwards on April 5.
Massey. Barker also ranks fourth in total bases with 359 trailing the leader Massey who had 388, and is tied for seventh in home runs with 18. With all the talk of records, Barker said hearing his name mentioned next to the top players in ACU baseball history is nice, but his goal this season is just to return to the World Series. His sophomore season the Wildcats were swept in the double-elimination tournament in Montgomery, Ala., after beating Delta State for the first time in the NCAA South Central Region championship. The Wildcats fell to Tampa, 14-2, and California-Davis, 5-3. “I think we were just content with being there and didn’t play as well as we wanted to,” Barker said. “It was a sigh of relief that we finally beat Delta State in regional. It kind of flew by, and all the energy we had in regionals wasn’t there.” After ACU had made four straight regional tournament appearances, Barker’s junior squad in 2004 suffered an off year by ACU standards, finishing with a 31-25 record and failed to clinch its fifth straight regional tournament berth. The team had lost a good portion of its players to graduation, and pitchers Kade Simmons and Justin Whitlock would sit the seasons out with injuries. Barker said the additions of new players like Cody Cure and Coy Polk was a bright spot, but the team had trouble finding the winning combination. I just think it took us a while to get a set rotation and lineup,” he said. When you are switching guys in and out of the lineup every day it’s hard to play to your potential and get in the groove. We just never really came together like we had in the
past.” In his final season as a Wildcat and possibly his final season as a ballplayer, Barker wanted the 2005 campaign to be special. “We had some bright spots coming back but we were hoping to get a good recruiting class coming in,” he said. “And coach Bonneau, Stover and (Lee) Fletcher did a good job of bringing guys in that could fill in some spots.” ACU rolled to a hot start, winning eight of its first 10 contests, earning the team a No. 8 national rank. However, the team didn’t look like a top-10 team, dropping eight of its next fifteen games to drop the Wildcats to 13-9. “That year started out a lot like this year. We started our hot and fell apart near spring break,” Barker said of the 2003 World Series team. “But we picked it up and won 14 in a row going into the regional.” After a four-game set in Tahlequah, Okla. with Northeastern State where the Wildcats split the series winning their final game 2-0 on March 11, and the team headed home in preparation for fourgame home stand against Southeastern Oklahoma. Barker, Cure and senior JBob Thomas called a playersonly meeting before the first game. The seniors pleaded with the team to get on a roll and encouraged the team to play to its potential. “We knew we had to get on a roll. If we kept playing .500 ball we weren’t going anywhere,” Barker said. ACU responded to its clubhouse leaders with a four game sweep over Southeastern, prompting the team’s student section – dubbed “Hecklers” by Bonneau – to bring brooms for the final game of the series.
Athletes: Teams to compete after school ends Continued from Page 10 has won three straight outdoor team titles and seven of the last nine, while the women’s team finished third in last year’s outdoor meet. With this year’s meet in their own back yard, both teams should enter the meet as favorites to add some more hardware. After both the men and women’s tennis teams captured the Lone Star Conference title this season, coach Hutton Jones is sure his teams will host the NCAA Division II Central
Regional. The men’s team has won four straight conference titles, and the women have won four of the last six. If the teams can continue their success at the regional tournaments, they’ll advance to national tournament in Orlando, Fla. It would be shocking if at least one team didn’t make it. The baseball team has also enjoyed great success this season. Poised for a conference title and in a battle with Delta State to host the regional tournament, the Wildcats also have national aspirations. But before
they can think about the Division II World Series on May 28 through June 4 in Montgomery, Ala., they must get past the regional tournament on May 19-21, where a looming ACU vs. Delta State match-up is more than intriguing. While track, tennis and baseball are the undisputed powerhouses of the remaining spring schedule, other players are still in play. Kyle Byerly and Matt Samples will represent the ACU golf team at the South Central
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Barker reaches for a grounder during practice on March 17. His coach Britt Bonneau said, “I’ll always miss putting No. 4 Ryan Barker in my lineup ... but mostly I’ll miss seeing him every day.” The sweep gave the team five-straight victories and momentum heading into an eight-game road trip in which the Wildcats swept both Southwestern Oklahoma State and West Texas A&M in fourgame sets. Two wins against St. Edwards on April 5 back home extended the winning streak to 15, and Barker capped the second game with a an extrainning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to provide an 8-7 victory. The streak ended with the series opener to Tarleton State on April 8 when ACU fell 8-2. However, the team bounced back to take the final three games of the series and continued the trend of three games out of four when they took three from Angelo State April 15-16 and Texas A&M-Kingsville last weekend. With Barker’s clock running out with just a few contests left to play, the Wildcats – now ranked No. 5 in the nation – are in good position to achieve the goal of returning to the regional
tournament for a shot at the school’s second World Series. Three wins against Eastern New Mexico this weekend would give ACU good standing to host the NCAA regional. No matter what happens the remainder of the season, Barker can look back on his career at ACU and know he did all he could to keep the high standard his predecessors set before him. Bonneau said more important than his play, the two have developed a friendship that will last a lifetime. “I’ll always miss putting No. 4 Ryan Barker in my lineup,” Bonneau said. “But mostly I’ll miss the opportunity of seeing him every day.” A decade later, Bonneau may not see a giant baseball-shaped sign with Barker’s name and jersey number on it every day at Crutcher Scott Field. But, when sharing stories of the ACU greats with future Wildcats, Barker will be remembered. E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu
I’d rather be at the beach
Regional, and the softball team is hoping to get into the regional tournament even after losing its two LSC tournament games. The Wildcats are still ranked No. 6 in the region, and the top six teams are selected. Logically, they have a good shot. Actually, logic would probably determine success for about all the ACU teams left standing. BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Respond to Gray at: optimist@acu.edu or weg02ax@acu.edu
Sophomore long and triple jumper Vladyslav Gorbenko lands his triple jump at the LSC Championship on Saturday in San Angelo.
Baseball: Indoor batting facility to cost $225,000; alumni commit $190,000 Continued from Page 10 set for the summers of 2006 and 2007, respectively. However, if the first phase is approved, construction could begin as early as the end of June or the beginning of July, Bonneau said. The indoor batting facility will consist of four baseball tunnels, two pitching mounds and an instructional and soft toss area. The building will run along the foul-territory wall, parallel to the first-base side behind the current clubhouse. “It will be a multi-purpose indoor batting cage,” Bonneau said. “It will be a good place for
pitchers to throw and hitters to hit.” Bonneau said a Lettermen’s room will be constructed along with the batting cage, where former players will be honored with pictures and memorabilia. “This facility is something I’ve always wanted to have,” Bonneau said. “The team has to miss days of workouts every season in cold and rainy weather, and with this facility, not a day will pass by that we can’t practice.” Junior pitcher Andrew Dillman said the team has to travel across town to John Baack’s Strike Zone, located near
the Ben Richey Boys’ Ranch, during bad weather for workouts. “It’s definitely a convenience factor,” Dillman said of the new facility. “It’ll be right in our backyard and will save us some driving time when weather’s bad.” The cost for the facility is about $225,000, and before construction can begin, money must be committed. So far, the program has raised $190,000 for the project and is planning to send a mail-out brochure to baseball alumni to raise the rest for all three phases of the facility upgrade.
Bonneau said he is planning to meet with Kevin Watson, chief administrative services officer, to discuss plans for breaking ground. “We have to have the funding committed and the design elements approved by the physical resource committee of the board,” Watson said. “Once we get these two items, it could be constructed in three to four months.” Though the main purpose of the facility is to provide a secondary spot for players to improve their games, recruiting also is taken into account. “When we bring players in
for visits, I want them to know that they’ll have the opportunity to receive an awesome Christian education,” Bonneau said. “And I want them to look at our facilities and know that they’re coming to a baseball factory.” Delta State University’s baseball program – which ranks No. 1 in the nation through Monday’s NCAA Division II poll – has had an indoor facility since 2000. Head coach Mike Kinnison said on the school’s athletics Web site that its facility is a good recruiting tool because it shows prospective players something that not many teams have.
“Once complete, they will have a first rate facility and program that will rival any of our cohort schools and some NCAA Division I schools,” Watson said. “This is something that will last forever; we made sure that we were building something that would last as long as the school has a baseball program,” Bonneau said. ”Our goal is to have a Division I facility like nobody else’s at the Division II level.” E-mail Robarts at: weg02a@acu.edu
R B I
SPORTSFRIDAY OPTIMIST
Page 10
LSC South Standings current through 04-27-05
Baseball Team ACU Angelo State E. New Mexico A&M-Kingsville Tarleton State West Texas A&M
Div. 13-3 10-6 9-7 8-8 6-10 2-14
Tot. 38-13 28-22 25-24 31-19 22-30 14-37
Softball Team Angelo State ACU Tarleton State A&M-Kingsville Texas Woman’s E. New Mexico
Div. 15-5 13-7 12-8 11-9 6-14 3-17
Tot. 43-14 30-20 24-21 30-26 21-25 20-29
Upcoming events in Wildcat sports... (home events in italics) Friday, April 29 BSB: Eastern New Mexico, 3 p.m. TK: Penn Relays Carnival
yan arker: ncessant
April 29, 2005
Senior Ryan Barker holds the school record at 182 RBI; for four seasons, he has contributed consistency and versatility to his team
Saturday, April 30 BSB: Eastern New Mexico, noon TK: Penn Relays Carnival
By KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS WRITER
Thursday, May 5 MTN: NCAA II Regional, 1 p.m. WTN: NCAA II Regional, 2 p.m. Friday, May 6 MTN: NCAA II Regional, 1 p.m. WTN: NCAA II Regional, 2 p.m. TK: Texas Arlington Open Saturday, May 7 TK: Texas Arlington Open, Arlington May 11-14 TN: NCAA II National Tournament, Orlando, Fla. May 12 TK: ACU Open May 12-15 SB: NCAA II Regional, TBA May 19-21 BSB: NCAA II Regional, TBA May 26-28 TK: NCAA II Outdoor Championship May 28 to June 4 BSB: NCAA II World Series, Montgomery, Ala.
Briefs Track individuals to compete at the Penn Relays Carnival this weekend. A handful of Wildcat track and field athletes, along with head coach Jon Murray, are in Philadelphia this weekend for the 110th Penn Relays Carnival, one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the sport. The five-day event, which began Tuesday with the decathlon and the heptathlon, features athletes young and old, professional and novice. The 2004 Division II cross country champion Nicodemus Naimadu competed in the 3,000meter steeplechase Thursday night, but results were unavailable at press time. Sophomore Olha Kryv’yak competed Thursday night in the 3,000meter run, while freshman Trina Cox ran the women’s 5,000meter run. Freshman Laurent Ngirakamaro competed for ACU in the men’s 5,000-meter run. Results for all three races were unavailable at press time. The men’s 4x200-meter relay team will compete Saturday afternoon at Penn. Following this week’s competition, two meets remain before the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships, for which ACU will play host at Elmer Gray Stadium, May 26-28. —By Steve Holt, Sports Writer Byerly and Samples to compete in NCAA II Men’s Golf Championships next week. Golfers Kyle Byerly and Matt Samples have been selected to play in the 2005 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships Super Regional in Valdosta, Ga. While the Wildcats missed out as a team, Byerly and Samples will be part of the eight teams and five individuals to compete at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club. The players will leave Saturday and will play rounds Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The top two teams and top individual at the tournament will advance to the finals. —By Warren Gray Sports Writer
Photo Illustration by BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Ryan Barker has played designated hitter, right field, shortstop and third and first base in his four seasons on the Wildcat baseball team. He holds the school record with 182 RBI as well as a Lone Star Conference record for career RBI having surpassed the previous record of 175.
Beneath the first-base-line bleachers of Crutcher Scott Field hang the names of seven former ballplayers on giant, baseballshaped signs. Bill Gilbreth is honored on the far left for his accomplishments in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers and California Angels. Jerod Hyde, Ronnie Haring, J.D. Perry, Marc Thompson, Brandon Stover and Marcelino Escalante are honored in succession to the right of Gilbreth’s sign for their allAmerica selections. Most likely, senior Ryan Barker won’t have his name added under the stands following his final game as a Wildcat, but his consistent production in four seasons won’t be quickly forgotten. When Ryan Barker laced up his cleats for the first time at ACU in the fall of 2001 to prepare for his freshman campaign, he didn’t know that he would be the only first-year player to make an impression on a team dominated by upperclassmen in a 45 win season. But he did. He didn’t know that in his sophomore season he would shine again, leading his club with 64 RBI and belting eight home runs on a College World Series team led by established senior players Brad Massey, Creighton Bryan, Escalante and Chris Churchill. But he did. He didn’t know that four years down the road his name would appear near the top in school and conference record books for the majority of hitting categories. But he did. At five feet eight-inches, 180 pounds, Barker’s presence in the batter’s box doesn’t intimidate opposing pitchers like his six -feet-three-inch 230-pound teammate Joel Wells. He has never been a .400 hitter with dominating statistics to earn all-America selections and most valuable player honors. However, his consistency at the plate and his ability to play anywhere in the field has kept him in lineup game after game. Head coach Britt Bonneau said he recruited Barker for his ability to get it done. “He was a hard nosed player,” Bonneau said. “He wasn’t a flashy player. He wasn’t big or physical, but he knew how to See BARKER Page 9
Athletic trainers work hard behind the scenes Nine student workers help Wildcat sports run smoothly By WARREN GRAY SPORTS WRITER
At 11 p.m. on a recent Friday night, student athletic trainers were wrapping up a 13-hour day complete with track, baseball and tennis. They cleaned in a hurry – setting up for Saturday’s activities would begin a 7 a.m. the next morning. So goes a weekend for an athletic trainer. With only three full-time staff members and 13 ACU sports, counting men’s and women’s teams, the ACU athletic training staff relies heavily on its nine student trainers. “They’re a vital part of what we try to do,” men’s head trainer J.D. Dunavant said. For the student workers, busy days are the norm, especially on the weekends. The students are assigned a sport to be a trainer for when they are initially chosen to be on staff. Dunavant said it is not uncommon for the students to work six days a week when their sport is in season, and the weekends usually bring 11 or 12 hours of work a day. But with all the hard work comes advantages. Dunavant said one of the fun things about being an athletic trainer is traveling to different places with the teams. He said freshmen
trainers, of which there were three this year, have additional privileges. “The neat thing for freshmen is that they get to come to campus and see everything before other students do,” Dunavant said. Even before most ACU students arrive, the training staff is hard at work. Athletic trainers must arrive early to all the events to set up and stay late to make sure everything is ready for next time. “A lot of what we do is hurry up and wait,” Dunavant said. “The second part is we have to be flexible and prepared to do whatever.” Rain delays, changes in practice time and location and added games to original schedules keep the trainers on their toes. But while being flexible and patient are important, Dunavant said the most important thing for the student trainers is to remember they are students first and trainers second. “The biggest thing is that we require our students to maintain a 2.5 to 3.0 minimum GPA,” Dunavant said. “If they don’t, we have problems.” But if the grades are good, Dunavant is sure there will be few problems. “If you come through our program,” Dunavant said, “you’ll be able to work in Texas.” E-mail Gray at: weg02a@acu.edu
Writer recognizes athletes’ overtime
following the 1979 season. When baseball came back to ACU in 1990, construction began on a new playing facility. On Feb. 23, 1991, Crutcher Scott Field became the new home for the revived program. Fourteen years later, ACU baseball looks to pick up where administrators left off and improve on a first-rate playing facility. The plan has three phases. First, builders will add an indoor batting facility this summer. Second, they will replace the outfield wall, add an iron rod fence around the stadium and build a cinder block wall to hide visibility under the stands. Third, the team is planning to level the playing surface and
On the last day of classes, it’s a great feeling to step into that classroom and say to yourself, “This is the last time I’ll ever be in this class.” Yes, the end of the semester, especially the one that precedes summer, is a great time. But while most ACU stuGray dents are preparing to Matters Warren Gray celebrate the culmination of a semester of work, many student athletes are just hitting the stretch run of their year. Members of the baseball, golf, track and tennis teams still have some work to do, and the softball team is waiting word to see if their season will continue. Most importantly, evidence points to all those involved faring well in their post-school year endeavors. The men’s and women’s track teams have three more meets, including this weekend’s Penn Relays Carnival in Philadelphia, Pa., before the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships right here in
See BASEBALL Page 9
See ATHLETES Page 9
Courtesy of Creative Services
A site plan of the future indoor batting facility for the Wildcat baseball program. The new facility will help the team during practice in bad weather as well as in recruiting.
Coach envisions baseball factory Baseball program to raise funds to add indoor batting facility By KYLE ROBARTS SPORTS WRITER
As if 359 wins, three conference titles, one NCAA regional title and a College World Series appearance in the past nine seasons wasn’t enough to establish the Wildcat baseball program among the elite in NCAA Division II. Now, a three-year plan set in motion by head coach Britt Bonneau to upgrade the team’s facilities should further set the program apart. Wildcat baseball began its first season in 1955, but the school dropped the program