Spikes up Student mail-orders her pet hedgehog
vol. 103, no. 17
wednesday, october 22, 2014
1 SECTION, 6 PAGES
Features Page 5
what’s INSIDE NEWS Alumni office awards three alumni at Homecoming
Page 3
SPORTS Football team suffers loss to McNeese State on Saturday
Page 6
SEASON
OPINION Voter participation is crucial for college students and easy with absentee voting
OF CHEER
Page 4
NEWS National Hispanic Honor society to publish review
Page 3
OPINION Preparations for Sing Song need to encourage creativity, and rely less on outside help
Page 4
INTRAMURALS It’s playoff season. Daniel Block fills us in on which teams should head to the championship Page 2
NEWS Red Thread Movement partners with Better World Books Page 3
what’s online
paige otway staff photographer
The student section at Shotwell Stadium cheers on the Wildcats at the ACU Homecoming game.
Local foundations donate $8 million Schubert to break ground on Onstead Science Center madeline orr editor in chief The university will break ground on the Onstead Science Center after having secured $42 million of the $45 million needed to complete the new science and engineering facilities. Two significant donations to fund construction of the science facilities were from local foundations, the Dodge Jones Foundation and the Diane Graves Owen Foundation, who donated
$5 million and $3 million, respectively. Schubert said it’s great when the local community’s investment can be highlighted alongside investments coming from elsewhere. “They wanted to demonstrate their support and send a strong signal about the local Abilene community supporting the projects as well,” he said. “It creates great partnerships.” Larry Gill, grants administrator at the Dodge Jones foundation, said having en-
tion on the Onstead Science Center will take place Nov. 10 outside of the Foster Science building after Chapel. Schubert said part of the reason he wanted to begin construction on the Onstead facility was so that the building’s 84-year-old namesake, Kay Onstead, could see significant marked results. “I have the desire to ensure that there is visible progress so that she can enjoy and appreciate and be a part of it,” he said. Schubert said there are many ongoing conversations with other individuals, corporations and foundations about fundraising. “We’re in the process of trying to get clarity on final
decisions so we’re hopeful that even conversations we’re already in with proposals on the table will yield significant progress,” he said. About $21 million of the $30 million needed for the athletic facilities has been secured. Schubert said progress continues on the new track and soccer venue which is expected to be complete by April. The Engineering and Physics Laboratories at Bennett Gymnasium are expected to be completed by January. contact orr at mco10b@acu.edu
Study Abroad professor returns to U.S. reese gwin staff reporter The ACU Study Abroad Program in Montevideo, Uruguay, is getting a new faculty resident after a family emergency required one professor to come home early. Dr. Paul Roggendorff, instructor in the Department of Language and Literature, originally planned to spend the entire fall semester in South America with his wife and two children. However, when his wife became seriously ill, Roggendorff de-
cided to return to Texas. His family returned to the States on Oct. 3. It only took five days for the Center for International Education to choose a replacement. Dr. Ronald Morgan, a professor in the Department of History and Global Studies, will be the new faculty resident for the trip. “I am on research leave, so it worked pretty well with my schedule,” Morgan said. “I am not teaching anything right now.” Despite the change in personnel, the 11 students in Montevideo did not
miss a beat. They continued their studies and live with two ACU onsite directors, Wimon and Rosalinda Walker. “As the directors in Montevideo, Rosalinda and I can assure you that ACU and the Study Abroad office are working hard to care for the Roggendorffs and their needs,” Wimon Walker said. “And at the same time, we are all working hard to make sure that the students have the best experience possible.” Roggendorff had not begun to teach his slate of classes at the time of his
d e p a r t u re, said Stephen Shewmaker, executive director of the Center for International roggendorff Education. Morgan will teach the classes Roggendorff was expected to teach. Morgan has international experience as well as foreign language skills to step into the role. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish and has spent the last nine years as Director of ACU in Oxford.
The hardest part of the transition for students and faculty involved will not be academics, but losing a part of the study abroad family to such a sad circumstance, Morgan said. “Being there with (Dr. Roggendorff) and his family, they would have all bonded a lot,” Morgan said. “Since he has come home in a family crisis, the students are not only sad he is gone but also concerned for his family.” contact gwin at erg12a@acu.edu
New club members put away pledge pins
associate director of student organizations and programs. “Some are sweeping changes and Student musicians Pledging underwent some some are very minor.” perform at dramatic changes this seThough there were Homecoming mester, but proved to be many of these big and JamFest just as rewarding as in the small changes to the past. pledging process, it was This semester, the still a positive experience. pledging season was “I do think it was a sucshortened from five weeks cessful pledging season,” to three weeks, physical Jackson said. “I think activities were banned most of the credit goes to and pledges were admit- the club presidents, the ted to clubs before fall officer teams and the adbreak instead of after. visers.” “Changes come each Manaia Broom, sophoRead more at year in the pledging pro- more biology major from acuoptimist.com cess,” said Mark Jackson, Paragould, Arkansas, was
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gineering and science programs in Abilene appealed to the foundation. “We have some great science academics on faculty at ACU and this will enhance those programs,” he said. “It just seemed to make a whole lot of sense for the future of ACU students and the future of Abilene.” Both foundations also made financial contributions to the building of the Hunter Welcome Center and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, but their combined $8 million donation is the largest amount either foundation has given to the university. A groundbreaking ceremony to begin construc-
rachel fritz copy editor
skeptical about the pledging process. “I was really in the fence about pledging my freshman year and I didn’t want to do it alone,” she said. “So when my friends thought about pledging more seriously, I was leaning towards it more.” Broom’s was finally persuaded to pledge Alpha Kai Omega after she found out about the changes that were being made. “I wasn’t too sure about pledging when fall rushes first started, but I finally
Abilene Christian University
made my decision after the first round of rushes and knowing it was only three weeks,” she said. “I knew with the shorter amount of pledging I could handle that with school work.” The shortening of the pledging process resulted in a more intense pledging season, but it was just as satisfying. “Some of the best parts of pledging was getting to know so many new girls and having really unique memories now looking back on it,” Broom said. “There were a lot of sleep-
less nights, and I got to see the worst in friends – and even in myself – but I got to see even more good in them.” Though the semester was different because of the tweaks made in the pledging process, Jackson saw it as a success. “I think the general consensus was that pledging was a positive experience, but also a tiring one,” he said. However, it is still too early to tell if the rule changes attracted more see pledging page 3
Wednesday 10.22.14
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wednesday
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thursday Light Up the Night 5k sign ups (ends Friday)
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friday Midterm grades available
saturday
9 a.m. Student Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 5k
12 p.m. Soccer game versus Lamar University
7 p.m. SWAG hosted by Virtuous Sisterhood in Bible 114
2 p.m. Volleyball game at SE Louisiana University
7 p.m. Volleyball game at University of New Orleans
Chapel checkup To date:
2
3 p.m. Football game at Sam Houston State University
Around Abilene
Remaining:
43 26 @acuoptimist
Oct. 25
Oct. 25
Oct. 27
Oct. 30
7 a.m. Cooper High School AFJROTC is having a garage sale at the East parking lot (by the gym), to raise money for the Cadets. There will be clothes, baby items, electronics, books etc. Please come out and help support the cadets!
4 p.m. Oldham Lane Church of Christ Fall Festival is a fun event for the whole community! There will be many game and activity booths, as well as good food. There’s no charge, just come have a good time! Let us know if you have any questions or if we can serve you in any way. Visit http://www.oldhamlanechurch.com/ for more information.
7:30 p.m. ACU Choir concert at the Williams Performing Arts Center Recital Hall.
6 p.m. Mall of Abilene Fall Festival and Costume Contest. Join us for a night of fall fun featuring games provided by local organizations, prizes, candy and a costume contest! Costume contest is open to children up to age 12 and will begin at 7 p.m. Pre-registration begins at 6 p.m. Prizes will be awarded. Sponsored by Arrow Ford.
The Optimist optimist@acu.edu Announcements Come to Cullen Auditorium at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 for a free screening of the film Believe Me and a talk back session with the writer, director and producer. This event is hosted by ACU FilmFest. Books in the library are being relocated to movable compact shelving on the first floor of the library. The move will take place through September and October and will make it difficult to access some of the books. The move will open up more of the library for study spaces on the first and third floors. We apologize for any inconvenience and ask that you seek librarian assistance at the main floor research desk if you are not able to easily find what you are looking for.
Seekers of the Word Drama Ministry meets for Chapel on Thursdays in the Bible building, Room 104. Our Chapel is open to everyone. Come study the Bible, pray, worship, talk and laugh with us, and get a Chapel credit in the process! Don’t get sick and miss out on any fun (or classes) this season! Flu shots are now available in the ACU Medical Care Center for $20. We accept cash, check, credit, debit or you may bill it to your ACU Banner account. Office hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Watch for announcements of special clinic hours.
Looking for a summer job? Visit the various camp booths in the Campus Center Nov. 12-13 to learn more. You are invited to play video games for science. Every person who participates in our research study will be placed in a drawing for a $50 Visa gift card. We are asking participants to fill out a few questions when they sign up, play some specific games that are free online for two weeks and fill out a few questions when they are done. To sign-up, go to https:// www.surveymonkey.com/s/M7DMF2Z
TEDxACU will feature one student speaker. Apply to the 2015 Student Speaker Competition by Oct. 24, and that student could be you. Read more about the competition online at acu. edu/tedxacu Sigma Tau Delta’s Short Story and Flash Fiction contest is open to all writers! There will be cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners! Judges will be published authors from the Abilene Writers’ Guild. Short Stories: 1000-7000 words, Flash Fiction: 1000 words or less. Turn in paper copies, with a cover sheet, to Admin 212. The deadline is Oct. 31. Send questions to sdh11a@acu.edu.
Intramurals
Intramural playoff action gets underway THE VAGABONDAGE REC-COVERING SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND ADDICT
DANIEL BLOCK
There are two seasons in every sport. First, each team participates in the regular season. The regular season is often long and drawn out, and teams gain and lose momentum faster than a Welcome Week relationship falls apart. But, unlike most ACU marriages, it’s not the squad fastest
out of the gate that wins the championship. The best teams aren’t looking for a ring by spring. These teams wait until the second season, playoff season, to elevate their game to the next level. Men’s Champ League Tuesday night saw the first two playoff match-
ups take place. Firstranked MACC Attack battled eighth-ranked Trojans, while two-seed Sub T-16 played sevenseed Tri Bi Delt. The games were not completed at time of print, but don’t expect either match to have been an easy walk in the park for the top seeds. Walks in the park can be dangerous, especially late at night with minimal lighting, and these playoff games had all the indications of being similar to a nighttime walk in the park, rather than a daytime stroll. Earlier this season, MACC Attack snuck past Trojans by a single touchdown. Chipper Bridges guaranteed he’d pass Peyton Manning for most career touchdown passes in this game alone, so it will be interesting to see the result. In the second contest, Tri Bi Delt should have had more confidence than Sub T coming into the game, having handed the Subbers their only loss of the season earlier this year. The regular season match up got a bit heated, so if this one was a tight contest, or even a blowout for that matter, fireworks may have gone off. On Thursday, the final two first-round games will be played. No. 3 Galaxy takes on No. 6 Squirtle Squad at 9 p.m., immediately followed by fourth-ranked Thunder Ducks playing fifthranked GSP. Galaxy won the regular season matchup
handily, but don’t tell Squirtle Squad captain, Caleb Carr. “We’re a lot different than we were when we played Galaxy the first time,” Carr said. “We have the Ray Gun now. ... If we can utilize the Ray Gun and make a couple crawlers on their offensive line then I think we should have a big game.” Carr knows it will take more than advanced weapons to fight Galaxy, though. Certain players need to lock in for playoffs. “We really need Casper to step up his game,” Carr said. “I’m starting to wonder what he’s doing on defense. I mean guys are blowing right by him and it’s almost like he’s not even there! He told me in the offseason that he had 99 SPD and 99 AGI but I just haven’t seen it yet. We’re expecting big things from him this week.” Carr had a few inf lammatory words for Squirtle Squad’s playoff opponents. “Just keeping it real with ya, Galaxy,” Carr said. “None of y’all wanna come see us in Super Smash on the N64. Nothing will bring me greater joy than to execute a perfectly timed “Up-B” with Kirby to send lifeless corpses down to an early grave.” In Carr’s world, Super Smash Bros. and f lag football are clearly one and the same. Women’s Champ League With only six teams in the league, the women’s
Champs League playoff bracket is significantly more complicated than the men’s. No surprise there. No. 1 Eta Pi and No. 2 Sigma Theta Chi received byes to the semifinals. They anxiously await results, much like we do,
this one. The winner advances to take on the Siggies on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. Betsy Smith, a star player for the Siggies, helped turn a slow start to the season into three consecutive wins, the last of which came over rival
(We) eat Sharky’s before the game. Spicy ranch always motivates us to win.” Betsy smith Junior AD/pr. major from Denton
from last night’s games. Fourth-ranked Ko Jo Kai battled fifth-ranked Alpha Kai Omega. Alpha Kai shocked the Kojies earlier this season to earn its only win of the season, 7-6. Both teams faltered as they neared the end of the regular season, though. The Kojies lost their last two matches, each by one point, while Alpha Kai managed to sneak a tie between two more losses. If the Kojies learned how to convert a touchdown, they had a chance to win this game. But does either team really want to win, when it means taking on the mighty Eta Pi on Monday at 10 p.m.? Third-seed, The Heat, took on sixth-seed, GATA. The Heat won the regular season matchup 12-7, in what was GATA’s highest offensive output of the season. Coming off an emotional win over Eta Pi, The Heat are on fire and may be the hottest team in the league at the moment. GATA may have had its hands full with
Ko Jo Kai. “Our turning point was after Eboni (Ellerson) gave us a Rocky Balboa pump up speech,” Smith said. “‘It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!’” Although Sigma Theta Chi does not yet know its opponent for Thursday’s semifinal, Smith already knows how the team will prepare. “(We) eat Sharky’s before the game,” Smith said. “Spicy ranch always motivates us to win.” It’s a good thing intramural players aren’t required to undergo drug testing, because rumor has it there is some type of performance-enhancing drug in the spicy ranch sauce. Smith did not comment on the issue.
contact block at djb13a@acu.edu
3
news
Wednesday 10.22.14
Three alumni awarded at Homecoming Reese gwin student reporter The ACU alumni association announced the recipients for their annual alumni of the year awards at Homecoming. The 2015 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year was bestowed upon Elise (Smith) Mitchell, a 1983 graduate, for successes in public relations and mass communications. This award is the highest honor the university can give to a graduate. The second highest honor went to Homecoming’s keynote speakers, Dr. Kent and Amber (Carroll) Brantly. Their work in the medical mission
t ra nsfor m the world for generations to come.” W h i l e the BrantMitchell kent and amber brantly ly’s story is w e l l- do c ufield as well as Kent’s re- mented, Mitchell’s name markable recovery from is not unfamiliar when it Ebola earned them the comes to alumni associa2015 Young Alumni of the tion awards. In 2011, she Year award. was a recipient of the Dis“These alumni live out tinguished Alumni Citaeveryday the Christ-cen- tion, an award given to tered servant-leadership graduates who have risACU strives to instill in en above others in their every student,” said Craig work and their service. Fisher, director of alumni Mitchell’s career took relations, in a released off in 1995 when she statement. “Elise, Kent started her own public and Amber are not only relations agency, Mitchcredits to their alma ma- ell Communications, in ter, they are helping to Fayetteville, Arkansas.
There her agency thrived as it picked up big name clients like Walmart and Hilton Hotels and Resorts. “ACU gave me not just the education and skills necessary to thrive in my field, but the direction and Christian values to excel in life,” Mitchell said. “I cannot begin to pay ACU back, but I can pay it forward.” Still, Mitchell’s legacy at ACU is not the success in her professional field but rather the donation she gave to start Morris and Mitchell, the university’s student-run advertising and public relations firm. “She has given of her time, her talent and her
treasure to ACU,” said Jama Cadle, assistant director of alumni relations. “She exemplifies both the personal service and professional success that this award honors.” Kent (’03) and Amber (’06) had a far less traditional route to winning their alumni of the year award. As a doctor in Liberia, Kent fought on the frontlines in the war against Ebola. However, his fight against the disease became one of life or death when he contracted the illness in July. Brantly went on to survive the event and returned to the States. His recovery and the awareness of Ebola that his sto-
ry raised more than qualified him for this award, Cadle said. “Everyone has a career, but I think what distinguishes myself and the Brantly’s is that we combined our careers with our passions, and that’s when it becomes a divine calling,” Mitchell said. “For the Brantlys, it was moving to West Africa. For me, it was starting my own firm.” Both Mitchell and the Brantly family will return to ACU for Sing Song weekend in February to be honored at ACU’s Alumni Day luncheon. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
Student-led food drive prepares to collect callie oliver student reporter Trick or Feed, an annual food drive put on by the Service Action Leadership Team to benefit Meals on Wheels Plus and Groceries on Wheels program, is gearing up to collect food on Halloween. Rachel Ritchie, SALT administrative officer, and Maxwell Moore, SALT publicity officer, started the Trick or Feed program in 2012. “Rachel and I were delivery drivers for Meals on Wheels, and two years ago they called us and asked SALT to help them with a
food drive,” said Moore, senior biochemistry major from Abilene. Meals on Wheels Plus is an Abilene-based nonprofit business that delivers meals to Abilene residents. Their other program, Groceries on Wheels, allows volunteers to deliver one bag of groceries to residents who are unable to buy their own once a month. The Trick or Feed process has three parts: volunteers sign up and join a group, then, Friday and Saturday, volunteers will go out into the community and place flyers attached to a paper bag on Abilene residents’ door steps. On
Halloween, volunteers will return to the community and pick up the bags filled with food. The event currently has about 80 volunteers, but Ritchie said they are expecting around around 200 to sign up by the deadline on Thursday. “We really want to encourage people to participate,” said Ritchie, senior biology major from Abilene. “It’s really fun, and you can make a huge impact by participating. Plus, everyone gets a free T-shirt.” To spread the word, flyers have been sent to dorms and have been placed around campus. A
“
My favorit part is after the donations are all collected, seeing the entire floor covered with bags full of food.”
table will be in the Campus Center from Monday to Thursday with sign-up sheets. “We’ve gotten great response from several dorms and clubs on campus, especially from the Kojies and the Biology Research Club,” Moore said. “They’re getting really involved.” The program has grown
This year, SALT has over 9,000 bags to be filled with donations. “My favorite part is, after the donations are collected, seeing the entire floor covered with bags full maxwell moore senior biochemistry major from abilene of food,” Moore said. “It’s awesome getting to see the people at Meals on Wheels tremendously since its first be so excited about it and year. being able to help the peo“In 2012, we had about ple who dedicate their lives 13 people involved and to helping others. It’s really gathered over 550 pounds a God thing.” of food,” Ritchie said. Volunteers can sign up “Last year, we had over until Oct. 23 in the Cam150 people involved and pus Center or online at we had over 8,200 pounds http://goo.gl/EMmJ64. of food raised. Meals on Wheels was able to use that contact the optimist at amount of food for over cro12b@acu.edu four months.”
Red Thread partners with Better World Books Madelyn bane student reporter Better World Books has partnered with campus social justice clubs for an on-campus book drive to support different national government organizations. This will be the first time the book drive will be on campus and will take place Nov. 1 through Dec. 15. There will be four different locations throughout campus. Two of the four locations are unknown, but Abbey Moses, president of the ACU Red Thread Movement,
“
Reading is one of the most important things in life so the fact that this organization helps literacy not only in this country but around the world is what’s really appealing to me. ”
said at least one will be in the Campus Center and one in the library. Moses, junior prelaw political science major from McKinney, said Better World Books exists to provide a labor-safe way for people to buy books. The company resells books students donate, and in the process, they
jackson hager freshman history major from austin
are supporting different nonprofits through their sales. “Whenever you purchase from Better World Books, you are buying a book, and then you decide what percent of that profit goes to a national government organization, which is an NGO,” Moses said. “Then you
get to choose which NGO that percent goes to.” ACU has decided to partner with Better World Books to support the company, provide fairly priced textbooks to students and benefit different NGOs in the process. In addition to buying and selling books, Moses said the company donates school supplies, including books and computers, to countries throughout the world to support education. Better World Books approached Moses to jumpstart a program through Red Thread. Moses already established social
justice Chapel on campus and suggested it as a better fit for Better World Books to work through. “(Social justice Chapel) is a place for ACU students who are passionate about human f lourishing to come together and talk about what we can do on campus to support people all over the globe,” she said. The book club has formed a committee within social justice Chapel and consists of eight people who will organize the promotion and event for Better World Books. Jackson Hager, freshman history major from
Austin, is a member of the book committee and will volunteer for the event. “Reading is one of the most important things in life, so the fact that this organization helps literacy not only in this country but across the world is what’s really appealing to me,” Hager said. The first meeting for the event will be Oct. 22. Anyone interested in volunteering for the Better World Books book drive can contact Abbey Moses at agm11d@acu.edu. contact the optimist at cro12b@acu.edu
Cedar Creek Waterway pushes for bond kynzie newman student reporter The Cedar Creek Waterway project is asking for $1.4 million to be put on the City Bond Election in the spring. If passed, the City Bond Election will allow citizens of Abilene to show their support for building the Cedar Creek Waterway. As of Oct. 15, City Hall said supporters of the Cedar Creek Waterway
were in first place for total emails sent about the Bond Election. The goal of the Cedar Creek Waterway project is to construct a series of park spaces linked by hiking, biking and jogging trails that run from Kirby Lake on the south side of Abilene all the way to Fort Phantom Lake on the north side. Randy Barnett is one of many volunteers that are giving their time and money to make the Cedar Creek Waterway a reality.
“The Cedar Creek Waterway is a landmark transformation of Abilene’s landscape that will provide great new recreation spaces, generate economic development and create an oasis that will benefit the entire community,” he said. Economic development will provide local businesses with new opportunities and promote tourism, Barnett said. Parks and greenbelts will add value to neighborhoods, and active pub-
Pledging: shortened time period goes well from page 1 pledges, Jackson said. “Our numbers were one person higher than last year,” Jackson said. “I did have some students say that the shorter pledging time frame was
a plus to them pledging.” This year, 390 students started the pledge process. In the end, 380 got into clubs. “In my four years in this role, this is the best that I have seen things go in terms of the entire
process, from rushes, voting, Bid Night, pledging, etc.,” Jackson said.
contact fritz at ref11a@acu.edu
lic spaces generate traffic which will boost the economy. The water needed for this project will come from a pipeline that carries recycled water to Lake Kirby which has a capacity for almost 1.5 billion gallons per year. Flowing water from Kirby will wind its way into freshwater ponds and a series of small retention dams with waterfalls and fountains. Numerous ACU stu-
dents and professors, led by Dr. Jim Cooke, a professor of agricultural and environmental sciences, are involved in supporting the project and have spent many weekends helping clean up the waterway. “One of the benefits that we’re seeing already from the project is the involvement of the community and working together to make Abilene a better place,” Cooke said. Features of the Ce-
dar Creek Waterway will include nature trails, kayaking, waterfalls and fountains, paddleboats, amphitheaters, pavilions, picnic areas, cafes, coffee shops, restaurants and outdoor concerts. “The Cedar Creek Waterway can remake the landscape and image of Abilene,” Barnett said.
contact the optimist at cro12b@acu.edu
Opinion
wednesday 10.22.14
4
editorial
Sing Song directors shouldn’t rely on outside help the issue Many Sing Song Acts are relying on outside sources to write their music and advise the quality of their show.
our take As we enter the season of Sing Song planning and preparation, clubs and classes should be calling on their members to step up and create a show themselves—without relying on 4-time 1st place Sing Song veterans.
I
t’s October and preparations for Sing Song are already taking place. And honestly, who’s surprised? For as many students who couldn’t care less about Sing Song and are hardly involved, just as many students are completely obsessed. So preparing now for the show in February makes per-
fect sense not just to Tom Craig, director of student activities and productions, but to all the clubs and classes who plan to participate. Hosts and hostesses were chosen before Homecoming. Many social clubs elected their directors last week, and the class acts are following suit this week, as
class officers interview candidates. Next Thursday will be the first directors meeting with the co-chairs. As directors are chosen and songs are scrutinized over, competing acts should keep in mind the importance of collaborating within their club or class. Last year the winning acts in the Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Voices categories were all written by the same person. This is just one sample of evidence that the strategy to win Sing Song has become more about hiring the best outside help rather than pulling out the most talent from within.
Seeking help from Sing Song veterans has long been a part of developing a great show. But there is a fine line between seeking a second opinion and having and external secret weapon. Club and class acts alike are relying less on their members to step up and more on the YouTube videos of past winners. Instead of looking for something new or creative, they turn to what worked the year before. This is resulting in the same songs being repeated and reused, and clubs fighting over who can get Nick Tatum to come direct their practice. The answer is not to
DAILY doodle dosage
Ben Todd
make outside help illegal. The last thing we need is more silly threats for point deductions. The answer lies in seeing a bigger opportunity. When beginning to write music or create choreography over these next few months, directors should use this as an opportunity to rely on their clubs or classes first. We should not have to rely on one person to be writing the music for every act. We should call on our members to step up and be more than just an extra warm body on stage. ACU is teeming with talented and creative students. Clubs and classes should want
to be able to take full credit for their act. They should want to be able to say, “Look at the work we as brothers or sisters or classmates were able to make as a whole.” Nobody wants to win knowing they wouldn’t have won without someone who was never even a member of their club. Or that they just recycled the costume change their rivalry club used last year. This will ensure that the best act wins. Not the act with the best consultant.
contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu
hashtagACU Oct. 21 2:32 p.m.
Who installed this font on my computer called grilled cheese
Oct. 20 10:57 a.m.
Core went from 0-100 faster than you can say “annotated bibliography”
@hannzzle @Bumpdadsupreme
Oct. 21 3:49 p.m.
explaining texas things to people that aren’t from Texas is hard. why do we steal the numbers from whataburger? I don’t know, we just do.
Oct. 21 10:43 a.m.
Class chapel Tuesday? Oh you mean skip chapel Tuesday.
@TFlo1213
@breedmylove
Oct. 14 11:04 p.m.
“I have to go study for bible” “You mean go to Bible Study?” “no...”
Oct. 14 6:53 p.m.
Driving on streets around campus is like playing Frogger but with cats. #acudifference #thekittycity
Column
‘Tis the season of civic calling THE OXFORD VAGABONDAGE COMMA SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND
ALLISON BROWN
It’s election season. Early voting polls opened Monday morning for the Nov. 4 midterms that are quickly approaching. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Voting is a hassle because you don’t have time; you aren’t in your hometown (unless you’re from Abilene), your vote doesn’t actually matter… etc., etc. But I’m here to tell you that as college students, it couldn’t be more important for us to vote. The United States Census Bureau reported that in the 2012 presidential election, only 38 percent
of voters ages 18-24 voted. This number is relatively low compared to older demographics whose turnouts were all more than 50 percent. This trend is not a new one, and, in fact, young people eligible to vote historically have a lower level of engagement. I think many young people get caught up in the idea that their one vote doesn’t matter or couldn’t make any difference. But when thousands of young people start falling in this line of thinking, the polls start to take a hit. While some may think there is no hope for the future of America, there
are still young people who care about voting. Caleb Orr, sophomore political science major from McKinney, said he thinks young people’s votes could have an impact on this fall’s races. “One of the reasons people don’t vote is because they think their vote doesn’t matter,” said Caleb Orr, sophomore political science major from McKinney. “But, organized ACU students could have a huge effect on state representative races. If the student vote aligned on certain issues, it could force candidates to adapt to those interests once in office” If enough took the time and effort to cast their ballot, elected candidates would notice and listen to what we have to say. So here is my call to action.
@thechadfontenot @alyssa_shaffner
Unfortunately, new voter registration ended Oct. 18 8:19 p.m. Oct. 6. So if you have recently turned 18 and for- Mom: what are you got to register, I’m afraid going to be for Hallowyou have missed the boat. een? But for those of you al- Me: a conehead Mom: not Ebola? ready registered, fear not. If you aren’t from Abilene or won’t be traveling home before Nov. 4, it’s not too late to request your absentee ballot. It will be sent right to your little @tatumjwilson ACU mailbox for you to fill out. Research the candidates a little, and find out who you want to cast your vote for and participate in wearing all black today to mourn the loss of my this important civic duty. I’m proud to say this motivation... will be my first election to vote in. And as nerdy, cheesy, and well, patriotic as this may sound, I am kind of excited. YikYak
Oct. 20 2:32 p.m.
Looks like someone didn’t pay the internet bill #ACUDifference
@CassiNoelle October: When girls think the best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time.
YikYak So many riding boots, so few horses
YikYak
contact Brown at akb12b@acu.edu
Column
Spare your children: be careful what you post online TRY TO CATCH VAGABONDAGE SOME ZZZ’s SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND DANIEL ZEPEDA
Ever heard of the expression “The Internet is forever”? Chances are you have, and it’s never been truer. The most typical fashion in which our generation hears that phrase usually comes with discussions of
future job employers and life after college. Though that’s true, it’s not the only aspect to take into consideration. Let’s say the three major social media platforms in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram fall off the map
in the next 20 years and they are no longer used on even a fraction of the scale that they are used today. But let’s add a twist. The websites still exist, which means the content still exists, which means pictures taken and posted in 2014 will still be easily viewable in 2034, about the age most of us will have kids that will be more than capable of finding these pictures of good ol’ mom and dad. Interesting scenario, right? Truth is, this is more
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of an inevitability than a possible scenario. The Internet truly is forever, and forever is, in fact, forever. If you have the voice of Squints from the Sandlot going through your head right now, it means we’re on the right track. There are a good majority of people who have posted at one time or another, or some on a regular basis, pictures that we probably will not want our future children to see of us. And let’s be honest, with each generation be-
coming more technically savvy than the last, the kids will find it, no matter how hard we try to hide it, unless we just delete it altogether. And it’s not just pictures. It’s everything you put online. Your tweet about how dumb the driver in front of you is, or the rant on Facebook about how much you can’t stand the fact ACU won’t let you bring alcohol into the dorms, or any number of questionable status updates or tweets you put
up, your kids will probably find. I don’t want to sound like anyone’s mom, but let’s be real. You put something online, it is forever. It will be there and it will be the website’s property. So above all, just be careful about what you post. Odds are, we all post too much stuff to begin with, but that’s just my opinion.
contact Zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
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Features
Wednesday 10.22.14
Above: Ali Rakestraw, junior biology major from Boulder, Colorado with her prickly pet, Cashew the hedgehog.
On the of By: Linsey Thut
H
Jarred Schuetze Chief Photographer
Hedge Glory
e’s sweet but spiky, curious but complacent, sharp but soft. His pastimes include hiking up shirt sleeves and hiding under beds. His name is Cashew, but his friends refer to him as Cash or Cash-Money. Oh, and he’s a hedgehog. On Sept. 6, Ali Rakestraw, junior biology major from Boulder, Colorado, drove two and a half hours to Lubbock to fulfill a longtime dream. She was finally going to own a hedgehog. She arrived at the hedgehog farm called Happy Hog Texas and walked straight to the cage where the hedgehog she’d reserved earlier was waiting patiently to call her his owner. After scouring through pictures of hedgehogs on Happy Hog Texas’ website, she knew Cashew was the perfect one for her. “I just liked the way he looked the best,” she said. She drove her eight-week old bundle of joy back with her to his new home. Rakestraw is no stranger to pets and is a selfproclaimed animal lover, owning everything from puppies to salamanders. She’s wanted to own a hedgehog since she was 14, but her parents weren’t too happy with the idea. “My parents said ‘You can own a hedgehog whenever you get a place of your own,’ probably thinking that I’d forget about it eventually,” she said. “But I didn’t.” Six years later, that dream came true thanks to Hillcrest Church of Christ. “I interned with Hillcrest Church of Christ, and their going away present for me was that they’d pay for a hedgehog,” Rakestraw said. “I just had to research and find the one I wanted.” When Rakestraw first got Cashew, he was small enough to fit in her hand. Now, double that size and two months older, the two are still just as happy. “He’s just a really unique little animal and kind of quirky which I like, and not very many people have them,” she said. Rakestraw said Cashew eats fruits and vegetables, but kitten kibble is always his first choice. “I’ve tried to give him asparagus and an apple, but he really wasn’t having it,” she said. “He just goes for the good stuff, I guess.” When it comes to bathtime, Rakestraw washes Cashew in a tiny tub and scrubs him with a toothbrush, though she’s not quite sure if he enjoys it. “Sometimes he seems like he wants to swim and other times I can’t tell if he’s trying to escape.” Cashew lives in a long plastic crate in Rakestraw’s room, complete with the hedgehog-worthy comforts of a plastic green igloo for burrowing in and an exercise wheel to burn off that late night energy that comes with being nocturnal. Cashew’s most productive hours are between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., his peak hour being 3 a.m., which shocked Rakestraw at first when she’d wake up to strange noises. “The first couple nights I’d wake up and he would be like Mach Five on his little exercise wheel,” she said.
Now, Rakestraw said, she and Cashew get along really well because they bond when she’s up late doing homework. “I just wrap him in an old t-shirt and set him by me in bed when I do homework at night,” Rakestraw said. She did find out, however, that Cashew hates being woken up, saying it takes him a while to calm down. “Whenever you wake him up, he can definitely be cranky,” Rakestraw said. Meghann McLeskey, Rakestraw’s roommate, said she’s stumbled upon Cashew’s grumpy side multiple times when she would peek in his cage throughout the day. “You walk in and wake him up and he’ll be in his little igloo in a ball,” said McLeskey, senior nursing major from Burnet. “Then he’ll just get really spiky. He puts out all of his quills and you’re like ‘Okay, I’m not gonna mess with you.’” After a few minutes of being up, Cashew returns to his cuddly self. “He gets kind of nervous around me still, but he’s pretty great,” McLeskey said. Rakestraw’s hedgehog brings all her friends to her house because they’ve never seen one before or they find it interesting. And many of them question what he is. Most of my friends are like ‘Can he shoot his quills out at me?’” Rakestraw said. “A lot of people think he’s a baby porcupine.” While he’s not a porcupine, the bristly quills covering his back do create a few prickly predicaments. As Rakestraw said, Cashew loves to snuggle. “It’s interesting because you want to cuddle him and stuff but he has a lot of spikes,” Rakestraw said. “Sometimes he wants to cuddle your neck and he pokes you.” Cashew’s love of exploring and his curiosity sometimes land him in a mess. Once, when Rakestraw had friends over, Cashew climbed up her friend’s pant leg and got stuck. “He’s very sneaky like that because he does like to burrow, so if you don’t watch out, he’ll end up in your clothes somewhere and he’s very hard to get out,” Rakestraw said. “You can’t pull him out cause his quills go the wrong way.” Cashew’s quills have trapped him in her clothes as well, and she says in the end, you just have to (gently) shake him off. Rakestraw said she’s found Cashew has been the best pet for a college student like herself because he is so low maintenance that he’d be fine with just some food, water and a few toys. “It’s nice because if I’m having a busier day or don’t have much time to play with him, it’s not like he’s a puppy and gets super bored and distracted,” Rakestraw said. Rakestraw said at the end of the day, she’s glad to have the support from her cuddly, quilled friend Cashew. “Pets just make you happier, so it’s nice to have them,” Rakestraw said.
sports
wednesday 10.22.14
Driskill takes over as interim AD daniel zepeda sports director As of last week, Associate Director of Athletics of Operations Cory Driskill has assumed all duties as the new interim director of athletics for ACU. Driskill will temporarily take over after former athletic director, Jared Mosley, accepted a position with the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco as President and CEO. “It’s really a great opportunity for myself and I’m
really excited,” Driskill said. “Jared did such a great job in leading this program for the 11 Driskill years that he was here. There’s such a great staff here, and I’m just glad to be here and excited to continue to progress through the fall semester.” Driskill will act as fulltime director of athletics while President Phil Schubert and other ACU
faculty and staff continue to search for a permanent replacement. “I have not been involved with the search,”Driskill said. “That has been primarily Dr. Schubert so far and individuals across campus that he has included. He keeps us updated, and I have full confidence that he will bring in someone that is a perfect fit for ACU and someone who really exhibits everything this university stands for.” Before his new role, Driskill was appointed as
Associate Director of Athletics of Operations for ACU in July 2013. He was originally hired in May 2008 as the Head Athletics Trainer. As AD of Athletics of Operations, Driskill was in charge of facilities, ACU’s three fundraising golf tournaments, a fundraising portfolio focused primarily in Abilene and oversight of athletics training, strength and conditioning. Driskill said he and Mosley had numerous conversations preparing him for Mosley’s resignation and Driskill’s new role.
“I feel like Jared, over the past year, had been preparing me for this new administrative role,” Driskill said. “So when he told me that he would be accepting the job in Waco, it was really bittersweet, but I felt prepared to step in and continue for the time being. I want to keep this athletic department rolling in the direction that Jared and so many others have worked so hard to move.” contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu
6
standings football Standings
Team
Div.
SELU UCA SFA MSU NSU SHSU Lamar ACU UIW HBU Nicholls St.
4-0 3-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-2 2-2 1-3 0-4 0-4
Ovrl 6-2 4-4 5-2 4-2 4-3 5-3 4-4 4-4 1-6 1-6 0-8
soccer Standings
Team
Div.
SFA 8-0 SHSU 5-2 SELU 5-3 HBU 4-1-2 ACU 4-3-2 MSU 4-4 TAMU-CC 3-3-1 Nicholls St. 3-4 Lamar 2-5-1 UIW 1-4-2 UCA 1-5-1 NSU 1-7-1
Ovrl 12-2-1 6-8 12-4 5-6-3 7-8-2 6-8-1 4-5-3 7-7 4-10-1 1-11-2 5-8-2 4-12-1
volleyball Standings
Team
Div.
UCA SFA NSU SHSU TAMU-CC HBU SELU Nicholls St. Lamar MSU UIW ACU NO
9-0 8-0 6-2 5-2 5-2 4-3 4-4 3-4 3-4 2-6 2-7 0-8 0-9
Ovrl 14-7 15-7 9-12 12-8 12-12 9-12 7-13 7-13 3-16 11-12 6-16 2-19 6-17
Who’s Hot Paige Otway Staff Photographer
Senior wide receiver Demarcus Thompson Thompson leads the team in catches (39) and yards (424).
Wildcats can’t wrangle Cowboys collin wieder sports editor ACU football suffered a rough 31-20 loss to the tenthranked McNeese State Cowboys Saturday. ACU dropped to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in conference on the season, while the Cowboys improved to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference. McNeese looked to have a blowout on their hands as they took a 31-6 lead early in the third quarter. The Cowboys would not score again, as ACU clawed its way back into the game on the legs of freshman running back De’Andre Brown and an opportunistic defense. Brown punched in a 23yard touchdown run to make it 31-13 at the start of the fourth quarter. Cornerback Keith Barnett forced and rerichard Martin ACU creative services covered a McNeese fumble Freshman De’Andre Brown has had a phenomenal first to give the Wildcats great field position. Quarterback season for the Wildcats. Brown has 70 carries for 488 Parker McKenzie brought the yards and leads the team in rushing touchdowns (5).
Wildcats within 11 points of the Cowboys, with an eightyard scoring toss to receiver Demarcus Thompson. The Cowboys defense would prove too much for the Wildcats, as they couldn’t score again, giving MSU the win on their homecoming night. The Cowboys outgained the Wildcats in yards 507 to 255. ACU’s defense however force six turnovers against a team that had only coughed the ball up five times all season long. The Wildcat offense only turned it over once on the night. “We started off slow,” McKenzie said. “But credit to our defense for forcing six turnovers on the night.” McKenzie had a rough night against the best passing defense in the Southland as he went 15-for-30 for 141 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Brown carried 13 times for 109 yards and a touchdown. Cedric Gilbert led all receivers in
catches (4) and in yards (74). Thompson recorded his first receiving touchdown of the season as well. Senior safety Angel Lopez led both teams with 12 tackles. Fellow senior safety Justin Stewart recorded 11 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass. Junior linebacker Travis Tarver compiled two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a sack. “The bottom line is we didn’t play well enough on defense to beat a team like McNeese,” head coach Ken Collums. “Say what you want about forcing six turnovers, but a couple of those fumbles were after 12-15 yard runs. Teams for the next four weeks have good, athletic quarterbacks and good running backs we have to play better.”
contact WIEDER at CPW11A@acu.edu
Tennis earns impressive ITA wins Collin Thompson sports reporter The men’s and women’s tennis teams traveled to compete in the ITA Tennis Regional Championships last weekend through earlier this week. The women played at Baylor University, with matches ranging from Thursday to Monday, while the men played at Texas A&M University in College Station from Friday to Monday. Both teams competed against high-level players from schools including University of Texas, University of Texas in Arlington and Baylor. The men’s team struggled over the weekend in singles play. Only Brad Gleason, freshman from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who defeated Hunter Holman of Texas Tech University, 6-4, 6-3, and, and Nico Agritelley, sophomore from Dallas, who beat Nicholas Melott of Texas Tech, 6-3, 6-0, won a singles match, but both would go on to lose the next game they played. The team was successful in doubles play, though. Agritelley, and his partner, Guilherme Gesser, senior from Florianópolis, Brazil, defeated Texas A&M Uni-
paige otway Staff Photographer
Freshman Paul Domanski has had a great year for the ‘Cats. Domanksi and doubles partner Marco Bensley made it to the semifinals in Las Cruces at the Aggie Invitational. versity in the quarterfinal match, 8-5, and moved on to the semifinals before losing against TCU, 8-2. The men’s doubles team of Paul Domanski, freshman from New Braunfels, and Marco Bensley, junior from Stellenbosch, South Africa, reached Round 16 before losing to
Baylor University, 8-6. “This just showed us that we do have what it takes to compete with some of the top Division I schools,” Agritelley said. “So we’re going to take that and use it towards our future tournaments, knowing that we can hang with anyone in college
tennis.” The women’s team was more successful in singles play with wins from multiple players including Lucile Pothier, freshman from Mouxy, France, Erin Walker, sophomore from Abilene, and Brittney Reed, senior from Richland, Washington.
Pontier went all the way to the Round of 16, beating Jessica Birowski of the UTA in the Round of 32, 6-4, 0-6, 6-4, before losing in her next match to the tournaments No. 1 seed, Addison Breaunna of UT, 6-0, 6-4. Reed lost her first match to Houston’s Despoina Vogasari, the tournament’s No. 7 seed and overall winner, 6-0, 6-4. Reed went on to reach the quarterfinals of the women’s consolation round, losing to Lindsey Hodge of Rice 7-6, 6-2. In doubles, Reed and Walker managed to make it to quarterfinals. Pothier and her partner, Kaysie Hermsdorf, junior from Spring, defeated fellow Wildcats Ansley Boarman, sophomore from Missouri City, and Nada Marjanovic, junior from Ontario, Canada, in the in the women’s consolation quarterfinals, 8-4, before falling to Rice’s No. 5 tournament duo in the semifinals, 8-3. “We all competed really well this weekend,” Agritelley said. “We knew the competition was going to be really tough, and we did really well.” Both teams will travel to Tyler for the Tyler Invitational starting Oct. 24. contact thompson at cnt13c@acu.edu
Sophomore tennis player Nico Agritelley is coming off a quarterfinals appearance Agritelley in the ITA Regional. Agritelley and doubles partner, senior Guilherme Gesser, won two out of three matches to make it to the quarterfinals. Agritelley also recorded a marquee singles victory over Texas Tech’s Nicholas Merlott.
briefings As of Tuesday, the ACU golf team is in sixth place at the New Mexico State Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate Tournament. ACU football leads the Southland Conference in turnover margin with a plus-11. The Wildcat defense is forcing 1.38 turnovers a game, while the offense has given the ball away only five times. ACU’s cross country teams will compete in Southland Conference Championships Nov. 1. Be sure to follow @OptimistSports on Twitter for more stories and the latest ACU sports news coverage.
Upcoming Women’s Volleyball will travel to Louisiana to take on New Orleans University at 7 p.m. this Thursday. Men’s and women’s tennis head to Tyler Friday to compete in the Tyler Invitational. Matches will begin at 8 a.m. Women’s volleyball goes back to Louisiana Saturday to play Southeastern Louisiana at 2 p.m. Football goes to Sam Houston State on Saturday. The game will begin at 3 p.m.