THE Vol. 95, No. 52
IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS Canceled plans
Spring FilmFest was canceled because there wasn’t enough student interest, page 3
Talent on display
The Art Department’s 29th annual student competition winners will be on display in the Shore Art Gallery on Friday, page 4
Senior stars
Two seniors who change the community through their service and integrity will be announced as Mr. and Miss ACU on Wednesday, page 4
ARTS
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OPTIMIST
1 section, 8 pages
FRIDAY
April 27, 2007
Money names new VP n Dr. Royce Money announced the hiring of a new vice president and dean of student life Thursday. Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson will begin his role July 1. By MALLORY SCHLABACH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson from Grove City College, located in Grove City, Pa., will soon be a familiar face on campus.
Thompson was selected as the new vice president and dean of student life, a position that provides leadership and vision for these areas of student affairs: Student OrganizaThompson tions, Judicial Affairs, Volunteer and Ser-
vice-Learning Center, Campus Center, Residence Life Education and Housing, Leadership Development, Multicultural Enrichment, Counseling and Medical Services, Police and Public Safety and Spiritual Life. In addition, Thompson will also serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet. Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, announced See
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www.acuoptimist.com
THOMPSON’S BIO n BA in organizational communication from Arizona State University. n Master of science degree in student affairs in higher education from Colorado State University. n Ph.D. in higher education and student affairs from Indiana University. n Spent last four years as vice president and dean of student life at Grove City College in Grove City, Pa. n Officially begins new role at ACU on July 1.
VP page 7
Court amendment fails n Amendments for a student Bill of Rights and court did not receive the two-thirds of Congressional votes required to pass. By DANIEL JOHNSON SPORTS EDITOR
Eerie entertainment
Running for the last weekend, ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is both disturbing and enjoyable, page 5
SPORTS
In its last meeting of the year the Students’ Association, Congress discussed whether a separate student court was necessary in representing and providing a voice for the student body. Despite more than 30 minutes of discussion of three amendments that would have created a student Bill of Rights and established a SA student court, the amendments failed to garner the two-thirds majority (38 votes) needed to pass — 17 congress members voted for the legislation, while 21 voted against it and four abstained from voting. Senior senator Brandon Smith, international relations major from Kansas City, Mo., wrote and proposed the amendments Wednesday night to create what he claimed would be a court that would hold congress accountable and ensure students’ rights were not violated. “Congress has never wanted to hold themselves accountable; why should I expect them to start now,” Smith said. Smith had greater vision for the court, claiming that in time the court could evolve into an appellate court that would provide a voice for students in disciplinary decisions made by judicial affairs. Smith said the beginning stages of the court would be to prove its legitimacy before it could influence policy. “To get to that point every other See
Out of their hands
The ACU softball team has one more series against Cameron, but needs help from other LSC teams to make the playoffs, page 8
SA page 7
BRIAN SCHMIDT SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
McKinzie representative Daniel Burgner, freshman political science major from Yorba Linda, Calif., asks a question during a questioning time at the Students’ Association meeting Wednesday.
New courses coming to ACU in fall n After much consideration, the University Undergraduate Academic Council has recently approved 16 new courses, most of which will be offered next year. By CHRIS HANSON STUDENT REPORTER
Fifteen new courses will be offered next fall including four undergraduate, seven graduate and four online graduate courses. Dr. Tom Winter, chair of
the University Undergraduate Academic Council and associate provost, said proposed new classes go through an intensive process to become a new course. “A new course is scrutinized very, very carefully to make sure it is as good as we can possibly make it,” Winter said. “In most cases, these courses have been taught as special topics courses so we usually have some information about how well the
course has been received.” The scrutiny includes analyzing many different aspects including enrollment, budget, library resources and many other areas. “We try to include everything we need to make an informed decision,” Winter said. The University Undergraduate Academic Council has approved 16 undergraduate courses, and most of them will be offered next year, Winter said.
Most of the approved classes are upper-division courses, but Winter said he expects more lower-division courses to be developed if the faculty approves the new undergraduate degree plan. Of the seven new graduate courses, five will be offered in the new master’s in social work program, said Dr. Carol Williams, professor of mathematics, dean of the Graduate See
COURSES page 7
Chapel council forms for next year n Students can now submit applications for the 12-member Chapel Advisory Committee, which will begin meeting to discuss Chapel next fall. By KELSI PEACE FEATURES EDITOR
Students who love, hate or merely tolerate Chapel can offer weekly critiques and suggestions for Chapel — they just have to apply. Dr. Wayne Barnard, university dean of spiritual formation and assistant professor of family sciences, will select a 12-member Chapel Advisory Council for the 2007-2008 school year from students who fill out applications. “I hope the students on this council will be committed to prayer, to seeking the Lord’s leading and to being a voice for the ACU student body with respect to the spiritual needs and concerns of students that need to be addressed in Chapel programming in meaningful and relevant ways,” Barnard said in e-mail. The council will begin weekly meetings in the fall, but will exchange e-mails over the summer to have some input on the fall semester Chapel, Barnard said. However, most of the fall Chapel will already be planned at that time. “Chapel is rarely the same from one semester to another,” Barnard said. “I don’t think most people realize how much changes because of survey feedback each year.” Barnard said teaching in Oxford’s small community spurred thoughts of conversation and community, and traveling has reminded him of the challenge to share Jesus’ message. The difficulty with a larger community, such as ACU, is to create community, Barnard said. The council is intended to help. Some students are skeptical of the council’s ability to change Chapel. Troy Havins, junior finance major from San Diego, said he thinks a committee of 12 is too small to accurately represent the diverse student body. But Chapel does need to change, Havins said. Chanelle Wactor, junior political science and Spanish major from Tuscan, Ariz., said Chapel needs to change to connect our generation, which does not always think inside the box. Wactor said a See
CHAPEL page 7
Quality of Life survey leads to staff senate creation Baseball
The ACU baseball team needs a sweep against last-place West Texas A&M this weekend to take the No. 1 seed in the LSC tournament, page 8
ONLINE Reading Black Tulips
See the Shinnery Review’s poetry reading, called The Black Tulip, at: www.acuoptimist.com
n In response to the Quality of Life survey, a Staff Senate will form in May to build relationships between staff and administrators. By MALLORY SCHLABACH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Beginning in May, staff on campus will have a way to express their voices to administrators with the creation of the Staff Senate. The Senate was spawned from results from the Quality of Life surveys Dr. Money, president of the university, sends out annually to gauge the atmosphere of staff and faculty
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
on campus. The surveys indicated staff members wanted to build more trust between themselves and administrators on campus. Beth Holland, senior prospect research officer in the Development Office and cochair of the Senate Planning Committee, said the Senate will serve as an advisory board to Money as a way for staff members to discuss issues and programs they wish to have implemented. “We hope that this Senate produces a unified spirit of community on campus among staff,” Holland said. She said so many people
work on campus that staff members don’t often know each other, and the Senate will be a way to bring everyone together. The Staff Senate was introduced to staff members just this week, and will have its first meeting Holland June 5. Until then, much work is to be done still, said Karen Griffith, student services specialist in The Depot and chairperson of the planning committee.
Abilene Christian University
Through Friday, the committee will take nominations for Senator positions. Ten exempt positions and 10 non-exempt positions will be elected for the Senate. Staff members can go online to the Senate’s Web site at www.acu. edu/staffsenate.com to nominate fellow staff members. Once all nominations are in, the planning committee will then verify that each nominee is valid and see if they are interested in being on the Senate. In two weeks, elections will take place via Web site. More than 900 staff members work on campus, Griffith said, and it’s important for their
voice to be heard too, which is why the senate’s slogan is: “Your voice on campus.” “I wasn’t sure what to think before our all-staff meeting Tuesday,” Griffith said. “Not many people knew about it before then, so I didn’t know if they would even want to do this.” She said her fears were calmed after hearing the response this week and having staff members ask questions about how the Senate will work. Holland, too, said the excitement on campus, is apparent. See
SENATE page 7
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Friday, April 27 , 2007
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Calendar & Events Friday
6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Last free movie in Cullen. ‘We are Marshall’ will be shown, and door prizes will be given away. 6:45 p.m. Dinner begins for Spring Dinner Theatre. Tickets for dinner and the ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ show are $25. 7 p.m. Freshman Formal at the Abilene Civic Center. 8 p.m. ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is performed in Fulks Theatre. Tickets for the show alone are $15. 8 p.m. Rock Paper Scissors third annual Craft Fair in the Campus Center Living Room. Students’ arts and crafts will be on display and for sale. Live music will be provided by Ryan Lindsey, Birds in Space and Gazelles.
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Saturday
8 a.m. Sprint for the Ranch, a sprint triathlon, will take place to benefit the Ben Richey Boys Ranch. Participants will begin with a 300-meter swim in the ACU pool, then bike 20k through the city and end with a 5k run around the ACU campus. 2 p.m. Backyard Bash behind Smith Adams will kick off with a 150-foot slip ‘n’ slide and games. Live music and free food will begin at 5 p.m. 6:45 p.m. Dinner begins for Spring Dinner Theatre. Tickets for dinner and the ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ show are $25. 8 p.m. ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is performed in Fulks Theatre. Tickets for the show alone are $15.
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Monday
11:30 a.m. Dr. Jack Reese will speak in chapel on ‘God’s Will as a Way of Life.’
01
Tuesday
11:30 a.m. Special Chapel presentation by Dr. Royce Money. 7 p.m. Free bowling downstairs in the Campus Center until 10 p.m. Sponsored by The Students’ Association.
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@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at mxe06a@acu.edu.
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.
Volunteer Opportunities The March of Dimes needs volunteers for WalkAmerica at Redbud Park on Saturday. Help is needed between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. in one- to two-hour shifts to help with set up, registration and other aspects of the walk. For more information, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout. MOPS at Highland Church of Christ is having its annual Great Moms Walk and family day out on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nelson Park. For more information, contact Julia Stewart at (325) 690-9023. Looking for a one-week sum-
mertime adventure in Alaska? The Naha Teen Bible Camp, sponsored by the Ketchikan Church of Christ, is looking for volunteers to work at the camp, which will take place June 4 through June 8. For more information, contact Mark Lewis at mark.lewis@acu.edu. Freedom Fellowship Church needs volunteers to assist with a variety of after-school activities for at-risk youth, such as tutoring, basketball and air hockey Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Fridays from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Contact the Volunteer ServiceLearning Center in the Bean Sprout
for more information. The Kiwanis Club of Abilene will host its annual Kiwanis Pancake Day on Saturday, and they need volunteers throughout the day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to work in a variety of ways. This event raises money to help children`s organizations throughout Abilene. For more information, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout. Fannin Elementary will have a field day on May 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and needs volunteers to help students in various events. For more information, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in
the Bean Sprout. The Ben Richey Boys Ranch will host its annual Bilbo Golf Tournament fundraiser May 5 and 6. Volunteers are needed both days to work threehour shifts from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The tournament will be held at the Shady Oaks Golf Course in Clyde. For more information, contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. Meals on Wheels needs volunteers to deliver meals to seniors and adults with disabilities. This usually takes about an hour, and students can have one day of Chapel per week excused for this service. Contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information.
Credited Chapels remaining:
67 05
ACU Career Information Upcoming Career Events and Workshops This week’s CareerLink statistics: Number of part-time jobs: 154 Number of internships: 271 Number of full-time jobs: 827 Number of employers in directory: 3,199 Career tip: Know your worth. Negotiate a higher salary by knowing average starting salaries in your field. For more information, contact the Office of Career and Academic Development. Did you know? 64 percent of graduating seniors say internships are “must have” experiences for students to better prepare for their career.
IT’S NOT A JOB IF YOU LOVE IT: Recent jobs posted on ACU CareerLink (www.acu.edu/careerlink) Job ID #5546, 5547, 5548 Internships with Sony Online Entertainment Job ID #5512 Media relations internship with the National Mental Health Association Job ID #5481 Summer tour guide with the ACU Office of Admissions Job ID #5478 Assistant business manager with McMahon Law Firm Job ID #5421 Customer services operations coordinator with Cadbury Schweppes Job ID #5453 Field technology engineer with Halliburton (Houston) Job ID #5454 Advertising account manager with Centro, LLC (Dallas)
Source: ACU 2007 May Graduate Survey
Announcements Go by The Depot by Friday to retake ID photos to be used in the 2006-2007 Prickly Pear. Students may also go by the JMC office and fill out an opt-out form to have their picture taken out of the Prickly Pear. The Marriage and Family Institute will hold an open house Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Institute, located on the second floor of the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, provides low cost therapy services for under insured families in Abilene and the Big Country. Dr. Jackie Halstead, associate professor and chair of the Marriage and Family Therapy Department, and Dr. Jaime Goff, director of the Marriage and Family Institute and assistant professor of marriage and family therapy, will comment on the renovations and the institute’s services during a brief ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Clinic tours will be available from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students may nominate their
parents for ACU’s Wildcat Parents of the Year at www.acu.edu/wildcatparents. ACU’s Parents of the Year are recognized for the time and support they have given ACU, their own children and others. Parents will be honored during Parents Weekend 2007 on Sept. 21-23. Contact Samantha Adkins for more information at (325) 674-2622. The Office of Admissions is looking for enthusiastic, hard-working students with good communication skills to be student recruiters this summer. Training will be provided. Hours will be Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. E-mail kas04c@acu.edu or call (325) 674-5161 or (805) 798-0457 for an application. The Naha Teen Bible Camp, is looking for volunteers to work at the camp in Alaska on June 4 through June 8. For more information, contact Mark Lewis at mark.lewis@acu.edu.
CAMPUS NEWS
Friday, April 27, 2007
Page 3
New women’s social club forms diverse ‘sisterhood’ n Delta Gamma Phi, the new women’s social club, was formed to bring more diversity to campus. The club’s official charter day is July 7, but it is already meeting. By MICHELLE JIMENEZ Copy Editor
The new women’s social club, Delta Gamma Phi, had its first informational meeting of the semester Monday. Although the intention of the “Black and White Affair” was to inform people of the purpose of the club, Stephanie Davis, club co-founder, said it turned out to be more of a bonding affair between the 17 charter members. “It was a moment for us, the charter members, just to bond,” said Davis, sophomore social work major from Liberty. “It was so much fun to get to know them and learn
about their families and stuff like that.” Tiffany Williams, sophomore social work major from Fort Worth and club co-founder, wasn’t able to acquire the exact number of people who attended the meeting but said the turn out was good. “We had people come out, and they were interested,” Williams said. “[The meeting was] just to let them know we do exist basically.” Although Delta Gamma Phi has yet to be officially charted, club founders have been working on forming the club since September. The official charter day is July 7. Mauri Westbrook, coordinator of Student Activities and Organizations, has helped Delta Gamma Phi throughout
“We want our girls and our sisterhood to understand the power of inner beauty, and that it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside.” Stephanie Davis, sophomore social work major from Liberty
its beginning stages. “They’re going ahead and getting their charter members and everything in place, so really the charter right now is more of a formality,” Westbrook said. “It’s just a formal day that they actually come into existence, but they’re going to start participating in the system.” Delta Gamma Phi was created with the idea of bringing more diversity on campus. Williams said one of the main purposes of the club is to bring more awareness to the range of cultures and
ethnicities on campus. “We kind of want to make it a little bit more noticed that hey, this isn’t just a school for white kids or black kids,” Williams said. “This is an everybody school [made up of people] from all over the world, so we want to make sure that it’s known.” Davis said that by starting this club, other clubs would soon follow by becoming more diverse. “Our club isn’t going to be the only one that’s diverse. A couple of years from now
all the other clubs are gonna have so many other people in them, and it’s all gonna start in one place.” Davis said. “It has to start somewhere, and the start is right here with us.” Another purpose for the club was to form a sisterhood where members could expand their knowledge of other cultures and other people, Davis said. “That’s the purpose of our club: being diverse and having different cultures from everywhere so we can learn from each other,” Williams said. Charter members of Delta Gamma Phi chose Proverbs 31:29-30 as the club verse to remind members of the importance of inner beauty. “That’s everything that we’re about,” Davis said. “We want our girls and our sis-
terhood to understand the power of inner beauty, and that it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside and what the world and media tells you looks right, but it’s all about what’s in the inside because that’s the only thing that’s going to get you to heaven anyways. It’s so important for people to understand inner beauty more than outer beauty.” The date for Delta Gamma Phi’s next activity on campus is unknown, but students wanting more information can contact club founders through the Delta Gamma Phi Facebook group. “Delta Gamma Phi is just a name,” Davis said. “But it’s so much deeper than that.”
E-mail Jimenez at: mmj04b@acu.edu
Spring FilmFest canceled due to low student interest n To encourage more interest, spring 2008 FilmFest will be announced next week, along with the theme for the fall FilmFest and competition’s new co-chairs. By CAMILLE PAINTER Student Reporter
Last fall, films were played, awards were passed out, and the third season of FilmFest was coming to a close…but wait! Participants heard talk of a spring FilmFest available only for students who completed a fall FilmFest to enter. “I heard they were looking for sponsors for the spring and they were upping the ante,” said Daniel Gambero, senior broadcast journalism major from South Lake, a fall FilmFest participant. Doug Darby, executive di-
rector of FilmFest, said he initially decided to plan a FilmFest exposition because some of the competitors wanted to stretch their creativity. “We had several students wanting to expand beyond the original perimeters of FilmFest and see what they could do,” Darby said. The FilmFest planned to take place this semester was to be different from the FilmFest in the fall semester. While FilmFest in the fall is a student short-film competition made complete with several rules and specific requirements, the spring FilmFest was to be more open-ended only requiring those who enter to be in good academic standing and not to submit anything that violates ACU policy.
Darby said he wants students who apply in the spring to have completed a FilmFest so they can prove they’re dependable. “If we’re promoting this and we’re going to the trouble of organizing, and it’s really of no cost to the participants other than what they do on their own time creating a film, then we want to make sure our participants are actually people we can count on to deliver,” Darby said. But two weeks remain in the semester and no spring FilmFest. “I had a whole script ready to shoot for it,” Gambero said. “And even half way through the semester they were like, ‘We’re still going to do it; we’re still going to do it.’ Then one day they were
like, ‘We couldn’t get our sponsors; we couldn’t get any of that’ so it was really hard for them to do it.” Darby said they didn’t find out until recently they wouldn’t be able to put the exposition on. “We had an interest meeting. We had very low attendance at that, and subsequent conversations that we had with people indicated that there just wasn’t a whole lot of interest,” Darby said. “There’s a couple of groups that talked about it, but for the amount of logistical overhead that it would require for us to actually execute, we just didn’t have justification.” “I can understand. It would’ve been hard,” Gambero said. “It would’ve been
right now that they probably would’ve been showing the films and what not.” Doug Darby and Matt Maxwell, director of FilmFest, determined that time had probably been the culprit for the lack of interest so they decided they’ll announce the spring 2008 FilmFest next week when they announce the theme for the fall competition and begin their search for co-chairs. Darby said doing this will give students a chance to participate with smaller impact on their workloads and develop their ideas more thoroughly without feeling rushed. “We’ll try to ramp it up and see if there’s interest again next spring, but we’re not going to try to push
something that’s not in demand,” Darby said. Maxwell said there’s growing experience every year for FilmFest. The directors are searching for ways to make the next show more multidimensional and integrate more forms of media. “Last year was such a monumental leap forward from the previous two years so there is high expectation for us to be able to grow to another level, but we’re only going to do as much as is needed,” Darby said. “We’re not going to try to push FilmFest as much as [trying to] be open to where it needs to grow.”
E-mail Painter at: optimist@acu.edu
CAMPUS NEWS
Page 4
Group to help substance abusers n Students can join To Write Love On Her Arms, an organization to help students with drug addiction, depression, cutting and suicide. By EMILY SMITH
Chief Photographer
Trey McCarty went to a concert last year and saw a cool shirt that advertised for a substance and abuse support group. McCarty, sophomore communications major from Bulverde, is organizing a group that helps students with drug addiction, depression, cutting and suicide. The group, To Write Love On Her Arms, already has a Facebook group with 814 members.
He said he found out about the group at a concert. “I saw some guy wearing a shirt, and I thought it was just a band name, and then my sister told me it was an organization,” he said. Marshall Thompson, junior interdisciplinary major from Council Bluffs, Iowa, has joined the Facebook group and plans on being active in the campus group next semester, he said. “I heard about the story and started wearing the shirts and telling people about it,” Thompson said. Students interested in apparel can visit the To Write Love On Her Arms Web site, TWLOHA.com. The name, To Write Love
Art majors compete in student competition n Art majors have submitted their works to the annual student competition. Selected pieces will be displayed in the Shore Art Gallery on Friday. By SHARON RAPELJE Student Reporter
The Art Department will be conducting the 29th annual student competition where its best works will be displayed Friday at 7 p.m. in the Shore Art Gallery. Nil Santana, professor of graphic design, coordinates the competition. Santana said the competition will be comprised of interior design and art majors and focus on such categories like graphic design and 3D. Winners can receive scholarship money, a book or a number of different prizes. Victoria Zachary, senior interior design major from Dallas, said students will enter work from this year that will show how well the department has been teaching. Students are required to participate each year, Zachary said, which helps them see how much they have progressed. Zachary will enter plans for a food franchise connected to a travel agency in Florida. She said she is anxious to go to the showcase to see what other creative minds are doing. Cheri Williams, junior interior design major from Arlington, will present a piece based
on the architecture of Louis Sullivan, a famous architect that Frank Lloyd Wright, another well-known architect, apprenticed under. Like Zachary, Williams also presented plans for a restaurant and travel agency. Williams said the competition will show students outside of the Art Department how much work goes into art. She said people think an art major is easy compared to others, but it is not. She said creating art is harder than studying for a test because a lot of time and effort is spent making it perfect. “People don’t really seem to get that unless they have a friend who is an art major,” Williams said. Leigh Bacon, sophomore interior design major from Aberdeen, S.D., is entering an acrylic piece, a picture of a swing in the park with alternating colors under a grid. Bacon said she enjoys the competition because it allows her to see what others are doing, to get ideas and to see how diverse the art is. All of the works will be judged Friday by ACU faculty and outside interior designers. Zachary said it would be an honor to win because professional designers will recognize the work. E-mail Rapelje at: optimist@acu.edu
Friday, April 27, 2007
Jamming in the library
On Her Arms, was chosen, McCarty said, because of a girl named Renee. “She had a problem cutting herself, and some people invited her to worship with them in their living room, and instead of a razor, they wanted to write love on her arms,” McCarty said. McCarty said he wants to read a story during Chapel next semester to jump-start the group. He already plans on having a To Write Love On Her Arms clothing line, he said. “I want to make people aware that there is a group that cares,” he said, “Our organization gives people hope.” Rachel Lau STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER E-mail Smith at: eds04c@acu.edu
Members of the Ropu o te Rakau performs at the Black Tulip poetry night Tuesday in the library.
Mr. and Miss ACU to be announced n Students voted for Mr. and Miss ACU from eight candidates who were narrowed down from 250 nominations. The winners will be announced at Chapel on Wednesday. By ANDREA LUCADO Student Reporter
The ballot box for Mr. and Miss ACU votes officially opened Tuesday. Four female and four male candidates were narrowed down from the original 250 nominations. Daniel–Paul Watkins, sophomore political science major from Fredericksburg, Va., has been receiving nominations since last week via e-mail as his first duty as vice president of Students’ Association. He said Mr. and Miss ACU are the face of the school and are “marked by service, integrity and a commitment to put others before yourself.” According to an e-mail from Dr. Jeff Arrington, as-
sociate professor of physics, associate dean of Campus Life and assistant provost for student learning, Mr. and Miss ACU must be enrolled seniors at the university, understand what it means to be a student and strive daily to change the world. Takisha Knight, senior English major from Lake Charleston, La., said she was shocked and surprised when she found out she was nominated for this year’s Miss ACU. “My first thought was ‘Who on earth nominated me?’” Knight said. She said she thinks her involvement with ACU is the reason she is now a candidate. Being a part of so many organizations on campus like the LYNAY group, International Students Association and Essence of Ebony, Knight said most people probably know her from one
thing to the next. Jordan Williams, junior finance and management major from Longview and former SA vice president, said the voting turnout was about 360 last year and mostly upperclassmen vote. Amy Couchman, junior communication sciences and disorders major from Boerne, did not nominate anyone for Mr. and Miss ACU, but she does know whom she will vote for. “I will vote for them because they’re a good representation of ACU students,” Couchman said. “They should want to change the world through Christian leadership and service.” While the winners are usually announced during the annual senior dinner, this year they will be announced during Chapel on Wednesday. E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu
Nominees for Mr. and Miss ACU Nominees for Miss ACU: n Shelby Coates, senior broadcast journalism major from Clarksville, Tenn. n Betsey Noah, senior marketing major from Midland n Takisha Knight, senior English major from Lake Charleston, La. n Candice Wood, senior marketing major from Edmond, Okla. Nominees for Mr. ACU: n Scott Burge, senior biochemistry major from Amarillo n Jordan Gay, senior psychology major from Austin n Brad Hoover, senior management major from Allen n Maher Saab, senior political science major from Abilene
Minda Street hosts a capella extravaganza n The Minda Street Church of Christ will host an annual a capella concert at the Paramount Theatre on Saturday. Some artists will perform at local coffee shops after the show. By TAKISHA KNIGHT Student Reporter
For the 10th annual A capella Singing Extravaganza, organizers of the Minda Street Church of Christ are moving the celebration downtown. In the past, the Minda Street church has conducted the event at its building, where members have resorted to pulling chairs out into the aisles. Now, they hope to pack the Paramount Theatre, which seats 1,200, in a similar fashion. The event will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount
in downtown Abilene. Admission is free. “We want to make it a lot more memorable than in the past,” said Romel Derrick, music director of Minda Street Church of Christ. Derrick organizes the music program for the event. He directs four choruses, teaches music at Minda Street and has headed the program for the past four years. “It’s more of an opportunity to showcase a cappella music, chorus singing and ensemble music,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to let people see what it’s really all about.” To do this, Derrick and other organizers have made some changes. This year, Derrick invited
more solo artists than choruses to help make the event more memorable. Solo artists include Wayburn Dean, former member and lead singer of the group A Cappella, Stephanie Booker and worship leader Paul Williams. They also formed a community chorus composed of voices from churches all over Abilene including Hillcrest Church of Christ. Eric Mallet, junior communication and Christian ministry major from St. Louis, went to his first Singing Extravaganza his freshman year as an observer, but the next year and ever since then he has participated in the Minda Street chorus. “It’s a time for people to celebrate and to enjoy a cappella gospel music,” Mallet said. “It’s
a time to bring different congregations together to praise God together as one.” Mallet said the unity the event promotes has made him grateful for his unique style of worship and the worship style of others. “I look forward to the people we invited to sing,” he said. “I love and have a desire to see other people sing, other people who are prominent. It’s like the first day of Chapel — so full of life, man.” After the event, solo artists will perform at Monk’s Coffee Shop downtown across the street from the Paramount and at the Cypress Street Café.
E-mail Knight at: optimist@acu.edu
April 27, 2007
Page 5
Bands to play at Monk’s Coffee Shop n The Album Leaf, Adam Gnade, Lymbyc System and ListenListen will join the Abilene music scene at Monk’s Coffee Shop Thursday and May 5. By TODD PIERSALL Arts Editor
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Seymore, played by Seth Bazacas, performs for this years Spring Dinner Musical, ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ Ticket prices are $27 for dinner and $15 for the show only.
Talent, design build ‘Little Shop’ n From fantastic art design to eccentric acting, the last weekend for ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ will be a delightful discomfort for show-goers. By KELLY DENNIS
Contributive Writer
With the last weekend of ACU’s production, “Little Shop of Horrors,” approaching quickly, the cast has settled into their roles, the crew is feeling more comfortable with their assignments and more and more people are pouring into Fulks Theatre to be delightfully discomforted. Those who are unfamiliar with the musical, which is based on the 1960s film of the same name, should be aware of a few things. The show stars Seymour (played by Seth Bazacas, sophomore theatre major from Ocean City, N.J. ), a nerdy orphan who works as a florist’s assistant. Seymour’s low position and lack of self-esteem leave him feeling insecure and unworthy of his lovely coworker Audrey (Alyssa Vidos, freshman theatre major from Waxahachie), who suffers from self-esteem issues herself. When she’s not working at Mushnik’s unsuccessful flower shop, Audrey is usually spending time with her sadistic dental-hygienist boyfriend, Orin (Caleb Todd, senior theatre major from Mesquite). Just when things appear that they couldn’t get any worse for Seymour, he unveils his secret — a strange plant he has discovered that looks something like
a Venus flytrap. The plant, Audrey II, as Seymour has named it, begins attracting the attention of people all over town and seems to provide a new life for Seymour. But the plot thickens when Seymour realizes that in order to keep the plant thriving, he must sacrifice the very life he was trying to create. This comedy, intended to spoof 1950s sci-fi films, entertains some with its humorous parody, while others may feel bewildered or repelled. A word of caution — though nothing is particularly gruesome, if you feel queasy easily or you may want to skip the stuffed chicken and pork that comprise the pre-show dinner and opt for a lighter fare so you don’t lose it during Audrey II’s rendition of “Suppertime.” If you can look past some of the disturbing elements and see the humor and talent behind the show, you may find yourself longing for more. The designs of the play work together fairly well to form a cohesive whole. Between the warped shapes of the cartoonish set and the shrill voice of sweet Audrey, it doesn’t take long for the audience to realize something is strangely amiss on Skid Row. Similarly, the costumers updated the show by adding some modern pieces to the retro collection. Whether or not it was
intended, this too seems slightly off. You may not be able to point out the specificities, but you are aware that something is slightly disagreeable, enough to be alarming. For the most part, the actors succeed in playing their roles with a believability that is difficult to attain with such eccentric characters. From Vidos’ “Audrey” to Bazacas’ “Seymour” to Jeremy Varner’s array of characters (there were five or so), the audience is sure to see the talent of the actors as it shines against the ominous backdrop. And it would be criminal to fail to mention Audrey II, whose fantastic design and construction (Travis Eason, freshman applied studies major from Abilene), masterful manipulation (Terence Lindeke, sophomore theatre major from Anchorage, Ala.) and deep, effective voice (Josh Martin, senior theatre major from Abilene) combine in a way that makes it a star in its own right. While the show maintains a light-hearted attitude, it does approach some thought-provoking ideas and, as with many pieces of good art, it raises some questions. So be prepared to discuss it afterward, over coffee or ice cream, just not E-mail Dennis at: optimist@acu.edu
Finals week is looming, and procrastinators are in luck. Those who are not ready to hit the books will have several different musical distractions to choose from. Dustin Reid, senior electronic media major from Rockwall and founder of Silence Sessions, is promoting several bands that will play at Monk’s Coffee Shop before the close of the semester. “I’ve been doing music stuff for six or seven years. A lot of these bands I’ve met from different events,” Reid said. Reid said the Abilene music scene is growing, because the artists enjoy the treatment they receive when they arrive. “We have people come
out for shows, and they really love it,” Reid said. Monk’s Coffee Shop will host The Album Leaf, an instrumental electronic band featured on The O.C., and Lymbyc System from 7:3011 p.m. Thursday, and on May 5, Adam Gnade and the Confederate Yankees will play with ListenListen from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Reid said he compares the style of Adam Gnade to that of the “prose and wit of Bob Dylan.” ListenListen is from Houston and use a variety of instruments when they perform. Also, Ryan Lindsey, Birds in Space and Gazelles will playing Friday at the Rock Paper Scissors Arts and Craft Fair from 8-11:30 p.m. Besides being able to sell and purchase crafts, attendees will be able to hear free live music.
E-mail Piersall at: tdp04a@acu.edu
Upcoming concert Schedules n Rock Paper Scissors: Friday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Living Room in the Campus Center n The Album Leaf: Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Monk’s Coffee Shop n Adam Gnade and ListenListen: May 5 from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Monk’s Coffee Shop For more information over concerts at Monk’s contact Dustin Reid at reid.dustin@gmail.com
Box Office Stats Newly released movies and gross rates for April 20-22. Total gross in parenthesis. n Disturbia: $13,010,778 ($40,205,142) n Fracture: $11,014,657 ($11,014,657) n Blades of Glory: $7,677,569 ($100,951,439) n Vacancy: $7,603,376 ($7,603,376) n Meet The Robinsons: $6,967,089 ($82,089,99) n Hot Fuzz: $5,848,464 ($5,848,464)
Coming Soon Movies opening Oct. 13: n The Condemned, starring Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Trent Sullivan, Rick Hoffman and Nathan Jones. A group of death row inmates compete on an abandoned island and the winner will be spared execution. (ACTION/DRAMA) n The Invisible, starring Justin Chatwin, Margarita Leveia, Marcia Gay Harden, Christopher Marquette and Michelle Harrison. A high school senior is nearly beaten to death and left for dead. As his body slowly dies, his spirit watches his mother and police as they search for his body. (THRILLER/SCIENCE FICTION) n Kickin’ it Old School, starring Jamie Kennedy and Maria Menounos. After slipping into a coma from a break dancing accident, Justin Schumacher remains unconscious for 33 years and loses everything he had, including his girlfriend to his arch nemesis. After waking up in a new age with new music, Justin tries to find his break dancing groove and win back his girl. (COMEDY)
Page 6
April 27, 2007
Theatre Department takes second chance with ‘Aida’
The issue:
The Theatre Department is attempting to perform ‘Aida’ for the second time for the 2007 Homecoming musical.
The Theatre Department has proven it is more courageous than to simply walk away from a controversial situation. Two years ago, Adam Hester, chair of the Theatre Department, pulled the Homecoming musical, “Aida,” after four months of production because of concerns from the community that a white actress would play the lead role as a Nubian princess. And with merely two months left before performance, “Aida” was replaced with the whimsical musical, “Seussical.” Although his research showed that the licensing company had no ethnic restrictions on casting, Hester said the main factor in changing the musical was made in hopes of
Our view:
The Theatre Department’s attempt to bring resolution by trying again to put on ‘Aida’ is admirable.
The solution:
Support the department’s desire to produce racially diverse shows by buying tickets and attending the ‘Aida’ production.
keeping harWith a deThe department is acting as any theatrical mony in the sire to progroup should by producing a show that is community. mote harmony W h e r e a s equally enjoyable for all individuals and groups among differthe departin Abilene and strives to fairly present multiple ent groups in ment could the commucultures and races. have chosen nity without to play it shying away safe and forfrom the conget this inconvenient bump the Theatre Department troversy, the department is in the theatrical road, ACU’s In contrast to the first time courageous to take on the isTheatre Department is revis- ACU attempted to perform sue that has previously caused iting the issue by attempt- “Aida,” three black women have them stress and last-minute ing for the second time to been called back for the role changes to its biggest producperform “Aida” as the 2007 of the Nubian princess for the tion of the year. Homecoming musical. 2007 production, and Hester Still, the department is acting Hester said he hopes every- said because of the women’s as any theatrical group should one is sensitive about the de- ability to sing that role, it is by producing a show that is partment’s decision. good timing for the department equally enjoyable for all indiHester hopes that at- to come back to the controver- viduals and groups in Abilene tempting to perform this sial casting issue in hopes of and that strives to fairly present show will build a bridge be- fully making amends with the multiple cultures and races. tween the community and community. Choosing to produce ethni-
Alex York
Lebensgefhar
Improve the nation’s counseling centers The recent Virginia Tech incident has forced universities across the nations to examine more thoroughly its health and counseling centers. I see this examination as a response to the fact that gunman Cho SeungA State Hui had preof Mind viously been recognized Lauren by VT’s counSutton seling center as a prob- lem student and had undergone evaluations at a private psychiatric hospital after two women complained about annoying phone calls from him, and an acquaintance reported he might be suicidal. Though his initial evaluation proved he could be a potential danger to others, he was released from the hospital and sent back to VT. After horrific events like the one our nation, in the
So with the knowledge of Cho’s mental instability, many have turned their attention to university counseling centers past two weeks, has repeatedly viewed on the evening news, read through in newspapers and blogged about via the Internet, people are looking for reasons this incident occurred and ways to prevent such incidents in the future. So with the knowledge of Cho’s mental instability, many have turned their attention to university counseling centers. Across America, college counseling centers are experiencing a rising number of mentally ill students and a growing need for mental health services. This growth coincides with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which allows mentally ill students the right to be at college with more sophisticated medication, which help them func-
In Your Words What do you dread more than finals?
tion in a university context. Time magazine reported that psychologist Sherry Benton, assistant director of counseling services at Kansas State University, has done studies showing that students’ mental health problems are more complex and severe than they were 20 years ago. “We’re well aware that problems are getting worse, but what hasn’t happened is increasing funding for mental health services,” she said. “Most centers are now overwhelmed. Business has gone up and up, but the budgets have remained the same or been cut, and that’s a huge problem.” A survey last year by the American College Health Association found that 8.5 percent of students have seriously considered suicide,
and 15 percent were diagnosed for depression. Also, the Anxiety Disorders Association of America fond that 13 percent of students at major universities and 25 percent at liberal arts colleges are using campus mental health services. Clearly, counseling centers should be a top priority for every higher-education facility in the nation, but they often are not assessed during college’s accreditation reviews. Though incidents like the massacre at VT are often inevitable, let’s use this situation to lesson their likelihood by providing health care centers with better funding, accountability through accreditation and highly qualified staff. We can’t completely prevent such occurrences, but any assistance and effort on our part is well worth the effort. E-mail Sutton at: les03c@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu
I dread going to Chapel 55 times in a semester.
Not having any money before summer.
Machael Knutz
Nicole Ochoa
senior integrated marketing major from Grapevine
freshman international studies major from Austin
attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. 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
E-mail the Optimist at: optimist@acu.edu
Steps to become an effective Chapel speaker I daydream during Chapel. While thinking about Mostly about impossible what to do in such a situascenarios, the perfect day tion, planning what not to and odd ‘what-ifs.’ do is just as important. T h i s Almost everyone in Chaweek, now pel has taken Communicathat only tion 111, where we learn those with- the most basic, structured out Chapel way to give a speech. Becredits are cause we all know this a t t e n d - formula, speakers should ing, a new avoid it at all costs. daydream According to this modFields of emerged. el, you begin with an inDream W h a t troduction, present clearly if I had to stated topics with quoted Jared speak in attribution and concludes Fields Chapel? by referring back to the A Cha- beginning. pel’s worth of thought deAfter the introduction, voted to developing crite- we all know the points are ria for a successful speech next, and it’s another typiended by realizing failure at cal Chapel speech. That speaking. is when the talking and The first, and possibly disinterest occurs. Then, most important criteria for when you refer back to the a successful, lasting Cha- introduction by using the pel speech is to reveal a same line you began with, dark enough secret or past, we know you’re about to personal experience that finish and people head for everyone would have no the stairs. choice but to listen. So while daydreaming In Chaabout my pel, if you hypothetihave broken cal Chapel a Commandspeech, I In Chapel, if you ment, been have broken a Com- found a soluostracized or tion for Chamandment or done done somepel indiffersomething culturally ence. Unless thing culturtaboo, then you are you have an ally taboo, then you are emotionally Chapel gold. Chapel gold. captivating All ears are speech, form yours when a Chapel you begin committee with a corny joke or gim- devoted to developing as mick and then spill your many gimmicks, jokes and life for 10 minutes. anti-COMS 111 speeches I have no such secret to as possible. share. Being a good speaker will After this revelation, I take care of itself, but the made the decision to be rest of the speakers need the best speaker possible some help. Then we might without possessing such daydream a little less. an experience. After all, Now, about the only people could still remem- thing not done has been ber me by employing a few to drop from the ceiling or corny jokes, a memorable stage a death. Maybe the gimmick or wearing outra- two could be combined. geous clothes. In planning my imaginary The memorable gim- Chapel speech, the only micks, good or bad, have new gimmick I’ve come up been taken. Whether they with was too incorporate were good or not in the faking my death and deviewers’ mind doesn’t mat- scending from the roof. If ter. Being remembered is you have something else in all that counts. mind, the rest of us in the Starting a speech from seats would like to see it. Section U has been done. No one can daydream Walking around the floor through that. has been taken too. I can’t even bring an animal on stage and play a clip of a popular Disney movie while making an obscure reference to a goal of E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu mine. It’s all been done.
Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist 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 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
cally diverse shows and featuring talented actors of multiple backgrounds to fill these various roles is choosing to take the harder but higher road. As the Theatre Department ventures forth in its decision to produce “Aida” for next year’s Homecoming musical, the Optimist hopes the community will respond with as much respect as the department has shown it. If harmony and absolute fairness is what we are all seeking from this situation, let’s meet the Theatre Department half way as they continue to build a bridge toward complete resolution.
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Online: www.acuoptimist.com
Friday, April 27, 2007
Page 7
FROM THE FRONT/SPORTS JUMPS
Senate: VP: Money says position affects all students Staff to select senate in May Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1 “We’ve had nominations coming in steadily for the Senator positions,” she said. “I wondered if they were excited to do this, and with these nominations pouring in, I think it indicated the interest.” Once the Senate begins meeting, which will take place each month, the 20 Senators will begin discussing issues important to staff. Staff members not serving as a senator can submit ideas or issues to their senators by e-mail to staffsenate@ acu.edu or go to the Web site to submit ideas. Griffith encouraged staff to make nominations if they haven’t already and to return to the Web site in May to elect the senators. “I think this is going to be a positive thing for the ACU community,” she said.
E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu
Course: online classes available this fall Continued from page 1 School and assistant provost for research and service. The other two graduate level classes will be offered as part of the second year of curriculum for the master’s in higher education program. The master’s in conflict resolution program and the master’s in leadership and learning program will each offer two new courses online next fall and one this summer, Williams said. Second semester first-year Greek will be the new undergraduate online course and will be offered this summer. Williams said undergraduate online courses are not typical, but the class is being offered because students who studied abroad were not able to take the course. Two or three other new graduate courses will also be offered next fall, Williams said.
E-mail Hansen at: optimist@acu.edu
this decision Thursday to the leaders and administrators of Campus Life after a nationwide search that took several months to complete. Money said Thompson is well qualified for this position because it is currently the same position he occupies now at Grove City College. “Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson is an excellent person for this position and has impressive credentials to help him here,” Money said. Thompson holds a bachelor’s of art degree in or-
ganizational communication, a master of science degree in student affairs in higher education and a Ph.D. in higher education and student affairs as well. Money also said he was a deeply spiritual Christian man who has been active in his church wherever he has lived. Thompson said in an email, he applied for the position because ACU’s philosophy of Christian higher education matches his own. “I am excited about the fact that ACU embraces a collaborative and integrated
student development model that is strongly supported by the academic leadership there as well,” Thompson said. “The opportunities for campus-wide collaboration are endless.” Friends and family connected to ACU have also praised the university experience, Thompson said — among them, Dr. Rick Lytle, dean of the College of Business, who married Thompson and his wife 16 years ago. Thompson, his wife Tonya and their four daughters will move to Abilene following the end of his semester
at Grove City. He is expected to officially begin working July 1, but will come to Abilene before then to make decisions about pressing matters that cannot wait, Money said. These matters include the organization of Campus Life and personnel decisions concerning what roles current Campus Life staff will take on. Thompson said he has the ability to connect the campus community and build a strong Campus Life team. “The talent and dedication is already there and ready to be tapped,” he said. For the past 10 years,
the dean of Campus Life and all the other facets in Campus Life have been under the direction of the provost’s office. With this change, Campus Life will mainly be under the direction of Thompson, as the vice president. “I’m doing this this way because of the high importance of students and student life at ACU,” Money said. “It’s important to raise the visibility of the Student Life division because of the affect it has on all our students.”
E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu
Perkins: Friends, teammates remember his heart Continued from page 8 He said Perkins was an inspiration to his teammates during his time at ACU, and their friendship continued years after their athletic careers ended. “Johnny was the type of
person that made you better when you were around him,” Montgomery said. Perkins was an all-Lone Star Conference selection at wide receiver and punter for ACU. He was also named team MVP, LSC Lineman of the Year, first team NAIA all-America
and second team Associate Press Little all-America. He played in the Senior Bowl and Blue-Gray all-star games after his senior season in 1976, was named to the 1970s alldecade team and the ACU allCentury football team. Perkins’ funeral will be at
Chapel: Students to speak up Continued from page 1
about Chapel.” Others say the council will make a difference if its voice is heard. Casey Carr, freshman environmental science major from Canadian, said 12 students should be enough
pel is always changing. Some things, however, do council has potential to afnot change. fect Chapel, but it is “polling “Chapel should be one from the wrong audience.” place where our hearts and Her ideal council, Wacminds are touched in comtor said, would be made mon ways to think differof the very people who sit ently about Jesus and his at the top call in our of Moody lives,” BarColiseum, nard said. “There is no ‘magic’ Chapel plan or answer to sending text The counengage everyone in meaningful ways.” messages, cil applicatalking to tion was sent Dr. Wayne Barnard, university dean of spiritual formation friends and to the stunot paying dent body attention April 17, and because they are the ones to represent the student all students are welcome to who don’t like Chapel. But, body, but all classifications apply to review and contribute Wactor said, they are not need representation. to Chapel. the people who will fill out Students talk about the “There is no ‘magic’ Chaan application. same issues: making a di- pel plan or answer to engage “I just think that for all verse student body feel that everyone in meaningful the people that don’t like Chapel is relevant to every- ways,” Barnard said. “Such Chapel, why would they one, meeting daily and be- engagement will always be apply to be on a Chapel ing required to attend. a personal choice.” committee? Why?” Wactor Barnard said he is used said. “The ones that you’re to hearing both new and trying to affect and change old ideas when students are the ones that don’t care discuss Chapel, but ChaE-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu
SA: Recycling bill passes Continued from page 1 “To get to that point every other school has had to prove that their court can exist with legitimacy,” Smith said. Vice president-elect and sophomore senator DanielPaul Watkins voted against the legislation because he felt it was taking to much responsibility away from congress. “It’s our job to represent and help find solutions for the students, not a supreme court that the students get to elect anyways,” said Watkins, sophomore political science major from Fredericksburg, Va. The court would have had seven justices that would have been approved by a two-thirds vote from Congress. Senior senator Shelby
Coates, senior journalism major from Clarksville, Tenn., said she voted against the legislation because there were too many unanswered questions about the court. “I think it is a good idea, but I don’t think it was as developed as it could have been,” Coates said. “We had a lot of open-ended questions, and I’m glad Congress voted as it did.” McKinzie representative Daniel Burgner, freshman political science major from Yorba Linda, Calif., voted for the legislation because of the accountability power the student court would have had. “I feel like it would have kept Congress and the elections committee accountable,” Burgner said. Congress did unanimously approve a resolution that called for the addition of recycling receptacles at Uni-
versity Park Apartments. Congress voted 41-0-0. But an amendment that would allow students to run as a representative of academic buildings if they had declared a minor in that building lost 35-4-2. Wednesday’s meeting marked the session of the 84th SA Congress. “I can’t believe it’s been a year,” said current president Maher Saab, senior political science major from Abilene. The newly elected executive officers will officially begin their terms on Tuesday.
E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu
2 p.m. in his home town of Granbury, and Montgomery said he expects everyone Perkins touched during his life to be there. “I think anybody that can walk and any of those guys that played with Johnny are probably going to be there,”
Montgomery said. “Johnny was the type of guy everybody loved.”
E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu
Track: Three meets bring chance to add qualifiers Continued from page 8 the next person takes off after the previous person passes them. Distance runners will also be competing at the Penn Relays. In the steeplechase, Nicodemus Naimadu and Olha Kryv’yak will run in the event. Naimadu has automatically qualified for the stepplechase, along with the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs. Beside the steeplechase, Kryv’yak has qualified in the 1,500-meter run. Kryv’yak’s time of 10:38.35 currently ranks her second in the nation in the steeplechase and her provisional time of 4:31.40 last weekend at TCU in the 1,500 ranks her sixth in the nation. The men’s team is running two relays in Philadelphia: the 4x200 and sprint medley.
Meanwhile, the women’s team is running four relays: the 4x400, sprint medley, 4x800 and 4x200. “I think the mile relay has a chance,” Hood said. “I think they’ve got a good opportunity to do something there. Hope to get under 3:40.” Currently the relay ranks third in the nation with a time of 3:41.28. Hood also likes his men’s 4x200 relay team’s chances of doing something this weekend. “The 4x200 was second last year, and may have a chance to be better if the sticks are good,” Hood said. After this weekend’s events, the Wildcats have the LSC Championships in Commerce on May 4-6.
E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu
Softball: Wildcats to play last series of 2007 Continued from page 8 Angelo State once this season, while ASU swept TWU in their series. ACU went into the season with higher hopes than it has now. Before this season, the Wildcats had back-to-back postseason appearances and were the preseason pick to win the division this year. Junior pitcher Kim McDonald received special mention from the LSC for her performance in last weekend’s
series against WTAMU. She went 3-0 and allowed just five runs on 19 hits, three walks and had 16 strikeouts in 18 innings of play. The team is scheduled to play two games Thursday and two games Saturday at home. “We just need a good solid team effort in order to have a good series,” Wilson said.
E-mail Davis at: optimist@acu.edu
SPORTSFRIDAY
Page 8
SCOREBOARD Standings
Former ACU all-American dies Wednesday n Former ACU and New York Giant wide receiver Johnny Perkins died Wednesday morning after suffering complications from recent heart surgery.
Scoreboard as of Thursday
BASEBALL
Team
Div. 13-3 12-4 7-9 7-9 4-10 3-11
ACU Angelo St. Tarleton TAMK-U ENMU WTAMU
Team
Overall 40-11 37-15 25-26 24-26 19-31 12-33
By DANIEL JOHNSON SPORTS EDITOR
SOFTBALL
Div. Overall 19-1 42-6 13-7 30-16 11-9 31-14 9-11 26-24 10-14 24-21 TX Woman’s 7-13 21-32 WTAM 3-17 15-34 Angelo St. TAMK-U Tarleton ENMU ACU
Scores Tuesday BASEBALL ACU 2, Texas-Permian Basin 1 ACU 14, Texas-Permian Basin 6
Upcoming Friday TRACK & FIELD ACU at Drake Relays, Des Moines, Iowa, all day ACU at Penn Relays, Philadelphia, all day
BASEBALL ACU at West Texas A&M, Canyon, 4 p.m. (DH)
Saturday TRACK & FIELD ACU at Drake Relays, Des Moines, Iowa, all day
BASEBALL ACU at West Texas A&M, Canyon, 4 p.m. (DH)
SOFTBALL ACU at Cameron, Lawton Okla., 3 p.m. (DH)
n Home games listed in italics
Briefs Winning Ways
n The ACU baseball team reached 40 wins after sweeping Texas-Permian Basin on Tuesday The 40win season is the ninth for head coach Britt Bonneau in his 11 years of coaching. ACU is only two wins away from breaking the ACU record for wins in a regular season.
COURTESY OF CREATIVE SERVICES
Johnny Perkins was the highest draft choice to come out of ACU. Perkins was drafted 32nd by the New York Giants in 1977 NFL Draft.
Wally Bullington will always remember Johnny Perkins for more than his athletic ability. “He just got along with everybody,” said Bullington, who coached Perkins from 1974-76. “If you didn’t like Johnny Perkins, there was something wrong with you.” The former ACU all-American, ACU’s all-time leader in
n If ACU can sweep West Texas A&M this weekend, it will secure first place in the Lone Star Conference South Division and a No. 1 seed in the LSC tournament.
Upcoming n The intramural schedule and points seen on the Optimist sports page are not final and subject to change. Any lastminute changes can be viewed on the intramural bulletin board in Moody Coliseum.
Monday OUTDOOR SOCCER Playoff tournament will begin next week. SOFTBALL See softball schedule on Intramural board.
“If you didn’t like Johnny Perkins, there was something wrong with you.” Wally Bullington, athletic director emeritus
Montgomery, record-setting quarterback Jim Reese and hall of fame running back Wilbert Montgomery, Perkins was part of the reigning NAIA offense during the 1970s. “He was a great team man and didn’t worry about the stats,” Bullington said. “But of course they took care of themselves.” Perkins is still the highest draft pick to come out ACU —
he was picked 32nd in 1977 NFL Draft — and is the alltime leader in receiving yards (2,529 yards), third in touchdown catches (22) and sixth in receptions (116). “Johnny was pretty much, during our days at ACU, the glue behind our team,” said Perkins’ college roommate Cle Montgomery. See
PERKINS page 7
By DANIEL JOHNSON SPORTS EDITOR
It appears the 13th-ranked ACU baseball team is ready for the postseason. ACU is first in the Lone Star Conference, has one of the deepest pitching staffs in the LSC and has already reached its team goal of 40 wins. But before ACU can start swinging for an LSC championship, the Wildcats will have to sweep its final series to put them in the best position to make a run at the title. “Our goal is to win the South, and we need to sweep so we can do that,” said head baseball coach Britt Bonneau. ACU will secure first place in the LSC South and guarantee a No. 1 seed for the LSC Tournament on May 5-7 if the Wildcats sweep its four-game series in Canyon against West Texas A&M this weekend — a feat that isn’t unreasonable. West Texas is last in the LSC South with a 3-11 conference record and 12-33 overall record, an unimpressive 7.18 ERA, bats .303 as a team and is last in the division in errors with 257. In comparison, ACU is first in the LSC South with a 13-3 in conference 40-11 overall, is first in the LSC with a 4.20 ERA, is No. 8 in the nation in batting aver-
On the Web www.acuoptimist.com
n See an online video profiling the nationally ranked and first place ACU baseball team and its success this season at: www.acuoptimist.com
BRIAN SCHMIDT SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
ACU second baseman Willy Uechi dives for a ball between the third base line while third baseman Alec Sowards watches during practice April 18.
Baseball age at .362 and has the least amount of errors in the conference with 174. ACU also has a chance to break the team’s regular season wins record this weekend after sweeping a two-game series against Texas-Permian Basin on Tuesday. ACU beat Permian Basin 2-1, 14-6 and is two wins away from breaking the former record of 41 set by ACU’s 1998 squad and
tied by the 2005 squad. “WT is a big series,” said closer Jameson Maj. Maj had another big series against Permian Basin on Tuesday, picking up two saves in three innings of work to extend his LSC and ACU single season saves records. Maj’s 16 saves puts him in the top three for saves in the nation. “Just keep them coming,” Maj said. “I just go out there and close games.” ACU put six pitchers on
the mound in preparation for the postseason, but the most impressive outing was a surprising performance by relief pitcher Matt Sullivan. Sullivan’s first start of the season became his second win after he held Permian Basin to four hits and one run in six innings of work. Bonneau said knowing that Sullivan can pitch well when needed gives the Wildcats insurance going into the postseason. “We needed Matt to feel
good about himself,” Bonneau said. “It’s good to know if we ever need a fifth starter in the playoffs, we’ve got a guy to go to.” Sullivan, said the win helped him personally prepare for the upcoming postseason. “This was a huge confidence booster,” Sullivan said. “I just got to get some good work in before playoffs start.”
E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu
Team separates among meets
n Nicodemus Naimadu continued his remarkable track and field season and picked up another Lone Star Conference Athlete of the Week honor after setting the course record in the 5,000 meters at the TCU Invitational last weekend. Naimadu shattered the old record by 20 seconds with his time of 14:13.54.
INTRAMURAL ROUND-UP
receiving yards and New York Giants wide receiver died Wednesday morning at age 54 from complications after recent heart surgery. Perkins is survived by his wife Debra; a son, Jasmine; and a daughter, Jia. “One thing I’ll remember most is how family-oriented he always has been,” said Bullington, athletic director emeritus. “Johnny Perkins had a happy nature about him.” Perkins played at ACU after transferring from Ranger College and was a vital part of arguably one the best offenses in the history of ACU and college football. Combined with fellow wide receiver Cle
Cats seek sweep to finish first
Best on the Track
n Olha Kryv’yak also received Athlete of the Week honors after winning the 1,500 meters at the TCU Invitational with a time of 4:31.40. Kryv’yak’s time at TCU bettered her qualifying time for nationals by two seconds.
April 27, 2007
n The ACU track and field team will be separated between three meets this weekend, one in Pennsylvania, on in Iowa and one down the street at McMurray University. By JARED FIELDS MANAGING EDITOR
BRIAN SCHMIDT SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
ACU pole vaulter Callie Young clears the bar at the TCU Invitational on Saturday. Young finished eighth with a height of 3.65 meters.
Wildcat track and field members are separated throughout the country this weekend at the Penn and Drake relays, while others are staying in Abilene for a meet with McMurry. Pole vaulters Kyle Dennis and Angie Aguilar are the
Track & Field only athletes traveling to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Drake Relays. “Kyle’s ready to jump 18 feet if the weather’s any good,” said head coach Don Hood. Dennis ranks first in the nation with a jump of 5.2 meters. Similarly, Aguilar tops the women’s pole vault rankings. In Philadelphia at the Penn Relays, Hood is taking 23 athletes. Vladyslav Gorbenko is re-
turning after a three-week hiatus to compete in the triple and long jump. “Vlad looks very good,” Hood said. “He practiced [Wednesday] and looks really good.” Davy Manga is competing in the triple jump, trying to better his provisional mark while also competing in the shuttle hurdles relay. In the shuttle hurdles, four people line up in two lanes and each run the 110-meter hurdle race. Like a relay, the See
TRACK page 7
ACU needs help to make postseason n The ACU softball team will need a series of wins and loses throughout the Lone Star Conference this weekend to make the LSC postseason tournament. By RACHEL DAVIS SPORTS WRITER
The Wildcats have their final regular-season games this weekend against Cameron University, but there is nothing they can do to increase their chances of making the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament.
Softball ACU’s games against the LSC North Opponent Cameron University will have no effect on ACU’s grim postseason picture, but head coach Chantiel Wilson said they are just as important as any other game. “We take every game seriously whether we have a chance or not to get into the postseason,” Wilson said. “We schedule these games at the beginning of the year with hopes that they will
prepare us for the postseason if we make it.” Cameron, who is ranked fourth in the LSC North, will be going to the conference tournament. It is 15-9 in its conference games, whereas ACU is 10-14 in conference play. “Cameron has been hitting the ball well all year, and they are a pretty solid team all around,” Wilson said. Currently, the Wildcats are ranked fifth in the LSC South Division, and its postseason hopes hang mostly on this weekend’s series be-
tween Eastern New Mexico and Texas A&M-Kingsville. “We still have a shred of hope to get into the conference tournament based on this series,” Wilson said. ACU must hope Texas Woman’s loses one game to West Texas A&M, which would leave ACU and TWU tied for fourth place with 10 wins each. Because ACU and TWU split their series, the Wildcats would win the tiebreaker because it beat See
SOFTBALL page 7
BRIAN SCHMIDT SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Pitcher Kim McDonald winds up during ACU’s series against West Texas A&M last weekend.