OPTIMIST THE
FRIDAY September 14, 2007 Vol. 96, No. 7 1 section, 8 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Just where can you find ‘The Loft?’
Hometown finish
Ambler no more?
ACU drops proposal to name section of Ambler Avenue University Avenue but not dropping the possibility, page 3
New downtown restaurant ‘The Loft’ tough to find but worth the quest, page 4
Golf team ends home tournament with top-five finish, page 8
Overall enrollment hits 4-year low Upgrades By Mallory Edens Page 2 Editor
Fall enrollment dropped by about 100 students this year, with 4,698 enrolled for the 20072008 school year compared to 4,796 last fall. The university unveiled enrollment numbers at a luncheon on Wednesday. Despite the figure, which is lower than numbers for the past three years, admissions officials said figures show a rise in global, and academically strong stu-
dents at ACU. This year is one of the five best enrollments in the history of ACU, all five of which have occurred in the past seven years. Robert Heil, director of admissions and enrollment management, said a lot of this growth has come through the university’s previous Centennial vision and current 21st Century Vision, which will lead ACU through the year 2020. “ACU continues to be one of the largest private schools in the Southwest,” Heil said. “The last five years have marked growth in
numbers and quality of students. The Centennial vision has been leading us to this point of what we have achieved. In the 21st Century Vision, we are looking at what levels of growth we do want to experience and what programs we want to obtain.” Since the university opened 102 years ago, the ACU student body has grown to represent 49 states and 63 nations. This fall, one out of four new freshman students is an ethnic minority, either international or from the United States. The total num-
ber of international students enrolled this fall comes to 65 students, a 14-percent increase from last year and the second highest number in ACU history. This brings the total number of international students to 225, compared to 215 last fall. Japan, China, Madagascar and Nigeria have the largest representation on campus, but the highest growth has come from Hispanic students. See
ENROLLMENT page 5
planned for Sherrod residents By Kelsi Peace Managing Editor
Sherrod residents can breathe a little easier — they won’t be homeless as a result of recent attention to the declining married student and graduate housing facility. John Delony, director of residence life, announced to residents in an e-mail Thursday that in a meeting with administrators on Tuesday, the decision was made to maintain Sherrod as a housing facility for three years, allowing residents to graduate. The university will not accept any new residents in the complex. See
SHERROD page 5
Pool hours now include mixed time By Rachel Davis Opinion Editor
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Emily Tidwell, freshman undeclared major from San Antonio, and Jessica Sloe, freshman graphic design major from Arlington, Wash., vote for freshman class senators and residence hall representatives in the Campus Center on Tuesday.
2007-2008 Students’ association congress The first Students’ Association meeting will be Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Hart Auditorium and is open to all students. * appointed n Freshman Senators: Stacy Klinge
Jeareme Mosley Danielle Urias Orrin Sharp Trevor Cochlin n Sophomore Senators: Abby Barnes * Michael Amend Wilson Rotenberry David Vanderpool Jessie Lozano
n Junior Senators: Kelline Linton Jamie Spires Josh Jackson Corey Winn Hayden Huey n Senior Senators: Brandon Smith Perry Harrison Nathan McKenzie * Seth Copeland * Alaina Bearden *
n Residence Halls: Adams: Amy Hedgecock Barrett: NONE Edwards: Charles Gaines Gardner: Amanda Gunderson Mabee: Adam Tate McKinzie: Mark Daughdrill Morris: NONE Nelson: Rachel
Morris Sikes: NONE Smith: Jason Sanchez * UP: Caleb Archer * Casey Bingham n Academic Buildings: Hardin Administration: Karissa Martin Melanie Wheeler
Jordan Hancock Ben Word * n Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building: Anna Peters * n Williams Performing Arts Center: Byron Martin *
n Off-campus: Samantha Popp Tyler Baker n Mabee Business Building: Dulce Vidana * Ryan Martin * Preston Woolfolk * Dustin Koctar * n Foster Science Building
Kyle Pickens n Chambers: Dayami Gonzalez * Sarah Pulis * n Don Morris: Tony Godfrey * n Gibson: Jared Elk * n Zona Luce: NONE
The pool hours changed this semester to allow a new “open swim” time, which allows men and women to swim together. Open swim time is Mondays and Thursdays from 6-10 p.m., Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. and Saturdays from 3-5 p.m. The exercise science staff received word last spring that it was time to consider mixed swimming, said Lorraine Wilson, associate professor of exercise science. “So far, it’s been a seamless transition without any problems,” Wilson said. “We haven’t had any negative feedback.” Student feedback prompted the changes, said Dr. Nicki Rippee, professor of exercise science. “The biggest reason for the changes was that a lot of students requested open hours,” Rippee said. “Many claimed the hours for men and women were inconvenient, and we really want to get the pool open to more students. Swimming is a great alternative to the pounding workout that you get from jogging.” Separate hours for men and women are still available in case anyone wants to exercise with just his or her gender. Men’s swim is Tuesdays from 9-10 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-2 p.m. Women can swim by themselves Tuesdays from 8-9 p.m. and Saturdays See
POOL page 5
Many know the name; few know the man By Jared Fields Editor-in-Chief
Most everyone knows — or knew — the Hilton Room. While the room is now gone, the name will remain in the area. The Hilton Food Court celebrated its official grand opening Thursday and will receive a plaque designating it so sometime in November or December. “Since that whole area’s been known for years as the Hilton Room, we thought it would be fitting to name that the Hilton Food Court,” said Dr. Royce Money, president of the university. For the popularity that area of the Campus Center enjoys, few know the behind-the-scenes man and his family for whom the room was named in 1991. Bill Hilton enrolled at Abilene Christian College shortly after processing out of the army in January 1946. More than 60 years later, Hilton retired as vice presi-
dent emeritus on May 31 after 57 years of service to ACU. Hilton served as vice president emeritus for 15 years and previously served as the vice president for finance and administration for more than 20 years. Hilton joined the business administration faculty in 1950 to teach and continue his education. “I really came back to get some more courses in education. I needed education [classes] to continue to teach. I just never did leave then,” Hilton said. “I started working in the business office and teaching full time.” Hilton did so until 1969 when he became ACU’s business manager for a year. In 1970 he became the vice president for finance. More than 300 of Hilton’s friends and family gathered in honor of his decades of work on Aug. 25 in the Teague Center. Money presented Hilton with a T-shirt he had made for the presentation that read: “I SURVIVED
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
4 ACU PRESIDENTS.” President A.B. Morris hired Hilton in June 1950. Since then, Hilton worked under presidents John Stevens, Bill Teague and Royce Money. Outside of ACU, Hilton served the city of Abilene and Hillcrest Church of Christ, which he helped start 47 years ago. In Abilene, Hilton served as a member of the City Council, the Board of Adjustors, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the chairman of the Education Committee for the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and was the Secretary/Treasurer for the Abilene Higher Education Authority. “I was busy, but it was things I enjoyed too,” Hilton said. Now he spends that time visiting doctors’ offices. “When you get to my age you spend your time going to doctors,” Hilton said. Hilton still remains active, working out for an hour three
times a week at 6:30 a.m. in the exercise room at ACU. Hilton and his wife, Alvah Jean, have four children, all of whom went to ACU, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Money said he first met Hilton when he was a student in the early ’60s. “I got to really know him well in the late 1980s; he was VP for finance,” Money said. When Money became president, Hilton told Money he looked forward to retirement but would continue serving in his role until he found a replacement. Money found a replacement, Jack Rich, and said the transition went perfectly. “I cannot say how smoothly that transition went,” Money said. Money said Hilton was an “immaculate record keeper” and always looking out for what was best for ACU. See
HILTON page 5
Abilene Christian University
katie gager CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Kara DuBose, sophomore marketing communication major from Fort Worth, dances with the Chick-fil-A cow at the grand opening of the Campus Center Hilton Food Court on Thursday.
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