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Pg. 8 Wildcats swing sweep in Oklahoma over weekend
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 :: Vol. 97, No. 37 :: 1 section, 8 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com
Inside This Issue:
Pg. 3
ACU puts world flags on display around Lunsford Trail
Pg. 3
Coffee shop plugs in discounts for Abilene college students
Pg. 5
The Bob behind the Center: Hunter devotes life to ACU
Sickness spreads throughout ACU By Lezlee Gutierrez Broadcast Assistant
Zak Zeinert:: chief photographer Tiffany Lutz, freshman animal science major from Zelienople, Penn., leaves the Health Clinic after getting checked out Jan. 29.
Professors have seen an increase in the number of ill students on campus this semester, but according to the Health Clinic staff, this is not a rare situation for this time of year. “It is a combination of the fluctuation of the weather
lately, as well as the preparation for Sing Song,” said Kathy Stokes, Health Clinic office manager. “Students are staying up later than usual, and along with the stress increase, they are getting sick from the other students they are around.” Students tend to make their way to the Health Clinic every year around
this time. The medical clinic had more than 1,000 visits last semester, and about the same amount of students already has used the Health Clinic so far. In the past week, medical staff referred 40 students to the emergency room and the walk-in clinic. Fewer students were treated in the Health Clinic this semester
because of a lack of physicians, but ACU will be getting a new physician the last week of February. “I had strep throat in December and then I got sick with a sinus infection just recently,” said Andrea Reed, junior education major from Abilene. “I am glad I did not See
Sick page 4
School officials consider challenging NCAA ACU appeal window to close on Feb. 27 By Grant Abston Sports Editor
Almost a week after the NCAA penalized the ACU track and field and football programs for several violations, the ACU administration is still deciding what actions to take in the appeal process. The clock is ticking — ACU has 15 days to decide if it will appeal any of the violations and an additional 30 days to file its protest if it chooses to appeal. A decision to appeal must be made by Feb. 27, and the university is still considering that decision. “We’re still in the process of deciding our course of action and what we’re going to appeal and if we’re going to appeal,” said Jared Mosley, director of athletics and compliance coordinator. “I feel very certain that we’re going to move forward in that direction, but it will probably be close to the end of the 15-day window.” The NCAA forced the football team to vacate all its wins in the 2007 season in which the team finished 10-3. The ruling came after two prospective student-athletes received academic assistance by members of the football coaching staff in order to help them attain academic eligibility at the university. In addition to the vacation of the wins, sanctions could eliminate team and individual records and statistics from games won by ACU in 2007. ACU alumnus Corey Jordan, who led the team in interceptions while playing defensive end for the Wildcats in 2007, said he thought the punish-
“
What I’m very sure of is even if all this happens, ACU will continue to succeed as the best, and we only have more championships to come.
”
::Nicodemus Naimadu, ACU alum-
nus who won 12 NCAA national titles while running at ACU
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer
ments were unfair and did not see what the ACU coaches did as any kind of violation. “I was a little disappointed that all the records and wins would be taken away,” Jordan said. “Everyone worked hard on that team, and I don’t understand why the team was penalized for someone receiving help. Our coaches were guys that drilled academics more than football, and for that penalty to come down on them is very misleading.” In order to appeal, ACU would appear before a subcommittee of the NCAA Division II Management Council, different from the NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions that heard the initial case. The council is comprised of athletic directors and administrators from universities all over the country. See
Appeal page 4
Head football coach Chris Thomsen talks to a group of ACU players huddled around him during an afternoon practice Aug. 21, 2008.
Multitude of records ripped from season By Daniel Johnson-Kim Editor in Chief
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Head track and field coach Don Hood watches ACU athletes practice at Elmer Gray Stadium on Tuesday. Hood was accused of breaking NCAA rules.
Crews prepare Moody for Sing Song ’09 By Liz Spano Student Reporter
Set-up crews spent both Saturday and Sunday preparing Moody Coliseum for the 53rd annual Sing Song production, Believe. A team of about 50 people worked from Saturday
at 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday night to transform Moody into a concert venue, said Tom Craig, director of Student Productions. He said the preperation included everything from covering the floor to setting the stage and installing concert quality lights and sound systems.
ACU WeAtHeR Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
High: 72 Low: 31
High: 58 Low: 33
High: 70 Low: 38
The stage will remain in Moody until after the performances this weekend. “I think it’s going to be one of the best shows we’ve ever seen,” Craig said. “We have a great team and place this year to make Sing Song happen.” More than 1,500 students are involved in this year’s
production, Craig said. That list includes people in both upstage and downstage acts, as well as in the student production staff. Craig said more people are participating than any past Sing Song shows. Fifteen class and social
COMING FRIDAY
See
Prepare page 4
With the stroke of a few computer keys, one of the most successful seasons in the history of the ACU football team and the host of records several Wildcats broke during it may be deleted forever. The NCAA announced Thursday that two prospective student-athletes were provided academic assistance by members of the football coaching staff in order to help them attain NCAA academic eligibility at the university, according to the NCAA. The athletes allegedly used the coach-
See
Records page 4
SA Update Appropriations Committee: Granted $1,000 to Wishing Well for the purchase of T-shirts to use in a fundraiser. Of the $10,205 allotted to the Appropriations Committee from the SA spring 2009 budget, $5,637.80 remains in the committee’s funds. Student Request Fund: Of the $13,975.84 allotted to the SA Congress Student Request Fund in the spring 2009 budget, $7,995.84 remains. Four more groups will request funds for student trips within the next few weeks.
Online Poll :
The Optimist will print a special Sing Song that will cover Log ontoissue www.acuoptimist.com or every www.youtube. aspect of the 53rd annual Song, com/acuvideo to see weekly News Sing casts and Sports castsSing from the JMCrelated Network videos, News Team Believe. Song and videos profiling various events andfound stories Podcasts and stories can be around campus and Abilene. at www.acu.optimist.com on Friday
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication ::
ing staff’s office computers to complete assignments and mail in coursework to the outside institution to be graded. Due to those violations, the football team will vacate all wins and the records that were broken during those wins after the time in which the studentathletes competed, beginning when the athletes academically became ineligible in the summer of 2007. ACU has yet to decide if it will appeal the violations, said Jared Mosley, director of athletics and compliance coordinator.
Read coverage of Wednesday’s Students’ Association Congress meeting online at www.acuoptimist.com and in Friday’s edition of the Optimist.
How ill have you been this semester?
a. I’ve avoided becoming ill. b. Just a minor cold. c. I’ve already used all my sick days. d. Can you overdose on NyQuil?
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