The Optimist - March 25, 2009

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009 :: Vol. 97, No. 44 :: 1 section, 8 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com

Inside This Issue:

Pg. 3

Pg. 5

On Call: Group of students volunteer to fight fires

Pg. 8 Softball team sweeps weekend, jumps to No. 1 in division

Local cookie company provides opportunities for unemployed refugees

Pg. 7

Gang violence text message proves to be false warning

Former student convicted of capital murder

By Michael Freeman Managing Editor

Former ACU student Brandon Dale Woodruff was convicted Friday of capital murder in the deaths of his parents and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Twelve days after it began, the trial concluded when

the jury in the 354th District Court in Hunt County returned a guilty verdict after five hours of deliberations.

Woodruff, 22, was stunned by the decision, said defense attorney Katherine Ferguson. Ferguson said she already has filed a notice of appeal with the 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas.

Woodruff was arrested on Oct. 24, 2005, six days after a family friend discovered the bodies of his parents, Dennis, 43, and Norma, 42, on the couch in their home near Royse City. Autopsy results determined Dennis was shot once in the head and stabbed nine times, while Norma was shot as many as five times

Trial Timeline

from bullets fired from either a .44 caliber or .45 caliber gun.

Woodruff pleaded not guilty to the murders.

Adrienne McFarland and Raphael Guerrero, prosecutors assigned to the case by the Texas Attorney General’s Office, made the argument See

Murder page 4

Woodruff

Oct. 16, 2005: Dennis and Norma Woodruff murdered in their home near Royce City Oct. 18, 2005: Bodies discovered by family friend Oct. 24, 2005: Brandon Woodruff arrested after his testimony proves inconsistent March 5, 2009: Capital murder trial begins in the 354th District Court in Hunt County March 20, 2009: Jury rules Woodruff is guilty of his parents’ deaths. He is sentenced to life in prison without parole.

President outlines budget changes in speech

Chinese endeavor will bring students

By Colter Hettich Features Editor

Several international cultures have found a niche at ACU. Annual, sold-out shows that demonstrate aspects of those cultures testify to the community’s openness and receptivity.

ACU’s reputation for diversity continues to spread, most recently to the People’s Republic of China. At least a few Chinese students will attend ACU next semester, launching an effort to draw See

China page 4

Judges feed ‘Hunger’ with awards

By Lydia Melby Arts Editor

By Daniel Johnson-Kim Editor in Chief

A university server containing students’ password and personal information was hacked, prompting Information Technology to urge students to change their myACU account passwords.

Although someone was able to illegally access the server, the evidence does not reveal that sensitive information was taken, said Kevin

Hacker page 4

Editor in Chief

Heather Leiphart :: staff photographer Above: Cody Veteto, junior electronic media major from Tulsa, Okla.; Breanna Wilkins, sophomore exercise science major from Clyde; and Kim Lewis, junior English education major from Abilene, celebrate on the stage at the Paramount Theatre after their film The Hunger was named Best Picture. Below: Travis Zahodnik, junior management major from San Antonio, smiles on stage after winning the Best Producer FilmFest award.

Hacker threatens myACU security

See

By Daniel Johnson-Kim

The results are in for FilmFest 2009 “Anonymous.” The fifth annual short film competition featured awards in 14 different categories, screenings of seven of the 10 short films entered in the competition and four different musical performances.

Co-hosts Byron Martin, senior psychology major from Mesquite, and Jamie Lyn Spires, senior communication major from Arlington, introduced each new category, performance and film screening, as well as provided entertainment between segments.

“I was surprised at how many films were entered,” said James Vokes, junior art

FilmFest ’09 Winners

major from Atlanta. “I had only heard of two or three other people doing it, so I didn’t know there were 10.”

Short film The Hunger swept the awards ceremony, taking six of the 14 awards: Best Picture, Best Drama, Best Director for Cody Veteto, Best Writer for Blake Penfield, Best Actress for Breanna Wilkins and Best Technical Director for Brian Escochea.

The idea for the film was one Penfield and director Cody Veteto had come up with and written two years prior, but they had not been able to produce the film until this year, said Penfield, senior political science major from San Antonio.

See

FilmFest page 4

Best Picture: The Hunger Best Director: Cody Veteto, junior electronic media major from Tulsa, Okla., for The Hunger Best Actor: Joshua Jones, senior theater major from Ranchita, Calif., for North South Best Actress: Breanna Wilkins, sophomore exercise science major for The Hunger Best Producer: Travis Zahodnik, sophomore management major from San Antonio, for Rootless Tree

acuoptimist.com See the complete list of FilmFest winners, a video and photos from the competition Heather Leiphart :: staff photographer

The uncertain economy and its effect on ACU was the central theme of the State of the University address delivered by Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, to the faculty and staff Tuesday.

M o n e y declared although ACU’s endowment, which is partMoney ly invested in an array of stocks and bonds, dropped more than $55 million since reaching an all-time high of $280 million in 2008, the effect of the economy on ACU is minor compared to other universities throughout the country.

In addition to a 7 percent tuition increase approved by the Board of Trustees in February, Money said the university will apply several measures in reaction to the sagging economy.

ACU plans to reduce its operational budget by more than $6 million, freeze salary increases during the fiscal year of 2010 and reduce the amount the university contributes to its employees’ retirement plans from 8 percent of what faculty and staff put away for retirement to 6 percent. Money said See

Changes page 3

Filmmakers discuss issues with students

By Tanner Anderson Page Designer

Jozie Sands :: staff photographer Craig Detweiller and John Marks answer questions from students Monday after screening their film Purple State of Mind in Hart Auditorium.

As John Marks and Craig Detweiler sat in front of the Campus Center for their book signing, Detweiler pulled out a bag of chips to complement his Quizno’s sandwich.

Before Detweiler had a chance to take a bite, his longtime friend and former college roommate John Marks fired off

a question, “Do you really think those chips are better for you than my delicious fries?”

For Detweiler and Marks, their differences go beyond their lunch decisions.

Detweiler and Marks are authors from different backgrounds; in college Detweiler began his journey into Christianity, while Marks decided to discontinue his. Although the men, who shared their thoughts

in a myriad of events on campus Monday and Tuesday, have different religious perspectives, they are still friends and both collaborated on the film Purple State of Mind.

The men spoke at a special arts Chapel and had a one-hour discussion regarding faith, art and the business world Monday. This discussion was followed by another one-hour conversation that encompassed

ACU WEATHER

the filmmakers’ views on gender and sexuality. Finally 8 p.m. arrived, and the two friends screened their film Purple State of Mind in front of a crowded room in Hart Auditorium.

The two friends shared a fondness for John Wayne and Bruce Springsteen that gradually transformed into a long-lasting friendship.

See

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Videos :: Podcasts :: Slideshows Department of Journalism and Mass Communication ::

Abilene Christian University

Did you change your myACU password?

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Wednesday

Issues page 7

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Serving the ACU community since 1912

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Campus Day Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Calendar and Events

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3 p.m.

Fall 2009 registration will begin for graduate, honors and Study Abroad students.

7-8 p.m.

A Chapel forum, featuring Dan McVey, will take place in Cullen Auditorium. Attendees will receive two Chapel credits.

Wednesday

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Thursday

7-9 p.m.

A Chapel forum, featuring Dr. Fred Aquino, will take place in COBA Room 301. Attendees will receive two Chapel credits.

acuoptimist.com

The Day Nursery of Abilene needs volunteers during its annual Mexican Dinner fundraising Saturday from 3-9 p.m. in the west cafeteria of Abilene High School.

Volunteers will help with tasks in the kitchen. For more information, call Shelia Cory at 673-1110.

Communities in Schools at Fannin Elementary School needs volunteers for one to two hours at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Volunteers will give extra help to students in an after-school tutoring class. For more information, call Joe Cunningham at 675-7008.

The Christian Service Center needs volunteers to file requests in the donation center, sort and organize donations and occasionally pick up donated items.

Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon or from 2-4 p.m. For more information, call Roberta Brown at 673-7531, or go to www.uccabilene.org/ministries/csc.htm.

The West Texas Rehab Center needs volunteers for the Clay Shoot fundraiser April 4 from 8 a.m. to 5

8-10 p.m.

The Chameleon Performing Arts Company will present its spring show, Left, at the Paramount Theatre.

For more information, call 677-0022.

11 a.m.

A Chocolate Fest will take place in the Mall of Abilene. The event costs $12.50. For more information, go to http://breantallen.net 8-10 p.m.

The Chameleon Performing Arts Company will present its spring show, Left, at the Paramount Theatre.

News Cast

Webcast

Watch this week’s top stories from the JMC Network News Team

Log on to www.youtube.com/acuvideo to see videos of Faces of America and FilmFest.

Volunteer Opportunities Walk Now for Autism, sponsored

by Autism Speaks, needs volunteers at the Abilene Zoo on April 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Volunteers will help with face painting, puppet shows, balloon twisting and maintaining air castles. For more information, call Patti Tessen at 675-7019.

Saturday

8-10 p.m.

Twilight will be shown for the free movie night in Cullen Auditorium.

p.m. Volunteers will operate simple, automatic outdoor clay machines for shooters and help set up decorations for the awards dinner after the Clay Shoot from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided, and volunteers may attend the awards dinner that evening along with a guest. For more information, call Marjorie Cloud at 660-8338.

Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteers to deliver meals to some of the homebound members of the community. The commitment is once a week. Volunteers will pick up the meals from the Meals on Wheel’s building and deliver them to people around Abilene. It takes one hour each week. Call Mitzi McAndrew at 672-5050 to volunteer. Remember that this project is approved as a Faith in Action Chapel exemption project.

Abilene Hope Haven needs volunteers to provide childcare, while parents are in a class. Volunteers are needed Monday through Thursday from 6:45-8:15 p.m. For more information, contact Christine Spillers at 437-0611.

Find out volunteer opportunities by visiting the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center’s Web site at www.acu.edu/vslc and clicking on Volunteer Opportunities. For more information or to sign up to help, contact the Volunteer and ServiceLearning Center in the Bean Sprout.

Announcements The Morlan Award, in memory of Dr. G.C. Morlan, will be presented to Dr. Marcus Nelson, assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in the Judson Independent School District in San Antonio, in the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20.

For more information, call Connie Chrane at 674-2112, or send an e-mail to connie.chrane@acu.edu.

Casanova Week will take place through Thursday. Students can pick up tickets in the Campus Center after Chapel to receive free items.

The ISA Annual Food Festival will take place in the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center on Saturday at 6 p.m. The event costs $5 and benefits Eternal Threads.

Bowling for Rhinos, sponsored by the Abilene Zoo Keepers of the West Texas American Association, will take place at Whitewood Lanes on Saturday at 7 p.m. The event costs $15 per person and benefits rhino conservation. For more information, call 439-1368.

The Honor’s College will sponsor a reprise of ACU’s first alternate reality game, oGame, throughout the next four weeks. For more information about how to join the Neo-Luds, join the Facebook group.

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 jmcnetwork@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at sar06g@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.

ACU Police Tip of the Week

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Friday

About This Page

11 a.m. For more information, call Michelle Parker at 698-4351, or go to www.mallofabilene.com.

The SHADES’ spring show will take place April 17-18 in Cullen Auditorium.

The ACU All School Rodeo will take place at the Taylor County Expo Center on April 7 at 7 p.m.

More information will be available in the Campus Center on Monday.

Upward Bound camp counselors are needed for this year’s summer camp. The camp will take place June 7 through July 9, and counselors will receive free room and board, $900 and the opportunity to mentor high school students. For more information, contact Stephanie Lewis at 674-2713, or send an e-mail to stephanie.lewis@acu.edu by April 6.

Service Saturday will take place Saturday. The Service Action Leadership Team will send groups of volunteers to various sites around the city to help agencies and neighborhoods. For more information, visit the SALT table in the Campus Center this week.

Fall 2009 registration for seniors will begin March 30. Talk to your adviser to receive your advising code. Registration begins at 3 p.m

The Easter Bunny will arrive at the Mall of Abilene on Saturday at

Corrections/Clarifications n In the March 20 edition of the Optimist, the Trojans were said to have played

ultimate Frisbee and eaten pizza as a part of Bid Night, but the social club did not do either.

Remember that campus parking is only allowed in marked spaces. Parking is not allowed in any unmarked areas on campus.

Police Log Edited for space

Monday, Mar. 16 12:54 a.m. A fire alarm sounded at Smith Adams Hall, but the alarm was set off by a shower, and everything was OK. 12:40 p.m. The ACU Police helped a student jumpstart a vehicle at The Grove apartments.

12:40 p.m. Someone reported criminal mischief to the Station.

12:52 p.m. The ACU Police aired up a tire for a student in the Mabee Hall parking lot.

3:38 p.m. The ACU Police aired up a tire for an employee on College Drive.

5:09 p.m. The ACU Police aired up a tire for a student on Washington Boulevard.

Tuesday, Mar. 17 1 a.m. Someone reported students in the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center, and the ACU Police advised them to leave.

8:20 a.m. The ACU Police placed barricades at the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center.

Wednesday, Mar. 18 3:45 p.m. The ACU Police cut a lock off a student’s bicycle.

8:35 p.m. Someone made an incomplete 911 call from a Nelson Hall call box, but everything was OK. 10:30 p.m. The ACU Police contacted Animal Control in reference to a dead animal on the Lunsford Trail.

Thursday, Mar. 19 1:10 a.m. Someone reported a suspicious subject on Washington Boulevard, but the ACU Police was unable to locate anyone.

1:17 a.m. The ACU Police delivered an emergency message to an employee off campus.

2:04 a.m. The ACU Police is-

sued a traffic stop at Will Hair Park and advised the subjects of the park’s curfew.

Friday, Mar. 20 9:08 a.m. The ACU Police attempted to locate a subject with an outstanding warrant for arrest.

1:15 p.m. The ACU Police issued a traffic stop in the Brown Library parking lot for an expired inspection.

4:20 p.m. The ACU Police took an injured student to the Hendrick Medical Center emergency room.

5:35 p.m. The ACU Police responded to a medical emergency in the “World Famous Bean.”

9:47 p.m. Someone reported a barking dog on Westheimer Road, but the ACU Police was unable to locate the owner.

Saturday, Mar. 21 1:35 a.m. The ACU Police assisted the Abilene Police with a noise violation near campus.

9:31 a.m. A burglar alarm sounded at Physical Resources, and the ACU Police discovered an open door.

Sunday, Mar. 22 1:34 a.m. Someone reported a loud party near campus, and the ACU Police contacted the tenant and issued a warning.

1:43 a.m. The ACU Police assisted the Abilene Police in reference to a loud party at The Grove apartments.

2:52 a.m. Someone reported a loud party near campus, but the ACU Police was unable to locate the party.

Always report suspicious activity to ACUPD at 674-2305 or 674-2911.

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:

47

Credited Chapels remaining:

26

CAMPUS NEWS/FROM THE FRONT

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Page 3

Student volunteers battle fires across the Big Country

By Katie Gager Student Reporter

For a group of at least seven students, volunteer fire fighting has become a unique and different way to serve the Abilene community. With a job that includes putting out domestic and grass fires and saving lives, these students provide a public service that is of high value in the community.

“It’s a fun way to help out and be a part of the local community,” said Matthew Davis, junior finance major from Malibu, Calif. “It’s a nice way to serve and give back.”

A group of eight students, including Davis, chose, while living in Barret Hall as sophomores, to become volunteer fire fighters at the Hamby Fire Department for their service project. Today, four of the original students continue serving at the fire station, and a few additional students have since joined.

“You get a rush going out there and jumping in the truck to go to a fire,” said Stephen

Powell, junior finance major from Abilene and one of the original eight. “It’s a great experience to learn and have for later on in life.”

The students are notified when they are needed through a pager system, Powell said. January through March is marked as fire season, so the calls are more frequent.

“Some weeks you are called every day,” Powell said. “And others, you are only called two times at most.”

As students, they must learn how to manage both their time at school and their time serving as fire fighters. It is on a volunteer basis, so they go and serve when they can, Powell said.

“I have only skipped class once in a year and a half,” he said. “School is priority for me, and I usually wait till class is over to go out to the emergency.”

These students have become a valuable resource for the Hamby Fire Department, assistant fire chief Bill Shaw (’74) said. Most volunteers work during the day, so the students

provide a hand because of their flexible schedule when others cannot come.

“I wouldn’t trade them for anything,” Shaw said. “They are excellent. They are good at attending meetings and helping out with things around the station like changing oil and washing trucks.”

When the students first came on board, they were told to listen, follow orders and do what you are told, he said. The students have demonstrated their character and have become important to the department.

“They understand that safety is No. 1,” Shaw said. “When we get through at the end of the day, everyone goes home uninjured.”

While the station has a full list of volunteers, it still is accepting new volunteers on an individual basis. Shaw encourages anyone interested to talk to some of the men in the department and come out and visit to see what it is like.

Students, who have been around a while like Davis,

Dick Schissler:: staff photographer Sean Smith, junior accounting major from Spring, Brett Harber, junior social justice major from Austin, and Stephen Powell, junior accounting major from Abilene, load up the truck and prepare for another fire.

recognize the importance of their commitment and the part they play in providing help to the community and to the fire department.

“You definitely need to be committed,” Davis said.

“Because they put a lot of trust and time into you. Listen to them because they

are going to teach you and help you learn the tricks of the trade.”

E-mail Gager at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Summit conference obtains new symbol Dating opportunities

By Cara Leahy Student Reporter

Richard Diaz Jr.’s digitallyenhanced photograph of an evergreen became a symbol for next year’s Summit conference when his piece took first place in a Summit student art contest.

The annual contest is open to all students, undergraduate and graduate. In fact, Diaz is a senior nontraditional BAS student of gerontology.

“We wanted it to be open to all students,” said Brady Bryce, director of Ministry Events.

The theme for this year’s contest was On the Mountain

with God: the Exodus Expedition.

Any medium could be used in student entries, as long as it could be submitted digitally.

For the 2009 contest, students were allowed to use anything from the book of Exodus, which inspired Diaz to create something based on the story of Moses.

“I had looked at the contest and read all of Exodus, and I was trying to find something in my collection that fit [the story of] the burning bush,” Diaz said.

Diaz’s photo of a Colorado evergreen was one of two burning bush-themed photographs he submitted, along with 10 ad-

ditional contest entries.

“I had a close up of an evergreen and started playing around,” Diaz said The result was a glowing limb with fiery branches, some patches blistering white against the background. Out of nearly 40 entries submitted, this was the piece that stood out of a field of entries Bryce said, “were outstanding.”

Diaz received a monetary prize and spoke about the inspiration for his piece during an awards luncheon March 17.

“The cool thing about the burning bush [is that] Moses

receives his call from God on a mountain called Horeb,” Bryce said. “The burning bush is huge because this is where God gives Moses his call and gives him [God’s] name, ‘I AM.’” This photo, titled Burning Bush One, will be featured on the table of contents for this year’s Summit brochure; however, placement of the winning submission varies from year to year.

This upcoming Summit will be Sep. 20-23 and will explore the idea of the “mountaintop experience.”

E-mail Leahy at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Changes: tuition rises with unsure economy Continued from page 1 ACU also will limit faculty and staff hiring for the 2009-10 academic year, travel budgets will be reduced in most areas and the university will cut its capital spending by postponing some computer upgrades, building renovations and vehicle purchases.

“We are doing this because we face, potentially, a total problem of between $2 million and $7.5 million in our operating budget, depending upon what happens in the market and with enrollment this fall,” Money said during the speech he delivered in the McCaleb Conference Room in the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center.

Despite the list of changes brought on by what Money called “uncertain times” filled with “fast-moving economic challenges not seen in our lifetime,” he said ACU still was committed to its 21st Century Vision to become the premier university for the education of Christ-centered global lead-

ers, and ACU’s strengths outweighed its weaknesses.

“My purpose today is not to scare you,” Money said. “It’s to inform you and to encourage you to help each other to be thoughtful and prayerful and hopeful because ACU has far more opportunities and blessings than challenges to face.”

Money said when compared to other universities, ACU is in “much better shape” than these other institutions of higher education. Money cited Duke University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University and other Church of Christ affiliated schools like Pepperdine University and Harding University as evidence ACU was strong.

Duke lost more than $1 billion, 15 percent, when its endowment dropped from $6.1 billion to $5 billion. UT’s endowment dropped from $19.6 billion to $15.8 billion; TCU’s endowment sunk from $1.2 billion to $1.1 billion; and SMU saw a drop from $1.4 billion to $1.2 billion, according to the

Associated Press.

Money said Pepperdine will eliminate 50 full-time and parttime positions and will drop two intercollegiate sports, and Harding will postpone a $4 million residence hall renovation.

“Clearly, these are unprecedented times in this business,” Money said during his speech.

But Money said the ACU community should not let the bad news discourage it. He said more than 99 percent of ACU’s students receive financial support, and the university plans for President Barack Obama’s Economic Stimulus Plan to increase the amount of federal financial aid ACU offers from more than $66 million to more than $70 million.

Money urged students to visit with their financial aid counselors and faculty members to work with the Admissions Office to prevent retention — students not returning to ACU after this semester.

He said ACU’s Mobile Learning Initiative has gained ACU national recognition and attention, and the number of appli-

cations for transfer students and campus visits are up.

“Comparatively, ACU is doing well,” said Kevin Christian, director of strategic partnerships. “We have our struggles but thankfully we have committed leaders, a committed campus and a dedicated alumni base.”

Money called the ACU community to action, urging it to pray for ACU, and he told the faculty to “teach the finest lessons of your life.”

“We all know that God works in mysterious ways; His wonders perform,” Money said during his speech. “I believe He is at work on this campus. I believe that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord, and I believe ACU’s brightest days are ahead.”

E-mail Johnson-Kim at: djj04a@acu.edu

arise for casanovas

By Shelby Holt Student Reporter

Students can enjoy free dates this week, courtesy of the Campus Activities Board, as it sponsors Casanova Week.

This week provides male students the opportunity to pick up coupons to take themselves and a guest to restaurants and businesses all over Abilene.

Similar to Sadies Week in the fall, Casanova Week “provides a free ‘date-night’ or ‘night-out’ for students,” said Erika Goldman, junior education major from Denver and CAB intern.

Men can pick up a maximum of two tickets per person in the Campus Center every day this week after Chapel, Goldman said.

CAB prints off about 200 tickets, enough for 100 couples, and hands out the tickets on a first come, first serve basis.

“We started this in 2007 because the guys were complaining that the girls never took them anywhere during Sadies Week,” Goldman said. “So we gave the boys their week.”

Coupons for Starbucks and Smoothie King were available earlier this week, and Wednesday’s coupon is redeemable for a free kid’s meal at Sharky’s Burrito Company, said Tara Shoemaker, sophomore family studies major from Houston and CAB intern.

Thursday, students can enjoy a free game of bowling, a free drink and a $5 coupon for arcade games at PrimeTime

Family Entertainment Center.

“Students seem to love PrimeTime night because they can stay there for hours, playing games with their friends for free,” Goldman said.

Friday, CAB will show a free movie Twilight in Cullen Auditorium. Snacks also will be for sale.

Businesses around Abilene are eager to participate in Casanova Week as well, Shoemaker said.

“Sharky’s is always willing to participate in activities like this,” Shoemaker said. “They want the business, and students get a whole meal for free.”

CAB’s involvement with student life at ACU does not stop here; it has several events planned for the rest of the spring semester.

“On April 17, we will be hosting Beach Bash, with bands, snow cones and volleyball for free,” Goldman said. “All these activities give students date-night opportunities or opportunities to hang out with friends for free.”

CAB also will sponsor another free movie Bedtime Stories in Cullen Auditorium in May. “The important thing to emphasize to students is that it’s free,” Shoemaker said. “People always seem to think there is a catch, but it really is free.”

E-mail Holt at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT

Page 4

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

FilmFest: Show wows audience with hosts, music, movies Continued from page 1 “I’m really excited about our awards,” Penfield said. “I thought a lot of the other films were excellent, and we were shocked that we won what we did, so I just want to thank the judges and everyone who worked on this film.”

Other FilmFest winners included: n Joshua Jones: Best Actor for role in North South n Adrian Chew: Best Original Music for Arrourus n Jacob Kitts: Best Action Short and Best Sound Designer for Fantasy Fight n Travis Zahodnik: Best Producer and Best Production Designer for Rootless Tree n Your Destiny: Best Independent Short Film n Dead End: People’s Choice Adrian Chew, senior math-

ematics major from Klang, Malaysia, said it was his second time to collaborate with Alex York, who directed Arrourus, and he liked the intensity of the newly formatted event.

Branson Blackburn, junior marketing psychology major from Houston, said he enjoyed the addition of the hosts and live music to FilmFest this year, and that the overall quality of the event impressed him.

“It’s been more entertaining than I expected,” Blackburn said. “That first video [Fantasy Fight] was pretty creative; I liked it a lot, and the hosts definitely are not timid and are entertaining, which is good. The music was pretty great too.”

FilmFest co-chair Christina Johnson, sophomore English major from Dallas, said the additions of the hosts and the musical performances this year

was a group decision made by a team of FilmFest participants to get more people involved and interested in the event.

“In May, we got a team of people who wanted to participate together and had a fivehour meeting and revamped the ceremony and re-put it together,” Johnson said. “We tried really hard to give the audience more entertainment than just the films. That’s why we have entertainment and hosts and hostesses because there’s so much more in the way of creativity that ACU has to offer.”

In addition to the film screenings and host’s antics, four musical acts also provided entertainment. Lucas Wright, freshman electronic media major from Abilene, and Sara Potter, senior integrated marketing communication ma-

Heather Leiphart :: staff photographer

The production crew of the film The Hunger join the FilmFest hosts and co-chairs on stage Friday night at the Paramount Theatre. Members of the crew won several awards, including Best Picture. jor from Crowley, performed first, followed by Fair Forms, which consists of Paul Knettel, senior management major from Boerne; Jacob Knettel, freshman finance major from Boerne; and Claire Hardin, freshman English major from Lubbock. Clayton Stewart, sophomore Bible, youth and family ministry major from

Spring, performed third, and Daniel Hixon, freshman marketing major from Irving, performed last. Each musical act was selected through an audition process and was allowed to perform two songs.

Despite numerous mispronounced names and entry titles, the entire event went smoothly and featured a large audience.

“It definitely pays off; all this hard work is just the cherry on the sundae,” Johnson said. “I love it; it gives me great pleasure that so many people are happy right now and that so many students from so many different groups came out to support everybody.”

E-mail Melby at: lgm05e@acu.edu

Hacker: Police look into incident China: Officials plan future visits Continued from page 1 Roberts, associate vice president of operations.

Roberts said the push to change passwords, which was sent in a campus-wide e-mail Friday, was simply a precautionary measure to prevent any information from being misused, while the university investigated the incident.

“In every bit of our investigation there is absolutely nothing to indicate that people’s identifiable information was accessed,” Roberts said.

Roberts would not go into the specifics of the investigation or give the name of the suspect who is believed to have hacked the server. The ACU Police Department is involved in the investigation, and Rob-

erts said a possibility exists that the person who hacked the system will face criminal charges.

“Anytime you compromise people’s data, it’s a criminal offense,” Roberts said. “So we’re trying to figure out what the scope of it was.”

Roberts said during his more than 10 years at ACU nothing like this has happened before, and it is unusual for someone to break through the digital security measures the university has in place to protect information. He said the personal information of members of the ACU community is spread throughout multiple servers, and the “hole” the hacker found has been fixed.

“We have made sure that the hole they found has been

blocked and plugged and can’t be accessed again by anybody else,” Roberts said.

Roberts urged anyone who has not already changed his or her password to do so. He advised against using something someone could discover easily, like one’s birth date. He said ACU community members should regularly change their password to prevent illegal access to their information, and not only swap their password in an emergency such as this.

“The world is not a safe place, so whether it is for ACU stuff, your bank account or whatever it is, it is a good idea to change your passwords regularly,” Roberts said.

E-mail Johnson-Kim at: djj04a@acu.edu

Continued from page 1 Chinese students to the hill. Dr. Jeanine Varner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the university hopes to enroll 25-50 graduate and undergraduate students.

“We are actively working with our contacts in China to select and interview students,” said Dr. John Tyson, vice president of development. “I think it may take a couple of years for it to really develop, but I think we have some things that individuals in China are looking for.”

Individuals in China, who read about ACU students from Madagascar, contacted the university in 2005 and expressed interest in sending students to Abilene. In response, a small group of ACU representatives, including Tyson; Stephen Gist, admissions representative for international students; and

Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, former provost, traveled to China in July 2006. They visited six major universities in three cities. After their return, Tyson seized an opportunity to speak with a visiting Chinese official in Houston. Over lunch, Tyson shared the university’s mission with Ye Xiao Wen, director general for the state administration of religious affairs in the People’s Republic of China.

The correspondence did not stop there. In September 2008, a group traveled to China, followed by a third group in January 2009, this time including Dr. Carol Williams, dean of ACU’s graduate school, and Dr. Tim Coburn, professor of management sciences and statistics. A fourth group will leave for China within the next few weeks.

Several curricular issues had to be resolved so the Chinese

students could receive a diploma from ACU. Two years ago, administrators approved ACU’s Masters degree in Global IT leadership program, the first step in the initiative. Varner said the program was designed for a group of Chinese students who expressed interest in that area.

After successfully implementing the masters program, focus shifted to a second program, this time for undergraduates.

This program, dubbed “2+2,” would allow Chinese students to take their first two years of schooling at a Chinese university, then finish their degree at ACU. Students would graduate with two degrees — one from each university attended.

ACU hopes the red tape of bureaucracy will not keep the students from attending.

E-mail Hettich at: clh05d@acu.edu

Murder: Woodruff appeals Continued from page 1 Woodruff had killed his parents sometime after 9 p.m. on Oct. 16, 2005.

Several people were called to testify, including a current ACU student. Lindsey Ferguson, senior interior design major from Sunnyvale, testified March 13.

She declined to comment.

The prosecution argued Woodruff reached the limits on his credit cards, faced having to drop out of his freshman classes because of poor grades and struggled with debts his family had accrued. The prosecution also said Woodruff was planning to tell his parents he was gay. McFarland said the reason Woodruff murdered his parents was to obtain an insurance settlement, according to an Associated Press article.

“We are pleased with the jury’s verdict and believe that justice has been served for the victims and their family,” said Jerry Strickland, communications director for the Texas Attorney General’s Office, in an e-mail.

Woodruff did not take the stand, but defense attorneys Ferguson and Jerry Spencer Davis made the case that Woodruff did not have time to commit the murders based on his cell phone and toll road records. The defense counsel also argued the evidence was incomplete because the gun was never found and the knife was not confirmed as the murder weapon. The prosecution alleged a dagger that contained traces of Dennis’s blood and was found by Norma’s sister at the family’s residence in Heath more than two years after the murders and a .45 caliber revolver, which disappeared from the home of Woodruff’s former girlfriend, were the murder weapons.

“I’m obviously disappointed with the verdict,” Ferguson said. “I don’t think the evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Brandon killed his parents. However, I respect the jury deliberating for five hours over the evidence.”

Woodruff’s sister Charla

read a statement following the jury’s decision Friday.

“The horror and pain come back and leave me at a loss for words,” she was quoted as saying in the Rockwall County Herald-Banner. “Brandon, you made me plan a funeral. That thought still disgusts me.”

While attending ACU, Woodruff participated in Freshman Follies and was an agribusiness major. He was arrested after investigators concluded they had found discrepancies in his testimony about his whereabouts at the time of his parents’ deaths.

Woodruff is being held in the Hunt County Jail, where he was incarcerated for more than three years following his arrest.

Supporters greeted Woodruff with shouts of encouragement as he was being led from the courtroom to the jail, according to a Rockwall County HeraldBanner article.

“I am not guilty,” Woodruff said as he left the courtroom.

“There will be an appeal.”

E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu

March 25, 2009

FocusWednesday They can come from anywhere in the world, but refugees in Abilene all share at least one thing: the feeling that comes from being plucked from home and dropped in a strange place. A cookie factory on North 1st Street provides many refugees with work, and with work comes ...

the Scent of

Security

Story by: Camille Vandendrissche, Assistant Copy Editor Visitors do not need a GPS system to find the only cookie factory in Abilene.

When approaching Fehr Foods’ parking lot, the onestory, brick-built building exhales such a strong aroma of bakery that it can be smelled inside the car.

“Did you smell the cookies from outside?” asked Susanna Lubanga (’04), employment specialist at the Abilene branch of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a humanitarian organization that helps refugees escape from war and resettle in the United States.

IRC helps many of its refugees obtain their first job on U.S. soil at Fehr Foods.

Over the past five years, 120 refugees have worked at the cookie factory, Lubanga said. “[Fehr Foods] is our biggest employer,” Lubanga said. “Refugees can start working without speaking English. IRC helps for interviews; we translate in French, Swahili or Kirundi.”

Fehr Foods is an Abilenebased company that produces low-cost cookies commercialized under its trademark, Lil’ Dutch Maid.

Steve Fehr founded the company in 1992, beginning with one work shift, two ovens, three clients and about 40 product items, according to Fehr Foods’ Web site.

The company has grown on the national market, now working three shifts and providing cookies to more than 100 retailers in 27 states, as well as Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Panama and Puerto Rico.

The variety of products has more than doubled over the past 10 years with cookies of all kinds of flavors; 50,000 pounds of sugar are

used every day to produce 8,000 pounds of cookies per hour, according to the Web site. However, public and media are not authorized to visit the factory.

Tera Gibson (’07), human resources manager at Fehr Foods, said the company now employs 270 people in Abilene and owns another bakery in Oklahoma with about 40-50 employees.

Employees work 40 hours a week, five days a week, on one of three shifts: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 3-11 p.m.; and 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Gibson said workers like that Fehr Foods provides a steady, full-time employment that pays weekly.

She also said the company communicates with nonEnglish speakers by having long-time employees do the translations in English, French and Swahili.

Gibson said the starting wage is about $6.60 an hour.

“It is unskilled labor,” she said.

Refugees perform jobs that include counting and sorting cookies on trays, putting them in plastic slips, packing cookies in boxes, moving boxes onto pallets, mixing ingredients and supervising machines, Lubanga said.

“It is very monotonous,” Lubanga said. “[Employees] have to stand still all the time.”

Lubanga said one advantage of working at Fehr Foods is the consistency of schedules. She said the times are practical for mothers who work during school hours, so they do not have to pay for childcare. She also said an Abilene public bus stops near the factory, which is convenient for refugees who do not have a car.

Lubanga said the refugees from Burundi especially enjoy working at Fehr Foods because it often involves only one task and is straightforward.

Vedaste Nkundizanye, refugee from Kibuye, Rwanda, worked at Fehr Foods from September to December 2005.

He said he was moving boxes onto pallets from 3-11 p.m.,

line positions, always from 3-11 p.m.

“The work itself was not difficult, but the pace of the machines was too fast,” Dezyth said. “When someone was not quick enough at one spot, it paralyzed the whole line.”

Dezyth said she left her job because the pay then, $6 an hour, was too low for the load of work.

“

Fehr’s entry-level jobs enable refugees to become indepent financially, so they can begin the new life they had hoped for in America.

while taking English classes in the morning.

“It was a physical and difficult job,” he said. “I found another job with a better salary.”

Nkundizanye quit his job at Fehr Foods after two months once his English skills improved. He said that working at Fehr Foods helped him learn how to work with Americans.

Gibson said higher positions like maintenance pay more, up to $10-11 an hour. She also said the ingredient mixers, who work in the back of the factory, probably have the hardest job because they stand on their feet for as long as seven hours.

“It takes training,” Gibson said.

Massela Dezyth, refugee from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, worked at Fehr Foods for six months between February and August 2007. She said she did not speak English and worked at several

”

“It was too demanding for the salary; it was going to make me ill,” she said.

Still, Dezyth said it was a good starting experience, and she felt always supported by her supervisor.

Dezyth now works at Coltek, a carbon fiber factory in Abilene, where she makes $10 an hour and the pace is slower, she said.

Like Coltek and Fehr Foods, other factories such as Coca Cola, Pepsi and PWP (plastic) offer potential work for refugees who just arrived in Abilene. While the IRC gives the refugees money for their first four to eight months in the U.S, these entry-level jobs enable them to become independent financially, so they can begin the new life they had hoped for in America.

E-mail Vandendriessche at: cxv06a@acu.edu

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Fehr Foods has employed 120 refugees in the past five years.

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Fehr Foods may not look like a typical factory, but it produces 8,000 pounds of cookies per hour.

Page 5

ViewsWednesday

Page 6

March 25, 2009

University attendance policy confuses students W hether it is psychology, history or math, a student’s success in one class is just as critical as it is in any other class.

Dr. Nancy Shankle, chair of the Department of English, said, “We find a correlation between class attendance and success in a course.”

Therefore, students present for classes on a consistent basis tend to receive higher grades than those who choose not to attend. ACU encourages students to attend class by enforcing an attendance policy.

Since 1984, faculty members have been allowed to estab-

lish their own individual attendance policies, subject to review by their department chairs and/or deans.

Tim Winter, Vice Provost, said, “The 20 percent guideline has been common throughout the 25 years I’ve been at ACU.” He used this guideline, where students cannot miss more than 20 percent of the scheduled class sessions, in his first syllabi, as a parameter for passing his course. This example is only one of the many varying attendance policies in effect at ACU. Some faculty members strictly enforce policies, allowing only two absences a semester, while others count a lack

of attendance slightly against a student’s grade or allow any number of absences.

The lack of uniformity in attendance policies creates confusion for many students on campus. With four classes a day and four different absence allowances, it is difficult for a student to keep track of which class allows how many absences. If they mix up policies, neither they nor their professors will benefit from the misunderstanding.

One way to discontinue situations such as this is to create one uniform attendance policy. Students can better understand and adhere to a

single overall rule. This would keep things simple for faculty and students alike.

The attendance policy should be lenient because students need to be granted the opportunity to act as responsible adults by managing their priorities. As it appears, the university does not believe students are ready to be completely without an attendance policy, so it must agree with Shankle’s position that attendance is an important aspect of success in a student’s life. Shankle said learning takes place in the community of a classroom when students come prepared for class discussion and participation. She said she

The issue:

With teachers constructing their own attendance policy for each class, varying rules befuddle students.

Our view:

While class attendance is important, truancy often serves as its own punishment.

The solution:

A lenient, university-wide attendance policy would end attendance uncertainty and award students more adult responsibility regarding class attendance. believes when students miss class, they also miss learning that cannot be replicated simply by reading the text.

If that is true, let us develop an attendance policy that is

simple and consistent — for the good of the students.

E-mail the Optimist at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Excessive parental support stunts growth A frantic phone call to mom or dad cannot always be what you rely on to get yourself out of a bind. If you are constantly depending on others to do everything for you, how will you ever learn independence?

It is pitiful when parents From Me hand their to You children evBy Molly Byrd ery little thing their hearts desire because they will get quite a slap of reality once they graduate and can no longer rely on daddy’s credit card.

One of my friends actually had someone ask her how to fill out a check the other day. If you are incapable of filling out a check your senior year of college, it is critical you wake up and understand what is to come next year: bills, bills and more bills. To pay a bill, you must know how to correctly fill out a check, mail it in and keep a record of your spending. Even if your parents tell you it is OK for you to use their credit card for anything, prove to them you do not need to take advantage of them every chance you can. Stop eating out every single night, resist the urge to get your hair highlighted every other week or get a job, so you can actually be the one writing the checks that pay your bills.

For those of you who think you are still at home where your parents will do your dishes and wash your clothes, you are wrong. Roommates do not take kindly to doing your dirty work. Do not let your laundry pile up until the end of the month when you take a trip home. Change things up for once and face the washer yourself with a box of Bounty

Tuition hike necessitates administrative transparency ACU has decided to raise tuition, a trend since the 1990-91 school year, to $630 an hour. I do not begrudge ACU for raising tuition; it is simply the price of doing business.

However, in light of today’s economy, I am more interested in what My Take exactly my

By Tanner money is getKnauth ting me. ACU needs to be completely transparent on where students’ money is going and needs to make extremely public both its short-term and long-term goals for the university.

Because of the disparaging job outlook, ACU should be proactive in trying to place graduates in jobs in their respective fields. ACU already has a Career Service Center, but expanding the capabilities and resources of this

center would go a long way toward easing the minds of graduates who worry the only thing their tuition has gotten them is a mountain of debt.

The economic stimulus package has promised money to education, and ACU needs to have experts on hand to provide answers to students and their families about what may be available to help pay for the rising cost of education. ACU should continue to work with students and go above and beyond its current financial aid system to ensure students are well educated on all the aid, scholarships and grants available to them. ACU can entice current students to stay by offering more scholarships available only to currently enrolled students.

For some time now, I have heard of ACU’s intention to build a new recreation center. A recent article in the Optimist had an appropriate title for how I feel about the

Letter to the Editor Trojans strive to maintain promising reputation Trojans have hit the ground running this semester as they have risen to the challenge of being back on campus, once again subjected to the new kid syndrome.

Because Trojans were unable to pledge last semes-

ter, there are many questions surrounding what we represent. A recent article alluded to a rumor that Trojans are simply interested in fun and taking the easy way out. The reality is, however, that Trojans were rechartered on the princi-

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 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: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

recreation center, A Question of When. ACU should make it a point of emphasis to break ground on the new recreation center as soon as possible.

The current weight room facilities open to students are woefully inadequate, and the recent opening of the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center leaves me with the feeling that the administration is more concerned with attracting new students and less concerned with the current ones. I understand the functionality of the Welcome Center but, save for curiosity’s sake, I have yet to have a reason to step foot into the building.

A recreation center would be an immediate upgrade to the campus and a building the entire student body could quickly take advantage of upon its completion.

The financial status of the university is a complicated issue. Even if one were to devote weeks of study, one

would not be able to fully comprehend the complexities of balancing between creating an exciting educational environment with making sure the budget remains balanced. However, the university should make an effort to ensure students feel they benefit from the tuition hike.

ACU presents students with a unique educational opportunity. Students are treated to a Christian educational environment as well as a university dedicated to preparing its students for an ever-changing world. But the growing prohibitive cost may prevent some students from considering ACU; however, the expansion of a few programs and the completion of a state-of-the-art recreation center would go a long way toward making the ACU experience a must for those seeking higher education.

ple of excellence and unity.

Through the rechartering process, we had the unique opportunity to bond in a way other clubs did not.

Trojans will be conducting rushing in this spring as well as taking a pledge class in the fall. The fact that Trojans are founded on principles of standing out has invited a deluge of doubts and questions surrounding what Trojan pledging will look like.

Pledging is not discussed outside of club, but the ideas surrounding our purpose are very similar to

other clubs’. Trojans plan to respect the time of the pledges, but maintain the idea that pledging a club requires sacrifice.

Just like any worthwhile endeavor, excellence comes at a price and will not be painless. The emphasis will be on developing unity and brotherhood as well as a commitment to the goals and traditions of Trojans.

It is often encountering adversity that fosters growth, and pledges will be introduced to situations that stretch and strengthen them. Relationships, lead-

E-mail Knauth at: txk07a@acu.edu

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ership and competition are all designed to draw the members and pledges into a deeper bond to each other and to God. As men of God on campus, our focus reaches beyond ourselves. We seek to be a service-oriented organization. It is only by looking to the needs of others and through love that we can uphold our goal to represent Christ.

We also hope to have activities that extend beyond the borders of our club with interest in partnering with others on campus

and a fistful of Tide. You will see it is not as bad as you have let yourself think.

After finishing a load of laundry, take a look at that pile of dirty dishes in the sink. If you had taken an extra five seconds when you were done eating to scrape off your plate and place it in the dishwasher, you would have saved yourself from an attack of fruit flies, or roommates for that matter.

Responsibilities such as cleaning, cooking, paying bills and washing clothes are a crucial part of growing up. Pushing these responsibilities onto others teaches you zero self-reliance. Even if you do not need a job, get one. If not for the money, do it for the experience.

Someone who has worked his or her way through college every day to pay for school, rent and other bills, finds it difficult to witness to someone else who is continuously turning to his or her parents for money to do frivolous activities. Jealousy can escalate in those who are “less fortunate,” but in all actuality, are they to be considered less fortunate? By learning to budget their money and time, they are taught independence and preparation well in advance for their first career. I would say that is far from being less fortunate.

It is not necessarily wrong to have your parent’s financial support during college, but taking advantage of it will only hurt you in the long run.

It took me a long time to realize I should consider myself blessed to have parents who pushed me to learn how to depend on myself at a young age. If you start now by relying on your own capabilities and resources, you can be well-prepared for what will happen after graduation day.

E-mail Byrd at: mab07d@acu.edu

regardless of club affiliation. We invite all students on campus to get to know us as individuals and to put aside such things that drive us apart.

Jeff Morris Trojans’ Vice President Elect sophomore biochemistry major from Richmond

In response to the recent Optimist editorial ‘Rechartered Trojans offer alternative experience’

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CAMPUS NEWS/ JUMPS

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

False text message proves to be a hoax

By Kaitlyn Sellgren Student Reporter

“Abilene Police have said do not go to any Wal-Mart tonight.

Gang initiation to shoot three women tonight. Not sure which Wal-Mart. This is confirmed on TV. Please forward.”

This text message was sent to many cell phone owners in Abilene late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

The Abilene Police Department had a news conference confirming the message as a hoax Thursday afternoon, said Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU Police Department.

During the three-to-four-day period before the text message reached Abilene, it circulated

through several Texas’ cities as well as other states. The only difference in the messages was the opening line specifying the city’s police department, Ellison said.

As Thursday morning approached, many students had received the false text message from a number of people.

Hannah Sherman, sophomore journalism major from Colleyville, said she received the text message from three different ACU students.

“I believed the text at first and then thought it had to be a hoax because if the police knew, they would have stopped it,” Sherman said.

Phone calls immediately went through to the Abilene

Police on Wednesday and Thursday to confirm the validity of the text, Ellison said.

Thursday afternoon, however, all ACU students received an email confirming the text message was a hoax.

“We chose not to do an ACU alert because we reserve ACU alerts in case of an emergency — and this wasn’t an emergency,” Ellison said.

“We knew immediately it wasn’t valid.”

No pattern was found regarding who received the text message, Ellison said. It did not travel through a specific phone service because it was forwarded by multiple sources. The text message could have been sent to all of

Abilene; however, not everyone in Abilene received it.

The text message was just another version of an e-mail hoax that began in 2005 and circulated all over the U.S., creating false concerns and rumors, according to the email received by ACU students, assuring them of the text message’s invalidity.

“The police appreciate when the public is concerned and so glad that the campus community is concerned — but surprised at how quickly people believed the hysteria,” Ellison said.

E-mail Sellgren at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Track: Wildcats to host Softball: LSC Crossover Tournament next for ACU ACU Triangular Friday Continued from page 8 with a single, followed by outfielders Brooke Whittlesey’s infield single. After a Wildcat strikeout, catcher Jessica Shiery walked to load the bases. Cornelison singled to score the gametying run on the next at bat, and Gentile added an RBI after being hit by a pitch to put ACU ahead 4-3. The bases remained loaded for third baseman Nancy Sawyers, who hammered the ball for a grand slam, putting the game away 8-3.

Partin relieved Gregoire in the fourth inning, allowing just three hits and no runs in the final 3 1/3 innings to earn her fifth win of the season. Partin earned LSC South Pitcher of the Week honors after allowing no

runs and picking up two of ACU’s three wins against the Javelinas.

“We had three great pitching performances and clutch hitting this weekend,” Wilson said. “We just need to be more consistent in scoring runs in every inning instead of just waiting for the big inning, even though we will take the big inning.”

The Wildcats will travel to Durant, Okla., this weekend for the LSC Crossover Tournament, playing six games in three days, beginning on Friday against Southeastern Oklahoma at 10:30 a.m.

E-mail Cantrell at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Issues: Film presents differing view points Continued from page 1 “A real friendship is a thing of beauty,” with Craig in L.A., we didn’t talk about religion at all; we talked about everything but.”

Marks said he had lost friends due to a division of religious beliefs and personal beliefs.

Marks said some relationships might be caught in the polarization of two differing beliefs.

“I would like people who are caught in this experience to feel they have permission to have that friendship in spite of those differences, that there are ways to sustain that friendship and that it’s important to do it,” Marks said. “We truly enjoy each other’s company and we don’t let religious division get in the way of

that friendship.”

The 80-minute film consisted of conversations between the two friends about religion, faith and the events that led them to their beliefs. Throughout the film, Detweiler and Marks had a verbal joust about Christian faith or the lack there of and how personal worldviews shaped and molded their current belief structures.

“This project started as a book which was centered around the tensions between the secular world, the physical world and the political world,” Detweiler said. “I would say Purple State of Mind opens a theological can of worms.

There’s something that either challenges, disturbs or energizes anybody.”

E-mail Anderson at: tsa04a@acu.edu

Continued from page 8 automatic qualification, went 175 feet, 8 inches. The NCAA Division II record is held

by ACU alumna Geraldine George, who threw 177-6 at the 2000 Texas Relays.

“Her mark this year is 20 feet better than it was at this time last year,” Hood said. “She beat everyone by 30 feet.”

Amos Sang, who won both the 1,500-meter and 3,000meter, also impressed Hood.

“He usually runs in the 5,000-meter and 10,000meter, so this was more of a practice meet for him,” Hood said. “This was a good opportunity to test his fitness, and I’d say he passed the test.”

Nick Jones and Paige Newby also provisionally qualified for the national meet

with their performances.

Jones, the defending national champion in the discus, finished second in the shot put, while Newby finished third in the discus. Jones also competed in the men’s discus but did not place.

Hood said the wind played a major factor in the discus event.

“The wind was just knocking them down,” Hood said.

“It made about a 15-20 foot difference, unless you were left-handed.”

Friday, ACU will sponsor the ACU Triangular meet at Elmer Gray Stadium, where the Wildcats will face a solid competition in Division I teams, Texas Tech and Oral Roberts.

E-mail Harris at: tch05f@acu.edu

Page 7

Tennis: Cats return home

Emily Jorgenson:: file photo

Natalie Friend returns a serve during ACU’s practice.

Continued from page 8 in straight sets 6-3, 7-6.

“It’s not always about the wins and losses, but I just want to see our guys compete against high competition,” Jones said.

The Wildcats looked to rebound Monday when they faced another Division I opponent Louisiana-Lafayette University. But the Wildcats fell behind 1-0 and lost five of six singles matches to lose their second-straight match 6-1.

The Ragin’ Cajuns took the doubles point after winning the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles matches. The Wildcats did win at the No. 1 doubles spot as Ryan Hudson and Bryan Joiner proved to be too much for Piotr Banas and Piotr Olechowski.

Hudson and Joiner jumped out to a 6-1 lead and put away the Ragin’ Cajuns’ duo, taking the match 8-2, but Louisiana-Lafayette won the next two doubles matches to get the point.

The two losses over the weekend drops the Wildcats to 18-4 on the season and marks the first time the men have lost two in a row since March 18, 2007, when the Wildcats dropped four in a row.

The men played the weekend without No. 1 singles

player Juan Nuñez, who was out nursing an injury he sustained in December.

ACU also had a match against Southern University that was canceled by the Jaguars.

The men will look to get back on track this weekend with two matches against St. Mary’s University and Metro State University in the Abilene Christian Invitational and a scrimmage against New Mexico Military Institute.

The women also are back in action this weekend, competing in the women’s side of the ACU Invitational. They will be taking on St. Mary’s University and Metro State University and will have a match against the conference’s third-ranked team in Tarleton State.

The Texans also are the nation’s 13th-ranked team and come into the match at 6-1 on the season and 3-1 in the conference with their lone loss coming at the hands of the conference’s top-ranked team in Northeastern State.

“We just have to continue to improve,” Jones said.

“We aren’t playing as many matches now, and I am hoping that the players are feeling a little fresher.”

E-mail Tripp at: bjt07a@acu.edu

Baseball: Team ready for Eastern New Mexico Continued from page 8 Walsh followed with a walk, scoring Uechi, and Bumpass followed with a two-run single to left field to cut the lead to 8-7.

Second baseman Chris Hall was intentionally walked on the next at-bat before outfielder Davis Page flied out to the shortstop for the second out of the inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Schmitt came through again, knocking a two-run single to centerfield to make it 9-8.

However, a throw to third by the centerfielder got away, allowing Walsh to score and moved Schmitt to third to give ACU a 10-8 lead. First baseman Bret Bochsler followed with a ground ball to first, but a fielding error allowed Bochsler to reach on base and score Schmitt and complete ACU’s rally.

“Our backs were against the wall, and they made a couple of errors, and we were

able to capitalize,” shortstop Willie Uechi said. “It was a big game for us and gave us some momentum going into these two weeks on the road.”

Closer Brad Rutherford got the win after pitching the final 1 1/3 innnings, allowing no hits and no runs to improve to 4-2. Bumpass and Hall had a game-high three hits, while Schmitt had a game-high 3 RBI and Bumpass added 2 RBI. ACU began the weekend with an 11-4 win, as starting pitcher Cameron Aspaas improved his record to 5-1 after going seven innings, allowing one run on eight hits.

Right fielder Travis Latz led the Wildcats with 4 RBI and got ACU on the board early with a two-run single in the first inning as ACU scored in every inning for the win.

Bochsler, Watten, Uechi and Schmitt all had two hits to lead the Wildcat offense.

In Saturday’s doubleheader, ACU responded to a threerun first inning by the Savage

Storm in game one by scoring six runs in the first four innings to win its second game of the series. Schmitt’s sacrifice fly in the third inning to score Page, who reached on a triple, broke a 3-3 tie, and ACU never looked back. Starting pitcher Matt Sullivan improved to 2-0 after pitching five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, and Rutherford picked up his sixth save of the season after allowing no runs over the final 1 1/3 innings. Watten and Page led ACU with three hits, while Schmitt and Bumpass had a game-high 2 RBI. In game two, ACU could not take advantage of one of starting pitcher Preston Vancil’s best performances of the season. The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead after the first inning, but the Savage Storm answered with a run of its own in the top of the second and took a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth. ACU could not answer as the Savage Storm

limited ACU to just one run on seven hits. Vancil went 7 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs on nine hits, but fell to 2-3 with the loss. Hall led ACU with two hits, while Schmitt recorded the only RBI. “We lost the game that we got the best pitching performance of the weekend with Preston throwing eight innings,” Bonneau said. “We just couldn’t get any runs for him.”

Despite the loss, the Wildcats still have not lost a conference series this season and will look to continue the streak when they travel to Eastern New Mexico. The Wildcats will begin a four-game series with the Greyhounds, beginning Saturday at 3 p.m.

“I think as long as each of us our doing our job and continue to do the little things that we do in practice, we will be a tough team to beat,” Uechi said.

E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu

SportsWednesday

Page 8

SCOREBOARD Standings

Baseball team uses late rally to win three of four

By Grant Abston

Div. 19-5 17-7 16-8 12-10-1 13-11 w 12-12 Central Okla. 12-12 SE Okla.

11-12 East Central 10-14 TAMU-K 8-16 WTAMU 7-17 NE State 5-18-1 ACU Angelo St. Cameron Tarleton St. SW Okla.

Overall 26-8 23-10 22-9 16-15-1 19-13 16-14 16-17 14-14 11-21 12-18 14-20 10-22-1

Softball Team

Div. ACU 8-1 Angelo St. 6-2 Tarleton St. 5-4 WTAMU 6-5 TAMU-K 5-7 TX Woman’s 3-6 ENMU 2-10

Overall 26-9 29-4 20-15 26-11 21-12 20-16 17-16

Baseball

Sports Editor

Baseball Team

Heather Leiphart :: staff photographer Second baseman Chris Hall slides into home in the Wildcats’ 11-8 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Sunday. ACU took three of four in the series.

After giving up three runs in the top of the eighth inning to fall behind 8-3, the Wildcats used their biggest rally of the season to finish off Southeastern Oklahoma State, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning in game four to get the series’ win.

ACU won three of four over Southeastern Oklahoma State, improving to 26-8 overall and 19-5 in conference, and improved its conference lead to two games over Angelo State; the Wildcats also jumped one spot in Collegiate Baseball Magazine’s national poll to No. 7.

“It lifted a burden off my shoulders of trying to figure out if this team knew what they could do,” head coach Britt Bonneau said of the comeback win in game four. “This team realized what kind of team we really have and what we could accomplish, and that’s a big relief for me.”

In game four, the Savage Storm jumped on ACU early, scoring two runs in the second inning and adding three more in the fifth. However, ACU scored two runs in the bottom half of the fifth after a solo home run by designated hitter Cameron Watten and an RBI single by

Jumping Ahead

Scores

ACU 8, Texas A&M-Kingsville 3

Baseball ACU 6, Southeastern Oklahoma 4 Southeastern Oklahoma 2, ACU 1

Sunday Baseball ACU 11, Southeastern Oklahoma 8

Men’s Tennis Lamar 4, ACU 3

Monday Men’s Tennis Louisiana-Lafayette 6, ACU 1

Tuesday Softball ACU 7, St. Mary’s 1 ACU 7, St. Mary’s 0

Upcoming Friday Track & Field ACU at ACU Triangular, 10 a.m.

Softball

Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis ACU vs. Tarleton State, 2:30 p.m.

Baseball ACU at Eastern New Mexico, 7 p.m.

Saturday Men’s Tennis ACU vs. Metro State, 9 a.m.

ACU vs. St. Mary’s, 2 p.m.

Women’s Tennis ACU vs. Metro State, 9 a.m.

ACU vs. St. Mary’s, 2 p.m.

Softball ACU vs. East Central, 10:30 a.m.

ACU vs. Central Okla., 2:30 p.m.

Baseball ACU at Eastern New Mexico, 3 p.m.

ACU at Eastern New Mexico, 5:30 p.m. :: Home games listed in italics

Briefs n Pitcher Kim Partin earned LSC South Pitcher of the Week honors for the secondstraight week after Partin helping ACU to a three-game sweep over Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Partin picked up two of ACU’s three wins and did not allow a run as the Javelinas hit just .154 against her. Partin pitched a complete-game three-hitter in ACU’s 3-1 win Friday and came on in relief of Jacque Gregoire to earn her second win of the series.

Partin is 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA this season.

See

Baseball page 7

Four Cats qualify for outdoor nationals Assistant Sports Editor

Softball

ACU vs. N.M. Military, (scrimmage)

catcher Jordan Schmitt to score center fielder Thomas Bumpass and cut the deficit to 5-3.

After scoring three more runs in the top of the eighth to take an 8-3 lead, the Savage Storm was just six outs away from a series’ split before ACU got things going. After Schmitt was hit by a pitch to start the inning, shortstop Willie Uechi reached on an infield error with one out, and Schmitt scored on the throwing error. Outfielder Travis Latz singled on the next at bat to put runners on first and second, and Watten followed with a walk to load the bases. Pinch hitter Anthony

By Chandler Harris

Saturday

ACU vs. SE Oklahoma, 10:30 a.m.

ACU vs. Cameron, 12:30 p.m.

March 25, 2009

Jozie Sands :: staff photographer

Pitcher Jacque Gregoire delivers a pitch, as first baseman Katie Cornelison looks on during ACU’s 13-11 win over St. Mary’s on Feb. 12.

ACU climbs atop LSC standings after weekend sweep

By Ryan Cantrell

Softball

Sports Writer

The Wildcats continued their strong play over the weekend, sweeping Texas A&M-Kingsville in a threegame series at home and improving to 24-9 overall and 8-1 in the Lone Star Conference. The Wildcats also extended their winning streak to eight and jumped Angelo State to move into first place in the LSC South Division.

“We came out again ready to compete in every game and in every inning,” head coach Chantiel Wilson said.

“Even when we were behind, we kept competing and came back in the games.”

ACU played a doubleheader Friday against Kingsville’s Javelinas. The games were dominated on the mound for the Wildcats as pitchers Jacque Gregoire and Kim Partin both pitched complete games and picked up wins.

In the first game, Gregoire struck out five and only gave up two runs on seven hits. In the second, Partin picked up where she left off last week, allowing three hits and one unearned run.

Along with good pitching from Gregoire, the Wildcat offense was sparked by first baseman Katie Cornelison in the first game. Cornelison had

a pair of home runs, including a clutch three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth that gave the Wildcats a 5-2 lead.

This would make the ultimate difference in the game as the Wildcats won 5-2.

In the second game, the Wildcats jumped out early on the Javelinas, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Infielder Jenny Kulp had an RBI double followed by infielder Jackie Gentile’s sacrifice fly to put ACU ahead 2-0 in the first inning. This was enough run support for Partin in the first inning, although the Wildcats added one more in the second for good measure. Javelina pitcher Courtney Rigamonti came into the game for Jessica

Schneider and was dominant, but Partin ultimately was better, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out five in seven innings; the win improved Partin’s record to 4-1.

“Partin has stuck with her game plan this season and has not tried to overpower hitters, but has just relaxed on the mound and has built confidence in her pitching,” Wilson said.

In the final game Saturday, ACU’s offense came alive to complete the sweep. The Wildcats entered the fifth inning, trailing 3-2 before rallying back. Infielder Melissa Rodriguez started the inning off See

Softball page 7

Wildcats fall twice to Division I teams

By Brandon Tripp Being a nationally ranked team means everyone wants to beat you; the Wildcats found that out the hard way over the weekend after dropping two matches to Lamar University and LouisianaLafayette University.

“We were in a tough match, and that’s really what it is all about,” head coach Hutton Jones said.

The Wildcats went into the match against Lamar University, having won nine of their last 10 matches. The men won the doubles point against their Division I opponents, taking two of the three matches. The No. 1 doubles pairing of Luke Hawk

See

Tennis

Broadcast Assistant

and Ryan Hudson defeated the Cardinals Maciej Bogusz and Marton Horvath 8-6, and the No. 2 doubles pairing of Hutton Jones Jr. and Bryan Joiner overpowered Richard Fikuka and Dusan Savkovic, scoring another 8-6 win for the Wildcats.

After winning the doubles point, ACU managed just two wins in singles play, losing the top four matches. Joiner scored a win at the No. 5 slot over Lamar’s Diego Snyder in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. The Wildcats’ only other victory of the day came at the No. 6 spot, where José Farias defeated Savkovic also See

Tennis page 7

ACU javelin thrower Linda Brivule reached an automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship, while three other athletes provisionally qualified with their performances in two sepaHood rate meets.

Decathlete James Hardin traveled to San Angelo on Thursday and Friday for the ASU Spring Break Multi-Event Meet. Hardin provisionally qualified for the national meet by placing third with 6,408 points. Angelo State’s Ryan McWilliams won the event with 7,143 points, and Central Missouri’s Darius Walker finished in second with 6,585 points.

Hardin won the javelin event and finished third in both the discus and the pole vault.

“He was a little disappointed,” said Don Hood, head track and field coach.

“Maybe his expectations were too high coming in, but I was really pleased with the mental toughness he showed when he wasn’t performing his best.”

Hardin is still feeling the effects of having mono in the fall and also a recent hamstring injury, but he should be much better in just two weeks, Hood said.

The other athletes who competed last week traveled to Waco for the Dr. Pepper Invitational, sponsored by Baylor University.

“Overall, it was pretty decent,” Hood said. “We had some really strong performances, but the competition wasn’t just super deep.”

Brivule’s performance ranks as the second-best javelin throw in the history of NCAA Division II. Her throw, which won the event and earned her an

Track page 7

qualifiers/ top finishers Automatic qualifier

n Linda Brivule – Javelin (175 feet, 8 inches)

Provisional qualifiers

n Nick Jones – Shot Put (54 feet, 2.60 inches) n Paige Newby – Discus (142 feet, 9 inches) n James Hardin – Decathalon (6,408 points)*

other top finishers

n Callie Young – 1st place, Pole Vault (11 feet, 7.75 inches) n Amos Sang – 1st place, 1,500-meter (8:30.45), 3,000-meter (3:55.53) Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer

Eldad Campbell returns a serve during practice Feb. 10.

* Time posted at Angelo Meet