The Optimist - Sept. 3, 2018 by ACU Optimist

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Pg. 8 ACU jumps to No. 4 rank with opening-day win

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 :: Vol. 97, No. 4 :: 1 section, 8 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com

Inside This Issue:

Pg 3

Pg 6

Among the best: ACU ranked high by ‘U.S. News & World Report’

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Read the rundown on the presidential nominees’ vice-presidential picks

Seasoned chefs: Three men bring their experience to the grill

Gustav’s strong winds, rains affect some ACU students By Michael Freeman Managing Editor

Although Hurricane Gustav made landfall about 700 miles from Abilene on Monday, the effects of the storm hit close to home for some ACU students. “Baton Rouge probably has more damage than they’ve

really seen from a storm in a couple of decades,” said Shannon Williamson, graduate student in psychology from New Orleans. Hurricane Gustav knocked out power for nearly 1.4 million households, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Tuesday. Michelle Guillory, graduate student from Port

Williamson’s father works as a manager for a Louisiana electrical power company. “He had to work all weekend in preparation for the storm,” Williamson said. “And he’ll be working 12hour, maybe 15-hour days for the next few days.” Almost two million people evacuated Louisiana as

Allen, La., is one of those without power. She said she is working on her ACU degree online from home. “I lost power around 11 a.m. [Monday morning],” Guillory said. “We could have a couple of days without power.” The process of restoring power will take some time.

the hurricane approached, according to CNN.com. But many students’ families decided to stay in their homes. However, they will be without groceries, gasoline and water in addition to being without power. “Everybody is closed down,” Guillory said. “Gasoline stations are closed. In

Students ‘Rush’ in

Potential pledges treated to food, fun

fact, a lot of places are completely out of gas. If you didn’t get your gasoline yesterday [Sunday], then you’re out of luck.” As Louisiana officials and residents begin to return to normalcy, Gustav treks northwest. Experts from See

Gustav page 4

Readers relocated, structure of Chapel unchanged By Michael Freeman Managing Editor

By Molly Byrd Page 2 Editor

ACU social clubs are preparing for another semester of pledging by encouraging interested students to register online by 5 p.m. Wednesday, so they can participate in the upcoming activities. An informational meeting Thursday discussed details regarding student eligibility, rushing requirements, the benefits of pledging and financial responsibilities for those who want to participate in the pledging process. In order to be considered for membership in a social club, a student needs to meet four requirements. The student must have completed two full semesters, be enrolled as a full-time student (12 hours for undergraduate, 9 hours for graduate), be a high school graduate from 2007 or earlier and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. Once students have verified they meet all the requirements, they need to go online and register at www. acu.edu/socialclubs before 5 p.m. Wednesday. After completing registration, students also must print out the medical form and pledging contract to turn in Sept. 12 when

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Katie Barnard, junior history major from Abilene, and Liz McClellan, sophomore family studies major from Austin, grab some hot dogs at the baseball-themed Sigma Theta Chi rush Monday. Social clubs will sponsor rushes for the next two weeks as an effort to let potential pledges preview their clubs.

acuoptimist.com: Log on to see a video focused on the pledging process, changes to this year’s process and interviews with students considering pledging. they rank clubs. To keep track of the number of rushes attended, students will be given a rush card, which also will need to be returned the day of ranking. “If you register, it does not mean you are required to pledge,” said Mauri Westbrook, director of Student Organizations and Activities. “But if you don’t register on time, you won’t be able to participate in the pledging process because late registration isn’t allowed.” Current club members said in a recent survey that being in a social club gives them a chance to develop deep and

Pledging Dates To Remember n Wednesday : n Sept. 12 : n Sept. 18 : n Sept. 19 :

Register online by 5 p.m. Rank in Living Room of the Campus Center. Bids delivered by social clubs Bid night from late afternoon until 5 a.m.

For more information about pledging a social club visit www.acu.edu/socialclubs

meaningful relationships, encourages them to participate in service opportunities and provides them with a place to feel accepted and loved. Suzanne Langston, Sigma Theta Chi president, said her experiences in a social club have far surpassed her ex-

pectations and she has been blessed beyond measure by the friendship and opportunities she has received by taking part in a club. At the informational meeting, Eric Gentry, Gamma Sigma Phi president, told the audience they might find some-

thing really great in a club they had not expected. His words mirrored those of the Social Club Handbook: choose a club based upon personal decision and not on stereotype. The rush process lasts two weeks, leaving an event-free week before Bid Night. Each student will then rank his or her favorite clubs; potential pledges will be placed in the club in which they receive a bid and is closest to their top ranked. Bids will be delivered Sept. 18. Men receive their bids in their residence halls, See

Rush page 10

Returning students may not notice many changes to Chapel. Not many alterations were made because of the positive feedback from last year’s Chapel program. “The two surveys that we had data from in fall of 2007 and the spring Lewis of 2008 gave us good validation that what was going on in Chapel was a good thing,” said Mark Lewis, assistant dean for Spiritual Life and Chapel Programs. “But everything is always up for evaluation and consideration.” One aspect of Chapel that received evaluation and change during the summer was the card reader program. To aid in the flow of traffic in and out of Chapel, new card readers were installed on the handrails inside Moody Coliseum. The old card readers, which were located at the base of the stairwells entering Moody, were deactivated. Currently, 23 card readers are active, one more than was active last year. “We really want to avoid the

Chapel page 10

See

Rent rises for nearby apartments, houses By Tanner Anderson Page Designer

The dream of off-campus living may seem far away to some, but when the dream becomes reality, students who are looking for new means of shelter may find themselves in a housing predicament. In recent months gas prices were not the only thing on the rise in Abilene — several apartment complexes and houses around campus have been gradually increasing rent prices. And

with the growing student population, it may become more difficult to locate ideal living quarters. “Prices have been going up every three months; I think you’ll find that all over town,” said Riatta Ranch manager Bill Chatham. Riatta Ranch offers an apartment with one bedroom and one bath for around $554. At Riatta, residents can use the complex’s swimming pool, fitness center and volleyball area. According to University

aCU WeatHeR

Park apartment’s Web site, students who live in UP pay between $379 and $696 a month. Students who lived there last year paid $459 for a two-bedroom apartment and $369 for a four-bedroom. These prices don’t include the subsidy price, which is a small portion of the rent that is covered by ACU. The rent includes an electricity allowance, cable TV, high-speed Internet, furniture, water/ sewer and access to all onsite amenities. The Grove, an apartment

complex on Ambler Avenue where several ACU and Hardin Simmons University students live, offers furnished apartments between $470 and $495 a month. Those rates are up from a year ago when students paid between $420-$465 a month. All the apartments at the Grove are fully furnished and include cable television, utilities and $30 a month to help pay students’ electricity bill. “The best thing to do is to See

Rent page 10