The Optimist - Dec. 5, 2008

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Pg. 5 Not-so Silent Night: ACU performs Christmas concert

Friday, December 5, 2008 :: Vol. 97, No. 28 :: 1 sections, 8 pages :: www.acuoptimist.com

Inside This Issue:

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COBA revamps upcoming SpringBoard Challenge

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GSP, Sub T-16 win football ticket sales contest

Football Prizes: Players earn multitude of honors

Noose culprit still at large despite thorough investigation

By Michael Freeman Managing Editor

On Sept. 3, a noose placed in Students’ Association President Daniel Paul Watkins’ office chair shocked the ACU community. More than three months later, the perpetrator of the incident has yet to be identified.

The ACU Police Department examined all its known

leads and scrutinized every piece of information it obtained, but so far the culprit and his or her Watkins specific intentions are still a mystery, said Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU Police Department.

By Kelline Linton Chief Copy Editor

Disorder Danger Holiday season increases risk for people struggling with eating disorders

By Sondra Rodriguez Student Reporter

10

million

Females in the Unites States are fighting a life or death battle with eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia.

1million

Males in the Unites States are fighting a life or death battle with eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia.

53 percent

of girls at age 13 are unhappy with their body shape and size.

78 percent of girls at age 17 are unhappy with their body shape and size.

A

See

Disorders page 3

Students prepare for finals

TR Classes Exam 10-11:45 a.m., Friday, 12 2-3:45 p.m., Thursday, 11 10-11:45 a.m., Tuesday, 9 Noon-1:45 p.m., Wednesday, 10 8-9:45 a.m., Thursday, 11 Noon-1:45 p.m., Friday, 12 2-3:45 p.m., Tuesday, 9 4-5:45 p.m., Thursday, 11 6:30-8:15 p.m., Monday, 8 6:30-8:15 p.m., Monday, 8

Noose page 7

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bout 150 freshmen girls will attend the annual Christmas party in the West Lobby of Gardner Residence Hall at 10 p.m. Monday, and like any Christmas party, food will be everywhere.

“If just one person out of those 150 isn’t eating, or is overeating and then just walks away, they’re going to go unnoticed,” said Katherine Lewis, junior social work major from Wichita, Kan., and former resident assistant in Garnder Hall. “I never entered into those activities with the mindset of I should be watching people to make sure everyone is emotionally stable tonight.”

The holiday season can be the most difficult time of year for a student dealing with an eating disorder. This struggle, often unnoticed, forces students to face the challenges of going home for the holidays, the portrayal of food as a form of celebration and the capability of the season to act as a trigger into a relapse.

According to the National Eating Disorders of America, NEDA, the two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia is a condition characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

Bulimia is characterized by a cycle of binge eating, consuming

Finals Schedule

Class 8 a.m.

9 a.m.

10 a.m.

Noon 1 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

4 p.m.

6 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

See

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Source: www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

MWF Classes

”

have not been able to do that.”

The department received new information about the incident as late as mid-

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Hazards page 4

be a positive outcome by identifying the person who did this and determining what their motive was. Unfortunately, we

11

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“We have conducted an extremely thorough investigation,” Ellison said. “Obviously, we would’ve liked for there to

9

With the holidays approaching, students can expect all the joys of Christmas—family, food and presents—but should not overlook the sinister safety hazards special to the season.

As finals week winds to a close and students pack their vehicles and prepare for the journey home, the ACU Police Department stresses travel as the No. 1 safety concern.

“Travel safety starts with making sure you get enough sleep, enough rest before you hit the road,” said Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU Police Department.

Ellison recommends sharing driving responsibilities or taking frequent breaks to prevent driving fatigue.

“Recognize the signs of highway hypnosis,” he said. “Anytime you’re behind the wheel for two or three hours, you start getting tired, things are monotonous and before you know it, you’re dozing off and you’re swerving.”

Sleepy drivers always can stop at the nearest gas station for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

They also can begin the holiday festivities early by carpooling with friends and singing Christmas carols until hoarse.

Although snow is traditional Christmas weather, unpredictable climate changes like sleet and ice can ruin any merry holiday. Ellison recommends students check the weather conditions on their driving routes before leaving ACU.

:: Jimmy Ellison, chief of ACU Police Department

October; however, all leads proved fruitless.

“This case was a very negative, very unfortunate incident both for Daniel Paul as well as the institution,” Ellison said. “I think both Daniel Paul and the institution deserve to know what happened; that’s why we have investigated it as thoroughly as we have.”

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Holiday hazards may hurt season fun

“

Obviously we would’ve liked for there to be a positive outcome...unfortunately we have not been able to do that.

Class 8 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Noon 1:30 p.m.

3 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

6 p.m., Tues 6:30 p.m., Tues 6 p.m., Thurs 6:30 p.m, Thurs

*To see a complete schedule visit www.acu.edu

acu WeaTheR

Exam 8-9:45 a.m., Wednesday, 10 8-9:45 a.m., Friday, 12 Noon-1:45 p.m., Thursday, 11 Noon-1:45 p.m., Tuesday, 9 2-3:45 p.m., Wednesday, 10 4-5:45 p.m., Tuesday, 9 6:30-8:15 p.m., Tuesday, 9 6:30-8:15 p.m., Tuesday, 9 6:30-8:15 p.m., Thursday, 11 6:30-8:15 p.m., Thursday, 11

By Chelsea Hackney Student Reporter

Finals are on the horizon, and as with every semester, students already are thinking to the week ahead, planning study sessions, staking out prime locations in the Brown Library and stressing.

For most students, exams are just one more thing to work into an already crammed schedule.

More from the

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

High: 49 Low: 29

High: 58 Low: 29

High: 61 Low: 46

Jason Sanchez, junior political science major from Abilene, said, “Finals are coming up fast, and I’m nervous that I won’t have time to prepare. I still have a lot to read and review on top of the fact that I work late every day.”

Some students said with such a large number of tests and essays required throughout the semester, finals week will be like any other week. For others, though, it

is a hectic time of the semester, as students attempt to prepare adequately while still working and getting ready to go home for the holidays.

However, this semester students should be relieved to know the Brown Library will be open until 3:00 a.m., beginning Dec. 1 until Dec. 11. The extra time See

Online Poll : Log onto www.acuoptimist.com or www.youtube. com/acuvideo to see weekly News casts and Sports casts from the JMC Network News Team and videos profiling various events and stories around campus and Abilene.

Finals page 7

What are you going to do after your last final?

a. Burn all my books. b. Pray I passed the class. c. Jump for joy. d. Sleep for a month.

acuoptimist.com Department of Journalism and Mass Communication ::

Abilene Christian University

::

Serving the ACU community since 1912

2

Campus Day Friday, December 5, 2008

Calendar and Events

5

Friday

6 p.m.

An Essence Christmas sponsored

by Essence of Ebony will be in the UP clubhouse.

7:30 p.m.

ACU Theatre presents an American classic “The Member of the Wedding” in Fulk’s Theater.

Call 674-ARTS (2787) for tickets.

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Saturday

4 p.m.

ACU men’s basketball versus Southeastern Oklahoma State

6 p.m.

18th Annual Christmas Lane at the Abilene State School

Monday

Watch videos on the upcoming Shinnery Review Slithy Tove in the Shore Art Gallery and the ACU art and craft fair in the Campus Center.

Webcast Log on to www.youtube.com/acuvideo to view a sportscast wrapping up the ACU football, cross country and tennis seasons.

Announcements The dates to register for classes in summer 2009 have been changed. Rather than registering with spring 2009, summer 2009 will have its own registration day, Feb. 25.

All classifications will begin registering for summer classes on the date at 3 p.m. The advising release codes will be the same ones used for spring registration. If students are thinking of taking courses in summer 2009, they need to talk to their advisers.

Angel Tree-Adopt a Child.

Please consider adopting a child from the SALT Angel Tree to help provide Christmas gifts for that child. Stop by the table located in the Campus Center or come to the Volunteer & Service-Learning in the Bean Sprout. Gifts need to be returned to the VSLC by Friday. You will be making a big difference in a child’s Christmas.

The ACU Medical Clinic will be offering flu shots at a reduced price ($20) for each person who brings in three non-perishable food items to be donated to the Abilene Food Bank. This offer is good through Dec. 19. All donations will be delivered to the Abilene Food Bank in time for the Christmas holidays.

The Big Purple is raising money for its annual fundraiser to benefit the women and children of The Noah Project. The Noah Project is an organization whose mission statement is “advocating for victims and working to end family violence.” The plan is to give these women and children a Christmas party with food and presents, so please help by donating any amount. Band members will be walking around campus with cans or buckets labeled “Christmas for Kids”.

The 18th Annual Christmas Lane will be at the Abilene State School Thursday through Saturday. Admission is free to see lighted outdoor Christmas displays as well as an indoor display, including animated dolls and figures. Photos with Santa can be taken for $3. Call the State School with any questions at 795-3547.

Christmas Celebration IVAbilene Philharmonic Pops Concert will be at the Abilene Civic Center Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The concert will feature the Classical Chorus of Abilene, the dancers of Shuffles and the return of soloists Mary Ann Robinson, Matt Newman and Leslie Harper. For ticket prices, call 677-6710 or 800-460-0610.

The Peddler Show- The Perfect Street of Shops will be at the Abilene Civic Center Friday from

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.

Credited Chapels

71

Credited Chapels

0

4 p.m.

ACU men’s basketball versus East Central 6 p.m.

18th Annual Christmas Lane at the Abilene State School

Online Newscast

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 mab07d@acu.edu.

Chapel Checkup

2 p.m.

ACU women’s basketball versus East Central

5 p.m.

The Ice House Outdoor Ice Skating Rink at Nelson Park, Festival Gardens

7:30 p.m.

ACU Theatre presents an American classic “The Member of the Wedding” in Fulk’s Theater.

Call 674-ARTS (2787) for tickets.

acuoptimist.com

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Sunday

About This Page

3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Adult tickets are $5, and those ages 65 & over are $3. Children ages 12 & under are free. Call the Civic Center at 676-6211 for more information or 800-775-2774 for booth rental.

ArtWalk “City Lights” will be Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bring friends to historic downtown to enjoy restaurants, shops, museums, galleries and entertainment for free. Call 677-8389 so the Center for Contemporary Arts can give more details.

“The Ice House” Outdoor Ice Skating Rink will be open from Dec. 1 to Jan. 5 at Nelson Park, Festival Gardens. It will benefit Habitat for Humanity and the Dyess We Care Team. The hours are Sunday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Contact Karen at 201-0250 for more information.

The Salvation Army needs volunteers to assist with its “Angel Tree” booth in the Mall of Abilene. Help is needed to greet shoppers, record information as angels are adopted and check in presents returned to the booth.

This began Nov. 21 and lasts until Dec. 14, Sundays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Volunteers are asked to work two-hour shifts or longer.

The ACU School of Social Work needs student volunteers to help with a children’s diabetic group which will meet the 2nd and 4th Monday every month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The group will offer fun and therapeutic play activities for children ages six to 16 at Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. The Center for Contemporary Arts needs volunteers to greet patrons, answer phones and help with gallery shows. Three-hour shifts are offered every Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and/or 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The gallery is located in downtown Abilene. For more information, contact Saybra Giles at 677-8389.

An ESL pre-nursing student is in need of help (as soon as possible) with some algebra review as she is preparing to take the Math Compass Test. A volunteer

is needed to spend a few hours helping her with this. Please contact Carolyn Thompson at thompsonc@acu.edu.

The annual H-E-B Feast of Sharing will take place Dec. 9 at the Abilene Civic Center from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is a time when the entire Abilene community is invited to come and share a free meal together. In addition to enjoying a meal, a need for volunteers to help with various aspects of the event is also needed. If interested in helping, please register at www.acallforhelp.info.

However, even if students cannot volunteer, they can still take advantage of this time to come together for a meal.

The Grace Museum is always in need of volunteers. Volunteers play a vital role in the daily operation of the museum. The minute visitors walk through the door, the experience in the museum relies on capable and trained volunteers. For more information about volunteer opportunities at The Grace, please call 673-4587.

Find out volunteer opportunities by visiting the Volunteer and ServiceLearning 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 Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout.

Corrections/Clarifications Chapel checkup was inaccurate in Wednesday’s edition of the Optimist. It said 64 Chapels had occured and four Chapels were

remaining, but it should have said 69 Chapels had occured and two Chapels were remaining.

FROM THE FRONT / CAMPUS NEWS

Friday, December 5, 2008

Page 3

Disorders: Holidays facilitate pressure, emotional challenges Continued from page 1 an unusually large amount of food quickly and to the point of physical discomfort, followed by purging or self-induced vomiting. This is done to compensate or undo the effects of binge eating. Both are triggered by an extreme concern with self-image and by the intense fear of being “fat” or becoming “fat” after eating.

The severity of both is intensified over the holiday season.

Cara Flanders, therapist in the University Counseling Center, treats students struggling with eating disorders on campus and said holidays are a challenge because students must go home and face any changes that have happened since they left for school.

“Let’s say a freshman gained weight their first semester,” she said. “They know they’re going to see old friends so they think ‘okay, I need to get this off,’

so they may experiment with some ways of doing that.”

Experiments include bringing and purging which can rapidly become a habitual cycle.

“That cycle starts to control them,” she said.

Lewis said this cycle goes unnoticed.

“I would say 10 percent of the girls on my hall struggled with some sort of eating disorder,” Lewis said. “And I’d say most RA’s have no idea.”

Going home for the holidays also means students will struggle to keep their disorders hidden from parents, said Steve Rowlands, director of the University Counseling Center.

“You can come to college and hide the stuff you’re struggling with,” Rowlands said. “But when you go home, your mom’s cooking the food you used to like and she’s wondering why you aren’t eating as much.”

Rowlands said students struggling with a disorder also are faced with any

stresses left behind when he or she went to college.

“You may go home and be confronted with some emotional things you haven’t had to deal with all semester,” he said. “There’s a correlation between these eating disorders and social pressures.”

Flanders said family stress is a primary factor, and as a result, “that disorder can be magnified.”

A student with a disorder also may struggle with the fact that food is everywhere during the holidays.

“You can’t think of any place where there’s not food,” Rowlands said. “For someone concerned about their body image or eating habits, whether it is anorexia or overeating, those are both grounds that would be challenged that time of year.”

In an article by Dr. Randy Hartman at the Center for Change, a Utah based rehabilitation center for young women struggling with eating disorders, he said the holiday

season is the worst time of the year for sufferers.

They are “trapped in the private hell of anorexia or severe bulimia. Thanksgiving and Christmas magnify all the personal demons and cause great internal pain and turmoil,” he said.

Flanders said a single bite or even the presence of food can cause such anxiety.

“Some people have an issue realizing that food is not evil,” she said. “But eating a bite of that really nice pie can trigger them to purge because they feel like they ate too much.”

Flanders said many people do not struggle with an actual eating disorder but are diagnosed with disordered eating.

According to NEDA, this is a condition that means people’s attitudes about food, weight, body size and shape may be causing them to have strict eating and exercise habits that jeopardize their health, happiness and safety.

This attitude can easily spi-

ral out of control and develop into an actual disorder.

Flanders said it is important to be aware of the differences in disordered eating and eating disorders—disordered eating may balance off after the holidays, but anorexia and bulimia are year round.

Lewis said people do not realize how many students struggle with an eating disorder on campus.

“I think since we’re on a Christian campus, a person with an eating disorder is really stigmatized,” she said.

“Being able to talk about disorders openly on this campus boils down to the fact that we have to be more loving and accepting. Then, people would be more willing to talk about it, but right now it’s so hidden and closed off.”

Late one night as the fall semester came to an end, Lewis heard a knock on the door of her third-floor hall.

She opened it to see a freshman girl sobbing.

“She told me that she was struggling with an eating disorder,” Lewis said. “She told me it was something she dealt with in the past and she thought she was doing better since coming to school, but already felt herself slipping back into it.”

Eating disorders exist on this campus, and the stresses of the holiday season have the potential to amplify their severity.

If anyone thinks he or she may be struggling with any disorder, Flanders recommends scheduling an appointment in the Counseling Center located in the basement of McKinzie Hall.

“You just have to get enough of the right factors together, and a disorder can start,” she said.

An appointment will allow a student to talk to someone, explore these factors and learn skills to handle them.

“Don’t blow it off, but don’t blow it up,” she said.

E-mail Rodriguez at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Second SpringBoard Challenge spreads entrepreneurial spirit

By Tanner Anderson Page Designer

Everyone has them, those quirky ideas that come to you instantaneously in the middle of the night. They seem so far fetched that you quickly toss them aside. With the second SpringBoard Ideas Challenge, ACU will reward students who implement these ideas with cash and an opportunity to pursue their business dreams.

Last year Ryan Stephens, senior finance major from Houston, was on his way to law school; he was studying for the LSATS and preparing for a life after ACU, but his plans changed after last year’s

Ideas Challenge. He entered a 10-page business plan that focused on linking churches together through a social network online; he described it as a Facebook for churches. The idea won first place in the student competition, and Stephens was awarded $7,500 for his effort.

In total the event awarded its participants with $30,000.

“I think SpringBoard is unique. It can truly launch you towards a person’s desires and pursuits,” Stephens said.

Stephens is now the student director of this year’s SpringBoard Ideas Challenge and currently is in preparation for setting up the event.

Due dates and specifics are

still being discussed; although the entry date for the competition has not been set, Stephens said it would not hurt if students who were interested began planning their ideas early for the competition.

“Last year I didn’t know the first thing about the business plan. The way the system is set up, the odds are set up to benefit you,” Stephens said.

While most of the competition is relatively the same, this year does have one major change. Last year the competition was only open to students and faculty enrolled in universities across Abilene.

Now the rules have changed to allow anyone who is over

the age of 18 and a resident of Abilene to participate. The competition last year had two groups ­— one for students and the other for faculty; now it has three. A community category will have two divisions: a pre-revenue division for participants who have a concept but no business and a post-revenue division for people who currently have small businesses and are looking to expand. The third category will be for students enrolled in Abilene’s universities.

Jim Porter, ACU’s entrepreneur-in-residence, said the business plan project was created for companies that have just begun a busi-

ness or have a business idea they want to pursue.

Porter created the event in order to interest students and create a renewal of the entrepreneurial spirit across Abilene.

“The event stemmed an incredible amount of interest within the Abilene community, and it went so well that we decided to open it up to the entire Taylor County,” Porter said. “This is for Abilene, and it’s just a huge thrill for us to help facilitate people’s dreams.

We don’t think that we’re the ones changing lives. We’re just creating a venue; it’s the people who participate who change them.”

To prepare for the entrepreneurial spirit, the ideas challenge will display scenarios and problems on its website and will reward students who have the best solutions with cash for the holidays.

To find out more about the SpringBoard Ideas Challenge, visit its Web site at www. springboardchallenge.com.

“This is one of the best opportunities for students and other participants to experience a real world endeavor while they’re in college,” Porter said.

E-mail Anderson at: tsa04a@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT / CAMPUS NEWS

Page 4

Friday, December 5, 2008

Hazards: Burglary, house fires pose holiday dangers Continued from page 1 “You might be driving home to Kansas, and it might be 80 degrees in Abilene but snowing in Oklahoma and Kansas,” Ellison said.

Although bad weather is a hazard, drinking and driving can have worse consequences.

“The holiday season, from Thanksgiving through New Year, is traditionally the time of year law enforcement sees the worst accidents and deaths stemming from alcohol-related impaired judgment,” according to Associated Content.

Texas leads the nation in alcohol related accidents; Texas police arrested 94,605 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics in 2007; the age group with the most DUI arrestees was the 20-to-24year-old set with almost 18,000 arrests, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

To prevent drunk driving, DPS will have all available troopers patrolling Texas roads during the Christmas weekend.

When preparing for the trip home, students need to move their bicycles inside their houses and residence hall rooms to prevent holiday thieves from snatching free gifts. Bike thefts spike during the Christmas break, Ellison said.

Vehicles also can be parked in the campus’ interior lots so they are less enticing to burglars.

“For all practical purposes, the campus is deserted for a month, and so we have less eyes and ears to report things to us,” he said.

Students with houses should lock their residences and stop their mail and newspaper deliveries if they are leaving for an extended time period.

“A three-week pile of newspapers and an oversized mailbox is like a neon sign for a burglar,” Ellison said.

Once students are home for the holidays, new safety concerns arise.

A glass of milk and a plate of cookies await Santa Claus this Christmas Eve, but the jolly man

might not make it if he cannot fit down the chimney. The best solution to avoid such a horrible hazard? Clean the chimney, removing all obstructions.

Chimneys should be inspected and cleaned every three years, said Gary Hamner, public education officer for the Abilene Fire Department.

The black carbon that accumulates in chimneys is highly flammable, and overheating a chimney can loosen bricks, allowing fire to sneak into attics and walls.

“It can become an explosive situation if bad enough,” Hamner said.

Chimney inspectors not only clean the black carbon from the chimney’s interior but also check for and remove birds’ nests and other barriers, ensuring the chimney is ready to accommodate merry Saint Nick.

During the holidays, cooking fires, candles and heating units like chimneys are always problems for the Abilene Fire Department, Hamner said.

Although red cinnamonscented candles add a festive touch, lit candles should never be left unattended.

Heating units are hazards especially for wrapping paper and Christmas trees. Central heating and air-conditioning devices dry the trees, making them more susceptible to fire.

“Christmas trees should be placed at least 6 feet from heaters and fireplaces,” Hamner said.

“Wrapping paper should never be left near space heaters.”

Tearing open presents and throwing the striped and dotted wrapping papers all over the living room floor, creating a sea of red and green, is one of the holiday’s most sacred traditions, but students should not forget the accompanying fire risks. If nothing else, think of loveable pets like Fido and Fluffy choking on discarded papers before leaving the mess cleanup for another day.

Decorating for Christmas also can generate safety risks.

“People overload their elec-

trical circuits and fall off their ladders,” Hamner said.

Shayne White, ER medical director with Abilene Regional Medical Center, said he rarely sees people who fall off ladders or roofs.

“These tend to be the worst injuries when they do happen because they can lead to broken bones and punctured lungs,” he said.

As students decorate their Christmas trees, they should keep a wary eye on grandpa’s antique Christmas ornament.

That family heirloom may contain a deadly hazard—a tetanus-infested, rusty hook.

Although sparkly, glass ornaments are a beautiful holiday addition, most boast sharp hooks that can sadden anyone’s day with an unexpected slip.

The greatest worry for most families is a burnt ham.

“We’ll see our share of cooking fires,” Hamner said.

White said holiday injuries at the ER tend to be kitchenrelated knife accidents.

“Guess nobody cooks but during the holidays,” he said.

When students carve the ham or turkey, White recommends they cut away from their body.

Family and food may be a good mixture, but fellowship should never be a distraction from a sharp knife or unattended open flame, whether on the stove or grill.

“Every year a family loses a home in Abilene,” Hamner said. “Space heaters, candles, stoves—they burn a house down every year.”

As students take full advantage of their winter break to enjoy the holidays with family and friends, they can keep these possible hazards in mind to ensure a safe and merry Christmas.

E-mail Linton at: krl04b@acu.edu

Gamma Sigma Phi, Sub T-16 claim cash prizes in ticket contest

By Heather Leiphart Student Reporter

After hours of number crunching and double-checking, the final results are in for the student organization football ticket contest. The winner of the $1,000 prize for the organization with more than 50 members that purchased the highest percentage of tickets is Gamma Sigma Phi. The winning organization with 49 members or less is Sub T-16, with a prize of $500, and the sophomores took the class division, winning $1,000 to use as they please.

“We did it to try to produce excitement for the game,” said Lynne Bruton, director of pub-

lic relations. “There were pockets of people excited, but we wanted the whole university excited about it, so that’s when we came up with the contest to get students more involved.”

The competition was divided into a student organization contest and a class contest. All student clubs and organizations formalized through Student Life could enter, and more than 20 groups participated.

The count was based on the percentage of tickets bought compared to total number of members, allowing clubs with fewer members to compete alongside larger clubs. Football ticket purchases were limited to four per person during the competition,

and only tickets purchased in advance qualified.

“We were trying to get people to the game, not necessarily to get them to buy tickets,” Bruton said. “We figured if they had tickets, they would be more likely to get to the game. We also tried to make ticket buying as easy as possible.”

During the contest, tickets were available in the Campus Center during lunch and dinner hours, residence halls and the regular location in Moody Coliseum. For the last game, tickets were available at a table during the tailgate party, and students also were able to charge the ticket to their student accounts to

help those who normally do not carry cash.

The competition definitely paid off, Bruton said. The last advanced ticket count was a record of approximately 2,800 students. About 9,000 people attended the last game, a huge number on a Thanksgiving weekend, and of all NCAA Division II football playoff games played that day, ACU had the largest crowd. Both playoff football games totaled about 20,000 people, not including visitors, she said.

The first thousand who arrived with their tickets and student IDs in hand received a free T-shirt, hot dogs, chips and a drink. Fans also won giveaways

such as pom-poms, hats, cushions and rally towels.

“I think that people were really excited about the season, and I hope part of it was because of what we tried to do,” Bruton said.

She said the social clubs were very competitive during the contest.

“Galaxy and GSP were the absolute most competitive out of everybody,” Bruton said.

“They kept coming up and asking how they were doing.”

Eric Gentry, senior Biblical text major from DeSoto and president of Gamma Sigma Phi, said GSP has a tailgate party every home football game.

“We always have a high num-

ber of guys there. It’s a cool competition, and I think it’s a good idea for the Athletic Department to try to get organizations involved,” Gentry said.

“It’s a good way to get school spirit on campus.”

He said incentives encourage participation. Taylor Sturgis, senior finance major from Plano and Galaxy president, agreed.

“With our club, there’s a lot of spirit behind the Athletic Department,” he said. “We’ve always been a staple at the football games.”

E-mail Leiphart at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

ArtsFriday

December 5, 2008

Page 5

Christmas performance lends wonder to all

By Hannah Barnes Student Writer

Photos by Jozie Sands: staff photographer

A

nyone walking through the large wooden doors of First Baptist Church Tuesday night was immediately immersed in the Christmas spirit created by the extravagant Christmas Vespers performance sponsored by the ACU Music Department.

The actual concert began at 8:15 p.m., but a musical prelude began at 8 o’clock. This prelude had several classical pieces performed by guest organist Wes Gomer, by harpist Julie Eichelberger and finally by the ACU Orchestra. The prelude music set the stage for the practically unimaginable wonders of the rest of the evening’s performance.

After giving a warm welcome, Dr. Jack Reese, dean of the College of Biblical Studies, promised enduring the postChristmas parade traffic would be well worth the audience’s time once the concert began.

Needless to say, it was worth the wait.

The audience was asked to stand for the bidding prayer; after the prayer, ACU’s A Cappella chorus lined the walls of the sanctuary, beginning in the back and making its way to the front, as singers sang O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

The audience, stunned and

Above: Stephen Ward directs the ACU orchestra and guest violinist John Madura in their rendition of The Lark Ascending. Top Right: The University Chorale performs Candlelight Carol. Right: Julie Eichelberger, junior music major from Houston, performs Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring on the harp. moved by the first performance, was asked to sit, and the rest of the concert continued to unfold beautifully.

Several readings from the Old and New Testaments were made as a quiet invitation for the audience to an openness

with God. Between each reading, performances, such as Candlelight Carol sung by the University Chorale and I Saw Three Ships sung by the A Cappella Chorus, drifted through the church. Along with specialty songs, several hymns were

performed, and the audience was asked to join in the classic Christmas carols.

Although the concert involved mainly ACU performers, several guests participated. Violin soloist John Madura plays with the Abilene Philharmonic

and is the Principle Violin of the Midland Symphony.

Greg Straughn, chair of the Music Department, said Madura was amazing. Besides Madura, Wes Gomer from McMurry University played wonderfully on the

Christmas in coffee shops helps alleviate study woes

By Sara Snelson Student Writer

Caffeine.

It’s what keeps the student body awake and going during finals week. For me, fall finals are always the hardest to study because they fall during the Christmas season.

And I would much rather be listening to Christmas music or watching Elf than studying for multiple tests. But at least a hot seasonal drink, Christmas music and a festive atmosphere can make the reading, writing and memorizing somewhat more enjoyable.

Going to the library to study all the time can become tiresome. Walking into a coffee shop has a different feeling to it, especially during Christmas. The decorations, smells and sounds make it a more enjoyable and soothing place to comfortably sit, and in a way, it allows you to enjoy what you are doing, even if it is homework.

Most coffee and Internet shops in Abilene have prepared seasonal drinks and put up tinsel, lights, trees and holly to further deck the halls for their customers.

Beginning with the most famous: Starbucks. Located on South 14th Street and Buffalo Gap Road, both are

decorated with red, green, silver and gold (which is the color of the Christmas Blend packaging) in order to enhance the spirit. Sometimes it can get too crowded to actually focus and study, but it definitely has a good holiday atmosphere. No need to bring headphones; Christmas music already is playing. This season its three signature drinks are a peppermint twist mocha, espresso truffle and gingersnap latte.

From now until Jan. 2, 2009, for every signature drink that is bought, Starbucks will give five cents to the global fund to save lives in Africa. The Starbucks in the Brown Library also is serving seasonal drinks and will be open through finals week. Although the library is staying open until 3 a.m., Starbucks still is closing at midnight.

Tuscany’s Coffee Shop, which attracts many university students, is offering holiday drinks as well — three different lattes, six different hot chocolates, caramel apple cider and cranberry cinnamon cider. It may be plentiful in drink options but it is lacking on Christmas decorations. Unlike Starbucks, Tuscany’s has a rather large food menu. Tuscany’s is a good place to study

Jozie Sands :: staff photographer

Tuscany’s Coffee Shop, located on South 1st Street, serves several different holiday drinks such as the white chocolate peppermint mocha pictured here. and has free Internet access.

It also boasts live music on Thursday nights.

Java City, which tends to

be a quieter place to study, also is doing something similar to Starbucks. If you buy a bag of its holiday blend or

ginger bread, proceeds fund a better life for Finca Oriflama, which is its partner coffee farm in Guatemala.

The new place in town is Brew.Net, conveniently located by ACU and in front of the Wal-Mart Supercenter. Because it just opened several weeks ago, it does not have an entire line of seasonal drinks. However, it does offer a toasted marshmallow latte with cinnamon and peppermint syrup for any drink.

The shop is decorated with Christmas trees and table centerpieces. Music and a TV is always on for background noise, but the intent of the shop is to keep fairly quiet for students to study — which is good for finals week. So try it out.

Finals are dreaded by all, but why not make the most of studying and go to a coffee shop while getting into the Christmas spirit at the same time? The atmosphere is jolly, the holiday drinks only come once a year and the music will make spirits bright. But do not forget, studying has to get done at some point.

E-mail Snelson at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

organ, as did guest Dan Mitchell on the guitar.

Another aspect that added immeasurable depth to the concert was the fact the performers utilized facilities which were unavailable last year. The use of the organ and balcony created something very special during the event; the organ was played beautifully throughout, and the heavenly voices of the A Cappella chorus rang through the church when the singers took their places on the balcony above the audience.

Straughn said he was proud of the excellent turnout for the event, which was the second annual Christmas Vespers.

“There was a fantastic crowd.

The organ was awesome, the violinist amazing. Everything was picture perfect,” Straughn said.

Straughn said several audience members told him how the entire show was a great blessing.

Dr. Steven Ward, associate professor of music and director of bands, agreed.

“Everyone did a fantastic job,” Ward said. “It was very meaningful to me.”

E-mail Barnes at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Music SCEne n Friday, Dec. 5: The Annual Art+Craft Fair: Rock, Paper, Scissors will take place in the Living Room this Friday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Peter and the Wolf will perform, and the event will feature student artwork for sale. n Friday, Dec. 5: The ACU Department of Music presents the 2008-09 Faculty Art Series, featuring Samuel Cook, tenor and associate professor of music. Cook, who performed traditional Christmas favorites with the ACU Jazz Combo, will perform works by Bizet, Strauss and Bellini. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. in the Williams Performing Arts Recital Hall, and admission is free.

ABILENE ARTS n Thursday- Saturday, Dec. 6: The ACU Department of Theatre presents Carson McCuller’s The Member of the Wedding, the story of a precocious 12-year-old girl who wants to break free from her small town life. Performances will begin at 8 p.m. in Fulks Theatre. n Thursday, Dec. 11: The Center for Contemporary Arts presents City Lights ArtWalk downtown, as well as performances by the Aldersgate Handbell and Vocal Choirs and Abilene High School Theatre Department at the center.

ViewsFriday

Page 6

December 5, 2008

General goodwill should transcend cultural Christmas differences

C

hristmas in America has become a close showdown between Jesus Christ and Santa Claus.

The bombardment in the media about the jolly, old man delivering his presents often overshadows the original purpose of the holiday: celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

However, the situation could be worse; in Belgium, Jesus does not have one, but three notorious competitors.

In Wallonia, the Frenchspeaking part of Belgium, Santa Claus is called “Père Noël” — Father Christmas. Before delivering the presents, he visits his companion Père Fouettard — Whipping Father — and asks him which child has been nice and which has been naughty.

In Flanders, the Dutchspeaking part of the country, St. Nicholas is the one who

“

...the positive spirit of Christmas also reaches to countries not founded on Christian roots.

has the duty of visiting the children, twice. The first time he finds out if they deserve presents, and the second time he brings candy and toys for the good kids and leaves only twigs for the others.

Interestingly, the name “Santa Claus” was imported to the United States by the Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam; it comes from the phonetic alteration of the name “St. Nicholas” from the Dutch “Sinterklaas” and the German “Sankt Klaus.”

Christmas traditions vary from country to country, especially in Europe, a con-

”

tinent filled with diverse Christian backgrounds.

In Italy, households prepare a large, ornamental bowl called “Urn of Fate” that holds presents for everyone. Each member of the family takes his or her turn at drawing from the bowl until everyone finds a gift.

In France, families typically set up a nativity scene, or “crèche,” peopled with clay figures called “santons.” The French also bake Yule-log cakes — “bûches de Noël” — that they decorate and eat during Christmas dinner — “Réveillon.”

In Ukraine, finding a spider web on Christmas morning brings luck. The tradition comes from a popular tale of a widow who was too poor to afford decorations for her children’s Christmas tree. On Christmas morning she found spiders had spun a web around the tree, and when her youngest child opened the window, the first sunshine that touched the web turned the whole thread into silver and gold.

Fortunately, the positive spirit of Christmas also reaches to countries not founded on Christian roots.

In Bangladesh, Muslims make up about 90 percent of the population; still, Christmas is called “Bara Din” — the Big Day. In villages, men traditionally cut banana trees to replant them along the paths to

The issue:

Christmas, originally a religious holiday, has spread worldwide and adopted some nonreligious traditions.

Our view:

The Christmas season brings general positivity, regardless of religious affiliations of the celebrators.

The solution:

Regardless of individuals’ “reason for the season,” Christmastime should inspire goodwill and charity.

churches; they also bend the leaves over the paths to form arches. They plant bamboo poles with a hole pierced at the top and fill it with oil. When they light up the holes, it illuminates the way to church.

In India, Christians from the plains use banana or mango trees as Christmas trees and sometimes adorn their homes with mango leaves.

Christians traditionally give

presents to friends and family but also “baksheesh,” or charity, to the poor.

Whether people emphasize the religious side of Christmas does not really matter; it must remain a time of celebration where we give — and receive — joy, and where presents and other symbols are secondary.

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

Diligent students deserve option to exempt finals A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a girl. This girl was a good student, and since she wanted to get ahead, she took dual-credit classes at a community college to get rid of those bothersome geYour (A)Typical neric education classes Coffee Addict universities

By Lydia always seem Melby to be forcing on you. The classes she took were sometimes interesting, sometimes tedious, but the girl’s favorite thing about the college was its policy of rewarding students who worked hard.

Come finals week, most of the professors allowed any student with an average of 93 percent or higher to be exempt from the final and begin his or her Christmas break early. This policy delighted the girl each time mention of it appeared in a syllabus, and she jealously watched her grades in the courses in order to avoid that miserable finals week.

The problem was, the girl forgot she was taking classes in a galaxy far, far away from her future alma mater. She naively assumed every university operated on such reasonable standards.

Needless to say, this girl’s first semester at ACU was a sad one when she realized she would be subjected to finals week along with everyone else, no matter what amount of effort she put into her courses. So now at the end of each semester, the girl puts her head down and grinds away on a diet

Christians should offer support, not disdain I got the call two weeks ago that a close friend from high school had committed suicide. That Friday at the funeral back home, I walked into an auditorium filled with people, more than I have ever known in my lifetime. My late friend, who Self was in the Examination room but no

By Ryan Self longer with us, could not have seen the enormous outpouring of sadness over her decision to take her life.

It’s only natural that when you leave a funeral, especially one involving suicide, you begin to evaluate your life. My friend was someone who had

always looked out for those who were lonely and forgotten. She always was the first one to include others and the last to laugh at another’s expense. When I looked around the room and saw all the people with whom I had gone to high school and junior high, I couldn’t help but be humbled.

Would this many people show up for my funeral? Some of the faces in the crowd I know I had made fun of in the past, I know I had put them down during my days in high school.

She hadn’t; she had found a way to love almost everyone.

My friend always had been a great source of encouragement; I don’t know how she got so discouraged herself. The experience made me wonder how many people around me are suffering with depression or any number of problems that

Letter to the Editor Collegiate endorsement reactions reflect conflict in professional realm Thomas Jefferson believed in a free press, calling it “the only security of all” and crucial to a healthy democracy. To Lafayette in 1823 he said: “The agitation it produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure.”

Following the Optimist’s

Oct. 24 presidential endorsement, the editorial board witnessed firsthand what happens when journalists do their job correctly: Agitation.

Despite knowing its endorsement would receive an icy reception at best, this year’s Optimist staff bravely presented its views. They

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

come with day-to-day life. How many people have I passed who simply needed a word of encouragement? How many people am I passing who just need someone to listen?

This semester I realized so many people around me are struggling with any number of issues. I have seen many “cardboard testimonials” at various churches where people, many of whom I thought lead near perfect lives, came forward to reveal things they have struggled or are currently struggling with everyday. It’s powerful. It’s also eye-opening to just know how many people I bump into on a daily basis who are silently suffering through their pain.

A Christian university like ACU should be the last place where people are put down or rejected. As Christians, we are called to be the “hands

and feet” of Jesus, but too often we are the hands and feet that kick each other down instead of lifting one another up. There never exists an appropriate time to degrade another person, be they of a different race, religion, political affiliation or social club.

That’s not who we have been called to be. We should be the first ones to show Jesus through our actions.

If you are suffering with depression or thoughts of suicide, get help, reach out. If someone around you seems lost or you sense something is wrong, be there for them. I know after my experience with my late friend I will think twice about putting someone down when I should be offering a listening ear.

demonstrated precisely the values that keep newspapers vital to readers — our diligent attempts to be credible, educational and truthful.

The Optimist’s staffers have the fortune of putting these values into practice very early in their careers. ACU’s student newspaper is a microcosm of the larger world, a hothouse for the art and business of journalism. Seasoned Christian professionals guide students through the oftensticky journalistic situations, to help them prepare for the rough waters awaiting them in their careers.

Fortunately, Dr. Royce Money has always treated the Optimist as a professional paper, giving students the freedom to make their own reasonable editorial decisions and working with them, rather than against them, to create a paper of which students, faculty and alumni can be proud.

We carry these values with us, no matter where we go, long after we graduate. It is a bond that extends far beyond borders.

Some of us live in countries that do not enjoy the protection of the First Amendment. Some of us

E-mail Self at: rcs06g@acu.edu

Optimist the

Published by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Newsroom: (325) 674-2439

Sports desk: (325) 674-2499

deal daily with compromises that erode the courage of our convictions. But we can look back with a deep sense of pride at the newsroom where we learned to handle differences of opinion with grace, never condemning people for voicing their beliefs.

As ladies and gentlemen of the press, Christians or otherwise, we continue to roll with potential criticism.

We continue daily the very process of coming to grips with our work: debate at its purest, agitation at its worst, democracy at its finest.

As alumni of the ACU

of coffee and energy drinks, but still she dreams of a time when good triumphed over evil and hard work was rewarded with more than just a report card.

As we all head into finals week with mutual feelings of suffocating dread and hope for a light at the end of the week, I still wonder why all universities don’t follow such a simple, reasonable policy. If students have exerted themselves all semester and put forth enough effort to have an average of 93 percent or higher, why subject them to a final test that accomplishes little except making them more stressed?

Surely not for the purpose of seeing how much they learned, since most would agree one solitary test is a poor gauge of the amount of actual learning. Most students will not even learn more as a result of studying for finals week, since all the tests occur in the same week and leave little time for more than cramming. And frankly, I think promising a finals exemption as a reward for real effort would drastically increase the amount of quality work throughout the semester, not just toward the end.

So the real question is, why wouldn’t our prestigious university put such a policy into place? Exempting those with a high grade average from the ensuing final would be reasonable and rewarding and is something I would love to see this progressive university consider.

After all, if a little community college can do it, surely the great ACU can too.

E-mail Melby at: lgm05e@acu.edu

journalism department, we couldn’t be more proud of the current Optimist editorial board.

Sharla (Stephens, ‘94) Green Optimist Editor-in-Chief, 1993-94 Dallas Serene Goh, ‘94 Optimist Managing Editor, 1993 -94 Singapore Deana (Hamby, ‘93) Nall Optimist Managing Editor, 1992-93 Little Rock, Ark. J. Richard Stevens ‘96 Optimist Opinion Editor 1993 Boulder, Colo.

Editorial and Management Board Laura Acuff

Grant Abston

Editor in Chief

Opinion Page Editor

Sports Editor

Michael Freeman

Daniel Johnson-Kim

Cody Veteto

Kenneth Pybus

Chief Videographer

Adviser

DeLaina Parker

Cade White

Zak Zeinert

Lydia Melby

Managing Editor

Chief Photographer

Arts Editor

Broadcast Manager

Sommerly Simser

Colter Hettich Features Editor

Kelline Linton

Molly Byrd

Mult. Managing Editor

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Chief Copy Editor

Multimedia desk: (325) 674-2463

Page 2 Editor

Subscriptions ($40/academic year): (325) 674-2296

Adviser

Christi Stark Advertising Manager

E-mail: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT / SPORTS JUMPS

Friday, December 5, 2008

Page 7

Football: Players earn honors after monumental season Continued from page 8 cornerbacks Alex Harbison and Craig Harris and safety Nick Fellows earned secondteam honors, while linebacker Eric Edwards and cornerback Drew Cuffee earned honorable mention honors.

In addition to the all-conference honors, Whiteside earned co-Defensive Lineman of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. Washington earned Offensive Lineman of the year and Scott earned Offensive Back of the Year. Coach Thomsen also earned Coach of the Year honors in just his fourth season at ACU while leading the Wildcats to their third-straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

Much of ACU’s offensive success can be attributed to the offensive line, which had three first-team selections (Collins, Thompson, Washington) as well two second-team selections (Tubbs and Turner). The offensive line helped the Wildcats lead Division II in points, points per game, total yards, and yards per game while allowing just eight sacks all season. In addition to being first-team all-LSC selections, Collins, Thompson and Washington were also voted to the Daktronics all-Super Region 4 team. Scott and Knox join Collins for the second year in a row as first-team selections while adams and Whiteside were also first-team selections.

Malone and Kern earned sec-

ond-team honors.

Malone finished his ACU career as the LSC and ACU alltime leader in completions, attempts, yards, touchdown passes, completion percentage, total offensive yards and total offensive yards a game.

He is the only quarterback in school history to lead the Wildcats to the NCAA Division II Playoffs and finished the season with 3,213 passing yards and 36 touchdowns while rushing for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

“Watching his development as a player and as a person is awesome,” Thomsen said.

“I’ve learned a lot through him actually, and a coach learns a lot through their players, and

I’ve probably learned as much from Billy as any player I have ever coached. I have great admiration and respect for him as a man and a player and I’m grateful for what he has done for our program.”

Scott, one of three finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the top player in Division II, finishes his two-year career as arguably the best back in school history. Scott finished with 2,156 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns this season and caught 47 passes for 826 yards and six touchdowns. Scott rushed for over 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown in all but one game in his ACU career. Scott rushed for 4,321 yards and ac-

cumulated 5,712 all-purpose yards and scored 73 touchdowns in just two seasons.

“He has an outstanding chance to win the Harlon Hill, and I would be shocked if he doesn’t win it,” Thomsen said.

“It would be great to bring the trophy home to ACU because we have never had one.”

Adams finishes his career as the conference and ACU record holder in PATs (213), PAT attempts (222) and kicking points (339). His 117 kicking points this season is the new LSC and ACU single-season record.

Knox finishes his career ranking in the top 10 in receptions and yards and is ACU’s all-time leader in touchdown catches.

In his two-year career, Knox

caught 118 passes for 2,227 yards and 30 touchdowns.

After one of the most successful season in school history, the Wildcats will lose some of the top players in ACU and LSC history. However, expectations will remain high despite losing 11 starters, and the Wildcats will look to challenge for another LSC title.

“We have a really strong core of returning players and obviously we have to recruit well and fill some holes,” Thomsen said. “There’s a lot of good core players returning, and we will build on where we are and challenge for another conference and national championship.”

E-mail Abston at: gda04b@acu.edu

Noose: Police look Homestand: Team prepares for weekend for leads, closure Continued from page 8

Continued from page 1 Although there are no breaks in the case, Watkins said he decided not to dwell on the incident, and based on his observations, most of the ACU community has followed suit.

“I didn’t want it to be the focus of the semester. It’s been good to me that my friends and people around haven’t been harping on it all semester,” said Watkins, senior political science major from Fredricksburg, Va. “[The response] has been, ‘This isn’t who we are.

Let’s move forward…and not live in the past.’”

Watkins said he appreciated the caring response the student body, alumni and President Dr. Royce Money made.

He said he also was grateful for the support he received shortly after the incident.

“Two weeks after the noose happened, I broke my leg,” Watkins said. “As far as SA goes, that was a bigger blow than the noose incident.”

Watkins broke his right foot, ankle and leg in a flag football accident that sidelined him for almost four weeks. A week later, he had to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

“It was a really stressful four weeks,” Watkins said.

The Students’ Association continued with its weekly meetings, and Sarah Pulis,

senior political science major from Longview and Students’ Association Vice President, presided over the meetings in Watkins’ absence. For Watkins, the semester has been atypical, but for the ACU Police Department, the semester has been similar to those in the past; crime statistics have not yielded any surprises other than the Sept. 3 incident.

“This was an isolated incident,” Ellison said. “We have not had anything like that prior to this incident and thus far we haven’t had anything since then. In trying to find positives to point out, I think that’s a positive. The reason why it was so outrageous and so appalling is because things like that typically don’t happen on our campus.”

Ellison said he still is hopeful new information will surface for the ACU Police Department to investigate.

“Someone out there knows something,” Ellison said. “What we’d like to see happen is for someone who does know something to step forward and bring us that information, and by bringing us that information, conceivably giving us what we need in getting this case closed out for everyone involved.”

E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu

BCS: Playoff format could solve problem Continued from page 8 a tiebreaker? Possibly. The one thing that is certain is that every Texas, or even Tech fan for that matter, is not satisfied with the system, but then again OU fans can’t be either. Who can be satisfied with a system that rewards bad sportsmanship and mudslinging and requires computer formulas even my accountant can’t tackle to decide which team is the best?

Even President-elect Barack Obama has called for a change in the college football format in recent weeks. Now that is change even I can believe in.

Until we have a playoff system of some sort in college football, the bantering and controversy will continue. Then again, isn’t that what makes this sport so appealing?

E-mail Harris at: tch05f@acu.edu

Savage Storm are anchored by their starting center Destiny Brown. Brown enters the game leading her squad in scoring with 12.5 points per game and rebounding with 8.2 rebounds per game.

Wildcats’ center Audrey Maxwell-Lively will have to guard Brown and describes her as a talented and versatile player.

“She’s very strong and versatile, and will do whatever it takes to score,” Maxwell-Lively said.

Southeastern Oklahoma is not the only team with tremendous talent at the post position. Lively should

provide a challenge to the Savage Storm defenders as well. So far this year, Lively is living up to her billing as an all-conference player by averaging a double-double, scoring 16.3 points and grabbing 10.5 rebounds per game. The senior center and Abilene native says it is vital for her team to play their game and not get trapped in Southeastern Oklahoma’s game plan.

“The biggest thing we have to do against Southeastern Oklahoma is get it together and work as a team,” Maxwell-Lively said. “We can’t get caught up in what our opponent is doing.”

After their Saturday showdown against the Storm, the Wildcats will take a day off before they tip off against the Tigers from East Central. The Tigers will present a challenge quite different from the Savage Storm and feature Laura Harris, a 5’-7” guard averaging 14 points per game. Coach Lavender looks forward to the challenge presented by ECU. “ECU plays a different style of basketball, and they have a lot of new players,” Lavender said. “Their coach has been there for a long time and he always puts good teams on the floor.”

The two games will be ACU’s first LSC opponents

of the year. Even though these two teams are from the North Division, the games are important for the Wildcats who are looking for a streak to build on.

Coach Lavender feels these two games this weekend will serve as a good measuring stick to see where her team is at.

“I really think these games will be great tests for where we stack up and see what areas we need to work on, especially on our mental focus,” Lavender said.

E-mail Craig at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Finals: Dead day offers opportunity for studying Continued from page 1 could prove to be a lucky break for many students. Although study habits are as varied as the student body, procrastination often seems to be high on the list.

“I feel lucky that I’ll be done with finals on Tuesday,” said Chase Fickessen,

senior criminal justice major from Abilene. “It’ll be less stressful to get everything out of the way up front.”

Sanchez said he prefers not to cram right before a test; instead, he reads or plays games on his phone to relax.

“If I’m flipping out about the test, I’m not going to do well at all and I’m not going

to find any new or useful information in those last 15 minutes,” he said.

Monday, or Dead Day, as in the past, will be utilized by students and faculty to prepare for testing. Many professors use this day to allow students to make up missed tests or assignments. Of course, students with Monday night

classes will have their exams during their regularly scheduled class time, according to the Registrar’s Web site.

All final exam schedules can be found on the ACU Web site, http://www.acu.edu/campusoffices/registrar/finalexams/.

E-mail Craig at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

SportsFriday

Page 8

December 5, 2008

SCOREBOARD

Football team represents well in postseason awards

Standings

By Grant Abston

Football Team ACU WTAMU Tarleton St. TAMU-K MSU Angelo St. ENMU

Div. 6-0 5-1 3-3 3-3 3-3 1-5 0-6

Overall 11-1 11-2 8-3 7-4 6-4 3-8 2-9

Men’s Basketball Team Angelo St. WTAMU Tarleton St. TAMU-K MSU ACU ENMU

Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Overall 4-0 4-1 4-2 4-2 3-3 2-3 2-3

Women’s Basketball Team WTAMU ENMU Tarleton St. ACU Angelo St. TAMU-K MSU

Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Sports Editor

The 2008 football season ended with a loss in the third round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, but it will be remembered as one of the most successful in ACU’s history as the Wildcats earned their first outright Lone Star Conference championship since 1973 and finished a perfect 10-0 regular season for the second time in school history.

The Wildcats reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals for the first time in school history after winning the LSC championship and earning a first-found bye.

The Wildcats defeated West Texas A&M 93-68 in the second round, setting an NCAA record for points scored in a playoff game to advance be-

Football

acuoptimist.com Go online to see highlights of ACU’s playoff loss to Northwest Missouri State

fore falling 45-36 to Northwest Missouri State. In addition to winning the LSC, the Wildcats had a school-record 16 players honored on the all-LSC South Division first team and another school-record 25 players on the 2008 all-LSC South team.

“It’s great for our guys and it was a lot of hard work, and when that hard work gets validated, [it’s great],” said head coach Chris Thomsen.

“Hopefully we have some all-

American players, and I feel we will.”

On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Billy Malone, running back Bernard Scott, fullback Emery Dudensing, wide receivers Johnny Knox and Edmund Gates, tight ends Kendrick Holloway and Trey Simeone, guard Joseph Thompson, tackle Tony Washington, center Sam Collins and placekicker Matt Adams earned first-team honors.

Defensively, linebackers Fred Thompson and Mike Kern, defensive ends Aston Whiteside and Vantrise Studivant and safety Tony Harp earned first-team honors.

Wide receiver Jonathan Ferguson, guard Royland Tubbs, tackle Trevis Turner, linebacker Bryson Lewis, See

Football page 7

Cats come up short

Overall 5-0 5-2 4-2 2-2 3-4 2-3 1-4

Scores Saturday Football NWMSU 45, ACU 36

Tuesday Men’s Basketball Dallas Baptist 77, ACU 65

Upcoming Saturday Women’s Basketball ACU vs. SE Oklahoma St., 2 p.m.

Men’s Basketball ACU vs. SE Oklahoma St., 4 p.m.

Monday Women’s Basketball ACU vs. East Central, 6 p.m.

Men’s Basketball ACU vs. East Central, 8 p.m. :: Home games listed in italics

NOTES n Wide receiver Johnny Knox was one of nine Wildcats voted to the Daktronics all-Super Knox Region 4 team. Joining Knox on the first team were running back Bernard Scott, offensive lineman Sam Collins, Joseph Thompson and Tony Washington, placekicker Matt Adams and defensive end Aston Whiteside. Knox, Collins and Scott are all repeat first-team selections. Quarterback Billy Malone and linebacker Mike Kern earned second-team honors. n The ACU women’s basketball team has added another player for the 2009-10 season.

Forward Emily Miller from Southwest Christian School in Fort Worth signed a binding national letter-of-intent with the Wildcats Wednesday.

Miller, a two-year captain, is a four-year letterwinner at Southwest Christian and averaged 20.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 3.3 blocks per game last season. n Voting has concluded for the NCAA Division II College Player of the Year Award, the Harlon Hill Trophy, but results will not be announced until Dec. 12 at the Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet.

Running back Bernard Scott, the runner-up for the award in 2007, will join quarterback A.J. Milwee of the University of North Alabama and quarterback Mike Reilly of Central Washington University.

Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Running back Bernard Scott makes a run in ACU’s 93-68 playoff win over West Texas A&M. Scott is one of three finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy.

Emily Jorgenson :: staff photographer Guard Dustin Heiman defends a Hillsdale Free Will Baptist player Nov. 17. The Wildcats are 2-3 overall after losing to Dallas Baptist 77-65 and now will get ready for a three-game homestand beginning on Saturday.

Wildcats fall to 2-3 overall after loss to DBU

By Ryan Cantrell Sports Writer

The men’s basketball team returns home for a pair of games and will play Southeastern Oklahoma State University Saturday at 4 p.m. The Wildcats are looking to improve

Basketball dallas baptist 77, acu 65 their record as they have struggled to a 2-3 start. They will have a quick turnaround, playing another game Monday night at 8 p.m. against East Central University.

The Wildcats lost to the Dallas Baptist Patriots on Tuesday 77-65. ACU had two players in double figures and struggled shooting, making just 18.2 percent from beyond the three-point line. They also had 27 turnovers in the game, nearly 10

more turnovers than their average per game. This was the team’s second loss to DBU and dropped the Wildcats to 2-3.

“Defensively, we did better,” said head coach Jason Copeland. “What sticks out to me is the fact that we had 27 turnovers and shot four of 22 from the threepoint line. We are not going to win many games doing those two things.”

The team is looking to turn things around against a struggling Southeastern Oklahoma State team, which has begun the season 0-6.

The Savage Storm is looking for its first win on the year and has fallen short in its last three games by a combined seven points.

The Storm is led by William Slones, who is averaging 14.8 points per game. The Wildcats will look to continue to improve on defensive and eliminate turnovers against SE Oklahoma St. Monday night, they will tip off against the Tigers of East Central University. The Tigers have gotten off to a 1-2 start this season. The Wildcats and Tigers both have played Dallas Baptist.

The Patriots defeated the Tigers 125-111. ACU held this same team to 77 points with its strong defense. The Tigers have struggled defensively, giving up more than 124 points per game. Justin Wilkerson and Wes Badley, who are averaging 17.5 and 17 points per game respectively, lead East Central.

These games begin Lone Star Conference play. The Wildcats are projected to finish third in the South Division of the conference.

Copeland is just looking to improve and get ready for division play.

“We are getting into conference play, and it is a little more hard-nose style of play,” Copeland said. “Right now we are just focused on getting better every game more than really who we are playing.”

E-mail Cantrell at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu

ACU begins three-game homestand Saturday Basketball

By Jeff Craig Sports Writer

Jozie Sands :: staff photographer Center Audrey Maxwell-Lively posts up a defender in a scrimmage against McMurry University. The Wildcats face their first LSC opponent this weekend.

The women’s basketball team will face off against two Lone Star Conference North Division teams this weekend and look to improve on their 2-2 record.

The Wildcats play the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm (4-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m. to begin a three-game homestand, and will then play the undefeated East Central Tigers (3-0) Monday at 6 p.m. ACU is coming off an impressive come-from-behind 50-43 win over Texas-Permian Basin, and head coach Shawna Lav-

ender wants to see her team build off that momentum.

“I think we’ve had a good week of practice; the girls are really excited to get back on the floor after having not played in a week,” Lavender said. “Hopefully, we can carry over some momentum after our come-from-behind win against Permian Basin.”

The Wildcats’ first test against Southeastern Oklahoma could prove to be an up-tempo affair. The Savage Storm are a fast, athletic and scrappy team, Lavender said.

She said her girls will have to keep their track shoes on against the Storm.

Despite their speed, the See

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Big 12 stirs yet another BCS debate Unless you have been in hibernation for the past two months, then you probably have heard about the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) c o n troversies, once again. This year the main controversy Thoughts From isn’t even the Bleachers about who

By Chandler is No. 1 or No. 2, but Harris rather who is ranked highest among three Big 12 South teams and will get the chance to play in the Big 12 Championship.

The merry-go-round of superiority began in October with Texas’ 45-35 victory over then No. 1 ranked Oklahoma. Texas then had its moment in the spotlight for three weeks until it traveled to Lubbock, where the upstart Red Raiders burst onto the national scene with a 39-33 win over the Longhorns, vaulting them to No. 2 in the polls. Just two weeks later, the Big 12’s worst-case scenario happened: Oklahoma demolished Tech 65-21, sending the three teams into a three-way tie with one week remaining. The tiebreak in such a situation goes to the team with the highest ranking in the BCS. Uh oh.

Last week, each team took care of business and did its share of politicking as well. Students at Texas created a campaign to remind voters of its 4535 head-to-head victory against OU, while Sooners’ coach Bob Stoops reminded voters that OU had just beaten the No. 2 and No. 12 teams, scoring 60 points in each matchup. Tech head coach Mike Leach tried creativity and said the tie should go to the school with the highest graduation rate, Texas Tech.

I give credit to all of the students at Texas for their hard work and dedication because they did make a difference. The Associated Press voters moved Texas above Oklahoma in their poll, and I’m sure the head-to-head reminder had something to do with it. Despite this, Oklahoma vaulted Texas in the BCS with the help of six computer formulas and will play in the Big 12 Championship on Saturday with a berth to the BCS National Championship on the line.

Is it fair? No. Is there a better way to determine See

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