OPTIMIST
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A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
Volume CVIII, Issue XVIII
Friday February 1, 2019
News
Sports
The SRWC introduced a new barre workout class taught by Lily Balough. The Financial Aid Office is hosting a scholarship workshop for undergraduate students..................................................Page 2
Jalone, Jaylen and Jaren have been starting since their first years on the men’s basketball team. Now as upperclassmen, they lead the team on the scoreboard......................................................................Page 6
F S S M T
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Feature Jessica Jackson opened the doors of Betty & June seven years ago. Now, it’s become a staple of downtown Abilene and the college experience..........................................................Page 4
Photo by RILEY FISHER | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Sophomore Caroline Fairly in the Bean’s cooking class on Wednesay. CAMPUS NEWS
SGA allocates $5,000 less than fall semester LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Student Government Association passed the spring semester budget, allocating $45,000 to 67 organizations. Forty-five members voted in favor, and one opposed. “I’m really pleased,” said Colton Powell, SGA executive treasurer. “There was not any debate; it passed almost unanimously. I think that says a lot about how well the student organizations spend their money and how well they’ve done. I think it’s a pretty fair budget.” The total amount requested was $94,898.51 ($30,500.96 less than last semester), and 47.42 percent was covered. The average allocated grant was $1,459.98 ($765.54 more than last semester) and the median was $850.00. In the fall, SGA allocated
$50,000 to 72 student organizations, more money than any allocation in the past semesters. The eight organizations that did not request spring funding were: ACU National Society Of Black Engineers, Ad/PR Association, Block and Bridle, Divine Essence, Omega Dance Company, Red Thread, Society of Professional Journalists and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Nine organizations received 100 percent of their request: Big Purple Marching Band, BioBuds, Biology Research, Missions Student Association, Student Social Work Association, Weekend Campaigns, Wildcat Reign, Wildcats for Sustainability and Alpha Chi Honors Society. “We gave less than last semester because on average if you look at the numbers, student organizations spend less in the spring semester
than in the fall semester,” Powell said. “We have a certain budget in the office, and we’re giving more to student organizations than ever before.” Collegiate Entrepreneurs Association, despite typically being the most funded organization, ranked second after the Office of Multicultural Affairs, receiving $5,446.81. OMA received $8,106.94 divided into six subgroups: African Students Association received $797.12, Black Students Union received $1,985.53, Hispanos Unidos received $867.26, International Students Association received $3,423.95, Chinese Scholars and Students Association received $473.30 and Third Culture Kids received $559.78. Powell said the organizations were funded under the same branch, OMA, because there were many events in-
volving multiple groups. “Instead of having to decide exactly how much money we’re going to give each of those organizations, we added up what they would be getting and put it into one lump sum,” Powell said. “We’re letting OMA decide how much money is going to be allocated for each of those organizations. We think by doing this, we were going to maximize their spending efficiency and be easier for them and give them a lot more flexibility.” The Student Panel of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) received the third highest allocation at $2,339.38. Fourth highest was FilmFest at $2,200, and fifth was the Shinnery Review at $1,477.38. Last semester, about 88 percent ($44,000) of all funds were spent compared to 78 percent the fall
before. Powell and Kevin Shurtz, the chief financial officer of SGA, created a new system to allocate funds based on members, campus involvement and how much each group makes a name for ACU outside of the university. “We’re looking forward to a good year and the big thing is we’re hoping that we show the numbers in the be-
ginning as how much more efficiently spent the money was last semester than it was in the fall semester of 2017. Organizations are spending a lot better and we thing that has to do with the process we’ve put into place and we hope we continue to see that,” Powell said. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes with no amendments.
Junior Sing Song act disbanded after members drop out LAUREN FRANCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
For the first time in Sing Song history, a class act, the Juniors, was disbanded. The directors, Audrey Linder, junior nursing major from Amarillo, and Elizabeth Coates, junior psychology major from Round Rock, told their act via email on Jan. 25 that it would be in the best interest of all to cut the program. “Thank you both for your time and working with us,”
they said in the email. “We are very saddened by the outcome as we both have a huge spot in our hearts for Sing Song and Student Productions.” In the fall, the act met the 25-member minimum, but as time went on, the group had a continuous flow of people dropping out, said Nick Tatum, director of student productions. “We gave them permission to drop out and encouraged the people to enjoy other acts,” Tatum said. Even though this is the
first year an act has been disbanded, Tatum said he thinks student productions should continue approaching class acts in the same way. “If there reaches a point where groups don’t feel proud of what they think the final product should be, we should always be willing to reevaluate for the sake of the students and the show,” Tatum said. Linder said the act’s music was composed with finalized lyrics, the set design was thought up, costume
prototypes were made and they were in the process of learning music. “Sometimes things are out of your control but that doesn’t mean Sing Song isn’t a great time,” Coates said. “The hardest part about cutting the act was the feeling of letting down our other directors and the members that were committed to the act. It was hard to let go of something we had created and bonded so much with. I am not in any other acts. At the end of the day, it was
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really upsetting to end our act. But, we really believe it was the right thing to do for our members and Sing Song overall.” Linder said she grew up around Sing Song, and creating an act was a dream come true. “Working with Elizabeth made it that much sweeter,” Linder said. “We really are a complimentary team in personalities and strengths, and both have had choral and Sing Song experience prior to this which helped a lot in
practices and planning.” Moving forward, Linder will join the senior act alongside a few other people from the junior act. “Through this, I feel extremely humbled,” Linder said. “I realized that I thought this act would come together and be amazing because I was directing, that if we were in a pinch that would be enough to get more members. However, it didn’t play out that way and I think that’s OK and an important reminder that things are bigger than me.”