Semester on Broadway
vol. 100, no. 33
friday, february 3, 2012
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
Arts page 5
Theater students experience the chance of a lifetime
SUNNY
DAYS Students enjoy an unusually warm weather this February
photo by brittany Williams staff Photographer
photos by leslie lewis staff Photographer
Students have been able to enjoy unseasonably warm weather for most of the semester. Temperatures for the rest of the week are expected to remain consistent with this mild winter. The annual groundhog prediction Thursday anticipates an additional six weeks of winter
UNIVERSITY
Spring enrollment shows typical retention 89.6 percent was one of the highest in the past decade. MANAGING EDITOR “It’s encouraging to see the retention rate grow to Spring freshman retention 91.1 percent,” Campbell rate continues to climb as said. “We always want to the latest university report see strong retention numshows more than 91 percent bers because it means we of freshmen returned to the are admitting the right stuuniversity for the spring se- dents and they’re having a mester, according to 12th- good experience at ACU.” Spring transfer student day numbers released by numbers are down, 12 less the university Thursday. Kevin Campbell, chief than last year, but Campenrollment officer, said bell said these numbers last year’s retention rate of typically vary year to year.
MARK SMITH
“Spring transfer numbers are usually pretty volatile,” he said. “You obviously don’t want the numbers to go down, but it’s a small margin so it’s not of great concern.” Campbell said the report offered little unanticipated news. “This is basically what we had planned on and expected to see,” he said. “Our admitted students have proven that ACU is a good fit and they’re excelling here.”
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We always want to see strong retention numbers because it means we are admitting the right students and they’re having a good experience at ACU.”
Overall retention from Fall 2011 to Spring 2012 went from 4,558 to 4,223, a rate of 92.7 percent. Kelly Young, chief financial officer, said overall retention rates have slowly
Young said all of the numbers proved to stay right on average. “When I break down the numbers, everything is par for the course,” Young said. kevin campbell “We started projecting chief enrollment officer these number about five or six days ago and they’re true to expectations.” increased in recent years. Young said the seven per“The expected trend is between 91 and 93 per- cent decrease was mainly cent,” Young said. “More due to students leaving the recently we’ve seen the school for a number of difnumbers in the high end ferent reasons. of the range.” see numbers page 4
springboard
Business competition continues early registration Hannah Barnes Editor in chief Early registration for the Springboard Ideas Challenge ends March 1. The deadline to register is on March 21. The Springboard Ideas Challenge is a competition that calls for students interested in entrepreneurship to design a business plan for their concept. Each team is required to submit a written plan. If chosen, finalists pres-
ent their plan to a panel of judges. Winners receive cash prizes, as well as assistance in executing their plan. Dr. James Litton, director of the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy, believes the competition is very valuable for students. “It helps them go through the process of entrepreneurship and put together a plan for business,” Litton said. “They get valuable feedback from entrepreneurs.”
Josh Archer, senior information systems major from Grapevine, has not yet completed his application but plans to participate again. Archer is working with his partner from last year’s competition. “He gets my ideas and kind of puts them on the ground,” Archer said. “He actually helps me work through a business idea from just a cool idea.” Asa Kusuma, senior computer science major from
The Springboard Ideas Challenge is taking applications online at www.acu.edu/springboard Early registration has an entry fee of $10; late registration has an entry fee of $20. Annandale, Va. entered the competition with partner Tim Johnston, senior IT major from Coppell, not expecting to win. “We were definitely hoping to place well,” Kusuma said. “But we weren’t expecting to win.”
Kusuma’s application was influenced by his interest in business and ideas and learning more about business in general. “I just wanted to learn more about the financial side and how companies work – the whole process,” Kusuma
said. “[Springboard] offered a lot of material and help in that respect.” Kusuma placed first in the student division of the Springboard Ideas Challenge 2011, receiving $7500 and assistance in following through with their concept. This year, the top prize for the college division is $10,000. contact barnes at hab07a@acu.edu
inside sports
opinion
photos
news
Lady Wildcats end losing streak against Texas Women’s
Does giving your business to an organization mean you support their causes?
See what went on this week all over campus
BSA to offer dancing auditions Friday for the Black History Production.
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Abilene Christian University
acuoptimist.com
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