Features Page 5
Sick of Love Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone vol. 102, no. 34
wednesday, february 05, 2014
1 SECTION, 8 PAGES
INSIDE NEWS The Abilene community cleans up Cedar Creek and encourages volunteers to help every Saturday
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SPORTS Men’s basketball player Parker Wentz earns a prestigious academic honor
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OPINION
ACU delayed classes on Monday due to Sunday night’s winter storm that caused icy conditions. Left: Jaci Browning breaks out her ice scraper to defeat the ice on Monday. By JC Peeples. Top: Icicles line a wire next to Morris Hall. By Meghan Eager. Middle: The snow builds up on crops grown by ACU students at Rhoden Farm. By Wyatt Morgan Bottom: ACU students spend time growing crops and taking care of animals at the ACU Farm. By Wyatt Morgan.
The Editorial Board talks about the buzz around the new Coke commercial
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Spring enrollment sees steady increase Marissa Jones
SPORTS
editor in chief
ACU men’s and women’s basketball return from road trips Page 8
NEWS Sing Song tickets sell quickly for the Saturday show Page 4
The university’s spring retention rate is slightly higher than last year’s rate, an upward trend that has been evident in recent years. The total number of students reduced from 4,461 to 4,168. The 93.4
student reporter
The men’s tennis team hosted several talented teams in Teague while the women played well on the road Page 8
NEWS The Ag department sells fresh eggs and beef to raise funds
the university.” Tamara Long, director of admissions, said the university isn’t focusing on increasing the size of the incoming freshman but of selectivity. Herridge said the change to block tuition has made a significant difference in the affordability of the university and has had a positive
inf luence on retention rates. Though this spring’s rates are promising, they don’t necessarily indicate the rate of students who will return next fall. “It’s a great number, but there’s a lot of work to do,” Herridge said. However, predictions for next fall’s retention rates are looking consis-
tent with what has been seen in previous years. As part of ACU’s 21st Century Vision made in 2007, a goal was made to obtain a retention rate of 80 percent. Last year’s rate was 79.4 percent, but that doesn’t mean the university will achieve that number next fall, see Enrollment page 4
Seniors to have candlelight devo, send-off Dystanie Douglas
SPORTS
percent retention rate, compared to last year’s 92.3 percent rate, is an upward trend that can be attributed to several factors, said Bart Herridge, director of student retention and services. “We’re bring in freshman classes that are more likely to retain in general,” Herridge said. “They’re better fits for
The Student Alumni Association will be hosting a Candlelight Devo/senior send-off. The Candlelight Devo is an annual tradition that typically takes place during welcome week. It is a memorable experience for all students that attend ACU. In the Candlelight Devo each new student is given a candle to light, and then they walk through a tunnel of Upperclassmen and Alumni who sing hymns and spiritual songs to welcome
“
We do such a great job of welcoming the freshmen, why not further that and do it as a senior?”
Aubree Selinger, senior family studies major from Grapevine, is the president of the Student Alumni Association and is organizing the event. Aubree selinger “I went to a conference president of the student alumni association this summer and I saw different traditions that go on at different campuses,” them to the ACU commu- Selinger said. “I thought to nity. myself ‘I wish we had someThis year, the Student thing that we could comAlumni Association has de- memorate more.’” cided to change up the traSellinger said that is when dition of Candlelight Devo she realized that Candlelight by using it not only as way of Devo could also be a senior welcoming new students to commemorative tradition. ACU, but as a way of telling “We do such a great job graduating seniors, good- of welcoming the freshmen, bye. why not further that and do
it as a senior?” Selinger said. At the the first Candlelight Devo, the light represents new light, and journey students are about to embark on throughout the next four years at ACU. At the senior Candlelight Devo, there is a different message. Selinger said that they want to send the message that although the seniors are leaving ACU, they do not want to make it a sad experience. “Your lighting your candle and your now apart of the alumni group and family, still part of ACU, and your taking that light into the world,” she said.
The Candlelight Devo, to many students, is one of the many ACU traditions that they keep with them throughout their time here. “I would be a part of the senior Candlelight Devo,” said Jacob Kilpatrick, senior youth and family ministry major from Mesquite. “Candlelight Devo was one of my favorite experiences when I got here at ACU and I really felt a part of a community.” The Candelight Devo will take place April 29 in the Amphitheater. contact the optimist at optimist@acu.edu
Week focuses on individual, not marriage Page 4
ONLINE VIDEO Watch why ACU students volunteer to help clean up the Cedar Creek Waterway
Read more at acuoptimist.com
Allison brown student reporter This week, the ACU Counseling Center and the Family Studies department are co-sponsoring the annual Sacred Relationships Week. Sacred Relationships Week is a time set aside to talk more directly about relationships on campus through a series of Chapel talks, forums and panel discussions. With the theme of “Yourself In Relationship”, this year’s Sacred Relationships Week is more focused on the individual, not just dating or marriage. Tim Ehrhart, counselor at the Counseling Center,
helped organize and facilitate the week’s events. “Our theme is tailored to being true to who we are,” Ehrhart said. “My goal is to look at all the different facets of relationship and promote healthy, sacred relationships and this year, really focus on how to be ourselves in the midst of all of that.” Steve Rowlands, director of the ACU Counseling Center, thinks that relationships start with the individual. “We believe that every relationship evolves out of our own personal stuff,” Rowlands said. “So if I can take care of myself in a healthy way, I will have healthier relation-
ships with others.” Rowlands said in the past, the week has tended to focus on marriage and dating, but that isn’t necessarily the goal. “We’re not pushing marriage,” Rowlands said. “But we know that most students probably are going to be married, and most probably want to be married.” “We really want to equip them for that relationship, but we also want to equip them for relationships in general,” Jarred schuetze Staff Photographer Rowlands said. Gary Oliver, a guest speaker, talks in a Chapel forum on With topics ranging from looking at who you Monday for Sacred Relationships Week. are individually, to premarital counseling, the what their relationship grates a lot of different week has much to offer status is. Rowlands said see sacred page 4 for all students, no matter the planning team inte-
Abilene Christian University