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FROM THE FRONT
April 29, 2011
SOCIAL CLUBS
Fall: Clubs on board with pledging changes Continued from page 1
rately, working to draw the line between appropriate and the Student Develop- physical activity and calment Committee of the isthenics. They evaluated ACU Board of Trustees to multiple factors, including length of time of the activdevelop the new plan. “As a result, we feel ity, temperature and locaconfident that the revised tion conditions, whether pledging philosophy and members participate with policy changes will bring us pledges and the amount of within greater compliance member encouragement with state law and accepted provided. They also exnorms across Texas institu- amine the values and purtions of higher education,” pose of the activities in the Jackson said in an email. same light, Jackson said. “Change in anything “We also think the new guidelines will help pro- can be looked at – at first vide greater safety for our – as a difficult or chalstudents, serve to protect lenging,” Jackson said. all responsible parties with “When it first came out, respect to issues of liability, I think there were a lot of and allow some flexibility questions and concerns. to retain various traditions We want to protect every within our pledging activi- single student, pledge and member, and we want to ties at ACU.” During the meetings, protect ACU as well.” With such radical Jackson said they examine each activity sepa- changes to the allowed
physical activity in pledging, clubs must transform activities to maintain original pledging goals. The main emphasis of Sub T-16 pledging always has been creating unity and togetherness, said Jeremy Winkler, president of Sub T-16 and junior accounting major from North Richland Hills. Unity will remain the emphasis, Winkler said, but creating that unity without the traditional level of physical activity will be a challenge. Club members are developing ways to use traditions and other activities to replace some of the bonding that Winkler said physical activity accomplishes. “Obviously, there was some initial backlash, but the guys realize that complaining isn’t going to get
us anywhere,” Winkler said. “Most of the guys have been extremely receptive and help out as they can. For the vast majority, people have been very helpful, and I’ve appreciated that quite a bit.” For Alpha Kai Omega pledges, at least three main activities will undergo significant changes, said AKO President Kelsi Wicks, junior animal science major from Tyler. She said at meetings, Craig, Jackson and Thopmson said all calisthenic activities wouldn’t be allowed, and if they were to use physical activity,it needed to be “lower risk.” Also, activities needed a strong purpose behind them that supported club values beyond just “physical activity for activity’s
sake,” a difficult task, Wicks said. “I think it definitely is a challenge to come up with something that still gets the message across, but doesn’t have that risk factor.” However, with some brainstorming between the officer team and club members, Wicks said they were considering alternative activities. “I’d say it’s been well received, because more members feel like they have a part in pledging,” Wicks said. “It is hard on outgoing seniors, seeing changes happening. It’s hard to see things that you went through that aren’t going to be happening anymore.” Each club will take pledging activity suggestions, and the leadership committee will present
a new rough draft of the pledging proposal to Jackson, Craig and Thompson by Tuesday. They will examine it, review it and send it to Legal. Legal will send it back for revisions, and the process will continue until the proposal meets standards. “The goal for each club is to have pledging proposal set before they get back from summer,” Jackson said. “I think that can happen.” Each club has said it is on board with getting proposals in line with the new policy, Jackson said. “Clubs have been great,” Jackson said. “They’ve done a good job of seeing the bigger picture and wanting to get in step with the new policy.” contact Bailey at
ljb07a@acu.edu
CAMPUS
University: Campus reacts to ‘New York Times’ story Continued from page 1
However, this does not mean ACU is taking Jean-Noel Thompson, a withdrawn approach, vice president for stu- Thompson told the Redent life, also was quoted porter-News. The univerin the article. He said sity respects students’ in the Times and, later right to express their controverthat week, in The Abilene opinions, Reporter-News, that the sial or not. The student university wants to en- handbook only mentions gage discussion on same- homosexuality in the contexts of sexual imsex attractions. But while ACU offers morality, which equally students help and guid- applies to heterosexual ance on the issue, it will acts, Thompson said in not advocate gay identi- the Reporter-News. ties. The Times reported that the university refused Schubert’s Response Dr. Phil Schubert, to allow formation of a president of the uniGay-Straight Alliance.
versity, also responded to media coverage. He wrote an op-ed piece that appeared in The Abilene Reporter-News and The Christian Chronicle and sent out an email to the university’s constituents about the Times article. “This is a topic we have openly discussed for many years, and it’s an opportunity to share the love of Christ with those who may not agree with our stance,” Schubert said in the email. Schubert said in the email that ACU affirms that the Bible reserves
student to be honest about the things going on in his life,” Griffin said. Elizabeth Bernhardt, junior English major from Pearland, said she hoped the article would open real conversations. Bernhardt said she was surprised by the scope of the article and was glad to hear the perspective of students struggling to reconcile Christianity with a homosexual identity. ACU’s commitment to its policies may offend some who read the article, Bernhardt said, but not everyone understands the perspective of Christian universities. “Christian universities see homosexuality and Christianity as being sepStudent Reaction Schmitt said he hadn’t arate,” Bernhardt said. “I experienced much reac- know that this is an istion from the student sue of controversy now body, but Thomas Griffin, in the Christian comjunior marketing major munity, but I hope when from Marble Falls, said people are searching for word of the article was answers, that ACU can getting around. He read stand by its beliefs but be the story after hearing open to discussion.” Griffin hoped the arabout it from a friend. “I was really impressed ticle would not drive a by the strength of that wedge between Chrissex for a married man and woman, and the university holds to that standard. He also stressed that the university has “a zero-tolerance policy with respect to bullying or offensive speech.” While Schmitt doesn’t agree that homosexuality and Christian values are mutually exclusive, he said ACU’s stance against harassment was important to him. “Even if I disagree with some of the policies surrounding homosexuality on the campus, I appreciate the respect that was given me by upholding policies that ensure my wellbeing,” Schmitt said.
tians and non-Christians or heterosexuals and homosexuals, but rather provide an avenue to get to know one another. “It’s really our duty as Christians to meet people where they are and walk with them through whatever they are going through,” Griffin said. “My greatest hope for this is that it stirs people’s hearts and pulls them to reach out.” Schmitt said he took a public stance on this issue to encourage comradery among students in his position, not to change any specific policy. “Far too often, I hear from students that they have no voice, that the culture expects them to remain silent,” Schmitt said. “Students need to be comfortable coming to grips with sexual identity.” If his advocacy can help students be comfortable in their own skin, despite what others may think, then the media circus was well worth it, Schmitt said. contact Lewis at
cll09a@acu.edu
LOCAL
School: University nursing program continues progress Continued from page 1
Dr. Jeanine Varner, ACU provost, said she has known about Texas Tech’s plans since discussions began about ACU expanding its own nursing program but does not feel that the schools will be in competition with each other. “The need for nursing graduates is strong. We believe we will still experience high demand, even with Tech’s new program,” Varner said. “Overall, it’s a good thing to have more and more nursing graduates. Michelle Drew, family nurse practitioner for ACU Health Services, also said Texas Tech opening up a school in Abilene would not create a competitive market and draw away future ACU students. “The majority of our students come from outside the Abilene area,” Drew said. “Texas Tech has always drawn from local crowds.” But Drew said a problem may arrive in finding faculty to teach at the new schools.
“ACU may have to look beyond the convenience of the local area when looking for instructors,” Drew said. “This is a unique opportunity for ACU to recruit faculty from outside, who not only are qualified to teach, but that have the same faith and outlook that matches ACU’s mission.” According to Drew, Deans have to have a doctorate, and professors must have at least a master’s degree, as well as classes that focus on educating nurses. “Not only do instructors have to be able to say ‘I’m a great nurse,’ but also ‘I have the ability to teach others to be nurses,’” Drew said. Another challenge facing the education of nurses in Abilene are the time slots available for nursing students to log clinical hours. “With more students from all the schools, it will be harder to find times for hospitals like [Hendrick Medical Center] to have students from ACU, Tech, Patty Hanks, etc. to work
and share those hours,” Varner said. “Since the nursing programs require students to do multiple hours in a clinical setting, it will be important for other hospitals in the area to help out and offer hours to students.” Despite those problems and the additional challenge of a downtrodden economy, Merritt said she believes graduates always can get a job in nursing. “A recent study showed that Texas is still going to be short about 70,000 nurses by 2020, and many of the current nurses are in their 50s and will retire by then,” Merrit said. “One of our upcoming graduates, this year, already has a job at Hendrick, and she’s starting out around $55,000.” Construction on the new schools is set to begin in the upcoming months. The expansion is scheduled to open in time for students to attend fall 2012 classes. contact Woodrow at
mrw08a@acu.edu