The Optimist Print Edition: 09.07.11

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Soccer Wildcats begin year 2-0 for the fourth time in five years vol. 100, no. 4

friday, september 7, 2010

Sports page 8

1 SECTION, 8 PAGES

board

Vote with your dollar. It’s easier to buy things when you know the people behind them.”

Trustees add four members christina burch multimedia managing editor ACU’s Board of Trustees welcomed four new members this fall, including a Midland businessman, a travel industry player, the former dean of the College of Business Administration and a returning trustee. These new members will help the board establish university policy, said Slade Sullivan, general counsel and secretary to the board. Among the special topics currently being discussed by the board is ACU’s connection to its Church of Christ heritage as well as its possible move to a NCAA Division I in athletics.

They represent the stakeholders of the university, meaning the students, employees and alumni.” slade sullivan general counsel and secretary to the board

Daniel Gomez Chief Photographer

Randy Hunt, design director of Etsy, spoke to Art and Design students on Monday, Sept. 6. Hunt discussed the similarities patterns share with the routine of life. Etsy is an online marketplace for vintage and handmade items that began in Brooklyn, NY in 2005. They now have offices around the world, including locations like Berlin, Germany, San Francisco Calif. and London, England.

rec center

Students flock to new Rec Center Mark smith managing editor The Royce and Pam Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center, referred to by Dr. Money as “the Bank,” opened last Friday with the grand opening celebration, RecFest. Now that the celebration is over the facility is getting into a regular schedule. Kendyl McEachran, junior elementary education major from Albuquerque, had a frantic night Friday in her new position of desk worker at the Bank. “RecFest was very busy but also extremely fun,” McEachran said. “It was crazy all night through six o’clock in the morning.” As the facility transitions from the grand opening to the regular schedule of the school year, students are deciding which opportunities are most interesting to them.

Brady Kile, a finance and marketing major from Ft. Worth, has explored the Bank more than five separate times since RecFest, Kile said. “I’ve used a lot of the weights and cardio equipment, and I did the bouldering wall, which was a lot of fun,” Kile said. “I’m really looking forward to playing racquetball and checking out the pools.” The 16-month project was a long-awaited addition to campus. “I used to have to hunt for open basketball courts,” said Jared Edwards, a sophomore business marketing major from Frisco. “But now I always have this available to me. It’s so much more convenient.” For some students, the amount of space available in the 113,000 square-foot facility and the number of different activities it has to offer is the most enticing aspect of the new Rec

Center, said Erik Soulek, a sophomore accounting major from San Antonio. “I’ve walked around the entire building; it’s huge,” Soulek said. Student traffic has been a concern for those working at the facility, McEachran said. McEachran advises students to visit in the morning, which is much less busy than afternoon. “We’ve adjusted to the new influx of students coming in, improving and upgrading and buying more equipment to prepare for that,” McEachran said. “We’ve been running out of racquetball equipment a lot, and basketball and the bouldering wall have been really popular too.” For more information on the Rec Center, please visit acu.edu/srwc.

daniel gomez chief Photographer

Bronwyn Blume, sophomore nursing major from Porto Alegre, Brazil, scales up the bouldering wall at the Royce and Pam Student Recreation Center during the late night RecFest event.

contact Smith at mds10a@acu.edu

The 29-member board that governs the university inducted Tod Brown, Belinda Harmon, Dr. Jack Griggs and Ralph Draper. Sullivan said each of the new members brings a strong passion for the university. “They love students and have strong connections – as alumni, parents and grandparents of students,” Sullivan said. “They represent the stake-holders of the university, meaning the students, employees and alumni.” The four members joining the board come from diverse backgrounds. Tod Brown, from Midland, has experience in the real estate business and is the son of former trustee Dale Brown. Belinda Harmon, from Aledo, works for Emerald Travel and Cruises and is the granddaughter of ACU legacy, Dean Walling. Dr. Jack Griggs, from Abilene, has experience in corporate governance and has served a term as ACU trustee. Ralph Draper, from Houston, is the superintendent of the Spring Independent School District and an involved member of the ACU community. The board will hire, evaluate and delegate university operations to the president. Members serve three-year terms and can be re-elected up to for four times, see trustees page 4

honors

Johnson takes helm of Honors melany cox page 2 editor

destiny hagood staff Photographer

Stephen Johnson, the new dean of the honors college, brings new skills and experiences to benefit the program.

Dr. Stephen Johnson, associate professor of preaching, was named dean of the Honors College June 1, replacing Gregory Straughn, who was named assistant provost for general education at the end of last semester. Johnson said the Honors College is unique because it includes students with majors from all across the university in an interdisciplin-

ary environment. Founded as the Honors Department in the 1980s and developed into its own college two years ago, the Honors College has been a place of academic innovation benefitting all students, Johnson said. He said he was privileged to serve the Honors College. “Honors allows the space for us to hold academic excellence and the pursuit of a life of faith to be held together closely,” he said. Johnson also believes

ACU’s mission is that all students would take up vocations as followers of Jesus. His new position in the Honors College will enable him to further this mission. Jeanine Varner, provost, said she saw “an enormous capacity of leadership” in Johnson during the interview process. “He’s highly creative, highly innovative and an outstanding teacher in his own right,” Varner said. “We thought his skills and abilities and experiences

were very much a match for what we needed in the Honors College.” To fill the position, Varner formed a search committee last fall. The finalists – including Johnson – were interviewed on campus by the search committee, Varner, other deans on campus, the Honors College staff and several Honors College students. contact cox at mkc09b@acu.edu

inside features

opinion

video

news

Creative dorm room ideas to help you enrich your hangout

Meet ACU’s surprising new star athlete (according to Ben Miller)

Catch the second edition of The Chris Thomsen Show of the season

Service Expo opens potential opportunities for students

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Abilene Christian University

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