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Optimist the
Parents of the Year, page 3
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Vol. 99, No. 10
1 section, 8 pages
STUDENT LIFE
Pledge Allegiance
Faculty kiss pigs to raise money Christina Burch
Contributing Reporter
Men’s club, Gamma Sigma Phi, was down from 46 pledges to 37 pledges this year. President of GSP, Bryan Elrod, senior marketing major from Missouri City, said he couldn’t be happier with the 37 who decided to pledge. “It’s not about numbers,” Elrod said. “It’s about the quality of guys we’re taking, and just how involved they’re going to be and how much they are going to make club a big deal in their life.” Westbrook said an increase in pledges is not the only change to pledging this year. Some changes have also been made to the pledging process.
Students control the fate of several faculty members in the Alpha Kai Omega “Kiss a Pig” fundraiser starting on Thursday. Students can place money in the jar of the faculty member they’d most like to see kiss a pig. The jars will be in the McGlothlin Campus Center from Thursday until Oct. 1. The money will be tallied, and the faculty member with most will have to pucker up with the barnyard animal on Oct. 2 in the campus mall area next to the GATA fountain. The potential pigkissers include Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university; Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson, vice president and dean for Student Life; Dr. Richard Beck, chair of Department of Psychology; and Mark Lewis, assistant dean for Spiritual Life and Chapel programs in Student Life. Each faculty member will have their pictures displayed on the collection jars. “We wanted to get people from all areas of campus to get involved, so we encouraged big names to volunteer,” said Alpha Kai Omega president Michelle Nix, senior family studies major from Austin. Vice president of Alpha Kai Omega Vanessa Butler, senior art major from Longview, came up with the idea for this year’s fundraiser.
see BIDS page 4
see FUNDRAISER page 4
GRANT STEPHEN // Staff Photographer
Cason McInturff, senior animal science major from Nashville, right, talks to his brother Colton McInturff, sophomore animal science major from Nashville, left, at the beginning of a Galaxy pledging activity on the front lawn of the Mabee Business Building at the start of Bid Night.
Social Clubs initiate pledges, adjust to changes on Bid Night
S
STAFF REPORT
iblings supporting watermelons, Slavs lugging milk jugs and NuNus wearing colorful costumes flooded campus along with eight other social clubs, as club members put 350 pledges through Bid Night on Friday. The number of pledges increased for most clubs this year and pledging overall increased 36 percent for female clubs and 30 percent for male clubs. Women’s clubs have 213 pledges and men’s clubs have 137, up from the 160 women and 107 males who pledged last year. Mauri Westbrook, director of student organizations, said the reason for the
increase could be attributed to more women deciding to pledge the smaller clubs. She also said this year’s sophomore class is larger than previous years, which could also have been a factor in the large amount of pledges. The women’s social club, GATA, has 37 pledges this year, up from 5 pledges last year. GATA President Bonnie Kellum, senior psychology major from Allen, said the club found a great group of girls this year who are excited about pledging. “Last year we were much smaller, so we’ve been really advertising that it is our big year to come back, and we’re well on our way to that,” Kellum said.
HEALTH
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Health clinic offers flu shots SA allocates funds Laura Gasvoda
Contributing Reporter
Flu season is here, and the ACU Medical Clinic is working hard to vaccinate students, faculty and staff. Each year students are encouraged to get the shot; especially those living in residence halls on campus, as diseases spread quickly in close quarters. A special incentive will be offered this year. “Residence Life and the Medical Clinic are partnering to offer $500 towards a residence hall party for the residence hall that has the highest percentage of students vaccinated with the current flu shot,” says Dr. El-
len Little, physician and director of the Medical Clinic. The shots are available in the clinic, located on the ground floor of McKinzie Hall and in the Campus Center after Chapel on Thursday, Sept. 23. “The flu shot is $15 and can be charged to the student’s Banner account,” said Dr. Little. “If the student carries health insurance, a receipt can be obtained from the medical clinic and filed for reimbursement.” Also, students who get the shot off-campus can bring a record of their vaccination, and it will be entered into the computer for the competition. The last day of the competition is Nov. 19th.
Jeff Craig
Managing Editor
DANIEL GOMEZ // Chief Photographer
Dr. Jeff Arrington, associate dean of Student Life, receives his flu shot from Julie Danley, R.N. in the ACU Medical Clinic Tuesday Sept. 21 in preparation for flu season. “I haven’t had the flu in Even with incentives, not everyone is interested in get- like 10 years. I’d rather risk ting the shot. Freshman Dy- getting the flu maybe once lan Brugman said he does not plan to get the flu shot. see FLU page 4
website
inside news The band, Kansas, will play alongside the Hardin-Simmons University Orchestra on Saturday. page 3
to student groups
sports The ACU Wildcat football team won its first home game against the East Central Tigers on Saturday. page 7
The Students’ Association voted to allocate nearly $38,000 to 40 student organizations across campus Sept. 15. The groups requested a combined total of more than $71,000 from SA, whose fall budget consists of $90,000 in revenue. In addition to funds allocated for student organizations, the remainder of the SA budget is set aside for SA officer salaries and operational expenses. The total budget for all SA executive officer salaries in the fall
2010 budget is $17,280, and all other SA officer salaries total $6,480. SA will spend $3,661 on operational expenses and $1,375 on Collegiate Cards. The remainder of the budget went to student development expenses, class allocations and the congressional budget. SA Treasurer Chris Shim, senior finance major from Lawrenceville, Ga., said changes were made this summer to ensure more funds could be allocated to clubs. “We sat down and looked at expenses from see BUDGET page 4
weather video Watch social club members and pledges participate in traditional Bid Night activities.
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