WEDNESDAY April 6, 2005
OPTIMIST THE
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Abilene Christian University
Vol. 93, No. 47 1 section, 10 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Coordinating community:
Students go online for summer courses:
Track team triumphs:
Shane Hughes works every day with all those involved in organizing Chapel. Page 8
More than 200 students have signed up to take at least one of four classes online from anywhere with Internet access. Page 5
The track and field team produced 19 new or improved qualifying times. Page 10
Scott elected by wide margin Booker, Cosgrove reaffirmed as vice president, treasurer By MALLORY SHERWOOD FEATURES EDITOR
Justin Scott defeated his opponents Friday in the race for president of Students’ Association against Keith Robinson and Jonathan Wactor. Melanie Booker and Tyler Cosgrove were re-elected to vice president and treasurer, respectively. Scott, junior political sci-
ence major from Whitehouse, cide, and they had the opportusaid he didn't expect the re- nity this year to choose from sults he received Friday eve- three good candidates,” Scott ning. said. “Both “I was pretty Jon and surprised that Keith are one candidate godly men, SA presidential election results: out of three was and they deable to get a sire to serve 60.6 percent • Justin Scott majority of the others. • Keith Robinson 22.5 percent vote,” Scott said. “I hope • Jonathan Wactor 16.9 percent He said he exthey can pected a runoff both find a Out of 1,019 votes election, but he place to was happy with serve. They the results. are leaders and are valuable to “In a democratic system, the campus.” people get the chance to deThe election took place in
Election results
the Campus Center on ballots Wednesday through Friday, and 1,019 students voted, said Patrick Leech, SA election campaign manager and junior history major from Tuscola. Leech said Scott garnered 60.6 percent of the vote, receiving 618 votes. Robinson received 22.5 percent of the vote with 229 votes, and Wactor received 16.9 percent of the vote with 172 votes. Leech also said Booker and Cosgrove were re-elected with Booker receiving 90.28 percent See SA Page 7
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Justin Scott, junior political science major from Whitehouse, speaks in Chapel on March 30 during the Students’ Association executive officer candidate speeches. Scott received more than 60 percent of 1,019 total votes to win the election as executive president.
Chapel leaders tackle issue of abortion
Taking pride in their work
Spiritual Life Core said students suggested issue be discussed By LORI BREDEMEYER MANAGING EDITOR
Lisa McCarty, assistant in the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, said Maymester and summer enrollment is up so far, although fall enrollment has decreased. The decrease could be because students wait until later in the semester to register, said Karen Griffith, records specialist in the Registrar’s Office. “You have to keep in mind that registration isn’t over yet,”
As discussion and controversy involving an individual’s right to live has dominated the news recently, Chapel coordinators have given students a chance to discuss issues of life in three consecutive Thursday services focusing on abortion. Although abortion remains a sensitive topic among Christians, campus officials said the university cannot ignore the issue. “As part of our [mission statement], we need to acknowledge that this is a critical issue within our culture and even within the body of Christ,” said Mark Lewis, adviser of the Spiritual Life Core and director of Spiritual Life and Student Ministries. “I don’t think we want to talk about it, but the fact is that we have people in the body of Christ who have been, who currently are and who will be affected by abortion.” He said the Spiritual Life Core, a group of students and advisers who make plans for 18:38 Chapel in Moody, realized students wanted to hear about the issue when they requested suggestions at the beginning of the semester. “It’s something that we started at moments praying about and at others avoiding thinking about because of sensitivities that are attached to the issue,”
See REGISTER Page 7
See CHAPEL Page 7
BRIAN SCHMIDT/Chief Photographer
Mabel, played by Heather Ketchersid, junior theatre major from Dallas, has her palm read by Pru O’Neill, played by Lindsay Speck, senior theatre major from Amarillo, in Monday night’s dress rehearsal of “Pride’s Crossing” in Fulks Theatre. “Pride’s Crossing,” the spring dinner theatre production, opens Thursday night and runs for three weekends.
Schiavo case poses ethical questions Students, professors grapple to answer right-to-life issues
Schiavo’s feeding tube was taken out March 18 despite efforts by her parents to appeal to courts and Congress. Schiavo died Thursday after 13 days without food or water. By SARAH CARLSON Dr. Perry Reeves, professor ARTS EDITOR of chemistry, said the case Less than a week after the reminded him of his own perdeath of Terri Schiavo, the sonal decisions about using scibrain-damaged woman caught entific means to keep a family in the middle of a legal battle member alive. between her husband and par“I think it’s an incredibly difents, professors and students ficult issue,” Reeves said. “I are left anathink the lyzing the ethwhole quesical and moral “People say God gives life tion is what issues in- and God takes life, but we are extraorvolved in the d i n a r y case and deintervene on that every means used termining to keep peoday. When should you what they ple alive? would want Was a feeddecide to intervene?” done in their ing tube own lives. Dr. Perry Reeves, professor of chemistry extraordiSchiavo nary means was in a peror not?” sistent vegetative state for 15 Neal Coates, assistant proyears while her husband, fessor of political science, said Michael, fought to have her the question of extending life taken off a feeding tube and has been magnified recently allowed to die. Her parents, Bob with the death of Pope John and Mary Schindler, fought to Paul II, who did not take any have her remain on the feeding extra means to prolong his life. tube. The case has been in the “The Terri Schiavo case is courts for more than a decade, only recently escalating when See SCHIAVO Page 7
No Optimist Friday
Initial registration totals slightly down
The Optimist will not publish Friday while several members of the staff attend the annual Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference in Dallas. The paper will resume normal publication dates April 13.
Decrease could reflect more students waiting to register later in year By MITCH HOLT STAFF WRITER
The number of students who registered for fall classes has decreased since last spring’s registration period, but the employees of the Registrar’s Office said they still believe the registration process went smoothly.
Week aims to raise justice awareness Campus club plans prayer meetings, 5k run, concert By TIFFANY TAYLOR PAGE 2 EDITOR
Members of ACU’s International Justice Mission will attempt to increase students’ awareness of injustice around the world and raise money to support proactive Christian assistance of the oppressed during
IJM Awareness Week, April 18 through 22. The week will include daily prayer meetings at the GATA Fountain, the second annual 5K run and walk-a-thon, and a Jam for Justice concert featuring student bands. Squeezing so much into one week is an effective way to reach students, said Andrea Gallman, senior social studies major from Houston and cochair of IJM. “It’s good to bombard people
with it all at once, or they might ignore it,” Gallman said. Members of the IJM campus chapter have visited students in Bible and University Seminar classes, Gallman said, explaining IJM’s mission to be proactive in fighting social injustice and build a strong prayer community as support. IJM members will be manning a table in the Campus Center, explaining the purpose of their organization to any interested students. Interna-
tional Justice Mission is a Christian organization based in Washington, D.C., made up of lawyers and caseworkers who go into countries such as Cambodia and Kenya to seek out injustices, try the case of victims and prosecute the perpetrators. Sarah Carlson, junior print journalism major from San Antonio and IJM co-chair, said she hopes informed students See IJM Page 7