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The Vol. 95, No. 40
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OPTIMIST WEDNESDAY
1 sections, 8 pages
February 28, 2007
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www.acuoptimist.com
IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS Cold cash
Students wishing to study abroad in fall 2007 may be eligible to apply for a $5,000 scholarship, page 3
Mission matters
The Halbert Institute for Missions will sponsor the Broom Colloquium on Thursday and Friday to honor the Broom family, page 3
Serving the soul
Students joined together last Thursday for “Soul Food”, an annual event where students enjoyed fellowship and food from various cultures, page 3
FEATURES
EMILY SMItH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mike Chapel, superintendent of Campus Crest Construction, shows the tresses being constructed on the new Grove apartments on north of Ambler Avenue on Judge Ely.
University Park prepares for competition Home on the range
James Francies, the first black man to ride a trail with the Houston Fat Stock Show and a proponent of black history shares his cowboy tale, page 5
SPORTS
n Despite competition moving in next door, University Park Apartments director Patricia Hail-Jackson says UP is not threatened by the new complex that is expected to be completed by August. By CAMILLE PAINTER Student Reporter
University Park Apartments is making changes while competition down the street sprouts. UP packaged all expenses into one payment offering free laundry, paid
electricity up to $30 and new furniture. This new policy deducts deposits for residents. Not only will UP get rid of the security deposit for a lease on an apartment, but it will also take away electricity deposits because of the shared electricity company. Although the Grove apartments, the new competition down Judge Ely Boulevard, offers a washer and dryer in each unit, Patricia Hail-Jackson, UP Apartments director, said the laundry system at UP could still be seen as a better benefit to residents.
Saturday marks final service day Jumping to new heights Angie Aguilar broke the Division II Indoor pole vaulting record this weekend, page 8
Breezing through
The women’s tennis team swept both Division I opponents this weekend 6-1 against Stephen F. Austin and Louisiana Monroe, page 8
SPEED READ Protecting online reps
Cheaptickets.com has created a cheap-o-meter for college students wanting to go to a top destination for a low price during spring break. The top 10 locales students are heading to are: Miami; Cancun, Mexico; Daytona, Fla.; San Jose Cabo; Bahamas; Key West, Fla.; Jamaica; Acapulco, Mexico; Panama City; and South Padre Island. South Padre Island was also named the best spring break value destination for 2007. -source: UWIRE
n Students can participate in the final Service Saturday of the semester this weekend, but other opportunities will be available in April. By KARIE SCHMIDT Student Reporter
On Saturday, students will once again get the chance to serve the Abilene community by participating in Service Saturday. Starting Wednesday through Friday in the campus center, students may sign-up to volunteer at various Abilene agencies. So far, the chair of Service Saturday, Brittany Baumgartner, senior political science major from San Antonio, and co-chair Michelle Tonkin, sophomore biochemistry pre-med major from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, expect between 50 and 70 students to volunteer. Students have the opportunity to serve many agencies including Hendrick Friendship House, Windcrest Alzheimer Association, Abilene Convalescent Center, Global Samaritan Resources and Abilene Hope Haven. Additional sites may be added to the list before Saturday. At the sites, volunteer work can range from manual labor and childcare to visiting with residents. Individuals who participate in Service Saturday will receive service hours. There will be site leaders for each agency, and a service log sheet will be available. Students, however, may bring their own service sheet if they need hours for a specific class. Service log forms may be found in the Volunteer Service-Learning Center office located in the Bean Sprout. “I believe students should participate See
SERVICE page 4
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
“The fact of having a washer and dryer in your room is nice, but energy-wise it’s going to cost you more money,” Hail-Jackson said. “They’re going to see that that washer and dryer is going to generate extra electricity; plus we have a boiler room that does all the heating of our water. University Apartments pays that expense, and they’re going to have individual hot water heaters that are going to mark part of that electricity bill.” The idea of bringing in new fur-
niture came with the University Park director considering the benefits of the Grove. The fact that the Grove is a new property is going to be enticing, HailJackson said, but UP is getting all new furniture and is guaranteed to be ready for residents to move into in the fall. “We know we’re here and we’re ready for you to move-in in August,” Hail-Jackson said. See
UP page 4
Sing Song changes boost small clubs n Smaller clubs like GATA and Delta Theta took advantage of new Sing Song rules this year that allowed clubs to bring in performers outside the club to help competition. By CAMILLE PAINTER Student Reporter
Lindsey Smith sang with the GATAs in front of a large crowd for the second time this Sing Song season. But it was the first time she competed as a GATA. “My cousin was a member of GATA last year, and she called me and asked me to be a part of their act,” said Smith, sophomore elementary education major from Tyler. GATA was one of the first clubs to take advantage of this new flexibility Kendall Massey, director of student productions, drew in to the Sing Song regulations. Smith was a testimony to many changes and
resurrected traditions. “Because we’re a smaller club, last year we sought permission to have other people come join us,” said Courtnee Hembree, GATA member and Sing Song co-chair. “And this year the management team voted on it and every club can bring in people outside their club.” In the past two years, Massey not only has adjusted the rules to allow clubs to recruit people outside its organizations to represent them, but also deleted the requirement for a minimum number of people to represent a group for the group to compete. Small club members have found the changes favorable. Many of them have taken advantage of them. “I want people to be involved in Sing Song if possible, and if someone has the ability, See
SING SONG page 4
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
The women of GATA perform during Sing Song 2007 as ladybugs. For the past two years the club included performers not in GATA for the show.
Student directs ‘Miracle Worker’ n Ryan Massie debuted as the director for the spring play “The Miracle Worker” last Thursday. The play concludes this weekend with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. By ANDREA LUCADO Student Reporter
The student-run production “The Miracle Worker” opened Thursday in Fulks Theatre under the direction of first-time director Ryan Massie. Each year, the theatre department selects a student to direct his own play, and this year Ryan Massie, senior theatre major from San Antonio, was cho-
sen to direct “The Miracle Worker,” a play by William Gibson about Helen Keller, who was deaf and blind, and her teacher Annie Sullivan who delivered her from darkness. Professors in the Theatre Department chose Massie in October after an interview process. Although Massie has directed seven productions at ACU, this is his first full play to direct. Massie said on nights they had rehearsal, which began Jan. 16, he would spend from 6 p.m. to midnight working on the production. Emily Savage, senior theatre major from Keller, said the show really is
Abilene Christian University
all about the director’s vision. Savage, who played Annie Sullivan in the play, said she had a hard time at first taking direction from a peer but learned “directing isn’t all about age.” “We have to all be in it together or it won’t happen,” she said. Everything from lighting to directing to make-up was run by students for this production, and Savage said nothing was completely finished until the evening before opening night. Jenavene Hester, sophomore theatre major from Abilene who See
PLAY page 4
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