The Optimist Print Edition 03.09.2007

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The •

Vol. 95, No. 43

IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS Church hopping

In the past five years, more students raised in the Church of Christ branch out during college to find a new church home, page 4

Save the environment The Students’ Association passed a resolution Wednesday to promote recycling on campus, page 4

Last chance

Although 125 applications to be a residence assistant have already been turned in, Residence Life is still accepting applications, page 3

Seeing a rerun

Some students who participated in FilmFest last fall are revising their films into a longer format to compete in FilmFest Too, page 3

SPORTS

OPTIMIST

1 sections, 10 pages

FRIDAY

March 9, 2007

www.acuoptimist.com

University to launch 21st Century Vision n Future plans for the university include renovating the Campus Center, growing the endowment, raising academic requirements and increasing scholarships. By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief

In an attempt to set the university apart from its main competitors including Texas A&M, Baylor and University of Texas, ACU will seek to in-

crease the level of academic challenge in the classroom, said Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, in a faculty and staff meeting Wednesday. Wednesday’s presentation alerted faculty and staff in two separate sessions to the plans for the 21st Century Vision, a document of future goals for the university to achieve. Money said in a national

survey given to freshmen and seniors each year, seniors have responded that they aren’t sufficiently challenged in the classrooms. To change this, he said faculty need to feel empowered by the administration to implement a more rigorous approach to education, whether that is through more challenging courses, higher standards on tests and assignments or raising the grading scale, all at

each faculty’s discretion. “It is far too easy for the student culture to get sidetracked with extracurricular activities and social interactions,” Money said. “Take Sing Song for example; faculty see an increased drop in attendance and grades during Sing Song. “Don’t get me wrong, social involvement is important See

VISION page 5

FUTURE PLANS n A more rigorous approach to academics in the classroom n Renovations on campus to create more spaces for community building n Raising the ACT/SAT scores required to be accepted to the university n Increasing the retention rate to 80 percent and the graduation rate to 60 percent

Missions Institute prepares students for world n With the inception of the Halbert Institute for Missions and the addition of mission coordinators in the past six years, students have a new approach to missions. By LAUREN SUTTON Opinion Editor

Branching out

The ACU tennis teams will travel across Texas to play Division I, II and III opponents during spring break, page 10

In less than a week students participating in Spring Break Campaigns will venture to meet the needs of locals in an array of national and international communities, but this popular ACU tradition is not the only way students are learning about ministerial service. ACU continues to offer a variety of programs and classes and hire overseas missionaries to foster an interest toward mission work and provide a spectrum of opportunities for students of all concentrations to reach the world in both domestic and international contexts. With a mission to equip students for servant leadership across the globe, the university is making strides through the development of the Halbert Institute for Missions to relevantly connect its students to their culture with a unique message of hope.

Halbert Institute for Missions

Championship dreams

The track and field team attempts to win this week while in Boston at the Indoor National Championships, page 10

Boston correspondent

Jared Fields, managing editor of the Optimist, will be reporting from Boston this week with the track and field team as they compete in the Indoor National Championships.

Since as early as 1968, ACU has provided students the option of majoring in missionary training, but in 2000 the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry reformatted its program See

MISSIONS page 8

LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Dan McVey, African missions coordinator, sits outside his African hut constructed on the outskirts of his property in Clyde. The hut reminds him of his love overseas and is a ministry tool he uses when preparing missionaries for a cross-cultural experience.

A heart for missions abroad Dan McVey and his family lived in Ghana, Africa, for 21 years ministering to the people and developing life-long relationships By LAUREN SUTTON Opinion Editor

The African hut with its mud walls and thatched roof stands out in the dust filled, tumbleweed landscape of West Texas. Sitting in the back of ACU professor Dan McVey’s property, the hut is used for authentic African worship services, weekend retreats for interns preparing for crosscultural living and as a therapy for its builder. But more than these things, Dan’s African escape

serves as a reminder that, though his residence is now in Clyde, much of his heart still remains in the place where African huts aren’t such a novelty at all: Ghana.

Preparing for Africa A graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, Dan served as a preacher at a small Church of Christ in Southeast Missouri but dreamed of doing ministry overseas someday. “I grew up in the mountains of East Tennessee; I didn’t have any international connection,” Dan said. “Still,

the rest of their belongings and returned to Ghana where they would spend the next 21 years of their lives.

Beginning years Situated on the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana is a West African country with a tropical climate and a rich heritage. Chieftaincy, tribal distinctions and traditional systems remain prevalent in Ghana while other eastern and southern African countries have lost many of their See

GHANA page 8

400+ students to spend break serving others n Students involved in Spring Break Campaigns leave Friday for more than 24 destinations around the country and the world to help, build and work alongside others. By ASHLEY ROBINSON Student Reporter

ONLINE Making smart choices

Last week the Counseling Center sponsored Making Choices Week, which featured guest speakers, Chapel forums and information booths. See how the week went online at www.acuoptimist.com.

the intention was to go overseas somewhere.” In 1981, Dan took advantage of a month-long opportunity to travel to Ghana for a church project and, after making connections with local Ghanaian Christians, became interested in moving to West Africa long term. So Dan went back to Ghana in 1982 to learn more about the logistics of living in Africa, but this time he took his bride, Brenda. Almost immediately after coming home from their two-week trip abroad, the two packed

The map above shows the states where students will travel next week for Spring Break Campaigns. Several states have two campaigns going to different cities.

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

More than four hundred students are giving up their spring break to venture out, from coast to coast and internationally, to spend the week serving others. Spring Break Campaigns have been an ACU tradition for the past 30 years, and this year is no exception. With 24 cities across the U.S. and

four international locations, the impact Spring Break Campaign goers have on those they work with is massive. “Programs like Spring Break Campaigns are unique and important to the ACU student body,” said Jennifer King, junior finance and accounting major from Grapevine and student chair for Spring Break Campaigns. “These campaigns align so well with ACU’s mission statement.” Spring Break Campaigns are student-led and allow students to take part of ACU and its values and impact the lives of others in a positive

Abilene Christian University

way. The Campaigns offer people and their communities Christ-like service through Vacation Bible School, community service, helping in shelters, building houses and hands on service. “It shows whole communities that there are people, college students, who genuinely care about not only their physical well-being but their spiritual well-being,” King said. This year, four new SBC cities are being offered: Anaheim, Calif., led by Blake Earnhart and Jennifer King; See

SBC page 5

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