The Vol. 95, No. 49
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OPTIMIST
1 section, 8 pages
IN THIS ISSUE
WEDNESDAY
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April 18, 2007
www.acuoptimist.com
‘An unfolding tragedy’
CAMPUS Shinnery Review
The 2006-07 edition of the Shinnery Review will be unveiled Thursday, page 3
Timeline of events monday 7:15 a.m.
Gmail offers hope
Technology administrators say they hope the new Gmail system will work better than the old e-mail system, page 4
9:26 a.m.
University officials at Virginia Tech send out an e-mail to students informing them about the first shooting and to look for suspicious people.
9:45 a.m.
Police receive a 9-1-1 call about the second shooting at Norris Hall, half a mile from the dormitory.
9:50 a.m.
When police arrive at Norris Hall, they find the doors locked and chained from the inside. Once in, they hear shooting on the second floor. A second e-mail is sent out to warn students to stay inside buildings and away from windows.
Get to know a club
Spring rushes for social clubs begin this week. For a full schedule of each club’s rushes see page 4
FEATURES
EMILY SMITH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
10:27 a.m.
Government officials say at least seven or eight people have been killed.
11:02 a.m.
Seventeen people injured are sent to four Virginia hospitals with gunshot wounds and other injuries.
11:06 a.m.
University officials release to the media that they are unsure whether the gunman was acting alone or not.
11:25 a.m.
Virginia Tech Police say at least 22 people are dead from four classrooms in Norris Hall.
11:26 a.m.
Government officials report that the gunmen is also dead, although it is unclear whether it was suicide or if he was shot by police. It is not known at this time if the shooter was a student or not.
Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, leads a moment of silence and a prayer for the victims, families, students and all those involved in the Virginia Tech shootings Monday. Money sent a letter to Tech’s president conveying the ACU community’s condolences.
Finding Christ
Student Ashley He recounts her conversion to Christianity since coming to America from China, page 5
SPORTS
Virginia Tech shootings touch local students n Despite the 1,000-mile distance between ACU and Virginia Tech, students still felt the effects of the shootings that killed 33 people. DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Editor
On their way up
Five athletes provisionally qualified for the Outdoor National Championships at the Angelo State Relays this weekend, page 8
Virginia Tech is located in the small college city of Blacksburg, Va., more than 1,000 miles away from Abilene, but the impact of Monday’s tragedy was not absent from ACU and campuses across the nation. “I think a tragedy like this throws us all in the same boat,” said Dr. Royce Money, president of the uni-
versity. “This could happen at any campus.” On the heels of the greatest tragedy ever to hit an American college campus, Money told Tuesday’s Chapel audience that the ACU community’s condolences had been expressed to Virginia Tech through a message he personally sent Virginia Tech president Dr. Charles W. Steger. “Words cannot adequately express the deep sorrow we feel for the immense loss of life,” Money read from the message he sent. “Our hearts go out See
VA page 7
1:31 p.m.
emily smith CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jay Mendl, freshman musical theatre major from Abilene, prays in Chapel on Tuesday for the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre. A moment of silence was observed during Chapel.
ACU Police examine crisis plans n ACU Police Chief Jimmy Ellison said after Monday’s shooting at Virginia Tech, the university will re-examine its crisis plans to see if anything can be improved in case of a shooting. By KELSI PEACE Features Editor
Keeping the streak
The nationally ranked ACU baseball team won its series against Texas A&M-Kingsville this weekend, page 8
SPEED READS Choose study abroad
A new global human resource survey from executives lists study abroad experience as an important asset in landing a job. Nearly 75 percent of employers cite study abroad as important when evaluating the resume of a job candidate. Eighty-percent of employers feel this experience is necessary for jobs overseas. —thescholarship.com
In light of the Virginia Tech shootings Monday, colleges across the nation are discussing their campus security, and ACU is no different.
Jimmy Ellison, chief of police, said the tragedy gave reason to examine the university’s crisis response plans, which were in place long before Monday. In a situation like the Virginia Tech massacre, Ellison said ACU police would first respond to the shooting and would determine whether or not it was over. If the shooting is ongoing, Ellison said police would enter the building and engage the shooter to end the massacre. In an extreme situation,
Ellison said the Abilene Police Department could be called to the scene as well. “You can have all the plans that you want,” Ellison said, “But every scenario is different.” In addition to the ACU police’s crisis response plans, the university also has a Crisis Response Team composed of administrators, faculty, ACU police and representatives from support offices that meets See
Ag club rounds up rodeo participants n Students who attend the rodeo can sign up to participate in four events including goat or cow milking and steer saddling. No previous experience is required.
n Price: $4
By TODD PIERSALL and NATHAN MACDONALD Arts Editor & Student Reporter
The 51st annual ACU AllSchool Rodeo hosted by the Agricultural and Environmental Science Club is Thursday
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
at 6 p.m. It will take place at the Taylor County Expo Center horse barn with an admission fee of $4. Secretary of AES, Amanda Baker, senior agricultural business major from Abilene, said AES rodeos are different than rodeos most people are familiar with. “There’s really nothing typical about it,” Baker said. See
RODEO page 7
n Date: April 19 at 6 p.m. n Place: Taylor County Expo Center horse barn
n Events for women: — Goat dressing — Goat milking — Calf scramble — Rodeo Queen n Events for men: — Cow milking — Steer saddling — Double mugging — Rodeo King n Sponsored by: Agricultural and Environmental Science Club
Government officials declare 31 dead.
3:50 p.m.
Virginia Tech president Charles Steger makes a statement saying that 33 people, including the gunman were killed.
4:32 p.m.
Steger defends the way the campus handled the shootings after students complain there was no public address or other warnings besides e-mail, which was sent around the time of the second shooting.
Tuesday 6:25 a.m.
The university says the shooter was a student at Virginia Tech, and he lived on campus.
8:27 a.m.
The gunman’s identity is revealed as Cho Seung-Hui, senior English major from South Korea.
8:37 a.m.
Police confirm from ballistics that the same gun was used in both shootings by Seung-Hui.
2:06 p.m.
A classmate of Seung-Hui’s explains how all the warning signs were present, but no one would have realized he’d actually begin shooting people after some of the gruesome writings he did for a playwright class.
SAFETY page 7
ACU All-School rodeo
A gunman enters West Ambler Johnston, a dormitory that houses nearly 900 students, and begins firing.
SHADES steps onto stage for annual show n SHADES’s first performance of the semester will take place Thursday and continue Friday and Saturday in Cullen, based on the theme of ‘Convicted.’ By ERIN JORDAN Student Reporter
It’s SHADES show time. SHADES will have its first ACU concert of the semester April 19-21 at 7:30 p.m. in Cullen Auditorium. This year’s SHADES show theme is
Abilene Christian University
“Convicted,” which grew out of the squad’s love of Christ. SHADES is taking its performances to another level this year, with a bigger budget and a greater vision. “It’s going to be a bigger production we’ve grown from just doing talent shows and regular step shows; this is going to be a production,” said Brandon Jones, co-sponsor and assistant to Kendall See
SHADES page 7
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