Feature Page 5
Playing abroad International athletes join the ACU family vol. 103, no. 32
wednesday, january 28 2015
1 SECTION, 6 PAGES
Students count down to Sing Song
what’s INSIDE NEWS
rachel fritz
Students reach at-risk children in North Abilene
staff reporter With Song Song less than three weeks away, students are perfecting their vocals and dance moves for the half-century-old tradition. The student-run show will follow the theme, Countdown, ... ? Kirk Farrell, one of six co-chairs for this year’s show, has become familiar with the inner workings of Sing Song as he was also director of his class act as a freshman. “I really enjoyed being active in Sing Song,” said Farrell, junior youth and family ministry major from Richardson. “I didn’t want to direct again, and I thought being a co-chair would be a good learning experience.” Farrell has been working since the summer to prepare this year’s show and said it’s a lot different from being a director. “There was a lot of preliminary work,” he said. “We’ve been working all year long. It’s more big-picture busy, and there’s not as much direct work.” Farrell and his five fellow co-chairs have been working throughout the semester, and he thinks it will be well worth it in the end. “Sing Song week will be crazy busy, but that’s no matter what,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a great
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SPORTS Men’s basketball increases losing streak to four
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OPINION Swimming for Fitness class evokes sink-orswim mentality Page 4
SPORTS Men’s tennis team struggles in DFW
Intramurals Page 2
Page 5 jarred schuetze chief Photographer
Chris Cope, senior biblical text major from Abilene, takes a jump shot in his first intramural basketball game of the season. Games started this week and will continue through February.
see sing song page 3
University closes in science centers’ funds
OPINION Racist yaks take anonymous social media too far
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abigail runnels crime reporter Ninety-two percent of fundraising for the Vision in Action Initiative’s science centers is complete, according to Jim Orr. Orr, vice president for advancement, said the university is waiting on $3 million to be committed. Regardless, though, he said the fundraising is doing well in the 11 months since the initiative began. “We’re really close to completing the funding on
that. Sometimes those last few dollars are some of the most difficult to raise,” he said. “ But at the same time, we’ve got a number of opportunities that we’re pursuing right now that we feel good about and are confident we’ll get to that finish line pretty soon,” he said. By Aug. 28, the Office of Advancement had fundraised $19 million for the science centers, in addition to the original $35 donation, and was 75 percent done, according to the Optimist. In the same article, the Board of Trustees policy
stated that in order to begin construction, the university would have to raise the complete funds of the project. However, the Vision in Action initiative’s funds were not committed in full before the renovation of Bennett Gymnasium, the exterior demolition of Walling for the Onstead Science Center and the construction of the track/soccer stadium. “Those two things were started before the fundraising for the total project had been completed. However, the funds for completing those portions of the project,
for which the ground has been broken, were already raised,” Orr said. “So was how the Board went about approving those projects.” Since then, through a multi-channeled effort of calling, sending letters, emailing and face-to-face solicitation, the office for advancement has drawn closer to the goal amount. “A lot of it is just making people aware of what you’re doing,” Orr said. “Fundraising is largely about making sure people understand what you’re doing, showing them benefits of the projects
and helping them to understand the impact it’ll have across campus and in the lives of our students.” As for the Wildcat Stadium and Anthony Field, Orr said fundraising is just shy of $30 million, but he and the Office of Advancement are continuing their hard work on the initiative. He said he is hoping to see the grand opening of Bennett Gymnasium soon, as well as the track/soccer contact runnels at anr11a@acu.edu
On-campus drug arrests recently increase
SPORTS Women’s basketball bounces back after tough opening in Southland Conference play Page 6
NEWS Abstracts being accepted for undergraduate research festival Page 3
abigail runnels crime reporter At least four students over the past several months have been arrested in campus dorms for possession of marijuana. According to ACU Police, two students in Mabee Hall were arrested in October; one student was arrested in Edwards Hall in November; and another student in Mabee
VIDEO Citizens and students gather to march in remembrance on MILK Day
Read more at acuoptimist.com
tributed to greater awareness by Residence Life staff and students,” Ellison said. “The other reason for this could be that marijuana use is becoming more prevalent among young people across the country. I’d say it’s probably a combination of both.” Dr. Bob Strader, director of Residence Life Education and Housing, said his staff is trained to identify the signs and smells of marijuana use as well as what to do if a resi-
dent might be in possession. “We are the most involved in noticing if students are using,” Strader said. After a member of the Residence Life staff makes a call to ACUPD, the decision has to be made whether to inform the dean of students, Mark Lewis, who will investigate and make disciplinary actions on behalf of the university, Strader said. Despite changing laws in some states that allow mari-
juana use for recreational or medical purposes, Texas continues to take a decisive anti-marijuana stance. If the amount of marijuana is less than two ounces, possession is a Class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by jail time of up to 180 days and a fine of up to $2,000. If the amount is between two and four ounces, possession is a Class A misdemeanor, which see arrests page 3
New graduate programs offered online madeline orr
what’s online
Hall was arrested on Jan. 9. Those students arrested have been taken by ACUPD to the Taylor County Jail on varying charges of possession. The students were later disciplined by the Office of Student Life for violating ACU’s drug policy, ACU Chief of Police Jimmy Ellison. Ellison said while he can’t be certain, he attributes the upswing in drug-related calls on campus to two factors. “Any increase could be at-
editor in chief Sitting in the freshly renovated area on the top floor of the library, Dr. Stephen Johnson tells about changes happening in ACU’s graduate programs that go beyond the shiny wood floors and freshly painted offices. The graduate school is planning to launch new programs for online graduate degrees within the year. “We’re very excited about both the combination of new programs and some existing ones that we think are really high qualities that now can be offered to more students online,” said Johnson, dean of the graduate school. The graduate school
plans to launch online programs for a doctor of education in organizational leadership (pending SACS accreditation), a master in marriage and family therapy and an online certificate in medical family therapy. The Graduate School of Theology plans to offer some of its existing degrees online including a masters of divinity, a master of arts in Christian ministry and a master of arts in global studies, all of which are pending accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools. Additionally, an online master of business administration is in the proposal stage and expected to launch this fall. The MBA has yet to be approved by university faculty councils and the fac-
ulty as a whole. Johnson said ACU is distinctive in that it wants to give people the knowledge and skills they need to advance their career while also allowing them to grow in their understanding of their work as a response to God’s call. “Our aim is to identify and launch programs for a non-traditional or nonresidential adult learner,” he said. “It’s about extending ACU’s mission to include those students. Renovating the space in the library came as part of the campus-wide relocation of departments and offices during construction, but it also acts as a way to reposi-
erika bolado staff photographer
The graduate school office relocated to a recently renosee grad school page 3 vated space on the third floor of the Brown Library.
Abilene Christian University