OPTIMIST THE
FRIDAY October 19, 2007 Vol. 96, No. 16 2 sections, 22 pages www.acuoptimist.com
Sophomore slump no more?
Students’ Association passes resolution to support longer sophomore visitation time, page 4A
Back in the day
ViewsYesterday looks back at editorials, columns and a cartoon from past opinion pages, page 7B
Getting Buff
Wildcats get rematch with West Texas A&M after playoff ousting last year, page 1B
University purchases text alert system Enrollment By Kelsi Peace Managing Editor
The university purchased a new alert system this week, signing a contract for a system that can text message, e-mail, voice message and send digital signals in emergency or urgent situations. “It’s a significant commitment by the university to provide the latest technology of safety to the campus community,” said Police Chief Jimmy Ellison. “Before Virginia Tech, these systems were cutting edge.
Since Virginia Tech, these systems are expected.” But for ACU, the April campus massacre at Virginia Tech merely expedited a process that was already in place, Ellison said, spurring the ACU Crisis Response Team to move forward with an alert system the team had been considering since early February. After sifting through a handful of companies that offer instant messaging capabilities, Ellison said the team settled on OMNILERT’s e2Campus system. Three major fac-
tors in the decision were a proven client base, quality and reliability and cost. “When you weigh all of those three things together, there were about three companies that rose to the top,” Ellison said. The e2Campus system came without extra capabilities that drive up the cost, said Jim Holmans, a proponent of the system purchase. “It gave us a lot of capability, and it didn’t charge us for things we won’t be using,” Holmans said. Ellison said he hopes to see the
ACU alert system launch in the next few weeks. Participation in the program is optional — students must register themselves online once the system is running, most likely through a Web link, Ellison said. To register, students will list their provider, cell phone number and possibly further information with e2Campus, and all information will be used expressly for the program. Students who are not on a text-messaging See
decline creates budget shortfall
ALERTS page 5A
By Jared Fields Editor-in-Chief
Grove slapped with six figure lien By Mallory Edens Page 2 Editor
Three Abilene contractors have filed liens totaling more than half a million dollars against Campus Crest, LLC, a North Carolina-based company that built the Grove apartment complex. John B. Painting, Wagley Construction and Mark Stalling Electric Inc. are seeking payment for labor and materials they supplied the Grove from July to September, according to affidavits filed with the Taylor County clerk’s office, during the construction of the $10.7 million student housing complex. John B. Painting filed for $130,000 plus interest, Wagley Construction filed for almost half a million dollars and Mark Stalling Electric, Inc. filed for $119,005.79. King Insulation filed a lien against Campus Crest in August for $11,047.52 but released the company from the claim two weeks later, according to an affidavit. A lien allows a contractor to attempt to receive owed payment by attaching a claim to a property, according to the Texas Property Code. If the contractor does not receive payment, after the lien is filed they can sue for payment. Grove management was unavailable for comment. Richard Wagley, co-owner of Wagley Construction, said he filed for nearly a half million dollars originally and was paid $100,000 last week, bringing the lien amount to $332,907.60, according to an affidavit filed on Oct. 12. Wagley Construction provided site work, including paving for sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Wagley said he tried to contact the Grove for payment once every day since Sept. 25. He said he received various responses, including “the person who signs checks is not in the office” and “the computer is broken.” Wagley said Grove management said it would send money in “a few days,” but he received nothing until last week. Wagley said he had to file a See
GROVE page 5A
B-sides
Find this year’s Homecoming-related material in Section B
Plan your fun
Before you go
ArtsFriday previews the play, so you know what to expect, page 10A
Our Homecoming schedule gives you all the ACU weekend events info you need, page 10B
‘Aida’ comes together By Laura Acuff Student Reporter
Aida, a production about a racially-charged love triangle in Ancient Egypt and this year’s Homecoming Musical, opens Friday and will give additional performances Saturday and Sunday. Although Aida was scheduled to be the Homecoming musical two years ago, leading actress Jasmin Richardson, junior musical theatre major from Houston, said ethnicity became an issue when a Caucasian was cast as the female lead, a part usually played by a minority. “There was just a concern among some in our community about casting choices who really saw the title role as being really connected with a minority,” Aida Director and theatre professor Dr. Adam Hester said. “Although it had been done with a variety of casting options in other places, in this area, it just felt like that was an
Pic happy
Our favorite photos from the musical, page 6-7A photo illustration by katie gager
Jenavene Hester, junior theatre major from Abilene, as Amneris in the Homecoming musical Aida.
See
AIDA page 8A
Under ACU’s umbrella ‘Aida,’ football, carnival highlight ‘World’s Greatest Show’
The ACU budget is taking a slight hit this year after university enrollment slipped by almost 100 students compared to last year. ACU set an almost $95 million overall budget for the year, which is $3 million more than the university has this year. Phil Schubert, executive vice president, said ACU has a $1.8 million contingency for just this sort of situation, and the difference is not noticeable to the average person on campus. “I doubt it will be seen as significant or highly visible throughout the campus,” Schubert said. “We took little steps here and there to tighten up.” Schubert added that after the $1.8 million contingency, the balance was manageable. While the budget may be crimped, Schubert said service will not be affected. “I feel confident there won’t be any noticeable shortcomings in service,” Schubert said. The university has looked into saving money, and Schubert said the university has also brought in consultants to help. “We’re working with some outside consultants to help us identify some thing that wouldn’t be apparent to us internally,” Schubert said. The budget is not the only thing affected by lower enrollment numbers. Tim Johnston, associate vice president of enrollment management, is looking at solutions to raise enrollment just a couple of years after consecutive record-setting enrollment numbers. “My responsibilities are anything that has to do with bringing students to ACU,” Johnston said. Competing with other universities for the same students, Johnston said the university’s approach wasn’t quite right last year. “Our approach did not prove successful,” Johnston said. “In most competitive markets, we found students in that market and our competitive response wasn’t as aggressive as other competitors.” To respond, Johnston said the university will have to do a few things to satisfy its goals. First, Johnston said the university will target an aggressive approach to students its interested in recruiting. Using flag-ship programs to attract students is another method of bringing in students, Johnston said. He said the other way to recruit is the old fashioned way: word-ofmouth. To recruit, Johnston said the See
BUDGET page 8A
ACU calling all iStudents to research iPhone By Jared Fields Editor-in-Chief
ACU will add another team to its iPhone research group less than a month after naming faculty and staff members to research teams. The university is calling for students with iPhones to take part in research for the phone. All interested students with an iPhone, Trio or Blackberry device can attend a meeting from 11:45 a.m. to
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
1 p.m. Tuesday in the Mabee Library Auditorium to become part of student groups involved in the research of converged mobile devices. “We want to understand broadly how people are already using these devices,” said Bill Rankin, associate professor of English and director of the iPhone educational research team. “We ask people who are willing to participate to meet, help us brainstorm, to help us with some surveys and to
help us test some things.” Also on Tuesday, Rankin said two representatives from the university will travel to Seattle to attend EDUCAUSE, the largest educational technology conference in the U.S. It will give ACU representatives a chance to participate in workshops and meet with other universities brainstorming about the iPhone’s capabilities. ACU also applied for a $100,000 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Founda-
tion grant. The grant, which isn’t awarded until early 2008, could help fund the study of the iPhone if ACU receives it. The foundation’s task is to fund the exploration of best practices in education and technology. Funding for iPhone research comes from operation’s budgets in Information Services and the Adams Center for Teaching Excellence, said Phil Schubert, executive vice president. He said the university is assess-
Abilene Christian University
ing other potential external sources for funding. Students could begin testing the iPhone version of myACU. Rankin said the site, http://my.acu.edu/m, has been active for about three weeks, and researchers want to make sure it’s working before they officially release it. Scott Lopez, senior exercise science major from San Antonio, got his iPhone See
iPHONE page 5A
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