The Optimist Print Edition: 12.03.14

Groundbreaking at Global Sims brings spark to non-profit

vol. 103, no. 27

wednesday december 3, 2014

Feature Page 5

1 SECTION, 6 PAGES

Finals week is now also ‘Lighten your load week’

what’s INSIDE NEWS

reese gwin staff reporter

SA rents out Abilene Zoo for all ACU students today Page 3

SPORTS West wills Wildcats to 3-0 mark over Thanksgiving

Page 6

OPINION Chris Riley, vice president of student life, wrote a guest column offering his end-of-semester advice Page 4

NEWS ACU employee recognized at one of Abilene’s top 20 under 40 Page 3

OPINION Everyone is taking sides on Ferguson and the media is in the midst of it all

jarred schuetze chief Photographer

Engineering and physics students build bridges and test weights during class in the Maker Lab on Tuesday afternoon.

In what is perhaps the busiest week of the year for most students, Students’ Association is doing their part to provide a break from the stress.

During Lighten Your Load Week, the week before final exams begin, SA will offer a different service to students with the goal to relieve some of the stress that comes with the end of the semester.

“Obviously it is a busy time for everyone, but our goal is to equip and empower students to finish the semester strong,” said Beau Carter, junior political science major from Farmers Branch and vice president of SA. “Even though this is my busiest week of the year, I think it is important to provide opportunities to unite the student body and give everyone a break.”

The events started Monday with SA providing hot chocolate and warm apple cider in the Campus Center. On Tuesday, students received library care packages with scan-trons, pencils and granola bars.

In addition, a Starbucks coupon for free coffee was given away.

SA partnered with Pura Vida Wednesday to distribute free massages, and students will have the chance to abandon the books altogether Thursday night to attend ACU Christmas Slam in which there will be giveaways, food and Wildcat basketball.

Lighten Your Load Week will wrap up Friday with a chili cook-in. Chili will be served in the library see finals page 3

Tuition lowered for theology grad students daniel block intramurals editor

Page 4

SPORTS Men’s basketball splits two games over holiday break

Page 6

NEWS A new elevator is installed in the Campus Center

Page 3

The Graduate School of Theology announced its new affordability initiative which aims to reduce tuition costs for students pursuing a career in ministry.

The program will start in the summer, and will be in effect beginning with the 2015-2016 catalog year.

With the new initiative, a student’s degree program will determine his or her tuition costs. Once registered, the student will pay a fixed rate that will not increase as long as he or she remains continuously enrolled.

The master of divinity, master of arts in Christian Ministry, master of arts in

copy editor

VIDEO Students get to play surgeon in spaying and neutering cat procedures

Read more at acuoptimist.com

“

ACU is committed to reducing the cost of graduate theological education and graduating ministers with less debt.”

see a great degree of growth in the Graduate School of Theology, especially in the form of online students. “(The affordability initiative) allows us to help with student debt,” he said.

“It also allows us to enter an online market which we really weren’t able to do before.”

Cukrowski said he expects the Master of Divinity and Master of Christian Ministry degrees will be able to be completed online with two residencies in

Dr. Tim Sinsing associate dean of thr Graduate School of Theology

Abilene and that the Graduate School of Theology is already an attractive option for students, and the affordability initiative will help ensure it stays that way.

“One of the things the students (appreciate) the most is mentoring,” he said. “We have weekly mentoring with the professors; there’s lots of studentprofessor contact.”

Cukrowski said the College of Biblical Studies’ scholarship opportunities

and undergraduate programs help set the Graduate School of Theology apart from similar schools.

“The typical seminary may have one or two New Testament professors,” Cukrowski said. “Once we add in our undergraduate population, we can add people who have special offerings. The normal seminary is not going to have five New Testament professors. There are also some generous scholarships that not all seminaries are going to have.”

About 140 students are enrolled in the Graduate School of Theology.

contact block at djb13a@acu.edu

Education doctorate program is pending rachel fritz

what’s online

Global Service and other Master of Arts degree programs will be affected by the change. On average, the tuition rate will drop by approximately 41 percent.

Dr. Tim Sensing, associate dean of the Graduate School of Theology, said he believes the affordability initiative serves a greater purpose than just reducing tuition costs.

“ACU is committed to reducing the cost of graduate theological education and graduating ministers with less debt,” Sensing said. “Doing so will help reduce the burden of financial pressure and will allow ministers to serve more effectively in churches and other ministry contexts.”

Dr. Ken Cukrowski, dean of the College of Biblical Studies, said he expects to

The Department of Graduate Studies in Education has received university approval for a new doctoral program and now waits for accreditation.

Dr. Donnie Snider, dean of the College of Education and Human Services, Dr. Bruce Scott, chair of the Department of Graduate Studies in Education (GSE), and Dr. Stephen Johnson, dean of the Graduate School, developed a proposal for a doctorate in education in organizational leadership in October which was presented to the Graduate Council in later in the month.

The program will be

the second doctorate degree offered through ACU aside from the Doctorate of Divinity offered through the Graduate School of Theology.

“We’re basically a master’s level institution, so to add a second doctorate is a big deal,” Snider said.

After being approved by the Graduate Council, the proposal moved to a full-faculty vote. The result of the vote was 76 percent in favor of the addition.

“Internally, we’ve passed on the operational side and the academic side,” Snider said. “As far as the university is concerned, every step in the process is complete.”

Now, the prospectus of the proposal is in the hands of the Southern As-

sociation of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

“The last big hurdle for us is SACS, and we’ll get that done,” Snider said.

“It just may take time. You don’t hurry SACS.” Snider and Scott said they allowed three to four months for SACS to review the prospectus in case SACS came back with questions about the prospectus which could delay the process.

“They’ve got 13 states plus anybody that’s international that receive accreditation,” Scott said.

In the mean time, the department has begun meeting to discuss course development and a new learning management system.

“A committee has been formed to find a new

Abilene Christian University

learning management system,” Snider said.

“They’re in the process of negotiating the cost of the company now. They need an LMS to design the course.”

In previous years, OpenClass and Blackboard have been used as campus-wide learning management systems.

“We will know by the spring semester what platform they can design in,” Snider said.

After the new LMS is announced, course construction will begin.

“We know basically the program will be approximately 60 hours,” Scott said. “There will be some research-based courses, some about organizational leadership and some about an elective cognate

the student will choose.”

Faculty within the department are also discussing course expectations and necessities.

“We’ve been meeting together with faculty to come up with what learning outcomes we want from these courses and what textbooks are going to be used,” Scott said.

Despite the ground they have already covered, there is still a ways to go before the program is ready to launch.

“The other big thing they’ve got to work on, too, is on the back end of this which is the dissertation – all the procedures and processes for that and who’s going to handle that,” Snider said. see doctorate page 3

Wednesday 12.03.14

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wednesday

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thursday 6:30 p.m. ACU Opera presents Amahl and the Night Visitors at the Paramount Theatre

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friday ACU Christmas Slam

saturday 9 a.m. Jingle Bell Jog

Last day of classes 7:30 p.m. Christmas Vespers concert at First Baptist Church

7:30 p.m. Band concert in Cullen Auditorium

Chapel checkup To date:

Around Abilene Remaining:

67 5 @acuoptimist The Optimist

Dec. 5

Dec. 6

Dec. 6

Dec. 10

7 p.m. Abilene’s Celebration Singers, a community chorus and show choir, present their annual Christmas production at the Paramount Theatre.

Admission is free.

10 a.m. Holiday Craftapalooza and Vintage Market is a one-day shopping extravaganza at the Abilene Civic Center. It will feature an eclectic blend of handcrafted one-of-a kind items, artisan designs, boutiques, home décor and repurposed junk. The market is open until 4 p.m.

7 p.m. The Texas Boys Choir will perform at the Old Jail Art Center in Albany. Seating will be limited, so come early for a good spot.

6 a.m. KRBC proudly presents the Share Your Christmas Food Drive, benefitting the Food Bank of West Central Texas. In addition to donations of food, monetary donations will also be accepted. With every $1 donation, the Food Bank can distribute 6.25 pounds of food, the equivalent of five meals! Bring donations to the United Supermarket on South 14th St.

optimist@acu.edu Announcements For 31 days of December, the women of International Justice Mission are wearing dresses to raise money and awareness for women who have been exploited for their femininity. Please consider donating or getting involved with the cause! Contact jem11c@acu. edu for more information. You can sign up at www.dressemberfoundation.org.

Don’t get sick and miss out on any fun (or classes) this season! Flu shots are now available in the ACU Medical Care

Center for $20. We accept cash, check, credit, debit or you may bill it to your ACU Banner account. Office hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Yule Stomp has been moved to Dec. 7.

Come on out to the Elk’s Ballroom for a night of fun, free swing dancing with the ACU Swing Cats and live Jazz Ensemble!

The lesson will begin at 7 p.m. and the dance will be from 8-10 p.m. Dress up, dress vintage or dress Christmas! Spread the word and bring a friend!

Join the Student Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for a fun Christmasthemed 5K! The First Annual Jingle Bell Jog is Dec. 6. Registration is $17, and the first 100 participants to sign up get a free long-sleeve T-shirt!

Struggling with time management, stress, motivation, studying or test anxiety? The Academic Development Center is here to help. Schedule an appointment with an academic coach today!

ADVERTISMENT

KACU is in need of participants for focus group sessions. You will only be asked to participate in one session based on your schedule and the session’s needs. Please email your name, phone number and best time of day to contact you to research@kacu.org.

Participants will be eligible to win a $50 Visa Gift Card.

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news

Wednesday 12.03.14

Campus Center remodel almost complete Tori Valdivia student reporter The downstairs area of the Campus Center is saying goodbye to the bowling alley and hello to ACU’s newest stomping grounds where students will be able to go and socialize with fellow Wildcats.

“The bowling alley wasn’t the most used place on campus, so we thought what if we repurposed that space and made all of that Student Life,” said Kevin Roberts, vice president of operations.

Along with a new common area for students, the downstairs basement will be transformed into office space for Student Life offices to move in to.

“It’s really a two-fold process,” said Chris Riley, vice president of Student Life. “One is offices for all the staff that currently office in McKinzie. In addition, there will be some kind of new office space for Students’ Association and also some kind of shared lobby space for other people to use across campus.”

Student Life is still kicking around ideas for the

“

We’re trying to decide the best way to use that space.” chris riley vice president of student life

official name of the new common area.

“We’re trying to decide the best way to use that space, like some vending machines and what kind of furniture makes sense,” Riley said. “Just a common space that students can use to study or hang out, have meetings or things

like that.”

The construction originally started from the need to empty Chambers Hall so it could be torn down for ACU’s Vision in Action construction plan.

The Department of Language and Literature offices that once resided in Chambers Hall will now move into the Hardin Administration building while the Department of Psychology will make its new home in McKinzie Hall.

“It made a lot of sense for psychology to move in McKinzie because that’s

where their clinic is, and it also makes sense for Student Life to be in the Campus Center and not over in McKenzie,” Roberts said.

In addition to the new offices and common area, a new elevator will be installed.

“One of the things we had the opportunity to do while we were doing all of that is address the elevator that we had,” Roberts said. “We’re so much better than the old elevator, that’s not who we want to be. By putting in a proper elevator, students and any of our guests who have mobility

concerns will be able to get around in a much better elevator.”

The new elevator will be centrally located in the lobby of the Campus Center and will provide more convenient access compared to the old one, Roberts said.

The construction is on schedule as Student Life gets ready to move into their new offices by the second week of December.

contact the optimist at jrc07d@acu.edu

SAAC brings teddy bears to Hendrick Medical Center hannah null student reporter The Student Athletic Advisory Committee is raising money to buy teddy bears for children at Hendrick Medical Center.

Young patients at Hendrick Medical Center have been wishing for more teddy bears, and with the holidays coming up, SAAC felt it would be a good idea to make their wish come true.

SAAC wanted to make their

holidays a little brighter by giving them teddy bears as a surprise gift.

Representatives from each sport told their teammates about donating to the cause, and every student athlete was given the opportunity to contribute to helping the children.

Once people donated money, they were able to sign and write a note on a paper bear that will be hung on a Christmas tree in the Campus Center.

“I think this fundraiser

was a really good source of awareness for all students and athletes alike because it was a great reminder that Christmas is about helping others and showing Christ’s love,” said Kenzie Walker, sophomore nursing major from Abilene. “These bears are more than just gifts or presents for these kids and their families, it’s a way for us as an ACU community to say we are thinking and praying for them.”

With 330 student athletes at ACU, a small con-

tribution from each individual can really add up.

“Our goal was to raise $1,000,” said Kyle Karnei, sophomore accounting major from Waco. “Right now, we are over $1,600, and we are still waiting on a few more teams to turn in donations.”

In exceeding the goal amount, SAAC raised enough money to help more people than just those at Hendrick Medical Center.

The extra money re-

Swing Cats ring in the holiday season with Yule Stomp hannah little student reporter The ACU Swing Cats and Jazz Band are gearing up to conduct its single and largest event, Yule Stomp.

The annual event will begin with a free dance lesson at 7 p.m. followed by the band’s performance from 8-10 p.m. Sunday at the Elks Hall Ballroom.

Formally known as “Fall Stomp,” the event was intended to be earlier this year, but due to the jazz band director becoming ill, the event was postponed and the name was changed to Yule Stomp.

In the past few years,

the event has welcomed people from the community and surrounding areas such as San Angelo, Dallas, Fort Worth and other nearby places. The live music and style of dancing attracts guests and provides an atmosphere with a combination of history and fun.

“Swing dancers love a live big band more than anything else in the world, and each fall, we have hosted well over a hundred people from all over the community who come to enjoy the music, to dance or to just be a part of the fun,” said Cole Bennett, Swing Cats sponsor.

The idea for Yule Stomp

is to provide the community with a swing dance and live music event that imitates one of the World War II era. Everyone is welcome to come and join in on the fun of celebrating jazz music and dancing.

“Although Swing Cats is an ACU-specific student club, Yule Stomp is a community event,” said Bennett, Department Chair and director of the Writing Center. “We really want anyone who loves swing music to attend to enjoy the terrific ACU jazz band, dance a few steps or both.”

For, Elisa Wyrick, senior English major from The Woodlands, Yule Stomp will be a fun and memo-

SA class officers to rent out Abilene Zoo Allison Brown managing editor SA sophomore and junior class officers have pooled their resources to rent out the Abilene Zoo from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday evening.

This year, SA allocated $1,000 to each of the four classes with the hope that class officers would put on bigger events. With the increased amount of funds, the sophomore and junior classes began brainstorming ideas for an end of semester event.

Caleb Orr, sophomore class president and political science major from McKinney, said the two classes were looking for “a really out of the cage idea.”

“We originally wanted to do a Narnia-themed event,” Orr said. “That brought up the idea for lions, and where else are their lions in Abilene besides the zoo?”

Orr, along with Ashlyn Anthony, sophomore graphic design major from Dallas, and Morgan Jennings, sophomore accounting major from Abilene, secured the zoo rental and are inviting all students to come and enjoy the evening.

“Ashlyn and Caleb have been working really hard on this event and I can’t wait to see how it turns out,” said Jennings, sophomore class treasurer.

Orr called the event a “Christmas Zoocial” complete with live music from recording artist Andrew

Holmes and zoo train rides around the property. Tshirts will also be available to purchase for $15.

All of these components of the event are made possible by the funds available to the class officers.

“The increased amount of class funds gave us a ton of flexibility and I think opened up the cooperation process,” Orr said. “Being able to work with the junior class not only increases unity between classes but allows for a greater aggregation of funds in order to put on more unique and empowering student events.”

contact brown at akb12b@acu.edu

Doctorate: final approval still pending from page 1 Another concern will be finding professors to instruct the online courses.

“Ultimately, we’ve got to decide who’s going to teach the courses,” Scott said. “A good percentage of courses will probably be taught by current faculty.”

Snider said if the program expands, though, they will consider hiring adjunct faculty.

“We can handle the course load internally, but if this thing scales out to hundreds

and hundreds of students, we’re probably going to have to hire someone,” Snider said.

“That’s the good thing about being an online department.

We can hire adjuncts from all over the United States and the world. We’re not just limited to just adjuncts in Abilene.”

Though the program will be new, there is plenty of experience behind the proposal.

“We’ve got a lot of experience with this,” Snider said.

“We’ve been designing and teaching online for seven years. We’ve been teaching

online for almost a decade.”

At the high point, the master’s program contained about 240 students in 37 states, Snider said.

“Will this be a little new with a doctorate, yeah, but content is content and courses are courses,” Snider said.

Snider and Scott hoped the program would be open by the second session of the spring semester but now anticipate it beginning next fall. contact fritz at ref11a@acu.edu

Finals: Groups offer stress relief to students from page 1 the library atrium to anyone still studying.

SA is not the only group on campus going out of their way to give students a break from the stress.

The Student Alumni Association will have Midnight Breakfast on dead day as a celebration of the end of the semester.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is also having an event on the evening of dead day.

Their activity, Dead Day Drop, encourages Wildcat student-athletes to take a break from studying and enjoy snacks with the ACU athletic community.

“This is a great opportunity for athletes to come together and think about

something other than their school work for a little bit,” said Kyle Karnei, sophomore accounting and finance major from Waco and president of SAAC. “With 330 student-athletes, this is a unique opportunity to get together but also to relieve some stress.” contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

rable event for new and old members, herself included.

“We do have quite a few new members in Swing Cats, and our hope is that most of them come to dance and help support the ACU jazz band,” Wyrick said. “This is my last dance as a Swing Cat, so I’m looking forward to hearing the jazz band play one more time and dance with all of my favorite partners.” contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

ceived went toward helping the members of SAAC sponsor a family at Taylor Elementary School for a true Thanksgiving dinner.

“I think that this project shows that if everyone pitches in, then a big difference can be made,” Karnei said. “This is a real example of student athletes being real examples of Christ.”

Karnei and Walker were captivated with the generosity of the ACU community once donations started pouring in. Because of the

support from fellow ACU athletes, SAAC is able to fulfill the wishes of children during this holiday season.

“We are always looking for a way to get involved in the community and felt that we could make a lasting impression with kids who are in some of the most trying stages of their lives,” Karnei said. contact the optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Opinion

Wednesday 12.3.14

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editorial

There’s a reason media takes sides on Ferguson the issue It’s easy to accuse either stance that someone takes when discussing the case of Michael Brown and the riots in Ferguson.

our take Take what the media says with a grain of salt and remember they aren’t always a reflection of normal, everyday Americans.

The media is in a tough spot. Well, we have put ourselves in a tough spot.

And by “we,” I mean every journalist or news outlet that has attempted to cover or editorialize the events happening in Ferguson.

If you address the race factor, then you are criti-

cized for assuming unknown facts of the case or using institutionalized racial disparities to sensationalize the narrative.

If you don’t address race, then you are accused of contributing to the ignorance that has fueled police brutality and criticized for ignoring an is-

sue that justifies every ounce of riot that has transpired.

And then, whether you mention race or not, you might still be accused of giving too much prominence to the potential for violence and not enough to the decision itself. Or vice versa.

Even the President is caught in this two-faced conundrum. In his statement the Tuesday after it was announced Officer Darren Wilson would not be charged in the shooting of Michael Brown, Obama condemned violence and looting while

acknowledging the legitimate concerns animating the protesters.

It’s tempting to take a side like we do in so many other ways every day (political parties, sports teams, whether Taylor Swift is annoying or not, etc.). For some, it’s easy to sympathize with the looter and car-burners and for others, that’s very difficult to do. It’s easy to sympathize with Michael Brown’s family who wanted a trial for entirely understandable reasons.

But it’s not so easy to sympathize those who are elevating Brown to

sainthood and heroism, while knowing he robbed a convenience store. You can practically take a side to anything thing in this narrative.

But the problem that both sides are guilty of is thinking they have a clear and obvious message. The mainstream news outlets, no matter what stance they’re taking, claim to offer a simple explanation. It’s all about race or it has nothing to do with race.

They interview their experts, their lawyers and their politicians and they all talk about the dirty

smudges happening to a shiny America behind their shiny news desks.

That’s not how Americans live their lives everyday. They don’t have theories or concepts with clear cut solutions. Normal everyday life is messy and it’s one huge gray area, and Ferguson just won best mess of all. So give the media a break, or take their word with a grain of salt, or do both. At least until they figure out how to cover messy. contact The Optimist at jmcnetwork@acu.edu

Guest Column

Vice president of student life shares his Wildcatitudes CHRIS RILEY Vice President of Student Life

In preparing for the end of the semester and all that entails, I thought a blessing would only be fitting.

Study in peace.

Blessed are those without Netflix subscriptions, for they will have time to inherit the earth.

Blessed are the remaining Chapel goers, for they will see God. Let’s be honest, at this

point in the semester, you are still going to Chapel because you either need credits or really love it, and I sincerely hope it is the latter. Despite how you feel now, alumni say it’s one of the things they miss most. In Student Life, we will continue to do all we can to make Chapel a great experience where you have a chance

to connect with God and each other. But we need your help! In the midst of your busy schedule, please take time fill out the Chapel survey that was emailed to you on Monday. (It’s worth two credits.)

Blessed are those in the friend zone, for they can focus solely on exams.

Blessed are those already mourning their GPA, for they will be called children of God. Grades are important to be sure, but you are more than your grades (good or bad). If you define yourself by GPA and

“

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they will enjoy Whataburger (anytime).”

have a bad exam or even a bad semester, it’s not just a disappointment, it’s an identity crisis. Instead, try to keep some perspective and live according to the truth that your worth is based on your identity as God’s beloved child.

Blessed are those who

DAILY doodle dosage

Ben Todd

hunger and thirst, for they will enjoy Whataburger (anytime).

Blessed are those willing to serve during spring break, for they will be blessed.

Believe it or not, it’s almost time to make spring break plans. New opportunities to partner with alumni and local churches to serve others during spring break are happening in Dallas, Houston, Denver and the Bronx. Contact the Center for Christian Service and Leadership for more information or to learn how to start your own trip to

an alternative locale.

Blessed are the faculty, for they have grading to do (and are just as tired as you are).

Blessed are the students, for they will be comforted.

In nine short days, the semester will end. I pray that you have a blessed and restful break and come back in January ready to experience all the great things God has in store for you here and beyond. contact riley at chris.riley@acu.edu

hashtagACU Dec. 2 2:53 p.m.

“If you get stranded on a desert island and can only have one instrument, it should be a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer.” #pamplinsays

@sweetcarolina93 Dec. 1 5:07 p.m.

Dec. 1 5:11 p.m.

Cyber Monday is making it pretty hard to read for my night class.

@CortniWilliams Dec. 1 5:20 p.m.

Had an awesome first day in the office at @ACUsports! Couldn’t be more excited about the future here. Its a GREAT time to be a Wildcat!

So hungry, but too cold to walk to the bean

@Madison_Hancock Dec. 1 7:28 a.m.

@ldeleon Dec.1 4:56 p.m.

Column

A farewell to life in the dorms THE OXFORD VAGABONDAGE COMMA SAMANTHA SUTHERLAND

ALLISON BROWN

Nine days are all I’ve got left. Nine days left in a little town called Abilene at a campus I have come to call home. Nine more days of the Bean. Only nine short days ‘til I hand in the key (which I think I have lost) to the last dorm room I’ll ever live in.

Cue the tears; send in the clowns; strike up the band; I’m starting to say my goodbyes.

As I pack up my room and my suitcase to head to the British Isles, I wanted to say a few parting words to none other than Barret dormitory.

To Barret room 2A8,

It’s been pretty nice living here these 15 short weeks. I’m really going to miss the good thing we’ve got going.

But don’t worry, dorm.

I won’t forget the memories we’ve made. I’ll always remember the good times we had, and of course, the first 11 weeks of school when the outside door didn’t lock and any stranger passing by could’ve walked in and stolen my belongings.

I will also remember when the outside door did start locking.

You know, when I had to crawl through my window several times be-

cause I left my ID card in my room. Those were (are) the days.

And how can I forget, I will treasure the nights when the heater came on and I laid on my couch with ice packs on me to keep from sweating.

We’ve been through a lot, you know. You’ve been with me through my late nights and you’ve understood the mornings when I wake up at 7:42 for an 8 a.m. class.

Times got tough for the three weeks I wore a yellow skirt every day, but luckily we made it through together.

I’d like to take this time to apologize for all the times I used my crockpot and made our room smell like a number of different foods, namely the entire turkey I cooked for Thanksgiving.

editorial and Letter Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration.

Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing

personal attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.

published by the department of journalism and mass communication editorial and management board

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79609 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

newsroom (325) 674-2439

sports desk (325) 674-2684

It’s always at this point in the semester when I realize I was supposed to be learning all the information that is going to be on the final

Nothing says “Welcome back to Abilene” like a 60 degree tempature swing!! #WelcomeHomeGuys

@austinkilcullen Dec. 2 4:18 p.m.

Through the smells @landadowdy and the always hot air and the creaky beds, Dec. 1 5:24 p.m. we’ve come to know each other pretty well. You, Girl Scout cookie sales as well as anyone, know are going online so I’m not the cleanest girl women can get off your on the block, sometimes porches and back in I sing in the shower and their kitchens. #ThinI watch the Office more Misogyny #Tagyourtrothan I should. But these phywifealong are the things that have bonded us, dearest room.

Think of me when @Gabnormally someone else fills the space come January. Re- My friend was telling member me when I soon me how electricity is reside on Canterbury measured, and I was like Road, because when I’m “Watt?” gone, when I’m gone, well, you’re going to miss me when I’m gone.

My dorm days are YikYak over.

Farewell, Barret.

Today I successfully avoided all of my responsibilites by taking a 3 hour nap. #finalsready

@b_armstrong3 I wish stress burned calories. I’d have a six pack by the end of next week for sure.

YikYak The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to cancel all exams for the rest of the year.

YikYak

contact Brown at akb12b@acu.edu

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Features

wednesday 12.03.14

paige otway Staff Photographer

THE SAMARITAN that Sims built Danny Sims brings a spark to the local nonprofit that is shining its light across the globe Madeline Orr editor in chief

I

ed a vice president at the Washington Speakers Bureau. The agency that represents hundreds of world leaders and lecturers also represents the three who have traveled to Abilene and spoken at Global fundraising events. An evening with Condeleezza Rice in November filled the Civic Center and raised awareness for what Global is doing around the world.

“We do four things,” Danny said. “We do logistics, water purification, fortified food and disaster preparation and response.”

Oftentimes, they do all four. In July, when a humanitarian crisis evolved from immigrants f looding the Texas border, Danny organized a collection of goods and drove a cargo trailer filled with 230 cots and blankets to the Harvey Street Church of Christ in McAllen.

In August, Global got a call from the organization Youth With A Mission, or Y WAM, asking for first-aid kits for Christians in Pakistan. Some areas of the country are beating and stoning Christians in their places of worship.

“The more we dug into, we found they don’t need first aid kits, they need wound kits,” Danny said. “When these Christians go to the doctor, they are refused treatment.” Global sent 100 backpacks each full of $50 worth of the kinds of medical supplies that could be found in an emergency room.

Most recently, in October, Global announced plans to aid those suffering from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The effort, deemed as Simple Works, plans to send at least three 40-foot shipping containers worth $50,000 each by January. Danny said he is frustrated with the complex solutions that don’t seem to make a difference.

“We defer to large institutions and then get frustrated and wonder why we don’t see results,” he said. “Small nonprofits and people like you and me in Abilene can make a difference.”

Danny laughs at the idea that Global is essentially a “hook-up artist.” They form relationships and make the connections so they can help people help people.

“Our value is to know the people we partner with by name,” he said. “Nationbuilding is relationship-building.”

Whether it’s knowing former First Lady Laura Bush by name, or knowing a Syrian refugee like Hussein in Northern Jordan by name, Danny works to meet the needs of those he knows.

“We like to say when we give away even millions of servings of food, we aren’t giving it away to a mass of people. We are giving it away to people we know by name.”

n the last three years, Terry Bradshaw, Laura Bush and Condoleezza Rice have made visits to Abilene. Three years ago, the Abilene nonprofit, Global Samaritan Resources, hired a new executive director, Danny Sims. The timing is not a coincidence.

Convincing celebrities to come to West Texas is one of the more external ways people have noticed Danny is making an impact at Global. After spending 23 years as a minister in Fort Worth, Danny’s passion for people hasn’t changed.

It only moved a few hours down I-20.

“Coming out of ministry, he is just naturally drawn to people,” said his wife, Suzanne Sims. “He took the business on as a ministry, and even ministered to the business.”

The business concept was simple: Collect surplus goods and share them with people in need. What started in the back of a truck in 1999 has since provided millions of dollars in humanitarian aid through Global Samaritan Resources.

With four full-time employees, the main office isn’t big, but the warehouse out back measures a necessary 55,000 square feet, taking up two city blocks.

What was formerly an old Coca-Cola bottling factory off of North 1st St. has become the hub for storage and shipping of supplies to more than 30 different nations.

Danny has the kind of large personality that loves playing Scrooge in the Paramount’s Christmas Carol every year, and his vehicle of choice is a brown and burnt orange 1979 V W bus. He drives it to work and parks the bus behind the Global gates—a symbol of the personality he brings to work every day. His dynamic character has changed the workplace since he joined staff in 2012.

“He has a kind and listening heart,” said Kena Jones, executive assistant at Global. “Danny has taken us to different heights. He has a lot of vision and focus for the organization.”

Sometimes, he takes off his executive director hat and counsels as a minister.

“Not to sound like a religious nut, but we pray a lot,” Jones said. “He implemented prayer at staff meetings, we pray over containers, we pray for direction.”

Ministry prepared Danny to be a nonprofit director in ways other than spiritual direction.

“He’s a great writer and speaker,” said Suzanne. “He is able to tell the story of Global and share things that catch people’s attention, that make it relate to everyday life.”

Much of Global’s story includes the countries where supplies are sent and where Danny travels to visit missionaries. On a recent trip to Northern Jordan, his clear blue eyes and thinning silver hair didn’t help him blend in. He said he was just naïve enough to expect everyone there to be friends.

“That naivety will only take you so far in Syria,” he said.

He met a Syrian refugee named Hussein who showed Danny a video on his cell phone of an 8-year-old boy being shot in the street by the Syrian army in his hometown he had just f led.

“That is the same breeding ground now that we see ISIS advancing up to Turkey,” Danny said. “Global is a place where we want to speak into those situations with hope and supplies if we have them.”

Shipping those supplies around the photo contributed by Global samaritan resources world can get expensive, but Danny has Top: Danny Sim, executive director of Global Samaritan Resources announces at a press conference the organization’s plans to the fundraising know-how. A champion fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Bottom: The GSR building resides near downtown Abilene. of the phrase, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” Danny has befriend-

sports

wednesday 12.03.14

West leads ‘Cats to perfect holiday week collin thompson sports reporter The ACU women’s basketball team competed in the Plaza Lights Classic in Kansas City, Missouri, last weekend.

In the tournament, which was hosted by the University of MissouriKansas City, the then 3-1 Wildcats were able to defeat George Mason University of Fairfax, Virginia, 88-86 on Friday and UMKC, 80-55, on Saturday.

In its first game, the team was carried by its starters, who were responsible for 86 of the team’s 88 points. The only points coming off the bench were from freshman guard Alyssa Echols with 3:12 left in the game.

The team was able to break a late-game tie with the Patriots to grab a close two-point victory on a jumper by junior Whitney West with six seconds left on the clock.

“George Mason is a really good, high-scoring team,” said Julie Goodenough, head coach. “We felt like we could score right up with them and that the game could very well come down to who could get stops down the stretch, and sure enough, that’s what happened. It’s

very significant to beat a team of this caliber on the road.

The team went up by double digits six times in the game, including a game-high 15-point lead with 14:07 left and an 11-point lead with 4:22 left in the game before George Mason went on a 7-0 run in just under a minute to bring the Wildcats’ lead to four.

“We want to play uptempo and not turn down open three-pointers and layups, and down the stretch, that’s what we were shooting and they just weren’t falling,” Goodenough said.

“George Mason turned their speed up a notch and started beating us down the f loor in transition to cut our lead. We need more work on managing the clock when we have a big lead, and that is my responsibility to help them realize when to be more patient.”

In the second game, the Wildcats were able to relax significantly more, putting on a clinic against the tournament host Kangaroos, especially in the first half, shooting 17-39 from the f loor and 6-17 from behind the arc in the first half, grabbing a two-point lead with 16:44 left in the first half, which was a lead they would

Paige Otway Staff Photographer

Whitney West has been one of the keys to the Wildcats hot start. She has averaged 12.2 points per game. never relinquish.

“We had such great focus on scoring in the first half (on Saturday),” Goodenough said. “We are tough to beat with

that kind of execution.

We learned a lot about ourselves this weekend and what we can accomplish with great focus and teamwork.”

The team, which has

only played one game away so far this season – a tough 70-57 loss to University of Texas at San Antonio on Nov. 19 – is now 2-1 on the road to go along with their 3-0 record at home.

“We had so many families who followed us to the tourney that we actually had about as many fans as UMKC and more than George Mason,” Goodenough said. “Our players shot so well in their small gym because there was no depth perception issues on shots. The players played with poise and confidence even though we were playing far away from Moody.”

The team will try to increase its season record to 5-1 as they head to Lubbock to take on the Texas Tech University Red Raiders at 11 a.m Dec. 3.

“Our team did a lot of good things (last) weekend and got three big wins in a week,” Goodenough said, referring to their 7972 win over Eastern Washington University Nov. 24.

“Our challenge is to keep improving and growing together as a team.”

contact thompson at Cnt13c@acu.edu

Men’s team splits two over break Daniel Zepeda sports Director The men’s basketball team went 1-1 over the Thanksgiving break to move to 2-3 on the young season.

After falling to Duquesne at home, ACU took on Jarvis Christian College and came away with a 91-65 win to move back to .500. The Wildcats then traveled to Riverside, California, to play in the team’s first game on the West Coast since 1987. The men lost, 76-56, due to just 36 percent shooting from the field.

Four Wildcats scored in double digits on the team’s way to a 91-65 win.

Senior guard Harrison Hawkins led ACU in scoring with 14 points and was 3-6 from beyond the arc.

Junior Austin Cooke and sophomore Michael Grant put in 13 points each on a combined 9-17 shooting. Freshman big man Christian Albright was one board shy of a double-double, turning in 11 points and nine rebounds.

“I thought the second half we did a better job of attacking at the rim, getting on the offensive glass and doing some better things than we did in the first half,” said Joe Golding, head coach.

Jarvis Christian committed 30 turnovers on the game and only made 20 field goals for the game, while junior Parker Wentz got into foul-trouble and was limited to just five points on 2-8 shooting, but the Wildcats did record 13 steals.

The Wildcats led 3727 at halftime and never looked back. ACU went on

Paige Otway Staff Photographer

Senior guard LaDarrien Williams return from injury has been successful so far. Williams has averaged 8.4 points per game while shooting 38 percent from behind the arc. to outscore Jarvis Christian 54-38 in the second half, handing the Christian college its sixth loss of the season. With many new faces and it still being early in the season, finding roles for players and

an overall team identity is something Golding and his staff have continued to work on.

“We’re still trying to work on rotation, still working on minutes, espe-

cially our younger guys,” Golding said. “We gave both Drake and Tripp 15 minutes against Jarvis and then K.J. got 18 minutes, so we’re still working on where they fit it and developing them.”

Four days later, the Wildcats made their first trip to California in more than 25 years to play UC Riverside in the SRC arena in Riverside. For Hawkins, who lived in Long Beach, it was a homecoming and a chance for his family to see him play.

Wentz bounced back for 15 points on 5-6 from the field, 2-3 from three and 3-4 from the free throw line. Senior LaDarrien Williams chipped in 13 points. The Wildcats got roughed up on the glass, as the team was outrebounded 47-21. No Wildcats had more than four rebounds.

The Wildcats never led in the game and only scored 22 points in the first half, making just six shots on 25 attempts.

Riverside never found trouble scoring, as they finished with six players in double digits. Their starters scored 63 of the team’s 76 points.

“In the first half against Jarvis Christian, I was very disappointed with our energy level, but we kicked it up in the second half and we also played hard against Riverside,” Golding said. “They’re a good team and gave us a good look at some things we need to improve on.”

The Wildcats will play Sacramento State Thursday in Moody Coliseum and will look for win number three on the year while Sacramento State comes in with a four-game winning streak. The game will serve as the 2014 ACU Christmas Slam game put on by the Students’ Association.

contact zepeda at djz11a@acu.edu

NBA in need of parity, new playoff setup

6

standings mens basketball Standings

Team

Div.

UIW 0-0 SHSU 0-0 HBU 0-0 MSU 0-0 NSU 0-0 SFA 0-0 ACU 0-0 TAMU-CC 0-0 Lamar 0-0 SELU 0-0 NO 0-0 Nicholls St.0-0 UCA 0-0

Ovrl 4-0 4-2 2-2 2-2 3-3 3-3 2-3 2-4 2-4 2-5 1-3 0-5 0-6

womens basketball Standings

Team

Div.

ACU 0-0 NSU 0-0 MSU 0-0 UCA 0-0 Nicholls St.0-0 HBU 0-0 SELU 0-0 SFA 0-0 UIW 0-0 Lamar 0-0 TAMU-CC 0-0 NO 0-0 SHSU 0-0

Ovrl 5-1 3-1 3-2 2-2 2-2 2-3 2-3 2-3 2-4 1-3 1-4 0-3 0-4

Who’s Hot Junior point guard Whitney West recorded a career week west for the women’s basketball team. West led the ‘Cats to a 3-0 record last week including two wins in the Plaza Light Classic. She scored 50 points over the break including a career high 24-point outing against Missouri-Kansas City.

West also hit the gamewinning shot against George Mason, giving them an 88-86 victory.

The junior earned MVP honors for the Classic and was named Southland Conference player of the week for her play.

briefings The ACU football team had 12 players receive all-conference honors.

Senior defensive end Nick Richardson and senior tight end Noah Cheshier were named first team allSouthland Conference.

The second-team selections included De’Andre Brown, Cedric Gilbert, Codey Funk and Jonathan Epps, and the honorable mentions included Demarcus Thompson, Justin Stewart, Damon Williams, Justin Stephens, Parker McKenzie and Nik Grau.

Men’s and women’s basketball will be taking the usual finals break next week as the men will not play after this week until the 13th and the women until the 15th.

Upcoming Women’s basketball heads west Wednesday to take on Texas Tech.

The game will tip off at 11 a.m.

Men’s basketball will play host to Sacramento State also holds three under .500 wouldn’t have even made versation has always been Thursday. The game will bottom feeders in the Nets, the playoffs in the West that the East brings two begin at 7 p.m.

The NBA’s Western Conference has always been the best the NBA has had to offer. People have been calling for the NBA to change up the conferences to balance out the power of the West and the weakness of the East. An example of bad conference parity is looking at the best division in the West, the Southwest Division and the worst division in the East, the Atlantic Division.

The Southwest Division may have all five teams at more than .500 by the end

of the season. They champion the NBA’s best record, the Memphis Grizzlies, who are sitting at 15-2 and the NBA’s best up-andcoming star-studded team with the 7-8 New Orleans Pelicans. The division also contains the three most important teams in the state: the Rockets, Mavericks and the 2013-2014 NBA champion Spurs.

The Atlantic Division holds by far the worst franchise in the NBA with Philadelphia sitting at 0-17. It

Celtics and Knicks. The Raptors are the only thing making the division look good as they sit at an Eastern Conference best 13-4.

Southwest Division team followers know the struggle of having to compete every night against top competition, while a single team like the Raptors crushes the lesser competition.

As a frustrated Mavs fan, I watched as they finished second to last during the 2013-2014 season in the Southwest with a 49-33 record which was just good enough to claim the final playoff spot.

On the other end of the spectrum, the 48-34 Toronto Raptors team that

won the Atlantic division in the East last year. The NBA refuses to change the system and instead leaves a good Western Conference team like the Phoenix Suns out of the playoffs at the same record of 48-34.

The most condemning stat of all comes from last year’s two top teams in the East: the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers.

If they were moved to the West, they would be only the fourth and fifth best teams. The other six seeds in the East wouldn’t have even made the playoffs.

I understand that last year was by far the worst example of the East-West comparison, but since the NBA’s existence the con-

or three powers into the playoffs that blow away the competition while the West beats each other up. The NBA finals look fair because a much better West team is run down from three rounds of rough play, while a lesser East powerhouse has taken a jog through the competition.

A solution to the problem is to take the NBA’s top 16 teams and put them against each other. The East would have to step up its game and in the process create a better NBA for everyone to watch. contact Wieder at cpw11a@acu.edu

Men’s basketball will hit the road to take on Houston Saturday. The battle of the ‘Cats will begin at 7 p.m.