WHAT'S INSIDE
NEWS
FEATURE
OPINION
The university was named a Bee Campus by a national preservation group. Page 2
Are you even a millennial if you didn't try a unicorn frappahcino? Page 4
Theatre Dept. hits the stage with spring production: Peter and teh Starcatcher. Page 5
SPORTS
Softball clinches fifth straight victory at last weekend's home game. Page 6
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Friday, April 21, 2017 Vol. 105, Issue 29
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
ZIP-A-DEE DOO-DAH
ALLISON BROWN EDITOR IN CHIEF Mariah Escatel, junior nursing major from San Antonio, zipped across campus on Thursday afternoon outside the Hunter Welcome Center. The Cabinet brought the zipline to campus for a free activity for students.
Student vote approves recycling fee BY HALEY REMENAR ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR
A Students' Association-backed resolution calling for a campus-wide sustainability fund passed Thursday with about 10 percent of the student body voting. The fund would cost students $25 per year and would establish a campus-wide recycling program. A total of 480 students voted, with 324 voting for, 148 voting against and eight abstaining. Because the proposal passed, the Students' Association will petition the university administration to implement the proposal, called the Genesis Fund. The fund would have about $100,000 paid by a mandatory $25 fee charged to all students, according to an SA
document prepared by Dr. Joshua Brokaw, assistant professor of biology. The fund would provide for a recycling program maintained by Facilitates and Campus Management. A sustainability council comprised of three students, three staff members, three faculty members and one facilities representative would allocate the funds to any other sustainability measures supported by the Genesis Fund. Other initiatives could include supplies for sustainability related service activities by student organizations such as recycling or clean-up outreach
NO 30.8%
ABSTAIN 1.7%
YES 67.5%
480 TOTAL VOTES ON THE GENESIS FUND PROPOSAL
campaigns, solar panels or sustainability enhancement projects by campus offices to engage students such as water stations that encourage reusable bottles.
"I have been encouraged by the wide scope of involvement that we have had in preparing for the Genesis Fund," said Abbey Moses, SA president. "The demand for sustainability at ACU is coming from a diverse group of people, and I think that the unity showed is telling of the need for the fund." SA gathered student opinions about sustainability through a survey sent to the student body last semester, and 399 students participated. Eighty-one percent of the surveyed students agreed or strongly agreed that recycling should be available in every building on campus,
and 61.1 percent said they would be comfortable with a $25 fee for sustainability. Students who don't support the fee said the university doesn't need $100,000 to pay for recycling. Matthew Tidmore, junior management major from Amarillo, said $25 may not seem like much but for some students that money could help pay for rent or food. Recipients of Pell Grants could appeal the fee, but Tidmore said many students who don't have Pell Grants struggle with finances. “Recycling in itself is a good thing, but there are bigger problems at hand," Tidmore said. “It doesn’t really make sense that they need that much money to do that.” SEE RECYCLING PAGE 2
Nature trail to open on Earth Day BY HALEY REMENAR ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR
The Wildlife Society will host the grand opening of the Parker Hill Nature Trail Saturday at noon. Located across Judge Ely Boulevard from University Park, the trail features native plants, each tagged with the plant's scientific and common name. Guests can scan QR codes on the tags to learn more about the plants, said Eric Dolezalik, president of the Wildlife Society. "We wanted an educational feature that we could come to," said Dolezalik,
senior environmental science major. The trail started when an Abilene-area Boy Scout, Ethan Lewis, offered to pick up debris from the area for his Eagle Scout project. James Parker, former off-campus groundskeeper, maintained the area and used it as a prayer space for devotionals with other facilities managers, said Scott Warren, director of landscape and grounds. During the summer, the Wildlife Society decided to build the nature trail on the hill. The trail is accessible by the tunnel under Judge Ely near Faubus Fountain
HALEY REMENAR ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR
Lake and features a prayer garden and a horseshoe shape of wildflowers, including bluebonnets. The
Wildlife Society hosted a birdhouse-building contest this week so students could build a birdhouse in the
W W W. A C U O P T I M I S T. C O M
Maker Lab which would be hung in the trees at the trail. Along with birds, bees and plants and other animals have been spotted on the trail including foxes, skunks, turkeys, bobcats and sometimes deer, Warren said. The trail will be maintained by the Wildlife Society and landscape and grounds management. Warren said it may not safe at night as there will be no lighting on the trail. HRR13B@ACU.EDU
Career Center to transition to new job database BY ERIKA BOLADO STAFF WRITER
The ACU Career Center is replacing College Central Network with a new database called Handshake, which will go live for students June 30. College Central Network was a site for students to look for jobs and internships but most students found it not so user-friendly. Jill Fortson, director of the ACU Career Center, said although the College Central Network was a good system, “I just think we need to take the next step to provide a lot more opportunities for our students than we are now and this is the way to do that.” College Central Network was used for about three years and will be active until July 1. There are 1,882 students out of about 4,500 who have completed the registration and are using College Central Network, said Fortson. Fortson said there was nothing wrong with the old site but once the threeyear contract with College Central Network was up, “a lot of times you will look out to see some other things that can do more, so it was just a natural cycle.” The ACU Career Center wasn’t thinking of changing to a new system until Handshake was brought up to Fortson’s attention by faculty and other people SEE CAREER PAGE 2