WHAT'S INSIDE
NEWS
FilmFest awards initially given to non-ACU individuals at last week's gala. Page 2
FEATURE
OPINION
Social clubs put on their best face for potential new members as rushing season kicks off. Page 4-5
Are some people's opinions the only one's worth hearing, while others should stay quiet? Page 6
SPORTS
Softball defeats the Red Raiders of Texas Tech in series finale 5-1. Pages 8
v
Friday, April 7, 2017 Vol. 105, Issue 27
A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912
NAME, MAJOR, HOMETOWN
ERIKA BOLADO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Social club members and students interested in rushing mingled in the mall aread Thursday evening. All-club rush marks the first club event freshmen can be involved in and kicks off the rushing and pleding season.
Burke elected president by large margin BY HALEY REMENAR ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR
Danny Burke will be the next Students' Association president after winning by almost 700 votes. A total of 1,426 students voted in the election, which is slightly less than last year's 1,441 votes. Burke received 1,030 votes while his opponent, Abraham Enriquez, current vice president, re-
ceived 349 votes. Julia Kennedy ran unopposed for vice president and received 1,217 votes with 209 abstaining. Burke, junior marketing major from Seymour, Indiana, said he attributes the win to his campaign team. "I'm extremely humbled and excited," Burke said. "I think it's such a great privilege to represent the student body." Enriquez, junior political
science major from Lubbock, said he has been friends with Burke since their freshmen year and he is proud of Burke. He said he is excited for what SA will do in the next year. "I'm even more excited that I got to highlight the things I'm passionate about," Enriquez said. He said is not sure if he will run for a position in Congress next year. The student body also
voted on the Bridge proposition, an amendment to the SA constitution. The amendment passed by 796 votes, with 112 voting against and 545 abstaining. The amendment would require the multicultural representatives to be members of a group sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. It would also form a minority council to help SA better communicate with OMA groups, which in-
clude the Black Students' Association, Hispanos Unidos, the International Students' Association and more. Abbey Moses, current executive president, said the new cabinet will hire a treasurer in the same way they hire the cabinet administrator, chief financial officer and chief communication officer. Student Congress will then SEE ELECTION PAGE 2
Students attempt to bring back yearbook BY ERIKA BOLADO STAFF WRITER
The last Prickly Pear, the former university yearbook, came out in 2008 and ever since the yearbook hasn’t been back but that could change if Julia Kennedy, sophomore English major from Lubbock, is able to get people on campus to support her bill. Kennedy said as soph-
omore class president she presented a resolution to congress to bring back the Prickly Pear because “students [would] benefit from having a yearbook to look back from, and it was wonderful worthwhile tradition, and a great memory for ACU alumni and no longer doing it partially disconnects us from our old members of ACU,” and congress was on board but
now she has to get people to support it. Kennedy said although she is in the beginning stages of the bill, she is talking to administration and might send out a campus vote through email, because she wants “to know if people want it and appreciate it.” After the vote, depending on the results, the bill will pass only if students agree with her bill.
However, an annual yearbook isn’t easy to produce, according to those who have worked with the Prickly Pear in the past. There needs to be financial support and full commitment year round. Cheryl Bacon Department Chair and Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, worked for the Prickly Pear for 27 years as a student on staff,
assistant advisor and then as a faculty advisor. Bacon was the one who made the decision to end the publication and said it was the right decision because it wasn’t serving an academic purpose in the department and there weren't enough students buying the yearbooks. “I was really sad that we SEE PRICKLY PAGE 2
University shutters Pura Vida salon BY ADRIENNE BARRICK STUDENT REPORTER
Pura Vida salon on Campus Court shut its doors for good at the beginning of April, part of a cost-cutting measure announced by the university last month. Steven Holley, vice president and chief business officer, said the cost of running the store did not benefit the school enough for it to remain open. Camryn Phillips, sophomore marketing major from Great Falls, Montana, said she'll need to find a new styling salon in Abilene now that Pura Vida has closed. "It was great having a salon close to campus that I thought would be good," Phillips said. Pura Vida offered refunds to anyone with unused gift cards until March 31. OPTIMIST@ACU.EDU
SA funds memorial plaques for Kirby, Ellis BY LAUREN FRANCO STAFF WRITER
The Students’ Association Congress funded memorial plaques to honor two students who died last semester. Caitlin Walker, junior family and child services major from Dallas, proposed a bill to student congress requesting $750 to place an engraved plaque near the GATA fountain. The plaque commemorated Katie Kirby, who passed away last November. Initially, the bill provided for a tree planted in her honor, but SA decided to use an existing tree. With
the remaining money, Walker said she wants red flowers to surround the plaque. “I may not have been her best friend, but she also made an impact on everyone’s life,” Walker said. Walker, junior class vice president, said she wanted to provide a place for the Kirby family to visit and honor her at any time. Taylor Crumpton, senior social work major from Oakland, California, proposed a bill that asked SA for $750 to commemorate Casey Ellis in the same fashion. “We knew we wanted some way to honor Casey,
and I felt like since I was in Students’ Association, it was the best way to honor her,” Crumpton said. Ellis died last semester during Thanksgiving break. Crumpton said SA decided to place the plaque outside of the Hardin Administration Building because that is where memories of Ellis were made. Both bills passed unanimously in Congress last semester, and the plaques were placed last Friday.
OPTIMIST@ACU.EDU HALEY REMENAR ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR W W W. A C U O P T I M I S T. C O M