WHAT'S NOT INSIDE
LIFE ADVICE
We have no practical knowledge to offer you. Don't look on page 3
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES
No one said anything of merit this week. All interviews were very drab and all stories are boring. You could try page 9 but you might be terribly disappointed.
OPINIONS GROUNDED IN RESEARCH
All opinions are formed off the cuff and are not backed by anything reasonable. We are not the New York Times, people.
Friday, March 24, 2017 | Vol. 105 Issue No. 26: I don't have all my Chapel/Quest/ Spiritual Formation credits but I don't feel like going.
A student publication of Abilene Christian University making readers mad since 1912
FAKE NEWS National trend finally makes it to Abilene
THE CREATORS OF YOUR FAVORITE STUDENT NEWSPAPER We work tirelessly each week to produce a paper that gets thrown on the ground and we love our jobs. What would you guys think if we started a gossip column? Give us a call, tweet us, we want to give the people what they want. The Optimist is open to totally revamping our whole model if it means our papers won't be used as kindling for bonfires at Fort Phantom.
JMC profs promote alternative facts “ BY ALLISON BROWN EDITOR IN CHIEF
Responding to current trends in the news business, the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication will offer a course in the fall called Fake News that will help students prepare for a changing industry. The course will focus primarily on alternative facts, propagandizing and scandal-mongering and will provide students with an opportunity to produce more fake news than ever before. “What people don’t realize is fake news is a complex topic,” said Dr. Cheryl Bacon, chair of JMC department. “You have conspiracy theories on one hand and simply poorly reported nar-
ratives that exist to promote an agenda. And it doesn’t help that even President Trump isn’t always precise when using the term ‘fake news’ on Twitter.” Bacon said the department considered incorporating a fake news module into the existing Clickbait class and Listicle seminar, but the field of fake news is constantly growing and, in fact, an advanced fake news class may be necessary. One of the biggest challenges in creating fake news is that news outlets have – especially since the end of the 2016 campaign for president – taken much of the low-hanging fruit. “All of the Clinton and Bush fake news is taped out, though I see some signifi-
Simply put, fake news is difficult. You just can’t throw together some fake story for a fake news publication about, say, offering a fake news class and then quote yourself. That's irresponsible fake journalism. KENNETH PYBUS FAKE CHAIR OF THE FAKE NEWS DEPARTMENT
cant potential with Trump and Putin,” said Dr. Doug Mendenhall, assistant professor. “We also have the problem that much of the real news sounds fake as well.” With the increased scrutiny by Facebook and other social media outlets, Mendenhall said it’s becoming
much harder to get the fake news to the audience that wants and needs it. And as faculty members were looking at the curriculum, they realized there weren’t enough hands-on outlets for fake news dissemination, Mendenhall said. “The Pessimist once a year is just not enough to
give students the practice they need,” he said. “Plus, who reads the Pessimist?” Optimist/Pessimist adviser Kenneth Pybus, assistant professor of journalism and mass communication said fake news – contrary to popular perceptions – can require just as much reporting and research as true and accurate news. “Simply put, fake news is difficult,” Pybus said. “You just can’t throw together some fake story for a fake news publication about, say, offering a fake news class and then quote yourself. That's irresponsible fake journalism. Plus it’s just too meta.” BADWRITING@ACU.EDU
Bible Dept. presses 'ClergyCare' plan to fill ministry gap BY PAUL RYAN'S PREACHER
As the Congress works to revamp the nation’s health care insurance structure, several faculty members in the College of Biblical Studies are lobbying their congress members with a plan that would guarantee ministry coverage for every American – the Affordable Minister Act. “Millions of people around the country remain without a church home – and therefore without ministerial guidance,” said SEE SALVATION PAGE 2
Brand new building in need of repair already BY P. SHERMAN 42 WALLABEE WAY SYDNEY
In the aftermath of floods in Halbert-Walling Research Center, the building will be filled with aquatic animals and a dive tank for extended research and officially named The Halbert-Walling Fishbowl. Budgeted at $26 million, the new aquarium will include swordfish, marlin, tuna, a great white shark and more. University president Dr. Phil Schubert said the new research center will provide a hands-on learning experience for all students, provided they sign the appropriate waivers. “This is exactly what we had in mind for the Vision in Action program,” Schubert said. “When
prospective students see those animals floating in a 3-story tall building, they’ll be more than thrilled to apply.” Students will have to take a mandatory scuba-diving course during their first semester in place of Cornerstone. Schubert said this gives ACU a huge leg-up against competitors like Baylor University and Harding University. He also said this fills a gap in Abilene’s entertainment as the Abilene Zoo “only provides so much.” Wildcat Week posted on Instagram that ACU is “finally putting the fish in Fishbow,l” the name students have called the Halbert-Walling building since it opened. Some students in the Department of Agri-
culture and Environmental Sciences said they want to fish in the new tank, but others worry taking animals out of their natural habitat endangers the environment. “And what about the electricity cost of running an aquarium?” said Jamie Thompson, president of Wildcats for Sustainability. “I don’t think the university administration understands just how much this will impact the environment.” The department is working on creating a marine biology major and minor so students can make the most of the aquarium opportunity. 1-800-VISION IN ACTION
WWW.N OB OD Y R E AD-
THE NEW HALBERT-WALLING RESEARCH AQUARIUM Yeah, we photoshopped this picture, okay. Sorry there isn't actually a giant fish bowl for you to go photograph and put on Instagram because that would honestly be really cool for everyone's aesthetic grid. #findWilly #freeWilly