The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 36, Ed. 1, Friday, February 15, 2002 Page: 1 of 22
twenty two pages : illus. ; page 13 x 8 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Ovtimist
Sports
The softball team
opens its season at
First-Pitch Tournament
in Irving Page 1B
Sing Song
The Sing Song hosts
and hostesses hold
together the show
which includes acts by
14 student groups
Pages 6-7A
Friday February 15 200?.
Volume 90 Number 36 Abilene Christian Unicrsily Department ofjininulism and Mass Communication www.acu.ciluoptimlst
Sing Song staying within budget
Show lost 'thousands' last year
Paul A. Anthony
ME Ed tor
After going over budget by
thousands or dollars last year
this year's Sing Song produc-
tion is staying well within its
financial limits.
The Student Productions
budget the past three years has
been $96000 with about
$60000 allotted for Sing Song.
But last year Sing Song expen
A story of Ahab
Ryan McNeill senior electronic media major from Healdton
Children entertain
in musical show
Jennifer McMichael
Page Editor
Sing Song isn't just for col-
lege students.
About 35 younger students
are putting together an act of
their own to perform for fami-
ly friends and alumni this
weekend.
Six-year-old Barrett Lewis
a member of the children's
chorus is a natural performer
said his mother Susan Lewis
an instructor in the Depart-
ment of Journalism and Mass
Communication.
"He enjoys being involved
I think because it helps him
figure out who he is. He can be
Barrett when he's perform-
ing" she said.
Lewis described her son a
kindergartner as a musical
kid. For awhile Barrett sang
with the Abilene Performing
Arts Company and now he is
learning to play the piano.
Strategic plan shapes school's direction growth
Paul A. Anthony
ME Editor
As reallocation discussions
heated up last month univer-
sity officials referred to their
strategic plan and Centennial
Vision as the driving forces
behind their decisions.
And in last month's Stu-
dents' Association reallocation
forum questions and answers
centered on how the vision and
plan affected administrators'
decisions to cut the Industrial
Technology Department and
sign language program.
But what is the plan?
"The strategic plan helps
us decide what arc the most
ditures were "several thou-
sands" of dollars more than Its
allotment said Wayne Barnard
dean of Campus Life.
"We've cut down" said
Phyllis Wilson director of
Student Productions which
handles Sing Song and
Freshman Follies. "We cut
some things out this year.
We're trying to conserve time
and energy by spending in
Barrett's favorite part of
being in the children's show:
"Singing I love singing." He
said he also has had fun
becoming friends with the
hosts and hostesses.
"He absolutely loves get-
ting to interact with the col-
lege students" Lewis said of
her son. "...getting to talk with
the college students and be
silly with them is what he real-
ly enjoys."
Martha Brown senior ele-
mentary education major
from Denton and manager of
the show is helping give local
children a chance to shine
through the children's num-
ber. "1 hey like just getting out
on the stage and getting to
show off to their parents and
grandparents" Brown said.
Perhaps just as fun as the
actual performances however
Please see KIDS Page 12A
important areas we want to
focus on in the future" Jack
Rich executive vice president
told the Optimist. "The strate-
gic plan helps us with those
decisions."
To understand the strategic
plan one must go back Five
years to when the President's
Cabinet began a series of dis-
cussions about where the uni-
versity should be for its 100th
anniversary in 2006.
After the Cabinet decided
those discussions should be
brought together in a formal
' document Michelle Morris
director of Marketing and
Public Relations was com
areas that we thought were
necessary."
Wilson said last year's Sing
Song was over budget for basi-
cally two reasons: the use of
two companies to handle
lighting and sound for the
production and the purchase
of equipment both Sing Song
and Freshman Tollies will use
in the future.
"I don't really want to think
Okla. steps out in Galaxy's
rf i)t v & "HSBKB r i J" r "? "3ft MJp
Rebecca Buchanan sophomore interior design major from Abilene begins the Ko Jo Kai
act called "Hand Over the Reins Deerl" by reading a story.
missioned to write the first
draft.
After being edited by the
Cabinet in 1998 the Centenn-
ial Vision became an official
force behind the administra-
tion's decisions. But Rich said
this doesn't mean the vision is
complete.
"We see it as dynamic in-
stead of finished" he said.
"We've adjusted it here and
there."
The Centennial Vision
which can be found in full on
ACU's- Web site at www.ticu
edulaboutaculvision.html
outlines the university's goals
as it nears its centennial birth-
about It" Wilson said of last
year's budget. "1 just want to
think about this year."
Barnard said the Campus
Life budget covered last year's
excesses in both Sing Song and
Stream Abilene which was a
weekend spiritual revival
sponsored by Campus Life.
Wilson said several changes
to the program this year
helped cut the cost.
"There arc always things I
really want for the show" she
said. "But this year we decid
"Whale Be Havin' Fun All Blubber Long" Sing Song act.
The Centennial
Vision "gives
Abilene Christian
direction for the
future."
Jack Rich
executive vice president
day. It determines the points
the university will try to
Improve upon while staying
within its mission statement.
In short Rich said the
vision is "something that gives
Abilene Christian direction for
the future; it helps us focus our
ed it was a smart idea not to
afford them."
Wilson said the cutbacks
would not be noticeable to the
Sing Song audience and that
the cutbacks combined with
an additional Thursday show
will help the show break even.
"It's not realistic to make
money on Sing Song"
Barnard said. He said the
show generally breaks even
recouping its losses through
ticket and program sales.
"We're trying to keep
energy in a consistent direc-
tion." The vision evolved into the
basis for the eight-point
strategic plan which is what
administrators used to deter-
mine which departments and
programs should be cut.
The strategic plan contains
eight main points. They are:
affirm the university's
Christian heritage
pursue holistic and devel-
opmental education
build academic quality
not enrollment growth
build financial strength
treat our people well
advance the public image
spending on track with rev-
enue" he said. "My hope is to
break even."
But Sing Song used to make
thousands of dollars for the
university said Dr. Cheryl
Bacon chair of the Faculty
Senate.
She said one faculty mem-
ber brought up the issue and
that the Senate will look at
Sing Song finances and
attendance Including the
decision to add an extra per-
formance. Students
juggling
activities
classes
Amanda Baker
Community Editor
Because of the late nights
Sing Song rehearsals require
some students have put class
work on the back burner.
Tommy Butler sophomore
youth and family ministry
major from Houston said that
because of the extra time he
puts into preparing for Sing
Song he has not done assign-
ments and has skipped classes.
"The late-night practices
have caused me to put off
doing homework to sleep" he
said. "Or I do homework so
late that I sleep through class
in the morning."
Some professors said they
have noticed that those
involved in Sing Song have
lower attendance or class par-
ticipation during the week
preceding Sing Song.
"I have noticed more
absences only in one class"
Dr. Gailyn Van Rheenen pro-
fessor of missions said. "Also
one student with a major role
has missed a couple of recent
classes. She said that she slept
Please see JUGGLE Page 12A
Gardner
returning
to normal
Jennifer McMichael
Page Editor
A week after a hot water pipe
spewed its contents into the
rooms of several Gardner resi-
dents life in the residence hall
is on its way back to normal.
Emily Jones residence hall
director estimated that about
five to 10 women are still dis-
placed from their rooms. Some
are staying with friends or in
vacant rooms in the dorm until
the damage to their own rooms
is assessed.
Concerns have surfaced
however involving the alarm
system used to evacuate the
residence hall.
Jones said the alarm is
located near the center of the
building.
"From where 1 was in the
center the alarm was pretty
loud she said.
Please see DORM Page 12A
of the university
commit to a long-term
pricing philosophy of affard-
ability and accessibility and
demonstrate excellence
in support services.
But both the vision and the
strategic plan are in a state of
flux Rich said.
"The Centennial Vision was
an initial step that developed
into the strategic plan" he said.
And thus far the vision has
been mostly fulfilled
"Generally we've done very
well" Rich said. "But most
important is the ideal that we
review and adjust based on
our assessments."
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 36, Ed. 1, Friday, February 15, 2002, newspaper, February 15, 2002; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101754/m1/1/: accessed May 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.