The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 94, No. 2, Ed. 1, Wednesday, August 24, 2005 Page: 1 of 10

OTHE
PTIMIST
WEDNESDAY
Vol. 94 No. 2
1 section 10 pages
August 24 2005
www acuoptimist.com
i
I Aanlnti t thai nhanita
A fair to remember
Freshmen had the chance to explore
involvement opportunities page 4
High expectations
With returning talent and added depth the
football team's hopes are high page 10
PDon D. and Derek Hood join their father
Don aq Wildcat coaches page 10
tA
'Renewing the promise'
today's Ceronant Sendee
gave m otporhMtty to reflect on
SvJMOJOJIOS SIM MS0M6K WWMh
the school's nut 100 years.
By JONATHAN SMITH
LniroR in CmtF
Students faculty ad-
ministrators and alumni
gathered Sunday night to
recommit to the mission of
the university for the next
century as it begins to cel-
ebrate its first 100) ears.
Sunday's Covenant Ser-
vice allowed attendees to
look back at the school's
first 100) ears of blessings
and struggles gie thanks
for those times and look
ahead to the future.
"I hope people take aw a
a deeper appreciation for
our past and a greater con-
fidence in our future a
future full of hope" Dr.
Ro)ce Money president of
the unlvcrsit) said after
the service.
Dr. Jack Reese dean of
the College of Biblical Stud-
ies and Dr. Cher) I Bacon
chair of the Department of
Journalism and Mass Com-
munication organizers of
the event divided the ser-
vice into five parts focus-
ing on remembering God
professing trust in him
confessing shortcomings
giving thanks and making
a cov enant.
Reese said in an e-mail
that scriptures from Deu-
teronomv were also read
because the book was a call
to the people of Israel to
keep a cov enant. Reese also
highlighted the section on
Set COVENANT pay 8
IRIAN SCHMIDTChltl Plwtogriptwr
Claudette Spain Rogers watches as Dr Jerry Taylor assistant professor
of Bible Missions and Ministry speaks at Sunday's Covenant Service
Centennial open for business
iiiBpiiiiiiiHHiiiiBlim:i
iiK::P 111 Ml SHBSiK
BRIAN SCNMIDTChM Ptiotographcr
Dr Royce Money president of the university officially declares the university's centennial year open dunng Opening Chapel In Moody Coliseum on Monday
In his address to students Dr. Royce Money officially called to order the university's centennial year
By MALLORY SHERWOOD
Masacish Lumw
Moody Coliseum bus-
tled with frenzy Mondav
at the 100th opening
session of the univer-
sity as students alumni
members of the Board of
Trustees friends of the
university and Abilene
citizens waited to see
if the kevnote speaker
would be the President
Bush as rumored b)
some.
Instead Dr. Rovce
Monev the 10th presi-
dent of the univcrsit)
opened the 2005-06
school ear and dispelled
the persistent rumors
that the President of
the United States would
speak at the first Chapel
oi the 100th) ear.
Making light of the
declina-
tion to
speak
Monev
gav e the
centen-
nial address and told
the university's historv
beginning with iounder
AB Barret's dream to
open a place to educate
students in a Christian
env ironment a dream
that came true on Sept.
11 1900 when the
Childer's Classical Insti-
tute as the universltv
was once called opened
its doors
"A turn ersity like ACU is not built in a year noteumn
a decade It takes tune and look at where t e aie now "
Dr Royce Money president ol the university
"Auniversitv like ACU
is not built in a )car not
even in a decade" Monev
said "It takes time and
look at where we arc-
now." For a university that
began its journcv on a
city block of land where
buffalo and cattle once
grazed with 20 students
Monev said it has come
a long w a).
The
school now
boasts of
more than
8 00 0 0
graduates
from 49
states and
100 conn-
more than
tries
Students carried ilags
representing the 47
states and 59 countries
that current students
call home.
The university added
more than 1200 lirst-
vear and transfer stu-
dents this fall even
without the three miss-
ing states
The usuallv tradi-
tional opening ceremonv
held a surprise for ev-
er) one in the audience
as the Big Purple Band
plaved "Centennial Ian-
iare" composed bv Dr.
M L. Daniels professor
Cnientus of Music for
the first time
following the song's
debut the entering
class received a iamiliar
charge like the 99 classes
ie CHAPEL mv 7
Wal-Mart
prepared
for grand
opening
B After the official opening ol the
new SupercMter which It set
for Wednesday other businesses
near 1-20 and State Highway 331
are expected to follow.
By MITCH HOLT
OriMON Lditor
The new Wal-Mart Sit-
percenter was scheduled to
open Wednesday at State
Highwav 351 and Interstate
20 and is the beginning of a
new chain of developments
that will flood the area in
the coming months and
vears
Students have mixed
emotions about the new
developments such as Wal
Mart and Cracker Barrel go
ing on so close to campus
"I am excited about the
new Wal Mart because I
won't have to drive all the
wav to the mall area to get
things that I need" said Jes
sica Chisholm sophomore
English major irom Mem-
phis Tenn
Chisholm said she Is op-
timistic about the new busi
nesses popping up around
the campus because there
aren't man) places in the
area to go when students
need tilings
"I will most likel) utilize
the new businesses that are
coming because the) will be
convenient" Chisholm said
Jonathan Diaz junior
electronic media major
irom Arlington lias a differ-
ent view of new businesses
in the area
'1 love Wal Mart and all
of the low prices that it has
but at the same time I don't
want it coming to this pait
oi town because it will drive
i. WAL-MART pav t
The Depot becomes hub of activity
Prefect pUman said the Idea
fsrsto consolidated student-
ssntees center came after three
yarn of research- and focused on
CMWftfoftce for students.
By MALLORY SHERWOOD
Managino Editor
Students' minds can
now rest easy. The task
of trekking all over cam-
pus to complete or turn
in that last piece ol pa-
perwork is obsolete now
because of the latest ad-
dition on campus: The
Depot a one-stop office
for students who need to
complete administrative
needs such as purchasing
meal plans or checking
financial aid payments
along with other house-
keeping tasks.
Phil Schubert vice
president for finance
said that The Depot is a
place where students can
take care of all their pa-
perwork from meal plans
to parking stickers pa)-
ing school bills to check-
ing transcripts and get-
ting an ID card.
"Before )ou had to go
to 10 different offices in
seven buildings to take
care oi those dilierent
tilings and the) were
spread out across cam-
pus" Schubert said "it
was something over the
)ears that we had heard
from students and par-
ents that was frustrating
They didn't like having to
go to si or seven differ-
ent places to take care of
monotonous tasks "
The Depot which Is in
the Campus Center be-
hind the cll Bean had
its oflicial grand open-
ing Monda) but opened
lor students on campus
earl) Aug. 8.
Schubert said lhe De-
pot had been an idea ioi
&eDEP0T.jiv7
Depot services
The Depot the new campus
office In McGlothlm Campus
Center behind the Jelly
Bean offers a variety of
services students regularly
use Some of those services
Include
Billing
Financial aid
Transcripts
Meal plans
ID cards
Course transfers
Parking permits