Optimist Editorial Board, Author at The Optimist

Racial symbol reveals unacceptable prejudices

September 10, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

Racism, stupidity, bigotry, immaturity, hatred- however one chooses to describe it, last Wednesday's noose incident should not and will not be tolerated. Students' Association President Daniel Paul Watkins discovered a hangman's noose in the chair he was elected to sit in by the students of Abilene Christian University. This act of disregard and ... [Read More…]

Editorial: Chapel leaves students confused

September 9, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

The man with the shopping cart in Chapel on Friday is not homeless. His name is Mark Hewitt, and he is the founder and executive director of Love and Care Ministries, a fact the university officials didn't explain very well. This oversight, though unintentional, has created confusion and continues to trouble many students. Apologies have been made ... [Read More…]

Advertising promotes school spirit

September 2, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

Purple shirts and tattered hats representing Wildcat sports are common on campus. Toy footballs and T-shirts fired into a crowd of football fans emphasize ACU's support for its athletic department, and more importantly, our common identity as students and faculty cheering for the purple and white. But there is something about seeing our ... [Read More…]

Student options for publicity dwindle

August 28, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

In the good, old days, walking around campus meant seeing the same flier taped to the sidewalk five times in five feet. It was during this time that the pastel colors of sidewalk chalk dotted ACU's pathways, informing students of the next big campus activity. Sadly, those days are over. Early last semester, the decision was made to prohibit ... [Read More…]

Editorial: Town hall meetings offer voice to students

August 27, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

Republican Randy Neugebauer gave voters a chance to speak their minds at a town hall-style meeting Monday afternoon at McMurry University. Unlike Sen. Arlen Specter and other senators who have withstood verbal blitzkriegs, Neugebauer was on friendly turf. To no one's surprise, health care and health care reform dominated the forums discussion; and ... [Read More…]

Concealed handgun laws would endanger students

April 29, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

School shootings are not a recent trend. On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman, a University of Texas student, killed 14 people and wounded 32 others from the campus' bell tower. Almost 41 years later, Seung-Hui Cho, a student at Virginia Tech University, killed 32 people in the deadliest shooting by a single gunman on a school campus in U.S. ... [Read More…]

Pensive preparation bolsters marital commitments’ strength

April 24, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

While a ring by spring may be a charming idea for a Freshman Follies' act, it is not so appealing when applied to real life. A quick engagement and subsequent marriage may appear attractive from a distance, but a closer inspection of the two reveals disheartening facts. Everyone knows the ACU marriage jokes. This campus is a "marriage factory," ... [Read More…]

VanRheenen’s dedication leaves long-lasting effects

April 17, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

Few students know what a Provost is. Any definition given by a faculty member translates as academic jargon that students recognize is important, but that is about it. In student-friendly terms, the Provost oversees all department chairs and is responsible for scholarship programs and student and academic sections at the university. For example, ... [Read More…]

ACU staff deserves respect from students, faculty

April 15, 2009 by Optimist Editorial Board

Sara Rodriguez works through the night. She washes windows. She vacuums carpets. Sometimes students are locked out of a building or leave an item in a locked room, and she has the opportunity to assist them. Although the job is not an easy one, ACU janitors like Sara say they are pleased with the respect they receive from those on campus. It is ... [Read More…]