The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 82, No. 46, Ed. 1, Friday, March 4, 1994 Page: 1 of 8
eight pages : illus. ; page 11 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:
WiEU
tfsr0
: ft:
lume 82 Number 46
ACU Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Friday March 4 1994
.- -V
f
H H v lA b H
mp fNlP l
I ' 1 1 H I k I
' 4
y a
Illegal pyramid network circulating campus
By Richard Stovens
Student Rcportor
Money. One of the most powerful of
temptations has reared Its ugly head at
WCU bearing the title "Friend" and has
caused students to break the law.
Students Services reported last week that
many students have become involved in an
illegal money-making scheme that Is circu-
lating around campus.
"The most common estimate is between
'200-400" said Dr. Charles Trcvathan vice
president of Student Services. "There arc
lower estimates and there arc much higher
estimates."
The "Friends Network Gifting Program"
a device resembling a pyramid scheme
Wprcad across campus the last few months
as more and more students risked $250
wanting to earn $2000. Student Services
estimates that $50000-$ 100000 has
changed hands.
"I'm surprised that it had such success on
the campus" Trcvathan said. "It's been a
long time since I've seen one of these
schemes."
Joe Cope executive assistant to President
Roycc Money said he had seen schemes
- i i . i i
Br vBv II BflBBBX BBBBa ABBBsJBB8iMBBBBBBBBBBBBflBjBMuBBSo9VnBflBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBflilBBBBl
svS; - "W 'QBbbbc bb9BbT SffiUHB " HBbbTTkL. 'Mi&iizzt&iiL-ir
J A'jfc i ii MtmmmBSimit!mi!&m5wSSSMbFT?i!M SBL. LI HPHI jg tnu nrgo Ij&shkh SET iSa
Awaiting victory
Women's basketball toam mombors loft to right LaQuita Thompson Dfna
Simpson Lachello Rollins Jennifer Havard Mollnda Armstrong and Aukso
Steponavicuito watch as the Wildcats defeat the East Texas State University
Tuition
' University announces $9 per semester hour increase
By Melissa Stallings
Opinion Page Editor
Tuition will increase $9 per semester
hour beginning with Summer Session I.
The increase makes the rale per semester
hour$218.
Rates per hour will remain the same for
Maymester but will change beginning with
Summer I.
President Royce Money said: "We are
doing the best we can to keep the tuition
down. We try to keep in line with inflation
put when other costs go up we also have to
i tic tease. It is never something that we take
lightly."
Money said the increase of semester
hours was not chosen as a profit source for
the university. "We are battling to keep our
budget balanced. The Increase is designed
to keep us from working in a deficit" he
said
Tuition rises every fiscal year and
ACU's rises less than other private and
Ipubllc universities he said.
ji In the 1980s a year passed without an
like the Friends Network before.
"These types of schemes arise every sev-
eral ycarS just about the time that people
forget they're illegal" he said.
According to an information packet cir-
culating among students members could
join by giving $250 to the chairperson of a
network and introducing at least one new
member.
Each network was composed of one
chairperson two presidents four executive
vice presidents and eight vice presidents.
New members were given the title of vice
presidents.
After a chairperson received $2000 he
or she retired allowing the network to split
into two networks and the remaining mem-
bers to move up one position.
The packet also stated the network was
legal.
"These schemes always claim that
they've been checked out" Cope said.
"They always offer assurances of legality.
This one cited a certain IRS law claiming it
was legal. It just failed to mention that the
Texas Penal Code makes the scheme ille-
gal" he said.
Trcvathan said "It just goes to show you
that you can't believe everything you read."
increase in tuition he added which caused
a sharper increase to be initiated in later
years.
Money said people seem to understand
the increases. "Wc get a small amount of
feedback" he said. "Most of the time peo-
ple understand that a lot of effort has gone
'Nine dollars is a drop in
the bucket compared to
the thousands of dollars
I'm going to be paying for
the rest of my life
Kelly Romeo
into keeping the cost and increases at a rea-
sonable level."
Student reactions to the increase arc
mixed. Some students are nonchalant Other
students understand the necessity of the
increase.
JefT'Uutchlnsj senior physlcaljgdutation
C it
;$u
He said Student Services learned of the
scheme when concerned students came for-
ward but he could not confirm exactly how
many students were involved in the pyra-
mid network.
Trcvathan said Student Services found
that the network was in violation of the end-
less chain statute.
' You just shouldn't give a
gift expecting more
money. It's a lie. It sets up
a seemingly unending
chain
C.B. Barber
Section 32.48 of the Texas Penal Code
dictates that a person breaks the law if "he
contrives prepares sets up proposes oper-
ates promotes or participates in an endless
chain."
The statute also declares violation of the
code a Class B misdemeanor punishable by
six months in jail and a $1500 fine.
C.B. Barber Students' Association presi
Lady Lions 99-66 Tuesday In Moody
teams will play In the semifinals of the
Friday. Tho men will play in Canyon the
major from Van said: "It happens every
year. I'm used to it"
Kelly Romeo junior broadcast major
from Tampa Fla. said: "Nine dollars is a
drop in the bucket compared to the thou-
sands of dollars I'm going to be paying for
the rest of my life."
Heather Parsons sophomore elementary
education major from Lubbock said: "I
don't like it but they're doing a lot of good
stuff on campus. It is worth it being here."
Other students arc anxious about an
increase to what they sec as an already high
cost of tuition.
Jill Plock junior accounting major from
York Neb. said "It's gone up so much
since I've been here it shouldn't have to go
up more."
Keith Duian freshman biology major
from Newark Del. said: "It's not that
much but it will add up. It could be n prob-
lem for students who have to pay their own
way."
Alisa Haun junior accounting major'
from Waco said "By the time our kids get
here tuition will be S 1000 an hour."
dent from Rives Tcnn. said he thought the
scheme was wrong.
"A pyramid scheme is illegal" Barber
said. "It becomes illegal when people buy
into it. You just shouldn't give a gift
expecting more money. It's a lie. It sets up
a seemingly unending chain."
Trcvathan said Student Services has not
requested the district attorney's office to
cither prosecute or investigate anyone sus-
pected of involvement. He also said he has
no indication from the district attorney's
office that any present intent to come on
campus to conduct an independent investi-
gation exists.
"We're not looking for opportunities for
prosecution" Trcvathan said. "It is our
opinion that most students did it without
criminal intent unaware that it was against
the law unaware that it was against univer-
sity policy" he said.
' Most of it I believe wasn't intcntioncd
just short-sighted. We wish they had been
more alert" he said.
Trcvathan also said that no extensive
plans were being made by the university for
disciplinary action.
"We do not anticipate efforts to gather up
everyone involved for disciplinary purpos-
MichMt Woodi
Coliseum. Both Wildcat basketball
Lone Star Conference tournaments
women In San Angelo.
Auditions to be conducted
for summer Shakespeare play
By Debbie Crawford
Opinion Page Editor
Open auditions for the fifth annual
summer Shakespeare production are
scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at Sewcll
Theatre said Adam Hester' assistant pro-
fessor of theatre.
The romantic comedy "As You Like
It" will be performed at Beauchamp
Amphitheater June 16-18.
Post productions have been popular
with students staff and faculty and mem-
bers of the community Hester said.
"It's something fun for a family to do.
The ... audience bring picnic dinners and
cats on the steps of the theatre. It's Shake-
speare under the stars." he said.
Hester said the Theatre Department
decided to perform Shakespeare outdoors
after learning of the success of outdoor
Shakespeare festivals in Fort Worth Dal-
las and Houston in recent years.
"After the Bible Building was built.
r we were the first ones to use Beauchamp
:JflPmruf?ier' wicr jam. t'rcyious
MiJ-g A. .&Mu.f'P SK iSHKAa
cs" he said. "We arc not looking to create
hundreds of disciplinary files although
there may be some discipline depending On
circumstances."
Cope said "At this point it looks like this
will be handled outside of legal channels.
"We hope it will be resolved among the
individuals involved."
Because of the announcement of the ille-
gality of the financial scheme in Daily
Assembly last week Trcvathan said Student
Services would not be so lenient with future
violators.
He also said students who abused the
scheme in a deliberate or malicious way
might face disciplinary action.
"I don't want to give a blanket immunity
to all participants" Trcvathan said.
"If there was a use of this scheme that
went beyond in some fraudulent way thc J
typical involvement in it we might have
occasion to look into that. v
"With the way the people used it and ;
manipulated it I'm not prepared to say that
everyone participating had the same level of
understanding and used it in the same way"
he said.
Please see Financial p.5
Former student
found dead
in Tyler home
By Melissa Stallings
Opinion Page Editor
Former ACU student Matthew Woodard
23 was found dead at his apartment in
Tyler Feb. 23.
Sergeant Gary Rice of the Tyler Police
Department said he was found on the floor
by a neighbor.
Funeral .services were Tuesday at BIuc-
bonnct Hills Funeral Home in Collcyvillc.
Woodard attended ACU from fall 1991
until spring 1 993 when he transferred. He
recently moved to Tyler and was attending
Tyler Junior College.
Woodard had many friends at ACU.
Leah Taylor former ACU student from
Durant Okla. said: "He would go out of
his way for you. He liked being around his
friends. He was a likeable person; he had a
flair about him."
Lyncttc Baer former ACU student from
Anchorage Alaska said: "No matter how
bad my day was he could make me laugh
harder than anyone. He always had a smile
on his face."
Donald Webb graduate biochemistry
major from Abilene said: "I wasn't a
super-close friend but I knew that he had
the biggest heart of anyone.
"He would do anything for anyone. It
seemed like half of ACU was at the funer-
al" he added.
Eve Petty former ACU student from
Fort Worth said: "He was full or life and
energy just a super-nice caring person."
Jocelyn Taylor senior speech pathology
major from Durant Okla. said he was best
described by the joker tattoo on his arm
he was always happy and smiling. "The
only thing bad about Matt was if you
didn't know him" she said.
plays include "Othello" performed in
1990; "12th Night" in 1991; and "The
Winter's Tale." in 1992.
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" was
performed in Buffalo Gap last year with
the help of a grant from the Abilene Cul
tural Affairs Council he said.
The production staff is composed of
ACU theatre personnel only Hester said.
ACU theatre students and graduates also
make up most of the cast but occasional
ly members of the community and stu
dents from other colleges participate.
Last year's summer production cast
included several alumni including
Damon Brown 1990 ACU graduate who
regularly tours with u show he wrote
called "Light On the Diamond." Hester
said working with graduates who have
professional experience in theatre is help-
ful to students.
Sandy Freeman adjunct faculty mem-
ber of theatre and costume designer for
the production said students also benefit
from the variety of productions and from
working in different theatres.
'5
- - -
- -
-
j
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. 82, No. 46, Ed. 1, Friday, March 4, 1994, newspaper, March 4, 1994; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth92230/m1/1/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.