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The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper
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Collegian The Grove City College Student Newspaper
Vol. 104, No. 17
Cool under pressure
GCC stays strong during college drought
Joshua Tatum Staff Writer
GCC
As many small, private liberal-arts colleges struggle to keep their doors open, Grove City College remains strong by holding to its principles.
Over the past decade, higher education has been in what is increasingly being called a meltdown. As more students choose to attend public institutions, small private liberal arts colleges have been particularly hard hit, with at least 25 percent of private colleges running deficits according to industry watchdog Moody’s Investors Service. Last year alone saw 11 private non-profit colleges close their doors permanently. Four more private non-profit colleges are closing this
spring. While these now-defunct colleges were quite small—all those listed had enrollments of less than 1,000 and only one had an endowment exceeding $3 million—these closures have many private colleges sweating in their regalia. Like many schools of its kind, Grove City College has seen a decline in applications since the early 2000s and, according to President Paul J. McNulty ’80, faces additional headwinds in the form of tuition discounting by competitors, changing regional demographics and increased interest for voca-
tional outcomes. The College, he said, is working hard to address the situation. “Perhaps the number one strategy for dealing with these challenges, would be being more national in our recruiting efforts. Attracting students from all over the country who are looking for a Christian conservative college. That is, finding the kindred spirits for Grove City,” McNulty said. That effort has helped boost the number of applications in recent years under McNulty’s administration. After dipping below 1,500 COLLEGE 3
ADF attorney speaks at College
Paige Fay
Community Editor Accomplished attorney Kristen Waggoner spoke this week on religious liberty at the CenWaggoner ter for Faith & Freedom’s annual conference, titled “Most Sacred: the Freedom of Conscience.” Waggoner is the senior vice president of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a religious liberty law firm, where she oversees nearly 100 lawyers and staff who engage in litigation and public advocation. She argued the Masterpiece Cakeshop case in front of U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of baker Jack Phillips. Since Waggoner has been in the role of senior counsel with ADF, it has prevailed as lead counsel in eight U.S. Supreme Court cases. Waggoner spoke on a panel, titled “A Cakeshop, Florist, Pharmacy and More: The Court on Freedom of Conscience,” that was hosted by Dr. John Sparks ’66 yesterday.. Before the panel, Waggoner spoke with the Collegian
about her work and the importance of religious liberty. “I think that the concept of religious freedom is the freedom that gives us all the ability to express and to act consistent with our core convictions,” Waggoner said. “Civil liberties travel together. The loss of religious freedom signals the loss of other freedoms that will follow.” She believes that it is our first amendment liberties that help keep the government in check. “First and foremost, we’ve seen, particularly in the area of core beliefs on human sexuality, the cultural and political debate shift, and those winds shift,” Waggoner said. “As this debate continues over this cultural flashpoint, groups like ADF are there to say that the cultural winds may shift, the political winds may shift, but the Constitutional rights that you have? They do not shift. Because if they do shift, then there is no limit to the government’s authority. That’s another benefit of religious freedom is that it curbs authoritarianism,” Waggoner said. “Kristen Waggoner has argued directly to the courts on WAGGONER 3
STEVEN SMILEY
A car caught at fire Sunday night on the intersection of Liberty Avenue and Main Street. The car stopped traffic and Grove City students alike.
COLLEGIAN
Senior Rio Arias, sophomore Wesley Kinney and Alyssa Jackson ’18 with the Collegian’s first place general news award. Jackson’s coverage of the tragic Tree of Life shooting won the contest.
Collegian collects awards
Collegian Staff
Collegian staff collected their two first place awards in the 2019 Student Keystone Press Awards at a banquet held Wednesday. The Collegian won awards for general news and feature photo in the contest, hosted by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association (PNA) Foundation. Junior Ivy Nowakowski’s winning photo was of Luke Leone ’18 acting in the Theatre Department’s spring production of “End of the World with Symposium to Follow.” Alyssa Jackson ’18 won for general news with her article, “Hate Can’t Break the City of Steel,” covering the tragic Tree of Life shooting. Sophomores Wesley Kinney and Paige Fay and seniors Karen Postupac and Rio Arias also contributed to the piece. Jackson, Arias and Kinney attended the awards
COLLEGIAN
The Collegian won awards for general news and feature photo in the 2019 Student Keystone Press Awards. luncheon in Hershey, Pa., to collect the awards on behalf on the Collegian and to represent the school. “I was surprised and honored when I found out I won,” Jackson said, “and I just appreciated the congratulations from fellow staff members and our advisor Nick, as well as my friends
and family.” Jackson graduated after the fall semester of 2018 and came back for the awards luncheon to celebrate her achievement. A luncheon buffet was served to student journalists in attendance, and then the address began. This year, COLLEGIAN 3