the
Herald By and for the students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010
VOLUME CXXXI ISSUE 24
GENEVA, NY
Students Come First as Departments Face Budget Cuts By Tim Hollinger ’11 Opinions Editor Members of the Colleges’ administration agree that there is a budget crisis. Across campus departments have been asked to cut 10% from their operating budgets this year. Some programs have disappeared, positions have been left open, and building projects will be completed at a slower rate. Despite the squeeze, the Colleges have worked to minimize the impact on student programming and agree the crisis has been well managed. “If you look at the way other institutions dealt with similar situations, and the way we are going about it, I say we’re doing really well,” says Robert Flowers, President of Student Affairs. The recession has lead colleges across the country to cut departments, reduce student aid, and axe programming. “We didn’t overreact. Other schools took drastic action,” adds Flowers. The Herald was unable to obtain exact budget numbers from Vice President for Finance Peter Polinak before press time; however, Director of Communications Cathy Williams has told the Herald the budget deficit is $4.5 million dollars. In an interview a few weeks ago the
Colleges’ President Mark Gearan put it between $3 and $6 million; Flowers says the exact number fluctuates depending on the stock market. Regardless of the exact numbers, the Colleges are taking the deficit seriously. “We’ve found ways to cut some of the administrative fat between the two colleges,” reports Hobart Dean Eugen Baer. Several programming redundancies between the Colleges have been eliminated. A program for sophomores that was once run by both Colleges, is now run jointly; additionally weekly deans dinners for select seniors have been eliminated. Many programs for students at risk, like Dean Mapstone’s program for students struggling with academics, have been maintained. “I haven’t noticed the cuts,” says Sophomore Nico Azel, who, like many students, has seen minimal impact from the changes. “The goal is to have as little negative repercussions on the students as possible,” says Gearan. Tuition will be increasing, but the increase will be minimal and will be matched with
Photo courtesy of: info.kauaicc.hawaii.edu
Despite the long hours that understaffed departments have to put in, students are being kept a priority as the Colleges make budget cuts to get rid of a $3-$6 millon deficit. a boost in financial aid. The number of students struggling with debt is at the highest levels ever seen; as a result, Gearan hopes to give current and incoming students as much aid
as possible. Although most students have been shielded from the cuts, faculty BUDGET continued on Page 2
Fraternities Team Up with Relay for Life By Nicholas Batson ’11 Herald Contributor
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Michael Tanner of the CATO institute is the next speaker in the President’s Forum series.
Michael Tanner to Speak at the President’s Forum By Rebecca Dennee ’10 Campus Happenings Editor Michael Tanner of the CATO Institute will be speaking in the Geneva Room on Thursday, April 22 as part of the President’s Forum Series. Tanner will speak on the health care debate with a talk entitled “What Now For Health
Care” and will provide students with the conservative view of the issues. Tanner’s main focus of research as part of the Washington, TANNER continued on Page 2
Four fraternities- Chi Phi, Delta Chi, Kappa Sigma, and Phi Sigma Kappa- all participated in Relay for Life on April 10, donating nearly $3500 for the cause. This past weekend, the Colleges hosted their annual Relay for Life event to help fight cancer. Many students banded together for the event, forming dozens of teams and raising donations to contribute to the event. Among the teams that participated in the Relay were four fraternities- Chi Phi, Delta Chi, Kappa Sigma, and Phi Sigma Kappa. Each fraternity raised their own funds to give to the cause, as well as helped out with the various stages of the event.
Two fraternities helped out with Relay before the main event last Saturday. Chi Phi got things started with the Relay for Life KickOff event earlier in the semester. The fraternity hosted the beginning of Relay for Life at its own house, helping to get people registered and interested in participating. The house served coffee and tea from the Coffeehouse as speakers and informational talks went on, RELAY continued on Page 7
Campus Happenings
A&E
Opinions
Sports
Disability and the Arts: Opening
Apr il Upri si n g R e v i e w
Letter to the HWS Community
HWS Students Relay for Life
Boiling P oi nt : A pa t hy
Relay for Life Controversy
HWS Celebrates STUDENT Athlete Day
Interview with Kevin Roose
Book of t h e We e k
Luck of the Draw?
Herons Trample RIT Tigers
Upcoming Events
Mo v i e R e v i e w
Burton Does It Better
Upcoming Games