Crisis in Haiti
A successful performance!
Page 2 March 5, 2004
Page 3 Wilson College
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Vol. 35, No 3
THE
WILSON BILLBOARD April Abernethy Staff Writer Last semester WCGA put together a list of student concerns because WCGA representatives said they felt morale on campus was plummeting. After doing so, they began to address these issues with senior administrators. At the beginning of this semester several students reported to WCGA that they observed that the morale of the faculty was low this semester and rumors were circulating. Interviews of more than over twenty percent of the faculty, both tenured and junior, suggest that if low morale exists on campus the majority of those interviewed spoke of communication issues, rate of change, tenure changes and lastly salary issues. “No one would argue salaries are a priority, but not at the expense of academics and student services”, says Dr. Brad Engle. Some faculty said they worry we are moving towards comprehensive education and away from liberal arts. Other faculty said that the central tenets of Wilson’s long-standing
mission remains strong. Engle said, “We are trying to strengthen and build a traditional liberal arts education.” Much of the challenge lies in how to go about the process of betterment, he said. Several faculty asked: How do you grow and restore facilities with limited resources while supporting academic programs? The process of developing a strategic plan can be unnerving, Engle said. Members of the community can usually come together to create a list of what needs to be included in the plan. Where the discord often occurs is in the assignment of priorities to those items. Who gets to select the priority? In 2001 the board of trustees began reviewing its governance documents to make sure the language was clear and supported Wilson’s plan to move forward. According to faculty, the board of trustees revised and reformatted their bylaws and then began to reformat the faculty bylaws. The faculty bylaws had been revised under Dr. Jensen’s administration; some of the language changes had been voted on by the board, other changes made it through faculty but not
W HAT ’ S I NSIDE News.............................................Page 1 Features.......................................Page 3 Sports..........................................Page 4
the board. The board of trustees transitioned from reformatting the faculty bylaws to rewriting the bylaws. The language regarding tenure caps had been removed under the previous administration. When the new administration and board reviewed the language change, they wanted to know why the faculty had made the changes. Instead of accepting the changes, the board of trustees wanted to rewrite the tenure language adding the tenure cap back in. Faculty members questioned policy being imposed upon them and many are unclear what will be gained. Freya Burnett said, “I’m worried about the incentive for junior faculty to stay”. The tenure cap would allow for fifty percent of faculty to be tenured. Once fifty percent was reached, if a professor came up for tenure they would be placed on a rolling contract until a tenure position opened up. Not all faculty appointments are tenure track; non-tenure appointments already exist, but formal provisions were not written in the bylaws. Faculty members see tenure as a way of maintaining a certain level of stability for the college. “Wilson’s tenure ratio is currently just under fifty percent”, said Dr. Ray Shively. The rate of change has also contributed to the low morale, said a senior professor. Not only have we had changes in trustees, the President and the Dean of the College, but also changes in faculty leadership. The professor stated, “The way Beate left was Continued Page 2
Rachel Ward/Billboard
Faculty members share views
The Board of Trustees signed the Wilson Honor Principle at a brief ceremony held Feb. 27.
Kerry to receive nomination Kate Adams Co-News Editor In a sweeping Super Tuesday victory the Junior Senator John Kerry from Massachusetts is to receive the democratic presidential nomination winning more than half of the delegates needed to receive the nomination. Kerry’s major opponent, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina announced his withdrawal and plans to support Kerry in the general election. Kerry’s election themes of change for America and fighting President Bush with political experience and popular concerns have united the Democratic Party under one canadite early in the primary season. In his speech on Tuesday March 2nd he complimented his fellow rivals former Vermont Governor Howard Dean and Senator John Edwards.
A Vietnam vet, former prosecutor, and Lt. Governor of Massachusetts. He was elected to the senate in 1984. In his televised speech on CNN March 2nd he stated his goals for his campaign “Now, today, many Americans are once again wondering if they can trust and believe the leadership of our country. My campaign is about restoring that faith, about speaking plainly and honestly to the American people. About leading America in a new direction, guided by the enduring values that this nation has held to for the last 200 years,”. In a CNN/USA Today Gallop Poll of likely voters Kerry leads 53% to Bush’s 48%, and in a Newsweek Poll Kerry leads Bush 48% to 46% among registered voters. While still very early this is expected to be as close an election as 2000 was between Gore and Bush.