THE
Clarion
Volume 76, Issue 17 Web Edition
www.brevard.edu/clarion
SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
Students give tlieir
picls.
see page 5
Feb. 4, 2011
VAN HORN RESIGNS
\A/f// continue to serve as BC president untii !\/iay 31
After serving eight and a half years as
president, the Brevard College Board of Trustees
and Drew Van Horn announced Tuesday that
Van Horn has resigned but will continue to serve
the College through May 31.
In a letter to the Board of Trustees, Van Horn
said, “After great thought over the holidays, I
have decided to announce my resignation as
president of Brevard College.”
He added, “While I have enjoyed my eight
and a half years of service to this tine institution,
I would like to pursue other opportunities
which have presented themselves. We have
accomplished a great deal during my tenure and
I want to thank the faculty, staff and especially
my senior administrative team for their diligent
and visionary work to position Brevard as a well
In this issue...
Campus News:
Dance Marathon 2
BC goes back to the '80s 2
News:
New trailwork in DuPont 3
Comic by Karam Boeshaar 3
Sports:
Sport Spot student athletes 4
Tornados travel to Erskine 4
Super Bowl preview 5
BC athletes subject to drug testing 5
Opinion:
Super Bowl point-counterpoint 6
Devil's Advocate 6
Arts & Life
Chef Boy-ar-Dave 7
Book review: Patton Oswalt 7
Odds and Ends:
Gridiron Crossword 8
respected four-year College.”
The news has left many shocked in the BC
community, including associate professor of
religion Thomas Bell. “I really am so surprised,”
he said. “I’m waiting to hear more about why
and what happens next.”
Others looked reflectively on Van Horn’s
time at BC. “While President Van Horn’s
announcement ushers in a period of transition
on our campus, I am confident that faculty
and staff will remain focused on continuing to
provide an outstanding educational experience
for our students,” said Dean John Hardt. “I am
grateful for Dr Van Horn’s leadership which
has produced a foundation on which we will
continue to build.”
Many are turning toward the future with
optimism. “Be appreciative of the leadership
provided by Dr Van Horn,” said Shirley Arnold,
associate dean for student success and director
of the AEC. “Embrace this time of transition to
help make it positive for the campus.”
Senior Kat Henry said, “We should encourage
alumni to be a part of the search for a new
president.”
Reg Heinitsh, Jr, chairman of the Board of
Trustees, said that the Board is appreciative of
Van Horn’s leadership during his presidency.
“We will move efficiently and effectively to find
an exemplary replacement for Dr Van Horn,”
Heinitsh said in an E-mail sent out Tuesday.
Director of Medical Services Susan Martin
tried to ease tension Tuesday, “Don’t worry,” she
said, “this is a normal part of college life.”
Q&A with Drew Van Horn
In light of his resignation, president Drew
Van Horn reflected on his time at BC with the
Clarion:
What has been your greatest contribution
to BC? What accomplishments are you most
proud of?
I do not know if I personally have contributed
much to the College. I am most proud that we
were able to set a strategic plan for the college
that was inclusive and identified our values and
our goals. I am also proud that we have been
able to be recognized as a well respected four
year college.
You have worked at several other
institutions. How does Brevard compare to
other colleges?
Brevard is smaller in size than any of the
Colleges with who I have worked, but it is much
bigger in heart. We have an atmosphere that I
believe is truly conducive to our educational
mission. Engagement and service are not just
words here; they are values and I have enjoyed
watching them being lived out every day on
our campus.
What will you miss the most about BC?
The students, faculty and staff We have the
best students. Their energy, excitement and
passions have made my eight and a half years
wonderful. I will miss the dedication of our
faculty and staff and their commitment to our
students. They are truly educators and servants.
This place is better because of them.
What are some things you would have liked
to have seen done during your time here? Do
you have any disappointments or regrets?
I wish that I could have generated more
support for retiring the debt on the performing
arts center This one facility, while beautiful, has
no direct stream of income except for tuition
and fees. This required us to divert those dollars
away from programs and other important items,
in order to pay for the debt and operations of
the facility.
Another regret is that I was unable to raise
faculty and staff salaries as I wanted to do. They
are fine, dedicated people and I am saddened that
I was not able to increase their compensation as
I had wanted to do.
Is there any one member of the
administration that helped you to achieve
your numerous accomplishments?
Wow, talk about putting a person on the spot!
I will name two because they have been with
me the longest.
John Hardt, our VP for Academic Affairs
and Dean of the Faculty is a great leader and
academician. He worked with our great faculty
to establish a new Core Curriculum, develop
see 'Q&A' page 8