Iniprovements
being made to
physical plant;
new
administrative
computer system
being installed
.yOtmia/
Business affairs preparing for success
Both challenges and opportunities faced the
office of business affairs during the 19%-97
academic year and the divisions of finance/
accounting, human resources/institutional services,
buildings and grounds, bookstore, food service and
housekeeping are all embracing a period of vast
changes to prepare Chowan for the twenty-first
century.
To improve fmancial systems and reporting,
student record-keeping, availability of campus-wide
information and a multitude of other timesaving
features for registration, report writing, recruitment
and student services; Chowan began the evaluation
and selection process for a new administrative
software system. The target date for installation is
late 1998.'
Campus-wide fiber optics were installed
underground to connect each building to the
college’s new network system and internal wiring
was installed to all existing administrative and
academic offices during the academic year. Interior
wiring to each residence hall room was completed
during the summer.
Negotiations for an upgrading of the campus-
wide telephone service in order to expand capabili
ties and lower the cost to both students and
administration led to the purchase of a new switch.
With existing trunk lines maximized, switch
capacity goals included providing a telephone to
each residence hall room, adding additional office
extensions and providing ample capacity for
growth
A committee was formed to survey the campus
and suggest procedures for adding handicapped
accessibility to Chowan’s campus. Following the
first recommendations, curb cuts were added to
sidewalks on campus and handicapped parking
spaces, with appropriate signage, were added to
lots.
Building renovations were extensive during
1996-97. During the Christmas holiday season,
Thomas Cafeteria had walls removed to enlarge the
dining area, booths added for additional seating,
carpeting installed to reduce the noise level and
create a more comfortable dining experience, lighting
upgraded for improved atmosphere and food
stations consolidated for better traffic flow and to
separate the dining area into more intimate eating
areas. In addition, the dining area was painted and
redecorated
Moisture problems seemed to plague many
areas of campus During the spring, all new
windows were installed in Parker Hall to eliminate
water problems during heavy rains and a wall of
Mark's Hall, that had exhibited dampness since
construction, was dried out with an improvement
to an air-conditioning drainage system.
An exterior wall of Penny Hall had drainage tile
set and waterproofing completed to prevent leakage
and a reconfiguration of the exterior drainage
system of Camp Hall prevented seepage into the
auditorium
With extensive moisture problems developing
on the roofs of many buildings, a roofing consult
ant has been hired to investigate conditions and
make recommendations for maintenance and
replacement needs. New roots scheduled for
completion during 1997-98 include the Columns
Building and Whitaker Library.
New elevators replaced the originals in
eight-story Parker Hall during the summer months
and at^er a late-night protest by students, undesir
RICHARD
J. LEFEVRE
CPA
Vice
President
Academic
Affairs
able shower heads in the women’s residence halls
were replaced with improved models providing
increased pressure and reduced water and fuel
usage.* The Braves Den recreation center was
painted, its furniture reupholstered and several
offices were upgraded. Renovations in the Beacon
complex provided additional physical education
offices, lab space and a multi-functional room for
programs. An antiquated filtering system in the
Helms Center pool was replaced by state-of-the-art
equipment and Marks Hall auditorium received a
new projection screen and updated painting. Men’s
latmdry facilities, formerly requiring a trip to the
Braves Den, were relocated to the men’s residence
halls and laundry facilities in Parker Hall were
moved from the basement to the first floor to be
accessible by elevator The Helms Center, Simons
Hall and Mixon Hall all received new carpeting.
The purchase of a new biology research boat
required the construction of a garage facility' on the
southern edge of campus and two additional
15-passenger vans were leased for various transpor
tation needs.
Approaching the next millennium with extensive
capital project proposals, Chowan faces many new
challenges demanding the exploration of various
financial plans such as revenue-enhancing programs,
cost-reduction measures, a capital campaign and
bond issue. Projects under examination in the near
future include a new student center, football
stadium, enrollment management and visitor’s
center, fine arts facility, intramural structure,
Academics moves into
Conlinued from Page 3
longer awards tenure to professional librarians al
though they continue to hold faculty status.
Members of the faculty hold rank as follows:
professor 8 (12.3%); associate professor 21(32.3%),
assistant professor 27 (41.5%); instructor 9
(13.9%). Counting the current year, the average age
of the full-time faculty is 46.7 years. Including the
current year, the 65 members of the full-time
faculty have served a total of 685 years. The
average length of service is 10 .5 years.
The full-time equivalent (FTE) instructional
faculty members number 62.3. (This includes
part-time faculty equated to full-time. Further,
health and physical education faculty with both
teaching and coaching responsibilities are counted
only on the basis of their time allocated to instruc
tion.) The FTE student enrollment is 748,
upgraded classrooms, pool renovation, office
expansion and library computerization.
The college is also exploring ways to maximize
investment earnings by reallocating assets under
the proper mix of risk levels among investment
managers. Successftil results will help hold down
future tuition increases, expand academic programs
and improve physical facilities.
In order to enhance the residence life of
Chowan students, a comprehensive residence hall
preventive maintenance program and renovation
schedule will begin during the 1997-98 academic
year and proposals imder evaluation for the food
service program include expanded menus and a
wider variety of meal plans. To better serve the
entire college community, bookstore services will
be analyzed for competitiveness, range of products
and hours of operation.
Plans were formulated to upgrade stage
lighting, replace curtains and add an exceptional
surround sound system to Turner Auditorium
during the fall of 1997.
Building a framework for alternatives to the
college’s health care plan for employees, in order
to provide better benefits at the same or low-er
costs, a consultant was hired to evaluate the health
care benefits package and make recommendations
for improvements. In addition to health care
review, plans are underway to study the pension
plan for an improved participation schedule and to
evaluate and grade all staff positions for consistent
classification and salary structure.
Chowan plans to meet the fiiture with
preparation and success.
Athletic department experiences
challenging, active year
Continued from Page 3
pool area, improvements to the air-conditioning
system in the locker room areas and weight room,
expansion of the training room facility, additions to
locker room space for women’s teams and aeration
and fertilization of the outdoor fields w ill all receive
examination The athletic department will also
investigate the feasibility of a divider screen for the
main gymnasium to create multiple spaces for team
practice during inclement weather and a variety of
teaching stations and recreafional use.
The 1997-98 academic year was one of consid
erable progress. However, it is imperative that
strengthening and expansion be continued for all
athletic programs of the college.
strengthened position
consequently, the faculty/student ratio is 1:12.
Of the 61 members of the instructional faculty,
31 (50.1%) hold the earned doctorate or are in the
final stages of pursuit of the degree. Three other
persons hold the M.F.A., which is the terminal
degree in their particular discipline. Consequently,
34 (55.8%) of the instructional faculty hold the
terminal degree. The 65 full-time faculty members
hold undergraduate degrees from 48 different
institutions and graduate degrees from 54 different
institutions.
Profound progress has been made in expanding
and strengthening the academic programs of the
college making the future of Chowan both challeng
ing and briglit. As programs are further enhanced
and become more well known, the public’s percep
tion of Chowan as a senior institution will become
estabhshed.
Chowan Today welcomes letters and manuscripts for
possible publication. Please send submissions to
Jan Lefevre, Director of News Services, Chowan
CoUege, P. O. Box 1848, Murfreesboro, N. C. 27855.
Manuscripts cannot be returned.
Page 4 — CHOWAN TODAY, Fall. 1997