since 1960 “of, by, and for the Wesleyan community.”
April 10, 2009
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE. ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
Veteran Fund-Raiser to Lead Wesleyan as Sixth President
Reported by Jarad Brown, Nastasia
Burnette, & Joyce Collins
Decree Staff Writers
The Wesleyan community hopes that
the college’s new president will be an
effective fund-raiser and inject a sense of
pride in the college.
James A, Gray III, an administrator
at UNC Chapel Hill with a long resume
in the fields of public relations and
fund-raising, has been named the sixth
president in Wesleyan’s history after a na
tional search. His appointment becomes
effective on June 1, when he will succeed
Interim President Stanley Caine.
Gray impressed the Wesleyan student
who served on the search committee,
SGA President Jacob Strickland.
About Gray’s appointment, Strickland
said, “My first reaction was relief, frankly,
because this search had been long and
exhausting.” In an email interview, he
added: “My first real response was that
he would be a good fit here. During his
interviews he seemed to genuinely care
about the area and the school's success.
He seems very personable and welcome
to all types of discussion. He seems to
really care about NCWC and its connec
tion to Rocky Mount and Eastern North
Carolina as a whole.”
In assessing the president’s strengths,
Strickland pointed to his strong manage
ment skills and fundraising background. To
benefit the student body, Strickland would
like the new president to focus on three
immediate goals: recruitment, retention,
and fund-raising. “Recruitment to bring
in more high-quality students; retention
to keep those students; fundraising to
make sure that the students get the best
experience they can here,” said Strickland,
a member of the college’s honors program.
Freshman Justin Waters agreed that
emphasis should be placed on recruit
ment, “Hopefully,” he said, “this president
will spark the interest of students to come
for reasons other than athletics.
While most other students are not as
familiar with the new president, they
expressed definite opinions on what his
primary objectives should be—raising
■money, improving morale on campus, and
listening to student concerns.
Many students and staff stressed the
need to increase the college’s revenue,
in order to hold the line on tuition—
expected to increase four percent next
year—and enhance programs.
That was the opinion of freshman Jakob
Pemov. "I think (he) would need to come in
and focus on the fiscal needs of the college
right away,” he said. “The college needs
money, not only to maintain itself, but also
to expand and incorporate new ideas,"
Adam Davidson, a junior, expressed
a similar view. "Our school seems to be
in a large deficit, and I'm assuming that's
why we’re seeing yet another increase
in tuition,” he said. “So I think really
the only thing that even needs to be on
our new president's mind is NCWC's
financial situation. I've heard that his
strength is fundraising so he needs to use
his strengths and whatever contacts he has
and bring funds to our campus."
Said freshman Jessica Stansbury: "The
school can't rely on simply upping tuition
every time they need money, or times
seem tough. The president absolutely has
to fix our financial problem. If that means
fund raising or asking alumni. I'm not
sure, but the school needs money."
Waters cited the need “to bring more
cash into the school” to help upgrade and
modernize the campus.
Freshman Raishael Tanner, concerned
about “skyrocketing tuition,” hopes that
Gray will benefit Wesleyan by “straighten
ing out (the college’s) ridiculous budgeting,”
Sophomore Malaiha Mussa said that
improved finances would allow “more
activities and programs to be developed
for the students.”
Urgent!; Students Should
Submit FAFSA ASAP
The Financial Aid Office has
urged students to complete and
submit their FAFSA forms in
a timely fashion to ensure they
receive.the maximum amount of
financial aid available to them.
To guide students through the
sometimes daunting process of
filling out their FAFSA (Free Ap
plication for Federal Student Aid),
the college sponsored a recent
on-campus help session.
Joyce Collins, a Decree editor
and staffer at the Financial Aid
office, provided the following
information about the process:
Q. What was the purpose of
holding the FAFSA help session?
A. The main goal was to
encourage students to complete
their FAFSAs in a timely fashion
in preparation for the 2Ci09-2010
school year. Students need to
complete their FAFSAs as soon
as possible because this is the first
step in them getting awarded; most
students will not receive their award
letter if it has not been completed.
By doing theif FAFSAs early, they
will have more time to correct any
errors that may have occurred in
their forms. Also, by having the
sessions, students are able to ask
questions about anything they
are having trouble with as well as
receive one-on-one assistance.
Q. What is the deadline for
submitting FAFSA forms?
A. Although there is no
exact deadline for completing the
document, students are strongly
encouraged to complete it at their
earliest convenience, so that they
may have a better shot at receiving
more funds. Once students have done
this, then the Financial Aid Office
can contact them with additional
documents they may need to finalize
the process of them being awarded;
therefore, the Financial Aid Office
can only do their part after students
have done theirs.
Q. Why is it particularly important
this year for students to submit their
forms in a timely fashion?
A. It is crucial that students submit
their FAFAS promptly because funds
will be very limited. The awards
given to students are on a first come,
first serve basis; for example, last
year after August 3rd, any qualifying
students who had not turned in all
their needed documents did not
receive work-study.
Q. What are some common
misperceptions that students (and
parents) have when it comes to
FAFSA and financial aid in general?
A. Sometimes I think that students
and parents feel they can wait
until the last minute to complete the
FAFSA and that it will not affect the
award package the student receives.
This is false. Another misconcep
tion is that the student will receive
the same award package each
year, which is also false. There are
many factors that go into awarding
financial aid to students, such as:
classification, residency, grade point
average, family income, and whether
or not the student application is
missing any documents.
Junior Zo Washington added, “I can’t wait
to see what’s in store: this man may make some
changes for the better, helping to create social
as well as physical change to our campus.”
A veteran college staff member shared
the view that Gray’s business background
will help him address the college’s fund
raising needs, Rachel Dix, manager of the
college store with almost 30 years of experi
ence at Wesleyan, said the college should be
encouraged by Gray’s appointment.
James Gray
“Mr. Gray is very qualified for the job,”
she said. “You know we’re all dealing
with ‘Change’ or ‘Change is Good,’ so
why shouldn’t Wesleyan be part of this
new way. I think he brings a business
perspective to the president’s position that
we haven’t seen since Dr Gamer was here
at Wesleyan. The college is a business and
we have to address issues in that manner
if we’re going to forge into the future and
make our mark on eastern North Carolina.”
Said Karen Moss, assistant to the vice
president of Enrollment Management: “I
think he will be good for the endowment
and finances,”
Dr. Kim Martin, associate professor
of psychology and chair of Faculty
Council, served on the search committee
with Strickland, She noted that Gray was
selected after the committee received and
reviewed more than 100 applications in a
process that spanned almost a year.
“When I think about what qualities set
Mr Gray apart, I would say that, at first, it
was his fundraising experience,” Dr. Mar
tin said. “He had been part of a number of
highly successful campaigns. The search
committee had several vital characteristics
in mind as we considered prospects, and
the skills and will to raise money was one
of those priorities. In the end, what made
Mr, Gray the candidate of choice, I think,
was his enthusiasm for being Wesleyan’s
next president and his tenacity, which was
matched by many among the Wesleyan
community who strongly felt that he was
the best person for the job."
Several other faculty members were asked
for their reaction to Gray’s appointment. All
declined to comment for the record.
Fund-raising was not the only issue on
the minds of the Wesleyan community.
Seniors William Boyd and Richard Tibbs
would like to see the president address the
lack of pride around campus.
"School pride has to be one of the main
things the new guy works on,” said Tibbs.
“Wesleyan needs to become a place
students are proud to say they attend.”
Boyd echoed Tibbs. The new president,
he said, “needs to understand the sociology
of school pride, which has not been accom
plished in the past, but may with Gray.”
Washington and Boyd both said they
would like to see a president who will
listen to student concerns. "I really hope
that this new president helps out the
school and respects and considers the
student body’s opinion,” Washington said.
Said Mussa: “I hope that he gets
involved with the students and the
community.”
Junior Georgettae Fields-Turrentine
shared that view.'“This president should
try mingling with students to become bet
ter acquainted,” she said. “That could help
him to perform better at his position.”
Gray brings to Wesleyan more than a
decade of experience in higher education
administration and fundraising, as well
as a career in international business,
communications, and public relations that
spans more than 20 years.
Most recently, Gray served the Uni
versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
as Associate Dean for External Affairs
of the Kenan-Flagler Business School,
Before that, he was Associate Dean for
Marketing and Communications at Duke
University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Prior to returning to his home state,
Gray served for eight years in top
management poshions in New York, He
was President of U.S. Operations for
London-based Citigate Communications.
He has been President of Public Relations
for Brouillard Communications in New
York, the corporate division of J. Walter
Thompson, and President of Manning,
Selvage & Lee/U.S., the ninth largest
public relations agency in the world.
A University of North Carolina-Chapel
Hill graduate and Morehead-Cain Scholar,
Gray launched his career in communications
in his native Winston-Salem before spending
20 years in communications and public
relations management positions in Atlanta.
Wesleyan’s trustees selected Gray after
an extensive search led by a Wesleyan
search committee, with assistance from
RPA Inc,, a national search firm. The
search generated more than 130 candidates
from 32 states and two foreign countries.
Vel Johnson, vice chairman of Wesley
an’s Board of Trustees and chairman of the
search committee, said she’s delighted with
the choice of Gray. “He has proven leader
ship and fundraising skills and has already
generated enormous energy and enthusiasm
among those who have met him,” Johnson
said. “Jim’s wife Beth is a former educator
and by all accounts a marvelous hostess
with her own culinary business, and we
are confident she will also be a significant
positive addition to the college and the
Rocky Mount community. We are excited
to open this new chapter in Wesleyan’s
story, Jim Gray has an excitement about
North Carolina Wesleyan College which we
believe will be contagious.”
Gray has served on the board of
directors of a number of community-
improvement organizations in Atlanta,
New York, and North Carolina. He has
been active as a member of The United
Methodist Church, and he is a member of
University Methodist Church in Chapel
Hill and Duke Chapel in Durham.
Gray succeeds Dr. Caine, who has
served Wesleyan since last summer, fol
lowing the departure of Dr, Ian Nevvbould,
Noting that Gray will be the college’s
third president in three years. Tanner
said, “I hope that Gray is committed and
maintains his passion long enough to
actually make changes for our school."
(NC Wesleyan PR coiilribiiled a sigmficam
portion to this report.)
ik''
Jarmel Arrington looks at reference materials at recently opened
library addition, lihraryphotos by J Mann, and G Wallace
Dr. Stubblefield Promoted to Dean
By Jessica Autumne Smith
Decree Senior Editor
After two years as the Vice Presi
dent of Academic Affairs and Dean
of the College, Dr. John Thomell is
leaving Wesleyan to take a position at
the University of North Alabama. His
decision to leave presented a unique
challenge for the college. Who would
become the new dean?
Dr. Jay Stubblefield, an associate
professor of English and associate
dean of the college, was suggested
for the position. According to an
announcement from Interim President
Stanley Caine, “The decision to
appoint Dr. Stubblefield was made
after he received strong endorsements
from members of the faculty, staff and
trustees, who enthusiastically recom
mended him for this new role.”
There were several reasons for this
recommendation, one of the most
important being Dr. Stubblefield’s
involvement with the upcoming SACS
review. SACS, the Southern Associa
tion of Colleges and Schools, regularly
^
Dr. Jay Stubblefield photp by L Whitley
reviews institutions eyery ten years for
accreditation purposes.
In reaction to the promotion Dr
Stubblefield said in a recent interview
that he was “greatly humbled and
grateful for the opportunity” and that
he “looks forward to meeting the
unique challenges of the administra
tive position while capitalizing on
opportunities to improve the college.”
As the dean. Dr. Stubblefield would
be responsible for collaborating with
faculty to maintain the integrity of
academic programs. His experiences as
associate dean and an associate English
professor have given Dr. Stubblefield
the advantage of understanding both
the viewpoints of faculty and the
administration. He is confident he will
be able, to meet the challenges of the
position and take advantage of opportu
nities to improve the college.
Dr. Stubblefield’s goals include
completing the SACS reaffirmation
efforts, working with faculty to identify
opportunities for academic programs,
strengthening the adult degree pro
gram, and continuing to move toward a
more student-centered institution.
As associate dean Dr. Stubblefield
has always taught one course each
semester. Traditionally, the dean at
NCWC has not taught classes. Dr.
Stubblefield said he would miss
teaching. “However there are other
opportunities for student interaction.
See Stubblefield on page 2