since 1960 “of, by, and for the Wesleyan community.’
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
April 2, 2010
Musical ‘Children of Eden’
Showcases Wesleyan Talent
hv Rrictu Parlror ^
$30K
By Jarad Brown
Decree Editor
Trey Drake earned the USA South MVP award for his sterling play as he
led the Bishops to a regular season title and a chance at the tournament
championship. Presenting the award was USA South Commissioner
Rita Wiggs. And last week, the senior guard was named second team
All-American and first team All-South. See related story on page 3. si Photo
Tuition & Fees to Exceed
for NCWC Education
we are enhancing both the academics and
campus environments—giving our students
clear benefits from the increases.”
Included in the overall cost increase is a
$50-per-semester student activities fee, to be
given directly to student services. With the fee,
nearly $40,000 is expected to be available.
While President Gray wasn’t able to
completely define how the money would be
spent he did state “let me stress that it will all
be used to provide a more meaningful and
enjoyable campus life.”
Debate the boiefits, scroe wary that the higher
costs win hurt Wesleyan in luring new studaits to
campus. While this is a valid concan, a peek into
te cost of canpeting sdiools shodd ease minds.
Greensboro College already charges
more than $30,000 per year for students, and
according to its official website, an expected
5.7 percent increase will be put into effect
for the 2010-2011 school year.
Likewise Methodist is raising its price tag.
Vice President for Enrollment Services Rick
Lowe said that MU expects an increase above
five percent. It currently includes chaises to
students such as a $300 activities fee.
“We have done a flxjrough study of our costs
versus other schools with whom we cwnpete for
students,” Gray sakl ‘Tm pleased to say that we
are just a small amount above the average in both
tfte cost of matriculating at Wesleyan and the
increases fham last year.”
Gray dismissed speculation that
Wesleyan’s price hike is connected to recent
problems in the financial aid office.
See FEES on pg 2
NCWC studaits have heard the talk of “Wes
leyan becoming Amaica’s next great colkge.”
Now as a new a^mic year afpoaches, those
same studaits will hear the cost of being “gieaL”
Wesleyan plans an increase in tuition of
5.6 percent, pushing the cost from $21,780 to
$23,000. Room rates wiU increase 2.99 percent
and board will rise 3.02 percent The total cost
will rise 5.1 percent to a grand total of $30,914
per year, according to Iteident James Giay
“I would have hked very much to report
no increases in costs for our students and
their families,” Gray said. “But we believe
strongly that our investments in the future
will speed us on our way to being that kind of
educational leader that we all aspire to be.”
The increase comes at a time of high
employment The U.S. Department of Labor
reported that as of February the unemployment
rate was at a steady 9.7 percent which breaks
down to 14.9 million Americans without jobs.
The same department reported that North
Carolina ranked as the state with the ninth
highest unemployment rate (11.1 percent).
This means finding an extra $1,220 for
tuition alone might not be possible for all
NCWC students and their families.
“People are already stmggling to pay their
bills at home,” sophomore Justin Lowe said.
■ “An increase in tuition is only going to push
students deeper in debt with loans. I mean, we.
have to start paying that back six months after
graduation, so we’re starting off in a hole.”
Junior Mike Young agreed that the price
increase comes at a tough time. “I’m not go
ing to struggle personally, but I know plenty
of people who will,” he said, adding, “I hope
we at least get better food out of the deal.”
Despite readiing the $30,000 mark, the ovaaH
5.1 cost inoease is the smallest in the past six years.
In contrast to older, more well-established
colleges and universities, it’s harder for
Wesleyan to dip into its endowment to
pay for operating expenses, not to mention
financial aid. Its endowment was about $8.6
million as of February, Gray said.
“We are on our way to reaching our po
tential as America’s next great college,” Gray
said. “Unfortunately, a college education gets
more costly each year. It is our duty—and
my personal commitment—^to provide
greater value in return for that increase.”
President Gray included a laundry list
of explanations for the increase, ranging
from escalating costs in food and electricity
to enhanced security on campus and the
provision of a larger admissions staff.
Among other benefits, students will soon see
more programs and a larger staff in student
affairs, a new director of residence life as
well as more scholarship money for both
new and cuirent students. The college hopes
to continue making improvements to the
campus and residence halls as well.
“I know it is challenging for our students
and their families to provide for a top-quality
education that Wesleyan provides,” Gray
said. “I want to emphasize that we believe
by Bristy Parker
Decree Staff Writer
“What’s that glowing on top of the
tree hill?” was the question that Eve
asked in the play “Children of Eden,”
Wesleyan’s spring musical.
Directed by Melvin Tunstall III,
the two-hour play gave us a version
of the book of Genesis in the Bible. It
ran March 8-10 in Minges Auditorium
and drew an estimated audience of
150 to each performance.
Eve’s curiosity was the theme of
act one of the play. In act one, the
Wesleyan Players portrayed the story
of Adam and Eve. In the beginning,
a chorus of talented storytellers
describes the beginning of the world.
Father (God), played by Tunstall, then
comes on stage and declares, "Let
there be...." as he builds the world
based on his dream. He creates Adam
and Eve and the perfect Garden of
Eden for them.
Eve (Sara Bergland) is like any
curious child who inquires about
many things. When she asks “What's
that glowing tree on top of the hill?”.
Father explains to them about the
tree of knowledge and that they must
never eat the fruit. As Adam and Eve
persist on asking why not. Father
redirects their attention by asking
them to name the animals.
The next day. Eve discovers the
tree of knowledge, which becomes
illuminated. She sings, "The Spark of
Creation," which was a contemporary
song about the spark of creativity
and exploration. By the applause,
it was clear the audience loved her
performance. For the following
number, "In Pursuit of Excellence,"
Brittany Richardson plays a conniving
snake and tells Eve to go ahead and
eat the fhiit to obtain knowledge that
she says God is trying to keep from her
and Adam. The forbidden “apples,”
played by Rozelius Lousius and Hilary
Daniel, shared a sassy performance
along with Richardson. Their “Vegas”
style costumes complemented the act.
When Father finds out that Eve has
disobeyed him by eating the fruit, she is
exiled. Adam (BJ Collins) must choose
between staying in the garden and leav
ing with Eve. His "A World Without
You” was a beautiful, emotional song,
which received a lot of applause and
gave the audience a sense of warmth.
A while after they are kicked out of
the garden, the storytellers sing about
Adam and Eve's barren new environ
ment in "The Wasteland." Eve gives
birth to two sons, Cain and Abel, played
by Benjamin Knik and Anthony Battle.
As the boys grow older, they shadow
their parents’ actions and become curi
ous about their own lives. Cain wants to
prove that they are not the only people
in the world and indicates that he wants
to be a part of a larger family. Abel
tries to get him to stay and be obedient,
but Cain kills him with a rock during
their brawl—an outstanding scene
between Battle and Kruk. Cain runs
away as Father appears before him, and
curses him in the song, "The Mark of
Cain." In this act, Dionne Luckett and
Greg Spence belted out awesome solo
performances.
During the song, "Children of Eden,"
Eve talks with Father, and sings of
coming back to the garden. She asks her
family "not to blame us, we were just
human," referring to her being exiled
from the garden with Adam and the
impact of one generation's experience
on their descendents.
Act two, the story of Noah and the
flood, begins with the storytellers sing-
Students Headed in All
Directions for Break
By John Kostet
Decree Staff Writer
March Break, Spring Recession,
Study Week and even Reading Week
are all various names for what most
of us refer to as Spring Break. But
usually spring break includes anything
but reading, as students tend to leave
campus and head south for beaches and
parties.
“The best part of my break was to be
SGA Elections Set for April 5-7
By Melanie Rhodes
Decree Staff Writer
A new voter registration process has
been implemented as SGA gears up for
the election of the 2010-11 president and
executive board April 5-7.
Begun March 15, voter registration will
continue until Friday, April 2. Students may
register in the cafeteria from 11 ;30 am.
to 1:30 p.m. and Ik)m 5 to 7 p.m., in the
Hartness Student Center via sign-up sheet
or by e-maUing SGA Vice President Juliana
Richardson atjrI48954@my.ncwc.edu.
Two-term President Jacob Strickland
believes that implementing the voting
registration process will “help the students
become more informed politically.”
As vice fjEsident Richardson is oversee
ing the voting registration process. She agrees
that it will “provide students with a real-wcrld
process, wiU help cut down on random
voting, will simplify the voting process.”
Samantha House agrees that voting registra-
ticHi is gxxl idea “Hike te idea of legistaing
to vote thrau^ e-mail because of the easy
access and it’s not too corrplkaled,” she saki
SGA is enforcing existing eligibility
rules for candidates in each of the three
open positions—president vice president
and treasurer. In order to run for office,
a student must have held voting rights
and maintained regular attendance at the
biweekly meetings during the previous year.
The secretary position is open to all students.
For each of the four positions, candidates
must maintain a 3.0 GPA and meet other
criteria for their particular position.
As the election approaches, students
identified qualities that they would like
to see in the SGA President. House said
that she would like a president that has
tiie “abihty to lead, provide guidance and
take initiative. The-president should set a
good example, be understanding and fair
to all clubs and individuals.” It’s important
she added, that SGA continue to “build
connections and relationships with every
student oiganization.”
Terrance Johnson said that the next
president should be a strong communicator.
“I would like to see a President who has
good communication skills and is willing to
listen to the sUident body,” he said.
Jaien Wilcox hopes that the new SGA
administraticm will provide more student
activities on campus, adding that the next
president should be “honest and tnistworthy.”
The election wiU take place in the
school cafeteria and the new president and .
executive board will be announced two
days later, on April 9.
away from the dorms and enjoy a new
environment, full of palm trees,” said
Anton Hysen who spent his break with
friends in Panama City, Fla. “I had an
awesome rime at the beach, meeting
new people from all over U.S.”
Florida has for decades been one of
the classic spring break destinations for
college students and this year’s break
was certainly not an exception as many
of the Wesleyan students hit the road
down south.
Kristin Seidel and her boyfriend
Florian Schmedes flew down to
Miami and South Beach to enjoy the
sun a couple of days. “The weather
was amazing during the day with
temperatures around 70 Fahrenheit,”
Seidel said.
Seidel also said it was hard not to
be impressed by Ocean Drive, which
is a popiilar street known for its
surrounding design. “I loved walking
there during the nights, as the streets
were filled with all kinds of lights and
music,” she said.
Chynna Laws went down to Fort
Walton Beach, Fla. to both see her step
sisters and spend time on the beach
with her roommate. Tiara Joyner, and
her husband. “I had a great time even
though it was a bit chilly,” Laws said,
noting temperatures around the 60s.
The weather seems to play a major
role when the students choose their
destination, and it certainly did for
Manuel Lomba and Jorge Ventura who
took no risk of rain, flying down to
Guatemala to stay ten days at fellow
student Victor Wong’s house.
Lomba said they enjoyed the
weather every day, lying on the beach.
But during the nights it was all about
partying. “There were some incredible
See BREAK on pg 2
ing about who begat who thousands of
years later, in the song, “Generations.”
They follow the line of Adam to Noah
and his tiiree sons Shem, Ham, and
Japheth. Cainen Hannah and Crystal
Marable accompany this scene with
great solo acts.
Father wants Noah (Matthew De
Abrew), to quickly finish building
the ark, so he can flood the world and
destroy the race of Cain. As the flood is
coming, youngest son Japheth (Battle)
is on a deadline to find a wife to bring
on the ark to be saved.
Japheth tries to bring his true love,
Yonah the servant girl (Rachel Radford)
to the table. But she has the mark of
Cain and this causes an uproar, Japeth
becomes angry and storms off while the
animals are being boarded on the ark.
Noah apologizes to Yonah for not
being able to take her with them. In the
song, “Stranger in the Rain,” Yonah
expresses how she is used to being an
outcast. Radford’s emotional perfor
mance was so natural and she really put
her heart into the song. Japeth comes
alongside her and reassures her they
will be together and plans on hiding
her in the ark. This dramatic scene
was complemented by the song, “In
Whatever Time,” because they did not
know how long they were going to live.
As the rain comes and floods the
land for forty days and forty nights, the
downpour still continues, which created
a food shortage and a life-threatening
situation. Yonah wonders if she is the
reason the rains have not ceased and
sends a dove to find land during the
song, "Sailor of the Skies." When
Shem (Andrew Herring) and Ham
(Kruk) find Yonah, an altercation breaks
out between Japeth and Ham, imitating
the Adam and Cain struggle of act one.
But this time, the murder is stopped by
Yonah standing in the way.
Mama Noah (Nicole Louisius) tells
Noah that Father no longer speaks to
him. She advises him to be the father
now and make his own choices, which
is reflected in the song, "The Hardest
Part of Love."
Noah calls everyone together to per
form a ceremony. He makes the choice
of marrying Yonah and Japeth. The
dove returns with an olive branch and in
the upbeat song, "Ain't It Good,” Mama
Noah, joined by the others, celebrates
their hope for dry land and new life.
The scene was outstanding, highlighted
by the soulful voice of Louisius. The
audience was so involved, clapping to
the beat.
Tunstall did a remarkable job with
the choreography, costumes, stage and
musical direction. Roger Drake, associ
ate professor of theatre, was in charge
of the creative production design. The
lighting, done by Kimla Brandt, and
sound, done by Jamie Anderson and
Melinda Batchelor, were excellent.
The Wesleyan community gathered
to remember senior Adam Larue,
following his unexpected death in
Rocky Mount during spring break.
See story page 4. Decree file photo