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THE VOICE OF WILKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 8, NO. 2
WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
NOVEMBER 1, 1977
New Buildinja^s...When?
Preview: The
New Buildings
With students and faculty
anxiously awaiting the completion
of two new facilities on the
W.C.C. campus, a description of
the new buildings is certainly at
hand. Both buildings will add
greatly to the campus in function
and aesthetics, and a quick survey
proves we do indeed have a lot to
look forward to.
Although neither building has
been given an official name at this
point, the buildings may be
referred to as the Physical & Life
Science and General Studies
Division and the Automotive and
Diesel Mechanics Division.
The Physical & Life Science and
General Studies Building will
house the following facilities.
-An official size gymnasium
which will be at the home of the
W.C.C. Basketball Cougars. The
gym will have a lighted clock and
scoreboard, lockers, storage
space, and bleachers (in the
future) to accomodate students
and faculty.
-The Tory Oak Dining Room
which will provide practical
experience for students in insti-
tiuional food preparation and
service, but will not serve as a
community restaurant.
-The Day Care Center will
facilitate the teaching and training
of students in the Early
Childhood Program by providing
labratory experience with pre
school children. A user’s fee will
probably be charged although a
policy for community use has not
been set.
-A new Student Commons,
carpeted and with nice furniture,
to be designated as a “quiet area”
for study or leisure.
-Labratories for both the
Nursing and Drafting Depart
ments.
-Faculty offices for the Life
Sciences, Physical Sciences, and
General Studies Divisions, as well
as new vending services for a
quick lunch.
-The Automotive and Diesel
Mechanics Building is divided into
two sections. One side will include
sophisticated machinery for auto
mechanics work, while the other
side will provide expensive
machinery for testing diesel and
truck engines. The building will
provide valuable lab experience
for students in the respective
curriculums.
New Riiildings Delayed
The completion date of two
new Wilkes Community College
facilities, both expected to greatly
enchance the physical and
academic growth of the campus,
has been delayed from the original
completion date, October 4 to
early Winter.
One facility, which will house
the new Power Mechanics
Division, is 95% complete and
should be ready by early
November. The other facility,
which will house the new
gymnasium, a student commons,
and several other general study
areas, is 79% complete and
should be ready in early January.
Dr. Conrad A. Shaw, Vice
President for Administrative
Services, has worked very closely
with the planning and construct
ion of the new buildings, and he
sites three reasons for the delay.
The first is the inclement weather
suffered by all last January and
February which strongly hindered
working conditions on the site.
Secondly, some materials ordered
were delayed due to limited stock
and various other reasons. The
third reason can be attributed to a
breakdown in Duke Power’s
special machinery for an under
ground power cable.
Dr. Shaw stated, “The delays
are realistic and to be expected.”
He went on to say, “Delays are
something we have to live with,
especially since we don’t want to
short change quality with hurried
effort.” The delays will result in
no extra cost.
Dr. Shaw noted a fine job by
the Horticulture and Farm
Departments for sewing the grass
around the buildings and saving
the College an extra contracting
cost.
Arguments start as conversa
tions with each speaker trying
to get the last word in first.
Dr. Shaw Receives Appointment
Dr. Conrad A. Shaw, vice
president for Administrative Ser
vices at Wilkes Community
College, has been appointed by
the State Board of Education to
serve on the new Community
College Advisory Council, ac
cording to an announcement by
W.C.C. President, Dr. David E.
Daniel.
Dr. Shaw’s appointment is for a
two-year term. He is one of 15
named to the new body which
replaces the old 160-member
board termed “unwieldly and
innefectual” by SBE Chairman
David Bruton and Gov. James B.
Hunt. Dr. Shaw is the only
community college administrator
named to the Advisory Counil
and one of only three community
college employees who have been
appointed to the council. The
remaining five (of a total of eight)
appointees who are associated
with community colleges and
technical institutes are trustees of
their respective institutions.
In commenting on Dr. Shaw’s
appointment, Dr. Daniel said:
“This is quite a tribute to Dr.
Shaw’s capabilities and quite an
honor for Wilkes Community
College.”
School Calendar
Revised
Students have been wondering
what happened to the break
between Summer and Fall
quarters at W.C.C. In an attempt
to clarify this, Tom Whittington,
Dean of Instruction, gave the
following explanation.
When W.C.C. changed its
calendar year two years ago, the
directors thought it would save
money. However, this did not
result and other problems did
arise. Students taking courses
during the summer couldn’t
complete them in time to coincide
with returning to other schools in
the fall. Students are “geared up”
and wanting to start to school in
September and graduate in May.
Those wanting to work during the
summer found that most of the
summer jobs had already been
filled by the time the Spring
quarter had ended.
In addition to not having a
quarter break between summer
and fall, students and faculty will
be getting only two days for
Thanksgiving and one week for
Christmas.
It will take approximately one
year from Thanksgiving to
complete the transition due to the
fact that it takes fifteen months to
gain one month, which is the
length of time W.C.C. is behind
other schools.
When the revision is completed,
school will again be starting in
September, graduation will be in
May, and the annual number of
holidays and quarter breaks will
be the way they were two years
ago.
Changes From
The Top
We have not had a Dean of
Instruction since 1972. Tom
Whittington has been doing most
of the duties normally handled by
a Dean of Instruction, so his
upward flow into the position was
only a paper formality. He is now
the grand overseer of both
academic and vocational studies.
Doctor Daniel has a great deal of
“respect” for his abilities.
Bill Davis move to Pres.
Advisor, a position humourously
referred to as (“Doc’s Bert
Lance”), basically is a fitting of
skill to job. Mr. Davis will be
involved in grantsmanship. He
has already been involved in the
schools getting two grants.
Howard Blackburn’s promo
tion to Acting Director of Life
Science is again only a paper
formality, he has been doing the
job for some time.
“The changes have been well
responded to everywhere” accord
ing to Doctor Daniel. Doctor
Daniel is very happy to have such
a “competent” staff to rely on.
The staff in Life Sciences have
commented that “Mr. Davis is
now operating in a field where he
has considerable expertise.”
The only question left un
answered by this non shakeup is
does Kurt Vonnegut’s law apply
to the administration of W.C.C.
Vonnegut’s law states: “No one in
charge of anything ever really
knows what’s going on.