Newspapers / The Guilfordian. / April 8, 1991, edition 1 / Page 5
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NewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNews Keith continued from page 1 tion from the Experiential Learning Com mittee, Guilford was selected to be one of eight institutions nation-wide to partici pate in a national program dedicated to developing model programs for intern ships and experiential education. Guilford was also referred to several times in a text entitled Strengthening Experiential Learn ing in Your Institution. The committee also said that in the past 10 years, "internships have expanded 500 percent at Guilford, have become both national and international in character, and have become so pervasive across depart ments and disciplines that the internship concept is now seen as a point of difference for the college." But with Keith's departure, it is unclear how the college will continue to expand its programs and services offered in the area of internships and service learning. Fur thermore, several members of the Guilford community are uncertain of the possibility of Guilford even being able to maintain its current level of services. "With Jim's absence, I seriously doubt if there is anyone currently on campus who could put the time, devotion and commit ment to internships and service learning," said Martha Cooley, a professor of history and director of off-campus education. "If what Guilford wants in this area is something like what Jim was providing, then I think we are certainly going to suffer. Jim just knew so much and had so many contacts. lam fairly certain that internships and experiential learning will suffer directly next year, and perhaps in the distant future as well." Lou Spaventa, an assistant professor of education, agreed with Cooley's assess ment Spaventa, who worked in conjunc tion with Keith to conduct the Literacy Corps, a program which Spaventa said, "connects a privileged population with various underprivileged groups," is wor ried about the future of the program. "Although I am not really clear as to where the grant will be situated with the administration, I am assuming that I am now the director of the program," said Spaventa. "I'm very concerned for the future of the program, especially consider ing that I might have to be doing something above and beyond my teaching commit ments and other responsibilities. Jim could handle the commitment, and he would be a whole hell of a lot better director than me." Spaventa, who said that the Literacy Corps program reflects one of the central missions of the college, said he does not understand the rationale behind the col lege's decision to remove the position of director of internships and service learn ing. Said Spaventa, "It would seem that the institution would act in its own best inter est, but I do not see how Guilford's best interests are being served by this decision. It was my understanding that Guilford wanted to expand its internship serv ice learning opportunities, not limit them. I'm in wonderment as to what is going on here." Students have also expressed concern over Guilford's decision to eliminate Keith's position and the college's commit ment to internships and service learning opportunities. Students held an open fo rum after returning from Christmas break to discuss the implications of Keith's ab sence. They also collected signatures from other students expressing concern and "deep disappointment in this institution's decision to terminate the employment of Jim Keith." The petition also stated that Keith "has been an invaluable resource to this institution, our lives and educational experience." The decision to eliminate Keith's posi tion was reached in December by an eight member subcommittee of the Budget and Planning Committee which was charged with the responsibility of balancing the budget by cutting $2 million of requested expenditures. The subcommittee consisted of three faculty members, Robert G. Williams, Elwood Parkerand Gerry Godard; the three college vice presidents, Sam Schuman, Nancy Cable-Wells and Jim Newlin; the president of the college Bill Rogers; and Business Manager Dick Coe. Guilford's elimination of Jim Keith's position reflects a growing trend among colleges and universities. Guilford is one of many private and public institutions which have been forced to cut back pro grams and personnel. Institutions are trying to find more efficient ways to save in order to counter costs problems such as rising insurance rates and enrollment shortfalls due to a demographic shortage of tradi tional-aged college students. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, cost-cutting measures are in vogue for many institutions of higher learn ing. Several institutions have been forced tocut millions from their budgets as tougher times have set in. Guilford has struggled with its own set of financial challenges. And like many other institutions nationwide, Guilford has attempted to sort out its own priorities in order to protect what the college feels are central to its mission. 'The environment here at Guilford is starting to change and I think reality is starting to set in," said Elwood Parker, Guilford mathematics professor and member of the Budget and Planning sub committee. "We are going to need to find out what we want and do not want to support. We need to decide what are the most important things here at Guilford." Parker believed that in this year* s budget process, no clear set of priorities was es tablished for the subcommittee of Budget and Planning when they were forced to cut costs in order to balance the budget for next year. Said Parker, "I would have liked to have more data and information on program and personnel performance. When I do not have personal knowledge of an area of the campus, I would like to be able to look at various sorts of data in order to make a decision about its worthiness. I need to know how important it is to the campus and how effective it has been in meeting goals and objectives." Parker, citing the need for confidential ity, was not willing to discuss what the subcommittee specifically considered when discussing the fate of the internships and service learning program. Other members of the subcommittee also declined to speak specifically about the discussions which involved the re moval of the position of director of intern ships and service learning, citing the need to preserve confidentiality of the process and respect the privacy of individuals whose positions were affected by the cuts. However, due to the unwillingness to discuss the decision, some members of the community are concerned. "I would feel much better about the process if the people responsible could clearly tell me how some of these deci sions were determined," said Joe Groves, an assistant professor of Religious Stud ies. "I believe members of the committee tried to do a responsible job, but I would like to see more information concerning the process and how these decisions were reached." Said student Hilary White, "I think the college should say for its own sake why some of these decisions were reached and who was responsible for making them. All I have heard is rumors. It seems like a lot of this is hush-hush." President Bill Rogers believes that the institution is still committed to internship, service learning, and community service program s, despite the elimi nation of Kei th' s position. "The subcommittee of Budget and Plan ning was a heavy-hearted group in having to make reductions in personnel and pro grams," said Rogers. "No one likes to make such decisions. Guilford has not, however, lost its commitment toward in ternships and other service learning op portunities. I feel confident that these programs will continue as we work to meet the academic, intellectual, career and per sonal objectives of Guilford students." Jim Newlin, vice president for finance and development and another member of the budget-reducing subcommittee, also said that Guilford will continue to remain committed to providing internships and other service learning opportunities. "I sense that we will not only remain committed to career and service intern ships and other opportunities, but that we will improve in these areas," said Newlin. "I also do not feel there is any intention by anyone involved to reduce Guilford's commitment to internships." THE GUILFOKDIAN 'Apfll 8' T991 Although members of the administra tion believe Guilford's commitment to internships and service opportunities is strong, it is unclear what will actually happen to the structure of Guilford's cur rent internship and service learning pro grams. It is also unclear as to who will perform the responsibilities which were included under Keith's position. In addi tion, projects such as the Literacy Corps have an uncertain future as they await word of their fate. Said Spaventa, "I do not what to expect with the future of the Literacy Corps pro gram." President Rogers indicated that the struc ture of the current internship and service learning program isbeing examined closely by both the Clerk's Committee and the Enrollment Management Committee. However, according to members of both committees, very little has been discussed concerning the future of the programs. Furthermore, as of April 5 there has been no official word on who will inherit Keith's responsibilities. "I really can't say what we have decided in Clerk's Committee because we are hoping to deal with the question of intern ships soon," said Barton Parks, clerk of the Clerk's Committee. "I can only say that I have met with Dr. Rogers and that we outlined a few suggestions." Meanwhile, many students and faculty continue to express concern over the fu ture of internships and experiential learn ing. In a memo sent to the Clerk's Com mittee from the faculty representatives of the Experiential Learning Committee, it was recommended that "the programs of the Office of Internships and Service Learn ing are essentially academic in nature, and, therefore are to be firmly embedded in the academic structure of the college." The memo also "strongly recommended" that the program "be coordinated in a central office in order to handle the sheer volume of work, provide linkage among the vari ous aspects of the program, and maintain national and local contacts," and that the program should be conducted "by a person with substantial college teaching and pro gram-building experience." Concerned about Keith's removal, the committee also stated that it is "daunted by the amount of work that we and other faculty would face in Jim Keith's absence." Students that have been most involved in Guilford's internship and service learn ing areas express worry and concern over the current situation and the future of the programs. "I'm really worried about the future of the whole service learning area," said Carrie Eby, 21, a junior psychology major and one of three coordinators of Guilford's Project Community. "In a lot of ways its seems we are taking one step forward and two steps back. I don't think people real ized the extent of Jim's job. Now it seems a lot of what he has been doing is just coming to a halt." 5
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