Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / April 22, 1991, edition 1 / Page 2
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Guilford —Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are Peter Smith Managing Editor Although I usually choose to stay off the editorial page of the The Guilfordian and devote my energies to managing the paper and reporting important news at Guilford College, I find it necessary to break tradi tion. I feel obligated to make a few edito rial comments about my latest article con cerning internships and Jim Keith's re moval as internship director. My article, entitled "Keith Firing Calls College Priorities Into Question," was one of the most challenging articles I have ever completed as a news reporter. I say this not from the standpoint that the facts and opin ions of the situation were complex, requir ing dexterity and clarity in their presenta tion. This is to be expected of any complex news story requiring the explanation and presentation of a variety of facts and view points. No, this article proved challenging not from the writing standpoint, but rather from the reporting standpoint. Since the beginning of my freshman year as a Guilfordian member, I have never been so frustrated as a reporter than when I worked to gather facts and viewpoints from the Guilford community concerning this issue. I have never received more "off the record" comments from a variety of students, faculty, and administrators. Indeed, there exists, and I feel I can objec tively make this judgment, a whole sub stratum of accusations, counter-accusa tions, important facts and feelings, even misinterpretations, and basic misinforma tion below the surface of this campus con cerning the issue of internships and Keith's firing. This substratum of various emo tions, feelings, and facts will most likely remain unreported and thereby unexam THE GUILFORDIAN Editor-in-Chief Jacob Stohler Managing Editor Peter Smith News Editor Justin Cohen Features Editor Lara Ramsey Editorials Editor Lisa Pope Sports Editor Butch Maier Layout Editor Bruce James Assistant Layout Editor Jennifer Watts Photo Editor George Brand Copy Editor Suzanne Moore Business Manager Lesley Funk Advertising Manager David Putzel Faculty Advisor Jeff Jeske The Guilfordian is the student newspaper of Guilford College, Greensboro, N.C. Submitted articles are welcome. Opinions expressed in editorials and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and editorial board. The editors reserve the editorial licence to The Guilfordian staff. Please address all mail to: The Guilfordian, Box 17717, Greensboro, NC 27410. 2 THE GUILFORDIAN April 22, 1991 ined by the Guilford community. As a reporter I find this sad, perhaps even tragic, especially in the face of calls by various member of the community for more recon ciliation and trust. In response, I pose the question, in all humbleness, to the entire Guilford community—How can we de velop more reconciliation and trust when facts are not clear and viewpoints are not flushed out and examined fully, with the full force of community participation and scrutiny? I believe both proponents and oppo nents of the college's decision to fire Keith are guilty of this criticism. I am not speak ing strictly to the administration's diligent efforts, whether they be necessary or not, to resist revealing information concerning the exact rationale and decision process in evaluating and firing Keith. Ditto for the "sworn vow of secrecy" which the sub committee of Budget and Planning de cided to implement when confronted with questions as to why and how various deci sions were reached in their collective evalu ation of budget priorities and subsequent budget cuts. I would consider various opponents of the college's decision to fire Keith suspect, too, especially when accu sations and/or rumors are circulated which invariably crumble under the challenge of public accountability. Rarely have I ever experienced such a gap between the quot able and nonquotable, between the "on the record" and "off the record." I believe this had negative effects for my article and The Guilfordian's attempts to speak to the facts of the situation. Clearly, reality dictates that there must be efficiency, accoun tabi li ty, and a stream lined decision process at Guilford. I am not advocating a wide-open process in which everything is examined by every How can we develop more reconciliation and trust when facts are not clear and viewpoints are not flushed out and examined fully, with the full force of community participation and scrutiny? one. Furthermore, Guilford is a rather sheltered institution in that a large major ity of other colleges and universities would not dare allow such community involve ment, participation, and comment concern ing key issues and decisions of the college. But again, I was amazed in the reporting of this article at the misconception, misinfor mation, and mistrust which boil behind the scenes at this institution, bubbling up CCE Students, College Losing Asset Joe Yow Guest Writer Guilford College is losing one of its greatest assets —in the form of one Profes sor Carol Killian. It is a loss the college can ill afford, and a loss that needn't happen. Carol Killian is a teacher, tutor, coun selor, guide and friend. She doesn't just have a commitment to the values of Guilford: she embodies those values. The ideals that Guilford tries to impress on students arc the very ideals that shape the way Carol teaches and the way she lives. In the classroom, the Academic Skills Center, or in individual meetings, she is enthusiastic, dynamic, and engaging; the students know Carol is there for them. The effort returned by the students reflects it; the grades earned by those students re sound it. Continuing Education students especially benefit from Carol's obvious desire to make returning to school positive and rewarding. Students go away from Carol's classes with experience and skills that can be applied to other classes and their lives. There is a richness to Carol's teaching that can't be duplicated. One of the institutional goals of Guilford is to "Enhance the quality of student life." Included with this goal statement is a lengthy list of what elements must be addressed to achieve this goal. The entire list of these "sub-goals" does not need repeating here, but one bears mention: Guilford will create an environment for student life that encourages students to: think critically; live well together; develop tolerance; take initiative; communicate effectively; develop a sense of responsibil ity; respect and embrace diversity; and to reveal themselves only behind close doors in interviews between one fact-seek ing reporter and various individual stu dents, faculty, and administrators. In addition, I was astounded at the fear and suspicion which a variety of members of the community expressed to me when asked to speak frankly about this particular issue see OPENESS on page 4 >- show leadership. These are all sound and honorable inten tions, aims that reflect the values and tradi tion of Guilford. Any student who has taken a class with Carol Killian will take note that this goal statement is an object oriented summary of Carol's teaching style. It is sad that such aims should be set aside by the college for the sake of weathering a budget crunch. Carol Killian is being "released" from her position with Guilford at the end of this semester. The reason given for Carol's release was economic—she is non-ten ured and the school is facing fiscal woes. News of a financial crunch is certainly not surprising; budget cuts are being felt every day. What is surprising is how Guilford decided to weather the recession—by dis missing an invaluable member of the fac ulty. Historically, recessions are short-lived and survivable. Seasonable times of feast and famine are facts of life that have been borne, by all types of institutions, in a relatively painless fashion. Reflected over a 10- or 15-year period, this recession will probably seem small indeed. Yet, here at Guilford, it has caused short-sighted, reac tionary measures. The void created by releasing Carol Killian cannot be filled simply by "re creating" the position. The school will have to look very hard to find someone with Carol's gifts. If, indeed, Carol's position was the victim of spreadsheet panic, then Guilford has fed one of the best professors we ever had to a paper tiger, and we will feel the loss for a long, long time. The writer is aCCE/SGA member-at-large.
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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April 22, 1991, edition 1
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