Green initiatives underwav
By Elaine Kellogg & Kyle Dometrovich
Staff Writers
With millions of dollars invested in out
fitting residence halls with solar collector
panels, Guilford is kicking off its "Green
and Beyond" year of sustainability theme
with some seriously green initiatives.
In fact, evidence of the impending suc
cess and magnitude of Guilford's com
mitment to sustainability has already
emerged.
FLS Energy, a solar energy company
based in Asheville, N.C. concluded that
Guilford's solar project is the largest un
dertaking out of any college or university
campus in the nation.
The 188 solar collector panels will pro
vide 9,000 gallons of hot water per day, or
60 percent of our residential needs, and
will be paid for by energy cost savings.
This is just one of the many sustainable
changes enacted since President and Pro
fessor of Political Science Kent Chabotar
signed the American College and Univer
sity Presidents' Climate Commitment in
2007. Starting with a simple 12-panel solar
See "Sustainability" on page 3
Cloud Gamble/Guilfordian
Daniel Biggins, employee of Natural Environments, Inc., works on solar panel
construction on the roof of Founders Hall. Further panel additions are currently
underway on other campus buildings as well.
A new year, a new campus:
summer renovations
By Amanda Dahill-Moore &
Robert Bell
Staff Writers
Most Guilford students
may have taken the summer
off, but workers spent the
past three months making
extensive changes to the
campus. Some, like a new
pizzeria or landscaping by
the lake, are easily noticed.
Others, like a new wireless
Internet system and smoking
ban are less obvious. But
all will have an immediate
impact on students this year.
Here's what happened while
you were away:
Renting wheels
Guilford's latest green
venture is tucked into a small
room in the basement of
See "renovations" on page 8
Lake area
reconstruc
tion included
building a fire
pit (pictured),
removing the
gravel road,
and planting
trees to line
the lane.
WORLD & NATION
Pakistan devastated by floods
By Alexandra Miller
& Dallas Kesler
Staff Writers
It is a hard image to repress: 1.7 million acres
of crops destroyed, .nearly 1,600 people dead,
and 800,000 men, women and children stranded
in water the color of the caramel macchiatos we
drink daily.
What used to be a lifeline — the Indus River
in northern Pakistan — has turned deadly. In one
month, the amount of water has hit epic propor
tions, enough that it will take six to seven months
to recede, according to CBS News.
"River flooding, as happened in Pakistan, is es
pecially bad this way, because people tend to live
alongside rivers where the ground is flat and fer
tile," said Dave Dobson, associate professor and
chair of the Geology department.
It began when monsoon rains struck northern
Pakistan and rushed south almost a month ago.
Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Sindh provincial irrigation
minister, explained that high tides were inhibiting
Residents wade through flooded grounds in the
Indus River region of Pakistan.
the already swollen Indus River from emptying
into the Arabian Sea.
The result has been catastrophic. According
to the United Nations, one-fifth of the country is
See "Floods" on page 5
Long-term outlook guides budget
By Victor Lopez
Staff Writer
President and Professor of Political
Science Kent Chabotar recently of
fered a summer update on enrollment
and finances, in which he described
his attitude as cautiously optimistic.
In the midst of Founders Hall
changes, among other summer cam
pus improvements, Chabotar an
nounced his decision to suspend ten
ure-track faculty searches due to the
volatile economic state of the country.
Board of trustees member Vic Co
chran said the board is behind the
budget plan, the decisions to spend
money on the renovations on campus,
and the decision to suspend tenure-
track faculty searches.
"Kent is completely supported by
the trustees," said Cochran.
One of the most notable campus
changes is the solar thermal hot water
system which, when finished, will be
the largest on a college campus in the
country. The total cost estimated for all
campus renovations is nearly $3 mil
lion.
Chabotar's update also illustrated
the importance of safe-guarding the
college during this hectic and often
unstable economic time.
"Amidst chronic economic troubles,
the outlook for Guilford College is
cautiously optimistic," said Chabotar.
"We will know more in October when
enrollment for the fall is set."
The financial update also indicated
that there were 67 less traditional first-
year students as of June 30.
"The college budgeted for best case-
worst case scenarios and we are still
See "budget" on page 2