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Senate leeks te add consistency with proposed alcohol policy
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of-age students and staff share the cool local
beers."
Conversely, the President's Gala offered
champagne and wine to alumni and
prospective donors during a dinner in the
cafeteria. Student representatives who
attended were told not to engage in drinking,
even if they were over 21.
"It shows a lack of trust," said senior and
Community Senate Clerk/President Yahya
Alazrak. "It might be appropriate to allow us
to drink at events we're invited to."
Both events were catered by Meriwether
Godsey, which is in charge of all food services
at the school.
"We see inconsistencies and we are
querying those inconsistencies," said Alazrak.
Alazrak is working to put in to place a
new policy that he sees as a "response to
students feeling like the current policy is not
consistent."
The proposed policy, introduced to
Community Senate on Feb. 1 and passed
on Feb. 8, would clearly define whether
Meriwether Godsey has die ability to serve
alcohol at on-campus events. TFiis would
apply to both events for alumni as well as
students who are over 21.
Senior Bennett Christian, one of the lead
organizers of Meadow Fed sees a different Fed, as that's not really the focus of the event."
inequality arising should alcohol be served at The proposed change does not outiine
student events. whether drinking will be allowed at certain
"Because alcohol as we know it is legally events or not. The proposal is designed to
limited to 21-year-olds (and over), this would allow the administration to choose, either
(L to R) Junior Lla Rosalsky, senior Bennett Christian, and juniors All Krantzler and
Giovanna Selvaggio, all ponder the weighty alcohol policy discussion in Senate on Feb. 1.
clearly reinforce the inequalities enforced by
the law, in which everyone under 21 can't
(drink), and anyone over can," said Christian
in an email. 'That's just a dynamic that could
stand to be avoided at events, such as Meadow
allowing Meriwether Godsey to serve alcohol
to all or to none, so long as the policy is
consistent.
Students are split on whether they would
rather see drinking to be allowed for everyone
or for no one. However, most are in favor of a
consistent policy, one way or the other.
"In all reality, it does not matter to me," said
first-year Casey Murdock. "If the new policy
allows drinking amongst of-age students
at school-sponsored events, or if it does not,
that's fine. There just needs to be a consistent
rule for everyone."
If the proposal is approved by the
administration, allowing 21-year-old students
to drink at certain campus events, some see
potential problems that could arise.
Director of Student Judicial Affairs Sandy
Bowles acknowledges that the student
handbook does not allow for openly
consuming alcohol on campus. Bowles, who
is in favor of the new proposal, notes one
main problem would arise should drinking be
allowed.
"Drinking at these events would be (in direct
violation of) public display," said Bowles. "If
we permit drinking in that setting, how would
that be any different than a party?"
Since the student handbook does not allow
for openly consuming alcohol, Bowles stresses
there would also need to be a proposal to
change the handbook. To her, consistency
in the community is the main go^ for this
proposal.
With the proposal passed by Senate, it now
awaits approval from the administration.
Community Senate Update
Stuff we did
PASSED: Consistent
Alcohol Policy Proposal
Bringing back
Amendment One
conversation, and the
increase in Student
Activities Fees
conversation.
Stuff we're doing
Stuff we're
gonna do
Taking the Consistent
Alcohol Policy Proposal to
the administration. Looking
at the renovations to
Founders next week.
Kid-tested, big brother-
approved, send your
double-good idea to Senate!
senate(gguilford.edu. Senate
meets in Boren Lounge every
Wednesday @ 7 p.m.
Stuff you
wanna
see done
By Yahya Alazrak
Community Senate President/Clerk
r
Board of Trustees will meet to discuss new budget plan
By Victor Lopez
Staff Writer
In less than a week, the Board of Trustees will meet at
Guilford College, where it is expected that President and
Professor of Political Science Kent Chabotar will unveil the
college's worse-case — a phrase used because worst-case
implies that no scenario could be worse contingency plan
for the coming fiscal year.
Chabotar told The Guilfordian that the need for a "woree-
case" plan was motivated by an estimated $2.9 million budget
deficit.
'The 'worse-case' scenario is driven largely but not entirely
by the anticipated loss in state-funded financial aid for North
Carolina residents," said Chabotar. "We don't have the
enrollment data for the next fiscal year until around March,
so we cannot yet say whether we'll need to rely on the worse-
case scenarios yet."
Should enrollment drop, the college would have to reduce
its expenditures by $l-$2 million, which could affect student
fees, endowment use, use of unrestricted funds, employee
positions and compensation and operating budgets.
It is expected that the BOT will approve Chabotar s plan,
though details will not be made public until it has been
discussed by the college's administration and the BOT panel
members.
Attorney Carole Bruce, chair of the BOT Budget Committee,
said that she has faith in the budget process's integrity.
"The decisions will be very difficult, but the good thing
about an established, disciplined process is that the structure
is well-defined and understood so that the most rational
decisions can be made in the most difficult circumstances,"
Bruce said.
Chabotar told The Guilfordian that there were many
variables that he and other administrators such as Vice
President of Finance Greg Bursavich were examining before
presenting their findings to the BOT.
"I believe that if the worse case comes true, we will probably
need two years to adjust," said Chabotar. "Even I do not know
the details in terms of priorities, positions and expenses. Greg
(Bursavich) is now collecting ideas from vice presidents and
others of where they would cut or add revenue if the 'worse
case' occurs."
Ben Heide, a senior peace and conflict studies major, told
The Guilfordian that the implications of the potential worse-
case scenario were disconcerting.
"I think a lot of my anger is directed towards the state
legislature, mainly because it hurts the people who need the
money the most," said Heide. "As a student, I really hope that
the Guilford community is able to step up and help m^e up
some of the lost cash. Otherwise, Guilford may be seriously
hurt in the loss of talent caused by cute.
Elijah DaCosta, a senior biolo^ major, told The Guilfordian
that even though the college is facing potential financial
hardships, he trusts the college's strategic plan.
"We have a strong long-range plan, and its successful
implementation will increase our enrollment and help us to
recover from this loss," said DaCosta.
Tim Leisman, a junior peace and conflict studies major, told
The Guilfordian that the potential cute made him realize that
Guilford College would have to make sacrifices.
"Cute should be made in as effective a way as possible,
while preserving our core values and staying true to what we
are," said Leisman.
However, some, like an adjunct professor who wished
to remain anonymous, are not as optimistic as Leisman and
DaCosta The professor told The Guilfordian that losing even
a p^-time job would be a hardship.
"Right now, my discipline is experiencing a glut of people
with Ph.Ds and a growing scarcity of jobs," said the professor.
"I would go from being over-educated and under-employed
to being over-educated and unemployed.
Until quantitative data is received by the college, there
is no way to tell which departments, staff members and/or
programs will be affected, if any at all.
Chabotar told The Guilfordian that it is important that the
community know that examining worse-case possibilities is
not new for the college, and there is a chance the college could
do better than projected in the coming fiscal year.
"We have done better than the 'worse-case' scenario for
almost every semester we have used it, including Spring
2012," said Chabotar.