NEWS
WWW.GUILFORDIAN.COM
Kent Chabotar releases final recommendations for APSA
BY ADITYA GARG AND VICTOR LOPEZ
Impp Writir Am liNieR Writir
Following three years of deliberations
and discussions, two drafts and a
community forum. President and Professor
of Political Science Kent Chabotar released
his final decisions on the Administrative
Program and Services Assessment on Jan.
31.
Launched in Spring 2011, the assessment
was intended to improve efficiency and
raise accountability.
Chabotar, Guilford College's top
administrator and one known for relying
on quantitative data, hopes the final
decisions are more clearly understood
than the original draft of the report, which
responded to qualitative markers.
"There are many misconceptions about
the APSA report," said Chabotar. "Some
stem from a lack of communication, while
others more so from suggestions included
in early drafts."
Changes from the original draft include
dropping the five-year "deadline" for the
Art Gallery, leaving the Bonner Center
and Career Development Center under
Academic Affairs, clarifying that the
Conflict Resolution and Resource Center is
not to be eliminated, and keeping the Early
College program.
Still, many questions surround these
final decisions and the entire evaluation
process. Chabotar said that essentially there
are three facts the community should know
about the APSA report.
"We did not go into the process with a hit
list for departments," said Chabotar. "Each
decision was suggested and then evaluated
based on available data and community
feedback.
"The timeline for implementation will
also be staggered. Some things will take
effect immediately while others will take
months. And, while everything is final, the
next president will have the authority to
undo any decisions."
Many professors and students were
pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
"My initial take on the APSA
recommendations had been that there was
an over emphasis on the bottom line —
financial considerations seemed to tnunp
academic ones," said Chair and Assistant
Professor of Mathematics Benjamin Marlin,
who is also the Early College liaison. "But
I was pleasantly surprised that (Chabotar)
clarified the recommendations in the
process.
The Early College program was one of the
many programs initially discussed. Among
the many concerns was renegotiating a more
profitable contract with Guilford County
Schools — an issue that has been postponed
for evaluation by the new president.
Other notable programs that generated
significant initial controversy included the
Bonner Center for Community Service &
Learning and the Art Gallery.
James Shield '00, director of the Bonner
Center, said that he and his department
were also delighted with the final report.
"We were confident that if we presented
a response with current data and a clearer
understanding of how the Bonner Center
operates, the main recommendations
would be reversed," said Shield.
The new report reversed the initial
report's recommendation of reducing
staffing positions within the Center and
also ciled for greater collaboration with
other campus departments.
The Art Gallery proved to be another
point of contention. The initial report
issued by the APSA committee suggested
potentially closing the Gallery and
eliminating the administrative assistant
position.
"While APSA's initial recommendations
were ... distressing, to say the least, the
outpouring of support from students,
faculty and staff in response to these
recommendations buoyed my spirits and
renewed my commitment to the Art Gallery
as a vital academic resource," said Theresa
Hammond '81, foxmding director and
curator of the Guilford Art Gallery.
"I feel confident that with more than 20
years ... of programming and relevance
to the community, we will be able to
meet the fundraising goals suggested by
APSA, lessening the Art Gallery's finandd
dependence on the College and ensuring
it is always positioned to fund essential
operations."
Only as APSA's recommendations are
steadily implemented will the Guilford
community understand their full impact.
However, for the time being, many are
satisfied with the results.
"The APSA initiative offered the College
an opportunity to better understand the
programs and services that impact the
institution as a whole," said Erin Dell,
assistant academic dean and member of
the APSA committee. "The team's diverse
perspectives enabled a thorough process
and analysis."
Junior Benjamin Strozier agreed.
"Frankly, I am somewhat pleased by the
recommendations set forth by the APSA
report," said Strozier. "In the end, it was
needed and will only benefit the College."
this week's developments
Brian Daniel and Aaron Fetrow explained
the new Anonymous Bias Incident
reporting form on the website. Students
presented on specific sections of Kent
Chabotar's memorandum on the final APSA
recommendations. Students agreed that
more work needed to be done to share
the information from the memorandum
with the student body. More questions
were collected to prepare for the
Board of Trustees Town Hall
on Thursday February 20 from
4-5:30 p.m. in Joesph M. Bryan
Jr. Auditorium
next week’i plans
Students will make final
preparations for the Board of
Trustees Town Hall meeting
on Thursday and will approve
Senate’s new bylaws.
contact us
We need to hear your voice. Have
an Idea? Concern? Great recipe?
It is important to us.
Email: senate@guilford.edu
or visit
gunfordsenate.wordpress.com
Compiled by Samir Hazboun, Community Senate president
Corporate giant may enter Quaker Village
BY VALERIA SOSA
tWPWRITiR
Save money. Live better. Walmart?
Rumors of a new Walmart Neighborhood Market
invading Quaker Village have been buzzing aroimd
Guilford College in recent weeks.
In November, News & Record posted a short
article concerning the rumor, stating that dty officials
have not received official plans for change to the
property around Quaker Wlage.
According to the rumors, however, the Walmart
would probably occupy the parking lot space behind
where the old Fresh Market was located.
The Fresh Market property has been empty sin»
2007, when the grocery relocated. Since then, Quaker
^ffilage has lacked an anchor business.
Janet WrighL faculty secretary and formerly
/on the zoning o)mmission, said that during the
rezoning for Trader Joe's on West Friendly Avenue,
some advocated for the grocery store to be built into
Quaker Wlage.
'Teople were saying, 'No, that property isn't fit
for a gixxary store anymore,"' said Wright "That's
why Fresh Market left So, my first thought was, 'If it
wasn't good enough for Trader Joe's, how is it going
to be for Walmart Neighborhood Market?"'
Aston Properties, the owners of Quaker Village,
declined to comment on the recent rumors.
Associate Professor of English Diya Abdo heard
about the new Walmart before the holidays when she
and her husband picked up food at Chinese Kitchen
Restaurant.
"The owner (of Chinese Kitchen) told my husband
their lease was not renewed because the owners of
Quaker \miage planned to tear it down and btuld a
Walmart," said Abdo in an email interview. "Right
now, (the Village) is a decent, if not perfect, set up for
a small liberal arts college where folks can walk over
and grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee."
For Bryan Dooley '13, some of his best memories
of Guilford occurred in Quaker Village.
"When I first heard the rumor, I laughed," said
Dooley. "Walmart does not fit the Milage. The Village
feels small and intimate now. I like the Milage as it
is."
Guilford has a heated histoiy with Walmart
About eight years ago. The Guilfoiffian published an
advertisement for Walmart and Beiqamin Dedman
'09, then editor-in-chief, was pimdied because of it
'T do remember someone getting angry because
they thought we were selling out our small,
community paper to an evil corporation," said
Dedman in an email interview. 'Tm sure it's the
same now... Guilford emotions always run hot"
Associate Professor of History Damon Akins
disapproves of the idea of Walmart coming to Quaker
Milage, saying increased traffic flow would be a
hindrance rather than a boom for the (ummunity.
"When you have a four-lane road that is designed
to move cars quickly, it makes it harder for the
pedestrians to move into the street," said Akins in a
phone interview. 'Tt becomes more of a car space and
less of a pedestrian space."
Michael Delson '13 was hit twice crossing
Friendly to Quaker Village in his wheelchair. And
that was without the potential traffic the Walmart
Neighborhood Market could bring.
Love it or hate, Walmart Neighborhood Market
may be here to stay.
U3
>
2
O
o
o
c