Trustees approve
record budget;
$1 million increase
Report given on admissions program
Dean of Students Clayton Lewis presented information on the college’s admis
sions program and asked trustees and advisors for their help in recruiting
students.
After hearing a report from
President Bruce E. Whitaker that
the college had concluded the
1980-81 academic year by operating
in the black for the 23rd straight
year, Chowan College trustees ap
proved a record budget of
$7,800,000 for the 1981-82 session,
representing an increase of $1
million over the past year’s budget.
Meeting in the office of the Presi
dent, the trustees were joined by
the Board of Advisors in the semi
annual session.
Dean of the College B. Franklin
Lowe, Jr., told the trustees and ad
visors that Chowan’s enrollment is
1,116 full time students, similar to
last fall.
Dr. Fisher cited
for outstanding
college service
Chowan advisor, Dr. Ben C. Fisher of
Murfreesboro, has received the 1981 Award
for Outstanding Service to America’s Small
Independent Colleges.
The presentation was made during the
Council for the Advancement of Small Col
leges (CASC) Awards Banquet during the
Council’s 1981 National Institute, held at
Bradley University, Peoria, 111.
Dr. Fisher is executive director of the
American Association of Presidents of In
dependent Colleges and Universities and
formerly executive director of the Educa
tion Commission of the Southern Baptist
Convention.
Dr. Fisher serves as adjunct professor of
religion and education consultant to the
president of Campbell University.
In presenting the award, CASC president
Gary H. Quehl stated, “it is not often given
to us in our lifetime to have an opportunity
to brush shoulders with a person who
transcends the petty conce*Tis of everyday
existence. Who sees and lives the larger pic
ture, and who because of his very being
touches things deep down within people and
makes us better, more caring persons
because of having met him. Such a man is
Ben C. Fisher.”
The award to Dr. Fisher carried the
following inscription; “The Council for the
Advancement of Small Colleges proudly
presents the 1981 Award for Outstanding
Service to America’s Small Independent
Colleges to Ben Coleman Fisher. In your
life, vision, purpose, and values have mingl
ed to flavor independent colleges throughout
the land.”
Founded in 1956, the Council for the Ad
vancement of Small Colleges provides a
wide range of practical programs and ser
vices aimed at strengthening both
undergraduate education and management
practices in the nation’s liberal arts college.
October, 1981
Tilson Named
to development,
alumni position
A Wilmington native, Vint Tilson, has
assumed the position of Associate Director
of Development at Chowan.
Tilson a June, 1981 graduate of Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master
of Divinity degree in religious education. He
also holds the B.A. degree from the Univer
sity of North Carolina at Wilmington, where
he graduated cum laude with honors in
English. Tilson graduated from John T.
Hoggard High School in Wilmington, where
he was a member of the National Honor
Society.
Dean’s List Student
At UNC-Wilmington, Tilson was a Dean’s
List student and named to “Who’s Who
Among Students in American Universities
and Colleges.” He was a member of the
Board of Directors of the United Christian
Campus Ministry and the Government and
Politics Association.
Tilson studied at Southern Seminary on a
full scholarship from the Keesee Educa
tional Fund, Inc. At Southern, he was named
to “Outstanding Young Men of America”
and “Who‘s Who in American Universities
Continued on Page 2
VINT TILSON .. joins staff as Assis
tant Director of Development.
Dr. Whitaker discussed the
challenges facing private colleges
and universities in maintaining
stable enrollments during the
1980’s. He said the challenges in
clude a decrease in the number of
potential students, financial aid
cutbacks and rising costs.
Admissions Program Described
Dean of Students Clayton Lewis
described the college’s admissions
program. He said the recruitment
of students includes visits by ad
missions representatives to high
schools, the mailing of letters and
recruitment materials to prospec
tive students, and bringing groups
of students to campus for special
events such as Band Day, Choir
and Band Festival, Math- Science
Day, Horizons in Business, and
Look Us Over Days.
In other matters, Gilbert Francis, chair
man of the Endowment Committee,
challenged the trustees and advisors to help
the college reach its endowment goal of $5
million. Ben Sutton, business manager,
reported the total endowment of the college
now exceeds $2 million.
Trustees were led in their deliberations by
the Rev. J. Felix Arnold, chairnum, from
Enfield. W. C. Norris of Greensboro presid
ed for the Board of Advisors in the absence
of Dr. Melvin Kunkle of Portsmouth, Va.,
chairman, followed by Charles L. Revelle,
Jr., of Murfreesboro, who was elected vice
chairman.
Trustees adopted resolutions to the
memory of Dr. Colgate W. Darden, Jr.; pro
fessors emeriti Mrs. Dell McKeithan and W.
I. Marable; Mrs. Ruby Braswell Milgrom;
and Fred M. Taylor.
Darden was a former Virginia Governor
and president of the University of Virginia.
He supported Chowan’s development pro
gram and at the time of his death was direc
ting efforts for the beautification of campus
buildings and grounds.
McKeithan served as English professor
from 1967-78, and also as associate dean of
students for women from 1967-70. Marable
was professor of Latin and English from
1956-74.
Ruby Braswell Milgrom of Battleboro
served as a member of the Board of Ad
visors from 1979-81. Taylor, ;a distinguished
churchman from Williamston, was a friend
and benefactor of Chowan.
Dr. Whitaker recognized new Board of Ad
visors member. Dr. Roy D. Flood of Mur
freesboro. He expressed appreciation of the
“good attendance” of the trustees and ad
visors.
Standing committees of the Board of
Trustees met on Sunday afternoon prior to a
dinner at the home of the President. Com
mittees, and their chairmen, are; student
affairs, H. D. White of Rocky Mount;
development and finance, E. L. Hollowell of
Edenton; academic affairs, W. Monroe
Gardner of Warrenton; and religious life
and denominational relations, the Rev. Joe
D. McLean of Jackson.
THE CHOWANIAN, October, 1981—Page 1