dner-Webb Uniuevsity Friday, April 29, 2005 www.gwupilot.com Volumes No. 14 Meet the candidate Committee hasn’t announced their recommendation Jennifer Menster Pilot editor-in-chief The presidential search com mittee announced Thursday that three separate meetings will be held Monday to meet their recom mendation for the next president of Gardner-Webb University. The name of their one candi date was not released. Students, faculty and staff and broad of trustee members will know whom the candidate is when they walk into their separate meet ings. Students will meet at 11:30 a.m. Monday in the Fire Side Lounge. Faculty and staff will meet from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Monday in Ritch Banquet Hall. Both those sessions are open to the public. Students and faculty and staff are encoufaged to ask any ques tions they may have of the candi date, said Frank Campbell. An executive session of the board of trustees will start at 2:30 p.m. This will be a closed meet ing to meet the candidate, find out what occurred at the earlier ses sions and ask questions. “I know the search commit tee has done a thorough job,” said Frank Campbell, university presi dent and ex-facto member of the committee. “They did not arrive at this conclusion easily.” According to Campbell, the committee and himself have known whom the candidate is for about a week now. The decision was unanimous. The committee made a prom ise that an announcement of the See MEETINGS page .2 GWU reacts to latest news Amanda Wood and Sarah James Pilot editorial staff Gardner-Webb University fac ulty and students reacted Thurs day to an announcement from the presidential search committee about their recommendation for the office of president. Religious Studies Professor Kent Blevins said he’s glad the committee is introducing the can didate. “I’m glad that we’ll have some information before the end of the semester,” Blevins said. Susan Manahan, a biology instructor, said she’s looking for ward to meeting the candidate. “I’m looking forward to seeing who the next president is going to be, and I’m sorry to see Dr. Camp bell leave,” Manahan said. Matthew Dimick, a sophomore religious studies major from Ches apeake, Va., says he confident the search committee’s candidate is well-equipped for the job. “It’s kind of sad to see Dr. Campbell go, but I’m sure they’ve picked a well-fitted president for our campus because they’ve put a lot of time and effort into choos ing the candidate, and it’s an im portant position to fill,” Dimick said. “And hopefiilly he’ll be as personable as Dr. Campbell was with students.” Student Government Associa tion President-elect Anya Huneyc-. utt agrees with Dimick. “I think the biggest concern I have is that I want this president to be very involved with the stu dents like Dr. Campbell has been,” Huneycutt said. “I hope that me personally, as a student represen tative, I will be able to use him to get things accomplished.” Huneycutt said GWU President Frank Campbell, SGA President Kelly Robinson and the presiden tial search committee took into ac count student and faculty opinion while making their recommenda tion decision. , According to Huneycutt, facul ty and students are united in what they want for a president. Their main concern is that the president be student-oriented, Huneycutt, said. Danielle Christmas, a freshman elementary education major from Ocala, Fla., wants to know why the candidate wants to be presi dent, she said. Christmas also See REACTION page 6 Students bid farewell to Campbell Amanda Wood Pilot copy editor Gardner-Webb University’s Student Government Associa tion gave GWU President Frank Campbell a luau Thursday. “We just want to show him our appreciation for what he’s meant to the students and the uni versity,” said Kellie Robinson, SGA president. At the luau, Robinson pre sented Campbell vvith a student- autographed photograph. “He is truly a students’ president,” Rob inson said. Student Activities Coordina tor Karissa Weir said the luau took months to plan. “The SGA wanted to throw him a going-away party,” said Karissa Weir, student activities coordinator. “This is an oppor tunity for students to show their appreciation.” Whitney Clement, a sopho more business and Spanish dou ble major from Gastonia, said she came to the luau to express her appreciation for Campbell. “He’s a man of tremendous in tegrity that helped turn the school around during a rough patch, and I was impressed by him the first time I heard him before I was even at Gardner-Webb,” Clement said. photo by Kaylin Bowers GWU President Frank Campbell stands with Kelly Robinson, SGA president, as he is present ed with a going-away present. The gift is a photograph signed by students. Victoria Whisnant, a sopho more history major from Morgan- ton, said Campbell will always be special to her. “He was the first president that I came in under,” Whisnant said. “That will always be special.” Campbell also holds a special place in the hearts of administra tors and staff members. “I can’t say enough of how much he’s done for the Univer sity,” said Frank Bonner, GWU provost. “I hate to see him go. I really liked and admired him.” Bonner said him and Camp bell became close co-workers and friends in his three short years as president. Suzanne Glasscock worked with Weir to help plan for the lun cheon for Campbell. Going along with the Hawaiian theme, Glass cock got to fix some of Camp bell’s favorite foods—bananas fosters and sea bass. “I wish him the best of luck,” Glasscock said. “I am sorry to see him go, and I have really enjoyed working with him.” Clearing up rumors Jennifer Menster Piiot editor-in-chief In possibly one of his last mis sions to the media, the soon-to-be retired president of Gardner-Webb University sat down with The Pi lot to clear up a few unanswered questions. Baptist Affiliation According to Frank Campbell, GWU is not moving away from the North Carolina Baptist State Con vention. “The convention does not own the school,” Campbell said. The convention affiliates with and partially funds the uni versity. Campbell said the uni versity plans to stick with its heritage unless the convention • attempts to dictate school policy. Spirituality of the campus Campbell said that Christian commitment will always be im portant at GWU. It is a require ment that the incoming president be a Christian. Campbell said the committee prefers a Baptist so he or she will better understand how the university interacts with the convention. See Q&A page 6 ^ Alumni Series: Part 3 of 3 Fornner sportsmen take next step on the field Matt Tessnear Pilot staff Many athletes make big con tributions to their high schools aiid universities, but very few are lucky enough to advance to the professional level. Gardner-Webb University ath letes are no different. Only a select group of student athletes have had the opportunity to play a profes sional sport. But those who have [ On the Inside | Final part of the year long centennial series looks at the next 100 years.... page 2 a salute to alumni part 3 of 3 had the luxury have not forgotten what got them there. Mark Rabb, sports information director, said most GWU’s student athletes are very generous to their Two Pilot writers bid a final farewell and speak of fond memories.... page 3 university when they arrive at the professional level. “When guys have positive ex periences here, they have more of a willingness to give back to all aspects of the university, not just athletically,” said Rabb. “That’s a credit to the faculty, to the cafete ria staff, to the coaches and every one involved.” Jim Maxwell, a 2004 GWU graduate, signed a free-agent con tract with the NFL’s New York Gi- Hats off to those graduating... photos and stories.... pages 4-5 ants last season. When he learned that he would be playing for the Giants, students, faculty and staff showed great support in his ven tures. “Especially when I first came back, everyone, people I didn’t even know, came up and told me how proud they were of me,” said Maxwell. Seeing action in 14 games, Maxwell racked up eight tackles, including four solo stops. He also Great-grandson of university namesakes dies in car wreck.... page 6 was fortunate enough to pick up his first NFL sack against Balti more quarterback Kyle Boiler. “When I was at school here, I always thought that players at I-A schools like Clemson were bet ter,” said Maxwell. “But I learned in my time with the Giants that that isn’t the case.” Despite his success on the football field. Maxwell knows how important it is to finish an See SPORTS page 8 News paae 2,6 Op/Ed Graduation.... ....pages 4-5 A&E page 7 Sports L. page 8