The Decree
VOL.6, NO. 1 North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, N.C. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21,1990
Freshmen enrollment largest in 20 years
By DHANA CHESSON
While other colleges have re
ported a significant decline in
freshmen enrollment this year.
North Carolina Wesleyan College
recruited the biggest class it has
had in 20 years.
The class total stands at about
210, which makes it the second
largest class in Wesleyan history.
Doug Clark, director of Admis
sions and Financial Aid, said the
admissions officers “recruited
withoutcompromisingadmissions
standards.”
An increased prospect base,
mailings, high school visits, and
the help of the Wesleyan Ambas
sadors helped in getting the num
ber of new students Wesleyan
wanted, he said.
Since the college has boosted
up their enrolhnent, the college
community now has to deal and
work with the advantages and
disadvantages of having a large
influx of new freshmen.
The sheer numbers of new
students can be seen as the main
advantage. With so many more
students on campus, it is expected
to enrich student activities and
involvement.
Chris Watson, a freshman re
siding in South Hall, feels “our
class has a lot to offer both aca
demically and socially.”
This is good, suggests Clark,
who explains, “Small colleges
heavily depend on their activi
ties.”
Another advantage seen by
freshman Dana Christian is that
“more people feel the same way.
More of us are going through the
freshman experience together.”
When the college learned of
(Continued on Back Page)
Grief follows
sudden death
of classmate
STANDING FIRM — Soccer player Mike Bavier holds his own against a Mary Washington College
forward during the Battling Bishops' recent 1-0 loss. For a look at the soccer team and more sports
coverage, turn to page 4.
By DHANA CHESSON
North Carolina Wesleyan Col
lege freshman James Hodges died
of a self-inflicted gunshot wound
at his home in Washington early
in the morning of Sept. 9. He was
18.
According to Sheriff Nelson
Sheppard, Hodges’ body was
found at 2:30 a.m. by his father.
Sheppard also said that Hodges
did not leave a suicide note.
College chaplain. Rev. Kirk
Oldham, informed Hodges’
friends of the tragedy on Sept. 9.
Mark Webel, aNorth Hall resi
dent, remarked, “It’s so sad to see
such a good guy with such a bright
future die.” This seemed to be the
consensus of all of his friends at
Resignations put CIS program in limbo
By JOHN FENTRESS
The summertime resignations
of Dr. Alex Koohang and Dr.
Mogharreban has left the Com
puter Information Systems pro
gram at North Carolina Wesleyan
uncertain and under review.
Right now, all lower level CIS
classes are being taught by Patri
cia Smith and Robert Bussom,
business faculty, and Kathy
Winslow, CIS faculty. Adjunct
faculty are instructing all upper
level computer courses.
Some students in the CIS pro
gram are concerned about what is
going to happen to their majors.
Sophomore Chris Sharpe ex
plained, “I want to work for a
computer company and I want to
major in CIS.” Bussom assured
students, ‘The college has a re-
sponsibiUty to the students, and
the course work will be sup
ported.”
Asfornow,CIS is on hold. The
students will have to wait and see
if the program will be deleted from
the curriculum or if a revision is
needed.
Wesleyan, who feh there was “no
sign of anything.”
Friends of Hodges on campus
considered him “friendly, outgo
ing, and a welcoming kind of guy. ”
Ten students joined Academic
Dean and Vice PresidentMarshall
Brooks, VicePresident of Finance
Ray Kirkland, North Hall Resi
dent Director Debbie Schroeder,
, AssistantProfessor of Economics
Mel Oliver, and Oldham at fu
neral services in Washington on
SepL 11.
At the North Carolina
Wesleyan chapel service on Sept.
12, his friends captured the feel
ings of the campus when they sang
a song written by Tommy Lee and
Jim Slakie, “Fly Jimmy Fly!”
“I close my eyes, I see him
smile and for a short time we were
friends/And through the days his
hand he’d lend. It’s too damn bad
that it had to end./Ry, Jimmy, fly,
I know we’ll always ask the ques
tion ‘why?’ Fly, Jimmy, fly, and
though it brings a teardrop to the
eye, fly, Jimmy, fly.
“As the cloijds roll by I looked
to the sky. It’s llard for us all not to
wonder why ./Sometimes it’s hard,
, it’s so hard to try/ and through the
good and'bad we just can’t , say
goodbye./Fly, Jimmy, fly, and
though it brings a te^dr^p to the
eye, fly, Jimmy,, fly