since 1960 ‘‘of, by, and for the Wesleyan community.’
November 16, 2007
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
NC Wesleyan Works through Budget Crisis in ’07-08
By Chris Ochoa
Decree Staff Writer
Wesleyan is suffering a budget
deficit of $450,000, said President Dr.
Ian Newbould.
Originally, the deficit was $1.3
million, but with a fijll effort from the
administration it has been decreased.
Though Wesleyan is in a period of
financial crisis, students should not fear a
drastic rise in tuition. Dr. Newbould said.
“Tuition will rise as it does naturally
every year,” said Dr. Newbould. “The
college is not going to raise tuition for
a solution [to the financial problems].”
In an effort to diminish the budget
problem, the administration is making
several changes in hopes of minimizing
the effects on academic programs.
“Student numbers are down and
this means lower revenues,” said Dr.
Newbould. The base amount in expen
ditures did not decrease and therefore
the lower revenues have created the
deficit. The administration has already
cut almost $900,000 in expenditures to
help climb back on top, according to
the president.
“We have to tighten our belts, it’s
not ever fun,” said the president.
Dr. Newbould has planned to cut
administrative costs. These include
postponing bigger ticket items, delaying
Men’s Soccer Team Loses in USA South
Semi-Finals, Wins First Two in NCAAs
UPDATE: NC Wesleyan will host Loras College Saturday after it won two matches last week
end in the opening rounds of the NCAA Division III tournament in Baltimore.
On Sunday, Maryland native Danny Jones scored the game winner on a header, and Marco
Kirsch added an insurance goal as the number-two ranked Bishops (18-1) advanced to the Sweet
16 for the second year in a row.
In the opening game, Alimamy j
Gargbo led the Bishops with two [
goals and an assist in a 4-3 win.
CONFERENCETOURNEY
The NC Wesleyan men’s soccer
team has accepted an at-large bid to the
NCAA Division III playoffs, after it was
eliminated from the conference tourna
ment by Greensboro College at home.
Ranked number two in the nation
after the regular season, Wesleyan joins
Greensboro as the sole representatives
of the USA South Athletic Conference
among the 57 teams invited to the
NCAAs. The Bishops travel to Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore
for first and second round action on
Saturday and Sunday, November 10th
and 11 th. The Bishops (16-1 -0) will
face Franklin & Marshall College
(15-3-0) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
If it advances, Wesleyan will play
the winner of Johns Hopkins (17-3-0)
and DeSales (10-3-2) on Sunday at
6:00 p.m.
In the conference tournament,
Greensboro marred the Bishops’
undefeated season and prevented them
from playing host in the first round of
the NCAA tourney.
In an odd way, the loss may work
to Wesleyan’s advantage as it allows
banged-up players a chance to recover
from nagging ankle injuries. Coach
Jason Kilby noted that the USA South
title match was a physical contest that
took its toll of both teams, Methodist
and Greensboro, the eventual winner.
“There were tough tackles in that
game,” Kilby said. “You don’t want to
go to the national tournament after a
game like that.”
This is the third consecutive year that
Greensboro knocked Wesleyan from
the USA South Conference tournament,
beating the Bishops on “a soft goal,”
1-0, in a Friday afternoon contest at
Scalf Field.
Kilby expressed disappointment at
the loss.
“I didn’t feel like we played as a
team,” he said, noting that team play
was the key to a regular season win
at Greensboro in late September.
“That game we played fast. We played
together. This time, the team wasn’t
clicking. We had players focused on
their individual performances and that
won’t work in a team sport.”
Greensboro scored the only goal of
the game at the 68th minute. Kilby said
that there was a miscommunication be
tween Bishops defender Jason Bottani
and goalkeeper Alberto Faisca, who
bumped into each other while trying to
intercept a crossing pass by the Pride’s
Troy Mellanson. The goalkeeper was
unable to control the ball, tipping it to
Jay Wyatt, who collected and booted
the ball into the goal.
After the goal, Kilby was confident,
at first, in the team’s ability to mount a
comeback, pointing to earlier victories
against Barton and Jersey City College,
See SOCCER on pg 5
I
Greensboro contained the potent Bishops attack in the USA South
Conference tourney, but Wesleyan's strong performance this season
earned an invitation to the NCAAs. Decree Photo by Kathleen Penrod
replacement of retiring professors, and
delaying several appointments and ma
jor work to the physical campus. While
making these decisions to cut the costs.
Dr. Newbould said, “We are determined
to not cut academic programs.”
There has not been a department
in the college that has been unaf
fected, Dr. Newbould said. The budget
crisis should have a minimal effect on
students in the academic and student
life areas. When asked about student
activities. Dr. Newbould said, “This is
not going to affect student life.”
“One downside is you cannot improve
quality by making cuts,” stated Dr. New
bould. Also, according to the president,
another downside to the budget crisis is
that it creates morale issues.
Several visiting professors may not
be returning after the spring semester.
Music Director Gene Heavner said,
“Our employment situation is uncertain
right now, and it will be sometime
before we get definitive answers.”
Heavner also said that the music pro
gram may be jeopardized if the current
budget crisis isn’t resolved in time.
“It would be unfortunate to cut
programs when one of the college’s
main goals, now, is to improve student
retention,” said Heavner.
Another casualty is the lacrosse
program, which began in fall 2005
under coach Lorin Smith-Titus.
According to Athletic Director John
Thompson, the program has been
discontinued, leaving the college with
six teams for both men and women.
Despite losing the lacrosse team and
its athletes, Thompson said that the
college remains in compliance with
Title IX, a-federal regulation designed
to ensure equal access to sports.
Budget crisis’07-08 has its roots back
in 2004, when Wesleyan’s freshman
class increased from 200 incoming stu
dents in 2003 to 321. This large increase
can be attributed to the new football
program drawing in a larger group
of students. The problem originated
from the large number of the first year
students who did not come back for
another year. The Office of Institutional
Research reveals that of the 321 fresh
men in 2004 only 54% attended at least
three semesters. Student retention is still
around 50%, said Dr. Newbould. The
college has a steady incoming freshmen
class, hut the sophomore, junior, and
senior numbers are low due to lack of
student retention.
The only department that is actually
receiving money instead of making
cuts is admissions. The president
intends to hire another student recruiter.
Budget deficits are anything but
new to Wesleyan, which experienced
financial hardships during the 90’s.
“Budget deficits come and go,” said
Dr. Newbould. “Small colleges have
always been close to the edge finan
cially.” He stated big schools have a
larger endowment, and that helps them
maintain financial security. “It takes a
long time to gain a large endowment,”
said the president. Wesleyan, founded
in 1956, is still a young college
compared to other schools like East
Carolina, which was founded in 1907.
“By the end of next year we’ll be
through this,” said Dr. Newbould. “I
have complete confidence.”
Six Wesleyan Students Tapped for ODK
Ru flonroo ^
By Decree Staff
Six Wesleyan students were selected
for Omicron Delta Kappa, a national
honorary leadership organization,
during the recent Founders’ Day
ceremonies at the Dunn Center.
“We had lot of applications,” said
ODK Faculty Advisor Steve Ferebee,
a professor of English. “We had hard
decisions to make.”
The new members include Joshua
Allen, Joshua Cain, Julianne Cyr,
Jenna Davis, Joshua Jenkins, and
Travis Krivett.
The following faculty members
were tapped for ODK; Lisa Kirby,
assistant professor of English; Mark
Stevens, associate professor of Justice
Studies; and Gail Stafford, associate
professor of mathematics
Following is a short profile on each
student honoree:
JOSHUA ALLEN
A double major in chemistry and
math, Allen is a senior and a member
of the Honors Program who hopes to
pursue graduate studies in chemistry
and then a career as a laboratory
manager or research chemist.
He has impressed his professors
during his time at Wesleyan.
“Josh is a great student,” said Dr.
Bill Yankosky, associate professor
of mathematics, who is directing
Allen’s honors project. “He has done
exceptionally well in my mathematics
courses, and he always keeps class
lively and interesting.”
Allen has been a supplemental
instruction (SI) leader for general and
conceptual chemistry courses. He has
been active in the college’s music
club. And he has served as a resident
advisor and a member of the Student
Judicial Review Board. Among his
many honors, he was listed in Who’s
Who among Students in American
Universities and College.
Dr. Pamela Meadows, assistant
professor of chemistry, noted that
Allen has maintained a high GPA and
immersed himself in the life of the
college, all while he’s been employed
at Hospira Pharmaceuticals, job
experience that will prove valuable in
his graduate studies.
“I’ve always been amazed at Josh’s
ability to balance school, work and
extracurricular activities that have
really helped the college community,”
she said.
JOSHUA CAIN
Joshua Cain is a justice major noted
for his intelligence, mamrity and
leadership abilities.
“Josh is a 21 year old in a 35-year-
old’s body,” commented Susan Autry,
Cain’s supervisor at the Dunn Center.
She praised the faith and patriotism
of Cain, who has been involved in
Fellowship of Christian Athletes and
Refuge Campus Ministries and has
been fulfilling an eight-year commit
ment in the U.S. Army Reserves. In
addition he’s been active as a volunteer
in youth organizations in the Rocky
Mount area. “His enthusiasm is
unbelievable,” Autry said. “His faith in
God and his country are shown by the
way he presents himself.”
Dr. Jay Stubblefield, associate
professor of English and associate
Dean of the College, echoed Autry’s
sentiments. He’s observed Cain’s
leadership within Refuge.
“From my perspective, he’s very
humble, mature, intelligent, and
well-organized,” Stubblefield said. “He
works from a solid spiritual founda
tion.”
Chaplain Barry Drum described
Cain as a “dynamic president” of Ref
uge, adding, “he has a level of maturity
far beyond the average undergraduate
student. He’s a devout Christian and he
has a genuine love for all people. Over
all, Josh is one of the most outstanding
students I’ve known in the seven-plus
years I’ve been here.”
Among his other activities, Cain
has participated in the Future Alumni
Association and the Wesleyan Players
performance group. He’s been a recipi
ent of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan
Scholarship and the Christopher S.
Cash Memorial Scholarship. He’s been
a tutor for justice studies courses.
“Josh is very deserving of this
honor,” said Stevens. “He’s an
exceptional student. He’s always will
ing to help others. He really portrays a
positive image of Wesleyan.”
JULIANNE CYR
Dr. Fred Grissom has been a fan of
Julianne Cyr since she was a freshman.
“When Juli was a first-year student,”
he recalled, “I was asked to recom
mend an honors student to speak to the
annual gathering of scholarship donors
and recipients. I recommended Juli.
Her remarks were clear and to the point
and delivered with poise and confi
dence. I have seldom been as proud of
a student as I was of Juli that day.”
A member of the Honors Program,
Cyr is pursuing a double major in
psychology and religious studies, with
a minor in biology. She would to like
become a sex therapist.
“Juli is a fascinating person,” added
Dr. Grissom, who heads the Honors
Program. “She’s a bright, dedicated
student who asks interesting questions
about almost everything.”
Dr. Fred Sanborn, assistant professor
of psychology, made similar comments
about Cyr. “Juli’s an exceptional
student,” he said.
Grissom called Cyr an effective
leader who is passionate about the
causes that interest her. One such cause
is Wesleyan’s chapter of the Gay-
Straight Alliance, which she helped
found last year.
Among her other activities, Cyr has
been involved in Wesleyan Singers and
the Dunn Center Ambassadors, She’s
been an SI leader for chemistry, a tutor
in the Writing Lab and a freshmen
orientation PAL.
“I’ve been impressed with Julie’s
commitment to the Wesleyan com
munity as evidenced by her co-found
ing of GSA,” Dr. Sanborn said. “She’s
a valuable member of the Wesleyan
community. I think we need more
See ODK on pg 3
SEE INSIDE
Has sleeping in class become an epidemic? See story on page three.
Decree Staff Photo
For new student fiction and poetry, turn to pages 6 and 7.