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Guilfordian
Greensboro, N.C.
Volume 92, Issue 22
www.guilfordian.com
April 7, 2006
ILSC celebrates Stoneburners’ tandem career
John invited to deliver May commencement address
Olivia Honeycutt
Staff Writer
"We were children when we got mar
ried," said John Stonebumer, Professor of
Religious Studies. "We grew up together."
John and Carol (Coordinator of Women's
Studies) Stonebumer do almost everything
together. They have been professors at
Guilford for 45 years. They often finish each
other's sentences.
This weekend, April 7-8, a celebration
will be held in the Stoneburners' honor to
celebrate their joined careers and John's
retirement.
'We see this as an opportunity for our
alumni to honor them both, and also to
reconnect with each other, (current) stu
dents, and the college," said Karrie
Opaleski, Assistant Director for Alumni
Relations.
"This celebration is exactly the kind of
thing we want to be doing here at Guilford,"
said alumnus Blaine M. Lukkar. "(We are)
bringing alumni who love this place back
into contact with one another and introduc
ing them to ways they can stay connected to
Guilford and build strong relationships
with students." Lukkar is the
Interdisciplinary Leadership for Social
Change (ILSC) Coordinator and helped put
the celebration together.
E.F. Craven Professor of Religious
Studies John Stonebumer has been a
Guilford professor since 1968. He is a schol
ar of American religious history. He holds a
John and Carol Stonebumer have taught at Guilford for 45 years.
Carol earned her Baccalaureate of Arts in
Religious Studies from Drew University,
and has been a Guilford faculty member
since 1970. In 1974, she became the
Coordinator of Women's Studies. "Carol
basically foimded ILSC," Opaleski said.
Doctorate of Theology from Drew
University and bachelor's degrees from
Earlham College and Drew Theological
School.
"John Stonebumer is a very caring col
league who treats you like family," said
Shelini Harris, Assistant Professor of
Religious Studies. "Over the years, he and
Carol have been like family to so many stu
dents."
Though hired separately at Guilford, the
Stoneburners quicldy foimd that teaching
in tandem held many benefits for their stu
dents. The administration encouraged the
Stoneburners' cg-teaching techniques.
"There were so many students from
divorced families, they thought it would be
good for (the students) to see a couple
working together in a constmctive way,"
John said. "It's been a great treat for us to be
able to teach together."
Some of their most popular classes have
been "Feminist Theology," "Contemporary
Images of Self," and "Women, Body and
Voice," which they co-taught for 12 years.
Carol and John see their co-teaching "as
essential to the student's overall imder-
standing of feminist theology.
"'Women, Body, and Voice' studied
misogynistic tradition throughout western
culture," Carol said. "I would have found
the course really difficult - to teach that
Continued on page 2
Students critique minimum wage
Pascale Yallee
Staff Writer
Paul French, a sophomore, has
been working at Hege Library for
a year. His wage started at $5.15
per hour - exactly minimum
wage.
"Although scanning out Books
and computers isn't exactly back-
Alex Barnett, library worker.
breakings manual labor, 1 still feel
that paying someone $5.15 an
hour is not only exploitative, but
ridiculous," French said.
French feels that the Guilford
administration is taking advan
tage of the work-study students.
"The work I do in the real
world would call for a much high
er salary," said junior Jonathon
Vogt, Theatre Studies Office
Manager. "Not that I think I
should get a professional salary,
but the work 1 do is not minimum-
wage work."
"Proponents of a 'living wage'
recognize that the current mini
mum wage cannot sustain a fami
ly and seek to bring it more into
accord with the real cost of liv
ing," according to California
newspaper The Daily Bruin.
"Most suggestions hover around
$7.25."
Economist Robert Pollin calcu
lates that $7.37 was actually the
minimum wage 30 years ago if
measured in 1998 dollars. If it had
kept up with economic growth
since then, it would be $11.07.
"The notion that you can pro
mote 'integrity, honesty, compas
sion, courage and respect for the
individual' while pa5ong people
less than a living wage is two-
faced and beyond hypocrisy,"
French said, citing the "About Us"
page on the Guilford College Web
site.
"Student employees are at
Guilford College to be students
first, not employees," said Fred
Devine, Director of Human
Resources. "Their primary reason
for being here is to earn a degree
in their field of choice, not to earn
a living, sustainable wage."
"Students receive an increase in
salary each year," said Jerry
Boothby, Vice President for
Finance & Administration.
Madeleine Pope, a sophomore,
started working at the circulation
desk in Hege Library her first year
with a wage of $5.15 per hour.
"After a year of working there, my
Continued on page 3
Scramble for housing
Curry Robison £ Chariie McAlpin
Staff Writers
Students applied for 2006-07
housing during the week of
March 27, but a wave of students
was suddenly outraged and left
scrambling for housing after the
apartments, Bryan hall and alter
native houses quickly filled to
capacity.
For the fall semester, there
were 123 group applications for 59
apartments. For the 28 Bryan
suites, 42 groups applied, two-
thirds of which were spillovers
from rejected apartment applica
tions.
"I feel as though everyone is
very restricted in their options,"
said first-year Sarah Showell. "I
am appalled that sophomores got
apartments last year but this year
some juniors can not even get into
Bryan. 1 am shocked that current
apartment residents did not get
apartments for next year. 1 feel
The North Apartments
that if we can not get the on cam
pus housing we desire, it should
be easier to get off campus."
According to Aaron Fetrow,
Dean for Campus Life, there were
too many apartment applications.
There were even students who
currently live off campus who
decided to move back to the
apartments on campus. Because
of the influx of students applying
for apartments, the school had to
ask those who did not get in to the
Continued on page 3