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Professor Robert G. Williams speaks
at Guilford's convocation on Sept. 9 about
the importance of having a mentor..
By Izak Shapiro
Staff Writer
When Campus Ministry Coordinator
Max Carter requested a moment of si
lence to begin Guilford's 173rd convoca
tion on Wednesday in Dana Auditorium,
the first-years squirmed.
Following Carter's brief opening,
President and Professor of Po
litical Science Kent Chabotar -
and keynote speaker Voehringer
Professor of Economics Robert
G. Williams welcomed them.
The two professors tried to
inspire their audience with les
sons they felt important for the
newcomers to know.
However, some students -
were not attentive during the
speeches.
First-year Kacey Minnick said that
she noticed some students texting each
other and doing their homework during
convocation.
"All of them," said first-year Trevor
Hunter, commenting on how many of
his classmates let their minds drift. "I
would put money down that all of them
were not paying attention."
"Good community requires respect,"
said Chabotar, as the word "respect"
floated behind the President on the big
screen.
listeners as core values he associates
with Guilford.
After Chabotar's address, Williams'
speech focused on the importance of
building student-faculty relationships.
Once acclimated to the Guilford com-
Along with respect, Chabotar listed reflecting on his first year experience,
community, diversity, engagement, fun, "The biggest jump in understanding
positivity, and Guilfordians being good comes , from one-on-one with mentors,"
said Williams, who urged each first-year
to set aside an hour to silently reflect on
past mentors.
Williams' passion for the first-years to,
engage with the faculty stems from the
relationship he had with his mentor.
Malcolm, a charismatic,
tobacco-chewing cowboy,
happened to have a gift for
understanding animals, espe
cially horses. Williams owned
a horse that kept springing
free when tied to a fence.
After weeks of patient ob
servation, as Williams sug
gests the first-years do, he
knew exactly when and how
munity, Williams provided the first- to approach his soon-to-be mentor with
years with what would be his next step his problem. Wait until Malcolm finished
"The biggest jump in understanding comes
from one-on-one with mentors."
Robert G. Williams, Voehringer professor of economics
said
his lunch.
"I became Malcolm's sidekjck,'
Williams.
Williams said that it is up to each indi
vidual to take the time and the effort to
if he were a first-year.
"Get to know one faculty member per
semester," said Williams.
Williams also emphasized the impor
tance of communicating with professors.
"When you are at an impasse, go to of- build these relationships,
fice hours," said Williams. "I should take initiative," said Steven
Sophomore Shanon Rule agreed with MacKenzie in response to how he should
William's advice. the most out of his initial year. Re-
When you form a relationship with a lationships are the key to success, and
faculty member, it makes the exchange of there are a lot of people in the world
knowledge smoother," said Rule while with information."
Senate positions still open
Staff report
This year's Community Senate elec
tions that were to be held on Sept. 8 were
cancelled. While many students ex
pressed interest in Senate, those who
petitioned for a senator position ran
unopposed.
"This year there was no fall elec
tion for senators or representatives
because of a fundamental change in
the way Community Senate governs
themselves," said Community Senate
vice-president junior Trevor Corning.
Corning said that the cancellation of
the election reflects a major change in
Senate's electoral process.
"The lack of an election this year is
a result of systemic changes and a gov
erning body holding themselves to a
higher standard," said Corning. "The
past election process had sometimes
resulted in uncommitted Senators, and
even Senators that were unaware they
were dominated in the first place."
In order to avoid this issue, this
year, "any interested candidates were
required to not only petition the elec
tions committee, but also the petition
required 20 signatures of peers in or
der to even be put on the ballot," said
Community Senate secretary Hannah
Kennedy, a junior.
"It was one of the many goals of the
By-laws committee last year to ensure
that all representatives were account
able to not only Senate but also to their
constituents," added Kennedy.
According to the Senate by-laws,
which govern the procedures, there was
no reason to have an election because
each candidate would essentially need
one vote to be elected.
The by-laws can be found on the
Community Senate Web site - www.
giii1fnrd.edu / senate.
In the case of positions that remain
open, the by-laws explain that the Ex
ecutive Council has the authority to
nominate students to Senate if no in
terest is initially expressed for a spe
cific position.
"We have the power to nominate
candidates but we make sure that they
are interested in the position," said
Corning.
Many positions are still open in
cluding sophomore, junior, senior, day
and tansfer student representatives.
Business Manager, Service Coordi
nating Council, Milner Hall, Shore
Hall, South Apartments, and alternate
housing representatives, as well as Re
ligious, Awareness, Publications and
Athletic clubs representatives.
"I am really excited to start the year
off on Senate. I know we are looking
for a few more spots to be filled and all
are always welcome to the meetings"
said first-year Samantha Huff, who
obtained the position of one of the
three first-year representatives.
This year there are three first-year
representatives because the first-year
class is larger than ever; however.
Coming said that any position is able
to be co-chaired.
All members of the community are
welcome to weekly Senate meetings at
7:00 pm in the Founders Gallery.
VIGIL
Candlelight vigil for Sept. 11 victims
Continued from page I
Organizations (GCRO) delivered
the opening address for the vigil.
Then followed a moment of silence
in memory of the Sept. 11 casualties
and the innumerable others who
have been affected by those events
in the time since the attacks.
The silence was deep, broken
only by the brassy hum of cica
das and the notes of a piano em
anating from inside Founders.
Carter then prayed for Andrew
Russoli, a casualty of the war in
Iraq, and others held in the light
other soldiers serving abroad.
Sophomore Sarah Bentley
prayed for her grandfather who
has suffered psychologically
from having known many vic
tims in the towers.
They lit candles, small beads
of orange light that stood in con
trast to the violet-white of the
lamps in the quad.
They walked in slow procession
around the quad from Founders
to Hege-Cox to Duke and King,
then back to Founders, in a man
ner reminiscent of pilgrims.
Senior Varner sang "Amaz
ing Grace," the words ringing
through the night air.
Von Bodungen closed with the
opening lines from the prayer of
Saint Francis as a benediction, ex
horting those present to go forth
and be instruments of peace in
the world.
Brittany Varner, senior, participates in the Sept 11 vigil.Var-
ner gave the opening address for the event.