NEWS
April 25, 2014
Students seek to divest from troublesome investments
funds, like a fund that tracks the
S&P500.
In other words, Guilford invested
in a fund that includes companies
that participate in troublesome
BY REBECCA DOU
Staff Writer
Anyone can talk about the
values they support, but how
many people can say they put their practices, like investing in fossil
money where their values are? fuels or supporting imethical
Not many, and that is why four labor standards. This contradicts
Guilford College students—junior Guilford's core values of equality,
Julia Draper, senior Tom Qement justice and stewardship,
and sopnomores Lillian Collins "I expected that we would be
and Marek Wojtala — spent the invested in a couple of the mega
January term analyzing ^
how well Guilford's
movements," said Qement. "This
could be an example of that, and it
could also re-establish Guilford as
an institution that is committed to
sustainability.'
Another solution would
be to reinvest money into the
community.
"We have also looked into
reinvesting the divested money
Another problem with investing into projects on campus, like solar
in an index fund with so many panels and geothermal heating,
different companies is that so we could get our return bade
divesting at all means divesting through the energy we saved,"
from the entire fund and all the said Wojtala.
companies within it, not just the To market these solutions, the
ones with disagreeable practices. SRS dedded to take an approach
'llreally difficult to tell what someone's priorities are when they talk about them
"It's really difficult time, but it's really easy to tell by the way they spend their money.'
to tell what someone s ' ' * # # # i #
all the
priorities are when they
talk about them, but
it's really easy to tell
by the way that they
spend their money,"
said Draper. "That's what Strategic
Reinvestment Scholars is about:
asking Guilford to live its core
values by the way that it has
invested $65 million."
SRS began its investigation by
finding out how Guilford invested
Julia Draper, junior
corporations, like Exxon and
Chevron, but it amazed me how
many of them we were invested
in," said Wojtala.
By divesting from companies
that invest in fossil fuels, Guilford
Draper, Qement, Collins and that would allow their changes to
Wojtala have found ways to get stick. They dedded to form strong
would show its loyalty to the
its endowment, which is primarily prindples the College prides itself
made up of donations. They on.
aroimd that issue.
One solution would be to sell
current index funds and reinvest
in other funds that do not indude
the problematic ones.
There is a commodities fund
that is 45 percent gas and oil, so
relationships with knowledgeable
dedsion makers, like the board of
trustees investment committee and
Guilford's endowment portfolio
manager, to understand the
complexities of these issues.
'A lot of people think that if
realized that Guilford was actually "I think Quakers have a history divesting from it would be a great we just make a lot of noise, then
invested in several problematic of being leaders in sodal justice first step. things will happen the way we
want them to," said Draper. "We
dedded that this time, we wanted
to try imderstanding the hierarchy
at Guilford so we can make a
decision that can last."
They also sent a letter to faculty
and staff asking for their feedbadk
and support.
"Having worked on this issue
with a dass, back during Strategic
Long Range Plan One, and finding
that the College was ready for
'ethical purchasing but
not 'ethical investment,' I
am certainly enthusiastic
about this initiative,"
said Max Carter, director
of the Friends Center
and campus ministiy
coordinator.
The next step is to
implement a drafted,
sodally responsible
investment policy to guide
investment dedsions and join
the existing coalition of coUeges,
local governments and other
organizations that are pushing for
fossil fuel divestment.
The hope is that all of this
will help Guilford put its money
where its mouth is by investing
in companies that reflect the core
values of the institution.
Ninth president chosen
formerly OF’^LLAODit
U. (St UNC-A, IS OFFICIALLY OURS
BY CONNOR WILSON
Staff Writer
On April 15, Jane Fernandes was announced as Guilford
College's ninth president and successor to Professor of
Political Science Kent Chabotar.
"I feel that my whole life has formed a path leading
me to Guilford," said Fernandes in her official reaction
statement. "As a person bom deaf, I have profound
appreciation for the value of silence ... It is rare to find
a kindred community that values both silence and
dialogue."
Since the announcement of the new president, the
community has been buzzing about Fernandes and why
she was the best fit.
"She was the only candidate who said she wanted to be
here," said Kami Rowan, associate professor of music and
presidential search committee member. "None of the other
candidates said that."
After Chabotar announced that he was stepping down,
the presidential search committee narrowed a list of 95
strong applicants list to three finalists; the board of tmstees
then reached a Quakerly agreement on Fernandes.
Fernandes brings to the College her experiences as
a provost and on-the-ground, for-the-students vice
chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Asheville
and as a major administrator at Gallaudet University.
As vice chancellor for academic affairs at UNCA,
Fernandes managed 230 faculty and 161 staff while
administering a budget of more than $40 million.
Some of her other responsibilities at UNCA included
academic support programs, admissions and financial aid,
and the umversity's libr^ wd information technology
services. ’ ^ •' ■ \ v' .
When the search committee was formed, the members
outlined some of their ideal expectations for the next
president. Among them was maintaining a deep
appreciation for the College's Quaker-inspired values and
staying dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal
arts.
"You're not hiring a resume, you are hiring a person —
a person who has iui intangible connection to the school,"
said Ed Winslowk tmstee and rising board chair.
Fernandes' comipibnent to the school showed during
her open on-campus se^ipn',on April 1.
"I went to all of the sessions,"'said Rowan. "(Fernandes)
gave her presentatidiV- for soine.\df th.6 staff and went to
the student session^ That, session really challenged her,
and she showed the positive change that comes from a
community setting." ’ ' V \ ;
Fernandes did not repeat the same presentation
for both the staff and student session. Instead, she
responded to the student-specific concerns and adapted
a better understanding of the students' commitments to
transparency and to the Quaker values.
"When she was asked questions, her answers were really
catered to the students," said sophomore Josh Williams.
Fernandes' duties as Guilford president will officially
begin July 1.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF SALARIES ARE NEAR THE 44TH
PERCENTILE, HOURLY STAFF NEAR 50TH PERCENTILE
BY VICTOR LOPEZ
Senior Writer
The Guilfordian asked Kent Grumbles,
the director of institutional research and
assessment, how staff salaries at Guilford
College fared by the numbers.
Q: Can you tell me what the pay percentile
is for staff members?
A: Staff — as in, professional staff —
salaries are at the 44th percentile. That is the
average percentile ranldng for 89 different
positions.
That means that among our comparison
group (in this case, our comparison group is
all private colleges with a budget similar to
Guilford's), Guilford professional staff are at
the 44th percentile, meaning 56 percent of all
people in that job make more and 43 percent
make less.
Q: Who are considered staff at Guilford?
A: Support staff are hourly positions: such as
security guards, housekeepers, groimds people
and some clerical positions. Their average
salary percentile is 50 percent, meaning half
of the comparison group makes more and half
makes less.
The average faculty salary is at the 27th
percentile.
Q: How far does your input extend?
A: I'm not in any way involved in the decision
making process at Guilford other than providing
data for others.
I collect data from other offices on campus, and
use that data for reporting purposes, but I'm not
asked to make judgments or decisions based on
that data.
The president vice presidents and ultimately
the boaiM are the dedsiorv-making entities.
IRrISSEOB
MaxdiofMme
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mil
Listen to a reading fiom her newest
collection “Heading Home”
Monday, April 28 @ 6:30 p.m.
Art Gallery of Hege Library
iAward-wnningP®®^'