Meredith Herald
Vpiumt 7, Numbtr JO M«rzh 25, I99I Cetebraltng Meredith's Charter
What will it cost Meredith to change its
relationship with the Baptist State Convention? rCCClVC
The Price of Freedom $6 miUion
by Karea Nipper
Friday, February 22,1991, Merelith
CoU^ unanimcxisly dedded to redefine
its relationship with the Baptist State
Conventim. Dr. Alan Page, h^d of the
religion department, answered some
questions about (he Baptist Sute
Convention arKl its relationship with the
College.
There is a national convention,
known as the Southern Baptist
Convention, and each of the forty
participating states has its own state
Convention that acts separately from
national. The state conventions allocate
(iinds within and without the states;
support missions, camps, campus
ministries and state-wide ^ministries;
decide the Baptist Church's views on
issues; and oiiere’s the punch, kids)
appoint trustees of the Baptist colleges
who are joined with their state
conventions.
Trustees are not just those persons
for whomMeredith turns on the fountain
li^ts or sets the cafeteria tables. The
trustees are legally responsible for the
operation of the college, holding the
deed to Meredith property, txdancing its
budget, and hirir^ the president of the
college. It is the president who. in turn,
hires the deans and foculty members of
the college. In short, trustees have
complete control over the college. \Kltere
the state convention fits is that its
president elects the trustees for the
colleges. In the past. North Carolina has
had moderate Baptistpresidents, causing
little cause for apprehension at the
colleges under the Convention's
jurisdiction. However. Baptist
fundamentalists have been struggling to
take control of the convention and last
yearan ultra-conservative fundamentalist
was elected, spreading fear throughout
those schools that his views would be
thrust upon them through hand-picked
like-minded trustees.
Although presidents of conventions
face yearty elevens, they typically hold
two-year terms. Meredith College
decided not to wait around to become
one of the "spoils of war” and decided
to take back Its right to nominate iQji
elect it own trustees. This action does
not mean that Meredith has broken from
the Convention or that it would no
longerbeaBaptistcoUege. Whatisdoes
mean is that Meredith will retain its
academic freedcm fcv the small price of
$900,000, which represents the amount
it would have received from the
Convention.
Meredith's administration is doing
all that it can o> avoid tuition increases
to cowr the shortfall, but If tuition is
raised. Dr. Page thinks itwill be minimal
aiyl phased in over an extended period
of time.
Dr. Page does not foresee a complete
break with the Convention, unless it
decided to make a break from Meredith.
Dr. Page sees the College as returning to
its 1891 Charter, becoming even closer
to its* traditional ties.
by Karen Nipper
Will that be cash, check or charge?
The use of credit cards to pay for
purchases at Meredith's Supply Store is
currently being discussed by
administration. Major credit card
companies charge merchants a
percents ge of each purchase paid with
plastic, (Spending on the total charge
purchases made over a period of time.
If admini^ation can find a way of
allowing credit card purchases without
having to raise the prices of all items in
the store to cover the surcharge, then it
is quite possible that Meredith could hit
by Jamie IkulUs
Wishful thinking, right? Maybe noL
Meredith College has devised a “Capital
Campaign* to raise $10.6 million to
maintain the high quality of a Meredith
education.
Three andahalf years ago. President
John Weems appointed a committee
chaired by Dr. Alan Page and including
a large contingency of students, faculty,
administrators, trustees, and alumrue to
determine what Meredith needed to do
to maintain her high quality. The result
Second Century Challenge.
The first priority was to give the
majority of funds raised to the students,
because much of the success of Meredith
is due to obtaining and graduating high
calibre students. The six million dollars
that "plastic plateau” next fall. One
option being discussed would allow
students to charge only textbooks, which
can be a major expenditure.
A second inquiry about textbooks
brought some interesting responses.
There are no limitations on what books
professors can choose for their classes,
and the only regulations on pricing
textbooks seems to be Meredith's own
decisions on how closely to follow the
national textbook pricing averages.
Hmmm...
being raised for studem
will be used in the area
specifically the TeachiA^
Program. In addition, onewAf^tdoiltes
is allocated to faculty develloipiKSft iid
the form of sabbatical, vne
additional education to
in stretching their own pcmen^.
The remaining S5.H^ mitt
expand Meredith's fadli^iniifc!pt4Rafl!i$'
problem of additional ^
classrooms andofTices wiUbe9eiK«dllfa»('
the construaion of a fiew
bui Iding for the departmerflsyaf^daaAfoffi
and psychology. The Hubeft
building will be constructed -die
South campus. Weai!h«rsipd^
Gymnasium expansion w>iH!)
additional ofHce space and
dance studios. The Intern^tfonaQ fSoose
will benefit from the ’b>''
receiving much-needcd upda'ting asM
renovations. Finally, contribuKicWft to
the Capital Campaign wffl ^etp to
modernize the dining .hall with
improvements to the Presid^t's^^iiMRg
Hall and additional rooms for student
meetings.
The Capital Campaign is organized
with two co-chairs overseeing the
project—Barbara Allen, department head
at Carolina Power and Li^t, and Phillip
Kirk, president ofNonh Carolina Citizens
for Business and Industry. There is also
an all-women cabinet whose operatioris
include solicitation units throughout the
state and a Governance Council of thirty'
people interested in Meredith’s future. A
ten-member Executive Committee
oversees and advises the President of
the College, the cabinet and the council.
Meredith’s Student Life Committee 4^s
input into the corrunittee as well, ofR^mg
student insights and ideas.
The fiinds will be raised through
pledges from alumnae, foundalions,
corporations, and friends of the colle^.
The Parents Association has already
donated $100,000 to the Hubert Ledford
Building. The school has hired a
consultant to handle ihe myriad details
of this large undenaking. According
Mr. Murphy Osborne, Office "Oir
Institutional Advancement, the campaign
is predicted to be completed in five
years.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a
photograph right here to break up
all this TEXT?
If you would like to be a
photographer for the Herald, see
inside for more info!
Are Texts Creditable?