Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / March 1, 1995, edition 1 / Page 4
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March 1,1995 4 Campus News Meredith community move On behalf of the SGA Executive Committee, I would like to thank all of the students who came to SGA’s “Fo rum on the Future’ on Feb. 20, sub mitted letters of concern, and contrib uted to the information presented to the trustees on Feb. 24. Also, I would like to thank our supportive faculty, administrators, staff, alumnae, and trustees. Meredith College has shown more unity in the past two weeks than I have ever seen at this college, and I commend every facet of Meredith for that. The Feb. 24 trustee meeting was probably one of the most successful ones in the history of Meredith. There were approximately 36 trustees. Presi dent Weems, the college vice presi dents, the college deans, four faculty representatives, four alumnae, andfotir student representatives present at the meeting. The alumnae president, Cindy McHenry, was the first one to present. She presented her constitu ents’ proposal “Meredith College Into the 21st Century; An Agenda for Re newal,” which was passed almost unanimously by the trustees and is cited below. This following agenda for renewal is the structure for Meredith’s change process. Basic Assumptions: • Meredith College will remain a college for women. • Meredith College will remain a liberal arts college. • Meredith College will continue to embrace its Christian heri tage. • Meredith College will continue to build upon its tradition of academic excellence. R£CQmmcnded Approach: • Create a task force to review to College’s present situation including academics, support programs, campus life, role in community. Topics to be ad dressed should include, but not be limited to the following: * market research in aU critical areas assessment of optimum enrollment size * examination of academic credentials of applicant pool and student body * review financial resources of the college * reevaluate recruitment strategies and programs • Recommend tactical actions to address immediate needs • Define Meredith’s vision for the 21st century, firmly grounding this vision in the College Purpose • Develop an ongoing strategic planning process involving student, faculty, staff, alumnae, and administration Task Force Composition: • 3 Faculty members • 3 Student representatives • 3 Administration representa tives • 3 Alumnae representatives Proccgg: • Task force will elect its own chair • Preliminary report to be pre pared in 45 days outlining scope and required budget. • Formal report will be prepared for presentation to the Board of Trustees at a date established by the Board • Committee shall create subcom mittees of representative inter ested parties to focus on key tasks Conclusion: This task force should be commis sioned with the understanding that its recommendations will be subject to approval by the Board of Trustees. It is the recommendation of the Executive Committee of the Alumnae Association that the Board of Trustees authorize an immediate, comprehen sive, aggressive “damage control” pro gram. As a result of the Board’s approval of this proposal. Chairman Claude Wil liams directed the Task Force to make a preliminary report by Mar. 13 (meet ing of Executive Committee). Dr. Walton then presented a mes sage from the Faculty Affairs Commit tee: Coacrcte Steps the Meredith Facu^ Can Take Now: maintain a tone of civil dis course • continue to reassure students, alumnae and each other that Meredith has not abandoned its historic mission and character • continue to communicate with and work with administrators through regular college channels • continue to brainstorm new ideas and collect them centrally • commit to educate ourselves in key areas concerning the college’s current problems * tuition and financial aid * educational programs * student life * enrollment management • establish closer relations with trustees through a faculty-trustee partnership program Concrete Steps the Board of Trustees Can Take Now: • set an institutional tone of civil discourse • reassure the entire community that Meredith will not abandon its historic mission and character • establish and give a strong, clearly defined charge to a Task Force which represents appropri ately all facets of the Meredith community * each constituent group to elect its representatives * the Task Force to report back to the Board and the President by fune 1 with short-term strategies for the fall of 1995 * the Task Force to report at the fall and spring Board meetings with more long-range plans, including projected costs and benefits, implementation strategies, responsible parties, and timetables * the Task Force to communi cate directly with those constitu encies represented —faculty, students, etc. • name a faculty member, a student leader, and an alumnae representative as non-voting members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees • commit to lead an aggressive fund-raising drive to support the Meredith Teaching Fellows program • commit to participate more fully in campus life, as a way to come to understand better the different facets of the college • encourage administrators to do the same • commit to an active review of the College’s administration Kelly Formy-Duval, June Holland, Alyce Turner, and Kristen Tyvoll then presented the information that SGA Executive Committee compiled for the trustees. This information consisted of • a brief report about SGA’s Student Life “Free Your Mind” Forum (Oct. 6, 1994) and the issues that Student Life has already addressed or is presently addressing • SGA Senate Survey concerning Meredith’s nondiscriminatory policy 1. Are you aware of any unfair treatment involved with sexual orientation on the Meredith campus? 153 — unaware, 73 — aware, 18 — unsure. If yes, did this involve: 29 — faculty, 23 — staff, 51 — students, 1 — other. 2. Do you think sexual orienta tion should be added to the nondiscriminatory policies? 106 — yes, 106 — no, 26 — unsure. i. Are you aware of any unfair treatment involving marital status on the Meredith campus? 29 — yes, 187 — no, 21 — unsure. If yes, did this involve: 16 — faculty, 7 — staff, 12 — student, 1 — other. 4. Do you think marital status should be added to the nondis criminatory policy? 123 — yes, 92 — no, 24 — unsure. 5. If a member of the faculty, staff, or administration is homosexual, do you think it would affect his/her job petfor-
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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March 1, 1995, edition 1
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