VOLUME’!, number 8
MONTREAT COLLEGE
FEERUARVl 1996
It publication of the journalism and editing workshops
Fortson To Resign In Spring:
Professor **Ready for Change^^
by Jeff Sheets
This spring, the Outdoor Education
Department will be losing a familiar face.
Ben Fortson, Associate Professor of Out
door Education, is set to resign in June
after a twelve year tenure to pursue other
interests and spend more time with his
family.
“I’m not leaving because there is a
problem,” asserts the Fortson. “The real
issue is not that something is wrong. I
feel 1 have been blessed working here;
I’m just ready for change.”
However, “change” isn’t the only
factor behind this professor’s decision.
Thirteen months ago, Fortson and
his wife Nancy became parents for the
first time and have not taken the respon
sibilities lightly. “I’d also like to have a
break from teaching because of the time
it involves... I just want to go home and
be dad.”
“(Nancy and I) really wanted to be
committed as parents. We feel the need
to step away and do something slower.
I’m not saying those who teach can’t be
effective parents.”
Even with such noble reasons, leav
ing Montreat has not been an easy deci
sion for this seasoned professor. “It is
hard to leave. Both of us feel such a
bond of unity here. The students and
faculty are like brothers and sisters.”
Most students aren’t looking for
ward to h.is departure, such a Outdoor
Education major Chris Day. The At
lanta junior reflected, “The best times
I’ve had with Ben occurred in out of
class discussions and one-on-one
sharing...! hate to see him go.” Day fur
ther commented, “I don’t think a lot of
people will realize what they are losing
when Ben leaves. He is definitely a
model of servant leadership.”
When Converse College transfer
Annette Rohmer heard the news, she re-
$15K -- and sliM no new weights
by Amy Buckner
When students arrived back on
campus after the holidays they were sur
prised and disappointed to discover the
old weight room and the old weights still
intact.
According to Vice President of Aca-
demic Affairs and head of the subcom
mittee Don King, a gift of $15,000 was
anonymously given to buy new fitness
equipment.
d'he equipment could be purchased
at this juncture because the funds for the
construction of the building are not avail
able.
Last September, a committee ver
balized a plan to reconstruct the weight
room in McAlister Gym and add new
weights to it. In order to meet the grow
ing needs of the student body, aerobic
equipment was to be added as well. The
hope of the committee was that the new
equipment and the weight room would
be completed before the students re
turned from the Christmas holidays.
Baseball coach Darin Chaplain
piped, “The weight room is simply not
large enough for our team. Because we
have so many players, 1 have to divide
(hem into two groups.
This creates a conflict with other
athletic teams because we take up twice
the amount of time in the weight room.
Our capabilities are very limited.” The ab
sence of sufficient equipment has angered
many students, especially athletes.
Many have complained that the
weight room is too small and the weights
far too outdated.
Junior softball player Becca Wineka
mouthed, “The weight room sucks.”
Sophomore forward for the basket
ball team Jason Sherrill remarked, “The
weight room serves its purpose for the
athletic teams but the equipment is ex
tremely outdated.
There is no aerobic equipment for
non-athletes who just want to work out.”
Although expectations for the new
weight room have been dashed tempo
rarily, students and coaches alike are an
ticipating the new facilities. 'Hie comple
tion of the weight room will depend en
tirely on the availability of donations.
Presently, financial resources are being
sought for construction of the new facil
ity.
King added, “We are actively seek
ing a donor for the purpose of building a
new weight room.”
Soccer Coach John Garvilla de
clared, “Obviously a new weight room
would help all of us, the student body as
well as the community.”
After Twelve Years
marked, “When 1 think of Ben , I think
of compassion. When I think of com
passion, I think of Christ” She added,
“He’ll impact your life and you will never
forget it.”
Senior Andy Merl acknowledged,
“He puts a lot of stock in his students.”
As far as life after Montreat,
Fortson is still unsure, but excited. “As
far as the future is concerned, we are
trying to see what is out th.ere. We are
looking at several options.”
Currently a search team made up
of faculty and students is looking for a
replacement.
Montreal Makes
Record
According to the Novem-
ber/December 1995 issue of
The News, a publication by the
rv„,i:
tioi
Hr!
ion ^ V>|1
& Universities, Christian col
leges have enjoyed healthy Fall
enrollments this year.
First-time freshmen enroll
ments were up an average of 9
percent at sixty-four Coalition
schools reporting to the survey.
Montreat College is a part of
this Coalition.
Among institutions report
ing the highest percentage in
crease for total students served,
Montreat reported the highest
percentage: 48.1 percent.
The Coalition sponsors
many off-campus study pro
grams for interested students,
as well as other activities and
scholarships.
The Coalition has estab
lished a World Wide Web site
at http://www.gospelcom.net.
For more information
about the Coalition opportuni
ties, send e-mail to:
coalition(@cccu.org or speak
with your advisor.