Page 2 - CROSSROADS - April lf78
Insight
Editor Note: Following is Pr. John P. Bradley’s last
“Insight” column as {x^ident of Belmont Abbey
College. The editor would like to thank him for writing
the column during his tenure as president. His columns
over the years have been interesting, informative, and
entertaining to our readers, and we regret the loss
“Crossroads” will suffo*. Each column has given us
something to think about and something to pray about..
Presidency In Review
Since this is the final INSIGHT column I shall write as'
Pr^ident of the College, it is, I believe, fitting for me to
devote this column to a few reflecttons on the past eight
years, my term as President, and to thanking the very
many people who during those years have given me so
much help and cooperation.
Eight years ago when I came, to the College just prior
to taking up my duties, the then Senator Eugene Mc
Carthy was on campus to deliver the keynote speech at
1970’s Theology Seminar. With his wry sense of humor,
he told me that he admired people who had the courage
to take on the job of college president; he was willing, he
said, to nui for the presidency of the United States, but
he did not have the fortitude, he claimed, to take on the
job of being a college president! It is true that in recent
years the job of college president has become something
less than a sinecure, and I found the last eight years to be
very demanding and not without many frustrations. On
the other hand, I also found during those years a
tremendous amount of cooperation and help generously
and continually provided by very many people in the
various constituencies of the College: Board oi
Trustees, Board of Advisors, my co-workers at the
College, students, alumni, and friends. To all of those
people, far too numerous to name, I want to make known
my deep and lasting gratitude. In thanking you at this
time, I want it to be known that whatever has been ac
complished over the past eight years has only been
achieved because of all the help and cooperation I
received from so many of you.
First and foremost, of course, among those
achievements is the fact that during a period when
private colleges throughout the nation have been suf
fering through the most difficult times in their entire
history, a period when many of them have had to close
down, Belmont Abbey College not only survives but
continues to move forward. I read the other day that
twenty-four Catholic colleges have closed since 1970; yet
the Abbey, though located in the state with the lowest
percentage of Catholics in the nation, continues to march
on. This I judge to be no small triumph. In thanking you
for your support and assistance that has made this
possible, I am not unmindful of the thanks due also to the
Good Lord. His providence in sustaining this institution
in one of the most unlikely places in the entire country
for a Catholic college I consider to be a minor miracle.
I have said that Belmont Abbey College not only
survives but continues to move forward. For this for
ward movement also I have t« thank so many peo]de too
numerous to name. Among the many indications of this
forward movement are the fdlosrtng:
... Change of governance structure (April 1978), bringing
to the Board of Trustees members with the various
kinds of expertise so much needed nowadays by the
policy-makine Boards of higher education.
.. Coeducation (Fall 1972) - the importance of this
change may be gathered from the prediction that in
the coming year (1978-79) the College will have the
largest freshman class in its history; 42 percent of this
class will be women, and we predict that 38 percent o'
our total enrollment will be women.
.. Distribution Management (Fall 1974) was added as a
, major concentration at the request of the distribution
industry, the only program of its kind in a senior
college in the Unit^ States.
.. Recreation and Physical Education (Fall 1975) was
added as a new department to prepare students for the
growing demand coming from industry and
municipalities for college-trained personnel in this
area.
... Computerizing (Spring 1977) of certain ad
ministrative functions of the following offices:
Registrar, Admissions, Alumni, Develofanent, Dean
of Students and Bookstore.
... Reorganization (Spring 1977) of the three offices
dealing primarily with external affairs (rf the College,
vte.. Amissions, Alumni & PtMic R^ations, and
Development, under one Vice President for In
stitutional Advancement.
.. Computer Science (Spring 1978) - computer equip
ment purchased and installed in a classroom, and a
part-time teacher hired to provide students with
training in Computer Science.
. The Ecumenical Institute of Wake Forest University
and Belmont Abbey College (Fall 1974) established
under the direction of Dr. CHaude U. Broach.
. Parents’ Weekend at the (College instituted (Spring
1974) and formation of Parents’ Council (Spring 1977).
.. Inauguration of the Campus Ministry-headquartered
in the Chi Rho House (Fall 1973) under the first full--
time campus minister. Father Oscar Burnett, O.S.B.
. Honors Program instituted (Fall-1975) and Study
Abroad Program revived (Fall 1971).
. Contributions to the Collie since August 1970:
$1,652,495; this represents over the past eight years 250
percent growth in contributions. In addition, over
$600,000 has been pledged to be contributed over the
next two years.
.. Campus renovations; a) construction and furnishing
of snack bar in The Haid in 1971; b) renovation of
O’Connell Hall in preparation for residential women
students in 1972; c) installation of extensive new
campus lighting system in 1974-77; d) constructimi of
new entrance to the College with signs in 1976-77; e)
resurfacing of tennis courts in 1976; f) renovation of
roof of the Administration Building in 1977,
. representing the first phase of a complete renovation
of this building; partial renovati(m of first floor of
Administration Building representing second phase to
begin in Summer 1978; g) installation of telephones in
all residence halls rooms in Summer 1977, a much
needed improvement in the College’s internal com
munications system.
Recently when I spent some time with my succosor.
Father Neil Tobin, I assured him that just as I haye
received so much cooperation and brip from so many
people in the various censtituencies rf the College, he
would receive similar cooperation and assistance. In
extending to Father Tobin in the name of all of us here at
Belmont Abbey College a very warm welcome, I am
convinced tint with him as^*r^dent, a man who is not
only able but also has many years of experience in
college administration, the Cc^ei^ ^ continue to move
forward strongly in the years ahead.
Student-College Receive Appreciation Awards
Belmont Abbey (Allege was
recently awarded a certificate
of appreciation from the
American National Red Cross
for 2,848 pints of blood collected
at bloodmobile visits at the
College April 18, 1987 - October
27, 1977.
Fred Moench, a senior at
Belmont Abbey College, also
received a certificate of ap
preciation for his outstanding
leadership role in Alpha J'hi
Omega Fraternity’s spon
sorship of bloodmobile visits at
Belmont Abbey College.
The bloodmobile makes two
visits anmully to the college.
Moench has spearheaded Ms
fraternity’s support of these
visits during his four years at
the College. He has been in
strumental in setting the dates
for the visits, publicizing them.
securing volunteer workers anc
sdiciting blood donors.
■ The certificates weri
presented at a luncheon hel
recently at Belmont Abbe;
College. Representing th
Gaston County Chapter ^ th
American National Red Croa
were Joan Edison, execidiv
director of the Gaston Count;
Red Cross; C!harles EHliott
Gaston Dxmty Red Cross Bloo(
Program chairman anc
manager of Concrete Supply Co
in Gastonia; and Charlei
Massey, Gaston County Rec
Cross Chapter cdiairman anc
vice president and treasurer oi
The Massey Co., Inc. of Mt.
HMly.
Lefttarlght: Jim Brink, president of Alpha Phi'
Omega Fraternity, Fr^ Moench, Joan Edison,,
Charles Elliott, and Fr. John Bradley, president of
Belmont Abbey College.