Bringing You the News Since 1920
Volume 81, Number 11
January 31, 2002
Longwood Feels Burden of Financial Aitermatk Patrick Howard Staff Writer
On Wednesday, January 16, in Jarman Auditorium, Longwood College President Patricia Cormier took the podium and delivered the unsettling news. Virginia is in the midst of a 2 billion-dollar revenue shortfall. A murmur swept through the crowd of faculty members and myself, (the lone student who had attended this meeting) all wondering what this would mean in the near future here at Ix>ngwood. As Dr. Cormier explained, the
shortfall was due to long term commitments, tax relief and homeland defense, and reductions in profits (in every sector of business), which had occurred within the recent economic downturn. Help is on the way, however. Currendy, there are two different bond packages being pushed in the Virginia State Congress. One particular package, proposed by senators Chichester and Callahan, will give Longwood a good share of money, allocating 32 million dollars over the next 6 years. In addition, a "Jump Start" package specifically for
Arc to House Fresh Honors Students Dawn Kanehl Assistant Editor Beginning in the fall of 2002, the Academic Residence Community, better known as ARC, will make room for a new addition of Honor's Program freshmen onto the third floor. ARC has traditionally been an upper-class residence hall, although last spring's fire forced the school to house some freshmen in available spaces. Housing projects that approximately 30 Honor's freshmen will choose to move into ARC. Any remaining spaces will be used for the Resident Assistant and Honor sophomores. Current third floor residents who will not be allowed to squat their rooms will have the first pick of an in-building move when residents choose housing for next year. Honor's Program Director Dr. Geoff Orth says, "We are very excited about the ARC changes, which open many new opportunities to the Honors Program. "It will be especially rewarding
for first-year Honors students to have many upper-level Honors neighbors as potential mentors in their residence hall. "We will be soliciting ideas from current residents as we refurnish the lounge area on the third floor to support a variety of new activities. "This will involve getting some new furniture and a large screen video system, among other things. "I encourage current and future residents of ARC to come see me in the Honors office (Lancaster 125) to share their ideas" Dr. Tim Pierson, VicePresident of Student Affairs urges, students not see the change as "freshmen moving into ARC" Rather, "we looked at it as finding a home for the Honor's Program," he says. And while ARC has now increased its standard from a 2.75 to a 3.0, the Honor's Program has also increased its standards for students and now requires a 1200 SAT score and a high school GPA of 3.75.
Longwood is being initiated. This proposal contains funding requests to deal with Longwood's boilers, to rebuild Grainger after insurance coverage, and money devoted to the rebuilding of the Ruffners. It also contains a proposal for an extra $750,000 so that Longwood may bring itself up to date on storm water management. In the near future (6-8 months), the renovations of the schools science building will go through the Virginia College Building Authority, when the engineering design should be finished. Renovations on Jarman
and the Bedford-Wygal connector are up for vote next November. However, this is all future prospecting, and the current financial situation is serious. Governer Mark Warner has proposed a 3% budget cut within the Commonwealth (in addition to those already implemented.) Each percentage point costs $201,645 to Longwood, meaning $604,935 each year and $1,613,160 over the next two and a half years. Longwood has been able to meet these expectations by cutting positions already vacant, and with unallocated money.
In addition, Warner has proposed raising student tuition by as much as $200 per student in the state to cover losses. Dr. Cormier stated vehemently that she was against such a move. "We are fully committed to our students, and the state should not solve their budget problems on the students backs," said Cormier. Dr. Cormier was quick to point out that other colleges and universities have suffered much worse, given their size relative to Longwood. See BUDGET p.4
Niki Fallis Receives National Award Press Re/ease Androniki J. "Niki" Fallis, the director of the Career Center, has received the 2001 Priscilla A. Scotlan Award for Distinguished Service from the American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE). The Scotlan Award is granted annually to only one person, honoring an AAEE member who has made significant contributions over a period of years through service to both the national and regional associations and recognized leadership to professions engaged in staffing America's schools, colleges and universities. It was presented at the AAEE Annual Conference last Nov. 29 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. "AAEE has been privileged to benefit from the leadership and service of Niki Fallis, and her honor of receiving the Scotlan Award is evidence of the respect of her colleagues
nationally," said Steve Head, the organization's 2001 president. Dr. John Schaerer, AAEE awards chairperson and former presi-
dent, said that Ms. Fallis's "outstanding distinguished service has touched lives today and in the future."
Ms. Fallis has served the AAEE as a member of the Board of Directors, senator, conference local arrangements chair, and on the Program Planning Committeee. She was also president of the Southeastern Association for Employment in Education and served in that organization as a Board member. Elsewhere, she has served in leadership roles for the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Employers, and the Virginia Association of Colleges and Employers. The Danville native is a Longwood graduate and has a master's degree from the University of Virginia. She has worked at Longwood for many years, and previously she was a professor and administrator at the now-defunct Stratford College in Danville.