September 9, 2004
Waiting for the On-Duty Electrician Since 1920
Volume 84, Number 1
Longwood Opens with Highest Tuition Costs,
Student Walter Gray talks with Debra Nystrom after a presentation Monday night. Nystrom was the first reader for this year's Author's Series.
Freshman Enrollment Ever Shawn Garrett
aid, facilities maintenance, faculty initiatives and marketing efforts. Also, the new General Funds and Total costs at I.ongwood the tuition increase will enable us University increased by 6.2 perto better handle the increased cent for in-state undergraduate enrollment." residential students and 7.1 perThe proposed state budget cent • for undergraduate out-of. provides an additional $1,864,535 state residential students for the in General Funds for I.ongwood 2004-2005 school year. Freshman for fiscal year 2005, an increase enrollment also rose 12 percent of 10.9 percent over fiscal 2004. over last year. "However, with the $4.6 milOverall charges, including lion in cuts in base operating room and board, increased by funds and additional cuts in $690, to $11,865 for an underequipment trust fund and maingraduate from Virginia living on tenance reserve over the past campus, and $1,224, to $18,375 three years, this does not bring us for an out-of-state undergrad. back to where we were three The tuition hike represents an years ago, especially with a much overall increase of 9 percent for larger student population today all undergraduates. than we had then," Worster said. "The combination of General The tuition increases came Funds (from the state) and the after an unprecedented series of tuition increase will enable I-ongwood to move forward on tense and delayed budget negotiits strategic initiatives," said Kathy ations in the General Assembly Worster, vice president for in Richmond. The uncertainty administration and finance. surrounding Virginia's two-year forecast forced "Those initiatives include safety budget Longwood's Board of Visitors in and security, increased financial Sews i.ditor
March to take unusual measures, approving a range of tuition and fee increases of between 5 and 9 percent. It was the First time tuition and fees for an upcoming school year were not set at the March Board meeting. Funding issues in the form of state-mandated tuition rollbacks and consecutive years of tuition freezes have dogged higher education in Virginia for much of the past decade. This, in addition to a statewide $617 million cut in taxpayer support over the current two-year budget cycle (20022004), and rising operating costs, contributed to the hikes. Comparatively, Longwood's tuition rate increases stand as a average barometer for similar tuition increases at state-supported institutions across Virginia. The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors in April announced an overall tuition and fees increase of 12.6 percent
See TUTION p. 4
Picture taken by Shown darrctt
Autkor s Series Returns for 21st Year Leslie Smith Style- Editor
A little after 8 o'clock in the Wygal auditorium last night. Dr. Craig Challender introduced the first reader of the 2004-2005 Author Series, Debra Nystrom. A poet who has been featured in many prominent literary magazines, including the Yale
Wtview
and
Crasghorse,
Nystrom grew up in South Dakoda, and came to Charlottesville, VA, for UVA's creative writing MFA. She ended up joining the creative writing faculty after graduating. She's won prizes such as the Heart Borders Books Poetry
Prize, and the UVA Postgraduate Fellowship in Poetry. She has two books of poetry out: A Quarter Turn and Torn Sky. Many of her poems related much of her high school and college experiences, such as the first poem she read, 'To Keif", which was based on an old high school boyfriend. Many of her poems are also based on her experiences with the plight of the Native Americans, both personal and political. "Half Time, Oglala High, 1970" is a good example of a this relationship. Nystrom's poetry is full of beautiful language and thoughtprovoking syntax. It is sure to please any learning poet.
Lancer Gum Floor Ruined Bvj Hooding Shawn Garrett News Editor
On Sunday, August 1st, Longwood officials discovered the severe buckling of the Lancer Gym floor in Willet Hall. Following a heavy storm the night before, a Brock Commons storm drain just off the main entrance overflowed and leaked into the building, university officials have determined. "No one really saw how much water there was," said Richard Bratcher, Director of Facilities Management, though water marks indicated as much as two inches stood in the 2,522 seat gymnasium, causing an irreparable warping of the hardwood floor. The flooding stemmed from the storm drain's inability to deal with the heavy rains. The inadequate capacity led excess water to
seep into the building, and eventually the gym, causing a severe buckling, rendering the entire floor unusable. The replacement of the floor was declared an emergency project and provisions were made to begin the work immediately. A group of faculty members and administration officials representing Campus Recreation, the Department of Health, Recreation, and Kinesiology, Facilities Management and the athletic teams were also hurriedly assembled to make emergency provisions for classes and other events that require use of the floor. "Classes were moved and recreation activities were put elsewhere," said Bratcher. "So far, all immediate needs have been taken care of." Mr. Bratcher praised the group
responsible for the emergency changes and all involved for their quick action. "They really need to be commended. It really was indicative of the Longwood way. Everyone came together to solve a major problem and really came through for the students." To combat the problem, a larger main drain has been installed, as well as a second, smaller drain. The University has also been in contact with Brock Commons' architects to find a long-term solution. Inside, the floor has been completely dismanded, removed and new replacement materials have already arrived on campus. At the time of this article, work was being done to sand and level the concrete floor below, and the relaying is expected to be completed by mid-semester.
When asked about responsibility for the flooding, Mr. Bratcher declined to implicate either the architects or engineers responsible for the drains' installation, but confirmed that an investigation was ongoing. "We are not calling this an act of God," he said. Formerly Lancer Hall, Henry I. Willett, Jr. Hall is home to Longwood Basketball and the Department of Health, Recreation, and Kinesiology. The center of Longwood athletics, the facility includes a weight-training laboratory, a human performance lab, a dance studio, an Olympic-size pool, and a 500-seat natatorium as well as other facilities for the University's 14 sports. It was completed in 1980 at a cost of $4.5 million. Over the summer, Longwood,
which has been actively seeking NCAA Division I reclassification, was held off from joining the Division I Big South conference. The Big South delayed in sending Longwood an invitation to join the conference in June, citing the need for better assurances that Longwood would upgrade its athletic facilities by 2007-2008, when it is expected to become a full Division I member. President Patricia Cormier has committed to the upgrades, and to building a new multi-purpose gym with a capacity of about 4,000, which will cost an estimated $25$30 million. Though construction is not expected to begin for at least two years, sources familiar with the proposal say the new gym is expected to be located on the current site of Wynne Hall.