Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: September 1999
An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson
It's 7 a.m. on Labor Day. I'm tired, but it feels good to have the weekend behind me. I'm on my way to our cabin, 75 miles north of the college, using a Dictaphone to record these reflections. Like the golfer who mentally replays every single shot (in my case aloud, over the wailing protests of my family), I am reviewing the events of this past weekend, when we welcomed all of our new students. Here are a few of my recollections:
- seeing a father look between the mountain of junk in the back of his pickup and the Arend fire escape — the most direct route to his student's new third-floor home;
- sitting in a dorm room with a freshman whose parents have just moved to London, and seeing in her eyes that, beyond a doubt, she will conquer this transition;
- meeting hundreds of parents and guardians, most of whom smiled broadly on the outside but confessed to big collisions of pride and sadness on the inside;
- greeting people at the President's Reception, wearing tights under my khakis in preparation for a skit that would surely erase those few traces of dignity that I have tried to preserve over the years;
- listening to a parent gasp at the cost of educating his children, then watching as he realized that, as he said, "There's no more important thing in the world that I could spend my money on";
- attending Sunday morning worship in the Pine Bowl and hearing a couple of student leaders tell how since their freshman year they have felt the loving arms of God lifting, protecting, nudging and holding them.
Academics
This year's faculty retreat may have featured a "first" in Whitworth history. According to one veteran, this was the first faculty meeting in which no one came late and no one left early. Actually, we were shipboard, with all of us sailing around exquisite Lake Coeur d'Alene on a crisp, wonderfully clear September morning. As the weather warmed up, we heard perspectives on the future in areas related to campus aesthetics from English Professor Leonard Oakland; on service-learning from English Professor Linda Hunt; on scholarly activity from Political Science Professor John Yoder; and on spiritual growth from Communication Studies Professor Ron Pyle. Dean of the Faculty Tammy Reid then spoke to us at lunch (ashore, at the Coeur d'Alene Resort) about priorities for Academic Affairs during 1999-2000.
Congratulations to Greg Fritzberg, assistant professor of education, on his new book, In the Shadow of Excellence: Recovering a Vision of Educational Opportunity for All, published by Caddo Gap Press. Greg argues that during the last two decades education has understandably focused on heightened academic standards but has neglected persistent educational inequities related to class and race. Greg will present arguments from the book in Detroit in late October, and a summary article is currently under review for the American Educational Studies Association's scholarly journal, Educational Foundations.
Two new full-time faculty join our ranks for 1999-2000. They are Greg Brekke, who will serve as an instructor in the English Language Program, and Michael Ediger, who will bolster our newly accredited Sports Medicine and Athletic Training Program. Greg, a Whitworth alum, has a decade of ESL experience, both in Micronesia and at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute here in Spokane. Mike brings considerable experience in sports medicine and training from Charleston Southern University, in South Carolina. In addition, five new colleagues will serve as visiting professors: Ioana Popescu in biology; Jack Gambill and Ruth Lapsley in economics and business; Macy Guppy in journalism; and Kristina Roberts in psychology.
Journalism professors Ginny Whitehouse and Gordon Jackson (who's serving as associate dean for three years) have begun two-year terms on the Inquiring Minds speakers panel (not to be confused with The National Enquirer's editorial panel), organized by the Washington State Commission for the Humanities. Ginny's two talks draw on her academic research in hate crimes and racism. Gordon speaks on censorship and the Internet.
Enrollment
I usually wait until roughly the 20th of September to write this first newsletter so that I'll have final enrollment numbers, a few sports scores to report, and opening convocation behind me. Because I have two weeks of chaos coming up, I'm writing early and I don't yet know a) our final enrollment, b) the scores of this weekend's contests, and c) whether my opening convocation address will be any good. I do know that a) we have a record number of students, both in total and living on campus, b) our athletic teams are really good, and c) senior Andrea Frey's opening convocation vocal solo will be great whether the speech is good or not.
Meeting so many younger siblings of current and former students at New Student Orientation prompted me to include a word of caution in this Mind and Heart. If you have students in your family or if you know someone who will be applying for admission during this year, please urge them to apply and deposit EARLY. Our application flow has been rising, and next fall we will have fewer spaces for freshmen than this year. The application deadline is March 1. We will build a waiting list after that date, but there is a very good chance that we won't have room to draw from it. Thanks for your help on this. We love students and work hard to attract them to Whitworth, so we don't want them to be disappointed.
In the spirit of preparing for next year, please tell the same early applicants not to forget Great Escape, Nov. 13-15, 1999. Call our Admissions Office (509-777-3212 or 800-533-4668) if you would like details. This is a great chance to experience campus life before actually taking the plunge.
Student Life
More than 400 freshmen and roughly 100 transfer students had this campus rocking during orientation. It was a relief to all when classes started on Sept. 8. Thanks go to Vice President for Student Life Kathy Storm, Assistant Dean of Students Dayna Coleman and Associate Dean of Students Dick Mandeville, along with their student, staff and faculty colleagues, for their work and leadership during orientation. As the parent of a freshman, I especially appreciated a thought-provoking and sensitive presentation to parents on Sunday morning that offered some excellent advice: expect your students to change in some ways, though not necessarily in fundamental values; don't add needless stresses to their lives like surprising them with the news that a younger sibling has moved into their bedroom (oops); use e-mail if you have it (that way they can answer in the middle of the night without waking you); and give them plenty of encouragement, but let them work out their own problems. I would also add that you should expect homesickness (as well as your own case of "awaysickness"). It goes away. These first few weeks are crucial for the freshmen as they adjust to college life, so urge your student to chat often with faculty advisors or our highly trained resident directors.
We have more than 100 student leaders who have trained, planned and prayed for all the new and returning students at Whitworth. These wonderful leaders are enthusiastic about the upcoming months. They have planned great September activities, including a sold-out Acappella concert, a whitewater raft trip, volleyball and ultimate Frisbee intramurals, Community Building Day and Homecoming. Also, Cademan's Call was just contracted to play later this fall. We have more than 20 clubs in Associated Students of Whitworth College this year, all of which are lining up their programs, so it will be a busy fall.
Resources
Looks like good news from our auditors, who have finished their fieldwork and are preparing their report. The college completed another fiscal year in the black and added longterm endowment asset investments to its balance sheet. Last year the endowment provided more than $1 million in income to support student scholarships and other college activities. Some of you remember when the endowment itself was not much over a million dollars, and now our support from earnings exceeds that. Thanks to all who have gone before us in providing gifts and bequests that now benefit so many of our deserving students. We are still well short of where we need to be in funding financial aid, but our base continues to grow. Thanks again.
Our strong enrollment has left us tight on classroom space, but we're managing pretty well. Life is made more complicated by the forthcoming renovation of Dixon Hall, our main classroom building. The massive makeover to Dixon, which houses our School of Education and Psychology Department, will make it a first-rate teaching facility. Construction will begin after the fall semester, but we've already begun offering classes in the former Whitworth Elementary School, which we bought last year and are using increasingly for our education classes. So don't be alarmed if your student says, "I'm going to college at the elementary school."
Athletics
Last weekend we got things started in soccer, volleyball and cross-country. I didn't see Coach Sean Bushéy's soccer teams, as they were competing in Oregon. But our men played very well, winning the Western Baptist Tournament with two victories after losing a close match against NAIA powerhouse Seattle University. The women also played some stiff competition, getting off to an 0-2-1 start. I chatted with several of them and they're fired up and determined to be ready for conference play.
Last weekend, women's volleyball equalled last season's win total. Victories over Montana Tech, Westminster College and Rocky Mountain College have them feeling great about the season. Sophomore Abby Jo Hornstein, junior Alisha Simchuk and freshman Lindsey Wagstaff led the way in these early-season matches, and first-year head coach Steve Rupe,'89, is very excited about the way our women have come together.
Toby Schwarz has 33 cross-country runners this year, with 22 women and 11 men. In a big meet in Idaho, the women placed second in their division while the men finished fourth. Annie Scott and Julia Lucas ran first and second for the women's team, and Ben Robinson (whose father used to be timed with a calendar rather than a watch) and Erik Brucker ran one-two for the men.
The football team looks very good; they open today against a strong Menlo College team in California. I'll call in the results to Terry Mitchell after the game. So, Terry, the score is… 24-21 Menlo. The Bucs battled hard but turned the ball over six times and lost in overtime. The defense played well and the offense moved the ball effectively, but mistakes got us. Ivan Gustafson had two touchdowns and Damian Putney scored once, with Matt Stueckle kicking three extra points and making several key receptions.
Alumni
Alumni Director Tad Wisenor, '89, is revved up over Homecoming and the 10-year reunion for the Class of 1989. He expects to see MANY friends there from his student days and he guarantees a great time for members of the classes of 1988, '89, and '90. Incidentally, the Alumni Office greeted new students and their parents at the Legacy Luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 4. Tad and his assistant, Florence Young, welcomed 37 new students whose parents are Whitworth alums. It was great to see new faces along with "old" ones.
I'm finishing this Mind and Heart on my way to San Francisco, where more than 30 alumni and friends will join Tad Wisenor and me for our first Bay Area football game in anyone's memory. I can't remember if we're playing Stanford or Menlo College. Next month we'll also be holding Whitworth events when the Pirates travel to Pacific Lutheran University on Oct. 16 and then to Azusa Pacific University on Oct. 23. There'll be refreshments for alumni at the PLU game, and the Azusa game will feature a terrific pre-game buffet at Femino's Italian Restaurant. Watch your mail for announcements.
Dates to Remember
Oct. 1 Pirate Night Dinner and Auction
Oct. 2 Homecoming
Oct. 8 Ada Redmond Reading w/Nancy Mairs
Oct. 20-22 Fall Board of Trustees Meeting
Oct. 22 Faith in the Future Kickoff Event
Oct. 22-24 Fall Break
Oct. 28-31 Fall Theatre Production, A Man for All Seasons
Closing Thoughts
Parents, you and your children are in our prayers. The emptiness catches us off guard, doesn't it? After the orientation program last Saturday night, I was chatting with a parent in the foyer of Cowles Auditorium. In the background I heard returning students cheering wildly as new students left the auditorium and entered the gauntlet of support that our student leaders had formed outside the exit. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the left sleeve of my late father's tattered old jacket, where my mother had sewn on his hundred-mile swimming patches. Proudly wearing his grandfather's jacket was our freshman son. A big smile crossed his face, and he reached over and shook my hand. We walked a few steps together until we reached the exit. I didn't really know what to do, so I stepped to the side, leaned my head against the window and watched him walk through the tunnel of cheers by himself. My eyes filled with tears as the symbolism of him walking alone completely blindsided me. I didn't fully recover until the next night after I stopped by his room. As I was leaving, I overheard a warm and enthusiastic exchange of greetings between him and a couple of his new friends who had just wandered in. Somehow, it was the salve I needed. So let me assure all of you who left your sons and daughters here over Labor Day weekend, I heard them in the hallway and they are doing fine. And may the arms that lift, protect, nudge, and hold our students be wrapped around us as well during this academic year.
