Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: July/August 1997
An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson
It's 5:14 a.m. and I am anxiously awaiting two events that have been an important part of my last nine mornings. Soon the sun will rise above the mountain across the river and the coffee will be done brewing. Bach's "Little Suite" is playing in the background (I recently heard Music Professor Dan Keberle play the second half exquisitely on the trumpet), but as I look out our picture windows I think more about Deep Purple singing "Smoke on the Water." It is a beautiful morning. I am writing this Mind and Heart at the end of a short study leave. Because our family has lived in a president's house for the last 11 years, we have owned getaway places in Indiana and now on the Pend Oreille River, 75 miles north of campus. We sit on a small bluff overlooking a bend in this magnificent river. For the past nine days, I have been reading and writing - things that normal life leaves little time for doing. Yesterday, for example, I wrote a piece on presbyterian college students, read three articles on pending changes in higher education, did backlogged office work, and took Dale Soden's history of whitworth's first 100 years out on the deck and read from the Warren years to the end of the book. It was my best day since I've been here. I hope your summer proves to be relaxing and refreshing. Come visit the campus if you're in the area. It's lush these days.
Academics
I don't have the set of notes on college activities that usually sits in front of me when I write these newsletters. At the moment, my sources (i.e., the folks who report to me) are scattered around the country. Not only does this leave the college on automatic pilot, but it leaves me without the information I normally pass along to you. Actually, I am aware of several exciting items.
We have begun the 15-month countdown to our 10-year accreditation-review visit. Acting Chief Academic Officer and Dean of Faculty Tammy Reid and Commuication Studies Professor Gordon Jackson are overseeing the process, which includes a major institutional self-study. Of particular interest to all of the regional accrediting associations is the way in which institutions are assessing the quality of their learning outcomes. I think it is very positive when colleges are held accountable not only for what they teach but also for what students learn.
A wonderful slate of new professors is joining us this fall, but I don't have the list in front of me. I'll report it in September. One person who comes to mind because of an incident last February is Michelle Graham, a Whitworth grad ('74) and the first woman professor since Evelyn Smith to join the Religion and Philosophy Department. A man came up to me in Washington, D.C., and asked if I might be the president of Whitworth College. The look in his eye told me it would have been a great time to lie, but I said "Yes." He growled, with a twinkle in his eye, "We at Sterling College are not very pleased with you taking one of our best professors." He then raved about Michelle Graham and gave us his blessing.
Two groups of professors, funded by the CAPHE grant, are spending two weeks this summer studying several dimensions of academic life at Whitworth. One group, including Bob Clark (Sociology), Debbie Hansen (Music), Lyle Cochran (Math/Computer Science) and Mike Ingram (Communication Studies), is working on a faculty development program. The other, comprising Peggy Johnsen (Education), Leonard Oakland (English), Karen Stevens (Chemistry) and Jim Waller (Psychology), is studying ways of connecting faculty evaluation more closely to student learning.
Finances
Kudos to all of you who made 1996-97 a good year financially. We don't have the unofficial audit completed, but expenses were on budget and revenue was slightly ahead of budget; hence, another positive year financially. Having a solid base places us in a good position as we look for ways to hold down tuition increases in the future.
One reason for our increased revenue is unrestricted gift income. The number of gifts to the Whitworth Annual Fund rose by 343, and total dollars increased by more than $125,000. Thank you so much! Also, thanks to Dolly Jackson of our Development Office, who did a great job of directing the Whitworth Fund, which includes supervising those eager phonathoners.
A huge factor in the financial strength of Whitworth is planned gifts. The last two years we have received unrestricted estate gifts that allowed us to wipe out several nagging unfunded balances, as well as add dollars to our quasi-endowment fund. In a day when the stock market and real estate prices have created many appreciated assets, people are discovering that they can convert highly appreciated, non-income-producing assets into planned gifts that provide them with income while lowering their taxes and helping Whitworth at the same time.
Campus projects abound this summer. Here's an update from Vice President for Business Affairs Tom Johnson (the one guy who left his notes):
CAMPUS CENTER PHASE II
The parking lot expansion and Loop road rerouting project is nearing completion. In order to provide appropriate space, as well as additional parking, for Phase II, we have moved the Loop road to the east and have added approximately 125 new parking stalls.
Based on a competitive bid process, Hartanov/Fuller Contractors of Spokane has been selected as the general contractor for Phase II. The builders will be starting their work on site in a few days, and we should see considerable activity beginning in early August. Construction of the building will take approximately 12 months, so we plan to be in the new dining hall for fall '98.
HAWTHORNE HOUSE
In anticipation of an upcoming multi-year capital campaign for the college, the board of trustees felt that some improvements were needed to provide necessary entertainment space for the president's home. At the April meeting, the board reviewed and approved plans to enlarge the living room, create a study, and add an attached garage. In order not to tax either the operating budget or our capital project budget, individual board members made personal gifts to fund this project fully. We hope this work will be completed by September, in time for the new-student/parent reception.
RESIDENCE HALL RENOVATIONS
Work continues in McMillan, Ballard, and East and West Warren on the carpeting, painting, wallcovering, bathroom-tile repair, and general maintenance that is needed to keep our dorms up to standards. Our five-year rotation maintenance schedule for the dorms provides our residential students with well-maintained living facilities on a regular and ongoing basis.
ATHLETICS FACILITIES
Following the replacement of the entryways to the Fieldhouse, we have continued the general upgrading with new walkways and landscaping. To complete this clean-up and repair work, we have taken on the long-overdue painting of the Fieldhouse, the Aquatics Center and Graves Gym. The west end of campus should have a pretty fresh look by September.
Though the projects are too numerous to mention here, we do want to say thanks to Keith Sullivan and all the Physical Plant staff who work so hard to accomplish so much in the short summer schedule. We enjoy all the benefits of their labor and are thankful for each and every person who is involved with all this helpful activity. Jobs well done!
Admissions & Enrollment
Our fall freshman deposits are exactly where we want them. Last year at this time we were scratching our heads trying to figure out why a lower-than-usual percentage of admitted students had submitted deposits. Fortunately, last year's smaller freshman class was offset by excellent retention and a large senior class. But after seeing roughly the same number of admitted students yield 320 freshmen when the two previous years had each yielded 400, we made several adjustments. This fall we have room for 375 freshmen, and we currently have deposits from 400 accepted students. With a little meltdown, we should be right around 385, which is fine. The academic quality of this incoming class also looks superb. Congratulations and thanks to the Admissions staff and to all the faculty and staff who pitched in.
Student Life
This year's theme for new-student orientation will be a takeoff on "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood." This could be embarrassing. I shudder to think about how Dayna Coleman will cast me in this year's orientation skit. "Today's word, boys and girls and Dayna, is 'AWOL,'" which is what I plan to be.
Student leaders begin returning to campus on Aug. 16, and by the 28th the entire crew should be back. This year's calendar starts the academic year somewhat earlier than usual. Another calendar quirk that affects students this year is having only one week between Thanksgiving and final exam week. This will be a very compressed period, requiring students to return from Thanksgiving with their heads as full as their bellies.
Athletics
Football Coach John Tully and Track Coach Toby Schwarz are expecting bigger squads than usual this year. They're both confident that their teams will enjoy greater success in the 1997-98 academic year. I think the year will be strong athletically all the way around.
Whitworth finished 48th out of 365 schools this year in the NAIA national rankings for the Sears Cup standings, in which overall athletics programs are rated on the basis of their teams' national finishes. This is a fine showing and a good indicator of how competitive we're becoming with other teams throughout the country. Way to go, Bucs!
Pirate Night IV is coming, and you won't want to miss it. Set aside the evening of Thursday, September 18, for this annual celebration in the Whitworth Fieldhouse. The previous three events have allowed Whitworth Athletics to remodel the college weight room, renovate locker rooms in the Fieldhouse and in Graves Gymnasium, purchase a new sound system and top-of-the-line scorers' tables for the Fieldhouse, and resurface the lower tennis courts, just to mention some of the larger projects. This year's proceeds will likely go toward improving and building much-needed practice fields and setting up an indoor batting facility/soccer practice area for winter workouts. If you'd like to donate an item for the auction or purchase tickets to the event, please call Athletics Department Secretary Susan Meyer at (509) 777-3224.
A report from Spokane's Hoopfest, the largest three-on-three basketball tournament in the world: Almost 18,000 players, including many Whitworthians, competed in this year's event. The most notable Whitworth team included Jeff Mix ('98), Nate Williams ('97), Jeff Arkills ('96) and John Beckman ('96), who won their bracket of the open division, then lost in the semifinals. En route, they beat teams whose players hail from large state universities, as well as a couple of perennial Hoopfest winners. Less notable but equally successful was the stellar play of Dale "Shoot 'em In" Soden (History/Political Studies), Ken "Pogo Stick" Pecka (Academic Computing), Ron "Point Machine" Pyle (Communication Studies), and Bill "Turn Me Over, I'm Done on This Side" Robinson (you know where). We played three games on Saturday and six on Sunday to make it into the championship game. We lost, but only because the team we played was bigger, younger, more talented, and in better shape.
In spite of a downpour on the second hole of a shotgun start, the Whitworth Golf Tourney turned out great. A fabulous dinner, wonderful prizes, and non-competitive attitudes marked the day. In fact, all 128 participants were happy that the Ticker boys won the big prize again this year, and very few people complained about the winners' bogus handicaps, illegal equipment, and countless foot-wedges. Thanks to all of you who participated in this great event that raised $12,000 for Whitworth Athletics.
Dates to Remember
August 30-31 Orientation Weekend
September 2 Fieldhouse Registration
September 3 Day and Evening Classes Begin
September 5 Fall Convocation
September 18 Pirate Night IV Dinner and Auction
Closing Thoughts
Being in a rather contemplative mood while here on the river, I've been thinking afresh about our mission. Jesus once claimed that if we know the truth, the truth will set us free. As an undergraduate philosophy major, I would have spotted the syllogism: IF we know the truth, THEN we'll be set free. At Whitworth we believe that, but we also hope, pray, and believe that the antecedent and consequent often can be reversed: "IF we are in a genuinely free intellectual environment, THEN the truth, in its strength and power, can be known." We believe that our academic openness provides a warm climate for truth. As students of various faith and non-faith perspectives gather to be enlightened in the liberal arts at Whitworth, many hear a voice. Amidst doubt and discovery, confusion and confirmation, conviction and curiosity, they hear that voice saying, "Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it in my side, and be not faithless but believe." How these wonderful students respond to the encounter is their choice, but the great fulfillment of our calling comes when we hear a student echo the response of a doubting St. Thomas: "My Lord and my God!" I hope all of us searchers keep hearing the voice. Again, we at Whitworth thank you for your friendship.
