Of Mind & Heart Newsletter: September 1996
An update from Whitworth University President Bill Robinson
I don't know when I have been more pleased to see the students return than I have this fall. After a summer that was pretty exhausting both physically and emotionally, the first therapeutic wave hit the beach on Saturday, September 7, when freshman and transfer students arrived for Orientation. Wave number two arrived on Tuesday, the 10th, when most of the returning students came back and gathered with faculty in the Fieldhouse for last-minute registration adjustments. It was one of those moments when we laughed at the chaos and enjoyed reunion with those whom we have been called to serve. Now, a week into classes, we have settled into a welcome rhythm. The campus colors are radiant, and life at Whitworth College feels awfully good. We hope our sense of well-being does not make us blind to the pain and need both within and beyond our community. We also hope this has been a very refreshing summer for all of you.
Academic Affairs
Faculty retreat this year held special meaning. Through funding made possible by a friend of the college, we were able to escape to the Schweitzer Mountain Resort for a 24-hour, noon-to-noon gathering. Our speaker was one of Whitworth's best-known alumni in the field of higher education, Dr. Sharon Daloz Parks ('64), who provided insights from A Common Fire, a new book that she co-authored which presents research describing the social and spiritual nourishment to be found when communities establish traditions of gathering. It is a gratifying moment in the life of a faculty when one of its daughters comes home to be the teacher. So thanks, Sharon, for getting us off to a wonderful start.
This fall we welcomed the following new faculty to campus: Rick Eigenbrood (Education), Lee Fish (Business and Sociology), Deborah Hansen (Music), Peggy Johnsen (Education), Diane Marr (Education), Karol Maybury (Psychology), Barbara Sanders (Education), Toby Schwarz (P.E./Head Track & Field Coach), Craig Tsuchida (Biology) and Virginia Whitehouse (Communication Studies).
Our Sports Medicine program has been selected by the National Athletic Trainers Association to participate in a national study titled "Athletic Training Outcomes Assessment." In addition to the national recognition that accompanies such an award, participation in this study will allow us to compare ourselves with some of the top sports medicine programs in the country.
Again this year, Whitworth ranks in the top 10 colleges and universities in the western United States, according to U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue. A bit puzzled by both omissions and inclusions in the list, we accept the honor with appreciation and a grain of salt.
Our History/Political and International Studies Department gets some kind of cosmopolitan prize. In a ten-month span, five members of the department have led students on international study tours: Jim Hunt (Central America), Corliss Slack (British Isles), Julia Stronks and Rob Wilson (Europe), and John Yoder (South Africa).
On August 13, students in an exciting new program at Whitworth met for their first class. This cohort-based degree-completion program allows adult students with two years of college to complete their bachelor's degree in 18 months without compromising classroom contact hours. Twenty-two students are currently enrolled in the program, and they report being both exhilarated and exhausted. One student said that if he survives the program he'll probably be too tired to hold a job, but at least he will feel good about himself as he goes broke.
Associate Professor and Chair of Psychology Jim Waller has been invited to speak at several prestigious regional and national conferences this year, as a result of the national media attention his "Prejudice Across America" Jan Term study tour received last year.
Many claim blues pianist Gene Harris to be the most exciting, energetic, and entertaining jazz musician alive today. We'll find out on October 18 at 8 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium, when he performs with the Whitworth Jazz Ensemble. This concert will be a sellout, so call our Music Department (509-466-3280) or G & B (509-325-SEAT) soon if you wish to attend.
Enrollment
Final tenth-day numbers are not yet in, but it appears that our total undergraduate enrollment this year is up and our freshman enrollment is down compared to last year.Although we had almost exactly the same number of freshman applications as last year, many students who indicated that Whitworth was their first choice became financial casualties. We have established a task force to study how we can make Whitworth more affordable and to explore other ways to improve our yield.
New international students this year have arrived from Belize, Brazil, China, England, France, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine and Yugoslavia. All of these students had the opportunity to stay with host families before moving into residence halls. Our international students enrich the entire Whitworth campus and are very important to all of us.
The Financial Aid Office has processed awards for more than 1,650 undergraduate and graduate students for the 1996-97 academic year. Whitworth students will borrow just under $8 million this year. The average debt load for our 1995-96 graduates was approximately $20,000. Although we believe that the intellectual and spiritual foundation, as well as the economic opportunities, gained from a Whitworth education are well worth the investment, we feel we must address the trend of students' increasing educational debt. The best internal solution to this problem lies in building our endowment. Externally, we would be pleased to see educational investments achieve the kind of favored tax status that many economic investments enjoy.
Great Escape, our three-day campus visit program for high-school seniors, is scheduled for October 12-14. This program allows students to experience Whitworth from within the campus. We still have a few spaces available, so please encourage any high school seniors you know to contact our Admissions Office if you feel they would benefit from participating.
Two new admissions counselors have joined the staff this fall. Larry Kekaulike from Hawaii and Todd Orwig, a 1995 Whitworth grad, have already hit the road enthusiastically.
Finances
This fiscal year we have received word of three forthcoming bequests. With gratitude, we honor and remember Mr. Dayne Nix, longtime and well-loved employee in the Business Office; Mrs. Ruth Lovejoy, a friend of President Ed Lindaman and the college; and Mr. R.R. Miller, past resident of Spokane and also a friend of the college. More and more Whitworth friends are making planned gifts that are mutually beneficial for them and for the college. Please contact the Whitworth Foundation if you have questions about how you can avoid taxes and generate income through a deferred gift.
This is a very important year for our Annual Fund to be in good shape. Because our tuition revenue will be slightly lower than what we budgeted, we will need to pick up the slack in other areas. Support of the Annual Fund not only helps us to hold down our students' costs, but also triggers additional support. For example, one of the categories used in the U.S. News and World Report rankings mentioned above is alumni giving. And probably the two criteria most important to foundations in evaluating a college are alumni giving and student retention. So thanks to all the Whitworth alumni and friends who lower the college's cost and raise its reputation through their support.
We are in search of a new vice president for development. After nine years of loyal and effective service to Whitworth, Jim Ferguson has moved on to Belhaven College in Mississippi. We all miss Jim and wish him well down South.
Student Life
Student leaders convened residents in the dorms last week to establish guidelines for their lives together as a community. The process is called RAP, an acronym for Residence Area Policies. Topics of discussion include quiet hours, visitation hours, keeping kitchens/shared spaces clean, and safety concerns. This feature of Whitworth student life has been going on for more than 20 years.
The daughters of former President Frank Warren, Ginny Ainley and Joyce Starrett, were invited by the residents of Warren Hall to a special "preview" of the students' performance just before Mock Rock. The men of Warren begin their chant, "We are the sons of Frank F. Warren, Doctor of Divinity...." Students were excited to have Ginny and Joyce as their special guests. Frankly, this was a highlight of an evening and a custom (initiation) that has a few too many lowlights. We need to think about this.
Athletics
As I write this, our Athletics Department is putting the finishing touches on Pirate Night III. This huge undertaking, which combines a catered dinner served by our athletes, a guest speaker, and an auction of dozens of terrific prizes donated by loyal Whitworth friends, has fast become a Whitworth tradition. This year's speaker, Dr. Sam Adams, is one of our own living legends whose contributions as a scholar in sports law have equaled his exploits on the playing field. It'll be great to have Sam back at Whitworth for an evening. Last year Trustee Mary Lynn Coleman and her husband, Bill, very generously purchased a Bill Robinson-prepared dinner for $1,000. They thought I did a pretty good job with the Spam, but felt that the Kool-Aid and Twinkies showed a lack of imagination.
Women's soccer is 5-1 and will open conference play on the road this weekend. In the team's most recent match, against 6-0 Seattle University, Haley Nichols had one goal, Chrisanne Roseleip contributed one assist, and Goalie Jen Peterson made 10 saves. The Pirate women are off to a great start yet again, and 1995 NCIC Coach of the Year Daman Hagerott is feeling good about the conference season. Go, Bucs!
The football team is gearing up for the Hall of Fame Game against Eastern Oregon State College on Saturday. I'll report next month on the new inductees to the Hall. The Bucs lost their season opener to Central Washington last week, but Head Coach John Tully caught glimmers of hope for this year, even against such a formidable opponent. Damien Putney and Ben Vaday led the Pirate backs, QB Rob Leslie hit Travis Ernst on a nine-yard pass for a second-quarter touchdown, and Brion Williams caught seven passes for 91 yards.
Men's soccer got back on the right track with a victory over Central Washington. After a couple of tough losses, the Buc men shut out the Wildcats 1-0 on a goal by Jace Jones, an assist by Craig Ito, and three saves by Goalie Matt Yeoman. After leading The Evergreen State College to its first-ever regional playoff appearance in 1995 (and earning the PNAC Coach of the Year title), new Head Coach Sean Bushey is just getting to know his Pirate team, and he's excited about this season's possibilities.
Coach Hiram Naipo's volleyball team is getting a little breather before the players head back into competition. Katie Jo Borgman, Kori Walter, Sonya Schaumberg and Renee Williams played well in the Pirates' recent match against Linfield, and Mandy Hogan, Elisha DeYoe, Schaumberg and Williams also came up big against Willamette. At this point, the Bucs have only one win, and are looking to turn things around.
Our women's cross-country team tied for first and our men came in third at their opening meet, the college division of the University of Idaho Invitational. Pirate Dana Ryan finished first among the women, with several other Whitworthians posting excellent times, as well. Coach Andy Sonneland is working his team hard, and as I watch his runners training outside during these beautiful autumn days, I'm glad that I'm seated.
Miscellaneous
On July 18 and 19, Whitworth College hosted the Northwest Datatel Users Group. Over 150 attendees came together from seven states and two provinces in order to demonstrate that there are at least 150 adults in North America who know as much about computers as the average nine-year-old. Datatel software is very widely used in higher education, so there is much we can learn in these user-group gatherings.
Sadness covered the campus as word spread that Ken Shipps, our provost from 1992-96, died on September 4. Ken's contributions to Whitworth, and to Christian higher education in general, were very significant. Just yesterday I received an e-mail from Dr. Karen Longman of the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities that read, "Ken was one of the people who had a big view of what God was doing through Christian higher education and who put his shoulder behind making it better...." Our prayers are with those whom Ken left behind much too soon.
Dates to Remember
September 27-29 The Weekend
October 18 Gene Harris Jazz Concert
October 24-25 Board of Trustees Meeting
October 25-28 Fall Break
October 31-Nov. 2 Cotton Patch Gospel Theatre Production
Closing Thoughts
We think this is going to be a good year. It could be rather challenging financially, but we feel that the generosity of our friends, the discipline of our staff, the worthiness of our mission, and the faithfulness of God will allow us to prosper. Thanks so much for your participation in our service.
