Semesters weren't only things happening at meeting
Semesters weren't only things happening at meeting
ERIC KAMMERUD
Campus Editor
The Nov. 8 Board of Trustees meeting ended with some unresolved business.
The meeting was recessed until Nov. 16 before the Auburn/ University of Georgia game to allow the agriculture committee time to review a proposed candidate to head the newly restructured Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
Stephen Jones, an associate professor of forestry at Pennsylvania State University, is being considered for the position.
The administration didn't notify many of the board members of the candidate's identity until a few days before the meeting.
Albert McDonald, trustee from Huntsville and chairman of the trustees agriculture committee, said he had only received the proposal the day before and requested that he be allowed time to review the candidate before making a decision.
He expressed outrage at what he called inconsiderate treatment by the University administration."
According to board policy, all members must be notified of pending issues at least seven days before the meeting.
The board also delayed action on the selection of architects for the renovation of Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum and Hoerlein Hall Surgical corridors until an undetermined date in December.
The Trustees passed a resolution that will allow the property and facilities committee to approve the candidates without consent of the full board.
The Trustees also tabled review of a comprehensive land-use and facilities plan until the December committee meeting.
The board worked through a full agenda and took action on numerous items:
¥ The board approved a 5 percent increase to employee health insurance premiums. The resolution cited rising health-care costs as the reason for the change.
In addition to raising the premium, the plan raises the major medical deductible from $100 to $150, eliminates the supplemental accident rider coverage and implement the Blue Cross Participating Chiropractic Program.
¥ The board approved the creation of a new Ph.D. program in integrated textile and apparel science.
The new program is a joint effort by the School of Human Sciences and the College of Engineering.
The course of study will lead students from the beginnings of textile production through the marketing of clothing.
¥ The board appointed James E. Marion, dean of the College of Agriculture, director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station.
The dean and director positions were combined in a restructuring of the experiment station that occurred at the previous board meeting.
¥ The board approved a lease for the Beta Theta chapter of Sigma Nu that will allow it to construct a house on its W. Magnolia Avenue property.
Sigma Nu will pay the cost for construction of the house, approximated at $1.3 million.
The lease will last 50 years beginning on the day the house is completed.
¥ The University will construct a new mariculture lab at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.
The lab will be built on stateowned land near the sea lab. The University will lease the land for $1 per year for 99 years.
The new facility will be used to study oyster production and culture.
¥ The board modified its policy for selecting architects for university construction and renovation projects.
Under the new policy the administration will bring one candidate before the property and facilities committee. The committee will then vote to accept or reject the candidate.
In the past the administration had presented three candidates in an unranked list to the Trustees and the Trustees would choose among the three.
¥ The board selected architects for the Large Animal Isolation Facility, the Lambert Meats Laboratory renovation project and the proposed softball field.
Parsons, Wible, Brummal, Alkire/Architects, Inc., of Montgomery will design the new isolation facility; Emory Kirkwood and Associates, Inc., of Birmingham will design the new lab; and French and Associates of Columbus, Ga., will design the softball field.
French and Associates designed the Olympic softball stadium in Columbus.
¥ The board approved a $1.5 million increase to the budget for the renovation of Wilmore Engineering Labs.
The new cost will reach almost $12 million.
The increased cost will allow renovators to follow a more radical plan that will greatly increase the amount of available floor space in the building.
The extra cost will be covered by a bond issue that will be retired using the $5 student course fees in the engineering school.
MAXINE CLAYTON
Staff Writer
In front of hundreds of cheering fans, Michelle Chapman was crowned Miss Homecoming at the Auburn vs. Northeast Louisiana game on Saturday, Nov. 9.
"Words cannot describe how I felt when they said I had won Miss Homecoming. All of the candidates were qualified to be Miss Homecoming, and I did not expect to win," Chapman, a senior in pre-medicine, said.
"My mom, Brenda Chapman, and grandparents were standing in the stands, and I know they were excited because when we were watching the videotape of me being crowned, the camera was moving all over the place."
Chapman was one of five candidates competing for Miss Homecoming.
The other candidates were Melody Arledge, a senior in childhood education; Robin Adams, a senior in political science; Kathy Waterman, a senior in public relations and Stephanie Holden, a senior in political science. "All of the candidates were wonderful," Whitney Lanier, director of elections for SGA, said.
It is an Auburn tradition for the Homecoming candidates to be escorted by their father across the football field.
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"I could have never picked a better person to escort me across the field than my dad, John R. Chapman. From the time I was a kid until now, my dad has always been there," Chapman said.
To become a candidate for Homecoming, each of the 300 organization on campus sends a letter to the elections board naming a nominee. The nominees come to an interview process which picks 20 girls. This interview is conducted by the director of elections, the secretary of public affairs, the SGA president and vice, and two students.
The top 20 girls are narrowed down to five by a non-student panel which may consist of faculty, alumni and people from the community.
"The five girls are the ones who can best represent Auburn," Lanier said.
Phi Mu sorority nominated Chapman because "during the four years as a member (of Phi Mu), she has shown wonderful character and grace," Carson Oxford, president of Phi Mu, said. "The chapter felt that she had the best qualifications among all the candidates."
This year, Chapman said she would like to change the outlook of Miss Homecoming.
She would like to see Miss Homecoming become a more visible figure on Auburn's campus.
"I believe Miss Homecoming should be able to make speeches and participate in different charity events. I would not step over the line and take Miss Auburn's responsibilities," she said.
Lanier said, "To be Miss Homecoming, it is an honor more than a responsibility. She is more of a figurehead than an activist. I would love to see (Michelle) speak at alumni functions."
Voter turnout was one of the largest of the past few years with 17.2 percent of the student population voting (3,888 students). Lanier attributes this to making the voting dates more publicized. The candidates were required to put the campaign dates on their posters and billboards.
Many students do not vote because "they feel that if they do not know the candidates personally, they should not vote," Lanier said.
Chapman said, "I made sure that I talked to different students on campus so that they could know who I was. Some of them thanked me for doing this."
To increase the voting percentage for next year, Lanier said, "We (elections board) looked at different polling locations this time to see where students voted the most. Next year we will make the voting polls more attractive for students to vote," Lanier said
Students should vote because, as Chapman said, "Their vote will decide who will represent Auburn. Miss Homecoming is a representative of the students, and voting will determine who they feel is the best to fill this position."
Chapman attributes her winning to her campaign manager, Blake Hale, and everyone who helped with her campaign.
Campaign Auburn reaches goal early, continues
SALLIE OWEN
Assistant Campus Editor
Betty DeMent, vice president for alumni and development, reported to the Board of Trustees Friday that Campaign Auburn, the University's fundraising campaign, has exceeded its goal of $175 million ahead of schedule.
To date, the campaign has raised $187,330,269. Of that, 38 percent is available for current operation, Dement said.
DeMent said, "We're still hoping to raise many more millions because the needs have been identified. During this past year, new priorities and challenges for which private support will be needed have been identified, so we'll be needing more private support."
University President William V. Muse said, "I certainly commend Betty and the members of her staff for the excellent work they have done."
The five-year program is scheduled to end in December, but Muse has asked to extend it.
"That is currently under review now. A final decision has not been made. The National Campaign Committee and the Foundation Board meet at the end of this month. If a decision is made then, we hope that you of the board of trustees would be willing to support that," DeMent said.
W. R. Miller, interim assistant vice president for development, said some of the University's new needs include an art museum, renovating Wilmore Labs, the large animal clinic and a new poultry science building.
Of the total $187 million, the bulk is not available for spending right now. DeMent said 62 percent of the gifts cannot currently be used. They are in the form of endowments (21 percent), estate commitments (17 percent), pledge commitments (13 percent) or capital purposes (11 percent).
The endowment funds will primarily benefit scholarships for students, she said. Thirty-seven percent of the new endowment is targeted for scholarships, with other funds designated for faculty and staff development or other projects. A portion (24 percent) of the endowment is unrestricted, DeMent said.
Muse said he thought students would benefit more directly from scholarships than from other aspects of the campaign.
"I think the most direct way is through the money that was raised for scholarships. We have recognized the significant need here at Auburn to have money to both attract outstanding students to come to Auburn and offer them scholarships and also to help students who need financial help in order to attend the University," he said.
"I believe that will be a very positive effect. Students will be able to afford to come to Auburn and Auburn will be more successful in its efforts to attract the very best students," Muse said.
The alumni have contributed more to the campaign than any other group of donors, she said. Forty-six percent of donations stemmed from Auburn graduates.
Nearly 20 percent of gifts have come from other individuals. These "are our friends, which we could not do without," DeMent said.
Foundations, corporations and other organizations made up the rest of the donors.
The top 10 largest gifts ranged from a high of $7.7 million to a low of $1.5 million, she said, but the smaller gifts were significant as well, she said.
The University received 46,616 gifts under $1,000 each, she said. This smaller category of gifts added up to a little over $12 million, she said.
"From $45,000, that commitment and below, is where we just went off the scale. This is how we've been able to exceed the goal, because people have given so many gifts at this level," DeMent said.
She thanked the different people who helped the campaign succeed.
"I want to thank the board for their support of the campaign thus far. I want to thank Dr. Muse for his vision and support and leadership. He's made many many calls for us and plans to make many more. We appreciate the doors that all of you have opened," she said.
DeMent said she also thanked the faculty for going on development calls.
