Inside Furman February, 2001

Around Campus

PUBLIC SAFETY
Our new records system, installed in January, has enabled us to track many of our activities. In 2000, the department received 22,148 calls for service. We initiated 537 case reports and provided services to 1,601 events. This year we will be expanding our capabilities to measure additional activities of the department. The Christmas holiday break is always a challenging time for the department in its efforts to eliminate criminal incidents when the campus is generally vacated. We were very pleased with our security efforts this year. There were no burglaries reported.Two water pipe breaks were detected.

Public Safety hosted the first two-day training and meeting of the South Carolina Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (SCCLEA) on the Furman campus January 10 and 11. The training topics were Community Policing on a College/University Campus and Motivating Campus Public Safety/Law Enforcement staff. Twenty-two members were in attendance.

The department will be presenting a new campus-wide program, Alcohol 101, at the Health Fair on February 15. Alcohol 101 is an interactive educational program that addresses a variety of issues associated with the consumption of alcohol.

The expanded visitors lot has been completed. Half of the lot is designed for prospective students and their families in support of the Admissions Office. The other half is designed for short-term parking for visitors to the administration building. Everyone's cooperation will be needed to support these intended uses. Then there are always parking tickets!

-- Bob Miller

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

There was a forum on liability issues relative to off-campus programs on November 27. The program was well attended. About 27 program managers and their staff participated in the program in the Garden Room of Daniel Chapel. Jack Griffeth of the law firm of Love, Thornton, Arnold and Thomason, and Robin Ellison of Marsh USA Inc., our insurance broker, were there to answer questions.

We are in the fifth year of our contract with ARAMARK, and David Randolph has been the ARAMARK director since our partnership began in the spring of 1996. He and ARAMARK are now in the process of planning David's future assignments. David's successor has been selected and an announcement about this will be made when ARAMARK's transition schedule is determined. David has performed superbly at Furman. We shall miss him, but we also understand the importance of growth.

PricewaterhouseCoopers completed a study of our travel process and has submitted a report. Before we can consider some of the recommendations, however, there must be some research done on travel expenditures. Gale Goodwin will be heavily engaged in this research for a few more weeks.

In Purchasing, the pro-card process has been vastly improved with the introduction of the Paymentech system. In a recent survey, 93 percent of respondents said the new process was better. Training for the new program has been successful, too, since 94 percent of all users are now compliant with card regulations. Having an efficient pro-card process is very important, not just because of the convenience and the savings in time and materials, but also because it can become a necessary platform for e-commerce solutions that are on the horizon.

We will launch a Bookstore study to evaluate Furman's operation and see how it compares to other university stores and national standards. This study will be conducted by Campus Bookstore Consulting (CBC), a campus bookstore consulting firm located in Maine.

Some significant improvements have been made at the Golf Course. A bunker renovation project was completed last spring and during the summer the fairways were converted to a hybrid Burmuda grass. Both projects required some curtailment of operations and the fairway project was prolonged because we wanted the new grass to have a chance to thrive before fully scheduled play resumed. The result has put us considerably behind on our revenue projections. If you are a golfer, visit the course. You will like the improvements. If you are not a golfer, visit with Willie Miller anyway. You can console him and perhaps buy a golf shirt or cap.

-- Jim Hudson

STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND THE UNIVERSITY CENTER

Change has been afoot for this department, which is actually a combination of two former separate departments, the Department of Student Activities and the University Center itself. With a new director, a new office configuration and a lot of new and exciting plans, this department has been on the move. The staff now includes J. Scott Derrick, director of student activities and the University Center; Nancy Cooper, University Center coordinator; Robbie Giles, University Center secretary; and Dave Thomsen, University Center facilitator.

The department, which is a natural merger between the programs of Student Activities and the facilities of the University Center, has made as its goal to become the focal point for student campus activity and community building. FUSAB, CESC, Campbell Young Leaders and the Mainstage Student Talent Showcase program (formerly Coffeehouse) are just some of the organizations and programs that are based here.

The University Center, still in its "infancy," has many new additions, including a large Student Organization Directory, student organization office signage, student organization office spaces, a television lounge area in the Gauntlet Gameroom, and a programmable activities calendar in the Pala Den area.

The University Center now has a full-fledged Information Desk, staffed by students from 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m., and a full staff of student managers who run the building at night and on the weekends. A student technical staff is also on hand to take care of all audio visual and equipment needs. So, if you have not taken a close look lately at what's happening in Student Activities and the University Center, come on down and let us show you around! And stick around … there's much more to come!

-- Scott Derrick

FINANCIAL AID

Wow! Our new offices are wonderful. The first few weeks were interesting with students, faculty and staff trying to remember that we had relocated. If you have not seen our new facilities, please come by any time and take a tour. We are so proud.

This is the time of year when we are juggling graduate studies, UES, returning, and prospective students, all at the same time. December was quite busy for the office with getting Early Decision award packages in the mail before leaving for the holidays. Early Decision students have to apply by December 1 and then the Admissions Office has to read every application to determine acceptance. After a student has been accepted, the Financial Aid Office has very little time to award, print, package, etc., financial aid for those students. At the same time, we are working on communicating to the returning students that the Financial Aid Form needs to be filed for 2001-2002 after January 1. Whew! But we did it and did it well!

Our staff has been involved in a variety of financial aid workshops. Marty Carney spoke at several high schools in the Orlando, Fla., area recently. Marty, Lynda and Anne took part in workshops at Greenville, Berea, Eastside and Wade Hampton high schools in January. Lynda spoke at St. Joseph's High School and Anne will speak at Christ Church Episcopal School in March. Ed Kotchi attended the Department of Education Student Financial Assistance Conference in Atlanta, Ga. The focus was on the Title IV delivery systems for the coming year. Lynda and Marty will attend the Southern Association of Financial Aid Administrators Conference at Hilton Head in February. Marty will be a presenter at one of the sessions and Lynda will serve as coordinator of the Community Service Project this year.

They're baaaaacccccck. The Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators New Aid Officers Workshop was such a hit at Furman last June that we have been asked to host it again this year. Lynda will be the site coordinator.

-- Anne Smith

ATHLETICS

In late January the Lady Paladin basketball team was alone in fourth place in the Southern Conference standings after defeating the College of Charleston 65-57 at Timmons Arena. With the win, the Lady Paladins improved to 6-4 in the Southern Conference and 12-7 overall. Furman posted a 5-4 record in the first round of league action and avenged an earlier loss to the Cougars. In addition, the Lady Paladins won the Navy Classic earlier this season, and defeated Belmont 85-74 in consolation action at the Indiana University Invitational. Fifth year senior Tara Charles is leading the Lady Paladins with a 9.8 points per game average, and is first in the league with a 4.8 assists average. The Furman Lady Paladin basketball team will host an alumni game February 10 at Timmons Arena. Pitting alumni verses alumni, tip-off for the contest will be a noon. The game will be held before the Lady Paladins 3 p.m. game against Davidson.

Furman's men's basketball team has found the going rough in Southern Conference play this new year, losing six of its first eight league games, including four of five home games, to drop to 7-10 on the season. Furman's recent troubles followed a solid start that saw the Paladins post wins over Florida State (79-74), Coastal Carolina (81-67) and Stetson (85-66). Sophomore Karim Souchu leads Furman in scoring (18.8 ppg) and sophomore Kenny Zeigler tops the Paladins in rebounding (8.0 rpg). Sophomore guard Guilherme Da Luz leads the Paladins with 95 assists while also chipping in 11.6 ppg. Furman's Lady Paladin softball team kicks off the 2001 season February 13, with a 2 p.m. double header against Georgia Tech.

The Lady Paladins will dedicate the new Pepsi Stadium on Sunday, April 8, at 1 p.m., prior to a game against the Bucs of East Tennessee State. Furman advanced to the championship game of the 2000 Southern Conference Tournament, and returns the SoCon Pitcher of the Year in Chrissy Hacker, and the league's all-conference center fielder in Kay Brittain.

The Furman baseball team began its season February 3, hosting High Point in a doubleheader in Furman's baseball stadium. With seven starters returning from last year's squad that finished as Southern Conference Tournament runner-up, Furman should be in the thick of this year's league race. In early January the school announced that night baseball would be coming to Furman following the installation of lights at the baseball stadium. Made possible through program fund-raising efforts, the lights, according to head baseball coach Ron Smith, will be installed by late March, in time for the Paladins' three-game home conference series versus UNC-Greensboro beginning on Friday, April 13. In all, Furman has nine home night games scheduled this season, including a Wednesday, May 9, clash against Clemson.

-- Hunter Reid

DEVELOPMENT

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Kay Owen to the part time position of research and administrative assistant in the Furman fund. Kay comes to Furman from the Iron Disorders Institute. She will help the Furman fund focus on donor retention and communications.

As you can imagine, the majority of the development staff time has been spent on the Hollingsworth bequest. The challenge for us is to keep our alumni abreast of the facts and energized to continue their support of Furman on an annual basis.

While the Hollingsworth bequest will allow Furman to reach new heights, it will not replace the benefits Furman has received due to our high level of alumni participation in annual giving. Benefits such as a higher rating for recent bond issues, which will save Furman thousands each year, are more affected by alumni participation than by large gifts such as the Hollingsworth estate.

Like most of our alumni and friends, you probably have questions regarding the Hollingsworth bequest. If the opening article of this publication does not answer your questions, please feel free to contact a member of the development staff. We will be happy to provide you the information you need.

-- Phil Howard