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News from university departments
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Anniversaries and new employees
Inside Furman is published monthly during the school year by the Furman University Department of Marketing and Public Relations. For story ideas, e-mail John Roberts, editor.
King to chair Staff Advisory Committee
Wayne King, associate director of the Furman Fund and an 18-year employee of the university, has been named chair of the Furman Staff Advisory Committee.
King replaces Wade Shepherd, who had served as committee chair since the group was formed in 1999. Shepherd, who works in Computing and Information Services, will remain on the committee for one more year. Other members of the committee are Ed Davis, Annie Queen, Ruth Ann Breazeale and Tony Whitaker, who represent Business Affairs; Elaine Cross, Janice Knighton and Dianne Alexander (Student Services); Frances Ashley, Linda Cook and Charles Brock (Academic Affairs); Sue Carnes (Athletics); and Jane Dungan (Enrollment).
The Staff Advisory Committee works to increase communication between the staff and the administration. The committee meets quarterly and may pass along concerns, questions or recommendations to the administration.
In addition to organizing an annual staff forum, the StaffAC sponsors initiatives to promote and improve staff morale. The group and its members welcome input on all workplace issues.
Please contact King or another committee member if you have a concern or question. Topics discussed by StaffAC will be included in upcoming issues of Inside Furman. For more information about the Staff Advisory Committee, visit the Web at http://www.furman.edu/staffac
Nominations sought for special award
Nominations are being accepted for the Chiles-Harrill Award. The award honors Marguerite Chiles and Ernest E. Harrill, former university administrators, and recognizes exemplary concern and exceptional caring for students.
All members of the staff and faculty are eligible. It will be presented at Founders Day convocation April 17. Betty Alverson, former Director of University Center Programs; Elizabeth Nanney, former secretary in the Psychology Department; Carol Daniels, Coordinator of Student Services; and MSG Paul E. Harris, formerly of the Military Science Department, are the past recipients.
Deadline for nominations is March 15 and may be submitted to A.V. Huff, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, through electronic mail.
Join the "Heart & Mind" effort
The Furman Bell Tower is the most enduring and beloved symbol of the university. Dedicated in 1965, the tower is a replica of the original bell tower that dominated the former campus in downtown Greenville for more than a century.
Recently, however, the Bell Tower and its 60-bell carillon have fallen into disrepair. To refurbish the tower, Furman has launched a fund-raising drive that combines the restoration of the carillon and the Bell Tower with the completion of the library expansion and renovation.
The $1 million designated for the Bell Tower is expected to restore the carillon, repair the clock, renovate the tower and the brick walkway (to be dubbed the "Anniversary Walk") leading to it, and fund a maintenance endowment.
At the request of some faculty and staff, the university has established an easy way for employees to participate in the "Heart & Mind" project. For a contribution of $500 ($10.42 by payroll deduction per month for four years), a Furman employee can support the project and have his or her named engraved on a brick in the walkway leading to the tower.
Gifts of all sizes are welcome. All donors will be recognized in the commemorative bulletin for the dedication of the Anniversary Walk in 2004. Please e-mail campaign@furman.edu or call extension 2475 for details.
Pump and run
Start training now. The Health and Exercise Science Department will sponsor the annual Pump and Run Competition May 2.
The event, which measures muscular strength and aerobic endurance, features a bench press competition and 5-kilometer run. Last year, 60 Furman staff, students and faculty participated.
As part of the competition, men are required to bench press their body weight, while women press 60 percent of their body weight. Participants logging the most repetitions earn the greatest time advantage (20 seconds for each repetition) in the 5-K run.
Beau Greer, a Furman graduate assistant, was last year's overall winner. He pressed his body weight 42 times and completed the run in 22:59. Helena Janecic was the first female finisher and finished third overall (36 bench press repetitions and a 22:20 run time).
Pump and Run participants must preregister at the Fitness Center in the PAC by April 30.