http://vocuspr.vocus.com/vocuspr30/Publish/514282/CSBSJU.xml Current News en-us http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i35/35a00104.htm http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i35/35a00104.htm Fri, 09 May 2008 05:34:00 -0400 By THOMAS BARTLETT Hampden-Sydney, Va. It seems like a normal college campus. The wide, green lawns. The stately architecture, all red brick and white columns. The students shuttling between classes, backpacks draped over shoulders, iPods plugged into ears, the ... Wait a minute. Where are the women? It's no secret that Hampden-Sydney College is among the last male-only colleges in the country. Still, it's odd to be on a campus so uniformly masculine. Along with Hampden-Sydney, just three other four-year colleges are still all male: Wabash College, Morehouse College, and Saint John's University in Minnesota. But Hampden-Sydney is, arguably, the manliest of the lot. For proof, look no further than the testosterone-fueled FAQ's on its Web site. For example: "I like to hunt and fish. Is there any way to do that at Hampden-Sydney?" Why, yes, there is. In fact, it's not unusual to spot students dressed in camouflage, returning from an afternoon of tracking prey. During deer season, the place looks like a military base. (Incidentally, while handguns are prohibited on the campus, rifles, shotguns, and bows are OK — and the college provides a special locker for their storage.) When not decked out in hunting attire, Hampden-Sydney students tend to dress like jocks or adopt a preppy aesthetic: loafers, chinos, sweater vests. The college has no official dress code, but every freshman is issued a copy of "To Manner Born to Manners Bred: A Hip-Pocket Guide to Etiquette for the Hampden-Sydney Man," which includes sartorial suggestions. For instance, the guide informs students that "white gloves worn with full dress are not removed or apologized for" and warns them, "Never mix food on your plate." Among its other words of advice: Cordovan is the most versatile shoe color; the spoon goes next to the knife; and it's advisable to remove one's baseball cap "when having an extended or serious conversation." Ask students why they attend Hampden-Sydney and they don't mention the absence of women. Instead they point to the college's solid liberal-arts curriculum and strong alumni network. The all-male thing can be a drawback, admissions-wise, but once students enroll, it seems to be a plus. An unscientific survey of more than a dozen undergraduates found not a single one willing to express misgivings. If they regret attending a female-free institution, they do a good job of hiding it. In order to counter its monastic image, Hampden-Sydney officials point out that there are several women's colleges nearby (although "nearby" is used somewhat loosely — Sweet Briar College is a full hour away). The college winkingly touts the "very co-ed nature of the weekend social life." That claim may be a bit overstated, according to Taylor Kalmbach, a sophomore psychology major. "They told us that girls come by the busload on the weekend," he says wistfully. "That's not exactly true." There are, however, some advantages to the exclusive company of guys. "You don't have to worry about how you look or think about that girl who's sitting one row away," says Rob McNairy, a freshman political-science major. Mr. McNairy is clean-shaven, well combed, and sporting a peach-colored knit shirt. Hillman Terzian concurs. The bow-tied senior biology major says that most new students are at first less than enthused about the single-sex aspect, but that by the time they graduate, they're fans. Focusing strictly on academics during the week "teaches you to budget your time" — an important life skill, he says. "From a heterosexual viewpoint, it takes away the pressure to meet girls." Of course, not everyone has a heterosexual viewpoint. Corey van Vlymen, a senior psychology major, is one of a half-dozen or so openly gay students at Hampden-Sydney. When he was a freshman, he says, he was one of two. As a result, his dating situation isn't all that different from that of his straight classmates. "I'm not as distracted as I would have been at another school," he says. From time to time in the college's 233-year history, talk has turned to going co-ed. But unlike scores of formerly all-male colleges, Hampden-Sydney has refused. In 1996, when the college saw a dip in applications, faculty members — 29 percent of whom are female — voted in favor of admitting women. However, the vast majority of students were against the idea. More important, so was the Board of Trustees. The pro-woman argument is usually twofold: (1) It's good, pedagogically, to have female students in the classroom; and (2) It would raise the number of applicants. But alumni in particular worry that it would ruin the college's gentleman-scholar appeal. They may have a point. Since the controversy of the mid-90s, Hampden-Sydney has seen its applications more than double and its fund-raising numbers improve substantially. Last fall the college cut the ribbon on a $20-million library, and the gymnasium is in the midst of a major expansion. There has been talk of starting a men's-studies department at Hampden-Sydney, though so far it's gone nowhere. Some faculty members think it's a missed opportunity. The college recently held a symposium on masculinity. One of the sessions, "The Making of Men," included a lecture about sexual differentiation — the actual biochemical contrasts between men and women — and another was on the curious portrayal of men in advertising, which can often be over-the-top macho. In touting Hampden-Sydney, students sometimes affect a macho pose, too. One unofficial slogan, which you won't find on college mugs, sums up this attitude: "Hampden-Sydney: We don't need our own women. We're doing just fine with yours." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://chronicle.com Section: Short Subjects Volume 54, Issue 35, Page A1 Bartlett, Thomas http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=75780&section=news&freebie_check&CFID=32921024&CFTOKEN=67015076&jsessionid=883097d2a749673d1f1f http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=75780&section=news&freebie_check&CFID=32921024&CFTOKEN=67015076&jsessionid=883097d2a749673d1f1f Thu, 08 May 2008 05:36:00 -0400 BISMARCK — Sister Thomas Welder, University of Mary’s president for the past 30 years, will step down next year. News of Welder’s upcoming retirement came Wednesday from Martin White, chairman of the university’s board of trustees. “Sister Thomas has graced us with her wisdom, her spirit, her Benedictine principles. … Most of all, however, she has graced us with her grace … a true servant leader,” White told those assembled for the announcement. He said it was “difficult to see someone who has done so much for so many move away” to a different phase of her life. Sister Welder was not at the announcement. She later issued a prepared statement saying she felt a “deep sense of gratitude” as she reflects on “the many opportunities that have been afforded to me.” She said playing a role in the growth and development of the school helped carry forward the vision of the Sisters of Annunciation Monastery and “has been a unique and rewarding experience.” She will continue to play a role helping the university after a new president begins work, she and White said. Sister Welder turned 68 last month. She will retire June 30, 2009, and a new president will have been chosen who will begin working immediately, White said. She will be involved in the search process, he said. Sister Welder was named the college’s fifth president in 1978. She has worked there since 1963. She is believed to be the longest currently serving woman college president in the nation, U-Mary’s announcement said. She is a native of Bismarck, attended the College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minn.; graduated from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth; and earned a master’s degree in music from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. She has been a member for nearly 50 years of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation, which started the college as a two-year school in 1955 on the grounds of its monastery overlooking Apple Creek south of Bismarck. It became a four-year-degree institution in 1959. During her tenure as president, the college has grown from 925 students to 3,000 and changed its name from Mary College to the University of Mary in 1986. It now offers 44 undergraduate majors, masters’ degrees in business administration, counseling, education, management, nursing, occupational therapy and project management, as well as a doctorate in physical therapy. U-Mary’s adult learning program now has 16 physical sites, including in Fargo and Grand Forks and as far away as Missouri and Arizona, and boasts worldwide online access, university officials said. Gov. John Hoeven bestowed the state’s highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award, on Sister Welder in 2004. White and other university officials said Wednesday that Sister Welder’s health is good and she works regularly, though she takes dialysis three times a week and is awaiting a second kidney transplant. An earlier transplant a few years ago failed. They said they didn’t know to what extent that led to her decision, but White said she always has told board members she likely would step down after turning 70. Sister Welder told the board last week of her decision but did not want it announced until after the annual commencement ceremonies, which were held Saturday, White said. Cole reports for Forum Communications Co., which owns the Herald. Cole, Janell http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008105070038 http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008105070038 Wed, 07 May 2008 06:03:00 -0400 By Derek Larson Americans rank among the world’s worst energy hogs, consuming roughly double the amount per capita of residents of other nations enjoying a similar standard of living. This is due in part to the size of our country and a relatively low population density. But it also reflects an apparent inability to invest in efficiency, control waste, or respond to shortages with anything other than demands for increased production. However, as oil hit $120 per barrel this week, signs that Americans are changing their habits have begun to emerge. Sales of large trucks are down, while smaller, more fuel-efficient cars are hot again. People are driving less and looking to save energy at home. Polls reflect growing anxiety about energy security and household budgets. Gas prices alone are helping Americans attempt something they haven’t done since the 1970s: seriously try to use less energy. During the 1973 oil crisis Americans responded to exploding energy costs with imagination. Gas prices high? Join a car pool and reduce the speed limit to save fuel. Electricity skyrocketing? Shut down commercial lights at night. Fuel oil too dear? Turn down the thermostats in public buildings. Many of these changes became permanent. When a second oil crisis hit in the wake of the Iranian revolution in 1979, the price of crude oil shot to a record that was not matched until March. The easy changes had already been made, so when Jimmy Carter spoke about energy conservation he wore a sweater, sat in front of a fireplace, and told us “There is simply no way to avoid sacrifice.” But few made the sacrifices he called for and some believe that speech cost him reelection. Not long after Ronald Reagan was elected oil prices plummeted and remained low for 20 years. We became accustomed once again to cheap energy, gorged ourselves on SUVs and McMansions, and turned our backs on those who warned it could not last. When the price of gas shot up on Sept. 12, 2001, President Bush did not tell us there was no way to avoid sacrifice; he told us to go shopping. Detroit offered interest-free loans on SUVs and soon we were rolling again. But it could not last. Today gas prices are pushing $4 a gallon on the West Coast and may hit $5 this summer. Public faith in the Bush administration’s energy strategy, which emphasizes production increases, is low; 66.5 percent rated his performance on energy “poor” in a March Gallup Poll. The same poll found 82 percent of Americans worried about the cost of energy, and a solid majority — 61 percent — thought that conservation by consumers was the best way to address the problem. What remains to be seen is not whether we can learn to conserve energy again, but whether we are willing to try. Recent evidence from Alaska suggests we are. An avalanche tore out the transmission lines connecting the capitol city of Juneau to its hydroelectric energy source last month, creating an instant energy crisis as the city shifted to diesel backup generators. The cost of fuel has driven the electric rate to 54 cents per kilowatt hour, or almost seven times what most Minnesotans pay. Local stores quickly sold out of compact florescent light bulbs, clothes pins, and even lamp oil. Almost immediately consumption dropped by 35 percent and has stayed low since largely through voluntary conservation measures. Though the lines will eventually be restored, many residents are saying their new habits are here to stay — and will save them money even after the rates return to normal. The reality is that we are nearing the end of the era of cheap energy. Whether it’s due to growing demand, shortages in supply, or some sort of carbon tax, prices are trending upward. We can respond by wringing our hands and cursing the oil companies, or we can chose to take action by wasting less. The residents of Juneau have shown us it can be done without major sacrifices. Those of us who remember the 1970s also know it’s possible to cut back when you have to. As the price of gas approaches $5 this summer and electric rates continue to climb, here is hoping Americans respond by doing something other than going shopping this time. This is the opinion of Derek Larson, who teaches history and environmental studies at the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University. He welcomes comments at dereklarson@charter.net. His column is published the first Wednesday of the month. Larson, Derek http://www.kxmc.com/Sports/236197.asp http://www.kxmc.com/Sports/236197.asp Wed, 07 May 2008 05:39:00 -0400 May 7, 2008 Bismarck, ND Chairman of the Board Martin White announced at a press conference today that University of Mary President Sister Thomas Welder has informed him and the Board of Trustees that she will be retiring, effective June 30, 2009. Welder was named the college's fifth president in 1978. She is believed to be the longest currently serving woman college president in the nation. Hers is the second-longest woman's tenure as a college president since that of Sister Majella Berg (Marymount University 1960 to 1993). Welder is also one of the longest-tenured university presidents in U.S. history. Welder, known for impacting the lives of so many in a positive way, her hospitable accessibility and knowing students and alumni by name, will continue to be active and serve the University of Mary, America's Leadership University, in various advisory capacities. "Seeing someone who is fantastic in so many ways and who has made such a great contribution to countless people beginning to move on to the next phase of her life is difficult for us who care so much about her," commented White. "However, thinking of her great gifts to society as a whole, the university, Bismarck-Mandan, our state which she dearly loves, and the higher education community on a regional and national level, we can only wish her well with God's blessings." Welder, a native of Bismarck and member of the Annunciation Monastery for almost 50 years, has served the university since 1963, when it was Mary College. For three decades she has helped guide the growth of what has come to be known as America's Leadership University. During this time, Mary College expanded to university status in 1986, growing from 925 students to nearly 3,000 in 2008, and now offering 44 undergraduate majors and various pre-professional concentrations and dual-degree, pre-engineering program. It also offers master's degrees in business administration, counseling, education, management, nursing, occupational therapy, and project management, as well as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. During her tenure as president, Welder has seen the institution gain increasing national recognition and an excellent reputation for its dedication to student placement and outcomes. The quality of its academic programs and particularly its emphasis on leadership follows her belief that an individual can grow into leadership through service, training and a Christian-based education. Welder oversaw the expansion of the adult learning program to its worldwide online access and 16 on-site locations throughout the state, region and country, including Bismarck, Fargo, Minot, Grand Forks, New Town, and Belcourt, ND, and sites in Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri and Arizona. Most recently, U-Mary was named one of 30 top military-friendly colleges in America by Military Advanced Education magazine. In 2006, U-Mary became a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC). In July 2007, the NCAA waived the last two years of provisional status. The approval of U-Mary for active membership is believed to have been one of the quickest in NCAA history. Welder has served on numerous boards and is actively involved in professional, civic and religious organizations at all levels. In 1998 she received the North Dakota Everyday Hero award for living "a life worthy of being a hero to others in his or her community." She received the GNDA Greater North Dakotan Award in 2002 for outstanding service to North Dakota and its business community, the 2007 Scandinavian-American Humanitarian Award and in 2004 was presented with North Dakota's highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award. Welder attended the College of St. Benedict, graduated from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, and earned a master's degree in music from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery and has led an extraordinary life committed to God and her community through the six Benedictine values of service, community, hospitality, moderation, prayer, and respect for persons. The University of Mary Board of Trustees will begin the process for the selection of a new president.