If Horace Mann’s vaunted credo weren’t so fitting, “Work hard; party hard” might do the trick. So when attendance at Community Meeting waned, one of the parties in Antioch’s Holy Trinity was trash-talked by several community voices.
The Black and Tan Formal, of one of Antioch’s cultural cornerstones, was criticized by several community members for potentially depressing student attendance at important and expensive Community Day events.
Student and former Community Manager, Levi B. Cowperthwaite wanted students to consider monitoring their partying and regulating their workload so that they could participate meaningfully in events planned for Community Day, including guest speaker Allan G. Johnson’s 10:00 a.m. presentation.
Cowperthwaite observed that students have treated the past years’ Community Days as time to recuperate from the previous night’s partying or to catch up on homework.
Associate Dean of Faculty, Eli Nettles said, “I’m terrified Allan’s going to show up and there are seven people here.” She then said that she’d be honored if the date of Black and Tan was changed.
Nettles also said that an anonymous donor gave $5,000 to bring Johnson back to campus, because in light of the suspension of operations, Antioch couldn’t afford Johnson’s price tag.
“Since I was a first year, I though it was unfair to Community Day to have Black and Tan the night before,” said third-year Rachel Sears.
Events Manager Rory Adams-Cheatham was a staunch proponent for the party to remain the night before Community Day, “It’s the best party of the year a lot of the time…Antioch used to be the people who partied the hardest worked the hardest.”
But she conceded to the concerns raised, “I want to do what you all want…Come talk to me.”
And elsewhere in McGregor 113…Community Member of the Week was awarded to a talented cadre of current and former students, Dennie Eagleson was in two places at once to equalize Allan Johnson’s levels, CGC gave an update on Antioch’s next best thing, and announcements revealed that Antiochians are preoccupied with identity, sex, and war.
Community Member of the Week was awarded to fourth years (trivia with) Beth Goodney and (“lost in the Glen”) Julian Sharp. Nobel Prize Winner Mario Capecchi ’61 also got a certificate and most probably a hit-up for a donation.
Author Allan Johnson is coming to talk and do workshops on Community Day. A video of his presentation last term was projected on the wall.
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Community Called to the Polls
On Monday October 8th, roaming ballots will cross campus to allow Antioch College students, faculty and staff to vote on a double-referendum.
The student-initiated community referendum was first presented during September 25th Community Meeting by ComCil member Erin-Aja Grant and AdCil member Julian Sharp. They insisted that the drafts were temporary, and open to everyone’s input. “The process of holding a community referendum shall be transparent, collaborative, and efficient” read the Referendum Schedule poublished soon thereafter.
The documents were made freely available for community members to edit and offer suggestions for revisions. A schedule was produced specifying the timeline and process of the action and giving deadlines for editing suggestions. Throughout the past week, there have been regular updates on FirstClass Announcements as new drafts of the referendums emerged. On Tuesday October 2nd, the final referendum language has been presented to both governance councils and moved forward by JointCil.
University Files Motion to Dismiss Faculty Lawsuit
Calling on precedents spanning the last half-century, Antioch University formally filed a motion to dismiss in response to a lawsuit collective brought forward by tenured faculty of Antioch College.
Filed 15 days before a deadline set by the Green County Court of Pleas, the motion demonstrates the university’s alacrity for a fight, presenting the first, if preliminary, obstacle to the faculty’s bid for an injunction to force the university to follow faculty employment contracts. As a second point of contention, the injunction seeks to prevent the university from liquidating assets the college currently uses.
The class action, filed in mid-August, would require the university to keep the college open by “implementing the least drastic means” of dealing with the current financial crisis.
Continue reading University Files Motion to Dismiss Faculty Lawsuit
YS Town Council Hears Plan on Development Alliance
The Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce, together with the Community Resources board and the soon to be dissolved Community Information Project, plan to establish an umbrella organization to become “the new economic authority in the area” by January 1st, 2008. This is the bottom line of a proposal that Community Ressources member, Dan Young, presented on behalf of the three boards at a Village Council meeting on Tuesday.
In addition to seeking approval to establishment the Alliance by 2008, Young and co-signers to the Alliance proposal, CoC vice president Ellen Hoover and CIP representative Ron Schmidt, ask the council to allocate recently raised economic development funds to the amount of $250.000.
“It’s multi-year spending. And its primary purpose is finding someone who can spend half time, maybe full time, promoting economic development in the village.” commented, Glenn Watts, member of CR on Wednesday…
Continue reading YS Town Council Hears Plan on Development Alliance
Referendum Issue #1: Vote of No Confidence in Antioch University Chancellor Tulisse Murdock
Antioch College is grounded in values of democratic shared governance, the worth and dignity of every individual, and the pursuit of social justice. These values have withstood over 150 graduating classes, two world wars, and 21 College Presidents, but right now these values are being threatened more than ever before.
Tulisse Murdock, Chancellor of Antioch University, has violated long-standing Antioch College values, community standards, and the Civil Liberties Code. Line six of the Antioch College Civil Liberties Code states, “We regard these as fundamental necessities of genuine education, individual worth and dignity, and democratic government.” Under Chancellor Murdock’s leadership the Civil Liberties Code has been violated and democratic shared governance has been stifled. The College’s financial stability and reputation have been repeatedly damaged over the past two years by Chancellor Murdock’s administrative decisions, which in many cases also circumvented the College’s shared governance policies. We acknowledge that problems have existed between the College and university long before Chancellor Murdock took office, however, Murdock has failed to bring the two institutions into right relationship and has never been an advocate for the College.
Chancellor Murdock’s removal of President Steven Lawry and her formation of a new administrative team is cause for question. Both President Lawry’s removal, and the formation of a new administrative team, occurred without the consultation of any of the College’s structures of shared governance. Weeks after the fact, Chancellor Murdock came to a meeting of the Administrative Council to answer questions about the recent changes in College administration. We found her answers incomplete and unsatisfactory, and we have yet to receive a candid account of the events of August 31, 2007. The administrative shake-up has damaged the College’s reputation and decision-making abilities at this critical juncture in Antioch’s history. Continue reading Referendum Issue #1: Vote of No Confidence in Antioch University Chancellor Tulisse Murdock