New Growth Comes with New Challenges at Milligan College

MILLIGAN COLLEGE - Milligan College now has the largest student body filling its classrooms and dorms than ever before.  While the growth of the small school is a great accomplishment, some are concerned about the consequences.

When students go off to college, they need dorms to live in.  With the increase of students, dorm space at Milligan is precious.  This seems to be the main concern of students, campus dwellers and commuters alike.  “Some students have been placed in a study room in the bottom of Webb Hall,” says Junior Theater and Photography major Brennan Tracy, “and I really feel they should be compensated somehow.”  Tracy also went on to say that he is concerned about whom they are placing in the study room and he fears if it were freshman, it could stunt their social growth at Milligan.

            Other concerns have also been voiced in relation to the growth.  Graduate student Kristin Thomas said  “maintaining the community atmosphere and dealing with the different types of people that come onto campus” is an issue.  “The larger the school becomes, the more it will have to work at keeping the personal touch it’s known for.”

            While the schools growth is plaguing many minds, there are also other issues that students and faculty think should be addressed.  Sophomore Bible major Ryan Evans feels like division among groups in the school is also an issue.  Junior Kayla Wilson, leader of the commuter council, also had more to add to the subject, “ I think Milligan should do more to encourage commuters to be a part of the community, such as offering partial meal plans so they can eat lunch in the cafeteria with the other students.” 

            Faculty also has input on what issues are facing Milligan.  Bursar Sue Skidmore said, “I feel like we are doing a good job advertising in the tri-cities as a whole, but we need to be more competitive for local students, especially those in Sullivan County where they have Northeast State, King College, and other schools just over the Virginia line.” 

            Advertising scholarships is also an issue to be addressed.  Skidmore said, “We need to get the word out about scholarships to reduce sticker shock.  Many students think they can’t afford Milligan but most people get enough scholarships to cover a large portion of the tuition.”

            Milligan’s cost for tuition, room and board, and fees is $29,170.

This article was written for Multimedia Journalism

Long Time Supporter of Milligan College Donates Money for Art on Campus

MILLIGAN COLLEGE - In December 2008, Mary Hulton Phillips, a long time supporter of Milligan College, donated money with the specific purpose to have art placed on campus.

            Mrs. Phillips, the aunt to Milligan’s first lady, Clarinda Jeanes, has had a long family history of supporting Milligan College. Vice President for Institutional Advancement Bill Greer, Ph.D. said, “The Phillips family of Butler, Pennsylvania, has had a long relationship with the college going back many decades.  They have supported the college financially for many years.”

            Greer also added, “She donated money for art because it was in keeping with her wishes to support Milligan as well as the arts.  She very much appreciated art and the way it can enhance buildings and landscapes.”

            The piece that stands in front of Derthick, “Milligan College Celtic Cross,” was commissioned in March 2010 and was completed by the Fourth of July.  The cross stands almost 18 feet tall and weighs about 8,000.  The artist chose the location himself.

            The Celtic cross was chosen because it coincides with the theme that Milligan has chosen for their logo.

            Mrs. Phillips passed away in January 2009, just six weeks after she donated the money for art. She was a generous supporter of the arts in Butler where she resided at the time of her death and had a large personal art collection.

            Stefan Bonitz, the sculpture who created the large steel cross, is from Ashville, NC.  President Jeanes discovered him while he was visiting Ashville.  “We [President Jeanes and his wife Clarinda] found him in Ashville where he had a booth set up and saw that he had done a cross before, just not quite as large as what we had in mind.” 

            Bonitz also completed the art piece that stands in front of the Wellness center.  The piece is called “Thick Geometric Stack” and was placed in front of the Wellness Center in memory of Tom Hornsby by his friends and family.  Hornsby was an adjunct professor of leadership at Milligan and a retiree from Eastman.

            Mrs. Phillips donation will also be used for more art on campus in the next few months.

This article was written for Multimedia Journalism

Milligan College Cafeteria Launches Green-on-the-Go Campaign

 MILLIGAN COLLEGE - Students can now eat lunch on the run while being eco-friendly with Milligan’s new Green-on-the-Go Campaign.

Beginning November 1, students at Milligan College will have more options for lunch when they’re crunched for time. They just have to pull out their Green-on-the-Go card or container and beginning getting their lunch with the Green-on-the-Go Campaign.

The Green-on-the-Go Campaign will help reduce the use of foam products and make the cafeteria more eco-friendly with reusable, recyclable carryout containers.

“We are totally eliminating the use of foam products and using all recyclable materials.  The container and silverware are recyclable,” said Mark Henry, Director of Food Services.

Going Green is something that the cafeteria has been doing for the past few years.  They have switched from treys to plates, which reduces soap and water use, and from regular napkins to 100% recycled napkins.

SGA has had a role in the Green-on-the-Go Campaign. “SGA's role is to introduce the new program to the students.  We will be using a variety of advertizing methods to promote the system,” said SGA president, Shannon Slaughter.

Students are also excited about these changes to the cafeteria.  “ I think it’s great that the cafeteria has a carryout option for people in a hurry and it is eco friendly,” says Junior Kayla Wilson.

Pioneer College Caters, Milligan’s food service provider, has launched this campaign at the 100 different campuses that it serves. They are also responsible for other eco-friendly actions such as recycling cardboard boxes and using towels instead of paper towels.

After November 1the cafeteria will be accepting deposits for carryout containers.  All you have to do is put down a $5 deposit and they will give you a card that you can trade in for a container at any time.  Once you have used a container, then return it and get a clean one or get a card for another time.

This article was written for Multimedia Journalism

Milligan Begins This Decade’s Reaccreditation Process

MILLIGAN COLLEGE – Milligan College faculty and staff have a heavier workload in the next year and a half because they arebeginning the reaccreditation process that happens once every 10 years.

            SACS is responsible for the accreditation of colleges and universities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. 

            Milligan’s accreditation is important to everyone who receives a diploma.  Not being accredited would keep most undergraduate students from getting into graduate school or having their four-year degree taken seriously.

           

The administration and various committees started meeting this summer in preparation for this long process.  The first step was to write a compliance document stating why Milligan meets the standards of Southern Accretitation of Colleges and Schools.  The offsite committee, which is a committee that reviews all of the paperwork Milligan submits, looks at the forms that Milligan is required to fill out and returns it for any revisions that are needed. These forms ask Milligan to explain why they are eligible to be accredited.

           

             

             After the offsite committee passes it, the onsite committee comes to the campus.  If the onsite committee approves of the standards, then Milligan has to submit a Quality Enhancement Plan. This is a 5-to-10-year plan that will be put in place to improve the campus.

            There are committees that have been put in place to handle these steps.  Two students, Sarah Green and Amanda Morrell, were chosen to serve on the Quality Enhancement Plan Committee. 

            “The QEP Committee is a collaboration of students, staff, faculty and administration,” said Green.

           

            There is also the Workhorse Committee that is in charge of writing the compliance document and the Leadership Committee that oversees the process from beginning to end.

            Since these committees have mostly faculty and staff on them, this will add to their normal work schedules.  “Who knows, we may bring in someone to help out in the future but for right now the extra work will be distributed among existing faculty and staff,” said Dean Mark Matson.

                        On October 5 Milligan will be hosting a convo where students will be able to voice their opinions about how Milligan can be improved for the QEP.  There will also be a tab set up on Angel for students to have an open discussion said Dean Matson.

            The faculty, staff, students, administrators and trustees that are a part of the planning for SACS have came up with 8 different topics that will lead the student discussion.  These topics are written and spoken communication, student engagement and success, technology for learning, global cultural literature, service learning, better preparing students for graduate school, spiritual formation, and enhancing student research.            

            See www.sacscoc.org to learn more about the reaccreditation process.

This article was written for Multimedia Journalism

Alpha Chi Welcomes New Faculty to Milligan College

MILLIGAN COLLEGE –Alpha Chi Honor Society hosted the New Instructing Faculty Reception and Grand Opening of the P.H. Welshimer Library on Tuesday.

This is the 2^nd annual New Instructing Faculty Reception that Alpha Chi has hosted. Milligan chapter Alpha Chi Student President Katie Linder said that Alpha Chi had planned on hosting this again so they decided to combine it with the library grand opening (see video interview).

            The faculty members that were honored are instructional professors only.  They included Rebecca Catron, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Writing, Grete Scott, Instructor of Developmental Studies and Composition, and Leslie Hanneken, Instructor of Wellness.  The new faculty members and about 30 students and other faculty members mingled and enjoyed refreshments. 

Hanneken said, “I think it’s a great event; it helps to put names with faces. That’s always nice for somebody who’s new on campus.”

Alpha Chi was established on Milligan’s campus in 1994 and is an exclusive society that only invites the top ten percent of juniors, seniors  and graduate students to join.  Lori Mills, Ph.D., John Jackson, Ph.D., and Mary Jackson are the sponsors for the club, and Dr. and Mrs. Jackson are alumni from Alpha Chi.

The society is required to have one event per a semester that is open to the entire campus.  Alpha Chi also hosts an event for the retiring faculty at the end of the year.  “The faculty that are retiring are able to give one last lecture of their thoughts or in their field,” Mills said.

The library reopening comes after this summer’s renovations including new paint, furniture, flooring and a new room. Mary Jackson promised that more renovations are coming soon. 

This article was written for Multimedia Journalism