the GARRETT REID BVol. 57 No. 6, OctoberA 13, 2010 GP bagpipeonline.com IPE Pressing Forward Board of Trustees focuses Members of Covenant’s Board at last Friday’s meeting on Covenant’s future by Kate Harrison and Adrienne Belz and think, ‘Given the mission of the [email protected] WKLT Hopes to college, given the kind of school that [email protected] it is, given its convictions, given the culture, what are those areas that we With no deeply controversial budget ought to be investigating? What areas Ride FM Waves decisions or contentious votes on the do we want to speak into and prepare table, Covenant College’s Board of students to participate in after col- by Juliet Cangelosi station]. At least, that’s how it always Trustees was able to set its focus on lege’”? Nielson said. [email protected] looks,” said student body vice president the school’s future during its meetings Tim Van Vliet, who serves as the liaison last week, according to President Niel POLITICAL, INTERNATIONAL, Covenant’s WKLT radio station, pres- for student publications. Nielson. AND FILM STUDIES ently well-hidden on the Covenant Dodd said he was optimistic that this “We are not facing any major Scots page, may be looking forward to year could be different. crises,” he said, adding that the tenor Jeff Hall, Vice President of Academic a larger audience and bandwidth as it “I’m thinking maybe we’re just the of last week’s meetings was largely Affairs, has a list of programs that he hopes to stretch its influence to an FM people to get the ball rolling and get positive. “I think this session the board hopes could be implemented over the radio station in the Chattanooga area. Covenant thinking about [WKLT] felt like they were part of the future, next five to ten years. In 2011-2012 The radio “station” has evolved over more seriously,” he said. Dodd said the looking forward. That’s what a board the school hopes to launch a political the years as a stream that loops through prime goal as of right now is to “get the does when they’re not having to solve studies program within the history Covenant’s internet. Originally formed word out and gauge student interest.” problems. They think about where the department. This would mean adding in 2005, the WKLT’s sparse staff cur- The short-term plan for WKLT this college is going.” another professor who would special- rently consists of senior Joe Dodd in year is partially to expose the campus The meetings focused heavily on the ize in the ins-and-outs of political leadership, with DJs Zach Barnett, a to the radio station, but ultimately development of academic programs studies and international studies, said junior, and senior Alex Whitaker. The to switch from online streaming to over the next several years, as well as professor of history Richard Follett. group compiles radio shows in their of- a podcast that would be featured on the school’s physical growth as it seeks The strategic plan from the Board fice in Jackson Hall. Originally funded Covenant’s iTunes U account. to stretch its campus southward and includes major initiative to develop an directly through the school, WKLT According to Van Vliet, the station’s increase its student population. international studies center over the now operates independently through current format for online streaming is Nielson said he believes the school next several years. The center would the Student Senate. difficult for PC users to access and Mac is growing more proactive about add- “In the past few years, what I’ve users cannot access it at all. seen as the vice president working with Dodd’s goal is to make WKLT “sort ing academic programs. Continued on page 2 “We’ve wanted to take a step back student publications is the president of WKLT trying to resuscitate [the Continued on page 3 2 News Domestication or Destruction? First Belz’s self-initiated renovations call hall policies into question by Grace Mullaney said afterwards [email protected] Eventually, sophomore Mitch Prentis had what he called a “brief, First Belz’s renovation of their quiet pleasant meeting” with Ford, in commons remains both unfinished which she told him to make a and controversial after a month proposal outlining what First Belz of back-and-forth between the wanted to do, along with a “defined hall and administration about its purpose and vision.” Ford told him legitimacy. that after he turned it into her office According to senior Andrew a dialogue could begin about the Shaughnessy, the quiet commons project. had always been “really nasty and “We are always willing to con- gross”—a room that, for the three sider things in a case-by-case basis, years that Shaughnessy has been on like we are in this situation.” Ford the hall, was only used for stor- said. age, until the beginning of this fall Residents of First Belz say they semester. are grateful for this. “Emily Ford has Sophomore Chris Scharf said been very understanding about it… that First Belz wanted a “chill place we feel really positive,” said Scharf. to hang out and study.” But Shaughnessy expressed that A few of the First Belz men Student Development’s initial cleaned out the room and asked response seemed to be “enforcing ANNIE HUNTINGTON the Founders Resident Director Joe blanket policies before anyone ever Oliver for permission to build and Mitch Prentis works on the mural in the quiet commons of First Belz saw it.” install a bookcase in their new study First Belz residents plan to turn area. on the walls--things that First Belz Both Ford and Oliver declined to they…can’t take things on a case-by- in their proposal for the quiet “When asked permission, I made considers to be characteristic of the either confirm or deny this pre- case basis” Shaughnessy said. commons to Ford sometime this it clear to not do anything that hall and improvements to the space. sumption. In response, some of the First week. They are also in the process of causes any permanent change,” said After discovering the drawings, The residents involved said they Belz residents scheduled a meeting installing a marble coffee bar in the Oliver. Oliver informed First Belz that their felt frustrated at the standardized with Ford. During the interim time space. The men proceeded in building, project had to be approved and told way in which Student Development before the meeting they continued The residents continue to be staining, and installing a bookcase. them to e-mail Facilities Services. handled their situation and the their drawings on the wall, believ- hopeful about the project. “We Meanwhile, they discovered some Oliver also contacted Emily Ford, decisions that were made without ing that if they got in trouble, they are not coming from a high moral old not-too-impressive drawings the Associate Dean of Students. He reasons given to the students. could take a bucket of paint and ground,” said Prentis. “We under- from past residents of First Belz on came back to the members of First “We felt like our ideas weren’t cover over the drawings. stand that we are renters. We are not the walls. Belz asking for specific names of the getting through – all people were Ford inspected the commons fighting for a right; we are humbly They began drawing caricatures people involved. First Belz did not hearing was ‘they’re drawing on the before the meeting with the men. asking for an exception to build a of Lord Nelson and Hemingway, give names, presuming this to be a walls.’” said Scharf. “I do appreciate the creativity and greater hall heritage.” literary quotes, and other drawings part of a disciplinary measure. “Covenant is not so big that the intent behind this project,” Ford New Academic Programs on Covenant’s Docket Continued from page 1 at Covenant while hiring more as something Covenant doesn’t offer— ing fully used in an adult degree department hopes to attract new needed. like American Studies, International completion program, says Nielson. students with its MAT program. “This proposed plan assumes that Studies, or Entrepreneurial Studies. “What Covenant is best at is The Masters can work in conjunc- direct programs and resources relat- more students will come to campus “It could in many senses make residential education that focuses tion with 12 qualifying academic ing to international affairs. as a result of these new academic us bigger than we look on paper,” essentially on the liberal arts and disciplines. The program will “It would bring together a lot programs,” the curriculum plan Nielson commented. implications of the liberal arts in triple the amount of majors to get of things that we’re already doing reads. related disciplines.” the MAT for secondary education well,” said Nielson, citing Cov- One way in which the college OUT WITH QUEST, IN WITH Meanwhile, the education depart- certification, according to Education enant’s push for greater intercultural hopes to add programs without THE MAT PROGRAM ment looks forward to the establish- Department Chair, Professor Jim competency and the proximity of straining resources is by restructur- ment of the five-year MAT (Masters Drexler. the Chalmers Center. ing the interdisciplinary studies ma- While new structures within the of Art and Teaching) program which This weekend the board also ap- A film program would follow on jor (IDS). Ideally, the department academic world at Covenant rise up, will finally be implemented with proved the new program to offer an its heels in 2012-2013.