From the President’s Desk

In twenty-seven days, I will be history. My tenure as president of Hiwassee comes to an end with the May 1 Commencement activities.

I continue to read and reflect on Hiwassee’s. There is a critical theme: persistence and determination.

Documents from the early 1900s indicated there was within Methodism a sense that

Hiwassee was “different, . . . a friend of the poor, and people of the church understood the poor.”

This sense of mission took hold, and the Holston Conference Board of Missions received favorably a proposal from the college to establish a Missionary Training School. The Board of Missions also moved to assume responsibility for the college.    A May 1908 agreement with the Holston Annual Conference indicated the conference would: maintain a “capable faculty of not less than three teachers”; keep property in good condition; maintain a course of study equal to two years of collegiate education; and be designated a “junior college.”At that time, Hiwassee ceased granting the Bachelor’s level degree—or a law degree which the college attempted for a brief period. The college focused on the grammar school, high school, and junior college level.Hiwassee has a tradition of making a significant contribution to the mission of the people called Methodist.

In 1921, 200 Holston Conference Methodist preachers had studied at Hiwassee College.

In the mid 1920’s Emory & Henry College needed funds to match a proposed gift from the Methodist General Board of Education. Hiwassee loaned the first fourteen thousand dollars of income from a Christian Education Fund drive to help its sister receive the gift.

In December 1928, Hiwassee College was admitted into the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools—the pre-curser of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This was an important mark of institutional maturity and strength.

Almost simultaneously, the region’s and nation’s economy began to wither. Many colleges closed. Hiwassee hung on, determined—as it is today—to fulfill its recently reaffirmed mission.

Within a year, the school became perilously close to losing its recently won accreditation. An issue was the library—as well as deteriorating economics that was facing the entire region. The college needed $30,000—a huge sum. A bequest from the estate of Professor Street provided funds to buy neighboring land, which became the venue to feed students and faculty and to provide scholarships for needy students.

Despite ongoing financial challenges, Hiwassee continued its concern for the poor and needy. In 1933, twelve children from the Holston Orphanage came to Hiwassee.

Hiwassee’s persistence and determination—and mission—continue.

Legislation impacting Hiwassee College is wending its way through the Tennessee Senate and House of Representatives. It is a relatively small change to the Tennessee Code Annotated—one word.

Whether a change is one word or thousands of words, the process is essentially the same.

Last Wednesday, I was in Nashville to be present at the House Education Committee’s Sub-committee on Higher Education. The day began with a meeting with key House leaders. Then it was time to attend the committee session.

Thanks to Senator Randy McNally, Representative Jimmy Matlock, Hiwassee College alumnus Representative Richard Montgomery, and other friends in the Legislature, the bill is moving through the legislative process.

Those of us who have been to the Legislative Plaza and sat in on meetings—or have watched them on cable television—appreciate the dedicated work of our elected representatives. They work long and often difficult days during each day the Legislature is in session.

What impresses me is the activity in the hallways.

There are no smoke-filled rooms to work out details (smoking is prohibited in the Plaza). There are, however, hallways!

By 9:00 a.m. on any given day, the hallways are full. Displays from various groups line the walls, making the walkways narrower.

Registered lobbyists move about, visiting with pols regarding legislative needs and concerns. Interested citizens, including a college president or two, wait their turn to address issues. State bureaucrats mingle and mix, preparing to resource committees when items related to their governmental programs are considered.

Wednesday also included a few protesters, but most of the group was outside the building, holding a midday rally to voice their concerns.

This is the environment in which our legislators work. While the electorate might not agree with all the decisions reached, our representatives do their best assure the best direction of the State of Tennessee, despite distractions and competing demands.

I was privileged to speak to the Higher Education Sub-Committee regarding HB3479—the reason I was in Nashville. It made it out of the sub-committee and will be before the full House Education Committee this coming Wednesday.

The process in the Senate also is moving along.

Passage of the bill by the Legislature will assure students attending Hiwassee College will be eligible for the Hope Scholarship resources.

I will be back in Nashville next week to contribute to the congestion in the hallways—and to work for students of our region and their access to Hope Scholarships to further their education.

Hiwassee College hosts an Open House for high school seniors and their families on March 27. The day begins at 9:00 a.m. with registration in the Rymer Student Center. It will be a great day!

This is the season when high school seniors and others increase their give greater attention to where they will attend college this coming fall. Deadlines for financial aid applications approach. The dreaded Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) needs family attention and timely filing in order to receive the best financial aid packages.

Choosing a college is a challenge. There are an abundance of experts telling us what college we should choose, and every college’s admissions counselor has a spin regarding why one should attend the college they represent!

I offer some thoughts regarding choosing at college.

Decide what is important. Are there special characteristic and resources that are important to you? Small classes? Personal attention? A good library? Up-to-date technology? Athletic facilities? Spiritual life? Varsity and intramural sports and other activities?

The largest college is not necessarily the best option. Most good liberal arts colleges have a student population of less than 3,000 students. The reason: college is a time for exploration and personal reflection, as well as study. The smaller college is more likely to create the community to help make that happen.

Big name colleges do not guarantee success. A lot of folk have attended less well-known colleges. For example, Hiwassee has graduated judges, a governor, a U.S. Postmaster General, a founder of the U.S. Weather Service, a prime minister, politicians, preachers, teachers and parents!　

The major reason for choosing a college should NOT be because a girlfriend or boyfriend is headed there.

Don’t rule out a college because of cost. You will miss out if you assume you cannot afford a college because of the “sticker price.” Colleges offer scholarships, financial aid, and tuition installment plans that make them far more affordable than you first thought. Meet with the financial aid officers of the college. You may well be surprised at the aid package you receive. Data from a few years ago indicates a student will graduate with less debt after four years at Hiwassee then after four years a nearby major state institution.

A college education is not free. The funds invested in a student’s education are an investment in the student’s future success.

Visit the campus—perhaps more than once. You can learn a lot by spending time on campus. You will get a sense of the feel of the campus and whether it is “fit.　

Two blocks away from the Hilton Hotel in Belfast, N.I., is a building with a unique exterior. There are many such buildings in this fascinating and welcoming city.

Covering the street-side façade of the building is a display, three stories tall and perhaps two hundred feet wide.  The display is covered with the faces, primarily of children, youth and young men and woman.  The background of the wall is covered by words, perhaps as many as two hundred, repeating across this gigantic display

I readily understood the one word in English.  Then, with closer scrutiny, I recognized a few of the other words in common “foreign” languages such as French, German, and Spanish.   These words all translated the same:  “dream.”

In fact, all the words on the wall translated to “dream.” 

The wall faces a busy street.  I wonder how many folk drive or walk by the building and never see the wall. Even more, I wonder how many drive or walk by and never see the message.  I nearly did.

Dream!

Within each individual is the potential to dream.  A dream can be a powerful inspiration for one’s life.   Unfortunately, there are a multiple forces and influences that blur the invitation to dream as well as others that discourage individuals from following their dreams.

I suspect all of us have heard some discouraging words regarding following a dream: “be realistic;” “you could never do that:” we have no resources;”  “you are from rural Tennessee;”  “that’s ridiculous;” and worse.

The Prophet Joel spoke about dreaming, and Peter echoed those words when he described the “craziness” of the people at Pentecost.  “. . . God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

Dreams are planted in our consciousness from a variety of sources: parents and grandparents; what we watch on television; the words of public servants and social crusaders; pastors and teachers, and education; and God.

Since 1849, Hiwassee College has been a dream-creating resource for students, providing an environment in which individuals can discover their dreams and decide to follow them.

Hiwassee College’s faculty and staff help students discover, follow, and fulfill their dreams.

We encourage our students to capture an attitude expressed by Robert F. Kennedy: Some [folk]   see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.”

Purim began February 27.  I nearly overlooked it.

Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar.  It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.

The story is recorded in the Book of Esther.  Heroes of the story are Esther and her uncle, Mordecai.

The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king.  Haman hated Mordecai, and he plotted to destroy not only Mordecai, but the entire Jewish people in Persia. The Scripture tells the story of how Esther saved the people from annihilation.

As I reflect on this powerful story of deliverance, I keep returning to the conversation between Haman and the king.  Haman was interested in starting a rumor regarding the alleged disloyalty of Mordecai—and all the Jews—to the king.   The king, apparently with minimal interest in the accuracy of the claim, said, “Well it must be true. Go take care of it.” 

Rumors are an amazingly powerful force. They often are widely disseminated with no discernable source or a known authority for its truth.  Sometimes rumors are true; sometimes they are not.  Often they possess a kernel of truth—but not “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

Rumors regarding Hiwassee College have circulated during the past ten days or so.  Let me set the record straight.Hiwassee’s total assets are approximately $11.8 million, slightly less than Harvard University! Hiwassee’s total debt is approximately $500,000, less than half of what it was a year ago—considerably less than Harvard’s!

Hiwassee has not sold its campus. We have used two parcels of the college’s 411 acres as security for some business transactions.  The property, however, returns to Hiwassee when the terms are complete.

Innuendos regarding misuse of funds for federal programs are untrue. We have a clean record.

Hiwassee has recognition by TRACS, an accrediting body which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  

The men’s basketball team’s travel to the national tournament was underwritten by gifts specified by individuals for that purpose.  A professional bus driver volunteered his time for the transportation.

Hiwassee’s current challenge is cash flow.  Some of this challenge will be reduced in mid-April, when we anticipate resumption of access to federal financial aid and loan resources.  However, more funds are needed.

Hiwassee needs the support of the community during this interim time.  With your support, we will be fine.

A newspaper has a limited number of column inches per edition.  It is impossible for an editor to get on the front page—or any page—all the news that every reader believes is the most important news item of the day.  I was managing editor of my college newspaper and I know first-hand this is the case!

Here are two “front page” headlines of some fine happening at Hiwassee.

This week, the Hiwassee Tigers men’s basketball team travels to Fayette, Pennsylvania, to participate in the national tournament of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.  This is the first time in several years the men’s team has been in such a tourney.  

The eight member team, coached by alumnus Darrian Jones, is ranked fifth in the nation!  This is remarkable for several reasons.

First, our team is small in number with eight players—but large in determination.  The team’s schedule has been arduous, competing against larger teams from larger schools.

This is a transition year, moving from a two-year to four-year athletic program.  Most of the teams Hiwassee has played included juniors and seniors, teams with extra years to gel and mature.  We have stood our ground.

In addition, we are in the wrong division.  The USCAA accidentally placed Hiwassee in the division with schools providing athletic scholarships.  Hiwassee does not provide athletics scholarships.   I wonder how we would have done against non-scholarship schools!

The team’s first game is on March 4 at noon, versus Southern Virginia University. You can track the team’s progress this week at the following site:  http://theuscaa.com/pdffiles/BB10Landing.pdf .

I always am impressed by the quality of our weekly chapel services, coordinated by the Reverend Betty Furches, our chaplain.

This past week, three students provided excellent music for the service, including  an original number composed by Yeudi Gerardo Ramirez Araya, a student from Costa Rica.

Our student body may be small, but the quality is high!

Hiwassee is changing the world by enriching students’ lives and challenging them to grow.  This happens because of the marvelous dedication of faculty and staff and the learning and living environment they create.

We all need to support Hiwassee and it mission of changing the world.

Karla and I will leave Hiwassee College and Madisonville in a couple months. 

The decision to do so results from months of prayer and discernment regarding what God is calling us to do and where we are called to do it. That’s the same process that brought us to Hiwassee a little more than seven years ago.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as president of Hiwassee College.  Hiwassee has a great history and a marvelous future.  My decision to resign results from an understanding that the primary reason I was called to be president at Hiwassee, to help address issues of accreditation and position was to help address the issues of accreditation and to position the college and its programs for a lively future.

Now it is time for new leadership to assume the reigns of the college and lead Hiwassee to its next plateau.

I am grateful for the friendship we have experienced in this community and for the colleagues with whom I have worked.  My prayers are with Hiwassee College as she secures new leadership and moves forward.

Presidential transition does not mean the end of tradition.   Twenty-one presidents, and several interim presidents, have led Hiwassee College during its 161 year tradition.  The tradition will continue.

It should continue. 

Hiwassee is in the midst of its annual spring fundraising emphasis.  The financial support of the community, both from individuals and businesses, is essential to Hiwassee’s current and future strength.  

We secure gifts from alumni and friends from around the world, but the local gifts are extremely important. 

Hiwassee is an economic engine for the region, generating approximately $15 million for the local economy and employing nearly one hundred individuals.  That is a significant reason to support the college.

There is an even better reason to support Hiwassee.  Financial gifts from the local community are invested in scholarship support for students from Monroe and nearby counties.  It is an investment in our neighbors and the future of our community.  These students—our daughters, sons, and neighbors—make a difference in our community and help make the world a better place.  Teachers, preachers, businesspersons, and political leaders in our region started their education at Hiwassee and are changing the world.

Help make this year’s campaign a marvelous success.

Judy Lee is chair of this year’s community effort.

Seven years ago this week, I began my tenure as president of Hiwassee College.  I remember standing on the front porch of the house early on the morning of Wednesday, February 10, looking out over the campus and its buildings, and gazing even further to the see the beauty of the Smoky Mountains.   Then I went to work.

I won’t bore you with a reflection on all occurrences of the past seven years.  However, I do want to give a reflection regarding what has transpired at Hiwassee in recent months. 

Twelve students have been invited to become members of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honorary society for two-year colleges.  Induction will take place on March 7.   Hiwassee College has the oldest PTK Chapter in Tennessee.

A team from the Council on Dental Accreditation visited campus last week to review plans for the pending dental hygiene program.  It was a most helpful visit.  Shelly Waters, Director of the Hygiene Program, is doing an excellent job leading the development of the program.  Remodeling for the clinic will begin in the future.

Hiwassee’s on-line study program is under way, with Dr. Sandra Tomkins teaching Freshman Composition.

Several students are enrolled in the reinstituted baccalaureate programs.

Our accreditation status with TRACS is recognized by major universities and colleges in our area, affirming what we already knew:  Hiwassee College has a strong academic program.

The University Senate of The United Methodist Church has affirmed Hiwassee as a United Methodist-related college for the next five years.

Hiwassee’s annual community fundraising campaign is beginning with a goal of $100,000.  Two significant gifts already have been received.  Community support is a good investment.  Economic assessments indicate the college generates about $15 million dollars for the local economy—not bad for a $100,000 investment!

Of course, there have been challenges.  Every day is an adventure.  One of my slogans is “there are a multitude of challenges—and an equal number of opportunities.”

I still stand on the porch some mornings.  I look at the college and see the mountains.  Both have been here a long time.  One—the mountains—is impressive for its natural beauty.  The other—Hiwassee—is impressive for its impact in shaping lives and creating opportunities for past, current and future generations of learners.

On January 21, the University Senate of The United Methodist Church voted that Hiwassee continue to be listed as a United Methodist-related college.  This is great news!

The listing continues for a period of five years.

In 2009, the Senate had voted to delist Hiwassee because it did not have regional accreditation.  We submitted a formal request for reconsideration and our listing as United Methodist-related continued until reconsideration was completed two weeks ago.

We are gratified by the University Senate’s recognition of Hiwassee’s longstanding mission in the United Methodist tradition.  The release from the Senate stated “The Holston Conference, the resident bishop and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees continue their strong support for the extraordinary mission for the college . . .” as it serves individuals of the region.

Hiwassee College has been part of the Methodist tradition since its founding.  The relationship with our Church shapes who we are and how we conduct our mission.

According to the University Senate’s “Marks of a United Methodist-related educational institution,” United Methodist-related colleges:

• Respects, honors and provides the teaching of religion, and specifically, appropriate scholarly theological teaching in the Christian tradition within the curriculum. In the case of professional institutions and programs, the curriculum includes opportunity for faculty and student reflection on the ethical dimensions of professional practice.
• Respects and honors religious practice and, specifically, worship and service for students and faculty who choose to participate in the Christian tradition within the total life of the school.
• Allows faculty and students to explore the place of religious belief and practice, and specifically, the intellectual dimensions of Christian faith, in all academic disciplines and co-curricular activities.
• Encourages the exploration of the place of religious belief and practice in the larger society and advocates appropriate recognition of the contributions of religion to public life.
• Recognizes the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church and seeks to create a community of scholarship and learning which facilitates social justice.
• Includes in its faculty, administrative officers, and board of trustees persons who understand and respect the relationship with the United Methodist Church.

The University Senate will monitor the college’s progress during the ensuing five year period.

Last weekend, Karla and I were privileged to have two wonderful guests in our home, Dr. Bill and Anne Frame.  The Frames are a retired presidential couple, having led Augsburg College in Minnesota for a decade.  Karla and I know them through another connection.

Bill and Anne were leaders of a program called, “Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission”.  Coordinated through the Council for Independent Colleges and funded by a grant from the Lily Foundation, the program brought together presidents and spouses from several colleges for times to reflect on each individual’s—and each couple’s—understanding of personal vocation as a president and how the personal understanding matched the stated –or unstated—mission of the institution they serve.

Bill and Anne also mentored us through regular phone conversations and discussion.  They were a gift to our lives.  Their time on campus reminded me they continue to be a gift to us!  We talked and listened and shared for hours.

What drew Karla and me to Hiwassee was its mission, and our understanding of being called by God to a ministry of transforming lives through higher education in a value-centered Christian environment.  It was a fit—our sense of vocation and Hiwassee’s mission.

Theologian Frederick Buechner says “the place God calls you is where your deep gladness and the world’s deepest hunger meet.”  This has been the case for us.

There is another part of the mix: following our call to make a difference each day.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a distant friendly party, but they say nothing, and if we do use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away.” 

Days come to us every twenty-four hours, a gift from God.  They are the landscape on which we can make our contribution, using our gifts and opportunities.  The day that is today will be gone when the clock strikes midnight.  If we chose to do nothing, the day goes away, silently, unmarked, not influenced by our gifts, our commitments, or our beliefs.

At the beginning of each day, it is good to pause to remember the opportunities before us and to resolve to make a positive contribution to our community and the world.  At the end of each day, it is important to pause to give thanks for the opportunities we have had to make a difference.