Point News, 1990 September 19

              September 19, 1990 The Point News Page 13
Library renovations are nearing completion
By Andrea D'Onofrio
The new library began as
a two-dimensional design about
four years ago. The actual work
began two years ago. Difficulty,
however, has been encountered
during construction. There has
been a problem with television and
radio cables going out. This has to
do with an antennae being installed
on the roof of the library. It may
also, with regard to the radios,
have to do with equipment problems
at its distribution point, the audio­visual
center. It should only be a
matter of days before the problem
is resolved.
Also, some students
voicedaconcem aboutrun-offinto
the pond. Two unexpectedly harsh
rains added to the problem, but
more study was done at the site.
To rectify the situation, a retention
pond was built to preserve the pond.
In addition to that, it seems
that the wood floors have a tendency
to buckle for no apparent reason.
This calls for destructive testing.
It is necessary to rip up some of the
floor and look for a moisture
problem. Inconvenience caused
by this matter will be limited, as
such work is being scheduled around
vacations.T
he new walkways are
only temporary. Asphalt was placed
down to prevent damage and to
provide better access to the
buildings. The new, permanent
walkways should be completed by
late October or early November.
Originally, it was intended
that the data center should be
finished in August with the audio­visual
center complete by the third
week of September. It was also
expected that the exterior would
bedoneinmid-July. Here builders
encountered difficulty in going from
two-dimensional plans to three-dimensional
work. The plans called
for terraces between the slopes;
however, the grading would not
allow for it. Now, it has been
remodeled as a series of terraces.
Although things are not going as
first scheduled, thirty days is not a
tremendous set-back in a project
of this magnitude.
In addition to the exterior
changes, interior alterations have
also been made. The library's
acquisition budget increased a great
deal this year. Due to the extended
budget, several hundred new
subscriptions are being added to
those currently on file. Also, there
is a new computer system at the
students' disposal.
The estimated cost of the
new building, renovations, moving,
and new furnishings is $8 million.
PHOTO BY AARON GARNETT
The new library, pretty damn impressive. And how about all those windows.
Lewis claims requested resignation unrelated to program
continued from page 1
originally approved of the concept
behind the design, he later ex­plained,
"We as an institution
have to stay away from making
political comments when acting as
an institution." Cihlar, speaking
for the college, affirmed that the
cover design "was not appropriate
for an institutional brochure."
The program had small
blow-ups of pieces of Helms' face
strewn throughout its pages; there­fore,
it could not be rebound but,
instead, had to be entirely reprinted.
The original programs cost approxi­mately
$5,000 according to the
Division of Arts and Letters secre­tary,
Gail Purcell. Cihlar said the
reprinting of the new, revised pro­gram,
which featured a nondescript,
gray cover, only cost the college
$2,000 to $3,000.
Laughton felt that the
cover had a two-fold purpose, both
to draw people to the festival func­tions
and to educate them regard­ing
the ongoing NEA controversy.
"I didn't see any problem [with it].
We should support the arts," ex­pressed
Laughton. Some ques­tioned
the appropriateness of the
covers pointing out that there was
no discussion of Helms or the NEA
scheduled for the festival, Laughton
responded, "The arts have a com­mon
point that pulls it together in
subtle ways. The link is obvious
there."
Though it was not dis­cussed
in an organized manner,
Laughton felt that the subject matter
was present. Laughton refered to
an open letter printed in the re­vised
program. The letter, from
the President of Czechoslovakia,
stressed the importance of free­dom
of the arts. He also men­tioned
the Soviet dissident art ex­hibit
displayed as part of the festi­val,
the politically significant sub­ject
matter of the plays performed
and the anti-censorship materials
passed out with the play programs.
Laughton says that act­ing
as a division head he's never
had to have a cover design ap­proved
in the past. He did, how­ever,
point out that a school
policy exists requiring any indi­vidual
mailing out more than 100
copies of material representing the
college to complete a mailing
authorization form. The form
requires the signatures of both a
senior administrator and a school
publications mailing editor. This
policy applied to the calendar. Beth
Truebell, the Director of Grants
and Public Correspondence, did
sign the authorization form.
Truebell says she was told
by Laughton that the cover fea­tured
"a blurry silhouette of Jesse
Helms." She says she told Laughton
that the image "doesn't personally
offend me, but you need to get
[LewisJ's approval." According to
Truebell, Laughton called back
almost a week later and said that
Lewis "approved and even liked
it." She says that Laughton, upon
further questioning, admitted that
Lewis hadn’t actually seen the cover
since it had not yet been printed in
final form. Truebell says that
Laughton then called back once
again saying the cover had been
approved, which she assumed meant
Lewis had seen it. Truebell agreed
with Laughton that normally the
President's approval would not be
necessary and that she only wanted
it because of the political nature of
the design.
Laughton says that Lewis
had "no qualms" with the concept
when he described it to him over
the phone but admits Lewis was
not able to see a copy. He said he
did not realize that Truebell wanted
Lewis to actually see the cover and
pointed out that Lewis had never
required his personal approval of a
Cheasapeake Summer Arts cover
before. Laughton says there may
have been a "misunderstanding"
with Truebell but insists he fol­lowed
all the normal procedures
in having the calendar reviewed
before having 300 copies mailed
across campus through the mail-room
and an additional 4,700 mailed
through a private distribution
company.
"We as an
institution have to
stay away from
making political
comments when
acting as an
institution."
-President Lewis
Lewis feels that Laughton
"subverted" official distribution
procedures and that the designated
mailing approval process "was, in
a sense, not followed." He said he
feels he was "mislead" but will not
elaborate in what way. Cihlar
said that Laughton was "expected
to have it approved," but could not
confirm that Laughton knew this.
She also said that Laughton went
only "part of the way" through the
required process and that certain
signatures were "in question" but,
again, would not elaborate. Though
Cihlar admits, "The internal con­trol
wasn't quite good enough,"
she contends, "The general feel­ing
is that [Laughton] made a poor
judgement."
Responding to possible
allegations of wrongdoing,
Laughton questions, "In whose
interests would it have been to do
something like that?"
Upon returning from a
highly-selective, Fulbright fellow­ship
program in China in early
July, Laughton received word that
Lewis would like to speak with
him. He had been absent at the
time of the program shredding. At
their meeting, according to
Laughton, Lewis immediately asked
for Laughton's resignation.
Laughton said a discussion fol­lowed
but is not willing to reveal
what was discussed. Laughton
resigned his position soon after­wards.
He renegotiated a teaching
contract that included a $4,000
pay cut.
Laughton said he had
received a letter from the Provost
thanking him for his past year's
service as Division Head and re­newing
his contract for the next
year just a few weeks prior to his
meeting with Lewis. Laughton
contends that he has never received
a negative evaluation from either
the Provost or the President. He
points out that he was on sabbati­cal
during the Fall 1989 semester
and he never received any sort of
negative critique, written or ver­bal,
throughout the Spring 1990
semester. Lewis maintains that
there is no connection between the
Summer Arts program being shred­ded
over the summer and his re­quest
for Laughton's resignation.
He also is unwilling to reveal the
nature of his discussion with
Laughton. "It would be unfair to
discuss someone's job perform­ance,"
contends Lewis. Cihlar,
reflecting Lewis' statements, said,
"The fact that he is no longer divi­sion
head has nothing to do with
this. I can say that very confi­dently."
Presently, Dr. Sandra
Underwood is serving as Acting
Head of the Division. Dr. Lewis
said that her appointment was "over­whelmingly"
accepted by the divi­sional
faculty and that it is ex­pected
a permanent replacement
will be found within two weeks.
The present status of the
Chesapeake Summer Arts is "in flux"
according to Cihlar. Lewis says
that changes are being considered
due to "budgetary concerns" but
that he could not discuss the sub­ject
until it was done being de­bated.
Laughton has been asked to
continue serving as executive di­rector
of the festival.
Cihlar said the incident
has been "embarrassing" to the
college but that "the college cate­gorically
denies" there has been
any censorship. "The college does
not consider it censorship," she
expressed. Lewis explained that it
was within his right as President to
make the determination that the
cover design could not be used.
Laughton emphasized that
both Lewis and the college as a
whole have been "strong and con­sistent"
in their support of the arts.
He remarked, "I don't like the way
this was done necessarily, but I
don't have any negative reactions
against the college."
Laughton and Lewis agree that
the shredding of the programs and
Laughton's subsequent resignation
have had an effect on the mood
within the division. Laughton com­mented,
"The atmosphere has
changed completely." Many of
the division faculty members aren't
completely familiar with the spe­cifics
of the incidentand expressed
concern.