Griffin Cobb ’18 chats with Bingham Diversity Scholar Dr. Avery Tompkins about his research on gender and how it relates to issues at TU.
The 2017-2018 university budget: what you need to know
Transylvania University’s budget for 2017-18 was outlined at the Student Government Association meeting on Wednesday, Mar. 22 by VP of Finance Marc Mathews.
What the biggest changes are: A student tuition increase of 3.9 percent or $1750 will go into effect for students not under the level tuition plan. $290 of that total is for room and board. Most of the additional revenue, which totals $853,000, will be used for a salary pool for faculty and staff raises ($400,000) and increases in depreciation, interest, and other expenses for the three new residence halls ($429,000).
What else has changed: Next year, Transy will see a $952,000 increase in revenue (2.5 percent) and a $1,377,000 increase in expenses (3.6 percent), which means the deficit will grow from 2016-17’s $585,000 to just over $1 million.
The increase in revenue not generated by the tuition increase comes from $69,000 in gifts, $22,000 in auxiliary revenue such as summer camps, and $8,000 in “other” revenue.
The increase in expenses primarily comes from the first full year of depreciation and interest payments on the new halls. “That’s not surprising… we’ve known that was coming, and that was just one of the impacts of it,” said Mathews. The budget also accounts for a utility cost increase of $70,000 and a health insurance plan cost increase of $100,000. The increased utility cost is not due to increased usage but to rate increases. Faculty and staff health insurance plans are remaining at their current level of benefits.
What shaped the decisions: The university has been operating at a deficit since 2010; projections reveal that steady tuition and enrollment increases will move the university out of the red by 2018-19. The university has tried to lift this burden off of students by keeping tuition increases between 3.5-4.5 percent, opting instead to reduce expenses. “We can’t solve all our problems by increasing costs… we’ve got to look at cutting costs in other ways to come into balance,” said Mathews.
What expenses have been reduced: To recover from an enrollment dip in 2016-17, each department controlling a section of the budget was asked to reduce its expenditures by two percent at the start of Fall. Going into this fall, said Mathews, “We’ve gone in and identified cost reductions of $146,000 in other areas.” One of these areas is consolidation of staff positions. “It’s really looking at position vacancies as they come up and saying, ‘Do we really need to fill this job? Can we share it?’,” said Mathews.
What the projections are based on: Three hundred is the predicted enrollment number for 2017-18, a moderate estimate partly reacting to last year’s overestimate. “We too many times have done budget projection based upon a lofty estimate of what incoming enrollment would be,” said Mathews. “We changed all projections now based upon that average (300).”
What we still don’t know for sure: One remaining unknown is the donor who will bequeath Pioneer Hall with its official name. A second unknown is whether actual enrollment will match, exceed, or fall short of the predicted enrollment.
What about the Haupt renovation? Next year’s Haupt renovation will be funded by a $2 million lead gift that does not impact the university operating budget. The largest expenses for the renovation will be infrastructural (such as new windows and a new HVAC), which will reduce energy costs within the budget in years to come. The renovation has been recommended by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees, but its procession will depend on whether the funding has reached 90 percent of its goal by the project’s approved start date of July 1. However, as Mathews said, “We are moving forward as if absolutely it’s happening.”
What all this means in context: In 2008-09, 1088 students attended Transylvania. This year, approximately 930 students are enrolled. Liberal arts colleges are facing an increasing challenge to demonstrate their worth in the competitive post-2008 economic environment. Transy isn’t the only school facing challenging decisions regarding tuition changes and expense alterations in its yearly budget.
“If we’re better off in May, I’d much rather figure out how to spend more money than trying to figure out how to reduce money,” said Mathews. “It’s very defeating to faculty and staff to have to go in and think about reductions because of not meeting enrollment goals. It’s much more exciting to think about how to invest money if we do better.”
Transy’s tuition is on the lowest end among its benchmark schools, which include DePauw, Ursinus, and Centre. While this offers a good value to students and their families, Transy must stay on par with its benchmarks to retain its quality price tag.
Any other numbers I should know? Thirty percent of the budget is dedicated to financial aid and scholarships, 25 to instruction and academic support, 20 to student services, admissions, and auxiliary expenses (i.e. the Sodexo contract), 13 to plant (buildings) and depreciation, and 11 to institutional support and interest (i.e. the administration).
Sixty-four percent of the revenue source comes from student tuition, a lower ratio than most other schools. Transy’s $180 million endowment makes up 25 percent of the budget. “We’re blessed to be unusual that way,” said Mathews.
Students support out of state teams
No matter the sport, there are always huge numbers of fans dressed head to toe in their team’s colors yelling and cheering on the team. Some fans even go so far as to get custom team warm ups, hoodies, and t-shirts printed in the colors of their favorite team. In Lexington, it’s impossible to go anywhere without seeing a reference to the UK Wildcats but, in such a big college town, there are people who come from different states and support different teams.
One of these out of state students is sophomore Collin Ruegg from Columbus, Ohio. “Well during football season, as an Ohio state fan, I’d compare it to being that one kid on the monkey bars who was the only one who could skip a bar and completely clear it. Also, living here with UK fans, it’s easy to become accustomed to the phrases ‘I can’t wait ’til basketball season’ and ‘bro if we played y’all in basketball we’d crush you.’ And during basketball season it’s a non stop charade of U.K. Fans being super over the top and bringing your own team (in my case Ohio State) into the conversation of explaining why they weren’t going to win a title or why another team’s player is clearly better than theirs. All love to my friends who are UK and UofL fans though,” he said about supporting his hometown team.
I am also an out of state student and as a 100 percent Pittsburger, I can honestly say UK has never really been on my radar. The UK vs. U of L wasn’t a big deal but, when Pitt and Penn State played the city shut down. This also carried over to professional sports, coming from a city fresh of a Stanley Cup championship to a state that has not produced a professional hockey player was definitely a huge change.
While it’s expected for out of state students to support their home teams, there are still some who choose to go against their home team. When asked about supporting an out of state team, junior Ty Alderman said “It’s weird, for sure. I grew up in Kentucky, so I am still a UK fan but I am a much more loyal Texas fan. When UT and UK play each other I always end up catching a lot of trash talk from all of my friends because they know that I am rooting for the “other” team. There’s almost nothing better than running into another Texas fan here though.”
While it may be harder to support teams when you don’t even live in the same state, that doesn’t matter to most fans. If it means driving a few hours to see a game, listening to it on your phone or even just checking the highlights, fans will do what it takes to support their team.
Transy Bubbles Created in Lexington High School
On Monday afternoon, a group of Transy Business Management students ventured outside the “Transy Bubble” to create bubbles elsewhere, influencing positive change among Lexington youth.
Junior Rebecca Rumentzas, along with other students from her class, carried out a project with students at Lafayette High School. “We could do anything that promoted Unlearn Fear + Hate,” said Rebecca. “We wanted to do something that metaphorically took those away from the people.”
Rebecca and her group approached this task by designing a project that involved students throwing bath bombs into the water as a symbol of releasing their own negative feelings.
“With this bomb, they stood up and stated something that they fear, hate, are stressing about, or something they would like to work on for themselves.” After all of the students had dropped their bath bombs into the water, it “had a blend of scents, colors, and fears, just like we do as people,” said Rebecca.
Although her group expected approximately twenty-five high school students, Rebecca and her group were welcomed by thirty-three. “The students were so intrigued by the art that their fears and hates created,” shared Rebecca.
According to Rebecca, the students committed to the goal of the activity, allowing themselves to be vulnerable and to share their most personal concerns and realizations. Rebecca recalled a moment in which one student compared humans to the rainbow, “having different shades and different colors.” The student stressed that, “we should actually act on what we say and make the world a better place,” said Rebecca.
Moved by the students, Rebecca stated, “seeing such young people come together and to just have those extra shoulders to lean on and not be embarrassed of their thoughts, really gave me the chills.”
Rebecca hopes that Unlearn Fear + Hate will continue to be a prominent theme on Transy’s campus and within the Lexington community.
Interview Podcast: Dr. Gregory Partain Extended Edition
In this edition of the Rambler Interview Podcast, Opinion Editor Tristan Reynolds interviews Transy professor of music Dr. Gregory Partain in a wide-ranging discussion of his performing career, composing process, and teaching philosophy.
This is an extended edition of an interview conducted for the Campus Conversations Podcast; listen to the shortened version of the interview here.
You can find more of Dr. Partain´s music online.
http://soundcloud.com/user-700281148/campus-conversation-dr-gregory-partain-long-version
Here´s why you should take a class with no papers and no tests.
In the season of planning for the 2017-2018 school year, students should consider a course called Further Engagements (FE). It was the most unconventional and wonderful course I’ve taken thus far in my academic career.
For midterms and finals, we had conversations. There were no papers, only reading assignments. It was challenging, but not stressful, and it was consistently the highlight of my weeks. Books changed, on average, every 2 weeks; so did professors. For someone who holds getting to know professors as a highlight and hallmark of a Transylvanian education, the course is a steal—7 for the price of only 1 credit.
“What makes Further Engagements distinctive? It both mainlines and models lifelong learning for the liberally educated.FE mainlines lifelong learning: it urges students and faculty to feel free to use all of their experience and knowledge to address a provocative text—right now, together—without the constraint of a quiz or a paper due.” — Jack Furlong.
With courses as small and discussion-oriented as they are at Transy, classmates can make or break a good class. The quality of participating students is one element that makes Further Engagements exceptional. Students interested in the class had to send an email to a professor explaining why they were interested in taking the course and what they thought it would contribute to their liberal arts education, along with the name of a professor who could attest to the value of their participation in class. This is not to say that Transy students aren’t incredibly hard-working in general, but this assured that everyone in the course was really there for the right reasons, and was conscious of the fact that they would be expected to bring something to the table.
The students, and their relationship with the professor as required by the setup of the course completely changes the dynamics of discussion, for the better. Professors, according to the tradition of the course, chose to teach (or rather, assign readings and guide discussions for) books outside of their field of study. This may sound illogical or inefficient, but in the liberal arts, where interdisciplinary ideas overlap and curiosity and new ways of thinking abound, it’s a wonderful thing. This completely changed the dynamic of the classroom, because it put the professor at (almost) the same level of power and understanding as the students. Students were enabled and encouraged to speak more frequently, and to take the discussion where they wished, everyone was in collaboration to move the class forward. The multi-disciplinary book/professor combos, along with the enthusiasm and diverse backgrounds of other students in the class, made for some of the most absolutely brilliant group discussions of my college career.
The books chosen, and the actual material of the course also had a positive impact on the class. The chosen books were classics. We read The Feminine Mystique, Origin of Species, Peer Gynt, Frankenstein, R.U.R., The Tibetan Book of the Dead, and Plato´s Gorgias. Many of these books are classics in the foundational sense; they were and are texts that either caused or reflected some of the most important aspects of our current society. To give an example— Friedan´s Feminine Mystique arguably helped establish a foundation for the feminism that followed from the 60’s, and which is still influential today. I loved the sense of accomplishment and well-roundedness this gave me. Moreover, my experience with these books was different and arguably better than it would have been if I’d experienced them through the lenses of their respective fields. I may not have developed a perfect scientific understanding of Charles Darwin’s original text of The Origin of Species, but through a multi-disciplinary, discussion-based perspective, I grappled with theological and social implications of the text and came to insights regarding how Darwin laid the foundation for a new worldview (an astoundingly hopeful and beautiful one, by the way). I was able to take away something you just don’t get when you learn about his contributions scientifically or superficially, and I feel like I see the world a little more clearly after reading something that changed the course of scientific history.
“This is the class that allows us to sit down, set aside our mundane works, and think about the fundamental questions and ideals like justice and virtue that shape human life.” —Sibei Lin, ’18
The course became philosophical in many ways, but without limiting itself to just the field of philosophy—the structure of the course simply requires examining the texts at the highest level.
All the academic and intellectual prowess of the course I’ve described above was complemented by a casual and incredibly personal atmosphere. We had class in different locations. We read the Tibetan Book of the Dead aloud to each other under the trees, and discussed philosophy over dinner in the President’s room with President Carey. We gathered in the lobby in BSC with all the stuffed birds and icky things in jars to discuss the Origin of Species with Dr. Slepyan, and made tea to accompany cookies and Chinese food in the chemistry lab with Dr. Csuhai for our reading and occasional listening to and acting out of the play Peer Gynt. I’m convinced the casual nature of our gatherings contributed to the quality of our discussions, as well as helping us form a more personal relationship with professors and peers. Something about being freshly stuffed with egg rolls brings out the best and brightest in people.
Further Engagements should be embraced by students and faculty and continued in future years. University support is important to bring in professors and to promote the course to students. Look for it on Tnet and Tnotes for the 2017-2018 school year.
Campus Conversation: Dr. Gregory Partain
Tristan Reynolds ’19, in conversation piano-side with pianist-composer and Transylvania music professor Gregory Partain.
The Rambler features campus photography
We all know that photography is crucial part of a millennial’s life, so why not see what those of us at Transy can come up with? Every two weeks, bi-weekly, we will feature entries of photos that are sent to us! You may send your own description of the photo, or maybe you have a story to send behind the image. Whatever this picture means to you, let the rest of us know on campus! Show everyone what photography means to you, show off that pretty picture!
Once all entries are received, we at The Rambler may even pick a favorite to make the feature photo for that issue of bi-weekly photos. Keep in mind that it is not a contest. As the editor of Extra, I would like to begin finding new ways to incorporate you, the reader, into the stories as much as possible. What better way to get involved in media than to share some of your very own media? So get out there and get to taking pictures and making memories happen!
Because this is the first rendition of the bi-weekly photo entries, I have chosen to feature a wonderful photo shot by our very own chief editor Megan Graft. It is an absolutely gorgeous picture of a wine glass beside a candle. Remember, this could be your photo next time!
Get Sprung: Five Kentucky Spring Break Options
Whoa! This semester is going by quick, am I right? Yes? No? Maybe? Well whatever your answer may be, spring break has finally arrived smack dab in the middle of the semester! Whether you plan on staying in for a whole week straight, watching Netflix, playing video games, or sleeping for the length of the break, there are plenty of fun options outside the ole’ home around the state.
- Red River Gorge & Natural Bridge
One of the many favorite outdoor activities when the weather gets warm, hiking! While there are many options for hikers in Kentucky, both Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge are close by Lexington to visit. Not only are they close by, but the parks themselves are only a few miles apart. They are located a few minutes from Stanton, Kentucky which is only about 45 minutes from Lexington. These two places are a spectacular trip that could be visited in a single day if you have the energy to get your body moving!
- Bourbon Trace Distillery
Assuming you are of age and you like bourbon, or maybe you just like learning about Kentucky history, the Bourbon Trace Distillery is a landmark of a business that flourished in the state. This distillery is one of the most famous in the world, and many who live here in Kentucky don’t even know it exists! As someone who has personally been there and toured, I can say it was both a fun and educational experience about the ancestry of Kentucky.
- Newport Aquarium
Newport is an awesome town just across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio! That alone could be a reason to visit, but the focused fame of Newport is its aquarium. It is known by many Kentuckians as a place you might have been taken as a kid or took a possible field trip to it in school. It is the nearest aquarium to Lexington, as Newport is only an hour and a half away, and is an extraordinary trip for a group of friends or a family who love seeing fish!
- Mammoth Cave National Park
The most historic park of Kentucky, dedicated to the country as a National Park. You can hike and camp as well as tour the caves! After all, Mammoth Cave is one of the longest cave systems in the entire world! Why not take a trip to find out what natural wonders await you in what the rivers and waterfalls carved long ago? Coincidently, it is located right outside Park City, Kentucky. It is a little further than other daytrip destinations from Lexington, clocking in around two hours for the drive time. However, in the end, it is worth the trip as it is a historical landmark and spectacle to see!
- The Louisville Zoo
The zoo is known to be a classic leisure activity, because who doesn’t love to see animals? Well maybe some people aren’t so keen with seeing exotic animals, but how about you? Located in the northwestern part of the state, the Louisville Zoo is a cheap and fun way to go and see animals that you wouldn’t normally get to see! That statement is an obvious one, as it is a zoo! Anyway, why not bring all your friends or family for a cool trip to see and interact with animals while also supporting a state business!
Whatever you choose to do with your spring break this semester, just keep in mind that there are all these options and so many more in the state of Kentucky!
Transy is taking a stand on trans rights. Here’s why they needed to.
Last week the Trump administration announced the withdrawal of Obama’s policy on transgender rights in educational programs regarding equal protection under the Title IX guidelines. The Obama administration had issued a formal guideline to colleges and universities which stated that schools “must not treat a transgender student differently from the way it treats other students of the same gender identity.” The Obama administration basically told colleges that the federal government interpreted Title IX rules to include protections for transgender people instead of only those who identify as cisgender.
Instead of continuing with the policy of the Obama administration, the Trump administration recently withdrew this guideline which offered protection from discrimination, bullying, and harassment in schools to transgender students. The power to interpret this part of Title IX, and therefore to protect or deny protections to transgender rights, is now being turned over to states and local school districts. They can either adopt policies similar to the withdrawn guidelines, which protect these students, or they can refuse to forbid the discrimination of this marginalized group.
According to Transy’s stated Title IX policies, the university “prohibits sex- and gender-based discrimination in educational programs”. Although the university’s official Title IX policy statement doesn’t clearly define sex and gender, it is apparent that Transy considers sex and gender two separate concepts.
For those of you that aren’t clear on the difference, sex is simply the physical difference between a penis and a vagina, while gender is a social construct consisting of various gender roles that are attached to a specific sex. You can see some of these gender roles played with and expressed on well-known websites similar to hdpornvideo. Check this hdpornvideo to see what hype is all about. When a person says that they’re a man or woman, that’s an expression of their gender identity. A person who’s transgender has a different gender identity than the one that matches their physical sex assigned at birth. A person can also express a non-binary identity, which means they aren’t necessarily identifying as a man or a woman in terms of their gender identity. Every aspect of life is harder when someone is transgender. From Transgender Dating, to deciding what bathroom they should use and what clothes they should wear, removing these transgender rights is making life more difficult for trans people.
Many people express their gender identity through following gender roles. Gender roles are essentially socially constructed rules that are differentiated by one’s sex. They assign typical characteristics, attributes, behaviors and lifestyles for both the male and female sex within society. These predetermined expectations shape and influence who a person is. Gender roles tell us that women are meant to be softer, quieter and more maternal than men, who are expected to be tough and macho, not even adult film sites conform by these social constructs any more, don’t believe me? Head on over to somewhere like Nu Bay.
All these different definitions can create legal questions when a law like Title IX doesn’t clearly define what is meant by sex and gender. The law isn’t clear, for example, on whether gender identity is protected under Title IX.
Transy, for its part, has taken a pretty clear position. Even though the Title IX handbook doesn’t clearly state how the school handles cases of discrimination or harassment towards transgender students, Ashley Hinton-Moncer, Transy’s Title IX Coordinator, states that it is the school’s duty to protect transgender students. She states that “With or without the federal guidance, I am committed to ensuring all students have the right to equal education free from harassment.” Hinton-Moncer is not the only staff member or professor on Transylvania’s campus that has gone on the record to commit to protecting trans* students. The Academic Dean, Laura Bryan, also stated Transylvania is committed to “creating a safe and respectful environment for all students, faculty, and staff, regardless of gender identity or expression.” It has been made extremely clear from the faculty, staff, and administration that our university believes in equal protection and validity of all genders on campus.
Transylvania’s position is the morally justifiable stance towards transgender rights in educational programs. Gender equality is a basic human right that should be implemented in law and society, and gender identity and trans* issues are a part of that. In the same way that Transylvania cannot discriminate against a female student based on sex, it is equally as absurd for Transylvania to discriminate against a student based on their gender identity. It’s encouraging and important that Transy takes a stand on this issue, and I’m glad they did. Last week I was reminded as to why I chose to get my education at Transylvania University when I heard the position they took regarding this important issue.
Megan Goins
