news-record.com

Over the last few weeks, the News & Record and other media have reported on the financial stress being experienced at Greensboro College. The reports have emphasized salary cutbacks, some benefits lost and the suspension of the school's sabbatical program for faculty.

While certainly newsworthy on its face, the situation at Greensboro College is not unlike that being experienced by many colleges and universities across the land, from the UNC system to the smallest of private schools.

As chairman of the Greensboro College Board of Trustees, I have been personally involved in what we call the school's Recovery Plan. GC President Craven E. Williams, the President's Council and the board's finance committee have developed a plan to keep the college on firm financial footing.

Greensboro College opened in 1838 and has always met the highest standards of a liberal arts education. Rest assured that Greensboro College will weather the economic storm of the moment and emerge all the stronger for it.

As for the steps we have taken to conserve resources, there is no question that some are very painful. We regret having to put any of them into effect. Certainly, a 20 percent reduction in staff and faculty salaries is a significant burden for the fine people who work at Greensboro College. Also, the elimination of one faculty position and seven staff positions and the suspension of our paid sabbatical program were not decided upon lightly. It also should be noted that the salary reduction did not extend to the hourly employees, the ones who can least absorb the loss. But throughout this difficult process, the main focus of our Recovery Plan has been on identifying savings that will not directly affect the instructional program. We have emphasized to our more than 1,300 students and their families that the quality education they have come to expect will not be harmed as we tighten our belts.

Unfortunately, during the public discussion of the college's financial stress, some have voiced undue criticism of Dr. Williams, a few concluding the college's president is primarily responsible for GC's financial condition. Nothing could be further from the truth.

To the extent that we all share some responsibility when things go awry, Dr. Williams has acknowledged and accepts his share. After all, he is the captain on the bridge facing what amounts to a perfect fiduciary storm. At the same time, Williams deserves much of the credit for the stature of today's Greensboro College.

During his 17 years of leadership at GC, more than $71 million has been raised for new educational programs and facilities. The endowment has grown from $8 million to $38 million and more than $27 million has been spent to improve facilities. Williams is largely responsible for creating the paid sabbatical program that we have regretfully suspended.

In the Guilford County community, his contributions have been far too numerous to list here, save a few. On this impressive journey as an ambassador for Greensboro College, he serves as chairman of the Moses Cone Health System board, heads the Council Eagle Board for the Boy Scouts of America, having previously served as president of the council and has led the last three Guilford County "Bonds for Schools" campaigns that have raised nearly $1 billion. He was the first to serve two terms as chairman of the city's Chamber of Commerce.

Instead of seeking to assign blame, the large majority in the Greensboro College family has come together to meet our financial problems head-on and solve them. In just two days, our Board of Trustees contributed more than $1 million. Optimism has been our watchword, and it will continue to be.

We will not be sidetracked by those who wish to place the blame rather than resolve the issues. We are developing a detailed operating plan for the remainder of this fiscal year and fiscal 2010. This will define our future funding requirements, give us a clear path to cash-neutral operations in the short term and profitability in the long term.

Dr. Williams and I have heard from scores of area residents who have expressed enthusiastic support for the college. We have "set our minds" to fixing what ails us. The board is firm in its commitment to Dr. Williams and his capable and dedicated leadership during this time of challenge in the 171st year of Greensboro College.

J. Robert Stout is chairman of the Board of Trustees at Greensboro College.