Unanswered questions about abrupt departure of Alumni Relations Director rattle WWC community

Gabriel Sistare and Ricky Ochilo, staff writers

The sudden departure of Alumni Relations Coordinator Jonathan Hettrick has triggered concern throughout the Warren Wilson College campus.

An e-mail, sent by the President for Advancement Sallie Grace Tate on Apr. 28, said that Hettrick would be “leaving Warren Wilson College to pursue other opportunities.”

Following up on dialog that was initiated on the faculty-talk list serve soon after the e-mail was sent out, many faculty and staff members expressed their concern and confusion about Hettrick’s departure at an advancement office “Lunch and Learn” on Friday, May 1.

Program Director of Social Work Dr. Alison Climo was concerned about the impact that Hettrick’s departure could have on the culture of the College.

“We are so demoralized,” she said. “It is heartbreaking.”

Climo felt uneasy about the situation surrounding Hettrick’s departure.

“Something about the process doesn’t feel right,” she said. About Tate’s e-mail, Climo said, “I feel like there is this tone that is distressing.”

Library Director Christine Nugent said that something is now broken at the College.

“This will take some time to get through,” she said, acknowledging the unsettling feeling many staff and faculty members had after hearing about Hettrick.

Vice President for Administration and Finance Jonathan Ehrlich said that members of the community were making unwarranted assumptions and acknowledged that the College cannot legally talk about personnel issues.

College President Sandy Pfeiffer tried treassure concerned members of the community and said that everyone needs to work together.

“We need to get to know each other better,” he said.

On May 4, Tate sent a second e-mail elaborating on the initial notice of Hettrick’s departure.

“We regret the brevity of earlier communication about this matter,” the e-mail read.

The e-mail acknowledged the years of service that Hettrick put towards the College and mentioned his tireless work organizing alumni events at Warren Wilson.

The e-mail mentioned that “steps will be taken to get a search underway for a new alumni affairs leader.”

“What happened?”

For many, the administration’s lack of transparency raises the question of whether there was a credible reason that led to Hettrick’s departure or whether he left under duress. According to Climo, however, there are personnel policies that must be followed when an employee leaves. Climo explained that it is “absolutely illegal for the administration to discuss personnel issues.” The policies protect the employees of the College but also leave room for many unanswered questions.

Regardless of the personnel policy, the administration has chosen not to inform the community of certain circumstances that led to Hettrick’s departure.

In an e-mail to the faculty list, Climo asked the question, “What happened?”

“As it stands, the administration’s tactics in handling Hettrick’s sudden departure from the College have left many baffled,” Climo said. “I suspect there is a deeper sense of fear, sadness, shock and disappointment in how this whole thing unfolded.”

For a majority of the community, the administration’s depersonalized announcement reflected a lack of respect and gratitude for an employee who served diligently to strengthen the College’s alumni relations.

Climo mentioned that had the administration included a legal statement in the context of Hettrick’s departure explaining that the law does not allow the administration to fully disclose reasons involving an employee’s departure, then went on to inform the community of Hettrick’s contributions, the announcement may not have felt “like being slapped in the face out of the blue.”

Evidently, the anger fueling in the community is primarily a result of the administration’s failure to show a genuine appreciation and acknowledgment for a long serving community member.

Hettrick’s Contributions

Jon Hettrick made many positive and meaningful contributions to the College. His devout sense of humility and yearning to build relationships with alumni and current community members reveal his strong will for the College and creative leadership. Lucy Lawrence, Professor of Social Work, recognized that Hettrick served the College wholeheartedly for seven years.

“He made strong, meaningful relationships with a broad base of alumni—from the Farm School boys to the Dorland Bell teachers to our most recent graduates,” Lawrence said.

She added that during his time as Staff Forum Co-Convener he strengthened the process of shared governance and shed light on many issues that called for community participation. Lawrence firmly believes that Hettrick’s “passion and dedication to [the College's] ideals have been steadfast.”

Alumnus, current student, respond

On Saturday, May 2, Billy Peard, Class of ‘07, sent a formal letter to Pfeiffer, Tate, and Director of External Relations Ann Bass.

In the letter Peard said that he will not be contributing to the College financially or with volunteer hours and encouraged his fellow alumni to do the same.

Peard suggested that the alumni make a pledge to one another not to contribute to the Annual Fund between now and June 30.

Peard claimed that he is “a fierce supporter of the College when Warren Wilson is deserving of such support.”
In an interview Peard said said that he has spoken with fellow alumni spanning three decades who are deeply disappointed in the administration.

“I think that an important element of trust has been attenuated if not completely broken with a series of bad decisions over the course of two years,” Peard said.

Peard redirected the issue away from Hettrick and said that the point is a change in style of management within the Advancement Office.

“[Advancement] simply ignores or is ignorant of what Wilson is all about,” said Peard.

Peard suggested what President Pfeiffer and the College could have done differently.

“There is one thing that I feel President Pfeiffer can do at this critical juncture to begin to rebuild trust among the alumni,” Peard said. “He can dispense with the current Vice President for Advancement and replace her with an individual who demonstrates a greater level of competency in fundraising and a greater appreciation for the College’s 10,000+ alumni.”

Peard received a response from Pfeiffer but not Tate.

Junior Hannah Jacobs sent a letter of concern to Grace Tate, College President Sandy Pfeiffer, staff and faculty members, and exiting Student Caucus Co-Convener Gideon Burdick.

In the letter Jacobs showed her disappointment for what she assumed was the firing of Hettrick.

“Replacing someone who has dedicated so much time and effort to the community seems to me to be a cruel and unfair way to change the way in which one facet of the community operates,” the letter read.

Jacobs said that she has received no reply from either Pfeiffer or Grace Tate.

Regarding the situation of Hettrick’s departure, Jacobs said she assumes there was some agenda behind it and  that it was not characteristic of what the College has done in the past.

“This is the sort of action a corporation would take,” said Jacobs, highlighting that this decision was a departure from the typically community-based atmosphere of the College.

John Hettrick declined to comment and Sallie Grace Tate was unavailable.

Dreamer of the week: Susan Boyle

Joseph Villers, staff writer

A google search of Susan Boyle yields almost 21,000,000 hits. On YouTube, one video post from two weeks ago of Susan Boyle’s rendition of Les Miserable’s “I Dreamed A Dream” has attracted 46,000,000 views. The 47-year-old, newly-born star has recently appeared on Oprah, as well as Larry King, CBC and The Today Show.

The story of Susan Boyle is remarkable: Before April 11, Susan Boyle was just a middle-aged, plump dweller of a small village in Scotland, living in chastity with her cat, Pebbles. “Just who is the singer Susan Boyle?” was the headline of The San Francisco Chronicle on the following day. The article referred to her as “the Scottish woman who has taken the industrialised world by storm.” On April 17th in a CBC interview she confessed that she’s a virgin who has never been kissed.

Susan Boyle has since the CBC interview lost her virginity, telling Extra’s Terri Seymour, “It was meant as a joke.” Her singing has been top-notch at least since 1999, when she released a rendition of “Cry Me A River” for a Charity album. Susan Boyle is not the Hollywood standard of beauty, and yet, her voice is stunning. According to Boyle, “It’s different for me now because everyone wants to know me.”

Simon Cowell, the famously cynical judge on such shows as Britain’s Got Talent and American Idol, is the son of music industry executive of recording giant EMI, Eric Cowell, and is himself the chief executive of A & R (Artists and Repertoire), a liaison between artists and record labels. Mr. Cowell founded Syco in 2002, a TV, film and music production company which by 2008 was estimated to make up 70% of Sony’s profits. While ABC News calls Susan Boyle “The Woman Who Shut Up Simon Cowell”, it will be more accurate to call her the woman who works for him, since he owns her label.

NC is Swine Flu free (so far)

Elizabeth Bonham, staff writer

While the CDC has classified the recent outbreak of the Swine Flu as a level four alert and emergency response measures have been enacted, neither the state of North Carolina nor Warren Wilson College are at risk of infection at this time.

The outbreak, which allegedly began in Mexico this March, is an endemic strain passed from pigs to humans as an airborne pathogen. As of Wednesday morning, in addition to the 159 deaths reported in Mexico, the first death within the United States border occurred. The infant victim caught the flu in Mexico and died on the border of Texas shortly after. Since the outbreak began, the CDC has confirmed multiple cases of the flu in ten states. As of Monday morning, there are 91 total confirmed cases in the United States alone.

Although it was recently published in the Asheville Citezen-Times that there were two suspected cases of the Flu in Buncombe county, these reports are currently undergoing analysis but probably false.

Karen Wineberg of the WWC health center said of concerns surrounding a local outbreak, “all that ’suspected cases’ means is that they have enough symptoms that you want them tested.” To the lay public, medical jargon makes the incidence sound real when it is only a slight risk, she said. If these two reports do test negative, there will be no cases in North Carolina to date.

Despite the relatively low risk, the health center recommends taking health precautions and remains confident that they are equipped to deal with a negative situation should that unlikely event occur.

Beyond the concerns of human community members, the health center and farm crew are taking care to protect the livestock from risk of infection. In an open letter to campus, director of occupational safety and training Terry Blackwell affirmed that the farm is well equipped and has taken precautions to avoid health risk to both animals and humans involved. Despite the unlikelyhood of a campus outbreak, “the Farm is implementing more stringent bio-security measures for our swine operation. The Farm asks that the community please avoid the central farm area, particularly the swine buildings. Contact with our swine herd is limited solely to Farm crew until further notice,” he said.

Because the CDC has increased the virus alert level, as of Monday afternoon they recommend against unnecessary international travel. Due in part to this elevated caution, the study abroad course ANT 377: field study in Oaxaca led by Dr Benjamin Fienberg planned for June has been postponed to winter break of 2009. Naomi Otterness of the international programs office said that the typical policy is to follow the CDC warnings, and additionally she is heeding parental concerns and would not want to endanger any one. All students enrolled in the course have been given the option to go this winter, or at some other time on their own.

Besides the postponement of the course trip, this recent flu scare is effecting campus minimally, and is not cause for panic.

Tobacco tax Obama’s “down payment” on universal healthcare

Joseph Villers, staff writer

The largest single tax levied on tobacco to date, effective since April 1, or April Fool’s Day, is no joke. The federal excise tax increase will fund an expansion of State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a program begun in 1997, to four million additional children not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid. The federal excise tax on filtered cigarettes, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and snuff climbed 158%, or 62 cents per pack of filtered cigarettes, while the federal excise tax on loose tobacco is now 2,653% higher, at $25 a pound.

In Governer Beverly Perdue’s recent two-year budget proposal for North Carolina through 2011, the state tax on filtered cigarettes will be raised an additional dollar, to $1.35, up dramatically from $0.05 in 2002. Over twenty other states are similarly looking to tobacco as a means to fill budget gaps in the recession.

Smokers at Warren Wilson expressed frustration with the tax increase, while others were supportive.

“It’s a bunch of bullshit. Tax increases are definitely necessary, but it sucks when it effects you directly,” said sophomore Micah Carper.

“I think it’s wonderful, it’s a great way to get people to quit smoking” said junior Marcia Wells.

The Tax Foundation claims an increase in smuggling and black-market activity will result from the new tax, since name-brand cigarettes can be had for as little as $1.25 a pack in low-tax countries around the world.

“I think it encourages crime. I thought about selling it,” said sophomore Joseph Cattell-Gordon.

“Providing coverage to 11 million children is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American,” said President Obama when signing the bill.

WWC Community Takes Back The Night, works to end sexual violence

Ricky Ochilo, staff writer

Warren Wilson College held is annual march of solidarity in support of women who have been victims of both physical and emotional abuse on April 19. The march is part of the Take Back The Night Campaign which aims to raise awareness about different forms of abuse and sexual assault.

Kelly Kelbel, Director of Resistance Intervention Safety and Empowerment (RISE) helped coordinate the event with other students and members of the RISE crew. Other offices that assisted in putting together the march were First Year Programs, headed by Natalie Nimmer and Multicultural Affairs under Rodney Lytle.

The RISE project at the College was set up to empower women and men of sexual abuse and assault in an effort to speak out against the horrors and reclaim a sense of dignity for victims of abuse. Since the formation of the RISE project, programs like the Clothesline Project, which displays and highlights the emotions, conditions and consequences of abuse on T-shirts, have provided a means for abused female and male students to educate the wider community about the grief and grim realities of sexual assault. Similarly, Take Back The Night supports victims of sexual assault to redeem their nobility and self-respect.

“The purpose of Take Back The Night is to provide a space to break the silence of violence,” Kelbel said. She added that it is hoped that the event brings people together who have “experienced, witnessed or resisted” violence in an effort to share ideas to make the community a safer place for everyone.

According to Kelbel, there  are incidents of assault that have taken place on campus. She mentioned that the RISE office had provided services to seventy one students who have reported cases of abuse and assault this year.  For example, about 18 students have informally reported cases of sexual misconduct on campus, three cases have formally been reported on sexual misconduct, ten cases have been reported in relation to violence on campus and  four reports on stalking.

Take Back The Night is part of a national movement across America that fosters dialogue and raises question about victimization and oppression of women and men in society. However, majority of statistics on sexual assault point toward women. According to national estimates on sexual abuse, one in six American women have or will be victims of tried or completed rape in their lifetime. As for men, the statistics report that the rate is one in eight.

The march at the College began in the Ballfields with a gathering of students. Junior Erin Murphy and Senior Chris Miller opened the program with a moment of silence for victims who had experienced violence. After the gathering at the Ballfields, participants marched through ANTC and Sutton Residence Halls shouting “Warren Wilson College unite, take back the night!”

Kelbel said that following the march through the residence halls, participants were engaged in a performance talk that highlighted ways in which people can get out of uncomfortable or forceful situations during parties. She added that Juniors Kopano Mmalane, Carlos Lara and Kevin Bordenave showed students ways in which they could counter uncomfortable dance situations or help rescue their friends if they sense discomfort or felt their friends were being overwhelmed at parties.

Following the dance demonstration, people marched to Sage circle where there was a huge poster with an illustration of a closed mouth. On the poster there was a question that asked what perpetuates violence? Kelbel felt that this process helped people identify ways in which they could become part of the process to correct the wrongs about violence and abuse.

“People wrote things like blaming victims, not getting involved, classicism and racisim,” Kelbel said. She emphasized that these were all forms of abuse and oppression and failing to recognize and engage in solving the vices serves to intensify the apathy and continued silence. After participants had written down various ways in which violence is intensified, the poster was torn to symbolize reclaiming a stand to speak out against the silence of oppression.
Likewise, students and other members of the community matched to the pavilion where a local poet, Coert Ambrosino recited and acted out poems that addressed different forms of violence and called on peoplto speak out and put an end to violence. Kelbel mentioned that towards the end of the event a former student of  Warren Wilson, Arhm Choi spoke about ways in which she had seen Wilson change. Choi urged students to become more involved in movements to end violence and to acknowledge that they have the power to correct the ills in their community. Later on, there was a period of time where people were asked to reflect or recount experiences in their lives or in the lives of friends and loved ones who had been abused.

For Kelbel, this moment is especially important since it allows members of the community to understand the consequences of abuse and psychological or social effects that result. However, she maintained that the march does not solely focus on the sad stories and anguish that result from abuse.

“There are moments of laughter and joy that give hope and possibility,” Kelbel said.

She added that the program is also geared towards providing a range of ways in which all people can be involved in the march, from discussions, to dance, marches, poetry, personal reflections and experiences.

Kelbel stressed that she would like the community to understand that the event is for everyone and participation is encouraged. She and other organizers of the march hope that the program brings to the community’s attention the degrading effects of sexual violence and abuse, in addition to paving way to build respectful relationships and a working community that values decency, dignity and respect for other community members.

Concerns over non-profit status cited as cause of limited activism funding

Ricky Ochilo, staff writer

Last Monday students gathered in Canon Lounge to voice concerns to President Pfeiffer regarding the future possibility of losing funds geared towards political activism.

Revoking funds that supported last fall’s School of the Americas (SOA) protest was one of the major issues raised. The funds had been granted by the Lyceum committee that supports education by bringing in speakers, scholars and sponsors events that enhance student learning. The funds allotted by Lyceum were to facilitate a non-violence training seminar for participants of the SOA protest and other interested individuals. Students informed Pfeiffer these funds were rescinded. Junior Cody Goss mentioned later that due to the revoking of funds, Cathy Kramer, dean of students, paid for the seminar training.

Pfeiffer was concerned about the College’s definition as a 5013C, which translates to a tax exempt institution that has similar standing as a charity driven organization. Pfeiffer went on to mention that he did not want to use college funds to spearhead efforts that would be considered as political activism, which the College cannot be associated with as a 5013C.

“We don’t lobby for causes and should not use tuition funds to support events we should not be supporting,” Pfeiffer said.

Ian Robertson, dean work, explained to students that the College had two different fund accounts. One is a tuition fund and the other is a federal work study fund. He gave an example that federal work study funds could not be used where a connection might be made between church and state. Similarly, Robertson explained that because of the legal definition of what federal monies can be used for, it puts the College in a harder position to support certain programs that might be political in nature or conflict with other criteria for federal disbursed funds.

Nonetheless, students at the meeting raised issues about why certain programs like the Emerging Leaders trip to D.C. and funding of trips to meet legislators were allowed to take place but the SOA program funds were suspended.
Pfeiffer believes that such a scenario places the College in support of political activities and further suggests that the College is lobbying for a particular politically affiliated cause or individual. He added that he wanted college funds to be used to bolster activities that are connected to academics.

Consequently, junior Kelsey Richardson asked if class-driven activist programs would be supported.  Pfeiffer responded that the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) would have to “associate what class driven means in terms of education.” Pfeiffer added that he wanted to make sure the College does not stray away from its mission, leading to adverse consequences that might put the College in a risky situation and potentially loose its status as a 5013C.
A question was raised about the possibility of the College seeking guidance from other 5013C Colleges who fund its students to take part in marches and events like the SOA. Pfeiffer did not think pursuing such a step would be beneficial to the College.

Another issue discussed during the meeting was the College’s ability to lobby as a 5013C. Wilson alum Billy Peard explained  that there was a clause for 5013C institutions that gave permission for “20 percent of their budget to be used for lobbying purposes” and that perhaps these funds could support certain rallies, trips or social activist protests of political connotation.

Pfeiffer maintained that the College had “duly appointed officers” whose job was to conduct lobbying for the College within the legal parameters of the 5013C restrictions. He added that a conversation with the officers would have to take place before any such decisions were made so as not to jeopardize the College’s standing.

However, a potential solution would be for the College administration to allot institutional aid for activities that support programs like non-violence training and events like the SOA, which are separate from federal funds and do not threaten the College’s future or standing as a 5013C.

Despite the contentious issues discussed, a more important question that the College administration needs to address is what kind of education are they fostering?

Warren Wilson College attracts students whose passion for social justice exceeds most liberally driven institutions. With the triad of service, work and academics, students feel compelled to use their skills and integrate these elements of the triad where appropriate.

For example, in areas of raising environmental consciousness, community building and protesting against social and political driven paradigms that continue to plague, marginalize and burden lower classes in society. Evidently, such change cannot come from silence and must be met with driven hearken. In order to effectively inspire, change and prepare tomorrows leaders to be better equipped to correct today’s ills our education must transcend the four corners of the classroom and meet others engaging in the struggle to mend the broken fences of justice, hope, equality, humility and fairness.

All Caucus Co-conveners to leave posts

Gabriel Sistare, staff writer

Next semester Student Caucus will see three new co-conveners setting the agenda and conducting meetings.

The current co-conveners, Sophomore Rachel Peacock, Juniors Gideon Burdick and Clancy Harris, are all deciding to not run for election again.

Peacock and Burdick have been co-conveners for three semesters and Harris has held the title for two.

Peacock will be moving off campus and decided that she did not want to continue to lead meetings as a co-convener.
Burdick will move on to new responsibilities as the student representative to the Board of Trustees, and next semester, Harris will be traveling abroad in Chile.

Burdick made his decision to leave Student Caucus before being elected a Student Trustee. His reason for this decision was to allow for, as he said, “new and invigorated leadership,” as well as time to pursue the Real Time Energy Monitoring project he has initiated (“Student wins grants to monitor dorm efficiency” Apr. 3).

The exiting co-conveners reflected on their time spent on Student Caucus and on the governance process in general.
While they enjoyed their respective terms as Student Caucus co-conveners, they acknowledged that there are some difficulties when serving in the position.

“We have to please a lot of people,” Peacock said, citing that the co-conveners have to maintain a healthy relationship with college administration and at the same time, effectively convey student sentiments.

Harris agreed.

“It is hard to maintain diplomacy and still pursue student interests,” he said.

Harris said that because there is a significant change in the student population at Warren Wilson every few years due to graduation, Student Caucus has only one to two years to pursue issues of any importance.

“Students are at a big disadvantage for having their voices heard,” said Harris.

The terms for Peacock, Harris, and Burdick were not without high points though.

Peacock pointed out one situation when the co-conveners presented to the Board of Trustees at their meeting last winter.

“There was a consensus at the trustee meeting that student governance functions more effectively than any other [governance body],” said Peacock.

All the co-conveners thought that Warren Wilson’s style of shared governance was the best system to work with.

Peacock said that any attempt to restructure the governance system could become chaotic.

Harris emphasized that any decision to rework the system of governance to a representative model would be detrimental.

Burdick had a similar sentiment.

“I think shared governance needs to remain the cornerstone of our governance system here at Warren Wilson,” he said. “I do know that Caucus is working remarkably well, and we’ve seen a real increase in participation, especially around issues that come up that affect the campus population as a whole.”

Dean of College reflects on academic departments, campus culture

Gabriel Sistare, staff writer

The Wabash National Study is a survey conducted at liberal arts colleges across the United States. Its purpose is to investigate critical factors that affect the outcomes of a liberal arts education.

This is the first year that Warren Wilson students have participated in the survey.

The survey included questions asking students what their preferred major was, how they spent their time in their last year of high school and life accomplishments that are most important to them — such as raising a family, influencing the political structure, and creating artistic works.  The survey also asked what a college education means for the students.

The data from the survey was compiled and presented at a campus-wide community meeting on April 6.

Paula Garrett, vice president for academic affairs, reflected on some of the results from the survey taken by Warren Wilson students.

The results from students’ intended majors showed a significantly higher number of students in the Fine Arts, Humanities, and Languages — all as a group — and the Natural Sciences, than any other area of study.

Garrett said that there is no doubt that the Natural Sciences at Warren Wilson get a lot of emphasis. An emphasis, she said, that is well deserved.

Garrett said that the College should look through the academic programs and find which programs ought to be emphasized more.

Acknowledging the large interest in the arts, Garrett noted that the college has upgraded two part-time art positions into full-time positions and is working on receiving a $25 Million dollar grant for the undergraduate writing program.
Garrett said that she wants to understand the quality of every program and understand any resource issue that they may have and then work with the Advancement Office to raise the funds that are needed.

The survey asked students what they did during their last year of high school. According to the data, more than any other liberal arts institution, Warren Wilson students read for pleasure and used a library for research.

Garrett thought it was thrilling to hear that so many first year students read for pleasure, but she said she didn’t necessarily know what to do with the data.

“They are willing to read, but maybe they want more say in what they read,” said Garrett.

Garrett thought that maybe the College should be making sure that what students do read is worth their time.

The results from one question that seemed to stand out for Garrett was the fact that dramatically fewer Warren Wilson students wanted to raise a family than students from any other liberal arts college interviewed.

“Is it a laissez-faire reaction to traditional family structures?” Garrett wondered.

Garrett suggested that the campus should have a conversation about “having it all,” mentioning how many faculty and staff members on campus are managing to raise a family along with carrying out the requirements of their job.

Garrett was interested in finding out what made students answer the question the way they did.

“Is it a political position,” said Garrett, “or they don’t think of themselves as wanting the responsibility.”

One question asked students to show their level of agreement with statements that included, “I enjoy taking courses that challenge my beliefs and values,” and “Learning about people from different cultures is very important part of my college education.” The results showed that Warren Wilson students seem to commit to an open-minded philosophy.

Garrett said that she wanted to know a little more about this question. She thought that students on campus are hungry for a real debate.

“I wonder about our [Warren Wilson] ability to get a genuine debate going,” she said. “I worry a little bit that we make it too easy for them.”

Garrett thought that students should seall of the other side and know how to really argue it.

In general Garrett thought that the College needs to find out what students really want from their time at Warren Wilson.

Garrett mentioned that Warren Wilson is caught between an image — mentioning the stoner character Jeff Spicoli from the film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” — and the actual reality of the College.

Garrett said that she wants to make sure there is sufficient rigor and does not want the College to get too confused by the image.

“We want to makes sure that our smartest students are getting what they need,” said Garrett.

2nd annual WordFest coming to town, internet

Elizabeth Gunto, staff writer

From April 30 to May 3, WordFest, Asheville’s poetry festival, will be taking place downtown. The evening readings will also be broadcast by webcam from 7-9 p.m. on the website  www.ashevillewordfest.org.

“This is all in hopes of getting Wordfest to people who can’t get to the readings–they might be sick, they might not have childcare, they may be unable to drive at night or they might be in jail or shelters,” said Laura Hope-Gill, who is running the poetry workshop with Sebastian Matthews and Keith Flynn.

On Friday, Thomas Rain Crowe and special guest Coleman Barks will perform at the Bo Bo gallery.

“Three poets will read at each reading this year–which means three different groups, voices and perspectives at each reading. We’re going for critical mass of ideas—tension and transformation,” Hope-Gill said.

The festival features a wide array of poets.

“Each reading presents a variety of cultures and aesthetics because the poets who dreamed this up wanted a festival that truly s about diversity in all directions–male, female, cultural, racial, physical ability, tradition and context–anything that can be attached to is, at Wordfest, moved through into something else,” said Hope-Gill. “I’m thrilled to have Li-Young Lee and Quincy Troupe and Valzhyna Mort coming – each of these poets could easily headline three separate festivals. We have all of them.”

One of the poets at Wordfest is Gary Copeland Lilley, who used to teach and work at Warren Wilson.
Thomas Rain Crowe, another poet at WordFest, is a North Carolina native. He lived in Europe in the 1970’s and returned to the United States, specifically San Francisco, to become the editor of Beatitude magazine and press. Besides writing poetry, he has worked as a publisher, editor, translator and recording artist. He is also the author of  12  books. He was one of the founders and editors of Katuah Journal: A Bioregional Journal of the Southern Appalachians.

Keith Flynn is a graduate of Mars Hill College and the University of North Carolina in Asheville. Flynn helped to found the UNCA student newspaper, the Blue Banner. He won the Sandburg Prize for poetry in 1985. In 1987, he founded the rock band The Crystal Zoo.

Li-Young Lee has written four books of poetry. He has received awards from American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation and Delmore Schwartz Memorial Award from New York University.

“Li-Young Lee’s most recent collection examines the impact of his father’s exile from China (he was Mao’s physician) and political imprisonment on Lee’s own private life,” said Hope-Gill.

“The essential purpose is to bring people together from many different communities. We present a poet line-up that reflects the real population, from twenty different cultural and aesthetic backgrounds,” said Hope-Gill. “Poetry is integral to society because it is about telling the truth. We need more of that. Everywhere.”

Headwaters gather

Gabriel Sistare, staff writer

Finding the river under the dregs: Moving with wartime urgency on climate change
They may have been brought by a friend, asked by their employer, or inspired by Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth.” For whatever reason, they arrived. Over 300 people filled the chapel last Friday night to hear five acclaimed personalities in the environmental movement.

The occasion was the first annual Headwaters Gathering, a conference that hoped to inspire action in the face of global climate change.

The speakers included Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx; climate scientist Paul Sears; distinguished professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College, David Orr; author Janisse Ray; New York Times columnist Andrew Revkin; President and CEO of the National Wildlife Foundation Larry Schweiger; and retired West Virginia coal miner and anti-mountaintop removal activist Chuck Nelson.
Saturday was for scholars. The speakers had their chance to exhibit all the complicated science and information they knew in the 20 minutes they were given.

Friday the panelists had the opportunity to share with the audience what they believed. That night, clean objective empiricism was left out. Their testimonies were rife with spirit and emotion.

Show our children that we are ready to be brave

Before the panelists spoke, the audience watched the Warriors of AniKituhwa, a Cherokee dance group, perform a series of traditional Cherokee war dances.

Painted red and armed with war clubs, the dancers entered the chapel shrieking in unison.
The leader, James “Bo” Taylor, explained the meaning behind the few dances that they did, including the Bear Dance, a courting dance that Taylor said always “happened after all the children went to sleep.”
Taylor said that it is a generalization that warriors like him are trigger happy and always wanting to pick a fight. “We are picking up our war clubs to show our children that we are ready to be brave,” he said.

Taylor’s comment seemed to deal with cultural rather than ecological defense but implied we ought to show bravery when faced with a task ahead of us that will not allow mistakes.

Many of the speakers mentioned the upcoming generation and how it was our responsibility to provide them a world worth living in.

During his “This I Believe” speech, Orr paraphrased a quote from Thomas Jefferson.

“No generation has the right to impose debt on another,” said Orr.

We Shouldn’t have to leave to find a better home

Although few offered comprehensive step-by-step plans for alleviating climate change and environmental degradation, many of the speakers, Majora Carter especially, shared their experiences of constructing plans for working against the present threat.

Carter’s initiative with Sustainable South Bronx wasn’t established as the fix-all remedy to the poor environmental conditions in the borough, but it seemed practical, the cost was low, and why not at least try?
Sustainable South Bronx began to install green roofs on buildings and tenement homes, start development on an extensive greenway throughout the South Bronx, and continues to train local folks in green job areas.
Carter’s work certainly isn’t the saving grace of the South Bronx and it’s environment, but what seems inspirational is Carter and her organization’s motivation to try their best to reverse a poor environmental situation that was left for them by the previous generation.

During her “This I Believe” testimony, Carter spoke of home, its importance and how we shouldn’t have to leave to find a better one.

Moving with wartime urgency

On Saturday, Orr, along and Carter, were part of the “This Is What the Paradigm Shift Looks Like,” panel.
While audience members may have expected a clear design of this so-called “paradigm shift,” Orr did not have one. In fact, Orr seemed as oblivious to the paradigm shift as the rest of the audience.

Apart from all the wars, famines, and economic catastrophes, Orr said that climate change is the first global emergency.

Orr mentioned that the environmental threat may be restricted in terms of scope and scale but not duration.

“It may be containable but it is not solvable,” said Orr.

The issue was not looming in the distance for Orr. It is serious now and as Orr said, it requires us to act with wartime urgency.

“You have to move on this as if it were a national security issue,” he said.

Orr did not shout at the audience. He sounded an alarm with pragmatic resolve.

“We realized there was a river at the end”

The conference was frightening at times.

Larry Schweiger and Dr. Thomas Peterson, physical scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, presented an unfortunately large volume of scientific data indicating that climate change and environmental collapse is a reality.

Chuck Nelson told his story of experiencing daily destruction of his communities’ mountaintops to assist strip mining operations.

There were, however, glimpses, snapshots, of hope. Not one speaker said any of us should leave it all alone because things are too far gone.

Majora Carter told a story of a friend of hers mentioned a river a few blocks from Carter’s home in the South Bronx. Carter had never heard of the river and certainly couldn’t see it.

One day Carter and her friend wandered to an area that looked like a city dump. After days of labor spent disposing tons of waste, Carter eventually found the river.

Containing the environmental crisis will not be without effort. But successes happen.