 |
| Alumni clock tower |
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| A very interestingly decorated elevator |
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| Outside of McKee |
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| Outside the UC |
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| Cata-fount |
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| Coulter info board |
Saturday, June 30
Kodak Moment: Around Western Carolina
Here are some photos I've been taking for the daily weather forecast I post on The Western Carolinian's Facebook page!! I love posting the photos. One photo got shared by the WCU Alumni - Greater Knoxville Chapter and commented on by the Hampton Inn & Suites in Cashiers/Sapphire Valley. I thought that was pretty nifty!
Friday, June 29
Movie Minute: Sunrise at the Outer Banks
I took this in Duck, North Carolina in 2010. I purposefully woke up before 5:30 a.m. to make sure I got to see it on our last day there. In July, we're going back, and I hope the trips turns out well.
Thursday, June 28
Movie Minute: An Investigating Kitty
Here's a great video of Sparta showing off his mousing skills in the first Cullowhee apartment back in 2010. I'm missing my kitty right now, but I know Stuart's taking good care of him. According to Stuart, "Your kitty is loud in the morning! He knocked my glasses off on purpose and was batting at that thing hanging from your door knob! He also barfed at 5 a.m. And then was coughing after that!"
Photo of the Day: June 28
I'm in Greensboro for a few days, and it's sunny with a heat wave coming through this weekend. I have the most adorable beagle pups to look after, and I'm thankful for the job!
Speaking of road trips, here's a photo I took a few years ago of a school bus towing a Chevy truck! Always have your camera ready when on a road trip... you never know what you're going to see before you even get to your destination.
Speaking of road trips, here's a photo I took a few years ago of a school bus towing a Chevy truck! Always have your camera ready when on a road trip... you never know what you're going to see before you even get to your destination.
Monday, June 25
Sparta's Grand but Short Adventure
It is yet to be determined how much of a hand Sparta had in the beginning of his own adventure, but last night after 11:00, Sparta escaped from the trailer!
Almost on the brink of deep sleep, I heard the end of a loud slap and slightly woke.
"Baby, are you ok?" Stuart called from the living room behind my closed door.
"Yeah," I answered groggily not knowing why he was asking. My brain had still not put together what had happened. In fact, my sleepy mind had decided that Stuart had come into my room to smack a fly or two with the flyswatter. Still... something nagged at me, and I sat up in bed to find my box fan on the floor and the screen of my open window to be bent in half. Frantically, I leaped out of bed and literally clawed my stuff from under my bed searching for Sparta. He wasn't there. He wasn't under the desk. He wasn't squatting in his litter box. No, my crazy cat had jumped out the window to freedom in the pitch dark!
"Sparta's outside!" I cried to Stuart, throwing open my bedroom door as I threw on some clothes. Stuart leaped from the couch and immediately headed outside. After one more sweep of my room, I joined him, and we began calling for kitty.
The area around my house is not the most ideal place to look for a cat in the pitch dark with two small flashlights between us. The other thing, Sparta was scarily quiet. Usually when he's outside, he meows and caterwauls to nature throughout the whole walk at the end of his leash and blue harness. This time... nothing! That little conniving cat was staying purposefully quiet so he could stay outside longer. We called out his name; I even had his favorite treats with me and shook the bag to get his attention.
I walked around the trailer with its side wooden fence that he could have easily avoided and the brush that covers the steep slope that leads right to the fast-moving river. I didn't think he'd be that stupid and only glanced at the area briefly. Stuart and I both combed our landlord's land next door where his two greenhouses and workshop sit. The land is covered in high grasses, shrubs, various junk, and A MILLION places for a cat to hide. It didn't help that one of the greenhouses had its door propped open, and it was necessary to search among the rows of various plants for a brindle and white cat with a red collar. That was definitely a relief for me... he had his collar on with my cell phone number printed at the bottom of his little gold tag!
I had many thoughts running through my mind, but none of them amounted to anything close to panic.
Thought #1: I need to call my friends at the Jackson County Animal Shelter tomorrow and give them a description of Sparta.
2: I'm not going to get any sleep tonight if we can't find him, and I need to be prepared for that.
3: Tomorrow morning, I need to make posters and go to WCU's library to print them before hanging them up around the area and putting them in my neighbors' mailboxes.
4: Call my landlord in the morning to let him know he might see Sparta and to please call me.
5: I should have put on better shoes.
6: We will find him!
Remember that major change I talked about yesterday? In my mind, this was a test. I had no doubt in my mind that we were going to find Sparta. It was truly a test of my faith, and I prayed every second.
Suddenly, Stuart called out as I swept my flashlight through some shrugs lining the dirt road.
"Baby, come here... and don't run!"
We slowly approached, and for several moments, I still could not make out Sparta in the darkness and hoped that Stuart was calling me over because he found the cat not because we were about to take on an angry raccoon or possum.
And there he was with his ringed tail in the air prancing about in the wet grass without a care in the world across the street in the neighbors' yard. As we approached, Sparta hopped up onto a fallen log and scratched his claws like a happy kitty before prancing just out of reach. We cornered him in front of a different trailer across the street. Teasing him with chicken-flavored treats, I was able to bribe him over and after one missed grab, I scooped up my kitty and walked him home.
Slumped back into bed in my now stuffy room, I decided the hamster would have to deal without access to her high rise that night, and I let Sparta rule the house for the night in order to get more air in my room (I still don't have a working window screen so I don't know what I'll do tonight). I was about to become super comfortable in my bed when a thought occurred: my cat just walked around in a wooded area in the summer.
"Stuart, can you check Sparta for ticks?"
In the end, we both held down the cat while I cleaned out his filthy foot pads and combed his fur looking for ticks. He was clean, thankfully.
Then that no-good cat bawled, meowed, caterwauled, wailed, and had an all-out fit for the next half hour because he wanted to go back out into the dark, the cold, the wilderness with its foxes, possums, other cats, free-roaming dogs, hawks, and all sorts of animals.... After all that trouble, he wasn't the least bit pleased to have been rescued. What an ungrateful cat!!!
Almost on the brink of deep sleep, I heard the end of a loud slap and slightly woke.
"Baby, are you ok?" Stuart called from the living room behind my closed door.
"Yeah," I answered groggily not knowing why he was asking. My brain had still not put together what had happened. In fact, my sleepy mind had decided that Stuart had come into my room to smack a fly or two with the flyswatter. Still... something nagged at me, and I sat up in bed to find my box fan on the floor and the screen of my open window to be bent in half. Frantically, I leaped out of bed and literally clawed my stuff from under my bed searching for Sparta. He wasn't there. He wasn't under the desk. He wasn't squatting in his litter box. No, my crazy cat had jumped out the window to freedom in the pitch dark!
"Sparta's outside!" I cried to Stuart, throwing open my bedroom door as I threw on some clothes. Stuart leaped from the couch and immediately headed outside. After one more sweep of my room, I joined him, and we began calling for kitty.
I walked around the trailer with its side wooden fence that he could have easily avoided and the brush that covers the steep slope that leads right to the fast-moving river. I didn't think he'd be that stupid and only glanced at the area briefly. Stuart and I both combed our landlord's land next door where his two greenhouses and workshop sit. The land is covered in high grasses, shrubs, various junk, and A MILLION places for a cat to hide. It didn't help that one of the greenhouses had its door propped open, and it was necessary to search among the rows of various plants for a brindle and white cat with a red collar. That was definitely a relief for me... he had his collar on with my cell phone number printed at the bottom of his little gold tag!
Thought #1: I need to call my friends at the Jackson County Animal Shelter tomorrow and give them a description of Sparta.
2: I'm not going to get any sleep tonight if we can't find him, and I need to be prepared for that.
3: Tomorrow morning, I need to make posters and go to WCU's library to print them before hanging them up around the area and putting them in my neighbors' mailboxes.
4: Call my landlord in the morning to let him know he might see Sparta and to please call me.
5: I should have put on better shoes.
6: We will find him!
Remember that major change I talked about yesterday? In my mind, this was a test. I had no doubt in my mind that we were going to find Sparta. It was truly a test of my faith, and I prayed every second.
Suddenly, Stuart called out as I swept my flashlight through some shrugs lining the dirt road.
"Baby, come here... and don't run!"
We slowly approached, and for several moments, I still could not make out Sparta in the darkness and hoped that Stuart was calling me over because he found the cat not because we were about to take on an angry raccoon or possum.
And there he was with his ringed tail in the air prancing about in the wet grass without a care in the world across the street in the neighbors' yard. As we approached, Sparta hopped up onto a fallen log and scratched his claws like a happy kitty before prancing just out of reach. We cornered him in front of a different trailer across the street. Teasing him with chicken-flavored treats, I was able to bribe him over and after one missed grab, I scooped up my kitty and walked him home.
"Stuart, can you check Sparta for ticks?"
In the end, we both held down the cat while I cleaned out his filthy foot pads and combed his fur looking for ticks. He was clean, thankfully.
Then that no-good cat bawled, meowed, caterwauled, wailed, and had an all-out fit for the next half hour because he wanted to go back out into the dark, the cold, the wilderness with its foxes, possums, other cats, free-roaming dogs, hawks, and all sorts of animals.... After all that trouble, he wasn't the least bit pleased to have been rescued. What an ungrateful cat!!!
Photo of the Day: June 25
Great news, everyone! Stuart and I are now roommates!!! :) We live in the same two-bedroom trailer on the edge of Scotts Creek! That's a major improvement to living five hours apart, I'll tell ya that!
To celebrate this big occasion, we went to Claymates Pottery to paint a plate to display in our new home! Like anything decided on together, it wasn't the easiest process, but we managed! I put waves under my name because I love the ocean while Stuart has the mountains! We also put giant paw prints (which I traced from a Google Images jpg displayed on the screen of my Blackberry... gotta love technology) for our mutual love of animals! And, October 7, 2010 is our anniversary, of course! :)
What do you think? Soon, we will purchase a stand to display it in the kitchen.
To celebrate this big occasion, we went to Claymates Pottery to paint a plate to display in our new home! Like anything decided on together, it wasn't the easiest process, but we managed! I put waves under my name because I love the ocean while Stuart has the mountains! We also put giant paw prints (which I traced from a Google Images jpg displayed on the screen of my Blackberry... gotta love technology) for our mutual love of animals! And, October 7, 2010 is our anniversary, of course! :)
What do you think? Soon, we will purchase a stand to display it in the kitchen.
Food Shortages Cause Concern for Local Food Banks
I worked extremely hard on this article. It meant everything to me to convey this serious issue in the correct way, and I hope I did that. I like to think so since MANNA FoodBank shared the link on their Facebook Wall!
"Food shortages cause concern for local food banks" as originally published in The Western Carolinian.
"Imagine not knowing where your next meal will come from. You may live in a civilized town or go to Western Carolina University, but with school bills and housing you cannot afford to purchase a healthy, well-balanced meal three times a day.
For Jackson County, this is true for a number of citizens every day.
According to MANNA FoodBank, who provides food to non-profit agencies in 16 western North Carolina counties, 15.8 percent of Jackson County’s population falls under the food insecurity rate. That is 6,180 people who go hungry, and many of those are children.
Due to the economic and job crises, MANNA FoodBank and The Community Table in Sylva have seen a rise in numbers of how many people need food.
Alison Hixson, director of communications and marketing at MANNA, said that last year 25,196 pounds of food were given to The Community Table, which is a 9 percent increase compared to the year previous. Through the whole of Jackson County, Hixson said there was a 15 percent increase from the previous year of distributed food.
Amy Grimes, executive director of The Community Table, agreed that numbers have risen. Last year, The Community Table served 16,741 meals and provided 2,008 food boxes.
“We are certainly busier, especially in the wake of higher fuel and food costs,” said Grimes. “We continue to see new faces each week, folks needing help with the most basic need, nutritious food, so that they can also afford other necessities of medical care, rent, utilities, etc. Many folks have transportation issues, too. Especially in our rural area this can be a big problem.”
While some say that Jackson County is undergoing a food shortage,
Grimes remarked that is not the case but said it falls on other
problems.
“Technically, there is no shortage of food in our county, or anywhere in the world,” said Grimes. “The problem is distribution and lack of resources. The economic crisis has sharpened the divide though.
“In 2009, our numbers began to increase dramatically, and they only continue to rise,” Grimes continued. “We doubled the amount of food we provided in one year’s time. That was only possible with community support, for instance Wal-Mart began donating excess items to The Community Table. Without their weekly donations, we simply could not keep up with the need that is out there.”
Grimes added that usually The Community Table sees a slower flow of people during the summer. However, last summer that did not occur for the first time, and Grimes and the staff believe it will not happen again this summer.
Children are the ones who suffer the most as they cannot get the nutrition they need for healthy physical and mental development. The child food insecurity is 26.2 percent, according to the 2012 Map the Meal Gap."
"Food shortages cause concern for local food banks" as originally published in The Western Carolinian.
"Imagine not knowing where your next meal will come from. You may live in a civilized town or go to Western Carolina University, but with school bills and housing you cannot afford to purchase a healthy, well-balanced meal three times a day.
 |
| The food insecurity rate of Jackson County. |
According to MANNA FoodBank, who provides food to non-profit agencies in 16 western North Carolina counties, 15.8 percent of Jackson County’s population falls under the food insecurity rate. That is 6,180 people who go hungry, and many of those are children.
Due to the economic and job crises, MANNA FoodBank and The Community Table in Sylva have seen a rise in numbers of how many people need food.
Alison Hixson, director of communications and marketing at MANNA, said that last year 25,196 pounds of food were given to The Community Table, which is a 9 percent increase compared to the year previous. Through the whole of Jackson County, Hixson said there was a 15 percent increase from the previous year of distributed food.
Amy Grimes, executive director of The Community Table, agreed that numbers have risen. Last year, The Community Table served 16,741 meals and provided 2,008 food boxes.
“We are certainly busier, especially in the wake of higher fuel and food costs,” said Grimes. “We continue to see new faces each week, folks needing help with the most basic need, nutritious food, so that they can also afford other necessities of medical care, rent, utilities, etc. Many folks have transportation issues, too. Especially in our rural area this can be a big problem.”
“Technically, there is no shortage of food in our county, or anywhere in the world,” said Grimes. “The problem is distribution and lack of resources. The economic crisis has sharpened the divide though.
“In 2009, our numbers began to increase dramatically, and they only continue to rise,” Grimes continued. “We doubled the amount of food we provided in one year’s time. That was only possible with community support, for instance Wal-Mart began donating excess items to The Community Table. Without their weekly donations, we simply could not keep up with the need that is out there.”
Grimes added that usually The Community Table sees a slower flow of people during the summer. However, last summer that did not occur for the first time, and Grimes and the staff believe it will not happen again this summer.
Children are the ones who suffer the most as they cannot get the nutrition they need for healthy physical and mental development. The child food insecurity is 26.2 percent, according to the 2012 Map the Meal Gap."
Read the rest of the story HERE at The WC's official website.
Sunday, June 24
Heart of Worship
I'm rather shy of this topic because Christianity has a tainted view in today's world. People look at the Bible thumpers and the haters who beat up gays and pregnant women walking into an abortion clinic. They don't look at and respect the Christian who doesn't preach and force their religion on someone else. And so, I've kept my mouth shut...
But today, I was listening to the podcast of Reverend Spargo at Bethlehem Baptist in Gastonia where I used to attend church in high school. And, I've realized I've made a huge mistake in my life in forgetting where I once was in my walk of faith. Finally, things are starting to come together, and I have so many blessings in my life. While that's been going on, I've been ignoring the one whose given me all of those blessings. I've put God on the back burner. Yeah, I read my Bible every night without fail, but it's only a quick passage and usually I'm not focused on what it's talking about. I read it to say that I read it, but that needs to change... now!
I'm tired of making compromises and quietly standing by letting my faith go unnoticed. It's definitely time to change.
As the sermon was coming to a close, I renewed my vows to God. I asked Him to help me change, force me to change, and I want to strengthen my relationship with Him. I want to pray like I mean it and not when it conveniences me or when I need something. I need to build a relationship with Him because we're not just talking about an amazing creator who has greatly blessed my life; we're talking about how to spend eternity.
But, I'm not just doing this because I'm scared of what happens after death... I actually want this, and I think I'm finally old enough now to understand it better.
Now, comes the difficult part. I don't know how Stuart is going to react to this. On several occasions, we've hit a brick wall when it comes to discussing my faith. He's agnostic, and I'm not educated enough on the topic to answer the questions he has about my faith other than to say over and over, "It's what I believe." I wish that were enough for him, but I know I'm not going to change him, and even if I ask nicely, he doesn't want to try out a church service. That may sound like I'm "forcing my religion" on him, but if you ask him, he'll tell you that I rarely ask. I just hope this change doesn't drive a wedge between us.
Now, I must ask for your help because I can't do it alone, and I can't do it without earthly support. I need someone to chastise me for cursing and encourage me to get up Sunday morning for church. Podcasts are great, but you can't get the right kind of fellowship by sitting alone on your bed listening to a podcast.
I've made a lot of decisions in my life that I've either not carried through or gone back on. I'll change for 24 hours then forget or not feel like continuing anymore the next morning. This has to be different!! This has to be real, and I mean it.
So before you all, this is me saying I am a Christian, and I'm going to live my life that way. And if I lose a few of you along the way because that's just not what you're into then I'm sorry... I hope someone else helps you find your way back to the right path.
I'm tired of making compromises and quietly standing by letting my faith go unnoticed. It's definitely time to change.
As the sermon was coming to a close, I renewed my vows to God. I asked Him to help me change, force me to change, and I want to strengthen my relationship with Him. I want to pray like I mean it and not when it conveniences me or when I need something. I need to build a relationship with Him because we're not just talking about an amazing creator who has greatly blessed my life; we're talking about how to spend eternity.
But, I'm not just doing this because I'm scared of what happens after death... I actually want this, and I think I'm finally old enough now to understand it better.
Now, I must ask for your help because I can't do it alone, and I can't do it without earthly support. I need someone to chastise me for cursing and encourage me to get up Sunday morning for church. Podcasts are great, but you can't get the right kind of fellowship by sitting alone on your bed listening to a podcast.
I've made a lot of decisions in my life that I've either not carried through or gone back on. I'll change for 24 hours then forget or not feel like continuing anymore the next morning. This has to be different!! This has to be real, and I mean it.
So before you all, this is me saying I am a Christian, and I'm going to live my life that way. And if I lose a few of you along the way because that's just not what you're into then I'm sorry... I hope someone else helps you find your way back to the right path.
Saturday, June 23
Photo of the Day: June 23
I keep forgetting today is Saturday.
Stuart and I spent a good few hours at the Jackson County Animal Shelter. They had SO MANY KITTENS!! And the most adorable Scottish Terrier. He looked like he hopped out of Disney's Lady & the Tramp!
This photo was taken in 2010 of the family dog Candy!! She LOVES watermelon! It was one of the great parts of summer: corn on the cob, hamburgers, swimming in the pool, Cats & Dogs, going to the beach, and watching Candy eat the watermelon rind!
Stuart and I spent a good few hours at the Jackson County Animal Shelter. They had SO MANY KITTENS!! And the most adorable Scottish Terrier. He looked like he hopped out of Disney's Lady & the Tramp!
This photo was taken in 2010 of the family dog Candy!! She LOVES watermelon! It was one of the great parts of summer: corn on the cob, hamburgers, swimming in the pool, Cats & Dogs, going to the beach, and watching Candy eat the watermelon rind!
Thursday, June 21
"South Pacific" sailed smoothly
I was very excited to do an Arts and Entertainment story again... the same section that I started with in 2009 as a unpaid freshman! I enjoyed the show... Stuart was not happy to have "I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta my Hair" stuck in his head for days!
"Smoky Mountain High School’s theater department presented the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific” at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University from May 11 to May 13.
The production was colorful, exciting and family-friendly with many musical talents like senior Elena Cope, junior Galen Martin and a guest performance from Western Carolina’s Joseph Callahan.
The show sets sails during World War II on two islands in the Pacific. The play provides two beautiful love stories and comments on racism and war. Nellie Forbush is a navy nurse who falls in love with Frenchman Emile de Becque, a man hiding some secrets about his past. When Nellie discovers that Emile loved and had children with a Polynesian woman, her racist attitude hurts the relationship. Meanwhile, Lt. Joe Cable falls for a native islander’s daughter, Liat, and is torn between his commitment to the army and his love for her. Both Joe and Emile leave to act as spies to report on the movements of the Japanese army, and the women are left wondering if they will ever see their men again.
Linda Haggard, theater director and chorus teacher at Smoky Mountain High School, said she has wanted to produce “South Pacific” for all 10 years she has been a faculty member. This year, she had the right type of voices among her students for the musical.
“It’s about America being at war in World War II,” she said. “We’ve talked a lot about the importance of living in a free country and what that means and the sacrifices that men and women have made.”
Haggard continued to say that the “South Pacific” sets were her favorite in her 10 years, and that they provided a feeling of stepping off a boat onto the warm sands of a Pacific island.
The Bardo Arts Center was decorated in such a fashion with large palm trees swaying onstage over platforms painted to look like stone terraces and walls. Each were covered with dozens of pink, purple and red flowers. Circling the outside of the orchestra pit, a beach walkway with harbor posts and netting allowed the actors to come closer to the audience and take a stroll in the sand.
Joseph Callahan, choreographer of the production and WCU student, stood in for senior Nate Buchanan, who was playing for the SMHS baseball team. Callahan was an excellent example of what the students will one day become if they continue to pursue musical theater. Callahan’s voice was noticeably more mature and richer. He responded well to the other actors and had more control over not letting his eyes wander or his hands fidget."
"Smoky Mountain High School’s theater department presented the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific” at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University from May 11 to May 13.
The production was colorful, exciting and family-friendly with many musical talents like senior Elena Cope, junior Galen Martin and a guest performance from Western Carolina’s Joseph Callahan.
The show sets sails during World War II on two islands in the Pacific. The play provides two beautiful love stories and comments on racism and war. Nellie Forbush is a navy nurse who falls in love with Frenchman Emile de Becque, a man hiding some secrets about his past. When Nellie discovers that Emile loved and had children with a Polynesian woman, her racist attitude hurts the relationship. Meanwhile, Lt. Joe Cable falls for a native islander’s daughter, Liat, and is torn between his commitment to the army and his love for her. Both Joe and Emile leave to act as spies to report on the movements of the Japanese army, and the women are left wondering if they will ever see their men again.
Linda Haggard, theater director and chorus teacher at Smoky Mountain High School, said she has wanted to produce “South Pacific” for all 10 years she has been a faculty member. This year, she had the right type of voices among her students for the musical.
“It’s about America being at war in World War II,” she said. “We’ve talked a lot about the importance of living in a free country and what that means and the sacrifices that men and women have made.”
Haggard continued to say that the “South Pacific” sets were her favorite in her 10 years, and that they provided a feeling of stepping off a boat onto the warm sands of a Pacific island.
The Bardo Arts Center was decorated in such a fashion with large palm trees swaying onstage over platforms painted to look like stone terraces and walls. Each were covered with dozens of pink, purple and red flowers. Circling the outside of the orchestra pit, a beach walkway with harbor posts and netting allowed the actors to come closer to the audience and take a stroll in the sand.
Joseph Callahan, choreographer of the production and WCU student, stood in for senior Nate Buchanan, who was playing for the SMHS baseball team. Callahan was an excellent example of what the students will one day become if they continue to pursue musical theater. Callahan’s voice was noticeably more mature and richer. He responded well to the other actors and had more control over not letting his eyes wander or his hands fidget."
Read the rest of the story HERE!!!
Salary study begins at WCU
This story actually quite some time. I wanted to make sure that I did it correctly with as much time to dedicate to it as possible... so I finally finished it during the first summer issue of The Western Carolinian... Here it is as first published in The Western Carolinian.
"Western Carolina University is conducting a salary study to examine whether or not the university is in compliance with federal regulations concerning gender equity and how WCU compares to its peer universities.
Henry Wong and his staff at the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Programs along with the WCU Legal Office are undertaking the technical side of the study.
“My office … has the lead role to conduct the study as we will follow the Department of Labor guidelines for determining salary equity under the Equal Opportunity Commission,” said Wong. “I am hopeful that there are no significant differences in pay between male and female employees. However, I will not know that until I start analyzing the data and conduct interviews. My role is to complete the study and present the results to the Chancellor and Executive Council.”
The study, which will take an estimated two years to complete, was
Chancellor David Belcher’s idea. He noticed that it had been a
significant amount of time since the last study in 1996.
“It’s always good to benchmark,” said Belcher, “how we stack up in salary issues against other institutions.
“It’s important for our faculty,” he continued. “They’re the backbone of our university. It’s important to take care of them. We have a responsibility to take care of our people.”
For some time, there have been no raises in salary due to the budget crisis. Belcher explained that the study will provide information in how to handle salary increases in preparation for when there is money again. He continued to comment that the study will “set ourselves up to make wise distributions and decisions” in the future.
While Wong and his team are making sure federal regulations are met, Belcher speculated that the faculty will be the driving force if issues or concerns arise from the results of the study, such as gender inequalities.
Catherine Carter, associate professor in the English department and director of English education, made speculative comments about her guess to the outcome of the survey.
“While there are probably pockets of greater equality and lesser equality, what I’d expect a careful study to find is that in general, women at WCU and in the UNC system earn less than men with comparable qualifications, years of service, academic ranks and expertise,” Carter said. “Because that’s what was suggested by the last data I could find on salaries of male versus female WCU employees from the 2005 Factbook, and because that is normal in the U.S.
“In general, and when you control for things like qualifications, years of service and so on, American women make about 76 cents on American men’s dollar,” Carter continued. “It would be fairly surprising for a single institution to be a whole lot different from this norm, unless or until it makes very thoughtful efforts to be.” "
"Western Carolina University is conducting a salary study to examine whether or not the university is in compliance with federal regulations concerning gender equity and how WCU compares to its peer universities.
Henry Wong and his staff at the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Programs along with the WCU Legal Office are undertaking the technical side of the study.
“My office … has the lead role to conduct the study as we will follow the Department of Labor guidelines for determining salary equity under the Equal Opportunity Commission,” said Wong. “I am hopeful that there are no significant differences in pay between male and female employees. However, I will not know that until I start analyzing the data and conduct interviews. My role is to complete the study and present the results to the Chancellor and Executive Council.”
“It’s always good to benchmark,” said Belcher, “how we stack up in salary issues against other institutions.
“It’s important for our faculty,” he continued. “They’re the backbone of our university. It’s important to take care of them. We have a responsibility to take care of our people.”
For some time, there have been no raises in salary due to the budget crisis. Belcher explained that the study will provide information in how to handle salary increases in preparation for when there is money again. He continued to comment that the study will “set ourselves up to make wise distributions and decisions” in the future.
While Wong and his team are making sure federal regulations are met, Belcher speculated that the faculty will be the driving force if issues or concerns arise from the results of the study, such as gender inequalities.
Catherine Carter, associate professor in the English department and director of English education, made speculative comments about her guess to the outcome of the survey.
“While there are probably pockets of greater equality and lesser equality, what I’d expect a careful study to find is that in general, women at WCU and in the UNC system earn less than men with comparable qualifications, years of service, academic ranks and expertise,” Carter said. “Because that’s what was suggested by the last data I could find on salaries of male versus female WCU employees from the 2005 Factbook, and because that is normal in the U.S.
“In general, and when you control for things like qualifications, years of service and so on, American women make about 76 cents on American men’s dollar,” Carter continued. “It would be fairly surprising for a single institution to be a whole lot different from this norm, unless or until it makes very thoughtful efforts to be.” "
Read the rest of the story at The Western Carolinian's website HERE!
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| The Old Student Union building very early in the morning |
Tuesday, June 19
Photo of the Day: June 19
It's a beautiful day outside today!! Stuart has the day off, and while I have a meeting to attend, we're going to make the most of it!!
Here's a picture of Lower Falls from the Graveyard Fields hike. Stuart and I actually went swimming in that pool at the bottom. It was FREEZING!
Here's a picture of Lower Falls from the Graveyard Fields hike. Stuart and I actually went swimming in that pool at the bottom. It was FREEZING!
Sunday, June 17
Photo of the Day: June 17
In the Bradley General Store in Dillsboro, there are little food animals called "Home Grown." This was one of my favorites - a little kiwi koala! Isn't he adorable?!
The bumble bee was made out of a lemon. The penguins were eggplants. It's cuteness made to look like food! Only in a small town...
The bumble bee was made out of a lemon. The penguins were eggplants. It's cuteness made to look like food! Only in a small town...
Saturday, June 16
Movie Minute: Kitties playing in the backyard
This was taken in 2010... back when Sparta still allowed other cats to play with him!
Friday, June 15
Photo of the Day: June 15
It's been an insanely busy week at the newspaper and on my social calendar, so I'm a bit out of breath and run down. Today is a bit of a relaxing day, but I still have a couple of articles left to write - both of them huge, important, way-too-many-facts ones.
So, I thought: here's a picture of Kate making a Kate Face. Here, she is listening to a story that Stuart is telling about baking brownies while washing the dishes (even though it was Stuart's turn to do them). I've seen this face enough times to know that this is her: "OMG THAT SOUNDS SO DELICIOUS!! I WANT TO EAT IT NOW!!" But, there's no way I could copy it myself.
So, I thought: here's a picture of Kate making a Kate Face. Here, she is listening to a story that Stuart is telling about baking brownies while washing the dishes (even though it was Stuart's turn to do them). I've seen this face enough times to know that this is her: "OMG THAT SOUNDS SO DELICIOUS!! I WANT TO EAT IT NOW!!" But, there's no way I could copy it myself.
Thursday, June 7
Movie Minute: How to Fry Fish Fillets
My boyfriend Stuart teaches how to fry fish fillets! Well, he tries until the camera runs out of memory in its SD card!
Wednesday, June 6
Photo of the Day: June 6
This big guy is Hoss Jr. He's only three months old and already weighs more than any adult puntable-sized toy dog. He is a mix between a Great Dane and a Mastiff, and he's got no idea how big he really is!!!! He also has a heart of gold!
Sunday, June 3
Photo of the Day: June 3
This is my new favorite dog at the animal shelter. Her name is Streets, and she is a terrier mix with a HUGE heart!!! I really hope she gets to go to a good home with kids because she loves to snuggle and play, play, play!! Definitely a dog worth rescuing.
Saturday, June 2
Photo of the Day: June 2
Well, I finally did it. I finally founded a little kitten who needed my help. Coincidental thing was... she was only a few feet away from the animal shelter!! A small calico kitten was hiding in the woods right beside the gate for the shelter. While Stuart and I were walking the dogs up and down the drive as we volunteered today, we heard a strange noise coming from a pile of fallen wood. The dogs also went crazy trying to get at the wood. We took the kennel assistant down to the spot, and there we found the fuzzy kitten!!!
I named her Ivy because she was next to a large patch of poison ivy. I was so excited because it's the first time I've been allowed to name an animal!! I hope she finds a home soon!!All she wanted to do was be petted and cuddled, which is surprising for a stray.
I named her Ivy because she was next to a large patch of poison ivy. I was so excited because it's the first time I've been allowed to name an animal!! I hope she finds a home soon!!All she wanted to do was be petted and cuddled, which is surprising for a stray.
Friday, June 1
Kodak Moment: New Home
It's been a slow process of unpacking this time around. I just don't have the energy to unpack my things once again, so we're taking it day by day.
Here are some photos from the new place!! We may not have mini horses and llamas this time, but we do have some cool wildlife!!
Here are some photos from the new place!! We may not have mini horses and llamas this time, but we do have some cool wildlife!!
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| Bucky the beaver! |
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| Entertainment center... watching PotC |
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| Back yard |
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| Sparta has already settled into the new place |
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| Heron |
Movie Minute: Constructing a High Rise Top for a Hamster Cage
Now, this cage topper thing was WAY MORE COMPLICATED than it ever needed to be thanks to the design of having to construct the darn thing through the one-arm wide lid!!! An extreme pain, I must say... but Nutmeg LOVES it!! I was very proud that Stuart and I worked well together and didn't have any disagreements while constructing this frustrating contraption.
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