Jonathan Krueger, junior political sciences major, receives his meal during a recognition dinner hosted by President Michael Lane Monday evening in the Sauder Alumni Center. The dinner was held to honor the current and former leaders of ESU’s sororities and fraternities. KELLEN JENKINS/THE BULLETIN

Emporia State President Michael Lane hosted a recognition dinner in honor of the leaders of ESU’s fraternities and sororities Monday night in the Sauder Alumni Center.

“It’s to foster more interaction between President Lane and students and the student leaders, more importantly,” said Jeremy Walter, junior crime and delinquincy studies major, Phi Delta Theta vice president, and president of the Interfraternity Council (IFC). “He’s kind of viewed as removed from the university in a lot of the students’ eyes. He’s a prestigious, intimidating guy, so it’s really to bring him down to earth and let students see that he is interested, he does care, and he’s willing to participate.”

The event was only for former and current presidents and vice presidents of the greek houses and was an opportunity for President Lane to officially meet all of the leaders.

“I think they’ve been pretty constant in their service to the community and their service to campus,” said President Lane. “I guess most recently would be the cultural perspectives program, which is helping to integrate some of our international students and help them learn more about our culture.”

This is the third annual Greek Recognition dinner and it was catered by Sodexo. Approximately 50 people attended.

“It’s a good chance for past and present Greek presidents to kind of look back at the past year and see what was accomplished and to look forward to the future and set new goals,” said Michelle Hernandez, senior business administration major and former Sigma Sigma Sigma president.

Many of the new Greek leaders from different houses had not met, so this was a chance for them to make new connections.

“It gave everybody a chance to kind of know their surroundings, who all is also involved in Greek organizations, for those who don’t know them on a personal basis,” said Zack Davis, sophomore political science major and Sigma Phi Epsilon president. “It just kind of establishes a common ground where you get the chance to know who you’re going to be working with for the upcoming semester.”

This connection can be important, as the Greek houses work closely with each other throughout the year for various events.

“It’s a great event, we enjoy it very much,” Lane said. “We enjoy the social aspect, beginning to know at least a table full of leaders but, more importantly, just to have an opportunity to see people and learn their names and what they’re doing and, sometimes, why they came to ESU and, in tonight’s instance, some strange and unusual facts.”

After the leaders introduced themselves, they also shared an interesting personal fact that their Greek brothers or sisters might not know.

“It was a little awkward, at first,” Walter said. “Honestly, it always kind of is. We’re all a little intimidated by the concept of having dinner with President Lane and there are faculty and advisors everywhere, so people are a little intimidated at first, but once you get past that initial stage, I was very impressed, it was very proper, it followed ettiquette very well.”

The dinner also celebrated the efforts of the cultural perspectives program, in which Greek students pair up with international students to help them to adjust.

“I learned about the effectiveness of the cultural perspectives program and I met a lot of new presidents coming into IFC and Panhellenic (Assosciation) and the organizations themselves,” Lane said. “So that’s really the whole purpose, is for me to meet them and for them to see me and, that way, if they see me on campus and want to say something, they will.”

The event is a beginning of the semester rally point for fraternities and sororities and allows them to present any big plans they may have and to discuss how they want to progress with the rest of the year.

“I’ve been around for a couple of years and I’ve seen the way things are in the past and I really do think Greek organizations, as a whole, continue to get better,” Davis said. “I think that getting together like this, in a way setting goals for how we can improve over the next year, is very beneficial and I would assume that next year, when we get together, we’ll be proud of what we accomplished in the coming year and strive to do even better the following year.”

They are also able to look at the last year and give praise where it is due or to discuss areas that could be improved.

“I think it was productive,” Walter said. “I wouldn’t mind seeing something similar to this in a larger scale, maybe with more than just our president. Maybe with two or three guys from every chapter, two or three ladies from each chapter. Or maybe some of the other organizations on campus, be it Order of Omega or any number of RSOs, really.”

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President Michael Lane addresses faculty and staff Monday afternoon in Albert Taylor Hall about accomplishments from the previous semester and what changes will occur this semester. In his address, Lane announced departmental budget cuts that will total to approximately $1.5 million. KELLEN JENKINS/THE BULLETIN

President Lane announced 4.2 percent departmental budget cuts at the Spring 2009 General Assembly last Monday in Albert Taylor Hall. The 4.2 percent cut will amount to approximately $1.5 million total.

Last semester, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius asked that all institutions of higher education cut funding by seven percent over the next two years.

Lane did not spell out what actions were being taken by individual departments to meet the required budget cuts.

“I want to dispel the rumors going around,” Lane said. “I have been assured… that a 4.2 percent reduction was allocated to each school and college. The specific amount allocated to departments and programs was determined by the respective dean.”

The remaining 2.8 percent, which is equal to about $1 million, will be taken from the programs and services that are funded centrally, which includes incorporating reserve funds from student fees into the current budget, leaving jobs open that don’t need to be filled and potentially eliminating some student positions.

Further information about budget cuts was supposed to be made known in Sebelius’ State of the State address on Tuesday, but Sebelius made only general remarks about the budget and any cuts that could be implemented.

“My budget recommendations for 2009 and 2010 make significant reductions in most agencies, while trying to protect essential services,” Sebelius said in her address. “The budget also eliminates programs, closes facilities and freezes new hires. We’re asking out state workforce, once again, to do more with less and I am confident they will meet the challenge.”

What can be found in the Sebelius’ recommended budget for fiscal year 2009 and 2010 is an 11.12 percent decrease in funding for ESU, the highest among all of the state universities.

Another funding problem that the university is facing is the loss of $12 million from the endowment fund, which had been at $69 million.

“That actually is a little bit better than average in this country,” Lane said. “It’s only down about 20 percent. If you look nationally, those numbers go upwards… they’re in the range of 25 percent.”

The endowment fund is one resource that supplies students with scholarships. Currently, the university is asking donors to replenish their endowments with supplemental donations to make sure that the fund will be available when scholarships are being given out.

“We’re letting the donor know, ‘your scholarship is under water. Normally, it would pay out a $500 scholarship. Would you be willing to make a donation of $500?’” Lane said. “We’ve already had a few folks who’ve called us who’ve said they’re willing to do that. We’re looking forward to having a good result in that campaign.”

Lane said he was unsure how student scholarships would be affected by the loss in the endowment fund. He said that juniors and seniors will get their guaranteed scholarships but freshmen and sophomores receiving the Hornet Scholarship would have to apply for scholarships before the deadlines.

Lane also discussed the strategic plan for the university during the assembly. He said that his top priorities were student recruitment, student retention, assessment and student graduation rates.

“We really need to work on how we recruit our students here,” Lane said. “In addition to that, we need to work on keeping our freshmen students coming back for their sophomore year. That’s an area where we are kind of average and I don’t think average should be acceptable to Emporia State.”

During his presentation, Lane compared ESU’s retention rates with those of similar universities across the nation. In 2007, ESU was below average with a retention rate of 68.9 percent. The national average was 73.3 percent.

Between 2001 and 2007, ESU lost over 1,500 students who simply did not come back for their sophomore year. Lane set a goal retention rate of 75 percent.

To reach this goal, Lane proposed new ways to keep students at ESU. Using data composed by the National Survey of Student Engagement and the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement, Lane said that ESU’s freshmen are below the national average when it comes to how students feel about professors, rate of feedback to students and student and faculty relationships.

Amy Sage-Webb, associate professor of English and president of the Faculty Senate, announced Kevin Johnson, associate professor of business administration and education, and Joella Mehrhof, professor of health and physical education, as the candidates for the position of the second vice president of the Faculty Senate.

The previous second vice president, Carol Russell, associate professor of elementary teacher education, was promoted to vice president last semester when the former vice president, James Costello, assistant professor of psychology and rehabilitation, left the position, according to academic affairs.

“(The second vice president) is elected, typically, in the fall,” Sage-Webb said. “The second (vice president) was promoted, suddenly, overnight, so she’s been in that position (of vice president).”

A forum to meet the candidates will be held Jan. 23 at 3:30 p.m. in the Greek Room.

The university welcomed 12 new staff members, three each from Administrative and Fiscal Affairs, Academic Affairs and Student Life and Liberal Arts and Sciences. University Advancement, The Teacher’s College and University Archives each had one new faculty member.

Ashley Peaches/The Bulletin

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