The William Jewell College community was stunned this week as
rumors flew that Dr. David Sallee, president of the College, was a final-
ist for the presidency of Nebraska Wesleyan University. A figure who
has become identified with the fight for academic freedom, steadfast
leadership in times of crisis and a vision for the College’s future may
soon take those qualities to another institution. Sallee spent Mon-
day and Tuesday on the Nebraska Wesleyan campus in Lincoln, where
members of the University community have said Sallee is the strongest
candidate and the best hope to rebuild a community wracked by divi-
sions over the previous president’s leadership. Sallee has said he and his
wife, Mary, have yet to make a decision on whether or not they would
accept the position if offered.
Colloquium event welcomes international students
to William Jewell campus, highlights OIR partnership
H
il
l
t
o
p
M
o
n
it
o
r
N
ebraskaW
esSalleean?
Jewell President finalist for NWU position
Honor rolls usually recog-
nize those who are high
achievers in the classroom.
William Jewell, however,
scores high on an honor
roll that exists to recognize
those who excel outside
the classroom. The College
recently was named to the President’s Higher Education
Community Service Honor Roll. On Page 3, find out what
put William Jewell ahead in making a difference.
College named to service honor roll, 3
giving back
William Jewell
College’s theatre
program opens its
first fall mainstage
production with
a 17th-century
play set in Naples.
Amidst Carnival
chaos and Italian
intrigue, the show
examines life and love. The production opened Wednesday
and will run through tomorrow evening. On Page 7, get a
glimpse behind the scenes.
The Rover continues this weekend, 7
curtain up
In place of the usual Chapel
fare, attendees Wednesday
were treated to an inside
look at the world of Arab
economics. The presenta-
tion was delivered by Dr.
Ahmed Zekri, Fulbright
scholar-in-residence at
William Jewell for the fall
semester. Zekri is a native
of Morocco. On Page 6,
hear how economics plays a role in real world politics.
On the Inside
Friday, November 10, 2006
Volume 21 Issue 9
www.thehilltopmonitor.com
Both William Jewell soc-
cer teams celebrated suc-
cessful seasons. Only one
is continuing in the hunt
for a national champion-
ship, however. While the
quest of the women’s team
for a fourth straight nation-
al tournament appearance
ended Monday with a 1-0
loss to Graceland, the men’s team defeated Columbia College
1-0 Wednesday. On Page 8, learn about their next move.
Fulbright scholar Zekri lectures in Chapel, 6
facts and figures
Aaron Barker
Staff Writer
Full coverage of Sallee’s
interview at Nebraska
Wesleyan University and
Jewell responses can be
found on Pages 4 and 5.
Karis Rosell
Campus Editor
First-year student participates
in national composing competition
In a national competition that
pitted her against professional
composers and professors, among
others, first-year Kristen Walker
recently was selected as a finalist
in the 27th Annual Ithaca College
School of Music choral composition
contest. “When I was a sophomore
[in high school] I first heard about
this contest and it’s a national contest
so I thought, ‘Wow, that ’s probably
way over my head,’” Walker said.
After winning several other
composition contests, however,
Walker thought seriously about
the possibility. She did not decide
to enter the competition for sure,
however, until only a few days before
the submission deadline last August.
“I just threw together some old stuff,”
Walker said. “I had written a piece
already and it wasn’t specifically for
this contest. It was just one I had
done for the heck of it, but it ended
up fitting all the requirements so I
submitted it.”
As a finalist, Walker travels today
to Ithaca, N.Y., where she and the
other finalists have been paired
with local high school choirs. They
will each spend the day rehearsing
their compositions. Choirs then will
perform the pieces and a winner
will be selected f rom the top six.
Walker will be working with the
Westborough High School choir on
her piece, which is a soprano-alto-
tenor-bass a capella choir piece called
The Silent Hour, for which text comes
from a poem by Anne Bronte.
Dr. Ian Coleman, associate
professor of music and chair,
has worked with Walker as her
composition instructor. He believes
Walker’s success speaks highly of
her talent and ability. “It’s unusual
for someone of her age to be writing
choral music of this caliber at all,”
Coleman said. “There are a lot of
these kinds of competitions, but the
difference is that this one is a well
known one. It attracts entries from
prestigious and established composers,
as well as those not as prestigious
and established. I know there are
professors and professional composers
who entered this contest, which
makes it all the more remarkable that
Kristen, as a first-year student, would
qualify, and it really speaks to the
quality of her work.” Coleman also
cited Walker’s success as important
because it is a good reflection on her,
Story continued on Page 6
Last week, William Jewell College
and Oxford
I nte r nati on al
Review hosted
students f rom
the Middle
East and the
United States
e x p l o r i n g
America’s role
in the Middle
East. Students
from the
United Arab
E m i r a t e s ,
Iraq and
Lebanon met
and discussed
topical issues
with 15
William Jewell
students.
T h e
c o n f e r e n c e
began Nov. 1
when three
students from
the UAE, one Iraqi student and
two Lebanese students (including
William Jewell international student
Roy Abdo) arrived on campus. Over
the course of the week the Middle
Eastern students were presented
with lessons of U.S. history and
democracy. These included touring
the Liberty Memorial and the Harry
S. Truman Library. The students
also participated in a colloquium
discussing the United States’ role
in Middle Eastern affairs, attended
worship services for both Muslims
and Christians and met with People to
People International President Mary
E i s e n h o w e r ,
gra nddaugh ter
of President
D w i g h t
Eisenhower.
A c c o r d i n g
to organizers,
this was done
to further
unde rstandings
of relations
b e t w e e n
cultures.
“ P e o p l e
from the
United States
and the Middle
East hold a
number of
misconceptions
about each
other,” said
Anthony Shop,
’05, executive
editor and
chief operating
officer for OIR. “OIR created this
program to help foster understanding
and build bridges between cultures.”
Students at NWU listen to Sallee
respond to questions at a for um
Tuesday. Photo courtesy of the
Reveille at NWU.
Soccer advances in post-season play, 8
reaching goals
Stor y continued on Page 7
Dr. Gary Armstrong, professor of political science, discusses politics and theol-
og y with Abdulaziz Al Mualla, a United Arab Emirates student participating in
the colloquium. Photo by Kyle Rivas
pg_0002
The Hilltop Monitor
Friday, november 10, 2006 • Volume 21 • Issue 9
Copyright © 2006. All Rights Reserved
The Hilltop Monitor is published by the students of William Jewell
College, Liberty, Mo. Subscriptions are available for $30.00 per year.
Entered as First Class matter Sept. 27, 1911, in the post office of
Liberty, Mo. 64068, under the act of March 3, 1880. Editorial
comment does not necessarily reflect the views and policies of
the College.
Editorial staff:
Emily Wales, Editor-in-Chief
Danielle Mills and Nathan Weinert, Associate Editors
Tracy Carroll, Copy Editor
Vicky Hill, Assignment Editor
Andy Kirk, Entertainment Editor
Erin Thess and Morgan Burrows, Business Managers
Kyle Rivas, Photo Editor
Karis Rosell, Campus Editor
Jennifer McKnight, Distribution Editor
Staff writers and photographers:
Wilby Alley, Aaron Barker, Ashley Billinger, Rebekah Bouas,
Kristina Brase, Chris Carr, Lacey Crough, Mark Davis, Jonathan
Entzminger, Naphtali Faris, Sarah Fletcher, Stephanie Gonzales,
Josh Hastey, Hannah Hausmann, Whitni Hohl, Emily Hyder,
Amanda Joiner, Amanda King, Andy Kirk, Kristen Lehmer, Jesus
Lopez, Joy Mason, Megan Reynolds, Karis Rosell, Aimee
Smolczyk, Trisha Stan, Alison Ward
Contact The Hilltop Monitor
Letters to the editor, story suggestions, ad inquiries, subscription re-
quests, or other correspondence can be sent to the following addresses:
e-mail: monitor@william.jewell.edu
phone: (816) 781-7700, xt. 5426
mail: WJC Box 1016, 500 College Hill, Liberty, MO 64068
website: http://www.thehilltopmonitor.com
SPEAK O
U
T
Emily Wales
Editor-in-Chief
O
pin
ion
HM
2
www.thehilltopmonitor.com
Friday, November 10, 2006
. . . from the staff
Emily Hyder
Staff Writer
B
ursting the Bubble
Nathan Weinert
Associate Editor
Let us know
what you think
Letters to the Editor
monitor
@william.jewell.edu
Second Thoughts
Unlike those who believe they were born in the wrong era because
they yearn to parade around in fancy frocks with puffed sleeves or
wish they were immersed in the decadence of the Roaring 20’s, my
feelings of misplacement stem from a different source. I think I was
born in the wrong country. A French woman, who thinks the small,
four-letter word—food—means more than sustenance, lives inside
of me. Although my attitude about food is part nature, part nurture,
it is certainly not an American norm. Yes, Americans love food, but
generally not for the way it looks on a plate, the way it tantalizes all
the senses or the way it connects people. In France, food means
something—it’s love and tradition, family and art. Unbeknownst to me,
it was this ideal that would cause me much distress in college.
Living 1,600 miles away from home was difficult, but one of the
biggest adjustments I had to make in college was in regard to the food.
I am slightly embarrassed to admit that my adjustment process wasn’t
even complete until this, my sophomore year, when I began to look at
Jewell food in a new light. Although I can look back at this gastronomic
coming-of-age with levity, it certainly did not begin that way. After the
initial shock that I wasn’t eating my mom’s cooking wore off, combat
began. I waged a silent war on the construction-torn battlegrounds of
the cafeteria. My strategy—eat the same thing everyday.
Somehow, in my homemade-meal starved mind, I thought this
would show the-powers-that-be that quality meant more than quantity.
So while my fellow classmates enjoyed the wide array of options, I
stuck to omelets, salads and the occasional slice of carved turkey. I don’t
think that my point was well taken, if even noticed, by Dining Services,
because they had their hands full feeding the rest of the 1200 troops.
Nothing revolutionary happened as a result of my protest, except
maybe the occasional strawberry slice in the fruit mélange (which I
highly doubt was because of me). This went on until the glorious
day in May when I returned home to feast on In-N-Out and mom’s
cooking once more. After a summer of such culinary delights, I arrived
back at the College anticipating another year of combat.
I’m not sure what came over me this past month. The fight in me
has slowly dwindled and I am starting to see the hidden gems of our
cafeteria. My day is never complete without a treasure hunt—climb
the cantaloupe mountains, turn left at the honey dew cave, dig next
to Grapehenge and be rewarded with the prized gold (pineapple). A
friend introduced me to the Jewell’s version of fish eggs, which may be
less sophisticated but is much more palatable. The seven-layer salad is
also a new favorite of mine. But nothing could sweeten my attitude
about the cafeteria more than the days when I walk past the dessert
and see the tell-tale clouds of whipped cream that signal my favorite
dessert—chocolate chip cookie casserole. A large spoonful with ice
cream makes all my cafeteria cares melt away like the chocolate in my
mouth. Maybe my inner Parisian has been starved for so long that her
culinary standards have lowered, but I choose to believe this change
of heart signals my complete adjustment to college. The eggs in the
cafeteria really have begun to land sunny-side up.
I don’t remember my first interview with Dr. David
Sallee, president of the College. After some intensive
research (scanning eMonitors from my first year at
William Je well), it appears that our first formal interview
was in February 2004. The issue: the hiring of a new dean
of enrollment.
Before that article, I’d certainly met Sallee and his
wife, Mary, on campus. I’d seen their house, waved to
him while he was jogging and been at plenty of formal
occasions during which he addressed campus. But
interviewing the College president during my first
year should have been monumental. I had to go to the
mysterious top floor of Greene Hall and ask hard-hitting
questions about enrollment figures.
But I don’t remember any of it—not because it
wasn’t an important moment but because it wasn’t the
stereotypical environment for a student journalist. I’m
sure I was welcomed into the office, allowed to ask any
and all questions and treated as a competent writer.
Sallee never dumbed down the process or avoided
difficult questions. That’s been true of nearly every
interview I’ve had with Sallee. He has been honest,
straightfor ward and—most important to a young
writer—upfront about what parts of the interview were
on and off the record.
The stories I have covered have changed over the
course of the years. Sometimes, there is less information
available to publish; often, the questions are more difficult
to answer.
This was true Wednesday when I interviewed Sallee,
as we once again discussed a hiring issue. Only this time,
another institution, Nebraska Wesleyan University, was
doing the hiring. This was an interview I wouldn’t forget.
Sallee’s candidacy there came as a shock to many
people across our campus, evidenced by discussion
among students, faculty and staff about the possibility
of life at the College without the Sallees. From what I
hear, numerous groups on campus are making efforts to
convince Sallee to stay at Jewell. While I understand
their sentiment, I am not sure that’s fair—to the
College community or the Sallees.
There’s a natural tension between any college
administration and the student newspaper. We push
the boundaries, they push back. They make decisions
with which we disagree, we make sure they hear about
it. When the relationship is healthy, it’s a challenge
and a check for both groups.
This week, there is no pushing or pulling, no
challenge or check. I believe I speak for all of the
members of the editorial staff of the Monitor in saying
we are tr ying to understand the difficulty of the
decision that may lie ahead. Rather than attempting to
convince Sallee to remain at the College, we prefer to
support Sallee’s decision, whatever that may be. Maybe
this is the time for a change, a new vision. Maybe this
will be a “Come to Jesus” moment for Sallee, and he’ ll
realize that William Jewell is the place for him to lead.
Either way, we want a president who wants us.
Sallee’s presidency hasn’t been perfect, and I’m fairly
confident he’d be the first to admit that. There have
been issues of academic procedure and communication
that have left their mark on Sallee’s tenure. There also
have been, however, moments of celebration: recovery
from financial distress and low morale, defense of
academic freedom and unification after a natural
disaster. While it would pain me to see the Sallees
go—and that remains an “if ”—I realize that Sallee has
made major contributions to the life of the College.
And for that, we are thankful.
As I read the article from February 2004, I couldn’t
help but notice one of Sallee’s quotes about the unrest
in the Office of Admission during that period. “ We’ll
be ready to get back to normal,” he said. As for the
uncertainty and disappointment surrounding the
William Jewell community now, I couldn’t have said it
better myself.
As a third-year member of the
Hilltop Monitor staff, I’m used to
finding out answers. After a week of
searching for answers, however, I’m
more confused than ever as to why
Dr. David Sallee, president of the
College, would consider becoming
president of Nebraska Wesleyan
University.
Since we found out Sunday that he
was a finalist for the job, the Monitor
staff has tried to find as many of the
answers that the College community
is looking for as possible. After dozens
of interviews, hours of research and
one trip to Nebraska, however, I think
we’re more confused than ever.
Tuesday, Emily Wales, Danielle
Mills and I traveled to Nebraska to
seek to better understand the story
we were covering.
We had been angry; we had been
dismayed. We had been shocked, and
we had been disappointed that the
president who helped draw many of
us to the College would leave us for
a college that was so similar. We had
discussed how the lateral move made
no sense, how the timing of the move
made no sense, how the location of
the school being moved to made little
sense and how, in general, we didn’t
really understand why this was all
taking place.
The forum we attended at
Nebraska Wesleyan was one of the
more difficult hours of my college
career, as we listened to the president
of our college stand in front of a group
of other students and try to tell them
why he was excited about potentially
becoming their president. It was
difficult to listen to the president who
had provided steadfast, determined
leadership in times of crisis struggle to
control his emotions as he attempted
to talk about how much William
Jewell students mean to him and his
motivations for leaving the College.
Yes, we had arrived angry and
dismayed, shocked and disappointed.
But as we left Lincoln, the prevailing
sentiment was sadness. We learned
a lot on the trip about Nebraska
Wesleyan, the issues the new
president would face and about what
sort of a university it is. But while
we had arrived seeking clarity and
insight, we were just more befuddled
than before.
In the midst of this confusion,
there are certain things that I learned
and remembered throughout the
process.
First, the things I’ve learned:
Nebraska Wesleyan is in need of the
kind of strong, accessible leadership
that Sallee has provided at William
Jewell. The campus is in turmoil due
in no small part to the last president’s
leadership style, and it will take an
outstanding leader to bring stability to
Nebraska Wesleyan. The University is
also a very nice place. Approximately
two-thirds of their students are
residential, they care passionately
about the interaction between religion
and academic f reedom, believe
strongly in the liberal arts tradition
and they’re overwhelmingly white
and Midwestern. Does this sound
anything like a college that most of
us know about?
Second, the things that I already
knew: William Jewell is at a critical
point in its history. Three years after
our split with the Missouri Baptist
Convention, we’re still seeking to
define where we are as an institution
in regard to both our religious and
academic identity. A new Strategic
Plan that promises to bring years of
both growth and pain to the College
has barely gotten off the ground.
While the College is moving ever
closer to financial health, threats to
the College’s financial stability are
constantly looming on the horizon.
Nebraska Wesleyan isn’t the only
university in need of outstanding
leadership in upcoming years.
Finally, I know that Sallee has been
an excellent president for William
Jewell and undoubtedly would do
an outstanding job at Nebraska
Wesleyan. I know they would be
incredibly fortunate to attract such
an outstanding leader to be their next
president.
I still don’t understand why Sallee
would consider leaving William
Jewell for Nebraska Wesleyan. It’s
a nice place, but it’s not a huge leap
forward from William Jewell. I
would hope that if Sallee is looking
for a midcareer challenge or change,
he’d be able to find it at William
Jewell. We certainly have more than
our fair share of challenges requiring
outstanding leadership.
After a week of research and
thinking, I’m more confused than
ever as to why this move might be
occurring. Some have had much
more time to think about it and I
can’t help but wonder if they are in
the same boat.
pg_0003
ewell
ester
J
J
Perspectives
H
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3
Volume 21 Issue 9
www.thehilltopmonitor.com
Career Services and the Business & Leadership
Department invite you to a special program…
Career Networking
Seminar & Reception
Thursday, November 16
221-222 Yates-Gill College Union
2:00 Question & Answer Session: Industry/Career Issues
3:00 “Mastering Networking”: Mr. Brad Hirni
3:30 NETWORKING RECEPTION
• Upscale event with fancy hors d’oeuvres.
• Your own “business cards” provided by
Northwestern Mutual – Brase Financial
Group.
• Mingle with representatives from financial
organizations hiring for various positions.
RSVP through your campus eRecruiting account by Nov. 9
(At your home page, select Interview Schedules in the calendar box on the
left and then “Career Networking Resume Collection”)
Professional attire is expected.
Direct inquiries to Career Services, 816-415-5938.
BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL
FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF!!
September to May Contract
$25 Joining Fee (Save $50)
$19.95 per month (Save $10 per month)
A
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LE
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ESS
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F
HEALTH CLUB
Tel: (816) 781-8600
www.eaglefitnessliberty.com
338 South 291 Hwy.
Liberty, MO 64068
We Offer:
Cardio Theatre
Fitness Classes
Spinning Bikes
Supervised Kids Club
Cardio Classes
Locker Rooms
Showers
Free Towels
Tanning
Boxing Room
Personal Training
AIR CONDITIONING!
The light dawned on William Jewell
College when the power went out last
Tuesday. The cause of the power outage,
which affected most of the College’s
buildings, is unknown, according
to Ron Dempsey, vice president for
finance and administration. “It was
something beyond our control and
responsibility,” Dempsey said.
This is not the first time William
Jewell has experienced a power outage.
According to Dempsey, the College
experiences some kind of power outage
about once a year. “More times than
not it’s weather-related,” Dempsey
said. “We’re subject to that the same
as any neighborhood.”
During the recent power outage,
some issues regarding handicapped
accessibility and elevators were made
apparent. In the event of a significantly
long power outage, students who
depend on elevators may be stuck in
certain buildings, unable to leave a
floor. “It’s always a risk for someone
in a wheelchair,” Dempsey said. “You
just have to find another way to get
the wheelchair down. It’s no different
than any other building in the world.”
A power outage that lasted longer
than a day would affect the College in
many areas. The recent power outage
caused a server failure. A longer
outage may affect more ser vers in
more permanent ways. “You run the
risk of damaging the integrity of the
data and the integrity of the system,”
Dempsey said.
In addition, everything important
at the College runs on electricity.
While the College does not have an
exact plan to implement in the case of
an extended power outage, William
Jewell does have relationships with
many vendors who can provide
generators, according to Dempsey.
The phone system is always on a
generator, and Information Services
has some batteries back-ups in case of
loss of electricity.
According to Dempsey, a long
power outage could disable the College
to such an extent that classes could be
cancelled and students could be sent
home. “ It depends on the time of year
and the situation,” Dempsey said. “It’s
a case-by-case situation. We have to
figure out what we can continue to do
and sit and wait until the world’s put
back together again.”
Power outage illuminates problems
Joy Mason
Staff Writer
Joy Mason can be reached at
masonj@william.jewell.edu.
College’s service component recognized
Lacey Crough
Staff Writer
Lacey Crough can be reached at
croughl@william.jewell.edu.
William Jewell College always
has been an institution that has pride
in community service. With groups
like American Humanics, Amnesty
International and Christian Student
Ministries involved in community
service projects as well as classes
involved in ser vice-learning projects,
William Jewell’s recent selection for
extraordinary community service
as part of the President’s Higher
Education Community Service
Honor Roll comes at no surprise.
“The honor is important as an
affirmation of what the students,
faculty and staff of WJC have been
doing for the past two years,” Dr.
Andy Pratt, dean of the Chapel
and vice president for Religious
Ministries, said. “It is an honor to
be named among a group of colleges
and universities that value ser vice and
have made a significant commitment
to doing ser vice ever y year.”
The College is one of the
492 schools recognized for on-
going service projects. “ The
college community did the work of
community service, service learning
and hurricane relief without thought
of reward or award. This award
process, which comes after the
service has been rendered, gave us
the opportunity to write down all
the service that college students have
done,” Pratt said.
According to Dr. David Sallee,
president of the College, community
service has always been an integral
part of the student experience at
William Jewell and the Ser vice
Honor Roll award affirms it. “I think
service-learning is a very important
aspect of the college. I think it fits so
well with our ethos and philosophy.
We have students who are in tune
with the needs of the community so
it fits them well.” Co-sponsored by
the Corporation for National and
Community Ser vice, the Department
of Education, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development,
USA Freedom Corps and the
President’s Council on Service and
Civic Participation, the Honor Roll
is presented in cooperation with
Campus Compact, an organization
of approximately 1,000 college and
university presidents, supported by
major national higher education
associations.
Higher Education
Classified
A d v e r t i s i n g
Small, Midwestern liberal arts college (approx. 1300 students) seeks
energetic, relationship-centered president. Applicant will face low
morale, divided campus, financial pressure, controversial previous
president, religious identity issues and lack of trust in administration.
If interested, apply to William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo.
Applications requested by June 2000.
Small, Midwestern liberal arts college (approx. 1600 students) seeks
energetic, relationship-centered president. Applicant will face low
morale, divided campus, financial pressure, controversial previous
president, religious issues and lack of trust in administration. If
interested, apply to Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Neb.
Applications requested by October 2006.
...Hard to pass up such a good opportunity?
pg_0004
Trustees Chairman Responds
If Sallee does accept an offer from
Nebraska Wesleyan University, on-
campus members of the College
community are not the only ones saying
they will be sorr y to see him go.
Ed Place, chairman of the Board
of Trustees, said he learned of Sallee’s
candidacy early last week. “David and I
were scheduled to meet anyway [about
unrelated issues], and he informed me
this was something we needed to talk
about,” Place said. “I then made the
executive committee [of the trustees]
aware immediately.” Place said the full
Board was told of Sallee’s candidacy
Saturday morning, “once I kne w for sure
David was going to make the trip.”
Place said he understood Nebraska
Wesleyan’s attempts to court Sallee.
“I think ever ybody understands that
when you do a good job, other people
would like to have you do that job for
them too,” he said. Place predicted
that an announcement about Sallee’s
decision, if he is offered the job, would
be forthcoming. “There’s no need to
speculate [on Sallee’s decision], because
I think we ’ll know soon enough.”
Having spent his entire chairmanship
under Sallee’s presidency, Place said he
believes the College has made positive
change. “I think William Jewell has come
a long way under David’s leadership…
and he’s got a pretty exciting vision for
our future, as well.”
Public support for Sallee from students
and faculty has led to some speculation
that Sallee’s vision and Strategic Plan
may not fit with the trustees’ plans for
the College. Place, however, emphasized
a positive relationship between the Board
and Sallee. “Oh, no. That [disagreements
about the Strategic Plan] is not in any
way an issue,” Place said. “David and
his executive council have been working
on his Promise and the broad Strategic
Plan and he’s kept the Board informed
of that progress along the way.” Place
confirmed that the Board is strongly
behind “David’s direction and vision for