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Wednesday, April 29, two key issues were discussed at Pacific Union College's regular meeting of the board of trustees: faculty wages and the possible sale of PUC property. The board voted to increase salaries and benefits for faculty and staff to the mean paid by similar Christian institutions in the area. The increased wages are contingent on raising additional funds, which is as yet an unresolved discussion. As for the sale of land, no definite decisions were made. The board simply voted to meet again on June 15 after more dialogue. College president, Malcolm Maxwell, has established an intranet newsgroup for continued dialogue among campus employees and students, and he encourages response from the school's constituency. The Finance Committee did, however, favor the concept of selling land in order to "establish an endowment to maintain the fiscal integrity of the institution, to fund an increase in faculty salaries, and to retire college debt, and." But after further deliberation, the board decided that more discussion and feedback was needed before a decision could be made....

On Wednesday, May 20, 120 golfers gathered at the Silverado Country Club to take part in the 6th annual Napa Valley Golf Tournament. The weather was cool and sunny-a surprisingly golf-friendly day considering this year's winter. The tournament, hosted by Pacific Union College, raised money for the college's worthy student scholarship fund, and provided an opportunity for good natured competition and a fine day on the greens. The tournament consisted of 18 holes of golf in a two-best, foursome play. Special awards were given for the longest drive and the closest to the pins on all par 3's. A 1998 Chevrolet Malibu also sat glistening on the course, the prize for a hole in-one. Alas, no miracle strokes were recorded, so no one left the course with a new car, courtesy of Epps Chevrolet Pontiac Oldsmobile Inc. in St. Helena. Of special note, the Napa Valley Service Club Championship perpetual trophy was awarded to the St. Helena Rotary team, as the top Napa Valley service club foursome. Alex Fox, assistant director of development at PUC, said that the Napa Valley Golf Tournament was, "just a good old home town kind of thing... raising money for local kids." An awards dinner...

It's become a summer tradition at Pacific Union College to see 5th-12th graders working on their lay-ups, their jump-shots, and their ball-handling. This summer, PUC, located in Angwin (north Napa Valley) will host the fourteenth annual Lavin Basketball Camp, offering two camps. The boys' camp will take place July 26-31, and the girls' camp will take place August 2-7. Cap Lavin began his Lavin Basketball Camps to provide boys and girls the skills to become better high school and college basketball players. Sessions are taught by top experts, including Steve Lavin, UCLA basketball coach (national rookie coach of the year). What's more, campers learn to enjoy the game itself in a fun, disciplined environment. Gene Keady, head coach at Purdue University, said, "I think the Lavin Basketball Camp is the finest camp in America." All the camps include clear instruction in basketball fundamentals, with an emphasis on both defense and offense. The games played at the camp will be refereed by a staff of instructors with NCAA Division 1 experience. And because life is not all basketball, there will be time for swimming, highlight films, and a few surprises....

Pacific Union College, entering its 117th academic year, began the fall quarter with Week of Prayer, celebrating "One Light, Many Reflections." The theme, signifying the many way in which we all reflect God, was a collaborative effort that came about after several meetings with all the scheduled speakers. It is an appropriate title for more reasons than one. The majority of the speakers were professors, and each came from a different area of study or campus department, offering varying perspectives on one fundamental truth. Another interesting element involving perspective surrounded the fall week of prayer is the series featured all women speakers. In the past PUC has used a series format when planning the week of prayer. Last fall the religion department headed the week of prayer and the previous year welcomed a group of successful business people. Each group provides a unique perspective on what is familiar ground to all. "We've had different series like this in the past, and they have always worked well," says Mike Dunn, chaplain. "This year we realized that we had never heard from our faculty and staff women, so we thought it would be a great way of continuing the series." None can...

Over the past few months, you may have heard that the college has considered selling some land. It's an option PUC has prayerfully explored, seeking out the advice of experts and the opinions of the college's constituents. Because so many people genuinely and passionately care about PUC's future, the discussion has been widespread. Unfortunately, some incorrect information has circulated, so we want to report on what is (and isn't) happening. An Overview The finance committee, a subcommittee of PUC's board of trustees, met last March to explore ways to achieve the three goals outlined in PUC's new strategic plan. For sure, the goals are bold and worthy: [1] Access, [2] Quality, and [3] Resources. ACCESS: PUC will make Christian liberal arts education more accessible to qualified applicants by expanding PUC's capacity to provide financial assistance and by providing expanded delivery systems. QUALITY: PUC will enhance our program of continuous and intentional development of faculty and staff to their highest potential in order to ensure distinctive student learning outcomes. RESOURCES: PUC will support academic excellence by generating resources adequate to promote and fund the twin goals of access and quality. Tackling this brave plan, the committee favored the concept "of a...