Stetson Cupola 1986-15-1

cupom The Stetson University Alumni Newspaper Vol. 15 No. 1 (USPS 990-560) Fall 1986 Stetson continues plans for the | year 2000 and beyond Three generations of the Hollis family join Dr. Duncan after announcing their commitment to Stetson University. Pictured from left to right: Mark and Lynn Hollis, Dr. Pope A. Duncan, William Hollis and Dean Hollis. Three generations give $3 million to Stetson I In a bold announcement at a joint meeting of the Stetson University Board of Trustees and advisory boards, on Friday, September 19, three generations of the Hollis family of , Lakeland, FL, made known their commitment to contribute $3 million to a major fundraising campaign that soon will be launched by Stetson. Included in the announcement are William M. and Nina B. Hollis, their son and daughter- in-law Mark and Lynn Hollis and grandson Dean Hollis. "This places Stetson University in the unique position of having three generations of one family, all Stetson degree holders, supporting the university in their own way," said Dr. Pope A. Duncan, president of Stetson. In announcing their $1 million contribution, Mark and Lynn Hollis said their intent is to encourage colleagues and friends to support the university's coming capital campaign and also to establish the Mark and Lynn Hollis , Program for Leadership Development. "We want our friends to know of our full 'commitment to the development of Stetson I University and of our respect for the leadership | role it is playing in the State of Florida and in the nation," Dr. Mark Hollis said. They will be working closely with university officials to establish the program, which will benefit all students, whatever their major. Dr. Hollis said he knows of no other university in the state with a similar broadly-based program for teaching leadership skills. In announcing his $1 million contribution, Dean Hollis, a 1982 psychology graduate, said, "I want to continue the tradition of support my grandparents and parents have provided Stetson throughout the years. I also hope that this type of creative financial support will generate a significant increase in donations from other young alums." Dean Hollis's gift is provided through a universal life insurance program that creates a future endowment for the university in excess of $1 million. William H. and Nina B. Hollis, parents of Mark, have been long-term benefactors of Stetson University and were responsible for the renovation of a women's residence hall, now named Nina B. Hollis Hall. Dr. and Mrs. Hollis already have made contributions which, combined with projected contributions in future years, should exceed $1,000,000. The support of the Hollis family has been vital to Stetson throughout the years, Dr. Duncan said. "We depend on the strong support of Christians such as the members of the Hollis family. These individually - Bill, Nina, Mark, Lynn and Dean - are champions, and the family, together, is unmatched in their dedication and support for this institution." Dr. Mark Hollis, Stetson trustee since 1979 and current vice chairman of the board, is president of Publix Super Markets, Inc., the nation's 10th largest supermarket chain, with headquarters in Lakeland. In 1984, he received the alumni association's Doyle E. Carlton Award for outstanding service to his alma mater and to higher education. He also has received an honorary doctorate from Florida Southern College in Lakeland. "For Mark Hollis to present a $1 million gift for the development of future leaders is appropriate. He was a leader as a student, active in theater and the ROTC; a leader in the community and in business, active as a Rotarian and served as district governor; a leader as a member of the Board of Trustees; and a leader as a Baptist churchman," Dr. Duncan said. Dr. WUliam Hollis is vice pr ; of Publix Super Markets, Inc. He has sei. nis church, Southside Baptist, in many capacities and has participated in Christian layman's activities both locally and nationally. Dr. Hollis's continued support to the university was honored in 1975 when the university presented him with an honorary degree of doctor of laws. Dean Hollis now resides in Houston, Texas, where he is sales planning and merchandising manager for the TreeSweet Companies. "My years at Stetson not only provided a high standard of academic excellence but also encouraged and challenged me to excel as a well-rounded individual," Dean said. Stetson will proceed with development of a master campus plan while a citizen- governmental study group looks for solutions to transporation needs in the Greater DeLand Area, according to President Pope A. Duncan. "Decisions made by the task force, the city, and the county will obviously play an important part in this plan and our future," he explained. The Transporation Task Force is charged with developing solutions to transporation problems that will assure efficient, safe, convenient traffic flow while maintaining DeLand's quality of life. Stetson's initial campus master plan concept, which would necessitate the closing of portions of several streets through the campus, has helped focus attention on long-range problems of increasing traffic in the downtown area. "We are trying to look down the road 20 to 25 years and make some hard decisions," Dr. Duncan said. "If we could stop the growth of traffic where it is now, we might survive, but there is no way to stop it. On Amelia alone, which now divides the center and eastern parts of the campus, the number of cars has increased from 9,000 to 12,000 in just one year. Something would have to be done even if Stetson did not have a campus master plan. I think we have raised an issue of real concern, and people will have to look at the problem." The task force is composed of representatives from community organizations such as the Committee of 100, the Chamber of Commerce, the Main Street DeLand Program, and the West Volusia Economic Development Committee; and from the City of DeLand, Volusia County, and the Florida Department of Transporation. The task force will determine areas for additional studies of traffic flow and after considering various alternatives, make recommendations for future action to the city and county governing bodies. While the task force is at work, Dr. Duncan has asked the Board of Trustees to authorize Stetson to move ahead with completion of a campus master plan and an initial study for the best use of property on the west side of Woodland Boulevard which would no longer be used for academic purposes. The university presented the initial concept for the campus plan to community leaders and the public last spring. "Stetson University realized fully the risk it was taking in sharing with the public the initial study which was made for our forthcoming master campus plan," Dr. Duncan said. "Private universities are vulnerable to a host of external pressures and therefore in order to remain strong we must view problems and solutions over a much longer period of time than most of us are in the habit of thinking. Stetson's concern about the rapid growth in our area, when viewed in the context that most Florida communities have not adequately managed such growth for the welfare of all, led us to the decision to risk sharing the initial study report by Dale Sprankle." The initial study for the master plan calls for the eventual closing of two blocks of Amelia and of several other streets that intrude into the campus. However, Dr. Duncan emphasized that such closure is not being asked for immediately. "The initial study suggested closure by the year 2,000, but we have understood throughout that this could only happen after acceptable alternate traffic patterns were determined and in place," Dr. Duncan said. Noting rumors that the university is threatening a move to property it owns in Lake County if the closures are not approved, Dr. Duncan called such reports "most disappointing." Such a move from DeLand "is simply not on our agenda," Dr. Duncan declared, "although appropriate uses for that property will obviously be explored." Admissions applications on the rise Stetson admissions specialists are willing to give credit where credit is due. Since the "colleges ranked" article appeared in the November 25, 1985 issue of U.S. News & World Report, Stetson's admissions office has been buzzing. The office has had more telephone inquiries and it has received more applications than ever before in its 104-year-old history. "You can trace it to the national publicity received by the school in 1985," said Mark McMaster, associate director of admissions. "Whenever the national media recognizes a school, or any topic for that matter, there is a reaction. And in our case it has been a very positive reaction," McMaster said. Stetson was ranked fourth in its class in U.S. News & World Report's article "The Best Colleges in America," putting it in competition with schools such as Trinity of Texas (ranked no. 1), James Madison of Virginia (ranked no. 2) and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (ranked no. 3). Schools ranking just under Stetson were The Citadel, George Mason, Rollins College, East Carolina, Old Dominion and Appalachian State. "Our challenge is two-fold. We have to increase our applicant pool and increase in quality at the same time," Meadows said. Admissions specialists agree that Stetson is at the threshold of a new era. In past years Stetson has been heading the list of the "B" schools. "Now the university is associated with a different crop of schools. Stetson is at the lower end of the "A" schools. We're mentioned in the same breath with schools like Furman, Wake Forest, and the University of Richmond," McMaster said. "We're keeping better company these days." 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