The press release noted that Van Horn’s vision for Jewell’s future emphasized “personalized education rooted in the liberal arts and humanities, aimed at preparing students for successful careers and civic engagement in a constantly changing world.” His experience includes tenures as the president of Brevard College in North Carolina and Young Harris College in Georgia, both of which had or continue to have affiliations with the Methodist church.

It is not surprising that the Trustees have chosen Van Horn as interim president given the new direction of the College under the Reimagine Jewell initiative. Bill Gautreaux, chair of the Board of Trustees, noted that Van Horn’s “[unique] data driven results-oriented focus” would help the College “build on Jewell’s long history of academic excellence and student success.” It is unclear what emphasizing a “results-oriented focus” means at this time for programs and faculty, given cuts to both last year.

A New Direction

In an interview with Higher Education Digest, Van Horn outlined a myriad of policy outcomes for smaller private colleges that he believed would help them flourish. Two of his policy proposals are particularly relevant in viewing the way Van Horn will lead the College.

First, Van Horn emphasized that “[i]nstitutions must continue to identify low-producing majors and eliminate them from their offerings.” As Jewell thins its program offerings (having eliminated majors in International Relations, Mathematics, Oxbridge, Philosophy, Spanish, and Theatre this past year, among others), Jewell administration appears to have already emphasized identifying and removing “lower-producing majors” in an effort to reduce program spending.

Second, Van Horn emphasized that colleges, especially small private colleges, must “refocus the Boards, alumni, faculty, and staff on the mission of the institutions… focus on the type of student that [they] historically served and determine if this was still the mission for the institutions.” This includes, where necessary, “reducing the number of hours in the core curriculum” and changing the institution’s focus from core curriculum to double majors or certificates that enable student success, particularly in the workforce. As Jewell becomes more diverse and moves away from its Baptist roots, College administrators must decide whether to double down on Jewell’s historical mission or upend it.

No matter one’s feelings about Critical Thought and Inquiry (CTI) classes, it is clear that the Reimagine Jewell initiative, under the leadership of Van Horn, represents a significant shift for William Jewell College and its administration. Will Van Horn lead a shift out of exigency and toward a flourishing Jewell? Or will the College lose sight of the liberal arts emphasis that has caused its success for so long?

As usual, only time will tell.
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On Dec. 5, 2024, the administration of William Jewell College sent a letter to Jewell students informing the Cardinal community that the College would be declaring financial exigency. 

Accompanying this declaration, Jewell’s administration launched a new webpage, “Reimagine Jewell.” The webpage informed students, alumni and donors of the challenges the College has faced and the College’s plan to address these difficulties.

The full letter to students can be read here. It noted, in relevant part, that:

“The College has implemented a variety of strategic cost-cutting measures to achieve efficiencies. These included asset sales, savings on what we purchase, operational cost cuts, deferral of non-essential maintenance expense, and most recently, a reduction in administrative staff. Additional immediate cost-saving measures must be implemented to balance our budget and ensure Jewell’s future success.

Following extensive analysis and thoughtful deliberation, the William Jewell College Board of Trustees has voted to declare financial exigency, an intentional step toward creating financial stability and securing the path forward for the College. In doing so, the Board is deploying an important tool that enables reallocation of resources, restructuring of academic programs, scholarships and significant reductions in force. [Jewell] will transition out of the financial exigency period in less than one year after efficiencies are being achieved according to plan.” [emphasis added]

In a press release, Bill Gautreaux, chair of Jewell’s Board of Trustees, said that as is, “the cost of program delivery is not sustainable. It is essential that we confront that inefficiency and build a solid foundation for future growth.” Interim President Susan Chambers described current conditions as a “challenging time,” but added that she was “collectively dedicated to the preservation of Jewell for the long term.”

What is financial exigency?

William Jewell College defines financial exigency in accordance with guidelines published by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). According to the College’s Faculty Handbook, a state of financial exigency may be declared by the Board of Trustees when “an imminent financial crisis threatens the survival of the institution as a whole and that [financial crisis] cannot be alleviated by less drastic means” (§4.8, p. 48).

Jewell also has the ability to declare financial hardship, which differs from financial exigency in that “financial stability,” not the institution’s survival, is under threat. Jewell may declare financial hardship when it may not meet accreditation or federal standards, experiences a multi-year budget shortfall, or restructures a program due to “declining enrollments or excessive financial drain” (§4.9, pp. 48-9).

By declaring financial exigency, then, the Board clarified the urgency of the crisis Jewell is facing. This crisis threatens Jewell’s survival, not merely its financial stability.

How is the College administration addressing this?

Declaring financial exigency enables Jewell to take substantial steps to cut expenses.

Academically, the College may choose to restructure or remove certain academic programs. “Reimagine Jewell” noted that “many changes [to Jewell’s academic programs] will be welcomed, but some will impact programs, services and traditions that, while valuable, do not have sufficient aggregate demand to continue in their current state.” 

Financial exigency also enables the College to eliminate the positions of faculty members with tenure; exigency is one of the few conditions under which Jewell may do so (Faculty Handbook, §5.10.1). Moreover, Jewell is not obligated to continue academic programs that it has been offering, and a reduction in faculty caused by budget cuts may render certain programs inoperable.

Athletically, programs will continue through at least the end of spring. Jewell stated that athletic programs will “continue as planned for spring as well while we complete the work developing a more viable athletic aid strategy, and a sustainable and strategic fundraising plan.” Jewell plans to provide more details about the future of athletic programs in early 2025.

Administratively, Jewell seeks to increase revenue via summer programs or other uses of its facilities, while decreasing expenses in energy consumption and technology infrastructure.

Other impacts on College functions

Despite this declaration of financial exigency, the College claims to prioritize “as little disruption to the student experience as possible” and that the College is “committed to supporting [students] during this time.” 

Finally, Jewell’s search for a new president has been paused during this time, and Interim President Susan Chambers will continue to serve until a new president and other long-term leadership are found.

Anna Marie’s Teas – Liberty, MO

Located right on the historic downtown square of Liberty, it will take you only 10 minutes to walk from Jewell to Anna Marie’s Teas. My first impression of this tea shop is the amazing smell of many different tea blends, from herbal to strong caffeinated tea. With a full wall of tea blends, you can easily spend over 20 minutes in the shop trying to pick your favorite tea. The shop also sells decorative tea sets or cute tea bottles to make a perfect gift basket!

As a tea lover, I have visited the tea shop many times during the past two years at Jewell. I usually get their limited holiday tea for the Fall season. I also recommend their lavender Earl Grey tea. It is my necessity before I walk to class every morning. 

Under The Covers – Kansas City, MO

Under The Covers is a new bookstore specializing in romance literature that recently opened in downtown Kansas City. Even if you don’t need a gift for anyone, I suggest you make a stop and get a gift for yourself. After the visit, you will learn about many subtypes of romance books: sport, teen, mysterious, classic, royals-related and even spicy romance novels. 

In addition to a full wall of books, they have a designated check-in spot for you to take cute pictures or read through some books before you decide to buy them. Also, don’t forget to check out their unique handmade bookmarks. 

Made in KC on the Plaza – Kansas City, MO

This coffee shop/gift shop is a must-stop when you visit the Plaza in Kansas City. The first thing I suggest you do is to grab a hot lavender cappuccino before you explore the gift shop. Right next to the coffee shop, you will find classic KC barbecue sauces along with many other hot sauces and seasonings that are made locally. Deeper in the store is a local ceramic shop, KC T-shirt store and a small bar. If you are above 21, feel free to buy a cocktail and meet some new people while shopping for KC vodka and whiskey. The other half of the shop is the designated space for KC Honey, local home-good stores and a small school shop with cute notebooks and pens. 

Even though this location is a bit far from Jewell, it is the best place to get your friends some fancy gifts this holiday season!

While we wait for the fall weather to catch up with the official start of the season, people are already beginning to enjoy fall traditions and activities. From apple-picking to carving pumpkins to anything fall-flavored, we all have our favorite customs. One trend that has taken the fall season by storm is the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Starbucks is the original inventor and distributor of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, creating its signature flavor and launching the invention in 2003 as part of the company’s special seasonal flavors. At first, the drink was only released at the Starbucks locations in Vancouver and Washington D.C., but it was an immediate hit with the customers and was soon expanded to their other locations. 

20 years later, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has become Starbucks’ most successful seasonal drink with hundreds of millions sold over the past 20 years during the fall seasons. Their menu has also expanded to include their Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, which are available during the fall season as well.

Before the creation of the Pumpkin Spice Latte by Starbucks, the pumpkin spice flavor and scent was not yet present in the marketplace. Now in 2023, you can’t walk into a store during the fall season without seeing a pumpkin spice-flavored drink, candle or a variety of other products emulating the signature combination. 

The extreme popularity of the Pumpkin Spice Latte took off with the arrival of social media sites Facebook and Twitter in 2006. Media exposure through celebrity endorsements, viral videos and more brought the Pumpkin Spice Latte to its current status as a cultural symbol of fall. The original Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte has also been copied by innumerable coffee shops and can be found in almost every store that you visit in the fall. 

In Liberty and nearby areas, some of my personal favorite places for a Pumpkin Spice Latte (hot or iced) include:

Starbucks: There are various locations around Liberty. You can never go wrong with the original.

Hammerhand Coffee: Located near Downtown Liberty, Hammerhand offers their delicious Spiced Pumpkin Latte and Spiced Pumpkin Chai drinks that have a perfect blend of fall spices.

Paisley Perk: Located in Kearney (a short 15 minute drive from Jewell). Their Pumpkin Pie Latte has a rich flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the espresso.

Make sure to take advantage of these indulgent flavors before they disappear at the end of the season!