tl20030227-000 "Baltimore's #1 College Paper - Published Twice-Weekly - www.thetowerlight.com The DWEPIi Thursday, 2/27/03 Students among award recipients 5 New major may come in Fall 2003 5 Pyrotechnics to highlight concert 13 Culture of hip-hop discussed at forum 16 Departments News 5 Campus Briefs 7 Nation/Blotter 8 Arts 13 Art Around You 14 Book Review 16 Sports 20 Bankshots 19 In This Corner 20 Classifieds 17 Opinion 2 Alcorn leader finalist for post President of historically black university one of five finalists to become TU's 12th president Mike Morris The Towerlight Alcorn State University President Clinton Bristow Jr. confirmed Monday afternoon that he is one of five finalists for Towson University's presidency. ""I will be coming to meet with the Towson family,"" Bristow said from his office on the 1,700-acre campus located in southwest Mississippi. He anticipates meeting students, faculty, staff, the University System of Maryland's Board of Regents, and Chancellor William Kirwan to see if they ""have mutual goals and if there's compatibility."" Bristow, who was nominated for the position, said he was told two weeks ago by Towson presidential search committee members to plan for a visit to TU's campus in the near future, although he has not heard exactly when the meeting will take place. Mark Crusante, one of two stu-dents on the 25-member search committee, said the group is coming ""down to the wire"" and aiming for the announcement of a new presi-dent next month. ""I can't confirm or deny,"" the jun-ior political science major said of Bristow's candidacy, adding, ""but that's what I have to say."" Before coming to Alcorn in 1995 to serve as its 16th president Photo courtesy of Alcorn State University ASU President Clinton Bristow Jr. New twist on a Shakespeare classic Saul Stoogenke The Towerhght Chris Kalman, a sophomore at Essex Community College, performs a scene from ""Munch 'n Macbeth."" The one-hour show will take place at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. today in the Union's Potomac Lounge. Bristow was business dean at Chicago State University. He earned both undergraduate and law degrees at Northwestern University in Illinois. Mississippi's state college board recently gave Bristow a four-year contract at $175,000 annually, but officials have said the contract can be canceled if he leaves. Former president Mark Perkins' contract was for $210,000. James Clements, chair of the search committee, said Regents have made it very clear they will give ""competitive pay"" to whomever is chosen as TU's next leader. ""We want to bring in someone who has a great reputation; a great leadership style. Someone that will bring us into the future,"" Clements said Tuesday. ""We want to bring in someone who has a great reputation ... Someone that will bring us into the future."" James Clements chair, search committee Because of last week's record-breaking snowfall, the committee has not met since it issued its last official statement two weeks ago via a campus-wide e-mail, Clements said. He added that the committee is now in the ""let's really get to know you phase,"" which consists of exten-sive background checks on each of the five finalists. One of those finalists was rumored to have been Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick. Clements said Grasmick, a Towson alum, was nominated sever-al times and received consideration from the committee. ""She is a well-known leader in the state in terms of higher educa-tion,"" Clements said of Grasmick. See BRISTOW, page 9 Today High 31 Low 27 Friday High 37 Low 25 Saturday High 34 Low 34 Sunday High 45 Low 31 Monday High 40 Low 27 "
