Courtney Such

Six faculty members will also conclude their professorships and begin the retired life this May. The professors are retiring for diverse reasons, but the main consensus is that they are ready to see what lies beyond the Furman gates.

Earlier this semester, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty John Beckford announced that Academic Affairs would seek to reduce its share of the university’s budget deficit through a net reduction in the size of the faculty, a move that some at Furman have feared will lead to larger class sizes.

Furman will once again play host to prominent world leaders this week, bringing in current and former international ambassadors for a two-day international symposium titled “Japan in the 21st Century.”