Kline addresses Tabor students, staff
Staff writer
Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline made a stop Monday afternoon at Tabor College to address students and staff during convocation in the chapel-auditorium.
The audience had a 30-minute delay before Kline came to the campus. This was Kline's second visit to the campus.
In an brief interview, Kline said, "I left Topeka late, and then we were caught in the construction traffic."
During the delay, Tabor president Larry Nikkel gave several announcements and updates on what is happening at Tabor.
Nikkel announced that Dr. Howard Keim is still considered the primary candidate for the Hesston presidency.
Nikkel also announced estimated figures of a record high enrollment of 600-630 students at Tabor this year.
Nikkel said, "If those figures stand correct, it will be the highest enrollment in the college's history."
Nikkel credited this year's enrollment to the all-time high retention rate of students, especially last year's freshmen class.
He said the school has a $116,000 deficit and a $1,078,000 gain. Nikkel said the gains were through estate gifts, a favorable stock market, the capital campaign, and managing expenses.
"Tabor is the choice of college for Christian evangelicals," Nikkel said.
Dr. James Fischer, Tabor's new dean of student development, introduced Kline as he entered the room.
With only 20 minutes to address the crowd and out of breath from running from the parking lot, Kline challenged students to "have compassion toward people and not tolerance."
Kline stated statistics on what young college students think about absolutes when it comes to right and wrong. He said 95 percent of the students said that right and wrong are relative.
He gave various examples from specific court cases and slavery issues to address the condition of not "valuing each single life."
"If we present truth with grace," Kline said. "God's miracles occur."
He also stated the "mere tolerance in relationships is really indifference."
Kline ended his speech, saying, "the human cry in our land is a cry of truth and grace."
He challenged students to "endeavor to be people of truth."
