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Senior class trip canceled
BY D|ANNA HARRIS
Staff Reporter
A hotel with seven restaurants, all non-motor-
ized events, air fare, and nmeals are what the senior
class executive board planned for the 1999 senior
class trip to the Bahamas for May 9-12, but the $566
cost was too much for some.
Jamila McFarlane, senior class president said dur
ing the Dec. 2 meeting, the majority present voted
against the trip. “The seniors complained that the
trip was too much money for the short amount of
time that was spent.
Bellespeak
Page 2....
Belles give their
defintions about the true
meaning of Christmas
Belle Features
Page 3....
VP Gravely talks
about her new
postion.
Critic's Comer
Page 4....
New CDs for Christmas
The Bennett Banner
The Newspaper Produced By And For The Phenomenal Women of Bennett College
VOL XXI
December 11, 1998
Bennett College
Greensboro, NC 27401
It's beginning to look a
lot like Christmas...
at Bennett
Even with temperatures
reaching as high as 77
degrees throughout the
Triad, the Annie IVIerner
Pfeiffer Chapel entrance
along with residence halls
entrances have been deco
rated to show the
Bennett College
holiday spirit.
Photo by Marie Smith, Staff
Photographer.
* »>1
Bennett awarded
$1 nnillion grant
Bennett preparing for SACS visit
BY RUNGANO NYAJEKA
Staff Reporter
During the past year, the fac
ulty , staff and administration have
been preparing for a 1999 visit
from members of the Commis
sion on Colleges of the Southern
Association of Colleges and
Schools.
SACS is the designated regional
accrediting body for colleges in
11 U.S. southern states. TheCom-
mission on Colleges carries out
the accreditation process. Once
every 10 years, members of the
Commission determine the eligi
bility of a college to participate in
programs authorized under Title
Four of the 1992 Higher Educa
tion Amendments and other fed
eral programs. TheCommission’s
last visit to Bennett was 1989.
Accreditation of an institution
focuses on the improvement of edu
cational quality throughout a re
gion and also ensures the public
that institutions meet established
regional standards.
Ten committees, composed of
Bennett faculty, staff, and admin
istrators have been formed to de
velop self study reports in respec
tive institutional areas and pro
grams. The reports will be com
piled in the Self Study Document
that will be examined by members
of the SACS visiting team, which
is scheduled to occur April 11-14,
1999.
The Steering Committee chair
of Bennett is Dr. R. Lee Ponting.
Pen ting said by January the Self
Study Document will be reviewed
by the administrative cabinet.
President Gloria Randle Scott and
Board of Trustees. "People from
other colleges and universities will
come to verify the report and dis
cuss it with Bennett faculty, staff,
and students," Ponting said.
Dr. Ray T. Treadway has been
serving as chair for one of the self
study committees, "Educational
Program.Faculty." Treadway said,
"We are toward the end of our draft
report."
"Administration Processes"
chair Dr. Margaret Curtis said her
committee is making much
progress and that things will be
within the guidelines for reaffir
mation of accreditation. “One thing
that has been of continuing con-
By KENYA A. SAMUELS
Editor and Staff
Santa visited campus early
this year, and placed a $1 million
gift into the Bennett College stock
ing.
The Lily Endowment/United
Negro CollegeFund's Historically
Black College and University pro
grams recently awarded a $1 mil
lion grant to Bennett - the largest
foundation gift awarded to the
College's Capital Campaign.
The funds will be used to re
spond to a "wish list" of interre
lated projects including the
College’s latest venture “Tech
2000: Preparing Women for the
21 St Century." Tech2000is among
recommendations proposed by the
Technology Vision Committee for
the technological advancement of
the College.
The money will also be used to
fund the installation of an under
ground water drainage system and
fiberoptic wiring backbone. Fiber
optic wiring will enable the con
nectivity of dormitories, offices,
classrooms, libraries and labora
tories through computers.
"The fiber optic backbone will
bring Bennett into the 21 st century
and will make the College more
competitive and attractive to stu
dents and high quality faculty,"
said Bruce Clark, director of tele
communications.
Clark said he a member of the
Technology Vision Committee
which helped develop the grant.
The goal of the five-year Capi
tal Campaign is $50 million.
Christmas break security
Turn to SACS on Page 3
BY TANIKKIA TYSON
Staff Reporter
The dormitories close Dec. 19
and reopen Jan. 10 for the Christ
mas/semester break, but residents
may not have to worry too much
about their belongings left in their
rooms during that time.
Public safety officers are tak
ing precautions with the student
possessions left in the dorms.
Entrance doors to all the dormito
ries will be locked and checked
regularly.
Leon J. McDougle, director of
public safety, said public safety
officers will lock all the gates, ex
cept the main gate at the Washing
ton Street entrance. People com
ing to the campus during the break
must enter through that gate. This
will enable the officers to monitor
all visitors.
McDougle also said that all lights
will be activated on the grounds
and outside buildings.
If any emergencies arise con
cerning a student’s vehicle or valu
ables, the Public Safety Office will
notify Greensboro police first.
Turn to Security on Page 3