Woodard: Still Interim at
Office of Student Counseling
11
By Shauna Fitts
Staff Writer
Two years have passed and the Office of
Student Counseling still operates without a
permanent director.
As of Feb. 1, 1994, Dean Harold
Woodard has been holding the position of
interim associate dean.
“I expected that the hiring of an associate
dean would have happened a lot sooner,” said
Woodard, who agreed to hold the position until
someone pemricinent was hired.
Woodard currently serves as the interim
and assistant dean of the department. The
resignation of Deam Sibby Anderson-
Thompkins on Jan. 31 left another vacancy in
student counseling.
“The first six months after the resignation
of Rosalind Fuse-Hall (former associate dean),
there was a lot of turn-over in the office,” said
Dean Stephen Birdsall, who heads the College of
Arts & Sciences.
Birdsall is responsible for hiring a associ
ate dean for the Office of Student Counseling.
After Fuse-Hall left, new people came
into the department, leaving Woodard to be
the only experienced staffer
“Our main goal was to ensure that the
programs available to students continued
uninterrupted,” Birdsall said. “Because the
office was running smoothly, we thought it
best to let things stay the same.”
Woodard has received great praise as
interim from his colleagues.
“He has tremendous knowledge of the
office,” said Anthony Locklear, associate dean.
“He is a wonderful resource person. He is
easy to work for and with.”
Birdsall said that Woodard had brought
it to his attention early last semester that the
office was still operating without a permanent
director.
“I have talked with several individuals
about being on the search committee,”
Birdsall said. “1 hope to have the search for an
associate dean completed by mid-summer.”
Birdsall also said that students would
serve on the search committee.
The committee will not limit their
search to only individuals who currently
serve in the Office of Student Counseling.
Woodard plans on applying for the perma
nent position.
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Anderson-Thompkins Leaves UNC
By Shauna Fitts
Staff Writer
After 13 years of ties to the University,
first cis an undergraduate and graduate stu
dent and later as a faculty member. Dean
Sibby Anderson-Thompkins is calling it quits.
On Jan. 31, Anderson-Thompkins
resigned from her position as assistant dean
to the Office of Student Counseling; however,
some may still be wondering why?
“I have chosen to leave UNC for
Spelman (College) because 1 think I can gain
something personally from the experience,
said Anderson-Thompkins, who will work at
the college’s student and academic affairs
departments.
“1 am going to be in a setting where the
majority of the women look like me, she
said. “I am going to be in a supportive envi
ronment and 1 haven’t been getting that sup
port here at UNC.”
Anderson-Thompkins said that
although there is strong student support for
minority programs, the University doesn t
fund these programs sufficiently.
“There is a lack of commitment from
this institution to provide funds and support
for the black women on this campus,”
Anderson-Thompkins said. “This institution
needs to make a much stronger commitment
to African-American students.”
She added that the University’s lack
of commitment was evident by the fact that
the Office of Student Counseling has been
operating for two years without a perma
nent director.
Here for over a decade, Anderson-
Thompkins has been dedicated to the minori
ty students on campus, especially African-
American women. She also played an active
role in the development of the Sonja H Stone
Black Cultural Center.
Before becoming assistant dean to the
Office of Student Counseling, Anderson-
Thompkins, was assistant dean of Student
Affairs, representing one of a few minori
ties in administrative positions at the
University.
“I only hope I’ve matle a difference in
the lives of some students,” Anderson-
Thompkins said. “The students have definite
ly made a difference in my life.”
continued from page 3
against oppression and degradation to start
schools so African American children would
have a chance to learn. When we want to
fight and kill one another for Hilfiger coats,
we need this month as a reminder of Martin
Luther King’s dream of peace.
Until we wake up and take responsi
bility for learning our history 365 days of
the year we need black history month as a
/
starting point. Until we start determining
how we arc going ^o contribute to that long
history we need black history month to
reflect.
When everyone can say Garret A.
Morgan invented the stoplight just as
quickly as they say George Washington was
the first president, there won’t be a need for
Black History Month, but until that day it is
our duty to ensure that Black History
Month is not obliterated and our history
does not go untold.