OPINION
Being color-blind should apply to all races
By Michaela Siegrist
ARGUS REPORTER
Winston Salem State
University is more than 80
percent African American.
That is not surprising
because, after all, it is a
Historically Black
College/University. But in
the new millennium, diver
sity is changing and so is
the face of our HBCU.
There are nearly five
times the amoimt of whites
at WSSU than seven years
ago. The white student
population is inevitably on
the rise. Does this mean we
loose our school feeling?
Does it mean we have to
change? Does it mean it
needs to stop? Absolutely
not.
I am white. 1 have attend
ed Winston-Salem State
since 2002.1 chose this
school because of the fabu
lous education at a reason
able cost. The campus is
beautiful, most everyone is
helpful and I am now a part
of the "family"
This didn't come over
night. I had to tread in
many precarious situations.
It taught me a lot about
myself, as well as teaching
some other students a cou
ple of things.
An HBCU will always be
an HBCU. The tradition and
culture will constantly stand
strong.
I believe the mix of a little
diversity is a good thing. It
teaches everyone to be a lit
tle more open-minded. The
nearly 65 percent increase in
the white student popula
tion during the past quarter
century can be taken as a
lesson of life.
The world is not as segre
gated as people like to
think.
They don't separate
blacks and whites in their
office cubicles so why are
they going to through col
lege?
It took me awhile to be
accepted into WSSU "fami
ly." 1 have earned the title
by some as the token white
girl.
At times 1 feel I'm 100
percent welcomed, and it's
seldom that 1 feel as if I'm in
a bubble looking out.
In my Interpersonal
Communications class my
teacher uses movie clips to
show examples of forms of
communication. So far, out
of the nearly 25 movies she
has shown, 1 have seen one
of them. The class now jokes
with me that 1 need to
broaden my horizon. 1 think
it also goes the other way
around.
Instead of seeing so much
color, let's just see and
opportunity. An opportuni
ty to share, learn and listen
to people who are not like
ourselves.
Instead of being so afraid
of a shift of cultural popula
tion at our school let's
embrace it.
We need to see it as a
measure of success instead
of a failure to preserve. 1
love Winston-Salem State
University. It has taught me
more about myself than any
other educational experi
ence. A culturally diverse
education is something
everyone can leam from. I
would recommend WSSU to
anyone. White, Asian,
Spanish, you name it.
The more we leam about
ourselves and the more we
leam about other cultures
and ways of life, the better
off the world as a whole
will be.
Take down the color
divide and embrace more of
life.
Editorial:
Seniors remember
controversy, losses
from years at WSSU
By Bridget Taylor
ARGUS MANAGING EDITOR
TAYLOR
The school year is coming to and end and things
are winding down on campus. This year has been
very full, exciting.
Early in the fall, former New York
Times reporter Jayson Blair came to
justify his actions and promote his
book. His presence received a lot of
media attention for Winston-Salem
State.
These past few weeks have been
sad. WSSU lost two of its major fig
ures. The voice of WSNC 90.5 FM
sports. Bill Franklin and legendary
basketball coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines died.
There have been a lot of administrative changes.
There is a new interim provost. Dr. Merdis
McCarter. Dr. Sylvia Flack, dean of heath sciences, is
the new special assistant to the chanceUor. And Dr.
Arthur King, dean of business and economics,
retired.
WSSU athletics has also had an interesting year.
After a tough season, even the football program had
to regroup. But the basketball team had a pretty
good season this year. Coach Philip Stitt was named
CIAA coach of the year.
The final big event of the school year is the com
mencement ceremony. Former Attorney General,
Janet Reno, is scheduled to be the commencement
speaker.
This being my senior year, I am sad to leave
WSSU only because I feel as if I just arrived. That
may be due in part because I am a transfer student.
WSSU has been my home for two years. I am happy
to be part of the greatest department, mass commu
nications.
Congratulations to the class of 2005. It's been a
great year.
Time to Wait
College might not be the best time to be in a
serious rdationship — it's too much work
By Kiandra Jefferson
ARGUS REPORTER
Campus life is supposed to be full of
excitement; Parties, social events, orga
nizational meetings, class work, tests
and relationships are all part of the
experience.
The beginning of my sophomore
year was great. I had everything from
good grades to a good boyfriend — or
so I thought.
When midterm grades were posted,
1 realized that my scores were a little
bit disappointing. What's more, my
boyfriend wasn't acting much like a
boyfriend.
He stopped calling, wouldn't speak
when he saw me and cheated on me,
too. 1 felt so broken and hurt.
Nevertheless, even during this diffi
cult emotional time, 1 somehow man
aged to pull my grades up and keep
on going. 1 didn't want to lose focus of
my university goals because of a rela
tionship gone wrong.
Some students believe that you can't
have both: good grades and a good
relationship.
One or both will suffer, either you'll
have a good relationship and bad
grades or a bad relationship and good
grades. But that's not necessarily the
case.
Mysteena Saunders and Kevin King,
two sophomores from New York,
arrived at WSSU as a couple and they
believe that their relationship is an
advantage. They've been together four
years.
But the couple cautions that it's not
always easy keeping their bond
strong. "Negative energy comes your
way every day on campus," both
agreed.
According to the Census, most
Americans delay marriage until
between the ages of 26 and 29. Kent
Beatty, the program assistant of
Kenneth R. Williams Auditorium, said
most young adults marry in their late
20s because they haven't quite decided
what they want to do in life. Kent has
been married to Angela Beatty for 12.
They met at WSSU.
"Serious relationships should wait
until you're settled," Beatty said.
As for my view, I agree.
Students should take the time to fig
ure out what they want out of life. Too
many students jump into relationships
thinking that it's going to be fun and
free, but somewhere in the middle of
the relationship things change.
In the begimiing, it's phone calls for
days, cards, candy and all the other lit
tle sweet things that people do to win
each other over. But often the romance
dies as quickly as it begins.
I'm not advocating a no-dating poli
cy. But certainly don't just settle for
anyone or the first person that comes
your way.
Remember, let nothing get in the
way of your studies, the reason for
which you are here. Relationships can
either lift you up or bring you down.
It all depends on you and your experi
ence.
Body art is great — but it’s a clioice you’ll live with
By Jerton Dixon
ARGUS REPORTER
Tattoos and body piercing are every
where you look. They are not necessarily
bad. In fact, some students consider
them a symbol of their freedom of
expression.
In the early '90s people with piercing
and tattoos were considered to less than
mainstream, some considered them
freaks.
But now it's considered fashion —
actors, atheletes, soccer moms sport tat
toos.
Walking around campus, you'll also
we see belly, tongue and eyebrow rings,
along with the tattoos spread across
practically every part of the body —
backs, arms necks and even down to the
feet. The images speak of different
things, personal names, birthdays, ani
mals, mythical figures and even memori
als to deceased loved one.
Whether you chose to get one, it might
be wise to remember that a tattoo is
meant to last a lifetime, so make sure
you want it, now and forever.
Gaines' impact is far beyond numbers
By Steven Gaither
ARGUS REPORTER
When I learned of the passing of
WSSU Coaching Legend Clarence
"Big House" Gaines, I knew that
the imiversity and the community
lost a great coach. But what I did
not know was that I was only par
tially correct.
The number of wins Coach
Gaines amassed at WSSU (828)
does not begin to compare to the
number of hves that Clarence
Gaines touched during his 81
years on this planet.
I have heard so many heart-felt
stories of the ways that Coach
Gaines touched people's lives. Not
just the young men that he
coached during his 47 year stint as
basketball coach, but those who he
taught at the imiversity, who he
met in the community, and gener
ally everyone he came in contact
with. Although he was nicknamed
Big House at Morgan State for his
size, the name also speaks of his
impact.
What I gathered from all of
those stories is that, above all.
Coach Gaines was a teacher. He
was a teacher of life and he will
continue to live on through the
lessons that he taught to those
who were around him. 1 met sev
eral of Coach Gaines former play
ers this week, and 1 was fortunate
enough to chat with former WSSU
star, Ted Blunt.
Blunt played for coach Gaines
from 1961-1965, was a three-time
All-CIAA team member, two-time
All-American, and a member of
the 1964 NAIA Olympic Basketball
Trials.
He has been a city councilman
for 21 years, and president for the
last five in Wilmington, Del. He is
former chair and member of the
Board of Tmstees at WSSU. 1
asked Blunt, what was one thing
that Coach Gaines taught you that
sticks out in your mind? He then
proceeded to give me three wise
sayings:
1. If you ever want to
be successful, hang
out with smart people.
2. Just because you
are right, doesn’t mean
that everyone will
agree with you.
3. The people who
walk on water are the
ones who know where
the rocks are.
1 regret that 1 never got a chance
to meet Coach Gaines, but I feel
that through listening to the sto
ries that people have about him
and the lessons that he taught
them, 1 can still leam something
from him.
From a basketball stcmdpoint, I
don't think we'll ever see another
coach stay 47 years in the same
place. It just doesn't happen that
way in this day and age.
As far as Coach Gaines the per
son, we need more people like
him.
We need more people who are
willing to invest in others, more
people who are willing to give of
themselves.
We need more people to ask
"what Ccin 1 do for you" instead of
"what can you do for me?"
Coach Gaines we will miss you,
and you will continue to live on in
the hearts and minds of all of
those who knew and loved you.