Locals increase
student concern
Fall Colors: Does
the season match
your future?
The News Argus
www.thenewsargus.com
Winston-Salem State University’s Student Newspaper
Nov 13, 2006
Feast may lead to fat
Photo by Sharrod Patterson
If you’re not careful, comfort foods can do more than soothe your soul.
Is the Freshman 15 fact or fiction?
Tiffany Ross
STAFF REPORTER
An increase in obesity
is plaguing
America, and stu
dents should become more
concerned about improving
their eating habits and
avoiding weight gain.
Researchers at a private
northeastern university
recently conducted studies'
concerning the weight gain
of college students.
The study included 382
freshmen, with each stu
dent being weighed once at
the beginning and once
end of spring and fall
semesters.
The study showed that
during the same time span,
male students gained more
weight than female stu
dents. Another recent
study showed that the
average amount of weight
gained for males and
females was less than 15
pounds within their first
year.
While researchers recog
nized that students were
not necessarily gaining the
expected "Freshman 15",
they noticed that students
continued to gain addition
al weight their sophomore
year.
Contributions to weight
gain were drinking, more
socializing that involved
eating, and decreased
physical activity.
mentioned that food choic
es such as fruit, vegetables,
nuts and grains are among
the variety of foods that
students should eat regu
larly.
Exercising regularly also
contributes to improved
health and students should
X
Photo by Sharrod Patterson
Poor food choices and lack of exercise can make the
Freshman 15 a reality.
Natasha Jeffreys, public
health educator at WSSU,
shared vital information for
WSSU students concerning
healthy eating habits and
avoiding weight gain.
"Students should watch
their portion sizes, remain
physically fit and drink lots
of water," she said. Jeffreys
do so at least three times a
week for 15 to 20 minutes.
"The key is getting a
good cardiovascular work
out — students can walk or
run on treadmills or partic
ipate in kick-boxing or
cycling," she said."
"Students should also
remember that exercising
includes warming up and
cooling down in order to
avoid straining muscles."
Many students at WSSU
who care about their
health, influence their
friends to do the same.
This semester, Latoya
McCluney, 19, sophomore,
has been more concerned
with maintaining better
health habits.
"My roommate and I
have started going to the
fitness center and plan to
go at least two to three
times a week," she said. "I
think it is important to
develop better health
habits now because our
generation needs to leam
how to take better care of
themselves, regardless of
how fast and convenient
life is now."
"The Freshman 15" can
be a myth or fact for stu
dents according to the
daily choices they make.
Regardless of whether stu
dents have or have not
gained their "15," healthy
eating habits can be an
important part of every
student's life.
Photo by Sharrod Patterson
Anyone caught parking illegally will be ticketed.
No more parking
tickets — please!
Nathaniel E. Woods
STAFF REPORTER
/t is a white slip of paper
with a red banner
across the top tucked
inside a yellow envelope.
What is it? It is a parking
ticket.
"Enter to learn and
depart to serve," one stu
dent says sarcastically. We
want to leam, but we have
a hard time entering to get
a parking space.
According to WSSU's
"Regulations Governing
Motor Vehicle Parking"
pamphlet, the school has
27 parking lots. Thirteen of
those 27 lots are for stu
dents, both commuters
and residents.
If there are so many
parking lots, what is the
real problem?
"The problem comes
from the people that don't
purchase decals and park
in areas that require
decals," said Sgt. Norris
Gullick, who has been
with the Winston-Salem
State University police
force since 1997.
"If students park in
faculty parking lots which
are designated by signs
and the red markings at
the end of the parking
spaces, the student will
get ticketed," Gullick
explains while jump-
starting a student's car.
When faculty park in
student areas, he said,
"Faculty also get tickets for
parking unlawfully."
Resident student parking
spaces are color coordinat
ed with purple, brown,
and yellow. Student com
muter spaces are green,
and visitor's, blue.
While the plans for park
ing expansion are being
discussed there is an over
flow lot available for per
mit holders by Bowman
Gray Stadium. Students
who decide to use this
parking area can take
advantage of a shuttle
service. Because the shuttle
stops running at 6 p.m.,
the school has taken pre
cautions and hired safety
patrol to give escorts to
students who have late
classes and need to get to
the overflow lot and
retrieve their vehicle.
According to the WSSU
Website, there are 5,567
students enrolled, and
according to Gullick there
are 1,229 parking spaces
and 37 handicap spaces.
All drivers should avoid
parking in front of fire
hydrants and orange cones
since the majority of traffic
fines have doubled to
show the seriousness of
the rule.
Photo by Sharrod Patterson
WSSU campus awash in fall colors.
WSSU to offer new master’s degree in teaching
COURTESY OF MEDIA RELATIONS
Winston-Salem State
University will
begin offering a new
Master of Arts in Teaching
(MAT) degree starting
January 2007. This is an
alternative teacher certification
program to initial teacher
licensure for those with
qualifying undergraduate
degrees. It will address the
teacher shortage in the
Piedmont region and the state.
The program provides
advanced preparation in the
fields of Middle Grade
Education and Special
Education.
According to Dr. Cynthia
Jackson-Hammond, dean
of WSSU's School of Education
and Human Performance,
this program will provide indi
viduals an opportunity to
enhance or redirect their
careers to the teaching profes
sion, in turn increasing the
teacher work force in the
Piedmont region and through
out the state.
The program is divided
into two phases. The first will
consist of coursework
designed to address the
competencies for beginning
teachers. Those who complete
the first phase will qualify
for a North Carolina A-level
(initial) teaching license.
The second addresses the
advanced competencies
for an M-level (master's)
license.
The curriculum includes a
minimum of 39 credit hours,
and these graduate-level cours
es include course content and
training consistent with guide
lines prescribed by state and
national accrediting agencies.
Although the target group
for the program includes those
with baccalaureate degrees in
Middle Grades or Special
Education related areas, candi
dates who do not have prereq
uisite graduate-level courses
will be able to complete the
necessary academic courses
through a combination of
undergraduate and graduate
coursework.
Once graduates have suc
cessfully completed the MAT
program, they will be armed
with the necessary knowledge
and skills required to pass the
Praxis II Specialty Area
Examinations for North
Carolina teaching licenses.