2
May 10,2013
North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
OPINION & NEWS
Viewpoint:;
By Alyson Matarazzo
Senior Staff Writer
Everyone is aware of the Internet Cafe
attached to the campus library. Most are
aware of the hours and options provided
for the students, faculty, and staff by this
establishment. For those of you who are
unsure, don’t remember, or didn’t care,
the hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monday through Friday (excluding final
exam period). I cannot say that I’m happy
with the way the Internet Cafe is mn and
through some interviews, F ve concluded
that other students feel the same. We agree
that the hours of operation, as well as the
product, do not meet the students’ needs.
Classes start at 8 a.m. so students with
the earliest class are unable to reap the
benefits of having, basically, a coffee
shop in the building next to where they
will have classes. The Internet Cafe hours
should complement the main cafeteria
and the class schedules. Some students
need caffeine in the mornings to function.
Since we’re not allowed to have coffee
makers in our dorm rooms, students are
•either late to class or leave class for a few
minutes to stand in line to get coffee.
What about the students who stay up
late working on homework, papers, and
research? The Internet Cafe closes at
2 p.m., yet the library stays open until
midnight Sunday through Thursday.
Danyelle Rube is a junior, an athlete,
an R.A., a sorority member, and an officer
in the Psychology Club. She spends at
since 1960
“of, by, andfor the Wesleyan community’.”
STAFF
Senior Staff Writers
Gloria Arizpe, Emily Bower,
Georgettae Fields-Turrentine,
Alyson Matarazzo, Bristy Parker,
Melanie Rhodes
Staff Writers
Stephen Bardswick, Preston
Bremus, Casey Burd, Charles
"Bubba" Carroll, Tyler Clark,
Katherine Crickmore,
Jasmine Croswell, Mia Gardner,
Shenika Harper, Anna Hart,
Emily S. Ivey, Kristi Lucas,
Rebecca Staylor, KeCharna White
Special Contributors
Rebekah Cain, Dr. Carl Lewis,
Dr. Jackie Lewis,
Dr. Cameron Matthews,
Jessica A. Smith '09,
Grace Wallace
Faculty Advisor
Dr. William Grattan
(ext 5336)
179 Braswell • Phone: 985-5336
Email: WJGrattan@ncwc.edu
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Editorial Statement
Commentary/opinion and letters to the
editor represent the individual author’s
views, and not necessarily those of North
Carolina Wesleyan College, the Decree
staff or the Decree advisor.
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or call 985-5336
’s Expand Hours at Internet Cafe
least two hours in the library three nights a
week. Ashley Marks is a senior, an athlete,
and an R.A. When she goes to the library,
it’s for at least five hours at a time. Cassie
Goodenough is ajunior and an R.A., who
spends an average of four hours in the
library two days a week. These women are
only three of many students who spend
hours at night in the library, catching up or
getting ahead in their classes.
Rube drives to Sheetz to get coffee and
snacks; and Goodenough drives to Sheetz
to get coffee and snacks if she doesn’t have
supplies in her room. Marks doesn’t drive
anywhere to get supplies. If she doesn’t
have stock in her room, she goes without.
There seems to be a large crowd of
students who want Sodexo to change
the business hours of Internet Cafe.
Sodexo used to have the grill open
between lunch and dinner for those students
who were unable to go to lunch in the
cafeteria Now, the grill is only open at night
and the Internet Cafe closes a half hour after
the cafeteria closes at 1:30. If students want
or need food after this time, they’re forced to
rummage around their room or leave campus.
Junior Megan Zimmerman visits the
library an average of 2.5 hours two days
Issue In-Focus: Legalization of Gay Marriage
At the present time, the Supreme
Court is weighing arguments concern
ing gay marriage. Do you think gays
should be allowed to wed in the U.S.?
KeCharna White
People fought for all types of rights
in this country because the United States
symbolizes freedom. Sometimes the U.S.
contradicts what it stands for by making
unfair laws that apply to certain groups of
people. African-Americans fought for civil
rights, women fought for women’s rights
and gays are fighting for their rights. I do not
think that you should tell anyone who they
can and cannot marry. Although gay mar
riage goes against Christian beliefs, it should
be up to gay people to have a traditional
marriage in a church. They might just want
the marriage license. In my opinion, they
should have the right to get that experience.
Rebecca Staylor
Gay marriage should be legalized in the
United States. Everyone has a right to be
married and love who they want to love. I
have two lesbian aunts and I really don’t see
the harm in gay marriage. They are great role
models. They work hand and love each other
unconditionally, so what’s the problem?
My whole idea on gay marriage is you live
your life, and I’ll live mine, and we both will
continue on our ways. I think one reason gay
marriage is such a huge topic of discussion
is because the common idea is “God doesn’t
want gay marriage.” While this topic is sup
ported over and over in countless sources,
we should not throw stones at a glass house.
What I mean is that God didn’t want man
and woman to have premarital sex, get
divorced, or cheat, yet male-female couples
are doing this all over the nation. Therefore,
we see homosexual couples as sinning, but
yet some of us are too. Overall, I support
gay marriage because my parents raised me
to not be judgmental and accept people for
the way they are. Gay marriage should be
legalized because, who are we to tell one
another who we can and cannot love?
Shenika Harper
I was raised in the church, where it was
only a holy communion of marriage for a
man and woman; but I also feel that everyone
deserves to find true happiness. People can’t
choose who they fall in love with. Everyone
sins so I think gay marriage should be less
of an issue compared to people killing
another person. Why does it matter? We live
in America, the land of the free. If a person
chooses to be gay and marry their significant
other, people shouldn’t care. It’s not affecting
anyone but the couple. People are so worried
about others’ relationships when they should
be focused upon what is going on in the world.
There are way more brutal things happening in
life than a gay couple getting married.
Katherine Crickmore
Gay marriage should be legalized in the
U.S. Putting all theology aside, we live in a
democracy that claims equality, and giving
equal rights to all is a part of that If two
adults who are fully capable of making their
own decisions want to get married, then it
is unconstitutional to bar them from it. This
kind of debate is hugely reminiscent of the
conflict surrounding interracial couples in
the past, and, with time, I think it will be
remembered as being just as absurd.
a week—sometimes more often. While
she doesn’t always crave that caffeine
kick at night, the prospect of coffee
would draw her into the Internet Cafe
on nights that she does. But she cannot
buy anything if the cafe is not open.
In previous semesters the Internet
Cafe carried breakfast food. “I liked
when there were the microwavable
biscuits (along with) chips and candy
bars,” Zimmerman said. Once again,
she is another student who rides to
Sheetz for her late-night provisions.
Sophomore Connor Wright is president of
her sorority, someone with her finger on the
pulse of Wesleyan’s campus. She spends an
average of three hours at night in the library
three days a week doing homewoik. I’ve
never seen Wright without candy but she can
not buy it here on campus. She drives over to
Sheetz for her coffee and candy to sustain her
through her long hours in the library. She likes
the Internet Cafe’s “iced caramel macchiato,”
but wishes she could buy one at night
Kayla Nall, a transfer student, keeps
busy with classes, a work-study job, and
taekwondo classes. She spends about
2.5 hours at night in the library, at least
two days a week. She likes that “the
Tyler Clark
This is a topic that has gained a lot of
political attention recently. I believe that
gays and lesbians should undoubtedly be
allowed to obtain a marriage or legal union
through the government. When people
bring up the ideals of religion into this
argument, I believe that their argument
has no validity as religion has no role in
the American governing system. There is
no official religion in America, so I do not
believe that any religion can take away
something that should be guaranteed to all.
After all, isn’t it interesting that in a country
founded on freedom from religious
persecution, we are now using religion to
persecute freedoms?
Daniel Carroll
I do not think gay people should be able
to wed in the U.S. It was Adam and Eve,
not Adam and Steve. That is not how I was
raised and Ijust do not agree with it, because
marrying gay people in the U.S. would mean
they could adopt a kid. Imagine what that
would do to the child growing up, having
two dads or two moms. If they want to live
together, then that’s fine but I don’t think
it would be right to let them many. Gay
marriage is not in my belief by any means
because in the Bible it even says it’s wrong.
People do disobey the Bible all the time but
that is no reason to let gays wed.
Preston Bremus
If I were a homosexual I would not want
the right to be married, because the “prob
lem” is that marriage is between a man and
women. I would say fine, I want something
that represented the relationship that I was in
anyways. It can be called homosexual union
or maybe another term that accurately reflects
what it is. I believe that homosexual couples
should be looking to have legislation for rec
ognition of their own type of union. This may
be easier accomplished than trying to have
their union considered marriage. Furthermore
this would be more fulfilling and accurate for
me than having gay marriage.
Emily Bower
Gay people have been around for decades
and have just recently been more outgoing
with their expressions of love towards others
in an attempt to push the envelope in society.
People need love, regardless of their sexual
orientation. I understand the argument made
by religious communities that gay marriage
goes against natural marriage, and if this is
upheld by our court system, that shouldn’t
deny homosexuals their right to happiness.
Call it something other than marriage, but
still allow gays to cohabitate and reap the
benefits of a serious relationship, such as
insurance coverage. Marriage is something
that should be available to everyone, regard
less of their sexual orientation.
Gloria Arizpe
Without a doubt, marriage should be al
lowed for all. People say that God believes
it is a sin for gay marriage, but if we were
to really get into that discussion, one could
say that many things we do on a normal
basis are considered a sin; so why harp on
this one particular subject? To make it even
more of a political compromise, one could
suggest legalizing gay marriage, but not al
lowing the marriage to be done at a church.
Either way, I do not see the big deal.
coffee is consistent and the quality is
like Starbucks.” But when she needs a
caffeine boost in the evening, she heads
over to Sheetz or gets an iced coffee
from McDonald’s. Nall isn’t happy that
the cafe is closed when she needs her
“late, afternoon caffeine or snack.”
Wright and Goodenough share Zim
merman’s disappointment about the lack of
chips and candy sold in the Internet Cafe.
Marks likes the baked goods offered
early in the day: “Their baked food is the
best,” and her favorite is the raspberry
scone. But she laments that the baked
goods are not available at night.
It’s not just the lack of food and coffee
at night, although this was most prominent
in students’ minds. Marks mentioned that
when she goes to the Internet Cafe earlier
in the day, there is little to nothing left for
lunch. In my experience, if students go
any time after noon, there are only drinks
available—if we’re lucky. .
What’s more, the cafe doesn’t always cany
they make wraps—not everyone likes wraps—
and sometimes they make ham and cheddar
cheese sandwiches—not everyone likes ham
or cheddar—and still other times they make
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—some
students cannot eat peanut butter.
Students seem to understand that the
Internet Cafe cannot have the infinite amount
of food they are able to get at the main
cafeteria, but the fact remains that students are
not being satisfied. There have even been days
when the cafe has run out of bottled water.
The quality of the food isn’t being ques
tioned. It’s the quantity of food that concerns
students, not to mention the limited hours.
Everyone seems to agree that the Internet
Cafe should be re-opened for a few hours at
night but there are various opinions on times.
Rube and Marks want the cafe to “re
open from 8 to 12.” Goodenough: 7 to 11.
Wright: 8 to 10. Zimmerman: 7 to 9:30.
Nall isn’t too worried about exact
times of the Internet Cafe re-opening,
so long as it does re-open.
She’s more concerned with the hour
it closes in the afternoon. She’d like to
have the opportunity to get her coffee
before her class and work-study job.
Marks and Zimmerman would like
the Internet Cafe to open before the 8
a.m. classes start—around 7:30—for
students and faculty who need that caf
feine buzz before learning or teaching.
If Sodexo wants to make money, it seems a
good way is having someone in the Intond: cafe
eariy in the morning—7:30—and at night for a
few hours—let’s say between the hours of 7 and
10. This way, students can grab a cup of coffee
before the earliest class and in the evening have
dinner and then work in the library with the
opportunity to buy candy to satisfy a late-night
craving or coffee for a long night of studying.
ASPIRE Student Awarded President’s Cup
A. My biggest motivation was to satisfy a
Phil Heavner, a new graduate from the
Rocky Mount ASPIRE program, earned the
President’s Cup award in recognition of his
sterling academic record.
The award was presented at the college’s
spring commencement ceremonies May 4 in
the Dunn Center. Last month, at the Honors
Convocation ceremony, Heavner, 40, was
recognized as the outstanding Rocky Mount
ASPIRE student
Michael Drew, site director of the Rocky
Mount ASPIRE program, noted that the
Nashville native has been named to the
President’s Honors List each semester he’s
been enrolled at Wesleyan. His work earned
him an invitation to join Sigma Beta Delta,
the business honor society. In recent years,
Heavner has volunteered for Hometown
Solutions and My Sister’s House, a non-profit
agency that assists victims of domestic abuse.
According to Drew, professors have
described Heavner as an excellent student who
is “intelligent, articulate, and diligent and brings
thought-provoking issues to the fore of learning.”
One professor commented that Heavner's work
was of such a “high quality that he will be using
it as an example for future student work.”
Heavner began the ASPIRE program
in 2010, years after a previous stint at
UNC-Chapel Hill. With some credits earned
at UNC and Nash Community College, he
earned a business administration degree
from Wesleyan. The Decree conducted a
recent interview with Heavner about his time
asa Battling Bishop.
Q. Were there ups and downs, perhaps
some times when you thought you might
have to abandon your studies?
A. Although it was tough at times, between
working full time and school, I never once
considered quitting or even taking time off. I
had already experienced that back when I started
college right out of high school. This time I was
determined to make school my number-one
priority, and do whatever it took.
Q. What was your motivation in pursu
ing your degree?
Outgoing SGA
President’s Message
By Rebekah Cain ‘13
Looking back on this year as SGA
president, I've realized how much I love
Wesleyan. This has been a wonderful
growing experience for me! I've seen
the true colors of NCWC, the love, sup
port and enthusiasm that the administra
tion has for the students as well as the
willingness and energy that the student
body has when they unite in a common
goal. NCWC is a wonderful small
liberal arts college, "hidden among the
pines," of our beautiful campus.
SGA has accomplished some wonder
ful things this year including: seeking the
tuition freeze for all returning students,
promoting the honor code, strengthening
relationships among the faculty, staff and
students, and an improving the relationship
between NCWC and the local community.
These were all accomplished through the
hard work of SGA officers, the student
body, administration, faculty and staff.
As SGA continues to grow, adding
more clubs every year, I would like to
challenge these clubs and student leaders
to continue to strive for greatness! Our
clubs have accomplished so many things
this semester: attending educational
conferences, hosting awareness events,
promoting student unity, conducting
petitions, and so much more! Our student
leaders must not settle for the status quo;
if you see something that needs improve
ment or attention, then address it! Help
your fellow students gain a positive
perspective, be the examples they can
follow on the path towards success.
This experience enabled me the
opportunity to glimpse what could be a best
chapter in NCWC history, a college that is
student-centric, where students show respect
in words and deeds, reach out to the com
munity and constantly grow in "promoting
wisdom and courage through Christian
education." Wesleyan is the perfect place
for those who want to excel in everything
they do. The administration, faculty and
staff have created an atmosphere that allows
motivated students to achieve their goals.
For improvements in student fife to
continue, it will take a community effort.
We need to change this campus' culture.
The following Paulo Coelho quotation
applies perfectly to our NCWC family:
“When we least expect it, life sets us a
challenge to test our courage and willing
ness to change; at such a moment, there
is no point in pretending that nothing has
happened or in saying that we are not yet
ready. The challenge will not wait.”
I'm grateful for the foundation that
NCWC has given me, as I step out into the
"real world." I know that I am prepared for
this period in my life. I hope other students
can have the same perspective when their
graduation approaches.
personal goal of obtaining a college degree.
Q. Provide a brief description of your
current job and responsibilities.
A. I work full time at Honeywell Aerospace.
I started as an assembly and test technician
and now work as a workflow specialist My
daily responsibilities include setting production
schedules, coordinating job assignments for the
team, and troubleshooting computer-related or
quality issues.
Q. What will you do with your degree?
Describe your plans.
A. I hope to move into a management
role at Honeywell. I would also like to
use my degree to start my own business
someday.
Q. Why was the ASPIRE program right
for you?
A. It was perfect, due to the night-time
class schedule that allowed me to still work
full time during the day.
Q. What did you enjoy most about your
business administration courses and other classes?
A. I liked the real-world experience
that many of the teachers brought into the
classroom.
Q. What was your favorite course?
A. Probably Business Ethics with Barry
Drum. We discussed interesting topics that
you normally wouldn't think of in the business
world. Dr. Drum is a down-to-earth person and
quite a funny character.
Q. Do you think that the liberal arts
approach was right for you?
A. Even though many people feel that
those types of classes are not necessary, I
feel that it does serve a purpose in making
you a more well-rounded person.
Q. We’re asking the traditional students
to tell us the amount of student loans
they’ve accrued during their time here.
What’s your total?
A. Thanks to Honeywell's education
reimbursement program, I’m happy to be
graduating without any college loans.