WIGUILFORDIAN
Greensboro, N.C.
Hurricane
Frances in
Florida
Page 4
RY
Meeting John
Kerry
Page 7
Alcohol policy
reactions
Page 6
E V 11 1 I
I*l
How the athletic
department han
dles injuries
Page 8
Smoking dominates first Town Hall Meeting
Caitlin Adams
Staff Writer
With changes in smok
ing, party and cafe
teria polices, students across
campus are confused about
what is permitted on campus.
New Town Hall Meetings
should help combat the confu
sion and answer questions for
the Guilford community.
Guilford's first monthly Town
Hall Meeting, intended for
everyone involved with the
college, took place from 7 to 8
p.m. on Sept. 6 in Boren
lounge. Liz Nemitz, senior
and chairperson of the stu
dent and community concerns
committee, facilitated.
Twenty-eight people gathered
for the moment of silence that
began the meeting. Others
came in later.
Kimball speaks at opening convocation
Karim Ali
Staff Writer
it HP
he elections are over," said
.X. Richard Kimball, president of
Project Vote Smart (PVS), about the
upcoming national elections, at the annu
al convocation on Sept. 7 in Dana audito
rium.
Kimball added a political flavor to the
convocation, which marked the beginning
of Guilford's 168 th academic year and
was attended by professors, staff, visi
tors, and students.
His 30-minute talk focused on the role
of special interest campaign contributions
in the corruption of contemporary politics.
"Factions delicately drew the lines," he
said. "They decided which citizens would
get money to advertise themselves and
others who would be left in obscurity."
During his talk, geared at promoting
introspection in collegiate voters, Kimball
emphasized the importance of an
informed electorate. "Democracy is a
Volume 91, Issue 5
www.guilfordian.com
"I really hope people can be
comfortable and talk. Facts
on campus are confused and
here people can be real about
things," said Nemitz.
Designed to sustain both
comfort and communication
throughout the meeting, the
Town Hall Meeting mission
statement reads, "The pur
pose of Guilford's monthly
Town Hall Meetings is to pro
vide a space for issues to be
discussed honestly and open
ly. We aim to have all mem
bers who would be affected
by decisions at Guilford pres
ent at the meetings (including
students, faculty, staff and
others) to allow everyone to
gather a complete under
standing of the topic being
discussed. The Town Hall
Meetings will strive to become
one of the most critical tools
weird system," he said, noting that every
election, we let millions of strangers
decide the fate of the country and its
political future.
He pointed out that "in a 30-second
commercial, I can not push your mind
about an issue. So we don't even bother
trying," and reiterated the futility of politi
cal ads.
"People [politicians] don't talk about
issues. They talk about how to move
people emotionally, not intellectually. It's
the game and it's cheaper," he told The
Guilfordian.
During his speech, Kimball invoked
humor.
He recounted how Benjamin Franklin,
a founding father of American democra
cy, was once was mingling at a party,
unaware that his pants zipper was only
partially closed. When an abashed
observer brought this to his attention,
Kimball quoted Franklin as having
responded, "A dead bird does not fall out
of its nest," and left the auditorium roar-
Vice-president for Enrollment Randy Doss and senior
Cassie Baker at the First Town Hall meeting Sept. 6
for the purpose for open com
munication among all parties
at Guilford."
"The mission statement is
up for modification," said
Nemitz. "This is an open,
semi-formal place where peo-
September 17, 2004
pie can ask questions."
The new smoking policy
took precedence. "After hear
ing numerous complaints from
faculty and visitors, the new
Continued on Page 3
ing in laughter.
Vice-President and Academic Dean
Adrienne Israel introduced the speakers.
"Convocation is a time to come together
as a community," said Israel, "[lt's] a time
to get way from the routine. (A time) to
talk about our purpose."
College President Kent Chabotar
expressed excitement at the record
breaking enrollment. He welcomed the
first-year class and asserted that it is an
exciting time to be at Guilford.
"I am pleased with this growth," he
said as he pointed out the fact that the
college grew faster than any of the other
51 four-year colleges and universities in
North Carolina, with enrollment increas
ing by 68 percent since 2001.
Addressing concerns about the short
age of parking spaces and increased
class sizes, he said, "These are good
problems to have. They indicate our
strength and that we are a good place to
be." He added, "Let's not obsess with
Continued on Page 3