Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / March 18, 2005, edition 1 / Page 10
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Page 10 Greensboro. N.C. Talkbadt letters to the Editor In response to recent role of athletics at Guilfo Dear Editor, As a former Guilford stu dent-athlete and member of the Community Senate I would like to add a perspective to the recent discussion regarding the importance of athletics at Guilford. I encourage members of the current Guilford community to pick up a copy of Dr. Herb Appenzeller's Pride in the Past. This book chronicles the great history of Quaker Athletics, inspiring pride in our alma mater. Unfortunately today's Guilford is a place where trophies from past nation al championships are literally being used as doorstops and programs are firmly settled at the bottom of their conference standings due to a lack of funding, imagination, and creativity from the campus leadership. As a current college athletics admin istrator, I am aware of how low atten dance at games can be frustrating for coaches, student-athletes, and the fans who do show their support. I respectfully take issue with any opin ion which lays the blame for low atten dance on the make-up of a campus or the lack of a fraternity system. This assertion from "new" Coach Scott Smith reflects a lack of knowl edge of the Guilford College tradition of not having exclusive Greek organi zations. This type of ignorance is not surprising, as the athletics department Comments on the G I'm miffed! I've been holding in many frustrations about this college and I recently vented one of them in a less-than-pristine way via the Buzz. I wrote a sub mission about dishonesty within the administration. To all those staff and faculty that work full time and put their hearts in their work, my deepest apologies. I attempted to convey the message that there are those that have been less than honest in their work and instead of complaining to friends, we students need to address lies that are told to us in a produc tive manner. It is my belief that we have a few bad apples in this beautiful orchard and unfortunately they are not all at the bottom of the barrel: some are on top. As community members we need to stop spreading nasty rumors, and actually address falsehoods appropriately. Next time you feel like the wool was pulled over your eyes, take your concerns to the venue you feel most proper/effective. For everyone that also has frustrations about at Guilford has been in a state of steady decline for the last ten years. It is also one of the reasons why the worlds of athletics and academics at Guilford are always at odds. Why is this the case? The blame can be placed at the feet of the last three presidents, as none of these men have had the vision to examine what a top-flight Division 111 athletics program would mean for the institu tion. Instead, the alumni and current members of the Guilford community get treated to the same lame promis es of a better tomorrow ... only tomor row never comes. It has long been my opinion that the role of athletics at Guilford College has deteriorated to being ONLY a conduit to recruit more students into the residence halls. Other than a 90- foot miracle basketball shot and the men's golf program, the Department of Athletics has not been a plus for the college in quite some time. I do not blame Director of Athletics Marion Kirby, as he can only work with the tools that he is provided. Kirby has no budget, no staff support and no "pop from the top" to make the program turn the corner. If anything Kirby and his coaches should be given awards for putting together as good a pro gram as is in place. I have heard about a recreation center for use of the overall student is trying to recruit more mainstream students, please send me these concerns and myths. I will compile them, take them to the proper department, and then submit the myth along with what the department had to say to The Guilfordian. My frustrations have not only been with the staff, but also with students. I feel that my peers have become increasingly irresponsible and inconsiderate For example, four days in a row I have seen stu dents throwing food in the cafeteria without cleaning up the mess. Today I was hit in the back of the head with a piece of cake and then after scolding the thrower, was called a "bitch" and other derogative terms. To those students - you are directly degrading and insulting those that work in the caf as well as increasing the cost of operation, which is then passed on to students through higher costs or lower quality food. Start respecting the place that you live and learn as well as the people that have to pick up after you because you aren't responsible enough to pick up FORUM population and intercollegiate athletics for more than a decade, yet never get a call asking for help to raise funds, sit on a committee, or use my profes sional contacts to aid my alma mater. It is really quite distressing. If not for my friendship with my academic advi sor and one remaining member of the athletics staff from my college days I would have done what many of my peers have already done and wiped Guilford from my mindscape and moved on. It is hard to imagine how the current administration could actually be worse than the Bill Rodgers era, but is rapid ly approaching that type of chasm. On the Guilford web site I read President Chabotar's plan to improve campus communications and deci sion-making processes. In an e-mail from VP Randy Doss earlier this year I was told that "Changing the culture of losing" and the "this is the best we can do because we are Guilford" is paramount." Despite the lip service that these statements promise, the reality is that athletics at Guilford are not a priority for the administration and will continue to exist only as a "necessary evil" for the college's pow ers-that-be. I could go on, and on, and on but my point can be best made in com parison to other top Division 111 institu tions. Here in Ohio we have Mount Union, The College of Wooster, John Carroll, Oberlin, Case Western Reserve ... the list goes on and on. These schools compete for students against Ohio State, Notre Dame, six different Mid-American Conference schools and a number of Division II institutions. At Guilford the excuse has always been that "we cannot get it myths that they can't get a straight answer to, like the rumor that Guilford www.guilfordian.com done here in the middle of ACC coun try." Poppycock! Division 111, 11, l-AAor I, success in the classroom or on the fields and courts come down to being committed to success. Guilford is not, nor has it been driven to "be the best" for quite some time. When true leaders like our college enjoyed back in the 1950'5, 60's and 70's walked the corridors, the institution was moving onward and upward. Since the Bill Rogers tenure began the path has been in a circular motion going down, down, down. The two presidents that have followed "Dollar Bill" have only repeated the same decision-making process. Those who do not respect history are doomed to repeat it! When I return home to North Carolina and the subject of where I went to college comes up, I always respond enthusiastically: "GUIL FORD". The usual responses are "WHERE IS THAT?" or "ISN'T THAT A TWO-YEAR SCHOOL?" This poor public image hurts all Guilfordians, no matter what US News and World Report study is shoved in my face, the word on the street is that there is no word on the street about Guilford. Rivals like Elon move on to a better future, but good ol' Guilco stays cemented in the past. To me, excellence should not be a choice between academics or athlet ics; it should be an all-around commit ment. I pray that Guilford will adopt such a working mentality ... one day. Regards, Michael Waddell '9l Associate Director of Athletics for External Relations The University of Akron after yourself. It does not reflect positively when the caf carpet needs shampooing after every meal. Along with criticisms, I must include proper praise. Praise is one thing lacking in our community for those faculty and staff that pour themselves into helping students. Myself included, we are all ready to criticize but rarely take the time to praise good efforts. Some professors call students on their cell phones at 11 p.m. Friday night because they sud denly came up with an idea for the student's class project. Where is their praise? I would now like to thank Ken Gilmore, Judy Harvey, Blaine Lukkar, Scott Pierce Coleman, Anne Lundquist, Sylvia Trelles, Anore Horton and the late Tim Pettyjohn for doing good work and investing in me. As community members I encourage all of us to give others their due. If they are not representing the truth, call them out appropriately, and if they are awesome, let them and the rest of us know! Kate Doom Senior Mar. 18, 2005
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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