NEWS
QnkeR say 1ns. iriease, yes’!• cMsentul sm canpaliH
BY KINSEY DANZIS
Staff Writer
Physical abuse. Emotional trauma. The
most under-reported crime in America.
One in five women and one in 16 men
will experience some form of sexual assault
while in college, according to Campus Safety
Magazine. The danger lurks on college
and university campuses nationwide and
Guilford is no exception.
With its recent launch of the Sexual
Violence Prevention Committee however,
Guilford took a first step toward a safer,
more informed campus.
"The mission (of the committee) is the
education of the students towards the goal
of preventing sexual violence," said Gaither
Terrell, director of counseling. "It's about
reducing and preventing instances of sexual
violence and responding appropriately to
instances of sexual violence when it does
happen."
SVPC includes members from
many groups across campus, such as
the Counseling Center, Public Safety,
the Student Office of Leadership and
Engagement, and Sexual Assault Awareness
Support and Advocacy, as well as other
interested students not directly affiliated
with any specific group.
The committee's diverse membership
stems from its mission of spreading
awareness to everyone at Guilford.
In his letter to the community. President
Kent Chabotar said, "We want every
student, faculty member and staff person
on our campus to understand that healthy
sexual relationships require consent, to
know what constitutes sexual misconduct
of all types and what our policies are
in regards to it, and to be aware of the
resources that are available to anyone who
has experienced sexual violence."
While creating the committee was a
start, the severity of the issue demanded
more, which led to the launch of the
"Keep It Consensual: Only Yes Means Yes"
campaign.
"The consent campaign is one particular
aspect of the larger conversation," said
Director of Student Judicial Affairs Sandy
Bowles. "We picked one area of focus for
this year; one area to engage the community
as a whole instead of just parts of the
community."
The campaign focuses on educating
the community about "effective consent,"
which cannot be given when one or both
parties involved in sexual activity is
intoxicated.
"Alcohol is almost always a factor in
sexual assaults on college campuses," said
Dean of Student Affairs Aaron Fetrow in an
email. "I think everyone now understands
that driving under the influence is a really
bad idea. Sadly, hooking up under the
influence seems to be a norm with the
current generation of students, and in some
ways it is just as dangerous."
SVPC plans to promote the program
through social media and campus
communication, such as The Guilfordian
and The Buzz, as well as through events
"It's about reducing and preventing instances of sexual
violence and responding appropriately to instances of sexual
violence when it does happen."
Gaither Terrell, director of counseling
during the entire year.
"There are some movie programs that
will be available, so there's the Men and
Masculinity program series that's going
to be run," said Bowles. "In spring there'll
be the Take Back The Night event, the
Clothesline Project, maybe a major speaker'
... we'll have the kickoff event soon,
and we've got t-shirts and condoms to
distribute."
The date for the kickoff event has not
yet been determined, but the Guilford
community is encouraged to watch for
announcements and get involved.
"The committee is very open to student
involvement and there(s always room for
people who want to be involved," said
junior Chelsea Yarborough, a member of
both the SVPC and SAASA.
The success of both the campaign and
the committee relies heavily on student
involvement. In order to work towards a ,
world free of sexual violence, all voices
must be heard and awareness must spread.
In a letter published by The
Guilford Beacon on Hay 17,
President Kent Chabotar
encourages students to take
action against sexual assault:
“We can and must do better. Guilford is
certainly not alone in its struggle with
this issue, but given our dedication to
our core values and our commitment
to community, we can and should be
leaders in this effort”
To view the
letter in full,
scan with your
smartphone
here.
Summer ends, students return to changed campus
BY OLIVIA WERNER
STAFFWRTTBt
As soon as students left for summer, construction workers
invaded campus. Over the course of three months, the
school's renovation plans were put into action.
The renovation areas include the Joseph M. Bryan Jr.
Plaza, Hege Library, Bauman Telecommunications Center,
Mary Ragsdale Fitness Center, Joseph M. Bryan Jr. Plaza,
King Hall faculty space and the Jack Jensen Golf Center.
The most prominent project is the construction on the
Joseph M. Bryan Jr. Plaza to create a new campus center. The
college used rocks from local areas for the water feature and
plans to plant trees across the plaza in upcoming weeks.
The new seating arrangement and fountain will provide
a space for students to relax after class, while the new
walkway and eliminated road will allow for safer pedestrian
and bicycle travel.
The original fountain proposal came from the 2005 master
plan, but due to deferred maintenance this plan was put off
until the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation recently provided
funds for the project.
After news of the plaza was released to the community,
however, many students were perturbed by the financial and
aesthetic implications of the project.
"We have a lot of things to work on before we can start
focusing on our outward appearance," said sophomore
Libby Stillwell.
Students have arrived back on campus to an incomplete
plaza, due to 22 consecutive days of rain in June. It is
impossible to compact dirt while the ground is wet, so
construction time was pushed back 40 days.
Administration members were disappointed by the delay,
as they were planning to welcome students back with no
visible signs of lingering construction.
On the practice field above the lake, the Jack Jensen Golf
Center is currently being built in memory of the former golf
coach. Once completed, the facility will be functional year-
round with the help of a heating and cooling system.
Not all the renovation projects remain incomplete,
however.
In the basement of the Hege Library, the Betty Place
Classroom has been expanded and updated with new
technologies. Workers cleared out the old classroom and
removed student closets to create a larger open space.
New smart boards have been implemented in the
classroom, along with many other classrooms on campus.
These interactive whiteboards allow users to record notes,
take screen shots, use a magnetic keyboard and create audio
recordings.
This transition into a more tech-sawy campus is also
reflected in the Bauman renovations with Guilford's first
-ever hybrid classroom. This new room will allow teachers to
lead classes that students can access both on and off campus.
With the help of a Web-interactive program, students can
record lectures and participate in discussions regardless of
their geographical location.
"A student can be in France and take a class at Guilford
College," said Support Services Manager Rex Harrell.
The old rotting structural supports in Mary Ragsdale
Fitness Area were replaced and a new steel-framed,
tr^slucent panel system was created. Previously, the
windows and window frames had gaps between them,
which allowed for air conditioning and heat to escape. The
new design provides a greener, less wasteful set-up.
"You could see outside through the cracks (in the window
frames)," said Vice President for Administration Jon Vamell
of the previous design.
The faculty space in King Hall was renovated to create
an improved working environment for the Business
Department. Many faculty offices were updated to provide a
more comfortable and workable atmosphere, while making
Seniors Cj Green, Duncan Fitzgerald and Paris El-Ali relax on the
rocks in the water feature in the Joseph M. Bryan, Jr. Plaza.
the space more inviting to students.
The first floor area was reconfigured to create an office
suite for the Career Development Center and the Study
Abroad offices, which includes workstations for students.
The renovation plans were implemented with the hopes
of creating a campus that is as welcoming, comfortable and
sustainable as possible.