NEWS
October 4, 2013
APSA HEARINGS
Guilford fills Dana for open forum ou APSA report
Continued from Page I
this?'
Another program defended by attendees
was the Art Gallery.
"I witnessed huge turn-out, great student
learning, great student engagement," said
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Eric Mortensen of Art Gallery events.
"Therefore, how did (the committee)
conclude it has minimal impact on student
life?"
Visiting Assistant Professor of Peace and
Conflict Studies Jeremy Rinker also voiced
concern regarding the valuation's criteria.
"I heard 'qualitative' and 'quantitative'
data-driven approaches, but I get the
impression the report is very much
quantitative and not qualitative," said
Wnker.
The Bonner Center raised a stir at the
forum, too.
"Through the Bonner Center, a goodwill
and connection to the Greensboro
community is created," said Professor of
Philosophy Lisa McLeod. "I'm not sure
how you would quantify or qualify that
goodwill, but I encourage (the committee)
to find someone who knows how."
Many students felt that the APSA
committee's recommendations
disregarded Guilford's core values.
"The Multicultural and Quaker
departments are very close to the inner-
light," said senior Noel Lane. "That's why I
came to Guilford. If there are other students
who came here for the same reason, how
will this affect retention rates?"
Other attendees spoke out about
preserving some of the school's most
treasured programs.
"In the report the importance of
community is acknowledged, and I think
that's something that is lacking from this
report," said sophomore John Madden. "I
feel like the programs under scrutiny are
the loudest and most vibrant programs
here on campus."
The students expressed the importance
of such programs to Guilford's
fundamentals.
"The core of liberal arts education is
undercut by the recommendations," said
sophomore Noel McDonald. "Why are
you choosing to eliminate or cut programs
like Bonner, Multicultural education, the
Friends Center, but programs like athletics
are being maintained?"
Committee member and Vice President
for Administration Jon Vamell reminded
attendees that the committee could only
listen to their suggestions.
"There's nobody here on this panel, in
this group, that can respond," said Varnell.
"The only thing we can do is help clarify
and restate."
Varnell, along with the rest of the
committee, will consider all feedback
and revise the report before sending it to
President Kent Chabotar.
Chabotar, who also attended the
forum, reminded attendees of their last
opportunity for recommendations on the
report.
"By Oct. 4 APSA feedback is needed,"
said Chabotar. "Sometime around fall break
I will get the report... you'll come back and
there will be no APSA recommendations."
A LETTER OF CONCERN
FROM THE EXECUTIVE
BOARD OF THE CCE SGA
The recent APSA report has
created definite and just concerns
among the student population at
Guilford College.As the Executive
Board of the CCE SGA, we are
astounded that suggestions were
made in the report to completely
“restructure” the CCE program Into
its own “separated product.” We
are concerned as well that one
justification given was to eliminate
CCE student data so the College’s
national ranking would increase.
These suggestions abhorrently
affect CCE student morale and are
frivolous enough to be disappointing.
We are also deeply concerned that
no CCE representative was invited
to sit on the APSA committee, and
we find the timing of the forum last
week suspect, as It was scheduled
during the daytime when the
majority of CCE students were
unable to attend because of work.
We urge the CCE student
population to send letters of
response to the APSA Committee
about the suggestion of minimizing
our thriving program through
unnecessary restructuring to
apsa(ggullford.edu.
The deadline for submission of
comments about APSA has been
moved to Oct. 11, 2013.
Students celebrate Natienal Hispanic Heritage Menth
BY KINSEY DANZIS
Staff Writer
Every year, people across the nation
observe National Hispanic Heritage Month
from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by honoring the
histories, cultures and contributions of
American citizens with Hispanic ancestors.
This year, the Guilford College campus
has its own unique plans for celebration,
and students of all heritages are joining in
on the cultural fun and education.
These 31 days encompass the
independence days for Costa Rica,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile.
Hispanos Unidos de Guilford has
organized a series of events commemorating
the cultures of Hispanic students.
"We hope for the community to come
out and learn about the different cultures
and traditions that we provide for them
in these events," said senior Joyce Medina
Allard, co-vice president of HUG. "I want
people to have something that they are
able to take away from this, something
meaningful to us and to them."
One of Guilford's major events occurred
on Sept. 23 when an organizer from
Concejo Nacional Urbano y Campesino in
Mexico spoke to the community.
Luz Rivera Martinez told the audience
about her 20 years of experience
constructing autonomy in Mexico,
organizing outside the electoral system
and resisting genetically modified corn.
Her experiences helped clarify the
governmental issues that Americans have
overcome for the most part but still exist
for many Latinos and Latinas today in their
own countries.
"That specific event was for awareness
about issues in Latin America that people
tend to overlook, when in reality, we
should be helping as well," said Medina
Allard.
Guilford's celebration of Hispanic
Heritage Month is not just about spreading
awareness of Latin American issues,
though. Other events also mark the
importance of the month, such as En la
Cocina con HUG, which took place Sept.
26.
This event focused on a more lighthearted
aspect of Hispanic cultures; food.
Students cooked their own cultural
dishes and brought them to Bonner House
for a potluck. Each student shared the
origin and cultural significance of their
traditional dish, so the attendees got
to learn more about Hispanic culinary
cultures while eating.
The education continued on Sept. 30
with La Cultura Hispana, where students
learned more about interesting cultural
aspects of different Hispanic countries.
"There are so many different subcultures,
and I think that gets glossed over," said
Maria Rosales, associate professor of
political science. "It's like people think
'Latin Americans all speak Spanish,' which
isn't even true. I think there's that sort of
sense sometimes."
Upcoming activities include the Salsa
Evening, which will be held tonight on the
Grill patio. Students can come to listen to
traditional Hispanic music and also take
salsa and merengue dance lessons. Next
Tuesday, Oct. 8, a forum titled Mi Camino
will cover how and why Latino students
identify themselves and what this cultural
identity means to them.
"I think it's an absolute necessity for
everybody to understand the Latino
community, its history, its nuances, its
culture and its traditions," said Jorge
Zeballos, director for diversity training
and development.
Maria Amado, associate professor of
sociology and anthropology, agreed.
"Effectively incorporating Latinos in
our definition of community is seminal to
our commitment to diversity," Amado said
in an email interview. "That is one way
in which the Hispanic Heritage Month is
congruent with our mission.
"However, it is important to look beyond
the celebrations of this month, making sure
that the college affords support and voice
to Latino students."