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NEWS WWW.GUILFORDlAN.COM Renovation of Hendricks Hall creates more study space BY NELLIE VINOGRAD Staff Writer Tucked away behind King Hall stands a building with which few traditional students are familiar: Hendricks HaU. For Center for Continuing Education students, though, Hendricks is an important hub for studying, killing time between classes and meeting up for group work. This past year, the CCE Student Government Association finalized plans for renovating Hendricks, which contractors completed over J-Term. "It used to be very quiet, and it wasn't a very welcoming environment," said junior and CCE activity director Monica Jones. "Now it's a place for students to come together, and it's more of a social area." Coritractors removed a few walls and restructured offices to open the space more. To reflect Guilford College's dedication to sustainability, the SGA kept much of the original furniture and carpeting. Although some of the desktop computers were initially removed and placed in storage, after hearing students needed them for work, Jones brought them back to the lobby. The renovations have increased traffic to SGA, according to senior and CCE SGA President Sarah Dreier-Kasik. "There are more people communicating with us," Dreier- Kasik said. "We have also seen many more people using this area to socialize and work. ITs kind of designed — just in the set up of the chairs and things — to be a social studying environment, and it seems to be more lively." SGA has discussed these plans since last year. Students were encouraged to give feedback and attend SGA board meetings. After discussing the renovations with TT&S and Buildings and Grounds, SGA approved the plans. - 1 • The SGA board then received bids from general contractors and chose the least expensive bid of about $30,000, nearing SGA's initial idea of $25,000. According to Dreier-Kasik, SGA tried to communicate with students as much as possible. Jones also placed the renovations' blueprints in Hendricks' lobby before winter break so everyone could see the upcoming changes. "When we started the project last year, a lot of input went into the plans, how much money was spent and what contractor we went with was up to the SGA," Dreier-Kasik said. "I think the biggest concern was that people were xmsure about how the plans would translate to what would actually happen." These renovations were funded almost entirely by the CCE student body, according to Vice President for Finance Greg Bursavich. Typically renovation projects like this are funded by the school's capital budget, but these were funded by CCE students' activity fees, which is paid every semester. According to Jones, almost all the project's funding came from a rollover accoimt of money the SGA saves annually from these fees. The fund is also used in areas like scholarships, but Jones said no scholarships or other programs were affected by the project. The jSnal repainting, however, was covered by tihe College's budget, costing about $5,000. According to Dreier-Kasik, students have appredated the changes. "Hendricks Hall is a nice, relaxing and quiet environment for the CCE students to study in," CCE senior Lee Hubler said in an email interview. "Any future improvements that will be made. I'm sure, will be a positive change for CCE students like myself." Poet weaves words for Bryan Series We need to hear your voice. Have an idea? Concern? Great recipe? It is important to us. Emai 1: senate§gui or visit ^ guilfordsenate,wordpress.com Cofnpiled by Samir Hazboun. Community Senate president BY VALERIA SOSA Staff Writer "Contrary to news reports, poetry is not dead," said poet Elizabeth Alexander. "It was reported dead, and it is not at all." Alexander took the stage Tuesday night at the War Memorial Auditorium, opening the second event in this year's Bryan Series. In 2009, Alexander made fiistory as the fourth poet to read at a presidential inauguration. She told the audience a short anecdote about the poem she recited at President Barack Obama's inauguration titled, "Praise Song for the Day." "The beautiful news that I always knew — but now I have proof — is that poetry matters," said Alexander. "I have evidence in bag^ and bags ... like the old-fashioned mail bags of letters that came, columns of email. (I received) a flag from the United Farm workers saying, 'Thank you for the word lettuce.' "That line (in the poem) talked about the people in this coimtry who feed us, who pick the cotton and the lettuce. And they knew all the history that was behind that word." Alexander has been chair of Yale University's Department of African American Studies since 2009 and her presentation on March 4 was titled "Hearing America Sing: Multi-Vocal Cultures in America." The talk explored the )tield of racial thinking in poetry and history. Thessa Pidcett, a local poet known as Lady Nubia, thoroughly enjoyed Alexander's presentation. "I thought that she was simply perfect," said Pickett. "I loved how she tied in latter day history about our ancestry and tied it to our present day struggles. I felt like she captur^ it so beautifully. "She embodied the fullness of what poetry is. And she foimd the perfect language to explain that" Alexander commented on the changes that brought forth the multicultural university, calling her generation the beneficiari^ "of an awful lot" "When I went to Yale University and arrived on campus in 1980, there had only been women on that campus as undergraduates for about 10 years," said Alexander. "It didn't seem that way when we were there, but these changes in who is on our college campuses are really rather dramatic." Ty Buckner, associate vice prudent of communications and marketing, spoke about Alexander's work and the presentation's theme. "She touches on the experience of people of various cultures in America and how we are stronger because we are a melting pot," said Buckner, coordinator of the Bryan Series, in a phone interview. "She's a literary activist... a promoter of social change." Buckner moderated the Q&A session following Alexander's presentation. Questions ranged from inquiries about her writing process to defining community and questions about her dance experience. Alexander spoke with beautifi rhetoric and a frankness that won over the audience. "I loved her honesty," said Evelyn Smith, a piano technician at Guilford College. "I loved the way she talked about race in a way that expanded my concept of it and, at the same time, drew me in. I appreciated ... that she doesn't mince words but never forgets the humanity of all of us. She, was fabulous."
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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