mom oy uayia ra
Kids play last week at the WSSU Child Development Center.
Frowny Face
Closure of WSSU childcare center has many unhappy, upset
BY LAYLA FARMKR
THE CHRONICLE
The economic downturn
has not been kind to con
stituents of the University of
North Carolina system.
Universities "across the
state have suffered from budg
et cuts for some time now, and
seemingly things are getting
worse. In a statement issued in
March, UNC President
Erskine Bowles noted that the
system's base budget was cut
by a net amount of $ 167 .9 mil
lion, and that 92 percent of the
budget cuts imposed by the
state would be permanent.
"This is the toughest eco
nomic climate we have faced
in North Carolina in my 63
years." Bowles said. "For that
reason. I was not surprised that
Governor Perdue had to make
some very difficult decisions
in order to balance her pro
posed state budget."
Those cuts are coming
down the pipelines and draw
ing blood at all of the system's
17 constituent schools, includ
ing Winston-Salem State
University. The institution is
currently operating on a budg
et that is 1 5 percent below that
of the previous year, according
to Nancy Young, interim direc
tor of Media and Public
Relations for the school. The
UNC system had asked all
campuses to plan for an addi
tional 10 percent cut in the
coming fiscal year, Young
said.
One of the casualties of the
school's restructuring efforts is
its Child Development Center.
Interim Center Director Terri
Pickett says she is sorry to see
the center go, but recognized
that desperate times do indeed
sometimes call for desperate
measures.
"I think we're an important
part of the university, but the
rationale was to keep the stu
dents from suffering." she
commented. "...1 hope they
can revive it (later). I think it's
a really important part of who
we are (as an institution)."
The center, which had a
stellar five-star rating from the
state, has been a part of the
WSSU landscape for roughly
the past three decades. It has
served as a place for faculty,
staff, students and community
members to enroll their chil
dren for day and afterschool
services, and a place for stu
dents in early childhood edu
cation and other disciplines to
hone their skills, observe, and
gain experience in working
with young children. It is cur
rently home to 35 youngsters.
The school hopes to find a
nonprofit childcare provider to
take over the building once it
is vacant, Young said.
"We have folks working on
an RFP (request for propsal) to
go out to nonprofit child care
providers. While 1 know we
wish the timing could have
been tighter, the goal is to
hopefully get a quality
provider in the center so the
community and the campus
doesn't lose those services,"
Parent Sandy Brown speaks.
she explained. "That way. the
services can still be there but
the university is out of the role
of provider."
While Young says the uni
versity has determined closing
the center, among other things,
is the best possible way for it
to weather the financial crisis,
some alumni and community
members remain unconvinced.
"I'm. very dismayed and
I'm very disappointed that the
powers that be ... made the
decision to close this facility,"
State Rep. Larry Womble, a
WSSU alumnus said during a
press conference held last
Friday at the center.
"...(Closing the facility)
would be a tremendous loss to
not only the university, but it
would be a tremendous loss for
the families and the communi
fv "
'J '
Forsyth County
Commissioner Beaufort
Bailey, also a WSSU alumnus,
believes the school could
absorb some of the cost of
operation if it boosted its
enrollment at. the center.
"This place will hold about
90 kids," he said, "...if you
marketed it, I think people
would want to send their chil
dren here."
Sandy Brown said the cen
ter has been like a second
home to her four- year-old son,
Joshua, who she said has
"flourished" at the center.
News of the center's closing
was disheartening, she said.
Brown emailed Chancellor
Donald ReaVes right away to
voice her concerns.
"It was just a bomb that
was dropped ... we (parents)
weren't given any considera
tion," she declared. "It was
like we were an afterthought."
Former teacher Barbara
Jordan made the trek from
Fayetteville, where she now
resides, to protest the closing
of the center, where she taught
for nearly a decade.
"It is a great place to
work," said the now retired
Jordan. "We are just like a
family, and we teach the chil
dren as if they are our own."
Despite her misgivings,
Jordan said she felt certain the
university would be unswayed
by the complaints of commu
nity members like herself.
"I think they .1. made up
their minds," she said.
The Chronicle (USPS 067-9IU) was established Dy trnest h.
Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published every
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News
Clips
Bass named principal at
Atkins
Former East Forsyth
High and Parkland High
Assistant Principal Rodney
Bass has been named princi
pal of Atkins High's School
of Computer Technology.
The school board unani
mously named Rodney Bass
to be Computer Tech's prin
cipal. He will replace Brad
Craddock, who is now the
principal of Glenn High.
Bass has been the principal
of North Rowan High in
Spencer for four years. His
entire education career prior
to that was spent in the
Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County School System.
He also taught history for
several years at North
Forsyth High before becom
ing assistant principal. He
earned his bachelor's degree
and master's degree in
school administration from
Appalachian State
University.
Clinic offering free
backpack checks for kids
George W. Lucia and his
Lucia Chiropractic Clinic are
helping local kids get ready to
start school. During the
months of August and
September, the clinic will
offer free backpack checks
for students enrolled in the
Winston-Salem/ Forsyth
County School System. In
recent years, studies have
found that kids who carry
bags that are too heavy or
improperly
worn can
cause dam
age to their
backs.
Over
the next
t w o
months, the
clinic is
also accept
Lucia
ing school supplies and back
packs on the behalf of the
school system's Buddies
Fund Program. Those who
donate a backpack or any
school supplies will receive a
free spinal health screening.
The Lucia Chiropractic
/Clinic is at 3275 Robinhood
Road. Call 336-768-8338 or
go to
www.luciachiropractic.com
for more information.
Salem signs articulation
agreement with community
colleges
Salem College has
entered into an articulation
agreement with the North
Carolina Community
College System that will
benefit both transfer stu
dents and the institutions
involved.
The announcement was
made by Dr. Ann McElaney
Johnson, vice president of
academic and student affairs
and dean of the College.
The agreement allows
eligible students graduating
with an A. A. or A.S. degree
from a North Carolina com
munity college to enter
Salem College as juniors,
having satisfied their gener
al-education core require
ments, The articulation
agreement, which goes into
effect this fall, applies to
both the traditional-aged
female student transferring
to Salem College, and to the
men and women ages 23 and
up who transfer into Salem's
Fleer Center for Adult
Education.
Interested applicants
may contact undergraduate
admissions (336-72 1 -262 1 )
or the Fleer Center for Adult
Studies admissions office
(336-721-2669) for more
details.
Stimulus funds awarded for
Forsyth County highway
. project
Gov. Bev Perdue
announced last week that 15
contracts totaling $29.3 mil
lion have been awarded for
highway and bridge projects
across North Carolina,
including seven projects
funded through the
American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act.
"These projects will
stimulate economic growth
by creating and maintaining
jobs as we enhance safety
and keep our people travel
ing," Perdue said.
According to the Federal
Highway Administration,
every $1 million spent on
transportation creates 30
jobs, and according to the
construction industry, evfery
dollar invested in trans
portation generates $6 in
economic impact.
Forsyth County received
one of the seven recovery
projects awarded. Jhe $3
million contract awarded to
Yadkin Valley Paving Inc.
of Winston Salem is to milL
resurface and reconstruct
the shoulders along 4.6
miles of 1-40 from
Jonestown Road to Harper
Road (State Road 1101).
Work can begin as early as
Aug. 31 , with final comple
tion set for June 15, 2010.
CHOOSING AN ACADEMIC
MEDICAL CENTER
WAS THE BEST WAY TO TREAT
MY VASCULAR DISEASE
"I CHOSE WAKE FOREST BAPTIST because it is the best of all
worlds," said Brent Kincaid, who has been treated for several vascular
problems over the years. "My doctors, nurses, staff and the service
have been great. They are national experts in their fields and have a
wonderful reputation."
Our vascular surgeons and vascular medicine specialists provide the
region's most comprehensive program for managing artery, vein and
lymph vessel disorders. Few centers in the U.S. offer the same breadth
of expertise and services under one umbrella - all dedicated to vascular
disease treatment, education and research.
We offer state-of-the-art diagnostic testing in our fully accredited
vascular laboratory. We also provide treatments ranging from
counseling, risk-factor modification and medications to surgery and
less-invasive endovascular procedures. All of this means the best
possible care for you.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 336-716-4151
or visit wfubmc.edu/vascular And whatever your insurance, chances
are we take it.
KNOWLEDGE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Brent Kincaid and his wife, Kathryn
Since 1993, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
has been consistently ranked as one of America's best
hospitals by U S News & World Report
Wake Forest University Baptist
i?
MEDICAL CENTER
Wake Forest University Physicians