No Longer Left to Student's Discretion
Reinstated Mandatory Attendance Policy Sees to It That Everyone Goes to Class
by Cheryl E. Johnson
Faculty and staff members voted to accept the proposed class attendance
policy, in the final session of their fall workshop, with revisions by the curriculum
committee.
A Memo
In a memorandum to the student body from Dean Chelsea Tipton, it was
stated that: “The Academic Council, Curriculum Committee and Faculty adopt
ed the Class Attendance Policy effective immediately.” The gist of the policy is
that students will be allowed only one unexcused absence for each semester hour
of credit awarded for a course.
Absence from classes the day before or the day following a college holiday
will count as a double cut. Only seniors with a “B” average in a course by the
first letter grading period may use their discretion in attending a class. Stu
dents who do not comply with the policy will be dropped from the course pass
ing, “D.P.” or failing, “D.F.”
Abs'ences without written explanation from the dean are automatically class
cuts.
At The Workshop
During the faculty workshop Dr. Ruth Lucier, philosophy professor, sug
gested “students with very high averages be allowed the same consideration
as seniors,” after the first grading period. Mrs. Linda Addo, chairman of the
class attendance committee and social science professor, responded to Dr. Lucier
saying “It has not worked.” “We have experimented,” she went on, “with vol
untary cuts. Even “A” and “B” students have become lax in their work.”
Tipton
According to Dean Tipton a class attendance policy became necessary “when
we received the shock that 34 freshman left at the beginning of the spring break
and returned after Easter. These holidays cover a span of some three weeks,
and some of these very students,” he continued, “will not be permitted to come
back to the college for one year.” “Of course,” he added, “there were some up
perclassmen in the same boat.” But he admitted that there was no official count
of these students.
Tipton concluded, “It is going to prove helpful to the student body if we
have a positiveness toward it instead of a negative attitude.”
Student Reaction
Student reaction to the reinstatement of a class attendance policy has been
mild with most students opposed to the idea, feeling that Bennett should be
more an institution of higher learning rather than a baby sitting service. How
ever, one junior summed it up with a sigh and this remark: “Well I guess we
did it to ourselves.”
ARCHIVES
Bennett Collag*
Greensboro, N. C.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1975
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. 0.
VOL. XXXVllI, NO. 1
Bragg: 'Gates Not to Harrass, Upset' Students: Gates Unnecessary, Not in Our Best Interest
by Joyce Bass
Two clean, silver, solid steel
gates now mark the beginning and
the end of the driveway between
the dormitories. Last week Dean
of Student Affairs Harold Bragg
offered some answers to the ques
tions students have raised about
them.
The decision to erect the gates,
Dean Bragg said, was made by
the Executive Council of the Col
lege. This council which is the
highest administrative unit on
campus, he said, is made up of the
president of the College, Dr. Isaac
H. Miller, who is chairman; the
business manager, J. J. Scarlette;
the director of admissions, Mrs.
Mary Eady; the dean of the col
lege, Dr. Chelsea Tipton; the de
velopment director, Marvin Wat
kins, and Dean Bragg.
The dean said that the gates
were not erected to “harass or up
set the students.” Rather, he said,
“we were hoping that this measure
will get across the idea that we
are promoting a pedestrian area
in that area of the campus.”
He also offered two other rea
sons for the erection of the gates,
one being that with the closing of
the gates, the parking areas North
of the Union, behind the Chapel,
behind Merner Hall and South
of Black Hall would become avail
able for student usage. “Each of
these parking areas is closer to
any of our dorms than any of the
areas set aside for parking on
A & T’s or Guilford’s campus,”
stated Dean Bragg.
The final reason for the gates
was safety. “I have noticed in the
past and it still holds true, that a
lot of cars that drive through this
campus are only out to start trou
ble. They don’t come to see any
one, they drive through to see who
they can see out on campus and
we don’t need that kind of traf
fic,” said Dean Bragg. He also said
that this action isn’t .any different
from the action that a lot of col
lege campus officials are starting.
Dean Bragg said that the only
reason the gates haven’t been
locked since classes have started
is because some students are still
arriving. However, the closing of
the gates will begin soon and they
will be locked at 6 p.m. each
(Continued on page 4, col. 3)
TWO COUNTRIES, 18 STATES AND WASHINGTON
ARE REPRESENTED BY 1975 FROSH CLASS
by Deborah D. Tillman
One hundred and forty-seven
young ladies arrived at Bennett
four Sundays ago to become the
freshman class of 1975.
These freshmen come from two
foreign countries, eighteen states
and the District of Columbia. The
majority of the states represented
are on the eastern coast with a
few coming from the West and the
Midwest.
During freshmen orientation
week programs, meetings, and as
semblies were scheduled to help
them get acquainted with Ben
nett and their new family.
Almost all the comments heard
from the new Bennett Belles were
favorable.
“Bennett is a nice school for
people who don’t mind not having
a social life,” said Lauretta Cal
lender, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Susan Hamilton from Atlanta,
Georgia said, “I like Bennett be
cause of the scenery and the
friendly atmosphere.”
“I like it here because of the
friendly people,” said Philadel
phia’s Romona Reid, “It is like be
ing part of one big happy family.
Also, the food is good compared
to other colleges and universities,”
she stated.
Lori Speight, from Queens, New
York, said, “Bennett is okay in
some aspects. The only thing that
I don’t like is the early curfew.”
“I think this is a good school
because it gives you a better op
portunity for academic enrich
ment,” said Audrey Deleston from
Charleston, South Carolina.
“I have a mixed opinion of Ben
nett,” declared Sierra Joyce, of
Washington, D. C. “I don’t like
the idea of them placing us in a
specific math or English class to
satisfy the needs of a computer
instead of the needs of us. On the
other hand, the administration
tries to please you with the plan
ning of various activities.”
“I like Bennett because it is
(Continued on page 3, col. 3)
by Jamelle Felder
No sooner had students gotten back into the swing of classes, than they noticed a familiar
but forgotten swing on campus, this being the swing of two new gates to the entrance and exit
of Union Drive.
Following a sudden outburst of break-ins on campus last year, the closing of the front gate
became a primary issue among students. It was closed at 9 nightly until a mass rally of stu-
dents ended with the gate being removed from its hinges and thrown away.
Now, almost one year later, the issue of the gates arises again. This time the hour of their
closing causes even more talk as the gates are being closed at 6 p.m.
How are students reacting to the new gates ?
All students' interviewed felt that the gates were unnecessary and weren t in the best inter
est of the students. The following are reactions of several students:
Ophelia Foye, a senior, said,
“Closing the gates would be al
right if they closed them at a rea
sonable hour such as the freshman
curfew (11 & 12 o’clock). But to
close them at an earlier time
would inconvenience many inno
cent students who get the munches
before McDonalds and Burger
King close.”
Another senior, Doreleena Sam
mons, thought it was “a lot safer
for girls to get in a car when guys
go through the campus so someone
can see them. Then at least some
one can say where they last saw
them. Otherwise, if they have to
walk to the gate to meet their
date, someone can just come up
and grab them.”
Sophomore Barbara Hamm said,
“I see no practical purpose for the
gates at both ends of Union Drive.
Even though they prevent cars
from entering campus, they do not
prevent people from entering
campus. Thus they serve no se
curity purpose. They are an in
convenience and a headache.
Rochelle Moody, another sopho
more felt “very frustrated and an
gered by the action taken by the
administration concerning the
gates.”
She said, “I see the locking of
the gates as a hazard rather than
a protection. Let me expound on
this: 1) Closing the gates at 6:00
p.m. blocks all traffic including
any faculty members and stu
dents. 2) The closing of the gates
is a fire hazard. In the case of a
fire, it would be very difficult for
fire trucks to enter the campus.
By the time guards were located
to open the gates, any number of
persons could be badly injured. 3)
My third argument is the safety
of the girls. For those girls who
Photos by Cheryl E. Johnson (Continued on page 3, col. 2)
The North Gate
The South Gate