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Friday, September 21, 1984
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. 0.
VoL XLVI, No. 1
Scholars’ slate
Registration rigors: Tlie strain shows on employees, students and parents during August.
(photo by Keiin Miller)
Personnel changes affect administration and divisions
by Melanie Hubbard
A turnover in personnel
has affected the administra
tion and all four of the col
leges’ divisions.
Familiar faces have de
parted, and nevi^ ones have
appeared.
Dean Chelsea Tipton has
received a year’s leave of ab
sence. President Isaac H. Mil
ler, Jr. will take on Tipton’s
duties.
There is a notable absence
in the home economics de
partment. Louise G. Streat
has retired after 40 years of
teaching here. Dr. Lovie K.
Booker has assumed the chair
after 10 years in the depart
ment. This summer, Booker
wrote a successful proposal
for a nutrition education
course to be offered to pub
lic school teachers in North
Carolina.
In the humanities division.
Dr. Lynn Sadler has left to
become academic dean at
Methodist College in Fayette
ville.
Dr. Charlotte Alston has
replaced Sadler as division
director. She says her goal is
“to increase enrollment in the
humanities division by 30 stu
dents.” Alston also intends to
promote scholarship among
teachers and students, to
raise the number and quality
of performing groups and to
begin getting funds for a new
arts center.
Dr. Flossie McIntyre has
become chairperson of the
communications department.
She was formerly the head of
the English and Foreign lan
guage department at Norfolk
State University.
Calling the communications
program “very challenging,”
she plans to appoint a com
mittee to determine if new
courses are needed.
In the mathematics depart
ment, Dr. Ray Treadway has
moved into the chair, replac
ing Queen Wiggs. Treadway,
who previously occupied the
chair, plans to speed the de
velopmental studies program
for course 100, expand the
use of the Apple computer
lab and increase student
enrollment.
The chemistry department
has landed a United Negro
College Fund scholar at large.
Dr. Lloyd Ferguson, who
taught for many years at
(See page 4)
by Tricia Hairston
The Bennett Scholars have
put together an October
conference featuring three
exceptional black female
writers speaking on topics in
volving the black woman.
Occurring Oct. 17-19, “A
Socio-Cultural History of the
Black Woman in America”
will analyze the past and fu
ture directions of the black
woman from three perspec
tives — traditional, feminist
and ethnographic.
Margaret Walker Alexan
der, Paula Giddings and An
gela Davis will make presen
tations. The conference in
cludes lectures and responses,
book parties, special exhibits
and a musical, “Hats,” based
on the life of Harriet Tubman
and directed by Dr. Charlotte
Alston.
According to Dr. Marshena
Baird, director of the Schol
ars, “The Scholars and I
wanted a sense of true his
torical context, values and
beliefs-—not just the special
contribution of the black
woman.”
Baird adds that the pro
gram should open students’
eyes to key issues involving
the black woman today.
“We have got to get beyond
just surviving because we
have knowledge to share with
people of all races. Our in
formation and resources have
been scattered and abused,
but we still have them, and
there is always room for
imnrovement,” Baird says.
Margaret Walker Alexan
der wrote Jubilee, a widely
read and praised historical
novel recounting the strug
gles of a matriarch and her
family during the 19th
century.
A retired professor of
English from Jackson State
College, she will discuss the
concerns of the black female
writer from the first novel
bv a black woman, Frances
Harper’s lola Leroy, to such
contemporary fiction as the
award-winning The Color
Purple by Alice Walker.
Paula Giddings’ When and
Where I Enter has drawn
rave reviews since its publi
cation earlier this year. The
book studies the impact of
black women’s organizations
on the long struggle for
freedom.
“Paula Giddings is indica
tive of where we are going
in the future. She’s very pos
itive about the black woman’s
strengths and resources,”
Baird says of the author who
will take the feminist ap
proach at the conference.
Angela Davis, professor of
women’s and ethnic studies
at San Francisco State Uni
versity, has written several
books, including Angela
Davis: An Autobiography,
Women, Race and Class, and
Racism and Male Supremacy:
The Hidden Alliance.
Davis was embroiled in
controversy during the late
’60s and early ’70s. At the
University of California at
Los Angeles, she was twice
fired for her Marxist beliefs
and speeches and twice re
instated by the courts. Later,
she was acquitted of a mur
der, kidnapping and conspir
acy after a Marin County
(Calif.) shootout in which
two San Quentin convicts, a
teenager and a Superior
Court judge were killed.
“The stigma that stays
with her is a great injustice
because she is here in a schol
arly capacity,” Baird ob
serves about Davis, whose
trial created international
sympathy for the defendant
and provoked major demon
strators in Europe.
Baird believes the confer
ence will stimulate pride and
motivation among students.
“We want our black women
to be proud that they are
black and female,” she ex
plains. “There are lots of op-
(See page 4)
President Miller addresses student issues
Banner editor Dee Evans interviewed President Isaac H. Miller Jr. about
various student concerns on Sept. 10.
Q: What improvements are being made concerning the quality of the food in
the cafeteria?
A:
Q:
A:
Corrective measures were underway during the summer pertaining to the
rating of food service and facilities. Other concerns such as more fresh
vegetables, juices and fruits, more variety in the entrees, better sanitary
conditions, and the attitude of staff/servers toward students have been re
ported to the director of food services and purchasing officer.
What is being done about better security measures?
First, you must realize that Bennett sits in the southeast quadrant of
Greensboro which is a potentially high crime area of petty activities and
so on. Many people cut across our campus which gives, us a greater secur
ity problem. No matter how many security officials one may have or how
a security program may be structured, if there is a determined plan on
the part of someone who means to execute a misdemeanor, they will find
a way to work through what security there is.
However, first, I should point out that Mr. Fennell, our business manager,
is well acquainted with the problems which we have and it is his direct
responsibility to work with Mr. Browning, superintendent of building and
grounds, to bring about as optimum a security as possible. What we are
contemplating doing is to consider putting a fence around certain boundaries
of the campus to reduce the number of people who just wander through. In
addition, in the future we hope to provide only one entrance to the campus,
which would be controlled by a booth where a security officer would be
stationed.
Meanwhile as far as the residents are concerned ... we have reviewed the
fact of putting screens or bars around the windows of the lower floors of
all dorms to prevent anyone from entering and yet not limit the person
having to leave that way if there is an emergency. We are looking at the
lighting on the campus with the prospect of increasing the lighting in the
parking lot. We feel this can be accomplished with our present system and
the clipping of the lower branches of the trees which have prevented the
light to spread down around the quadrangle as it should. This will possibly
alleviate having to change the entire electrical system. Patrolling by secur
ity will continue to be more regular and into the classroom buildings where
students may be studying at night.
One of the most difficult areas of concerns, since most of the security are
young ladies, is the parking lot area when we have social activities on
campus. These functions attract people who are not students or guests of
students and just sit around. There is no solution. This is just something
that needs to be studied. The parking lot situation needs to be worked out
the best way that we can and soon as possible. This is one of our trouble
some areas which we are addressing quite aggressively.
Q: What dorm renovations are in effect?
A: We have total plans for all resident halls such as improving the lighting,
the plumbing and the bathrooms. At this point we are only using the first
floor of Jones Hall in order to finish repairing all the rooms on the upper
level and replacing furniture. By the end of the year, we will continue to
implement physical plans. The implementation is ongoing.
Q: How much did you contribute to the revision of the Student Handbook?
A: I approve the handbook, but did not have any input. The handbook as it
stands is the result of a student handbook committee in which the student
government was represented. It was also studied and edited by members of
the faculty and staff, but provisions for the most part regarding closing
hours and the judiciary process have been in effect for many years. I did not
contribute to specific rules and regulations. Through time they have been
developed.
Q: How is the teacher evaluation handled?
A: There is a search committee made up of department heads and the dean
who send out letters of vacancies, study the resumes and invite the ones
they would like to talk to. There is a teacher evaluation process which
involves a self-evaluation as well as a student evaluation. We want the stu
dents and the whole college family to understand that we’re not just teach
ing subjects, but we’re trying to teach a whole competitve life.
(Dr. Miller made this closing statement): My goal for the institution after
the security problem and the food is the goal of education. You must have
a return on your investment that makes it so you can move into the market
place of work and career, feeling competent and high on yourself about what
you can do.