Hmjs Argua
Winston-Salem State University
Vol. XX No.
March 1983
Board Delays Action
On Attendance Rule
By Sam Davis
The Board of Trustees has decided to
consider other alternatives before adop
ting a mandatory class attendance policy
for WSSU students.
Citing the inordinate number of WSSU
students on academic probation, Dr. Ar
nold Lockett, vice-chancellor for
Academic Affairs offered the Board a plan
submitted by its ad-hoc committee on
academic affairs.
“To help our students attain career
goals, the faculty has voted favorably for a
mandatory class attendance policy to be
instituted,” stated Lockett. He said the
faculty decided to recommend the policy
because of a definite correlation between
absenteeism and academic failure.
According to the proposal, freshmen and
sophomores would not be allowed any
unexcused absences. Juniors would be
allowed one excused absence per
semester and seniors would be at the
discretion of the instructor. Surpassing the
amount of absences allowed by the ad
ministration would result in the student be
ing automatically dropped from the
course.
The Board sent the resolution back to the
committee after discussion on the issue.
The Board’s action was prompted by a
rousing speech by SGA President, Chris
Wilson.
Wilson offered an alternative plan
whereby students would be penalized
gradewise for not attending class. He told
the committee that the instructors should
be responsible for making their students
attend class.
“Certainly something should be done to
prevent WSSU students from committing
academic suicide,” Wilson said, “I just
don’t think that mandatory attendance
would be a good idea.”
He recommended that instructors base
10 to 15 percent of students’ grades on class
attendance. Wilson further stated that in
structors should give unannounced quizzes
with zeros going tostudentsnot present. He
said this would be more effective in curb
ing the absentee rate of students. To sup
port his proposal, Wilson produced a
survey conducted by the SGA showing that
75 percent of the students contacted voiced
opposition to a mandatory class atten
dance policy.
Many of the trustees voiced discontent
with Wilson’s plan. However, Board
member, Mrs. Aurelia Eller quickly came
to Wilson’s defense, stating that college
students should have the freedom to decide
whether or not they want to attend class.
“I had some boring instructors m my
college years. Rather than going to some
classes, I would stay out and read the
book. In most cases I learned more than I
could have by listening to a boring instruc
tor”.
Another Board member, Mr. George Hill,
agreed with Mrs. Eller. “If you have a bor
Inside:
On The Yard.. Pg. 4
Editorials 5,6
Sports 9,10
Tyrone Crider 2
Instructor Of The
Month 7
Students Speak
Out 3
Student Aid
Cuts 6
ing instructor you may not want to go to
class, he said, “I think we should give
Chris’ plan some consideration before br
inging this issue up for vote.”
Chancellor Covington suggested that the
alternative plan be given to the Academic
Affairs Committee. “We should definitely
address the absentee issue. We should
evaluate both plans and decide on the one
that will be most effective in increasing
the academic progress of our students.”
Another item that Dr. Lockett brought
before the Board was a resolution to revise
the academic probation policy. The revi
sion will be in line with those at other
schools in the UNC system, said Lockett.
Currently, 297 WSSU students are on
academic probation. The new policy would
decrease the number to 200. The plan calls
for a graduated scale of probation that stif
fens with the number of hours a student
completes. In a student’s freshman year a
very lenient probationary policy would be
enforced. By the sophomore and junior
years, the GPA requirements for a student
being placed on probation would be more
severe.
Other matters discussed in the meeting
included:
-The opening of Kennedy Dining Hall
(scheduled for April 1)
-The takeover of Camp Robert Vaughn
(late this summer)
-Repair work being done on Bickett Hall
-Landscape improvement proposals
-The University’s purchase of print shop
machinery through a Mott Foundation
grant
-The Enhancement Funds (total exceed
ed its goal)
See page 4
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Rev. Tyrone Crider (L), Rev. Jesse Jackson (second left), Chris Wilson, SGA President and
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Upward Bound:
Underachievers Find Success
By Sam Davis
Self-help is the concept behind Project
Upward Bound, a program which has
enabled many high school students
throughout America to become better
prepared to face the future. The Winston-
Salem Upward Bound program, located on
this campus has motivated many local
youth to succeed academically since its in
ception helped high school pupils realize
their academic potential.
Upward Bound’s main objective is to in
crease the academic progress of youth
who have academic potential, but for
various reasons have not produced results
prior to entering the program. Another of
the program’s functions is to assist
participants in acquiring the skills
necessary to obtain admissions to post
secondary educational programs (college,
vocational-technical). Thirdly, the pro
gram helps participants develop the
necessary habits for college or career suc
cess.
Despite the success rate of Up
ward Bound students,
“Reaganomices” might eliminate
the WSSU program.
Mrs. Addie Hymes has been the Winston-
Salem director since 1975. Her’s is one of
the most successful ones in the country.
During her tenure, all of the students who
have remained in the program through
their high school senior year have
graduated. The program’s low (3 percent)
attrition rate can be attributed to the
challenges and individual attention and of
fered to the students.
Upward Bound student Jonathan Napper.
Story on page 8.
Some 122 participants have graduated
from high school during Mrs. Hymes’ eight
years with the program. Of this number, 20
have graduated from post-secondary in
stitutions, 72 are currently enrolled in post
secondary institutions, five are in the U.S.
Armed services and 21 are gainfully
employed. Post-secondary follow-ups are
done on all Upward Bound students to ob
tain this data. “We like to know if we have
done a good job with our students and also
know if our students are doing well for
themselves,” said Mrs. Hymes.
The WSSU Upward Bound program
recruits students from all high schools
(9-10 grades) in the Winston-Salem For
syth County School System. Currently,
there are 60 students enrolled in the pro
gram. According to national guidelines,
two thirds of the enrollees must come from
low-income families and be prospective
first generation college students. The re
maining third need only to meet the latter
requirement.
Continued on page 4