Freshmen Learning the ropes pages NCAA Woman of the year page? Tm News Argus www.thenewsargus.com Winston-Salem State University’s Student Newspaper September 2005 Three students from Gulf Coast come to WSSU By Lisa R. Boone ARGUS EdITOR-IN-ChIEF Blaring homs did not disturb the thoughts of Hurricane Katrina evacuee Arteeca Eccles as she watched an uninter rupted stream of brake lights creep along the backdrop of a dark New Orleans morning. "We left for Texas at 3 a.m.," said Eccles, an Xavier University fresh man now enrolled at WSSU. "It seemed like a regular hot New Orleans morning was on the way. "I finally got in contact with my parents right before I left," she added, "but I didn't really know how I was going to get home, so I was thinking about a lot." Eccles, a Charlotte native, is one of three students enrolled at WSSU from Gulf Coast universi ties affected by Hurricane Katrina, which has been described as the third most destructive, expen sive and intense tropical cyclone to hit the U.S. The other two students are from Southern , University "I didn't realize how [the hurri cane] affected me until I got here," Eccles said- "I basically had to replace my whole wardrobe because I just grabbed one outfit for the next day when my roommate made me leave with her. "We could have prevented the loss of so much if we had known what was coming," she said. The hurricane made landfall near Empire, Louisiana, shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 29. After Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans, portions of the levee system there failed, flooding most of the city causing even more damage and death. Dr. Donald Mac-Thompson, an associate professor of political sci ence at WSSU, said he has both historical and family ties with New Orleans. "I was devastated when I heard about the storm for many reasons," said Mac-Thompson, a native of Freetown, Sierra Leone, "not just because my cousins lived there, but. . . there is a place in New Orleans called Freetown and there is a historical connection that, exists between the Creoles of New Orleans and the Creoles of Freetown, Sierra Leone." Mac-Thompson, who describes fumselt as Creole, said ' the federal government's response was atro cious and it is something that is' very difficult for us to forget." ^ See GULF COAST, page 2 Photo courtesy of KRT Wire Service Roy Cooks, right, carries Cortez Stovall, 2, as they make their way through floodwaters to the Superdome in downtown New Orleans, La., on Aug.'S!. Higher gas prices force students to make sacrifices By Robyn Floyd KRT WIRE SERVICE When Calvin Foster, a Winston-Salem State University senior, budgeted for school costs this year, he had no way of knowing that gas prices would take an unexpected leap. The nationwide average for a gallon of gasoline is $3.05, although prices are much higher in most major metropolitan areas. What this has meant for Foster, who commutes to campus from Greensboro, is that he's been forced to cut back on extras. "I miss being able to eat out," he said. "I don't go out to eat as much as I used to." Foster said he selects premium gas to fill his Lexus, and a recent trip to the pump set him back Photo by Garrett Garms Sophomore Kevin Bryant refills his gas tank. $45.00. "I refill my tank every three days," said the business administration major. See GAS PRICES, page 2 Dreadlocks a no-go for sports club By Tiphane Deas Argus Managing Editor onald Stevens, a WSSU senior and A V president of the Sports Management Club, knows firsthand how important it is to make a good impression, especial ly when it comes to a prospective employer. He also understands that you should always be dressed to impress, because you never know if the person you meet today will be your boss tomorrow. "We kind of really shoot ourselves in the foot when we don't know how to present ourselves," he said. We already have one strike against us." Steven's attitude is one that Dennis Felder, associ ate professor of Human Performance and Sports Science, has tried to instill Photo by Garrett Garms Dr. Felder, associate professor of Human Perform ance and Sports Science, gives his students specific guidelines for appearance to help them obtain jobs. themselves at odds with Felder and the club's rule when they refused to adhere to what's known as in all members of the Sports Management Club. However, not everyone agrees with Felder's idea of what defines appropri ate dress and grooming. Two freshmen found the "tenth rule" and cut their dreadlocks. According to Felder, this rule covers everything from wearing a hat or durag indoors to particular hairstyles. "I tell my students that you can't come into an educational building with a hat on your head or a durag because they might do the same thing going to a job interview, and I can't take that chance," said Felder, who has worked at WSSU since 1984. In the end, the two fresh men have been allowed to remain in the academic program, but they are not members of the club. What is and what's not appropriate dress in the workplace and in school is an ongoing controversy, not only at WSSU but also across the nation. Numerous businesses and page 7 ARGUS INDEX September Edition Got Questions? Ask WSSU’s own answer man, Dear Quill Students like shuttle despite problems, delays WSSU's latest residence facility now open 3 Are you living an examined life? 4 By Lisa R. Boone ARGUS EDITTOR-IN-CHIEF Twelve WSSU students sit in vehicles parked at Bowman Gray Stadium on Martin Luther King Drive, waiting for the new 28- passenger RamExpress to arrive. After several minutes, a shuttle arrives, but it's not the bright red and white RamExpress that made its debut on campus Aug. 15. Instead, a replacement shut tle arrives. This is because less than one month after the shuttle was introduced to the campus, the RamExpress is already out of service, at least temporarily. Aaron Singleton, director of news and media relations, said that the WSSU custom RamExpress shuttle vehicle was temporarily out of com mission while it underwent repairs to its air conditioning system, according to the Winston-Salem Transpor tation Authority. For the convenience of the WSSU students, faculty and staff, WSTA provided another vehicle until the repairs were completed on the RamExpress." The RamExpress shuttle service is free and operates from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. It makes eight stops around the campus in 30 minutes or less. Sisters Denise and Devon Bames are frequent passen gers of the shuttle. "I leave an hour earlier than usual when I ride the RamExpress because I never know when it's going to be there," Devon Bames said. But she added: "I will con tinue to ride it as long as it's offered." Denise Bames, a senior nursing major, said the con venience of the shuttle is ideal for nursing and com puter science majors. "The string you pull to sig nal a stop makes the shuttle seem authentic," Denise Bames said. "I never rode any public transportation before, so this is new to me, but I really like riding the RamExpress. It is fun."