The News Argus
www.thenewsargus.com
Winston-Salem State University’s Student Newspaper
Nov. 5,2007
Dorrn policy: promoting security — or simply annoying':
7
Courtney White
ARGUS STAFF
1"yara White, 20, waves
goodbye to her male
friend Tyrell as he
exits her dorm just before
visitation ends.
"It's frustrating," she con
fides. "I pay thousands of
dollars to live in Rams
Commons, not to mention
this dorm is typically for
scholars and is supposed to
mimic apartment-style liv
ing."
White called the policy
entirely too strict.
Neon signs are posted on
each of the doors of
Building 1 of Rams
Commons, as well as in hall
ways alerting visitors of
enforcement of the policy.
The hours between 5:30
p.m. and midnight are the
posted hours of visitation.
The notices carry a warning
that visitors will undergo
picture-identification checks
if caught without an escort.
Junior Jasmine Hudgins
thinks that Winston-Salem
State's visitation process is
too strict.
"It's a bit much," said
Jasmin Hudgins, a junior
and clinical laboratory sci
ence major. "I feel that this
residential area is for a more
mature audience. Therefore,
I.D. checks and signs about
visitation are redundant. We
are not freshmen that are
new to this and have no
self-restraint. If we haven't
supplied a need for such
restraint, then they need to
loosen up."
Rams Commons is not the
only campus residence with
visitation policies posted
that are to be strictly
enforced. Still, some stu
dents say that the alleged
enforcement never takes
place.
"I guess they call the signs
eriforcement, but nobody
really does anything. I have
females over all the time
after hours. The signs are
basically for show in my
opinion," said a senior resi
dent of Wilson Hall who
spoke on condition of
anonymity. "As far as safety
... visitation doesn't really
have anything to do with it.
If someone wants to get into
a building, there are ways
they can do that."
Safety, however, does
seem to be a concern for
WSSU's growing campus. In
addition to signs about visi
tation, there are also signs
addressing safety concerns
for students, advising them
to keep their doors locked
and to be aware of non-stu
dents and residents lurking
in the area.
In all non-traditional resi
dence halls (Rams
Commons, Gleason Hall,
Wilson Hall and Foundation
Heights ), a security guard
can be found in the building
between the hours of 6 p.m.
and 10 a.m. These security
measures are all said to play
a part in residence hall safe
ty-
Linda Inman, director of
Housing and Residential
Life, strongly backs the poli
cies that she says have been
in place for at least the last
seven years. The i.d. checks
and other security measures
that some students deem
extreme, Inman maintains,
are necessary to ensure their
security. She claims the stu
dents as her first priority,
with safety on the same pri
ority line. Inman said that
more is being done to guar
antee the safety of students
in residence halls, including
updating security cameras
and alarm systems.
When asked about the vis
itation policy restrictions,
Inman said that the guide
lines were set up by student
government and had been
revised in 2002, extending
the hours to their current
time.
"If students want to
amend student visitation
policies, they can raise the
issue with student govern
ment," she said. "We don't
set the reguTafiOns for visita
tion hours here in Housing
and Residential Life. Our
goal is to do as much as we
can to secure students. We
want to make the environ
ment in residence halls as
safe as possible."
Perhaps the tighter con
trols on residence hall poli
WSSU^ s business school
receives national award
COURTESY OF MEDIA RELATIONS
Winston-Salem State
University has yet another
claim to fame. The school
has been named 2007
Educational Institution of
the Year by the National
Black MBA Association
(NBMBAA),
The award was presented
to WSSU's School of
Business and Economics
during the NBMBAA's
recent conference and
exposition in Orlando, Fla.
The Educational Institution
of the Year Award is pre
sented each year at the
NBMBAA conference by
the president & CEO to an
individual or organization
that has exceeded expecta
tions in service to the
NBMBAA; as well as to the
college, university or
organization that has made
the greatest contribution
toward encouraging
African-Americans to enter
the field of business.
Past awards have been
presented to Clark Atlanta
University, University of
Chicago and Howard
University.
Established in 1970, the
National Black MBA
Association is dedicated
to developing partner
ships that result in the
creation of intellectual
and economic wealth in
the black community. In
alliance with more than
400 of the country's top
business organizations,
the association has
inroads into a wide range
of industries as well as the
public and private sector.
Organizers say the asso
ciation gains its strength
Photo by Garret Garms
Security in residence halls is a major concern on Winston-Salem State’s campus.
Many students feel that the visitation rules are too strenuous.
cies will aid in keeping the
on- campus crime statistics
down. According to the
WSSU annual crime report
released last year, reported
larceny and burglary offens
es had actually risen since
2005. Information like that
may make some students
grateful for security restric
tions. The report also
showed many students
knowingly break visitation
rules.
Freshman Sha-Nia Perrin,
who stays in Dillard, says
she appreciates the rules.
"I feel safe in my dorm
with the locked doors and
an RA to sign in visitors. I
like knowing that not just
anyone can be in my build
ing," Perrin said.
"I don't have a problem
with the visitation at all. It's
not like we live in apart
ments. Rules are meant to
create order, and such rules
should be expected in on-
campus housing."
WSSU approved for MHA
COURTESY OF MEDIA RELATIONS
Winston-Salem State University will
offer a new master's degree in
healthcare administration, beginning
August 2008. The UNC Board of Governors
recently granted approval to establish the
program, which wiU be offered by WSSU's
School of Business and Economics.
"This new 45-credit hour program will
address the areas of health administration,
health services management, health planning
and evaluation, health policy, and other relat
ed activities, all of which there is high job
demand," said Dr. Suresh Gopalan, WSSU
School of Business and Economics assistant
dean of graduate programs.
Employment in medical and allied health
industries accounts for more than 12 percent
of the workforce in Forsyth County. A need-
assessment survey of regional health care and
allied health care organizations indicated a
strong demand for a part-time MHA degree
at WSSU. The medical industry is listed as
the largest growth industry in the Winston-
Salem area, with the upper-level health care
jobs expected to increase more than 16 per
cent from 2006 to 2012.
WSSU's MHA degree will prepare manage
ment professionals for positions in hospitals,
outpatient clinics, public health, non-profit
associations, long-term care facilities, phar
maceutical companies, medical equipment
manufacturers, health insurance and tempo
rary health services. The program will enable
collaboration between the graduate business
and health sciences programs at WSSU
through shared faculties, courses and
resources.
The program will help tackle the severe
under-representation of minorities in senior
healthcare management. WSSU aspires to be
the first historically black college or university
nationwide to offer programs accredited by
the Commission on Accreditation Healthcare
Management Education (CAHME).
Photo by Garrett Garms
Businessman Randall Pinkett spoke last year at WSSU.
from a strong belief in
community and a commit
ment to its development
through economic and
educational development
initiatives that support the
global African-American
community.
!u_
Learn the secret weapon WSSU’s
tcack and field teams are trying
see page 5 for details
■ '-^'4
Mi
Photo by Wesley Chapman
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