News & Features Page 2 'I'hc News Argus Tuesday, March 30, 2010 vTO-w.thenewsargus-com Catching up with Chancellor Reaves BRITTANI PARKER Reporter Chancellor Donald Reaves is wrapping up his third academic year at Winston- Salem State. Each month he sets aside time for the stu dents to talk to him. In February, The News Argus had an opportunity to talk with the Chancellor to find out the current and future status of the University News Argus: Where do you see Winston-Salem State University in three years? In five years? Chancellor Reaves: Where I'd like to see WSSU in three years is as an institution that is much stronger academically. I under stand that you can't do this overnight. It takes time. I'm not sure two- three years is enough, but each year you'll be able to see the progress that you've made. It's a building process. News Argus: Where do you see WSSU in terms of enrollment? Chancellor Reaves: We're trying to figure out what the right size is. In fall 2009, we brought on 1,350 first year students. Everything was over crowded. We know that's too big. So this year we cut the number back to about 800. Next year we're shooting for a target of 900. We're going to keep moving that number around until we get the right number. News Argus: Where do you see WSSU in terms of athletics? Chancellor Reaves: It's been a heck of a year. Obviously, we're in Division II. We're going to remain in Division II. I am convinced was absolutely the right thing to do. We just could not afford to be a Division I institu tion. It would have con tinued to pull resources away from the core mis sion of the University. News Argus: Where do you see WSSU In terms of new construction? Chancellor Reaves: Two new projects have been approved and a third we're working on. The first is the new stu dent center. We are well along in the planning process. We should be seeing new construction some time soon. This will add to the capacity of the University to service students. We have been appropri ated $3 million to build a new science building. That will be very bene ficial. We are working on Hill Hall. My vote is to renovate it and to bring it back to life. News Argus: Where do you see WSSU in terms of a new stadium? Chancellor Reaves: No new stadiums. We will continue to play our football games at Bowman Gray. We will be looking to forge a new relationship with the city of Winston- Salem around that sta dium. News Argus: Do you think your new pro grams for retention and graduation rates have been effective thus far? Chancellor Reaves: The thing about the answer is you only find out once a year. It takes a year for a class to cycle through. What we've seen so far is yes. The retention rate went from low 70s to 78 percent. That is a sign. News Argus: If enroll ment steadily increases, will the University con tinue to use local hotels for off-campus hous ing? Chancellor Reaves: We guarantee everyone a room, but some returning students may find them selves [residing] in a hotel. We'd rather students go through our process and be a part of our housing program than to have stu dents off in the hinder lands. News Argus: Because of a weak economy, the state of North Carolina was forced to cut funds to various institutions this past academic year Do you anticipate more cuts? Chancellor Reaves: I know that the economy is getting better. I don't know to the extent that it's begun to have a more positive effect in North Carolina. If they were going to cut more they should have told us about it so we could have gotten pre pared. It's very late in the fiscal year to be taking a cut. CAMPUS CMME BLOTTER The Campus Crime Blotter is a concise summary of the up-to- date incidents that affect the Winston-Salem State campus and community. Certain incidents may lead to News Argus articles that discuss them at great length. Wednesday, March 3 At 11:20 p.m. officers on a routine pa trol spotted a woman removing a li cense plate from an automobile. The woman then boarded the Ram shuttle bus. Officers stopped the bus at Lot Q and questioned and searched the sus pect; however, no tags were found. Of ficers searched the bus and found the tags. The woman was arrested and gave a written promise to appear in court. The case is closed. Thursday, March 4 At 1:47 p.m. an officer investigated the report of vandalism in Wilson Hall of one room on the first floor and four rooms on the third. A person of interest involved in an earlier incident was questioned, but her activities and state ment were proven consistent. At this hme she has been ruled out as a sus pect. The case is open. Thursday, March 4 At 11:55 p.m. an officer was dispatched because of a report involving a man stealing books from the bookstore. The bookstore manager told the officer the direction the man fled. During pursuit. however, the officer had to respond to an EMS call in the Thompson Center. When the office returned to the store no new leads were uncovered. The case is open. Tuesday, March 9 At 11:30 p.m. an officer was dispatched to investigate the theft of projectors from Carolina Hall. A staff member provided the officer with serial num bers and informed them that the closet had been re-keyed, and the master key had been taken off the building. The staff reported their suspicion of an indi vidual who has moved out of the build ing. The case is open. Thursday, March 18 At 1:56 a.m. the Winston-Salem Police Department requested WSSU Campus Police to assist in investigation of five WSSU students who were suspects in stealing a picnic table from a public park. Those involved were issued Campus Appearance Tickets for lar ceny. One student was cited for con cealed weapons. The suspects completed WSSU Suspect Statement forms calling the larceny the result of losing bet and a practical joke. The case is open. Source: WSSU Department of Police and Public Safety Compiled and reported by Marcus Cunningham, Copy Desk Chief SU Radio continued from Page 1 director, Benton. They are committed and active. Even when SU Radio was down, they were in the station almost every day work ing hard to get SU Radio back up." Jenkins advises students on broadcasting and technical issues. Jenkins said that there is always room for more students if they are interested in SU Radio. "We are always searching for programming ideas. If stu dents want to produce or obtain skills to do political affairs or a spoken word pro gram then do it. SU Radio is only limited by the imagina tion and creativity of stu dents," Jenkins said. SU programs broadcast from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., Sunday through Friday with music all day Saturday. This semester SU programs include sports shows, morning shows, gospel shows, and talk shows as well as preset music hours. Benton said that "Quiet Storm," a talk show airing from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m., Sunday - Thursday is the sta ple of SU. Benton said that SU shows are seasonal and change by semester. The development of staff and shows for the next academic year will begin at the start of the fall semester. CAMPUS CREW.

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