The Guilfordian
September 5,1997
Life as a freshman
J. CHRISTOPHER MOORE
Staff Writer
It was not but so long ago that
I crossed the track, entering life in
a serious state of confusion with
no real direction and no real des
tination —only the naked, funda
mental belief that I would get
there. I reached out to a new world
with vast openness, prepared to
battle—yet, what I received was the
friendly and warm welcome of
Guilford College.
My first days here at Guilford
where interesting to say the least.
But, either way—good or bad—l've
had a blast. From the quasi-sum
mer-camp "Days of Chaos" to the
very chilling and oh so real first
days of class—l've enjoyed it all
Guilford makes progress, still has far to go
LAN WATLINGTON
MATTHEW ZUEHLKE
Staff Writers
Do you know what it is like to
be at Guilford in a wheelchair? I
was born in May 1977, nearly two
months too early. At one point in
the process I stopped breathing
which cut the oxygen to my brain.
I was later diagnosed with cerebral
palsy which results in the loss of
gross and fine motor control. This
has made it so that I may never
walk independently, but with my
wheelchair, I have achieved mobil
ity in most places. I am, however,
painfully aware of every ramp and
elevator that is or is not present
in this world.
I don't need no stinkin' Smart Card
BY WILL DODSON
Features Editor
I hate smart cards. I'm going
to lead an anti-smart card revolu
tion. I'm going to publish an anti
smart card manifesto. I'm going
to destroy smart cards.
Hey! They're your IDs!
They're your library cards!
They're your bank cards/vending
machine cards/phone cards/keys
to dorms! Hey! Better hope yours
doesn't get stolen!
I think it's really great that
now, instead of using quarters on
the grossly overpriced washing
machines and dryers that don't
with no regrets. The students, the
professors, the trees, the air, and
even the squirrels have all opened
their arms to me. I'm part of them
as they are part of me.
I've only been in the Guilford
community for a little over a week
now, and I've already met a whole
new world. I've said goodbye to
all the forgotten boyish happen
stance and have greeted the post
adolesent dauntings with all the
respect it well deserves. I've lin
gered in the air because the squir
rels allowed me. And that's when
it all started—everything fell into
place like I was sure it would. Wel
come class of 2001 as we begin our
march into the Guilford College
Community. And thank you every
one. .. or everything.
While I was preparing for Guil
ford, Guilford was preparing to go
into the 21st century through mas
sive technological enhancements
and construction which price tag
went well into the hundreds of
thousands. Two weeks ago I arrived
on campus, ready for my new be
ginning. I was asked to meet with
Guilford representatives and re
port any structural changes that
needed to be made. I did just that,
and they did a good job. But there
are some other problems...
Thanks to the new computer
network I am able to obtain data
from various places on campus at
the push of a couple of buttons;
yet I do not have direct and com-
work, I can use my smart card on
the grossly overpriced washing
machines and dryers that don't
work.
I think it's great that the Mary
Hobbs kitchen can go straight to
hell while Guilford allocates money
to modify every vending machine
and door on campus so my little
smart card can access them.
What's wrong with keys and
quarters? I suppose those are only
good for everyone in the world
except college students.
And we're all sympathetic to
all the overworked Underground
workers right? Hey! Let's make
their job easier by giving them a
Forum
—M iWGf -ft€*fAT T
Art by Betsy Blake
plete access to most buildings. I
can now log onto the Word Wide
Web from my dorm; yet I cannot
visit any friends that happen to be
on the second floor. Everyone has
e-mail and other new ways to in
teract electronically; yet it is diffi
cult for me to consult with a pro
fessor in their office. Guilford now
meets many computer and re
search standards predicted well
into the upcoming years; yet it fails
to meet many of the disability
standards set into federal law in
1990.
Quakers have always stressed
the testimony of equality; further
more, Guilford has tried to take
this belief as a guideline in its edu-
very complicated smart card pay
system that requires them to op
erate three separate machines for
each customer!
Do you watch TV? What if
you only like to watch half an hour
a week? I think it's just great that
we can find lots of money for
smart cards but no money for free
cable. And if you don't want to
pay for cable? No channels at all
for you. Either you pay for ESPN
or you get no "Simpsons."
And let's raise tuition another
S3OO for "technology fees" so we
can have smart cards and keys to
our dorms, since the smart cards
don't work yet.
cational practices. I seek for Guil
ford and its students to become
aware of people with disabilities on
this campus and nationwide. It is
only through equal access that we
can achieve equality. After read
ing this, please talk to your Senate
representative on campus and ex
press a desire for the campus to
be more involved. Talk to the dean.
Think. This is a place to start and
then share your knowledge with
those around you. As a commu
nity, we must take a stance that
demands access of all sorts and
questions barriers whatever they
may be. When this happens we will
truly be ready for the twenty-first
century.
I also think it's great that now
there's a little microchip that al
lows Guilford security to track me
wherever I'm going. How very
1984. Is the bike patrol coming
after me next?
I'm ready to fight the oppres
sive smart card! Can you say the
same? Or are you going to con
tinue your pointless whining about
cafeteria food? I'll be passing out
army fatigues, canteens, machetes,
and copies of my manifesto,
"Smart Cards Are Stupid and So
Are You" on secret days in secret
locations at secret times.
The revolution is now.
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