12
Editorial Board
Adam Lucas
Laura Parker
MaijorieHall
Ellen Yutzy
Statement of Purpose
The Forum exists to facilitate
dialogue and expression on
matters of importance to Guilford
College and its mission. Toward
this end, active community
participation in these pages is
vital.
Editorial Policy
Every effort will be made to print
appropriate submissions of
editorials, cartoons and letters to
the editor. They must be signed,
with the phone number of the
author or artist included and
turned in to the box outside the
publications suite by 3:00 on
Monday before that Friday's
publication date. Editorials must
be no longer than 400 words and
letters to the editor must be no
more than 250 words. The
Guilfordian reserves the right to
edit submissions for grammatical
correctness and brevity.
THE GUILF ORDI AN
"Since 1914, but never quite like this."
Editor-in-chief. Adam Lucas (286-1214)
News editor. Marjorie Hall (316-3171)
Features editor. Will Dodson (316-3727)
World editor. Ellen Yutzy (316-3808)
Editorials editor. Laura Parker (316-3683)
Sports editor. Dan Gatti (316-3843)
Photography editor. Becca Lee (316-3446)
Co-photo editor. Chris Carlstrom (316-3752)
Layout editor. Alicia Grogan-Brown (316-3120)
Online editor. Steven Rentz (316-3278)
Business manager. Amy Broach (286-1214)
Faculty advisor. Jeff Jeske (316-2216)
Staff writers: Laurah Norton, Betsy Blake, Paige Mcßae, Greg Rinaldi,
Astor Ankney, Allison Strizak, Morgan Reffell, Chris Weber, Jack Shuler, Amanda
Becom, Annie Buchanan-Clary, Jonathan Carter, Kelton Cofer, Kelly White, Zack
Hample, Matthew Zuehlke, Jacob Noble, Katy Hunter, Phoebe Jewett, John
Clinton, Dana Mendoza
Staff meetings are Mondays at 7:30 pm in the Passion Pit. All are
welcome.
How to reach us:
By mail: 5800 W. Friendly Avenue, 17717 Founders Hall, Greensboro, NC
27410
By phone: (910)316-2306
By fax: (910)316-2950
By e-mail: Guilfordian@rascal.guilfbrd.edu
On the Internet: www.guilford.edu/Guilfordian
Open dialogue is a necessity
STAFF EDITORIAL
As Guilford prepares to enter a time
that is almost certainly going to cause fric
tion within the community, it will be es
sential to keep in mind the aspects of a
positive discussion. If we are to open a
constructive dialogue instead of starting
pointless arguments, then we must en
courage everyone to be open-minded and
willing to listen to others' points-of view.
On Wednesday WQFS held a
"Guilforum" where two students inter
viewed the new director of African-
American affairs, Santes Beatty. One
of the students took an obviously con
frontational approach to the interview, in
terrupting Beatty in mid-sentence and
rushing to get to his next confrontational
question Beatty did an admirable job of
remaining calm and persistent in has at
tempts to answer the questions posed.
A lesser person would have let the dis
cussion degenerate even furthur.
We point out this incident, not to
criticize the student, but to make the point
that conversations of this type are not
going to lead to any growth of the Guilford
Forum
community. In the coming months, we
need to take the time and make the ef
fort to truly listen to what other mem
bers of the community have to say.
Instead of anticipating what we ex
pect to hear, we need to attempt to un
derstand what others tell us. After we
listen, we should take time to consider
what was said before we begin to ques
tion their thoughts.
If we refuse to question our own
assumptions and mindsets, we set the
scene for nothing but frustrating reitera
tions of what we have already said. To
move towards a goal it is necessary that
we each move, that we each change our
own ideologies and challenge our assump
tions.
Sweet Honey in the Rock per
formed the African spiritual "There is a
Balm in Gilead." In explaining the basis
of the spiritual and the story behind it,
Bernice Johnson-Reagon said that it is
possible to stay in a place or group that
has hurt you. But if you want to stay
and heal in the place that has hurt you,
you must make the commitment to change
that place.
Will the nonsense cease?
BY JACOB NOBLE
Staff Writer
Last Thursday a forum was held to
discuss alleged tampering of ballots. The
weak allegations were brought to the at
tention of Senate by Colin McFadden-
Roan, current treasurer, who was on the
losing ticket.
What has happened to our commu
nity? This was a truly tasteless act which
should have been shot down at the Senate
meeting the afternoon before. The idea
that a meeting should be held to discuss
whether a driver's license should or should
not be considered an acceptable form of
ID is not only absurd but a plain slap in the
face to the elections committee.
Instead of a ticket bowing down
gracefully and accepting defeat, time—
which could have been spent doing impor
tant activities— was wasted so that one
voice with no valid arguments could be heard
one last time.
This is why the administration should
start stepping in and taking a stand. We
must remember that, whether we like it or
not, we are still kids, and what happened
this Thursday is another example of us act
ing childish.
When is an administrator who advises
TheGuilfondian
February 27,1998
We now have decisions to make.
We can begin to change the atmosphere
and institution that has apparently injured
many. We can make Guilford a better
place for the future. With the national
attention drawn by recent events, we ar
guably even have the opportunity to make
a national statement with our actions.
The choice is ours to make. Either
we can have an open, honest dialogue,
or we can stay on our soapboxes and
carry our axes to grind. Forgiveness and
understanding are going to be valuable
commodities at Guilford.
We understand that the staff and
editorial board of The Guilfordian have
much to learn ourselves. We encourage
the dialogue currently taking place in the
community.
We would like to do our part and
be fosterers of this communication. This
section is called the "Forum," and like
any forum at Guilford, it is a place to ex
press ideas. If we all take the time to
thoughtfully and carefully consider and
respond to what is happening, the Guilford
of the future will not be the Guilford of
the past.
Senate going to step in and say this is ab
surd? Sure, one might argue that every
body has a right to raise their voice, and to
them I say true. Sometimes, however, we
as students need to be put in our place and
told to start acting maturely I, for one, am
no exception to this rule. This meeting does
nothing to improve Senate's reputation for
not adhering to issues of importance.
As for the concerns raised about the
Union Ticket: there is no case. The Tho
mas ticket, which made the allegation that
favoritism was played towards the Mor
gan ticket, was the same ticket exempted
from a rule clearly outlined in the Constitu
tion stating that the presidential candidate
must serve on the steering committee in
order to be eligible to run.
The students raised their voice when
we voted. If the volume for the Martin
and Morgan tickets was louder, suck it up.
Remember, if we had wanted the person
making allegations, he would have been
elected. Both Union tickets were shaky to
begin with, and it was alleged that nobody
had expressed extreme interest in running.
As for the Senate tickets, McFadden-Roan
was offered the opportunity to run with
Martin but declined. As he is now discov
ering, the grass is not always greener on
the other side.