THE GUILFORDIAN
SEPTEMBER 11,1 998
Binford has new substance-free wing
By Brian Schuh
STAFF WRITER
Deciding whether to drink al
cohol or smoke cigarettes is not an
option for 54 residents of Binford
hall, due to
the creation
of the new
substance
free wing. In
contrast to
the recent
drinking-re
lated prob
lems at
Bryan hall,
alcohol
problems on
this hall are
Residents of the substance-free housing.
highly likely to be nonexistent.
"The national trend to have
substance-free housing, the focus
of individual needs, whether it be
personal morality or someone's
own personal or family substance
abuse problems and the leadership
of Don McNemar, is why this wing
was established," said Assistant Di
rector of Residential Life George
Segebade.
According to Residential Life
Coordinator Tica Davis, last spring
the Office of Residential Life listed
the option of a substance-free hall
for this year's housing sign-up
sheets. Since the response was pri
marily co-ed, first-year students,
the top of the T-wing on the sec
ond floor of Binford Hall was cho
sen to be the wing. "It's a healthier,
cleaner environment and is work
inductive for study," said Davis,
C orner
By Gary Young
tually sit and man the table. I
appreciate their dedication
greatly. Congratulations to the
new and re-elected senators
and representatives.
They are: Senior rep-
James Norton; Junior rep-
Megan DiMaio; Sophomore rep-
Kemba Bloodworth; First-year
rep- Chris Babcock; Bryan hall
rep- Rebecca Wiggers; Milner
rep- Kareem Wali Muhammed;
Alternative Housing reps-Cody
Doran and Jill Reemsnyder;
Shore rep- Katie Hunter;
Binford reps- Ty Pender, Eva
Shaw, and Tim LaFollette; and
Mary Hobbs rep- Kalynn Ruth.
All of the applicants were
(and still are) extremely
"Residents can enjoy one another
without being impaired." Re
searching substance-free housing at
other universities such as Wake
Forest, UNCG, and High Point,
Davis formulated the housing con-
lowed at anytime to possess or con
sume alcoholic beverages, tobacco
products, illegal drugs, or not-pre
scribed prescription drugs while
on the floor. If someone who lives
on the substance-free hall wants to
consume substances, "they are more
than welcome to do so, just not on
their floor, and they are not allowed
to return to the floor intoxicated,"
said Davis.
"The wing is working very
well," said Residential Advisor
Tamara Mason. "Everybody wanted
to be here and that is what contrib
utes to the friendly atmosphere in
the hall." The only negative thing
about the wing, according to Ma
son, is that there are not enough
spaces for everybody who wants to
live there. Around ten people are
on a waiting list to live in the wing.
Residents of the wing seem to
Thank
you to all who
participated
in the voting
on Monday
and a special
thank you to
the unfortu
nate souls
who had to ac-
talented.
The execs and steering
committee would like to remind
all who did not win that there
are still appointed positions
within Senate and if interest
was indicated, you will get an
interview.
The appointed positions in
clude athletic representative,
academic senator, minority rep
resentative, and the GLBTA
representative.
Each position holds differ
ent requirements, as they rep
resent vastly different constitu
encies. However, each has the
common need of voice, even if
that voice may not be the most
popular in the room. Consen
sus cannot work without the
input of every member of Sen
ate.
Again, remember Senate is
not the end all be all, GuilCo has
judicial board vacancies, Union
would love to have more mem
bers, and we have over 50 clubs
and organizations screaming
for help.
News
be enjoying their living arrange
ments. "It's awesome here because
people are willing to take risks and
be who they really are," said
Clarissa Pungowiyi, a first-year stu
dent from Juneau, Alaska, "We have
so much fun it would be scary to see
us on drugs."
Since the college states that il
legal substances are not permitted
anywhere on campus, having a spe
cific substance-free hall might seem
unnecessary. However, Davis dis-
tract.
Under
the guide
lines of the
"Substance
Free Hous
ing Commu
nity Stan
dar d s
Agree
ment," resi
dents and
their guests
are not al-
Alcohol cont'd from page 1
actual school policy.
The incidents that prompted
this change included "a medical
crisis, a personal crisis, and an al
tercation," according to Olds. One
student was taken to the emer
gency room in an ambulance as a
consequence of alcohol poisoning.
These incidents were "a close
call," and many administrators
bring up comparisons to news
headlines about alcohol-related
deaths that have been plaguing
American college campuses lately.
There seems to be a tendency
for students, recently released
from the control of their parents,
to party a little harder than their
bodies can handle. Fatalities at
other schools often involved first
year students and too much alco
hol. The steps being taken here are
to try to avoid that kind of trag
edy.
Reactions varied on campus,
particularly in regards to what
constitutes a "public area." The
clarification from Olds that many
21-year old students will find com
forting is that the Apartments
common areas and balconies do
(ocun&u&
College Reeling for Worship - J2ed by Deborah Saunders c3un.. (3ept.
14th from 9:15-10:15 a.m. in the c foloon 'Jioom of^Dana
Cream (Jocial- Wlon.. (3ept. 14tb at 6:30 p.m. in the c 7^ut.
GOM) meeting in the c Peace 'Room. Won.. (3ept 14th at 6:3opm
Wen small group- Wondays at 6:30 p.m. in the c 7/ut.
Qenerations Ministries- Tues. s:3o p.m. in oren lounge.
c folid- c ll)eek fleeting for c U)orship - unprogrammed meeting for worship
c ll)enesday evening 5:30-6:oopm in the ut
c ?nte/njarsity- c U)ednesdays at 6p.m. in Horen lounge.
Quaker Concerns- Thursday at 7:30 p. m. in the all are welcome
c }nter c Varsity c U)omen small group- c Thursday and &p. m. in the
basement of Wary c )iobbs.
Worning c ll)orship - 'Unprogrammed meeting for worship each weekday
from 6 055.1 sam in the
agrees, saying, "Illegal substances
are not permitted anywhere on cam
pus, but we are well aware that they
are here."
The Office of Residential Life
has future plans for substance-free
housing.
Next year, they would like to
include the entire T-wing on the
second floor of Binford as sub
stance free. Also they would like
to see Binford one day become to
tally substance-free.
not count as public areas, unless
a campus-wide event is being held
there, as in the case of the party
there on Friday night. The event
was successful, with a strong se
curity presence, students seemed
obliged to drink inside, or not at
all.
Senior Kendrick Collins re
plied to the new policies "The
guilty parties should be punished,
not everyone. It was not my fault
that stuff happened, but now I'm
getting punished for it; that hardly
seems fair."
Other students, who have re
ally had enough of this kind of be
havior strongly support the new
measures.
Many students can remember
similar incidents in the past that
did not result in such a crackdown,.
One such individual who was hos
pitalized her freshman year wel
come weekend said, "Yeah, well,
you learn from that type of thing."
Administrators are hoping
Guilford can learn from this inci
dent and are trying to move in a
safe, positive direction, thankful
that a real tragedy was avoided.
3