Editorials
Page 2
Sophomores Question Worth of Testing
by Amy Washburn
On Monday, April 18, the
Sophomore class took a test which
was supposed to test the
effectiveness of Salem’s Basic
Distribution Requirements.
Reaction to the test was varied
within the class. One feeling was
constant—not many people wanted
to be there, and even fewer people
knew why they were.
It all started with a letter
placed in our boxes announcing the
mandatory test. Supposedly we
were excused from our morning
classes. In talking to my
classmates, I learned that many
people were missing such things as
test reviews, and that some
professors even had to postpone
tests that had been scheduled from
the beginning of the semester. This
official excuse did not extend to
things such as Wake Forest classes
or morning employment.
Attitudes among the faculty
also did not seem enthusiastic. One
of my professors actually expressed
surprise that we took the test.
Another apparently refused to
excuse his students, leaving them
with a dilemma.
What it all comes down to is
this: the Sophomore class was in
effect ordered to take this test,
disregarding the fact that our
tuition had already paid for this
class time, that we might be
missing something important, and
that this test served basically no
purpose for those taking it. The
Sophomores seem to have taken
this test as a service to the
College, for it will not appear on
any records of any kind. The
question presents itself—why did
we use our class time to take it?
The answer to that question is
the most objectionable part of this
whole issue: we were told that
this test was required as part of our
Sophomore standing. This seems
strange, for we were considered
Sophomores from the beginning of
this year. We can only hope that
this declaration does not represent
a dangerous new trend for the
College administration-how can
we feel safe in our academic
standing if they have the p>ower to
arbitrarily throw new
requirements at us throughout the
year? Does the College have the
right to do this?
All in all, this test seems to
have been a colossal waste of time.
The purpose for its administration
was not clear, it served no benefit
for students, and it took several
hours of valuable class time. Even
more important than these things,
virtual scare tactics were used to
ensure that people would
participate. Perhaps we as
students need to evaluate how
easily we are manipulated.
Letter to the Editor: McKnight Reassures Students
Dear Editor,
In the last issue of The Salemite, Susan Webb expressed concern
about the lack of student input into the selection of the new Dean of the
College. I would like to address this concern.
It was certainly not the intention of the Selection Committee to
exclude student input into the selection of the new dean. It was,for this
reason that a student representative (Millie Eubanks) was appointed to
the committee with full voting privileges. It was also for this reason
that each candidate invited to campus was asked to meet with a group of
students, most of whom had been chosen by their peers to hold some major
office on campus. The opinions of these students were brought to the
committee and had a definite impact on the decision-making process.
I agree that it is unfortunate that the committee could not arrange a
time when students at large could have met the candidates. However,
given the limited time each candidate was on campus, this arrangement
was not possible.
Likewise, it was not possible to inform the student body who the top
candidates were and what their credentials might be. Many candidates
do not want this information released. They may hold positions of
responsibility at their home institutions and fear that their effectiveness
in these positions would be severly compronused were it known that they
were looking for a position elsewhere. Hence, this information was kept
within the committee.
Please let me assure again that there was no attempt by the
committee to exclude the student input into the selection process. We
sought student opinions as best we could and most certainly took them into
consideration.
George McKnight
Making Friends With
The Winston-Salem State
University Chorale conducted by
Dr. James Benjamin Kinchen, Jr.
were guests in a program given by
the Salem College Chorale
Thursday evening, April 27.
Their presence on campus was
indeed a delightful experience.
Their music was inspiring and
effectual, but most importantly
this was the first time the WSSU
Chorale had performed at
Salem.
Not long ago, I shared a
limousine ride home from the
airport with a WSSU student,
and we both expressed to each
other our desire to see the
students from both of our
campuses intermingle with each
other more in the future.
Well it seems that their
Choral Director agreed. Kinchen
expressed in his opening remarks
to the audience at Salem that he
hoped that this performance '
WSSU
by Susan Webb
would be the beginning of more
cooperation and of new
relationships between the two
schools. "We are truly neighbors
. . . leave from the front door of
our school and we’re at the back
door of yours," he said.
The development of new
relationships with our neighbors
is a project that students from
both schools could benefit greatly
from with a little effort. There
are many students just down the
street who like ourselves have
much to offer; however, there
seems to be a picket fence
separating us.
Those who missed out on the
WSSU Chorale and the Salem
College Chorale’s performances
not only missed hearing some
truly fabulous music but they
missed meeting their neighbors.
Perhaps it’s time we step around
that picket fence.
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