i
Salemite
Vol.LXIXNo.8
March 1989
This article is the second in the administration series where The Salemte asked
the administrators what projects and issues are important to them and what they'd
like to see in the future.
Dean Virginia Johnson has had a major impact on many of the policies we
now take for granted. When Johnson came to Salem, freshman women were only
given a one-half vote in SGA elections. That means it took two freshmen votes to
equal one upperclassman vote. It took four or five years before Dean Johnson could
convince SGA that freshmen should be given a full vote. She says the women’s
movement helped change opinion so the vote finally passed. She also saw that
loosely structured Honor Code policies were changed into concrete student rights;
that every opportunity for fairness is taken.
On policy making Johnson says that we must juggle differing expectations of
students, faculty, alumnae, and parents when attempting change. She believes that
Salem has managed to change without alienating her constituents. Sometimes
change has been too slow, "but we've managed to bring along the people that
support the institution."
In the future. Dean Johnson plans to address the AIDS issue which is a major
touch with student concerns.
Within the next few weeks, a quide to academic majors will be made available to
students.
Dean Farris plans to begin recruiting for peer advisors for next year in the next
few weeks. She has said that she'd like to see peer advisors have a more active role
with their adivisees throughout the academic year rather than the heavy emphasis
at Orientation and registration.
Dean Cobb has been learning more about her new job this spring. She has
always been concerned about education at Women's Colleges. She states "that
everyday she knows she did the right thing in accepting her role at Salem."
The Dean of College is optimistic that Salem will be one of those Women
Colleges that will make it into the next century. Her thoughts are that Women
Colleges will make it not only on the basis of strong academic traditions, but are
going to have to be known for special areas of emphasis. "We must think of ways
for helping women become full persons-traditional-age women, older women,
faculty women, and women in the community. Salem is a kind of medium for great
Administrators Look To The Future
threat to the College community through programming in the dorms. Also she's
very interested in increasing leadership opportunities developing a four-year
developmental program.
Two of her proudest achievements have been the installation of a chapter of
Mortar Board and ODK. ODK was established at Salem in November, 1986, and
Mortar Board in May, 1984. She explained that a club had to be inexistance for
three years for ODK and five years for Moartar Board before Salem could be
considered for acceptance. Also, the Arete chapter required a thirty-page
application for acceptance. It was a long and involved process, but Dean Johnson
believes these societies are extremely vital so that outstanding Salem women
receive the recognition they deserve.
"Dean of Fun," Debbie Cates is responsible for: the residence hall's staff,
coordinating leadership training, student leaders, serving as a resource person for
programming, and scheduling the College calendar. She says there has been an
interesting progression in student life over the last few years. She has had a major
influence on the development of Campus Activities Coimcil and Big 3+3. Cates
says programming is always changing to accomodate changing student interests
and expiations.
She sees her job as having a decreasing role in programming as students have an
increasing role in planning and executing social events as well as leadership
Workshops. She's ^ad to see the trend toward students teaching students. The
LeadersWp Weekend scheduled for March 3-5 is an exciting first where student
leaders will hold workshops for fellow students.
Debbie says the real pay-off is seeing students involved. Her goals are to have
increased student involvement and to have programming that is of interest and
importance to the Salem community which is constantly changing.
Dean Cindy Farris along with Sarah Albritton held informal chats in the dorms
with sophomores to discuss concerns they had about academics and declaring a
^ajor. It was so well-received that they have decided to have these informal chats
women," she remarks.
At present. Dean Cobb is pursuing specific goals. She supports faculty in "making
good things happen in the classroom." Also, she is involved in the current
reaccreditation process at Salem which will result in a very large document that
malyzes everything from the organizational structure of the College to the paint on
:he walls. In addition, a five year blueprint is being drawn up to lead Salem into the
1990's. Dean Cobb states that "this huge document will be worth the hardship from
the indepth look at Salem College." The Dean is also looking at ways to strengthen
the honors program. She considers this program as very important to the College:
'Students must be challenged to take these special courses and then graduate after
laving had foiu" years with this special experience."
The Dean of the College has many projects imderway but as she stated, "the
wheels of academia move slowly."
Dr. Litzenburg became President of Salem College and Academy in 1982.
Although seven years have passed, he states that his original goals remain the
same, "to cause S^em College to be passionately committed to its mission of being
serious about serious learning in the arts and sciences, and to be equally serious as
a community with respect to its committment to the education of women." All the
initiatives he has undertaken over the past seven years have tended to support
. :hese central objectives. He has helped deal with various areas on campus from
enhancing Salem's committment to intercollegiate sports to increasing scholarship
nonies for students.
During his term at Salem College, the institution has upgraded its committment
to the admission of adult women to the student body. He expressed the opinion
i that Salem in 1989 is a much stronger place as a result of the reaching out to adult
women and this group's positive reaction.
Another area of concern was the upgrading of the College plant-its physical
sxuTOvmdings. In 1982, the institution had for a long time paid less attention to the
plant. The decline of public spaces were met by the uidiappiness of friends of the
college with this condition. Dr. Litzenburg Cont. page 9