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i 1 THE MAROON TIGER THE ORGAN OF STUDENT EXPRESSION SINCE 1925 MOREHOUSE COLLEGE ■ ATLANTA, GA 9/19/13 - 9/25/13 - VoL.88, No. 3 NEWSLINE STUDENTS FIGHT FOR GWEN WADE: A GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS ARE EXPRESSING DISSATISFACTION WITH THE COL LEGE’S DECISION TO LAY OFF GWEN WADE, DIRECTOR OF STUDY ABROAD/INTERNATION AL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. A PETITION IS SET TO GO OUT LATER IN THE WEEK. HISTORIC YFAP IQfi'V SUNDAY MARKED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 16TH ST. CHURCH BOMBING IN BIRMING HAM WHERE FOUR GIRLS WERE SLAIN IN 1963. THE COLLEGE HOSTED A COMMEMO RATION IN THEIR HONOR. MOREHOUSE MAN NOMINATED: MOREHOUSE ALUMNUS JIM SHELTON WAS NOMINATED BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA LAST WEEK TO BE THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. MAROON TIGERS DEFEATED: >; . 'VVsVf, OF THE FIVE WELLS” RETHINKING WILSON DAWNN ANDERSON ASSOCIATE CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR DAWNNARIANA@GMAIL.COM Senior African-American Studies/ Pre-Law major Antwann Michael will host a forum entitled "Rethinking Wil son," a safe space where students may express their concerns regarding recent changes under Morehouse President John Wilson's leadership. The discussion will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Perdue Hall lobby. “Students have the right to challenge authority and agitate respon sibly,” Michael said. The Florida native hopes that this event will influence stu dents to critically examine leadership. In an Aug. 22 letter to alumni, Wilson explained his $2.5 million reduc tion in the annual operating budget and the elimination of 75 jobs. He presented these changes as vital steps in securing the fiscal health of the college. Unan ticipated revisions to the college scene have left some students stunned, lead ing them to question the motives of their president by “Rethinking Wilson." When discussing his vision for the event, Michael listed three goals: to limit the amount of gossip on campus and focus on truth supported by research; to talk about matters intelligently as a collective group; and to form an ac tion committee. The action committee would be created to speak on behalf of disgruntled students with professional ism and dignity. Additionally, Michael is interested in researching fundraising options for the college. Morehouse students of all clas sifications are welcome to attend the forum. An invitation has also been ex tended to professors. However, Michael refrained from inviting Morehouse ad ministrators because he feared that their presence might impede the free flow of conversation. The forum will discuss sentiments surrounding the “Please Don't Stop the Music” campaign, the removal of “The Five Wells," modifications to the fiscal policy, downsizing the administrative staff, and student perceptions of the new president. Five out of eight students who were interviewed opposed the changes instituted by Wilson. Despite his profes sional background as executive director of the White House Initiative on HBCUs, some students worry that the Morehouse alumnus is solely concerned with fund raising efforts as evident by his platform: Character and Capital Preeminence. Select students are concerned that Wil son may not take an interest in relating to his Morehouse brothers on a personal level. "We [students] are used to ideology, substance, and character as demonstrated in [Robert] Franklin’s presidency,” Morehouse junior D'Ondre Swails said. “That is what Wilson lacks as an administrator." However, junior Biology major Evan Miller supports Wilson's stances regarding misogynist music and student behavior during homecoming. "We tell people if you want to see the AUC, come to Homecoming,” he said. “[While attending] the ‘Please Don't Stop the Music' panel discussion, it made me upset to see Spelmanites bothered by this ban. President Wilson wants us to respect ourselves. I respect him." Michael was initially attracted to pursuing higher education at More house College due to intellectual activ ism and student-administrator relation ships. In retrospect, Michael believes his Morehouse experience has "birthed great patience" in him, a virtue that is cultivated over time. THE MAROON TIGERS WERE DEFEATED ON THE ROAD AT LANE COLLEGE OVER THE WEEKEND. THE LOSS PUTS THE COLLEGE OFF TO A 0-2 START TO THE SEASON. A LETTER TO PRESIDENT WILSON Dear President Wilson: RAPE FORUM AT MOREHOUSE: NEXT WEDNESDAY, MOREHOUSE SGA HOSTE- DA FORUM ON RAPE CULTURE IN THE AUC. THE PROGRAM CAME IN THE WAKE OF A MOVE BY ADMINISTRATORS TO CENSOR DE GRADING MUSIC ON CAMPUS. My name is Thavon T. Davis, I am a senior business accounting major from Nassau, Bahamas, and I serve as treasurer of the Interna tional Students Organization (ISO), the governing body for all international students attending Morehouse College. I am reaching out to you on behalf of the 64 international students currently enrolled at this institution. We were recently informed of last Friday’s dismissal of Mrs. Gwen Wade and the elimination of the position of Director of the Office of International Student Services & Study Abroad. We, the international student population, struggle to understand the reasoning behind this decision. While the College's financial position is understood, Morehouse has a responsibility to its students and this action significantly detracts from the College's ability to satisfy these responsibilities. WILSON WORKS ON HIS FITNESS: PRESIDENT WILSON SPOTTED ON A MORNING RUN. As Director of the Office of International Student Services (OISS), Mrs. Wade served international students in many capacities. Her office helped students with the academic and social challenges of studying in the United States, as well as disseminated information on visa requirements, maintenance of status, employment authorization, IRS tax filing, etc. Her duties were numerous, and essential, and I can assure you that Mrs. Wade was EXCEPTIONAL in carrying out each of these duties. Last Friday, the College sent a clear and distinct message and that message said to us, “We do not matter. Our presence on this campus does not matter. Our being supported does not matter.” Mrs. Wade, for long, has been the backbone of international student operations at the College. Her dismissal, and the elimination of the position she held, also dismisses and eliminates us. Yes, there may only be 64 of us, but we’re sorry for believing we were worth the investment! While the thought may be that her duties will be split and parceled out, there is one aspect that Mrs. Wade brought to this job that can never be assigned. Mrs. Wade cared. Who gets that responsibility? She cared for us like a mother when our closest relatives were hundreds of thousands of miles away. We lost the person who was our shoulder to cry on, our guide when lost. We lost the person who cheered us on at our football games and stood at our bedside as we underwent surgery. We lost... This love and support has been recognized by students and parents alike: "Mrs. Wade ... You were the mother figure I held on to when my son was at Morehouse College.” - Cheryl Smith, Mother, Katanga Johnson, Class of 2013 It is this support that has made the difference in the lives of so many Men of Morehouse. Under her tutelage, she has nurtured the likes of Stevon Darling '10, E. B. Williams Award winner, and analyst, The World Bank; David Dadey '09, MD/Ph.D. candidate at Washington University; Aaron Brown 'll, audit associate, Deloitte & Touche, and Wake Forest University graduate who went on to pass the CPA examination in the 99th percentile; and Betsegaw Tadele '13, valedictorian, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and project engi neer, Microsoft. POSTED BY ©ENPUERTORICO 55 LIKES 2 DAYS AGO FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER: @THEMAR00NTIGER We, the Men of Morehouse and Morehouse Men who have been blessed to feel her charm and charisma, stand in solidarity as we declare ourselves, “Mrs. Wade's Men." As an accounting major and businessman, you can imagine, one, how much I love numbers and, two, how much I love numbers adding up. But I must tell you that the numbers failed us this time. When you find someone like Mrs. Wade, you do not let her go. It is sad that this was not recognized. Sincerely, Thavon T. Davis Contributing Writer Morehouse College