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Vol. XXXII, No. II . Spelmm , Cpoti jghi y THE VOICE OF BLACK WOMANHOOD Atlanta, Georgia November, 1978 More Questions Than Answers About Security by Valita Sellers The problem with the security system at Spelman College is actu ally a conglomeration of several issues. These issues according to the views of students and security guards are the parking problem, drugs and alcohol on campus, atti tudes of both security and stu dents, and the personal relationships between the students and security. “All of these issues could be eliminated completely if the guards and the students would simply comply to the rules,” says Herbert Greene, who is one of the guards. Concerning the case of parking, half of the students who drive do not have parking permits. Some of the ones who do have them refuse to put them in a place that is easily visible to a guard. M ost of the time, the guard will let the student go through the gate, contends guard Greene. However, when he does not let her go through is where the complaint of the student begins. The students feel that often, when the guard does not allow her to park, because of permit or other seemingly insignificant reason, he is being trivial and really just wants to show some authority. Even worse, a recent poll shows that some students feel he has nothing better to do besides harassing her. Whatever the solution, the situa tion remains. The students realize the rules concerning alcohol and drugs on campus. However, most students simply do not categorize an occa sional beer or even a marijuana cigarett (joint) in this rule. Of the students who do indulge in an occasional beer or joint, a survey shows that more than half of them have done it somewhere on cam pus. The security guards realize this. Guard Sylvester Freeland says he becomes annoyed when he finds examples of this because it is an outright display of lack of respect for the system. Most of the guards share this opinion. Here again, the issue remains. Students and guards have the same opinions of each others atti tudes. They are both negative. Stu dents say the guards are annoying and do not address them pleasantly when giving instructions or reen forcing rules. Guards say students often have a very indifferent, snob bish attitude. Guard Freeland says, “The attitudes of some of the stu dents are terrible. However, l try to continuously treat them kindly and respectfully because ‘two wrongs do not make a right’.” He goes on to say that by far, Morris Brown and Clark are his favorite campuses to work on, simply because the stu dents are much friendlier. Each opinion is truthfully justified to a degree; nevertheless, the problem continues. Students have complained that guards have tried to make personal advances towards, them. When confronted with this, guards say that they have heard of this prob lem, but they each try to keep all relationships on a professional basis. Guards have mentioned that some students try to get “chummy” with them, simply to win campus privileges. When confronted with this, most students deny any such motive, but have heard of the problem. President Ranks High In Education Donald Stewart, president of Spelman College, was chosen one of among one hundred in academic leadership in this country by Change magazine. Change arrang ed with the American Council on Education’s office of Leadership to submit a survey to 6,200 faculty members and others familiar with the academic enterprise to rank at least six “upcoming leaders in American higher education” under the age of 46. Of these, almost 2000 were nominated and five percent were selected after a rigorous system of counter-checks and other referencing. Change believes these “serve as a representative sample of the diversity of today’s young adacemic talent.” Stewart, once associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsyl vania, has been Spelman’s presi dent for three years. by Donna Williams Spelman students are again this year voicing complaints about the security system on campus. The Spotlight examined the system to find out just what the problem is. Many of the students we questi oned had minor or vague criti cisms, but in actuality major problems do exist. Dean Allen reported that several complaints have come across her desk. She said that the complaints dealt mainly with the premature issuing of traffic tickets and the men on campus after hours. The nature of the security system is the cause for the latter problem and similar ones. There are simply not enough guards on duty. Wafter P. Hopewell, direc tor of the Atlanta University Cen ter Department of Public Safety, said that there are 44 public safety officers assigned to all six cam puses in the A.U. Center. He said that Spelman is assigned two people on the night shift which extends from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. One guard is in a fixed posi tion at the gate; another guard patrols the campus; and there are mobile units which circulate among all colleges in the A.U. Cen ter at intervals of 20 to 30 minutes. (continued on page 8) Queens Highlight Homecoming The members of the court are (from left to right) Ms. Tracy Willard, 1st attendant; Ms. Jerri Devard, queen; and Ms. Sharalyn D. McClain, 2nd attendant. * Photo by Anthony Smith by Sheron L. Covington The annual coronation of the Maroon and White Court is the highlight of the gala Morehouse College Homecoming Weekend. This most anxiously awaited event will take place at 8:00 p.m., Friday, November 10, in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Chapel, on the campus of Morehouse College. This year’s court consists of Ms. Sharalyn D. McClain, Ms. Tracy Willard and the queen, Ms. Jerri Devard. Each of these outstanding three young ladies possesses a special type of charismatic appeal that has rightfully placed them in their roles as the reigning beauties. The selection of the Maroon & White Court is done through a process of nominations from the student body of Morehouse College. From this stage, the nominees compete in a pageant and then are voted on again by the Morehouse men. Traditionally, the Maroon & White Court has been more of a figure head or a silent symbol, but in recent years the Morehouse queens have exhibited skills and abilities far beyond the realm of grace and beauty. This year’s queen is no exception, for this year the coronation will take on a new meaning — a new queen has risen, (continued on page 5)