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The Spelman Spotlight The Voice of African-American Womanhood Volume XLVIII NO. 2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2005 sspotlight2005@yahoo.com IN THIS ISSUE NEWS A Spelman student in distress calls her sisters and campus safety to action. page 1 Tickets, please: Senior students spar with administration over graduation concerns page 1 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Music takes center stage page 5 FEATURES The history of Black History page 4 Editorials Family Weekend Gives Parents Glance at Campus Life Terricha Bradley Features Writer Spelman’s students and their families were kept busy, once again, during the college’s annual Family Weekend celebra tion. This year’s events included two Lady Jaguars’ basketball games, and tours of Spelman College’s museum and historic Atlanta. The three-day event, hosted by the Division of Student Affairs, offered workshops and entertaining programs that focused on the theme of “Mind, Body, and Spirit.” On Friday Feb. 18, workshops on family and spiritu ality, campus tours, and Cafe 350, a special night of live jazz and spoken word, were just some of the events that started off the first segment of the weekend. Saturday followed with a wel come breakfast attended by Dr. Tatum, and a pre-game tailgate party for the Lady Jaguars’ bas ketball game against Fisk University that led to a Spelman victory of 72-64. Another popu lar event for families was the Morehouse College and Clark- Atlanta University basketball game, resulting in a victory for Morehouse. Sunday events included a Sisters Chapel worship service, featuring a performance by the Spelman College Glee Club; and a second Jaguars basketball game versus Maryville College, a 79- 75 loss for Spelman. Freshman Nidra Bailey said she enjoyed spending time with her mother and sister, who were visiting from California. “We went to Cafe 350 and the Morehouse vs. Clark- Atlanta basketball game, then to church on Sunday,” she said. There was confusion, however, during the registration process because all events could not be attended due to pre-pay ments. “We really wanted to go to the mother and daughter pam per party, but we were not able to attend without tickets. The money my mother paid could not go towards the events we wanted to attend,” said Bailey. While the city of Atlanta served as an attraction itself, Spelman College’s campus life was alive with activity and large groups of families that attended Family Weekend events. Spelmanites and parents on the yard, enjoying a past family weekend. PHOTO | www.spelman.edu/familyweekend/welcome.htm We let these ladies speak for themselves. page 6 HEALTH Did you show your heart some love in February? page 7 Stress+Stress could equal more weight (and more stress) page 7 SPORTS Women dominating sports on and off the court page 8 Get a load of Spelman’s new workout plan page 8 PHOTO | Intiosar Abioto Officers Keith Amacker and Alphonso Johnson were at the scene. Student Stopped from Attempted Suicide on Top of Parking Deck Michele Bradley and Clanci Cochran Staff Writers “Not at Spelman. I can’t believe it,” was the most common reaction to the suicide attempt off of the four-story Spelman parking structure on Feb. 8. A distraught Spelman student attempted to jump from the top level of the parking deck. Police officer Alphonso Johnson and sergeant and super visor Keith Amacker responded to the alert. Johnson and Amacker took the student out of See Averted Tragedy, page 2 Dr. Tatum Takes on Seniors’ Concerns Clanci Cochran Editor in Chief “In keeping with deco rum, we ask that your family and friends keep all confetti, bal loons, and noisemakers outside of the Cathedral sanctuary. No food, beverages, or rude and dis ruptive behavior will be permit ted.” Although the above statement seems like common protocol when attending a col lege commencement, the Spelman College community has had a problem in the past follow ing these type of rules. This leads to the college being shut out of possible graduation locations, which leads to frustration among the graduating seniors. In a senior meeting on Jan. 25, many students reacted negatively to news delivered by Spelman secretary and assistant to the president Dr. Sherry Turner concerning graduation. The majority of the backlash sur rounded the availability of tickets each senior would receive. Although rumors circulated that seniors would receive ten tickets for their family members to attend graduation, Dr. Turner informed students that each grad uate would only be guaranteed Tatum at Williston Northampton School’s commencement last summer. eight tickets, with a slight chance of being issued a ninth. Students voiced their disagreement with the announcement. Parents have begun contacting college presi dent Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum with their questions and requests. On Feb. 13, seniors met with Dr. Tatum and college staff members. About 35 students attended the meeting. Although there was no set program, the conversation centered around graduation. Bringing food, alco holic beverages, and rude and disruptive behavior to com mencement ceremonies past are a few of the reasons Spelman is See Tatum Takes On, page 3