Issues concerning safety and Homecoming 2003 were addressed at Winston-Salem State University’s full student body meeting last month. SGA President Kristie Swink presided over the meeting that about 20 students attended to ask questions in an open forum.WSSU’s campus police chief, Willie Bell, and Lt. Marcus Sutton addressed student concerns about parking and tickets. According to Bell, there should be a sufficient number of parking decals as relates to those that were sold and issued at the beginning of the school year. He said the Rams Commons’ parking lot has 400 spaces, but only 226 tickets were sold, so receiving tickets because of parking violations shouldn’t be a problem.”We write over 600 tickets a week,” said Bell. “We really should be writing 40.” “And most of them are because they [vehicles] don’t have tickets,” said Sutton, who also reminded students that visitors should be parking in the RJR lot to avoid ticketing and leaving before co-ed visitation hours are over. Bell also informed students of the strides that campus police has been able to take this year.”We’re the first HBCU with student gated lots,” said Bell. “And this year, just for this year, because we can’t hire full-time people, a security guard is posted from midnight to 6 a.m. in the Wilson and Rams Commons’ parking lots.”Even though Bell offered this information, a complaint about not being picked up by an escort when requesting was one of the greatest safety issues brought up by a female student.”I cannot stand what she just told me. I get chill bumps when a young lady or man, whatever, tells me they called and could not get a ride,” said Bell, who has been through more than 10 student murders on other campuses throughout his career.Students also complained about the attitudes of personnel they spoke with when requesting rides late at night.”I don’t care what time it is. The police officers have a job to do,” said Bell. “Any student mistreated by my officers – I want to know. I have zero tolerance for poor customer service.”Sutton stressed the importance of reporting issues to campus police, even if it’s about campus police.”Come on down and talk to us,” said Sutton. “You never know [what may come out of the situation] unless you come in.”Once Bell and Sutton wrapped up the forum with safety issues, Swink spoke about this year’s homecoming, which will be Nov 2.”For the past five years we’ve taken a lost in budget because of the homecoming concert,” she said. “This year we seriously need to sit down and reconsider what we want to do with the concert.”According to Swink, artists for the annual concert, which seriously lacks student attendance, can cost anywhere from $30,000-$80,000.”We don’t have that type of money for artists,” said Swink. “We lose most of our [homecoming] budget to the concert every year.”Swink asked the students in attendance to brainstorm on ideas that would take the place of the concert, which may be put on the back burner for the next couple of years. Suggestions included putting more money into the comedy show and possibly charging students to get in. That way, big-name comedians could showcase their acts.Swink said the ideas could be presented at the next full student body meeting to be held before the end of this year.
Contact Nicole Ferguson at nferguson@thenewsargus.com.