Chancellor Donald Reaves has been at Winston-Salem State since 2007. Some of his major accomplishments include the re-affirmation by SACS, a return to Division II CIAA, stabilization of enrollment, and plans for the new Students Activities Center. During a recent interview with The News Argus, Reaves discussed a variety of topics.
Hear the interview in its entirety online at thenewsargus.com.
News Argus: How far are we with correcting SACS cites?
Chancellor Reaves: We have corrected those [cites] and sent them into SACS some time ago. We are going to the SACS conference in January, where they will inform us formally of the re-accreditation.
News Argus: Do you think Division I is in WSSU’s future?
Chancellor Reaves: No. There are teams that have been in Division II all their lives and do very well and could do well in Division I, but Division I is a lot more expensive.
News Argus: Now that we have a baseball team will we get a baseball field?
Chancellor Reaves: They are going to have to play somewhere. The AD [Bill Hayes] is working on it, and we are looking at all options.
News Argus: Why did you decide to close then re-open the Child Development Center?
Chancellor Reaves: The Center was costing us money that we didn’t have and shouldn’t be spending. We were not using it as it was designed to be used. It was being used as a day care for the community. We found a not-for-profit child care provider to come in and run it. The Center is paid for entirely by those who use its services.
News Argus: Why do you want to keep enrollment at about 6,300 students?
Chancellor Reaves: We were able to put a model in place that will allow us to take smaller first-year classes and more transfer students.
In order to improve the quality of students, we have to decide whether we want to be bigger and accept more students that have tremendous developmental needs or accept a quality class where everyone learns. We chose the latter.
News Argus: How much will the University pay in addition to the $27 million the state is providing for the Student Activities Center?
Chancellor Reaves: At some point I’m sure some of the fees will have to go up in order to maintain some of the activities in that building, but at this point I just don’t know what those are.
News Argus: The campus chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hasbeen suspended for 10 years. How do you feel about the punishment and have you received any information regarding their appeal?
Chancellor Reaves: Right now, I feel that the punishment is just right. Yes, I have received information but once lawyers are involved, we stop talking about it.
News Argus: Is there anything you would like to add?
Chancellor Reaves: I am hopeful for the University. We brought a quality class, smaller but good. We are starting to make changes in the curriculum and I am optimistic about really turning the University around.