New Rules – Men Still Not Allowed in Rooms

A revamped visitation policy gives Bennett College students more time and places to socialize with male visitors on campus.

Dr. Stanley Viltz, the associate provost of student affairs says that the new visitation rules should allow students to learn how to interact appropriately with men. “The Belles who have never dated need assistance in their growth and development, and those who are used to dating may need to acquire new habits.” 

The school decided to extend visitation hours, and the number of places male guests can visit on campus. Dorm rooms remain off limits to male visitors.  The new rules took effect September 19, 2011.

Dr. Viltz says she’s noticed a recent trend with Belles choosing to leave campus with guys.

“For several semesters I have observed the paucity of male visitors and the frequency of Belles leaving campus from Gorrell St. in cars with males.  I also was aware of the many Belles who scurry across the tracks to go to North Carolina A & T.”

Dr. Viltz says some students have requested changes to campus visitation, so they don’t have to leave their secure campus setting.

A Washington Post article written in 2010 about an overnight visitation experiment at Howard University points out many colleges and universities are making changes to their visitation policies in order to keep students in campus housing.

Dr. Viltz along with Rachel Pridgen, the director of student activities have discussed inviting more groups of males to campus from area colleges and Bennett’s brother institution, Morehouse College. 

“I also spoke to several groups of Belles: freshwomen, greeks, and SGA representatives. They all thought it would be a good idea to find ways to bring males on campus, and for Bennett to present a more welcoming environment,” says Dr. Viltz.

The visitation changes will also come with etiquette lessons, so the students learn how to act properly around male visitors.

“We are aware that some Belles have tried to have males visit and their Sister Belles have behaved badly in the presence of visitors.”

The overall goal for the change is to help students learn to socialize better with men.

“I do hope this change will be helpful to some and a learning opportunity for others. I hope that it will help some Belles learn how to deal with men better, and maybe we will have fewer poor experiences reported,” says Dr. Viltz.

She goes on to say, “Bennett Belles are taught to be good hosts and to carry themselves so they will be treated with respect. Some ways are not old fashion, but just good manners.”

By: Patricia Alexander

  New Visitation Policy:

• Male visitors must present proper ID, and the name of the Belle they are requesting
• Belles must meet guests at Public Safety Office
• Areas Open to Male Visitors: Residence Hall Parlors, Wellness Complex, Coffeehouse, Holgate Library, LeBelle Shoppe, the GLC & GLC Patio, the Honors lawn, the Quad, Chapel, and the Little Theater
• Male Visitors can attend events at other venues being sponsored by the college
• Gym Jams: male visitors must stay on Gorrell Street after 11:45 pm
• No visitors are allowed before or after the designated visitation hours. Lounge only visitation is on Sundays.
• Visitation hours maybe canceled or modified due to an emergency, staffing issues, or major campus function(s)

New Visitation Hours:

Sunday – Thursday:  4:30 pm – 10:45 pm

Friday –  Saturday:    2:00 pm – 11:45 pm

 Tell us what you think of the new visitation rule changes by voting in our unscientific poll and placing your thoughts in the comments section below.

Grad School or Bust

Bennett College faculty and staff make sure students interested in graduate and professional schools don’t have to go through the application process alone. Dr. Karla McLucas, assistant professor of Sociology, Jeffrey Mortimore, the reference librarian, Jennifer Ash, history instructor, and others are preparing students for life after graduation with the “Grad School or Bust” seminars.  This three-part seminar is split into four one-hour sessions over the fall and spring semesters.  

The first session teaches students how to evaluate graduate schools and write personal statements. The second session gives students resources for funding graduate schools. The third sessions encourages students to select a recommendation pool for letters. An optional fourth session provides students an opportunity to attend a graduate and professional school fair.   

All four sessions give students the necessary tools to apply into top graduate and professional schools. Dr. McLucas and Mr. Mortimore created the program to meet a need they saw on campus.  

“Students were coming to us individually to work with them on their personal statements,” says Dr. McLucas. “So, we began the ‘Grad School or Bust’ seminars three years ago for assistance with graduate or professional schools. We’ve held the seminars each semester since then.”  

The program started out as a one-hour mini-session, and now it’s seen as an invaluable resource for graduating seniors like Briana Barner. She is applying to top Ph.D. programs, and knows that the seminars are giving her great tools to be a competitive applicant. 

“’Grad School or Bust’ has really helped me with preparing for grad school,” she says.  “I am much more confident in getting accepted.”

The program averages around a handful of students for each session. But, Dr. McLucas hopes other students will take advantage of what the sessions offer. 

“Personal statements take three drafts at a minimum. Applications should be sent out by Thanksgiving,” she says. “Students need to think about taking their GRE and professional exams during their junior year because some schools’ deadlines for financial aid are sooner than the deadline for complete applications.”

The “Grad School or Bust” sessions are open to all students. You can find the full upcoming schedule by clicking on this link.

By: Evette Brown

A Corporate Affair: Students Dress for Success

Bennett College students will get a fashionable lesson on how to dress for success. The Belle Media Group a multimedia production group of students in the Journalism and Media Studies Department will host “The Corporate Affair” fashion show on March 26 at 7 p.m.

Students feel it’s important for their fellow Belles to actual see what’s acceptable in the business world.

“In the business world, your attire has a big role to play in your professional life. Professional attire should not only reflect the professionalism and maturity of you as a person but it should have the ability to influence the people you meet positively,” says Angel Workeman, a senior business major.

Workeman says she doesn’t think some Belles have a clear understanding of what’s accepted as business attire.

”I see students’ wear revealing clothing or street clothes and think that it is business attire”.

The Wisconsin School of Business says professional dress for women should include: dark skirts, pants suit, conservative dress shirt, hosiery, and closed toe pumps.

Bennett practices helping students dress for success by having a dress code for the Academic Cultural Enrichment Series (ACES) programs. These programs are a series of lectures and presentations of a religious, cultural, or academic nature. They often showcase prominent professionals from various disciplines.

The Bennett College student handbook states that standard attire for ACES programs include: dresses, skirts, business dress pants, and dress suits. These items should be suitable for work, internships, presentations, and participation in academic/business functions.

The Ecentrique Model Troup will help put on the fashion show. The group will model appropriate business and social attire for any professional setting. They will also model the latest casual dress styles.

Coordinator, Iymaani Walker, says the fashion show will be a fun and creative way to show Belles what business attire is and the appropriate clothing, jewelry, and accessories for the office.

“People in leadership positions will be the majority of students modeling in the show, but interested students are able to model. Experience in modeling is not needed to model for this show. Students will get the proper training they need,” says Walker.

“The Corporate Affair” fashion show will be one of many events being held during the student led Lifestyle Empowerment Conference. The conference will feature entrepreneurship, leadership, personal health, and professional development workshops.

The conference will be held in the new Global Learning Center. There will also be a cocktail hour, which will include heavy hors d’oeuvres and music from the live band “Soulful”. The conference will end with a social gathering that will include a DJ.

Dress attire for students attending will be cocktail or business attire.

“This event is coming along slowly but surely, and Belle Media Group is really excited because we know it will be a great success,” says Walker.

Here is the link to get tickets for this event http://lec2011-autohome.eventbrite.com/.

For information about this event follow LEC2011 on Twitter.

By: Zipporah Sanders

Don’t Shoot the Messenger

Shipping and handling isn’t free when it costs your patience.

It is the fifth week of school and Belles are still waiting for textbooks to arrive to their campus PO Boxes. 

Many students point fingers at the mailroom for the delays, but the manager of the mailroom says students have to accept some of the blame. 

“Most times I see things sent with only first names or no box number, nick names, may not have a name at all, and sometimes even just Bennett College for Women. I don’t have a face with every box number memorized,” says Donta Briggs, the Bennett College Mail Center Manager. 

Briggs says students could easily avoid wasting time inline at the window guessing their delivery date if they’d contact him first.

“Email me, it will save you the time of walking down here beyond standing in line for 15 minutes for me to tell you there’s nothing down here,” says Briggs.

Ferline Milandu, biology major from Raleigh, NC expresses her frustrations after receiving notice that her books should be on campus.

“During the time we come back to school he is really slow on giving our books to us. When you track your books and they state that they are here and you go to the mail center they said that they aren’t here. Often times when you to look for your books he isn’t here without notice which is very inconvenient.”

The mail center is open five days a week from 8 am – 5 pm with temporary closings for lunch breaks, errands to the post office, and delivering packages around campus in between.

“I don’t think that students really understand that I have a lot on my plate. I have to be at more than one place during the day. I have to make drop offs around campus and run to the post office to pick up mail beyond the UPS and Fed X shipments,” says Briggs.

Briggs also mentions that working by himself sorting 800 plus packages of mail it can be challenging when students do not know what they are looking for.

“Some students do know what they are looking for, some want to “just see” if they have anything, and some have a feeling that something has arrived for them.”

Receiving more complaints than compliments Briggs wants students to know that it is also their responsibility to make sure that their sender is filling out their information correctly.

Briggs says students must double-check their mailing information to make sure it gets to them.

Evette Brown, senior, journalism & media studies major form Queens, New York expresses gratitude towards Briggs initiative towards looking out for Belles when making common mailing errors.

“I bought some books and put the wrong box number on the shipping. I’m sure if it happened to me then it happened to someone else. He remember my name and when it came in he informed me instead of just putting the book in the wrong box.”

“My main concern is that everyone gets what is entitled to them in terms of mail and packages. As of recent times it has only been me in here. In the future there is going to be more than one person in here so that someone can always help who is at the window so that can speed the process up. I want to make sure that everyone in here is as knowledgeable as I am so that we are able to work efficiently,” says Briggs.

Belles must remember if they do not order directly from the consumer their mail can take longer because the package has to be shipped through a third party. In terms of labeling packages or mail, have your mail sent with your first, last name, and box number so that you have less of a struggle when tracking your materials.

I’ve heard “You’re never here.”, “You can never find my packages.” ,”Do you need help?”, and “You need help.” I try to handle everything to the best of my ability. I don’t have a problem with volunteers.  As long as they are committed with no alternative motive, and just want to help their Bennett sisters,” says Briggs.

Briggs wants students to practice patience and ask questions when it comes to waiting on and finding out their delivery status.” If you don’t know something ask me. There’s nothing wrong with asking.

 By: Lydia Blanco 

Mail Center Tips

• Place full name and correct PO Box number on all your packages
• Track your shipments
• Check your email for delivery receipts
• Email your questions to Dontae Briggs at DBriggs@bennet.edu
• Know the office hours
• Approach the mail center window attitude free