With a little support from their coaches these young ladies find out what it feels like to be at the top of the pyramid.

These youngsters show moves as they belt out a cheer.

You can tell these young ladies learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing it during the 5th Annual Cheer Explosion Summer Camp June 23-27 at WSSU. More than 50 young ladies, ranging in age from four to 17 participated.

Chancellor Reaves has had to make some tough decisions in light of state budget issues.

During the past several months, many of us have been developing a budget reduction plan driven by the deteriorating economy that has impacted the State of North Carolina.   As the state’s revenue projections have continued to decline, the N. C. General Assembly has made budget adjustments that are severely affecting many areas of State government.  The University of North Carolina has certainly been challenged by the anticipated changes in state funding. Although the effects may be different, we know that each campus within the UNC System is dealing with the issues created by the reduced funding we will receive.

While we have managed to create a plan that deals with the anticipated reductions in funding, we have also had to develop a budget that makes resources available for our priority initiatives.  It goes without saying that such a plan cannot be implemented without consequences.

First and foremost, the impact of our reduction in force has reverberated throughout the campus and the greater community.  Layoffs are always difficult for the employees who are affected, for their families and for their friends.  We are also sensitive to the impact these layoffs have in the surrounding community, a community that has been able to depend on Winston-Salem State as a source of uninterrupted support for generations.

In addition to the reductions in force, we also implemented changes in different areas of the University, including the Evening Weekend College, the School of Graduate Studies and Research, Enrollment Management and several other offices and programs.  While most employees affected by these decisions have maintained their jobs, they still have to deal with change – a change in job duties or a change in reporting relationships.  Again, we know that change also can be difficult.

Yet, we have had no choice but to deal with the situation of budget cut-backs and the need to remain focused on our main mission, which is to educate students.  With no additional funding to support the expansion of our efforts to improve student performance outcomes, we have chosen to reallocate resources to that effort.

I know, however, that budget reductions also can equate to a reduction in the level of service that we are able to offer our students, including the number of courses we are able to offer and the number of seats available in our classes.  Losing any course scheduling flexibility could mean that students may not be able to enroll in the courses needed for timely matriculation.  That, of course, can impact negatively our efforts to improve graduation rates.

The budget reduction plan has also highlighted another major concern that I have.  As an institution, we are not nor have we ever been adequately staffed to support the enrollment growth we have experienced over the past five to ten years.  Reducing the size of the workforce only contributes to the problem.

Then, there is the impact the reduction will have on our facility services.  I know there will be a slow-down in the progress that has occurred over the years in enhancing our campus climate.  While this may not seem like a major issue to some outside of the University, we know that it will affect our campus branding which, in turn, can affect our recruiting efforts for students, faculty and staff.

We have no choice, however, but to move forward and work within the budgetary constraints that we face. In doing, so we pledge to remain true to the core mission of our University.  We will determine a way to not only survive, but to thrive.

I know this is a difficult time, but I also know that working together we will continue to pursue whatever is in the best interest of our students.

Dr. Flack proudly displays the resolution she received from the City of Winston-Salem.

to Dr. Sylvia A. Flack on being recognized by the Winston-Salem City Council through a resolution honoring her for receiving a Health Disparities Leadership Award from NIH in December at the Health Summit.  The unanimous vote took place in the Council Chamber on April 20, 2009.  The resolution also recognized Dr. Flack for her dedication and unfailing support to the community, state and nation through research, education and outreach activities.  It pays tribute to her contributions to Winston-Salem State University and subsequently the city of Winston-Salem through increased healthcare educational programs, students, federal and corporate donations and other funding.

Bishop John Heath with his daughter Bethany.

Unless you are new to the area or have been hiding under a rock, you know that the National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) is set to make its 20th appearance in Winston-Salem August 3-8.

The festival, founded in 1989, was the brainchild of the late Larry Leon (Mr. Marvtastic) Hamlin, founder and artistic director of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NCBRC) based in Winston-Salem. His goal was to unite black theater companies in America and ensure the survival of the genre into the next millennium.

Winston-Salem State University has maintained its connection to the biennial event since its inception in myriad ways. In one way this year, the festival has come full circle. For example, Bethany Heath was just seven years old in 1989 when she watched her father, Bishop John H. Heath, from the wings in the rehearsals and performance of the musical production Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, which opened the festival.  When the festival opens this year, Bethany, a music education major at WSSU and a member of the University Choir and the Burke Singers, will be a featured performer in the 2009 NBTF production of COPE, along with her father, who is recreating his role in the production.  Bethany has been a standout performer for the NCBRC and has appeared in Black Nativity, Mahalia – The Queen of the Gospel, and the Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration.

The festival has other ties to WSSU as well. Several members of NCBRC’s board are WSSU graduates or have ties to WSSU. Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin, the wife of Larry Leon Hamlin, is an NCBRC/NBTF board member and a graduate of WSSU.  Former WSSU Board of Trustees chair Nigel Alston is a NCBRC board member. Dr. Elwanda Ingram, WSSU professor of English, is a NCBRC board member and has been a supporter and volunteer for nearly 25 years. Michelle Cook, WSSU Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, serves on the NCBRC board. RaVonda Dalton Rann, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor and Secretary of the University, has also been a member of the board.

Kenneth R. Williams Auditorium and Dillard Auditorium in the Anderson Center have both served as performance venues for NBTF productions and the WSSU Foundation has been a sponsor and supporter of the festival’s International Colloquium since its inception.

The 20th anniversary of the National Black Theatre Festival surely will be an international celebration and reunion of spirit and Winston-Salem State will be a part of it.

Dr. Judith Bailey

The university has named Judith I. Bailey, an academic leader with a distinguished, innovative career as president of two state universities and provost and vice president for academic affairs at a third, as interim assistant vice chancellor for University Advancement, effective May 15, 2009.

Prior to joining WSSU, Bailey served as senior director of enrollment services at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. In that role she was responsible for comprehensive enrollment planning and supervision of Offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Registrar, and Financial Aid and the Centers for First Year Students, Academic Services, and Academic Advising and Support.

“We are indeed fortunate to have identified someone with Dr. Bailey’s unique experience and capabilities,” says Michelle Cook, WSSU Vice Chancellor for University Advancement. “She is an outstanding and valued member of the advancement team.”

Bailey’s background includes developing and implementing major academic initiatives; conceiving and executing innovative, nationally-recognized programs; increasing research and commercialization partnerships; and playing a key role in regional economic development initiatives.  She is widely recognized as an outstanding fund-raiser, builder of alumni relationships, and inspirational leader of faculty and staff.  She has successfully worked with governors and state legislatures to advance higher education’s mission of teaching, research and service.

Before joining the staff at East Carolina, Bailey ended a nine-year tenure with increasing responsibilities at University of Maine, culminating with a two-year appointment as provost and vice president for academic affairs (1995-1997); president of Northern Michigan University (1997-2003); and president of Western Michigan University (2003-2006).  In 2007, Bailey opened a firm, JIHBailey Associates, consulting with colleges, universities, and non-profit organizations.  In the same year, she was named a senior fellow in government relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington, DC.

Girls in the GEMS Academy perform a pig autopsy.

Girls in need of help with math, science or technology spent a week on campus at the end of June.

Girls Empowered by Math and Science (GEMS), year-round program funded by American Honda Foundation, recently held its summer academy. The mathematics, science, and technology program is designed for girls in grades 6 to 10 who desire or need enrichment and mentoring in mathematics, science, and technology.

The academy seeks to foster positive attitudes towards science, mathematics, and technology; raise awareness of career and post-secondary opportunities in the areas of math, science and technology; develop critical thinking and reasoning skills; and positively impact girls’ interest and achievement in mathematics. The week included an overnight stay and a field trip out of town.

But biggest news for the program arrived just after the summer academy ended. The program was notified that it had been selected to visit the White House on Wednesday, July 8.  The program was selected from a request made through Congressman Mel Watts’ office in January.

The program will take 25 middle and high school girls to Washington, DC, July 7-9.

Dr. Fedelis Ikem, dean of the WSSU School of Graduate Studies and Research makes remarks after teacher presentations.

Teachers from Mount Airy City Schools and Carter G. Woodson School of Challenge presented products and results of their yearlong training with Winston-Salem State University education faculty on improving their teaching of literacy on June 26.

The event marked the conclusion of the sixth cycle of the University’s NC QUEST (Quality Educators through Staff Development and Training across North Carolina) grant, “Improving the Performance of Elementary Teachers in Facilitating the Literacy Development of Low-Performing Students in High-Need Schools.”

“We used a product-based approach to plan and implement this field-based professional development,” says Dr. Madu Ireh, director of technology and associate professor in the School of Education and Human Performance and the grant’s principal investigator.  The model, also known as job-embedded learning, focuses on training teachers in authentic teaching situations. For example, instead of demonstrating how to use Microsoft Office to help at-risk students through hypothetical lessons, the WSSU faculty taught the participants to develop, implement, and evaluate developmentally appropriate lessons and resources, which the teachers could turn around and use in their own classrooms the next day or week.

The state has granted WSSU and the teachers a year’s extension of the NC QUEST program through July 2010, according to Dr. Ireh.

Speaking at the June 26 event in addition to Dr. Ireh were Vicky Cameron, assistant superintendent of Mount Airy City Schools; Ruth Hopkins, director of Carter G. Woodson School of Challenge; Valerie Howard, director of WSSU’s Office of Sponsored Programs; Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, dean of the School of Education and Human Performance; and Dr. Jessica Bailey, WSSU provost.

Beverly Malone has reached great professional heights. She holds a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing and a doctorate in clinical psychology. She has served as president of the American Nurses Association, deputy assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and chief executive officer of the National League for Nursing, her current position.

Much of her success she owes to her mentors, Malone told nearly 100 nursing educators gathered June 17 on campus. Malone’s keynote address opened the two-day National Strategy: Building Environments for NCLEX Success Leadership Institute II, presented by the Center of Excellence for the

Dr. Beverly Malone emphasizes a point during her presentation at the two-day National Strategy: Building Environments for NCLEX Success Leadership Institute II, presented by the Center of Excellence for the Elimination of Health Disparities at WSSU.

Elimination of Health Disparities at WSSU.

“Mentors are people who can show you the difference between a wall and a door,” Malone told her audience. While the business world has long embraced the mentor concept, nursing has “been a little slow on the uptake, partly because we’ve thought, ‘I got mine the hard way.’

“Hard knocks and blows come for everyone, but mentors can offer you the most efficient way through the system.”

Mentors come in many forms, Malone noted, from the third-grade teacher who told her she was smart to the hospital clerk who kept scheduling the young nurse on night shifts (motivating Malone to earn her doctorate) and the psychology dean who, 25 years later, still recommends her for board positions.

Mentoring means choosing someone out of the crowd and investing in them – sometimes because that person reminds you of yourself.  And good mentors need their own mentors, Malone said. “Identify who you want to be, even if that means you just want to learn how to thrive in your current position, and then identify someone who can help you.”

Dr. Sylvia Flack, executive director of the Center of Excellence for the Elimination of Health Disparities and immediate past dean of the School of Health Sciences, welcomed the conference attendees. The original impetus for the center and for the leadership institute, Flack said, was to address critical needs – the elimination of health disparities and increasing the number of minority educators holding leadership positions in nursing programs.

Sessions throughout the two days looked at leadership roles, developing the use of technology, relationship-building for program success, integrating diversity, and promoting student academic integrity.

Arkia Chisholm, a graduate nursing student at WSSU, attended the conference for the chance to be assigned a mentor along with some 25 other protégés. Chisholm’s professors tell her that the job outlook for nursing educators is mixed. While demand is good, many universities are struggling with budget cuts and staffing layoffs.

Sheryl T. Spivey

The university has named Sheryl T. Spivey its director of financial aid, effective June 1. Spivey brings more than 30 years of academic administration experience, including ten years as financial aid director at Central Michigan University, five years at the University of Minnesota, and two years as dean of financial aid, scholarships, and student employment at Howard University in Washington, DC. She has worked the last six years out of Atlanta, GA, as a financial aid and enrollment management consultant.

“I’ve spent most of my career working at larger institutions,” Spivey says. The chance to serve a historically black college appealed to her, as did the quality of life in Winston-Salem, where she has moved with her two cats from Atlanta. “As a consultant, I was traveling across the country, and that gets tiring.”

“Ms. Spivey’s 31 years of progressive leadership in financial aid and enrollment management have identified her as a stellar performer in her field.  Her experience has allowed her to co-author several financial aid best practice documents,” says Tomikia LeGrande, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management . “We are truly excited to have such an experienced professional as a member of our team.”

Spivey hold’s a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Morris Brown College and a master’s degree in personal and school counseling from Atlanta University. She replaced Dr. Raymond Solomon, who served as the university’s financial aid director from September 2006 until September 2008.

Dr. Cynthia Jackson Hammond, WSSU dean of the School of Education and Human Performance, was co-chair of the Institute and gave remarks at its closing ceremony.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund launched its southeast regional Teacher Quality and Retention Summer Institute in late June with an inaugural class of 40 fellows from colleges across the country. The pre-service and aspiring teachers completed an intensive training curriculum at Winston-Salem State University before pursuing teaching positions in the fall in underserved school districts around the country. States represented in the institute included Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and West Virginia.

The training program is the only national outreach effort designed to recruit, train and mentor 10,000 new minority teachers over the next five years from the 47 public Historically Black Colleges & Universities. Of that number, 30 percent will be science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors; and 40 percent will be African-American males.

The week-long training institute at WSSU was the second of four that TMCF is hosting through the end of July. The remaining institutes, which will also be led by national board-certified teachers and STEM teachers from the nationally recognized UTeach program, are in Washington, DC, and Santa Clara, CA. The first institute was held in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

The intensive institute provides a platform for improvements in the public education system by training, rewarding and retaining well-qualified minority teachers.

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure that of the 30,000 new teachers called for by the Obama administration for high-need schools, a large percentage will come from the diverse training grounds of HBCUs,” said Dwayne Ashley, president and CEO of Thurgood Marshall College Fund. “These institutions are uniquely positioned to drive improvements in our public education system.”

After the inaugural 200 fellows return to their communities, they will receive scholarships, continuing professional development through online training courses, and mentoring by seasoned educators. They are also required to participate in follow-up training sessions twice a year. Their progress in the classroom will be tracked by a national advisory board for the next five years as they continue their commitment to teach in public secondary schools.

Get Your Ram Football Season Tickets Now!!

As the 2009 football season rapidly approaches, and the Rams enter into the third year of Division I football, tickets for WSSU’s five home games are going fast.

The Rams, and head coach Kermit Blount, anticipate five sellouts for home games versus N.C. A&T State University, Florida A&M, Delaware State, North Carolina Central and Homecoming 2009 versus Hampton. Fans are urged to purchase their season ticket packages early to avoid getting left out of all of the exciting Division I football action.

With a full view of the Rams’ new 18′ x 18′ hi-definition video board which is mounted on WSSU’s newly-opened 12,000 square foot athletic fieldhouse, two hundred forty seven (247) reserved-seat tickets are available in the prestigious “Reserved Red Seat” section for fans interested in the luxury of a guaranteed seat and seat location for all six games.

This year we have extended our reserve seating by adding 300 seatbacks in section 25. New “Ram Seats” are also available by purchasing a general admission season ticket that leases a “Ram Seat Back”. Both Reserve Sections are on sale to our loyal season ticket holders and became available to the general public June 30, 2009. Please call the WSSU Ticket Office and reserve your tickets today.

For ticket information or to order, contact the WSSU Ticket Office at (336) 750-3220.

Ticket Prices
2009 Season Dates
Reserved Ram Seat Backs purchased prior to August 15, 2009 will be $85.00. Reserved Ram Seat Backs purchased after August 15, 2009 will be $115.00.

Ram Seat Backs
Two hundred forty-seven (247) prime seats located on the
50-yard line directly below the WSSU Press Box. Increased leg-room seating that is twice as roomy as
bleacher-seat accommodations.

Game-day “Reserved Red-Seat” tickets will not be available.

Reserved Red Seats purchased prior to August 15, 2009 will be $95.00. Reserved Red Seats purchased after August 15, 2009 will be $125.00.
Reasons to purchase your “Reserved Red-Seat”:
• Clearly defines your seat location in a prime 50-yard line
location
• Saves seat location for the duration of the season,
guaranteeing seat availability
• Guarantees a seat for every home game including
Homecoming 2009 vs. Hampton University

Reserved tailgate spots and parking spaces for the 2009 football season are now available on a first come first serve basis in the SOUTH LOT for $50 per space and $35 for handicapped spaces.

Reserved parking and tailgating spaces will require the purchase of a season ticket. Patrons are encouraged to take advantage of the early bird ticket pricing, available through August 15.

Note that the SOUTH LOT will be a reserved lot only. Day of
game tailgating will continue to be available in other general
admission parking lots.

Check the wssurams.com website for periodic updates and availability of spaces. For additional information contact Yvonne Dixon in the department of athletics at 336-750-3336.

Interested in performing in plays? The Drama Guild of Winston-Salem State University offers you an opportunity to showcase your talent.

Through the leadership of Andre Minkins, an assistant professor in the Department of English and Foreign Languages, the Drama Guild is beginning to make an impact on campus. “We want to build a significant and vibrant theatre culture on the campus,” said Minkins. “We want to give everyone campus who wants to be involved in our productions the opportunity to participate.”

Contact Andre at minkinsan@wssu.edu.

Gerald Hunter has had to weigh a number of options during his short tenure as Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.

Throughout most of fiscal year 2009, Winston-Salem State University and the other campuses of the University of North Carolina have had to deal with the impact of the current national economic crisis.  With little advanced notice and little time to plan, the university responded to repeated requests to reduce spending from its operating budget.

Most of the actions that were taken, such as hiring freezes, the elimination of discretionary spending and reduced travel, allowed WSSU to meet immediate spending reduction targets. However, the university’s administrative staff has cautioned that the austerity measures that were taken last year are not sustainable over the longer term.

“As revenue production for the State of North Carolina continued to decline and the General Assembly began to wind down its budget process, it became painfully clear that far fewer resources will be available to us over the next several years,” said Gerald Hunter, vice chancellor of finance and administration.  “We began working with a projected budget reduction target in the range of seven to eight percent, but quickly realized that the worst case scenario could be as high as 14 percent. Yet, regardless of the final outcome, none of the budget reduction scenarios will allow WSSU to pursue a business-as-usual approach.  The new economic environment has required us to develop longer-term solutions that will enable us to continue to pursue our highest priority initiatives.”

The university’s base budget reduction plan focused on aligning existing resources with institutional priorities, which are:

• classroom instruction;

• significantly improve the academic outcomes for students, including improved retention and graduation rates;

• the UNC Tomorrow Initiative;

• enhanced fundraising efforts through advancement; and

•campus safety.

The budget reduction plan that has been developed is designed to reduce the base budget and to reallocate resources to higher priority activities.  Areas that will receive additional financial support include University College, University Advancement and Campus Safety.

The budget reduction plan relies upon the elimination of 16 filled positions and approximately 30 vacant positions, the realignment and reorganization of some areas and functions, and the implementation of an on-going savings agenda.  All totaled, it is estimated that the plan will generate $7 to $9 million in savings.

Major changes included:
•    Phasing out the Child Development Center and Laboratory School to eliminate the approximate $8,000 per child subsidy that was being provided.  Even though the Center has been beneficial to students and the community, the availability of other options locally supported the decision to eliminate the nearly $300,000 in annual operational expenses for the Center.
•    Reorganizing the Division of Evening Weekend College with key functions moving into Enrollment Services or the academic units so that the program can continue to serve adults completing degrees at night and on weekends.
•    Restructuring the School of Graduate Studies and Research (SGSR) by moving some functions into Enrollment Management and reassigning some staff to the academic units.
•    Based on studies of other universities and on the needs at WSSU, expanding the Division of Enrollment Management to include Admissions, graduate recruitment and admissions that were moved from SGSR, the Office of the Registrar, and the Recruitment and Enrollment Communications function.
•    Reassigning responsibility for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Scholars Program to a STEM Council comprised of representatives from the academic units for biology, math and computer science.
•    Other changes included:  having the Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning report to the Senior Associate Provost and the Center of Excellence for the Elimination of Health Disparities report to the School of Health Sciences; moving the Center for Community Safety into the College of Arts and Sciences; and transferring some staff from reorganized units to the Division of Life-Long Learning.

Work has also begun on a savings agenda that could generate between $1 and $2 million over the next several fiscal years.  Some of the reductions include a review of authorized cell phones and cell phone service plans; eliminating unnecessary desktop printer expenses; purchasing standardized office supplies; and reducing facilities services levels.

“In an effort to avoid taking additional actions that could further impact our ability to fulfill our mission, we must re-examine everything we do,” Hunter added.  “Given the budget reduction we know we will be facing for at least the next two years, it is essential that we are in a position to provide adequate resources to those areas that provide a high return on our educational investment and support our major priorities.”

F. Scott Bauer

F. Scott Bauer, chair and chief executive officer for Southern Community Financial Corporation, has been elected chair of the Board of Trustees for Winston-Salem State University.  Bauer, formerly vice chair, is replacing Nigel D. Alston, who had served as chair since 2007.  Alston is rotating off the Board after eight years of service.

Other officers elected at the recent Board meeting include:  Karen McNeil Miller, president of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, vice chair; Martin B. Davis, corporate chief information officer for Wachovia/Wells Fargo and an alumnus of WSSU, secretary; and RaVonda Dalton-Rann, executive assistant to the chancellor at WSSU, assistant secretary.

In addition to Alston, other members rotating off the Board are Brooke Burr, a partner in Leonard Ryden Burr Real Estate, and Harold T. Respass, who served as the student representative and president of the WSSU Student Government Association.

Student researcher, Mark Brooks, conducts an experiment in effort to help find a cure.

As the United States battles terrorism and injustice throughout the world, one peculiar enemy has come forward and body armor can’t stop it.

Leishmaniasis (LEASH-ma-NIGH-a-sis) is a parasitic disease found in the world’s tropic and sub tropic areas.

The disease is caused by the parasite Leishmania which lives within the sand fly.

Inside the sand fly Leishmania is harmless, but once transferred to a mammalian hosts such as dogs, cats, and humans it becomes an uncomfortable and sometimes fatal foe.

Thankfully Winston-Salem State University assistant professor of Microbiology, Dr. Johanna Porter-Kelley, is researching the disease to help create treatment options for infected civilians and soldiers.

“Soldiers in tropical areas are at risk and that is the interest of the U.S. government” said Kelley.

Kelley received funding through a research grant from the Department of Defense and most of the interest has come from the Army.

This is not Kelley’s first time researching this infectious disease. A couple degrees and post doctorals later Kelley’s interest in parasitic diseases has the potential to save countless lives.

Kelley and her research assistant, Mark Brooks, are studying the biology of the parasite in order to develop chemotherapeutic treatments can be developed.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Leishmaniasis affects 1.5 million people each year, and its deadly strain affecting 500,000 yearly.

Along with saving lives Dr. Kelley has given Brooks, a senior biology and pre-medicine major, valuable research experience.

“Helping Dr. Kelley allows me to use what I have learned in the classroom to solve a major problem” says Brooks.

Kelley hopes that her research will help raise WSSU’s profile in the scientific community. Bringing in research dollars will also bring in more students interested in sciences.

“We are here to train students, that’s our prime objective, and in the process we have to do some research to give them some hands-on experience to be trained as a researcher. Whether the student is going to be a researcher or a medical doctor he or she will need to have some research experience,” said Kelley.