Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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African-American j FACULTY continued from page 1 that they have a good feeling about the university and would like to stay here," Odom said. "I think we had a real good exchange (at Tuesday's meeting)." Pigford had scheduled a meeting with all interested African-American faculty to provide further information regarding her resignation and to discuss how her actions could benefit those faculty remaining at the school. She had to cancel the meeting and in a later memo said it was unlikely she would be able to reschedule it. While Pigfbrd sees the need for a greater commitment to faculty diversity, she also believes the university has made strides in the right direction in the past several decades. "Certainly I have had an incredibly wonderful experience at Carolina," Pigford said. "The fact that I could come to USC as a black faculty member and achieve the rank of a fall tenured professor when, in 1964,1 could not even be admitted as a student because USC was not yet integrated, says that USC has come a long way in terms of faculty diversity, and I don't want that to be lost in the discussion." Pigford expressed concern that, in USC's quest for AAU status and other accolades, the university has neglected to maintain a commitment to move forward on the issue of faculty diversity. H ill'- |8i|L SH^. j^SiaWfcBk &|BB HHP% c ^IIK JgigB r|nJiyf Kg professors leave USl "The issue for me is where we are going. The fact that we have come a long way is not sufficient," Pigford said. "A commitment needs to be evident in a plan foi diversity, and I don't think we have such a plan." Pigford, who got her doctorate in educational administration from USC, became the first African-American woman in USC's history to achieve full tenure status in 1993. She will assume an administrative position with Richland County School District 1 effective Oct. 1. "My decision to resign at this time was a very personal and very private decision: it was not to create a controversy," she said. Pisrford was considered to be a leader in efforts to recruit more African-American professors to the teaching ranks. Hei African-American Professors Program attracted nine black graduate students tc campus this fall who are interested in teaching after graduation. She obtained grants for the program from the Kellogg Foundation and the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Several university departments also contributed. The program will continue after Pigford's departure, and although Pigford will no longer head the program, she will continue to stay involved in it. Odom met with students in the program Monday and was impressed with the group. I / |B JKBf I ^V^flRP J| mm^mkrn B HV ,?W*r |r^7i Wi !lf^ UIA fflfflpflflP M^ 7s ranks of teachers "The African-American Professors Prol gram is an excellent program," Odom said. This program is in its infancy and it needs * to be nurtured... we are going to try to 1 continue the program and will try to attract external funds for it from a variety of sources," Odom said. i Business sophomore Richona Smith s feels the program can be beneficial to all t students because it will introduce them to a more diverse faculty. "I could easily go all four years and not have a black professor," she said. "With , all of us black students [at USC] that seems i a little disproportionate." A recent study by the Southern Education Foundation reported that, in most South Carolina public colleges and universities, blacks comprise less than five percent of tenured and tenure-track fac ulty. ? The study prompted a report by South Carolina's Commission on Higher Education which is urging all South Carolina i schools to do a better job searching for and i producing more black faculty members. Roughly 25 percent of students at USC are African-American, whereas roughly four percent of professors are African-American. Pigford feels these numbers are [ important to recognize. "All students need to see and have experiences with African-American faculty," Pigford said. "My students don't see i me as an African-American professor they see me as a professor." Koger Presents i ' AQUILA Theatre Company of London Live music! London and NY actors. i[TH: V * Koger Center for the Arts \ Tues., Sept. 29 < 7:30 p.m. TICKETS ON SALE / Carolina Coliseum Box Office (M-F, 9-5) X and ail Capital Tickets Outlets. / Call 803/251-2222 (M-F, 9-5) to charge. Koger Presents season sponsored by /fib TIME WARNER V* CABLE lira. '$>*> JHHtfpJrK ISf jflj Greek village, c< might cause trafj GREEK continued from page 1 center will be located on the corner of Blossom and Assembly streets. "This part of campus will be jumping," Brewer said. Currently, the new convention center will be in the same area as the Carolina Coliseum. This will ultimately cause a serious traffic- flow problem for the area. "We are working with the highway department and the city," Brewer said. He is main ly concerned aDout potential pedestrian traffic congesting Wheat Street. According to Brewer, they have looked at all the sites and have concluded that these are the best options. He stressed that the sites in Phase 2 are not in conflict with any residential neighbors. The sites are expected to be completed by the fall of 2000. Pruitt said this phase of the project will take off after the sororities have clearance to build with USC, which won't happen until October 1999. (l WONDER IF IS MERL'S CrONNR COST SHOULd'W GONE TO Nf *mr I Mr ,, " jp invention center He problems "We're relying on [the Greek organizations] to put pressure on us, so as to speed up this process," Brewer said. According to Brewer, the development of Phase 2 will depend on how many commitments they get from the Greek organizations. The second phase is a "big if," he said. He felt confident, however, that things will fall into place once the organizations make their commitments. Brewer said the organizations that do not get new housing due to lack of interest and funds will be moved into a renovated McBryde Quad. Brewer said this project will provide an opportunity for each group to develop its own character. "This is an interesting process we're all engaged in," Pruitt said. lhe organizations in attendance were Kappa Delta, Lambda Chi Alpha, Delta Upsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Kappa Alpha, Kappa Sigma, Delta Gamma, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta, and Alpha Tau Omega. ? He likes Me?) ^To Ne "?J o ? U| y%7 p T LP / 3 hour y/u^y/ you i Help chlldr I receive pro ^ ^ \ I \ 215 As ? Bp m * Mellon Scholarship workshop offered A Mellon Scholarship workshop will be at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Gressette Room of Harper College. Contact Novella Beskid at 7770958 for more information. Udall Scholarship workshop offered A Udall Scholarship workshop will be at 3:30 p.m.Oct. ^7 in the Gressette Room of Harrier College. Douglas Williams is the Udall faculty advisor. Contact Novella Beskid at 777-0958 for more information. NSEP workshop offered A National Security Education Program scholarship and fellowship workshop will be held at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Gressette Room of Harper College. Patricia Wilier is the NCEP faculty advisor. Contact Novella Beskid at 777-0958 for more information. !w donors ;an earn j to $215 !r month! s of your time could earn ip to $65 in one week! en, hemophiliacs and heart patients who ducts made from the plasma of our donors. The Quality Source IABI BioMedical Center sembly St., Columbia SC 29201 254-2280 4