OCTOBER 2016
Wildcats walk for cancer awareness Bethune-Cookman University faculty, staff and students took to the streets recently for the annual Odessa Chambliss Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk/ Run. College trustee Lucille O’Neal, who helped usher in the event named in honor of her mother, also took part in the Sept. 19 event in downtown Daytona Beach. Walkers gathered in Riverfront Park, along Beach Street, before heading across the International Speedway Boulevard Bridge. See more photos on page 11
photo by Fidline Excat
Growing student population forces campus food service to make changes By Augustinas Navickas Staff Writer Record student enrollment this fall bought with it many changes including a reversal of a policy against allowing students to take food from the cafeteria. The change has been a hot topic among students but it comes at a cost to the environment as the boxes create more trash on campus. B-CU’s cafeteria has a seating capacity of about 350 students, which worked when there were roughly 1,800 students living on campus. The opening of the new dorms and the addition of 1,200 students pushed the resident population to 3,000, according to school officials. Sodexo, the campus food service company, reversed its policy and started offering plastic foam to-go boxes so students could take their meals with them. The university also attempted to solve the problem by creating an alternative location for students to eat, namely The Wildcat Den located in the Center for Civic Engagement. Now, the company is trying to address the trash situation by encouraging students to give up the plastic foam in favor of a reusable container. Sodexo launched an online petition for “EcoTakeout” boxes. A university wide email was sent Sept. 7 informing students that the company continued on page 4
College administrator cherishes her role as school board chairperson By Khadejah Folmar Staff Writer Ida D. Wright’s role as an educator extends far beyond the boundaries of Bethune-Cookman University where she serves as dean of the college of business and entrepreneurship. Three years ago, Wright was elected to the Volusia County School Board and this summer she was reelected. The Daytona Beach native currently serves as chairman of the board. When asked what she thought was the board’s greatest achievement during her first term, she listed increased graduation rates and the improvements in the school district’s grade from a “C” to a “B” for two consecutive years on state tests.
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“We also settled a three-year deal with all district employees,” Wright said in a recent interview. The starting pay for teacher increased to $37,000 from $34,000 in the last two years. Prior to her first election, she was one of a small group of area mothers looking into ways to implement “Parent University,” a free program aimed at helping families to navigate the academic life of children in kindergarten through 12th grade in Volusia County. “Classes focus on academic and support programs in Volusia County Public Schools, effective strategies families can use to help every child succeed, and ways to advocate for the resources necessary for our public schools, Wright said in a follow-up email. Some classes are also offered in Spanish.
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group of moms in executing the plan to launch Volusia County’s program. Because it is parent driven, I removed myself from the planning and implementation process upon election.” Wright, who has been employed at the university for 21 years, worked closely with university President Edison O. Jackson to institution’s dual enrollment for Volusia County students.
Wright
Participants will attend a general session followed by two classes. Class topics include such things as middle school tips for success and tips on how to choose a high school for your child. “During my first race, I met with the three mothers that successfully launched this Parent University in Hillsborough and Orange Counties,” Wright said. “These ladies assisted a
Wright said her goals for this term are to continue supporting policies and programs that increase the business community’s involvement and support in the school system. One way, she said, might be with career academies at both the high school and middle school level. She also said she will continue to seek ways to provide competitive continued on page 10
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