I have been seriously re-evaluating whether or not Salem College is where I need to be. I love the campus – it’s beautiful and peaceful. I love the small class size. I love that I feel like “the cool mom” on campus – since I’m a day student, I’m more in contact with the traditional students than most Continuing Studies students.
Up until now I have done my best to leave The Drama out of my Salem Experience. My mantra was “I have a goal, and The Drama will not get in the way of that.” But The Drama keeps getting harder to ignore. These things I listed here are just the tip of the iceberg – there is most certainly more.
Esbee recently reported that the 2007 College Tour (marketing) video is a bit misleading. Oprah Winfrey spoke at the graduation ceremony in 2000, and there are clips from that speech in the video. The men of Salem College are completely ignored as well. Yes, I said men. They are allowed to attend through the Continuing Studies program as long as they are over 23 years of age.
Using a pseudo-association with Oprah doesn’t surprise me. The main goal of that video is to draw people to the school, and Oprah is nothing if not a people-magnet.
The Re-inspection of the Refectory produced a passing grade a week later. The original score was an 84. The Refectory (nicknamed “The Rat” by students) is not the only place to eat on campus, but it IS the only place that traditional students can spend their tuition-included meal plan dollars at this time.
The rating of The Rat disgusts me, but as a Person With Issues I have only eaten there twice. I don’t care if the nickname is affectionate – acquiring food from anyplace named The Rat is a guaranteed appetite killer for me. It also disturbs me on a parental level since my daughter wants to attend Salem as well. I believe the students should have the option of getting food at The Grille as well as The Rat with their meal plan dollars. I also believe there should be more than only two options for a meal on campus.
Apparently, Salem is discontinuing Dr. Julianne Still Thrift’s post-retirement medical benefits – benefits that this post lead me to believe were included in her employment contract.
Oh no. No no no no. This is wrong.
Update: Apparently the issue was resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.
Update to the update: And the blog has been deleted.
What you are speaking about in this blog in totally childish. Salem college is a great college and with all schools there will be issues that everyone will not agree. You should be ashame of yourself and being that you are a continuing studies student, as I am… You need to grow up! Get a life or up your class load. You seem to be let your mind be a playground for confusion and things that are none of your concern.
1 – not ashame. The word is ASHAMED. Also? My blog, my rules. I’m allowed to have an opinion, AND I’m allowed to state my opinion. Maybe you need to refresh your knowledge of the First Amendment? Or how about Salem always encouraging us to speak our minds? After all, silence gives assent…
2 – runon sentence much? You’re not doing a lot to impress me with your Salem College Continuing Studies Skills there. I am perfectly fine with my class load – it suits me well.
3 – I’m not confused in the slightest. It’s been nonstop unprofessional behavior and drama since I got there, and I’m not happy with that.
4 – MY school is using a six-year-old clip in order to namedrop. MY school and the school MY DAUGHTER wants to attend had serious issues with the grade in The Rat.
Well, at least it’s the school I’m currently attending. After reading your properly spelled, well thought-out comment, perhaps it’s not the place I should be after all.
None of my concern, indeed.
Wow. First of all, take your blinders off. If you attend Salem for one class or 6, you should know what is going on there. There is even more than what Emily points out. She is correct to bring attention to it any way possible. The simple fact is: Salem is in trouble. If something is not done to restore it to the amazing place that I remember as a TRAD, it will surely go the way of the Dodo.
Emily – I commend you for your ability to move have moved past the drama these last few years and push towards graduation. However, I think that the blog about P Thrifts benefits has opened up a world of hurt for Salem. Dialog is needed. FAST. You are right to question the sanitation grade of the RAT, and the clip of Oprah that leads many to believe she attended Salem College as a student!
1. The RAT has been nasty for years, back in 98 when I was a freshman, it was awful, and believe it or not, the current RAT is much better! Does that make it acceptable? NO. If they can serve lovely spreads for Parent’s Weekend, they can feed their students well.
2. Salem needs to create a new way to draw students to the school. Oprah can not be our ONLY asset.
3. This is Salem’s 3rd big scandal in two years. Can you imagine what HAS NOT been talked about publicly?
I hope that, you and other current students will take this opportunity to use what Salem has instilled in you, and stand up and fight for what is right. As for me, I am so exhausted by Salem that I can not find it in me to support her in any way until there is major change. I know I am not alone in that feeling.
Thanks, Emily, for your honesty and concern for Salem!!! It will be current students like you who will be able to make the changes that are so desperately needed!
[...] The Winston-Salem Journal has interviewed Jacqueline McBride, the director of communications at Salem College. about the Salem Youtube college tour video I mentioned. [...]
I am not well versed in the current happenings at Salem but I would like to point out that items such as the dumpster not being properly locked can cause a food service establishment to be given a bad grade. The grade itself is not as important as why. I agree that it is important to voice your opinion but I hope that is being done in other more effective ways as well. The beauty of Salem is that students have a voice. It is YOUR school. It will only be what each of you works to make it. Salem is an amazing place and great things happen for many of the women that attend. I hope your daughter does go. Just make sure she understands that the traditions are a great foundation but her experience is dictated by her own involvement.
The original Salemite Article refers to unsafe cooking/holding temperatures, and repeat issues with “pest presence”.
I’m expressing my opinion the best way I know how – by discussing it here in my blog, and by voting with my dollars (I don’t eat in the Rat).
Did anyone know that there is NOT ONE full-time undergraduate at Salem College who is paying her full way??? 100% are getting financial aid.
If receiving financial aid makes a student somehow unworthy of Salem College (or ANY college for that matter) then I very highly suggest you re-evaluate your value system.
Wait…Did you even bother to read that I’m a single mom with 3 kids working in retail?
[...] taking a sabbatical from school. You know I had been wondering if Salem is the right school for me (something that got gently reinforced in the comments of that post) and well… I won’t [...]
I stumbled upon this old blog. To Embarrassed Alumna: You need to check your facts before writing “Did anyone know that there is NOT ONE full-time undergraduate at Salem College who is paying her full way??? 100% are getting financial aid.” We are paying the FULL tuition at Salem College for our daughter. We have paid the full tuition for all four years (she’s a senior), and we are not the only ones. I would be happy to show you our yearly statements showing payment. I am sorry you are an “Embarrassed Alumna”, but we are happy to support this educational institution. Our daughter is getting a wonderful education.
The blog was put down because salem college, as usual, wanted to avoid bad pubblicity. In the next few weeks you will see what’s really going on