WS Chronicle

The campaign for U.S. 5th Congressional District candidate Denise “DD” Adams said that its working to reschedule an event at Winston-Salem State University that was canceled in error.

Adams, a Winston-Salem City Council member who is challenging U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx in this year’s election, had a Pizza and Politics meet and greet event at the historical black university canceled just hours before it was supposed to start on Sept. 19. The event was to feature Adams and the DREAM Team of local Democrats running for school board. Campaign staff was informed of the cancelation when they arrived on campus to prepare for the event. They were told it was due to an email that was sent to campus employees on Sept. 18 about their responsibilities involving political events.

Also that day, unpaid student interns who were phone banking in a reserved room at WSSU’s C.G. O’Kelley Library were asked to leave for similar reasons. They continued to phone bank from their rooms.

According to WSSU Media Relations Director Jay Davis, the university’s Office of Legal Affairs periodically sends out emails to remind employees of guidelines for political activities. He said it was a misunderstanding of an email titled “Ram Rights – Guidelines for Political Activities” that caused the cancelations.

The email stated the university’s restrictions on political activities due to it being a state institution in the UNC System.

However, Davis said that wouldn’t prevent a candidate meet and greet or students engaging in political activity on campus. He said a staff member misinterpreted the email, which resulted in erroneous cancelations. He said that the university has clarified the guidelines with the employee and reached out to Adams to apologize.

In a Sept. 21 press release, Adams thanked WSSU for its quick response.

“I appreciate the efforts of Winston-Salem State University to respond to this matter quickly, and I am relieved that the cancellation of our event was due to a misunderstanding,” she said.

The campaign is planning a march to the polls from WSSU at 2 p.m. on Oct. 17, which is the first day of early voting. Marchers will gather at the Reaves Student Center and walk with Adams to the early voting site at Anderson Recreation Center on Reynolds Park Road.  The campaign plans get out the vote efforts at other colleges and universities in the district. The campaign is working to reschedule the Pizza and Politics event. The student phone bank is still held weekly at the O’Kelley Library on Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. Students interested in phone banking can contact the campaign at info@ddadamsforcongress.com.