Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is making sweeping changes to its upcoming homecoming, citing safety concerns and logistical challenges facing the HBCU and its campus community. In an alumni town hall, Chancellor Bonita Brown made it clear that the changes are not about scaling back tradition but protecting it.
“This is such a huge event. I literally have had the team working on this since last year,” Brown said. “We started early because we want to ensure that we are assessing our events and we want to get better every year. There are a couple of things on the horizon, however, that I need to make you aware of. We are in very interesting times.”
The chancellor told alumni that WSSU is “literally navigating two separate spaces” when it comes to homecoming: safety and budget. Her first priority, she stressed, is preventing incidents that could bring even more drastic restrictions from higher governing bodies.
“If I could put a wall around our campus, that would be lovely. We could do whatever we wanted to, but we can’t do that,” Brown said. “We’re going to have to figure out how to negotiate and be sure we’re on top of our safety and security game. If there are any incidents, my fear is there’s going to be an unrealistic reaction from the board of governors, from legislators, from others, and that will impact future homecomings.”
Safety Scrutiny Across UNC HBCUs
Brown emphasized that WSSU is not navigating this in isolation. She said safety has been a focal point in recent conversations among leaders of other public historically Black colleges and universities in the state. Those institutions are Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central.
“All of the HBCU chancellors, we’ve had a couple of meetings and we strategized what we’re going to do to make homecoming more safe,” she told alumni. “We all wanted to be kind of in alignment so that we can say we’ve been strategic about that.”
The discussions, Brown said, have centered on a shared understanding that high-profile incidents at one campus can affect public perception — and even future policy — for all HBCUs. She pointed to the 2024 shooting at Elizabeth City State University that claimed a life during a campus event, as well as two separate shootings during North Carolina Central University’s homecoming that same year.
“It just was not a good look,” Brown said. “That has caused a high level of scrutiny on large events. Everybody was very anxious about what happened and not wanting that to recur again this year.”
NCCU has already announced its plans to shut down its campus early on the Friday and Saturday of its homecoming. WSSU will do the same, closing the campus at 8 PM daily.
WSSU Joins The HBCU Effort
The result of those cross-campus conversations has been a coordinated push for visible, robust security during major HBCU celebrations. That means that although WSSU has not had any major documented violence in recent years it must still be vigilant.
“We’ve looked at all aspects of homecoming — the number of events, the location of events, the start and end times, moving things off campus,” Brown said. “We’ve all increased security and our partnerships with local law enforcement because it is just as important that we don’t have any incidents this year.”
WSSU’s plan reflects that shared HBCU strategy.
“We are partnering with a lot of different police departments, even across the state, from other UNC schools,” Brown explained. “We will have a lot of coverage there. There’s cameras, a lot of places you can see those police posts where people are like up in the sky. They’re going to be everywhere we could possibly have them.”
While she acknowledged that impossible to stop people just from walking on an open campus, Brown promised “a robust plan” to deter and respond to trouble. That plan includes both uniformed and plainclothes officers, security towers in key locations, and increased visibility across the footprint of the celebration.
Parking and Tailgating Overhaul
Alongside security, WSSU is overhauling its parking and tailgating rules for game day at Bowman Gray Stadium. The changes are designed to reduce congestion, control access, and improve safety during one of the largest gatherings the HBCU hosts each year.
“On Saturday morning, on game day, the campus will be closed for parking,” said Haley Gingles, WSSU’s Vice Chancellor of Strategic Communications. “You will not be able to park on campus. We want to ensure again that our faculty and staff that have to work, and also our students, have enough parking.”
General tailgating will be limited to the East Lot, with a $150 fee per space and a minimum purchase of two spaces. RVs will require at least four spaces. “That lot will open at 5 a.m. and it will be closed at 9 p.m. for tailgating,” Glover said.
Premium tailgating in the South Lot will be reserved for season ticket holders and Horns Club members, with a required $100 parking pass in addition to the $130 season ticket cost. Brown urged alumni to consider the season ticket option, noting that it supports WSSU athletics and locks in homecoming access.
The West Lot and Driver’s Ed Lot will be parking-only zones with no tailgating allowed. Presale parking in these lots will cost $75 and include a game ticket; on game day, the same fee will apply but without a ticket included. The Anderson Center lot will follow a similar model at $50 for presale with a ticket, and $50 without a ticket on game day.
Glover emphasized that presales will open on August 15 and run until the Friday before homecoming. “We encourage you all to take advantage of those spaces, especially in the presale, because tickets will be included in the presale parking,” she said.
No Free Parking, New Rideshare Zone
“There will not be any free parking that is legal,” Brown stated when asked in the open chat. “The campus will be closed on game day. We will not be able to park on campus.” She added that WSSU is working to make the premium parking options “very reasonable” and as convenient as possible.
The university will also offer improved ADA parking zones with golf cart shuttles to central areas, as well as a designated Uber and Lyft drop-off point in front of the DJR building. That location will be publicized on the homecoming website so rideshare users can navigate directly there.
Alumni Asked to Help Off-Campus
While most of the planning has focused on the WSSU campus, Brown reminded alumni that incidents at off-campus parties and events can still reflect on the HBCU. “Anything that happens off campus is associated with us, will be attributed to the university, even if it’s off campus,” she said. “I encourage you all to be safe. Talk to event planners and ask them to hire security. But we cannot manage those. On campus has to be our priority.”
Protecting a Tradition
For Brown, the adjustments are about safeguarding homecoming’s future, not limiting its spirit. “I am in full support of homecoming and will fight to the end to protect it at all costs,” she told alumni. “We want it to be safe. We want to be able to continue to do this into the future.”
She closed the town hall with a reminder that despite the changes, the essence of WSSU’s biggest celebration remains intact. “We’re still going to have a good time because it’s homecoming, y’all. Y’all know what that is.”