April 06-07 Issue by N.C. Central University Campus Echo

APRIL 18, 2007

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VOLUME 98, ISSUE 12

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Special Insert

Campus

Opinions

Q&A

Our first-ever salute to NCCU’s best teachers.

NCCU’s Child Development Lab trains kids, cares about community.

This ain’t another tearjerker. Rony Camille & Co. throw their hardcore deuces.

Outgoing Chancellor James H. Ammons talks to Echo about life at NCCU

In the fold

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Campus Echo NCCU assures students Officials say stay alert EBONY MCQUEEN ECHO STAFF WRITER

The chilling pictures of students running ,some screaming, ambulances with their sirens on and police officers running with guns at the educational institute of Virginia Tech shown in the national and local media has led the N.C. Central University community to ask the question -- How prepared are we if something like that would happen here? “What happened to those innocent students is a tragedy, and that’s more of a reason for us to be cautious of our campus community,” said Malik Williams , a computer information systems

A campus in mourning Virginia Tech tragedy shocks nation BY JANE STANCILL AND TONY PUGH MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS/(MCT)

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Dazed and stricken, the Virginia Tech community struggled Tuesday to come to grips with the murders of 32 friends and colleagues, as details emerged about the loner who unleashed terror on the bucolic campus. Students fought back tears, walked quietly around the sprawl-

ing campus and greeted one another with hugs. Their classes canceled for the week, many packed their things to head for the security of home. They checked Facebook, the social-networking Web site, where they searched for news of who was safe and who was missing. They entered their names on group lists such as “I’m OK at VT.” Emotions were raw among the 10,000 who gathered in the basket-

ball arena for a nationally televised midday memorial service. An overflow crowd packed the football stadium. “Today, the world shares our sorrow,” said Zenobia Hikes, the vice president of student affairs. Outside, faculty members described the gunman — whom authorities identified as 23-yearold senior Cho Seung-Hui — as

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COLORED MUSEUM | SCENES BROUGHT TO LIFE

Spring fling 2007 Same thing, different year

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KESHA LEACH ECHO STAFF WRITER

Duke case fizzles NCCU reacts, calm lauded RONY CAMILLE ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Duke lacrosse case apparently has come to an end. Like many others touched by the ordeal, James H. Ammons, chancellor at N.C. Central University, is relieved. “There is a lot we can learn from this, and I am just really proud of the NCCU family, and [that] the larger community remained calm, even though there was a temptation to do otherwise," Ammons said in an exclusive interview with the Campus Echo. Ammons praised members of the University family for their patience in the days when many were jumping to conclusions about the guilt or innocence of the lacrosse players accused of rape. He spoke a day after state Attorney General Roy Cooper dismissed all charges against Dave Forker Evans of Bethesda, Md.; Colin Finnerty of Garden City, N.Y.; and Reade Seligmann of Essex Fells, N.J. The three men, former members of the Duke University lacrosse team, were charged with the sexual assault, rape and kidnapping of a former NCCU student on March 13, 2006. Crystal Gail Mangum, a 27 year-old black NCCU student, was hired to perform as a dancer that evening at a Durham house where members of the Duke lacrosse team held a party.

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From left: Anthony Johnson, Terra Hodge, Tiara Jackson, Laura Nickerson and Charles Messick woo the audience. SHENIKA JONES/Echo Staff Photographer

COLORED MUSEUM W

hen I walked into the theater, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Based on the title alone, I figured the show would focus on race, probably in some historical context. The posters hanging around campus featuring a colorful mammy character alluded to something possibly comical, but at the very least controversial. I suspected something was up when I walked in and a shirtless man who may or may not have been shackled welcomed me to the Colored SEE COLORED MUSEUM | PAGE 9

Charles Messick and Anthony Johnson do a scene. SHENIKA JONES/Echo Staff Photographer

The little girl from exit 148 ALIECE MCNAIR ECHO STAFF WRITER

“He didn’t know where he came from, so he didn’t have a dream for where he ought to be going,” Robyn Hadley told N.C. Central University quoting Alex Haley’s “Roots” character, Kizzy. Hadley was the keynote speaker for the 58th annual Honors Convocation for Academic Achievement April 13. She said met Haley when she was a senior in high school and he was researching his geneology at the local library. He

Chancellor Ammons and Robyn Hadley talk at event. KAI CHRISTOPHER/Echo Staff Photographer

later offered to pay her expenses at Harvard University. Instead,

It’s the time of the year that N.C. Central students have been anticipating — Spring Fling 2007. The week’s festivities kicked off Saturday, April 4, with the Vibe Hoops and Hip-Hop tour at the McLendon-McDougal Gymnasium. The Maroon & Gray Ball scheduled for Sunday in the LeRoy T. Walker Complex was cancelled due, in part, to low ticket sales. The Spring Fling Crunk Fest transformed George St., adjacent to the Alfonso Elder Student Union, and the Union itself, into a carnival with music, airbrushed tattoos, caricature artists and food. Tonight at 7 p.m. in the B.N. Duke Auditorium, Hipno Bro will conduct his hypnosis show. “This year we have more events that entice the students, but I guess we’ll see after the events are over,” said Student Activities Board adviser Marquita Johnson. According to Johnson, planning for this year’s Spring Fling began in May 2006, though preparations for the concerts began in December. Johnson said that she

Hadley chose to go to UNC-Chapel Hill. She quoted Kizzy to

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encourage students to network. The convocation was held on Friday the 13th. Hadley said, “Thirteen is a wonderful sign, a divine sign” and told the audience about herself, “this little girl from exit 148 in Graham.” Hadley was the 13th candidate from UNC for the Cecil Rhodes scholarship in 1985. She became the first African-American female recipient. Hadley said going to

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

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Wanna be a legal Eagle? Barry Stanback shepherds students toward a law career with NCCU’s pre-law academy BY TARIQ TAUHEED ECHO STAFF WRITER

Barry Stanback says there are too many black attorneys headed into corporate law and not working at the grass roots level. “There aren’t enough lawyers doing the real work,” says Stanback, director of N.C. Central University’s pre-law academy. For this reason, the political science adjunct professor has been working tirelessly to increase the number of lawyers. Two years ago, Stanback started the NCCU pre-law academy in the Department of Political Science. The pre-law academy, which runs from May 15-June 21, helps undergraduate students with their career planning, applications and training for the LSAT, an entrance exam required for all law school applicants. According to Stanback, too many black law school applicants

REACTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

are denied admission because they have not been properly prepared. Last year, 32 students participated in the pre-law academy and 15 are signed up for this summer’s program. “I applaud the students and staff for their unmatched support,” said Stanback. But he said that he would like to see the program expanded. He says that hard work and prayer keeps NCCU’s fledgling pre-law academy together. “We refuse to let it die,” he said. “We’ve just had to make it work with what we have.” “We operate on a shoe string budget” he said. “We need more administrative support and money if we are going to make [the expansion] happen.” In 2006, the academy received $35,000 from the Office of the Provost and $10,000 from the College of Liberal Arts. Stanback says he would like to

Summer Pre-Law Academy Director Barry S. Stanback in class at the School of Education Building. TARIQ TAUHEED/Echo Staff Photographer

Chief Williams wants “friendly agency” BY

sophomore. In an e-mail addressed to students, faculty and staff, Chancellor James H. Ammons said students should watch for unusual changes in their environment. “The NCCU Counseling Center recommends that students who exhibit extreme changes in mood or behavior, in appearance or exhibit irrational or distorted thinking be referred to the Counseling Center for assessment,” Ammons wrote. Ammons said the university is offering counseling services to students struggling to deal with the Virginia Tech tragedy. Residential life director, Jennifer Wilder said emergency decisions will be made on a case by case basis. According to Wilder, the university has an emergency plan and also an Emergency Response Team led by the University Police Chief. She said after a decision is made by the ERT, a campus wide e-mail is supposed to be immediately released. For emotional support, the university has counseling services with 24-hour oncall personnel available for students and critical accident debriefing used to help with crisis management. “There are a whole range of long-term emotions when dealing with something like that,” said Carolyn MooreAkeem, director of the NCCU Counseling Center. Please contact campus police at 530-6106 to report any suspicious activity.

see the academy expanded to run year round and have it moved from a department-level program to a university-level program. This would make NCCU the only HBCU with a dedicated prelaw academy. “We would not only be a model for other HBCUs, but also for all schools,” he said. Stanback, who earned his juris doctorate from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law, practiced law in Greensboro for 12 years and has worked for the Democratic Party. Interested students can register for the academy until May 30. Tuition and fees are $300 for NCCU students. The fee includes short courses in criminal law, legal reasoning, LSAT prep and legal research and writing. For more information, students should contact Margaret James, assistant director of the Summer Pre-Law Academy at 530-6434.

STACY HAUK

ECHO STAFF WRITER

Students at N.C. Central University can attend classes and know that the NCCU P o l i c e Department is working hard to keep the c a m p u s safe for everyone. At the head of the WILLIE department Chief WILLIAMS is Willie R. Williams, Sr., chief of security for NCCU. Williams, originally from

Wilson, N.C., began his career in Rocky Mount. He worked in Petersburg, Va. for three years and served as chief of police in Wilson for six years. He has a total of 34 years of experience in law enforcement. Williams, who has served as NCCU’s chief of security since November 2006, says campus safety is the main goal of the NCCU Police Department. “Our top priority is to provide a safe, courteous environment to students on campus,” said Williams. He said he has not compared NCCU to other university campuses, but that

compared to municipalities, NCCU has a low rate of reported violent incidents. Nevertheless, Williams says that the University has plans for educational programs in the fall that will address campus violence, as well as educate students and faculty. Williams also said the department plans to increase the visibility of the security guards on campus in an effort to further reduce campus violence. When asked if he thought if the campus is safe, he said, “I personally feel that it is safe, but I want to make it safer.”

According to the NCCU web site, the Mission Statement of the NCCU Police Department states: “Campus security and safety can only be realized through an active partnership involving its officers, students, faculty, staff and the community-at-large.” Williams says that the NCCU Police Department is meeting with students in order to make them more comfortable with the officers. “We just want to become a friendly agency so that the students will feel comfortable with having us addressing their concerns,”

said Williams. Chief Williams supervises a staff that includes 28 sworn police officers and 16 security officers. There are currently vacancies in the department. Information about qualifications and benefits for a position as a campus police officer can be found on the NCCU Web site. The site also contains information about alleged crimes that have occurred on campus, tips on how to stay safe while on campus and information about the various programs offered by the NCCU Police Department.

DUKE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 It was there that she claimed the three players raped her. Cooper said on April 11 that his office dropped the case based “on the significant inconsistencies between the evidence and the various accounts given by the accusing witness.” The case put NCCU and Duke in the spotlight of the national media. But the two institutions were able to work together despite that. They also began to listen to each other. "We built a relationship with Duke University, especially with the student body, that had not been there before,” said Ammons. Student leaders from the two schools held meetings in the early days of the case to see how they could improve their relationships. In the fall, they hosted meet-andgreet events, outings, and sporting

events so that students could get to know one another. In January, Duke and NCCU students came together to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with an act of community service. As they packed dry foods to be sent to people in developing countries, they created a social opportunity for students from the two schools. In April 2006, a month after the incident, members of the NCCU community held vigils in support of the victim. Many said she was “a fellow Eagle.” Mangum was taking courses in police psychology. According to documents obtained by the Campus Echo, she was an honor student. Outside the McLean Hall dormitory, the University community showed its support for Mangum with four blue banners filled with encouraging words, such as “God be

with you.” In January, she gave birth to a girl fathered by her boyfriend, Orange County, N.C., records show. As time passed, however, Mangum changed her story about the Duke incident nearly six times. The faded banners were eventually taken down. Mangum is no longer enrolled at NCCU. Students at NCCU have mixed feelings about the outcome of the case. "Part of me is disappointed, but I am not surprised," said Mark Searcy, an education junior. "You can't get mad, because we don't really know the story." Latoya Williams, a mass communications sophomore, said, "I'm glad that the case is over with. I felt that she brought a lot of negative attention to herself and the school because she couldn't even get her

story straight." For Joshua Worthy, an environmental science sophomore, it’s time to look ahead. “Whether being charged or not, both sides have suffered enough," Worthy said. “Both have been tormented and humiliated. I think more could have been done in a shorter time, but now that it's all over, it's time to move on.” Shatoya Cantrell contributed to this article. Editorial Note: The Campus Echo did not name the accuser while charges were pending. We are using her name now that charges have been dropped and the Duke lacrosse players are not being accused of any crime. Other news organizations’ policies have varied on this issue.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

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Child lab nurtures, teaches Since 1940, NCCU center has trained students, cared for and educated kids BY STACY HAUK ECHO STAFF WRITER

Chancellor Ammons presents the Chancellor’s Award to senior Erica Purkett. BRYSON POPE/ Echo Staff Photographer

Spelman College in Atlanta for a semester had kept her from being one of UNC’s 12 candidates. “There was some question in someone’s mind about the academic rigor at an HBCU. I was insulted,” she said. Hadley praised NCCU for “setting itself apart.” She said while students wonder “when do these A’s turn into dollars,” they should still pursue “excellence without excuses.” Erica Purkett, a graduating social work senior, recieved the Chancellor’s Award for academic excellence. When she was first contacted, Purkett asked Dr. Timothy Holley, director of the honors program, if he had the right person. Purkett said she plans to pay off some expenses with the $1,000 award prize. “Just having [classmates] say ‘you can do it, there’s nothing back in Elizabeth City’,” kept her at NCCU, she said. But Hadley emphasized that where you come from doesn’t matter. She spoke “to all of the students who were being honored,” said Roberto Diaz, an environmental science senior. “Personally, I felt like more students should have attended,” said Shenequa Marshall, a health education senior. Diaz said he likes the annual honors convocations because they allow families to share students’ successes.

FLING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 wished students would look at Spring Fling as a Homecoming in the spring. Students have mixed feelings about this week’s series of events. “The events this year are alright — they aren’t like the previous years,” said recreation junior Jeffrey Cole, who added, “I think the promotion is a little weak.” Shakendra Womack, a business administration freshman, was more enthusiastic. “I am very excited,” she said. “This is my first Spring Fling experience.” A crime prevention fair is scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m. on George St. Thursday night at 8 p.m., comedian Damon Williams will host the Spring Fling Comedy Show, featuring J.J., Sommore and Tony Roberts, at the McLendon-McDougal Gymnasium, which is expected to draw a crowd. Friday, fraternities and sororities will go head to head in a step show in the McLendon-McDougal Gymnasium. Recording artists Omarion, Young Buck and Young Dro will be this year’s line-up at the concert Saturday 8 p.m. in the McLendon-McDougal Gymnasium. Tickets are $10 for students, $15 for general admission. Sunday from noon – 6 p.m a Spring Fling Car Show closes out the week’s events. The show will b e held in the parking lot of the Mary M. Townes Science Building.

N.C. Central University students walking to class past the Dent Annex may be surprised by the sights and sounds of children playing. Lots of children. This really isn’t a surprise, though, because since 1940, the Annex has been the home of the NCCU Child Development Laboratory. The facility is a part of the Department of Human Sciences and is run by Bridget Kemp, who has been the lab’s director since August 2006. Kemp replaced the previous director, Beverly Evans, who retired after some 20 years in the position. The Child Development Lab is a nationally accredited facility. The philosophy of the center, according to its Web site, “is based upon the child development principles of growth, developed through research,” as well as “nurturing each child as a unique individual with emphasis upon the total development of the child.” This is no ordinary daycare. The lab offers a program that balances childcare and education with training for students majoring in childhood education. While most daycares provide only childcare services, the child development lab offers a learning environment and hands-on experience for childhood education majors. “As far as students having an opportunity to do observation or any micro teaching or whatever activities that their professor has given them to do in their classes, we provide a great service for them,” said Kemp. Kemp also said that the center can be especially helpful to students who live at NCCU and don’t have transportation, because it is conveniently located on campus. Prerequisites for teach-

ers at the lab include Childcare Credentials I & II or an equivalent course, and one year of work experience. Kemp said four of the laboratory teachers are studying childhood education. One teacher is an alumnus with a Birth through Kindergarten certification, two are graduating from child development studies and one is studying early elementary education. The Child Development Lab provides a learning experience not only for NCCU students, but also for the 3- and 4-year-old children who attend it daily as their daycare. Visitors to the Child Development Lab will see classrooms decorated in vibrant colors and the children’s artwork proudly displayed almost everywhere. Classrooms contain art areas and housekeeping areas, which include a miniature kitchen with a play stove and refrigerator. One classroom opens up to the playground, and the “outside rules” of play are clearly posted on the door. Teachers prepare lesson plans for the classrooms that include daily activities in math and science, but also in sand and water play. Activities focus on developing the children’s cognitive and social skills. The center also provides the children with two snacks and a lunch daily. Although the activities are structured, Kemp said the teachers allow for a lot of flexibility as well. “They [teachers] need to be able to be flexible for the children, as far as their moods and their temperament,” she said. The Child Development Lab can accommodate 33 children, and it is currently filled to capacity. Approximately 55 children are on the waiting list. The lab accepts children ages three and four years old. Children of NCCU students, faculty, and members of the surrounding commu-

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Bridget Kemp, director of the Child Development Lab, shares a smile with two students. BRYSON POPE/Echo Staff Photographer

nity can all take advantage of the laboratory’s resources. It is funded mainly by the tuition paid for the childcare services themselves, about $560 per month, per child. Sometimes the facility receives grants from community agencies such as Smart Start. Although the develop-

ment lab is currently filled to capacity, it is still accepting applications for enrollment. Available spots are filled as applications are received, giving every applicant equal opportunity regardless of whether he or she is a student, faculty member or community member.

“We are on a first-comefirst-served basis,” said Kemp. “We do follow our waiting list closely.” The child development lab is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Interested applicants can receive an application by visiting the center at the Dent Annex.

Duke Performances PRESENTS

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A protégé of Gil Evans, Maria Schneider has blazed her own musical path, leading her critically acclaimed 18-piece Grammy winning Jazz orchestra.

United Christian Campus Ministry 525 Nelson Street, NCCU Campus 45th Anniversary Celebration Saturday, April 28, 2007 B.N. Duke Auditorium 5:00 P.M. featuring

The Virginia Mass Choir For more information or to get involved in Campus Ministries contact us at 530-5263 or e-mail us at mpage@nccu.edu

“Listening to her sweepingly ambitious compositions, you hear the next wave in jazz taking shape before your very ears.” — Time Magazine This event caps off an extended residency by Maria Schneider at Duke University and is cosponsored with the Duke Department of Music and the Duke University Jazz Program. We gratefully acknowledge support for this project from the Henry David Epstein Endowment Fund and the Les Brown Endowment Fund.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

IVER SITY

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Recycling not a waste NCCU’s recycling program doesn’t measure up to area efforts BY CHARELLITTA LEWIS ECHO STAFF WRITER

When it comes to recycling, N.C. Central University is getting a failing grade. In the October 4, 2004 issue of the Campus Echo, Marcus Rountree, an environmental science alumni, was interviewed about his concern over NCCU’s failure to recycle. At that time, NCCU’s physical plant said it was too underfunded and understaffed to implement a recycling program. According to a 1997 Durham City ordinance, individuals, businesses and institutions are required to recycle cardboard, newspaper, glass and aluminum. Today NCCU only recycles cardboard — this is because heavy fines are imposed if the landfill finds cardboard in waste material. The University is charged $41.50 for every ton of garbage disposed in the Durham County landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, up to 90 percent of garbage can be recycled. “We are in a process of researching a recycling program,” said Carl Brower, physical plant grounds supervisor. But the physical plant page on

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Discarded books and trash from the Shepard Library. KAI CHRISTOPHER/Echo Staff Photographer

NCCU’s Web site says NCCU should already have one: “NCCU will be starting a recycling program in the spring of 2007,” the Web page reads. “This program will cover cardboard, recycle paper, glass, plastic and aluminum and will be picked up at each building weekly.” According to Josephine Valencia, Durham commercial waste reduction specialist, Durham is beginning to pay more attention to enforcing the waste

reduction ordinance, but only has one person, Mike Simpson, enforcing the ordinance. “We are still in the beginning stages in enforcing the recycling law,” said Valencia. “Right now we are about education of our residents before we hand out citations,” she said. According Simpson, warnings and citations are only given out when someone files a formal complaint. “From my understanding, other colleges in the area have their own private trash collection pick-up and they are responsible for their own recycling,” said Simpson. Durham Technical Community College has a fully operational recycling program. NCCU does not. Nearby Elon University has paid special attention to its recycling program. At Elon each student gets a recycling “kit” for his or her room that contains a bag and instructions. In 2005, Elon recycled more than 216,000 pounds of white paper/cardboard and 28,300 pounds of other recyclable materials. According to the EPA, the average American produces about 4.4 pounds of garbage a day, or a total of 29 pounds per week and 1,600 pounds a year.

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Freshmen gain more than an education their first year of college BY TRAVIS RUFFIN ECHO STAFF WRITER

When freshmen head off to college, they have so many things to worry about: homesickness, making new friends, finding their way around campus, and learning to share their personal space with a roommate. The first year in college can be overwhelming and stressful. Some students choose to deal with it by overeating. As a result, many college freshmen tend to gain weight during their first year away from home. These extra unwanted pounds are known as the “Freshman 15.” Although no one is immune from experiencing the Freshman 15, it happens more often to girls than it does to boys. According to Erica Dixon, a fitness and aerobics instructor at NCCU, there are reasons for this. “Boys don’t go through it too much because they have testosterone, and they are more physically active than the girls are,” said Dixon. “Boys like to run and play sports, but girls are more likely to eat unhealthy snacks in their dorm rooms all day without exercising. “This is how the Freshman 15 starts.” The Freshman 15 is the direct result of a poor diet and lack of exercise, and can lead to extreme obesity, increasing one’s risk of diabetes, hypertension and kidney failure. “When I was a fresh-

man, I was under a lot of stress and my eating habits were not that good,” said elementary education sophomore Keaundra Robinson. “My jeans size went up a little bit, but it wasn’t too bad. I took a fitness class, and I think that was very helpful,” Robinson said. “I see some of the girls on campus that started college the same time that I did, and I have noticed that a lot of them have gotten much bigger since freshman year.” Of course there are exceptions to the Freshman 15 rule. According to some NCCU students, the Freshman 15 is a little overstated. “I actually lost weight last year when I first came to Central,” said elementary education sophomore ViAngela Roach. “Some girls gained a few pounds, but I didn’t experience that at all. I was the opposite.” The Freshman 15 may be alive and well, but luckily there are simple things that college freshman can do to prevent it from happening to them. Dixon recommends walking or jogging around the track. “Cardio is extremely important,” she said. “They can also work out at the gym in the Walker Complex . . . take one of the aerobics classes that are offered here on campus,” Most important, Dixon said that students “need to avoid places like KFC and A&W.”

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THE FUTURE of LEARNING F I N D O U T W H AT T H E D I G I TA L F U T U R E H O L D S F O R L E A R N I N G A N D E D U C AT I O N

APRIL

free public events

19 +21

at Duke University

JOHN SEELY BROWN

PANEL

DISCUSSION

The Social Life of Learning in the Net Age

The Future of Learning: Three Perspectives

At the Interface of Everything

Thursday, April 19 • Nasher Museum of Art • 8:00 PM

Saturday, April 21 • School of Nursing, Trent Drive

8:30 AM • Continental Breakfast

10:45 AM - 12:30 PM

A reception with live music and access to the galleries follows

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM • Panel John Seely Brown, former chief scientist of XEROX Corporation and director of the Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (PARC)

FEATURING: Dr. Carl Harris, Superintendent of the Durham Public Schools Julia Stasch, MacArthur Foundation, Digital Media, Learning and Education Initiative Cathy N. Davidson and David Theo Goldberg, The Future of Universities

All events are free and open to the public. F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n : w w w. h a s t a c . o r g o r 9 1 9 . 6 8 4 . 8 4 7 1

Beyond NCCU

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

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Web radio threatened Royalty ruling may end Web radio

Jeff Scammon chooses songs to play on his independent internet-only radio station, www.wildwestradio.com, March 23, 2007, in Sacramento, California. Scammon is among Internet radio purveyors who hope Congress will ride to the rescue against the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board. AUTUMN CRUZ/Sacramento Bee/MCT

BY SAM MCMANIS MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS (MCT)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Web site’s font is large and vibrant. And in case a visitor’s eyes somehow still gloss over it, it’s set in boldface and italics to boot: “Welcome to Wild West Radio — Quite Possibly The Best Damn Streaming Internet Radio Station On Planet Earth!” Scroll down a bit, past the caricature of a wizened cowpoke, beyond the name of the song playing and a link to buy the album, and you see another cheeky, mockboastful declaration: “Warning: If you’re looking for mainstream Vanilla Flavored, Homogenized, Corporate Country Music, you’ve come to the wrong place.” Well, now, that’s enticement enough to double-click and check out the site, owned and operated by Jeff Scammon of Roseville, Calif. Listen to a set of Scammon’s commercial-free music and you’re bound to come away convinced that the guy makes no idle boasts. A sample set: alt-country’s “Bottle Rockets,” followed by Steve Earle and then Todd Snider. Then, after a station ID _ Scammon, with a slight drawl, saying, “You’re tuned into Wild West Radio, playing fewer hits more often” _ on comes a James McMurtry ballad. The odds of hearing any of the above artists on Sacramento’s commercial country radio stations, KNCI FM and the Wolf (KNTY FM), are, well, pertnear impossible, podner. That’s the beauty of Internet radio, supporters say, thanks to some computer-savvy users with a couple hundred bucks to spare on software who go online and create a station: The range of music options is broadened, and emerging artists are given a boost. And folks are obviously listening. About 70 million

people are said to listen to an estimated 10,000 online stations worldwide, according to Edison Media Research. Digital music streams are provided by the big boys (Clear Channel and CBS Radio, for example), as well as the little guys (Scammon’s www.wildwestradio.com). But a ruling in March by the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board could change all that. The board is proposing to raise the royalty rates paid by Internet stations, which could put smaller operators out of business and dissuade the larger ones from paying the hefty fee. At least, that’s the doomsday scenario being put forth by Internet radio providers, who are mobilizing online petition drives and planning to appeal the ruling before the new regulations take effect in May. Both broadcast radio and online stations pay royalties to publishers of the music, but over-the-airwaves radio is exempt from paying “performance fees” to artists and record companies. Internet radio has no such exemption. The music industry is applauding the idea of increased rates for online music use. A statement released by SoundExchange, created by the record industry to collect royalties from Internet streaming, called the board’s proposed action a “fair and reasonable decision.” But guys such as Scammon say it casts doubt on their future. “I’m not sure how it’s going to affect me,” says Scammon, who’s been online for less than a year and reports 200,000 total “hits” for his streaming audio. To support his online operation — which he views essentially as a hobby — he accepts donor contributions, which he uses only to pay royalties to music publishers (currently $22.50 a month) and for Web site

maintenance. “If what I hear is (accurate),” Scammon says, “you’ll see genres like my music disappear. And that would be awful. Great for corporate radio, but not for the consumer or artists who need exposure.” Even one of the largest online radio operators says he would be forced to shut down. Kurt Hanson, a Chicago businessman who runs AccuRadio, says the station gets more than a million listeners a month and that he accepts advertising. He writes in a newsletter that he currently pays $50,000 in royalty fees out of the $500,000 he makes a year. Under the new system, he says, he would pay $600,000 annually in royalties. “Internet radio is in danger of becoming extinct,” he writes. It’s all a matter of fairness, argue the folks at SoundExchange. “Artists have earned the right to be fairly compensated for the performance of their work by webcasters who benefit — financially or otherwise — from their talent,” the organization’s statement says. “Without these royalty payments, these artists would, in many cases, be unable to continue contributing to the music world.” But Scammon, a real estate agent in his “real” life, and others counter that Internet radio gives voice to artists. “Ninety-nine percent of the stuff I play, there’s no way that’d be on KNCI,” Scammon says. “A couple of the big stations have been approached about playing people like (Earle and Snider), but they say, `Oh, no, our conservative listeners wouldn’t approve of this.’ “So the corporate broadcasters just play the regurgitated (music) day after day, year after year, that you can hear on five different stations in any given market. How does that help emerging artists?”

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 troubled, and students said they barely knew him. Inside the service, President Bush symbolized the nation’s anguish. “It’s impossible to make sense of such violence and suffering,” Bush said in nine-minute remarks. “Those whose lives were taken did nothing to deserve their fate. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now they’re gone, and they leave behind grieving families and grieving classmates and a grieving nation.” The service ended on an upbeat tone, as professor and poet Nikki Giovanni stirred her listeners’ spirits with a poem. “We are sad today and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on. We are embracing our mourning. We are Virginia Tech. We are strong enough to stand tall fearlessly, we are brave enough to bend and cry, and sad enough to know we must laugh again,” Giovanni told the audience. “We will prevail! We will prevail! We will prevail! We are Virginia Tech!” Giovanni said, to thunderous applause. At the football stadium, her words inspired a standing ovation. Students cheered and clapped, then started a football chant from better days. Fists rose into the air. In time the chant sounded in both the basketball arena and the stadium: “Let’s go, Hokies! Let’s go!” But cheers and chants were exceptions on a day when shock gave way to grief. School officials advised that counselors would be available as long as they were needed, and cautioned that deeper emotional reactions might not appear for days or weeks. At noon, the university’s Corps of Cadets marched across the drill field to a slow, haunting drumbeat. “I’m shaken,” said Ammar Poonawala, a junior industrial-engineering major. “When it first happened it didn’t sink in, but it struck me later, and I just broke down from the enormity of the tragedy.” In one bit of good news, medical authorities said that all the wounded victims in area hospitals were recovering well and none remained in danger. Cho, an English major and native of South Korea, came with his family to the United States in 1992 as a resident alien, according to Col. Steve Flaherty of the Virginia State Police. He listed his home address as Centreville, Va., about 25 miles west of Washington. Neighbor Marshall Main said he was taking out trash about 11 p.m. Monday when he saw six police cars, two unmarked,

Named by police as the gunman in the Virginia Tech shootings

pull up in front of Cho’s house. Two officers ran to the back of the home as others went to the front door. Shortly, he said, “a lot of people streamed out of the house in the dark.” Cho lived in Harper Hall, a campus dormitory near the site of Monday’s first shooting. “He was a loner, and we’re having difficulty finding information about him,” school spokesman Larry Hincker said. Tim Johnson, 19, a business finance major from Annandale, Va., said he’d seen Cho in the hallways of Harper Hall but didn’t know him. Young-Hwan Kim, the president of the Korean Campus Crusade for Christ on campus, said his group had tried repeatedly to get Cho involved in its activities. Cho rebuffed the invitations and declined to provide contact information, said Kim, 24, a graduate student in civil engineering. “No one knew him,” Kim said. “We had no contact throughout four years. It’s amazing. We could not reach out to him.” State police said Cho had legally purchased the two handguns found with his body, a Walther P22 and Glock 9 mm.

Cho SeungHui 1984 Born in South Korea 1992 Entered the United States via Detroit; settled with his family in Centreville, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C.; had legal permanent immigrant status 2003 Graduated from Westfield High School in Fairfax County, Va.; was a member of the science club as a sophomore At Virginia Tech English major in his senior year; described as a loner by his roommate and teachers March 13, 2007 Bought 9 mm handgun in a Roanoke, Va., gun store; weapon found with Cho’s fingerprints at scene of shootings © 2007 MCT Source: AP, ABC News, MCT Photo Service Graphic: Judy Treible, Angela Smith

One of the weapons was used in both the initial shooting of two people at a dorm and the murders of 30 others in a classroom building.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

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Colored Museum

he title, “The Colored Museum,” aptly describes the content of the play premiering this month in the N.C. Central University Theatre. The short scenes work together to form an idea of an African-American past like the different exhibits in a museum celebrating black culture. The good and the bad, the happy and the sad, are all presented in a way that is easily understood, regardless of the time period in which it is viewed. The actors skillfully execute the play’s stinging wit and poignant satire. Hairstyles, the media, lifestyle expectations and gender roles are all fair game. While many scenes center on humor, others offer a more touching view of individuals trying to cope with a constantly shifting identity. Colorful sets and upbeat scores served to enhance the work’s overarching theme of accepting all aspects of one’s culture.

Above: Amani Atkinson and Tiara Jackson play a visually stunning pair. Above right: Anthony P. Johnson plays the downtrodden Walter-Lee-Beau-Willie-Jones. Right: Victoria Morgan as Lala, a diva coming to terms with her inner child.

Photos by Shenika Jones Text by Kenice Mobley

Top: Laura Nickerson delivering a powerful monologue as Medea. Bottom: Dionne Johnson as cheery slave ship stewardess, Miss Pat

Above: Terra Hodge raising her hands to God in prayer as Mama.

A&E

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIIL 18, 2007

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Beatnam’s best The Beatnam Vets bring good vibes to The Pour House

IVER SITY

Slammin’ in the shadows BY LARISHA J STONE ECHO STAFF WRITER

Senior Jonah Vincent performs a Beatnam Vets song, “Get Down,” at the Pour House in Raleigh on April 12. KHARI JACKSON/Echo Staff Photographer

BY JOANNA HERNANDEZ ECHO A&E EDITOR

These days, there aren’t many options for entertainment on a Thursday night. Brothers Jonah and Josh Vincent had this mindset before coming up with the idea of having a “Speak Easy Thursday” at The Pour House in downtown Raleigh. “We felt the community needed an alternative— a place where you could party and expand your mind,” said Jonah. The event featured several spoken word artists from N.C. Central University and surrounding areas. Raleigh’s own poetic trio, The Experience, grasped the crowds’ minds with their flow, while Val Jones, a DJ for Fayetteville State University’s 91.1 WFSS, took the

audience on a verbal tour through her hip-hop diary. By the time Jonah and Josh, along with Solomon, a family member and Beatnam artist, stepped on stage to perform, they were greeted with a surplus of positive energy. The Beatnam Vets, Jonah and Josh, consider themselves producers with MC skills. “I’m not a rapper. I can write a little bit; Solomon is the rapper,” said Josh. The trio has performed in several events on campus as well as in the community; the brothers have participated in the infamous beat-down battles held on NCCU’s campus. The event was enjoyable and an excellent promotional tool for the group’s latest release, “The ‘R’ Album.”

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Lil’ Wayne Da Drought 3 out of on the 5 5 black hand side Lil’ Wayne’s “Drought 3,” hosted by DJ Khaled & Birdman, is definitely the mixtape of the month. With 21 fire tracks, including samples from T.I., Lil’ Boosie and MIMS, subpar beats leave you with a question of why he fails to go all out with new samples. Yet the lyrical flow of metaphors and catchy punch lines draws most critics away from slaying “Weezy’s” choice of samples. Not much beef is mentioned in the mixtape; he refers to former Cash Money members, but doesn’t address Jay-Z, Gillie Da Kid or his favorite collaboration partner-incrime, Juelz Santana. In fact, Lil’ Wayne’s lyrics are 60 percent in favor of his recently rumored girlfriend, Kelly Rowland, formerly of the group Destiny’s Child. Making references to her in almost every song, Lil’ Wayne devotes three of the 21 tracks to Kelly only.

TRASH

“A lot of people on the yard don’t even know we put an album out,” said Jonah. “This was a good opportunity for those people to become familiar.” The group has had much success in sales and are selling worldwide. “It makes us feel good to have these accomplishments,” said Jonah. Both brothers, who are extremely knowledgeable about music, recite new and old hip-hop and are jazz musicians and composers. “I’ve known music my whole life. I was writing before I knew the formal side,” said Josh. “We don’t use any samples; we compose our own music and sample it,” he said. “The ‘R’ Album” is currently for sale at cdbaby.com.

Throw time out the window. Red is more than just a color — it’s a symbol of beauty, love and passion. Betrayal hurts no matter where you are in life. Sounds like something you hear from an advanced thinker, a man or woman of philosophical nature, right? Well it is. Students at N.C. Central University, the Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School to be exact, have come up with poetry based on themes of love, betrayal and the shortness of life for the Shadow Slam! Poetry Slam. The event will take place tomorrow at 3 p.m. in the Farrison-Newton Communications Building Theater. Marylin Tom, one of the advisers for the school’s literary club, is eager to hear what students have to say. “These students come from the rap/hip-hop culture so that’s what they latched onto,” she said. “We kind of just went with it.” The event, in addition

to being supported by the J.D. Clement Early College High Schools, is being hosted by NCCU’s Ex Umbra literary magazine. Gregory Wilson, editor of Ex Umbra, saw a lot of talent and an enjoyment for performing poetry in the students. “Students will be rated on a 10-point scale by the guest judges, who can be swayed by the audience’s reactions --- but their decisions are final,” Wilson said about the scoring. The Early College High School students are nervous, but remain confident about their work. Tenth grader Rachael Johnson is simply nervous about her chances at the Shadow Slam. “It’s going to be hard to compete against college students, and I don’t think I’ll get first place, but I’m going to try,” Johnson said. “Competition is just about getting out my feelings and convincing others that poetry is cool,” said ninth grade student Jacqueline Powell. Sounds like a winner to me.

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With samples from Ciara, Beyonce’ and Gnarls Barkley to promote this new love, Weezy stresses that it’s time for Kelly and him to have some of their own Destiny’s Children. “Drought 3” goes down in the top 10 of Lil’ Wayne’s mix-tape career, but it’s not hard to say that it’s one of the best mix-tapes of the year, as well as one of his best of the year. Honestly, “Drought 3” doesn’t have the hardcore life frustration of “The Carter,” nor the charisma & flow that he put into “LilWeezyAnna,” but it has the most sentimental flow thus far in his mix-tape career. Lil’ Wayne is expected to drop his sixth studio album, “Tha Carter III,” which should drop at the end of year. Producers to look out for on his next album are Kanye West, Twista and Timberland. Not surpriingly, this album is already anticipated as the “#1 most anticipated album of 2007,” as reported by XXL Magazine. Wayne told MTV that he wanted to devote this upcoming months to work on mix-tapes and collaborations with other artists. –– Kuniko Moore

Gregory Wilson speaks to students about Shadow Slam. LARISHA STONE/Echo Staff Photographer

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COLORED MUSEUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Museum; either a very good or a very bad sign. The play opened with an orientation to Celebrity, an all-inclusive slave ship. The audience was instructed in proper shackle procedure and appropriate on deck behavior. Miss Pat, played by sophomore theater and Spanish major Dionne Johnson, gave multiple assurances that we, the slaves, would not be thrown overboard to collect on the insurance money. This reference to the Zong Massacre of 1781 was the first of many allusions historic incidents in African-American history. One aspect of her performance stood out above all others. The audience was left with the undeniable impression that Miss Pat would not stand for drumming. Drumming was an element that continued throughout the play. While on the slave ships it was part of the total suppression of

African culture. Two scenes were especially comical and timely. One focuses on a fictional all-black play called “Mamma on the Couch,” about a mother who sits on the couch. It features characters seen all too often on the stage and screen. There was the angry black man, who after years of being worn down by the man begins to hurt his family. One can’t forget the mother, played by Tara Hodge, who feels that God will handle everything. In a time when morality-centered plays are advertised on the radio and made into major motion pictures, almost everyone can relate to the feeling that it has all been seen before. A following scene, in which two wigs argue about which one their owner will pick to wear, focuses on hair and image. It skillfully satires the women who change their hairstyles based on their men and their changing group

affiliations. The long straight wig argues for sexiness while the lush afro asserts attitude. In a community that spends billions on hair care a year, it poses the necessary question: what does it all mean? While I saw the relevance of many of the shorts, I must admit I was baffled by a few. For example, maybe there is a deeper meaning I just didn’t get in the scene where a woman lays an egg. The play ends with acceptance of the drumming and all the aspects of being African American. Topsy, played by sophomore Jasmine Bethea, spins wildly while coming to terms with the many identities inherent to blacks in America. The Colored Museum will be shown at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 2021, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 22 in the Farrison-Newton Communications Building’s University Theatre.

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Q&A

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

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James H. Ammons - Reflections Campus Echo editor-in-chief Rony Camille interviewed N.C. Central University Chancellor James H. Ammons on April 12 in his office to give the chancellor a chance to discuss his tenure at NCCU. Ammons will become chancellor of Florida A&M in Tallahassee on July 2.

Echo:

First off, what is your reaction to Wednesday’s announcement that charges in the Duke lacrosse case were dismissed?

Echo:

JA:

What are you going to miss most about NCCU?

We said all along we should be patient and respectful of the legal system. Let it work itself through this case. It took 13 months, but the system worked and now we have to continue to grow and learn from this situation. I think there is a lot we can learn from this, and I am just really proud of the NCCU family and the larger community. We remained calm even though there was a temptation to do otherwise. And we built a relationship with Duke University — especially with the student body — that had not been there before. So in spite of it all I think the relationship between the two institutions is now stronger. I do have to say this though —I have empathy for anyone who was involved in the case: the young lady, the three young men, the families, everybody’s family having to go through this — really everybody that was involved in this. I hope that they too will learn from this and will be better people as a result of it.

JA:

The people, the students, the relationship that I have with them. The faculty, staff and administration. The people have just really been an inspiration for me to do the things that I have done. Knowing that [what I’ve done] is going to positively impact the lives of people who are associated with this University. And as I get a chance to talk to them, especially now that everybody knows that I am leaving, they really appreciate the direction that NCCU is taking. going.

Echo:

While you’ve been here, enrollment has increased 58 percent But now we’ve got a retention plan. What is the University’s mission in retaining students who are doing poorly in school?

JA:

Echo:

Will NCCU allow the woman to return to the University?

JA: Well I don’t want to speculate. She has not been charged with a crime and there may be some explainable reasons why this happened that may be out of her control. I think if she were to decide to come back to the institution we would have to evaluate her application at that time. Echo:

Can you talk about some of the challenges you’ve had since you’ve been here? faces?

JA:

Well, I’ll start from the beginning. When I came and even before I took office, I had meetings with at-thattime [UNC System] President Broad, her staff and members of the UNC Board of Governors, members of the Board of Trustees and the faculty, staff and students of NCCU. I would come back and forth and I would listen to the issues that these various groups had with the University. I sort of built my transition plan around those issues. When I came in, NCCU ‘s enrollment was in decline. We had audits that really weren’t good.

Echo:

What accomplishments are you especially proud of?

JA:

BRITE. When I was coming I noticed that other institutions in the Triangle, Duke, Chapel Hill and State had special relationships with companies in the research Triangle, but NCCU didn’t. Although there were some relationships with Glaxo and IBM, but I wanted NCCU to be the go-to place for talent for these companies. BRITE does that for us. Right now students in BRITE have already been offered internships and jobs in the Merck plant. And it hasn’t even opened yet. BRITE gives NCCU that direct link to the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical industry in North Carolina and across the nation.

BRYSON POPE/Echo Staff Photographer

Outgoing NCCU Chancellor James H. Ammons sits with Campus Echo editor-in-chief Rony Camille, in his office disscusses NCCU’s growth in the last six-years. Ammons who was installed here on April 15 ,2002 will head Florida A&M Univerisity starting July 2. opportunities for professional growth and development. And do the same for the students. That would be my advice.

JA:

Take care of the faculty and students. Take care of them because in the end the reputation of the University depends upon the productivity of the faculty and students. Make certain the faculty members have opportunities to fully develop their careers so they have what they need to carry out their responsibilities, that they have

What are you going to say to the graduating class this year? year?

Echo:

Do you know when a new chancellor will be named? Or will there be an interim chancellor?

JA:

I don’t, Rony. I am staying as far away from the search as I can. I think that it would not be appropriate for me to be involved in the search in any way. ... That should be the job of the Board of Trustees, the president of the University [system] and the Board of Governors. It’s not my call.

Echo

So are you starting the process of moving things?

JA:

I haven’t packed one thing. I report on July 2 and I’m going to be here probably through mid-June, and then I am going to take a couple weeks off. My wife and I are going to have a couple of weeks and get all moved in down in Tallahassee. On July 2 I’ll hit the ground running.

Echo

What things are you looking forward to that you have missed while here?

Echo:

What advice would you give the incoming chancellor?

Echo

JA:

Family. My wife was born in Tallahassee. When she was a baby she and her family moved to Winterhaven. We grew up together in Winterhaven, but she has family in the Tallahassee area and both of our immediate families are down in central Florida. Now we can just get in the car and drive and see them within four hours.hours.

JA:

You didn’t get here on your own. Nobody’s an island and there are a lot of people that have helped you along the way — your family, administration, staff, your classmates and your colleagues all helped to get you where you are and encouraged you to know that you have to get a quality education. Remember your alma mater, remember your family. When you start making money, send some money to your parents because they had to put up with you for four years and there was a lot they couldn’t do because you were here. It’s not that they want you to pay them back ... just show appreciation.

Echo:

What are your thoughts on the future of the Department of English and Mass Communication?

JA What I see is for is journalism and mass communication coming out probably as a department initially and then probably as a school. I think that there are so many opportunities for faculty and students in journalism and mass communication. I see that for the future. I also see that the English department — probably before journalism — offering a Ph.D. because they have been very strong producers of students and students with skills, especially in writing. Echo:

As we’ve been walking out here, people are waving to you. Do you have a chance to walk outside and talk to students and just see how they are doing?

JA:

I go to the cafeteria and I walk across the campus and sometimes I show up in places where they don’t expect me to show up, walking down the halls of FarrisonNewton or Edmonds Classroom Building. I was just over in the Walker Complex this morning. You know it’s good to interact with the people who you are working for. I mean I really work for y’all. That’s my job. I work for the students and the faculty and the staff and I enjoy it. I enjoy people, conversing with them, finding out where they are from, how their families are doing, how their classes are going. You know, it’s all important to me.

Echo:

Do you believe the students here respect you as a chancellor and a leader of this school?

JA:

I do. And not only do they respect me, but I’m hoping that what I am doing and what I’ve done with my life will be an inspiration for young people. You know one of the things that I always talk about to you all is to keep yourself in a position where you have options and always think about your alma mater. The only way our institutions are going to continue as unique missions with unique roles in this society is if we have people who really understand the value of these institutions. Going out, getting degrees, getting experience and then coming back and giving back to the historically black colleges and universities. And as I talk with people, while some of them have lamented the fact that I am leaving, they understand that Florida A&M is my alma mater. It’s a place that has done so much for me. It prepared me to go out in the larger world and become who I am, so people understand that.

That’s the challenge, but I want you to look at a stat that is very, very impressive right now. Our retention rate is somewhere around 72 percent and I wanted us to get up around 90 percent and we didn’t do that. So now what we have done is to put together a graduation and retention plan for every academic program in the University and what we’ll do going forward is to be more direct in our efforts to improve retention. When I say that I mean that it won’t just be the academic unit but the entire University: the way we keep the dorms, the way we clean the bathrooms, the way we serve and prepare food in the cafeteria, the way we serve students in various support areas -- financial aid and student accounts and the registrar’s office, admissions -- all of the units on campus have a role to play in graduation and retention. The Chronicle of Higher Education did a piece where they took a look at graduation rate among HBCUs. There are only five HBCUs -- maybe six -- that have 6year graduation rates over 50 percent. NCCU is one of them, which is a significant accomplishment. That says a lot. going.

Echo:

What challenges have you had since you’ve been chancellor? Last week in the St. Petersburg Times they talked about the 2001 audit at NCCU.

JA:

The thing that was probably the most hurtful to me, Rony, was this expectation that when the auditors came to NCCU they knew they were going to find something that was not right because there had been that pattern for 20 years. It played toward this stigma on black-run institutions that we can’t handle our business. I was determined to show people that a historically black university can manage the resources that have been entrusted to it. So we went out and made some changes in personnel. We added staff, we invested in technology. We invested in people while providing professional development opportunities, sending them off to workshops and conferences, and we got it done. The second thing was the enrollment: You’ve got in an institution that’s as historic as North Carolina Central in one of the best locations you can be in and the enrollment is in a decline. We worked to turn that around, but we didn’t work so much to just turn it around. What we did first was to focus on our marketing strategies, our recruitment strategies and to look within the University at ways we could make NCCU more popular with high school students and with community college transfers.

APRIL ~ 2007

ECHO SPECIAL

A CAMPUS ECHO PUBLICATION

taking a look at

some of our best teachers Chicquor Art

Harper History

Art professor helps shape and mold the lives of students

Leaving behind a positive legacy is important

BY RONY CAMILLE

BY TRAVIS RUFFIN

ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR

n a Monday afternoon in the Fine Arts Building and a group of N.C. Central University students are hard at work in the ceramics studio. As they mold various clay pieces with their hands, their professor, Isabel Chicquor, walks around giving pointers on their projects, which are due the following class period. “You can trim that a little bit,” she says. “Take a look at it from this angle. It needs to be balanced more.” There is never a typical work day for Chicquor. As she is giving her pointers, she steps out to her

sk a colleague and he will tell you that history assistant professor Jim C. Harper is great at what he does — teaching. “Dr. Harper is a professor that the students can relate to on a personal level in- and outside of the classroom,” said Carlton E. Wilson, chair of the history department at N.C. Central University. “He’s a young and engaging instructor who uses his appeal to promote education. He is a great teacher and scholar. I can honestly say that we are pleased to have him at the University.” His students agree. “I like Dr. Harper because

n See CHIQUOR Page 4

n See HARPER Page 4

JIM HARPER , H ISTOR Y RODNEY CUNNINGHAM , P SYCHOLOG Y VERNON CLARK , BIOLOGY ISABEL CHICQUOR, ART IRVING JOYNER, LAW MICHELE WARE, ENGLISH

“Teaching is leaving a vestige of one’s self in the development of another.” EUGENE P. B ERTIN

“Teaching should be such that what is offered is perceived as a valuable gift and not as a hard duty.” A LBERT E I N S T E I N

“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. DR. H AIM GINOTT

“The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.” JOHN LUBBOCK

“Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.” C OLEEN W ILSOX

Feature

IRVING JOYNER

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

LAW

Spirituality and enthusiasm work together to motivate one professor any college students find it difficult to relate to their professors. But law student John Astle can’t help but disagree. “Joyner’s teaching style has made it easier to understand criminal law,” Astle said. “He communicates all the information needed in a really laid-back style.” Attorney Irving Joyner, a professor of N.C. Central University Law School, is one of the most sought-after professors and lawyers at NCCU. “When the court of appeals held a trial, I was fascinated to see him take a tough case and make good arguments,” said Astle. Joyner was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to North Carolina with his grandparents to receive a better education. Even with his father absent, Joyner found a way to follow the right paths. “I have no idea where my father is at. He was a rolling stone,” said Joyner. “I was supported by my grandfather and uncles who showed me how to avoid the pitfalls of growing up.” Yet the avoidance could only last so long. Joyner grew up in a segregated section of North Carolina and encountered many episodes of racism. “When I was in the second grade, my friends and I would watch the white kids get bussed to school,” said Joyner. “They would shout racial

“It all comes from God and the enthusiasm of the students who want to learn. It’s the needs that exist in lowincome and minority communities that make me continue educating.” IRVING JOYNER

slurs, throw rocks and bottles at us.” Racial injustice wasn’t enough to stop Joyner from continuing his education. Joyner’s mother couldn’t pay for college tuition; he was a skilled athlete, and knew basketball was his only way to college. “Basketball was my golden ticket to college,” he said. Joyner received an athletic scholarship to Long Island University in Brooklyn, and obtained his degree in business administration. During college, Joyner joined the United Church of Christ and was appointed commissioner for racial injustice, in which position he traveled through the South. While traveling, Joyner had the opportunity to work alongside Malcolm X. “It was exciting watching him speak to people,” said Joyner. “He helped me to get a philosophical and political perspective of what African Americans need to do to change the way society treat-

Law professor Iriving Joyner speaks with law school student Merium Malik after his lecture. KENICE MOBLEY/Echo Staff Photographer

ed us. He was inspirational.” Joyner continued his education at Rutgers University in New Jersey and received his Juris Doctorate degree in 1977. Still organizing events during the civil rights movement, watching the injustice African Americans were subjected to made Joyner want to become a lawyer. “I remember when my cousin was shot and killed by

the police while he was walking home from choir practice,” said Joyner. “Such injustice made me want to help confront the mistreatment of African Americans.” He became a civil rights lawyer, and was asked to teach a course at NCCU, where he taught students to argue cases in front of the court of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

From 1985 to 1994, Joyner was associate dean for the NCCU School of Law, where he focused on the business and academic perspectives of student affairs. Joyner is a legal adviser for the NAACP and a member of Lagrange Frank Alumni Association; he also hosts a radio program on WNCU every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. called “The Legal Eagle Review,” which focus-

es on law and interacts with local communities. In his busy life, Joyner realizes where he gets his strength and motivation. “It all comes from God and the enthusiasm of the students who want to learn,” said Joyner. It’s the needs that exist in low-income and minority communities that make me continue educating,” said Joyner.

MICHELE WARE ~ ENGLISH

Award-winning professor admits the difficulty of reaching success as an instructor BY SHELBIA BROWN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

ichele Ware stands before her English class and administers a quiz on the weekend’s reading assignment: “Angels and Insects” by A.S. Byatt. The class sighs, but Ware pushes on. In fact, she never fails to push her students to the limit in order for them to reach success. Self-motivation and the need to hold her own as an individual urged Ware to become the excellent instructor she is today. Over a span of more than 30 years, Ware has received a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, a doctorate degree, conducted research and written a number of literary essays. As the first person in her family to receive an undergraduate degree, Ware admits that at times the path was narrow. “It wasn’t always easy,” she said. Ware was born in Whittier, California, where her father served in the Navy as a missile systems engineer. After returning from World War II, her father attended California Polytechnic University while her mother studied to become a nurse. Ware recalls moving to various states. “We moved around about every two years when I was in grade school,” she said. Both Ware’s parents dropped out of college and put their educations aside to raise a family after Ware’s mother became pregnant. Ware and her twin brother would be the first of five children. When Ware was 12 years old, something happened that helped mold the rest of her life. While in the yard playing with a friend, Ware turned a back flip and landed the wrong way, breaking her back.

“I remember being frustrated. I’ve always been active,” said Ware. Though there was damage, she never needed operations or braces An eight-week bed rest allowed her much time to do something that she loved to do anyway — read. “Reading was an escape for me,” said Ware. As a young adult, Ware began to realize that her twin brother had a lot more freedom than she did “My parents never really pushed me to advance. It took me a long time to push myself,” said Ware. Ware eventually realized that she was going to have to motivate herself if she was going to be successful. Ware

“It wasn’t always easy. My parents never really pushed me to advance. It took me a long time to push myself.” MICHELE WARE

admitted that watching her parents freely support her brother, and not her, crippled her psychologically; it took her a longer time than average to graduate from college. She soon understood that if she wanted success, she was going to have to obtain it on her own, without her parents’ support. In 1985, Ware graduated from the University of New Orleans with a bachelor of

arts degree in English literature. “Once I figured out what I wanted to do, there was no stopping me,” said Ware. Upon graduating from New Orleans, Ware received her master’s and then her doctorate in English literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in graduate school between 1986 and 1994, Ware taught English literature and composition

Michele Ware lectures on English literature to her class. BRUCE JOHNSON/Echo Staff Photographer

courses. “Getting a doctorate degree is lots of work,” said Ware about the six-year process. Ware taught for the next four years as a visiting assistant professor at Wake Forest University, where she received the Reid-Doyle Prize in 1998 for excellence in teaching. In 1998, Ware taught the Workshop in Rhetoric at Duke University. “I’m always pushing students to do more than they think they can do,” said Ware. Ware came to N.C Central University in 1999, and became a tenured professor in 2006. She also received a teaching award

from NCCU. Of her awards, Ware admitted that the Students’ Undergraduate Teaching Award from UNC was her favorite award. “I liked that one most because the students chose that one,” said Ware. She admits that her teaching style is unique. Student interaction is a key element in Ware’s classes. “I like for students to disagree with me,” said Ware. “It lets me know that they are thinking.. Ware has published more than 12 essays, chapters and entries in well-known books and encyclopedias. A few of her works include “The Architecture of the Short Story: Edith Wharton’s Modernist Practice,” “‘An Identity Seemed to Leap Out Before Me’: Muriel Rukeyser’s The Traces of Thomas Hariot” and “Making Fun of the Critics: Edith Wharton’s Anticipation of the Postmodern.” Mass communications junior Candice Mitchell knows Ware for expecting a lot from her students. “She wouldn’t ask a lot if she did not think we could do it,” said Mitchell. “I respect her for her writing. She doesn’t just let you slack off; she raises the bar.” Mitchell feels that Ware has the ability to use her skills to better her students. “She believes in our writing abilities,” said Mitchell. Junior English Literature major Joslyn Bloomfield aspires to follow Ware’s footsteps. Upon graduating, she plans to advance into graduate studies and become a professor of English literature like Ware. “She expects you to work hard and do your best all the time with no excuses,” said Bloomfield about Ware. “She cares about her students, and she is a teacher that pushes you and makes you better at writing.”

Feature

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CUNNINGHAM ~ PSYCHOLOGY NCCU Alumnus shares enthusiasm and excitement with students

BY NATALIA N. PEARSONFARRER ECHO STAFF WRITER

odney Cunningham is proof that the environment you’re raised in doesn’t necessarily dictate the person you will later become. Growing up in Baltimore, one of the most violent big cities in America, was a challenge for Cunningham. Involvement in the church and the guidance of a mother and father who stressed education as the “vehicle of success” kept him from getting involved in the negative things some of his friends were doing. An associate professor in the psychology department at N.C. Central University with a Ph.D., published research, and several awards under his belt, Cunningham feels privileged to be in a position to affect the lives of young people and give back to the school and department that once trained him for his Master’s. Cunningham was recognized his very first year at NCCU with the 2006 College of Arts & Sciences Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award in psychology. “He brings enthusiasm, energy, and a fresh approach to teaching. His excitement is natural and quite genuine, and I think students resonate to that,” said Les Brunson, chair of the psychology department. In the classroom, Cunningham is described by students as being intellectual but cool. He takes the upper-level courses he teaches seriously, but makes the content interesting and relevant. “Dr. Cunningham is passionate about his work and eager for students to learn and know why they’re learning,” said LaShell Turnbull, a graduate student in

There’s never a dull moment in my office because students typically feel comfortable with me and see that I understand their culture – I can sit down with students and talk about Young Joc and their weekend. RODNEY CUNNINGHAM

Cunningham’s advanced statistics class. “He likes to play but when it’s time to work, he’s very professional and he’s always about ‘respecting the academic process.’” Cunningham is equally passionate about helping the black community. Working with low-income black youth in the Greater Baltimore Urban League earned Cunning- ham an award for community service in 2004. Through his research on enhancing cognitive abilities in African-American children, Cunningham has found that lowincome black children consistently learn at higher levels when certain cultural factors such as music and dance are incorporated into the learning environment. Low-income black students, and especially males, have historically been more at risk for low academic performance and 4th grade dropout. Cunningham said that at NCCU he hopes to see a society of black professionals that dedicate themselves to researching and addressing issues within the community. “There is a big time crisis,” he said. “We need to negotiate the crisis in family structure and issues with drugs and health disparities. I want students to be experts in making change.”

In Cunningham’s office, you’ll typically find a group of students talking about classes and their personal lives. Cunningham listens and laughs often, and won’t hesitate to “get on” his students when necessary. “There’s never a dull moment in my office because students typically feel comfortable with me and see that I understand their culture. I can sit down with students and talk about Young Joc and their weekend,” he said. “My office is open to any student that is trying to do something with their life.” Cunningham has been married seven years to LaSonja, who teaches middle school in Wake County. They have two young boys, Rodney Jr. and J.T. Cunningham said though he sometimes feels overworked with the activities he’s involved in, he perseveres on a difficult day by remembering where he comes from. “It helps me to keep going and see how blessed I am when I remember how many of my friends didn’t make it. Negotiating those committees is gravy compared to negotiating those streets of Baltimore,” he said. “To be successful in this world, your job has to be a labor of love, not a chore. I love being a professor. It doesn’t hurt any day to get up and go to work.”

Rodney Cunningham’s office is a gathering place for students SAVIN JOSEPH/Echo Staff Photographer

CLARK ~BIOLOGY

Dedication to students drives professor Clark to keep working BY

GEOFFREY COOPER ECHO STAFF WRITER

or the past 48 years, Dr. Vernon Clark has imparted much knowledge and has graced many N.C. Central University students with his warm presence. Biology junior Leigh Barnwell said, “He is a wonderful professor who takes time to get to know students on a personal level. He challenges his students to achieve at the highest level, which we appreciate at the end of each day.” Clark attributes his achievements to his humble beginnings. Clark’s parents instilled the value of hard work and commitment to family. Clark was the fourth child of nine children growing up in Tarboro, N.C. His father earned $25 a week as a custodian. “We all pitched in around the house with chores and made sure that we did well in school,” he said. Clark was valedictorian of his high school class. He received his B.S. in Biology from Shaw University in 1951, the first in his family to attend college. Clark enlisted in the U.S. Army, where his Army platoon was segregated. He recalled one Thanksgiving evening after a football game and formal

Vernon Clark is seen with a model of the human digestive system SAVIN JOSEPH/Echo Staff Photographer

But at this very moment, the preparation of our African-American students’ future is very delicate. It requires much attention, so they are able to become successful in life. VERNON CLARK

at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C. He was wrongfully arrested and jailed along with 21 of his fellow platoon mates after his friend sat next to a white woman on a city bus. “Here I am defending my country, and I’m being told I have to sit to the back of the bus,” said Clark. “They told us ‘all you niggers get off the bus and you white soldiers stay. We’re going to lock all you niggers up.’ “ Clark came to NCCU in the fall of 1958. That year, he received his M.S. in biology from NCCU. In 1968, he received his doctorate in cell physiology and biochemistry from UNC-Chapel Hill. “Folks can’t understand why I’ve been here for this long,” Clark said. “When some reach retirement they are gone and glad to go,” said Clark. “But at this very moment, the preparation of our African-American students’ future is very delicate. It requires much attention, so they are able to become successful in life. So when they reach that point of success, they can put themselves in a

position to help others, like I’m doing now.” Besides almost five decades of teaching, Clark brought to NCCU a chapter of Beta Kappa Chi, a scientific honor society for minority student scientists. In 1974, he organized the Pre-Professional Health Society on campus. This past Saturday at a society banquet in Durham, many health professionals paid homage to Clark’s continuing work in allied health sciences. Dr. James Ewell Graham, Jr., M.D., a retired gynecologic oncologist and 1970 NCCU graduate, was one of Clark’s pupils. In a speech at the banquet, he called Clark “the pinnacle of mentors,” and said, “he saw in me what I didn’t see in myself.” In honor of Clark’s impeccable legacy, the Dr. Vernon Clark Endowed Scholarship has been established. Graham and his wife Sadie D. Graham, M.P.H., were principal donors to the fund. Clark’s motto in inspiring his current and former students to achieve their goals is, “Science holds the golden key to the royal palace of knowledge.”

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HARPER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 he is so down to earth,” said mass communication freshman Roger Harris. “He tells us all the time that we can be anything that we choose to be.” “I consider him to be a role model because he’s real, and I can relate to him. He has taught me so much, and I will never forget him.” Business junior Antea Green likes the advice Harper gives her and says he’s “credible.” “In class, he tells us that when you open your mouth, you need to know what you are talking about. I like the fact that when he says something, he can back it up with real facts,” said Green. “Harper is an intelligent black man who loves to read, and that’s always good to see.” It has been said that if you want to truly understand someone, you have to know where they came from. History assistant professor Jim C. Harper II was born on January 7, 1967 in Mount Olive, the “Pickle Capital of the South.” He says his mother, orphaned at the age of three, and his father, a sharecropper, laid out the blueprint for his life. “My mother and father stressed the importance of hard work, education, common sense, integrity, dignity and the family unit,” said Harper. “Those things were extremely important to the both of them.” After graduating from Southern Wayne High School in 1985, Harper joined the U.S Marines Corps. “The Marines taught me the importance of disci-

pline, and I feel that discipline is something that every man should have,” said Harper. “The U.S. Marine Corps basically enhanced the principles that my father raised me with.” “My parents taught me everything that I needed to know in order to become a real man, but the Marines just took it a step further.” After four years in the

“Years from now, I want my students to remember me as a person who believed in them when they did not believe in themselves.” JIM HARPER

Marines, Harper came to NCCU and earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in history. “My professors were tough on me, but I appreciate them for that because they prepared me for the Ph.D. program at Howard,” Harper said. “I learned so much from them.” In 2004, while already teaching at NCCU, he received his Ph.D. in African history from Howard University. Harper said receiving his doctorate was a moment he will never forget. Harper decided to teach at NCCU because of the influence of his NCCU professors. “I had a lot of great professors who I looked up to when I was an undergraduate at NCCU — Dr. Freddie

Harper shares a laugh with his students, while keeping them informed about their history. KAI CHRISTOPHER/Echo Staff Photographer

Parker, Dr. Sylvia Jacobs, Dr. Lydia Lindsey, Dr. Percy Murray and Dr. J. Ranaldo Lawson. “They saw things in me that I did not see in myself at the time. They really believed in me, and I will always respect them for that.” Harper’s book, “WesternEducated Elites in Kenya, 1900-1963: The African American Factor,” was published just one year after he got his doctorate from Howard.

Harper traveled to Kenya where he received counsel from various Kenyan scholars. With their help, he was able to explore the history of American-educated Kenyan elites and their involvement in the nationalist movement. He also studied the similarities between Kenyans and AfricanAmericans in their fight for equality and independence. In addition to teaching, Harper is adviser to the C.A. Jones History Club, the NCCU Think Tank, and

NCCU’s chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., a fraternity that he joined in 1996. “I am a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,” said Harper. “The organization helped me broaden my service and my connection to my community.” Harper said he would like to see more active participation among NCCU students. “I wish that the students were more involved on campus. They need to take part

in more activities,” he said. “I wish they would join more organizations. It teaches you character, leadership, and responsibility.” “Years from now, I want my students to remember me as a person who believed in them when they did not believe in themselves,” he said. “I want to be the person who showed them through my hard work, determination and critical reading and writing skills that all things are possible.”

CHICQUOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “If you don’t treat [students] with respect not much will happen ... I see them as individuals. I challenge them and they respect me for that.” ISABEL CHICQUOR

office to make arrangements for an upcoming studyabroad trip for her students. Since her arrival at NCCU’s Department of Art in 1977, Chicquor has spent endless hours molding a ceramics program unique among HBCUs. In addition to teaching ceramics and various other studio classes, Chicquor also coordinates the art major curriculum at NCCU. However, it is not the endless hours of teaching and coordinating an art program that make her one of our best teachers; it is the feedback she receives from her student mentees. “She’s a mom away from moms,” said Carla AaronLopez, a NCCU alumna and a graduate student at the Savannah College of Art and Design. “She makes you feel you can do better … bringing out the best quality.” According to AaronLopez, it was Chicquor who encouraged her to get into photography. “She knew I had the aesthetic for it but not the technical knowledge,” said Aaron-Lopez. Chicquor wants to make sure that all her students appreciate the value of art. This includes hands-oninteraction with the world outside the art classroom. Since 1997, she has taken students on many field trips, including visits to New York City museums and African-

Chiquor demonstrates the effects of a special glaze used for ceramics DANA WOMACK/Echo Staff Photographer

American-owned ad agencies. In 2001, she took a student group to Cuba to study the African roots of Cuban culture; this summer she will accompany a group of NCCU students to the Dominican Republic to study the arts in the African diaspora. Chicquor believes trips into the city and elsewhere are critical because they expose students to new things. “It makes them better individuals their eyes light

up when they see the work they are studying,” she said after coming back from a NYC with students recently. Chicquor, who grew up in the New York City borough of the Bronx and was exposed to art at a young age and earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in ceramics design from SUNY College of Ceramics at Alfred University. When she arrived at NCCU, the ceramics program was non-existent.

“I built it from the ground up with a few things,” Chicquor said. By 1980, the administration was pleased with her work and wanted to bring the art department to a professional level. They granted financial support for supplies, including a glaze kiln for pottery. According to Aaron Daye, a NCCU 2005 alum, he credits Chicquor for his art skills. “She has helped me bring out the best of my ability,”

Daye said. Daye, a photographer for The Gainesville Sun in Florida, recalls Chicquor critiquing his work when he first started in photography. Chicquor’s philosopy is to allow each of her students to be a real person. “If you don’t treat them with respect not much will happen,” she said. When she first came to NCCU she was nervous to speak in-front of a group of students.

Not because her students are black and she’s white; it made it a little tougher but according to Chicquor, that didn’t last long. “I see them as individuals; I challenge them and they respect me for that.” After teaching at NCCU for 28 years, Chicquor will retire in August. She will continue work on several projects including photography. An interest she developed when teaching.

Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

Thanks for the memories, CIAA A LAST LOOK AT A MOST MEMORABLE SEASON BY SHATOYA CANTRELL

“NCCU has won more conference championships in school history. We have had more national exposure and we market our University and our athletes as a whole.”

ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

Since 1980, Eagles athletic teams have contributed their time, hard work and dedication to excel in sports and make NCCU a household name in the Durham community. “NCCU has won more conference championships in school history,” said Sports Information Director Kyle Serba. “We have had more national exposure and we market our University and our athletes as a whole,” Serba said. With five teams winning CIAA championships and more than 480 student-athletes receiving All-CIAA honors, the CIAA conference was just the beginning, with much more success to come in the MEAC conference. The Eagles football team won its second consecutive CIAA championship this year, beating the Elizabeth City State University Vikings in the O’Kelley-Riddick Stadium. The Eagles recorded their first perfect season record of 11 wins and zero losses during the regular season to advance to the number one spot in the Division II Southeast Region and a firstround bye to face the Delta State University Statesmen in the second round. On December 21, 2006, the Eagles were declared the 2006 Sheridan Broadcasting Network Black College Football National Champions for the first time in school history. NCCU had 12 student-athletes selected to the First and Second All-CIAA football teams. One student-athlete, Stadford Brown, was chosen as the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. The Lady Eagles volleyball team captured their third CIAA championship at Fayetteville State University on November 4, 2006 to

KYLE SERBA SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR

advance to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament to compete against top-seeded Lock Haven University Eagles. Upon sweeping the CIAA regular season with a perfect record of 21-0, the Lady Eagles also won two regular season tournaments. They placed first in the Hampton University Labor Day Tournament and the Winston Salem State University Tournament and were the only Division IICIAA competitors in both. Five members of the team recieved All-CIAA Honors. Shari Matthews was the only Lady Eagle to be selected to the CIAA All-Tournament team. NCCU’s women’s bowling team finished the regular season with a record of 22 wins, 26 losses, and three ties. The Lady Eagles finished sixth in the CIAA tournament. The Lady Eagles cross country team won its second CIAA championship to advance to the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament in Wingate. The Lady Eagles made history by being the first HBCU team to advance to the national championship by winning the Division II Southeast Regional Championship on November 4, 2006. Six cross country runners won All-Conference honors after capturing their second conference championship. The men’s cross country team placed fourth in the CIAA tournament and gave All-CIAA honors to sophomore Gerald Jones and junior Robert Curington.

NCCU’s men’s basketball team ended its regular season with eight wins and 12 losses in the conference after falling to the Virginia Union University Panthers in CIAA tournament in the Bobcats Arena in Charlotte on March 1. The Eagles maintained their longest winning streak of the season after defeating Bowie State University on February 15 at the McClendon-McDougald Gymnasium. The Lady Eagles captured their first CIAA championship since 1984. They ended the regular season with 17 wins and only three losses in the CIAA, placing in the top seed for the CIAA tournament and capturing the Regular Season Western Division Championship. After being beaten by the Lady Bulldogs of BSU, the Lady Eagles carried on a 19game winning streak, not losing until their final game in the Division II Regional Semifinals against Georgia College and State University. Three Lady Eagles were selected to the All-CIAA women’s basketball team and head coach Joli Robinson received CIAA Coach of the Year. Four members also received All-Tournament honors while Cassie King was crowned the Most Valuable Player. NCCU’s women’s indoor track and field team finished second in the CIAA championship this season. The Lady Eagles earned two event conference crowns

and eight All-CIAA honors. The men also finished second in the CIAA tournament, trailing the Falcons of St. Augustine’s College with 85 points. The men captured three event conference titles and 13 All-CIAA honors. With all of the accomplishments and recognitions made by student-athletes and their coaches in the CIAA, it’s only a matter of time before the NCCU Eagles dominate the Division IMEAC conference.

Lady Eagles volleyball and basketball teams making history at NCCU. ECHO

FILE PHOTOS

NCCU spring teams battle for the crown BY ERICKA HOLT ECHO STAFF WRITER

The spring baseball and softball championships wrap up this weekend in Petersburg, Va. N.C. Central University’s teams finished their regular seasons with the CIAA title. The Lady Eagle’s softball team completed its first undefeated conference regular season in school history (20-0). Three Lady Eagles earned First Team AllCIAA pitcher Stacy Greene, catcher Francheska Pittman and third baseman Sophia Blue. Michelle Ishida, DeSanbra Franklin and Kristin Schooler were placed on the CIAA AllRookie Team.

Freshman outfielder Oliver Jenkins swings for a home run.

Greene leads the CIAA in batters struck out (107). Blue is currently leading the CIAA in batting average (.531), hits (69), runs scored (65), triples (14), and total bases (121). The Lady Eagles will be battling to capture their second consecutive CIAA championship. The Eagles baseball team started off shaky, losing seven of its first nine games. Midway through the season the Eagles went on an eight game-winning streak. NCCU finished on top of the CIAA by claiming the regular season title. Seth O’Brien, Robert Landis, Alex Weathersby, and Oliver Jenkins all earned First Team CIAA honors. Justin Goodson, Oliver

Jenkins, Tim McAlister, Alex Weathersby, and Kurt Wilson were placed on the All-Rookie Team. The Eagles currently lead the nation in stolen bases with 4.58 a game. The team will take action in the CIAA tournaments this weekend at Virginia State University. The NCCU women’s and men’s track and field teams also will travel to Petersburg to compete in the CIAA tournament on April 20-21 in hopes of capturing the conference title. Sophomore transfer Andres Perez hopes to lead the men’s tennis team to win their second overall CIAA title, while the Lady Eagles tennis team hopes to win its first CIAA conference championship on April 18-21.

ECHO FILE PHOTO

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Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

Athletic trainer charges to West coast Student athletic trainer gets the internship of a lifetime BY ALIECE MCNAIR ECHO STAFF WRITER

Rising senior Daniel Bellamy has taken his skills to the pros. BRYSON POPE/Staff Photographer

One N.C. Central University student will be on the West coast this summer – working with the San Diego Chargers. Daniel Bellamy, a rising athletic training senior, is one of eight who will be interning with the California NFL team until fall 2007. “They invited me to stay the entire season, but they know that I have to come back for the fall semester,” Bellamy said.

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The Orange Water And Sewer Authority (OWASA), a progressive, public, non-profit agency providing retail water and wastewater services to the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks a highly responsible Engineering Intern to get involved in OWASA’s effort to computerize paper drawings of completed water and sewer construction projects. An intern’s assistance is needed to scan and index drawings to create a digital archive. Responsibilities Include: Organizing and labeling paper record drawings Scanning paper documents using large-format scanner to create tiff images Entering drawing information into database Maintenance of scanner and plotter Qualifications Include: Undergraduate or graduate student working in related field such as engineering technology, planning, geography are preferred but not required.

The internship comes with a scholarship for the 2007-2008 academic year. According to Sean Thomas, director of NCCU’s athletic training program, the University boasts the only accredited program at an HBCU in the nation. Bellamy is the only student in the program who has a national internship. “I know I’m going to be helping the athletic trainers identify triages, and helping them rehab, going to practices, and sort of supervising practices,” Bellamy said. He said he’s glad he’s at

NCCU “because [his] instructors are genuinely investing in [his] future.” He said working alongside Thomas with the University’s football team last semester taught him important things. But that experience was not enough to ensure Bellamy’s survival in a world of professional athletes; now he won’t go unprepared. “I was in the training room [at NCCU] trying to fine-tune my skill, practicing different taping jobs,” Bellamy said.

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Bellamy didn’t seek the internship – he said the San Diego Chargers called the University. “I think that he was the one person that was ready for that step,” Thomas said. “Working with him daily, I knew that he had what it takes working at that level.” Bellamy plans to apply to medical school for family practice and ultimately wants to be a team physician. “NFL experience is invaluable. Hopefully it will look good when I’m trying to get into medical school,” he said.

Drop by room 348 in the FarrisonNewton Communications Building. Ask for the editor-in-chief, the sports editor or the adviser.

Campus Echo

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Opinions

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

IVER SITY

Rony says au revoir a NCCU t seems to be a tradition every year when the last issue of the Campus Echo goes off to press; this page is filled with final remarks from the editor-in-chief and senior staffers. I've been told that today is my turn. Many have asked me to give them personal shoutouts. If I did, we Rony Camille would be here until God knows when. It didn't seem that long ago when my family dropped me off after an 11-hour drive from Nashua, New Hampshire Yes, let the record show that I have Haitian and French-Canadian roots, but I hail from New Hampshire and NOT any other "northern" state. As I write this piece, I cannot believe that in

just a few hours, my stint as a college reporter will come to an end. Let's see ...12 issues a year, multiply that by four, add nine for special issues — 57 issues is a lot of Campus Echos! I've been here through every single one of them. The good days in some of our enterprising projects, the bad days when the nation’s eyes were watching our campus, to when we lost one of our own. I have this feeling that there will be still much to be done when Wednesday comes. But people come and go. I came here. I stayed; I almost left when things got rough for me. But I stayed. Now that the storm is coming to an end, it’s time for me to go. I have faith that the next generation of Echo staffers will accomplish much much more. We work hard to cover all aspects of the campus from an unbiased point of view. Some folks respect us for it;some do not.

We cannot please everyone since that’s not in our job description. We report the facts and strive to make sure that both sides of the story are heard. That’s how we get better. The Campus Echo is a great institution that has trained many of our best people in the media business. Putting the Campus Echo together is a process — it doesn’t just begin with production on Tuesday nights. It’s a process that I’ve sacrificed socially and sometimes academically for. I do it because I aspire to be a great story teller and to be the best in my field. When people said it couldn’t be done, I only worked harder. And had it not been for the drive of Dr. Bruce J. dePyssler, the support of the Department of English and Mass Communications and members of the N.C. Central U community, who knows where your Campus Echo would be

today? It is my sincere hope that with the upcoming leadership changes at NCCU, that the community will allow the Campus Echo to conduct business as learning journalists. I never understood how student journalists can be expected to cover the hard issues out in the African-American community as professionals, when they are not given the full opportunity to get enough experience on campus. Outgoing Chancellor James H. Ammons told me about the importance of student media at HBCUs in his Q&A last week . In the past four years since I’ve been at NCCU, his office has never failed to return our phone calls. Even after a story ran, and he didn’t get a chance to comment, we would still get a comment from The Office of the Chancellor on a story. I hope in the future this will be the case for the entire University. This institution has

taught me a lot as a person, and I’m thankful I was given the opportunity to come here. Because honestly, there was almost a point where I didn’t know if I was going to go to college. I realize how lucky I am to be here — it’s a big deal. Not too many black men can say that they’ve received their degree. Plus, as a the first member from my family’s current generation to go to college after my parents immigrated from Haiti nearly 25 years ago, that’s a big deal. It’s been fun. As a child, I dreamed of covering a presidential election for a college paper and being involved with the networks — Now that I’ve done that, it’s time to go and reach for higher goals. Mesi Anpil [thanks a lot] to all of those who believed in and helped me along the way — You know who you are. Adieu & E-Funk!

drawing by Rashaun Rucker

Question: What is your response to the Virgina Tech Shooting? “I wish people could have taken bigger steps to keep the situation from being so critical. It was a tragic loss.” — Travis Bullock

Peace from the Queen “During your matriculation at NCCU…” This is one phrase that will travel with me throughout life, because that’s all I heard when I set foot on these sloping hills and verdant greens. My parents told me before I got here “Make the most of college, because it’s going to be the best time of your life.” I didn’t believe I could stuff a lifetime of fun into four short years. I didn’t believe I could meet the most diverse, Ebony intellectual and goalMcQueen oriented people. But guess what eagles? I am living proof that this is possible. Coming here as a city girl, who knew I would grow to love not only this state, but most importantly this university. When I say I love NCCU, I truly mean it. I love the growth I have seen this uni-

versity undergo over these past four years. I love the diverse students who put forth the initiative to set examples for the next generation. I love the dedicated faculty that work continuously to ensure we leave here with the highest level of education. But most importantly, I love being an eagle. I wouldn’t trade my wings for anything in the world. The NCCU experience is one that I could not have obtained at any other institution. While it may seem like the construction is moving slow, everything else around us is rapidly growing. As our university is growing, we as students are growing right along with it. Only you can make “your matriculation” here at NCCU worthwhile. Try new things, meet new people and for God’s sake, dare to be different. Going to college is time for you to figure out who you really are. During MY matriculation here at NCCU, I have surrounded myself with the most pos-

N ORTH C AROLINA C ENTRAL U NIVERSITY

Campus Echo “It’s your newspaper” Rony Camille - Editor-in-Chief A & E Editor Sports Editor Opinions Editor Online Editor Assistant Online Editor Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Staff Photographer Chief Copy Editor Copy Editor Production/Design Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Cartoonist Cartoonist

Joanna Hernandez Larisha Stone Kai Christopher Tiffany Kelly Erica Horne Mitchell Webson Bryson Pope Dana Womack Greg Wilson Lakela Atkinson Janera Fedrick Geoffrey Cooper Aliece McNair Ebony McQueen Shelbia Brown Ericka Holt Shatoya Cantrell Desmond Webb Quentin Gardner Natalia Pearson-Farrer Kristiana Bennett Brooke Sellars Switzon Wigfall David Morris

Faculty Adviser - Dr. Bruce dePyssler Alumni Advisers - Sasha Vann, Carla Aaron-Lopez Mike Williams, Sheena Johnson & Carolyn McGill

Letters & Editorials The Echo welcomes letters and editorials. Letters to the editor should be less than 350 words. Editorials should be about 575 words. Include contact information. The Echo reserves the right to edit contributions for clarity, vulgarity, typos and miscellaneous grammatical gaffs. Opinions published in the Echo do not necessarily reflect those of the Echo editorial staff. E-mail: CampusEcho@nccu.edu Web address: www.campusecho.com Phone: 919 530 7116 Fax: 919 530 7991 Spring 2007 Publication dates: 1/17, 1/31, 2/14, 3/7, 4/4, 4/18 © NCCU Campus Echo/All rights reserved The Denita Monique Smith Newsroom Room 348, Farrison-Newton Communications Bldg. NCCU, Durham, NC 27707

Campus Echo Online campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com

itive people I’ve ever met, and they have been an important asset in my transition from a college student to an adult. To my Lovely’s, “you’re just too good be true,” and they’re still not ready! To my DH’s, “I love you I do!” To Rony Camille, thank you for being my support system and motivation. To the Campus Echo “Write on”. To the ladies of 100 Black Women, continue to serve your community. To the TriState club, “It aint where you’re at, it’s where you’re FROM.” To AJ Donaldson, you’re the ear that’s always open and the mouth that’s never closed. To my chicas Erica, Tati, Ericka and Juju, stay focused and don’t let anyone deter you from your dreams. To my amazing roommates Stakesha and Jamie, thanks for always being there for me; I love you both so much. And last but not least, to my Eagle family, make the most of your college experience, so you too can tell someone about “YOUR matriculation at NCCU.” Peace out cub scouts!

“I was shocked because at 7:15, there was a shooting and they let the campus life continue? It makes me think, what are our prevention measures? ” —Mitchelle Carmon “It was a tragic moment—makes you wonder how safe our campus is. It’s so open. It kind of puts a little fear in your heart.” — Tremain Holloway

Opinions

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007

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Teach the children I will teach in a summer program this summer that recently had its first orientation. I met some good kids who listened to rap music, watched movies with stupid punch lines and had crushes on each other. We divided Kai the chilChristopher dren into homerooms that created their own name and theme song. My kids decided they would be the eagles, and that their song was Jim Jones’ “Ballin.” Not one of my favorites, but this is their group. After the orientation, the parents of one student

approached me to discuss a few concerns that they had with me. Of all the sugar-coated advice they graciously bestowed upon me, the largest concern for me was their opinion of the rap music their son was singing. Her son was singing a song she had never heard before. Her concern was understandable, but as parents we cannot allow ourselves to be disconnected from the society we are raising our children to engage in. We do not have to be a part of hip-hop, but we must understand it, to be able to translate our sentiments and wisdom to our children. Our concern should be preparing our children for society. We have a surplus of parents who feel they are parenting and are not. If you have only prepared your child to live in

the society you wish for, and not the society we live in, in reality, you have not completely done your job. And preparing your child from the crap in the media is not only the degrading songs and their music videos. It is also teaching your child how to discern the news, so that they understand even though every black person they see is a criminal that is not a representation of black people. Teach your kids about all the devices in the media, that they may have a discerning eye. And you will not be afraid of the world you are sending them into, for you know they will be equipped with the life skills you taught them. Then instill in them the confidence to stand up for what they believe is right, so that they will stand in the midst of their peers and be a lighthouse.

That’s it for AJ Did they listen to my message? Who understood my battles? Was I just another echo of leadership? Did students really respect me? Did I do enough to change someone’s life for the good? These are thequestions haunt A AJ J

Donaldson

Donaldson. People have no idea where I come from. To many I am just the strange guy who wears a hat with bow ties. However, I am a man who remembers where he came from. Thus I have expressed myself through my sacrifices for you, the students. The question is whether you as individuals have developed consciences of your own. We students are not sensitive enough to the atrocities of the world. We claim to be a part of “the struggle” but we dismiss others’ hardships with passivity and nonchalance. As I look back on my undergraduate experiences, I am humbled by

those like minds who stood next to me in the trenches. However, I often think about those souls who have not progressed since I came here 4 years ago. So many people talk and don’t do. They ridicule but don’t react, they destroy but don’t build. I wonder if students realize that the world is passing them by. Do we care that the charges were dropped for Duke lacrosse case and that the Attorney General basically stated that the woman imagined it all, or that a redneck named Imus depicted black women as “nappy-headed hos?” Do we care that more than 30 people were killed at Virginia Tech? When will you ask yourself, am I doing enough? Stop standing still, stop laughing at foolishness, understand why life is not a joke. Yesterday in the Union, I overheard a group of guys arguing about whose cities had the most deaths last year. They boasted that the Virginia Tech massacre did not compare to the deaths in their hometowns. How can you wallow in your own problems so much that you neglect the issues of others? We glorify gangsters more than we do graduates. Who cares how many girls you slept with or how many guys tried to talk to you?

Education is critical to the development of your conscience. And when you have a conscience, you become more sensitive. And once you become sensitive, you will not tolerate ignorance. Things you once thought were important no longer matter, and issues you thought were insignificant become your greatest fight. You will demand social outrage within the student community. The calamities of the world are too numerous for us not to be equipped with weapons of wisdom and passion. Blacks are already at a disadvantage. I encourage all students to put aside pettiness and get angry. People wonder why I am the way I am. Why do I blend with Western society’s image of success by wearing suits and engaging in politics? Because I am focused. I chose to join the system and change it, rather than sit on the outside and complain. Those who know the truth don’t care and those who care don’t know the truth. Remember students, no one will care about how popular you were. Five years from now, they will only benefit from your works. Start working. This is not a farewell piece, because you have not seen the last of me. Stay tuned. The force is with you. That’s it.

Death to all rapists On March 13, 2006, some forty affluent white men solicited the presence of two black women on (former) plantation property for the explicit purposes of racially denigrating, disrespecting, and Solomon exploitBurnette ing them. “Tell your Granddaddy thanks for making my cotton shirt,” they were reported to have said. The women were, according to all accounts, called “nigger” and told to penetrate themselves with broomsticks (see Abner Louima). One of these women said that she was raped by three of these inebriated white men. People in power and those without disbelieved her.

This is sickening. I am not surprised at the outcome of the case. As a son of Africa, I know that American law is not worth the paper it is written upon. We all saw L.A. Gestapo beat Rodney King only to be acquitted. We were dismayed when the assassins of Amadou Diallo, who laced his area with a forty-one shot spectrum, were also acquitted. These injustices reflect the current disequilibrium in the American justice system. We black people (while we may be able to bribe judges like white people) cannot expect justice from the American legal system, period. Why are black people so apt to view this situation through a legal system created to perpetuate our repression? The ‘facts’ of the case should not matter to us because even if we are unsure of sexual assault, these supremacists have admitted to sexually,

racially and politically denigrating these women. Strippers or not, this must be addressed. History has shown us that the (in)justice system cannot and will not address these issues because it is built upon them. So upon whose shoulders should the responsibility of retributive correction fall? White people still murder us with impunity. White people still beat us with impunity. White people still rape us and get away with it. The only deterrent to these legally, socially and economically validated supremacist actions is our fear of physical retribution. Black men, stand up. Black women, stand up. Black children, stand up. We have been at war here with these same white people for 500 years. The time to fight, whether intellectually, artistically or physically, has always been now.

Letters Reaction on N-Word Dear Editor: I was dismayed by two articles in the Campus Echo dated April 4. One article was about Dr. Nowell’s use of “the nword” in a class. The closest description of what he actually did was the statement that he used the word. How he used it was left vague. It is possible that he simply referred to that word in a class, characterized a group of people with it, or called a student that word— the way it was used makes an enormous difference in the facts of the case. The rest of the article was a discussion about the merits of what was done. For me, the article suggested a campus-wide controversy about what he did, and tarnished his reputation. The other article was a sympathetic piece about an apparent injustice done to a student (under “Physics research denied”). Properly evaluating how the student was treated requires a knowledge about research methods and professional standards, a knowledge that the reporter does not demonstrate. If faculty members’ reputations are to be left in the hands of student reporters, I hope that adequate oversight is provided to make sure that the handling of the facts is complete and responsible.

dreaming, only to be taken by surprise. A student may be falling asleep, only to be incidentally hailed by the word. Or a student may simply misunderstand the professor’s intention. Thus, contextual cues are insufficient for making the word’s usage acceptable. As for the usage of the “n word” by hip-hop artists or other African Americans outside of the University, it is an issue that should be decided by the AfricanAmerican community itself. Currently, the AfricanAmerican community appears poised to purge such words from the popular lexicon, while others argue for the “n-word’s” reappropriation and reuse for other ends. Regardless of how this conversation goes, there is a difference between a nonblack’s usage and an African American’s usage of the term. That difference has been historically inscribed. Don Imus’s alibi for his recent use of racist epithets — that rappers use them too — is utterly invalid.

Larry Nessly Assistant Professor NCCU Dept of English & Mass Communication

Michael D. Rectenwald, Ph.D., Assistant Professor NCCU Dept of Enslish & Mass Communication

Dear Campus Echo, I read with dismay the Echo article about a Mass Communication professor’s use of the ”n word” in a class on media and ethics. In light of this problem case, I believe that the larger issue needs to be addressed directly by the NCCU faculty and the University at large. To let it go without comment is to abdicate a stance. The University should adopt a policy on this issue. If whole US towns have made the “n-word” forbidden, then surely NCCU can and should. We need to begin to draft a policy statement. I believe the policy should hold that there is no legitimate occasion for use of the “n word,” especially by a faculty member. The word should never be used, but the usage of the word when not quoting a text, is the most egregious kind of usage. I believe that when encountering the word in a text, it should be replaced with “the ‘n’ word,” or just skipped. Every usage, especially by a “non-black” faculty member, has the potential for reinscribing the word’s extremely powerful, historically pejorative meaning. Words have power. One cannot excuse the usage on the basis of contex, because as any English or Mass Communications professor should know, students do not always understand the context. A student may be day-

Duke Lacrosse Reaction To members of the NCCU community, Recently all charges against the three members of the Duke lacrosse team originally accused of rape and kidnapping, among other offenses, were dropped. I must first say that I am thankful my classmates have been effectively exonerated of those accusations that have for so long besieged national headlines, victimized those accused individuals and their families, and disrupted the lives of Duke students, NCCU students and Durham residents. It is now imperative that all members of the Duke, NCCU and Durham communities utilize this moment as an opportunity to reflect upon the lessons of this long ordeal, and to continue to engage with one another in an open and respectful manner—free of condemnation or retaliation. At this point, it seems especially necessary to assure the Durham and NCCU communities that the Duke student body’s community engagement efforts will continue far into the future, even as the lacrosse incident gradually fades from the public purview. The uproar and ensuing conversations and reflections initiated by the accusations of rape against members of the Duke Men’s Lacrosse team made apparent to many members of the Duke student body—indeed,

to the entire nation—the relative absence of genuine engagement between the Duke undergraduate community and many of Durham’s other residents. It seems to me that both the Duke administration and the student body have, in the past, focused too large a portion of their community outreach efforts in service and philanthropic endeavors. Too little effort—especially student-initiated effort—had been exerted in facilitating the type of interactions between students and community members that might lead to diverse learning opportunities and, ideally, relationships built upon respect. Lacking opportunities for engagement, thus, truly useful references, many Durham residents—including NCCU students and Duke students—have relied upon rumors and caricatures to draw conclusions of one another. In too many instances, these conclusions created a general discomfort and aversion between the two groups. Therefore, in the wake of the lacrosse incident, it was evident and remains so today, that students from both campuses must initiate and actively participate in engagements with various facets of the Durham community and one another. Additionally, it was evident that members of the student body must maintain a direct dialogue with the Durham community, especially in discussions of acceptable student behavior. Accordingly, in the past year, many efforts have been made by certain Duke administrators and student leaders to facilitate this engagement. NCCU students and administrators,particularly Chancellor Ammons, Kent Williams, Tomasi Larry and Mukhtar Raqib, have been genuinely committed and integral to this partnership. This united effort has manifested itself in meaningful events and fruitful friendships. The Duke student body remains committed to this partnership and its valuable manifestations. Community engagement is as important today as it was yesterday, last week or last month—the dismissal of charges and statement of innocence involved in the Duke lacrosse case have no affect on the importance or value of community engagement. Today, the Duke student government remains committed to aggressively and enthusiastically facilitating engagements between Duke and NCCU students and Durham residents. After all, only together can we continue to grow as a community. Thank you for your time. Daniel Bowes Duke-Durham Community Liaison