April 13, 2011 by N.C. Central University Campus Echo

APRIL 13, 2011

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VOLUME 102, ISSUE 11

Special Section

A&E

Sports

Students share their personal stories in our annual special “In the First Person”

Our very own Dr. Carl’s photography is on display at Carrboro Town Hall

Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier 64 years ago. But where are the black college baseball players today?

In the fold

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Campus Echo

Anti-n nuke movement powers up

INSIDE PHOTO FEATURE l SHAKIN’ THE MESS OUTTA MISERY

BY JULIE WERNAU CHICAGO TRIBUNE(MCT)

CHICAGO — When the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan was knocked out with one mighty wave, the all-but-forgotten anti-nuke movement suddenly powered up in the U.S. Paul Gunter, director at Maryland-based Beyond Nuclear, barely found time to sleep. Web traffic spiked, and Gunter's mailing list exploded with new members. David Kraft, who for 30 years has quietly operated a Chicago-based nonprofit committed to ending nuclear power, scored his organization's first face-toface meeting with the governor of Illinois. The state boasts the largest number of nuclear plants in the country. And in Pennsylvania, Eric Epstein, chairman of Three Mile Island Alert, was deluged with media requests. He trekked to the infamous

Ashley Chestang playing “Daughter” asks Big Momma “Corrine,” played by Tempest Farrar, for information about her mother in “Shakin’ the Mess outta Misery.” The play, directed by Johnny Alston, theatre department chair, just finished campus run.

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CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer

Where’re the boys?

Campus gender imbalance reshapes the dating game

Mangum’s mess NCCU alumna may be charged with murder

BY CHRIS HESS ECHO STAFF REPORTER

A photo taken during a social psychology class shows a typical male-ffemale ratio at NCCU: Six women, three men. NEKA JONES/Echo staff photographer

BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Looking around the N.C. Central University you sometimes might think you’re at a women’s college.

For every male student at NCCU there’s about two female students. And the gender imbalance is not just here on the verdant green. It’s a national phenomenon. According to the

U.S. Department of Education, by 2015 the average college graduating class will be 60 percent female. Gender ratios are not as

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Can’t live without it Successful advising critical to student success

BY CHAVON FRANKLIN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Ask just about any N.C. Central University student about their advising experiences and you’re likely to get an earful. According to some students the problem is especially bad at the depart-

ment level. Students say some department advisers are hard to contact, others don’t seem qualified or know program requirements sufficiently. “Getting in touch with advisers can be difficult and frustrating,” said James Ford, sociology and

psychology senior. Ford said it took him weeks to contact his adviser, who then only gave him an alternate PIN number without an advising session. There are also problems brought on by stu-

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“It’s Crystal Mangum … THE CRYSTAL MANGUM,” said the nephew of Reginald Daye in 911 call in the early hours of April 3. Reginald Daye, 46, the victim of the stabbing that N.C. Central University alumna Crystal Mangum is charged with, died yesterday at Duke University Hospital. According to Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez Sr., Mangum will “more than likely” be charged with murder. Mangum, widely known as the woman who made false accusations of rape against members of the Duke lacrosse team, was initially charged with assault with a

Crystal Mangum deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury. Mangum, who graduated from NCCU in 2008 with a degree in police psychology, has been in the spotlight since the Duke Lacrosse Scandal garnered national attention. Mangum’s troubles in Durham began on the night

of March 16, 2006, when she was hired as an exotic dancer for a party organized by members of the Duke lacrosse team near Duke University’s West Campus. What ensued in the coming days and weeks gripped the entire city, both Duke and NCCU’s campuses, and the nation. Three lacrosse players, Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and David Evans, were soon charged with rape. The case and subsequent investigation became a symbol of racial and socioeconomic division within Durham. Wealthy and privileged white Duke students accused of raping a lower income

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Where da weed at? BY SHANEKA WHITE ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Modeling, sports, Marching Sound Machine, Greek organizations, academic clubs — just some of the wholesome extracurricular activities available to students. But there’s one extracurricular activity some student enjoy, one that’s illegal and not so wholesome — smoking marijuana. Some students say the “high” helps them focus more in the class and makes class work clear. “I have had a class once where half of the class was high and I thought I was going to catch a contact,” said Brett

Chambers, an instructor in the department of English and mass communications. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s website marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. Marijuana is a dry, shredded green and brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves derived from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. In 2009, over 20 percent of college students reported that they

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STEVEN BROWN/Echo infographic artist

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

IVERSITY

Thinking CAAP

ADVISING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Students grapple with new proficiency test. BY CANDICE REED ECHO STAFF REPORTER

It’s a test designed to tell a University whether or not it’s succeeding in its mission to teach students the basic of reading, critical thinking, writing, math, and science. Introduced to N.C. Central University last year, and is now required of all sophomores. It cost $13,000 for 1,000 tests, $13 per test. The CAAP test, which stands for Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency is a standardized test given to the students by their colleges and universities to evaluate the quality of the job the school itself is doing. It is designed by ACT, the same company that designs the high school ACT test. The results of the CAAP test help universities evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of how well they educate and prepare the students. Three CAAP tests were given during March and April. To date, about 900 sophomores have taken the test, which is divided into five 50 minute sections . There’s only one catch: There are no repercussions

to students for performing poorly and as a consequence, quite a few students report that they didn’t take the standardized test as seriously as they should have. Many students reported that they didn’t review the lengthy study guide. “A lot of people just bubbled in answers because they didn’t feel like taking it,” said YahRock Bates, sports management sophomore. According to nursing sophomore Keyera Griffin, who said she did take the test seriously, a lot of students didn’t. She said students were distracting other students and that made it harder for other students to focus and take the test seriously. “I felt like it was pointless,” said Griffin. Some students said the testing situation was unorganized, saying that students were turned away because there weren’t enough seats

or test booklets, and that the test started 30 minutes late. Other students complained that the test was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., and they couldn’t eat breakfast at Pearson Cafeteria because it opens at that time. According to Bernice Johnson, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Advising, students who fail to take the CAAP will not be allowed to transition out of University College. Johnson said that students can expect to receive their test scores within six weeks of taking the test. She was adamant that students need to put forth their best effort when taking the CAAP. “Whenever students are asked to participate in any type of test they need to try their best,” said Johnson. “Students should not allow their peers to pull them down.” NCCU’S CAAP is one of four requirements used to measure student preparation to advance into their major. Other requirements include a vocabulary test, a speaking evaluation, and an etiquette training session organized around a dinner.

DATING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Rachelle Gold assistant professor in the department of English and Mass Communications advises junior Delores Hines MORGAN CRUTCHFIELD/Echo staff photographer

themselves. Some don’t seek advising. Some are not prepared for advising sessions. They come unprepared, without their transcripts, notes from previous advising sessions, course catalogues, or even a pen and paper to their advising sessions. “Most students come empty handed. Are they really serious about being here?” asked Ontario Wooden, associate dean of the University College. Students can also get themselves into trouble when they self-advise. Too often, according Wooden, student select courses based simply on their availability, or to fit their lifestyle, rather than the way courses fit their program requirements or development level. “Self-advising is like giving a small child a loaded gun, which is overall detrimental to their well-being,” said Sandra Rogers, clinical instructor and director of student services. Sensing these problems,

NCCU now requires freshmen and sophomores to receive one-stop mandatory advising at the University College’s Academic Advising located in the Alexander Dunn Building. “University College was introduced to give students a leveled playing field,” says Wooden. A major issue with advising is timing. Wooden explained that the first day of classes in the fall, students will crowd the lobby of the Alexander Dunn Building. “Students will be unsatisfied when they do not get courses at times convenient for them,” says Wooden. According to Wooden there are 13 advisers at University College, two of whom are devoted to transfer students. Students are assigned to the advisers by last name. Since March 14, 2011 there have been 1,971 visits to academic advising and 1,523 completed registration. On average between 100125 students receive advising each day, around 500 a

week. And it’s working according to some students. “My adviser takes my best interest at heart, even when she is busy she makes time,” said political science freshman Brittany Farris. Farris said she meets with her adviser often. “I know I am benefiting from the help,” she said. According to Wooden the goal is to make sure students graduate in four years — a problem that has taken on new urgency with the new 1.9 GPA requirement. Currently 807 undergraduates have 1.9 or below GPAs. Many students say that advising problems are most serious at the departmental level. According to Rogers, a key problem at the department level is that faculty do not take the time to know the know rules and regulations. She advised that students must assume the responsibility to understand their course requirements and find someone with academic advising experience.

MARIJUANA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 STEVEN BROWN/Echo infographic artist

imbalanced at N.C. A&T, which has 52 percent women enrolled, or UNCChapel Hill which has 58 percent women enrolled. Winston-Salem State University tops the list for gender imbalance where women’s enrollment is at 71 percent. This gender imbalance has led to significant changes in the so-called dating game. Changes that are sometimes referred to as “hooking up.” What many women would consider the ideal scenario — a prolonged period of dating, followed by a committed relationship — plays out less and less on today’s college campuses. “There are more females to choose from,” said history senior Hakim Muhammad. “I can turn down a dozen females and still know there are dozens more to pick from. Females don’t have that luxury. They have a small pool of men to choose from, and this has put pressure on them.” Some female students say they feel they have to compromise their values to attract males. “You start to look past his

flaws,” said Skyler McClellan. “Sometimes you feel he will leave you for another girl. You start to feel insecure and have a low selfesteem.” According to criminal justice senior Danielle Herring, male students seem to want to move too fast to becoming sexual. “The typical courtship is a guy meets a girl, ask a few questions. Then the guy will ask, can he come chill? “If the girl is naïve, she will take it further sexually. And then the guys leaves the girl alone because he already got the milk. “So he doesn’t want to buy the cow. People don’t realize the emotional and psychological damage sleeping around does,” she said. Oddly, in a Campus Echo survey of 104 NCCU students, only 36 students answered yes to the question “do you believe that guys have the upper hand in dating today?” But in the survey, 81 percent of the women described dating life on campus as either weak or non-existent. The gender imbalance is

relatively new to college campuses. Over the last 30 years, the gender imbalance has significantly affected the college dating scene. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in the late 1980s there were more men than women attending U.S. colleges. As high school graduation rates for men have declined, while increasing for women, the percentage of men who continue their education after high school has declined. The problem is even more severe for minorities. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, just 7.5 percent of AfricanAmerican men were enrolled in college. This compares to 17 percent for white males. “We see more inequality in the African-American male group. High incarceration rates, trouble in K-12, we don’t expect to see them in college,” said sociology instructor Michelle Laws. “The options for black women are very restricted, when options are restricted people will look outside the norm,” she said.

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“I enjoy the feeling of being high; it sometimes makes me forget what’s going on in my ‘real world.’” Many students report that it’s easy to get marijuana with a little networking. “Most smokers know multiple people who sell or they can be directed to someone who sells.” These students are a representation of many college

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smoke marijuana, according to a study conducted by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Today, marijuana has numerous names: weed, pot, kush, dro, and purp, to name a few. Some NCCU students say that they smoke weed to escape physical and emotional discomfort. “I smoke weed because it helps me to be more focused and alert during class and study hours,” said a student who asked not to be named. Another student described smoking marijuana as an activity that relaxes the body. “Smoking marijuana relaxes you. It helps me stay focus and more attentive in class,” said another student who asked not to be named.

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students who take part in abusing drugs on campus. The price of weed can range from $5-10 for a single joint. But the costs for smoking marijuana can run a lot higher than that. The Higher Education Act of 1998 states that students can be denied federal student financial aid if they have even a misdemeanor drug conviction. Possession of less than 1.5 ounces of marijuana is considered a misdemeanor; possession of more than 1.5 ounces is a felony. In 2009, 22 arrests were made at NCCU for drug abuse violations. At NCCU, which deems itself a drug-free campus, first-time offenders face a one-year probation, a $50 fine, 20 hours of community service, and satisfactory completion of the Eagle Care Substance Abuse Program. “When I was caught smoking weed, I had a sanction to appear before the dean, and she referred me to the counseling center,” said a student who asked to remain unnamed. “Seeing a therapist didn’t help me in regards to smok-

ing. I felt as though I was looked at as an addict, but I knew I could stop.” Marijuana is demonized by many advocates of tough drug laws, but some recent findings see some benefits to the medical use of marijuana. According to the Mayo Clinic, marijuana may be beneficial for the treatment of a number of conditions, including eczema, epilepsy, chronic pain, insomnia, and symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The most significant benefits have been found in the treatment of chronic pain and symptoms of multiple sclerosis. While marijuana can be used to treat medical conditions, the drug can have dangerous effects. The American Council for Drug Education, in a 1995 study, found that marijuana use reduces the ability to learn and retain information. Heavy marijuana users, according to the study, have difficulty focusing, sustain attention, and organize data. These symptoms can last for as long as 24 hours after using the drug.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

CAMPUS ECHO RECOGNIZED Society of Professional Journalists selects Campus Echo for Region 2 Best All-A Around Non-D Daily Student Newspaper in 2010 Mark of Excellence Awards. The top spot was awarded in competition with all 4 Yr Colleges and Universities from Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, and Washington DC. Taking second and third places were the James Madison University “Breeze” and the Virginia Commonwealth University “Times.” Other awards given to Campus Echo staff at the April conference included 3rd place for Editorial Writing, Ashley Griffin, and 3rd place for Feature Photography, Chi Brown.

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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OMG! It’s addicting. Students and professors chime in on cell phone use in class BY AARON SAUNDERS ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

Technology has provided some wonderful enhancements to the academic environment, there are computers in place of typewriters, e-readers in place of books and cell phones in place of notepads. It is commonplace to see students at N.C. Central University in class peeking at their phones at various points during lectures. Whether they are taking notes, texting, or tweeting it has become a problem on campus. There is no university policy on cell phone use in class which means it is subject to every professor’s discretion. “I don’t allow cell phone use in my class; I put in my syllabus for the first time this year that if I see you on your cell phone in class I consider it an absence,” said political science professor Bruce Lapenson. The NCCU administration understands the struggles that professors go through dealing with cell

NCCU student tinkers with her phone during desktop publishing class. NEKA JONES/Echo staff photographer

phone usage. “While there is no university policy on cell phone use in class; my expectation is that each faculty member will spell out what is

allowed in their classroom on the syllabus,” said Provost Kwesi Aggrey. The provost also added that it is his opinion that “All cell phones must be put

on vibrate or silence during class; and if it is on vibrate do not place it on the desk.” Some students feel like professors overreact and blow the cell phone issue

out of proportion and do not utilize cell phones as a learning tool. “I know professors want all of our attention but sending a text here and there doesn’t mean we’re not paying attention. Plus their phones go off all the time too,” said criminal justice senior Briana Yarber. However, not all students feel this way: “I feel that using your cell phone during class is a distraction it takes your attention away from the professor’s task at hand in class,” said hospitality and tourism senior Morgan Stone. Many times students are not the only ones guilty of checking their phones. Professors will peek at their phones a couple times in class as well. “I feel as though if our phones have to be on silent and away theirs should be as well,” said Yarber. Cell phones have not only become an issue in class but in conversation as well, often time’s people will look at their phones while they converse with peers.

14 years later: A new faculty handbook BY APRIL SIMON ECHO STAFF REPORTER

A lot has changed in the past fourteen years. The rise of Google, Facebook, and iTunes, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic crash, and election of the first black United States president. But for the faculty on the campus of NC Central University, time seems to

have been at a standstill. The faculty handbook currently in use was last revised in 1997. Of the 17 schools in the UNC system, only NCCU, UNC-Chapel Hill and Fayetteville State University still work from faculty governance documents that date before 2003. Of these three, NCCU’s is the only that is unavailable online in its entirety.

Vicki Lamb & Minnie Sangster APRIL SIMON/Echo staff photographer

For several years, the Faculty Handbook Committee has been rewrit-

ing and working to get approval for a new edition. The past two years have seen the bulk of the forward movement, and the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, led by Vicki Lamb, sociology professor and Chair of the Handbook Committee, have been working non-stop to get it through the many drafts and approval processes.

The handbook, which will be published as an electronic document, will be available to the public through Eagles Online which has helped to garner support for the update. “When I was hired five years ago,” says Lamb, “I asked to see the handbook

ney, Mike Nifong, the prosecutor who pursued the case was disbarred in 2007 for ethics violations and withholding exculpatory DNA evidence in the case. Mangum has been in and out of the news in Durham ever since. In 2008 she wrote her account of her life and the nights events in “The Last Dance for Grace: The Crystal Mangum Story.” In February 2010, she was arrested for a laundry list of charges for events that took place near NCCU’s campus. That arrest stemmed

from a dispute with Milton Walker, her boyfriend at the time. Mangum was charged with attempted first-degree murder, five counts of arson, assault and battery, communicating threats, three counts of misdemeanor child abuse, injury to personal property, identity theft and resisting a public officer. “More than likely, we will be upgrading the charge to murder,” said Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez Sr., to The Herald Sun on Wednesday, April 13, 2011.

Online Document

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MANGUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 black woman from NCCU struggling to make ends meet as an exotic dancer, all taking place in the South at university’s just miles apart — it formed the perfect recipe for national scandal and a media circus. Rony Camille, the Campus Echo editor-inchief at the time the story broke, describes April 2006 as “the most stressful month of my life.” “ESPN Cold Pizza called and wanted to do a TV spot first,” said Camille. “Then CNN came, ABC, Nightline, MSNBC … the phone you are holding right now was

ringing off the hook.” “The lowest point was when Inside Edition got my cell phone number,” said Camille. Both Duke and NCCU were divided on who to believe and how to handle or support the situation. “At NCCU, the majority stood by her,” said Camille. “They had vigils and four banners showing support.” The New Black Panthers held a protest outside of Duke University and the Rev. Jesse Jackson came to Durham to show support for Mangum. Duke students and even

Devine’s, a local sports bar, showed support for the accused lacrosse players, selling T-shirts that read “Annual Witch Hunt” with an image of a bonfire with lacrosse sticks in the middle of the fire. The case drew comparisons to the 1987 Tawana Brawley case, a case in which Brawley, an African American teenager, accused six white men of raping her. Brawley’s story was discredited. Ultimately, the three lacrosse players were dismissed on all charges. Durham’s district attor-

Grad speakers selected

U.S. Rep. John Lewis

Norman Anderson

BY RIYAH EXUM ECHO STAFF REPORTER

The end of the semester is rapidly approaching. For some this is the beginning of a new lifestyle in careers. 116 years of excellence is continued with the 117th commencement exercise. The graduating class of May 2011 will be broken into two ceremonies. May 13 will honor the Graduate and Professional degree recipients and May 14 will honor the Undergraduate degree recipients. Norman B. Anderson, chief executive officer and executive vice president of the American Psychological Association (APA) will speak May 13th at the graduate and professional degree ceremony. Anderson is a 1977 graduate of N.C. Central University. “I am excited for an alumnus to be speaking at the graduate commencement,” said Brian Robinson, history graduate student. “He should have an understanding of the ups and downs encountered at NCCU, and provide keen insight of situations and obstacles we will face hereafter.” John Lewis a civil rights activist and congressman will speak at the undergraduate ceremony on May 14th. “I am excited because I’m a history major and John Lewis is one of my favorite civil rights activist” said Rashad Thomas, history senior. Lewis participated in the 1961 Freedom Rides which were civil rights activists that rode interstate buses across the segregated South. Lewis was beat by angry mobs and arrested. At age 23, Lewis was crowned one of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement along with Whitney Young, A, Phillip Randolph, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins, and Martin Luther King Jr. The graduating class of May 2011 has had its concern about the length of the graduation and now the inquiries have been addressed.

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Is spirit alive?

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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HABITAT HEROES LEND A HELPING HAND

Strangely, some sport Duke, UNC T’s BY JONATHAN ALEXANDER ECHO STAFF REPORTER

At N.C. Central’s campus, it is all too common to see students wearing paraphernalia from other schools, in particular Duke and UNC. In fact, it’s so common, one can’t help but wonder whether or not NCCU students lack school spirit. Miss NCCU, Kelsey Hargrove and SGA President Reggie McCrimmon don’t believe this is the case. “No I think they wear Duke or UNC paraphernalia because that’s their favorite team,” said Hargrove. “Some students have been a part of that fan base long before ... some students do it unconsciously,” said McCrimmon. Hargrove thinks highly of school spirit and said it’s important. “School spirit is having a love and pride for your school, an appreciation for your university. “You’re paying money to go to school, so it’s important to have school spirit,” she said. Part of Hargrove’s Miss NCCU platform was to boost student morale and she plans on doing that by encouraging students to incorporate school paraphernalia in their style. She suggests wearing a cardigan or a blazer with an NCCU shirt. “At a game you will see

people wearing regular clothes instead of school paraphernalia. I think it’s a fashion show more than anything,” said Hargrove. This in comparison to a game at Duke where everybody in the gym is seen wearing their school’s colors of white and blue. Some students draw comparisons with the way school spirit is achieved at other schools to NCCU. One of them recounts a basketball game at UNCG in which they attended where free T-shirts were being handed out. “They can afford to hand out T-shirts to the first 1,000 people and that doesn’t happen at Central,” said senior mass communications major Eric Covington. But students at NCCU still appear to value the school in which they get their education from. “Even though I might wear another school, I know what school I attend, I know what school I’m getting my degree from,” said Covington. McCrimmon says that he too needs to invest in more NCCU paraphernalia. “While I look forward to leading the way, however I’m looking forward to supporting the plan and strategies of Mr. and Miss of next and their efforts to boost student morale,” said McCrimmon. “We can all lead by example.”

Michele Ware, chair of the Department of English and Mass Communication, gets a kick out of hammering nails. Photo courtesy Lisa Paulin, assistant professor Department of English and Mass Communication

BY A ARON SAUNDERS ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Planned by interim associate dean Jim Harper on April 9, the College Liberal Arts spent four hours bonding and building house under the umbrella of Habitat for Humanity. The Habitat house is designated for NCCU housekeeping staff mem-

ber Norma Smith. “Despite the mud, it was a pleasure to see all the people from the College of Liberal Arts come together for such a good cause,” said Michele Ware chair of the department of English. Joining Ware, Harper, and a bevy of students were Josylin Bloomfield,

English instructor, Lisa Paulin-Cid assistant professor of mass communications, Melvin Carver, art department chair, Connie Floyd, art department associate professor, and Chad Hughes, art department adjunct. NCCU and Habitat for humanity of Durham have been collaborating since 2008.

HANDBOOK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 and it was not available because they were not publishing new copies every year.” “There was nothing there before except the hard copy,” adds Minnie Sangster, French professor and Chair of the NCCU Faculty Senate, “and it was very difficult to get those made because they were 266 pages, just huge.” The handbook that is currently in process will be 115 pages. Much of the reduction is due to the elimination of pages that are now covered by the hot links, and the removal of information in the 1997 edition that applied to staff, such as facilities services and administrative assistants, that was unnecessary to include in a facultyspecific document. The online document will also be searchable, which

will make for greater ease of use. “This one is going to be a living document, and it is going to be possible for it to be revised every year.” says Sangster. In fact, written into the handbook is the stipulation that it be reviewed annually, at the beginning of the Fall semester and that all links are checked to ensure that they are still operational and applicable. “Changes, suggestions and updates will be suggested in the fall of every semester.” The changes will then go through the standard approval process and, if the changes gain approval at all stops, they would be enacted on July 1 of the following year after the UNC Board of Governors’ June meeting. No Easy Task “I think it’s important for

our faculty to know, and students as well,” says Sangster, “what a long and difficult process this has been and how hard the faculty who have been working on this have worked to come to this point.” The partial PDF of the 1997 handbook, which is available online, was only put into place after 2007, when the initial idea of a revision was voiced by the Board of Trustees. The document was not published in editable form, so library science graduate students were enlisted by Deborah Swain, to help type the information. There was a set back in the process when an early draft left campus with a professor who is no longer with the university. Additionally, a portion of the handbook that addresses

the revision of the constitution of the faculty senate and a revision of the bylaws that are attached to that constitution had to go through a separate process for approval in order to be included. Tenure/Promotion “One of the reasons we have pushed so hard to get it done this year is that the Board of Trustees insisted that the handbook be updated,” says Lamb, “14 years is a long time.” For the most part, the revised handbook will be putting into place a direct statement of practices which most professors have already been adhering. “This has just codified things that have been in practice for a very long time,” states Lamb. There are, of course, the inevitable edits that have

caused some rumbling among the faculty. One such change involves the process of promotion and tenure, for which Chancellor Nelms has suggested university-wide minimum criteria. “Currently the department or the school where a person is hired,” says Sangster, “sets the criteria for tenure and promotion.” With the change, each department would have a minimal requirements, such as publishing two peerreviewed publications while working at NCCU, but each department would also be expected to place additional expectations on top of these baseline guides. There is a dispensation for those faculty members who are, or will be, employed before the final approval of the new handbook. These persons will continue

to be sheltered under the tenure guidelines as outlined in the handbook that was in place upon their initial employment with NCCU. Anyone hired after July 1, 2011 would be held to the new requirements as stated in the revised handbook. With the exception of the promotion exemption, policies in the new handbook would apply to all faculty. What’s Next? The latest draft of the document was passed at 84 percent approval at the last faculty meeting on April 14. The handbook will next be presented at the Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, April 27. After that, it will go before the Board of Governors meeting in June. If it passes all of theses hurdles, the new handbook will go into effect on July 1.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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Engaging our community NCCU host 43rd annual Liberian Studies Association Conference BY DIANE VARNIE

Liberia Ready EMPA program prepares for trip to Liberia BY A SHLEY PUGH ECHO STAFF REPORTER

ECHO A&E EDITOR

N.C. Central University’s Office of International Affairs hosted the 43rd annual Liberian Studies Association Conference, “Community Engagement as an Imperative for Nation Building in Liberia: Prospects and Strategies.” The conference was held from March 31 to April 2 in the H. M. Michaux Jr. School of Education. The three-day event included various panel discussions with more than 50 scholars and practitioners from five continents. “We’re looking at research that can address how we can engage the community or even how the community can engage the government of Liberia in the post-conflict environment,” said Emmanuel Oritsejafor, director of International Affairs at NCCU and co-editor of the Liberian Studies Journal. This is the second time that the association has come back to campus. NCCU previously hosted the conference in 2004. The main event of the conference was the banquet with the keynote address by Robin Chandler chair of the department of AfricanAmerican studies at Northeastern University.

NCCU Provost Kwesi Aggrey addresses the Liberian Conference audience on April 2 DIANE VARNIE/Echo staff photographer

Chandler spoke on the topic, “Transformational Community Engagement in the ‘New Liberia’: Overcoming Gender Jitters Through Capacity-Building and Virtues Development in Higher Education — A Buchanan Case Study.” The speech was based on the gender inequalities in Liberia, and featured personal experiences and testi-

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monials. “I have chosen the language of the new Liberia to focus away from Liberia’s identity as a failed or fragile state, to the present and future identity as a stable and prosperous state,” said Chandler in her speech. “A model of national transformation, that it might make the rest of the world envious.”

Though the speech was border-line feminist, influenced with breaks of comedic relief, attendees rendered their own judgment on Chandler’s point-ofview. “In Liberia, just like many societies, the women are important, but their role is underpaid,”said NCCU Public Administration alumna Yusador Gaye.

International travel is a dream many of us have yet to realize, but for a small group of N.C. Central University graduate students international travel is less than a month away. On May 14, a group of 28 students will travel to Monrovia, Liberia as a part of the graduate program headed by Donnell Scott Executive Master of Public Administration Program (EMPA). Scott was recently elected international director of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), and helped create EMPA six years ago in order to insert international experience in central governments of developing countries. Although Scott has been to several different countries in Africa, he chose Liberia because the country recently became democratic after suffering through civil war and is currently in the process of rebuilding its government. “This is not a vacation,” said Scott. “Students will still see the devastation that Liberia has been through.” The trip is mandatory

as a part of the EMPA program and is expected to last two weeks. During this time students will work with government agencies in departments like social welfare and international affairs. Scott chose Liberia so students will experience a developing nation outside of the U.S. and realize how fortunate American students are. In preparation for the journey, students will attend multiple orientations to explain the culture of Monrovia. Students will learn how they are expected to dress and conduct themselves so they are not culturally offensive. They will also attend a course in leadership taught by Scott while in Monrovia. While visiting Liberia, students will have the opportunity to meet Africa’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who has been serving in this capacity since 2006. “Traveling has put me in a position to learn how to survive in this type of environment,” said Scott.

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‘Smart is the new black’ ABC’s Mabry encourages education, proper English at 62nd Honors

Vicki Mabrey addresses the University at the 62nd Annual Honors Convocation for Academic Achievement on Apr. 8. DAVID FITTS/Echo staff photographer

BY ZEVANDAH BARNES ECHO STAFF REPORTER

The 62nd Annual N.C. Central University Honors Convocation for Academic Achievement honored NCCU’s brightest and most outstanding students on Friday, April 8. More than one hundred awards and scholarships were presented to NCCU students during the ceremony. Among awards and scholarships were the Charles A. Ray Award for Excellence in Mass Communications, the Alfonso A. Elder Award for

Excellence in Mathematical Sciences, the NASA Center Scholarship in Physics and the Harold Bruce Pierce Scholarship. Students making the dean’s list also were recognized. Featured speaker was four-time Emmy Awardwinning news correspondent Vicki Mabrey. The Howard University alumna is a correspondent for ABC’s “Nightline.” Prior to her career at ABC, she worked as a reporter for CBS’s “60 Minutes II.” Mabrey said her passion for reporting began when

she saw a friend anchoring on television and she decided that was what she wanted to do. “It’s the story I get to tell,” said Mabrey. In her speech, Mabrey stressed the importance of getting an education and speaking properly. “We need proper English to be taken seriously,” said Mabrey. She also stated that students should not feel that they are being “less black” for furthering their education. According to Mabrey, “Smart is the new black.”

She encouraged students to get out and see the world. She said has traveled to 46 American states and 50 countries. In 1997, she travelled with Hillary and Chelsea Clinton to six African nations. She said everyone should think about the opportunities available now that were not available to past generations. Her advice to aspiring reporters and journalists was to get as many internships as possible, as well as to figure out what you like and go after it.

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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200+ dance BY BETHANY SNEED ECHO STAFF REPORTER

More than 200 students gathered to dance for a worthy cause at the L.T. Walker Complex on April 8. NCCU hosted the social event for the American Cancer Society HBCU conference. The social event was a Dance-A-Thon to generate awareness for healthy living through balanced nutrition, stress management, and exercise in the AfricanAmerican community. The Dance-A-Thon lasted from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the gymnasium. The first 200 students to register received a contestant number to wear throughout the event. Students had the option of writing the name of a cancer victim or survivor of their choice to support while they were dancing. NCCU alumnus and K.97.5 radio personality Wade Banner deejay’d the event. A variety of hip hop, rap and R&B was played during the 4-hour Dance-AThon. “I’m happy to be able to support such a good cause,” said Banner. “It is important to bring awareness to the Black community about living a healthy lifestyle.” The event presented one of NCCU’s dance troops, the Naughty Boys/Envy-Us. The dance group performed to Chris Brown’s new single “Look at Me Now.” “Dancing is more than just a passion; it’s a way of life,” said NB/Envy-Us mem-

ber sophomore Sabrina Cannon. “We are grateful to be given the opportunity to do what we love for a good cause.” Students from other HBCUs in the region also participated. NCCU students earned community service hours for participating in the event as dancers or as concession workers. “This is a great way to have fun, meet new people, get community service hours, and raise awareness about healthy lifestyle habits,” said contestant and criminal justice sophomore Alessandra Ferduson. NCCU collaborated with the American Cancer Society to promote healthy lifestyle initiatives at other HBCUs. ACS members at the Dance-A-Thon included HBCU Project Manager Alleceia Walker. NCCU faculty and staff made the conference’s social event possible. Parks and Recreation Administration PMP Jeneea Jervay and Recreation Director Erica Dixon spearheaded the social event. “Our purpose is to inform, educate, and bring awareness to students about living a healthy lifestyle,” said Dixon. “The ACS conference was a platform for us as educators to inspire students and staff members from other HBCU’s to begin healthy lifestyle initiatives at their respective colleges and universities.”

Unidentified NCCU students at the April 8 Dance--A A-TThon BETHANY SNEED/Echo staff photographer

CAMPUS ECHO RECOGNIZED Society of Professional Journalists selects Campus Echo for Region 2 Best All-A Around Non-D Daily Student Newspaper in 2010 Mark of Excellence Awards. The top spot was awarded in competition with all 4-yyear colleges and universities from Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Washington, DC. Taking second and third places were the James Madison University “Breeze” and the Virginia Commonwealth University “Times.” Other awards given to Campus Echo staff at the April conference: 3rd place, Editorial Writing (Ashley Griffin); 3rd place, Feature Photography (Chi Brown).

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E-Chat: learning by doing Channel 30’s in-depth news program tackles the big issues facing students

Start early Pre-Alumni Association prepares students for alumni role

BY CHANEL LAGUNA

BY JORASHAE GRADDICK

ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Six members of N.C. Central University’s TV news show, E-Chat, gather on the set brainstorming and planning their next show. Their objective: to keep NCCU students informed about important campus issues, all the while learning the tricks the TV news trade. In late January, mass communications senior Kanisha Madison-Bowks was inspired with the idea of getting communication faculty and media practicum students to team up to start the news program. E-Chat was the result, NCCU’s first in-depth TV news program. E-Chat airs repeatedly on Channel 30 of the campus cable system. It’s beneficial for the student body to know the information that is being addressed on the show,” said Madison-Bowks. E-Chat’s first program explored in depth the issues surrounding recent adjustments to GPA requirements which will require students to maintain a cumulative GPA of 1.9. Soon after MadisonBowks initial inspiration, Russell Robinson, assistant professor in the Department of English and Mass Communication, jumped on board as the executive producer. Then TV studio manager Felecia Casey-Hicks signed on. “Putting on a show is a process,” said Robinson.

In the bloom of spring, a new campus organization has emerged at N.C. Central University. Centered on helping students become the most important constituents of NCCU — alumni. The Pre-Alumni Association was created to address a lack of alumni relationship with current students. The organization was started during the fall of 2009 by Brian Kennedy, current student-body vicepresident, and Anita Walton, director of NCCU’s alumni affairs. Today, the association rests in the leadership of Lauren Pinckney and Alphonso McEntire. It is sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations and Student Affairs. “Attending NCCU is only half the battle,” said Pinckney. “Because if you graduate from this University not knowing anyone, and don’t have the connections, then you haven’t really gotten what you’ve paid for.” As part of the associaton’s constitution, the purpose of the Pre-Alumni Association is to promote and enhance University pride and build a culture of student philanthropy to advance NCCU. “It is a student-operated organization. It is an alternative to SGA,” said Pinckney, current president. “There are not a lot of posi-

E-C Chat student producer Charles McMurray and Russell Robinson, assistant professor in the Department of English and Mass Communication, review an E-C Chat script. DIANE VARNIE/Echo staff photographer

“When the idea of a show comes into existence, many students just want to be the host of a video production, but don’t really want to put in the work. We need students who are willing to be actively involved. We want curious energetic people.” According to Hicks EChat is a great hands-on experience that enables students to experience the news production process from start to finish. She said putting a show together requires meetings, research and brainstorming. “When done,” she said, “it shows what we can accomplish through profes-

sionalism and teamwork when everyone is serious, dedicated, and does their part.” The first E-Chat news program aired in midFebruary. Their second program, which explores rising tuition rates and the possible reductions in federal Pell Grant funding hikes, is almost completed. Both Chancellor Charlie Nelms and Sharon Oliver, director of financial aid, were interviewed for the program. Mass communication junior, Rairu Howard, another producer with EChat, said he’s especially

proud of the in-depth nature of the programming. “I’m happy to be a part of it,” he said. “This gives the school something worth putting on Channel 30.” Student producers say they are optimistic about the future of E-Chat because faculty and students are teamed up. “E-Chat will thrive because it’s influenced by experienced faculty members and that gives students an opportunity to learn how video production works,” said Charles McMurray, a graduating mass communication senior who is also a producer on E-Chat.

tions and you can’t really feel left out because it’s not a lot of hierarchy,” said Pinckney Pinckney said that everything done by the association will be decided by and voted on by every member. Association adviser, Anita Walton, said that alumni are critical to the success of NCCU, adding that they are “the only permanent part of the institution.” She urges students to join the association. “The Pre-Alumni Association introduces students to the role of alumni and helps them get connected before they graduate,” said Walton. “We are making sure that the next generation is able to take on the role of alumni.” Membership in the association is open to all students who have not yet graduated. An added benefit for members is that they have the opportunity to network with alumni about careers and internships. The association fee fits any budget: $1 per year, or $3 for a lifetime membership. Students can join at the Alumni House or by contacting Pinckney or McEntire. The association bimonthly and will hold elections to its cabinet on April 20 at the Alfonso Elder Student Union. Currently the association is planning a May 7 event they are calling “Alumni-Build Day.”

No Powerpoint, gadgets for me From West Bengal, India to Durham, new chemistry chair brings former experience to classroom BY MELISSA KERR ECHO STAFF REPORTER

The third floor of the Mary Townes Science Building on the campus of N.C. Central University contains an office that epitomizes America’s diversity. Walls are draped with vibrant decorations from India as well as a full-page newspaper article on the presidency of Barack Obama. Chemistry department chair Kizhanipuram Vinodgopal, known as Dr. Vinod, occupies this distinctive office. Vinodgopal grew up in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, where his parents and community instilled in him the importance of education. “A child’s academic performance was the be-all and end-all of life,” he chuckles.

According to Vinodgopal, a high school chemistry teacher inspired him to pursue a career in science. Vinodgopal recalls the teacher investing a good deal of himself in mentoring his students. Now, as a teacher himself, he remembers this teacher recalling with awe the way his teacher inspired his students. “He is certainly a big influence in why I wanted to do chemistry,” he said. Vinodgopal came to United States to do graduate studies at the University of Vermont, where he earned his doctorate in physical chemistry. His dissertation examined triplet state of intramolecular dimers.. Dimers are molecules formed by the combination of two smaller identical molecules.

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Vinodgopal said that his professors at Vermont pushed him to understand the way scientific concepts can be applied. He said he considers himself privileged to have had a collection of great teachers and colleagues across the span of his career. “The classroom has given me the drive to keep going,” explains Vinodgopal, adding that he often leaves a class thinking about how much fun he’s just had. And his teaching style: Keep it simple. He doesn’t rely on Powerpoint or gadgets. A whiteboard and a marker, he says, are all he needs to convey scientific knowledge . He said that this teaching style probably comes from high school and college teachers who projected themselves well without

relying on gadgets. “Dr. Vinod is a professor whose enthusiasm for chemistry and education is evident in his teaching style,” said chemistry graduate student Chasity Jones. “His main focus is for the students to learn and truly understand the content of the material,” she said. Vinodgopal said science is an important part of America’s future. “The pendulum could be swinging back to scientific careers,” he said. He said scientific progress is becoming more highly regarded, especially when considering recent financial instability. Vinodgopal came to NCCU to serve as department chair in September 2010, after 20 years at Indiana University Northwest, studying alternate materials for fuel cells.

Department of chemistry chair Kizhanipuram Vinodgopal. MELISSA KERR/Echo staff photographer

He continues that research by looking at materials which are better electrocatalysts for applications in fuel cells and batteries. Vinodgopal said he plans to end his teaching and

research career at NCCU. “I enjoy NCCU,” he said. “It’s a historic place and has a history ... it’s good to be a part of it.”

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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Student surveys underway SRI wants to know: How’s your professor doing?

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Bull City Eagle

Alumna garners start-up support BY ZEVANDAH BARNES ECHO STAFF REPORTER

BY JEROME BROWN JR. ECHO STAFF REPORTER

“A waste of time.” “Not worth it.” Those are phrases that have been used to describe the Student Ratings of Instruction (SRI) survey. The end of semester surveys give students the opportunity to evaluate their course experience and the instructor of the course. Currently, it is not mandatory to respond to the survey. “We want it to be mandatory and in the syllabus for students to complete the SRI Survey,” said Shawn Stewart assistant vice chancellor for Institutional Research, Effectiveness, & Planning. Some students feel that the surveys are time consuming and worthless, but they are actually in place to benefit the student and instructor. “I don’t take the surveys at the end the semester, I think they are a waste of time and don’t get read by proper authorities,” said Erika Stroughton mass communication senior. The survey is an indication of different factors in relation to students and faculty. “The survey measures the level of student satisfaction of instruction of faculty,” said Stewart ”It also determines faculty promotion, raises, tenure, and is used for faculty development in areas that need improvement.”

The current survey system allows comments at the conclusion of the survey, but Stewart hopes that a new system will allow comments after each response below a certain level. “We’re trying to purchase a new online system for fall 2011 that will also include open ended questions, that will allow students to provide additional comments about a faculty member,” continued Stewart. Other gripes about the survey include students being unable to find time to complete the survey. “I don’t have time to do the survey, I think it was better to have it on paper, said junior mass communications major Cedrick Coleman. The department of Institutional Research, Effectiveness, & Planning decided to end the paper surveys due to the amount of time it took to review the bubble forms. The pilot test of the online surveys in the spring of 2010 garnered a 39% response rate, the rate improved to 48% for fall 2010. However, Stewart is hopeful for a rate significantly higher. “We want a minimum response rate of 75 percent for future surveys.” Students who are concerned that the surveys may impact their final grades, should not worry. Instructors can’t see who completed or did not complete the surveys, they only

see a summary of results and the number of students who responded. “Confidentiality is maintained and a summary of the results of the survey don’t go to the instructors

until the semester after completion of the survey,” continued Stewart. E-mails with the survey were sent on April 11, students have until May 3 to respond.

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Allison Winfield Kalloo had her idea for including minorities in the clinical process chosen by the Bull City S t a r t u p Stampede; Kalloo was given free office space Allison for 60 days. Winfield In addition, Kalloo she will also have access to the resources available in downtown Durham. Some of these resources include The Council for E n t r e p r e n e u r i a l Development, The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, LaunchBox, Joystick Labs, and The Small Business Technology Development Center at NCCU. Kalloo was one of eleven people chosen by the committee to have their businesses located downtown. Kalloo, a 1987 alumna with a degree in science, had the idea of getting minorities more involved in the clinical trial process of developing new treatments. She will do this by informing the researchers about minority needs that are not being met and by providing feedback at the close of clinical studies to patients. Her startup business, Clinical Ambassador, can flourish in Durham because after all it is the “City of Medicine.” “Clinical Ambassador revolutionizes scientific discovery through minority inclusion,” said Kalloo. Kalloo hopes to give local minority residents a place to obtain research literacy and health empowerment. She plans to change the paradigm for minorities in research from being a victim to being the decision-maker.

She is going to make the truth available about research through focus groups, community workshops, and other interactive events designed to get feedback from the community. Although she is locally based she plans on serving people nationwide. The Bull City Startup Stampede was created to help companies develop their ideas. This is the first year that the event has been held. Seventy-eight people submitted to the competition and the website had hits from over 400 cities and 30 foreign countries. “I felt confident that my business concept would be attractive in this environment, on both the community and clinical sides,” said Kalloo. According to Kalloo there is not a business in existence that is qualified to assist the minority and scientific communities. Kalloo will have free office space from April 1 – May 31. Her business will be located at 201 W. Main Street in the Self-Help Building. This location will give her the full experience of being in downtown Durham. “There are great organizations here to work with entrepreneurs,” said Adam Klein, Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, “and we’d love to work with students and entrepreneurs that have great business plans and ideas.” Klein stated that the winners of the competition had scalability potential, a tight focus on how their company would grow, and good synergy with the resources available in Downtown Durham. “I see our selection as the Chamber’s endorsement of a sound business concept,” said Kalloo. With this opportunity Kalloo feels that her hard work is beginning to pay off.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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NUKES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 plant as many as 11 times a day for TV interviews about whether what happened in Japan could happen here. The renewed interest in nuclear power comes at a time when it has become more accepted, somewhat aligned with the green movement, and opponents had largely dwindled to a small band of scientists and aging hippies. “From my vantage point, many of our meetings look like AARP reunions,” Epstein said. Prior to the accident in Japan, he said, “this younger generation was more interested in a rainforest in Brazil than they were a nuclear power plant in their backyard.” That may have changed as a result of Japan. “You’re dealing with a crisis that’s going to have an ongoing impact,” said Peter Kuznick, director of American University’s Nuclear Studies Institute.

These guys are digging in their heels. They're playing Russian roulette with a technology that is uneconomical, unsafe and unnecessary, and cannot exist without government subsidies. RALPH NADER CONSUMER ACTIVIST AND ENVIRONMENTALIST

“The worst thing from the standpoint of the nuclear industry nationally is that this is going to remain in the eyes of the public for a long time.” In Chicago last week, gray-haired protestors donning anti-nuke buttons from the Cold War era and dreadlocked 20-somethings in hazmat suits joined forces to stage the city’s first antinuke demonstration in 10 years, rallying outside the World Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference at the Swissotel Chicago. The rally was a first for 23-year-old Carlyn Crispell, a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, who

admitted that protesting nuclear power hadn’t been her top priority. Her Facebook profile picture features a soot-spewing coal plant overlaid with the words, “Coal power’s toxic fallout is poisoning our community.” But last week Crispell sparred with Facebook friends who defended nuclear power as a clean energy source. “I think most environmentalists are anti-nuclear,” she said. “Maybe it’s just the crowd I run with?” Over the years the nuclear power industry has worked hard to align itself with the green movement, a cause near and dear to

READ ME ** ** Office of Scholarships & Student Aid Paperless Application

1. Complete the 2011-12 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov. The 2010-11 FAFSA is also required however, most students have submitted this application . 2. Obtain classes by visiting with your academic advisor and register for all desired classes for Summer I and II. All classes should be entered at the same time. 3. Registered students will be automatically awarded. Award will be based on the registered session (s) (Summer I, II, or I and II) at the time the summer school award is processed. View and accept Summer award using my EOL. If you accept a parent (PLUS) loan, the Summer 2011 Plus Credit Check Form must be submitted. You may access the form at www.nccu.edu/ssa and click on the “forms link”, then choose Plus Credit Check Form for Summer 2011 4. Students with a prior bill or those who are Studying Abroad will need to complete a Summer School paper application available online at www.nccu.edu/ssa and click on the “forms link”, then select 2011 Summer School Application along with other required documents.

Pell Grant Qualifications (Undergraduate Students) 1. Must be eligible for Pell Grant and enrolled in at least six (6) hours for Summer I and/or II. 2. Earned Fall and Spring hours and registered Summer School hours must be 25 credits to be eligible to receive a second Pell Award. 3. Amount of Pell is based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and number of hours enrolled. 4. Students summer Pell grant will be awarded from 2011-12, if that year pays the highest amount

Types of Financial Aid Vary based on the student’s remaining eligibility for Pell Grant and loans. Loan recipients must be enrolled at least half-time: undergraduates = 6 hours; graduates/professionals = 4.5 hours

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Refunds Students are encouraged to register for half-time (6) hours (undergraduate), 4.5 hours (graduate/professional) in Summer I. If registered for less than half –time hours during Summer I, your financial aid & refund will be disbursed in Summer II. PRIORITY DATE: APRIL 16th for Summer Session I & June 1st for Summer Session II

young activists. “Environmentalists are torn about this,” said Regina Axelrod, professor and chairwoman of the political science department at Adelphi University in New York and an expert on nuclear power and energy policy. “They think that climate change is the most profoundly dangerous issue we have to deal with in stabilizing planet Earth, which is under attack.” It’s the reason people like Kraft have invested so much time trying to win over students to his cause. “We’re getting older,” Kraft, 59, said. “We definitely need to bring in some young folks.” He said he fanned interest in the Chicago protest rally by attending a cleanenergy discussion at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Kraft parked himself at a table near the back of the room and stacked it with three piles of anti-nuke literature, including brochures and maps of Illinois’ 11 operating reactors. He kept the flier about the anti-nuclear rally face down until the discussion ended and students began filing out. Over the three decades since Kraft took up the antinuclear banner, he has become more polished, less strident, more politically astute. Kraft’s group supports a “methodical replacement” of nuclear power. “Even if you could shut down every nuclear reactor in the United States today, you wouldn’t want to. It’s not only insane, it would probably black out most of North America. You can’t do it.” His political savvy was reflected in the planning that went into last week’s 45minute meeting with Gov. Pat Quinn. Kraft had decided arguments couldn’t be too technical and activists present couldn’t be too combative. They needed to control half the agenda; the gover-

nor the other half. It would be wise to bring another activist group but not one that would dilute the message. While Kraft’s organization boasts a core of about 30 people, he brought just two: the state director of a public advocacy group and another with political background. “I needed people who have the background and sensitivity to deal with a politician of this stature,” he said. Kraft, who went to the meeting dressed in a suit and hiking boots, offered the governor practical solutions to his group’s concerns, ones that he felt also would fly politically in Illinois. For every bullet point, Kraft handed a folder of materials to Quinn’s aides, with each page highlighting key information. Pleased with how the meeting went, Kraft said, “I think they understand now that these are go-to people that they can turn to.” His upbeat attitude contrasts with activists like Ralph Nader. Last month, Nader renewed a nearly 2year-old request to U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu to meet with several anti-nuke groups. Chu has yet to respond. “These guys are digging in their heels,” Nader said in an interview. “They’re playing Russian roulette with a technology that is uneconomical, unsafe and unnecessary, and cannot exist without government subsidies.” Kraft was 27 when he watched “The China Syndrome,” a thriller that played in movie theaters just two weeks before the Three Mile Island partial core meltdown. Outside the theater, he encountered anti-nuclear activists passing out leaflets. The more Kraft learned about nuclear power, the more he became an opponent. In 1981, Kraft and six others formed Nuclear Energy Information Service, with a mission to end nuclear power. Two decades passed

before the organization grew large enough to be able to pay him a salary. Today he remains the only paid employee at NEIS headquarters, a cramped secondfloor office in Logan Square, filled with neat stacks of anti-nuke literature, post-it note reminders and homemade bumper stickers. Anti-nuke activists say sticking to a single issue for decades tends to focus on technical and complex issues, and at times is downright boring. “It’s like being a prison guard,” said Epstein, of Three Mile Island Alert, who tends to radiation monitors the group set up more than 15 years ago at the site because they didn’t trust the government. Even after Three Mile Island and reports of cancer deaths in Ukraine from the nuclear meltdown in that country, health and safety concerns have proven a difficult sell. “It’s hard to do a ballistics analysis on a neutron particle that gives you cancer,” said Gunter, of Beyond Nuclear. “It’s not like you find a body in your yard with a bullet hole.” Raising funds also is difficult for single-issue organizations, Kraft said. Grant-making organizations like to see a broader focus and more collaboration. Most anti-nuclear organizers say they have kept themselves afloat by having other full-time jobs. Kraft’s organization reported total revenue of about $50,000 in 2008. “We fund ourselves,” Kraft said. “We get no government grants, no corporate grants.” It’s the smaller victories, activists said, that keep them going. For example, Kraft’s group helped maintain a moratorium on new nuclear reactors in Illinois that has been in effect for 24 years. And Epstein’s group has had visitors from all over the world looking to copy its system of radiation monitors around Three Mile Island. Jeff Garrett, chief executive of Skokie, Ill.-based CTLGroup, which works with the nuclear industry, credits the vigilance of antinuclear groups for helping make the nuclear industry one of the “most regulated” and, therefore, safe.

The Church of the Abiding Savior, Lutheran Your Outreach Minister to the NCCU campus is Rhonda Royal Hatton

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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Voyager craft seeking edge of solar system 33 years into their mission the spacecraft still send feeble signals back to Earth

BY FRANK D. ROYLANCE

like this.” True interstellar space may remain years and billions of miles away, scientists say. “Within the next decade we’ll be there for sure,” Ness said. Voyager will know because all the particle readings from the lab’s instrument will drop to zero, or nearly so. Ness is confident the Voyager craft will make it. “It

THE BALTIMORE SUN (MCT)

BALTIMORE — You probably have more computing power in your pocket than what NASA’s venerable Voyager spacecraft are carrying to the edge of the solar system. They have working memories a million times smaller than your home computer. They record their scientific data on 8-track tape machines. And they communicate with their aging human inventors back home with a 23-watt whisper. Even so, the twin explorers, now 33 years into their mission, continue to explore new territory as far as 11 billion miles from Earth. And they still make global news. Scientists announced last month that Voyager 1 had outrun the solar wind, the first man-made object to reach the doorstep to interstellar space. It’s amazing even to Stamatios “Tom” Krimigis, of the Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab near Laurel, Md. He’s one of just two principal investigators of the mission’s original 11 still on the job 40 years after Voyager was approved by NASA. “Needless to say, none of us expected it was going to be operating for so long,” said Krimigis, now 72. “We were all praying to get to Neptune (in 1989). But after that? Who thought we could be with this 33 years (after launch)?” In all that time, only one instrument, on Voyager 1, has broken down. Nine others on the two craft have been powered down to save dwindling electrical power from their plutonium-powered generators. But five experiments on each Voyager are still funded and seven are still delivering data. Problems do crop up, but fixes can still be made with radioed instructions that take 12 hours to reach the craft. “I suspect it’s going to outlast me,” Krimigis said. Krimigis is the emeritus head of the Space Department at the lab and the only remaining original member of his Voyager instrument team. He spends most of his time on other duties as principle investigator on another Hopkins instrument aboard the

runs autonomously,” he said. “The question is, will NASA be listening?” Sometime around 2025, the two craft will fall silent. In 40,000 years Voyager 1 will sail as Earth’s ambassador among the stars of the constellation Camelopardalis — the Giraffe — in the northern sky. Voyager 2 is headed for Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. It should arrive in 296,000 years.

Stamatios M. Krimigis, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, is pictured with the Voyager spacecraft's backup flight unit, which was never used, January 10, 2011, in Laurel, Md. JED KIRSCHBAUM/Baltimore Sun (MCT)

Cassini mission now orbiting Saturn. Last month, Krimigis and his colleagues on Voyager 1’s Low-Energy Charged Particle instrument reported their latest findings to the American Geophysical Union, meeting in San Francisco. Voyager 1 had reached a place in June where the outward flow of charged particles from the sun — the solar wind — stops. It’s a bit like where a plume of cigarette smoke stops rising and curls into a cloud. “Everybody is very excited about this,” Krimigis said. “Seeing the end of the outflow of the solar wind after being in the Space Age for, I guess, 54 years now, is quite an event ... at least for the aficionados.” Norman F. Ness, professor emeritus at the University of Delaware, has been the principle investigator since 1970 on the Voyager magnetometers. Edward C. Stone, at CalTech, has been project scientist for the Voyager mission since its inception. They’re the last of the mission’s original leaders. Ness was 36 when he joined the mission, he said. He was a geophysicist, with experience in oil exploration, seismology and magnetic fields. “But space was much more exciting,” he said, and NASA was attracting many young scientists. “Most of the people working in the space business at that time were quite young,

because rocketry itself was a young technology. Very few people had any experience in it.” Voyager was the pinnacle of his career, said Ness, now 77. “There is never going to be a mission in anybody’s lifetime, now living, that is ever going to get these observations in hand. So it’s once in a lifetime.” The Voyager missions were conceived in the late 1960s. Astronomers realized that the outer planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — were moving into a once-in-175-years alignment. A spacecraft from Earth would be able to fly efficiently from one to the next, using energy boosts from each planet’s gravity along the way. They dubbed it the “Outer Planets Grand Tour,” but when NASA ordered two, just in case, they became Voyager 1 and 2. The two Voyager spacecraft passed Jupiter in 1979, and Saturn in 1980 and 1981. Voyager 2, on a different course, passed Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989. More than 20 years later, they are still seeking the edge of the solar system. Decades of trackingantenna design improvements have enabled engineers to find the Voyagers’ feeble signals at distances far beyond what was possible in the 1970s. Voyager 1 is nearest to the edge of the “heliosphere,” where the million-mile-perhour flow of charged parti-

cles from the sun — the solar wind — meets interstellar space. Last June, Krimigis’ team noticed that solar particles had stopped striking from behind, and started to hit their Voyager 1 instrument from the front. And they were striking at the same speed — 17 kilometers per second — that Voyager 1 was moving away from the sun, like bugs striking the windshield of a moving car. It suggested the solar particles’ speed outward from the sun had fallen to zero. Scientists watched the data for six months and it didn’t change. “We’re pretty certain this is a steady-state condition,” Krimigis said. Their instrument is still detecting a particle flow perpendicular to Voyager’s direction of travel, a mix of solar and interstellar particles. It’s not entirely clear what’s going on. “All this stuff should have disappeared, and it’s still there,” he said. “It’s as if we’re in some vast region where the solar wind is kind of sloshing around, instead of being in true interstellar space where there is nothing

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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Gladiators & MPCs Beat battle makes its first appearance in Raleigh

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Trending Topic #FTW (For The Win) #WTF (What The ...) #FAIL

TRASH

Wiz Khalifa Rolling Papers Atlantic Records 4 out of 5 on the black hand side

9th Wonder and winner D.R.U.G.S. pose in a group shot. DIANE VARNIE/Echo staff photographer

BY TONDEA KING ECHO STAFF REPORTER

The Gladiator Beat Battle made its first appearance at The Brewery in Raleigh, April 8th and ended as a success. The battle was sponsored by NCCU alumnus and former instructor, Patrick “9th Wonder” Douthit’s local record label, It’s a Wonderful World Music Group and Native Instruments. The event was hosted by 9th Wonder and True School Corp. member Cesar Comanche and the judges were IWWMG production collective, The Soul

Council. 16 contestants from all over the world came to Raleigh to compete in the battle. The majority of the contestants were from North Carolina but some traveled from Virginia, Atlanta, Texas and Toronto. The competition was set up just like an NCAA bracket. Contestants names were randomly pulled then recorded on a bracket, which stated who their next opponent would be. Two one-minute-beats were played per round. The grand prize package, courtesy of Native Instruments, included beat-

making goodies such as Machine, Komplete 7, Traktor Scratch Pro, an Alicia Keys Soundpack and song placement with a JAMLA recording artist, which is a part of 9th Wonder’s label. Round after round, the competition eventually narrowed down to Atlanta native, D.R.U.G.S. and N.C. native, E. Brooks. As the intro stated, “D.R.U.G.S. came in and had everybody going crazy.” The battle went into last minute overtime, but D.R.U.G.S. came out victorious and was crowned the winner. Swaying the crowd from the beginning with his

amplifying dance moves and funky face expressions, D.R.U.G.S. and his notorious sampling, chop and dice MPC styled production had the judges shook with distinctive thrills. His last beat was supreme, but it seemed his version of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” was the definite icing on the cake. All of the contestants ended up winners. At the end of the battle, 9th Wonder announced that all sixteen of the contestants will be featured on a compilation project along with JAMLA artists. What a way to end the competition.

Looking for the perfect beat

NCCU student produces a ‘breaking’ hit for national rapper

BY CHATIQUA BROWN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

With everyday being a hustle, N.C. Central University students have the power to become something historical and mass communication sophomore Angelo Shepard, known on the beat as LoLo, is a prime example. Through the work of his

fresh production company, Monumental Musik Productions, thriving young hip hop producer Shepard landed the perfect beat on rapper Wale’s latest mixtape effort “More About Nothing,” and his current hit single, “The Break Up Song.” Being from Wale’s home turf of Washington, D.C., it was not hard to get to the Maybach Music Group artist to notice him because Shepard attended Virginia State University with Wale’s road manager, Greg Harrison. “I got the call from Wale and the ideas that he was discussing was exactly what I have been waiting for,” said Shepard. “It’s an opportunity for me to impress everyone in the music industry, but at the same time, show people that my focus isn’t about riding the bandwagon, but making hit songs.”

Shepard took the intro to Stevie Wonder’s classic track, “All I Do, ” added 808 bass kicks and looped it for the clever tale of the ideal break up scenario. “The Break Up Song” currently has over one million views on YouTube. Connecting with other musical talents around NCCU, Wale is not the only person our magical beat-maker has collaborated with. Recently, Shepard collaborated with fellow mass communication senior, Dev Dixion, artistically known as 2BAnnounced, who is known for rocking stages with Team T.O.K.Y.O. The two were inspired by BET’s comeback series “The Game” and created a track titled, “Derwin Davis,” based off one of the main characters of the show. When it comes to build-

ing networks, Shepard surely knows what he’s doing. “As far as production goes, I will constantly keep submitting my music to artists and stay in contact with a lot of managers in the industry,” said Shepard. The next goal for the young producer is to claim this year as his, similar to fellow young producer Lex Luger, who is known for his dark, heavy bass line productions for Jay-Z, Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa and more. “The circumstances you go through, hard work pays off,” said Shepard. “No one can take that hard work away from you, especially when it comes to music because you’re making a creation that will last forever, it will always be in history!”

King of the Throne NCCU student wins local fashion competitions BY RIYAH EXUM ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Al Cobb, 22 year-old textiles and apparel senior at N.C. Central University, is a talented fashion designer, not by opinion, but by popular vote. Cobb placed first in the NCCU Fashion Inc. Fashion Design Competition and the N.C State University Fashion Expose. Cobb, originally from Lincolnton, N.C., began

moving towards fashion at age 12. “I liked to draw and I liked clothes, so that made me get into fashion,” said Cobb. On March 23 at the NCCU Fashion Inc. Fashion Design Competition Cobb won first place out of 14 designers. He received awards for most creative, most original, best use of fabric, best garment construction and best wearable art. He also received the

award for best designer of the show voted by audience members. On April 7, the NCSU Fashion Expose was a similar turnout for Cobb. He won first place out of 14 designers and won best designer of the show as well. Cobb has taken inspiration from many great high fashion haute couture designers such as; Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier and Gareth Pugh.

After graduating in December 2011 from NCCU, Cobb plans to move to New York to fulfill much larger dreams. “I plan on working for a design firm until I am established enough to start my own collection,” said Cobb. Cobb applied for season nine of the hit reality series “Project Runway” that airs on Bravo TV. “I just recently applied, hopefully I will get a call back soon,” said Cobb.

The anticipated major debut album from Wiz Khalifa is finally available for young Taylors and curious listeners. After blowing up with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ anthem, “Black and Yellow,” and beforehand, highly praised mixtape “Kush and Orange Juice,” the 23year-old rapper has been the latest hype slipping off every critic’s lips. “Rolling Papers” was shortly behind Britney Spears by 80,000 units for the country’s top-selling album, but scored the top spot on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Rap Albums chart. Fourteen tracks, three of which feature Too $hort, Chevy Woods and close affiliate, Curren$y. Producers include Jim Jonsin, Benny Blanco, and “Black and Yellow” and “Roll up” producer, StarGate. “Rolling Papers” focuses on everything expected from the young swag rapper: Getting high, wooing chicks and blowing cash, which is made apparent in album opener “When I’m Gone.”

Big K.R.I.T. Return Of 4Eva Island Def Jam 4 out of 5 on the black hand side

On “Return Of 4Eva,” Big K.R.I.T. revives the sound that put the south on the map in the ‘90s, a sound the late Pimp C would call, “country rap tunes.” The Meridian, Mississippi emcee’s first street album, “K.R.I.T. Wuz Here,” garnered recognition from bloggers, message boards and the attention of Def Jam, which led to a record deal and a spot on the cover of XXL magazine as a part of the 2011 Freshman list. Many say K.R.I.T.’s resemblance to his influences–OutKast, UGK, and 8Ball & MJG–overpowers his sound, but “Return Of 4Eva” shows that he is a one of the few up and comers in hip-hop that can produce, rap, and still relate to his listeners. Tiptoeing between the trunk slapping sound of the south and the conscious lyrics of a prototypical East Coast rapper, “Return Of 4Eva” finds Big K.R.I.T. taking the listener

The piano keyed intro leads into Wiz’s vent about the luxuries that can’t be enjoyed when he’s dead. The album also has a laid back flow and a frequent worry-free, dreaming notion. “Wake Up” hosts Wiz living a dream and denying to wake. This can possibly be pitched as a future single, being that it carries the same chord progression to current single, “Roll Up.” “On My Level” has a spaced out, dark beat and if in the right mood, it will certainly make one feel on another level. “Hopes and Dreams” guitarbased beat and the backed soft sounds are ideal for a sunshine day full of stress free mediation. One instrument that is heavily used on “Rolling Papers” is guitar strings, and it appears to be a new found obsession. My all-time favorite on the album is “Get Your S**t,” which also uses the guitar to amplify the sound. Even though he’s breaking up with a girl, it’s pretty heart felt as he tells his exgirl to keep it moving. I’m convinced this album is worth adding to the collection. Despite the negative comments, it never hurts to check something out for yourself. I did. — Ashley Gadsden

on an auditory journey. The album displays K.R.I.T.’s versatility as a producer, with trunk rattling tracks like “Time Machine” and “My Sub,” and soulful numbers like “Free My Soul” and “The Vent.” The depth of lyricism on “Return Of 4Eva” garners a repeat on nearly every track. On his lyrical outlet, “The Vent,” he speaks about what inspires him while taking jabs at commercial songs played on the radio. On the surface, “Another Naïve Individual Glorifying Greed and Encouraging Racism,” sounds like a typical track about racial inequalities and being black, but it’s actually a call to all races to refrain from allowing money and differences to hinder them. While there isn’t one bad track on the album, the tracks in the middle of the album seem to bog down the overall direction of “Return Of 4Eva.” Despite that minor shortcoming, “Return Of 4Eva” is definitely better than some retail albums released this year. — Jerome Brown Jr.

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In living color Barnes’s poetry challenges readers

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Still Life: Wood, Water, Metal, Stone BY DAVID FITTS ECHO ONLINE EDITOR

Most photographers take pictures on eye level, focusing on the horizon; this is not the case for Lisa Carl, an assistant professor in the English and mass communication department at N.C. Central University, who has loved photography for a long time. Carl, who has been at NCCU since 2003, says that “photos can be found anywhere, even beneath your feet.” Her love for photogra-

phy led her to search various locations in Carrboro, N.C., to find areas which allowed her to create abstract images. Once finding her muse, Carl created pictures that would become a part of her art exhibit, “Still Life: Wood, Water, Metal, Stone,” which is on display at the Carrboro Town Hall until April 31. Some of Carl’s pictures are taken at old train tracks in Carrboro where the “wood that has gone back to nature.” She takes pictures of objects in the tracks,

such as iron pieces, rocks, tiny seedlings, and broken glass, that people may not notice. “I like to take pictures of nature in color but I prefer black and white,” said Carl. Like most photographers, she wants people to see the world through her eyes. “Looking down gives you a new perspective,” said Carl. After the exhibit ends, Carl hopes to display it at local coffee shops and the world beyond the horizon.

Mill pond, Gray’s Creek, N.C. Photo courtesy of Lisa Carl

NCCU graduate student Eddie Moore discusses highlights of his book, “Colored – Musings of the Pathologized Black Man.” DIANE VARNIE/Echo staff photographer

B Y I MANI P ERSON ECHO STAFF REPORTER

N.C. Central University graduate student Eddie Moore attempts to reclaim the identities of the souls forgotten during the most crucial times of struggle in his book, “Colored: Musing of The Pathologized Black Man.” In his collection of poems and essays, Moore pays homage to the Black Arts Movement and demonstrates passion in his poetically, stylistic introspective look at black masculinity, thoughts on love, confronting racism, remembering but glorifying the triumph of pain, and encourages readers to embark on a road to discovery of self. Moore challenges the reader to go beyond the phrase “pathological,” and examine the true context of his book, leaving room for the reader to develop their own analysis. The word “colored,” consisting of seven letters, is also divided in seven sec-

tions: Brown, Gray, Red, White, Blue, Black, and Orange. Each spectrum conveys an informative message from a black male prospective. Giving voice to the voiceless, Moore hits home with issues of today, yesterday and tomorrow, highlighting the misconceptions of society. In his “Grey section: A Black Man’s Politics,” the reader is introduced to a personal Moore. He reveals his most vulnerable times of financial and personal struggle of being a black male, and his perseverance despite his circumstances. “I felt I was doing all that I could, but still did not feel blessed; what I was taught and believed was now a contradiction to what I’ve experienced,” said Moore. Exploring the rainbow in its entirety, Moore strikes gold with sections such as “Bastard” and “Blue,” as he explores the black male in crisis that has been manifested in the African

American community over time. Moore also sheds light on modern day racism being used as a blind side and used as means of control has becoming institutionalized in places such as churches, the workforce and politics. Reasoning, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress,” Moore urges readers to be a continuation of light, and not to assume the position of being powerless victims without a voice in the dark. Moore understands there is more work to be done. Not limiting this read to a racial category, Moore encourages everyone to pick up a copy. “This book is not about Eddie Moore, it is about the identities that have been erased, and will be reclaimed,” said Moore. “If twenty books get out there, twenty minds have been affected.” Believing in the treasure over the rainbow, Moore is sure change is soon to come.

Brooklyn waterfront near the Brooklyn Bridge Photo courtesy of Lisa Carl

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2011

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Photos by Chi Brown ~ Story by Tara-Whitney Rison

Daughter, played by Ashley Chestang, learns about getting ready to go to the river. In “Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery” the river is symbolic of crossing over into womanhood.

Daughter’s cousin Dee Dee tells her to drink snuff to become prettier.

Big Momma, played by Lora Tatum, tries to save Fannie Mae, played by Kalyn Smith, from her own destruction.

Daughter remembers her Big Momma after her death.

Opening scene features Big Momma and Fannie Mae chanting the spiritual “A Charge to Keep I Have.”

Aunt Mae, played by Kammeran Giggers, testifies.

hay Youngblood’s “Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery” has personal meaning for director Johnny Alston. “This production gives us a passionate look at the strength, faith and determination of a group of marvelous black women,” said Alston, who is also the chair

of the theatre department.. “Like Daughter [the main character in the play], I was raised by some of the wisest women to see the light of day,my mother and four older sisters.” The play is set to the backdrop of gospel music, tells the story of Daughter, played by Ashley

Chestang, who is raised by several women — her Big Mommas — after her mother leaves to pursue her dream of becoming a dancer. “A big momma,” explains Youngblood, “always sits in the front row and supports your interests.” All of Daughter’s Big Mommas raise her after her birth

mother commits suicide. In a sad turn, all of Daughter’s Big Mommas eventually die. The story, set in the 1950s, is based on Youngblood’s own childhood experiences. The play, which opened on April 8, ends its run on April 17 at the University Theatre.

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011

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Where have all the brothers gone?

Junior outfielder Akeem Hood one of 16 African Americans that plays on NCCU’s baseball team pops one up in Wednesday’s game vs. FAMU. AARON SAUNDERS/Echo sports/assitant editor

JONATHAN ALEXANDER

ECHO ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, and paved the way for the likes of Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr. to play with their white counterparts. Because of this, baseball affiliates including fans, former and current players and coaches, celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, to commemorate his tremendous historical accomplishment. “He definitely paved the way for African Americans to play professional baseball," said N.C. Central University senior outfielder Edward Pegues. Pegues was not the only one to share the appreciation of Robinson. “He means a lot. He proves that you can do anything you put your mind to," said NCCU junior outfielder Ross Plummer. But, the question arises: where are the African Americans in baseball? According to NCAA’s website, African American athletes comprise only 5.6% of National Collegiate Athlete

Association baseball players in Division I. Of the 105 HBCU’s in the country, only 58 have baseball teams. In the MEAC conference, all 12 schools have basketball teams, 10 of 12 schools have football teams, but only eight have baseball teams, including NCCU. “It’s real expensive to have a start up with baseball. Most schools don’t have a facility and most schools don’t have the opportunity to have a baseball team,” said NCCU Baseball Head Coach Henry White. Charles Curti, sports writer and editor for the Allegheny Times in Pittsburgh, PA, having also done extensive research on the subject has a different opinion on the matter. “I think it's all about where the administration chooses to spend its money.” “If they're sinking a bunch of money into football and/or basketball, then, no, there probably isn't a lot left over for baseball,” said Curti. As the number of African Americans athletes in baseball dwindles, more and more black athletes are seen

The rigors of the transition BY

A ARON SAUNDERS

ECHO SPORTS/ASSISTANT EDITOR

It takes a lot of confidence and money to make the jump from Division II to Division I; In 2006, N.C. Central University took that leap and has not looked back. During the transition there have been discussions about whether the school was prepared to make the jump, but the better question is; were the athletes ready? Since making the jump to Division I only the 2007 football team which finished 6-4 and played five opponents who were not DI, the 2007 women’s volleyball team who went 21-13 and the 2010-2011 men’s basketball team who finished 15-15 this season have completed a season with a record of .500 or better. “I think that there was too much change going on as a school during the transition that worked against the move to D-I,” said former baseball player Tim McAlister.

One could argue that the progress is a slow process and that nothing great comes without some struggle. Former footballer Rashad Fox says while he enjoyed his time as an athlete and improved a great deal while he was here he does not feel he reached his full potential. “If I could change anything here it would be the facilities and the lack of supplements,” he said. Fox is not the only former athlete that feels that way “I feel like we need a specific program to improve because every program doesn’t work the same for each athlete because we all have different abilities,” said former track athlete Mercedes Moore. The jump to Division I has left athletes with great memories of competing against state rivals Duke, N.C. State, App State, ECU and North Carolina. “The thing I will remember the most about being an athlete here is the homecoming games and the Duke game,” said Fox.

playing different sports. “There is a lack of interest and a lot want to play an active sport,” said White. According to the NCAA website, 60.9% of Division I NCAA basketball players and 45.8% of NCAA Division I football players are African American, compared to the mere 5.6 % of African Americans in baseball. There are few African American iconic figures representing and advertising for the game of baseball, and it is becoming less popular in the

black community. A typical student at NCCU knows more about Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, than Hank Aaron or the accomplishments of Barry Bonds. “Look at TV commercials and print ads: the highestprofile black athletes are football and basketball players,” said Curti. In the past, athletes like Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and Kenny Lofton would play multiple sports, however with sports becoming year

round, athletes are often confined to just one. “Dave Winfield was offered scholarships in baseball, basketball and football. Obviously he chose baseball, but I wonder which one he'd choose if he were a high school athlete now,” said Curti. There is also a lack of athletic scholarship money for collegiate baseball players. “The NCAA allows a maximum of 12 scholarships for Division I baseball teams. So, if you're going to fill out a ros-

ter of 20 or 25 guys, there are no full scholarships there,” said Curti. NCCU baseball athletes like Edward Pegues and Ross Plummer had to deal with being the only minorities on their individual teams in high school. "I always knew I had to go above and beyond and be better than my white counterparts," said Pegues. NCCU baseball players look to be an example for the youth. "Hopefully young black kids will see us out there and want to play,” said Plummer.

Opinions

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY,APRIL 13, 2011

IVERSITY

Adiós mis amigos! C

hange. A short word with a powerful meaning. A word that can offer hope and can have a lasting impact on someone. Often we hear the phrase that “someone has changed” and automatically assume it was for worst. Before I entered college, I heard the stoAshley ries that college Griffin would change me and that I would not be the same person I was when I entered. Four years ago I told myself that no matter what happened, I would never change. I was content with who I was. Four years later I would be telling the biggest lie if I claimed I had not changed. At times I don’t know if I changed for better or worse but I do know I am not the same little girl I was when I first arrived at NCCU. My experience at NCCU has proven to be a life-changing experience that I truly don’t know how to describe. When I arrived at NCCU, I had no idea what an HBCU

I can still remember when former editor Carlton Koonce informed me I was being looked at as potential editor-in-chief. I was shocked. I didn’t think I was capable of rising to the task.

even was. Coming from up North, I had no idea what the “Southern life” was like. Uncertain and curious, I came to NCCU to play for the women’s volleyball program. I was excited to be given the opportunity to play in college. If you had asked me then what I wished to accomplish by my senior year, I probably would have told you “to break the school record in blocks and kills.” Never in a million years would I have thought I’d become editor-in-chief of a college newspaper. In high school I always thought the school newspaper was where all the nerds hung out. I guess I am queen of all nerds now. I became involved with the

Echo my junior year when I had to sit out from volleyball because of an injury and couldn’t even practice. I inherited a massive amount of time and I spent that time in the newsroom helping out. I can still remember when former editor Carlton Koonce informed me I was being looked at as a potential editorin-chief. I was shocked. I didn’t believe I was capable of rising to the task. All the awards plastered up in the newsroom had me intimidated and I felt that I would be content just writing the occasional sports story. When I was dismissed from the volleyball team, I felt emancipated. But I had to endure a number of “failures” — I had been rejected from a sorority, and I

was forced to turn down my position as a residential assistant because I was told I could not hold a leadership role at the Echo and work as an RA. When I think back, it almost seems all my setbacks were a set-up for me to pour my energy into the Campus Echo. I never told a soul this but when I first began my tenure as editor, I was terrified that I might fail. I worried that I would be the editor who ran the Campus Echo into the ground. I didn’t trust my ability to lead. Fear and self-doubt were my best friends, but little by little I began to believe. When the awards arrived — 16 from the Black College Communication Association, four from NC College Media Association, and a regional best newspaper award from the Society of Professional Journalists — I finally began to believe. I cannot claim credit for our success. I thank everyone at the Campus Echo — the hardest working group of students and faculty on campus. I will never forget my experience at the Campus Echo.

Respect Our Women I

have been teaching at N.C. Central University for four years, and overall, I believe my students are intelligent, engaged, enthusiastic, hardworking young people who treat their peers and me with respect, dignity, and kindness. On April 11, I entered the front doors of the Farrison-Newton Building and saw a young man wearing a shirt Rachelle that expressed the opposite of Gold these aforementioned values; it was disrespectful, mean, and crude. His red shirt with white writing that resembled the Coca-Cola font and style said “Enjoy Vagina.” This shirt, totally unrelated to the play Vagina Monologues, was deeply offensive on many levels, and while I advocate freedom of expres-

His message seems to be: ‘Women, like Coca-Cola, can be consumed and disposed of, and are therefore, replaceable and worthless. Women can be objectified and reduced to their body parts, rather than valued for their intelligence, strength, and dignity.’ sion and free speech, his message was degrading, insulting, upsetting, vulgar, and decidedly not funny. I did not say anything to this young man, but I wish I had. I would have said: “How do you think your women professors and your peers would respond to your shirt?” “How do you think the women who work as Deans, Chairs, Registrars, administrators, office assistants, financial aid officers, librarians, custodians, accountants, campus police officers, and cooks feel about the message your shirt is sending?” “Does your mother or your

N ORTH C AROLINA C ENTRAL U NIVERSITY

Campus Echo Ashley Griffin, Editor-iin-C Chief

Opinions Editor Tommia Hayes Assistant Editor Aaron Saunders Assistant Sports Editor Jonathan Alexander A&E Editor Diane Varnie Online Editor David Fitts Photo Editor Corliss Pauling Photo Editor Jes’Neka Jones Opinions Assistant Editor Uyi Idahor Multimedia Brian Moulton Multimedia Divine Munyengeterwa Staff Photographer Willie Pace Staff Photographer Chioke Brown Staff Photographer Morgan Crutchfield Copy Editor Ashley Gadsden Staff Reporter Jerome Brown Jr. Staff Reporter April Simon Staff Reporter Zevandah Barnes Staff Reporter Tondea King Staff Reporter/Cartoonist Chris Hess Staff Reporter Danita Williams Staff Reporter Bethany Sneed Staff Reporter Chanel Laguna Staff Reporter Candice Reed Staff Reporter Kiara Bennerman Staff Reporter Gabriel Aikens Staff Reporter Riyah Exum Staff Reporter Purity Kimaiyo A&E Reviews Tahj Giles A&E Reviews Belina Dunn Faculty Adviser - Dr. Bruce dePyssler Alumni Advisers - Mike Williams, Sheena Johnson

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 © NCCU Campus Echo/All rights reserved The Denita Monique Smith Newsroom Room 348, Farrison-Newton Communications Bldg. NCCU, Durham, NC 27707

grandmother know that you are wearing this shirt, and did they raise you to clothe yourself in language that fosters misogynistic attitudes and exploitation of women?” “Why do you think women are disposable and cheap?”, and “What were you thinking when you chose to wear that shirt to this campus, or were you thinking at all?” His message seems to be: “Women, like Coca-Cola, can be consumed and disposed of, and are therefore, replaceable and worthless. Women can be objectified and reduced to their body parts, rather than valued for their intelligence,

strength, and dignity.” “Women can be mistreated, raped, molested, hurt, and hit, and these behaviors are tolerable because we live in a society where a woman or girl is abused every 55 seconds.” I reject this message, and I urge students to conduct themselves with grace, elegance, and courtesy, and to dress in clothing that reflects the honor, integrity, civility, and character that Chancellor Shepard and Annie Day Shepard would be proud to see. I strongly encourage our students to visit our Women’s Center and join empowering workshops and support groups. Those interested in learning how men can become enlightened about rejecting a culture that objectifies women and uses offensive and demeaning language to describe women can go to: http://www.mencanstoprape.org/.

drawing by Rashaun Rucker

Question: About 500 students may soon be expelled from NCCU for low GPAs. How do you feel about that? “Individuals should have taken the necessary preventative measures to keep themselves secure. Hard work means prosperity.” — Javarrah Peets

“Does not really affect me because I know I did what I had to do to remain in good academic standing.” — Brittan Adams

“Life happens, everyone needs a second chance ... especially freshmen.” — Deirdre Brooks

Sound Off By Uyi Idahor

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by Tiffanie Underdue

The Campus Echo wishes everyone a long, happy, relaxing, beach-lloving, shorts-w wearing, cookout-h having, pool-s swimming, fireworks-s setting off-iing, amusement-p park-v visiting summer and much more. See you next year!