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VOLUME 107, ISSUE 7 919 530.7116/CAMPUSECHO@NCCU.EDU WWW.CAMPUSECHO.COM

Campus Echo Income inequality key to 2016 campaign

Franklin: godfather of black history

BY LEAH MONTGOMERY ECHO ASSSISTANT EDITOR

Students, alumni faculty and visitors gathered in the Nursing Building auditorium Feb. 6 to recollect the lifework of Dr. John Hope Franklin.

The program was the first of four events to be held at N. C. Central University for Black History month in celebration of Dr. Franklin’s legacy. This year would have been his centennial.

“As a southern history major this celebration is dear to me,” said history senior John Thompson.

The program was narrated

by N. C. Central University history professor Dr. Freddie Parker.

Parker explained the events that led up to Dr. Franklin’s writing “From Slavery to Freedom: A

Adeline Cruz, a manager who earns $12.50 an hour, folds laundry for a client at Desi's Coin Laundry. Owner Marc Tavakoli says he understands the pressures of poverty -- but also the pathways out. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS) ALLEN J. SCHABEN/Los Angeles Times/TNS

BY TAVARIUS FELTON ECHO STAFF REPORTER

WASHINGTON – Twentytwo months ahead of the 2016 election, the nascent presidential campaign

already has a leading issue: the economy's failure to produce rising incomes for the middle class.

From World War II through the 1970s, virtual-

ly all working Americans saw paychecks rise.

Those gains have become uneven since the 1980s, however, and in the last 15 years, they stopped for most families.

Americans at the middle of the income ladder now earn less, adjusted for inflation, than they did in 2000.

Small gains during the

n See INEQUALITY Page 7

UNC System’s life after Ross Board of Governers’ “transition of leadership” a mystery

UNC President Tom Ross arriving at the installation of NCCU Chancellor Debra Saunders-White in April 2014 JAMAR NEGRON/Echo editor-in-chief

BY JAMAR NEGRON ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In a move that has left many scratching their heads, University of North Carolina System President Tom Ross announced in

January he would step down.

A nearly two-hour meeting of the Board of Governors in January culminated in a vote to remove him from office.

Ross will serve a one-

year contract that expires Jan. 3, 2016.

In a statement released jointly by Ross and the board, the board recognized that “President Ross has served with distinction, that his performance has been exemplary, and that he has devoted his full energy, intellect and passion to fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of his office.”

However, in order for what the statement refers to as a decision by the Board of Governors to “begin the process of leadership transition,” Ross had to be nixed.

What does this transition of leadership hold in store?

No one seems to know — not even the Board of Governors.

In a press conference with Ross, Board of Governors Chairman John C. Fennebresque remarked that as president, Ross had a contributed a “fantastic work effort” and “perfect integrity,” and asserted that age was not the reason that Ross, who is 64 years old, was being removed.

Fennebresque added that the board is looking for a president with “other assets” to lead the UNC system.

What those assets are have yet to be announced.

At the January press conference, Fennebresque said he did not know when the

search for the next president would begin.

“We’re not in a hurry, because it’s got to be the right decision,” he said.

The UNC Policy Manual, resolution 200.3, specifies that the process of selecting a system president must involve four committees.

First, the nominating committee nominates a “slate of membership” for the other three committees, including a chairperson and vice chairperson.

Second, the leadership statement committee, a 20member group made up of chancellors, faculty members, the student member of the Board of Governors, emeriti, and other representatives, develops a statement “setting forth the leadership characteristics to be used in selecting the next President.”

Next, the screening committee, made up of five to seven members from the Board of Governors, reviews the initial pool of applicants.

This committee narrows the group of nominees to no more than 50.

Finally, the search committee, following the leadership statement adopted by the Board of Governors, “shall examine the salary, benefits, housing, memberships, and other perquisites that accompany the position

n See ROSS Page 2

History of African Americans,” the first compositional study about African American life and history.

It was here at NCCU (then N.C. College for Negroes) that Dr. Franklin honed his idea to begin writing such a historical text.

“Although never having met Dr. Franklin personally—after spending a year going through his archives, I feel like I know him well,” said director of the John Hope Franklin Research Center at Duke University John Gartrell.

Gartrell has worked in archives for over 10 years and got his start researching runaway for Maryland’s state archives.

He has worked at the John Hope Franklin Research Center for the past two years.

n See HISTORY Page 3

Prodigal daughter Wynn brings worlds of experience to research office

BY SHAKIRA WARREN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

When some students graduate from N.C. C e n t r a l University, they never look back.

But not Denise Y. Wynn. Wynn earned her first NCCU bachelor’s degree, in business administration, in 1999.

Then, from 2001 to 2004 she worked as a grant accountant in NCCU’s Contracts and G r a n t s Department.

Denise Y. Wynn, director of the Office of All the while, Sponsored Research and Programs, has she was working helped secure $9.5 million in grants since on a second her return to NCCU. degree in computKIMANE DARDEN/Echo photo editor er information systems.

Office of Research Now, Wynn is taking on Administration. yet another challenge at With this extensive track NCCU, as the director of record, Wynn might seem to the Office of Sponsored understate when she Research and Programs. describes herself as “a Most of what Wynn has strong advocate for higher done while away from education.”

NCCU has prepared her for NCCU’s Office of this challenging position. Sponsored Research and At Winston-Salem State Programs is designed to University, she worked as a encourage faculty budget analyst from 1991 to research, scholarly inquiry 2001. and creative activities by At FHI360, a global com- helping them acquire outmunity development organ- side funding. ization, she was an associ“All of the researchers, ate data manager from 2004 all of the professors, if they to 2009, while earning her want to get funding for any master’s degree in business type of work they want to administration at Pfeiffer do on the behalf of the University.

University, it comes Wynn described this through this office,” said time as “quite busy, quite Wynn. hectic.” From 2009 to 2014, Wynn said she is excited she was a training coordinator for Duke University’s n See GRANT Page 2

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Eagle returns to the nest Shelvia Dancy: TV and newspaper reporter and NCCU alumna

Prior to returning to teach at her alma mater, Shelvia Dancy established herself as a successful journalism.

KIMANE DARDEN/Echo photo editor

BY TANIA LASENBURG ECHO STAFF REPORTER

A college student who graduates only to return as a professor isn’t news. An alumna who returns to her alma mater to teach and continue her education in another field, while continuing to climb the career ladder, howerver, is news.

Shelvia Dancy, a 1998 graduate of N.C. Central University, is an NCCU professor of mass communication, and will graduate in May from the NCCU School of Law. Dancy, a North Carolina native, grew up in a military family. By age 8, she had lived in four cities; when she was 9, her family moved to Japan,

where she became fluent in Japanese.

As an NCCU senior, Dancy was editor of the Campus Echo.

“I spent so many nights sleeping in the newspaper office because I didn’t want to leave the newsroom,” she said.

Daniel Hooley, now an NCCU journalism instructor, was the Echo’s arts and entertainment editor when Dancy was editor-in-chief.

Hooley said Dancy’s handson style helped him as a professional journalist.

“She really understood and practiced peer reviews of stories, and she was extremely creative and passionate which influenced me once I became editor,” Hooley said.

Dancy won the Outstanding Student Journalist Award two years in a row and beat out UNC-CH and Duke students for an Associated Press internship.

Dancy said her education gave her the foundation for both her journalism and her legal careers.

As a law student, Dancy has worked in three law firms and served as vice president of the law school’s trial team, and is a member of the law school’s Moot Court Board.

She beat Duke and UNC law students to place in the top eight of 26 law students and, in a competition with UNC students, was named “Best Attorney.”

Dancy credits her parents for much of her success. “My parents influenced me in life: every debate competition, every writing competition, every speech competition, every spelling bee — my parents were there,” she said.

After earning a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University, Dancy returned to NCCU to teach.

Mass communication senior Adrienne Stephens, a student of Dancy’s, said, “She has so much passion for what she does and what she knows. It makes me excited to be here.”

Mass communication senior Chloe Jones said, “[Dancy] helped me understand that difficult information can still be learned with proper presentation.”

Dancy said she is considering several post-grad options, including working as an attorney, an investigative reporter or media law professor.

“I want an opportunity to combine journalism and law in one job, so I am open to pursuing many paths,” Dancy said.

The most important trait Dancy believes students need is to “be hungry.”

“Be hungry for your career - be hungrier for jobs and internships than parties and step shows,” she said. “Be hungry for work. And do the work. School is more than ‘school’ — it is your training ground for a career.”

It’s more than ‘just getting over it’

BY AMBER BUFORD ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Stress is more prevalent in college students than people may realize.

According to the American Psychological Association, 95

percent of college counseling center directors surveyed said psychological problems in students are a growing concern on campus.

Anxiety is the top presenting concern among 41.6 percent of college students, fol-

NCCU’s OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS STUDY ABROAD • The spring semester First Thursday Study Abroad Information Sessions are scheduled for March 5, April 2, and May 7 during the 10:40 break in 202 Lee Biology Bldg.

• The deadline for the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to study and intern abroad in summer or fall 2015 is Tuesday, March 3, 2015. Please contact OIA, as soon as possible, for help with your application.

STUDY ABROAD DEADLINES • The campus deadline for all students planning to study abroad in summer 2015 or fall 2015 is February 15, 2015. If you have not yet selected a program, please contact the Office of International Affairs as soon as possible.

expand your horizons

STUDY ABROAD

Contact Dr. Olivia Metzger Jones at ojones@nccu.edu or 919.530.7713

NCCU College of Arts and Sciences “The PRIORITY is Student Success” Carlton E. Wilson, Dean • Army ROTC – Military Science • Aerospace Studies • Art • Biology • Chemistry • CREST/NASA Centers • Environmental, Earth and Geospatial Sciences • History • Language & Literature • Mass Communication • Mathematics & Physics • Music • NC-Health Careers Access Program • Pharmaceutical Sciences • Theatre/Dance

lowed by depression at 36.4 percent and relationship problems at 35.8 percent.

Directors report that 21 percent of counseling center students have severe mental health concerns, while another 40 percent have mild mental health concerns.

Mass communication senior Alexandria Sampson left school last semester, only about a month into the semester.

Sampson said she left because of depression.

“It got to the point where I was missing classes because I couldn’t get out of bed,” said Sampson.

“When I did go to class, I could barely concentrate.”

Students with depression often lose the focus and motivation needed to continue their schooling.

“I found myself wondering what the point of school was and I think once it reaches that point it’s time to go,” said Sampson.

“It was better to leave than to fail.”

Sampson said time off helped her focus on her mental health.

She said although it didn’t solve everything, it did help her learn how to cope better with her stress.

Some students are unaware that they have a problem and may continue to

press themselves rather than take a break. The pressure from teachers, peers and family can be the most stressful for the student.

“The only thing wrong about struggling mentally or emotionally is the fact that you think you have to silently suffer,” Sampson said.

“Sometimes you just need that assistance when you’re in school,” said Jody Grandy, the Outreach Coordinator and Counselor of the NCCU Counseling Center.

“We didn’t have that when I was in school.”

Grandy plans to raise awareness of the increasing campus stress problem with group sessions of seven to eight people each week.

“I want students to make connections so they can support each other in group and out of group,” said Grandy.

“I want them to be able to depend on one another more than they depend on me.”

As a way to raise awareness, the Student Health and Counseling Center is hosting an event on March 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Alfonso Elder Student Union called “Don’t Gamble,” a health fair for physical and mental health.

Vendors will be conduct screenings for hearing, vision, STI, STD, HIV/AIDS, alcohol and depression.

Health Careers Center 40th Anniversary

ROSS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 of the President” and recommend one or more nominees to the Board of Governors for possible election.

The committee is made up of 13 members of the Board of Governors.

A working group was created for the current process, to discuss ways to streamline the decisionmaking and allow for more cooperation between committees.

N.C. Central University criminal justice chair and Harvey McMurray was present at the meeting, as a member of the UNC faculty assembly.

McMurray said the January 9 meeting included representatives from the Board of Governors, administrative staff from the president’s office, executive committee members, and representatives from the conservative think tank, the Pope Center.

McMurray said there seemed to be no indication that Ross’ presidency was in question at the meeting and that he was surprised when Ross stepped down the next day.

McMurray said he thought highly of Ross as a president.

“I think he is a great president,” McMurray said.

“He’s been present through some very challenging economic times.”

McMurray said when it came to the board’s mention of a leadership transition, their “lack of transparency” was concerning.

“The problem is transition to what?” he said.

As a response to the issue of the board’s ambiguity, the UNC Faculty Assembly drafted a resolution that stated their worries that the sudden release of Ross, “an acknowledged highly effective system leader” will “diminish the opportunities to attract and retain strong, effective and visionary leaders at all levels of the University system.”

NCCU Faculty Senate resolution 15.002 echoes similar sentiment.

In addition, the NCCU resolution addressed the Board of Governor’s desire to “unduly centralize control” by placing a board member on search committees for chancellors, which the faculty sees as an exertion of “undue influence.”

McMurray, chair of the NCCU Faculty Senate, said the lack of transparency is a particular threat to historically minority institutions and that he finds that troubling.

“We are a diverse group of institutions,” he said.

“And whether or not there’s an opportunity for our distinct missions is not clear.”

GRANT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 about returning to NCCU. “It’s an opportunity … a perfect fit,” she said.

“I love North Carolina Central. I felt like I could bring a wealth of knowledge back to my alma mater, so we can broaden our horizons as a university.”

Wynn said she wants to bring home some of the technology skills she’s picked up in other jobs, in order to help build NCCU’s research portfolio.

And Wynn does know a little about technology.

The “Computer Skills” section of her resume is an alphabet soup of software programs she has mastered.

These include: FRS (Financial Records Programs), MTX (an accounting system), GFAS (Global Finance & Administration System, and SES Sponsored Effort System.

The list goes on.

According to Wynn, as of February, there are 46 current grants at NCCU totaling just under $15 million.

The largest is a Title III grant from the U.S.

Department of Education for more than $4 million.

Title III is a program specifically for HBCUs. Other grants come from entities such as the National Cancer Institute, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation, typical sponsors of NCCU’s Biomedical/Biotechnolog y programs and the BRITE departments.

But even the smallest of grants, such as the $300 given to the nursing program by the U.S. Office of Minority Health, need to be administered.

Wynn says her office has submitted 30 grant applications since she arrived.

Eighteen of these have been funded, for a total of about $9.5 million.

But one thing’s clear: Wynn is back and she’s here to make a difference.

She knows she can’t change everything in a day, but, step by step, she vows to help NCCU’s researchers find every opportunity.

“I don’t want to rush it,” she said.

“I want to implement something that actually sustains.”

United Christian Campus Ministry 525 Nelson Street, NCCU Campus

Find out more about the opportunities we offer.

Our special programs include the Boston University Early Medical School Selection Program, the NCCU Pre-Dental Program, and the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Program, and more

Christian Fellowship Meeting

N.C. Central University

For more than 35 years NCCU’s Health Careers Center staff has been developing pre-health professional students into viable candidates for health and medical careers by providing: • Advocacy • Counseling • Enrichment Activities • Health Career Network Access • Health Career Recruitment • Information • Internships & Shadowing Experiences • Standardized Test Prep Workshops •

Thursday, Feb. 19 Location to be announced.

Michael D. Page Campus Minister

Contact us for more information 919.530.7128 1242 Mary Townes Science Complex Alfreda D. Evans, Student Services Specialist Durham, NC 27707 Kaye Thompson-Rogers, Ph.D., Director

For more information contact Rev. Michael Page at 530-5263 or by e-mail at mpage@nccu.edu

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GODFATHER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Left: John Hope Franklin in Durham in 2004.

Right: John Hope Franklin at the Golden Anniversary at what was then N.C. College at Durham. His Nov. 11, 1960 address celebrated the University's 50th anniversary.

Photos courtesy of NCCU Archives

“I’m really honored to be in charge of a center named after Dr. Franklin,” said Gartrell.

“It’s only been further confirmed to me how important archives are to people of color and ensure out stories are told and saved for generations to come.”

The John Hope Franklin Research Center is located in Duke’s Perkins Library at is open to the community

from 8am-7pm.

“It’s an outstanding facility, they renovated the old facility and will move it back,” said history department chair Harper.

“It has a lot of collections that will explain a lot about African American history.”

The second event about Dr. Franklin was held last night by former Dean of the NCCU School of Education, Dr. Walter M. Brown, who

discussed his friendship with Dr. Franklin.

On Feb. 18 NCCU history graduate students will present their research on Dr. Franklin at 1 p.m. in the A. E. Student Union in Room 144.

“If you were to put your lives in boxes, how many would you have?” asked Gartrell. “Dr. Franklin has over 300 boxes and I think that speaks to his life and legacy.”

Health Experiences & Early Life Disadvantages (HEELD) Study Did you grow up in a lowincome household?

People who did are at increased risk for many illnesses.

Help UNC researchers determine if these risks can be reversed.

WE NEED PEOPLE WHO: • • • •

Are between 35 and 64 years old Are not engaged in regular meditation practice Are fluent in written and spoken English Have daily access to internet and a computer

PARTICIPATION INCLUDES: • One 15-minute online prescreening • Two 30-minute lab sessions with a blood draw at each visit • Two sets of 30-minute surveys to complete prior to lab visits • A six-week meditation workshop (1-hour per week) • Brief, daily online surveys for 11 weeks Complete the online prescreening at www.heeldstudy.com to determine if you qualify for the primary study! If you’re eligible, you will receive up to $185 for completing the primary study. www.heeldstudy.com (919) 942-4988 This study has been approved by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Non-Biomedical Institutional Review Board, Study #14-1938

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The NCCU quartet gained the opportunity to play at the locally owned Jazz venue The Shed when they first began playing together.

ALEXANDRIA SAMPSON/Echo assistant editor

Photos & Story by Alexandria Sampson hey may not have an official name yet but they’re still making a name for themselves.

N.C. Central University’s own jazz quartet has played at venues including The Shed, Beyu Café and even the Chancellor’s House.

The band, made up of drummer Dwayne Jordan, saxophonist Shaquim Muldrow, pianist Andrew Berinson, and string bass player Ginnae Koon met through NCCU’s Jazz studies program.

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“We all wanted to play music together,” Berinson said. “We decided to organize a collaborative group effort at The Shed.”

The band initially formed when Berinson and Koon began playing together three years ago.

Since being joined by Jordan and Muldrow, the quartet been refining their communication and learning to navigate each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We have to learn how to respond to each other,” Koon said.

“Language is important. Every musician has a different vocabulary.”

Though each member has different goals with where they want to take their passion individually, the consensus is that they wish to move up on the music chain and gain more opportunities.

“We play instruments but we also are instruments,” Berinson said.

The band plays every Tuesday at The Shed on E. Main Street from 8-10 p.m.

Drummer Dwayne Jordan is a second year Jazz graduate.

ALEXANDRIA SAMPSON/Echo assistant editor

Jazz junior Shaquim Muldrow plays the tenor saxophone.

ALEXANDRIA SAMPSON/Echo assistant editor

Jazz studies junior Autom Rainey is a guest singer in the band.

Pianist and jazz studies junior Andrew Berinson came to NCCU because of Durham’s music scene.

Jazz junior Ginnae Koon plays string bass and electric bass.

ALEXANDRIA SAMPSON/Echo assistant editor

ALEXANDRIA SAMPSON/Echo assistant editor

ALEXANDRIA SAMPSON/Echo assistant editor

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INEQUALITY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Protestors demonstrate at the U.S. Capitol addressing income inequality, minimum wage and ending tax breaks for wealthy corporations on Monday, April 28, 2014, in Washington, DC. Tish Wells (MCT)

NCCU Catholic Campus Ministry is offering Sunday Mass for Students, Staff & Friends 5 pm Sunday, February 15, 2015 Venue: The Little Chapel next to Eagle Landing (1801 Fayetteville St., Durham) Also at the Little Chapel: Feb. 18, Ash Wednesday March 15, Sunday Mass

Bring Friends As You Come!

For more information call us at 919.801.0428

Rev. Fr. Joseph Oji, C.S. Sp. NCCU Catholic Campus Ministry

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early years of the last decade were wiped away by the deep recession that began in 2007.

Although economic growth has resumed, the stock market has soared into record territory, and the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits has fallen to its lowest level in nearly 15 years, income has remained stuck except for those at the very top.

Voters have noticed. A Gallup poll released Friday, for example, showed that two-thirds of Americans said they were dissatisfied with the way income and wealth are distributed in the U.S. The unhappiness was most pronounced among those earning $30,000 to $75,000, roughly the middle third of the U.S. population.

Nearly 80 percent expressed dissatisfaction.

That discontent has begun to shape the agendas of presidential hopefuls in both parties.

The issue has moved Democrats to the left, bolstering arguments for a more aggressive effort to redistribute income away from the wealthiest Americans and to do more to help families who earn far less.

The impact can be seen in the budget that President Barack Obama released Monday and in a recent policy blueprint from a group closely aligned with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Both advocated increasing taxes on inherited wealth to pay for tax cuts and wage supplements for middle-class and lower-income working families.

Republicans also have begun talking about the issue, as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush did Wednesday in a speech to the Detroit Economic Club. Among other goals, Republicans hope to underscore the fact that income inequality has worsened on Obama’s watch.

Until recently, most Republicans dismissed arguments about inequality as an invitation to what they labeled as “class warfare.”

Now Bush, as well as Florida’s Republican senator, Marco Rubio, and other GOP hopefuls have publicly identified the issue as a key problem facing the country.

“The fact that Republicans are feeling they have to talk about inequality” testifies to the issue’s power, said Dartmouth College political scientist Brendan Nyhan.

The language Republicans use, at least to describe the problem, often sounds much like Democratic rhetoric.

Bush’s Right to Rise political action committee, for example, declares in its mission statement that millions of Americans feel “the playing field is no longer fair or level,” a metaphor also employed by the liberals’ hero Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for her PAC. In his speech, Bush said Americans were frustrated seeing “only a small portion of the population

riding the economy’s up escalator.”

Rubio, at a recent breakfast for reporters sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, said the country had experienced a “recovery at the upper echelons in the economy.”

“So much of the recovery over the last couple of years has gone to such a small segment of the population that now middle-class and upward-mobility stagnation has become more apparent,” he said. “I think it’s good that there’s a consensus that’s what we need to focus on.”

Republicans have criticized Obama’s proposals, saying they would just make the problem worse. Rep. Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for example, accused Obama of preaching “envy economics” in his budget, and Bush said in his speech that liberals had built “a spider web that traps people in perpetual dependence” instead of providing incentives for business growth.

Beyond that criticism, Republicans have had an easier time identifying the problem than proposing solutions. Bush, for example, said he would outline proposals in “coming weeks.”

Even identifying the problem, however, can help a campaign, at least initially.

“It’s a way to demonstrate that ‘I care about your needs.

I care about the average voter,’” said pollster Margie Omero of the bipartisan firm Purple Strategies, based in Alexandria, Va. “’Does he get me?’ is the door” that candidates have to get through before voters will listen to policy prescriptions.

When the argument does get to policies, Republicans face the problem that stagnant wages challenge a cornerstone of their economic creed. The GOP has historically argued that growth benefits all segments of society and that, as a result, government can largely leave economic affairs to the free market.

The results of the last 15 years undermine the idea that a rising tide reliably lifts all boats.

Even as the economy has rebounded from the recession, which technically ended in mid-2009, nearly all the gains have gone to the top.

In the first three years of the recovery, 91 percent of income gains went to the wealthiest 1 percent of households, a group with incomes above roughly $400,000, University of California, Berkeley, economics professor Emmanuel Saez has found.

Inequality has reached levels not seen since the 1920s, his data show.

Democrats argue that the trend shows the need for a more active role for government. The U.S. and other major economies have experienced a “toxic combination of too little growth and rising inequality,” a panel of Democratic economists and policymakers with close ties to Clinton recently declared.

The group, headed by Lawrence H. Summers, who served as Treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton and as chief White House economic adviser under Obama, issued a report that has been widely seen as an early draft of a Hillary Clinton economic platform, should she decide to run.

The report was published by the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank that is headed by Neera Tanden, policy director for Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. It was previously run by John Podesta, the White House counselor, who is expected to head her 2016 effort.

Their report contends that the yawning gap between the wealthy and everyone else contradicts America’s belief in social mobility and hurts the economy overall. That’s because the wealthy tend to spend proportionally less of their income than middle-class families do, so concentrated wealth leads to lower demand for goods and services.

Globalized competition, changes in technology that have eliminated many lowskill jobs and the declining power of labor unions have all played a big role in producing the problem, it says.

GOP hopefuls have generally argued that Obama’s policies should take the blame for stagnant wages, saying that too much regulation and high taxes have stifled business growth and job creation.

For Republicans, however, a credible plan for expanding middle-class incomes may be a necessity for 2016.

In the last election, polls showed one of Obama’s strongest advantages was the voter perception that he, more than Republican nominee Mitt Romney, cared about the problems of average Americans. Changing that impression will be even more important this time around, when Democrats hope to finally be able to brag about solid economic growth and unemployment at or below 5 percent.

Accomplishing that goal is not impossible but will require the GOP to fight on what voters have traditionally seen as Democratic turf.

Republicans, said Omero, “have a lot of ground to make up.”

Beyond NCCU

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Millions of tons of toxic coal ash Obama pushes piled up at nation’s power plants for student data protections

BY CHRISTI PARSONS TRIBUNE WASHINGTON BUREAU (TNS)

WASHINGTON — The White House began pushing Thursday for legislation to protect the online privacy of students, allowing them to do schoolwork while keeping the door closed to marketing and sales, according to senior officials.

“We should be able to encourage those innovations,” senior Obama adviser John Podesta said, “while still protecting kids’ privacy in school.”

Aides believe the initiative is an area where President Barack Obama can find bipartisan cooperation, and the administration is working on the measure with lawmakers in both parties.

“That’s something we can work on together,” Podesta said.

The new push for the Student Digital Privacy Act came as the president’s economic advisers released a report on their work to protect consumers from privacy breaches.

Much of the work involves studying the nature of the massive troves of personal data being collected online and how they’re being used for commercial

Major Wood at the graves of his grandparents on January 26, 2015, in a church cemetery near a clay mine pit in Lee County, N.C., that Duke Energy wants to fill with eight tons of coal ash. Wood says he worries that any leak of toxic coal ash could threaten the cemetery.

David Zucchino/ Los Angeles Times (TNS)

BY DAVID ZUCCHINO LOS ANGELES TIMES (TNS)

COLON, N.C. — After a massive coal ash spill coated the Dan River in North Carolina with 70 miles of toxic gunk a year ago, state lawmakers required coal ash stored at four Duke Energy plants in North Carolina to be moved to safer locations.

Now tons of coal ash may end up across the road from Joe Bray’s tidy little home and vegetable garden in the piney woods of central North Carolina.

“It’s going to pollute this whole area, I guarantee you,” Bray, a mustachioed glass blower, said of Duke Energy’s plan to dump up to 8 million tons of coal ash in an abandoned clay mine in rural Lee County.

Duke has proposed moving tons of coal ash from leaky basins more than a hundred miles away to a rural county free of coal ash headaches. Bray and his neighbors, along with outraged county commissioners, are asking Duke: Why us?

“Duke wants to make us the coal ash dump site for the whole state,” said John Crumpton, the Lee County manager.

County commissioners issued a resolution Jan. 5 accusing Duke of springing the plan on the county without notice. It said the dumping would create “environmental risks” and impose a “stigma” on the county.

For years, coal ash has been the toxic waste that nobody wants. Millions of tons of coal ash are piled at coal-fired power plants across the nation, with 140 million tons generated each year.

Coal ash, waste left over from burning coal to produce electricity, contains mercury, lead, arsenic, selenium and cadmium. Exposure to high levels can cause cancer and neurological problems.

Two recent spills — a 2008 release in Tennessee that dumped toxic sludge 6 feet deep and the Feb. 2, 2014, spill on the Dan River — have forced utilities to find safer ways to store the waste.

In North Carolina, Duke Energy is storing 130 million tons of coal ash at 32 sites at 14 power plants. The new state law requires Duke to safely move all of it by 2029, and from four leaking ash

ponds by 2019.

“This community is not willing to stand by and be dumped on — it’s a toxic mess, and we don’t want it,” said Therese Vick of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, which has organized hundreds of local residents opposed to Duke’s plan.

The utility says abandoned clay pits in Lee County and 15 miles away in neighboring Chatham County are ideal to safely store ash in dry, lined, covered pits as “structural fill” to be monitored for 30 years for leaks or “leachate” — liquid that has dissolved harmful substances.

Mike Hughes, Duke Energy’s vice president for community relations, said the ash will be encased in several layers of impermeable, high-density plastic.

Hughes said there isn’t enough room at all of its plants to build new ash storage sites. Lee and Chatham were chosen for their central locations, high capacity and proximity to rail lines, he said.

Hughes said Duke Energy regretted the late notice, in mid-November, to the counties, which he attributed to time constraints.

Like utilities nationwide, Hughes said, Duke has to find a better way to store waste from coal-fired plants that provided cheap energy for decades. “And there aren’t that many communities saying, ‘Bring it here,’” he said.

Duke has contracted with Charah Inc., a Louisville, Ky.based waste management company that bought the two clay mines and filed coal ash permit applications with state regulators. Charah plans to store the ash on 118 acres at the former Colon Mine.

A mammoth loading effort would transport ash by rail more than a hundred miles from each of two Duke plants — near Charlotte to the west and Wilmington, N.C., to the east. Critics say that would drastically alter the rural character around the tiny, former brick-making community of Colon.

“Duke is hitting the poorest rural neighborhoods, where they think people won’t be able to fight back against a big corporation,” said Donna Bray, Joe’s Bray’s

wife, who’s worried about contamination of the vegetable garden that provides 50 percent of the couple’s food.

More than 100 alarmed residents packed Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Colon one cold January night to fight the plan.

They were evenly split between black and white, many of them elderly. Others were homemakers or middle-aged men wearing ball caps, hunting jackets and abundant facial hair.

Organizers passed out “No Coal Ash” yard signs and yellow stickers that read “Duke: Don’t Dump Coal Ash On Our Communities” — to be attached to utility payments mailed to Duke Energy.

Vick, the organizer, displayed a map showing nearly 100 clay mine pits in the state, including three near Duke Energy’s corporate headquarters in Charlotte.

That prompted several people to ask, loudly, why Duke doesn’t dump its coal ash there.

Crumpton, the county manager, said Duke proposes paying Lee County nothing in fees to store ash. He said the best way for the utility to dispose of its ash is to keep it right where it is — in counties where Duke has paid millions in local taxes.

Hughes said the law does not require fees for coal ash stored in clay pits. But he said Duke is willing to discuss possible payments with county officials.

Lee County is conservative, with little tradition of environmental activism. But residents are also hunters, fishers and backyard gardeners wary of big corporate outsiders who might threaten their air, water and wildlife.

“They’re wanting to dump poison right where we live and eat,” said Barbara Wood, an elderly hat maker and local resident who walked into the church meeting with the help of a cane.

Her husband, Major Wood, a retired postal worker, worries that the graves of his grandparents — buried behind the church — would be threatened by any leak of coal ash stored just down Duke, the country’s largest electric utility, has an unlikely ally: the Southern Environmental Law Center

in nearby Chapel Hill. The center has lambasted Duke for years over its handling of coal ash, and has fought the utility in court.

Frank Holleman, a senior attorney at the center, said storing coal ash in dry, lined pits away from waterways is exactly what the center has been demanding of Duke for years.

“On the face of it, the permit application meets the criteria we’ve been pushing for,” Holleman said. “You can’t just dump coal ash in a hole.”

But Holleman criticized Duke for failing to clean up the Dan River spill. He said 92 percent of the 39,000 tons of coal ash dumped a year ago still has not been removed.

State regulators say river water has been restored to pre-spill quality.

The permit applications will be reviewed by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The agency and Duke Energy are being investigated by a federal grand jury in Raleigh for possible criminal violations over the handling of the Dan River spill.

Jamie Kritzer, a spokesman for the agency, said regulators are reviewing the applications and will submit the plans for public comment.

The day after the church meeting, Joe Bray, 56, and his neighbor, Shawn Moore, stomped through the woods to inspect the old Colon Mine site. Bray carried a shotgun, having spotted an aggressive coyote on a previous jaunt.

Moore, 26, a college student born and raised next to the mine, recalled fishing for bass and crappie in the water-filled clay pits. They are home to ducks, geese, beavers, otters and an occasional bald eagle.

“Coal ash is toxic,” Moore said as he stood next to a pit the size of two football fields.

“It’s going to seep out or get blown out by wind. Then what?”

Bray said lining the pits with heavy plastic is like lining them with a plastic bag _ it will eventually deteriorate and allow ash to escape.

“And nobody is going to be able to sell their house with a coal ash dump next door,” he said.

use.

One such use is highly informed marketing, in which online users are shown ads targeted to them based on data that’s been collected about them. This can lead to higher prices for people who seem more likely to buy a product.

The administration plans to release draft legislation this month proposing a broader privacy rights standard and also is calling for a single national standard to protect consumers from data breaches.

Lawmakers have tried but failed to come up with a federal standard along the lines of several state regulations to protect online privacy.

Every new report of privacy breach raises lawmakers’ concerns about the potential for disaster, Obama advisers argue.

Hours before Thursday’s White House conference call with reporters, the health insurer Anthem disclosed that the personal information of millions of customers and employees had come under a “very sophisticated external cyberattack.”

“There’s a lot of concern in both parties,” Podesta said.

Why cocaine addicts make such bad decisions

U.S. Coast Guard seizes 7.5 tons of cocaine from a submarinelike craft off the Caribbean coast of Honduras in 2012.

LINDSAY BROWN/Sun Sentinel (MCT)

BY GEOFFREY MOHAN LOS ANGELES TIMES (TNS)

Chronic cocaine use alters brain circuits that help us learn from mistakes, a new study suggests.

The study, published online Tuesday in the Journal of Neuroscience, could offer a biological marker for the cycle of destructive decisions that many addicts exhibit.

Researchers measured EEG signals from a region of the midbrain that has been associated with how the brain manages errors in reward prediction. Neurons there release and absorb more dopamine when things go better or worse than expected, and less when events meet expectations.

That proportional feedback helps explain why we’re so pleasantly surprised at unexpected rewards, so sorely disappointed at unforeseen penalties, and relatively blase about the “predictable” outcomes in between.

“The brain learns from it — whether you should go ahead with this experience the next time or you should stay away from it,” said the study’s lead researcher, Muhammad Parvaz, a cognitive neuroscientist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

Among chronic users, said Parvaz, “the worse-thanexpected response was not there.”

Researchers compared a range of EEG signals among

people who don’t use cocaine with those from two chronic-use groups: one that tested positive for cocaine use within the past 72 hours and one that had tested negative.

All 75 participants played a computerized game in which they guessed which of four doors hid prizes. The trials offered randomly different odds of winning, from 1 in 4 up to 3 in 4, that were flashed onscreen for milliseconds before subjects made their choice.

Subjects also had to report whether they thought they had made the right or wrong prediction before they could see the result. A correct choice, marked by a green upward arrow, meant they had earned 60 cents, while a red downward arrow signaled they had lost 30 cents.

As expected, the feedback signal from nonusers was greater for unpredicted outcomes than for predicted ones.

Across both groups of chronic users, however, EEG readings showed no significant difference between expected and unexpected losses. Their management of negative reward error prediction was impaired.

This could explain why addicts will return to drugs despite the negative impacts of incarceration and loss of money, friends and family, according to the researchers. “They don’t learn from it,” Parvaz said.

“They go back to the drug.”

A&E

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

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Banks Goddess Har vest Records out of 5 on the black hand

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Left: Mass communication senior William “BMac” McIntosh hosts at his event “Good Music.”

Right: Mass communication freshman Arryelle Vines performs during her 10-minute act.

KIMANE DARDEN/Echo Photo Editor

BY KWAME MJ HARPER ECHO STAFF REPORTERWW

Main Street was host to a community of lights, cameras and action as the Good Music showcase took over a local venue downtown Durham.

N.C. Central University's web series, Eagle Access co-host William “BMac” McIntosh held an event Thursday night at The Pinhook in downtown Durham.

The Good Music themed event showcased various local artist from NCCU, the community of Durham as well as artist from Atlanta, GA, Clinton, NC and Vegas.

Entering the building, it was a scene of college students mingling and networking with their fellow classmates giving goers a sense of community.

The artists were allowed to perform a few of their original songs, including acoustic guitar players, hip hop artists, vocalists, and poets.

"I think it was very influential,” said apparel design and textile senior Zanetta

Mungro. “I've seen a lot of great talent.”

Also in attendance were K97.5's local hip hop and r&b radio station personnel, DJ Brian Dawson and Wade Banner.

"My secret to being suc-

their performance in harmony.

"My favorite was Dee Smitty and Amet Ricky," said sophomore Samone Williams.

Tazwell“Tazzyonthebeat”, a

“For our first event this was great, and we are going to try and do this more often...”

WILLIAM “BMAC” MCINTOSH CO HOST OF EAGLE ACCESS / MASS COMMUNICATION SENIOR

cessful in this game is to educate yourself about what it is you do and this industry," said Dawson.

Wade Banner also had words of advice for the artists.

"Approach me the way you would approach a business person," said Banner.

Performing at the event was Arryelle “Amet Ricky” Vines, a mass communication freshman.

The crowd sang along to

music artist who was born in Durham but lives in Atlanta, GA, also performed at the showcase.

"I'm from Durham and I want to represent the city," he said.

Mungro said Tazzy was her favorite performing artist.

“I loved it, there was a lot more people than I expected,” said Rodney Wright of Durham. “It’s dope, everyone is feeding

off the energy of the music.”

Following Wright’s performance he mentioned his clothing line, Product of the 90s.

“P09 is a collection of young individuals and what we do is try to populate and spread the good vibes of the 90’s,” said Wright.

McIntosh said he was pleased with the outcome of the event.

“I think it was great,” said McIntosh. “The goal was to get people here with a great turnout and listen to these artists.”

Teaming up with his business partner Roland Reaves, McIntosh said they worked together to fund the event.

“This is a quality event and ya’ll should show support to him (BMac) for doing this and for providing this platform,” said Dawson to the artists in attendance.

“For our first event this was great and we are going to try and do this more often,” said McIntosh. “At least once a month.”

BANKS is the music industry's newest Pop/R&B who has been perfecting her writing and nimble voice since the age of fifteen.

She began writing songs when a friend gave her a keyboard during hard times at her LA home.

Her music is influenced by artists including Lauryn Hill, Fiona Apple, and Aaliyah.

BANKS has released two extended plays and dropped her debut album “Goddess” in early September.

Through “Goddess,” BANKS tells a story that can’t be written by ghost writers or corporate labels.

The opening track, “Alibi,” hints at the themes of love, betrayal, honesty, and unspoken, intimate moments the album explores. The hypnotizing electronic and R&B melodies and the dark yet fragile undertones of the lyrics set the mood for the listener.

Of the album’s 14 songs “You Should Know Where I’m Coming From” really hits home. The piano, drums and string instruments capture the drama and the raw emotions she expresses within her lyrics.

This also can be said about “Change” and “Goddess.” In “Change”, she goes into detail about a very rocky and unhealthy relationship, describing every moment and feeling as if it happened yesterday.

“Goddess” takes a stronger, less delicate approach. The hard-hitting rhythms and tones play into the song’s meaning while also catching the listener’s attention with its catchy hooks.

Although the album has its high points, it does fall short of a few elements.

Despite the meaningful concept of the album, the order of some of the tracks seemed out of place.

Although there is a rough balance between light-hearted songs and intense songs, the album may be challenging to fully absorb as a first time listener.

The first couple songs are fun and lighten the mood but then shoot down that mood by switching to songs that are intense and heartbreaking.

The jumping from one theme or sound to another one that’s very different makes the flow on the album awkward and bumpy.

It’s easy for the listener to get lost, miss some key parts and the significance of each song.

This flaw puts a small hindrance on the artistry that went into “Goddess.”

Overall, BANKS has the great ability to paint mental pictures of what she has gone through within her music without missing a beat.

Her music in the album isn’t destined to capture the attention of those who prefer high energy and fastpaced beats filled with good vibes.

It’s more likely to catch the attention of listeners who are attracted to calm and medium-paced tempos with a splash of substance that shies away from simplicity.

However, this album shows a great deal of versatility as to what she can sing about and write about.

Going from very playful and seductive songs such as “Bedroom Wall” and “Warm Water” to the gentle and relaxing acoustics in “Someone New”, BANKS has a lot to offer to music.

“Goddess” has opened the door for new opportunities in her career and leaves new fans waiting patiently for her future projects. — Tia Mitchell

Hit the streets like Royalty NCCU student introduces a new urban clothing line

BY ZHYNYRAH EURE ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Former NCCU student Yahrock Bates models for Royal Collections and Co. Photo courtesy of Nana Atakora-Bedaiko

Pharmaceutical science senior Henry Ajudua has teamed up with friends and family to start a clothing line called Royal Collections and Co. The line is designed for both males and females at reasonable prices.

“I have always been a fashion person,” said Ajudua.

“I’ve always dressed well and I figured since people have envied my style I might as well start my own brand.”

Royal Collections and Co. provides casual clothing that will more than likely catch every eye because of its unique yet simple style.

The material is specifically and delicately chosen for each design.

The clothing line represents a classy, chill and sophisticated look that can be worn in various ways.

“My line differs from any other clothing line because the style is royal and elegant ...”

HENRY AJUDUA MEMBER OF ROYAL COLLECTIONS AND CO. / PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE SENIOR

“I get my inspiration from rapper and fashion mogul Kanye West,” said Ajudua.

Ajudua also gets inspiration from his own imagination and creativity.

“I’m inspired from just putting stuff together, from my imagination and thinking ‘oh this looks dope’,” said Ajudua.

In the process of designing the line, the team came up with ideas to create something that will be tasteful for everyone. By constantly changing and recreating ideas for their clothing, they eventually find something that satisfies everyone.

“The Royal Collections and Co. team has tons of ideas that are just waiting to be released at the perfect time,” said Ajudua.

“My line differs from any other clothing line because the style is royal and elegant. It’s not your typical American style.”

Royal Collections and Co. has a website (Mkclbrand.com), an Instagram (Royal1collections) and a blog featured on the website.

Royal Collections and Co. is available for purchase online and in their store located in the United Kingdom.

Sports

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Eagles’ smooth sail over arch rival N.C. Central men’s basketball team tames Aggies in 14-point win BY

LYNDON BASS

ECHO SPORTS REPORTER

On Saturday, Feb. 7, N.C. Central University’s men’s basketball team traveled to Greensboro to battle it out against arch-rival N.C. A&T in their first head-to-head meeting at Corbett Sports Center.

In front of a sold-out crowd of Aggie and Eagle supporters, the home team was disappointed falling short of the Eagles, 58-44.

NCCU managed to control most of the game with balanced scoring that included four of the five starters scoring in double figures. Nimrod Hilliard IV and Karamo Jawara scored 14 points each.

Anthony McDonald dropped 13 and Jordan Parks added 12 more.

The Eagles’ dominating performance helped them cruise to a 14-point victory.

With this win, they remain undefeated in the MEAC conference this season.

“The atmosphere was crazy,” McDonald said.

“When I came out for warm-ups I saw how packed the game was and how the seats filled in quickly, being that they had a big gymnasium.

“It was a great experience and something I’ll never forget.”

Senior transfer Hilliard also was playing his first game against A&T.

“I think we played well,” Hilliard said. “We have to fix some things, do what we talked about in practice, and just get better every game.”

Two of the fourth-year seniors, Jawara and Parks, embraced their last game at the Corbett Sports Center wearing maroon and grey uniforms.

“I’m glad I ended my last game at the ‘T’ with a win,” Jawara said.

“It was a good team win and I’m just happy we put on a show for the fans that came all the way to support us.

“My teammates and coaching staff put me in a good position to go out with bang against them,” he said.

Parks dedicated his last game to the supporters of NCCU men’s basketball.

Parks said he was amazed at the number of NCCU fans who showed their support in the rowdy atmosphere of A&T. “I think I played pretty well,” Parks said.

“It goes all out to the fans. I was amped up for the game, and was really focused on trying to get better.

“It was amazing ... the support and fight that the fans had for us was just amazing. I give it all to the fans.”

The men’s basketball team has improved this year, with an overall record

NCCU’s Nimrod Hilliard IV defends N.C. A&T’s Ahmad Abdullah through a screen.

ANTHONY ORTIZ/Staff photographer

of 18-6. The team remains undefeated in the MidEastern Atlantic

Conference with a 10-0 record.

They’ll be spending

Valentine’s Day in Daytona Beach, Fla. as they prepare to take on the Wildcats of

Bethune-Cookman University at 4 p.m.

Young talent rises on the court for Lady Eagles NCCU’s Morgan Jones has stepped into a huge role this season BY

AVERY YOUNG

ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

Morgan Jones fights for a lay-up against Coppin State University’s defense.

MARKELL PITCHFORD/Staff photographer

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This year’s N.C. Central University women’s basketball team is filled with young talent. The team has only three seniors; the rest are set to return next season.

However, one of those young players has already made her mark, in the eyes of her teammates and coaches.

Morgan Jones, a criminal justice sophomore, has led her teammates by example on and off the court.

Last season, Jones played in 30 games, averaging just four points and one rebound per game.

During the off-season, Jones showed off her work ethic and dedication, working closely with the women’s guard coach to ensure that she improved her skills on the court.

“My work ethic has changed,” said Jones, “because I am in the gym a lot more which allows me more time to get in there to shoot and work out with Coach Mintz.”

This season, Jones’ hard work paid off well, as the turnaround in num-

bers and production shows.

In 22 games — she started in all of them — Jones has averaged 9.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and one steal per game.

Jones says her confidence has shot upwards.

“Last year, I was hesitant to shoot some shots but it was my first year, so I did not know as much,” she said.

“And now, I know what I need to do and recognize what kind of shot is available for me.”

Vanessa Taylor, women’s basketball head coach, has noticed the changes in Jones.

“My trust in her grows daily because you know what you’re going to get,” said Taylor.

All this adds up to Jones’ new leadership role.

“I was very quiet first, coming into the organization as a freshman, and didn’t say much,” said Jones.

“But now I’m a lot more vocal and I think we needed that as a team.”

But Jones isn’t just showing productivity on the court.

Jones holds a 3.8 cumu-

lative grade point average and has been selected an academic all-stars by her teammates.

She also serves on NCCU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Coach Taylor said she holds Jones in the highest regard, and praises her character.

“Since she has stepped on NCCU’s campus, she has been a leader by example,” said Taylor.

“She is very conscious about her work and she is a great representation of NCCU and the women’s basketball program.”

Jones and her teammates have high expectations for the remainder of the season.

“By the time the season ends, we expect to win it all,” said Jones.

“We still have a fighting chance in this season with six games left.”

“A lot of people may count us out, but we are still working together and planning on completing our goal.”

The Lady Eagles take on Bethune-Cookman University this Saturday as they make their lateseason push heading into the Mid-Eastern Atlantic conference tournament.

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Opinions

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Let’s make moves emember learning about how great a military leader King Hannibal was? Or King Mansa Musa I, who had a huge influence on the first university in the world, which happens to be located in Africa?

Me neither. You know why?

Because the government doesn’t require those things to be Diamond taught in schools. I bet Gywnn you all remember learning about slavery, though. Of course you do!

We were taught all our ancestors were slaves. Truth is, our black history is so much more than that.

They taught us about famous inventors like Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin, but failed to mention Garrett Augustus Morgan, the man who invented traffic signals, along with several other inventions.

We came from kings and queens. I think it’s time we start holding ourselves to that standard.

According to the 2014

R

Those rappers you see rocking all the fly chains and driving all the hot whips on television aren’t as rich as you may think. For examples, Young Thug, he was seen on Instagram burning money when his net worth is only 50,000 dollars. Boy please!

Forbes Magazine list of the world’s billionaires, only nine of them are black. NINE out of 1,645 people.

Think about that. Now think about the white kid from your class in high school who you picked on for having dirty sneakers.

We, as people, need to stop living beyond our means. Our generation is so caught up on images and material things. If you know you can’t afford that gold chain and grills, why buy it?

Those rappers you see rocking all the fly chains and driving all the hot whips on television aren’t as rich as you may think.

For examples, Young Thug, he was seen on Instagram burning money when his net worth is only 50,000 dollars.

Boy please!

We splurge on materialistic

things that are irrelevant, if you don’t have the money and degrees to match it keep your change.

We all know when black people get their refunds checks from school or taxes back we have a tendency to splurge.

You know, “do it for the gram.”

Prepare yourselves; because for the whole month of February into March Instagram will be flooded by those who’d rather fake stunt for their followers instead of save for their futures.

If this is you, it’s time to make some changes.

Invest in something, or you’ll be left broke by either April or the end of the semester.

Stop copping all the new kicks, just because you have the extra cash in your pocket

or buying $500 booths and bottles in the club to stunt on people who could care less about you.

We must learn how to separate our wants from our needs.

Those new shoes can wait, you have plenty.

Go purchase a nice business suit for future interviews instead and start saving to pay back student loans.

We must learn to invest into college educations, and supporting black businesses.

Stop inspiring to be a Young Thug and start saving and working to become the next Oprah Winfrey.

We came from nothing less than greatness, so why should we settle for less?

Let’s stop settling and start excelling in all areas in our lives!

Stop settling because that’s what’s expected from us! And don’t settle for secretary; establish your own corporation!

Be patient, work hard and invest.

We need more black inventors, businessmen, and role models to create a legacy that can’t be ignored or covered up.

Eagle Pride ne of the first things new students are introduced to during freshmen orientation is “Eagle Pride!”

“Eagle Pride” is something that is emphasized on the first day and continues beyond graduation.

And it gets us pumped for games, and school events such as homecoming and spring fling.

It’s the first impression students get when they foot on the N.C. Central’s yard.

Evan We quickly Owens learn that school spirit can be found in abundance at NCCU. Almost everyone should have “Eagle Pride” — unless they’re too cool.

However, no one could deny their “Eagle Pride” this past Saturday in Greensboro, sitting across from NCCU’s rival school, N.C. A&T. We screamed, proclaimed, and chanted “NCCU!” It was

O

It engages students and faculty, and encourages a community and school spirit. Eagle Pride should be much more thrilling than it is now. We can’t be all about our Dear Maroon and Grey if don’t have the ultimate level of school morale.

everywhere --printed on our tshirts and banners, it was all over Twitter and Instagram.

We were definitely feeling our Eagle Pride as we began to jingle our keys as time wound down in the last quarter of the game.

Of course, we brought our victory back to “the nest.”

In this sense, “Eagle Pride” is an undeniable positive energy.

It engages students and faculty, and encourages a community and school spirit. Eagle Pride should be much more thrilling than it is now. We can’t be all about our Dear Maroon and Grey if don’t have the ultimate level of school morale.

If we harnessed Eagle Pride in all areas of our NCCU experience, it would be powerful.

N ORTH C AROLINA C ENTRAL U NIVERSITY

Campus Echo Jamar Negron, Editor-in-Chief

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NCCU, Durham, NC 27707

It’s so easy to get excited about NCCU when you’re surrounded by maroon and gray.

The uproar of Eagle Pride should be consistent, as everyone goes insane as Jordan Parks throws down a windmill dunk.

We also should use “Eagle Pride” to our greatest advantage in class. Is “Eagle Pride” where it matters the most? Do our students have “Eagle Pride” during dull moments in the library?

We must channel our motivation to propel ourselves academically, and also to feel pride in our University while preparing for exams.

Our University is surrounded by highly selective schools, such as UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke and N.C. State. Every year their graduates will com-

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READ AND THEN RECYCLE

pete with NCCU graduates for jobs.

As NCCU graduates embark on career opportunities, we’ve seen fellow Eagles in leadership positions in esteemed organizations.

Let’s take pride in putting in work, even if we lose sleep.

Our pride shouldn’t be taken for granted; it’s a learning opportunity.

Now we all love seeing our athletes perform. But the reality is that we could win backto-back national championships in any sport, and that still wouldn’t promote our school as a learning institution. This can only be done in classrooms and libraries, and in our post-graduation success.

So by all means, turn up the school spirit during athletics and other school events. Go insane when your classmates make the Dean’s List. But apply the same attitude to your own academic performance. We're here. This is our shot at success.

“Eagle pride, Amplified!”

Illustration by Krystal Porter

Sound Off What could you do to make every month Black History Month?

“Knowledge about our history, if we don’t know our history we’ll continue to be oppressed. I will also support black businesses.”

— LA Chesson, Senior

“More positive communication, people don’t speak their minds as much as they use to, if they do it’s usually negative.”

—Lyndon Bass, Sophomore

“Enriching ourselves, so that we’re more approachable. We have to be more informal instead of downing ourselves.”

— Deanna Moore, Junior Sound Off by Melquan Ganzy