February 25 2009 by N.C. Central University Campus Echo

FEBRUARY 25, 2009

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The teenagers at Lyon’s Park say Kijuan Huff is showing them a new direction

Open your wallet and pay those athletic fees, like it or not.

NCCU professor has a couple of pet peeves.

Wanna hop a ride? Head over to at DATA’s downtown terminal

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Campus Echo Obama’s challenge: Pakistan Tuition

still climbing Tuition and fees to go up $130 per academic year BY GEOFFREY COOPER ECHO STAFF REPORTER

A Pakistani military assault on Taliban and al Qaida extremists near the Afghan border has unleashed a flood of at least 190,000 displaced people who may be forced to spend the approaching winter in tents in places such as Timergara camp in Bajaur, Pakistan, and could be marooned for years. SAEED SHAH/(MCT)

BY JONATHAN S. LANDAY AND SAEED SHAH MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

A nearly completed U.S. military study is expected to say that nuclear-armed Pakistan, not Iraq, Afghanistan or Iran, is the most urgent

foreign policy challenge facing President Barack Obama. Pakistan — convulsed by a growing al-Qaidabacked insurgency, hamstrung by a ruinous economy and run by an unpopular government that's paralyzed by infighting and

indecision — is critical to U.S. efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, thwart the spread of nuclear weapons and prevent tensions with neighboring India from escalating into a nuclear showdown. The U.S. Central Command review is

assessing the situation in the Middle East and South Asia as the Obama administration plans to draw down U.S. forces in Iraq and double the 30,000strong American military presence in Afghanistan, several people involved in the study told McClatchy

Newspapers. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the study is still underway and they weren't authorized to discuss it publicly. The assessment, they

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Victims find voice in ‘Vaginas’ BY CANDESS CARTER ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Tara-Whitney Rison, theater performance sophomore, with Theresa Garrett, hospitality, tourism and finance senior. MITCHELL

WEBSON/Echo

Staff Photographer

After four years of putting her life back together, a rape victim who will be identified as Melanie vividly recalls her horrific attack. “I was too young. We were drinking too much,” said Melanie. “The four guys we were with didn’t drink a drop, and my friend and I were only 16 and 14 years old. I was the oldest and I thought the boys were my friends,” she said. “They laid me on the deserted dirt road, the rocks scraping cuts in my back as they forced themselves inside me, and I felt so ashamed. I was too weak and I couldn’t fight them off.” Stories like this are

daily realities for Monika Hostler, executive director of the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault. “An estimated 12,000 women will be sexually assaulted this year in North Carolina,” said Hostler. “Women have less selfrespect [than men]. The word ‘rape’ is loosely used, and no one takes it as seriously as they should,” she said. Stories like this one are the fuel for a production of “Vagina Monologues,” which plays at N.C. Central University’s B.N. Duke Auditorium Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. The play’s director, Rhonda Royal Hatton, talked with each cast member about her per-

sonal experience with sexual and domestic abuse. “It was also a reality check, and when you have a person in flesh and blood tell you their story, it makes everything more real,” said Hatton. The play is presented by the V-Day movement, which was founded by playwright, activist and feminist Eve Ensler as a means to end violence against women and girls. To write her play, which premiered in New York City in 1996, Ensler interviewed more than 200 women about female sexuality and their sex lives.Hospitality and tourism and business senior Theresa Garrett, said

It’s not everyone’s favorite subject. It’s a subject that many N.C. Central University students approach with nothing short of dread. According to NCCU

math instructor Olena Melnykova, only about onethird of the students in her four Math 1000 classes passed the course. So what’s a teacher to do? According to NCCU math instructor Richard

Townsend, Math XL, a math testing and tutoring program, can help. “It’s really a great program,” said Townsend. “I’m the teacher. I give the lectures. The only thing Math XL is there for is to be a secondary tutori-

al guide.” Townsend said he likes the immediate feedback he gets from the program and described the software program as “user friendly.” The program sells for about $50 by itself, or about $160 with the accompany-

HBCU Lobby Day in Raleigh BY JABARI BLACKMON ECHO STAFF REPORTER

ing textbook. All NCCU math department courses require that students purchase Math XL for their courses. Both homework assignments and tests are taken

n See MATH XL Page 2

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Computer program offers new teaching tools, but lacks human touch ECHO STAFF REPORTER

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Students from N.C. Central University joined delegates from four other HBCUs last week at the third annual HBCU Lobby Day to ask the General Assembly for more funding for North Carolina’s 10 black colleges. NCCU students met with Sen. Floyd McKissick (D-Durham ) and Rep. Mickey Michaux (D-Durham) to express concerns about funding for public HBCUs. NCCU student representatives called funding inadequate, given the University’s housing shortage. Courtney Jordan, founder of the Student Emergency Express Money Board, described his astonishment when legislators revealed that NCCU was among the best-funded public HBCUs. “I actually heard from the decision-makers about what NCCU receives, and what needs to be done to improve the quality of life on our

Math XL draws mixed reviews BY BRITTANY TITUS

Political science senior Jared Pone will be the first to say “he knew it was coming.” Along with studying for the LSAT and getting recommendations together, Pone also has to face a bill, stamped with rising tuition. “In our economy’s current situation, for anything to progress it takes money,” Pone said. On Feb. 13 the UNC Board of Governors agreed to a 2.1 percent tuition increase for in-state and a 3.1 tuition increase for out-of-state N.C. Central University students. Members of NCCU’s Board of Trustees first requested a 3.1 percent tuition increase on Nov. 19, 2008 for the 2009-2010 academic years, but the UNC Board of Governors only approved the 2.1 percent increase. On average the UNC Board of Governors approved tuition and fee increases of 3.9 percent for the 16 public Universities in the state. Pone, an in-state undergraduate eyeing NCCU as one of his top choices for law school, said he is realistic about the economic situation while making his decision. He said he had a feeling tuition was going to be raised, but wasn’t sure how much it would be raised. “If we truly value our education, we can’t place limits on the money needed to fund our goals,” said Pone. “Money is not an option.” Family and consumer science senior Frances Windsor, who pays

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out-of-state undergraduate tuition with student and parent loans, said she feels the move is unnecessary. “I think that’s crazy,” Windsor said when she first heard of the increase. “That’s too much money for me and my parents to pay back.” For NCCU, in-state students will pay $46 more in tuition and $86 more in general fees per academic year. NCCU’s in-state tuition will increase from its current total of $2,218 to $2,264 next year. Total tuition and fee costs will be $3,861 in 200910. Out-of-state tuition will jump from $11,962 to $12,333. Biology junior Kendra Goins said she was unaware of the state’s decision to raise tuition. Goins said she feels the increase is moderate, but may have grave consequences in the future if a long-term solution is not found. “This does put a strain on students financially,” said Goins. “It doesn’t look to good for the future,” she said. “If it stays like this, college will be a dream for real, because nobody will be able to afford it.” For law students, tuition will rise more than 25 percent next year for in-state students but only 10 percent for out-of-state students. But first-year NCCU law student Lyle Burnham, Jr., an in-state student, is remaining calm about the jump in tuition. He said he knows NCCU’s law school remains top-rated and is still affordable compared to other law schools. “Even if they plan on raising tuition and you take out loans, you’re going to have to pay it back,” said Burnham. “It’ll all be about how much you need to take out. This is not going to make me transfer though.” Although Burnham is taking out student loans to fund his law schooling, he said he works full-time as a loss prevention detective at

Macy’s to help cut the costs. NCCU administrators, such as assistant vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students, Louis Velez, are also realistic about the decision. “The consumers, which are the students, are going to always pay the price,” said Velez. “As students, you come into the University with expectations as a consumer.” Velez said he felt the tuition raise was inevitable and could not be put off any longer if major University initiatives are to be enacted. “I don’t know how you can get around it,” Velez said. “The money has to come from somewhere.” Although many students are worried about the tuition hike, some administrators hold a positive outlook on the decision. Sharon Oliver, director of financial aid, said she believes the increase is modest and manageable. “Nobody really wants to raise tuition,” said Oliver. “But if we want to provide an excellent education for our students, this is something we all have to do.” Oliver said one good side to the increase is that a significant portion of tuition funds will go to “hold harmless” low-income students in the form of grants, such as the Eagle grants. The portion received back from the tuition increase will range from 25 percent to 50 percent. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama’s on Feb. 17 increased funding for the Pell Grant program. According to FAFSA, the maximum Federal Pell Grant award for the 20092010 will be $5,350, which is an increase of $619 from this school year. Oliver said one way for students to maximize their chances for the best financial aid package possible is to apply before March 15. “In a situation such as this, a portion will always come back to support students.”

on the software program. When a student misses a homework question three times, the software provides the correct answer and the student can click an icon for an explanation. Homework and test results are provided to the professor. The professor does not have to create assignments or grade hundreds of papers, and gets automatic tallies on how students have done on assignments and tests. Additionally, the software provides a report showing how long each student worked on each question and on the entire assignment. Students give Math XL mixed reviews. “I personally think Math XL is great,” said nursing sophomore Ashlee Smith. “It’s almost like having the teacher there. When you’re stuck, all you have to

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do is click and view an example.” Criminal justice sophomore Tondra Hailey agrees. “Some points made in class are cleared up through Math XL when I do my homework,” she said. But some students complain that Math XL has a number of problems. “It’s crippling that it can only be done on a computer,” said James Swinson, a criminal justice senior who added that he can’t always get to a computer. Others said that that you can get a problem right, but one missing comma will make your whole answer wrong. “I hate it,” said Chasity Richardson, a mass communication senior. Richardson said the program plays to students’ laziness, allowing them to click, click, and click until they get the right answer on

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their homework assignments. Then when the test comes along, they don’t understand the concepts, she said. One drawback, according to some students, is that the program doesn’t allow for partial credit. Another drawback: The teacher doesn’t see the actual steps the student took to solve a problem and, consequently, can’t show students where they went off-track on a problem. “As much as this program might be helpful to students, it can also be a crutch if not used properly,” said associate professor Sung-Sik Kwon. “Some students can click on ‘view an example,’ mimic the answer, plug it in, and it’s correct,” Kwon said. “Then when the test is given they don’t know what to do.”

campus,” Jordan said. NCCU, which has an enrollment of about 8,500 students, received a lump sum of $78.1 million out of the state’s 2008-2009 budget, a small increase from the previous budget, in which NCCU received about $76.6 million. In contrast, two of the larger universities in the UNC system received much bigger allocations in both budgets. UNC-Chapel Hill, with an enrollment of more than 28,000 students, received $506 million for 2007-08, and $518 million for 2008-09. N.C. State University, with an enrollment of more than 31,000 students, received $445 million for 2007-08, and $453 million for 2008-09. NCCU campus activist Khadijah Mosely said she echoes the sentiments of Rep. Alma Adams (DGreensboro), the event’s host and chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. “We have to hold power accountable, so that the governor doesn’t balance the state budget on the backs of HBCUs,” said Mosely. Students attended an afternoon meeting with N.C. House Speaker Joe Hackney (D-Chapel Hill) and the chancellors of N.C. Central University, Fayetteville State University, N.C. A&T University and Bennett College to ask them about plans to provide more funding for North Carolina’s HBCUs. Jacquetta Johnson, political science senior and an event organizer, addressed the attendees at a midday press conference. Johnson stressed the need for local public financing as a means to allow qualified candidates to spend more time listening to the needs of the constituency rather than raising money. Johnson and participant Jackie Wagstaff plan to take their agenda to Washington. “We want to schedule a meeting with President Obama and his administration to talk about the state of HBCUs in North Carolina,” said Johnson.

MONOLOGUES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 that every cast member has some connection to sexual or domestic violence, either as a victim or as someone close to a victim. Garrett, a survivor of domestic violence, brought V-Day to NCCU in 2005. This year, the movement spotlights atrocities now

occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where rape is being used as a war tactic. “We are a voice to the voiceless,” said Garrett. “This program can help spread awareness of domestic violence. The word ‘vagina’ was

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used to grasp people’s attention.” About 60 percent of all sexual assaults are not reported to the police, according to The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. The network also reports that college-aged women

are four times more likely to get sexually assaulted than women outside of college life. “These diverse stories are funny and sad, but all have the intent to increase information about violence,” said biology and criminal justice junior

It’s time to start preparing for the ‘world of work.’ University Career Services is the student’s focal point for career planning. W e offer career counseling, part-time job placements, internships, and cooperative education placementsin both the private and public sectors. W e offer workshops on resume writing, inteviewing, cover letter writing, and stress management. Plus, in our Glaxo Career Library, you’ll find career-related videos, brochures, pamphlets, and magazines, as well as graduate school catalogs and annual reports — all there for you to review. Call for an appointment or drop by to meet with one of our counselors.

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LaDonte’ Garrett. Garrett is a survivor of domestic violence and a “Vagina Monologues” cast member. According to Hostler, rape victims often blame themselves for their rape. Hostler stressed that rape is never the victim’s

fault. According to Melanie, her ordeal will stay with her for the remainder of her life. She said she cannot change what happened, but that telling her story will help others cope with their own traumas.

Health Careers Center N.C. Central University 521 Nelson Street Durham, NC 27707 th

35 f Year o e Servic

Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm 919 530-7128 Charles E. McClinton, Ph.D., Director Alfreda D. Evans, Student Services Coordinator

Special Programs • Boston University Early Medical School Selection Program • Clinical Health Summer Program NCCU/Duke University Medical Center • North Carolina Access, Retention and Completion Initiative in the Allied Health Sciences (NC-ARC) Course Number BIOL2030. This course gives students an overview of allied health professions and facilitates acceptance into the School of Allied Health Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

More Opportunities are available. Contact us.

The NCCU Health Careers Center staff celebrates 35 years 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 • Other services and activities

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Leading by his own example BY DENIQUE PROUT ECHO STAFF REPORTER

An N.C. Central University student’s work at a Durham recreation center is inspiring at-risk teens to go to college. Kijuan Huff went to the Project TEAM program at Lyon Park’s Community and Family Life Recreation Center (CFLRC) in hopes of gaining experience in the sports recreation field. According to NCCU policy, each student must complete a practicum in his or her field of study. But Huff does much more than that, as he inspires some teenagers to stay in school and aim higher. “I was suggested by my teacher, Dr. Armstrong, to call Lyon Park,” said Huff, a sports management junior with a minor in business. “So I called, came over there and I’ve been here for about a month.” Project TEAM (Teach, Enrich, Achieve and Motivate) is an after-school program for teens between ages 13 and 17. Teens come to the program to get help with their homework, attend educational programs and get hands-on experience that will help them achieve goals. “I do things like assist them with their homework and assign current events, because I like for them to constantly be aware of what’s going on around them, and their surroundings,” said Huff. Twenty students are enrolled in the program, but according to records, only about 12 actually attend. Huff and other volunteers and staff are trying to come up with events and activities that will attract more teens. Alexandria Blackmon said that if it weren’t for Project TEAM, she wouldn’t have anything to do except watch TV or talk on the phone. “It provides a quiet place for me to go and get help with my homework,” said Blackmon, a junior at C.E. Jordan High School. Blackmon has been a member for nearly a year, and said she decided to join Project TEAM because there were “many attractive dudes.” After she joined, she learned that the program could help her out in many ways over the long run. “I never even thought about going to college before I met Kijuan,” she said. “After talking to him, it seems like college would be more fun than what I thought, aside from all the homework you have to do.” Blackmon is not the only one who changed her mind about college after meeting Huff. “Well, he does make me want to go to col-

NCCU student Kijuan Huff went to work at Project TEAM, a Durham program for at-risk teenagers, to fulfill a University requirement. Now his work is an important part of his life, and the lives of (behind him, from right) teens Alexandria Blackmon and Aleshia Blackmon, and co-worker Shomari Brame. RAY TYLER/Echo Staff Photographer

lege,” said Raleshia Douglas, a junior at C.E. Jordan High School. “He’s very smart and seems to have his life in control. He is able to do his work, manage his schedule and still find time to come see us. I like him a lot. Plus he is always cracking jokes and stuff, making me laugh.” Blackmon, Douglas and Douglas’s sister Aleshia Anderson competed in the Black History Quiz Bowl at Lyon Park on Feb. 21, with Huff as their coach. They made it to the second round. “These kids are all right and they only give you respect when you give it to them,” said

Huff. “Some of them, you can easily talk to. But others, it’s almost as if they have a wall or shield up with a ‘you-can’t-tell-me-nothing’ attitude. And that’s because many of them have been misguided, and they have gotten to a point where they are content with where they stand in their lives right now.” Huff ’s co-worker Shomari Brame, facility supervisor and group leader at Lyon Park, said he has a similarly strong interest in working with teens because, like them, he grew up “at-risk.” Brame has worked with teens for nearly

four years, and said that Huff has become a great asset to the program. “He has come in and given new and brighter ideas for the program,” Brame said. “You don’t find too many people who will come in and work with a bunch of teens.” Huff plans to keep working with the teens until he graduates in May 2010. Project TEAM is one of the many teen programs at CFLRC at Lyon Park. Meetings are Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. More information about Project TEAM, is available through Akwari Roberson at 919560-4288, ext. 222.

Triangle women gather to get WHOLE truth Annual event inspires, informs BY COURTNEY MORGAN ECHO STAFF REPORTER

There are four ways to remove the obstacles from your life. First, determine the root cause of your self-doubt or fear of failure. Then,write down what prevents you from achieving your goal. Next, write down the real reason you didn’t do what you wanted to do. Finally, speak positive things into existence. Then stand up and yell, “I am beautiful!” This is what speaker Chaz Kyser, author of “Embracing the Real World,” told an audience of women at the 2nd Annual WHOLE Conference (Women Heightening Opportunities for Leadership and Empowerment), held Feb. 21 at N.C. Central University's Alfonso Elder Student Union. Kyser talked about a range of women’s issues, such as unconstructive criticism from loved ones, negative media portrayals of women, and the tendency for women to compare

themselves to others. The WHOLE conference is similar to the Women’s Empowerment Conference held each year in Raleigh. It is co-sponsored by the NCCU Women’s Conference and other campus organizations. “The theme of this conference this year is, ‘Rebuilding Me,’” said Chimi Boyd, director of the NCCU Women’s Center. “The idea is for women to address the whole self: physical, spiritual, mental, emotional and financial.” Sessions with titles such as “Shorty Got Her Own,” “Sometimes We Need Solitude” and “You are Royalty” reflected the conference theme. Although the conference was held on campus, it was open to the public, and drew students from other schools as well as local women in their 40s. “This is just a wonderful opportunity for not only us as black women to come together, but also for Duke and NCCU to come together,” said Channing Matthews, a psychology senior at Duke University. At the end of each session, attendees were asked to fill out evalua-

Women of all ages, including students from N.C. Central University, gathered at the University’s Alfonso Elder Student Union on Feb. 21 for workshops and lectures on female self-empowerment. SEBASTIAN FRANCES/Echo Staff Photographer

tion sheets to help organizers choose presenters for the next conference.

“I thought that it was a very compelling and interesting program and I would love to come

back next year,” said Brittany Titus, an NCCU mass communications sophomore.

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What are you doing now? NCCU Intranet inspired by Facebook, Twitter BY ALISHA BYRD ECHO STAFF REPORTER

By jumping on the Internetbased social bandwagon, N.C. Central University is hoping to create its own genre of communication. Eagle Status, located on the NCCU website under MyEOL (also called the “Intranet”) is a function created in midDecember by NCCU’s Web services department to allow students and faculty to communicate about issues, changes and events around campus. The Facebook-style update question “What are you doing now?” was supposed to be a way for students and faculty to update peers about what they were doing at that moment. But as it quickly evolved, Eagle Status has become more like Yahoo! Answers. That is, students can ask others online for answers to pressing questions (“What is the phone number for Financial Aid?”) and get answers immediately. Damond Nollan, Web Services Manager, says the idea of Eagle Status was inspired by Web sites like Twitter and Facebook, and was created so he could get a quick idea of what students and faculty were doing. But many students are not even aware of the new function. English literature junior Alisha Murphy said she didn’t know anything about the Eagle Status. “To be honest with you, when I log onto the Intranet I go straight to my e-mail,” Murphy said. “I don’t pay attention to anything else.” Business marketing junior Thomas Lucas didn’t even know the Eagle Status was available for student use.

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Stimulus bill has $16B for students BY DIVINE MUNYENGETERWA ECHO STAFF REPORTER

“All I ever see updating their status are professors,” said Lucas. So is NCCU trying to create a new Facebook or MySpace? Criminal Justice junior Tashyia Webb believes that the status function is pointless. “That’s what we have Facebook and MySpace for,” said Webb. “They already cause too many problems as it is, and we don’t need to get faculty and staff involved too.” Nollan defends the status update, stressing that the Intranet version “brings real value and services to students, unlike Facebook.” Some students agree that Eagle Status is a good idea. Some say that Facebook and MySpace are popular because of their ability to update users’ status, and that this could work for NCCU too. “If they want more students

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to pay attention to the Intranet, they should go with whatever works,” said Lucas. In that spirit, the ideas from students keep on coming. Some students say they want to see more colors and pictures that draw attention to students. “Not just pictures from events, but random everyday pictures,” said Murphy. “Students love to see themselves, and you’d be surprised what you see just walking around campus.” Eagle Status joins a number of features now appearing on the NCCU Intranet Bulletin Board, such as personal and classified ads. Web Services also has plans for students to be able to access the Intranet through their smart phones. The department also plans to link NCCU’s Eagle status with Facebook and MySpace.

Students who think the massive $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will only fund infrastructure projects, such as highways and bridges are missing the education component. The stimulus bill, signed into law by President Barack Obama on Feb. 17 in Denver, directs a whopping $53 billion toward education and training. The recession officially began 15 months ago. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan recently described the current economic downturn and banking crisis as a “once-in-a-century type event.” “Since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September, we have been exposed to the most rapid and unremitting set of gloomy statistics that I have ever seen,” the former Fed chairman said to the Economic Club of New York on the day the bill passed. Of the $53 billion directed to education and training, nearly $16 billion will increase funding for student financial assistance. Another $200 million will be directed toward increasing funds for federal work-study programs on university campuses. The bill will increase the Pell Grant maximum by $500, from $4,850 to $5,350 per person. It also will increase the higher education tax credit to a

maximum of $2,500. This will mean a higher education tax cut for nearly four million students, according to recovery.gov, a website operated by the Obama administration, to provide a complete overview of the stimulus package. The site provides detailed information about different projects from the $787 billion act. It also provides an account of how the money is spent. “The $500 increase in the Pell Grant maximum will certainly assist with tuition and fees and it could also help with books,” Sharon Oliver, N.C. Central University’s director of financial aid, told the Herald-Sun newspaper. Shermaine Richardson, a music industry junior, sees an emphasis on education as crucial at a time when the U.S. is outsourcing jobs to other countries. “And if the stimulus package will help, that’s a good thing, because without this education, where are we gonna be?” Richardson said. Business marketing sophomore Kanesha Duggins is also pleased that so much money will be directed to supporting university students. “A lot of kids are taking out loans,” Duggins said. “It’s hard for them to stay in school because their parents don’t have any money. So hopefully this will be a boost for education.” According to recovery.gov, the goal of the stimulus package is to create more than 3.5 million jobs.

In addition to education, infrastructure and mass transit, it will also provide funds for green projects like renewable energy and improving the energy efficiency of federal buildings and homes. Recovery.gov describes the stimulus package as “an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy … and [make] a down payment on addressing longneglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.” “The stimulus package is a long-term investment in the country’s workforce,” said Kofi A. Amoateng, an NCCU professor of applied financial economics. “It keeps institutions going, reduces cutbacks, and provides parents with relief for tuition costs.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the current unemployment rate is 7.6 percent, up from 4.9 percent at this time last year. But this figure excludes individuals who are underemployed and who have given up searching for a job. Along with this number, the unemployment rate is actually 13.9 percent. In all, 11.5 million Americans are unemployed. Congress.org, a website that keeps track of voting on Capitol Hill, reports that the Senate passed the stimulus bill with 60-38 votes; three Republicans supported the bill. In the House, the bill passed 246-183 without the support of a single Republican vote.

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Textbook future written in cyberspace

PAKISTAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

BY MARA ROSE WILLIAMS MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPES

A villager walks by a wall of graffiti just outside of Faridkot village in Pakistan. The graffiti written in Urdu reads, "Go for jihad. Go for jihad." Markaz Dawat ul-Irshad", MDI, is the parent organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba. SAEED SHAH/McClatchy

said, is expected to recommend major increases in U.S. aid to Pakistan in areas such as public education, health care and good governance, in a bid to stem the poverty and illiteracy that help fuel the country’s Islamic insurgency. Stepped up non-military aid also could ease popular anger at the government and its chief ally, the United States, which many Pakistanis accuse of stoking the insurgency by relying primarily on military offensives and missile strikes that have claimed numerous civilian lives, the officials said. Such recommendations are consistent with an administration plan championed by Vice President Joseph Biden to give Pakistan $15 billion in nonmilitary aid over the next 10 years. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the U.S. has given Pakistan more than $7 billion in military assistance and just over $3 billion in non-military aid. The administration’s plan would condition new military assistance on the Pakistani Army’s cooperation in curbing the insurgency and eliminating the refuges in the remote Afghan border region that the Taliban use to attack U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan and al-Qaida uses to train terrorists and plot new strikes on U.S. and other Western targets. However, crafting a new U.S. policy on Pakistan is likely to be a daunting task for Obama and his special envoy, Richard Holbrooke, who’s to make his first visit to the region this week. “This will be a major pol-

Map of Pakistan locates the administrative district of Swat, located in the North-West Frontier Province, which authorizes say is mostly under the control of Islamic militants. McClatchy 2009

icy challenge,” warned Paul Pillar, a professor at Georgetown University in Washington who served as the top U.S. intelligence analyst on the region. “The situation is in flux.” Pakistan is slipping deeper by the day into political, economic, ethnic and religious chaos. The Pakistani Taliban control most of the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and have seized Swat, a valley 100 miles from Islamabad. Electricity and

United Christian Campus Ministry 525 Nelson Street, NCCU Campus Spring Conference on "Choosing Ministry as a Vocation" Students are you experiencing "The CALL"? Have you been called to serve as Pastor, Evangelist, Missionaries, etc.? Choosing Ministry as a Vocation? Sign up for our conference by contacting Campus Ministries at 530-5263 or contact Rev. Page at mpage@nccu.edu

Michael D. Page Campus Minister

NCCU Christian Men coming together to share in the Mission. You are invited to FITT (Faith, Intergrity, Truth and Trust) Ministry. Contact Curvy Buford at 530-6380.

Join an exciting ministry of students, meet with Christian Student Fellowship by contacting Campus Ministries for meeting date at 530-6380.

food shortages have sparked unrest and stalled industrial production, and the stock market has dropped more than 60 percent while the Pakistani rupee has fallen 30 percent against the dollar in the past year. Meanwhile, the coalition government led by President Asif Ali Zardari, mired in infighting and incompetence, has failed to unite around a strategy to contain the crisis, and some U.S. and Pakistani experts warn that there’s a growing

danger that Pakistan could have its fifth military coup since it won its independence from Britain in 1947. “The civilian leadership is weak and fearful of the inevitable in Pakistan, that it oversteps the mark and runs the risk of being removed (by the Army),” said Rashed Rahman, a political analyst based in Lahore. “It is a non-functional government. There is no legislative program. Parliament was always a talking shop in Pakistan, but they have taken it to new heights.” The coalition is led by the Pakistan People’s Party of Zardari’s slain wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and comprises 70 ministers ranging from the secular to reputed Taliban sympathizers. A State Department official said in Washington that the Army chief of staff, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, supports democratic rule and doesn’t want to burden his troops with running the country when its main task is fighting the insurgency. However, he said, U.S. officials worry about senior and middle-level Army and intelligence officers who consider India and the United States Pakistan’s main foes. These officers think their best response is continuing to back the militant Islamist groups that Pakistan’s powerful spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, or ISI, created to wage proxy guerrilla wars in Afghanistan and Indian-held Kashmir. Shah is a McClatchy Newspapers special correspondent.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University students started spring semester classes Monday, but many aren’t lugging thick textbooks around campus. Instead, most students are carrying a lightweight electronic device that can fit in a coat pocket and hold the textbook material for all their classes. Some students will download their text information onto their laptops. At Northwest, textbooks — at least the bound kind — are fast becoming a thing of the past. Besides taking a load off students’ backs, going textbook-free can save them a lot of money. The pilot electronic textbook program began in the fall with four classes and about 200 students. This spring, roughly 4,000 of the school’s 6,500 students will use electronic textbooks. “I think that it’s the way the world is going,” said Dean L. Hubbard, Northwest’s president, who is retiring in July after 25 years at the Maryville, Mo., university. Textbook publishers say many colleges are moving toward using some electronic textbooks, but Northwest’s plan to eventually eliminate all bound textbooks makes it a leader in the movement. “Right now, digital products account for a small percent of our higher education business, but it is growing at a rate that is breathtaking,” said Jeffrey Ho, a product manager for McGraw-Hill Education. But Northwest can only move toward a bookless campus as fast as the availability of e-books allows, Hubbard said. “Publishers don’t have all textbooks online yet,” he said. “But I would think as a realistic measure we could be totally out of the printed textbook business in three years.” That idea pleases sophomore Mike Jenkins. “I think the whole concept is pretty cool,” said Jenkins, 19, of Lee’s Summit, Mo. Jenkins used ebooks in his history class during the fall semester. “I would like it if we didn’t have textbooks at all anymore,” he said. “You wouldn’t have the hassle of messing with books. The e-book is so convenient, and you don’t have to carry all those books around.” Plus, unlike printed textbooks, e-books have pop-up interactive quizzes and the ability to search the full text within seconds for key

words. New electronic reader technology also will allow students to take notes in onscreen posted notes. Jenkins found a few “minor” problems with the e-reader gadget that he and his classmates used. “You can’t look at a whole page on one screen, and it doesn’t have a backlight to light up the screen,” he said. Not all students were as comfortable with the electronic textbooks. “I always worried that something would happen, like it would crash on the night I had to study for a test,” said Jennifer Martin, a 22-year-old Northwest senior from Liberty, Mo. “It’s a good concept, but I didn’t like it that much. I would rather flip pages back and forth in the textbook when I’m studying. Maybe it would be better to start this with freshmen who haven’t yet gotten used to studying using a regular textbook.” Students who want a traditional textbook could still get one. But the cost savings are hard to ignore, even at Northwest, a school that already is unique because of its textbook rental system and its history of giving every student a laptop. A textbook-free campus would save the university about $400,000 a year. Currently the university spends about $800,000 a year to keep an inventory of about 50,000 to 80,000 textbooks that are rented out to students. Northwest students pay about $80 to $90 a semester on books, a fraction of what students at other schools pay. Northwest will continue to charge students just a rental fee. But once the ebook program goes campuswide, Hubbard said, Northwest students’ book fee will be cut in half. E-books are less expensive than bound books, which are updated every few years and then have to be repurchased by the school. E-books can be updated at no cost. Even at schools without a rental system, students would pay far less for texts on e-books than they would for bound books. Nationally, the cost of textbooks has soared in the last decade. The average college student spends nearly $1,000 a year on textbooks, according to the National Association of College Stores. Northwest will purchase the electronic readers and then load them with the ebooks each student needs. The student would pick up their loaded e-reader at the university bookstore or have their electronic textbooks loaded on their laptop.

Campus Echo FEBRUARY 25, 2009

FEATURING IBRAHIM AZZAM, SONIA M’BAREK

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SPECIAL: NC CENTRAL STUDENTS $10

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DATA after dark N

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009

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Photos and text by Phyllis Thornton

t’s the Grand Central Station of Durham. And at night it’s a sight to behold. It’s the Durham Area Transit Authority’s downtown terminal. An estimated 3 million pas sengers will pass through the Durham Station each year. The station, designed by the Freelon group, costs almost $12 million to build. It’s located at 317 West Pettigrew Street, near the site of the old Heart of Durham Hotel. The buses leave the main terminal at the top of the hour and every half hour from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, they run from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 pm. The red, blue and yellow striped buses, know as Low Floor Gilligs, carry about 14,000 passenger trips each day on 17 bus routes. Durham’s 45 Gilligs carry 120 gallons of gas and each costs about $300,000. They are manufactured by a company whose history can be traced back over 100 years to a San Francisco buggy manufacturer. From 1943 to 1991, the DATA bus line was owned and operated as the Duke Power bus system. “DATA serves a great num ber of citizens in the area and the citizens have different reasons for riding the buses,” said Sherri Smallwood, customer service representative for DATA. And it’s a bargain: A single ride fair costs just $1, plus there are discounted student fares

and unlimited ride passes that run from $18 to $36 per month. Youth under 12 and seniors can ride DATA buses for free. “This time of year is very busy,” said Orin Meekins, a student from Durham Technical College. “I do not own a car and when I am not in school, I use the bus to get to the movies or to the mall like a lot of young people,” he said. Meekins said he and his friends meet up at the terminal and hang out waiting for the bus. DATA ridership spikes whenever gas prices jump. “It’s cheaper than driving your car, and I enjoy the ride to and from school and work,” said Christopher Boston, a N.C. Central University marketing sophomore. Many say they are happy with DATA’s service, but add that they would like to see some changes, especially more routes. “It is the only way that I have to get around, and I think there should be more buses going more places in the city,” said retiree Reginald Jackson. For more information about DATA and its bus routes, grab a brochure on any bus, or call (919) 485-RIDE. You can also go to http://DATA.DurhamNC.gov. A popular feature on the DATA Web page is the door-todoor Trip Planner where you can enter your starting and destination points and all your connections are provided.

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Fantastical fiction ‘Fabulation’ shows loss of self through a fabricated existence

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Art prof’s rep spans globe BY ERICA MCRAE ECHO STAFF WRITER

Achamyeleh Debela, a professor of art and computer graphics at N.C. Central University, is known internationally as a pioneering digital artist. Debela was featured in the 2008 exhibition, “Far From Home,” at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. His work “Song for Africa,” has been added to the museum’s permanent collection. His artwork also has been selected by the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art in Gainesville, Fla. The Harn has installed three of Debela’s digital artworks as part of its permanent collection. “We are delighted to make this acquisition of a major contemporary African-American artist,” said Dr. Rebecca Nagy, director of the Harn Museum. Debela’s latest collec-

tion reflects his active engagement with the computer canvas and explores the relationship between traditional and digital painting techniques. Debela creates his digital compositions by manipulating images scanned from his own drawings, paintings and photographs, as well as from a variety of appropriated sources. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Addis Ababa, Debela graduated from the Addis Ababa Fine Arts School. Debela earned additional degrees at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria (B.F.A); Morgan State University (M.A.); and the Maryland Institute College of Art (M.F.A). He pursued doctoral studies in art education and computer graphics at Ohio State University.

Amber Edwards (l) and Ariel Griffin (c) and Dionne Johnson (far right) as Sharona Watkins a.k.a.”Undine” reminisce about their childhoods in the production of “Fabulation.” JOHNNY ALSTON/N.C. Central University Theatre Department

BY JOANNA HERNANDEZ ECHO A&E EDITOR

Throughout the month of February, the N.C. Central University theatre department has been wrapped in “Fabulation.” “Fabulation” is a play that captures the essence of staying true to self. In the production, the main character, Undine, is a successful black woman who has climbed her way to the top of the corporate ladder by building a prestigious New York publicity company. Undine, played by theatre senior Dionne Johnson, has lost sight of who she is and where she comes from. She erases Brooklyn, her past and rejects her imperfect family. In a devastating twist of karma, Undine finds herself broke and alone. Abandoned by her friends, and left with an unwanted pregnancy, Undine ends up bankrupt.

She has no choice but to return home, where she is reminded of what she comes from. After cutting her family off for 14 years, her return results in a delightful, dark comedy. “The main character loses herself to her fabricated existence and consuming desire,” said director and Assistant Professor Stephanie Howard. A cast of 10 NCCU students portrayed the play’s multiple characters in a fast-paced rendition of Undine’s transformative experience. She completes an enlighting journey of acceptance, accountability, compassion, love and above all, self–identity. The cast of “Fabulation” enjoyed each other throughout the production. “We all built nice relationships. We all spent a lot of time together laughing,” said mass communication senior Quan Acapella, who played Undine’s brother along with other

smaller roles. Acapella, the rookie of the cast, looked to his cast mates for ideas and guidance. He credits Johnson for giving him the best advice. “Dionne told me in the beginning that acting is becoming. It is very important to become the character you are portraying,” said Acapella. Although the play had some comedy, the cast took their roles seriously. “The cast seemed very committed to their characters. I believed them. They were good,” said biology sophomore Tiffany Warrant. Written by Brooklyn native Lynn Nottage, “Fabulation” received the 2005 Obie award for playwriting. The play has been a memorable experience for all those who have taken part. “I felt like we were received well by our audiences. Although sometimes boisterous, I felt that they were captivated,” said Johnson.

Debela’s digital painting, Song for Africa

Campus Echo Online / www.campusecho.com

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M1 Platoon We Not Them Part Two Independent

4out of 5 on the black hand side

We Not Them Part II is M1 Platoon’s follow up mixtape to their previous release bearing the same name. M1 takes their listeners on yet another earorgasmic journey riding the wave of Arafat Yates’s production, along with the assistance of Napalm and 9th Wonder, as they explain the difficulties of dealing with the opposite sex. As on their previous mixtapes, Jay Fatz heads the intro with a rhythmical sense of comedy that shows listeners that this is indeed “something for the hunnies.” “Girl I Ain’t Him” follows the intro with smooth instrumentation and slick wordplay to follow as the boys make their point of how real they are. Without hesitation, they let the girls know that they stand by the title of their mixtape. “Digital Girls” might be hard to follow

Bonnie and Clyde James and Florida Evans Peter and Lois Griffin Al and Peg Bundy It’s Over for some initially, but the track speaks of young women who “front” on the internet. The mixtape itself takes a definite change in tone early on with the song “Swagidout,” which is just an all around feel good song. It features a fusion or reggae, R&B, and hip-hop delivery to create the perfect summer song. The fluid smoothness continues over tracks like “Feeling You” and “What It Look Like,” where Chops proclaims on the chorus that they’re not the “sell crack-hood type.” The two tracks that stand out are featured at no better place than the end. The first, “It’s Over,” shows a more serious side of the group lyrically and instrumentally, while “Be Alright (Carlitta’s Groove)” ends the show on a more positive note. Major growth is apparent from the talented DC-Maryland crew on their most recent release. I personally think it’s a must listen for every college male. If you haven’t checked it out by now, you definitely should. — Josh P. Leak

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009

Classifieds JOB OPPORTUNITIES NOW HIRING. No exp. needed. Good pay and benefits, paid training, promotions. regular raises. HS Grads ages 17-34. Call Mon-Fri 800-662-7419 for local interview

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JOB OPENING - 20 HOURS A WEEK, $12 PER HOUR Co-coordinator of the Durham Inner-city Gardeners program. Requirements include experience with gardening and youth. More info www.seedsnc.org. Send resume and cover letter to lharris@seedsnc.org

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NCCU WRITING STUDIO You wouldn’t wait until the night before to practice for the big game ...

So why wait until the last minute to start your paper? Walk-ins welcome, but appointments prefered Monday & Thursday from 10 am - 5 pm Wednesday 10 am - 6 pm Friday 10 am - 2 pm Room 339 ~ Farrison-Newton Communications Building 530-7554 ~ writingstudio@nccu.edu Director Dr. Karen Keaton Jackson

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For more information come to our TEACHER EDUCATION INTEREST WORKSHOP Saturday, February 28, 2009 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. North Carolina Central University H.M. Michaux, Jr. School of Education *Refreshments will be provided

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Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009

Broncs cheer 1-point win 3-POINT SWING IN LAST 18 SECONDS TRUMPS EAGLES

$508 buys you what? B Y M ATTHEW B EATTY ECHO SPORTS REPORTER

Jamar Briscoe heads up court against two Texas Pan-American defenders. ROXY SOLIS/Courtesy of the Pan American FROM STAFF REPORTS

After a long and hard fight, N.C. Central University Eagles fell to the University of TexasPan American Broncs 67 Broncos in a squeaker that Eagles 66 ended with a 6766 loss.

With a high of 22 points, NCCU senior Bryan Ayala led the Eagles to 20 Bronc turnovers during the game. In the second half, NCCU was able to squeeze in a 1-point lead over the Broncos, leaving the score at 23-22 at halftime. With 7:38 left, Ayala helped

the Eagles take a 53-45 lead. But UTPA came back with a score of 62-60, with 2:45 left in the game. In the final seconds, the Eagles made a comeback to 6664. UTPA’s P.J. Turner took the lead back by 1 point after being

fouled by NCCU’s sophomore Michael Glasker. After missing the second shot, Turner got the rebound and went in for a layup. After missing the layup, teammate Julius Allgood made the winning shot for UTPA.

Walker gets extended hours BY

JUSTIN CAMPBELL ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

This year, the Leroy T. Walker Education and Recreation Complex is more accessible to N.C. Central University students than it has been for a long time. Until recently, students could only use the Walker Complex for recreational activities from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. weekdays. The complex hours are now as follows: 6 a.m. until 8 a.m. on weekday mornings; 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturdays. “There had been a [desire for a long time] for the Walker Complex to be made more available to students,” said Samuel E. Vaughan, director of cam-

pus recreation, who explained that the Walker Complex had been operating with restricted hours because of limited funding and staffing. Vaughan, Chancellor Charlie Nelms, and Vice Chancellor Kwesi Aggrey agreed that both students and faculty would be better served if the complex had a more flexible operating schedule. A new budget was established so that new staff could be hired. Vaughan said that in the future, he is “hoping for increased student fees to sustain new hirees and hopefully hire a full-time staff.” This is not the first time there’s been an attempt to make the Walker Complex more available to the student body. In the ’90s, Vaughan said that they had four or

PREPARING FOR THE GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT?

Leroy T. Walker now offers longer hours to students. MITCHELL WEBSON/Echo Staff Photographer

five recreational teams, with only 300 to 400 students using the facility

weekly. This forced a cut in operating hours. Now, he says they have

1,000 to 2,000 students using the facility every week.

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can use your major and help people?

Attend a $10 strategy session with The Princeton Review on Saturday, March 28 in the Mary Townes Science Complex. Register by March 20 . For information on payment, practice exams, and for a complete schedule contact Leon B. Hardy at 919.530.5109 or lhardy@nccu.edu

Residential Services is currently looking for Direct Support Professionals to work in our group homes for children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Entry-level positions available, no experience necessary! Gain valuable experience beyond the classroom and make a difference in the lives of others. Part-time ($10.40/hr.)and full-time positions ($10.50/hr.) available.

Apply online at www.rsi-nc.org

Campus Echo Online w w w . c a m p u s e c h o . c o m

Each academic school year, students pay $508 in athletic fees at N.C. Central University. According to Ingrid WickerMcCree, NCCU’s athletic director, most of the money— 42 percent, is used for scholarships. The rest is used for recruiting, tutors, academic support and operations costs. Some students say that paying the fees should be an option, not a requirement. “Students should have a choice of whether they should have to pay an athletic fee,” said mass communication junior Alexis Sutton. But NCCU athletic director Ingrid Wicker-McCree says that fees are necessary to support student athletes. “Athletic fees are important because it affords students the opportunity to attend NCCU,” she said. “It’s the same as an academic or band scholarship that requires some sort of funding.” In all, athletic expenses totaled over $4.9 million during the 2007-2008 school year, a 14 percent increase from the year before, according to the Equity in Athletic Data Analysis, a federal report detailing equity in athletics. NCCU sports teams generated over $5 million in revenue during the same period. Football generates the most money — $1.2 million, while both basketball teams bring in over $900,000. , the report said. NCCU’s other teams bring in a combined $1.3 million. Recruiting expenses for all teams total $64,174. It cost $668,728 to run NCCU’s athletic teams, including $198,195 for both basketball teams and $150,759 for football. NCCU’s men coaches make an average salary of $62,967; female coaches make about $38,368, according to the report. The salary difference is due to a higher turnover in football staff. Even with the increased fees, NCCU sports teams are not splurging. The football team’s 2009 schedule includes seven road games that are within 200 miles of Durham. “Cutting down on travel will allow us to focus on recruiting and scholarships,” said McCree. “Reducing travel will be cheaper for our fans to follow our games because we do have a great following, as far as fans are concerned.” Whether the fees are worth it, is debatable, said physical recreation senior Dominique Holiday. “Fees and funds help keep the athletic programs funded but why pay if you’re not going to the games?,” he said. “Students aren’t going to Utah or games that far, but yet they still pay for it.”

EAGLELAND T-shirts sweats polo shirts decals license tags tote bags license frames baseball caps buttons mugs caps car flags pens pencils pennants pom poms bags ceramic eagles towels NCCU framed print, and much more.

Serving N.C. Central University If we don’t have it, we will get it. If we can’t get it, it’s probably not worth having! We have the best prices on Earth. We do custom orders. And we deliver on occasion! Marvin Bass, Owner 2501 Fayetteville St. Durham, NC 27707

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Opinions

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It’s time to break the chains ur people were literally chained together— cultures broken, families detached, taught that we were not a part of this human race, and taught to be inferior to a person of a lighter complexion. I think of the photos of Africans packed together in chains on ships like cattle; picBre’ylon tures of A. Smith the men and women paraded in front of crowds and sold like pieces of hand-made

jewelry; inhumane and barbaric beatings they suffered for whatever “offense” they may have committed. All these things make up who I am, what scars I have; and the cause for my anger when I think of my history. This is why I can only trace but so far into my lineage. The split of our black families — that hurts! Many of us can’t trace our family lineage due to past efforts by slave owners to separate us for an extra dollar, to procreate their slaves to compensate other slave owners. This is why there are race gaps in the educa-

We need to be aware of our history. Analyze it. Define it. Discuss it. Accept that it happened. Doing these things will help us grow.

tion field, the economy, and the prisons. It is part of who we are. I think of the pain, the loss, the detachment, the blood, the tears, the sweat, the chains, the beatings, the displacement, the betrayal, the suicides, and it all angers me. My anger is fueled even more when people act like slavery doesn’t

affect us, or that it never happened, or that we are “supposed to forget” or “get over it.” But now, black families suffer because the trend was never broken. We live the lives we see on TV instead of facing reality. We are attracted to temporary success, fame and instant gratification rather than

things that sustain themselves — things that last for generations. NCCU students need to stop sleep walking around campus.They need to know that there are chains on their generations’ minds. They must break these chains. The psychological scars we as blacks have from slavery are undeniable. If we educate ourselves on the facts of what did happe, this is psychologically healing. We need to be aware of our history. Analyze it. Define it. Discuss it. Accept that it happened. Doing these things will help us grow.

Little things ... ith all the serious issues our country and planet now face, many might think my little annoyances don’t matter. But in a larger sense, they do. By the way, my two annoyances are the lack of parking spaces and broken elevators. Let’s start with parking spaces. I know that this is a hot button with students and believe me, I feel your pain. There are just not enough parking spaces on this, or any other campus. With that said, my particular annoyance involves the reserved parking space for which I pay $250 a year, and for which I waited seven years to obtain. Can you imagine my annoyance when I find my parking space occupied? If this happened only once in a blue moon, I’d like to think I’d simply accept it. However, it happens often, much too often. You may question why I don’t take another parking space. Well, that would mean that I would occu-

py the reserved space of another individual, which hardly seems fair. Even if I were desperate (and thoughtless) enough to do so, there have been times when there were no other spaces available This means that I’d have to search for a parking space on the street and remember to move my car every two hours or get a parking citation. Here are the “remedies” I’ve tried so far: • call the campus police and ask that they ticket the offender (which they have done); • leave a note on the windshield asking the owner to please not park in my space again • wait in the lot until someone is about to leave and ask if I can use his/her space, and • park directly behind the car in my space, blocking it in and forcing the owner to find me. None of these remedies have been a permanent solution — probably because no one ever parks twice in my spot after I have “warned” them.

It’s about thinking more of others than ourselves, about living “truth and service” rather than just saying the words. So, step away from your easy instincts. Save an elevator and walk the stairs. And don’t even think about coming near my parking space.

My second annoyance — elevators. Here’s what I have observed: 10 minutes before and after classes begin, students line up at the elevator door 20 at a time, often just to ride up or down one floor. Students have actually given me this excuse for being late to class: “I had to wait for the elevator.” When I ask them why they didn’t use one of the four stairwells at each corner of the building, they look at me as if I were trying to annoy them. Why wouldn’t that someone consider using the stairs? It’s a mystery. Perhaps those diehard elevator users might consider these

N ORTH C AROLINA C ENTRAL U NIVERSITY

Campus Echo Geoffrey Cooper - Editor-in-Chief Joanna Hernandez - A&E Editor & Assistant Editor Opinions Editor Britney Rooks Online Editor Tiffany Kelly Sports Editor Anielle DaSilva Photo Editor Savin Joseph Photo Imaging Shenika Jones Assistant A&E Editor Joshua P. Leak Staff Photographer Mitchell Webson Staff Photographer Bryson Pope Staff Photographer Brian Lattimer Staff Photographer Ray Tyler Staff Photographer Sebastian Frances Copy Editor Lakela Atkinson Copy Editor Amanda Chambers Writing Coach/Copy Editor Jean Rogers Reporting Coach Stan Chambers Staff Reporter Mark Scott Staff Reporter Jabari Blackmon Staff Reporter Chioke Brown Staff Reporter Tracy Carroll Staff Reporter Natalia Pearson-Farrer Staff Reporter Chasity Richardson Staff Reporter Sade Thompson Staff Reporter Erica McRae Staff Reporter Aaron Saunders Staff Reporter Carlton Koonce Cartoonist Brandon Murphy Faculty Adviser - Dr. Bruce dePyssler Alumni Advisers - Sasha Vann, Carla Aaron-Lopez Mike Williams, Sheena Johnson, Jean Rogers, & Carolyn McGill

Letters & Editorials The Echo welcomes letters and editorials. Letters to the editor should be less than 350 words. Editorials should be about 575 words. Include contact information. The Echo reserves the right to edit contributions for clarity, vulgarity, typos and miscellaneous grammatical gaffs. Opinions published in the Echo do not necessarily reflect those of the Echo editorial staff. E-mail: CampusEcho@nccu.edu Web address: www.campusecho.com Phone: 919 530 7116 Fax: 919 530 7991 Spring 2009 Publication dates: 1/21, 2/25, 3/25, 4/8, 4/22 © NCCU Campus Echo/All rights reserved The Denita Monique Smith Newsroom Room 348, Farrison-Newton Communications Bldg. NCCU, Durham, NC 27707

observations in their future actions: 1) The elevator in the Farrison-Newton Communications Building is a freight elevator, not designed for the wear and tear of 15 to 20 students at a time jamming their bodies into it; 2) Because the elevator is old and abused by too many students frequently overloading it, it inevitably breaks down every semester — trapping whoever is inside it; 3) When the elevator doesn’t work, people who need the elevator are seriously affected. To make my point, here is an example: One evening I met a faculty member helping her spouse slowly and

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drawing by Rashaun Rucker

Question:

If you saw Rosa Parks grading your history paper, what would be your response? “I’d be like ‘Dang, I

painfully up the stairs from the basement to the second floor. The spouse had had surgery for cancer, was undergoing chemotherapy, and could not be left alone while the faculty member taught her classes. The elevator was out of service for 4 days that week, so this agonizing journey was repeated 4 times. Here’s the bottom line—don’t park in someone else’s reserved space and don’t take the elevator if you are able-bodied. This is about more than just relieving my personal annoyances. It’s about thinking more of others than ourselves, about living “truth and service” rather than just saying the words. So, step away from your easy instincts. Save an elevator and walk the stairs. And don’t even think about coming near my parking space. — Sandra Vavra is an associate professor in the Department of English and Mass Communication

can’t believe you’re in here. But how did I do?’ ” — Trey Chatman

“I’d say ‘Hey, how are you? What was it like sitting on the bus? And did I get an A?’ ” —J R Whitfield

“I’d be honored to be in the presence of a civil rights icon. I might feel a little pressured though.” —Katona Thomas