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VOLUME 100, ISSUE 10 919 530 7116/CAMPUSECHO@NCCU.EDU WWW.CAMPUSECHO.COM

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Campus

Sports

Opinions

Photo Feature

Got some dance moves you want the world to see -- check out ‘Brang It’

Xbox. Black football.

Both worlds now available as one.

Our op editor, Britney Rooks, likes the caf, but says Simply To Go has got to go

NCCU’s Modern Dance Group is ready for the world.

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Campus Echo Youth seizes the day

HISTORIAN OF THE BLACK EXPERIENCE | 1915 - 2009

JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN

Sophomores take top spots

.J. Donaldson never thought he would have an opportunity to meet John Hope Franklin, but a newspaper article brought the two men closer than he ever thought.

Donaldson, a N.C. Central University history graduate student, was introduced to Franklin through his book, “From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Negro Americans.”

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BY MARK SCOTT ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Students elected a sophomore as their SGA president for only the second time in school history last Thursday.

H i s t o r y education sophomore D w a y n e DWAYNE Johnson JOHNSON beat out political science and biotechnology junior Courtney Jordan and psychology junior Markia Gray for the top position.

Another sophomore, Fayetteville sophomore psychology major Ginelle Hines, will assume the position of vice president next year.

Hines ran unopposed.

In Johnson’s two years at the school, he has worked closely with the past two SGA presidents, as a special assistant under Tomasi Larry’s administration and as sophomore class president under Kent Williams Jr’s administration.

According to Johnson, his contact with previous SGA presidents will help him take on the challenges that lie ahead of him.

“Experience is one of those things that just doesn’t come with how many years you’ve been doing things, but the work you do as well,” said the Rougemont native.

Rougemont is a small town in Durham County about 20 miles north of Durham.

Johnson, who plans to become a high school teacher after graduation, has an enthusiastic attitude about taking on the challenges of SGA president.

“It feels good knowing that my fellow Eagles trust me enough to handle the problems of the University,” he said.

“I’m glad that there aren’t any bitter feelings from the other candidates,” said Johnson, who added that he looks forward to working with Jordan and

(Above) John Hope Franklin in 2004 HARRY LYNCH/ News & Observer (MCT)

(Left) Former NCCU Chancellor James H. Ammons honors John Hope Franklin on his 90th birthday in 2005.

Courtesy NCCU archives

John Hope Franklin (right) and former Chancellor Leroy T. Walker head toward B.N. Duke Auditorum for the 1986 Honors Convocation.

It was required reading for an NCCU undergraduate history class he was planning to take.

Franklin’s writing made a strong impression on Donaldson.

“He was more like the godfather of history,” he said.

“He is to black history what Michael Jordan is to the NBA,” said Donaldson.

“But when I say that the NBA is an organization with blacks and whites and so John Hope Franklin is that for history. He would never separate black history from U.S. history because he believed you can’t have one without the other.”

Donaldson hoped he would meet Franklin while being honored as an emerging leader in 2006.

Franklin was being recognized at the same event.

But the historian was a no show.

“It was a little disappointing but it was an honor just to be mentioned in the same branch as Franklin,” he said.

Franklin, 94, passed away on March 25 of congestive heart failure at Duke University Hospital.

A Durham resident, Franklin loved to talk about his orchid collection, fishing trips and cooking.

“My mom, before she died, always made sure her orchid was taken care of because Dr. Franklin had given her one,” said Charmaine McKissickMelton, NCCU associate mass communications professor.

Her father, civil rights lawyer Floyd B. McKissick, was at Franklin’s home so he could help the attorney with his autobiography.

She remembered Franklin for the bond he formed with her mother and their talking for over an hour about orchids, which are known for their unusual shape and colors.

Courtesy NCCU archives

n See JOHNSON Page 2

With May quickly approaching, N.C. Central University’s seniors are weighing their options about life after graduation.

More and more, graduate school is being consid-

ered over work.

“I worry about the job market when I graduate,” said political science senior Phaedra Reid.

Reid, like many NCCU seniors, is not sure what she will do with her degree in the future.

“I think things have to be a little bad, maybe

worse, before they get better,” she said.

That outlook is shared by other seniors at NCCU, who worry about a dismal job market.

“The recession has affected me in many ways,” said Capricia Morton, a recent NCCU mathematics graduate.

“For example, having just a degree isn’t enough,” she said.

“The recession has affected me so much that I have decided to go back to school.”

The national unemployment rate for March was 8.5 percent.

According to the N.C.

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

WASHINGTON — Employers shed 663,000 jobs in March, the fifth consecutive month of huge job losses, pushing total U.S. jobs lost in this recession above 5 million and the unemployment rate up four-tenths of a percentage point to 8.5 percent, the Labor Department reported Friday.

While steep, the March job losses were consistent with what mainstream economic forecasts had suggested, providing a measure of relief that things aren't worse than expected. That, and the fact that February job losses weren't revised downwards, as previous months had been, suggested that layoffs may be flattening out.

“For the second month in a row, the headline employment decline didn't meet the worst fears, but this is still a very weak report,” Nigel Gault, the chief U.S. economist for forecaster IHS Global Insight, wrote in a research note to investors. “The latest figures show job losses of 650,000

n See LAYOFFS Page 6

Graduating more than just grades

BY NICOLE CORDELL ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Employment Security Commission, February’s unemployment rate was 10.7 percent.

The previous highest jobless rate for the state was 10.2 percent in February 1983.

According to the U.S.

n See PLANS Page 2

n See GRADUATION Page 2

n See FRANKLIN Page 4

A sagging economy forces undergraduates to reconsider their plans ECHO STAFF REPORTER

BY KEVIN G. HALL

With commencement nearing, seniors planning to graduate need to make sure everything is in order.

Forms must be completed, a senior survey taken, outstanding fines paid, and regalia purchased.

An important first step for graduating seniors is to meet with their academic advisers to audit their transcipt.

If problems or issues arise, students must meet with their department’s advising coordinator or chairperson.

Andrew Williams, advising coordinator in the Department of English and Mass Communication, explained the process.

“In the semester before graduation, I complete an audit and make

Seniors weigh job, education options

BY CARLTON KOONCE

Nat’l jobless rate at 8.5%

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

IVERSITY

PLANS

Students invited to ‘Brang It’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Dance competition to be filmed for TV pilot, DVD STAFF REPORT

An entertainment company from Florida is putting on a show at N.C. Central University that could give aspiring professional dancers a fast track to success.

The “Brang It” dance battle on April 18 at McDougald Gymnasium will be filmed for a TV pilot and DVD. According to Calvin Foster of Calvin Foster Entertainment, which is coproducing the show with Ha-G Entertainment, the battle offers competitors a chance at a road tour, as well as inroads in the entertainment business.

“What we’re trying to do also is look for the best dancers in this region,” said Foster, whose business is based in Niceville, Fla. “We realize they’re not pros. But we want to give them the opportunity to dance in front of [the judges], and we want to pick someone who has the talent enough, and see if they can go further.”

Dancers will be judged by a fivemember panel of choreographers whose credits include the films “Rize,” “You Got Served,” “Save the Last Dance” and “Stomp the Yard,” as well as the TV show “So You Think You Can Dance?” and tour and video work for Beyoncé and Ciara.

The names may be familiar to anyone

with dreams of doing hip-hop dance movie or music video work: Ro Ro, Marvelous, Krazy Kujo, Lil C and possibly, Salah from France.

NCCU students won’t be the only dancers ROLAND on the stage April 18.

They’ll be competing “RO RO” with dancers from all TABOR over the map — France, New York, Los Angeles, Georgia and Pittsburgh, to name a few.

There are four categories in the dance competition: solo male, 17 and up; solo female, 17 and up; solo youth, 9-16; and dance crew or step team.

In addition to being featured in a DVD and a TV pilot (which Foster said is being handled by Cedric the Entertainer’s production company), winners of the competition may find themselves invited to a national tour in the fall.

Foster’s company is sponsoring a crew from New Orleans on the tour, and new competitors get the chance to knock them off and replace them, until another crew comes along to take their place, and so on.

“We’re trying to give average kids a shot,” said Foster.

“We take their names, and we try to

make a break for them in the business.”

That possibly means being on a video shoot for the likes of Beyoncé or Ciara, if a choreographer such as Roland “Ro Ro” Tabor decides to take a new performer under his wing.

“I’m always looking for new talent,” said Tabor, who spoke from California, where he is working with Beyoncé on her upcoming tour.

“I’m just looking for people that got that ‘hunger’ quality. I want to see the hunger and the passion when they’re dancing. Of course, they have to be well-rounded, too.”

That means being well-versed in styles other than hip hop, said Tabor.

Foster said his main motivation is to find deserving people who are serious about professional dancing.

“That’s what we really try to do, is fast-track people into the business, the ones that have raw dance talent,” said Foster.

“We’re not looking for booty shakers. We’re looking for dancers.”

At 9 a.m. April 19, the day after the competition, a “Brang It Hip-Hop Dance Workshop” will be held at L.T Walker Complex.

Six people will be chosen to film a video with Ro Ro. More information on these events is available at www.ubrangit.com.

JOHNSON

GRADUATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Gray in the future.”

Johnson will have his hands full next school year.

The economic downturn is forcing the University to make severe budget cuts that will affect both faculty and students.

Johnson said that this is where alumni support must kick in.

“I understand our nation is in a recession and that everyone is struggling,” he said, “but alumni giving back is so important. Every little bit helps.”

Johnson does not have specific ideas, but he plans to simply ask for the support of alumni.

According to Johnson, there are a number of student housing issues to be resolved as well.

He said that better communication between Residential Life and students is vital.

He said part of the problem is that students do not keep themselves informed

about the housing policies that are already in writing.

Johnson said he wants to work hard to make sure that housing problems are solved as quickly as possible for future students.

Johnson plans to have his executive board selected by the end of the month.

SGA Vice President Hines said she will work closely with Johnson to improve the school.

“We really need to increase the communication with SGA and the student body and let them know what’s going on,” she said.

Johnson said he looks forward to advancing initiatives like the Eagle Eye newsletter, an SGA publication, and keeping students informed about SGA. “We also want to go door to door every month, keeping our students informed on what SGA is doing.”

GRADUATION CHECK LIST

n Meet with your adviser and audit graduation requirements, including community service hours n Pay graduation processing fee and all outstanding charges n Get student loan and financial aid status cleared n Exit interviews and counseling for student loans n Order graduation regalia n Complete senior survey n Pick up graduation permit on May 14

n Participate in graduation rehearsals n Attend chancellor’s reception n Contact registrar if you wish to have your diploma mailed

recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle recycle

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sure seniors have taken the right classes for graduation,” said Williams.

“In the first two weeks before their last semester, I check their schedule and number of credit hours compared to the four-year plan,” he said.

“I tell the student about any potential problems before drop/add period is over.”

Students who are candidates for graduation should have received a letter by now from the Office of the Registrar.

Graduation candidates should closely follow the steps outlined in that letter.

20% discount

You’ve got to be positive ... Take what you can get and grow. Find ways to market yourself.

PAUL BENNETT BUSINESS SENIOR

Labor Department, unemployment for people with a bachelor’s or higher degree is at 4.3 percent.

“I lost my part-time job as a marketing rep at Whole Foods,” said English senior Tressie McMillan.

McMillan said she is in no hurry to re-enter the workforce, however.

“Even if I wasn’t planning on continuing my education, I would be looking into graduate school right now,” she said.

Morton said that sometimes, working right after graduation doesn’t bring in the income needed to pay for the debt accrued during four years of college.

“In order to pay loans off, you have to have a great-paying job to just earn enough money to have a balanced life,” Morton said.

According to a recent Associated Press story, jobs are available in the health field, and some small regional financial firms are hiring.

The federal government also had more than 46,000 job openings on its central job board last week.

Paul Bennett, a business senior, said seniors should not be afraid to think outside the box.

“You’ve got to be positive,” Bennett said.

“If you’re a law student, think about teaching.

“Take what you can get and grow. Find ways to market yourself.”

Even so, some students believe the present downturn is a prime time to get ahead in their education.

“There is a lot of competition out there,” said Mustapha Roma, a native of Sierra Leone in the computer science master’s program.

Roma hopes to be a computer programmer after graduation in December.

“A second degree gives you a better chance in life,,” he said.

“If you go from an undergrad straight to work, you have no chance to learn.”

Some students have had graduate school in their plans for some time, while others have only recently adjusted their plans.

The NCCU graduate studies admissions office reports an increase in applications over the last month, especially in the new social work program and public administration.

Kimberly Johnson, graduate admissions office assistant, said many applicants are NCCU alumni who have been laid off and

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want to go back to work.

English senior Willie Pace plans to tutor local atrisk students after graduation, and hopes to start graduate school in the fall.

“I wouldn’t say I was buying time because grad school is completing a task I’ve wanted to do,” said Pace.“I don’t want a clockin job.”

“I just decided to go to grad school this semester,” said Mandi Jones, a psychology senior.

Jones said she delayed applying to graduate schools, ultimately deciding to remain at NCCU to attain a master’s degree.

“I’m already familiar with the campus and some of the professors, so why not stay?” she said.

Pace agreed with Jones and Roma about the value of NCCU’s graduate programs. Pace also plans to attend graduate school at NCCU. “I don’t want to move,” says Pace,“ and Central’s grad school is convenient.

“I’m comfortable with the instructors and their knowledge about the subject.”

McMillan said economic conditions have influenced her selection of graduate programs.

“I now consider the availability of on-campus housing and dining facilities as much as I do the program quality,” she said.

Bennett said students should be reminded that jobs do not come like they used to, so they should live within their means and review all options.

“Keep an open mind,” says Bennett.

“Look all over and open all your doors. Things are only as bad as you make them.”

Morton agrees.

“I’m buying time by going back to school to get my master’s in secondary education,” she said.

“I’m also about to start getting some experience in education by working at a local school.”

Morton recommended that graduating seniors make sure to visit the counselors in the Career Services office.

She also recommended talking to advisors and department chairs about summer internships and job openings.

Jones said seniors must decide for themselves what to do in times like these.

“Look at yourself as an individual,” said Jones, use someone else’s advice might ruin your life.”

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Campus

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008

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Miss NCCU is ‘the type to get things done’ She says she wants to continue legacy of former Miss NCCU Amber Banks

BY ASHLEY LOFTON ECHO STAFF WRITER

Chavery McClanahan is a native of Landover, Md. who believes in being humble and respectful, likes to laugh, loves music, and loves the color orange — she says she relates to how bright it is, and how it stands out.

The English literature junior from N.C. Central University, 20, now stands out brightly herself, as the new Miss NCCU. In her freshman year, McClanahan said, she looked up to former Miss NCCU Amber Banks for her elegance, her efforts toward improving NCCU and her concern for her peers.

She said she wanted to be a part of that legacy when the opportunity came her way.

“I’ve always been the type to get things done that were asked of me,” said McClanahan.

“I’m a hard worker and a team player. I also listen to others’ opinions about projects or situations, and put them into consideration.”

McClanahan’s mother Jill, an executive assistant for the Washington, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority, says she is is proud of her daughter’s success and knows that she will be a wonderful representative for NCCU. “I’m very proud in knowing that I have raised a daughter who will stay humble and grounded throughout her tenure” says Jill McClanahan.

Throughout her years at NCCU, McClanahan built leadership credentials as captain of the dance team, vice president of the Black Student Law Association (College Student Division), and as a ROTC commander.

McClanahan said the first thing she wants to do is make sure there are enough funds for the Miss

NCCU Scholarship Foundation.

McClanahan said she wants to recruit potential applicants through the scholarship and help retain them as students.

She also wants students and faculty to get involved in Girl and Boy Scouts.

She said it’s important for young people to have mentors to help build their self-esteem — especially young girls.

McClanahan said she wants to find ways to make community service more fun and fulfilling for NCCU students overall.

After graduating, McClanahan plans to study international law.

“How I want people to remember me, is the way I carried myself, very humble, and that I was dedicated in serving the students and University,” she said, “and that I was a good person that influenced people in a positive way.”

McClanahan said her goals include improving the community service system and ensuring funding for the Miss NCCU Scholarship Foundation.

MITCHELL WEBSON/Echo Staff Photographer

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FRANKLIN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “So we were just walking around his green house and he was telling me of all the different orchids he had and where they came from,” said McKissick-Melton.

“He had at A.J. Donaldson least 50 different said Franklin is kinds, maybe more.”

He was the the ‘godfather James B. Duke of history.’

Professor Emeritus of History at Duke, where he also taught legal history.

A native of Oklahoma, Franklin graduated with honors from Fisk University and received a master’s and a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University.

He has taught at Fisk University, St. Augustine’s College, NCCU and Howard University.

Franklin also oversaw the history departments at Brooklyn College and the University of Chicago.

Franklin helped NAACP lawyers with research for the 1953 Brown v.

Board of Education school desegregation case.

He marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. from Selma, Ala. to Montgomery, Ala. in 1965.

President Bill Clinton appointed him to lead a national initiative on race in 1997.

“John Hope Franklin was one of the most important American historians of the 20th century and one of the people I most admired,” Clinton said in a written statement.

“I was honored he agreed to be the head of the President’s Initiative on Race. He led his committee all over America to listen to people of all races, faiths, cultures, and classes.

And he produced a remarkable report on the ways in which we remain divided along color lines and what we can do about it. ...”

James E. Shepard, NCCU’s founder, recruited Franklin to then North Carolina College for Negroes in 1943 while he taught at Saint Augustine’s College.

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

Courtesy NCCU Archives

Franklin, a pacifist, was against fighting in World War II. Shephard, the only AfricanAmerican on the Selective Service Board, was able to keep Franklin from being drafted.

Franklin later wrote in his autobiography about the contradiction of

fighting in Europe for human rights when such equality was denied to blacks in the United States.

While teaching history at North Carolina College from 1943 to 1947, Franklin wrote the first edition of his most well-known book.

After watching Franklin speak at a Duke event in 2007, he wanted to show the historian an opinions piece he wrote for the Campus Echo.

“I pulled it out of my back pocket and he read it, then asked for his autograph,” he said.

“He tore off a piece of the article and signed it and then he kept my article. It made me feel great now that I’m thinking about it. I really wanted him to read it and he did and he kept my newspaper but I wanted it back.”

A long line had formed behind Donaldson but he took his time speaking with Franklin.

He mentioned the awards ceremony Franklin had missed. He was surprised that Franklin remembered the details of the event, including the people being honored.

Donaldson told Franklin that historian John Henry Clark, who was friends with Franklin, inspired him to study history.

“He chuckled and laughed, he was impressed because he understood that I wasn’t trying to suck up to him,” Donaldson said.

Their conversation lasted for minutes.

The two men talked about the insensitivity of African Americans.

Franklin told Donaldson about when he was at a restaurant and refused to be seated in the back near the kitchen.

Donaldson, who is now working on a doctorate in history, said he will never sit near the kitchen of any restaurant.

“Son, don’t ever let anyone ever tell you, you are too sensitive,” Donaldson remembered Franklin telling him.

“After everything I’ve been through and your ancestors have been through, I think your generation is too insensitive.”

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

IVERSITY

College libraries share resources NCCU students have access to UNC, Duke, NC State catalogs

BY DIVINE MUNYENGETERWA ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Sometimes, more is better.

Here’s a good example: The Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN) offers an extensive selection of library resources to Triangle university students.

TRLN includes content from N.C. Central University’s joint catalog with Duke University, UNCChapel Hill, and N.C State University, as well as eBooks and PDF articles.

“Students can go online to view and request holdings from any of the four universities through the TRLN link which is available on the Shepard library’s site,” said NCCU director of library services Theodosia T. Shields.

According to Shephard Library’s biannual general circulation statistics, which highlight the rate users borrow books, numbers went up from 12,000 books in the year ending June 30, 2006, to 14,114 books in the year ending June 30, 2008, a trend Shields partly attributes to TRLN.

“I have found it very beneficial,” said NCCU business administration senior Victor Wortham, “but I do not think students are taking advantage of it as they should.”

Initially founded as the Committee on Intellectual Cooperation in 1933 between the University of North Carolina and Duke University, TRLN later expanded to include North Carolina State University, in the 1950’s, and most recently N.C. Central University.

The organization took on the name Triangle Research Libraries Network in 1980 with the first memorandum of understanding being signed in 1984, then later revised in 1987.

The organization focused on software development but, with the addition of NCCU to its membership in 1995, adjusted its memorandum to library cooperation among these four major universities in the area.

“There is something for every subject,” said NCCU mass communications junior Amanda Brown. “I would encourage other students to use the resources that are available to them.”

CNN holds iReport contest STAFF REPORT

There are still two days left for aspiring reporters to upload a report to CNN for its next “Black in America” special in July.

CNN wants videos, one to three minutes in length, that show “innovative and unex-

pected ways that you or someone else are confronting issues and challenges facing the black community.”

The winner gets an allexpense-paid trip to The Essence Music Festival in New Orleans More details are at www.cnn.com.

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

Join the Campus Echo We are now recruiting next year’s staff.

Earn sevice hours, stipends.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

IVER SITY

Dam threatens Amazon’s largest tributary Environmentalists organize river dwellers to oppose Belo Monte dam

BY TYLER BRIDGES MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPES

VOLTA GRANDE, Brazil – The Xingu River, the largest tributary of the Amazon, runs wide and swift this time of year. Its turquoise waters are home to some 600 species of fish, including several not found anywhere else on the planet.

A thick emerald canopy of trees hugs its banks, except in places where man has carved out pastures for cattle.

Now man, in the form of the Brazilian state power company, wants to harness a section of the Xingu by building the world’s third-biggest dam.

Called the Belo Monte, the dam would drown 200 square miles of tropical rainforest — an area equivalent to the sprawling city of Tucson, Ariz. — and would flood the homes of 19,000 people. It would be only one of more than a dozen dams that the Brazilian government is planning to construct on tributaries of the Amazon, the world’s mightiest river.

Belo Monte would be only the latest assault on the Amazon tropical rainforest, which is home to one in 10 of the world’s known species and covers an area as large as the United States west of the Mississippi River.

Stephan Schwartzman, the director of tropical forest policy at the Environmental Defense Fund, said that 18 percent of the Amazon, an

area nearly two times the size of California, had been cleared since the mid-1960s.

He added that deforestation peaked in 2004 and has since declined because of falling beef and soybean prices and because the government has stepped up enforcement of protected areas.

What happens to the Amazon rainforest has wide consequences, because a shrinking rainforest hampers the planet’s ability to rid the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that trees and other green plants absorb.

Brazilian government officials, however, say that Belo Monte and the other dams are necessary to switch on more living room lights, power expanding companies in the world’s ninth-largest economy and create jobs as Brazil begins to slide into recession.

The impact of Belo Monte on the Indians who would be displaced is central to the dam’s opponents. Under Brazil’s Constitution, Indians must “be heard” when dams would affect their land, which potentially gives them veto power over new dams.

Environmentalists are organizing riverside dwellers to rise up against Belo Monte by describing how it would submerge their homes and land. They organized a meeting March 21 in the communi-

ty that locals call Volta Grande, which in Portuguese refers to a curve in the Xingu known as the Big Bend.

It took place in a barnlike house on the banks of the Xingu, about an hour downriver by motorboat from Altamira, the closest city.

Euclides de Oliveira listened quietly in a portion of the home that had been converted into a makeshift classroom with a dirt floor.

De Oliveira, a wiry 32year-old fisherman with a dark mustache, sat on a bench with his back to a wall on which schoolwork covered the wooden planks. He wore a T-shirt and flip-flops, like most everyone else there.

The heat was stifling, and everyone swatted at the mosquitoes as activists described an unhappy future.

“What you say makes me afraid,” de Oliveira said when he finally spoke up. “It will end our way of life.”

Environmentalists emphasize the bigger picture, that Belo Monte would increase global greenhouse gases by devastating the rainforest and by releasing the methane gas stored in river vegetation.

They add that the Xingu’s low level during the dry season would force the government to build five more dams to regulate the water flow.

Some critics even say that dams such as Belo Monte could become white elephants if global warming

Riverside dwellers gathered at the home of Fernando Florencio deSousa on March 21, 2009 to hear how the proposed Belo Monte dam would flood their homes. De Sousa's home is in Volta Grande, or the Big Bend, on the Xingu River in Brazil.

TYLER BRIDGES/MCT

dries up parts of the Amazon, as some computer models suggest.

Instead of building dams, a World Wildlife Fund-Brazil analysis found, the government could meet the country’s energy needs by upgrading existing energy systems and pushing for the rapid development of wind, solar and biomass. In one example,

the study reported that Brazil loses 16 percent of the power it generates through an old and faulty distribution system, compared with an international rate of about 6 percent.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won plaudits worldwide for his role in pushing for Brazilian cars to switch from gasoline

to cleaner ethanol produced from sugarcane.

However, Lula has continued to champion big energy projects that create jobs, devastate the rainforest and produce campaign contributions to his Workers Party from big construction companies.

He also has said pointedly: “The Amazon belongs to Brazilians.”

March. This group has nearly doubled in size over the past 12 months,” the agency said.

Elsewhere in the report, statisticians noted that the number of people who are working part time for economic reasons _ sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers _ climbed by 423,000 in March to 9.0 million.

In a series of measures of underutilization of the labor force _ called the U-series _ the BLS statisticians determined that 15.6 percent of people in the U.S. work force now are unemployed, working part-time because they can’t find full-time work or are marginally attached to the work force, meaning that they’re not looking for jobs but are available to work.

That’s up by 3 percentage points since November.

Retail trade employment fell by 48,000 last month, while the financial services sector shed another 43,000 jobs. Leisure and hospitality lost another 40,000 jobs, while transportation and warehousing lost 34,000.

The federal government and the Federal Reserve have taken a number of steps, from stimulus spending to

lowering borrowing costs and mortgage rates, that should revive the troubled economy eventually. Most economists expect a turnaround by late this year, and a smaller number expect a sharp rebound.

“By yearend, growth should be positive again, perhaps as strong as 4 percent (annual rate). Large pools of ‘pent-up demand’ are forming and will soon begin to be transformed into actual spending,” William Dunkelberg, the chief economist for the National Federation of Independent Business, a group composed of small businesses, wrote Friday.

Americans are enjoying an “oil tax cut,” he said, pointing to the steep drop in fuel prices.

Businesses large and small have liquidated inventories and reduced spending.

Once the first signs of economic revival appear, businesses will increase orders, and the negative cycle of declining jobs leading to less spending leading to fewer jobs will reverse into a positive cycle. Rising sales will lead to rising employment, leading to more sales and more employment.

LAYOFFS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 or above for each of the last four months.”

Since jobs are a lagging indicator, the struggling U.S. economy will continue to

shed them even after a turnaround has begun. Many economists think that the unemployment rate could top 10 percent this year, even if

United Christian Campus Ministry 525 Nelson Street, NCCU Campus

economic conditions begin to improve, as some indicators are starting to suggest.

“Since the recession began in December 2007, 5.1 million jobs have been lost, with almost two-thirds (3.3 million) of the decrease occurring in the last five months,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. “In March, job losses were large and widespread across the major industry sectors.”

Although it left its February job-loss estimate intact at 651,000, the BLS revised January’s initial estimate of 655,000 to 741,000, well above March’s 663,000 lost jobs.

Manufacturers trimmed another 161,000 jobs in March; factory employment has fallen by 1 million over the past six months, the BLS said.

Construction, both residential and commercial, remains in the dumps, and builders axed another 126,000 jobs last month. The new twist is that commercial construction is beginning to suffer just as residential construction was hit last year.

“Unlike previous periods

in this economic cycle, the bulk of job losses for the first quarter of 2009 were in the nonresidential sector as opposed to the residential sector,” wrote Anirban Basu, the chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors, an industry group. “This suggests that the residential construction sector is much closer to its bottom than is the nonresidential construction sector, which is a relative newcomer to the ongoing downturn.”

The government’s economic-stimulus spending should begin to ease some of the pain in the construction sector by spurring infrastructure projects by late this year, Basu said in an analysis of the March job numbers.

Employment in professional and business services ranked not far behind manufacturing in lost jobs, falling by 133,000 last month. More than half those losses came in temporary help services.

The BLS report highlighted this troublesome trend affecting temp workers.

“Among the unemployed, the number of job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs increased by 547,000 to 8.2 million in

Career Choices Is your career path blurred?

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

A Career Counselor can help you get on the right track to discovering what careers await you!

Michael D. Page Campus Minister

Join Christian Student Fellowship

STOP BY TODAY! University Career Services William Jones Bldg, Lower Level Phone: 919-530-6337 Email: nccucareerservices@nccu.edu

A&E

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

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Films and fashion Students design garments inspired by timeless films

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Not at all necessary

Keri Hilson In a Perfect World...

Interscope Records

out of on the 4 5 black hand side

Textiles and apparel senior David Johnson won first place for his fashionable rendition of the film, “The Wiz..”

MITCHELL WEBSON/Echo Staff Photographer

BY C OURTNEY M ORGAN ECHO STAFF WRITER

N.C. Central University’s Fashion Inc. student organization had its 12th Annual fashion design competition on March 25th.

An organization consisting of junior and senior students majoring in textiles and apparel, Fashion Inc. is responsible for giving students hands-on experience with design.

Each year, junior and senior students prepare not only for their grade, but also to showcase their talent.

With a theme of Hollywood Maroon and Gray, 13 Fashion Inc. designers and 10 guest designers presented designs from movies of their choice.

Designers have been working on their clothing lines since the beginning of the spring semester.

Each student designer’s clothing line came from movies dating back to the 40s.

From inspirations of movies like “The Wiz,” “Purple Rain,” “Interview with a Vampire” and “Lady Eve,” designers expressed their own twist to the original setting of the movie they chose.

Each movie had a different setting and style which brought variety to the clothing lines.

The week leading up to the show, students stayed in the lab overnight, sacrificing sleep and appetite just to perfect their designs.

“This semester has been hectic, but I’m happy that the judging is over. Now I can finally get some sleep,” said textile and apparel senior Sha’niece Simmons.

Students constantly gathered in the textile lab to add finishing touches to their designs up to a few minutes before judging.

Each student was judged for first, second and third place designs based off of nine categories for best in show.

The judges sat and watched in awe as each student designer presented his clothing line.

Some designers were nervous, while others presented their visions with confidence and creativity.

At the end of the night, the first place award went to textile and apparel senior David Johnson.

Johnson’s inspirational movie of choice was “The Wiz,” which he staged in drag.

Johnson also performed in the show as the Wiz. “I think the event went well.

Everyone was excited and all the designs came out well,” said textiles and apparel senior Monica Ferguson.

“All the designers worked very hard.”

Students get jazzy Hard bob legend Jimmy Heath to star at NCCU jazz festival

BY ALISHA BYRD ECHO STAFF WRITER

On April 8, world-renowned saxophonist, composer and arranger Jimmy Heath will perform with The NCCU Jazz Ensemble and Vocal Jazz Ensemble at the 19th Annual NCCU Jazz Festival.

Heath is one of the great jazz soloists from the late 1920s.

He is famous for his compositions “Gingerbread Boy” and “Gemini.”

His genre of jazz is “hard bop,” a sophisticated and intricate direction from jazz influenced by Charlie Parker, spirituals and the blues.

Hard bop composers often use improv because it gives a more creative edge to contemporary jazz music.

Heath has also performed with great jazz musicians like Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie.

Ira Wiggins, conductor of the

NCCU Big Band, says that Heath was chosen to showcase the festival because he is a jazz legend.

“I think it’s important for students to appreciate a legend while he’s still here,” said Wiggins.

Together, they will perform seven of Heath’s own arrangements.

The NCCU Big Band consists of 15 undergraduate and seven graduate students from N.C. Central University.

The groups have been rehearsing Heath’s music since the beginning of March and will have a formal rehearsal with him Thursday before the show.

On April 17, local singer Lois Deloatch will perform five songs arranged by the NCCU Faculty Group. Deloatch is a native of Durham and has a very powerful voice.

But the festival is not all performances.

A panel discussion will be held at 12 p.m. in the B.N Duke Auditorium, where students, faculty and staff will be able to ask Heath questions about his history and involvement in music.

The music department will also host a session for music majors on the composition of music, taught by Heath.

On April 18, The Vocal Jazz Ensemble will be opening up for Heath.

“A lot of times we go out searching for someone when what we’re looking for is right in front of us,” said Wiggins.

Tickets for the Jazz Festival are $15 for the general public and $10 for students with a valid NCCU ID. They can be purchased at the University Box Office MondayFriday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

They say good things come to those who wait. After enduring a two-year wait for the release of her debut album, “In A Perfect world,” Keri Hilson is taking the music world by storm.

The Atlantabased songbird has been writing for big name artists like Britney Spears (Gimme More), Omarion (IceBox) and Mary J. Blige, just to name a few. Along with writing, Hilson has also been featured on Nas’s “Hero” and Timbaland’s “The Way I Are.” From the first track, I could tell that “In a Perfect World” was going to be a perfect album.

The Album takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. The album gives its listeners just what they need.

It provides perfect songs for all types of moods with

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tracks like “Return the Favor,” “Get your money up,” and “Energy.”

“In a Perfect World” also includes a couple of tracks to cure heartbreak like “Knock You Down,” featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo and “Change Me,” featuring Akon.

Hilson pulled in all her connects for the production of this album, bringing in top-notch producers, Timbaland and Polow Da Don. The best track on the album by far has to be “Make Love,” featuring KanyeWest.

The vocalist just released the video, using Kanye as the leading man.

“Make Love” provides just enough sensuality and kink to send chills down one’s back.

Hilson’s vocal range on this track is amazing, hitting various notes that weren’t featured on her radio hits.

She also goes as far as channeling her inner Prince with up-tempo guitars and strong keys on tracks like “Slow Dance.”

I love this album. With a unique sound, the multiracial artist brings so many things to the game, like rock, R&B rap.

— Chasity Nicole

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A World of Expression

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Photos and text by Ray Tyler

Tony Montgomery, one half of the worship and praise duo, T&E Mime, exerts joy in the spiritual, “God Is Here.”

Phillips Mozee (in black shirt), Shanel Frazer (front), Otelia Spinks (center) and Nicole Villanueva (back) emphasize unity and the joys of harvest in the African community in their piece “Fo Fo Funk.”

Choreographer and assistant director Dorinda Thomas performs her liturgical dance routine “Endow Me.”

n April 5, N.C. C e n t r a l University’s Modern Dance Group showcased its talents and artistic expressions in its annual Spring Concert, “Worlds Collide.” The showcase was held in the B.N. Duke Auditorium.

This year’s choreographers worked with the troupe to express dances from the Western and Eastern world, drawing inspiration from African, liturgical, mime, tap and creative interpretive dance.

Adviser and director, Nancy Pinckney, who has been active in dance performance for 48 years, said

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the concert was a culmination of her students’ work throughout the semester.

“Each student plays an integral role,” Pinckney said.

“This requires discipline, dedication and constant perfection of technique.”

Pinckney said that although she wanted students to learn about dances from different cultures, building one’s self-confidence was another goal she wanted her students to reach.

“This gives students a chance to promote free spirit and build self-esteem, regardless of dancing ability and background.”

During the show, the students paid homage to the Queen of Rock n’ Roll, Tina Turner, and her late husband, Ike, with their rendition of the 1971 hit, “Proud Mary.”

Other acts, such as “Fo Fo Funk,” focused on the importance of harvest and community in the African village.

The group will perform again on April 11 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. in the Black College Dance Exchange.

Other HBCUs, including Alabama State, Fisk, Norfolk State and Prairie View A&M also will perform.

The Modern Dance Group performs their spin on Ike & Tina Turner’s 1971 hit “Proud Mary.”

The worship and praise duo, T&E Mime (Everette Johnson, left, and Tony Montgomery, right), performs “God Is Here.”

Shanell Frazer gives praise to the heavens in her spiritual performance “Hush.”

Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

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Eagles bested by Devils EAGLES GO DOWN IN DOUBLEHEADER, 14-1 AND 9-3

Bowlers crawling out of gutter Hard work, improved record BY

MATT BEATTY

ECHO SPORTS REPORTER

NCCU 1st baseman Blake Murray hits a ground ball to 3rd base in the top of the 6th inning.

SAVIN JOSEPH/Echo Photo Editor BY

AARON SAUNDERS

ECHO SPORTS REPORTER

N.C. Central University dropped its second and third meeting in a doubleheader with Duke University. The Blue Devils pounded out a combined 27 hits for a 14-1 victory in the first game and a 9-3 win in the final game.

The Eagles and Blue Devils were tied 1-1 until the bottom of the 4th, when the Blue Devils exploded for 7 runs on 7 hits.

That put the Eagles behind 8-1 in the fifth. Duke’s senior third basemen Nate Freiman added to that total with a solo home run, extending the lead 9-1.

The game ended with 5 hits and 5 runs between the 6th and 7th innings.

Freiman led the Blue Devils with a 3-hit performance. The Eagles were led by freshman rightfielder Akeem Hood, who had 2 hits, and sophomore third baseman David Scott, who added 3 hits.

In the final game of the cross town classic, NCCU took an early lead into the bottom of the fourth inning.

With a 3-2 lead, the Eagles midgame collapse haunted them as Duke had another 4th inning rally.

This time, Duke pounded out 5 hits and 5 runs to take a 7-3 lead.

“The fourth inning killed us both games,” said Hood.

“We were winning and we just had a collapse, but were learning we will be fine.”

The Blue Devils added on 2 more insurance runs in the bottom of the 6th.

The Eagles have lost 11 of their last 12 games and will look to get back on track against Longwood this Thursday.

“We just need to take it one game at a time and have fun sometimes,” Hood said. “I feel like we are just a little uptight.”

Xbox crosses the color line Video game features teams from HBCUs BY

QUESTIN CLAY

ECHO SPORTS REPORTER

Xbox gamers love to talk about EA Sports Madden or NCAA football, but now it’s time to play some HBCU college football from the comfort of your sofa.

Soon, Xbox will release The Doug Williams Edition of Black College Football Experience.

The game, designed by Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc. of Baton Rouge, La., gives players the chance to experience the culture of black college football: the crowds chanting; the bands playing that song that makes you get out of your seat and do a little dance; the intense school pride and of course, the action on the field.

Jacqueline Beauchamp, chief executive officer of Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc., told the Black Collegian Online: “As HBCU alumni and black college football enthusiasts, we're proud that BCFX honors our rich tradition and provides an incredibly fun football

game for the whole family to play.”

between the Southern University Jaguars and the

The game features some of the most well-known

A still shot of The Doug Williams Edition of Black College Football.

Courtesy of Nerjyzed Entertainment

The new Xbox game was announced at the 35th Annual Bayou Classic game

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and CIAA. The game “will bring a fairer gaming product to the HBCU community by having a higher rating for black teams,” said business junior Terry Crumpler.

The game features more than 40 teams, bands and school mascots; interactive half-time shows of the marching bands; the real school stadiums; play-byplay commentary and 10 authentic classics.

These include the Bayou Classic, Florida Classic, Atlanta Classic and the Southern Heritage Classic.

The game also includes a drumline battle challenge, in which gamers can play the cadences of some of the best-known drumlines in HBCU history.

“I think the game having so many features will appeal to a bigger crowd,” said computer science junior Reggie Johnson, who is looking forward to the game’s release.

The game was scheduled for release in February, but has been delayed until later this year.

When N.C. Central University students think of sports, basketball, football, volleyball and softball typically come to mind.

However, a more obscure college sport is on the rise — bowling.

Since becoming a Division I team in the 20072008 season, the bowling team has slowly begun to improve its performance.

In the 2007-2008 season, the team only scratched out a 14-63 record.

But this year, the team’s record is 26-50.

Coach Karen Sanford said last season’s improvement was the result of hard work.

“Players were eager to go out and compete,” said Sanford.

“For some, this was a new experience, especially with a younger team than we had last year.”

Though bowling may not be a popular sport at NCCU, it is definitely on the rise.

“Bowling is starting to get on the radar in the South.”

“Bowling is more prevalent up North and in the Midwest,” said Sanford.

She said that when she was growing up, bowling was more recreational.

But students are learning that they can earn scholarships if they excel, according to Sanford.

Though the sport requires finesse and durability, anyone can improve over time.

Sanford has high expectations for next season, as well as for the bowling program at NCCU. “I would like for us to win more games,” she said.

“I would also like to see more of our girls bowl a 200 and become nationally ranked in the top 10.”

Sanford and the Lady Eagles’ bowling team look forward to a new and exciting season.

With the return of four underclassmen — Latia Blackwell, Amber Campbell, Lindsey Green and Elizabeth Schuster — the Lady Eagle bowling team expects to have a strong season next year.

Based on this season’s improved record, it appears that the ball is rolling in the right direction.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

Classifieds The Church of the Abiding Savior, Lutheran introduces Rhonda Royal Hatton as the new Lutheran Campus Outreach Minister to NCCU.

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Opinions

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Letters Vegetarian liked story Dear Editor: I am a student here at NCCU in the Spanish Department I just want to say, I really appreciated seeing the article in the Echo about black vegetarians.

Kudos go out to the writer and the vegetarians mentioned in the article.

I am a vegetarian also, and I happen to be white.

But, in my two and a half years in Raleigh, I have met more nonwhite vegetarians than white ones.

Which is very cool!

Trust me there are more of you out there.

In fact just the other day I met some new friends and two of them were a mom and a 4-year-old boy, both black

and both vegetarian.

My other friends who are vegetarian are Middle Eastern or Latin American.

There are a couple of vegetarian groups in town I could pass the word on about.

Also I was glad to hear there are more vegetarian selections in the cafeteria other than the proverbial “veggie burger,” which is pretty good by the way.

This note can be forwarded to the two girls mentioned who are vegetarians.

I would love to sit and eat with other vegetarian students at our school.

Thank you again for writing the article.

Speaking up and getting the word out is the key!

Kathryn Krueger

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Join WNCU 90.7 FM for a Live Town Hall Meeting on Joblessness April 28 from 6-7 pm H. M. Mickey Michaux School of Education, N.C. Central University Please join us in a community-based program to discuss joblessness and what is at stake for North Carolina workers in a down economy.

The live on-air town hall meeting is free and open to the public. It will also be broadcast on the Internet at www.wncu.org.

For more information contact Kimberly Pierce Cartwright at 919.530.7833.

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Not so ‘Simply to Go’ hen I returned from spring break to find that the new cafeteria was open, I was ecstatic.

Finally!

The moment I’d been waiting for. I wanted to see the changes and the improvements.

They’d been working on this thing since my sophomore year.

Britney The Rooks dine-in section was beautiful.

It had a bigger seating area with a more comfortable atmosphere. The food actually tasted real.

There were grilled burgers with hot crispy fries, string beans with flavor, fresh pizza, chicken wraps, sliced turkey and chicken breasts consisting of meat that had actually belonged to a

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bird at one point.

And to top it all off, an ice cream machine.

I was in heaven. I could actually get strawberry ice cream from my own cafeteria now.

The new caf was a success and well worth the wait.

However, when I decided to go to the takeout section it was completely different.

When I arrived at the tiny area I was informed that it was now called ‘Simply to Go’ — a cute name.

I was handed a card with numbers 1, 2, and 3 on it. They were instructions about how the new system would work.

I was only allowed one entrée from the first station, labeled 1. One side from the second station, labeled 2. One beverage from the third station, labeled 3. And one treat as a plus.

If I wanted two sides from station 2, I wasn’t

Everyone pays the same price for their selected meal plans. The Simply To Go section should offer just as many options as the dine-in section.

allowed to get a treat.

This is a huge contrast to the dine-in section, where I could eat as much as I wanted of whatever I wanted.

When I got to station one I only saw one cooked entrée.

It was a strange roastbeefy-looking meat on a bun that didn’t look too appetizing.

My other options: A slice of pizza or a cold packaged sandwich from the fridge.

When I got to my “plus,” a.k.a. my treat, it was a brownie or two cookies wrapped in plastic.

What happened to the strawberry short cake

pudding, the apple crisp pizza, chocolate cake, the pie, and for the love of Pete, where was the ice cream?

Finally I got to the register, where another student ahead of me was already paying.

He was told that a salad was not part of his meal and that he had to pay extra.

This wasn’t even close to fair.

Everyone pays the same price for their selected meal plans.

The Simply to Go section should offer just as many options as the dine-in section.

It shouldn’t matter whether we are taking

our food to go or sitting down to eat it.

I was very disappointed. It was a huge downgrade.

A bunch of limitations and hardly any food choices. It was like being back in middle school again.

And Simply to Go does not do business on the weekends, so you have no choice but to sit down and eat in the dine-in section, whether you have the time or not.

Though the workers were nice and courteous, they were the only thing savory about this new Simply to Go. I remember a time when the take-out section served crispy chicken tenders, cakes and salads that were considered part of the meal, not extra.

There should be more food options and fewer rules.

And I hope to see improvement in Simply to Go soon.

Renovating our image ou know the expression: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” but you can make a lasting impression!

Our campus is being revitalized through Jeremy renovation.

Finch Students are the brick-and-mortar that make up the character and the culture of our school.

After some time we all deserve an upgrade or a renovation of image.

So why not build one of prestige?

As students going through the process, we may find ourselves never really focusing on the big picture, only concentrating on our personal

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and social triumphs and failures.

Some of us, such as SGA President Kent Williams, Jr., exploit our opportunities, disregarding the impact made on students who find it hard to ask the question, “What is exploit?”

Let me give you a clue! No, I’ll smack you in the face with a news clip! That’s giving tough love at the expense of our alma mater.

In direct response to Williams’ appearance on CNN, addressing student attire, the scholars across campus are taking action.

Opinion surveys are being administered.

Forums have taken place, spearheaded by the campus chapter of the American Marketing Association, to discuss appropriate dress in the workplace.

Business students were so stirred, fashion interest groups trailed

them by putting on a fashion show first!

More efforts could’ve been made to evoke the thought of appropriate dress on campus before venturing off campus.

As a business person, Williams should have known better than to air our dirty laundry.

If he was one of our basketball players I would bench him.

No, I would send him back into the locker room.

Because he is not representing our team well.

Better yet, how about getting back on the bus, going back across town and engaging with our team!

A home practice would be creating a strategy that incorporates management by objectives.

Your organizational structure at all levels would create goals that directly contribute to the overall company goal

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and give measures for evaluation.

For example, when faculty and staff reject inappropriate dress, the bar is raised for students.

When student organizations are made aware of issues to be resolved, critical thinking takes place and creative solutions arise.

Members within these organizations communicate the issue to other students in a way best fit for them.

We don’t need to copy other school’s tactics in tackling this issue, we’re bright!

Williams distributed tip cards to students about proper dress a semester before he appeared on CNN. How do you go from giving out tip cards to smashing NCCU on television without giving the students a chance to respond?

I didn’t get a card, but

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my professor raised the issue in class.

Another professor took a stand of non-tolerance against inappropriate dress in class.

A good student leader took action and stirred student awareness. So now, as a business student, I look to communicate my attitude toward the situation.

I know that I will conduct myself professionally for the sake of our reputation because I know image is important.

Nationally, taking away from our image over an in-house operational deficiency does nothing for the home team.

We’ll fix it, but it could’ve been fixed without telling the whole nation.

I hope our SGA-elect takes this advice into consideration in his future endeavors in office.

drawing by Rashaun Rucker

Question:

What do you think of the new cafeteria?

“I think it’s really nice. The only thing I don’t like is the Simply to Go. They try to restrict what we can and cannot get and it wasn’t like that before.”

— Samantha Stancil

“The new caf has brought students together.”

—James Sylvester

“The new caf has brought a variety of food and people that you haven’t seen on campus.”

—Yemi Adebiyi