January 16, 2008 by N.C. Central University Campus Echo

JANUARY 16, 2008

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Photo Feature

No time for clowning around — Jerry Blackwell juggles school and rap

Student debt: The crisis just goes from bad to worse

So what happened in New Hampshire? How did the polls miss the Clinton win?

Star teachers and star students make the Hillside High School arts program a jewel

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Campus Echo Good deeds, inc.

OBAMA/CLINTON|BATTLE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE

Law students serve public BY CANDICE MITCHELL ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Pro bono adj. Done without compensation for the public good: a lawyer's pro bono work. Many of N. C. Central University’s law students have decided that sitting in a classroom isn’t enough. There’s a world out there that already needs their expertise and training. And that’s where Law School’s Pro Bono program steps in — it provides a way Page Potter for students Dir., Pro Bono to get out of Services the classroom and into the community. “This is a way for students to get their feet wet,” said Page Potter, director of the pro bono services, who said that each semester about 15-20 students are involved in a course-credit pro bono clinic. According to the program’s orientation brochure, NCCU’s pro bono clinic coordinates pro bono and public service activities at the law school.

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Sen. Hillary Clinton listens as Sen. Barack Obama responds to a question during the Democratic presidential debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Oct. 30. MICHAEL PEREZ/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/MCT

Obama-Clinton in epic fight BY STEVEN THOMMA MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS (MCT)

MERRIMACK, N.H. — Women poured into Democratic primary polling places in New Hampshire with a loud message for the rest of the country: We’re for Hillary. They delivered a dramatic, come-from-behind victory for Sen. Hillary Clinton over Sen. Barack Obama that checked what many thought was his march to the nomination and the history books. Clinton’s dramatic

comeback set up what could be an epic struggle in coming weeks, a clash between generations and political styles underscored by the historic possibility of nominating an African-American or a woman for the first time. Republicans face a coast-to-coast struggle as well. The New Hampshire Republican primary went to John McCain, a maverick who promises to win the war in Iraq and overhaul

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Campus reacts BY SHELBIA BROWN ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

This year’s Democratic presidential primary is shaping up to be an epic fight between Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) and the Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) — and NCCU students and faculty are watching the contest closely. This is the first time in history either a woman or an African American have been viable presidential

candidates. SGA president Tomasi Larry said he is hopeful for an Obama victory in the Jan. 26 South Carolina Democratic primary, despite Obama’s loss in New Hampshire. “People are listening to what he has to say,” said Larry. “I’ve kind of been mellow about the whole thing.” The political science and history senior said he believes in his policies and

KID ART DAZZLES

NCCU’s mayor prof

NCCU hosts K-12 art

Chapel Hill mayor Kevin Foy’s two jobs

BY JIMMY VINCENT ECHO STAFF REPORTER

BY JABARI BLACKMON

ne hundred and sixty-eight of “Durham’s Finest” were given the chance to have their artwork displayed in N.C. Central University’s art museum this month.

ECHO STAFF REPORTER

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“Still life with Bottles,” a Blue Ribbon winning painting by Creekside Elementary 3rd grader Leyonne Howell. SAVIN JOSEPH/Echo Staff Photographer

Professor Kevin Foy has been teaching at N.C. Central University’s School of Law for five years. He is an NCCU Law School alumni, an avid Eagle basketball fan, and the mayor of Chapel Hill. Foy recently won his third re-election as mayor of Chapel Hill with more than 70 percent of votes. Throughout his tenure as mayor, Foy has worked to make make Chapel Hill Transit fare-free. He has formed the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership and initiated a new land use management ordinance and a new parks and recreation plan — all while teaching environmental law to NCCU law students. He describes juggling his two jobs as a “manageable experience,” that allows him to find solace from the city office in classroom and vice-versa. “As mayor, I’m not out all day at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and my office does a great job of managing the day-to-day tasks,” Foy said. “If anything, teaching allows me to get away from the office and read about things and talk to students

instead of dealing with politics all the time,” he said. “It’s a chance to get away from that office.” Foy said his jobs are alike in that both involve serving the community, investing in future generations and addressing environmental problems. Foy said that “a large part of local government is about land management. As mayor, I have to deal with maintaining progress without causing traffic and environmental problems. “We just have to decide what we want Chapel Hill to

be as a city in growth without taking on problems that other cities face, and that becomes a large part of what I teach.” Urban sprawl is one of many subjects Foy will address during his fourth term as mayor. Foy plans to focus on decreasing the town’s environmental impact, improving the city’s state-funded healthcare program, addressing Chapel Hill’s homelessness problem, and the development of North

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Kevin Foy, law professor and Durham-Chapel Hill mayor teaches his Thursday night Environmental Law class MITCHELL WEBSON/Echo Staff Photographer

feels that Obama is making positive strides toward presidency. Though Obama is not the first black to run for president, being preceded by Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988, and Al Sharpton in 2004, Larry credits Obama for coming closer to being president while serving as an influential role model. “Barack Obama is sending the message that all

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Touchy topic touches nerves BY GEOFFREY COOPER ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Controversy and debate can play a part in a day’s work for students and teachers. Mass communication senior Janera Fedrick can relate. She never thought a simple class assignment would spark so much of it. When Fedrick was given an assignment in her letter and type design course last October to compose a two-page graphic composition on an experience in her life, she chose to share with her classmates her battle with coming out as a bi-sexual. Fedrick said she was compelled to tell her story because she felt people should be made uncomfortable at times with certain topics, mainly because they are part of everyday life.

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Left to right: Pro Bono Clinic students Cherie Long, Nolana Quince, Kevin Hicks and Larry Brown gather in the lobby of the Turner Law Building Thursday. KENICE MOBLEY/Echo Staff Photographer

Potter said she tries to place students into the community areas that match their interests. Students can even design their their own pro bono project. Housed in NCCU’s Legal Clinic, the clinic works closely with the student Public Interest Law Organization (PILO), with other student groups, and with the Office of Career Services to promote law student involvement in pro bono service and to provide pro bono opportunities, public interest programming, and public interest career development services to students. As part of the clinic law students can either volunteer or gain credit hours working with more than 20 public interest organizations. Even though mostly second- and third-year law students participate in the pro bono clinic, first-year students have the option of doing other pro bono work at the law school, working on activities such as the Innocence Project. In this project, students volunteer with the N.C.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008

Center on Actual Innocence, where they look into cases of prisoners who say they are innocent. Another pro bono service offered to first-year lawstudents is Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). This free income tax preparation service is held at the law school every Saturday starting in February. Cherie Long, secondyear law student, said the pro bono clinic is a major benefit to law students. “I would recommend all of the students to participate … you get practical experience,” said Long. Last semester, Long volunteered with the Child Advocacy Commission of Durham, working on child custody and child support cases. She said the program gave her valuable training and helped her make connections with lawyers. Another participant in the pro bono clinic, thirdyear law student Larry Brown, said one of the biggest rewards was seeing how much children benefited.

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“The pro bono program is a great program to give back to Durham and the school system,” said Brown. Through mock trials with middle and high school students and some elementary schools, Brown shows students how the law works. The public school system also has benefited from NCCU’s law school through its street law program, said Brown. Second- and thirdyear students go into middle and high schools, teaching students about the court system and the Constitution. Brown implemented The Future Lawyers and Leaders of America program with Kevin Hicks last semester at two Durham middle schools, in coordination with Durham’s afterschool program. The program focuses on increasing the study, reading and writing skills of the students involved. “It helps us to help others,” said Brown. Brown hopes the Future Lawyers program might be a vehicle to help to enhance the street law program in the future.

African-American men are not apathetic or misguided,” said Larry. “This can be the catalyst that can change the ideology of African-American males.” Larry said this election will be monumental not only because of Obama’s race and Clinton’s gender, but because of the issues at hand concerning immigration, the economy and the war. “There are a lot of things causing people to get involved,” said Larry. Associate history professor Jim Harper said this election in particular, is opening the eyes of more young Americans and causing them to be more active in the political process. “Obama’s presence is going to energize AfricanAmerican voters, especially young voters, to register to vote and to find out more about presidential candidates, where they stand, what their policies are,” said Harper. He said if John Edwards moves up in the South Carolina primary, it could change Americans’ perspectives again about who could potentially be president. “I would like to see how close the elections are going to be,” said Harper. “It’s a different kind of

Yet, it was Clinton who swayed New Hampshire voters and slowed Obama’s momentum. Sen. Hillary Clinton received 39 percent of the votes, placing her above all other Democratic candidates. Obama came in a close second with 37 percent. “Let’s give America the type of comeback New Hampshire has just given me,” said Clinton after her victory in New Hampshire. After assessing the potential for America‘s problems to spin out of control, Hillary said that “this is one of the most important elections America has ever faced.” Both Clinton and Obama want to address the nation’s economic downturn and increase accessibility to healthcare. On the Republican side, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) won the New Hampshire primary with 37 percent, while former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney trailed behind with 31 percent — a six-point increase from his showing in the Iowa caucuses. Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, came in third with 11 percent in New Hampshire, but came first in the Iowa caucuses with 34 percent.

TOUCHY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 She said these topics should be discussed as long as they are relevant to an assignment. Melvin Carver, professor and art department chair, gave Fedrick’s class the assignment and said he originally felt uncomfortable with Fedrick’s topic, but eventually had to adjust to her story. “I will admit that at first, I was a little uneasy with her topic,” said Carver. “But that was a personal adjustment that I had to make on my part.” When Carver assigned the papers, topics were not specified. When Fedrick turned in her rough draft, Carver said he regarded it as well-written but still advised her to consider the nature of her topic because classmates may not know how to handle it. “Objective opinions come with the territory,” Fedrick said. “I didn’t think my story is explicit in any way to warrant it.” Carver said his reasoning behind all of this was to protect Fedrick’s best interests; he said he also was considering the comments students might make. “If I can soften the blow for a student, through my experience, then I will do it,” Carver said. So the question is, should

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thinking down South.” He hears more discussion buzzing around campus even in his class as proof that more youth and students are becoming politically inclined. But Harper would like to see more campus organizations focus on encouraging young voters to participate in the upcoming elections. More than 525,000 voters took to the polls last Tuesday in New Hampshire for the first primary of the 2008 presidential candidacy — one that some regard as historic. Many, including pollsters, presumed Obama would win based on his win in the Iowa caucuses. “They said this day would never come; they said our sights were set too high,” said Obama during his Iowa victory speech. “We are one nation. We are one people and our time for change has come.” Obama emphasized that many political figures believe money and influence are what control the country. But Obama says he wants to take the country back. “We are sending a powerful message that change is coming to America,” he said. “The time has come for presidents who will be honest.”

a student’s grade be under radar because their lifestyle or personal beliefs are evident in classwork and in the classroom setting? And how should teachers decide whether a student’s work should be censoredwhen it comes to personal beliefs causing uneasiness in their classroom? Many professors, like Carver, express their concern for a student’s wellbeing, not to censor them but to pinpoint an area in a student’s work that may expose the student to ridicule. “I try to approach each student and their situation objectively,” said Wendy Rountree, assistant professor of English. Rountree said that when dealing with her students’ work she focuses mainly on professionalism and whether it meets the criteria stated in her rubric. Rountree also said that she does try to pinpoint content in her student’s work by scheduling individual student conferences. Then she can advise the student as to whether it would be in his or her best interest to speak on a certain matter. “I do sometimes feel very protective,” Rountree said. “But ultimately I leave those choices up to the student.” What happens if the stu-

dent’s beliefs clash with another student’s in the classroom? Some professors, such as Michael Rectenwald, assistant professor of English, say that “everything is on the table,” with discussions ranging from sexuality and abortion to religion and politics. “I teach these controversies as fields in which students can practice their rhetoric skills,” said Rectenwald. Rectenwald said he does this to help students become more critical at debating their points. Rectenwald also said that during his classroom discussions he demands from each student respect and for each person to consider others’ points of view. “Every conversation must have groundwork qualities in which to start and end effectively,” he said. Overall, students and teachers agree that in order for assignments to be done correctly, teachers must be clear about what they are looking for and not base a grade on content alone. “You just have to take a deep breath,” said assistant professor of English Karen Keaton-Jackson about dealing with controversial issues in the classroom. “You can’t play it safe all the time.”

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008

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PLS don’t LOL when you read this Scholars debate the influence of text messaging on the future of formal English BY STACY HAUK ECHO STAFF WRITER

Do you speak text? LY, NM, PLS. Do you know what these mean? These abbreviations are commonly used in text messaging or instant messaging, and stand for love ya, nothing much, and please. And scholars and educators are now debating how the use of text talk will affect standard English and grammar.

BACKGROUND Text messaging, sometimes known as Short Message Service, originated in Europe in the early 1980s. The first text message was sent in December 1992; text messaging went commercial in 1995. Instant messaging arrived in the 1990s but took off in 1996 when Mirabilis introduced an instant messaging program called ICQ, which stands for “I seek you.” The following year, America Online introduced its own version, called Instant Messenger. Over the last decade, the use of text messaging and instant messaging has exploded. The language used in these cybertrends consists of shorthand used to abbreviate terms and shorten messages. In texting and instant messaging, less is more. If you are unfamiliar with this cyberspeak, just look online or in the bookstore. Webopedia.com has a text abbreviations page that includes definitions for more than 600 commonly abbreviated text terms. The online dictionary includes terms such as AML, which means all my love, and SRY, which stands for sorry. Users also can e-mail suggestions for abbreviations that are not included in the list. Netlingo.com has a list of shorthand terms along with their definitions, to help users decipher text language. For $10.99, you can purchase the Get Messaging Guide to Instant Text Messaging on Amazon.com. Text messaging minutes are available on many cell phone plans, and commercials for cell companies such as Cingular make light of the use of this abbreviated language, especially among teenagers. You’d be hard-pressed to find many teenagers who don’t subscribe to an instant messaging program.

ACADEMIC REACTION Some scholars and educators believe that the problem with using SMS and IM comes from the overuse of the abbreviated text, which is beginning to pop up in college applications, student essays and other correspondence. Some say that relying on abbreviated language affects the use of standard English and grammar. Brandy Carter, English instructor at Bunn High School in Bunn, NC, said her students often use text abbreviations in their class assignments. “I am constantly reminding them that text language isn’t appropriate for formal language situations,” Carter said. Carter said that today’s youth use text language too much. “Texting seems to have totally taken the place of other forms of writing,” she said. “I feel that using too much text language can keep kids from being able to distinguish formal language from informal language.” Should formal English and grammar be stressed in high school so these problems don’t carry into college and professional life? Maureen Sanders, criminal justice senior at N.C. Central University, said she sometimes uses abbreviated terms or slang in her papers, but that she tries to catch the errors before turning in her assignments.

Text messaging is not the monster, or whatever, that perhaps people are making it out to be. JOYCE ELLIS NCCU ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

“Thank God for spell checking,” said Sanders. Sanders said the common use of abbreviated text does cross over into other areas of life “a little bit.” She said that high school students should be taught proper English and grammar and that there is “a time and a place” for the use of abbreviated text. “If nobody ever tells them it’s wrong, they’re going to keep doing it until they get in college,” said Sanders. She added that college students should not have a problem with using abbreviated language. “College students should not be doing this. They’ve taken all the English, all the proper courses to alleviate this,” Sanders said.

AT NCCU However, sometimes abbreviated text does show up in college assignments. Michele Ware, associate professor of English, said she received an assignment from one of her students that included the use of abbreviations such as OMG to stand for oh my god, and the number 2 to stand for the words two or too. “It doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen,” said Ware. “I think that for many students, it’s like shorthand — more of a habit that they don’t consciously notice unless they’re proofreading carefully.” Ware said the use of abbreviated language can affect the use of formal English and grammar “to a certain extent” but she said that English is “incredibly flexible and resilient. “The real difficulty is in teaching students to make a distinction between informal and formal kinds of writing and to know when a certain type of language is appropriate or inappropriate,” said Ware.

RESEARCH Some scholars argue that the abbreviated language used in SMS and IM is not to blame for the downfall of formal English and grammar. An article on the University of Toronto website, describes a 2006 study of Toronto teens by university linguists which compared the teens’ spoken language to the language they used in instant messaging. Linguists Sali Tagliamonte and Derek Denis found that the teens used both formal and informal language in communication. In the Toronto study, Denis found that out of more than a million words of IM language reviewed, abbreviations “accounted for less than 2 percent of the word count.” They also found that such abbreviations don’t carry over into our speech. “They are a genre-specific feature,” Derek Denis, researcher in the Sociolinguistics Lab at the University of Toronto wrote in an e-mail interview about the study. Denis compared instant messaging abbreviations to abbreviations used in everyday speech. “If teenagers were using these abbreviations in speech, English is full of abbreviations already,” Denis wrote. “When was the last time you watched TV or a DVD? What was the last CD you bought or asked someone to do something ASAP? These forms aren’t being demonized as abhorrent English, but they are the same as IM abbreviations.” In contrast to the scholars who say that abbreviated language is ruining formal English, the

Toronto study found the opposite. “When our study looked at the grammar of these teenagers, we found that their IM conversations consisted of a robust mix of formal, standard and informal language,” Denis wrote. “The teenagers displayed a mastery of the system, not a bastardization.”

BACK TO NCCU Joyce Ellis, instructor of English at NCCU, has received assignments from her students where they used abbreviated text, such as using b/c to stand for because. “Of course I always strike it out,” Ellis said. Ellis said bad grammar is used everywhere these days. “The state of people’s knowledge and proficiency in grammar pretty much is deplorable anyway,” said Ellis. Ellis said that bad grammar cannot be attributed solely to the abbreviated language that is used for SMS and IM. “I think the problem is here, has been here for a while. It perhaps makes it more noticeable and more disconcerting, but it’s not new,” she said. Ellis said schools should put more emphasis on English and grammar in their curriculum, and that this should have occurred before SMS and IM became prevalent. “I’ve been teaching more than two decades and I have seen a steady erosion of basic writing skills,” Ellis said. Ellis added that the job of educators is “to teach students good, solid writing.” However, Ellis said that if people are able to write “literate, cohesive” papers, then text messaging is okay. “If you abbreviate but you know what a really good sentence is, then text messaging as a shortcut, to me, should not be our nemesis,” Ellis said.

TEXT MESSAGING 101 Some educators have gone as far as suggesting that test messaging language should be taught in schools. In a 2006 interview on the Australian news show The World Today, John Frow, professor of English language and literature at the University of Melbourne in Australia, supported the addition of text messaging language in the curriculum of Australian schools. Frow said that it was okay to teach students about the many types of languages and how they differ. In an October e-mail interview, Frow wrote that text messaging “should be studied rather than taught — students will know it better than their teachers anyway.” Frow said that studying text messaging will teach students that different types of language are appropriate in different contexts. “If I were doing this teaching I’d be saying that SMS is fine in its place but that other language varieties are needed for other purposes,” Frow wrote. Other educators don’t feel that SMS or IM language has a place in the school setting. “I believe the need for standard formal English is more urgent, and students will learn SMS in more casual ways,” said Carter. Ellis said, “We have all manner of languages. People sign, people use abbreviated forms, and if the culture is probably moving toward that, I think it will be learned by

FOY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Carolina, UNC -Chapel Hill’s planned 8-millionsquare-foot campus development project. For now, Foy is committed to leading Chapel Hill and continuing his teaching career at the School of Law, with no

immediate plans to pursue a Congressional public office. “I really have to think about it,” said Foy. “My responsibility is mainly here, as a teacher. “Given that the term is just starting out, I can’t

say what I will plan to do in the future. I agree with and support Congressman Price, so I won’t say, ‘next year I’ll run for Congress.’ “I’m just focused on the term right now.” The mayor’s political

concentration remains focused on the city of Chapel Hill. Asked whom he was supporting in the national presidential election, Foy said: “Well I met Barack, and I think he’d really be great.”

Above: Carlos Famania, N.C. Central University physical education and Spanish freshman sends a text message between classes. Below: Marcus Fallen, mass communication junior, looks for a friend. BRYSON POPE/Echo Staff Photographer

those who need to know it.” She was doubtful, however, about whether text language should be part of the curriculum.

WHERE TO NOW? So can the downfall of formal English and grammar be attributed to SMS and IM language? Ellis said text messaging is not “the monster, or whatever, that perhaps people are making it out to be.” However, Ellis said, “It amplifies the fact that students are woeful in many ways when it comes to just basic grammar and syntax.” And how do we stress the importance of using formal English and grammar? Should the responsibility fall on parents or educators? Sanders said that the responsibility should fall on both parents and schools, but that ultimately, parents should be responsible. “The school is already teaching

proper grammar, English, and things like that. It’s up to the parent to enforce it,” said Sanders. Carter prefers a partnership. “Like any healthy life practice, parents and schools should have a partnership in informing students about the use of text language,” she said. “Parents need to support the school’s efforts to teach students standard formal English.” Whether SMS and IM language is “destroying” formal English and grammar remains to be seen. Who should enforce formal English is up for debate. However, it is clear that abbreviated text language is not going away. Right now I am SMHID (scratching my head in disbelief), and you may be too. But, if you want to SC (stay cool) and keep up with cyberspeak, just visit the web or a bookstore or ask any teenager, and maybe you’ll get the MSG. TAFN (that’s all for now).

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008

IVER SITY

Empty pockets

L’eau, agua, H2O

Students discuss the hardships of college debt

Water vital to human life, but do we drink enough of it?

Robyn Kinney, athletic training sophomore, drinks water while on RA duty in New Baynes Residence Hall. BRYSON POPE/Staff Photographer

BY KENNETH FITZ ECHO STAFF REPORTER

BY KRISTIANA BENNETT ECHO STAFF REPORTER

“I’m 20 years old and I owe $50,000,” said Jabari Blackmon, a mass communication junior at N.C. Central University in reference to his student loan debt. “Because of that, my credit’s ruined.” Blackmon attended Oakwood College, a private institution in Alabama, for two years before transferring to NCCU last year. Blackmon said it was easy for him to call the Sally Mae Foundation and get approved for $26,000 per year. A check was mailed to him within seven days. It was even easier for him to get a personal student loan from RBC Centura. Forty-five minutes after his credit was checked, Blackmon was issued a check for $9,500. “It happens to like, so many people,” said Blackmon. “They come to college and they get these massive amounts in loans, and financial aid doesn’t even encourage them to get scholarships.” Blackmon’s financial situation, though not typical of undergraduate students who have only attended public universities, is hardly unique. “I owe the government about $25,000 as of right now,” said Joshua Harrison, a senior business administration major. Harrison has financial advice for his fellow students. “If you can get the doggone grades, get the flipping scholarships and apply for all the grants you can — every last one you can get your hands on,” said Harrison. “When you have to pay back $5,000 as opposed to $25,000 or $50,000, it’s so much better.” According to FinAid.org, the “average student loan debt among graduating seniors is $19,237,” and the loan debt for students seeking graduate degrees ranges from $27,000 to $114,000. Kenisha Armstrong-Hill, 23, a processing assistant at NCCU’s Scholarship & Student Aid office and a 2005 graduate of Mount Olive College, owes $10,800 in student loans — and that’s with grants and a scholarship. “I would probably be about $50,000 in debt if I didn’t have knowledge about the Coca-Cola scholarship and the Lions Club grant,” said Armstrong-Hill. Sherry Henderson, an enrollment services officer and scholarship coordina-

tor in NCCU’s scholarship and student aid department, said planning ahead and applying for funding that does not have to be repaid are critical to avoiding heavy debt. “The key is to start early applying for scholarships and grants, especially for outside scholarships,” said Henderson. “Most of the scholarship applications start coming out in October or early November.” However, grants and scholarships don’t cover all education expenses, and loans become the primary source for students and parents in paying college tuition and other related costs. There are four types of education loans: student loans, private student loans, parent loans, and consolidation loans, which allow borrowers to combine all their loans into a lump sum. According to the College Foundation of North Carolina website, cfnc.org, “The Federal Stafford Loan is the most widely used loan in the student education program,” with repayment schedules of up to 10 years. The U.S. Department of Education runs two different Stafford loan programs: the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Direct loans are financed by the federal government with a fixed interest rate of 6.8 percent, while FFEL loans are financed by private banks or organizations with interest rates up to 8.02 percent. Direct loans are repaid to the Department of Education, while FFEL loans are repaid to the private loan holder. Stafford loans can be either subsidized and unsubsidized. The federal government pays the interest on subsidized loans, as long as the student is enrolled at least half-time and for six months after the student withdraws or graduates. After that, the student is responsible for paying back the loan with interest. Subsidized Stafford loans are only available to those who meet the government’s criteria for financial need. Unsubsidized Stafford loans are available to anyone and begin accruing interest immediately after they are taken out. The borrower must pay back the loan and all accrued interest. Federal Perkins loans are financed by universities and colleges and are

repaid to either the school or its agent. They are granted to students with the greatest financial need, with top priority granted to Pell Grant recipients. PLUS loans, like Stafford loans, are offered through the Direct and FFEL programs, but are granted to the parents of qualified undergraduate students. Student loans can be reduced or cancelled, but only under specific circumstances, according to the federal aid website www.studentaid.ed.gov. These circumstances include but are not limited to death, total or permanent disability, bankruptcy, non-completion of a degree program due to the school closing, and the school’s forging a student’s signature on a promissory note. Loan forgiveness programs, available through the federal government, involve volunteer work through organizations like AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. Borrowers who work for these organizations for specific time periods have portions of their loan debt deducted. Another alternative for debt reduction is made possible by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. The Act, passed Sept. 27, allows the dismissal of debt accrued through the Direct Loan program if the borrower works full-time in a public service position for 10 years. A list of these positions is available at FinAid.org under public service loan forgiveness. To qualify for the forgiveness benefit, the borrower must have made 120 payments within the 10year span. Only payments made on or after Oct. 1, 2007 count toward the 120 payments. “I think it’s reached a point where Congress has realized that the loan debt is too great,” said Elizabeth McDuffie, director for grants, training, and outreach at the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. Though loan forgiveness programs and the College Cost Reduction and Access Act are available, McDuffie said students should try to avoid getting loans as much as possible. “One of the things we [at the SEAA] try to stress with students is to only borrow what they need,” she said. “Work, seek other types of financial aid and live frugally.”

In French, it’s “l’eau.” In Spanish, it’s “agua.” Scientists call it H20. But we usually just call it water. It’s one of the human body’s most essential needs. The human body is 60 percent water. A human being can survive for weeks without food, but just a few days without water. According to WebMD. com, water is vital to our survival. It helps remove waste through urine, maintain a healthy metabolism, and control body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. But a survey of more than 100 North Carolina university students, only about 75 percent of African Americans drink water daily, while almost 100 percent of whites do. N.C. Central University students confirm the findings. “We use it to wash our cars, but not to drink,” said an NCCU marketing junior. “We want the body of our cars and rims to look shiny and perfect, but when it comes to our bodies …”

Jackie Wagstaff, hospitality and tourism junior, said, “We drink everything but water. “I guess that’s how we grew up. Growing up, we drank Kool-Aid,” Wagstaff said. The topic of drinking water is even rapped about in BET’s “Read a Book” animated video by Bomani Armah. The song seeks to increase awareness in the young hip-hop community on multiple topics. “Your body needs water, so drink that stuff,” Armah repeats multiple times in the song. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women consume a minimum of two liters of fluids a day and that men consume at least three liters a day. A liter is equal to approximately 1.056 liquid quarts. Exercise and excessive sweating increase fluid loss from the body. According to MedicineNet.com, signs of too few fluids include increased thirst, dry mouth, weakness or lightheadedness, dark odorous urine, decreased urination and/or lower back pain. Many foods contain

water. Fruits and vegetables, like lettuce, watermelon, cucumbers, and oranges, have high water content. Surprisingly, some meats contain about 60 percent water. Coffee and soda also count in the attempt to meet daily fluid requirements, according to WebMD.com. Other findings of the survey include: • 75 percent of white students are coffee drinkers, while only 25 percent of black students are coffee drinkers. • Black students drink alcohol at lower rates than whites. • About 25 percent fewer black students than whites say they exercise weekly basis. • More black students than white students say their parents encouraged them to drink water every day. Some NCCU students learned the message from their parents that water is vital to their health. “I drink water everyday,” said social work sophomore Sheree Knight. “I guess it’s just a habit. “It flushes your body out — besides it’s good for you.”

Survey of student fluid intake habits and lifestyle 100%

75%

50%

25%

0% Do you drink water on a daily basis?

Key

Do you drink coffee?

African-American

Campus Echo Online Breaking news, past issue archives, advertising information, and much more. campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com

Do you drink alcohol?

White

Do you exercise one or more times weekly?

Other

Did your parents encourage you to drink water when you were young?

Source: Kenneth Fitz – 2007 survey of 105 students from four NC universities.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008

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Why are polls sometimes so wrong? Polls predicted an Obama win by an average of 8.3 percentage points, but he lost by 3 BY STEVEN THOMMA MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS(MCT)

Democratic presidential hopeful N.Y. Sen. Hillary Clinton campaigns door-to-door in Manchester, N.H., before the Jan. 6 state primary. Clinton fended off her surging rival Barack Obama. Polls had put her at risk of a second stinging defeat. CHUCK KENNEDY/MCT

the way Washington works. Just five days earlier, Iowa went for another outsider promising change, Mike Huckabee. The two must face one another and several other rivals in weeks to come, in a wide-open race. First comes Michigan next Tuesday, where McCain, Romney and Huckabee will square off. Meanwhile, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson already left New Hampshire for South Carolina, working for a victory there on Jan. 19. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is headed to Florida, looking for a Jan. 29 win there. The picture is clearer in the Democratic Party, where it’s now a two-person race and a contest over who has the more appealing voice and the style better suited to deliver such Democratic goals as ending the war in Iraq and expanding health care. Obama had momentum from Iowa, his fresh face and upbeat message appealing to young people. Overnight he had become the very face of change at a moment in history when Americans hunger for it in many ways. Many pre-election polls hinted that Obama might win in a landslide. But Clinton still has the most famous brand name in the party. She fought back in New Hampshire, retooling her message to take on Obama directly as a waffling newcomer. Former President Bill Clinton jumped in as well, calling Obama’s pitch a “fairy tale.” By stressing her experience in the White House, she convinced many that she knew how to pull the levers of power. While both Obama and Hillary Clinton personify historic change — the first African-American and woman with real chances of being nominated and elected — Clinton and Obama offer vastly different approaches. He’s the freshest face in a party that historically embraces newcomers. In the last half-century, Democrats only twice nominated nonincumbents who’d run nationally before — Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and Al Gore in 2000.

Obama looks more like change. A new face, a new generation — and a promise of a new, more civil approach to politics that resonates particularly with the post-Baby Boom generation that came of age after the combative ‘60s. But Clinton, who was on the verge of being written off by some pundits, showed a resilience that should allow her to tap into her well of organized supporters and donors, particularly among women of her own generation. The Clinton-Obama contest will be fought along generational and gender lines that divide the party and help explain Tuesday’s results. Women were 57 percent of the vote, exit polls showed; they went for Clinton by a margin of 47-34 percent, while men went for Obama by 42-30 percent. Voters under the age of 30 went for Obama by 61-22 percent, while those aged 65 and older went for Clinton by 48-33 percent. The key question going forward to contests in Nevada on Jan. 19, South Carolina on Jan. 26, then a rush of more than 20 states on Feb. 5, is how much the two candidates will adapt. Obama, for example, will face intensified scrutiny. With Clinton in close pursuit, he also might have to sharpen his message or risk looking too cautious, a mistake Clinton herself made last fall when she thought she had a solid lead. She has to decide how hard to hit Obama in the weeks to come, and whether that would weaken him as it did in New Hampshire — or spur a backlash against herself. For Republicans, the contest turns next to Michigan, which votes next Tuesday. McCain won there in 2000, but Romney has strong ties in the state, which his father served as governor. Republicans then face off in what could be a hotly contested primary in South Carolina. McCain lost there in 2000, Thompson hopes to make a regional pitch and Huckabee looks to get on the comeback trail in a state with more Christian conservatives.

MERRIMACK, N.H. — When politicians see polls they don’t like, they recite a cliche: The only poll that counts is the one on Election Day. Tuesday, the voters of New Hampshire proved the cliche right. For days, poll after poll showed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama opening a big lead heading into the New Hampshire Democratic primary. But when the votes were counted, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton won. Even she seemed surprised. Were the polls all wrong? Did the pollsters misjudge how many women would vote? Did voters lie when pollsters called? Or were the polls right about Obama leading, proving that debates and campaigning the last weekend really do matter and can sway voters at the last hour? Regardless of the answers, many analysts urged a postmortem to figure out what the heck happened in New Hampshire. “It is simply unprecedented for so many polls to have been so wrong,” said Gary Langer, the polling director for ABC News, in a memo posted at his Web site. “We need to know why.” Every poll done for the news media in New Hampshire after the Iowa caucuses showed Obama gaining and opening a lead on Clinton. A McClatchy-MSNBC poll conducted immediately before and after Iowa showed Obama with the support of 33 percent in New Hampshire, Clinton with 31. Polls conducted after Obama's Iowa win showed him with a bigger lead. One survey for C-SPAN and Reuters showed Obama up 42-29 percent over Clinton. Six public

polls for news media and universities showed him with an average lead of 8.3 percentage points. None showed Clinton close, let alone ahead. Yet she beat Obama by 39-36 percent. So what happened? One possibility widely mentioned Wednesday was that white New Hampshire voters might have lied to pollsters, expressing support for black Obama, then voting against him once they were in the privacy of the polling booth. That's happened before, and it's noteworthy that there was no big discrepancy on the Republican side, where all top candidates were white. “There will be a lot of claims about what happened, about respondents who reputedly lied, about alleged difficulties polling in biracial contests,” Langer said. “That may be so. It also may be a smokescreen, a convenient foil for pollsters who'd rather fault their respondents than own up to other possibilities _ such as their own failings in sampling and `likely voter' modeling.” One possible reason the polls were so far off was that pollsters miscalculated when they screened those who answered their phones to find “likely voters.” Another is that the timing of the polls missed a late surge of support for Clinton, particularly among women, influenced by a debate Saturday night, Sunday talk shows, round-the-clock campaigning and an emotional response from Clinton on Monday to the stress of the campaign. “What the weekend polls found was an Obama lead as primary day approached,” said Lee Miringoff, a political scientist and the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion at Marist

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his assumed turnout on historic averages. He said he thought that the McClatchy-MSNBC poll was accurate at the time, and that circumstances changed to benefit Huckabee. The key, he said, was Huckabee's decision Dec. 31 to pull a negative ad he'd planned against Romney. “Romney had been closing the gap on Huckabee. I think our numbers were accurate,” Coker said. “What happened that we can't account for is what happened in the days before the caucus was held. Huckabee turned the whole thing around with the decision not to go negative.” Huckabee also thinks his support swelled after that. “I really believe the decision I made was part of the reason that we won and won decisively,” he said. While the news media scoffed at the gesture, Coker said, evangelical Christian voters liked it. All polls, of course, are just numbers. How they’re read depends in large part on how the news media portray them. That’s one reason that the National Council on Public Polls recommends that news media be cautious in interpreting polls. Another thing to look for in polls is the margin of error. That means that 95 percent of the time, any number in a poll could be higher or lower by as much as the margin of error. It’s a matter of statistical probability. The other 5 percent of the time? They’re flat-out wrong.

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College in New York, in an article on his Web site, www.maristpoll.marist.ed u. “What they do not reflect is what was apparent here in New Hampshire. The context of the campaign was changing. The last hours of the campaign were a media feeding frenzy over Clinton's show of emotion when responding to a voter's question on Monday morning.” “Timing is half of everything,” said Brad Coker, the managing partner of Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, which conducts polls for McClatchy and MSNBC. In Iowa, a McClatchyMSNBC poll conducted Dec. 26-28 found Romney ahead of Huckabee, but the final voting results last Thursday were the reverse. Coker noted that two other polls taken at the same time produced similar results. A survey by the American Research Group conducted Dec. 26-28 found Romney with 32 percent and Huckabee at 23 percent. A Strategic Vision poll Dec. 26-27 showed Huckabee with 29 percent, Romney with 27 percent. Both showed Romney with more support than he'd had before Christmas and Huckabee with less. The Des Moines Register poll took a different snapshot over a slightly different period, Dec. 27-30. It had a larger sample, 800 likely voters in each party versus 400, which cut the error margin from 5 percentage points to 3.5. The Register poll also assumed a greater turnout by first-time caucus attendees. Coker said he based

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Hillside High’s Future Artists WE

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Photographic Essay by Ray Tyler he arts are essential to every child’s education, but at Hillside High School’s Performing Arts Department, the arts are a way of life. It’s an arts program that has shaped the lives of numerous N.C. Central University students, including two NCCU alumni standouts, Derek Pantiel, ’07, and Renee Clark, ’06. Derek Pantiel, the first NCCU student ever to be elected president of the UNC Association of Student Governments, said Hillside’s arts program changed his life. He said he was going to be a mechanic, but after participating in the arts program, he decided to attend NCCU. He was elected to the UNC ASG in 2006. “It taught me how to find my weaknesses and turn them into strengths,” said Pantiel. “It challenged me to use my talents not just on the stage, but in the community.” Pantiel is now a graduate student at The Ohio School of Pediatric Medicine. Former 2005-2006 NCCU Student Body President Renee Clark also said Hillside’s arts program influenced her profoundly. “The Hillside High School

Hillside High student Demarre Richmond hits a high note on the trumpet.

Above: Jimmy Woods shows instructor Wendell Tabb, an NCCU alumnus, his assignment. Top: Paula Nunn demonstrates proper facial expression.

Ebony Burnette extends her arm in dance class.

Performing Arts Center taught me more than dance, music, or theater. It taught me about life,” said Clark. “If not for the HHS Performing Arts Center, I would not know that it is possible to overcome struggles,” she said. “I definitely would not know that passion cultivated by creativity, love and hard work manifests greatness.” HHS’s performing arts department, led by Xavier Cason, Paula Nunn, Nicole Oxendine and Wendell Tabb, is arguably the most celebrated department at Hillside. It has won numerous awards and accolades. Cason, an NCCU alumnus, has been the band director at Hillside since 1997 and was musical instructor and director of the band at NCCU from 1987-1997. In 2006, Cason was awarded the B.C. Powder “Real People” Award and selected for “Who’s Who Among American Teachers.” Choral director Nunn has taught music with the Durham Public School system for 17 years. She has been choral director at Hillside for five years. Oxendine, a Hillside alumna, has been a dancer for 14 years and teaching at Hillside

for three. She also is a performer and choreographer and has been a member of Hollins Repertory Dance Company, Sacred Fire Worship Dance Troupe and Hillside’s Advanced Dance Team, and was a guest performer at the American Dance Festival in 2006. NCCU graduate Wendell Tabb has worked as drama director and teacher for more than 21 years at Hillside. He has directed more than 40 plays nationally and internationally. Tabb has performed in several NCCU dramatic productions, including “Two Trains Running,” “Tunnels” and “Heart to Heart: Ain’t Your Life Worth Saving?” He was awarded the 2006 James E. Shepard Sertoma Educator of the Year Award, and the Black Living Legend Educator award. Asked about the impact of the band on the students, Cason said, “Music is the soundtrack to these students’ lives.” He explained that music and creativity are the fluid that connects students to their culture and environment. He said that the arts can provide the first steps to greatness.

Student teacher Anthony Pierce, an NCCU alumnus, vocalizes proper melodic tonality to LaShira Thompson, a 10th grader.

Antwan Harper patiently waits for instructions in band class.

Wendell Tabb illustrates the key points of a script to a tentative student.

Above: Hannah Reese takes her turn in a classroom switch leap exercise. Top: NCCU Alumnus and Hillside High band director, Xavier Cason shows students marching technique.

10th grader Tkeyah Williams learns choreography in chorus class.

Instructor Nicole Oxendine, a Hillside alumna, demonstrates balance to her dance class.

Above: 11th Grader, Lauren Banks writing a script Top: Drama Teacher, Wendell Tabb works with his students.

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Black raps balance J. Black speaks about balancing responsibility and passion 12345 1234 123 12

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Raheem DeVaughn Love Behind The melody Jive Records

out of on the 5 5 black hand side

Juniors Don Simmons’ and Jerry Blackwell’s love of hip hop pushes them toward stardom but not away from their studies. . SAVIN JOSEPH /Echo Staff Photographer

BY BROOKE SELLARS ECHO A&E ASSISTANT EDITOR

Soon after I first sat down with Jerry Blackwell, English junior, I forgot this was an interview. It felt more like a conversation with a lifelong friend. Discussing hip hop, college and spirituality with him was like breathing fresh air. Despite all the quirky distractions, Blackwell remained focused. He was confident and spoke freely about his ambitions. Blackwell believes maintaining a 3.5 GPA and perfecting his talent as a hip hop music artist is a matter of taking responsibility and knowing how to prioritize. He began rapping at age 10 after being influenced by Greensboro rapper, Jay Irish. Other influences on his music include Common, Joe Budden, Norma Nordstrom and Lisa McLendon. “By far Joe Budden’s ‘Mood Music

2’ has been the biggest influence in my music,” said Blackwell. “He puts his heart and soul into it.” Rapping continued to be Blackwell’s passion through high school and into college. Dreams of law school shifted to music last year when Blackwell decided to take his music to the next level. “I was on Facebook, sent Darrell a message about my music and he looked out.” After hooking up with NCCU alumni Darrell Coleman, who works for MTV, Jerry was flying to New York for the first time. “His music struck a chord with me, because it is so inspirational,” said Coleman. “There is nobody in the music industry tackling the subjects that he covers.” Under Coleman’s management, Blackwell recently completed a photo shoot in Brooklyn and recorded a clip on MTV’s Sucker Freestyle that will air on MTV 2 in March.

Blackwell’s friend Eric Jefferson, criminal justice junior, said Blackwell’s best characteristic is his passion, hunger for change and his desire to represent his spirituality through his music. “You can hear the passion in his voice. It’s real, not just rhyming words,” said Jefferson. Aside from the music, Blackwell has been active on campus as sophomore class president 2006-2007 and as a Chancellor’s Scholar. Encompassing all things learned, Blackwell has incorporated rhetorical strategies and literary techniques he discovered in his literature courses. In five years, Blackwell wants to be an accomplished musician, signed to a record label. “I see Jerry becoming an international star, filling a void in hip hop that has been empty for years now,” said Coleman. “He has the potential to be the catalyst for a new evolution in hip hop.”

People can be quick to classify black singers with cornrows or natural hair as neosoul artists, but that title keeps hardcore R&B fans from giving different music a chance. Now, no one has an excuse to look over Raheem Devaughn. With a fresh fade and fresh production, Raheem Devaughn is ready to claim his place among artists who made music for grown folks sexy. His latest album, titled “Love Behind the Melody,” released yesterday, is a refreshing diversion from the adolescent-dominated R&B platform. “Love Behind the Melody” sets the perfect tone for any romantic night out, or a candlelit dinner in. Raheem Devaughn is a grown man. He’s not growing into manhood, nor

is he a few years or life experiences away from it. Instead of dancing around issues of love, relationships, emotions and loss, he gets straight to the point from the perspective of a man with enough experience to know what he’s talking about, and the insight that comes with maturity. The 18-track album includes uptempo, guitarheavy rhythms like “Butterflies,” and smooth synthesizer-laden pieces like “Empty.” On “Customer,” he tells his woman, “if your heart is hungry, you can place your order here with me.” On the song “Mo Better,” he delivers a breathy confession to his love that she has made his life better with her presence. “You know I’m kind of young, but I’ve got an old soul,” Devaughn sings. He reminds you of a time in R&B when R. Kelly, Joe, Tyrese, Ginuwine and Avant were in their heyday. He has almost single-handedly brought the music to a level that it hasn’t been at in a long time. The character and style he brings to each song is the love behind the melody. — Larisha J. Stone

KID ART CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“Mexico City 2050” by Chewning Middle School 7th grader Carlos Villanueva, a Blue Ribbon winner. SAVIN JOSEPH/Echo Staff Photographer

In its 28th year, the annual “Durham’s Finest” exhibition features artistic creations by kindergarten through 12th grade students from all 42 Durham public schools. Each school chose four remarkable works to enter in the contest. This year, the Museum has already surpassed last year’s record by attracting more than 600 students, parents and teachers. The exhibit also has a new statistic to add to the archives. The artwork on display this year includes traditional ink on paper, pencil on paper, and drawings as well at two- and threedimensional works.

Mixed media works, watercolor, pastel, oils, and acrylic paintings are hung on the walls of the Museum, displaying vibrant colors and futuristic designs. “There has been more dimensional works this year,” Museum Director Kenneth Rodgers said. This includes a set of straw baskets that he has never seen presented before. There also are more ceramic and sculptures in paper maché and wire forms in the exhibit. “We’ve had some really unique collages that demonstrated amazing design,” said Rodgers. Social work sophomore Desmond Carter attended the program for his art class, and one

painting stood out to him right away. “I saw a creative black and white drawing where a guy was holding his breath under water and hiding from sharks,” said Carter. I really liked it.” He found the creations to be diverse and was impressed by some of the work done by younger artists. “I found the exhibit unique because there was work done by little kids and people my age,” said Carter. “It wasn’t just paintings — I saw sculptures and statues.” “Durham’s Finest” displays the creativity of the students in

“Mixed Media,” by Southern High School student Timothy Reavis won first in its category. SAVIN JOSEPH /Echo Staff Photographer

Durham’s Public School system and the community. It highlights an array of talent and originality. The Durham Public Schools’ art program gives young artists the chance to have their work shown to their peers and the community. The Museum’s Board of Directors awarded blue ribbons to three winners from each school level. These students will have their work sold in the art gallery. Timothy Reavis, a 12th grader at Southern High School, was given a blue ribbon and a “certificate of appreciation.” “My art teacher said a couple

people want to buy my stuff, but that's all I've heard,” said Reavis. His artwork was titled “Mixed Media.” Also selected as winners were “Still Life With Bottles” by Leyonne Howell, a 3rd grader at Creekside Elementary, and “Mexico City 2050” by Carlos Villanueva, a 7th grader at Chewning Middle School. The exhibit is free and open to the public and is handicapped accessible. The museum is open TuesdayFriday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located on Lawson Street across from the Farrison-Newton Communications Building. The exhibit ends Jan. 25.

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008

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Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008

‘Pack pounds NCCU Eagles display season’s best defensive effort despite a tough loss

Hayes out, who’s in? Wicker-McCree serves as interim

BY QUENTIN GARDNER ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

BY MATT BEATTY One battle does not define a war, but 0-4 defines the N.C. Central University men’s basketball team’s start for 2008. The Eagles should make e n d i n g NCSU 54 their current 16NCCU 29 game losing streak a resolution for the new year. Last Wednesday, the Eagles played their best defensive game of the season thus far during a 54-29 loss to N.C. State University in Raleigh’s RBC Center. The Eagles managed to force the Wolfpack to shoot just 37 percent from the floor. Unfortunately, NCCU could not take advantage of missed opportunities, converting only 20 percent from the floor. N.C. State’s free-throw and perimeter percentages were key factors in the victory. The Wolfpack went 4 of 21 from behind the arc, while NCCU made 1 of 14 attempts. NCSU also converted 18 of 23 attempts from the foul line. Last Wednesday’s game was NCSU’s final tune-up game before ACC conference play began last week. “I felt like our defense was really good, but we still have a few things to work out on offense,” said Wolfpack forward Brandon Costner. “NCCU played good defense, but a lot of it was our fault for not making the right reads and probably taking too much time or predetermining what we were going to do with the ball,” Costner said. Costner led all scorers with 18 points, including three of six from the arc. J. J. Hickson added 13 points for the Wolfpack. Eagle forward Charles Futrell led NCCU with eight points and seven rebounds. Forward Joshua Worthy

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NCCU guard Bryan Ayala attempts a reverse layup Wednesday in Raleigh’s RBC Center. DREW AUSTIN/NCCU Athletics

also chimed in 4 points and nine rebounds for the Eagles. Eagles head coach Henry Dickerson was not pleased with his team’s performance against yet another ACC powerhouse. “Another ACC team, another athletic team — their length just killed us,” said Dickerson. “You cannot simulate that in practice — strength, size and speed. “Our guys just got worn down after a while,” he said. NCCU is currently 0-3 against ACC opponents this season. The Eagles lost 121-56 to

Duke University in the season opener in November. NCCU also traveled to Winston-Salem to lose to Wake Forest 75-58 Nov. 19. NC State out-rebounded the Eagles 42 to 39. NC State also turned the ball over 15 times. N.C. State head coach Sidney Lowe praised the Eagles’ performance against the Wolfpack in their first Division I season. “NCCU came out with a great zone defense and tried to make us take jump shots,” said Lowe. Some Eagle players had mixed feelings about their performance. “I think we played good

defense, but we’re disappointed with the way we shot,” said Futrell. “If we had shot well, we would have had a chance to beat a big-time ACC school,” he said. “But we haven’t been shooting well in practice, and most of the time, you play the way you practice.” However, other players blame poor team effort. “I just think we weren’t mentally prepared,” said Worthy. “We had a lack of focus, and we didn’t shoot well at all.” The Eagles will return home to host Coppin State tonight at 7:30 p.m.

On Dec. 4 Florida A&M University President James Ammons announced that he had recruited N.C. Central University athletic director Bill Hayes to serve as athletic director at FAMU. Ammons served as NCCU’s chancellor from 2001-2007. Hayes, who was NCCU’s athletic director for four years, replaces Nelson Townsend in the position. Townsend served as FAMU’s athletic director for just two years. Hayes signed a threeyear contract for $175,000 annually. Under Hayes’ tenure NCCU earned nine CIAA conference championships. NCCU has won two football conference titles, three conference volleyball titles, three cross country conference titles and a softball championship. Aside from winning championships, Hayes also established the 1,000 Eagles Program. The program was designed to raise $1 million for athletic scholarships and recruiting. Hayes also played helped move NCCU out of the CIAA and into Division I athletics. Hayes, a Durham native and Hillside High School graduate, coached N.C. A&T to three MEAC championships. Hayes then led WinstonSalem State University to three CIAA championships. As of Dec. 7, NCCU announced the appointment of Ingrid WickerMcCree as the new interim director of athletics. Wicker-McCree has been with NCCU athletics since 1998. “The depth of Ingrid’s experience will continue to serve the university

well,” said NCCU chancellor Charlie Nelms. Wicker-McCree began her career at NCCU as a head coach for women’s volleyball and softball. Wicker-McCree is the only coach at NCCU to win championships in multiple sports. She captured the schools first ever CIAA title in softball in 1998. Wicker-McCree also coached the Lady Eagles volleyball team to conference titles in 1999, 2004 and 2005. She has been named CIAA volleyball coach of the year three times in 1999, 2002 and 2005. Wicker-McCree was inducted into the Alex M. Rivera Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004 as the head coach of the 1998 softball team. Wicker-McCree has served as leader in both conference and national organizations. Wicker-McCree’s most recent position is the president of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association executive board from 2004 to 2006. She is the second woman in conference history to ever hold that position. In honor of her work Wicker-McCree was given the CIAA leadership award for her service as president and in 2006 she was named Senior Woman Administrator of the year. ”We are very fortunate to have someone with such a demonstrated record of leadership within the ranks who can continue to lead our athletic department forward,” said Nelms. NCCU is still searching for a new athletic director and there has been no word on the status of a new applicant. “The new athletic director will already have a solid program here at NCCU,” said WickerMcCree.

Lady Eagles trump Spartans on homefront BY QUENTIN GARDNER ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

Last Wednesday, The N.C. Central University Lady Eagles (317 overall) successfully defended their home court by defeating the Norfolk State University Lady Spartans 58-44 in NCCU 58 M c L e n d o n M c D o u g a l d NSU 44 Gymnasium. The game served as the Lady Eagles first victory over a Division I opponent. Nearly 600 fans were in attendance to watch the Lady Eagles continue their perfect home record. Despite the low attendance figure, Lady Eagle head coach Joli Robinson was satisfied with the victory.

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“It was a good win for us against a Division I team,” said Robinson. “It was good to see a great crowd here tonight, the girls worked and played hard in front of our fans.” NCCU shot 41 percent overall from the field, while holding Norfolk State to just fewer than 27 percent. Both teams struggled offensively during the opening half. NCCU made eight-of-24 attempts for 33 percent, while Norfolk State shot 39 percent on nine-of-23 attempts from the field. Perhaps the major key to victory was the difference in team turnovers. Norfolk State committed 24 turnovers, while the Lady Eagles committed a season low 19. Lady Eagle guard LaVonna

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Hailey led all scorers with 13 points. Guard Jennifer Hukill added 12 points shooting 38 percent from 3-point range. Latoya Bennett also recorded a doubledouble with 12 points and 12 rebounds. The Lady Eagle victory did not come easy, as the Lady Spartan’s Areya Walker kept the game close most of the way. Walker led the Lady Spartans with 11 points and 9 rebounds. The win over Norfolk State was short-lived as the Eagles were pummeled 71-49 over the weekend in Montgomery, WV by the West Virginia Tech Lady Golden Bears. Saturday, NCCU will have a chance to face the Lady Golden Bears again as they travel to Durham. The contest begins at 2 p.m.

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NCCU guard Tonia Roundtree elevates for the score Wednesday against Norfolk State. KAI CHRISTOPHER/Echo Staff Photographer

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Opinions

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ow do you measure the worth of a man? Bob Johnson is definitely not the kind of man who stirs in me any feelings of pride or solidarity, especially when, coming to the defense of Hilary Clinton, he makes an issue of Obama’s confessed use of drugs in his youth. In his book, “Dreams of My Father,” Obama describe his drug use as “reflective of the struggles and confusion of a teenage boy.” Larisha It is an Stone admirable feat for a man to come from Hickory, Miss., the ninth of 10 children, and work his way toward founding and maintaining control of BET, the first cable television network aimed at an African-American audience, for over 20 years. But what do the accomplishments and accolades mean if

Dear Editor: While I’m quite sure there are numerous more pressing and vital issues that should be addressed among the students here at NCCU, I felt it necessary to express my utter disappointment, and “disbelief,” if you will, for the lack of participation shown at the Black Graduate Student Association Southern Regional Conference held in RTP last November. Prior to the official conference, there was a “mixer” for the graduate students at the same location the night before. The difference: “Mixer”-loud music, free finger food and spirited beverages, during “after hours” time. The approximated attendance from one of the entryway volunteers was 150. I assisted with registering attendees for the conference the next morning, and the total number of registered attendees was approximately 25 (no NCCU students in attendance besides the volunteers who helped throughout the day and our regional representative). This information was extremely unnerving for me, considering the fact that graduate students are expected (as they should be) to seize and take advantage of every academic, professional, and networking opportunity that they can. This conference encompassed all of those opportunities and so much more. Additionally, professors from our university participated as panelists. It is our responsibility as academicians and future leaders to lead by example. This turnout, or lack thereof, was a poor representation of what we as African-American graduate students are all about. Engaging in academic scholarship with students around the country, without the mandate of completing a research paper, or giving a presentation should have been more than enough of a reason to attend. I’m sure there were a number of legitimate factors that led to such a low turnout, but I also would like for all of the graduate students to imagine what type of surface message this sends to everyone (including undergraduates) looking at NCCU graduate students. Among many other attributes, we are encouraged to exhibit personal responsibility, integrity, and constant academic pursuit. Unfortunately, by not attending this conference this proves we as a student body still have much improvement and progress to make before we enter the professional world or make a significant difference in the academic world. Sincerely Tracy Moore NCCU MPA Candidate

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008

What does a business man as savvy as Bob Johnson stand to gain through supporting the Clinton campaign?

Bob Johnson is still a 21st century slave who would sooner sell out his company and his brother for money or approval? Barack Obama is the first viable black candidate this country has ever had, not to mention a very brave man to reveal parts of himself that a political adviser would beg him not to reveal. For Bob Johnson to attempt to use something that has already been made public knowledge to discredit this nation’s possible first black president is deplorable. Upon deeper examination, I asked myself- what would I expect from a man like Bob Johnson? A Princeton graduate who created the BET network in 1979, the first network specifically meant to target an African American audience.

Exactly 30 years later, Bob Johnson sold the network to Viacom for $3 billion dollars. He is currently part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. What does a business man as savvy as Bob Johnson stand to gain through supporting the Clinton campaign? The Clinton campaign stood to gain much from the support of public figure Bob Johnson, who coincidentally stood up to support Clinton right before the South Carolina primary, a state with a large AfricanAmerican population. I don’t discredit Clinton as the person most qualified to run this country. This current dispute is not about her ability to run a country, but more about her selectivity in who she asks to act as an intermediary between herself and black voters.

Redefining a king his year will mark 45 years since Dr. Martin Luther, the King, stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, which for many has become the last remaining hallmark of the civil rights era. For the majority of our population, the details of this part of American history is forgotten, and our memories are Kai wrapped up Christopher in a single sermon, or rather a single statement. It’s amazing to me that while Dr. King accomplished so much, and fought for so long,

we only remember that one phrase. Dr. King marched through every major city in the South, brought African-American voting rights to the forefront of the nation’s conscience, shut down a bus company for a year, went to jail, survived two assassination attempts, and did so much more in his lifetime. And the only thing we speak about is the dream. Dr. King’s philosophies of non-violence were much more complex than the words he spoke that day. And they covered a land mass much greater than the United States of America. In his 1968 publication, “The Trumpet of Conscience,” a collection of 5 speeches the year before his death he spoke against the Vietnam War. His opposition to the war was viewed as unpatriotic, and

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caused people to question his reasoning. People ask what is the state of the dream, and at some point we have to realize that the dream went overseas. King raised awareness to the fact that America’s participation in war drained money from our economy, hurting specifically the lower class. The way America sent young men and women to sacrifice thier lives, who happened to be the young disenfranchised who were never able to enjoy the fruits of America’s wealth. When we ask the state of the dream we need to acknowledge that America is still pouring tax dollars into Iraq, and discussing how many zeros the next check should have. The dream was the sons of slaves and slaveowners sit together, not terrorize together.

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Question: Could Barack Obama possibly win the 2008 presidential election? “I feel Barack Obama has a great chance to win for the Democrats, especially after the win in Iowa; and yes, I am voting for Barack!” — Charles Futrell

“I think he could, with the support from Oprah he got a lot of attention and more are looking to him. This is a chance for a change. —Elena Alexander

“Doubtful, as qualifed as he may be, there are other issues that factor in to the decision.” —Spanity Newton