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VOLUME 102, ISSUE 3 919 530 7116/CAMPUSECHO@NCCU.EDU WWW.CAMPUSECHO.COM
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Each day 19 Americans die waiting for a donated organ. Don’t be selfish.
What’s the protocol when an NCCU football player suffers a concussion?
Got natural? There’s a new organization on campus to join.
Echo and national reporters take stock of what’s at stake in the November elections.
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Campus Echo
Business school blues Business school struggles to regain footing after a season of conflict
BY CHRIS HESS & CARLTON KOONCE ECHO STAFF REPORTER/CONTRIBUTOR
It’s not exactly been smooth sailing at N.C. Central University’s School of Business lately. On August 30 the dean of the school, Bijoy Sahoo, was abruptly replaced after a
task force review recommended new leadership. Sahoo, the NCCU assistant vice chancellor for strategic planning and continuous improvement, was brought into the School of Business in 2005, after thendean of the school, Benjamin Newhouse, failed
Medical apartheid
to apply for reaccreditation with the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs. Sahoo’s position as dean was made permanent in 2006 and the school regained its accreditation with the ACBSP in the spring of that year.
After that promising start, the dean and some of the school’s faculty fell out of sync. In a draft of the minutes from the August 30 faculty meeting at the school, attended by the provost, the chancellor, and 40 faculty members, Chancellor
Charlie Nelms announced that Sahoo would be placed on administrative leave until January, and that Sundar Fleming would assume the role of interim dean. “There has been a breakdown in the cooperation,
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SARAFINA! I BROADWAY PLAY MAKES ITS WAY TO NCCU
The dark history of medical abuse BY ASHLEY GADSDEN ECHO STAFF REPORTER
The Department of Public Health Education at N.C. Central University hosts a lecture and book-signing with award-winning author Harriet A. Washington today at 5 p.m. in the H . M . Michaux, Jr. School of Education auditorium. Wa s h i n g Harriet ton’s book, Washington “Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to Present,” is a comprehensive history of medical experimentation, abuse and neglect of African Americans. “Medical Apartheid” uncovers the roots of today’s
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Sarafina (left), played by Jessica Jones, leads student activists in a chant to support Nelson Mandela. In the background is an image of Pik Botha, foreign minister of the South African apartheid goverment.
GPA of less than 2.0 won’t suffice BY STILLMAN MBA ECHO STAFF REPORTER
If Chancellor Charlie Nelms’ proposal for a minimum GPA of 2.0 were in effect last year, half the freshman class would be gone. According to Jerome Goodwin, University registrar, of the 1,358 first-time freshmen who enrolled last year, almost half — 630 in all — would have been affected by the policy. He also said that of the 1,388 sophomores, 259 would have been affected. In Nelms’ State of the University Address at the 2010 fall convocation, he proposed that students be required to maintain a 2.0 GPA to proceed from their first to their last semester. “I’m calling for higher expectations because the research concerning expectations is clear — there is a high correlation between expectations and results,” said Nelms. “The current policy does not set expectations high enough to achieve our targets of 80 percent first-to-second-year retention and a graduation rate of 53 percent by 2012.” The process by which the 2.0 proposal will become policy is still in the works. “I have asked the Provost to work with the deans and the faculty senate to consider my proposal, so we can develop a plan for implementing these new expectations,” said Nelms. Compared to other schools,
CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer
Long has close ties to NCCU NCCU alumus faces civil law suits brought by four young men BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The road is looking tough for embattled mega-church bishop Eddie Long — the 57-year-old Georgia-based bishop embroiled in an alleged sex scandal with four young men. Long has deep ties to N.C. Central University. From 2002-2004, Long served as a member of NCCU's board of trustees. In 2003, Long donated $50,000 to NCCU and in 2004 he delivered the fall commencement speech, in which he told Eagles “NCCU is a school that can turn anybody into somebody. I am a living testimony.” Long holds a master's of divinity degree from A t l a n t a ’ s Interdenominational Theological Center and an honorary doctorate from NCCU. He pledged $1 million to NCCU in August 2008. He grew up in Huntersville, N.C., and graduated from NCCU in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. On Sept. 21, it appeared that Long's empire was in trouble when Maurice Robinson, 20, and Anthony
Step up or get out
Former Chancellor James E. Ammons and Bishop Eddie Long at New Birth Missionary Church in February 2004. Echo file photo
Flagg, 21, filed a civil law suit claiming that Long had used his position as a spiritual leader to perform sexual acts on them in exchange for trips and lavish gifts, including a Ford Mustang, and meetings with celebrities including Chris Tucker and Tyler Perry. The young men alleged that Long convinced them that sex with him would be part of a healthy spiritual
life. The two men were 17 and 18 at the time. In Georgia, 16 is the legal age to give sexual consent. Another church member, Spencer LeGrande, 22, claims in another lawsuit that Long initiated sex with him during a trip to Kenya. According to LeGrande, both he and Long took Ambien, a sleep aid. According to LeGrande,
Long then kissed and touched him. LeGrand claims that he and Long slept in bed together for the remainder of the trip. Jamal Parris, 23, was the first victim to make public allegations. Parris claims Long started a slow sexual seduction when he was 14 years old. According to Parris, the seductions became more aggressive as he got older. Each of the men claimed that Long said to call him “daddy” and to trust him as their spiritual guide. “Finally you have a father that you’ve always wanted for and always dreamed of,” Parris said in an interview with Atlanta’s Fox 50. “He would just walk away from you if you don't give him what he wants. So you end up turning into something you never thought you would be, which is now a slave to a man that you love,” he said. Some of the counts Long is being sued for include fraud and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Long’s lawyer denies the
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Recognizing disability BY DANITA WILLIAMS ECHO STAFF REPORTER
When some people think of October, some may think of the changing seasons or the arrival of cooler weather. But many N. C. Central University students may not k n o w October is National
Kesha Lee Disabilities Awareness Month. In recognition of of Disability Awareness Month, NCCU will host the first ever disability awareness week. Events will be held from Oct. 11–17. The event is sponsored by the Office of Student Support Services which was founded 16 years ago by Cecelia Steppe-Jones, dean of the School of Education. “We in the Office of Student Support Services thought it would be a great idea to highlight the occasion at NCCU,” said Kesha
Lee, director of the office of Student Support Services. “By featuring a week filled with events that include all students, staff and faculty, some of our students with disabilities can be highlighted,” said Lee. Funding for the office and the upcoming Disability Awareness Week is provided by the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and the University’s general budget. “We deal with a wide range, physical as well as disabilities that are not seen,” said assistant dean of Student Support Services Gary Brown. “Our services are not limited with regards to the type of disabilities we can support.” Support Services has over 260 students utilizing its services. The first event of the week will feature Marcus Engel, author of “After This ... An Inspirational Journey for All the Wrong Reasons.” Engel was blinded after being hit by a drunk driver
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and he challenges individuals to achieve success by making intelligent choices. The week also will feature an event titled “A Day in the Life.” According to Lee, students, faculty and staff will be paired to shadow special needs students to experience their day-to-day challenges firsthand. Every disability category is represented on campus. They include psychological, mobility, visual, and hearing disabilities, as well as autism, brain injuries and a variety of other chronic medical conditions covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. “Our students have to understand that there was a time when there were no handicapped parking, interpreters at graduations, ramps for wheelchairs, or elevator requirements of buildings with more than one level,” said Artemesia Stanberry, associate professor of political science. Elementary education sophomore Shannon Garner, who is visually impaired, said Student Services and small class sizes have made her life easier at NCCU.
Assistant professor Andrea Woodson-S Smith, a paralympic gold medalist, will play in the Oct. 12 wheelchair basketball game. Photo courtesy of Binel Brown
“Because classes are small, I can get the one-onone instruction that I need,” she said. “Ms. Lee and Dean Brown work very closely with me. They are amazing.” Business and marketing freshman Robert Tate, who is
also visually impaired, enrolled this fall. “I am not the only one enrolled here with disabilities,” Tate said. “I see other people with canes like me. Some even have walkers and wheelchairs. They have an equal
opportunity for education and to receive special assistance, just like I do.” Andrea Woodson-Smith, an assistant professor in physical education and recreation, said she plans to play in the wheelchair basketball game during awareness week. Woodson-Smith developed severe hip arthritis following three hip fractures sustained while playing high school and college basketball. She went on to become a star wheelchair basketball champion and won a Paralympics gold medal in 2010. Woodson-Smith said that disability awareness week is important because everyone needs to know what disabled individuals are capable of doing. Awareness week will help the non-disabled “look outside the box and know that what you see is not always what you’re going to get ... it’s usually better,” she said. “It’s important so that people with disabilities can vocalize who they are, rather that having others seeing them and creating their own perception or image of the disabled,” she said.
BUSINESS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 communication, and collaboration in moving the business school forward,” Nelms said, summarizing the findings of a School of Business review published last July. “Collegiality … it is the responsibility of all of us. Petty behavior and Bijoy grievances Sahoo simply have to cease,” Nelms said, according to the minutes. Nelms also acknowledged Sahoo’s “role in restoring the lost ACBSP accreditation” and stated that the “business school is a critical piece of this University.” EXTERNAL REVIEW FINDINGS The assignment of the external review team was to “critically review the mission, direction, curriculum, organization and leadership of the School of Business at N.C. Central University,” according to the report. The team was chaired by Lenneal Henderson, an endowed chair of the political science department and the former interim provost, and six outside members from as far away as Wayne State University. The team had 10 key recommendations for the School of Business. Some of the more important recommendations were to appoint a new dean to help promote a better culture of cooperation, excellence and performance. The team observed low faculty morale, cooperation and collaboration, a loss of confidence in the current dean and insufficient progress toward reaccreditation with a second accrediting association. They described the new leadership in the office of the dean as an imperative. The team observed that some faculty and staff had reported conflict and stress and said that they are even fearful of coming to work or find the environment to be hostile and tense. According to the team, “conflict [is] draining the creative, pedagogical and administrative energies of the School of Business.” CAMERON SEAY One of the most vocal critics of the business school has been Cameron Seay, an African American assistant
professor in computer information systems, who came to the business school in 2005 on a tenure line position. According to Courtney Ferguson, a faculty member whose grievances with Sahoo a r e described below, Seay was the one who “badgSundar ered Sahoo Fleming the most.” In a March 2010 memo to the provost, Sahoo recounts that he initially, in 2008, stood by Seay even after a promotions committee recommended against his reappointment. He stated that he did so “with sincere hope and expectation that the additional time and counseling would help him become a more productive scholar and rectify personal behavior and conduct.” In that same memo he explains his reasons for not recommending Seay to a second 3-year appointment stating that the promotions committee was split 4-4 on Seay’s reappointment and that the improved behavior that he had hoped for did not materialize. “The four ‘yes’ votes all came from AfricanAmericans,” according to Seay. In his memo, Sahoo described his decision regarding Seay as follows: “He negatively impacts the performance and the morale of his faculty colleagues by demeaning their worth. “He has been reprimanded for shouting, for using abusive language, and for insulting members of staff and his faculty colleagues.” According to the memo, Seay has called colleagues “liars and cowards,” called a female faculty member “sweetie,” and another “Bull Connor.” Conner, a symbol of white bigotry, was the public safety commissioner of Selma, Ala. who used water hoses and police dogs on black protesters during the civil rights movement. By November 2009, Seay had been placed on administrative leave by Chancellor Nelms who wrote the following to Seay: “I want to state unequivocally that incivility and lack of respect are inconsistent with the values of NCCU and will not be tolerated.”
high correlation between expectations and results.”
CHARLIE NELMS NCCU CHANCELLOR
NCCU has a long way to go. According to College Board, the United States College Entrance Examination Board, 80 percent of UNC-Chapel Hill students are in the top 10th percentile of their high school graduating class. At NCCU, just 5 percent of incoming freshmen students are in the top 10th of their high school graduating class. Daniel Watkins, a mass communication sophomore, had a GPA of 1.3 his freshman year and worked hard to build it up to approximately a 2.0 his sophomore year. “His proposal is a good thing because not everybody is going to graduate with a 4.0, but this will at least encourage people to graduate in four years,” said Watkins. Business senior Alphonso McEntire also agrees with the proposal, but says that there must be extra steps taken to support students, such as a mentoring program. McEntire said that “life issues” often interfere with academics. “You would be surprised the stories that some students have about
what life throws at them ... it’s unreal,” he said. History instructor Bendu Cooper also supports the Nelms proposal. “He has outlined a plan for us to fly above a storm with high expectations that will lift us up.” According to Cooper the University must set and maintain high expectations. “NCCU is saying that students are bigger than that, nobler than that, and higher than that — failure is not an option.” Cooper said the main reason students are content with GPAs below 2.0 is because expectations are not set high enough. “We are at another critical point in human history where mediocrity can, in nowise, be acceptable,” said Cooper. Students, she said, must assume the responsibility to attend classes, to study and to learn. Debra Parker, professor of human sciences, agreed. Pa r k e r said it’s important for the school as a whole to step up. “A degree is no better than the school you attend,” she said.
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Willis Commerce Building home to NCCU’s School of Business MORGAN CRUTCHFIELD/Echo staff photographer
A little over a month and a half later, Seay inquired about how to file an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint against Sahoo and the School of Business in a Jan. 3 2010 e-mail. In the e-mail to Andria Knight, NCCU’s former EEO director, Seay claimed that there was “blatant retaliation against me for engaging in Constitutionally-protected speech.” By April 30, 2010 Nelms decided that he had to go beyond administrative leave. He fired Seay, stating that he was to “remain off-campus” and “not have any contact with departmental faculty, staff and/or students.” In that memo, Nelms described Seay’s conduct as making him “unfit to continue as a member of the NCCU faculty” and says that Seay has created “an atmosphere of fear, threat, and intimidation.” Seay denies creating such an environment and paints a different picture. In e-mails to Knight, he describes a “level of injustice in the School of Business [that] has reached sickening levels,” and says that Sahoo “has a history of engaging in personnel actions to remove African American, people of color, and female faculty from the School of Business.” WITHOUT CAUSE? In March 20 and April 19 e-mails to Knight and the Campus Echo, Seay claims that numerous AfricanAmerican male and female faculty, plus one Asian female, were either not hired or not reappointed by Sahoo “without cause.” He listed the following professors: Fay Cobb–Payton, Pam Carter, Courtney Ferguson, Joyce
McGriff, Berkita Bradford, Ed Irving, Salih Hakeem, and Hosne Mridha. Salih Hakeem told the Campus Echo that he had been denied reappointment which he appealed, and is now back on the faculty after a process that took about 3 years. According to Seay, Hosne Mridha also won an appeal and is now back with the school of business. The case of Courtney Ferguson stands out. Ferguson, a professor who had been with the University since 1969, was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2006. According to Ferguson, she requested sick leave in January 2007, but “felt pressure to retire … Dr. Sahoo did not want to give me the semester off.” Ferguson described Sahoo as having a “misunderstanding about how to handle personnel.” According to Seay, he had been told by Sahoo to inform Ferguson that she would be taken off the payroll if she did not return to work, even though she was being treated for a life-threatening illness. “I refused to do so,” said Seay. According to Ferguson she appealed the suggested retirement. “But because I was so sick I didn’t have the emotional or physical strength to fight it.” She is now represented by an attorney. After getting nowhere with an appeal to the University’s faculty tenure committee with claims that the decision to fire him was based on “retaliation” and was “made in a racially discriminatory manner,” Seay then turned to the EEO Commission and filed a for-
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African American health deficit as a result of the unethical medical mistreatment of African Americans in the past. Washington discusses the earliest encounters of blacks and the medical establishment during slavery and looks at how eugenics and social Darwinism were used to justify medical experiments on blacks such as the infamous Tuskegee experiments that began in the 1930s. In a radio interview with “Democracy Now,” Washington said she got interested in the topic while working in a hospital as a pre-med undergraduate student. She said she “came across some case files that dramatically showed a disparity, a racial disparity, in people who were slated to receive kidneys, and that piqued my curiosity.” According to Washington, she saw that a white man’s records were “thick and full of testaments to his loving family, his insurance support, his determination to live and detailed a really Herculean attempt on the part of the medical personnel to procure a kidney for him.” Then she saw the file of a black man. The file was thin. The word “Negro” appeared on every page of it. It was underlined on his social profile. Washington said that it was clear that the medical staff ’s plans for the black man were to prepare for his imminent death. She then “became intrigued in the vast differences in the way African Americans were used in research.” According to Washington’s findings, medical racism was backed by “scientific racism” which stated that blacks were less than human, and perhaps didn’t experience pain. This set of “scientific” beliefs provided a rationale for doctors to use slaves for research, performing surgeries without anesthesia. Black women were no exception, enduring multiple reproductive experi-
ments. Her chapter on the notorious Tuskegee experiment stands out, especially in light of recent reports that the same doctor was involved in actively infecting about 700 Guatemalan with the syphilis virus to follow the course of the disease. In the Tuskegee experiment, 400 black men in Alabama, mostly poor sharecroppers, were duped into thinking they were receiving treatment for syphilis but were receiving only aspirin. The experiment ran from 1932 to 1972, and many of the subjects died horrible deaths. “This history has left blacks with an ugly legacy of distrust for research and even treatment ... it is a lingering stain on the history of medicine,” said Washington. Washington described the legacy of distrust for research and even treatment as a tragedy because African Americans “desperately need the medical advantages and revelations that only ethical, essentially therapeutic research initiatives can give them.” Washington is the recipient of some of the most prestigious national awards in journalism. She has been a fellow at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. The event is open to the public, but registration is required. To register, contact Sharon Spencer at (919) 530-5334.
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Know your HIV status? Half of HIV positive gay/bisexual men are unaware BY ALISHA BYRD ECHO STAFF REPORTER
Every day an unsuspecting youth is infected with HIV/AIDS. Even with all of the awareness commercials and “Get Tested” campaigns, sadly enough many are still living unaware. The number of African American gay/bisexual men who don’t know they have HIV has nearly doubled since the last study was taken in 2004-05. Statistics show that one in five active gay and bisexual men have the AIDS virus and almost half of them have no clue that they are infected. Researchers recently interviewed and tested 8,000 men; 44 percent of those men didn’t know they carried the HIV virus. So why are these young men not being tested? David Jolly, associate professor and public health education chair, said that determining why these men are not being tested is complicated. “There is a stereotype that HIV only affects old white gay men and that it’s not a problem among them,” said Jolly. He also said that educators have not done a good job reaching the population. Jolly said that a common factor among youth is that there are so many new medicines available and many believe that getting infected is no longer a big deal. Jolly also said that men
ESTIMATED HIV 2008 DIAGNOSES
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mal complaint with the same accusations on August 17, 2010. SEAY’S EARLIER SUIT
50% BLACKS
Health officials say that women also need to take responsibility to protect themselves and recommended that everyone get tested regularly and that couples get tested together — whether they are straight or gay. Three campus organizations, STYLE, or Strength Through Youth Living Empowered, Project SAFE and Colors of NCCU provide HIV information, advice and support to students. N.C. Central University offers several options for those who are not comfortable expressing their sexuality. Testing on campus in the student health building is fully confidential. Any local health department also offers free testing.
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But this is not the first time Seay has made claims of racial discrimination. In 1997 Seay filed a similar complaint against the U.S. Department of Transportation where he worked with the Federal Railroad Administration as a computer specialist. “The management of the Agency in the field is totally white and I believe that I have been denied promotion and subjected to less favorable job assignments,” states his affidavit in that case. In the affidavit Seay admits to using vulgar language with his supervisor and during a meeting about tuition reimbursement. “While I may have used some vulgar and explicit language in that meeting, this was undertaken to vent my anger,” says Seay in the affidavit. The attorney representing Seay in that case, Adam Conti, explained the outcome to the Campus Echo like this: “We totally lost that case.”
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Infographic by Echo graphic designer Steven Brown
are not being tested because of homophobia in the black community. “They’re given the message that being gay is sick and sinful and I feel like a lot of guys feel devalued and have poor self-esteem,” said Jolly. “If they don’t feel good about themselves — they may not feel like their lives are worth protecting,” he said. This issue is not only serious with gay men but also with bisexual men who don’t know their health status and who then put women in danger. “There is no telling these days, people keep their sexual preferences so secret,” said criminal justice senior Eboni Caldwell. “All you can do is protect yourself and be as safe as possible,” she said.
BUSINESS
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Mike Wassel with his guide dog in the Student Affairs Complex MORGAN CRUTCHFIELD/Echo staff photographer
BY ZEVANDAH BARNES ECHO STAFF REPORTER
School is not the place for animals unless you are a party animal or a guide dog. And that’s where the guide dog “Blake” comes in. Mike Wassel, a 19-year old computer information systems sophomore at N.C. Central University, has been teamed up with “Blake” since last July. And just so you know, “Blake” is not the guide dog’s real name. His real name, his working name, is reserved for Wassel and those who understand their working relationship. Blake is not an ordinary dog and Mike is no ordinary student. “Having Blake is a confidence booster,” said Wassel. According to Wassel it’s been an adjustment working with Blake because he has relied only on a cane all his life. Having a guide dog has made Wassel more independent. Wassel became blind as an infant from retinopathy of prematurity — abnormal swelling of blood vessels in the eyes of a premature baby. In Wassel’s case, this occurred because of the excessive oxygen exposure he received when he was in an incubator as an infant. Wassel said that there are times when people react undesirably toward the guide dog. “These negative reactions sometimes make me feel like I did something wrong,” said Mike. “The dog is harmless.” Blake is a specially trained dog that went through many classes and a year with a host family
before he got to Wassel. Wassell said that some people don’t understand that they shouldn’t pet or communicate with Blake when he’s working. Blake was trained at Guiding Eyes for the Blind in New York. Guiding Eyes is a nonprofit organization that trains about 175 guide dogs and their handlers each year. According to Wassell the most common breeds for guide dogs are golden labradors, golden retrievers and German shepherds. He said there is waiting list of six months to a year for guide dogs. Wassel and Blake were paired together according to their compatibility for each other. They are likely to work together up to 10 years. It’s important that guide dogs be matched properly with their handlers. For example, some people may want a dog that walks slow while others want a faster walking dog. During training, Wassel and Blake practiced many different tasks, including boarding buses and trains, and walking down busy sidewalks. NCCU has over 260 students with registered disabilities and the University works hard to accommodate students like Wassel, according to Kesha Lee, director of Student Support Services “Our goal is to make sure the campus is accessible,” said Lee. The University provides amenities like Braille material, live readers, note takers, and software that translates documents into speech for students like Wassel.
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It’s now up to interim dean Sundar Fleming to pick up the pieces. Fleming, who served as dean of the School of Business for 1987 to 1999, certainly knows the terrain. “Hopefully we will be moving in the right direction,” he said. “I think the morale of the school is good.” Seay is now continuing his teaching career at N.C. A&T University and waiting for the outcome of his latest discrimination charge.
LONG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 allegations. “Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more,” Long said, quoting the book of Job during an hour-long sermon at his church last Sunday. Long said the accusations would not prevent the church from doing its work and that he would fight the allegations. Long established his church, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, in 1987 when he took over a small church in the Atlanta suburbs with just 300 members. Now the church has about 30,000 members. The church is renowned for attracting Atlanta’s African-American celebrities, athletes and political figures. Long’s mega-church houses a gym and a Youth Academy for 13-18-year-old boys. The stated purpose of the academy is to train young men to love and lead them on their “masculine journey.” Long has been a harsh critic of homosexuality. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization founded to promote civil rights, Long is “one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based antigay movement.” Many members of New Birth Missionary Baptist have rallied behind Long and commented on the church’s Facebook page. “We all know these allegations are Not True. The devil is a liar!!! This is nothing but a distraction from the (pit of hell) enemy,” wrote AnnMarie Truly-Blessed. But some NCCU students are harshly critical. “People in his position should take in consideration the consequences of their action,'” said NCCU psychology junior Fletcher McIntyre. “He should be stripped of every award he has.”
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Terry Huff teaches students to appreciate the past. APRIL SIMON/Echo staff photographer
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Strolling the green expanses of N. C. Central University’s campus, at 6' 5½", Terry Huff cannot help but stand out. Most students recognize Huff as the amiable and easygoing coordinator of the Dimensions of Learning program. But many are unaware that he fought on the front lines of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He has seen Klansmen march and had friends who were shot at while challenging the racist norms of the time. Huff recalls the whiteonly signs and Confederate flags that littered the segregated south. Huff ’s desire for change came about on a trip to Georgia, at the age of 12, his family stopped for lunch at a train station. When told that they did not serve “coloreds,” and to go to the back of the building, Huff refused to do so. “I’ve been a radical ever since,” Huff states with a smile. He became involved with the NAACP in 1963 in Sanford, N.C. In 1964, during his freshman year at NCCU, Huff marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. after the leader spoke to students at B.N. Duke Auditorium, just months before his assassination. Altogether, Huff partici-
pated in over 100 marches, protests and sit-ins. “It was an interesting time,” Huff shakes his head. “To this day I think a lot of students have benefited from the deaths, the injuries, us being hosed down and being bit by dogs,” said Huff. “I think it’s been a worthwhile experience ... I would do it all over again.” Huff hopes that students today will carry on the rich heritage of their predecessors. “I hope they have some understanding of where they are and what's their purpose in life,” said Huff. “I ask my students, if you knew you were going to die at a certain time, what would you want people to say about you?” Many said that Huff truly cares about people. It is no secret that he devotes a great deal of time to interacting with students on campus. “He is where his students are,” said Deborah Parker, departmental chair of human sciences. “He is constantly teaching life lessons, in and out of the classroom.” “Huff is very much a strong male figure for many students who seek his advice and thoughts.” Huff was implemental in developing the Aspiring Eagles Summer Bridge program, which gives rising freshman a leg up into campus life through summer
Health Careers Center N.C. Central University 521 Nelson Street Durham, NC 27707 Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
programs and yearlong academic and social supports. “He is extremely proud of being an alumnus of NCCU,” said Parker. “He loves the school, all facets of it, more importantly, he is committed to the success of all students.” As coordinator of Dimensions of Learning, Huff is focused on that initial jump into academic achievement. The course focuses on developing skills such as critical thinking, test-taking, the history of the university and how to develop a portfolio. It aims at helping students adapt to the social and academic atmosphere of the university. Huff graduated from NCCU in 1971 with a double major in psychology and sociology and a minor in public health. After graduating, Huff worked for about a year in the psychiatric ward of John Umstead Hospital. He decided to return to school to earn his masters in social work from the UNC–Chapel Hill. “My whole intent was to reach back and help somebody,” said Huff with a smile. “It resonated in my head that social work was my calling because I want to help people and help the disenfranchised.” Although Huff ’s parents, were not college graduates, they strongly encouraged their children to strive for education. Huff turned down basketball scholarships from East Carolina University and UNC–Wilmington to attend an HBCU instead. “I fell in love with NCCU,” he laughs. “It seems like I’ve been here ever since.” From his work in civil rights, to his years working as a social worker at Dorothea Dix Hospital, and back to the campus of NCCU — Terry Huff has shown time and again how seriously he takes the concept of giving. “That’s my legacy,” said Huff. “To say what Terry Huff did for mankind and for my family, that’s what is really important to me.” “It’s not about how long you’ve been here, but what you’ve done with the time you had. “If you help somebody along the way — that’s my thing. I believe in helping people.”
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Hot topics at cafe Honor students discuss major issues
Professors and students gather to discuss major issues to encourage leadership. Courtesy Ansel Brown, Director of the University Honors Program
BY KAYLA SCOTT ECHO STAFF REPORTER
Tonight, the University Honors Program will host its second monthly chat session on global hot topics at 5:30 p.m. The UHP Café will host ABM Nasir, N.C. Central University associate professor of business, who will lead a discussion on the current economic recession. At the UHP students will discuss the causes and impacts of our recent recession. The café is an initiative of the UHP director, Ansel Brown. Sponsored by Barnes and Noble Bookstore and Starbuck's Coffee, the group meets the first Tuesday of each month. “We are truly thrilled to
initiate UHP Café,” said Brown. “We want to provide students with a dynamic environment that stimulates intellectual discourse, analysis of contemporary issues, and community-oriented problem solving.” “Our goal is to prepare our students to become globally astute and engaged community leaders,” said Brown. “The UHP Café is just one step in the direction of that effort.” Freshmen are invited to join the honors program by invitation based on their high school record, standardized test scores and recommendations. Others interested in becoming a part of the honors program will need to
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have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. About 50 students gathered for the first UHP Café in the student lounge of the H. M. Michaux School of Education Building on Sept. 1. The first session was lead by Rolin Mainnudin, associate professor of political science and specialist in Middle East politics. Mainnudin led a discussion on the recent controversy surrounding the Islamic Cultural Center that is planned to be built in downtown Manhattan near Ground Zero “I like it because it is inclusive and it groups you together with like minded people” said biology and pharmaceutical science sophomore Carmelo Montalvo.
NCCU to host families
Habitat groundbreaking one of several events BY RIYAH EXUM ECHO STAFF REPORTER
Feeling a bit homesick around mid-terms? Why not invite your family to campus for the weekend? N.C. Central University’s 3rd annual Family Weekend is a three day affair devoted to promoting family involvement in the NCCU community. Over 15 different activities will be held so students can interact with their families on campus. The weekend’s activities include campus tours, a Friday Fish Fry, a 5k walk and bike ride as well as the theatre production of Sarafina! and festivities for the NCCU vs. Hampton University football game. A major event will be an evening with the Chancellor where students can listen to live music and to meet
Chancellor Nelms. Though a part of Family Weekend but postponed until Oct. 23 at noon, another highlight will be the ground breaking of NCCU’s third home for Habitat for Humanity. NCCU has been collaborating with Habitat for Humanity of Durham since 2008. This year’s house will built for Norma Smith. Smith has been an NCCU housekeeping staff employee since 2006. Families are selected based on housing needs and the ability to repay loans. In Durham alone, Habitat for Humanity has built over 200 homes since 1985. Students can earn up to 15-hours community service for their efforts. “I think it’s a good thing,” said Alfrieda Collins, speech
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communication instructor. “It provides an opportunity for people to give back to the community because it’s rewarding hard work.” Students are excited about the weekend events. “You get to interact not only with your friends but their families as well,” said Desmeion Kennedy, mathematics sophomore. Construction for the habitat house will begin Oct. 22. Shifts will be open for constructing the house on the Friday’s and Saturday’s of each weekend until the home is finished. Students can sign up for shifts on the Habitat House by calling the Academic Community Service Learning Program at (919)530-7079 or email acslp@nccu.edu. NCCU’s Family Weekend starts Friday, Oct. 8-10.
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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010
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Dine with Dignity Student protests cause change
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Blame it on the alcohol $4.3 million to research alcohol affects on brain
BY BETHANY SNEED ECHO STAFF REPORTER
Pearson Cafeteria operated by Sodexo stands behind protests. Echo file photo
BY APRIL SIMON ECHO STAFF REPORTER
Students in W.G. Pearson Cafeteria can now support worker rights by helping themselves to a few more tomatoes. Aug. 24 marked the successful end of a student-led, 16-month campaign called “Dine with Dignity.” The Student Farmworker Alliance celebrated as Sodexo, N. C. Central University’s food supplier, and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers signed an agreement that would raise pay and improve working conditions for Florida tomato pickers. Boycotts, sit-ins and protests were just a few of the tactics students used in order to persuade their campus contracted food providers to respond to their calls to a c t i o n . In the Triangle, Alianza, a UNC-Chapel Hill student group and N.C. State University students affiliated with a farmworker alliance group have organized many demonstrations to advocate for farm worker rights. “Students have a great role to play when it comes to the institutional buying power of the universities they attend,” said Nadeen Bir, director of advocacy and organizing for Student Action with Farmworkers of Durham. Sodexo was the last of the “big three,” which also includes Aramark and Compass Group, to sign an agreement with the farmworker coalition. These corporations distribute the majority of food consumed through campus cafeterias and vendors nationwide. The “Dine with Dignity” Campaign win proves, once again, the power that students have in saying they won't stand for human rights abuses in the food that their campuses provide,” said Bir. “Student Action with Farmworkers applauds the efforts of students in making
their campuses more just by understanding their role as consumers and allies in improving the working and living conditions of the men, women, and children who harvest their food.” According to a joint statement released by Sodexo Vice President Arlin Wasserman and the farmworker coalition, Sodexo is “committed to protecting and upholding the rights of all workers, whether employed directly by us or by our business partners and suppliers.” Sodexo has agreed not to purchase produce from farms that are being investigated for human rights violations, including forced labor and to push for fair wages and decent working conditions in the fields. With 85 percent of the food grown harvested by hand, the demand for manual labor is extraordinary. Yet the income gained working in the agricultural field is staggeringly low. Tomato pickers earn an average of 45 cents per 32 pound bucket of tomatoes. This means that workers today have to pick over 2½ tons of tomatoes just to earn the equivalent of minimum wage for a ten-hour workday, according to the National Center for Farmworker Health. National and local groups, such as Student Action with Farmworkers, have dedicated themselves to ensuring that agricultural workers are treated with dignity and respect. They are, after all, according to supporters, “the hands that feed us.” In a statement from Lucas Benitez, co-director of the farmworker coalition, “Together with Sodexo and our other partners, we are building a system of real accountability, with tangible consequences for growers who fail to protect farm workers’ basic rights.” With this win under their belts, supporters of farm labor rights are showing that grassroots efforts can be effective.
Alcohol can often be seen as a staple of American colleges and universities. However, do students think about how alcohol can affect their bodies? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are around 23,000 alcohol-induced deaths each year and 50 percent of U.S adults are regular drinkers. N.C. Central University has been given a $4.3 million grant to research the problem. Alongside the University of North Carolina system, NCCU will conduct research for five years to better understand the pathological aspects of alcoholism. The funding will support three main research projects. The first project will be headed by biology professor and lead researcher of the grant Gregory Cole. His focus will be researching the idea that heavy drinkers are more susceptible to oral cancer than those who don’t
Teresa Collins peforms a western blot test with Somnath Mukhopadhyay, an associate professor in the neuroscience program. CORLISS PAULING/Echo staff photographer
drink. “This type of research is exciting,” said Cole. “For NCCU to receive this size of a grant being an HBCU is a great honor.” The second project will
be lead by Luke Chen, of the Biomedical/ Biotechnology Research Institute. This project will focus on birth defects that can occur in children when
There’s life after death Organ donations are constantly needed in United States BY SHENEKA QUINITCHETTE ECHO STAFF REPORTER
According to Donate life.com, during 2009, a total of 7,048 patients were removed from the national patient waiting list in the United States because they died before receiving a donated organ. On average, 19 people die each day waiting for a donated organ. This year 71 people have died in North Carolina waiting for a donated organ, such as the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, small intestines, and skin tissue. The National Transplant Act of 1984 was enacted to ensure that organs are fairly distributed to those in need. “I see firsthand how important organ donors are.” said Jared Pone, public administration graduate student, who is also a firefighter with Gray Creek in Cumberland County. “Anytime you have a victim who has died I pray that they’re a donor so their use-
ful organs can be saved to give to an innocent child.” According to statistics only 38 percent of registered drivers are organ donors. Those needing organs depend on the generosity of strangers, but there are some myths that cause people to shy away from taking the step to donate. In fact about 50 percent of Americans believe that hospitals and doctors may not try as hard to save their lives if they have donated their organs. Almost 60 percent of Americans are not sure that brain death is irreversible. Some believe that you cannot have an open casket funeral if you have donated organs.Others believe that only rich people get donated organs. If you are a donor and admitted to the hospital, the doctor’s first instinct is to save your life. But some students believe differently. “If you are in a car accident and there is a 50 percent chance of survival, they will gut you” said Mark
Mitchell mass communications junior. According to Donate Life America, organs can only be donated with the family’s consent and will be removed only when all efforts to save a patient’s life have been exhausted and brain death has been confirmed. Mass communications senior Mark Scott said he signed the donor card when he got his driver’s license. “I felt like it was a personal responsibility … the rumors don’t really affect me. If it is my time to go then it is my time to go,” he said. “I wouldn’t want perfectly good organs to go to waste.” In 2007, N.C. Central University English instructor Alfredia Collins donated her kidney to her sister after she waited on the organ donation list for five years. “One of the reasons that African Americans are not donors is because of the myths,” said Collins. Some medical experts say that lower African American donation rates
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may be tied to suspicions that linger from racist medical treatment in the past. More than 4,000 people die each year waiting for a kidney and many of them are African Americans. Gateway.nlm.nih.gov said donation rates for transplantable organs and consent rates for organ donations continue to lag among African Americans in the US. Although the number of African American donors has increased 50 percent since 1995, some are still skeptical. “I do not donate because I feel like I should leave here with everything I came here with,” said senior criminal justice Danielle Herrington. In North Carolina, you can donate your organs when you get your driver’s license or by registering online. North Carolina does not require family consent to carry out your decision to be an organ donor but you should also inform family and friends about your choice.
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mothers consumes ethanol alcohol during pregnancy. “I look forward to finding substantial research that will help make a difference”, said Chen. The third project deals with the loss of neurons in the brain. It will examine the brains ability to develop new neurons after alcohol consumption has destroyed them. Chemistry professor Somnath Mukhopadhyay will oversee this project. Alongside the projects, the grant will fund all the necessities of the lab research, alcohol research seminars, and provide nursing students with internship opportunities at UNC-Chapel Hill. The research seminars will help students to learn new information about the findings from the projects. Guest speakers featured at these seminars will provide helpful insight into new and developing research that is concerning this topic. The grant will fund these events that students as well as the community are encouraged to attend.
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Students rally to mobilize vote
Rise of the New Right Tea Party claims mantle of change
BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Tea Party activists gather for a "Restoring America" rally at the Lincoln Memorial, Aug. 28. OLIVIER DOULIERY/Abaca Press (MCT)
BY CARLTON KOONCE ECHO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Calling for change in an election is the norm it seems — and that’s what the emerging Tea Party is all about. The conservative movement — some might even call it radical — is challenging not just Democrats but the GOP establishment as well. The Tea Party, which takes its name from the 1773 Boston Tea Party, a protest that signaled the arrival of the American revolution against the British, arose after the 2008 presidential election and consists of “grassroots,” organizations that aim to reduce government spending and regulation among other ideas. But what does this national movement mean for N.C. Central University? “The Tea Party is very important,” said Jarvis Hall, NCCU associate professor of political science. Hall’s research includes African American politics, electoral behavior and social movements. “It’s the expression of anger, discontent and alienation,” said Hall. “For some it’s the delayed reaction to the election of an African American president. Others are attaching to some sentiment that the government is over-
reaching.” Hall said he’s not sure if the Tea Party is here to stay. He said he doesn’t think the movement is as strong as the media makes it out to be. “Alaska and Delaware don’t represent the whole country,” he said, referring to recent Tea Party wins in those two states. “But it’s not to be taken lightly.” Tea Party candidates have been known for endorsing some controversial issues such as repealing the constitution to prevent immigrant children born on American soil from becoming citizens. Some Tea Party members and Republican senate candidates, including Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sharron Angle in Nevada, support the idea of eliminating or shrinking the US Department of Education. A slogan of the Tea Party has been to return government to its pre-New Deal status. The Durham Tea Party’s website cites “lower taxes, less government, more liberty.” “As a political scientist, I like that people are getting involved in the electorate and being energized,” said Artemesia Stanberry, assistant professor of political science. “There’s an element that people want something different.” “The tone of the rhetoric
is concerning though, like the President being called “the other” and people carrying guns to rallies,” she said. “It’s hard not to notice that there’s some racist element.” Stanberry called the Tea Party a “co-opted group” and said that there are people in the movement that really care about smaller government. She said that in American politics there have always been ebbs and flows such as the biracial populist and progressive movement of the 1920s. Stanberry said she is watching the movement closely. “They’re going to be coopted with the Republicans,” she said. “They will either move the GOP to the right or the tea party candidates will eventually fall into the normal GOP establishment.” Hall also said it will be interesting to watch how the Tea Party morphs out of a movement and into an organization. “They’re supposed to be grass roots but they are getting funded by powerful people with money,” said Hall. “The money comes from elite organizations and it could cause tension later on. You got the funders that are clearly elites and you have
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In 2008 the country witnessed a rebirth in young people voting. According to an article written by N.C. Central University associate professor Jarvis Hall, the overall turnout for the campus in the presidential election was 90 percent — a University record. The Durham county overall turnout was 77 percent. Hall’s findings were published in a National Civil Review titled “The Campus, the Community, and Voter Mobilization.” Young voters in North Carolina accounted for 33 percent of new voters. With the upcoming elections approaching rapidly, many hope to see the same or even a better turnout for young voters. “This election is very important. You have to vote in this election to have follow-ups in the 2008 elections,” said Hall. “This election will determine who wins and who loses. It will decide healthcare and other policies.” “The winner of this election will decide how to draw the district lines for the future,” said Hall. NCCU student organizations joining Hall are also stressing the importance of voting by holding events around campus. Last week collaborations between five student organizations sponsored an Obama watch party in the W.G. Pearson cafeteria. About 300 students attended the event. At the event, broadcast students watched President Obama’s speech made to the University of Wisconsin where he addressed over 27,000 people. Congressman David Price and United States Trade Representative to the Obama Administration Ron Kirk addressed the audience about the importance of this year’s election. “This election is just as important to the presidential election, because we need the supportive congress in order for Obama to pass legislation” said student activist
NCCU student organizations helped Eagles to register to vote during last week’s presidential watch party. MORGAN CRUTCHFIELDY/Echo Staff Photographer
Campus Echo Election Guide Stop Early Voting locations. You can register and vote at One-S For a ride to absentee voting location call 919.381.5456. Absentee voting locations and schedule: Elections Office, 706 W. Corporation Street: Oct. 14-15, 18-23 from 9 am to 5 pm.; Oct. 24 from noon to 3 pm; Oct 25-29 from 9 am to 7 pm; and Oct 30 9 am to 1 pm North Regional Library , 221 Milton Road and South Regional Library Oct. 25-29 from 11 am -7 pm and Oct. 30 from 9 am - 1 pm Election day, Nov. 2. NCCU Precinct 55-49 Polling location: NCCU Student Union, 6:30 am to 7:30 pm To see a sample ballot for Durham races: : http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/sampleballots/2010General/0GDURH04.pdf Useful voter guides Nonpartisan: http://www.unctv.org/election/candidates/Durham/index.html Liberal/Democratic: Google: Indy Week Voter Guide 2010 Durham Conservative/Republican: Google: Republican voter guide Durham
Martha Butler. The history senior is an intern with N.C. Coordinating Committee for Elaine Marshall and David Price. Student activists plan voter registration, including door-to-door canvassing to register students and the community. “My concern is that we had an on-campus early voting site during the presidential elections, but we don’t have one this election cycle,” said Butler. Butler said they are now working on plans to provide
additional transportation to off campus absentee voting sites. One-Stop Early Voting begins Oct. 14 and continues through Oct. 30. According to Hall’s article, 78 percent of NCCU students voted early in 2008. North Carolina is only one of nine states to offer same day registration and voting. It is the only southern state to provide it. “I want students to take responsibility for their peers and their community,” said Hall. “Do it for a sense of obligation, not community service.”
NCCU professor discusses the stakes in the Nov. 2 election BY ASHLEY ROQUE ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR
Ask Jarvis Hall what’s at stake in the November elections and he’ll tell you that the entire progressive agenda could get tied up in knots if Republicans take the House and the Senate. According to the associate professor of political sicence, if Republicans take control of the Congress they will try to undo the financial reforms and health care bills passed this year. He also said that the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is likely to remain in place if Democrats loose the Congress. Under the policy, up to 14,000 gay soldiers have been discharged from armed services since 1993. “If we don’t vote then we
are not taking responsibility for the change we want to see,” he said. Since Obama’s historical election in 2008, his administration has been battling Republicans on all fronts as the Republicans have unamously voted against almost every bill proposed by the Democratic-controlled Congress. “We have to continue Obama’s policies to keep us out of a depression,” said Hall. Most economists agree that the U.S. recently experienced its worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Today unemployment stands at 9.6 percent. The historical average of unemployment is 5.7 percent. “If the Republican’s take over the House, they will try
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et deficit to grow enormously. Historically, Democrats have favored a number of tax policies and other measures, such as student aid and universal health care, that reduce the inequality gap between the richest Americans and everyone else. Today the wealth inequality gap is at its largest since
Dept. of Criminal Justice Fall 2010 Lecture Series David Price U.S. Congressman, 4th District of N.C. “Homeland Security and its Impact on Current Events”Impact on the Juvenile and Criminal Justice System” Thur., Oct. 27 ~ 6 pm, Rm. 201 Whiting Criminal Justice
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to block Obama’s additional effort to stimulate the economy,” said Hall. Hall said that if the Democrats lose control of the House and the Senate, Republicans will try to maintain the Bush tax cut rates on the richest Americans. Some economists maintain that keeping tax rates at their current low rate on the wealthy will cause the budg-
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Price, a recognized leader on foreign policy, represents Durham, Chapel Hill and portions of Raleigh and Cary in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Committee. His is the author of four books on congress and the American political system.
Elaine O’Neal Bushfan Chief District Court Judge “The Social Reality of Children and Youth and its Impact on Community Life: A Call to Action” Wed., Oct. 27 ~ 6 pm, Rm. 201 Whiting Criminal Justice O’Neal Bushfan, an NCCU alumna, is the Chief District Court Judge of the 14th Judicial District, Durham County. She is a recipient of the President’s NAACP Award.
1928. The richest 20 percent of Americans control 85 percent of the total wealth. That leaves 80 percent of Americans controlling just 16 percent of the wealth. Obama wants to let tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans expire while keeping tax cuts for the middle class. Some economists maintain that keeping tax rates at
their current low rate on the wealthy will cause the budget deficit to grow enormously. “Obama is not a magician,” said Hall. “We have to vote to encourage our laws to change. The structure and rules of Congress allow slow change but it is our job to support progress through voting.”
Elections
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010
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Clyburn rejects doomsday predictions for Dems Analysts predict GOP may take House
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Rally is counterpoint to Beck, Tea Party Liberals, labor urge young Dems to vote
B Y J AMES R OSEN MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS (MCT)
WASHINGTON — House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn emerged from a strategy meeting with President Barack Obama on Thursday and defied doomsday predictions of sweeping Democratic defeat in November. Clyburn said Obama and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate were upbeat at the White House session to discuss election prospects and craft a legislative agenda for the lame-duck session after the Nov. 2 elections. “Everybody was upbeat,” Clyburn told McClatchy. “The president was upbeat, we were upbeat, our members who left (Washington) last night were upbeat. As I travel the country, I don’t hear all this gloom and doom out there that everybody’s talking about.” After the White House meeting, Clyburn huddled with Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine, a former Virginia governor, to discuss election prospects. With most analysts predicting that Republicans will regain control of the House, Clyburn said Democratic control will hold — though with a narrower margin. The South Carolina Democrat foresees the number of Democratic seats dropping from its current level of 254 to about 234. That outcome would leave Democrats with a 234211 margin in the House — and enable Clyburn to maintain his post as its No. 3 leader. Clyburn is working hard to prevent a Democratic electoral debacle, campaigning with House incumbents and challengers from California to Florida. Clyburn, who faces token opposition in Republican billboard salesman Jim Pratt, has given more than $3 million to Democratic House candidates in the current two-year cycle from his leadership PAC. “(Speaker) Nancy Pelosi just called me an hour ago wanting me to ante up some more money,” he said with a laugh. “I told her I don’t have that much left in the bank now.” At an earlier meeting Thursday with black bloggers, Clyburn criticized them for being too tough on Obama and his Democratic congressional allies. “I said to them that many of them have not been as fair as I think they should be in terms of what we’ve accomplished,” he said. Clyburn asked the bloggers what would have happened if Democratic voters had sat home during the 1964 presidential election because they were upset that voting rights weren’t included in the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. “Suppose people had said they weren’t going to vote in the 1964 election and were just going to leave (President) Lyndon Johnson out there on his own,” he said. “Do you think we would have gotten to the Voting Rights Act of 1966?” Saying that some of Obama’s supporters have unreasonable expectations, Clyburn added, “The fact is, you can’t make the whole journey in two years.” On his recent campaign trips to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Ohio, Clyburn acknowledged that some Democratic activists complained that the health care bill Obama signed into law in March doesn’t contain a public option _ government-run health insurance.
Thousands of liberal and labor activists from across the country rallied in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct .2, calling for young or disillusioned Democrats to vote in the November elections. OLIVIER DOULIERY/Abaca Press (MCT)
BY M ARGARET TALEV MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS (MCT)
Clyburn ticked off the new law’s positive changes: insurance plans can’t dump chronically ill patients; they must cover employees with preexisting conditions; they can’t cap total benefits; young people can remain on their parents’ plans until the age of 26. “I say to them — ‘Are you telling me we should not have done those things until we got enough votes to pass a public option?’” Clyburn said “I don’t think so.” Clyburn believes that House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt, completing his 14th term, will survive being one of the most targeted incumbents
in the country. Clyburn said Spratt, facing S.C. Sen. Mick Mulvaney, is enduring the consequences of “one of the most egregious court decisions ever handed down “ — the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in January that removed the ban on corporate political spending. “The day before yesterday, somebody dropped $250,000 in TV ads against John Spratt,” Clyburn said. “Last week some other group dropped $123,000 against him. Nobody knows where this money is coming from. It’s a lot of money.” While the economy hasn’t improved as much as he’d like, Clyburn said it’s significantly better than when Obama took office _ with the Dow Jones average almost 3,000 points higher and jobs gains for eight straight months. In South Carolina, with an unemployment rate of 11 percent, income tax collections totaled $130 million more than projected in the last quarter, Clyburn said. “It’s because people have gone back to work and are paying their taxes,” he said. Clyburn also cited a new consumer-protection agency Congress established and sweeping reforms of the financial services industry. “When people get to understand what we’ve done, I think we’re going to be fine,” he said.
WASHINGTON — Thousands of liberal and labor activists rallied in the nation’s capital on Saturday and in other U.S. cities, calling for young or disillusioned Democrats to vote in the November elections. If conservative Fox commentator Glenn Beck’s late August rally invigorated Tea Party enthusiasts to vote for Republicans, many of those who turned out for the “One Nation Working Together” event saw it as their chance to shout back. Rally participants were determined but appeared fewer in number than at Beck’s “Restoring Honor” event. Enrique Alvarado, 29, a student from Boston College, charged that Tea Party activists are “intolerant and racist,” and said, “This crowd is a much more diverse and representative crowd of people.” MSNBC anchor Ed Schultz whipped up the midday crowd, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. “The conservative voices of America, they’re holding you down!” Schultz shouted, calling them “forces of evil.” He said conservatives “talk about the Constitution but they don’t want to live by it. They talk about our forefathers but they want discrimi-
nation. They want to change this country.” Schultz said progressive activists haven’t gotten all the policies they wanted in the first two years of the Obama administration, they were obliged to stand by the Democratic leadership. “This is no time to back down! We cannot give up on Nov. 2!” “We can maintain the momentum, that is our challenge,” said civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton. More than 400 organizations endorsed Saturday’s event, from gay rights groups to a DC voting rights coalition to the AFL-CIO and the SEIU. They promoted a grab-bag of causes from job creation and higher pay to universal health care, more public school funding, ending the war in Afghanistan, supporting Palestinians, giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship and promoting civil rights protections for gays and Muslim-Americans and vegetarianism. Soraya Gardner of Yardley, Pa., a union member, said she’s sick of “the racism, the Tea Party stuff.” She, her husband and her daughters stood with signs reading: “The Coffee Party: Wake up America!” and “Hey Glenn, We’re here. You’re not. Honor restored. You’re welcome.”
Peggy Brown, who lives in the Washington suburbs, said “Fox News, that’s about as bad as you can get” and that conservative personalities Beck, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh “preach and spew out hate” and have “brainwashed” Americans. Harold Beatty of Wilmington, N.C., president of his local NAACP chapter led a group of 52 demonstrators. “We are here to support the change that the president asked for during his campaign,” he said. Elizabeth Gutierrez, 18, of Charlotte, N.C., was among an immigrant rights group marching, blowing whistles and chanting, “Yes to education.” One man in the group carried a sign that declared, “We are America’s Future,” and declined an interview request, saying, “I don’t speak English.” Some rally participants, including Makayla Reed, 16, of Ellsworth, Maine, are considering returning at month’s end for the satirical “Rally to Restore Sanity” and “March to Keep Fear Alive,” event being staged by Comedy Central hosts Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Others saw the Stewart-Colbert rally as more of a publicity stunt that could distract from turnout efforts the weekend before the election.
NEW RIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 the blue collars doing all of the work.” Because many Tea Party groups are listed as 501 groups under the tax code they do not have to publicly disclose donors. One backer of the Tea Party includes a group called The Americans for Prosperity Foundation whose founder is conservative philanthropist David Koch. Koch and his brother Charles are the owners of Koch Industries, a private company that includes Georgia Pacific lumber and oil pipelines. Forbes magazine ranks Koch Industries as the second largest private company in the nation. A recent article in The New Yorker magazine by Jane Mayer revealed that the Kochs were instrumental in funding start-up money for the Tea Party. Another deep-pocketed donor that has been linked to tea party organizations is Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks, which receives funding support from Verizon and AT&T. Although African
Americans traditionally vote Democratic, a number of black Republicans are running for seats this midterm. Some of them, including Bill Randall in N.C. and Tim Scott of S.C., stand a good chance of winning House of Representative . But according to Hall, blacks are unlikely to play a key role in the Tea Party even though there is a strong conservative strain in the black community. “African Americans are conservative on social and some fiscal issues,” said Hall. “I’m surprised that we haven’t had more black Republicans.” Hall said it’s easy for little known candidates like Tea Partiers to criticize the government on certain issues. “It’s easy to stand on the outside and throw darts,” he said. “But when you’re sitting across from world leaders you have to think life and death. You want someone who is not a zealot but can compromise.” Stanberry agrees that
blacks are unlikely to play a role in the Tea Party. “African Americans tend to support conservative social issues but tend to vote on a social justice platform,” said Stanberry. “African Americans aren’t going to look at GOP blacks to push their agenda.” Stanberry said that she doesn’t think the Tea Party and the GOP will have the landslide election they are hoping for. She said there are many X factors that can decide the election outcome such as upcoming Democratic supported rallies and their strategy to inspire their base. “When you see efforts to roll back federal student aid you have to be engaged,” said Stanberry. “Students should be involved regardless of who’s running. Are we so angry that we want just anybody?” Stanberry said that students should ask themselves if voting in 2008 was enough. “If they don’t like what their hearing then don’t be passive,” she said. “Blog. Tweet. Vote.”
Sarafina!
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Story by Diane Varnie ~ Photos by ‘Neka Jones & Chi Brown
“Thandekile” played Tempestt Farrar startsthe song “Meeting Tonight” CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer
Residents of Soweto grieve over the shooting deaths of student activists shot while protesting apartheid. CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer
“Thamsanqa” played by JaMeeka Holloway cries during the student funeral. NEKA JONES/Echo staff photographer
Kammeron Giggers plays “Mistress, It’s a Pity,” a teacher in Soweto. Here she’s been knocked down by officers representing the apartheid regime. NEKA JONES/Echo staff photographer
Jessica Jones as “Sarafina” sings over the casket of an apartheid protest leader. CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer
Student leader “Sarafina” played by Jessica Jones. CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer
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At the student funeral, Soweto preacher, played by Terrance Richbourg, and “Teaspoon,” a student played by Kayln Smith. NEKA JONES/Echo staff photographer
he beat dropped, followed with “Freedom is coming tomorrow.” With fists of rage in the air, backed up with vocals in unison and tribal dance steps … Sarafina! was moving. Sarafina was amazing. This past weekend, the N.C. Central University department of theatre started its fall season with the Broadway musical
“Sarafina!” Kanye West says “No one man should have all that power,” but I say it applies to this musical. Sarafina is a South African musical by Mbongeni Ngema which tells the story of Soweto student fighting aparteid. In 1992 the musical,
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Beware of the ‘Swagg’ DMV sophomores form new go-go band on campus
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Twitter Trending Topic #FTW (For The Win) #WTF (What The ...) #FAIL
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Gucci Mane
The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted Asylum Records out of on the 4 5 black hand side
Members of the New Swagg go-ggo band hold down the go-ggo scene at NCCU. DIANE VARNIE/Echo staff photographer
BY TOMMIA HAYES ECHO STAFF REPORTER
N.C. Central University, be aware of the newest gogo band on campus called New Swagg. The band, formed in 2009, consists of eight members: theater sophomore Melanie Burwell as vocalist, mass communication sophomore Dwayne Allen as lead rapper, accounting sophomore DeAndre Carter as rapper, chemistry sophomore Davon Todd as drummer, criminal justice sophomore Stephen Liggon Jr. as keyboardist and business sophomore Charles Romeo III as hype man. Athletic training sophomore Egypt Lyons is the group’s manager; mass communication sophomore
Tiara Lindsey is assistant manager. Three other members of the band are students at Shaw University. Go-go is a sub-genre of funk music developed in Washington, D.C. in the mid- and late 1970s. While the classification and influences are debated, Chuck Brown is regarded as the genre’s founder. These students never intended to become a band. It was by faith that these young men and ladies came together. “We used to be bored in the dorms,” said Allen. “We made beats on tables and realized we were making music.” After these young men realized their passion for go-go music and the potential to become successful,
they raised money to get studio time. Once they became a group, Allen came up with the name New Swagg. “We were new to the school and brought swag to music and campus life,” said Allen. New Swagg considers “The Wild Boys,” the first go-go band on campus, its older brothers. “When we needed equipment for the metro club block party, they let us borrow theirs,” said Carter. Although the band has not done many performances, they are beginning to become popular among students. “I love their sound and for new students and a new band, they work well together,” said music senior Tyler Leak.
“For a newly founded go-go band they sound like they’ve been together for years,” said Leak. With the support of their managers and classmates, the band is working on producing a mixtape to be released by the end of this year. The lead single will be a cover of Chris Brown’s track, “Deuces.” “Overall the band has received positive feedback from Eagles,” said Carter. Until the band gains more exposure, these students are working toward getting their degrees. According to Lindsey, the band’s diverse choice of majors shall benefit them in the future. “Beware of the swag,” said New Swagg in unison.
After being sentenced to a year in prison during the release of his second album, “The State vs. Radric Davis,” Gucci Mane is back with the release of “The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted.” Fifteen tracks filled with street mentality and testimonials show Mane’s growth as an artist. Gucci Mane took a different approach on this album when he collaborated with artists that one would not usually place in the same category with the artist. Lead single “Gucci Time” featuring Swizz Beatz is a different, but good sound for him. Pharrell Williams and Nicki Minaj are featured on “Haterade.” That song puts you in a relaxed mindset, having a
cold glass of a chosen beverage with friends. Wyclef Jean also made an appearance on “ODog.” With Wyclef ’s harmonizing voice on the hook and with story flow lyrics by Gucci, this song is impressive and somewhat soothing. While approaching track 12, I realized that the album played through without any skips. However, I do not approve of “Remember When,” which features Ray J. Ray J’s vocals sound horrible on the hook, leaving ample room for someone to have done a much better job. Other features on the album include Bun B and British singer Estelle. Production credits include Drumma Boy, The Neptunes and Zaytoven. This is only the beginning for Gucci Mane’s success, and he is on the right path. The production was great and the collaborations were pleasant as well. Congratulations, Gucci Mane. — Tahj Giles
SARAFINA!
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 was adapted into a film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Zulu South African actress Leleti Khumalo as Sarafina. “This play takes us into a world of social consciousness and captures a panoramic view of the complexities of human relationship from mankind’s attempt to reach the ultimate concept of world peace to the intrinsic premise of individual self-worth,” said director Stephanie “Asabi” Howard, assistant professor of theater. “Sarafina!” takes place at Morris Isaacson High School in Soweto in 1976, when 200,000 black students gathered to protest a government ruling that exchanged the town’s dialect for the official West Germanic language of Afrikaans as the new medium of instruction in their classes. Successful through storytelling and singing, “Sarafina!” follows the happenings of fictional classmates, in particular a girl named Sarafina who inspires
her colleagues with her commitment to the struggle against apartheid. Apartheid was a system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government in South Africa between 1948 and 1994. Under this system, the rights of the majority nonwhite dwellers of South Africa were condensed under minority white rule. “Sarafina!” was an impressive production. The stage, crafted by members of the department of theatre, placed audience members in the middle of the action. A wire fence, used to hold slumped students jailed during a school house raid, created chilling scenes. In-house designers constructed costumes from scratch. The musical also features a live band consisting of drums, keyboard, bass and horns. Never missing a beat, the band covered “The Sound of Freedom” soundtrack
favorites such as “The Lord’s Prayer,” “Sechaba,” and “Thank You Mama.” Jessica Jones, performance theatre senior, as Sarafina, created a convincing Sowetan accent. “The accent is hard, it’s something that takes time and practice,” said Jones. “Most of the cast walks around talking with the accent on a daily basis so we can get that practice.” The performance even put goose bumps on visitors from France. One of our visitors from Paris included Eleonore Coralie, an actress from performing arts organization Sessions Kwandies. “The energy… it never stops!” said Coralie. “So much singing and dancing and acting … it never stops!” “Sarafina!” performances are Oct. 8 and 9 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 10 at 2 p.m., in the University Theater. All shows are $15 general admission and $10 for students and senior citizens.
Soweto students, played by Malcolm Green, Jeffery Miller and Quan Acapella listen as Green brags about winning a fight during recess. NEKA JONES/Echo staff photographer
“Thandi,” played by Sherita Latimore, dances with cast for opener of “Sarafina!” CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer
“Magundane,” played by LaTia Boney, dances with the sticks at the student funeral. CHI BROWN/Echo staff photographer
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Down with creamy crack!
A new campus organization for women with natural hair
The ladies of natural hair organization Kinky and Proud (K.A.P.) flaunt their afros, curls and dreadlocs with fierceness. DIANE VARNIE/Echo staff photographer
BY TONDEA KING ECHO STAFF REPORTER
Do you prefer relaxed or permed hair, or the natural look? Well the ladies of K.A.P.,orKinky and Proud, prefer the natural
look. K.A.P. is a new campus organization for women with various types of natural hair. The members embrace women who adore their natural appearance — the
kink and curl of hair. K.A.P. was just an idea when president Desmera Gatewood and other natural-haired women came together and posed the question: “What do you do to your hair?”
From there, the women traded hair tips, names of the products they used and ideas on how to wear various natural looks. “I decided to go natural because the creamy crack destroyed my hair,” stated
English junior Gatewood. The “K” in K.A.P. refers to kinky, a term that Gatewood said the organization is looking to part ways with. “It is a way to describe what real women of
African descent hair looks like,” explained Gatewood. Many females at NCCU have natural hair. Some have curls, afros, and locs — which appear to be a fad on the campus. “We want to embrace the curly hair,” said Gatewood. The organization’s activities will consist of roundtable discussions involving natural hair tips, reasons for women to go natural and why they should stay natural and more. For women who have had their hair relaxed or permed, rehab will be offered for them as well. “I’m natural because I refuse to assimilate what the western culture said we should look like, whether we are black, white or Indian,” stated history junior Regina Glover. K.A.P. also will screen Chris Rock’s recent documentary “Good Hair” on a date to be announced. The next K.A.P. gathering will be an interest meeting Oct. 6 at 5 p.m. in room 105 in the Edmonds Building. The meeting is open to all.
Jordan makes a comeback … virtually BY DAVID FITTS ECHO ONLINE EDITOR
Tuesday, Oct. 5 midnight not only brought a new day, but also the release of 2K Sports’ newest game, NBA 2K11. Previously, 2K Sports collaborated with back-toback NBA champions Kevin Garnett for 2K9 and Kobe Bryant for 2K10. This version features arguably bas-
ketball’s greatest player of all time — Michael Jordan. For the first time in 2K Sports’ history, players will be able to become the sixtime NBA Finals MVP by taking part in MJ: Creating a Legend mode. "This is a brand new experience that we're delivering to our users this year,
PREPARING FOR THE GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT? ATTEND A STRATEGY SESSION WITH THE PRINCETON REVIEW
SATURDAY, October 23, 2010 THE MARY TOWNES SCIENCE COMPLEX CORNER OF CONCORD & LAWSON STREETS NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Seating is Limited COST: Free! Registration is Required GMAT, GRE and MCAT participants will meet on Saturday, October 23, 2010, 10 am – 12 noon, in the Mary Townes Science Complex. Please take the practice test at Review.com and print and bring the scoring report to the strategy session with you LSAT participants are asked to make a two day commitment. This includes a practice LSAT on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 2 pm (call or email for location), and a two-hour session on Saturday, October 23, 2010, 10 am – 12 noon in the Mary Townes Science Complex ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST PRE-REGISTER BY Friday, October 15, 2010 in Room 3209, Mary Townes Science Complex FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Leon B. Hardy, Test Prep Program 3209 Mary Townes Science Complex, NCCU, Durham, NC 27707 (919) 530-5109, lhardy@nccu.edu Sponsored by the Test Prep Program, NCCU, a Title III Activity
and it's a mode that's not immediately available when you purchase the game," explained NBA 2K11 producer Erick Boenisch. Once the Jordan challenge is completed, the offline-only single-player will unlock Creating a Legend mode. This feature allows gamers the ability to take a rookie Jordan and create a career for him, placing him on whatever team they choose.
"He is rated a 79 overall, which gives you plenty of room to improve, but he has all of the physical tools of Michael as a rookie — the fast speed, the high jumping, the quickness — but he lacks a lot of the shooting skills and the offensive and defensive awareness,” said Boenisch. “So you're playing with a raw prospect who can do just about anything, but can't deliver in the clutch just yet.” The new version also
includes such improvements on core gameplaying elements as enhanced graphics, all-new IsoMotion™ dribbling controls and a deeper My Player mode with new My Career features. All the basketball players and gamers out there who dreas of being the greatest basketball player can grab a copy of the game for XBOX 360, Playstation 3, Wii, Playstation 2, PSP system and PC.
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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER 6, 2010
Pregnant? Certain? Need to talk?
• Free & confidential pregnancy tests • Limited STD testing • Limited ultrasound • Community resources
To schedule an appointment call 919.490.0203 or 919.942.7319
The Church of the Abiding Savior, Lutheran Your Outreach Minister to the NCCU campus is Rhonda Royal Hatton JOIN US
LIVING WORDS ~ AN EVENING OF OPEN MIC AND SPOKEN WORD POETRY FEATURE POET/AUTHOR: MYI-S HANKA MCMILLAN OCTOBER 14, 2010 7 PM ~ FREE AND DINNER WILL BE SERVED TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE, JUST GIVE US A CALL AT THE CHURCH OF ABIDING SAVIOR, LUTHERAN 1625 S. ALSTON Contact Rhonda Royal Hatton by e-mail at rhondahatton@gmail.com or by cell phone 919.698.3648
Church of the Abiding Savior, Lutheran Rev. Gordon Myers, Pastor 1625 S. Alston Avenue Durham, NC 919.682.7497
Transmission Rapair and Service • Brakes • Exhaust and Mufflers • Shocks, Struts and Suspension Service • Cooling System and Radiator Service • Air Conditioning • Maintenance Tune-ups • Factory Recommended Maintenance
Look for recycle bins for paper, plastic bottles and cans at NCCU.
AAMCO RTP The Complete Car Care Experts 5116 S. Hwy 55, Durham, NC
919-493-2300
In 2009, the NCCU Honda Campus All-SStar Challenge team finished second in the nation. In 2010, the team finished third. Were YOU the missing piece of the puzzle?
Come play in the 2010 NCCU campus tournament for a chance to make the team, and win great prizes! Food will be served both days! Date: October 13 - 14, 2010 Time: 6:45 - 9:30 pm Place: Alfonso Elder Student Union For more information and/or sign-up sheets contact Clayton Mack at 919-530-7620 or cmack@nccu.edu. Please visit http://www.hcasc.com for more information about the program or visit NCCU HCASC on Facebook!
This is not a joke. Campus Echo Online classifieds are free when you use any @nccu e-m mail account. www.campusecho.com/classifieds
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Classifieds Boost Your Child's Skills and Confidence! Enroll today in a weekend workshop for middle and high school students! Visit ww.learnmore.duke.edu/youth or call 684-6259 for more information. Space is limited!
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PREPARING FOR THE GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT? ATTEND A STRATEGY SESSION WITH THE PRINCETON REVIEW
SATURDAY, October 23, 2010 THE MARY TOWNES SCIENCE COMPLEX CORNER OF CONCORD & LAWSON STREETS NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Seating is Limited COST: Free! Registration is Required GMAT, GRE and MCAT participants will meet on Saturday, October 23, 2010, 10 am – 12 noon, in the Mary Townes Science Complex. Please take the practice test at Review.com and print and bring the scoring report to the strategy session with you LSAT participants are asked to make a two day commitment. This includes a practice LSAT on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 2 pm (call or email for location), and a two-hour session on Saturday, October 23, 2010, 10 am – 12 noon in the Mary Townes Science Complex ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST PRE-REGISTER BY Friday, October 15, 2010 in Room 3209, Mary Townes Science Complex FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Leon B. Hardy, Test Prep Program 3209 Mary Townes Science Complex, NCCU, Durham, NC 27707 (919) 530-5109, lhardy@nccu.edu Sponsored by the Test Prep Program, NCCU, a Title III Activity
Sports
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010
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1,2,3, it’s showtime MEAC’s #1 team comes to Durham for the first time in 19 years
Shaky brains What happens when a football player has a concussion at NCCU BY TEDDY LAPERRE ECHO SPORTS REPORTER
Johnson C. Smith defenders tackle NCCU running back before he crosses the goal line. NEKA JONES/ ECHO PHOTO EDITOR
BY AARON SAUNDERS ECHO SPORTS EDITOR
85 years ago the Hampton University Pirates made its first trip to what is now known as N.C. Central University. The Pirates came away with a 20-0 victory that day. They have controlled the series ever since, with a dominating 15-5 record over the Eagles. Since 1925, both football programs have seen their share of ups and downs on the field, winning MEAC and CIAA championships in addition to claiming the title of Black College
National Champions. This year marks the first time the Pirates have played at O’Kelly Riddick Stadium in 19 years. That Nov. 1, 1991 game saw the Pirates run away with a 44-28 victory. The rivalry was renewed last year when Hampton slipped past the Eagles 3124 last year after a couple of special teams’ mishaps. “We have been waiting for this game since they beat us up there last year,” said senior running back Tim Shankle. The Eagles come off a 27-16 momentum-building win and are looking to go
over .500 for the first time at this point in the season since 2007. In the previous game the Eagles defense and special teams stepped up big time, forcing seven turnovers. “It was a crucial game because it’s a big rivalry and it gave us a lot of momentum,” said senior linebacker Donald Laster. Hampton is led by the two-headed rushing attack of freshman Antwon Chisholm and senior Steve Robinson with 277 and 208 yards rushing respectively. Sophomore running back Antonio McCloude and redshirt junior quarterback
David Legree also have over 100 yards rushing. “They have a couple of good running backs that we have to try and contain and make sure we tackle,” said Laster. The defense does not plan on spying on yet another dual threat quarterback. “We’re going to try and confuse and rattle him by sending blitzes,” said Laster. The Eagle offense will be anchored by senior running backs Tim Shankle and Tony McCord who have combined for 498 yards and five touchdowns in the first
four games. “Running the ball is going to be a must,” said Shankle. “We have been working all week on being a more physical team.” At this time last year, the NCCU was 0-5 and searching for answers. This year, heading into its weeksix match-up with MEAC leader Hampton University, the Eagles have a better grip on things with a 2-2 record. “They are the number one team in the MEAC so we really want to beat them to prove that we can play in the MEAC,” said Laster.
What to do? No pool NCCU’s pool still inactive but making progress BY
A SHLEY ROQUE
ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR
Everyone is still waiting for N.C. Central University’s swimming pool to reopen. Since 2009, the 50-meter Olympic-size swimming pool has been closed for repairs and renovations. “We are not sure when the pool is going to be ready,” said Thornton Draper, aquatics director and associate professor of physical education and recreation. “We are waiting like you’re waiting.” Since the pool has
closed, aquatic courses and free afternoon water fitness classes have been cancelled. According to Draper, problems with the pool began with a power outage that occurred last fall. One of the recirculation motors blew and caused leaks in the pipes of the pump room. Later, a leak was found in the main drain. “The main drain is temporarily plugged,” said Draper. “We still have a lot of things to work on.” Draper said that since then, a portion of the pool
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munity for various programs in recreation and swim lessons. Mass communication senior Chavaria Williams used the pool for aquatic physical therapy when she injured her shin. “The pool is great for NCCU students and staff still eagerly await the reopening of its pool . strengthening and conditioning,” said Williams. Echo file photo “Without it, we can’t do aquatic rehabilitation deck receded a couple of neers on the next phase.” exercises on campus.” inches. NCCU’s pool has been “There have been many Other repairs on the list around since the late 1980s. repairs on the pool and it still include repairing the pool The University is the only isn’t functioning properly,” basin, the roof of building HBCU in the Triangle with said Deshawn Spears, chemand the pump room. a 50-meter long-course istry senior. “The pool is as “We are currently finish- swimming pool. important as any other building up the deck and waiting Over the years, the pool ing on campus.” to hear back from engi- has been used by the com-
EAGLELAND
Concussions in college sports have gained more attention this year. Starting in 2010 the NCAA has a clearer standard for the handling of concussed players. These symptoms include nausea, headaches, dizziness, or sensitivity to loud noises or light. Under the new rules, a player who shows symptoms of a concussion is not allowed to play for the remainder of that day. When players are suspected of having a concussion, they are given both cognitive and motor skills tests. Head athletic Trainer Sean Thomas explained the dilemma regarding athletes who seem OK and want to return to play, even though they show signs of a concussion. “They think they’re fine,” said Thomas. “They may mess up the questions and not even realize it. Sometimes we have to hide their helmets so they don’t try to sneak back on the field.” Senior tight end Earthan Ward is grateful for not being allowed to return to a game in which he received a concussion. “I wanted to go back in, but the trainers wouldn’t let me,” Ward said. “Looking back, I’m glad they didn’t. I would have been a lot worse off.” At the beginning of each year, freshman athletes are required to take the impact test. This online test is designed to show the player’s general knowledge. After a player has had a concussion, the player will take the test again and the trainer will compare the two scores. If players have a concussion, they are required to take the impact test again the following year. Even though players may seem to be symptom-free, this does not necessarily mean they are cleared to play. Players who have had a concussion will work with the trainer and run laps to see if they player is fully recovered. If a player begins to run and their head begins to hurt, this is a sign that the player is still feeling the effects of a concussion. Ward was pleased with the training staff ’s constant supervision of his recovery. “They did a great job with me,” Ward said. “I had to go to the training room daily and sometimes twice a day. They also brought in other doctors to evaluate me. I appreciated it.” During training camp, the training staff shows a “Heads Up” video which illustrates the proper tackling technique. All players must sign a form in order to play. Although concussions are still a gray issue, training staffs are now more capable than ever of diagnosing and treating athletes for concussions.
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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010
IVERSITY
Step up and vote! B
elieve it or not, this year’s midterm election is just as important as 2008. Why? Remember all the excitement From the and editors of euphoria of the the elections Campus that year? Echo Students flocked to the polls in record numbers. Why should this year be any different? In spite of what many students may think, the president is not as important as the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress has the power to override many of the president’s decisions. In these upcoming elections, support your representatives by letting your voice be heard once again. Many students have
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been disillusioned because of the Great Recession, and wondering if a job or career will be available to them or their peers after graduation. Have you been keeping up to date with the rhetoric that candidates are promoting? It is very important for us to be involved because we are leaders ourselves. We should not depend on the president to fix all of our problems. Many students feel that these days marching and protesting are not necessary to get a point across. But why wouldn’t we? Marching was effective during the days of King, Lowry, Rustin, Abernathy, Parks, Malcolm X and all the rest. They marched and fought so that NCCU students could have the right to vote. Are we tarnishing
It is very important for us to be involved because we are leaders ourselves. We should not depend on the president to fix all of our problems. their legacies by not going to the polls? Are you going to waive your 15th amendment right? The civil rights movement started in the South and spread through college campuses all over the nation. You hear other people talking about taking back the country. Why don’t NCCU students talk about taking back the nation? Are we becoming too complacent in letting people make decisions for us? Are we going to let people say we only voted in 2008 because a black man was running for office?
Do you know that there’s only one black United States Senator? Do you know that there are only a handful of minorities in the House? What are you going to do about it? It’s a shame we will run out and vote for America’s Next Best Dance Crew or an American Idol and will not vote for a senator. We should be more worried about keeping up with politics than keeping up with the Kardashians. Justice isn’t ever won in one battle. Working toward change and progress is an ongoing
thing. For many NCCU students, 2008 was the first election they participated in. During the 2008 elections, 64 percent of Americans 18-24 were first-time voters. Right now, you may not be directly affected by laws concerning immigration, health care, financial reform, and gays in the military, but as a member of a society, you have a responsibility. The laws that get brought up and passed through Congress are our laws and these are our officials. The people we put in power will be there for a while, so let’s make sure we take responsibility of our future and elect the right ones. Keep the spirit of change! Artemesia Stanberry, assistant professor of political science said it best: “Blog, tweet, vote.”
Natural: For Dummies
aving “nappy” hair is not easy. Yes, I know that no one wants to hear the word “nappy” in association with their hair, but I say embrace it. If you can’t comb your hair when it’s dry, let alone Jamese when it’s Slade wet, then your hair is NAPPY. Accept it. I have been napptural for six months and there are recurring annoyances in response to my hair. Here are some things that those of us who are natural DO NOT LIKE. 1. People always come up to me and say, “Aww you’re going natural.” No, I am not GOING NATURAL. I AM natural. Natural simply means
you have no perm in your hair, and you do not partake in any chemical process to alter your hair texture. “Going natural,” is called transitioning. You have decided to stop using chemicals and have begun letting your natural hair grow out before cutting off all of your relaxed hair. 2. Another pet peeve of mine is when people“smush the bush!” This phrase refers to when people run up to me and touch my hair. Especially guys. I don’t know why, but people like to dig in my hair with their whole hand and make my afro uneven or dented. It sounds funny, but it’s annoying because it takes a long time to pick my afro to make it how I like it. 3. Although I think it’s kind of funny, every day people compare me with famous people with natural hair. Apparently, I look
To all my natural sisters, you hair is beautiful. To be different takes courage and strength. Love yourself, love your hair, and keep those bushes moisturized.
like about 12 different people who don’t look alike, but have one thing in common. An afro. I have been compared to Angela Davis, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, India Arie, Foxy Brown, and the list goes on. It is ironic that having an afro makes us all look alike, but having a weave doesn’t make us all look like Beyoncé and having a short cut doesn’t make us all look like Rihanna. 4. People always think that being natural means that you have an in-depth life-changing reason for going or being natural. The first question
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people ask is, “What made you go natural??” Sometimes people do things just because they feel like it. I don’t ask you what made you choose pepperoni over cheese pizza. For some people, going natural is just a simple choice that they make for no reason. 5. When women have natural hair, this doesn’t mean that they are antiweave. Just like any black woman, a natural women might want to switch it up or simply give her hair a break by weaving it, curling it, or flat ironing it.
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We like to have versatility too and this doesn’t mean that we don’t love our natural hair, because underneath the long 18-inch tresses, is a happy nappy bush. 6. Don’t get me wrong. I love all of my natural sisters and I love for us to talk and help each other out. But for random girls to come up to me and ask me a zillion questions about natural hair and assume I’m some sort of natural hair expert is a mistake. I am still learning every day and having natural hair is a common ground, but we natural girls aren’t an illuminati! It’s good to remember that we really don’t know each other. To all my natural sisters, your hair is beautiful. To be different takes courage and strength. Love yourself, love your hair, and keep those bushes moisturized.
drawing by Rashaun Rucker
Question:
How has your freshman experience at NCCU been so far? “My freshman experience at NCCU was at first challenging but I eventually adjusted to the school work, city and people.” — Brittany Farris
“So far I have been getting involved in many different organizations and building my network.” —Brittney Cherry
“So far I have learned how to adjust to a new city and new people. I am also realizing that I have to be more independent and more responsible.” —Lajeana Leftenan Sound Off By Uyi Idahor