Print_edition_September_8_2010_About_Echo by N.C. Central University Campus Echo

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

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VOLUME 102, ISSUE 1

Campus

Special Section

Photo Feature

Sports

Drop by the post office and you’ll be greeted by Vonnie Nunnally. Here’s her story.

Everything you want to know about the Campus Echo. The staff, advertising, and how we operate.

“Rock the Bells” comes to D.C. and the Echo heads up I-95 to check it out.

First Eagle football game an impressive shut-out against Johnson C. Smith.

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It’s in the fold.

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Campus Echo

100 pints of blood NCCU blood drive has big goals BY CARLTON KOONCE ECHO STAFF REPORTER

In honor of 100 years of “truth and service,” N.C. Central University’s Department of Public Health Education wants the student body to celebrate by donating 100 pints of blood a day. This year’s blood drive theme is “Centennial Twins — NCCU and Sickle Cell Disease.” Seronda Robinson, assistant professor of public health, is the coordinator of the blood drive, which runs Sept. 14 – Sept. 16 in the Miller-Morgan Building. “Since our University is 100 and it’s been 100 years since the discovery of sickle cell disease, that’s why the blood drive theme is ‘centennial twins’,” said Robinson. “September is also National Sickle Cell Month,” she said. “African-Americans suffer dispro-

Dems face discontent Jobs, economy loom large in November midterm elections

BY THOMAS FITZGERALD PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER (MCT)

PHILADELPHIA – In South Dakota, Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin’s “Flyover Country” commercial shows the checkerboard plains from a jet window. “They look down from 30,000 feet and don’t care about our agriculture, our Second Amendment, or our fiscally

conservative values,” she says. And in northern Indiana’s Second District, Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly shows unflattering photos of President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in one ad as he rips the “Washington crowd.” It’s the go-to slogan for endangered Democrats

everywhere this midterm election: Don’t blame me. I’m on your side. And that may be the wisest approach. With the traditional Labor Day weekend start to the fall campaign under way, evidence is mounting that Democrats could lose control of the House and even see their hold on the Senate threatened.

“It’s not just a wave election, it’s a tsunami,” said Mike Hudome, a Republican media consultant handling several House races across the country, including in Pennsylvania’s Seventh District. “We’re going to have seats in play that have no business being in play. All anybody cares about are

MANDELA, THE ARTIST, FEATURED AT NCCU MUSEUM

ECHO STAFF REPORTER

BY ASHLEY ROQUE ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR

“The Courtyard” of the Robben Island Prison where the former South African president spent 18 years incarcerated. Courtesy of NCCU Art Museum

hen most people think of Nelson Mandela, they may associate words like South Africa and apartheid. But few may know that Nelson Mandela is also an artist. N.C. Central University is currently hosting: “Spirit of Freedom: Drawings and Narrative from Nelson Mandela Imprisonment at Robben Island.” The exhibit features about 20

sketches of various views of Robben Island where Mandela spent 18 out of 27 years in prison. “It has been such a great turn out,” said Christine Perry art production specialist. “The first day of the exhibit I put out 100 brochures, after they ran out I began to put batches of 50 out, now I am on my fifth batch,” she said. The lithographs in the museum are owned by CBC President and

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CEO Jim Goodman who loaned them to NCCU for the art exhibit. “It’s stuff that I have never seen before” said sophomore Tameeka Bullock, early childhood. In 2002 Mandela was inspired to draw his collection to raise money for to support the fight against AIDS/HIV. Mandela received tutoring in art from Varenke Pascke, a young con-

Writing Studio moves and expands into Taylor Education Building BY BETHANY SNEED ECHO STAFF REPORTER

Sometimes change is not always for the worst. For N. C. Central University’s writing studio, change has proved favorable. The former writing studio has received a major facelift and also a new name. The Writing Studio is now known as the Writing and Speaking Studio. Previously located in the Fa r r i s o n - N e w t o n Communications building in room 339, the studio has moved to the Taylor Education building room 102. The new space is much larger than the old location. It houses 14 computers with internet access and a speech lab equipped with a small studio. The studio also allows students to record themselves speaking, listen to them-

Fresh minds arrive BY TOMMIA HAYES

Antics taking toll in classes

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1,400 new Eagles

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Have you ever been caught texting, chatting or sleeping during class? Well, stop. Professors say that disrupting the classroom environment is costing everyone valuable classroom time. “Somebody is paying for you to be here,” said J.R. Lawson, assistant professor in the history department. “Students need to understand that you really have to follow the rules to get the most out of your educational experience.” “It’s really hard to give a lecture when you have students texting on the phone or coming in late to class,” said Matthew Cook, English and history assistant professor. “It disrupts the flow of the presen-

jobs and the economy. People are scared to death.” Unemployment stands at 9.6 percent, Obama’s approval rating is low, and vast majorities of voters in polls say the country is on the wrong track. The stimulus, health-care overhaul, and bailouts of banks and

selves, and make proper adjustments. Over the last few years the need for a larger, better equipped Writing Studio presented itself. During the 2004-2005 school year the Writing Studio held almost 200 tutorial sessions, according to Director Karen KeatonJackson. Last school year, nearly 900 tutorial sessions were held at the writing studio. Funding for the studio was supplied by the University. The studio’s transformation came when the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for N.C. Central University recognized a need to help further students’ speaking skills as well as their writing skills. The QEP’s motto for this year is “Communicating to Succeed.”

Graduate student Karen Bethea assists criminal justice sophomore Bianca Faulkner

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CORLIS PAULING/Echo staff photographer

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It’s starting to sound like a repeat but N.C. Central University is welcoming in its largest freshman class ever. Again. The class of 2014 has about 1,400 students with an average high school GPA of 3.0. But what is it about NCCU that keeps students coming? Why are these students deciding to walk the “verdant green?” “I decided to attend this University because it’s one of the top HBCUs in the nation,” said early childhood education freshman, Latrice Artis. “What made the decision final was that when I came during an open house. I really liked it.” Artis said that what she admires most about the University is the campus life. “Me attending the open house made me decide this

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Feagen resigns Mr. NCCU steps down abruptly BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

N.C. Central University is now officially without its Mr. NCCU. On Tuesday, Aug. 31 Andre Feagen sent an email to SGA adviser Jason Dorsette stating that he will be resigning from his duties as Mr. NCCU “due to personal reasons.” “There was a breaking point for me. I was dealing with family problems, self issues, as well as academics,” said Feagen. “The job required a lot of attention even before school began.” Feagen did not state the personal issues that led to his decision, but said that it would be hard for him to deal with everything if he continued as Mr. NCCU.

Fe a g e n , who ran unopposed for the office, was elected in last April’s SGA election. Andre Feagen Mr. NCCU serves as a s t u d e n t ambassador and representative to the community, in addition to serving as escort to Jennifer Langston, Miss NCCU. Dorsette said that this is the first time he knows of that a Mr. NCCU has resigned, but that a junior class president did resign in 2007. He said that the situation will not be touched until after the September

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

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Ebony highlights our Queen Miss NCCU selected to join other HBCU queens in Ebony BY TONDEA KING ECHO STAFF REPORTER

If you pick up the September issue of Ebony magazine, you might find a face familiar to many N.C. Central University students. Jennifer Langston, Miss NCCU, was recently selected to appear in Ebony along with nine other historically black college and university queens. Langston, a native of Richlands, NC and a psychology senior, won her title last spring semester. In June, Langston traveled to Atlanta for a photo shoot for this month’s issue of Ebony. Langston said the process was simple. “Each queen had to submit a video to Ebony, fill out background information, and the voting was opened to the public online.” Langston recorded her video over the summer and posted the voting link on Facebook. Langston competed against many HBCU queens and was one of ten that appeared in the magazine. Miss NCCU said this was the first time Ebony magazine has produced such a photo shoot. During the photo shoot the ladies had their hair and make-up done professionally. “We were told to have fun,” said Langston. “This experience was unforgettable. It has to be because of the queens I met and the connections we made.” Queens from other noted HBCUs including Johnson C. Smith, N.C. Agricultural & Technical State, Bethune – Cookman, Fisk, Howard, Virginia-State, Albany State, Tuskegee, and Xavier Universities joined Langston in Ebony. For the photo spread, the queens had to choose a word that best described them. That word appeared on the shirt each girl wore in the shoot. “I selected the word ‘blessed’ because of the experience I was granted,” said Langston. “I got the opportunity to do something that most people won’t be able to do.” Langston said one ques-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 29 SGA elections. According to the student constitution, SGA president, Dwayne Johnson, will appoint a replacement. “I think Andre Feagen was a great Mr. NCCU,” said Dorsette. “He brought a lot of vision and he was very excited and dedicated. We wish him well.” Johnson also expressed disappointment with Feagen’s resignation. “He is a great person, and I am really sorry to see him go.” he said. “He is not the type to give up or avoid challenges. We are still discussing how we are going to replace Andre Feagen.” During his short reign, Feagen led the Book Bag Drive, a program that collected school supplies for students at Burton and Eastway elementary schools. He began work on the “Manhood Series,” a program of workshops centered male chivalry. Student responses to the sudden resignation were mixed. “Maybe he got tired of it,”

said Carlos Clemente, physical therapy freshman. “Maybe it got in the way of his studying.” “Sometimes you have to handle your own personal problems,” said Robert Perry, mass communication junior. “It’s not to be selfish, but you have to thing about yourself.” But many student say they want a better explanation for the sudden resignation. “I feel like he should explain why he left,” said Chonnace Tyson, undecided freshmen. “He shouldn’t just say ‘I quit for personal reasons.’” “I’m kind bothered about it,” said Derrick Hicks, elementary education junior. “It was unexpected, but I am sure the SGA will do a good job of picking the next Mr. NCCU.” Feagen said he does apologize for resigning so suddenly. “Whoever fills my shoes, I believe that they will have nothing to worry about,” he said. “I believe that they will do a good job because they have a really good Miss NCCU and Royal Court.”

STUDIO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Miss NCCU holds the September issue of Ebony magazine that highlighted her and nine other HBCU queens. JES’NEKA JONES/Echo staff photographer

We were told to have fun. This experience was unforgettable. It has to be because of the queens I met and the connections we made. JENNIFER LANGSTON MISS NCCU

tion that was asked of her will stick with her. “‘Where do you keep your crown?’ they asked,” she said. “At the time of the question I kept it in a satin pil-

lowcase in my purse. Now I keep my crown on a pillow in my room.” Langston said she thanks God, her family and friends, and the NCCU community for voting for her.

“This isn’t about me but about the recognition of the University,” said Langston. “Because if someone who has never heard about NCCU, they have now.”

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“The new Writing Studio is a giant step towards making positive changes,” said Regina Alston, director of the QEP. “The QEP intends to keep the momentum long after the Writing Studio has been moved, and opened,” Alston said. The layout of the new facility was a joint effort of the QEP and the NCCU design and construction department. “There was a need for more space, upgraded technology, and a more centralized location on campus,” said Keaton-Jackson. Ten graduate students work as consultants at the studio. The consultants hail from a variety of disciplines such as English, history, education and biology. Soon to join the Writing and Speaking Studio staff will be a speech coordinator who will work specifically with the speaking department of the studio.

“The range of tutor’s backgrounds is a positive thing. It ensures that each student that comes in for a tutorial session has a tutor that can relate to their individual needs,” said KeatonJackson. Consultants help students with everything from metaphors, similes and independent clauses to constructing a paper that any professor would approve of. Depending on the time of year, the tutorial sessions become more frequent. The most sessions are held during mid-terms and finals. The University takes pride in the new Writing Studio, and the change that it brings. Students may make appointments at 530-6035 or e m a i l writingstudio@nccu.edu. Hours are Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 portionately from sickle cell and blood transfusions.” Sickle cell anemia is a disease in which the body creates sickle-shaped red blood cells instead of normal disk-shaped cells. The sickle-shaped red blood cells form clumps and stick inside blood vessels. The blocked blood flow can cause severe pain and can damage organs. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the United States the disease occurs predominately in African-Americans. Between 50,000 and 60,000 black Americans live with sickle-cell anemia. “During this month’s blood drive we want people to learn about sickle cell, but there will also be an opportunity for students to enter bone marrow and organ donation registries,” Robinson said. Students donating blood need to bring a photo ID. All donors are entered into a drawing for an iPod Touch. Students receive community service hours for donations and are strongly encouraged to invite family, friends and the community. Some blood types are more needed than others, according to Lois Pettiford,

administrative secretary with public heath education. “We always need O positive, O negative, and A positive.” The American Red Cross’s Web site states that only 3 out of every 100 Americans donate blood. Pettiford said each pint of blood taken from donors could save up to three lives. Robinson said the University collected close to 1,500 pints during last year’s blood drives. Blood drives have been a part of NCCU since the 1950s, according to Robinson. “It started as part of the community health education class when 37 pints were collected. Now we’ve become a national model drive, particularly for HBCUs.” Robinson said because NCCU students giving blood are traditionally irondeprived, they should eat plenty of red meats, vegetables and nuts to increase their iron intake. She also suggested that students decrease their caffeine intake before giving blood. “This year students are allowed to give ‘double blood’ or two pints instead of one,” Pettiford said. Donors also need to know the importance of

being well-hydrated when giving blood. Drinking lots of water is also important, Pettiford said. “The last time I gave blood it only took five minutes because I was well hydrated. It normally takes me about 20 minutes to give blood. Being hydrated makes it go smoother.” The Red Cross also provides light refreshments for donors. NCCU’s blood drive coordinator before Robinson was health education professor Ted Parrish. Parrish managed NCCU’s blood drives since the 1980s, but suffered a brain injury from a fall this summer and is in rehabilitation. Pettiford said she knows the significance of donating blood, explaining she once needed a blood transfusion after a tubal pregnancy. “They had to go all the way to Greensboro to get the blood,” she said. “You’re laying there on that bed and you’re thinking are they going to get it in time?” The blood drive hours are Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Thursday, Sept. 16 from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

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More than the mail

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Ms. Vonnie delivers friendship, support to students

BY RODDRICK HOWELL ECHO STAFF REPORTER

When walking down to the post office in the Alfonso Elder Student Union, certain things catch your attention. There are the long lines in the Eagle’s Nest and the chatter of students going in and out of the bookstore. But there’s also the friendly voice of the small lady with the golden blonde hair. Students call her Ms.Vonnie. Vonnie Nunnally has been been making sure students get their mail for 13 years — rain, sleet or snow. Nunnally says life has been good her. She and eight siblings were raised on a farm in Rockingham County. It’s there, she says, that she learned to cherish life. “I’m a little old country girl, ain’t nothing city about me,” said Nunnally. “I was lucky to have both of my parents all my life, all through my life.” She says her father instilled in her pride, plus a bit of wisdom about the boys. “My father used to tell me, ‘If he can’t come and take you out in the daytime, he must be ’shamed of you, so he can’t take you out at night.’” Nunnally says her faith has carried her through the difficulties that life has brought her way. While Nunnally was training as a nurses’ aid at Rockingham Community College, her 6-year-old daughter Altrena Renea died from a Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidney that typically occurs in children. Wilms disproportionately affects individuals of African descent. One of Vonnie’s first jobs was working in Reidsville, N.C. at White Ridge Plastics. She then worked at Sears for 15 years in Greensboro. She then moved to Proctor

Vonnie Nunnally meters mail in the University post office. WILLIE PACE/Echo staff photographer

and Gamble in Greensboro, where she manufactured health and well-being products for five years. “It was a good job and it paid good money,” said Vonnie. “But I was laid off due to downsizing.” In 1997, she finally found her home as a beloved Eagle. Vonnie says she has enjoyed everyone at NCCU and is proud to have witnessed the University’s tremendous growth and development over the years. Ask anyone on campus

and they will tell you that Vonnie’s attitude sets her apart from the other staff on campus. “She gives off a motherly feeling when I talk to her,” said Josh Spells, mass communication junior. Her motherly approach to dealing with students is what makes her constructive criticism easy to handle. Vonnie has been known to tell students wearing saggy jeans to pull up their pants. She often tells students to “have respect for yourself if you don’t have respect for nobody else.”

Instead of getting annoyed when students don’t use common sense, Vonnie treats every student as if he or she is her own child. When one student asked her, “Do you sell stamps?” Vonnie replied with a chuckle, “That’s common sense. We are a post office so of course we sell stamps.” Vonnie grins and bears with each individual because she said she knows not everyone has had the same life experience that she has had. “Perhaps they have never truly bought stamps,” she said. Vonnie said some of her criticism has not been taken very well. “I’ve had students get mad at me in the past,” said Vonnie. “But usually the ones who finish and graduate come back to apologize.” One of Vonnie’s greatest acts of kindness occurred when she gave a helping hand to a student who had no money and no place to stay. Nunnally put the student up for an entire academic year. “If I had a child and I sent her off to school,” said Nunnally. “I would want someone to take my child under their wing and steer them in the right direction.” With her help, the student finished and graduated. Nunnally is modest about her contribution to NCCU. She said that staff need to show a more caring approach toward students. “I always say if it wasn’t for you, the student, we wouldn’t have a job.” She said out of everything she enjoys about working at NCCU, what keeps her coming back is her relationship with the students. “I just like helping people and meeting people because I never know who I might meet.”

DISRUPT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 It disrupts the flow of the presentation and sometimes it is hard to get back into the groove of the lesson — everyone in the classroom has to pay the price for that. MATTHEW COOK ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AND HISTORY

tation and sometimes it is hard to get back into the groove of the lesson — everyone in the classroom has to pay the price for that.” Studies show that new forms of communication, such as texting, are making it harder and harder for students to stay focused. Professors say they are dealing with everything from disrespect, to tardiness, to intoxication and badgering. Cell phone conversations and texting during lecture has become second nature to many students. “Cell phones are a big problem,” said Cook. In his first semester at NCCU, Cook said he had a student take a call in his world societies class. After a moment of awkwardness the student walked out and continued with his call. “We all understand that it is important to be in touch with people,” said Cook. “But unless it is an emergency, it can wait.” After class, the student told Cook that he had the right to take a call whenever he wanted to because he pays for the professor to be there and the professor will work around his time. “Just because you pay tuition,” said Cook, “doesn’t give you the right to disrupt the learning process for everyone else.” Many professors say they don’t even allow laptops during lectures, saying that laptops are just another way for students not to pay attention. “I love to incorporate technology into the lecture,” said Cook. “But if a student pulls out a laptop to take notes, I ask them to put it away

because I find that they are usually surfing the Web and on Facebook.” For many instructors, prevention is the key to dealing with problems. “We go over the syllabus to ensure that students understand what is required of them,” said Lawson. “There should be no surprises when they get in trouble.” “The syllabus is like a contract,” said Cook. “With it you are protecting faculty and students because everyone knows what they are held accountable for.” According to Lawson it’s important to remember that you are not the only person in the classroom. “There are other people trying to learn and are disrupted by all the chatting, eating, and coming in late,” said Lawson. Eleanor HarringtonAustin, associate professor of English, said she has dealt with more than her share of disruption in the classroom. “I have worked in both a high school and university setting,” said HarringtonAustin. “I have dealt with everything from students throwing pencils to stalking me around campus.” Though HarringtonAustin says that disruption is less severe in a university setting, she still finds that some students simply don’t respect the rules. “No matter what you say, you are going to get someone chatting here and someone texting there,” said Austin. “It’s petty disrespect is all it is.”

HALO helps the hungry

Student project helps feed school children in Arusha, Tanzania BY SHENEKA QUINITCHETTE ECHO STAFF REPORTER

When N.C. Central University special education graduate student Sajdah Abdul-Wakil first travelled to Africa in 2005 with her mother, Aisha Abdul-Ali, a director with the Durham chapter of Sister Cities International, she had no idea that she would be finding her mission in life. While in Arusha, a sister city with Durham, she met with Benjamin William Mkapa, president of the United Republic of Tanzania, and First Lady Anna Mkapa. She questioned the First Lady about the country’s needs and the first lady said that school children lacked meals during the school day. Since that trip AbdulWakil has been obsessed with finding a way to assist the children she first met in Arusha, Tanzania. “Knowing that providing a meal throughout the day could sustain an education

for somebody seemed like a very possible solution,” said Abdul-Wakil. During the 15-hour flight returning to Durham she went to work developing The HALO Project (Helping Another Loved One), a nonprofit that works under the umbrella of Sister Cities International. And in 2008 Abdul-Wakil’s HALO Project partnered with Stop Hunger Now to send over 17 tons of packaged food to Arusha – enough to provide 280,000 meals to school children. The packaged meals included dehydrated rice mixtures with soy and meat flavor assembled by Duke and NCCU university students and the Durham community. “Several organizations came together to put Central and Duke’s students together to bring some kind of peace. It definitely was a labor of love,” she said. Once the food was assembled Durham Mayor Bill Bell joined Abdul-Wakil and rep-

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resentatives of the Durham chapter of Sister Cities to distribute the food to the secondary schools in Arusha. “The more food we passed out the more real the mission became to me,” said Abdul-Wakil. “I began to see the faces of the children changed when they reached out to hold bags.” By winter early spring 2009, over 19,000 school children in Arusha had received packaged meals for at least three months, but some as long as six months. “You knew change was going to come but you didn’t know it was going to be that big,” said Abdul-Wakil. According to Abdul-Wakil one student in Arusha called the food “Obama Rice,” saying that “it came from America to give us hope and belief that we could make it through whatever we worked hard for.” After food distribution there was an 85 percent increase in enrollment and a 15 percent decrease in tru-

School children in Kimeyseke Secondary School in Arusha, Tanzania Photo Courtesy of HALO Project

ancy. The focus and retention of students improved according to headmasters and teachers. HALO’s next project was work with NCCU’s education department on The Cultural Responsive Teaching Grant, a grant that paid travel and living expenses for five weeks for three NCCU graduate students, including

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national travel,” said Bacon. Bacon said the Abdul-Wakil’s knowledge and experience of Arusha were valuable to the students who made the trip to Arusha. “Success truly came to Arusha during that time and I’m blessed to be part of anything that has to do with improving any child’s future,” said Abdul-Wakil.

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Abdul-Wakil, to teach in Arusha. Abdul-Wakil said she presented the idea to the director of grant, education professor Ellen Bacon. “Making a decision about helping the students travel to Tanzania was not a tough decision other than insuring that they had the usual supports in place for any inter-

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Freshmen CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

So far I love the environment on campus. I would not change a thing about it. STILLMAN MBA MASS COMMUNICATION FRESHMAN

was my number one choice for a college,” she said. Other freshmen have different takes on what drove their decisions to attend NCCU. Mass communication freshman, Stillman Mba said the University’s traditions caused him to want to become an Eagle. “The history of what I heard about the communications program made me want to attend,” said Mba. “I write poetry and was interested in getting my poems published in the ExUmbra.” However, since ExUmbra is no longer circulating on campus, Mba said that he’s thinking about joining the Campus Echo. He said he learned a lot about NCCU through his father, an alumnus and professor in the biology department. “So far I love the environment on campus,” said Mba. “I would not change a thing about it.” Campus life and environ-

ment aren’t the only reasons students decide to attend NCCU. University recruiting and employees also play a hand. “The school worked with a marketing firm and many high schools in North Carolina to get these students,” said Anthony Brooks, director of undergraduate admissions. “We also had a lot of alumni support. “Most importantly the staff worked hard on getting the students information they needed,” he said. Students appreciating the University has a large impact on future Eagles, said Brooks. Although the freshman classes seem to grow every year, Brooks said NCCU has the resources for it. “Students should continue to share the positive aspect of NCCU because it adds value to the degrees that we all have and we all are working towards,” he said.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

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Class 2014 steps onto stage Freshmen heady with excitement as they start new lives BY KAYLA SCOTT ECHO STAFF REPORTER

N.C. Central University has welcomed a new freshman class — and at 1,400 it’s the largest ever. The class is not only large, but also boasts the highest GPA on record for an entering class, with an average of 3.0, according to a University press release. Many freshmen say they are experiencing a variety of emotions about their first days of college. “It’s different in a good way,” said Everett Faucette, a criminal justice freshman from Henderson, NC. “The freedom and responsibility are exciting.” “I feel like I’m about to start my own life,” he said. Some new Eagles said they were happy to be away from parents and glad to experience some independence. “My family wanted me to be independent and for me to get my own experience,” said Andrea Cochran, a business freshman from Fayetteville. Other freshmen agreed with Cochran. “I don’t have to listen to no one,” said Kimberly Nolan, a business fresh-

The freedom and responsibility are exciting. I feel like I am about to start my own life. EVERETT FAUCETTE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FRESHMAN

man from Raleigh. “My own choices and decisions affect my tomorrow.” Freshmen gave a variety of reasons for attending NCCU. Some are upholding family legacies, while others simply came for the convenience. Many said they came for NCCU’s outstanding programs. “It’s a great program and a really good school,” said Caleb Collins, computer information systems freshman from High Point, NC. “Durham’s where I was born and I wanted to come back to my roots,” he said. Nolan explained that his “roots” were part of the reason she decided to attend NCCU. “My grandmother went here,” said Nolan. “Also, my mother went here and I already had credits.” Some freshmen said they were shocked to see how packed Pearson Cafeteria gets and how long the lines

at the book store were once classes began. Some have adjusted their schedule, saying that it’s all about planning. Freshmen said they also have had to adjust to the amount of walking getting around campus takes. “We don’t get any visitors because nobody wants to walk that far,” said Cochran. “I be like, ‘Hey you wanna come over?’ The other person would ask, ‘Where do you stay?’ I would say, ‘New Res. Two.’ The other would just say, ‘Nope, never mind!’” University administrators worried that students could become overwhelmed by being away from home and created ‘W.O.W’, or the Week of Welcome, to help smooth the transition. During W.O.W., freshmen learned about campus clubs, financial aid, campus policies and more. There was a movie, a dance and a meet-andgreet with University

deans. The week ended with a “salute to new Eagles” pinning ceremony. But some freshmen said the events were hit and miss. “It was boring to me because they didn’t do much,” said Cochran. “The party was okay, but it was boring because not a lot of freshmen showed spirit,” she said. A few freshmen agreed with Cochran. “It was alright, it was just alright,” said Collins. “I think if they would have been a little more organized and had more activities for the students to interact with each other, it would have been better.” Despite the pressures of being the new kids on the block, freshmen are excited about their futures at NCCU and happy to be making new friends. “It’s really, really positive,” said Collins. “Me and my boy, ‘N.O.’, we are real cool, just like brothers.”

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

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Latham parking, nice (and pricey) New deck adds 750 parking spots to the campus, but you’ll pay $450 for it

BY SHAMIKA WHITTED ECHO STAFF REPORTER

The first multi-level parking deck on campus is now open — but it’s got a hefty price tag if you want to use it. It’ll cost you $450 for the academic school year. The ribbon for the Latham Parking Deck was cut August 16, when Chancellor Charlie Nelms was joined by Zack Abegunrin, associate vice chancellor for facilities and Willie Williams, NCCU police chief The deck sits on the corner of Lawson and Lincoln Street. It is a $15-million, 750-space, solution to some of N.C. Central University’s parking issues. The deck will house a bookstore and a campus police sub-station, that should be up and running in about two months. A free shuttle runs students from the parking deck to campus destinations. “The price is worth it because it guarantees a parking space,” said NCCU’s Campus Police Sergeant L. Scott Jr. “Your cars will be safer with the cameras that we have in place all throughout.” Even though the parking

Jacqueline Allen, the office manager for Institutional Advancement, at the grand opening of Latham Parking Deck, Aug. 19. Allen purchased the first space in the deck. Courtesy Office of Public Relations

deck seems like the perfect answer to the constant towing and ticketing that many students endure, many students are hesitant to shell out $450 for anything.

“All we see is $450,” said Jahara Davis, English senior. “We simply do not know the advantages for such a big investment.” “Tuition has increased,

parking has increased, but financial aid has not increased,” said English senior Nichelle Jackson. The shuttle stops at the parking deck about every

15-20 minutes on the hour and runs from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The deck sits on the former site of Latham Residence Hall, which was

Union gets new director

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‘I’m here to change the face of Alfonso Elder Student Union’ BY TONDEA KING ECHO STAFF REPORTER

If you walk into room 120 of the Alfonso Elder Student Union you may find an unfamiliar face behind the desk greeting you. Maria Alvera Lumpkin, is the new director of the Alfonso Elder Student Union. A native of Columbia, S.C., Lumpkin said she has a vision for N.C. Central University that is like no other. “I’m here to change the face of Alfonso Elder Student Union and to expand it into a place where students will feel welcomed,” Lumpkin said. “I want them to know they will have a place to be engaged in.” Since Lumpkin’s arrival she has established several new programs and has even remolded the union. Lumpkin has extended the union’s closing hours from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. The union now houses the office of Greek Life along with the Student Activities Board, Student Government Association

Maria Lumpkin Courtesy NCCU Office of Public Relations

and Student Leadership, Training and Development. More meeting rooms equipped with flat screen televisions have been added, as well as new tables and chairs and a newly built stage. A receptionist desk has also been added to assist students and there soon will be a hair salon on the ground floor where the current meditation room is located. Lumpkin graduated from Saint Augustine’s College in 1996 and later obtained a Master of Urban Studies from Old Dominion University, in

1998. She earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from Clark Atlanta University, in 2006. Before coming to NCCU Lumpkin was the director of Student Life and Engagement at Spelman College, in Atlanta. “I made the choice to come here because it was a great opportunity for me to come back to a place I was familiar with,” Lumpkin said. “I also wanted to work under the leadership of a millennium leader like Dr. Nelms.” Other activities and programs that she has established include midnight bowling and Saturday Cinema which busses students to South Point Cinemas. Lumpkin has also implemented a cultural expansion program called Get Away to Explore (GATE). In GATE students will work with the Student Affairs Global Experience (SAGE) and take excursions to different countries, have diplomatic meetings and discussions.

Last semester, former student union director Constance Roberson passed away from breast cancer. She had worked at NCCU in several capacities for 30 years. Many students remember Roberson for her involvement with students, an involvement that Lumpkin says she will continue. Lumpkin said that under her leadership the union will offer exceptional customer service, strategic programming and social media. The union’s top priorities are night and weekend programming. “I really want to enhance the intellectual climate of the community and have intellectual discourse with the students,” said Lumpkin. She said she appreciates how eager, polite and unique students are. “I want students to remember a great quote I read by Chancellor Nelms,” said Roberson. “ ‘Failure is not an option when others are depending on you.’ "

built in 1960. It retains the name of Louise M. Latham, former N.C. Central University Dean of Women from 19481968.

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Health Careers Center N.C. Central University 521 Nelson Street Durham, NC 27707 Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm

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• Boston University Early Medical School Selection Program

Ministry Fair

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

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Meet local faith community and pastors for worship opportunties.

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For more than 35 years NCCU’s Health Careers Center staff has been developing pre-health professional students into viable candidates for health and medical careers by providing:

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 20010

Beyond NCCU

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

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automakers are increasingly unpopular — and the recession has not lifted. A president’s party nearly always loses seats in Congress in the first midterm election of the administration, but analysts say public dissatisfaction is higher than normal this year. And Democrats, who control both houses, are likely to get the blame. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, predicts that Republicans will gain a net 47 House seats Nov. 2, more than enough to retake control. He projects the GOP will pick up eight or nine seats in the Senate, just short of the 10 needed to take it over. The Cook Political Report, a respected handicapping service, lists 73 Democrat-held House districts as toss-ups or highly competitive races, up from 39 when the year began. And last week, the Gallup Poll reported an “unprecedented” 10-point lead for Republicans on the generic ballot question it has been asking for 68 years. Fifty-one percent said they would vote for a Republican in their local House election, while 41 percent would support a Democrat. The generic-ballot test has often correlated with the results. “Elections are comparisons,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine said in an interview. The former Virginia governor plans to visit

The Republican electorate finds a lot to excite them now, (things) they see as threats out there ... the Democratic rank and file is in a malaise. CHRISTOPHER BORICK POLLSTER, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT MUHLENBERG COLLEGE

Philadelphia on Wednesday for an event launching the party’s fall campaign, in a state that features seven competitive House contests and wide-open races for senator and governor. Kaine argued that tea party activists have pulled the GOP too far to the right in some cases, with some Republican-nominated candidates in favor of privatizing Social Security, ruling unemployment benefits unconstitutional, and seeking to eliminate corporate taxes. “There are some extreme candidates on the Republican side,” Kaine said. “That gives us great opportunities, race by race.” Eileen Donahue, a registered Democrat in Levittown, Pa., who has voted for Republicans, is the kind of moderate the Democrats plan to target. Rep. Patrick J. Murphy, D-Pa., campaigning for reelection, knocked on her door one recent evening. “I’m worried we’re going to get slammed” by the tea party, Donahue told Murphy. Later, she said she did not want to hear about the proposed mosque near ground zero and thought conservative talk of “restoring the nation’s honor” was

absurd. “I see a facade of nothingness there,” Donahue said, “just talking points that are pointless to our lives.” But the Democrats may be hard-pressed to find enough Eileen Donahues. Many of the party’s political pros say they believe the House is already gone. “It’s going to be ugly _ unless unemployment drops a full point and the market gets up to 12,000,” said a Democratic strategist working on races around the country, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to be candid about the party’s prospects. He thinks the Democratic House caucus will shrink to as few as 210 members. (It now has 255, plus a vacancy in a formerly Democratic-held seat.) “I don’t think it will change in the next eight weeks unless there’s a national emergency” and voters rally around the president, the consultant said. While voter turnout surged in 2008 for the Democrats, they now face an “enthusiasm gap,” with several polls indicating a fired-up GOP base. \ A Gallup survey Thursday found 54 percent of Republicans surveyed

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saying they had followed the elections closely, compared with 30 percent of Democrats. In a Franklin and Marshall College poll of registered Pennsylvania voters last month, 45 percent of Republicans said they were likely to vote, compared with 37 percent of Democrats. In another measure, half of those who voted for Republican John McCain in 2008 said they were likely to go to the polls, compared with 35 percent of Obama voters. “The Republican electorate finds a lot to excite them now, (things) they see as threats out there,” said Christopher Borick, a pollster and professor of political science at Muhlenberg College. “The Democratic rank and file is in a malaise.” Independents are trending toward the GOP because it’s not the team in charge, he said. The Democratic Party has weapons with which to fight back, however: more cash than the GOP and a better-tested field operation. Organizing for America, the Obama campaign arm, has been running for more than three years, establishing personal connections that move turnout. Its volunteers have made multiple trips to the same houses in districts across the country, reminding Obama supporters of the importance of voting in 2010. “We really believe in field politics,” Kaine said.

On a recent Saturday, a group of Democratic canvassers, including Sixth District House candidate Manan Trivedi, knocked on Eric Gooden’s door on Walnut Street in Ardmore, Pa. Gooden, 24, voted for the first time in 2008, for Obama, and the campaigners told him his vote was needed now more than ever — for Trivedi and the party’s candidates for sena-

tor and governor. Gooden took their offered literature and said he probably would go to the polls. “I haven’t really been paying attention,” said Gooden, a restaurant worker. “I’m too busy to think about politics when I’m working every day.” If the Democrats’ plan works as designed, a volunteer is sure to be back to remind him.

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Beyond NCCU

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A U.S. ‘legacy of waste’ in Iraq Expensive and ambitious projects were often haphazardly planned and poorly executed BY LIZ SLY LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)

KHAN BANI SAAD, Iraq — The shell of a prison that will never be used rises from the desert on the edge of this dusty town north of Baghdad, a hulking monument to the wasted promise of America’s massive, $53 billion reconstruction effort in Iraq. Construction began in May 2004 at a time when U.S. money was pouring into the country. It quickly ran into huge cost overruns. Violence erupted in the area, and a manager was shot dead in his office. The Iraqi government said it didn’t want or need the prison. In 2007 the project was abandoned, but only after $40 million of U.S. taxpayer money had been spent. The prison is just one of the more vivid examples of what is likely to be “a significant legacy of waste” in the reconstruction program, said Stuart Bowen, the head of the office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, which audited the project as well as many others littering the battered Iraqi landscape. With U.S. combat operations officially over and Washington’s reconstruction effort winding up, Iraqis complain that America is leaving little behind to show for an investment that President George W. Bush promised in 2003 would parallel the post-World War II Marshall Plan in its scope and accomplishments. “I am very sorry because America spent a lot of money without any tangible results,” said Ali Baban, Iraq’s minister of planning, who is responsible for overseeing the projects now being handed over to the Iraqi government. “The Iraqi people heard a lot about American assistance, but really they didn’t touch it or feel it.” Many things went wrong, officials say, looking back on seven years of missteps and successes that could offer lessons for Afghanistan, where reconstruction expenditures are expected to surpass those of Iraq next year. Under pressure to produce results quickly, U.S. officials awarded no-bid contracts to companies with little knowledge of the country they had pledged to help. Projects were haphazardly planned and poorly executed. As the insurgency erupted, projects were either destroyed or the costs of providing security to continue them ballooned. And perhaps most important, officials say, Iraqis were not consulted as to which projects actually would be useful. Baban said the Iraqi gov-

The shell of a prison that will never be used rises from the desert on the edge of this dusty town north of Baghdad, a hulking monument to billion reconstruction effort in Iraq. Construction began in May 2004 at a time when U.S. the wasted promise of America's massive, $53-b money was pouring into the country. CAROLYN COLE/Los Angeles Times (MCT)

ernment has taken on only 300 of the 1,500 reconstruction projects handed over so far by the U.S. The rest have been “put on the shelf,” he said, because they are too shoddy to continue; aren’t needed; or are incomplete and lack the documentation such as plans and contracts that the Iraqis would need to finish them. By no means was all of the money ill-spent, Bowen said. Around $20 billion has been plowed into training and equipping the Iraqi security forces, an investment he said is generally seen to have paid off, in the form of an army and police force judged reasonably capable of taking over dayto-day security as U.S. troops go home. But when it comes to the broader ambitions of the reconstruction program, success is harder to pin down. Perhaps nothing symbolizes the failure of America’s aspirations in Iraq more than the lack of electricity. Back in 2003, the newly installed U.S. occupation authority announced plans to increase Iraq’s power generation to 6,000 megawatts a day by the summer of 2004, deemed enough to give Iraqis a big boost compared to the Saddam Hussein era. Six summers and $4.9 billion in U.S. taxpayer money later, Iraqis are sweltering in temperatures that routinely hit 120 degrees, with no more than a few hours of

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electricity a day in most places. Domestic production has peaked at around 5,500 megawatts, public anger is growing, and demonstrations protesting the lack of power have turned violent. U.S. officials blame the shortfall in part on soaring demand, now estimated at 14,000 megawatts, as consumer goods flooded into Iraq’s newly free market. After more than a decade of sanctions and three wars, Iraq’s infrastructure was found to be far more decrepit than originally thought. The postwar looting in 2003 took a huge toll on what remained of the existing network. And then the insurgency erupted, frequently targeting U.S. efforts to get the network going. But mistakes were made too, said Iraq’s deputy electricity minister, Raad Haras. Only 20 percent of a network of U.S.-built distribution stations in Baghdad’s Sadr City district are functioning; the rest were either substandard or blown up by insurgents, he said. A power plant in southern Baghdad is operating at 50 percent capacity because it wasn’t designed to withstand Iraq’s searing temperatures. “They didn’t consult us,” he said. “They sometimes did a good job, but sometimes not.” The story was similar in other sectors. A recent audit cites the example of an unfinished slaughterhouse in Basra — price tag $5.6

million — that was undertaken without securing a supply of water to wash away the blood. The cost of a $32.5 million sewage treatment facility for the war-ravaged city of Fallujah, begun in 2005 by the U.S. military, has mushroomed to $104 million, and will now reach only 4,300 homes, instead of the 24,500 originally envisioned, if it ever reaches any homes at all. Although the treatment plant is almost complete, the contract did not include a pipeline to connect the plant to the town. “I asked the Americans, what is the benefit of building such a project without building the pipeline?” said Fallujah’s council head, Hamid Ahmed Hashem. Iraqis marvel at the price tag attached to many of the ventures. The 94-bed Children’s Hospital in Basra, launched with much fanfare by first lady Laura Bush in 2004, was originally pegged for completion in 2005 at a cost of $37 million. It remains unfinished, and the cost has spiraled to $171 million, $110 million of which was provided by U.S. taxpayers. When it does open, perhaps this month, the stateof-the-art hospital will be a good one, Health Minister Saleh Mehdi Hasnawi said. “But it was very, very expensive,” he said. Security accounted for a huge portion of the costs, said Charles Ries, who headed the economics sec-

tion at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad in 2007-08. He estimates that 30 percent of all the money spent on reconstruction went toward paying foreign security contractors to guard sites and personnel, a cost that Iraqis wouldn’t have incurred. Although corruption has been found, it does not account for a large amount of the squandered money, officials say. Audits so far have resulted in 43 indictments, 34 convictions and the restitution of $70 million worth of embezzled funds. But the failure to consult Iraqis or to reach out to local firms was significant, Ries said. Under the Marshall Plan, the U.S. gave money to Europeans to carry out projects. “In Iraq, we appropriated a lot of money early and programmed it ourselves, with no consultation with the Iraqis, in a whole big hurry,” he said. “Consequently, the Marshall Plan went a whole lot better.” Yet America cannot be held responsible for all the reconstruction shortfalls in Iraq, U.S. and Iraqi officials say. The Iraqi government has committed even more money to the effort than the U.S. _ at least $97 billion _ though it is unclear how much of that has actually been spent because the government has not audited its own accounts. In many instances, it was assumed that the Iraqi authorities would provide the finishing touches to

technically sophisticated projects. Often they didn’t, a reflection of the broader dysfunction of the Iraqi government as well as the failure to consult Iraqis on what they wanted and would use, officials say. Successes tend to have been simpler in scope and smaller in scale. Several Baghdad parks renovated by the U.S. military for around $2 million apiece are jammed with people every day, as is a swimming pool in Sadr City. Micro-grants to shopkeepers of a few thousand dollars each helped regenerate the local economy in Baghdad after the U.S. troop buildup in 2007 tamped down violence. A $34 million pipeline exclusion zone — a system of berms, ditches and barbed wire — largely worked to deter insurgent attacks on Iraq’s oil exports. Yet Iraq’s overall oil production has not yet reached pre-war levels, despite U.S. expenditures of $2 billion on improving oil infrastructure. There are some largerscale successes, too. Several projects in the mostly peaceful Kurdish north are functioning well. The supply of drinking water has increased, and after many hiccups, a $343 million network of primary health care clinics is mostly functioning. “There’s a difference between ‘could we have done better?’ and ‘did we do nothing at all?’ I think it’s somewhere in between,” said Ginger Cruz, the deputy head of the Special Inspector General’s office. “There was a significant amount of waste, but there’s a ton of infrastructure across the country that’s paid for by America and it exists.” One of the lessons of the entire effort is that big is not always best, Ries said. “The smaller the amount of money you spend, the more difference you can have,” he said. Another, said Bowen, is that trying to rebuild a country in the middle of a raging insurgency is not a good idea. Project execution and management have improved in recent years, and the U.S. does now consult with Iraqis, he said. Around $2 billion remains to be spent, and that is likely to go on the kind of efforts that have proved effective, such as training Iraqis to carry out projects, rather than bigticket infrastructure. “But unfortunately,” he said, “billions of dollars have already been spent and billions have been wasted.” Los Angeles Times staff writers Raheem Salman, Riyadh Mohammed and Nadeem Hamid contributed to this report.

Moc k Inter vie w Da y Tuesda y, Se pt. 28 • Employers will be on campus to help students practice their interviewing skills. • Students must register in advance by contacting Career Services. See contact information below. SPACE IS LIMITED SO REGISTER TODAY!

Call us: 919.530.6337 ~ Drop by: William Jones Bldg., lower level Send us an e-mail: nccucareerservices@nccu.edu See us on the Web: www.nccu/careerservices

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

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Photos and story by Diane Varnie

unday, August 29, I had the pleasure of witnessing one of the highly anticipated functions hop’s building buzzing in hip-h history. The type of gathering where one dreams of a modern day Woodstock surrounded by array of eccentric, free-sspirited modern day hippies and hip-h hop heads. Rock The Bells was the — an annual festigimmick -— val featuring a lineup of notorious hip-h hop acts. During this year’s stop in Columbia, Md., I observed a well-cchosen class of freshmen and alumni hip-h hop personalities to stage: Murs & 9th Wonder, Wiz Khalifa, The Clipse, Immortal Technique, Street Sweeper Social Club, Brother Ali, Jedi Mind Tricks, Supernatural, DJ Muggs with Ill Bill, DJ Rocky Rock, Big Sean, Yelawolf and then One, infamous acts KRS-O Slick Rick, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-TTang Clan with Boy Jones, Rakim and main guest Snoop Dogg with Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, Lady of Rage & RBX backing The Doggfather for a visit to “Doggystyle” The special guest was former Fugees Lauryn Hill giving a funky, raspy flashback of her Grammy winning 1998 R&B masterpiece, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."

Friend Nicole holds up performance roster for Rock The Bells in Colombia, Md., August 29.

Former Fugees frontwoman Lauryn Hill performs hits from her classic album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

Gangster rapper Snoop Dogg performs a cut from debut album “Doggystyle” in blue bandana jumper.

diversed crowd at the main stage arena. A glimpse of the multi-d

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Ode to the record When vinyls and contemporary art clash for eccentric aesthetics 12345 1234 123 12

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

TRASH

Fantasia Back To Me J Records out of on the 5 5 black hand side

Attendee of the opening of “The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl” at Nasher Musuem of Art at Duke Univeristy gives an ear to Laurie Anderson’s “Viophonograph.” Courtesy of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

BY DIANE VARNIE ECHO A&E EDITOR

Musically inclined locals showed up on August 25 at the opening of “The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl” at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. “The Record” makes everything a reality, showcasing sound work, sculpture, installation, drawing, painting, photography, video and performance. Trevor Schoonmarker is the curator of the exhibition. “The Record” is Nasher’s first attempt at diving into the culture of vinyl records. The exhibition features 41 artists whose art work has been inspired by vinyl

records. The revolutionary exhibition, which brings together artists from around the world, examines the record’s versatile influence, from the 1960s to the present. It welcomes some established artists who will be exhibiting in a U.S. museum for the first time. The exhibition’s goal is to relate the impact of the vinyl medium on art and popular culture and the ways in which the record has been manipulated, preserved and transformed through art. By that measure the exhibition is clearly a success. “The records were dope,” explained Carlitta Durand, a N.C. Central University alumna and a

musical artist herself. “Art on art … I can dig it,” said Durand. Artists featured included notables such as Taiyo Kimura from Tokyo, Mingering Mike from Washington, D.C., and Tim Lee from Vancouver. It also features local artist David McConnell, who is based in Raleigh. Past the long line of people awaiting access to the showcase, visitors enjoyed themselves with hors d’oeuvres over the funky sounds of the DJ Dave Tompkins and DJ Piotr Orlov. Free-spirited people mingled and filled the Nasher lobby with dance steps laced in eccentric style. A lot of visitors were taken down memory lane

once they discovered the “Cover to Cover” section, filled with random vinyl collections. Visitors were able to physically dig through the collections of records and play them on record player. “It’s just like digging for records, but it’s art at the same time,” said Durand. “The Record” will be on view through February 6 and will include events such as discussions and listening parties. On September 16 there will be speech by artist Xaviera Simmons at 7 p.m. The local indie rock band Superchunk will play a concert afterward. More information is available at www.nasher.duke.edu/ therecord.

Heather Victoria can’t “Slow Down” NCCU senior’s video with David Banner & 9th Wonder premires on BET BY ERICA MCRAE ECHO ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

Over the past years, N.C. Central University has produced students whose talents have been showcased in such shows as BET’s 106th & Park. Recently, NCCU mass communication senior Heather Gavin — better known as Heather Victoria — scored her singing debut in Mississippi native David Banner’s recent music video for the hit single “Slow Down,” produced by former NCCU student and

super producer 9th Wonder. “When I saw the video premiere on television, I felt liberated,” Heather explained. “It was humbling to know that the nation heard my voice for the first time.” When 106 & Park host Terrance J asked 9th Wonder about Heather and he replied, “Oh that’s Heather Victoria,” the songstress’ heart was “enlightened!” “Working with two prestigious men has been nothing less than a blessing,” said Heather.

“I feel that the grind that I’ve been on for the past two years is finally starting to pay off.” “I’ve gotten my toe in the door — not the whole foot yet — but I still have lots of work to do.” Heather Victoria said she has no intention of slowing down any time soon. Her mixtape, “Victoria’s Secret,” drops November 9, the same day as Banner and 9th’s duo album, Death of a Pop Star.

Mike Posner Heather Victoria excels in her first featured music video. DIANE VARNIE/Echo staff photographer

ECHO A&E EDITOR

This week The Independent Weekly will

bring jazzy sounds to the city of Raleigh in the form of Hopscotch. Hopscotch is a local annual music festival which brings national and international bands in the Triangle. Hopscotch is sure to satisfy any type of fan with more than 120 bands and 10 venues from September 9 to

September 11. The festival will encompass rock, hip-hop, country, metal, dance, punk, classical, and folk styles. It also will showcase popular local musicians. This year’s lineup includes main act Public Enemy, one of the most influential rap groups of all

time. Local Grammy-Awardwinning producer, 9th Wonder and his label— It's A Wonderful World —will also perform alongside North Carolina natives Kooley High, The Alpha Theory, Whatever Brains and Dynamite Brothers.

MANDELA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 temporary South African artist who trained Mandela in the use of color and composition. “It has been a phenomenal exhibit, it has been a steady visitorship since it has opened,” said Kenneth Rogers, director of the NCCU Art Museum. “The students are excited and interest. I haven’t seen this in a while,” he said. “I think people are amazed to learn Nelson Mandela made art. This exhibit as been hugely successful for us.” The exhibit also accompanies Mandela’s narratives that explain his experiences at Robben Island. “In the narrative that accompanies the pieces

The Harbour, one of 20 sketches featured in the Nelson Mandela exhibition at NCCU. COURTESY

you can see there is no hint of bitterness,” said Rogers. “Not many people have that level of forgive-

31 Minutes to Takeoff J Records

Big bands leap to Raleigh BY DIANE VARNIE

“Back To Me” is loaded with an ageless flow as Fantasia’s approach to each song sits in a true diva style backed with belly-gutting, raw vocals. A couple of weeks after an unfortunate episode, Season 3’s American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino released her third studio album “Back to me”on August 24. Upon the release of the album, VH1’s documentary series “Behind The Music” revealed the truth about Fantasia’s allegations of an affair and suicide attempt, which premiered the same day as the album release. With her life going from personal to public, it will be easier for listeners to filter her lyrics and listen on a deeper level. The first smash single, ‘Bittersweet,’ gives us a deep heartache ballad tone and sets off the rest of the album. Crossing through, is an old school advance on the soulful piano melodic, “Doin Me,” produced by the “Bittersweet” initiator, Chuck Harmony. The song delivers an audacious testimonial

NCCU ART MUSEUM

ness.” The Mandela exhibit closes September 17. The next art exhibit, Color

Balance, features paintings by modernist artist Felrath Hines. It opens September 19.

out of on the 3 5 black hand side From taking over Duke’s student body to touring all throughout the country and hundreds of fellow college campuses, Mike Posner’s catchy tunes and raspy selections can be found on your local Top 40 station — taking the pop scene by storm. A 22-year-old Duke graduate and Detroit native, Posner released his debut effort "31 Minutes to Take Off," consisting of thirteen tracks tapping into the waves of Electro-pop and R&B. Posner is no stranger to hit songs. He has made guest appearances on G.O.O.D. Music’s Big Sean’s first official mixtape, "Finally Famous," and on the 9th-Wonder-produced Wale mixtape "Back to the Future." After two ear-catching mixtapes — “A Matter of Time" and "One Foot Out The Door” — Posner scored a major record deal

about self-dignity as she reclaims womanhood following a sour relationship. Next is the two stepping, finger snapping “Collard Greens and Cornbread” compilation, which stays true to her passionate desire for the food referred to in the track. The beat’s production flaunts as if influences reigned from Aretha Franklin’s classic, “Lady Love,” LP, and Marvin Gaye, & Tammi Terrell’s “Precious Love.” On the catchy “Man Of The House,” produced by RyKeys and Ne-Yo, Fantasia flips the script and offers to slave with the duties of the man of the house. She also intertwines some reggae melodies on songs such as “Teach Me” and “The Thrill Is Gone” — reminiscent of the sounds of Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley. “Move On Me,”which was originally intended to be the first single, is a nice grove record that has holds an old school likeness. “Back To Me” brings you back to a plate of good, hearty southern cooking. This album was uniquely fashioned and one of the best projects of her short career, naturally giving you her soulful stylings on each track. It’s authentic, zealous, and prevailing. — Belinda Dunn

with J Records. His lead single "Cooler Than Me" quickly climbed the Billboard Hot 100, landing at number six. The album’s concept ties in quite well with the album’s title. Starting with the intro and following track “Please Don’t Go,” the story begins before Posner’s star rose. The album introduces a different side of Posner. For example, “Bow Chicka Wow Wow” exposes his sexual side, expressing his feelings and thoughts toward ladies. Tracks “Gone in September” and “Synthesizer” follow this theme. But although Posner’s vivid album is created in the storytelling tradition, the album’s content is rather repetitive. Tracks such as “Déjà Vu” featuring Boyz II Men and “Do U Wanna?” have the same message. “Delta 1406” and “Falling”— his last two tracks — promote the same message as well — a declaration of his departure. For his debut album, it was a great start. With time and hard work, I believe that Mike Posner can grow as an artist and perfect his craft to become one of the best. — Tahj Giles

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 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

Look for recycle bins for paper, plastic bottles and cans at NCCU.

Sports

Campus Echo WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

DOMINATION!!! NCCU runs over Johnson C. Smith 59-0 in season opener

Senior running back Tim Shankle strolls into the end zone for his 15th career rushing touchdown. NEKA JONES/Echo photo editor

BY AARON SAUNDERS ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

For Eagle fans, students and players, last Thursday could not have gone any better. Due to major power outages throughout campus, classes were cancelled. Many speculated about whether the game was going to take place. Not only did the game go on, but the N.C. Central University Eagles provided all the power, dominating Johnson C. Smith University 59-0. Right from the start, the Eagles

came out and flexed their muscles on the Bulls, scoring touchdowns on the first three drives of the season. “I thought we played real well for the first game of the season,” said Head Coach Mose Rison. “Of course there were some mistakes but I felt like we did a good job.” The Eagle Offense was led by veteran quarterback Keon Williams who threw for 110 yards and 4 touchdowns. “I feel like I am a vet. I have been here almost as long as anyone else,” said Williams. The Eagle run game logged 239

rushing yards on the night, led by senior running back Tim Shankle and Williams who rushed for 86, 62 yards respectively. “We ran the ball very effectively whenever we wanted to,” said Rison. Perhaps the most impressive part of the Eagles game was its staunch defense, which was without star senior defensive tackle Teryl White, but still managed to shut out the JCSU offense. “I feel like the sky’s the limit for this defense. As we improve we can expect more great things,” said senior cornerback Rashad Fox. Fox had an interception and a 55-yard fumble return to the 1-yard line. The closest the Bulls came to the end zone all night was on the NCCU 29-yardline, before an interception and runback for an Eagle touchdown by junior linebacker Roger Stewart halted that drive. The game was not without drama; in the early part of the 4th quarter, a brief scuffle between players from JCSU and NCCU resulted in three players being ejected. That energy must have carried over to the fans because a fight broke out in the stands as well. “As the game got a little more out of hand it got more and more chippy but in the end we have to have more class when teams try to anger us,” Fox said. Rison agreed. “We just have to hope our kids keep their focus on the game.” This was the Eagles’ first opening win since 2006, when they defeated Albany State University 20-0. “To be able to start off the season 10 is a really good feeling,” said Rison. In front of 9,257 fans, on the first Thursday night game in 44 years, the Eagles proved they are officially D-1 ready. “Not to take anything away from Johnson C. Smith, but we wanted to make a statement with a victory to let people know we are D-1,” said Fox. Next week the Eagles face longtime rival Winston-Salem State University at O’Kelly Riddick Stadium. Last year WSSU competed as a MEAC school but went back to Division 2 and is now competing in the CIAA.

Sports agents on the prowl NCCU administrators, athletes get clear on NCAA rules BY TEDDY LAPERRE ECHO SPORTS REPORTER

College athletes may not see the harm in accepting perks or money from agents, but the NCAA does. The penalties for player contact with an agent can be as simple as a one- or twogame suspension, or as severe as loss of eligibility. The player’s university also can lose scholarships and be forced to forfeit wins. NCAA athletes may not have any contact with an agent until their eligibility has been exhausted. An agent caught contacting an athlete can be held accountable and be formally banned from sporting venues. The public is invited to the games, but universities can send out a cease and desist letter to an agent who has tampered with an athlete, banning that agent from any university sports stadium. Some feel that the penalties are too lax for agents and that coming down harder on agents may make them think twice about approaching athletes. “They do what they do because they know they will get a slap on the wrist. They’re willing to bet the athletes’ career that they won’t get caught,” said senior running back Justin Campbell. N.C. Central University has several methods for educating players about NCAA regulations. Every year athletes attend an orientation session with athletic administrators to learn about the guidelines for and consequences of being an athlete. NCCU also has created a professional sports panel designed to steer athletes

who may want to go pro. The panel is comprised of former athletes, alumni and faculty from the law and business schools. Sports agents may seem harmless on the surface. “Someone may give you something just trying to help you out; but you have to understand that you cannot receive anything a non-athlete would not be able to receive,” said Etienne Thomas, associate athletic director . “If someone is handing out free shirts on the corner, then it is okay to accept one,” Thomas said. “If someone only gives you a free shirt because you play a sport, it becomes an improper benefit.” As agents get more involved in college athletics, more athletes are beginning to find themselves in trouble. Already this season, six UNC-CH football players were declared ineligible and six were withheld from playing in Carolina’s opening game against LSU. Violations included improper contact with and allegations that they received benefits from agents. The University of Southern California received four years’ probation, a twoyear bowl ban and a reduction in football scholarships because Reggie Bush received improper benefits. There have also been NCAA investigations at the universities of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina to decide whether athletes have received improper benefits from agents. “Agents give gifts and trips to try and get players to sign with them when they go pro,” said Campbell. “People may think it is rare, but it is more common than people think.”

Williams steps in, steals the day BY

AARON SAUNDERS ECHO SPORTS EDITOR

We have enough weapons on this team that made it very easy to just step in and play well.

KEON WILLIAMS Waking up Thursday morning, senior N.C. Central University quarterback Keon Williams found he had no classes. He also was in the dark about starting in the opening game of the 2010 football season for the Eagles. But he did just that. With everything on the line, Williams answered the bell and led the Eagles to a resounding 59-0 opening game victory over Johnson C. Smith University. “I found out Thursday morning that I was going to be the starting quarterback from one of our captains,

EAGLE QUARTERBACK

Don Laster,” said Williams. Williams split time all week with redshirt freshman quarterback Jordan Reid, bouncing back and forth with the second and third team offense. Starter junior Michael Johnson took reps with the first team all week but was held out of Thursday night’s game for compliance issues. Williams managed the game. While engineering several long drives he carved up the Bulls’ defense as he threw four touchdown passes. “We have enough weapons

on this team that made it very easy to just step in and play well,” Williams added. Head football coach Mose Rison was not surprised at all. “Keon’s been here for awhile and I was impressed with how he came out and drove the team down the field on the first drive of the season,” said Rison. Being thrust into the spotlight is nothing new for the Charlotte native, who played his prep ball at East Mecklenburg. He also has several Eagles

games under his belt, most notably a 2008 28-27 victory over N.C. A&T. In that game, Williams connected on four passes for 77 yards, taking over for former standout NCCU quarterback Stadford Brown after an injury forced Brown out of the game. “I just knew I had to step up,” Williams said. one of the longest tenured players, Williams showcased his ability and made a case for his chance to see more playing time this season. “This game told me a lot about Keon Williams; he really showed up and played well,” said Rison. If nothing else, Williams ensured Eagles fans that they are in good hands at the quarterback position.

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Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

IVER SITY

Mosque mayhem mars us E

veryone old enough to remember can tell you exactly where they were on Sept. 11, 2001. I was living in Greenville, N.C., walking down 10th St. A young man, who lived across from me, ran up to me with a panicked look on his face. I do not recall his name, but I will never forChris get what Hess he said. “Dude … we were just attacked!” he said. I had no idea what he meant. Was someone that lived near us jumped? Was there a shooting? What was he talking about? I ran home, and on every television station the footage was the

same. The first plane hit the towers, shocking and confusing everyone. Moments later, the second plane cut through the World Trade Center. There was no mistaking what was happening. Then I realized what the young man with fear in his eyes meant. Our country was being attacked. The site of the fallen towers, now known as Ground Zero, has a very emotional connection to the residents of New York, particularly the family members of the victims. Now there is a plan to build a mosque and Islamic center in close proximity to Ground Zero. Understandably, there is an outrage over this. Perhaps it would be like putting a Tokyo Express restaurant at Pearl Harbor. That being said, the mosque should absolute-

Attempting to stop someone from practicing their religion, whatever it might be, is a gross violation of the Constitution. In fact, it’s downright hypocritical for our leaders to engage in this behavior. ly be built. America is at war with terrorism. But what is terrorism? Is terrorism simply an Islamic practice? Are all Muslims terrorists? No. Terrorism, as I interpret the meaning, is the use of fear and violence to push an ideal on someone, and right now I see many Americans playing the role of terrorists. Many Republicans are inciting the public by using propaganda to attempt to stop Muslims from practicing where they choose. If I am not mistaken, our Constitution allows

the freedom of religion. Attempting to stop someone from practicing their religion, whatever it might be, is a gross violation of the Constitution. In fact, it’s downright hypocritical for our leaders to engage in this behavior. The hypocrisy does not end there. Opponents of President Obama have called him a socialist, accusing him of taking away our economic freedom. I believe the mosque in question is purchased with private money, adhering to all local and state zoning regulations.

So now it’s okay for Republicans to tell someone how they can or cannot spend their money…as long as they are Muslim. Republicans, if you are out there listening; I urge you to “refudiate” your stance on this issue. Wait, is that a word? I am extremely proud to be an American. As a citizen I am guaranteed the right to write this article without fear of repercussion from the government. I am guaranteed the right to believe in anything I choose. I have the right to practice Christianity, Judaism, and Scientology and even…gasp…Islam! To try to deny this right to any American citizen is nothing short of terrorism, and I’m pretty sure that is what our country is fighting against.

drawing by Rashaun Rucker

Question:

How was your first chicken Wednesday Experience? “I like how hype and exciting it was that day.The chicken was on point and tasted great. Loved it alot. ”

Travel grant woes frustrate

ive-thousand dollars in 24 hours. Perhaps if I gyrated behind Beyoncé or hooked-up with superstar athletes, instead of investing in degrees, I could collect that sum. If my senior citizen parents hadWhitney n’t Wingate financed my undergraduate education, taken care of my siblings and their babies, perhaps my parents could lend me the money. I was screwed. Without that money, I would miss a prestigious opportunity to study in London. Although initially, it was supposed to be free through NCCU travel grants. Why didn’t I receive my funding until 12 days after I returned home from the summer pro-

gram, when I submitted my request a month in advance of the trip itself. It all began with many phone calls and feisty emails, until “they” finally processed my paperwork and approved my funding. Immediately, I updated my Facebook gloating about my awards and trip to 1,000 frenemies. “Yes!” I thought, until I received the email: “We didn’t get the OK on your funding ... can you find another way to pay?” This request to pay $5,000 was less than 24 hours before my flight was to take off. My story ended happily, sort of. My parents scraped enough money to last me until my refund check cleared, and I flew to London on a pre-purchased ticket. Once my refund cleared, I had a blast. Unfortunately, when I returned, the fairy-tale ended. My rent was late, and

It all began with many phone calls and feisty e-mails, until ‘they’ finally processed my paperwork and approved my funding. my parents needed their money back. I was moving, and my old apartment would not approve my move because they thought I was defaulting on my now three week late rent, and my new apartment denied my application on those grounds. I had a huge exam, but could not stop stressing over my financial drama. Before I left, I was advised to submit a reimbursement which should have taken three days to process. I submitted the paperwork the day after I landed, but 11 days later the reimbursement was nowhere to be seen.

Am I to blame for believing “they” would reimburse me in the projected time, or should I have foregone the opportunity to study abroad? I thought that “they” would assist students excelling internationally and nationally, especially with NCCU’s bad press over the past few years. You would think that maybe “their” mistakes were specific to me, but of course not. Three other students in my program were almost denied funding for their summer programs as well. Eagles cannot soar above the rest when encumbered by financial

— John Minott

woes and inept staff. My professors advocated for me, but they should not have had to. I will not degrade my University by conflating the unhelpful minority, “they,” with the larger, empathetic majority. Still, NCCU employs “them,” and “they” threaten to sour other’s experiences like “they” did mine. “They” discourage soon-to-be NCCU alumni from donating. What’s worse is the fact that this scenario could easily have occurred at any HBCU. As HBCU’s, we must demand better. NCCU, I demand better! While some students and employees deign to be here, I’m in debt to be here. I only hope that NCCU will filter these so-called-Eagles from the convocation. Thanks to all true Eagles who’ve encouraged me and advocated on my behalf.

“The chicken was really good,but did not compare to momma’s cooking back home.” —Shekel Merritt

“The atmosphere of Chicken Wednesday was very clever.The way they combined the entertainment and the food. —Josh Saxton

HEY GORGEOUS LET’S GO TO THE CAFE.

LET’S GO!

Menu Whatever you ate yesterday. Don’t ask for seconds.

O HELL!

NCCU I FORGOT MY I.D. IN THE ROOM.

WHY DOES MY ACCOUNT HAVE A FLAG?

FML !!

by Steven Brown

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

O R T H

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E N T R A L

I V E R S I T Y

VOLUME 102, ISSUE 1A 919 530 7116/CAMPUSECHO@NCCU.EDU WWW.CAMPUSECHO.COM

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What we do at the Echo

All about the Echo It’s your student newspaper

... your student newspaper. The paper is run by students. It is free of editorial control by faculty and administration. Student editors are legally responsible for the paper’s content. All students are welcome to work at the Campus Echo. You do not have to be a journalism or mass communication major. Four thousand issues are printed on alternating Wednesdays and distributed to over 30 campus news stands.

Ashley Griffin Editor-IIn-C Chief

very year at NCCU a committed group of young journalist come together with one thing in mind: to produce the best HBCU student news paper in the nation. For the last 10 years, the Campus Echo has been rated one of the best student papers in the nation from organizations like the Black College Communica-tion Association and the Society of Professional Journalist. The Echo is your student newspaper. It’s a place where your voice can be heard. Whether you decide to write an opinion piece or write an article — the Echo is yours. Take advantage of this opportunity. At the Echo we strive for excellence and aim to inform students about what is happening on campus. We are committed to publishing the truth and nothing but the truth. We enjoy working hard at the Echo and hope that you enjoy the paper as much as we enjoy putting it on the news stands. As the 2010-2011 Editorin-Chief, I encourage you to get involved with the the Echo. Feel free to drop by the office and share news story ideas with us. If you want to get involved, we will help you every step of the way. Come by and learn from the pros. Hope to see you soon.

GET INVOLVED Join the staff

The Campus Echo staff finds a moment to ham it up for the camera. BRUCE

DEPYSSLER/Echo

Faculty Adviser

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About 85 percent of the production costs of the Campus Echo are funded by student fees, provided by the Office of Student Affairs. Advertising revenues fund about 15 percent of the newspaper’s operations.

Sometimes you’ve been interviewed by a student writing a story for a reporting class, not the Echo. Also know that the paper doesn’t run every story we look into. Sometimes we are unable to get a balance of sources. Sometimes the story simply won’t fit into the paper. Sometimes the story is not written to industry standards. Sometimes we are holding the story to run in a later issue. And sometimes the story ran on the online edition only.

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Sorry, we are unable to meet your request because it falls under the category of “prior review,” which is considered a form of censorship. We try to train our reporters to call you if they feel they don’t understand a point that you’ve made. It also helps when you give ample time for reporters to write their notes.

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research articles or articles from faculty, but faculty, staff and administrators are invited to submit opinion articles, book reviews and letters to the editor.

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We are not an elite or secret organization. Joining our staff is simple. Just stop by our office and get involved. We’ll help you each step of the way. There are no applications to fill out, and you don’t have to be a journalism or mass communication major. There are many ways to participate — as a campus news reporter, a sports reporter, or an arts and entertainment reporter. You can work in ad sales or as a copy editor, photojournalist or graphic designer.

Send story ideas & tips If you have any ideas or tips for a story let us know. E-mail us or call the editor who best suits your story idea. See below for contact information.

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How the Campus Echo gets made 1. STORY IDEAS Reporting staff and editors canvass the campus, press releases and story tips for story ideas. Reporters meet with editors and the adviser for suggestions about who to interview and what to find out for stories.

READING YOUR ECHO Ever look through a newspaper and wonder why things are arranged the way they are? The Campus Echo has a consistent format that makes your reading experience easier. It is designed so you can always find what you’re hunting for — even though the news is different each week. The Campus Echo begins with top campus news stories and, usually, a lead national story. Then come more campus news pages and news from beyond NCCU. After that you get the color photo feature and the arts page. Classifieds either precede or follow the sports page, and the paper always ends with the opinions pages.

Front page

Campus

Beyond NCCU

Here you find the top campus news stories and the top national or international story. At the top of this page we “tease” you to read stories inside the paper.

Here you find the bulk of our campus news stories and stories that jump from the front page. The campus pages will contain both breaking news and feature stories.

The Beyond page carries the top international, national, state and regional stories. We also jump our top national or international story from the front page to here.

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On the Feature page our photographers strut their stuff. Here you will find a visual approach to news events, issues and everyday campus life.

Our A&E page focuses on campus arts and entertainment. It is also your guide to music and movie reviews and other events in Durham and around the country.

The Sports page is devoted to the coverage of all Eagle sports events throughout the year. Football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf, bowling — you name it.

Here you will find the views and opinions from students and staff. In our editorial we express our editors’ collective take on a current event or issue. Sound Off, the staff box, and contact information are also here.

2. BUDGET AND REPORTING Reporters and editors gather background information and conduct interviews for their stories. The issue “budget” begins to take shape. This is a list of stories scheduled to run in the next issue. Reporters begin writing their news stories.

3. PHOTOGRAPHY Staff photographers review the budget for photography assignments and communicate with editors for ideas to make their photojournalism fit budgeted stories. Also, the photography editor begins planning for the photo feature page.

4. FINAL BUDGET Editors meet in a final budget meeting to decide which stories will run in the paper and where they will appear in the paper. Editors also select which national news stories to run from wire services.

5. EDITING, DESIGN AND PHOTO IMAGING On Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before the paper appears on Wednesday, the editors and designers lay out the pages in QuarkXPress design software. The photography editors process color and black and white images in Photoshop software so the paper will have a professional look. As the pages are designed, the editors and copy editors review the news stories for readability, missing information and inaccuracies.

6. PRODUCTION After designers and editors have laid out the pages they print them out so that copy editors can re-read them to check for Associated Press style, spelling, grammar and usage. The quality of photo images and page design is checked one last time.

7. TO THE PRESS All pages must be completed by 2 a.m. Wednesday. Editors convert their pages into PDF format and transmit them via computer to Raleigh Offset, our printer. The press runs the paper from 4-6 a.m., and by 11 a.m. the paper is distributed to over 30 campus news stands.

All about the Campus Echo Online The online edition of the Campus Echo is where you turn for breaking news, photo galleries, multimedia and many, many other features that can’t be provided in the print edition. When you go to campusecho.com you can find archives of every the old online edition dating from 1999-2009. You can also find PDF archives of print editions from 2003 to the present. And PDf archives of our award-winning special sectons such as “In the First Person,” and “Some of Our Favorite Teachers.” We now have useful sharing tools so you can e-mail, bookmark, tweet and share stories with your friends. There is a classified section were anyone with an @nccu email account can place a free classified each time they log in. You can also find a link to advertising information and the print publication schedule. In the contact/about window you can meet the staff and read about our publication policies. There is also a quick link for sending news tips, story ideas and letters to the editor. Want e-mail notifications when the campusecho.com is updated? That’s there too. There are also quick links to meEOL, Black College Wire, Facebook, and our partner community paper, the Durham Voice. Campusecho.com is hosted College Publisher, a multimedia publishing platform built specifically for the needs of the campus newsroom.

Reporters, photographers, multimedia

Divine Munyengeterwa Multimedia

Advertising When you advertise in the N.C. Central University Campus Echo you are supporting one of the nation’s very best HBCU student newspapers, a winner of more than 150 national awards since 1999. NCCU is one of the 16 constituent member schools of the University of North Carolina. It has some 8,500 students and has been named by UNC as a “targeted growth institution.” The Campus Echo prints 4,000 copies and distributes the paper to 30 campus locations. The average age of parttime and full-time students is 24 years. Seventy-nine percent of the students are African American. The Campus Echo is a broadsheet with a six-column format.

I want to advertise in the Campus Echo. What should I do? It’s simple, but get an early start. First, establish your budget for your Campus Echo advertising and decide when your advertisement will need to run in the paper. Then call us at 919 -5 530-7 7116 and speak to our advertising manager. You should call us at least 10 days before the publication date on which you wish to appear. We can professionally design your ad at no charge. If you decide to design your own ad or have your ad designed by a design firm, be sure to contact us for our specifications and format requirements before you begin. We offer a campus/non-p profit rate. We also offer significant discounts should you place your ad in multiple issues of the Campus Echo. All classified ads are $10 per issue for a 2” x 2” box.

2010-2 2011 Publication Dates FAll 2010 Wed., Sept. 8 Wed. Sept. 22 Wed. Oct. 6 Wed. Oct. 20 Wed., Nov. 3 Wed., Nov. 17 Spring 2011 Wed., Jan. 19 Wed., Feb. 2 Wed., Feb. 16 Wed., Mar. 2 Wed., Mar. 23

Free online classi fieds for students, faculty, staff using their @nccu e-m mail address. Simply go to “Post Classifies” in the clas sified section and create an account.

Typical ad sizes with national/local and campus/non-p profit rates 6 col wide x 21” tall National/local = $756 Campus = $504

3 col wide x 21” tall National/local = $378 Campus = $252

6 col wide x 10.5” tall National/local = $378 Campus = $252

3 col wide x 10.5” tall National/local = $189 Campus = $126

6 col wide x 5” tall National/local = $180 Campus = $96

Left: 2 col wide x 5” tall National/local = $60 Campus = $40

Left: 1 col wide x 5” tall National/local = $30 Campus = $20

Right: 2 col wide x 4” tall National/local = $48 Campus = $32

Right: 2 col wide x 3” tall National/local = $36 Campus = $24

1 Column= 1.812” 2 Column= 3.750” 3 Column= 5.687” 4 Column= 7.625” 5 Column= 9.562 6 Column= 11.5”

Willie Pace Staff Reporter/Photographer

Chris Hess Staff Reporter/Photographer

Tommia Hayes Staff Reporter

Chioke Brown Staff Reporter/Photographer

Alysha Byrd Staff Reporter

Brian Moulton Multimedia

Danita Williams Staff Reporter

Matthew Beatty Staff Reporter

Erica McRae A&E reporter

Jabari Blackmon Staff Reporter