Technician
thursday january
14 2010
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Civil rights attorney speaks on MLK Professor Lani Guinier speaks on the need to continue discussing race relations Jessica Neville Science & Tech Editor
The 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. campus commemoration was held in Stewart Theatre yesterday to celebrate the life and accomplishments of the legendary civil rights activist. Harvard Law School professor and civil rights attorney Lani Guinier presented the keynote speech entitled “Lift Every Voice.” Toni Thorpe, program coordinator for the African American Cultural Center, said Guinier was chosen by the AACC after considering feedback from faculty, students, and staff. “Professor Guinier is a phenomenal critical thinker who lives her life for the same reasons King spoke and lived for,” Thorpe said. “She is a wonderful example for our students of a strong woman who went through a difficult time and came through still working for what she believes in.” Guiner was the first tenured black woman professor at Harvard Law School and has earned numerous awards for her teaching and civil rights efforts. She was brought to the public’s attention in 1993 when she was nominated by President Bill Clinton to head the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Negative media attention led to her name being withdrawn without a confirmation hearing. Naomi Hall-Campbell, a graduate student in psychology, said she came to the commemoration because she believes it is important to participate in campus activities and remember the work of King. “I also came to hear Professor Guinier speak, because I have heard some of her work before,” Hall-Campbell said. “She is an exceptional scholar.” Chancellor James Woodward welcomed the guests of the commemoration by shar-
Tim O’Brien/Technician
Attorney Lani Guinier addresses modern day civil rights struggles for the Martin Luther King campus commemoration at Stewart Theatre Wednesday. “We need to spend more time finding out what’s happening in our criminal justice system,” Guinier said.
“Civil rights is not only for people of coling his experiences of growing up in a segregated America and how King’s “I Have a or,” Guinier said. “Challenges that people of color face are often diagnostic of more sysDream” speech impacted his life. “He changed your life and my life,” Wood- temic problems that confront our country. ward said. “My children and grandchildren If we understand what is happening to those people, we understand are growing up in a better what is happening to all society because of the work people in our nation.” of King.” Guinier went on to obShiona Caldwell, a juserve that from 1975 to nior in political science, 2000, the number of peorepresented the African ple in jail has increased American Heritage Society from 380,000 to over 2 with her rendition of “Lift million. She said minoriEvery Voice and Sing” and ties make up the majority Provost Warwick Arden inof inmates and asserted troduced Attorney Guinier. that the next step for civil Guinier began her speech rights activists should be by recognizing the election Chancellor James Woodward to confront this issue. of Barack Obama as an “We are over-punishing “emancipatory moment” for African-Americans in American soci- and over-criminalizing rather than treating ety. She said in the aftermath of the election, the source of the problem,” Guinier said. however, post-racialism had caused Ameri- “We do have to deal with this problem becans to close down conversations about race. cause it costs so much money to keep people
“My children and grandchildren are growing up in a better society because of the work of Dr. King.”
Big announcement about senior gift planned today The Class of 2010 kicks off fundraiser for their senior gift with Bell Tower event
class cast its ballots for class gift nominations. The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $35,000 from the senior class to pay for the bell, which will be the first of what will be a 54-bell carillon set in Nick Tran the Bell Tower. The fundraiser proDeputy News Editor vides recognition to contributors: Today at 4:00 p.m. the Class of 2010 those donating $20.10 will be noted will be at the Bell Tower to begin pur- in the yearbook and be on record as suing its class gift, the first physical having contributed and those donating $210 will have their names chiseled bell for the Bell Tower. Chancellor James Woodward and on the bell. Dawkins said the Class of 2010 has Senior Class President Jay Dawkins will address attendees and the Bell taken it upon itself to take one of the Tower will be made available to the larger bells first, some of which can public to tour for the duration of the cost up to $50,000. “We have to leave event. a legacy while we’re “This event is the still here,” he said. senior class kicking “Class of 2010 is off the fundraiser giving back to N.C. for the senior gift,” State. As alumni we Dawkins said. “We must support the will be announcing alma mater.” significant develop The senior class’ ments beneficial to bell, along with subthe Bell Tower projsequent bells which ect and will open can be purchased by the Tower after our Senior Class President classes or individual remarks.” Jay Dawkins sponsors, will not be Ac c ord i ng to installed until all 54 Dawkins, the last class to make any significant contri- are in the University’s possession. Unbution to the Bell Tower was the Class til then they will be displayed someof 1949 and this gift is an effort to pick where on campus. This point and the gift as a whole, up where it left off. “Our gift is to contribute the first however, have drawn some disagreebell to the Finish the Bell Tower proj- ment from the student body. Deonna Taylor, a senior in biological ect,” Dawkins said. “We’ve seen a ton of support from the student body for life science, said the bell was not really necessary, especially as a gift, given it this project.” Completing the Bell Tower received would be only one of the eventual 54. “They could have come up with 61 percent of the vote when the senior
“Our gift is to contribute the first bell to the Finish the Bell Tower project.”
WHAT CAN I GET FROM THE FUNDRAISER? •
• • •
Attend the Bell Tower event for a free Class of 2010 koozie; the first 100 attendees will receive a parting gift Make a donation for a Class of 2010 shirt Donate $20.10 for recognition in the yearbook Donate $210 to have your name chiseled onto the bell Source: jAY DAWKINS
Design students now have convenient dining option University Dining has opened up another location on North Campus as the College of Design now has a C-Store in Kamphoefner Hall. The eighth and most recently opened C-Store is located between the visitor’s gate and Syme Residence Hall. There is cafe seating inside, but C-Store Manager Denise Fields expects to add outdoor seating in the courtyard this spring, according to a press release. The store is only open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Source: University dining
What improvements would you like to see in campus dining in the future? by erica heller
something more substantial,” she said. “I suppose it’s a symbolic thing but as Class of 2010 I don’t think I’m leaving a legacy by buying bells.” Taylor said she recalls not voting for the Bell Tower and thinking there were better ideas for a class gift. “I would rather spend the money on a better cause,” Taylor said. “Putting the money towards helping people would have been more significant.” Kevin Conyers, a senior in industrial engineering, said he liked the idea because the Bell Tower essentially represents the University, citing assorted paraphernalia bearing the Bell Tower’s image. “[The fundraiser] is going to be a great idea because we need money for this kind of stuff. At least they don’t get us with fees for the bell,” he said. “But as the class gift, if it’s going to be up in the Bell Tower no one will ever see it.”
Save 25% on cost of your textbooks by buying used books at:
NC State Bookstores "The Official Store for NC State Textbooks."
in prison. That is money that could be spent on education and preventative measures.” At the end of her speech, Guinier addressed the audience with the assertion that “we are still collectively responsible to realize King’s speech.” President of the UAB Black Student’s Board Danielle Thomas said she was very pleased with Professor Guiner’s speech. “It wasn’t the traditional MLK speech,” Thomas, a junior in applied psychology, said. “She held the audience’s attention because she addressed real issues. I hope students take from this speech the realization that there are still underlying issues we need to discuss about race.” Michele Price, a freshman in mathematics, said the speech made her think about race issues in a new way. “I really liked her comparison of race to passive smoke, because that really helped me picture what she was saying,” Price said. “It made me realize that people can be subconsciously discriminatory, even if they don’t mean to be.” In a private interview, Guinier said she enjoys speaking to college students because they are the next generation of leaders, public servants, and possibly even social movement activists. “I hope students take from my speech a commitment to make discussions of race an on-going part of their campus,” Guinier said. “Students need to address concrete issues and create an environment where people can learn about race relations and not feel that they will be judged.” The commemoration was sponsored by the African American Cultural Center, the UAB Black Students Board, the African American Heritage Society and the University Eta Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The members of these groups thanked Guinier for her presence by presenting her with a hand-carved WestAfrican bird.
“More take-out boxes.” Sam Smith freshman, biochemistry
insidetechnician
“Making the dining halls larger so that they can fit more people.” Jack Rivera junior, biology
Sophomore star leads Pack See page 8.
viewpoint arts & entertainment classifieds sports
SPECIAL BACK TO SCHOOL HOURS: Thursday - January 14 - 8am to 8pm Friday - January 15 - 8am to 6pm Saturday - January 16 - 9am to 6pm Sunday - January 17 - Closed Monday - January 18 - Closed
4 5 7 8