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Interested in how the Lady Spartans plan to turn their season around? See page 5.
Photo credit: Marian Brooks|The Spartan Echo
Instagram does not own your photos
Photo credit: Keith Offutt|The Spartan Echo
Six states prohibit employers from requesting social network passwords
Kevin Systrom, CEO and cofounder of Instagram, stated that Instagram does not own any photos posted by users of the application. Photo credit: www.facebook.com/systrom
C
ontrary to popular belief, Instagram does not own any of your pic-
tions began to surface almost immediately. Some users were not fazed by the thought that their private photos could end up in global advertising efforts. “I wouldn’t feel any type of way because Instagram is on ■ See Instagram photos, p. 2
NSU Counseling Center aids in helping troubled loved ones By Krysta Ricks
Check out the newest addition to NSU’s facelift . See page 7. Photo credit: Norfolk State
University Office of Communications and Marketing |The Spartan Echo
By Krysta Ricks
By Krysta Ricks
tures. Shortly after the creation of the popular photo sharing social network, a video sharing social network, Cinegram, was created. False news clippings and blog posts about the true intentions of the two applica-
Get an idea of what it’s like to live the “green shirt” life. See page 6.
1.22.13
SpartanEcho.org | 700 Park Avenue. Norfolk, Va. 23504
Vol. 60, I ssue 7
When people hear of a mass shooting in the news, they usually wonder what made the killer snap. Knowing what makes a person decide to take the lives of so many innocent
people requires knowledge that can sometimes be acquired easily by friends and loved ones. However, ■ NSU Counseling Center, p. 2
The request for login information by employers raise much controversy. Photo credit: Keith Offutt|The Spartan Echo
Increasing reports from employees of employers demanding the passwords to their Facebook accounts have pushed six states to pass laws prohibiting them from doing so any longer. When Congress did not approve the Password Protection Act of 2012, California, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware could no longer wait for Federal lawmakers to take action. Reports of employers demanding passwords in order to access private information on employees’ Twitters, Facebooks and other social networking sites were made across the nation in 2012. California Assemblywoman Nora Campos favors the ban
on employer social network snooping. “Our social-media accounts
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Obvi o u sl y th ey do n ’t tru st m e i f th ey n eed to ch eck o n m e, especi al l y af ter I’ve al ready been h i red...” -A l ani a Fox x offer views into our personal lives and expose information that would be inappropriate to ■ See Network passwords, p. 2
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Spartan News
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Instagram photos ■ Continued from front page the Internet. Whatever you put on the Internet is public. If you feel so strongly about it, don’t post,” said senior electronic engineering and mathematics double major Kameron George. However, not all users accepted the supposed terms of services with such lax responses. “If I knew they would use my photos, I would delete mine. It’s unethical to use my pictures because I’m using your program. It violates my privacy,” said senior mass communications major Steve Austin. “If they can use my pictures for advertising, I want my cut of the money.”
On December 28, 2012, Facebook shares fell 2.9 percent due to an article that was run by the New York Post. The article claimed that a change in the terms of services at Instagram meant that the founder and owners of the application owned every photo ever shared on the social network. Facebook shares rose again as users learned that the article was untrue. Instagram users shared the incorrect article at lightning speed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Kevin Systrom, CEO and co-founder of Instagram,
released a blog post on the Instagram website clarifying the fact that he and his co-owners did not have any rights to any photos shared on the app. “Instagram users own their content and Instagram does not claim any ownership rights over your photos,” said Systrom. “Nothing about this has changed. We respect that there are creative artists and hobbyists alike that pour their heart into creating beautiful photos, and we respect that your photos are your photos. Period.”
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Network passwords ■ Continued from front page discuss during a job interview due to the inherent risk of creating biases in the minds of employers,” Campos said. The password protection law relieves employees in the states in which it was passed of stress that may be brought on by the fear of being judged based on personal conversations in messages on Facebook and direct messages on Twitter. It is also a matter of trust. Senior biology major Alania Foxx said, “I feel like that is an invasion of privacy. Obviously they don’t trust me if they need to check on me, especially after I’ve already been hired.”
Robert Collins, a corrections officer from Baltimore, was asked for his Facebook password during his job interview. He told the American Civil Liberty’s Union that he was discomfited because his potential employer was sitting right in front of him and reading his personal messages. “It almost seemed that my compliance was compulsory,” said Collins. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least seven other states are considering passing password protection laws of their own in 2013.
NSU Counseling Center ■ Continued from front page they must use careful methods to obtain information on such a touchy subject. Many times authorities find disturbing indications of psychotic behavior in the homes of shooters after they wreak havoc on society, but by then it is too late. Freshman electronics engineering major Tylisia Wallis said, “If I had a friend that planned to do something crazy, I would ask them why they’re doing it. I would let them know that they have other options.” Paying attention to people whose behavior changes suddenly is essential in order to pick up on signs that they need professional help. The signs will not always be as obvious as people talking to themselves or
seeing things that are not there. Other changes include an entirely new wardrobe, becoming more detached from friends and family and becoming obsessed with a particular person, object or idea. Many people struggle with finding effective ways of approaching loved ones who may be going through trying times. NSU’s clinical director at the Counseling Center, Linda Horsey said, “We can’t make anybody do anything. We have to look at the developmental stage. The age and the relationship impact how you talk to that person.” People must possess the skills to address certain situations. If someone is adamant about not needing
help, it is best to respect that unless they become a threat to themselves or others. “You can possibly be overly critical or overly loving. Your objectivity could be clouded,” said Horsey. Some people receive angry responses when urging a loved one to talk to a professional about their problems. “There are other options,” said Horsey. “People don’t have to feel as though they are limited to using the NSU Counseling Center, though we want them to utilize our resources.” Historically, AfricanAmerican people are more comfortable sharing things with their religious leaders. Suggest to a friend to speak to their clergy people if they would rather not visit
NSU Counseling Center, located in room 312 of the Student Services Building, is available to students who feel they need to speak with someone. Photo credit: Keith Offutt|The Spartan Echo.
a psychologist. If you or someone you know needs to speak with a counselor, visit the NSU
Counseling Center in the Student Services Building in room 312 or call 8238173.
SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu
1.22.13
Spartan Opinion
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Changes to full-time student requirements make it harder to be involved on campus By Keith Offutt In my thr ee y ea rs a t N o rfolk State, I ha ve enc o u n ter ed many fina nc ia l o b st acles that I thought c o u l d be s omew h at le ss e n e d by becomin g a re sid e n t a s s is tant. W h e n the university c h a n ged the f ull time stud e n t r equir ed course load t o 1 5 hour s in 2011, three c re d i ts m or e than it was w h e n I f ir s t enrolled a t N S U , paying f or school g o t m uch m or e diffic ult.
R A c andida t es m u s t b e full-time stud en t s i n o rde r to be con s i d ered fo r the position. If s el ect ed , the housing d ep art m en t issues a waiv er fo r R As whic h wa ives t h e co s t o f room a nd boa rd . If a stude n t recei v es the R A positi o n b u t o n l y ha s 12 c re dit s , h e o r s h e is re quired t o t ak e ad d itional course s i n o rd er t o ke ep the waiv er. In o t h er words, if we d o n o t m eet
t h e 1 5 -h o u r cri t eri a, we ei t h er p ay t h e d i fferen ce o r l o s e o u r p o s i t i o n s . As an o u t -o f-s t at e s t u d en t , i t i s h ard t o p ay t h e d i fferen ce, es p eci al l y wh en i t ex ceed s $ 2 , 0 0 0 . At t h e s t art o f t h e s ch o o l y ear, we o n l y g et a fo u r-d ay p eri o d b et ween t h e fi rs t d ay o f cl as s an d d ereg i s t rat i o n d ay. I u n d ers t an d t h at t h e u n i v ers i t y m u s t m o v e q u i ck l y t o m eet t h ei r fi-
n an c i a l o b l i g a t i o n s . I n o rd er t o w e e d o u t t h o s e t h at d o n o t o p e r a t e i n a t i me l y m a n n e r, N S U q u i ck l y r e m o v e s t h e m fro m t h e s y s t e m i f t h e r e i s an u n p a i d b a l a n c e . The ironic part is that I ap p l i e d f o r t h e R A p o s ition so that I would have l es s o f a f i n a n c i a l b u rd en . T h e n e w 1 5 - c r e d i t req u ir e m e n t a d d e d t o t h a t b u rd e n m a k i n g m y p o s ition as an RA a seemingly
futile attempt to reduce the cost of my higher education. I would hate to have to g i v e u p a p o s i t i o n t h a t a llows me to interact with so many great students on a daily basis, but my ultimate goal is getting a degree. If that means dropping what I love to do for what I have to do, so be it.
Spartan Q&A: How do you feel about the recent changes to NSU’s campus? Student Survey by The Spartan Echo Staff All photos by Ke ith Off utt, The Spa r ta n E c h o
"I feel as though many of the new things happening on campus are very helpful."
"I think they (administration) have done a good job. Yeah, the resources help."
"Many of the new things are good that have happened. I think they can continue to do better."
"Many of the changes have helped me academically and I find [them] to be pretty good."
"I, being someone who does not stay on campus, find many of the new changes good. However, I still think there is more that can be done."
Jeremiah Snow Freshman
RaShad Winston Freshman
Justice Edward Freshman
Chris Rorie Junior
Keevin Hood Junior
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Spartan Sports
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Newcomers impact women’s track and field B y M arian B rooks The women’s indoor track team competed in its first meet at Christopher Newport University Open Holiday Meet on Saturday, December 12, 2012. The team is young with only three seniors to lead the 13 newcomers and show them the tradition of winning. Redshirt senior Jamia Hutto earned two top 10 finishes at the 2011-2012 MEAC Indoor Championship. She also earned MEAC honors throughout her career as a cross country runner. Senior Kellen Rutto earned fifth place at the MEAC Indoor Championship in the 5,000 meters with a time of 19:14.73. She also earned All-MEAC
honors three years in a row for her exceptional running during the cross country season. Sophomore Tiara Davis achieved her PR in the pole vault clearing 10 feet, 6 inches to earn a sixth-place finish. “It felt good to tie my PR from last season. The last time I jumped my PR was in the beginning of last year,” said Davis. This off-season was challenging for Davis because she went back to the drawing board shortly after conference competition to examine her deficiencies. “As a result my workouts were divided up into my weakness and strengths,” said Davis. “I
spent more time on my weaknesses than my strengths.” Sophomore Brittney McCants won her heat and finished fourth overall in the 200 meters at 25.76 seconds. “It feels great after sitting out a year and coming back to be apart of a talented and encouraging team that does nothing but push me to do better,” said McCants. A fourth place finish offers up room for growth and improvement which are both very attainable. McCants identified what helps her move up in placements. “The first thing I do is pray before I run and after that I just
Sophomore Tiara Davis achieved her PR in the pole vault clearing 10 feet, 6 inches to earn a sixth-place finish. Photo credit: www.nsuspartans.com.
run through everything that I know,” said McCants. “The most important thing of all is my start. If I push out harder in my blocks I will definitely place higher. ” Sophomore Kaydianne McKenzie set an indoor PR in winning the triple jump with 38
feet, 4 inches. Freshman Kiara Howell won the shot put with a throw of 46-1.50. Newcomer Tori Lewis-Johnson who finished at 2:24.71. The Spartans will have four more meets before heading off the MEAC Indoor Championships.
Gaston, Majette talk freshmen adjustments By Marian Brooks
Majette (right), Gaston (left) are freshman basketball players who clain to have made a smooth transition into college. Photo credit www.nsuspartans.com.
Freshman men’s basketball forward Rashid Gaston and freshman women’s basketball forward Tamara Majette are the only freshman recruits on their re-
spective teams. Gaston has been compared to former NSU center, Kyle O’Quinn. “I hear that, but I try not to pay attention to it. Kyle was a great player and a good role model, but I want to write my own history here and be my own player. Gaston is the fourth leading scorer averaging 8.3 points and the leading rebounder averaging 6.7 rebounds a game in 23 minutes of play. Gaston is second in field goal percentage, shooting 53 percent, converting on over half of the total shots he takes. Gaston’s offense is de-
veloping at a rapid pace and he has already scored in double figures in six games. He recorded his first double-double three games into the season against Longwood University with 10 points and 11 rebounds. In addition, he has already been named MEAC Rookie of the Week twice. Gaston is adapting at a good pace by using the team’s experience to his advantage. “They all won a ring last year and know what it takes to win again,” said Gaston. According to her bio on nsuspartans.com, Tamara Majette averaged a dou-
ble-double as a senior in high school with16 points per game, 12 rebounds and added 5 assists. She also earned First-Team AllDistrict honors. “It feels bad when I make a mistake, but I realized everybody makes mistakes and no one is perfect,” said Majette. “The way I bounce back when things don’t go my way is just to work harder and push myself.” Majette is averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds in 11 minutes of play. Majette brings a burst of athleticism to the post position and her athletic ability will allow her to be efficient on both offense
and defense. She is able to step out and she compliments the more traditional post players on the team. Gaston and Majette agree that staying focused has been challenging at times. Both pointed out that the most important part of adjusting is time management. Judging by their past performances, both Gaston and Majette’s future at NSU look promising. The two are continually sharpening their skills and hoping to prove during the rest of the season that they are both worthy recruits.
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Spartan Sports
1.22.13
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Lady Spartans look to break losing streak for good By Marian Brooks The NSU women’s basketball team was on an eight game losing streak before beating Chowan on Friday, December 19, 2012. The win was a breath of fresh air, but they went on to take three losses shortly after. The Lady Spartans took two devastating losses early in the season to conference opponents Savannah State and South Carolina State University, but they are now looking to turn over a new leaf in 2013 and secure some conference wins. Sophomore forward Quineshia Leonard expressed her discontent about the losing streak. “It’s so disappointing because
I know that we are a much better team than what we show when we are playing,” said Leonard. Sophomore guard Ebony Brown is recovering from an injury. “I set aside my own injuries and try my best to push through for them team,” said Brown. Brown is the third leading scorer with 8.3 points and 3 rebounds. She scored career high 26 points against Radford. Junior guard Aivah Parham is a junior college transfer from Monroe Community College, where she won two National Junior College Athletic Association titles.
“I bring a positive and winning attitude to the team,” said The Lady Spartans have had a trying season and plan to use Parham. dedication and practice to change that. Photo credit: Marian She likes to play in a run- Brooks|The Spartan Echo. ning game, which is the playing style the coaching staff has utes the consistency and lack of missing a big piece of our moved towards. intensity to the issue of being team.” Parham is currently the fourth mentally prepared. Like Brown, Parham is enleading scorer averaging 7.3 “Lately I think we lose focus couraged by being in good points and 3.5 rebounds. and get down on ourselves,” spirits. Each of the girls has different said Leonard. “It is very important for us to views on the season and soluJunior guard Rae Corbo is out step it up in conference play tions to help turn it around. for the season with a knee in- because nobody expects us to “We don’t keep the intensity jury which she suffered during do much of anything this seaup as long as should, but the the second game of the season. son,” said Parham, “We know coaches have made practice Corbo was a former All-Rookie we are capable of winning and that is what we plan to do in the more competitive and push us team member. to give more every time were “Rae was such an offensive upcoming conference play.” and defensive impact on the on the court,” said Gordon. Leonard agreed and contrib- team,” said Gordon,”We are
Spartans look to shake off sluggish start in quest for MEAC title By Leonard Fairley After the best season in school history, the NSU men’s basketball team has had a difficult road so far in their 2012-13 campaign. The 7-10 Spartans have really tested themselves in the nonconference part of their schedule and played all but three games on the road. The nonconference schedule included road matchups against four teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year and two teams ranked in the AP top 25. “When scheduling non-conference opponents you may
play one season at home then return the favor to them by playing them at their place the next season,” said assistant coach, Robert Jones. After losing their two top scorers from last season, finding an offensive identity has been tough. As a team, they average 65.5 points per game while shooting 41 percent from the field, which ranks in the lower half in the nation. These struggles have been more prevalent on the road because at home they average 80.6 points per game, shooting 55 percent from
the field and hitting 9 threes in two of the contests. The scoring has been more evenly distributed this season and is paced by junior guard, Pendarvis Williams, who recently healed from a sprained MCL, at 12.6 points per game. Following Williams are junior guard Malcolm Hawkins (12.1ppg.) and senior forward Rob Johnson (9.9ppg.). Freshman forward, Rashid Gaston (8.1ppg.) is shooting 55 percent from the field which ranks 5th in the MEAC. He was named MEAC Rookie of the
Week after double digit performances against Illinois and North Carolina State. Jamel Fuentes, a catalyst for the offense, leads the conference with 5.9 assists per game and has had two double digit assist games. “Although we have to set better screens and cut harder on offense, we just have not been hot yet shooting-wise,” said Hawkins. Playing more home games in the second half of the season will be a big relief for the players. “I am really looking forward to
more home games and conference play,” said Fuentes. “I am definitely looking forward to some love at home after being on the road for so long.” Last season’s success included two eight-game winning streaks and solid conference play. If the Spartans continue to correct and compensate for their weaknesses, they will remain atop the MEAC standings (they are 2-0 in conference) and achieve their ultimate goal of becoming repeat MEAC champions and earning another bid in the NCAA tournament.
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Lifestyle
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Two new student organizations join NSU By Jasmine Battle
Myesha Martin has been an RA at NSU for three years. One RA duty includes checking in residents at the beginning of the year. Photo credit: Keith Offutt|The Spartan Echo.
Spartan RAs give an inside look at living the “green shirt” life By Jasmine Battle
The life of NSU resident assistants includes early mornings, late nights, and tedious paperwork. Some argue that being an RA is hard on the residents because it means having someone constantly watching them. Others say it is harder on the RAs because they are responsible for numerous students daily. Like other universities, NSU’s campus housing provides a resident assistant on each floor of the dorms to monitor what the residents are doing and to control the amount of activity that goes on throughout the hall. Many RAs agree that Babbette Smith North and South, also known as the Towers, can be quite difficult considering the fact that it is the freshman dorm. Senior Erin Hye has worked as an RA for
eight semesters in the various resident halls on campus. “I think [working at] the Towers was the most challenging experience. All the problems you can think of will happen,” said Hye. Students who choose to take on the challenging position must keep in mind that they are held to the same standards as every other student on campus in addition to their roles as campus leaders. Finding a balance can become very difficult to manage. “One inconvenience that comes along with being an RA is trying to balance school work with my hours,” said Danielle Taylor, a senior RA in Samuel Scott Hall, the coed dorm. “You have to deal with people from all walks of life. I have been called rude. I had
to apologize and consider that person’s feelings,” said Taylor. RAs’ job requirements are also very demanding. Many times they have to miss campus events like interest meetings, parties and forums to work at their desk. They must also create their own programs in their specific dorms. Though it may seem tiresome and tedious, there are some RAs who really enjoy the bright side. Myesha Martin, a three-year RA who works in Midrise Hall, believes that being an RA is quite easy if you have good time management. Martin said, “Sometimes you won’t get to go to everything you want, but if you make time for what you like to do, it’s worth it in the end.”
M an y N S U s t u d e n t s know about the band, ch eer s q u a d a n d a t h l e t i c t eams t h a t h e l p m a k e the university what it i s t o d a y. S e v e r a l o f t h e o rg an i z a t i o n s t h a t a r e not as well-known are fi g h t i n g t o b e h e a r d a n d t o cr e a t e a n a t m o s p h e r e t h at w e l c o m e s a l l k i n d s of students. On e o f t h e n e w e s t ad d i t i o n s t o t h e N S U student o rg a n i z a t i o n fam i ly i s t h e u n i o n o f the Christian Student F el l o w s h i p o rg a n i z a t i o n an d t h e A l p h a N u O m e g a s o ro r i t y. Christian Student F el l o w s h i p j o i n e d w i t h t h e so r o r i t y i n t h e f a l l o f 2012 to help them gain m o re i n t e r e s t f r o m t h e students on campus. “Ou r o rg a n i z a t i o n h a s b een a r o u n d f o r q u i t e some time. There has al way s b e e n a g r o u p cal l ed C S F, ” s a i d M y l i r a C h i l ds , the president of Christian Student F el l o w s h i p . M an y students b y p as s e d C S F b e c a u s e o f i t s po p u l a r i t y c o m p a r e d t o G r e e k o rg a n i z a t i o n s . Combining with Alpha Nu O m e g a b r o u g h t n e w faces a n d m o r e i n t e r e s t t o t he o rg a n i z a t i o n . “I b e l i e v e i n t r i a l a n d erro r t o b r i n g s t u d e n t s little by little to come out and support,” said C h i l ds .
A l o n g w i t h C S F, t h e president of the African Student Association, Kyna Uwaeme, plans to branch out in the spring of 2013 with events to bring t o g e t h e r t h e d i ff e r e n t African cultures shared by some students around campus. “I wanted to start this o rg a n i z a t i o n a t N o r f o l k State because we need more diversity and I wanted to bring culture awareness not only to Africans but to other students as well,” said Uwaeme. S t u d e n t o rg a n i z a t i o n s are moving forward as creative minds continue to come up with ideas to bring the NSU family c l o s e r. Students who want to start out on a good note and believe in strong support systems are strongly encouraged to join the groups with various interests on campus.
“...we need more diversity and I wanted to bring culture awareness...” -Kyna Uwaeme
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1.22.13
Lifestyle
Psychology professor Dr. Kannarkat retires, over 35 years of teaching By Jasmine Battle NSU’s Dr. Joy Kannarkat retired in the fall of 2012 after serving over 35 years in the psychology department. Dr. Kannarkat believes that Norfolk State University’s psychology department has done very well over the years despite having few resources. He sees a broad range of opportunities for the psychology department in the future. “We did our work because we knew what little resources we had,” said Kannarkat.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kerala in Kerala, India, Dr. Kannarkat obtained his license in clinical psychology with a special interest in clinical child psychology. Dr. Kannarkat believes the most fulfilling part of his long career is seeing his students move on to the next level of education. He has seen many of his students prosper over the years after earning their master’s degrees and becoming psy-
chologists. “Our program produced the first doctoral student to graduate from Norfolk State. It was one of the first in history,” said Kannarkat. Dr. Kannarkat plans to enjoy retirement by practicing privately around the Virginia Beach area. He also plans to do a little traveling. Alongside Dr. Kannarkat, within the same fall 2012 semester, Dr. Delanyard Robinson also retired after serving over 28 years
at NSU. He graduated with several degrees from Rutgers University and earned his bachelor’s degree from the Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University. These two professors worked side-by-side on a team full of staff members with the same passion: the academic progression of their students. “I believe [the college of] liberal arts is the heart and soul of higher education,” said Kannarkat.
Staff and alumni celebrate new nursing building at groundbreaking ceremony By Jasmine Battle On Dec. 6, 2013, many NSU staff and alumni came out to gather around the building site at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Nursing and Allied Health classroom building. Current NSU students and local members of the community came out as well to support the newest project to continue the facelift at NSU. President Tony Atwater and members from the state senate spoke at the ceremony. The cold, damp day was a time for celebration as a project that many had been waiting so long for was finally underway. A small portion of the Spartan Legion opened up the ceremony as the alumni, staff and students watched those with shovels and hard hats begin to dig. The state-of-the-art facility will be 140,286 square feet and will include classrooms, computer labs, faculty lounges and a café. The addition to NSU’s
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editors Krysta Ricks Editor-inChief
Brittany Elmore Online/ Managing Editor
Jasmine Battle Lifestyle Editor
Marian JonesBrooks Sports Editor
Keith Offutt Multimedia Editor
Tony Batchler Jr. Entertainment Editor
President Tony Atwater smiles while anticipating the construction of the Nursing and Allied Health building. Photo credit: Norfolk State University Office of Communications and Marketing.
campus, which now has over 40 buildings, drew attention from alumni across the country. “I had one alumni come from as far as Washington, D.C. A 1959 graduate drove by herself to ensure that she would be there for the groundbreaking,” said Dr. Bennie Marshall, the
department head of Nursing and Allied Health. The groundbreaking ceremony marked a new steppingstone not only for NSU faculty and staff but also for the students. “It was an excellent turnout. An extremely large number of
nursing students came out in appreciation of the fact that we will be getting a new building,” said Marshall. Construction on the Nursing and Allied Health classroom building is expected to be complete in 2014.
DeVanique Riley Graphic Design/ Layout Editor
Interested in writing for the Spartan Echo? Join our team! Meetings are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30 in NSC 344.
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Spartan Entertainment
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SPARTAN WATCH Django Unchained
By Tony Batchler, Jr. Django Unchained is one of the most talked about movies of 2012. The Quentin Tarantino directed film is star-studded with actors such as Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kerry Washington. Not all of the talk surrounding the film seems to be positive. Do the Right Thing director Spike Lee told VibeTV, “All I’m going to say is that it’s disrespectful to my ancestors to see that film. That’s the only thing I’m going to say.” The controversial Western film about a slave-turned-bounty- hunter (Foxx) on a quest to save his wife (Washington) from a wild Mississippi plantation owner (DiCaprio) has a good combination of comedic relief as well as action and gore. Tarantino film buffs were surely pleased with his gory depiction of old-fashioned shoot-outs. Despite some negative criticism, the five-time Golden Globe nominee seems to be continually growing in popularity. As of January 6, 2013, its total earnings were over $100 million. It seems the saying “any publicity is good publicity” holds true for Quentin Tarantino.
“Kimye” expect to deliver in summer 2013. Photo credit: www. facebook. com/ KanyeWest.
“What’s Good” on
“Kimye” announces in 2013 baby news, social By Tony Batchler, Jr. networks explode By Tony Batchler, Jr. Kanye West announced in Atlantic City, N.J., on New Year’s Eve that he and his girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, were expecting their first child. ‘Ye announced the baby news at a concert and the crowd went wild. Upon hearing the news, the internet exploded. Almost instantly, the hashtag #Kimye began to trend on Twitter. There were normal congratulatory tweets, but there was a notable amount of negative responses as well. Many tweets referred to events that happened in Kim’s past. Users posted and retweeted pictures and videos of Kim’s famous “home video” and mentioned her 72-day marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries, a union that is still legally recognized. Kim and ‘Ye have both made unquestionably bad decisions in the past that most likely parallel those of normal people but are magnified because of their status. They will always be scrutinized for their actions as long as they are in the public eye. Pregnancy should be a happy time in a couple’s life and the last thing these two need is the increasingly negative cloud that seems to hover constantly over celebrities.
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Graphic by Roland Drew, Deputy Graphic Design/Layout Editor | The Spartan Echo. BET graphic courtesy of www.facebook.com/BET.
Echo Review By Donte’ Hayden One of the brightest stars to enter the rap game, A$AP Rocky, released his debut album “LongLiveA$AP” on January 15, 2013. Rocky has perfected the art of shouting out his hometown on nearly every track he has produced. A minute into any verse he spits, you will know he is from New York. A$AP put out two singles, “Goldie” and “F---ing Problem,” and amazed fans everywhere. The album features Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, Drake, Big K.R.I.T. and Yelawolf among others. His 2011 mixtape, titled “LongLiveA$AP” as well, has fans waiting for the unpredictable flow that Rocky spits over beats that match his lyrics perfectly. It is obvious that this is an album for now, but will Mr. “I Rep New York’s” awesomely weird delivery prove to be a timeless classic?
R&B songstress Ashanti has been absent from the radio waves for quite some time, but she’s back with her latest project, “Braveheart.” Produced by her own record label, Written Entertainment, “Braveheart” is her fifth Ashanti is back with “Bravehart” set to debut on Feb. 26. Photo credit: studio album. Some singles such as “No One facebook.com/ashantithisisme. Greater,” featuring Meek Mill, and “That’s What We Do,” featuring R. Kelly, have received less-than-gratifying reviews from fans and music critics alike. If the next single and the rest of the album’s promotional efforts are not handled with the utmost thought, Ashanti could deliver yet another flop, something that would most likely crush the songbird’s loyal fan base. “Braveheart” is set to be released on Feb. 26, 2013. After a wildly successful mixtape fans are anxious for A$AP Rocky’s first mainstream album. Photo credit: facebook.com/asaprocky.
Tarantino’s Django received a 2013 Oscar bid. Photo credit: www.facebook.com/unchainedmovie.
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