61.8 Spartan Echo

02.14.14

Vol. 61, I ssue 8

Top

Stories Inside

Protesters are shown during a rally for the opponents for gay marriage at the Utah State Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, in Salt Lake City. Same-sex marriages continued in Utah until early January, when the U.S. Supreme Court granted Utah's request for an emergency halt to the weddings. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer).

See Virginia Attorney General Herring won’t defend gay marriage ban, page 3.

During the Civil War 10 percent of the Union Army was made up of black men. Black women served as nurses, scouts and spies, like Harriet Tubman. Frederick Douglas famously advocated for blacks in the Union Army, saving “you would find no soldier more loyal.” (Public domain photos from the NAACP).

February:

the month dedicated to the celebration of black history

By Danielle Kirsh

Joseph G. Echols Hall and William “Dick” Price stadium named after pioneers NSU of athletics.

See Echols & Price instrumental in shaping NSU athletics, page 4.

B

lack History Month was established to recognize the role of African Americans in United States History, but it first started off as a week of celebration and remembrance.

Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard graduate and historian and Rev. Jesse E. Moorland

founded the Association ident Abraham Lincoln and for the Study of Negro Life abolitionist Fredrick Dougand History (ASNLH). Its lass. intentions were to promote Woodson died in 1950, but the achievements of black Negro History Week conAmericans and other people tinued, mainly because it of African descent. was adopted by many cities In 1926, the duo sponsored a national Negro History See Celebration of Black History, Week, coordinating it with page 3 the birthdays of former pres-

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

Spartan News

2

Local businesses and city council members

A ca d em ic

02.14.14

af fairs

consider name change plans new budget to

in Hampton Roads help increase retention

By Kallie Gould

When many Norfolk State University students were still in elementary school, the “seven cities” region was commonly referred to as “Tidewater.” Many businesses and companies still exist with “Tidewater” in their name, even ones as large as Tidewater Community College.

In 1983, the U.S. Postal Service changed the area’s postmark from “Tidewater” to “Hampton Roads.”

Now, local business owners and some Virginia Beach city council members feel the name no longer fits, and the Hampton Roads Tourism Alliance is one step ahead of the game, re-branding themselves as the Coastal Virginia Tourism Alliance.

“Coastal Virginia” is the new name popping up on what was formerly known as Hampton Roads Magazine.

Editor-in-Chief of Hampton Roads Magazine Randy Thompson told WAVY-TV 10, “We’re a lifestyle magazine, and the name ‘Hampton

Roads’ just doesn’t bring to mind really any connotations that are lifestyle related.”

Virginia Beach City Councilwoman and NSU Music Department faculty and service-learning coordinator Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond said, “I believe [the name change] would be worth entertaining because it would give the region more visibility and positively impact our tourism businesses. Many people do not know where Hampton Roads is located, or understand its name origin.”

The name “Hampton” originates from colonial times after a founder of the Virginia Company of London. The word “Roads” refers to the safety of port in a body of water.

Junior Joseph Toombs said, “Change is good, but an original name carries so much history.” Originally from Atlanta, Toombs said that the name “Coastal Virginia” makes it sound like “a fake, coastal Carolina.”

Former Hampton Roads Magazine changed their name to Coastal Virginia Magazine after city council discusses potential benefits of rebranding the seven cities area. photo from www.coastalvirginiamag.com/index.php/archive-index/.

By Danielle Kirsh

Academic affairs is one of the biggest consumers of Norfolk State University’s budget, taking up about $46 million of it, so it is planning an overhaul with its own budget in the university’s colleges.

The university wants to grow enrollment to 8,000 by 2018 and increase the retention rate to 80 percent. In order to make this jump, academic affairs is going to search for new faculty members and deans to prepare themselves for when the current ones retire.

Also, the university wants to close some programs with lower student enrollments in

order to enhance others that are thriving.

The College of Liberal Arts is the biggest college at NSU. Out of the entire budget for the College of Liberal Arts, 98 percent is solely for personnel.

Unfortunately, the university is going to have to let some staff members go in order to enhance other programs. For example, right now the psychology and sociology departments are understaffed while other departments are overstaffed.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Sandra DeLoatch said that she

hopes the budget changes will help bring more “quality instruction” to classes at NSU. Much of the funding that the university receives comes from research grants from the Department of Education.

In the past, funding was setaside from the grants to pay adjunct professors, but it could only be used once. This year that funding runs out.

In total, Academic Affairs is asking for $7,648,000 in changes to their budget to enhance the schools colleges at NSU and to help with the retention rates and the enrollment in the future.

Celebration of Black History ■Continued from front page and organizations across the country.

By the time the Civil Rights Movement began in the 1950s and 1960s, Negro History Week became especially influential.

In the 1970s, the Black Power Movement emphasized racial pride and cultural values. This movement led to the ASNLH becoming what it is known as today, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Around the same time as the name change, Negro History week became Black History Week.

The idea to expand Black

History Week into Black History Month was proposed by the Black United Students Organization at Kent State University in February 1969. It wasn’t until a year later that the first celebration of Black History Month was celebrated at KSU. As part of the United States Bicentennial, Black History Week was informally expanded into Black History Month by proposition of President Gerald Ford in 1976.

Ford urged Americans to observe Black History Month and “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often

neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Since then, every American president has recognized February as Black History Month and has specified a theme every year.

This year’s theme is “Civil Rights in America.”

The ASALH chose this theme to mark the 15th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination against race, ethnicity, nationality, religious beliefs and women.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

02.14.14

Spartan News

3

NSU questions your competency An Editorial by Kallie Gould

Virginia Attorney General Herring won ’ t defend gay marriage ban

By Danielle Kirsh

In this Jan. 23, 2014 file photo, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring speaks at a news conference at his office in Richmond, Va. A federal judge will hear arguments Tuesday, Feb. 4, on whether Virginia's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. Herring, the state's newly elected Democratic attorney general, said he has already decided to side with the plaintiffs and will not defend the ban.

(AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Bob Brown, File).

The Virginia attorney general has deemed that the ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional and he will no longer support the amendment.

Usually, the state attorney general defends lawsuits against the state, but the newly elected Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring said he will support the gay couples who have filed lawsuits and are challenging Virginia’s ban on marriage.

There are currently two lawsuits filed that are challenging whether the ban on gay marriage is constitutional or not; one

of which is based in Norfolk.

Herring said, “I have concluded that Virginia’s ban on marriage between samesex couples violates the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th amendment to United States Constitution.”

Herring’s decision comes weeks after Governor Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order that prohibited discrimination against state employees who are gay.

Prior to being elected attorney general, Herring served eight years as a state senator representing parts

of Loudoun and Fairfax counties in Northern Virginia.

In 2006, Herring helped make the gay marriage banning amendment happen by supporting a declaration allowing Virginia voters to vote on the amendment.

Voters approved of constitutional amendment, banning gay marriage in Virginia.

When Herring put in his bid to run for attorney general, he changed his stance on gay marriage stating in his “Equality Agenda” that he believes “all Virginians deserve equal protection under the law.”

I can’t imagine anyone making it out of high school without having typed a Word document, making multiple Power Point presentations or using the internet. Most of us do these things and then some just from our cell phones.

TCC offers a Computer Competency Test to meet graduation requirements-- free of charge-which requires a grade of 70 percent or better to pass and may only be attempted twice.

So I technically graduated without ever taking a computer class but being certified as competent as far as technology was concerned. Yet NSU doesn’t seem to think this means anything.

So here I am, a junior who transferred in with an Associates of Science degree from Tidewater Community College, having met their computer competency requirements for graduation, taking CSC 150Computer Literacy at NSU. I’m learning about USB storage devices and blogs, meanwhile my parents are calling me from four states away to help with their home wireless network I set up or any other computer problems that might arise. I am my parent’s own personal twenty-four-seven “geek squad.”

But NSU neglects to give me the chance to show them any of this, they’d rather charge me for the required three credit hours than simply take the courteous route that so many of our neighboring universities take- a simple computer competency test.

Old Dominion University offers a Computer and Technological Literacy Examination (CTLE) to meet their computer skills requirement in lieu of course work for those who are technologically competent.

Virginia Commonwealth University gives students a similar option-- either a series of three one credit courses or a proficiency assessment.

Christopher Newport Univer-

sity does not offer a computer proficiency exam; however, they do honor a VCCS degree to meet “lower-level liberal learning core (general education) requirements,” stated Amber Holland, Transfer Enrollment Coordinator. Meaning you would only have to take the lower level prerequisite computer courses if your major specifically required higher computer courses to be completed.

When contacted for comment, NSU stated, “Norfolk State University did offer a computer proficiency test as an option to test out of the required CSC 150. However, due to low passing rates, this practice was eliminated. Dr. Sandra DeLoatch, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dr. Larry Mattix, Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, will be addressing this issue with the University’s Curriculum Committee in the near future.”

How convenient? Because students prior to me were ill prepared to pass an exam, I am now denied the option and forced to fit (and pay for $795) three credit hours in my schedule. Did the university consider charging an examination fee to deter slackers from wasting everyone’s time? Or perhaps instating a pre-test before being allowed to take the computer proficiency test? No, evidently they just got rid of it and are now opportunely going to “address the issue…in the near future” now that someone has bothered to ask.

That’s great for students in the near future, but if you’ll excuse me, I have to type a resume in Microsoft Word and create a group power point presentation. Sadly, I’m pretty sure I learned this back in tenth grade.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

Spartan Sports

4

02.14.14

Echols & Price instrumental in shaping NSU athletics

By Jason Gill

For years, students of the present and past have piled in and out of Joseph G. Echols Hall and William “Dick” Price stadium to attend both sporting and school events. However, many NSU affiliates have little to no knowledge of who these men were or what they did for this institution.

Coach Joseph Echols dedicated over 20 years of service to NSU athletics. He was not only the baseball coach, but was very influential in creating the baseball, track & field and tennis programs. Echols also ventured his career into professional football and baseball scouting, in addition to international basketball officiating.

“Coach Echols was respected not only here, but nationally and internationally,” said Athletics Director Marty Miller who was recruited by Coach Echols to play baseball for NSU in 1964. “In fact, he and Coach [Vince] Lombardi were good friends, and he and his wife would come and visit Echols and his family.”

Coach William “Dick” Price was an extremely successful coach in not only football, but also track & field. He won both national and conference championship in track & field in 1973 and 1974.

Price was also responsible for coaching NSU to three straight Central

Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships in football on his way to becoming the winningest coach in the school’s history.

“Coach Price was known across the nation for his success in both track & field and football. He was also very instrumental in the development of the athletics program. If you check his exploits here as both a football and track coach, the numbers speak for themselves,” said Miller.

Echols Hall opened its doors in November of 1982, while Dick Price stadium opened in the fall of 1997. The decisions were made after President Harrison B. Wilson and the Board of Visitors felt it was necessary to reward both coaches for their successful careers and everlasting impact on the school.

“They actually provided the foundation for the growth of the athletic programs here. They set the tempo, raised the bar and helped with the success that we enjoy today,” said Miller.

“I think it says a great deal about your success to have a facility named after you on a college campus. They helped me establish my career at NSU. They were my role models. They set great examples for the students of that era and beyond.”

The building was named after the late Joseph G. Echols, who dedicated more than 20 years to the advancement of athletics, health and physical education at NSU. Photo by Tykhari Coles.

Norfolk State University plays its home football and track & field contests in the spacious William “Dick” Price Stadium, named after former NSU athletics director and head football and track coach Dick Price. Photo from www.nsuspartans.com.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

02.14.14

Spartan Sports

5

Lady Spartans aim for same position with different results

By Jason Gill

Being on the brink of a MEAC championship last season has inspired the Lady Spartans in preparation for the upcoming season.

After losing their opening MEAC tournament game to Savannah State, the Spartans went on a miraculous run before ultimately losing to Hampton University in the championship game.

“This team has that fire.

We were left with a bad taste in our mouths at the end of last season, and that is motivation enough to work hard,” said Head Coach Heidi Cavallo. “We finally had a taste of what it’s like to be there and want nothing more then to get back. The second last season ended, we set our goals for this season.”

Senior pitcher Jamie Schulle, who led the team last season in appearances, wins and

ERA [earned run average], is likely to carry the load on the mound again this season.

Offense should be of no issue as the Lady Spartans return juniors Alina Moriarty and Haley Ward, as well as sophomores Heather Dunning and Whitney Williams who led the team in all major hitting categories last year.

Starting out the season strong is a team goal that is high on the priority list as the

team wants to avoid climbing out of a hole similar to last year’s 5-11 start.

“Last season, we started off slower than we wanted to or thought we would. As soon as the season ended last year, we knew one of our biggest goals was to play strong from the first weekend on the field.

We want to improve our winning percentage in the early part of the season and feel more confident going into the

conference portion. Winning the MEAC championship is our ultimate goal along with representing our conference in the NCAA regionals,” said Coach Cavallo.

The Lady Spartans begin the season on Feb. 14 when they travel to Wilmington, N.C., to take on University of Maryland Baltimore County in the Seahawk Invitational.

Pitching &

to be the name of the game

By Jason Gill With the intentions of bouncing back from a 19-29 record last season, the Spartan baseball team realizes that their pitching depth will be the key to a successful 2014 campaign.

After losing pitchers Chris Horne, Richie Slater and Raymond Morton, who led the team in ERA (earned run average), strikeouts and winning percentage, a new wave of pitchers is expected to step up and fill the void.

“We have some young new guys and some guys that have been here that need to step up,” said Head Coach Claudell Clark.

“Redshirt junior Jeff Di

Fulgo is one that comes to mind; a right-handed pitcher who has the ability to start or relieve. Matt Outman is a young man who sat out last year and has ability from the left hand side. Cooper Jones has a very good arm and is a guy who gave us a lot of good starts last year.”

Last season, the Spartans committed 98 errors compared to their opponent’s just 62. Coach Clark believes that becoming a more efficient fielding team will go a long way in helping the pitching staff.

“We feel like that’s an area we have worked hard to add some new players to the mix

and put some things into place to improve our fielding percentage. Our goal of .970 [fielding percentage] is not taken lightly. When we make a pitch, the play has to be made. When we give second chances, it’s almost like a turnover and you open the door for the other team to take advantage,” said Clark.

Junior Killian Strenn returns after hitting a team high .417 [batting average] last season. The Virginia Beach native did not start the first half of last season’s games and Coach Clark needs him to improve his fielding at second base in order to become an everyday player.

“He’s correct in that I need to improve my fielding, and I made sure to take a lot of groundballs in the offseason,” said Strenn. “I feel confident in my abilities to help our team win this year with similar offensive production to last year. The team looks strong at all positions and our pitching staff looks strong and reliable. All in all, I am confident in myself and the men around me to become the first MEAC champs at NSU.” The Spartans open up the season on Feb. 14 when they travel to Greenville, S.C., to take on Furman University.

Junior second-baseman Killian Strenn fields ground balls during preseason practice. Photo

by Tykhari Coles.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

Spartan Lifestyle

6

NSU

club

encourages

creative minds

By Ciara Simmons

02.14.14

African American inventors:

They made it possible

By Destiny Williams

Freshman Cameron Smith takes advantage of the creative writing tips. Photo by Jules Dean.

Many of the organizations on campus receive a lot of attention and are well known by the student body, such as SGA and ROTC. Many of the organizations go relatively unnoticed by the student population. For instance, the Creative Writing Club.

Described as a community, this club offers an open forum for all those with a creative mind.

NSU’s Creative Writing Club has been around for many years. Its main focus is to allow students to share any writings they may have been working on and to communicate what’s going on within the community on and off campus.

Advised by English professor Daniel Pearlman, the group of about seven or eight consistent members meet and have open readings where critiques and encouragement are given.

“This is for anyone interested in being creative.

No one is turned away.” says Pearlman.

Sociology major, Reginald

Thomas, III, feels the group challenges his writing.

“The group makes me feel like I want to put in more.

I like the regularity that we meet, the people that are in the club and the new people that stop in. You make new friends with similar interests,” said Thomas.

However, the regular meetings are not all the club offers.

In conjunction with the English department, readings and festivals are put together on campus. This semester will mark the second annual William Carroll Writers Festival. This festival brings established poets together with the students here at NSU. There will also be an open mic night in which students are encouraged to participate.

For more information on the club or upcoming events, contact the Pearlman at dlpearlman@nsu.edu. The Creative Writing Club meets every Wednesday 12-1 in Madison, RM 202.

People all over the country celebrate African American history. As an HBCU, we are here to study and learn about the history of African Americans. Over the years, many African American’s have invented products and tools that have made life a little more easy-going for everyone. We’ve all learned about George Washington Carver, Madame C. J. Walker and Frederick Douglass and their contributions to society, but there are many other notable African American innovators who have changed society as well.

Alexander Miles Alexander Miles enhanced the elevator. He provided the original design of the elevator with more futuristic operations, such as automatic opening and closing doors. He also improved the elevator shaft which prevented a lot of accidents.

Before this, people would sometimes fall down the elevator shafts. We should all be thankful for safer and easier elevator rides and one less stress for a college student to worry about, especially on moving day.

George “Speck” Crum For many of us, potato chips have become a stand by snack while burning the midnight oil. We have George Crum to thank for this tasty innovation.

Working as a chef in Saratoga Springs, George Crum

invented the potato chip.

When a costumer complained about his French fries being too thick, Crum sarcastically cut a potato as thin as possible then fried them.

Who would have known that sarcasm could change the snack industry completely?

Jan E. Matzeliger As young adults, we tend to follow the latest shoe trends. Are you aware of who made the shoe making process an easier and more efficient way to produce these brand name shoes we love to show off? Well, his name is Jan E. Matzeliger.

He invented the first shoe making machine which could make up to 700 shoes in a 10 hour work day. At first, many people thought his idea was ridiculous, but when they saw the potential benefits, everyone wanted to have it. He refused to sell his invention until 1883 when he decided to get it patented and changed the shoe making process forever.

Garrett A. Morgan The son of former slave owners, Garrett A. Morgan invented many items including the traffic signal and the gas mask. What you may not have known is his contribution to hair care.

Garrett Morgan used his talents to create the straightening comb. This curved, iron-tooth comb was said to straighten coarse hair in

15 minutes. This invention paved the way for many modern style hair straighteners that are used on a daily basis.

Christina Jenkins In 1951, Christina Jenkins, an African American woman, invented the hair weaving process which many still use today. Hair weaving is the process of attaching hair extensions to your natural hair to add thickness and length. Her invention made a big impression on the world. Jenkins opened up a hair weaving academy to teach her techniques to train cosmetologists.

Elijah McCoy Before cars and planes were the main modes of transportation, trains were all the rage. Elijah McCoy invented a dripping oil can used to lubricate trains. The phrase “the real McCoy” became popular after competitors attempted to make their own product to contend with McCoy’s. Their versions of the invention were not as effective as McCoy’s; consequently, people started asking for “the real McCoy.” So the next time you catch the elevator to the third floor, buy a bag of chips, straighten your hair or hop on a train, think about the great African Americans that made it all possible.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

02.14.14

Spartan Lifestyle

7

Tough Love Freshman Tip: Know your resources e d i t o r s An advice column from a fellow Spartan

By DeVanique Riley I am tired of hearing about the same people during Black History Month-- Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X or Rosa Parks. It’s the same routine each year.

I’m not saying these people weren’t major contributors, but where is the diversity?

Why do I never hear about other African Americans who have shaped the nation’s history?

Why is it that I always here ‘we’ were given the shortest month of the year? First, ‘we’ owe the celebration of Black History Month to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Many people are ignorant to the fact that he chose the month of February because it marks the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Before it was black history month, the celebration was only during the second week because it is the week those two men shared birthdays.

The month of February is much more than these two men. It holds many significant moments.

W.E.B. DuBois, the cofounder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was born. The NAACP was founded by a group of black and white citizens of New York City.

The 15th Amendment granting blacks the right to vote was passed. The first black U.S. senator Hiram R. Revels took his oath of office. A group of black college students in Greensboro, N.C. began a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter.

Conduct research before you throw out the race card. I don’t want to hear about this excuse anymore. It’s quite tiring and played out of the fact that few know what they are talking about in regards to black history.

By Ciara Simmons When most students enter a college campus, their main focus is figuring out where to eat, finding their classes and finding friends. But to do more than just survive your college career, there are a number of services offered by the university that you should take full advantage of.

During each department’s Introduction to University Life course, students should be made aware of all these services offered, but in case you missed it, here are some of the recommended services offered to students for free.

On campus, we have a fully functional police station where you can report any suspicious activity or even get help unlocking a car door. To contact NSU police in the event of an emergency, call (757) 823-9000.

In a non-emergency situation they can be reached at (757) 823-8102.

Something else you should know is that they are trained to be able to assist if you feel that you may have been a victim of any kind of assault. If you have any questions regarding assault, you can also contact Brittany Harris, an assault support trainer, at (757) 625-4248.

NSU also offers counseling services to NSU students free of charge. Some of the issues covered in the counseling center are adjusting to college, stress management, relationship issues and depression. They are located in Room 312 of the Student Services Building; you can also reach them at (757) 823-8173.

Health services are available in the Spartan Health Center.

They can provide you with basic health services that are not life threatening as well as health education counseling. They can be contacted at (757) 623-3090.

If at any time you need help

in any particular class, there is tutoring provided within each field of study. Always see your professor or advisor to get information on when and where these services are provided.

Junior Keith Carter wasn’t aware of all that was offered.

“Aside from health services and the police station, I didn’t learn about much else,” said Carter. “Knowing about things, especially the counseling services would have been a big help leading up to now.”

Just because you may not have been aware, doesn’t mean it’s too late to utilize these services. Take the time to use the resources NSU has put into place for you.

You can find all the services available at NSU on the school’s website under campus life/ student services. Most resources are available 24 hours.

NSU Choir performs with Virginia Symphony

By Trenton Fouche’

NS U C h o i r p erfo rm s w i t h Vi rg i n i a Sy m p h o ny. P h o to fro m w w w.n su c h o i rs. com/gallery/respo-gall er y / i n d ex .ht m l .

The Norfolk State Choir will showcase its talent on Friday, March 28, at the L. Douglas Wilder Center alongside the Virginia Symphony Orchestra in Voices Six: Let a New Earth Arise concert. The event is to help raise money for needy and deserving students.

Dr. Haywood, director of choirs at Norfolk State stated the importance of students supporting the event, “It’s im-

portant that our students have a broad background in the arts and in music. We hear a lot about STEM, but a lot of times employers of major corporations understand the intrinsic value of students who are universally well rounded.”

The concert has become a tradition for the choir, occurring since 2007. It gives the student performers an opportunity to interact with the Virginia Symphony Orches-

tra, which is the only professional orchestra in the state of Virginia.

“The Voices Six concert is the place to be and an experience like no other,” said Sharod Smithen, assistant student conductor. “I look forward to it.”

NSU recently performed at the HBCU Choral Festival alongside Hampton University, Oakwood University and Virginia State University.

Brittany Elmore Editor-inChief

DeVanique Riley Online/ Managing Editor

Danielle Kirsh News Editor

Ciara Simmons Lifestyle Editor

Jason Gill Sports Editor

Robert Hayden Multimedia Editor

Trenton Fouche’ Entertainment Editor

It’s not too late to get involved with the Echo!

We meet every Tuesday and Thursday in room 344

of the

Student Center at 12:30 pm.

ALL majors welcome.

SPARTAN ECHO| Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, Virginia 23504|NEWSROOM: 757.823.8200 E-Mail: spartanecho@nsu.edu

Spartan Entertainment

8

T.I. signs

FTC says Apple

By Trenton Fouche’

protect minor

fell short on principle to

with Columbia Graphic photos from www.facebook.com/endlesslove, www. facebook.com/AboutLastNight and www.facebook.com/RoboCop.

Judge rules Rick Ross may

keep his stage name

By Trenton Fouche’

For more than three years rapper, Rick Ross, born William Roberts, has been battling in court to keep his moniker after former drug kingpin “Freeway” Rick Ross has expressed disapproval of the rapper using the name. Now a Los Angeles judge has ruled in favor of the rapper, stating that he is protected under the First Amendment.

Rick “Freeway” Ross had initially filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in 2010 after being released from prison. The newly freed kingpin had been seeking $10 million in compensation for the rapper using his name and image, even threatening to block the release of the rapper’s album Teflon Don. Despite filing several publicity rights claims, courts have continuously ruled in the rapper’s favor. After rumors began spreading that he was considering a name change to Ricky Rozay, the

rapper responded, “It’s like owning a restaurant; you’re gonna have a few slips and falls. You get lawsuits, you deal with them, and get them out the way … sometimes you lose.”

Although the rapper Rick Ross has remained respectful of the reformed drug kingpin, the original Rick Ross has not returned the favor.

“I believe that he’s being financed by the police union and keeps spreading bullshit to the youngsters, so they can keep filling up the penitentiaries cause he ain’t sellin no music,” said Freeway. “They keep playing him on the radio and keep putting out all these big, expensive videos, but he ain’t sellin no music.

So, somebody is shootin’ off money, and I believe that the police union is behind it.”

The rapper has not responded to the allegations, but stills plans on releasing a new album this year.

02.14.14

T.I. has announced plans to sign with Columbia Records, and the label will distribute his ninth studio album.

The rapper had been a free agent after releasing his most recent project, Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head in 2012.

The album was well-received by critics and debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 179,000 copies in the United States before eventually going gold last year.

Now, T.I. feels he has more room to express himself creatively. “I’m honored to be partners with such a successful, passionate and creative conglomerate like Columbia Records who respects and supports the vision of their artist and partners. Nothing but love, respect and appreciation for Doug Morris, Rob Stringer and the entire staff,” said T.I. in a press release.

Although he is planning to release his new album with Columbia, he plans to keep his record label, Grand Hustle, independent.

“Hustle Gang, man, we [are] still independent,” said T.I. during a radio interview.

“They did a deal for the next

T.I. inks deal with Columbia Records. Photo from: www. facebook.com/photo.php?fbi d=10151933851157849&set= pb.24786692848.

-2207520000.1390771109.&ty pe=3&theater.

T.I. project. Not to say that Hustle Gang is off the table because we felt like we had some partners at one time, but I think that since we made the move that we made for T.I.’s project, I don’t know if those partners of ours are still at the table. That’s still up for discussion, but as of right now, Hustle Gang is still moving independent.”

Although T.I. has spent some time away from music with a few acting roles and his VH1 reality show, “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle,” he is hoping to regain his title as ‘King of the South.’

T.I.’s next album will be executive produced by Pharrell and will likely feature frequent collaborators Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne. His next project is expected to be released early this year.

consumers

By Trenton Fouche’

The Federal Trade Commission, the government agency which is responsible for protecting consumers, is accusing Apple of not doing enough to protect its customers from purchases made by minors.

At a news conference, FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said, “A basic principle of consumer protection is that a company must obtain a consumer’s informed consent before charging them for any goods and services; Apple fell short on that principle.”

Apple reached a settlement of $32.5 million that must be paid out to families affected.

This is due to the high volume of families with young children who have racked up large tabs in the App Store without their parents realizing until it’s time to pay the bill.

In response to the criticism, Apple released a statement, “Protecting children has been a top priority for the App Store from the very beginning. Apple is proud to have set the gold standard for online stores by making the App Store a safe place for customers of all ages.” The company added, “Today’s agreement with the FTC extends our existing refund program for in-app purchases which may have been made without a parent’s permission.”

Despite the massive settlement, most economic insiders don’t see this being an issue for the billion dollar company.

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