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Financial Aid offers tools Christie Carral
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and system working together,” Mason said. Mason agreed that the bottom line in student experience and the value of the degree after graduation. “Our success will be measured by the retention and graduation rates. Along with the goodwill towards the institution,” Mason said. SU Board of Supervisors Chairman Darren Mire anticipates a concentration from the Board of Regents on bringing together a stronger, re-branded, and new Southern
Wednesday marked the beginning of Financial Aid Awareness month for all students receiving federal aid for school funding. All students are being strongly advised to complete their online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications so that the processing of information is done before the fall semester arrives. Ursula Shorty, director of Financial Aid, and Raymond Clarke, assistant director of Financial Aid, are collectively sponsoring and participating in various activities during the months of February and March. “We don’t like to see that,” Shorty said, discussing the long lines formed each fall semester in Felton G. Clark Activity Center. There will be various activities, on and off campus, to make students aware of the Financial Aid opportunities available, assist parents and students in the application process, discuss changes to the 2012-2013 FASFA application process and inform students of the upcoming changes to financial aid and student eligibility for the 2012-2013 award year. “We hate the lines just as well as the students do,” exclaimed Shorty, discussing the hassles students and the Financial Aid department undergoes with late processing. Because of a recent statutory change, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, related to minimum awards, the maximum Pell Grant eligible Expected Family Contributions (EFC) for 20122013 is 4,995, less than the 5,273 EFC maximum for the 2011-2012 Award Year. Therefore, the result is that a small number of applicants who would have been Pell Grant eligible for the 20112012 Award Year will not be eligible for the 2012-2013 Award Year. Starting this month of February, the department
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photo by ariana triggs/digest
Southern University Marching Band Drum Major Tevin Coleman bows his head in prayer during the memorial service for Carnell Knighten in F.G. Clark Activity Center yesterday.
criminal justice major and band member from Nashville, Tenn., Knighten’s death came as a complete shock. “I was shocked by the death of Mr. Knighten. As a director, he always strived for perfection. He was the greatest person I’ve met,” Brooks said. He was loved by everyone who crossed his path and known for his wit, knowledge, greatness, and also for his love and passion for the art of music. Nakia Peck, a senior music education and band member from New Orleans, reflects back on his time spent with Knighten. “We lost a great man. Once you understood Mr. Knighten, you understood something fine,”
said Peck.” My only regret is that I didn’t take full advantage of what he had to offer.” Marching band drum major Tevin Coleman, a sophomore history major from Alexandria, La., said that he was really inspired by Knighten. “Mr. Knighten was a very honest, straightforward man. He would tell you nothing but the truth and had a great standard of excellence,” Coleman said. “Mr. Knighten handled business extraordinarily well and was just an inspiring man to be around. As a director, he was by far one of the best I’ve met throughout my entire life.” His presence influenced all who knew him and had the chance
to learn from him. Assistant Director of Bands Nathan Haymer said, “Mr. Knighten was a great mentor and teacher—my teacher. I am very sad to see him go. I will uphold his legacy by making sure the Southern University Marching Band is always looking and sounding good, strict and on time.” Known around the music community as an outstanding musician, composer, music arranger, classical conductor and individual with great work ethics, Mr. Knighten’s death is not only a loss to SUBR and SCSU, but to the entire HBCU community, being dubbed by all who knew of him and his music as a “legendary music arranger and musician.”
Resolutions within reach for SUS Resolutions proposed to improve student services, university effectiveness, enrollment and recruitment, and promote financial growth are achievable and measurable. James Llorens, SUBR Chancellor understands the challenges and is willing to get the ball rolling to address them. “We know the challenges we have faced for many years. Information technology structure, customer friendly experiences, financial aid, and registration,” Llorens said. We
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Current and former Southern University music students and band members, along with many from the university community, paid their respects to Carnell Knighten Wednesday at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. Knighten, 60, was the School of Music’s technology director and director of the university’s woodwind symphony. Knighten became ill on Jan. 20 in Tourgee A. Debose Music Hall and died last Wednesday. Knighten began his career at Southern University earning a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in journalism. In his freshman year, he wrote his first composition that the band played in concert the same year. Beginning in 1988, under former Southern University Director of Bands Isaac Greggs, Knighten served as an arranger and composer for the Human Jukebox, and later became Director of Technology and Director of the SU Woodwind Symphony. According to Chancellor James Llorens, Knighten was very instrumental in the grant-writing process and was very avid about bringing music technology to Southern University. As of 2010, Knighten was also the chief music arranger at South Carolina State University. Many of his music students traveled from Orangeburg, S.C., to play at his funeral, which was held yesterday in the F.G. Clark Activity Center. To Justin Brooks, a senior
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are making significant progress, as we have implemented we have identified new problem areas and are moving to correct them.” After the Board of Supervisors declaration of Financial Exigency, this year will be significant to the recovery and growth process. “I look forward to the next academic year coming out of exigency. Our progress will be measured through heightened enrollment rates, measures of efficiency including the smoothness of the registration process. Placement rates and retention rates will be important as well,” Llorens
said. Llorens placed and emphasis on student educational attainment and satisfaction. “The bottom line will be a student’s ability to enjoy their experience, realize their learning and education, and graduates who are satisfied with the education they have received,” Llorens said. Southern University System President Ronald Mason hoped to see a stronger and closer Jaguar Nation. “We are seeing signs of it now. Good working relationships between the system and at the campus levels. The campus chancellors
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