SGA secretary brings back Aggies and Poets
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RegisteR volUMe lXXXIv. No. 14
NoveMBer 17, 2010
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Tuition and fees will increase for 2011-12 sHaYLa Mason & noMa viLane Register Reporters
The Sankofa administration held a forum in Exhibit Hall on Nov. 15 explaining the increase in tuition and fees for 2011-12 academic school year. This event was hosted by Akua Matherson, the vice chancellor of budgeting and planning. While going over her PowerPoint presentation, she answered questions. So where is all the money going? The increase in tuition and fees is a result of multiple factors which include covering construction, student activities and debt services. The tuition for an in-state undergraduate student is currently $2,629. It is out-of-state undergraduates the price is $12,063. For an in-state graduate student the tuition is $2,908 and for an out-of-state graduate student the price is $12,493. By Fall 2011, the tuition will increase 6.5 percent for in-state undergraduates, taking the cost to $2,799. For out-of-state undergraduates, the tuition will increase 3 percent making the cost rise to $12,425. The in-state graduate student tuition will cost $3,397 and the out-of-state graduate student tuition will be $13,605. Fifty percent of the fees increase will go to financial aid
and the remaining amount will go toward academic support and retention, as well as additional services. The graduate fee increase will go towards graduate student assistance. The education fee will cost to $306. The student activities fee which will cost $443. The information technology fee will increase by $26.50. This money will go to updating the school Web site, increasing the functionality of blackboard, and using Google mail as a platform for student email. The athletics fee will increase by $30. Overall athletics costs will be $562.This money will go towards transportation and recruitment. The debt service fee is the price we pay when new buildings are built on the campus. A new student health center will be built along with the completion of the general academic building. The new health center will be located on Benbow road, where the yellow house under construction is currently located. Health services will be improved by using electronic medical records that will be mandated by 2012. According to Matherson, the state pays for some buildings such as the education buildings
PHOTO BY MCT CAMPUS
A cell phone vendor in the Congo. Africa is the fastest growing market for cell phone contracts in the world, according to some reports. Coltan, used in cell phones, is a natural resource in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Deadliest conflict since WWii A&T student tries to raise awareness about conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo JasMine JoHnson
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Veterans Day program hosted by Veterans and Disabilities cHaneL Davis
Register Reporter
Editor in Chief
In an effort to create awareness about the genocide in the Congo, SUAB teamed with A&T student and film director Kevin Wilson to host a spoken word event Nov. 14 in Stallings Ballroom. Wilson, a senior journalism and mass communications major from Durham, NC feels passionate about the killings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The African country has been in conflict for over 10 years, in what some would call genocide. Wilson learned of the conflict during his freshman year, when he met another student at A&T from the Congo. Through his contact with Friends of the Congo, he wanted to simply raise awareness. Friends of the Congo is an organization that is committed to raising consciousness about the challenges of the Congo. Students were greeted in a solemn mood set ballroom. Rounds tables filled Stallings, with little to no lights, only candles on each table. The stage was set in the front of the ballroom with blue and red spotlights. African music was playing softly in the background. “Intimacy is really important; it helped convey the message I was trying to get across,” said Wilson. The program started with
students lining up for food. After everyone served themselves, Aggies took their seats and prepared for the opening act. Without some noticing, the first act stood in the middle of the floor, amongst the audience. He opened by singing a brief line of African music. What sounded like a cry came from the back of the room, causing the audience to divert their attention. Out came a performer dressed in army fatigue costume yelling at a woman, saying ‘Fifteen hundred die every day, one more doesn’t matter.’ He then pulled the trigger of a fake gun, emulating the murder of a Congolese woman. The proclaimed genocide in the Congo is the deadliest conflict in the world since World War II, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). In 2008, there were an estimated 5.4 million people killed in the Congo from 1998 until April 2007, according to the IRC. During this performance, also a person, dressed in allblack representing death, or the grim reaper, picked up the girl and carried her to the front. He laid her down on the floor and proceeding beside the stage. After heading towards the front of the room, the soldier performer followed the grim
“Forgive me soldier. Forgive my right hand for pointing you to the flawless tree line now outlined in my brain. There was so much blood sky at daybreak in Pleiku, but I won’t say those infernal guns blinded me on that hill.” Those were the opening words Nov. 11, by Roy C. White, the keynote speaker, at A&T’s Veterans and Disability Support Services (VDSS) annual Veterans Day Program in the Memorial Student Union. The program was an opportunity to honor and recognize students, faculty and staff who serve and have served our country. “Our goal is to provide support for our military students transitioning to the classroom environment and we are committed to providing advice concerning their education and career goals,” says Sarah Tor-
rence, Certifying Official for the Office of VDSS. “The purpose of the program is to honor those men and women who serves or has served in the US Armed forces and to show our appreciation for the sacrifices they have made for us.” The atmosphere was one of respect and solemn remembrance as the colors were posted by A&T’s ROTC. Many veterans, young and old, fellowshipped together with the community, students, faculty and city officials, on a day set aside for them. “I’m being honored for something I did. It’s a day respecting men and women who fought for us,” said Eldred Hopkins, a junior sociology and social work major and Army Personnel Administrative Specialist, when asked what the holiday means to him.
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The office of Career Services brought a variety of Graduate Schools looking for applicants to A&T.
The newest column on The Word gives students an opportunity to ask questions and have them answer by a black man.
The Lady Aggies basketball coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs sat down with the Register to talk about the upcoming season.
WNAA-FM 90.1 brought the UniverSoul Circus to A&T’s Moore Gym for a preview of the show last Wednesday.
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PHOTO BY KENNETH HAWKINS
a mime performance during the Keep the Pulse Beating program by Kevin Wilson on november 14, 2010.
reaper. “My charge is to give people information,” said Wilson. “It’s an issue of international human rights. It’s important that we are able to branch out of our homeland.” The soldier character began the first spoken word piece of the night. He compared the blood on his hands to those of American hands. Another student was brought on stage, representing an American who had done business with the government in the Congo for blood diamonds. The first poet left the audience with something to think
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about America saying ‘we kill women and kids and wash hands with the money we get.’ What the poet referred to was what many believe is the reason for the conflict in the Congo. Coltan, the industrial name for columbite-tantalite, is a valuable black material with niobite and tantalite. Coltan is used in cell phones, DVD players and computers. American markets export coltan from the Congo. Some reports have shown that Africa is the fastest-growing market for cell phone contracts in the world. The next spoken word piece
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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, November 17, 2010
veterans From page 1 The program continued with the singing of “America the Beautiful” by Tosha Dalton, Executive Assistant of Student Affairs and greetings by Melody Pierce, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs. The purpose was given by Specialist Deon Williams, a junior finance major, and the Invocation by Angela Dubose, director of the Office of the Treasurer. A buffet-style lunch followed. Introduction of the speaker was given by A&T’s Air Force ROTC commander, LTC Robert Payne, Jr. Payne described White as someone who “epitomizes what we expect from the Air Force or ROTC cadet.” White, an alumnus and president of the Wilson V. Eagleson chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. began his speech by reciting the poem “Please,” written during the Vietnam War by Yusef Komunyahaa. White graduated from A&T in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. While a student here, he served as, president of the student government association, president of the junior class, founder of the Tidewater/ Albemarle Club and a ROTC cadet. White later went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years where he received nu-
merous awards. The retiree spoke about various subjects such as Agent Orange, the Buffalo Soldiers, Civil War Colored Vets, and African Americans in the service and the racism they faced, Pearl Harbor and the Tuskegee Airman. White told the story of the how Tuskegee Airman. He also brought attention what some veterans may go through, such as homeliness, depression, substance and alcohol abuse and unemployment. White ended with a few words from Robert Frost poem “The Road less Traveled.” The Office of VDSS presented veterans with a certificate and mugs as thanks for serving the country. They also provided handbooks and information telling where veterans can receive discounts. The Dean of Students, Judy Rashid, and the A&T ROTC’s retrieval of the colors, gave closing remarks. “It was an excellent program honoring veterans and some of our sacred citizens. A&T has a great history of being involved in movements. While we fought for civil rights at home, there are Aggies who fought for our freedom,” says Jim Kee, City of Greensboro Councilman for District Two.
congo From page 1 was done by former Miss A&T Ngozi Opara. Opara spoke vividly the mind of a six-year-old girl who was raped in the Congo then transitioned as the girl grew up. Her poem was in the form of a letter being read by the mutilated young child. She left the audience with ‘it’s a Congo covered world y’all. We are all affected.’ The New York Times reported on Nov.5, that more than 600 women and girls were recently reported raped along the Congo-Angola border, according to the United Nations. The victims reported being raped by the security forces. The poems continued telling the stories from those residents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wilson added variety in the program as he recruited a guitarist and saxophone player to play, while another participant sang. Also making an appearance on stage in his spoken word form was former Mr. A&T, Austin James. After James, there was a mime performance to gospel singer Greg O’Quinn’s ‘I Told the Storm.’ Many of the audience members gave the performance a standing ovation. The next poem, and perhaps the crowd favorite, was done by A&T spoken word guru who
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and a few administration ones, but does not pay for structures or buildings without an educational purpose. “While they might pay for a general classroom building, they will not pay for the health center that will be built on campus,” Matherson said. Miscellaneous fees include transcripts, which will soon cost $5, expedited transcripts will cost $10, overnight landing fee, which applies to alumni, late registration fee that is currently $60 and will soon cost $80 and re-admission application fees.
editor in chief: Jasmine Johnson Managing editor: Kelcie McCrae news editor: Sylvia Obell opinions editor:Trumaine McCaskill sports editor: Lauren Morgan ASSISTANT Sports editor: Prince Grimes scene editor: Jonathan Veal copy desk chief: Yulanda Henderson copy editor: Justine Riddick photo editor: Kenneth Hawkins staff photographers: Michaela Edwards, Shanté Mathes
goes by Champ. Champ used her knowledge of events and activities that A&T students attend such as Nxlevel parties, the A&T Four, the Twitter pound (#), etc and incorporated the things into her poem. Throughout the program, the grim reaper kept appearing and picking up those who were killed by the soldier. The grim reaper even spoke to the audience as he gave a poem explaining that death ‘only takes what is given to me.’ Emotional and creative plays on words resonated through many of the detailed poems, such as “there is no kind man in the kind of man that mankind has become” and “sticks and stones may break your bones but words will crush your spirits.” The program ended with Wilson telling the audience to close their eyes. As he told a story, he then told everyone to imagine they were onlookers of the rape of the 5-year-old girl in the Congo. “I was moved towards the end, when he [Wilson] was talking,” said Damani Bediako a senior marketing major from Minneapolis, MN. “Now I’m going to get more information about it [conflict in Congo] and get myself more educated about it.” Before the audience dispersed, they were encouraged to give donations. All monies collected during the program will
be donated to a hospital in the Congo. The General Referral Hospital of Panzi (GRHP) opened in 1999, originally for delivering babies. But since the conflict has grown, GRHP specializes in providing treatment of survivors of sexual violence and surgical repair for women suffering from fistulas of the urogenital tract. An information sheet was available to all students who attended, giving details about the history of the Congo, geography, politics the potential. However, some came simply for the spoken word, not the information. “I was not motivated to do anything,” said Treka Thornton, a freshman child development and family sciences major from Oxford, NC. “I came for the spoken word.” “What you decide to do is up to you,” added Wilson. “We should all take responsibility and research it ourselves. It may not be publicized, but it’s there.” Wilson’s events on A&T’s campus include the Emmett Till play and a documentary about fallen Aggies. His next project will take place in December, where he will be shooting a film titled ‘Pulse of the Congo.’ He has hired a professional crew and will shoot in the swampland of Savannah, GA. The ‘Pulse of the Congo’ will come out in the spring.
These miscellaneous fees only apply to whom it concerns, meaning if one does not need any of these services, they do not have to pay for the. For example, an Aggie One Card replacement, which will be $25 starting in the fall. Housing, dining, the shuttle service, parking and health insurance are the only services that will not increase in cost next year. However, some money will be put towards purchasing new shuttle vehicles. New routes will be designed and students will be able to text a number evaluating their ride. These changes will not be in effect until the sum-
mer. The turnout for the event was less than expected with about 20 administrators and only 25 students. Student Government Association President Wayne Kimball Jr. said that they were thinking about having the program again to reach more students. One of the main reasons that the program was even done in the first place was that the administration wanted to be transparent. “This is a very, very serious matter. I wish students would come out. If they don’t, they can’t complain or say that the information was not provided,” Kimball said.
editorial cartoonist: Evan Summerville ncatregister.com: Kelcie McCrae, (Online Editor) senior reporter: Tia Norrington, Charles Johnson reporters: Necole Jackson, Laria Land, Chanel Davis, Shayla Mason, Shequia Cole, Chelsea Haizlip advertising& business manager: Ashley Minter business staff: Jamia Harrison, Quiana Hill, Brooke Waller graphic artist: Michael Whitaker writing coach: Anjan Basu faculty adviser: Emily Harris
events
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Wednesday
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SUAB International Food Night
Memorial Student Union Exhibit Hall 5 p.m.
SGA Senate Full Body Meeting New Science Building
Auditorium 7 p.m.
Senior Class Full Body Meeting
Marteena Hall Auditorium 7:30 p.m.
thursday
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9th Bi-annual Relationship Forum
GCB Auditorium 6:30 p.m.
friday
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Battle of the Border Band Brawl
Corbett Sports Complex 7 p.m.
saturday
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A Divine Affair
Memorial Student Union Stallings Ballroom 7 p.m.
The A&T Register is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters by students at North Carolina A&T State University. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Register’s newsroom (subject to availability). All subscription requests should be directed to the Business department. The A&T Register has a weekly circulation of 5,000 copies on-campus and in the community and is a member of The Associated Press, The Associated Collegiate Press and the Black College Wire.
theYARD OCS brings graduate school fair The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Sha’Keevia Hughes & Chelsea Haizlip Contributors
Zeb Talley III, a career counselor at NC A&T, hosted an information session Nov. 9, at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Student Union regarding the Grad School fair. The guest speaker was Dr. Blackwell. The Howard University alum works as a recruiter for the Professional School of Social Work. She briefly gave students an overview of the programs offered at Howard and discussed the application process.
A&T and SCSU face-off sylvia obell News Editor
The Battle of the Boarder will take place this Friday in Corbett Sports arena. This year the Blue and Gold Marching Machine of North Carolina A&T State University will host the South Carolina State University Marching 101 for the second time in history. The show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the ticket office, $10 in advance and $12 on the day of the event. Also known as the “Rivalry Classic,” the event will feature the two bands as they engage in a “band brawl,” much like the Norfolk State Spartan LegionMarching Machine Brawl that took place earlier in the season. The brawl will consist of several segments showcasing the ensembles in music, dance, and spirit. The segments include ensemble and sectional battles. There will also be features from both dance squads - Golden Delight (A&T) and Champagne (SCSU)– and both drum lines – Cold Steel (A&T) and Bong Brothers Inc. (SCSU). Though no official winner will be determined, the bands will be silently judged based on the crowd’s reaction. The two bands will also go head-to-head Saturday when the Aggies and the Bulldogs face off in Aggie Stadium.
“Tonight’s information session is a means of hopefully giving them an idea of some ways that they can prepare. Also, tomorrow [Nov. 10] there will be a lot of assistance from the recruiters that are actually participating,” said Talley. Recruiters from grad schools were in Stallings Ballroom on Nov. 10. The Office of Career Services (OCS) is willing to help students with the application process, letters of interest, resumes, etc. Zeb Talley III has worked for OCS for five years. A total of 45-50 grad schools come to this event every November.
He believes the career fair is beneficial for students for more than one reason. “It gives them an idea of what they need to do in terms of grad school preparation, financial aid process, scholarship process, the application process, testing process. A lot of students aren’t aware of hurdles that you have to cross in order to get in grad school and it’s a good preparation tool for that” said Talley. OCS is expecting a numerous amount of students to participate in the Grad School Fair. It’s opened to all classifications and freshman students are even encouraged to come.
Talley encourages students to bring “Copies of your resume and if you have copies of your transcripts that would be helpful as well some schools do ask you on the spot. Some students have brought letters of recommendation and that’s acceptable as well.” “Going into the fair I knew exactly who I wanted to talk too, I also knew a lot about the program. But talking to the representatives who gave a ton of information, this helped me in making a decision” said Kevin Huntley, a senior and information technology major. On the website, the OCS pro-
Aggies and Poets returns Jonathan Veal Scene Editor
On Nov. 11 students filed into Stallings Ballroom for Aggies and Poets presented by Student Government Association (SGA). The event consisted of student performances including spoken word, singing, and rap. Aggies and Poets was put together by SGA secretary, Janae Brown. Brown is a senior, journalism and mass communications major from Atlanta. She put together this event for the rebirth of Aggies and Poets, when former SGA Secretary for the Rehabilitation Administration, Dominic Jones from Bowie, Md. first brought this event to A&T back in 2008. “It was nice to see Aggies & Poets on the yard again and I love seeing Aggies display their talents, thoughts and feelings. I just wish the rest of campus was as energetic as the people on stage,” said Jones. A brief delay held the program to start later than planned due to providing extra chairs for guests. Throughout the event poets and singers performed original pieces that they either written themselves or various pieces that the crowd was familiar with such as, “Until the End of Time” by Justin Timberlake featuring Beyonce, “One Night Only” by Jennifer Hudson from the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack and “If I Was Your Woman” by Alicia Keys. The event was a mixture of Couture Productions and students that go to A&T. “Good for students…it gives all Aggies a chance to
show their talents and you don’t have to be in Couture to do this,” said Brown. Newcomers to the spoken word atmosphere were excited about their performance and glad that they actually performed. “I was really nervous beforehand and afterwards I’m glad that I did it and it was a good experience,” said Starlyn Robinson, junior political science and earth environmental science major from Detroit, Mich. Throughout the night, various
and design major from Texas. After preparation for this event, Brown felt that this year’s event was a much better turnout this year then in 2008. “I started planning this event right after homecoming and I was having open auditions to give everyone a fair chance with much help from my intern, Charlene Fields.” After the event ended a lot of students were pleased with Aggies and Poets and the talent that was displayed.
“I had no idea there was this much talent on campus! I really can’t wait until the next event because this was great... beyond words.” - Terrell Thibeau
sophomore, animal science major
genres of music were expressed including R&B, rap and gospel. Not only were students showcasing their vocals or poetic flare, but junior and senior visual arts and design majors, Lillian Shaw, Sharra Benson, Kendria Green, Arlington West, and Quincy Smith were displaying and actually painting throughout the event representing The Art Circle. “Feels good to be apart of this event…we wanted to get good network and show the student body what we were working on and what all we are doing,” said Lillian Shaw, senior visual arts
“I enjoyed the Aggies and Poets event. There were a lot of talented poets, singers, and artists. I was overall impressed,” said Jessica Wilkerson, junior, biology major from Salisbury, NC. Not only were students impressed with the talent from this year, but they are anticipating next year’s as well. “I had no idea there was this much talent on campus! I really can’t wait until the next event because this was great beyond words,” said Terrell Thibeaux, sophomore, laboratory animal science from Norfolk, VA.
vides the listing of schools that are attending the fair and they also have information on how to create a resume and information on interviewing skills. “Students who are familiar with the career fair setup can get some guidance before they come on kind of what to expect and to prepare for the whole situation” said Talley. “I went to the grad fair, trying to get more information on the management program at Wake Forest. I also wanted to see if other schools would offer what Wake Forest was doing,” said Huntley. Some advice for students
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who take interest in grad school would be “To start early. I think one of the advantages of going to grad school is being prepared and to know earlier in the process what you need to do in order to go to grad school; as oppose to waiting for your senior year to kind of put your papers and your applications together to know as a freshman or a sophomore what classes you need to be taking, what test you need to be preparing for and that way by your senior year its more of a matter of just completing your applications and sending the appropriate information to where you want to attend” said Talley.
Luncheon kicks off International Education Week Kelcie Mccrae
Managing Editor
Becoming better global neighbors was the message Badi Foster wanted to drive home to guests at the opening luncheon for 11th annual International Education Week (IEW). Foster, president of the Phelps Stokes organization said, “Life is not a layer cake, it‘s a marble cake. Everything is connected in ways often we are not even aware of. The important thing is that we are connected whether we like it or not.” This analogy Foster used - according to him - was to symbolize the importance of caring for one another on a global aspect. He said one must not be concerned with the problems and issues only they face, but also the problems and issues others face. As colorful flags representing various nations surrounded the walls of Stallings Ballroom with a decked out buffet to match, students and faculty had an opportunity to become more aware of the global society they live in. Hosted by the Office of International Programs and The Office of International Students and Scholars, this luncheon was dedicated in the observance of IEW. Bringing greetings as
well as a shared sentiment of global awareness on the campus of N.C. A&T was chancellor Harold Martin. “North Carolina A&T State has unique remarkable opportunity. It is extremely important that we take full advantage of the enormous opportunities afforded to this university to expose these outstanding students we serve so that we are indeed producing global leaders,” said Martin. A&T has a history of sending students and faculty to lands abroad to conduct research. According to Martin, students, faculty and staff have recently traveled to India and China to bring substance to the memorandum of understanding within these nations. This keynote speech, which was brought by the president of an organization dedicated to enhancing the education and socio-economic development of African-Americans, Native-Americans, and Africans was just the beginning of a week long of events for IEW hosted by The Office of International Programs as well as various other organizations on campus. Students throughout the week will have the opportunity to attend events ranging from an international film screening to a multi-cultural Thanksgiving. For more information on times and locations of the events, check the A&T website’s calendar.
Senate meeting focuses on judicial review Sequia Cole
Staff Reporter
On Nov.10 at a little after 7:30 p.m. the North Carolina A&T Student Senate held a meeting in the new science building. The meeting was a formal judicial review and approval of legislation. Student Government Association’s (SGA) Vice President of Internal Affairs, Raymond Beamon served as the facilitator. Parties invited included the Sankofa administration, Student Government Association advisors and the student body. The meeting began with a call to order, proceeded with a roll call of senate member and a reading of the minutes from the previous meeting, followed by receipt of petitions, memorials, messages and papers. Then there were the reports of standing committees and the handling of unfinished business. Next they approached new business which began with senatorial appointments where
new members took the oath of office. Three students were called to the front to recite the oath amidst some laughter and chatting. Then there was the approval of legislation. During this process two bills were amended and passed. The first bill was to increase the minimum cumulative grade point average necessary to become and remain apart of the student government association. While the minimum grade point average was a 2.5, it was raised to a 2.8. The second bill was to extend the terms of office for a senator. In the past no senator could serve more than two oneyear terms, but after this meeting a student senator may serve a second and third one-year term. The rules and regulations committee authored this bill and said that this change was made because they model themselves from the US senate who can serve an unlimited amount of six-year terms. Then came the judicial review. During this part of the
meeting each class of officers stood in front of the room and shared the programs and meetings they’d had as well as what they had planned for the remainder of the fall semester and the spring semester. The freshman class was not present for the meeting so the sophomore class was up first. Matthew Hester, sophomore class president, spoke on behalf of his executive board. He told about events they’d held, such as an open mic night and help with breast cancer awareness month. “We’ve realized that the things we do on campus should be more awareness related,” said Hester. This is why, going forward, Hester insisted that his entire e-board will be highly visible around campus for the hunger awareness program they’re implementing. Next up was the junior class officers. Junior class president Chukwuemeka Anazia spoke on behalf of his e-board. Some of the events held by the junior class included full-body meetings, a movie week in October,
a sex awareness program and a “remembering the fallen Aggies” program. However, senate members as well as members of the Sanfoka administration had questions about other programs. Big concern was raised about the Illuminati program held Nov. 3. Anazia said the program was created because students came to him wanting more information. He also said he handled the organization of the program and had a great turnout. Soon concern about the content of this controversial program took over the meeting. Questions were asked of Anazia about how he portrayed the divine nine Greek organizations and masons. He addressed concerns by saying that he’d called no organization out in particular. He also said that he’d held a meeting with a group of masons and cleared things up. Still Anazia was told a program about the assumed secret society was not in accordance with the student government association. Wayne Kimball, SGA President also told Anazia
that even though the junior class held an excess of programs, things weren’t handled correctly. Kimball said monthly required updates weren’t given to him and he reminded the audience of proper protocol and hierarchy. After a call to order by Beamon, Anazia was called out about his leaving after the fall 2010 semester. He insisted he had been granted a great opportunity at the last career fair and confirmed he would be taking it. “Ashley Scotland will be taking my place and she as well as my e-board is well capable,” he said. Senior class president Jamia Harrison and her e-board were next to take the floor. Harrison said their focus was on creating community service opportunities for seniors graduating in December. They addressed concerns about the senior class not being aware of events. Senior class Vice President, Josh Smith said he will be sure to make fliers brighter and post them in more locations. They
also plan to make a Facebook page in addition to their already functioning Twitter page for publicity. Another concern raised was the lack of events held by the senior class during the beginning of the fall semester. Harrison said the lack of events was as a result of them not having a full-functioning executive board. “It was like pulling teeth to get seniors on the e-board,” she said. After the judicial review class officers left and senate members finished the meeting. They discussed their upcoming constitutional convention as well as a proposed bill to make A&T a smoke-free campus. A&T is one of two HBCUs that don’t have a smoke-free campus, the other one being North Carolina Central University. Beamon said that their meetings are always productive and that he wishes more students would come out and ask questions and or express their concerns. “It’s a struggle to get students to come,” he said.
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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Hickory remembers slain girl’s birthday MEG KINNARD
Associated Press
HICKORY, N.C. (AP) — Zahra Baker, the little girl from Australia with the resilience to smile through painful treatment for bone cancer, would have been 11 years old Tuesday. Instead, the day will be marked with candlelight vigils in North Carolina as court documents revealed she was dismembered and police needed her stepmother’s help to find the remains because they were in such remote locations. Attorneys for the stepmother, Elisa Baker, argued the woman’s bond should be lessened because she helped police. Elisa Baker has been in custody since
the day after Zahra was reported missing, and she is accused of trying to throw off investigators by writing a fake ransom note for another child. Zahra’s father was also arrested on a host of charges unrelated to the girl’s disappearance, but is free on bail. Calls to his lawyer were not returned. No one has been charged in Zahra’s death, but police have cast doubt on her parents’ claims they last saw her alive Oct. 9. Zahra’s remains and the prosthetic leg she needed after an amputation because of her cancer were found at remote sites around Hickory, a town of about 41,000 about 50 miles northwest of Charlotte, the documents said.
Rapid infastruction raises safety concerns in India and China ALEXA OLESEN NIRMALA GEORGE Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) — Indian and Chinese cities have expanded at breakneck speed over the last few decades, buoyed by growth that has swelled the middle class and brought waves of rural migrants seeking better opportunities. The pace and scale of the building boom has been headspinning, and is not expected to slow soon. Maria Chen, China representative for ICF International — a management and technology consulting company based in Fairfax, Virginia, that helps companies in China become more energy efficient — said the rapid pace of construction inevitably leads to disasters such as the fire in Shanghai. “Part of the problem is just the scale of magnitude,� said Chen. “Every year China is putting up 2 billion square meters (2.4 billion sq. yards) of new building space ... That’s 50 times Manhattan’s office stock. So China is putting that many buildings on the ground, quickly, and with minimal (safety) enforcement. That’s really one of the overarching problems — and also developers desire to make quick money.� In India, the result has been glass and steel high-rises and thickets of crowded low-rise buildings and shanty towns. Callous building contractors flout existing laws while unscrupulous government officials ignore illegal constructions of poor quality that meet the soaring demand for cheap housing. In China too, real estate prices in mega-cities such as Beijing
and Shanghai have spiraled, yet residents often worry about the integrity of new gleaming buildings that are built fast and with little apparent attention to quality. Last year, a nearly finished 13-story apartment building in Shanghai collapsed. Excavations for an underground parking garage may have undermined the structure, causing it to topple. Ambitious government plans to renovate old buildings to make them more energy efficient — and reduce China’s greenhouse gas emissions, the world’s largest — are also adding to the construction frenzy. Shanghai’s fire chief told reporters during Monday’s fire the flames raced along a scaffolding of bamboo and flammable nylon nets — erected to retrofit the 1990s-era building with more energy-efficient insulation. “With the quick pace of building construction in China, there’s great need for construction workers. However, the quality of these workers is a big problem these days,� said Li Hua, an engineer and researcher with China Academy of Building Research. “Now most of these jobs are given to migrant workers who have little or no training at all and generally neglect safety codes,� Li said. Projects are also routinely subcontracted several times, weakening oversight and accountability, he added. Rocketing real estate prices play a part in such tragedies, crowding out affordable, legal housing, said Gautam Bhatia, a New Delhi based architect and writer.
As police continued their investigation, a mountain of remembrances accumulated at the Bakers’ now-abandoned home, with pictures, birthday cards and angels hanging from a tree outside the home in Hickory. Spending her lunch break to pay respects at the growing pile of toys and flowers left in Zahra’s memory, retail grocery worker Cathie Price cried as she talked about how the community is dealing with the girl’s death. “Most little kids, they’re afraid of having monsters under the bed or in the closet,� Price said. “This poor little child, she was living with monsters right out there in the open.� Elisa Baker told police on
Oct. 24 that Zahra “was deceased, that her body had been dismembered and that it would be recovered at different sites,� according to the documents. She was allowed to accompany police the following two days to sites within about 15 miles of Hickory. The court papers were reported by Charlotte-area TV stations and posted on the website of WCNC-TV. Zahra’s parents told authorities she was last seen in her bed at their home in Hickory. Soon after she was reported missing, police had trouble finding anyone other than Zahra’s parents who had seen her alive in the weeks before her disappearance.
Cuba frees first of political prisoners ANDREA RODRIGUEZ Associated Press
HAVANA (AP) — The first of 13 remaining Cuban dissidents jailed since 2003 was released from prison Saturday and returned to his home in the capital, a strong signal the government intends to release all of the men despite their refusal to go into exile. Bertha Soler, a member of the Ladies in White dissident group, told The Associated Press that Arnaldo Ramos Lauzurique had “arrived at his apartment� in central Havana after his wife received a telephone call from Havana Cardinal Jaime Ortega informing her of the government’s intentions. Soler said another of the 13, who had been on the fence about whether to accept the government’s offer to go into exile with his family, had finally decided to take the deal. She said the man, Luis Enrique Ferrer Garcia, would leave for Spain soon, along with his family. There was no immediate comment from the Roman Catholic Church, which had announced all of the previous releases. The government has
refused to comment as the process has unfolded. The 68-year-old Ramos was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2003 along with 74 other activists on charges of receiving money and support from the United States to destroy the revolution. Some of them were later released for health reasons. After a meeting with President Raul Castro on July 7, Ortega announced that the 52 still in prison would be let go over the course of four months. Thirty-nine of the men were freed and sent into exile in Spain, but progress stalled as the last 13 refused to leave the island. “They said the agreement has not been broken and the process of liberation will continue, even though the deadline has passed,� she said. Still, Ramos’s release was the first concrete sign of continued progress. “Arnaldo is the first of the 13 to be freed. He is fine,� said Soler, whose husband Angel Moya is one of the prisoners who have refused to leave the island. Some of the men have vowed to continue their fight for democracy the moment they get out of jail, but it was not immediately clear if Ramos will return to political activities.
had traveled from Australia to Hickory last week. Emily Dietrich, from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales province, told the Australia-based Seven Network Sunday she hopes to be able to return her daughter’s remains to her native country. Some 100 miles northeast of Hickory, Kristie Pope was organizing a vigil in Greensboro. Mourners will gather at a local Ben & Jerry’s, which is making a special birthday cake for Zahra. “She could be my kid, with the freckles and the hair,� said Pope, a mother of three. “She reminds me a little of what my daughter looked like at that age.�
Diabetes drug linked to heart problems ELAINE GANLEY
Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — French health officials said Tuesday the now-banned diabetes and weight loss drug Mediator may have been linked to the deaths of about 500 people in the 33 years it was on the market. About 5 million people used Mediator — the brand name for benflourex in France — from 1976 until it was pulled off the market in 2009. The European Medicines Agency said last year that it decided to remove benflourex from the market because it had little effect on diabetes and might lead to a dangerous thickening of heart valves. In September, European regulators pulled blockbuster diabetes drug Avandia off the market because of alleged links to heart attacks. Benflourex, used especially to treat weight problems among diabetics, underwent various tests over time, but it was only in 2006 that a confirmed case of heart valve problems related to its use
was reported, the health safety agency said. A complementary study was carried out last summer to determine what impact benflourex had on patients who took the drug in 2006. It followed their hospitalizations and deaths linked to heart valve problems until June of 2010. “On the basis of results, the analysis by epidemiologists believe that around 500 deaths may be attributable to benflourex among all users of the medication since it went on the market,� the health products safety agency said. The drugmaker, Servier, which has carried out its own tests, said the results were an “extrapolation.� “The Servier Research Group underscores that these figures are hypotheses founded on extrapolations,� the drugmaker said in a statement Heart valve problems naturally affect some 2.5 percent of the population, a figure that increases with age and the presence of diabetes, Servier said. It argued that the test does not allow one to blame all valve problems on the medication. Servier, however, counseled patients to discuss the issue with their doctors as “a precaution.�
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A suspicious early morning fire occurred at the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home several hours before she was reported missing. It was then that police discovered a ransom note addressed to Adam Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boss on the windshield of Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car. Police went to that manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, and found him and his daughter to be fine. Elisa Baker admitted writing the note and faces an obstruction of justice charge, police said. Adam Baker, 33, is facing one count each of assault with a deadly weapon and failure to return rental property, two counts of communicating threats and five counts of writing worthless checks, authorities said. Zahraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biological mother
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General Motors stock rises due to demand TOM KRISHER
AP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) — A confident General Motors has added 20 million shares of preferred stock to its initial public offering, and it raised the estimated price range for common shares by about 14 percent to $32 to $33. The Detroit automaker, just 16 months out of bankruptcy protection, will now sell 80 million shares of preferred stock for $50 each when its offering takes place on Thursday. Com-
mon shares will be sold by the U.S. government and two other owners, who inherited the stock for helping GM get through a painful restructuring last year. GM announced the changes in a statement issued Tuesday morning. The automaker gave no reason for the increases, but people briefed on the sale say it’s because of high investor demand. One person said bankers handling the sale had seven times more orders for the common stock than shares. Earlier this month, GM said its owners will sell 365 million
common shares for $26 to $29 each. GM also planned to sell 60 million preferred shares for $50 each. The increase in preferred shares lifts the amount GM will raise in the sale from $3 billion to $4 billion, according to the statement. Final pricing is to be set Wednesday, and bankers may stop taking orders for the shares as early as Tuesday afternoon, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the sale. The preferred stock price
will stay at $50, but GM’s total cost for those shares will remain about the same because it’s reducing the expected dividend rate from a range of 5.5 to 6 percent to between 4.75 and 5.25 percent, the person said. The preferred shares will be converted to common stock in 2013. Bankers have the option to sell roughly 55 million more common shares, although they have not yet decided to do that, the person said. The common stock price increase is a boon for the U.S. government, which is GM’s
largest stockholder. The government is trying to get back the $50 billion it gave the company last year to get through bankruptcy protection. Other owners selling stock are the Canadian and Ontario governments and a union health care trust fund. Demand for the automaker’s shares is rising as its financial outlook improves. Last week, GM announced a third-quarter profit of $2 billion, bringing its earnings to a healthy $4.2 billion for the year. In presentations to investors, GM said its debt and labor costs have been
cut so much that it can break even at the low point in an auto sales slump. When sales fully recover, the company said it could make $17 billion to $19 billion per year before taxes. The price hike comes during a week that could be the biggest for IPOs since 2007, according to investment adviser Renaissance Capital LLC. The IPO market has improved steadily since August 2009. The sector had been almost frozen for nearly a year after massive losses on mortgage bonds upended global credit markets.
Caterpillar agrees to purchase Transporation Security Administration intensifies its security screening Bucyrus for $7.6 billion SAMANTHA BOMKAMP AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Caterpillar, the world's largest construction and mining equipment maker, moved aggressively to capitalize on demand for commodities in emerging markets Monday with a $7.6 billion buyout of Bucyrus International. Bucyrus makes surface mining equipment used for mining coal, copper, iron ore, oil sands and other minerals. Demand for commodities has languished in traditional markets, pushing global companies like Caterpillar Inc. further into China, India and Brazil, which need such materials to feed surging economies. The acquisition, and what Caterpillar called a robust outlook for commodities, is being driven by those places that are
rapidly "improving infrastructure, rapidly developing urban areas and industrializing their economies. Last month Caterpillar doubled its third-quarter profit, thanks in large part to growth in those markets. To land Bucyrus International Inc., based in South Milwaukee, Wis., Caterpillar will pay $92 per share, a 32 percent premium to Bucyrus' closing price on Friday. The deal, which is valued at $8.6 billion including debt, is expected to close in mid-2011. Shares of Bucyrus jumped 30 percent in premarket trading to $90.26. Caterpillar during the economic downturn made drastic cuts, vowing then that it would be in a better position when the economy rebounded. It cut 19,000 full-time and 18,000
contract and part time workers. The Peoria, Ill. company said last month it expects the global economy to grow by about 3.5 percent next year, on par with economists' forecasts. But the company predicts developing regions will grow at about double that rate. And even in the emerging economies where growth is slower, Caterpillar said the replacement of worn out machinery will drive sales even before those economies markedly improve. The deal requires, which got the go-ahead from both company boards, still requires approval by regulators and Bucyrus shareholders. The company expects to save about $400 million a year starting in 2015 from the acquisition.
MichAEl Tarm
Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — A n n o y a n c e at security hassles has been on the rise among airline crews and passengers for years, but the widespread use of full-body image detectors this year and the simultaneous introduction of more intrusive pat-downs seems to have ramped up the frustration. As passengers have simmered over being forced to choose scans by full-body image detectors or rigorous patdowns inspections, some airline pilots are pushing back. Much of the criticism is directed at the Transportation Security Administration. The scanners show a body's contours on a computer stationed in a private room removed from the security checkpoints. A person's face is never shown and the person's identity is supposedly not known to the screener reviewing the images. Under TSA rules, those who decline must submit to pat-downs that include checks of the inside of travelers' thighs and buttocks. Top federal officials said Monday that the procedures are safe and necessary sacrifices to ward off terror attacks. “It's all about security," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said. "It's all about everybody rec-
ognizing their role." That's not how John Tyner sees it. The software engineer posted an Internet blog item over the weekend saying he had been ejected from the San Diego airport after being threatened with a fine and lawsuit for refusing a groin check after turning down a full-body scan. He said he told one federal TSA worker, "If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested." "I told the person that being molested should not be a condition of getting on a flight," the 31-year-old said in a phone interview Monday. Tyner, who was eventually told he could not fly at all because he refused both modes of search, captured the incident on his cell phone. "This is not considered a sexual assault," a supervisor can be heard telling him. "It would be if you were not the government," replies Tyner. Many pilots say requiring them to go through security is ridiculous. Walsh argued that it sends a disturbing message to passengers for them to see pilots being searched. Capt. John Prater, head of the Air Line Pilots Association, noted pilots are already subject to FBI background checks. Prater said that based on discussions with TSA officials Mon-
day he was hopeful the agency will soon approve a "crew pass" system that would allow flight attendants and pilots to undergo less stringent screenings. Some pilots also are concerned about possible health risks from low-level radiation emitted by the body machines. Sullenberger, who recently retired, said pilots are exposed to more radiation because they fly at altitudes where the atmosphere doesn't fully block harmful rays. "So, for those of us who are already exposed to many times more radiation than those who work on the ground, it is of concern to us that we are exposed even in small amounts to additional, what we consider unnecessary radiation exposure," he said. Sullenberger said he hasn't heard of studies addressing those potential health risks, but he said, "Absent the data, I think we need to err on the side of caution." Not all passengers share the level of ire of Tyner, whose individual protest quickly became a web sensation over the weekend.
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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, November 17, 2010
6
Maybe HBCUs aren’t relevant anymore Pucker up and kiss HBCUs in N.C. goodbye. Sound unreal? Clearly you have not been keeping up with the news. Throughout the past two weeks talks of layoffs, budget cuts and even closure of an entire university have become the hot topic of water cooler conversations at the 17 schools/universities within the UNC-System. Out-going president Erskine Bowles recently told members of the Board of Governors, “If we keep having cuts, cuts, cuts, we’ll have to look at eliminating schools, campuses.” I never thought I would see the day when an entire school would be on the chopping block in order to save money.
The state is currently facing a $3.5 billion budget hole, not only that but also they are facing $1.3 billion in expiring taxes and a loss of $1.6 billion in federal stimulus money according to the News and Observer. No wonder budget cuts are seemingly necessary. As these statements of closure are just an instance in a worst-case scenario, if a school were to be shut down, it inevitably would be a HBCU. Out of the 17 schools within the system, the lowest performing schools are HBCUs excluding UNC-Pembroke. Here at N.C. A&T, where I am a proud student, our six-year graduation rate is 37.2 percent. That is
twice as low as UNC-Chapel Hill, which graduates 75 percent. Notice that even with two additional years, our KELCIE students are not putting up MCCRAE great numbers with graduation rates. The twoyear addition was given as a realization that students are coming to school with more family and economic responsibilities. What is wrong with this picture? If tomorrow Erskine Bowles announces that he would be
closing A&T what would you do? What would you argue? The pure fact that we have a distinct history is not enough to keep us open. We must prove academically that we deserve to keep our doors open to the public. This year alone, A&T had to exceed the number of remedial Math and English courses it originally allotted. This means that more and more students are coming to A&T without the basic concepts of Math 101 and English 101 that should have been mastered in high school. If we are spending more time and money funding these unnecessary additions to our course loads, why not raise our
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Finally, health reform is working MCT Campus Contributor
Emboldened congressional Republicans are predicting a rocky couple of years ahead for the health-care overhaul that they disparagingly call “Obamacare” _ as they hatch plans to scuttle the law by holding up funding for key elements. But they had better act quickly. Millions of Americans already are enjoying tangible benefits from the health-care law, and they’re not likely to look kindly on having those benefits weakened, much less revoked. The list of benefits so far includes: required coverage of preventive services such as
childhood immunizations and cancer screenings for women; a ban on denying coverage for youngsters with preexisting medical conditions; letting young adults still at home remain on their parents’ health plan; barring insurers from setting lifetime limits on coverage; and a $250 rebate for seniors facing the Medicare “doughnut hole” in drug coverage. As of January, there will be added incentives for family doctors who work in underserved areas, and cost controls on insurers to assure premiums are used for health care rather than executives’ salaries. A year from now, additional funding will be provided for
community health centers (the centers that Republicans have offered as their solution to the problem of 50 million uninsured.) So the GOP’s guerilla-style tactics to slow and even reverse health reform could well prove unpopular with growing numbers of citizens as the benefits of the Affordable Care Act (its official name) take hold. That, of course, is the message President Obama’s aides should, and will, try to get out in the months ahead. One of the other problems with the GOP strategy is that it does not appear to offer anything to replace the health-care reforms. Granted, more could be
done to find ways to reduce costs. Even Obama admits the law isn’t perfect and will require adjustments over time. But the Republicans’ focus so far is solely on upending the law’s implementation in an effort to force Obama to agree to changes. So much for all that GOP talk on the campaign trail about simultaneously repealing and replacing the supposedly objectionable aspects of the law, right? If the strategy proves to be merely more party-of-no maneuvers that do nothing to improve Americans’ access to affordable, quality health care, that’s bound to make people really sick.
Letter to the Editor
A program called, “What’s Hidden in Plain Sight” occurred on November 3rd. The purpose of the program was to open students’ eyes to a phenomenon known as the Illuminati and to hopefully spark an interest so that they will do further research. The program started with a description of the Illuminati, which was shown through part of a DVD (Illuminati Part 2). The program continued with PowerPoint slides which showed Illuminati, New World Order, and Church of Satan symbols and hand signs (The golden path and lady in red were also shown). Additionally, YouTube clips were shown that showed symbolism in various forms of entertainment such as movies, music videos, and even sports events. A question was then asked “Allegiance or Coincidence?”, as many entertainers, government officials, cartoon characters, and athletes were shown consciously flaunting the same symbols and hand signs. The program concluded with an excerpt of
AggieLife
a John F. Kennedy speech addressing secret societies and other topics under the umbrella of the Illuminati, and a slide showing students where they could start their own research (www.vigilantcitizen.com). Greek organizations were never mentioned to be a part of the illuminati, talked about, or were even on a PowerPoint slide. Some feel that it was an attack on them because many of the hand signs were extremely similar. We are aware that some people who did not attend have listened to gossip and believe that the program showed symbolism of, hand signs of, and condemned Greek life. This is not true. The programs intent was for people to make their own decisions and to open their eyes to symbolism in the world, instead of just taking other peoples’ word for it. A few groups of people were concerned that people might view their organization or symbolism in a negative manner and were frustrated that they did not have representatives to speak on behalf of their or-
ganization. One group of people we are aware of is the Masons that attend NC A&T. We are deeply sorry and want them to know that was not our intent. Our intent was merely to educate people on the fact that there is a global agenda happening whether it is negative or positive (that is their decision to make), and to start doing research on what is truly going on in the world. We believe that most attendees understood this message as many people thanked us for holding the program. Lastly, the program was not to talk about any organization or about any group other than the Illuminati. Again, we apologize to the Masons that attend NC A&T and to any other organizations that felt disrespected or judged. Sincerely, The Panel of “What’s Hidden in Plain Sight”
admission standards? It is time to cut the fat and weed out the weak-willed. These individuals are doing nothing more than taking up space within our institution. Too many of our students are at the club faithfully every weekend but when their transcript is pulled up all that is seen is a 1.8 GPA. In order to compete at the level we have the ability to, we must raise ourselves to a higher standard. We must not let HBCUs become a fad of the past, but instead the model institution in which other school desire to emulate. HBCUs, especially A&T,
should not be performing on the bottom end of any spectrum. I find it insulting that we are becoming a laughing stock amid other institutions. The fact that our rival N.C.C.U is out graduating us also adds more fuel to my flame. Although their rate (44.4) is no contestant for a gold start, our rates should not be lower than theirs nor should it be lower than Elizabeth City S.U. (45.8). Today more than ever we need to step up our game in the academic playing field. The myth that HBCUs are not relevant in today’s society is becoming more and more of a reality. We must prove this to be an untruth.
Ask a Black Guy The following is a Q&A column that will answer the many question that are presented to black men. The questions, as well as the answers, are completely anonymous. However, the questions are directed towards black men on this campus. Therefore we assure you that the answers are exclusively from black men on this campus. Why do men lie to girls they are not in a relationship with? GUY #1- Why not? In this game of men and women, we have got to stay two steps ahead. And the reality of it all is that women do not believe the truth anyway. Why waste our time telling you the truth if you are not going to believe what I say when I tell you? The stuff black men do is so stupid sometimes that there is no logical explanation to why we do what we do. So why would we tell you the truth and dig a deeper hole for ourselves? Black men completely understand the concept of “telling the truth is easier.” However if we lie, that increases the chances of us getting away with what ever we did. We did not say that makes it right, we’re just saying that is why we lie. GUY #2- Because women can’t handle the truth! If you told a girl that is not your girlfriend that you are involved with five other girls, then they will be mad that they are number six instead of number one. Opposed to accepting that I’m testing my options as a single male, they look at the fact that they are not the only one I’m talking to. So why even tell them? We live in a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ world. GUY #3- Because guys never want to cut and burn bridges. We like to keep our options. That’s basically it. Does growing up with or without a father figure make a difference on how you treat women? GUY #1- I think my father played a huge role in my life. I would honestly say that most of the things that I do now I can say I got from my father. However, I can also say that I have seen my mother and father argue, physically fight, and demonstrate true hatred towards one another. With that being said, this does not mean that I am automatically
picking up his bad habits. I love my father and everything he has taught me, but growing up with my dad in my life showed me that no woman should have to go through the heartache my mother went through. So my father may have showed me how his marriage fell apart, but I used his mistakes to guide me to eventually becoming a better husband. GUY #2- No. I think men learn how to treat a woman from their mother. Our fathers teach us how to not be emotional. Theoretically you want to see your mom’s characteristics in your significant other. So that means your mom influences us more than our fathers. GUY #3- Yes! You learn how to treat a woman from the closest man to you. So if you see your dad treat your mom wrong, or don’t see your dad at all, that will affect how you view women in terms of walking in and out of their lives. Why can’t black women find a good black boyfriend? GUY#1- Perhaps it’s because you ask stupid questions like this. I know plenty of strong black women who are completely content with being single. However, too many of you are so concerned with finding a man that you lose focus on finding yourself. How can you say what a good man is if you don’t even know enough about yourself? Maybe the reason you cannot find a good man is because you aren’t a good enough woman. Find yourself first, and then that man will fall into place. GUY #2- Because black women are crazy! Most of them do not even know what they want. Women are raised to find a man. But you all are not willing to face trial and error. In addition to that, many of you are afraid to face judgment from other women. But more importantly, black men are not looking for a girlfriend! Our stock went up when Obama was elected and studies show that black women are not the most desirable to marry right now, so why would we want to settle down? GUY #3- Ask yourself “Where are you looking?” “What are you looking for?” and “Did you ever consider that you might be the problem?” After you answer those questions, then I’m sure you will know why you can’t find a man.
Evan Summerville Editor’s note:The opinions expressed on The Word are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff of The A&T Register. All house editorials are written and revised with input from the editorial board, staff, and is approved by the editor. All submissions must be sent to theatregister@gmail.com to be considered for submission and should be no longer than 250 words. Submissions must be received by the Sunday prior to publication at 5 p.m. to be considered. The A&T Register reserves the right to edit all submission content for clarity and grammar. Submissions become the property of The A&T Register and will not be returned.
theSCORE The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, November 17, 2010
AGGIE INSIDER
Terrence Buie of The A&T Register caught up with Coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs after the Lady Aggies went 1-1 in the season opening tournament at Winthrop. Among things discussed were pre-season goals, the youth of this Aggie squad, early adversity, what to expect going forward, and the need for support of the women’s team.
TB: What were you guys’ goals for the season; what did you want to accomplish? CB: We want to accomplish another championship. We looked at us doing three championships and Jalessa Sams would be the only freshman that has come through to get four straight championships. However, we knew that we were so young and a lot of times for the freshmen are that they get experience. In order to do this they had to possibly learn quickly because the schedule we put together was no joke. TB: That’s another thing, looking at the schedule I see it’s going to work out to be four straight games on the road. Is that by design? CB: That’s the way it’s been. It’s so tough for us to get home games and only because of success. Last year out of the 32 games we had 23 on the road and this year we have 18 on the road. We would love to play at home, we love our fans.
TB: Going to the Winthrop tournament over the weekend, in the first game you guys struggled out of the gate (119-71 loss to Central Michigan). What do you feel was the major issue in that game? CB: I think a lot of times when you see a team and we scouted them, we showed the ladies what they were like last year but those ladies are older, more experienced now. A lot of times having a lot of freshmen they don’t really realize; they think it’s just a game. They had an outstanding team. I can’t take anything from them they were a very good team. I don’t have an issue of playing them, I’m glad we did because it helped us so much for what we have to face anyway so we were ok with Winthrop. TB: What did you tell the team to help them bounce back so quickly? (81-56 win over host Winthrop in consolation game of tournament) What did you instill in them to let them know we have to approach this a little differently? CB: Well I think it was actuality because actually they saw themselves play against Central Michigan, and to go in that film room and go through that scouting report and to look at yourself. See a lot of times we don’t believe some of the things we do. If we are doing some great things some of that kind of sticks with you however if things are not that great you seem to forget it. I just believe in the visual aid, you have to see yourself. TB: You have a very young team (one senior, Jalessa Sams) aren’t you impressed with the accountability that the team had after the first game to not point fingers and instead look at themselves in the mirror? They did and without the senior in that game. Jalessa went down against Central Michigan early in the 2nd half. TB: Who stepped up for Jaleesa?
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CB: We took Jaquayla Berry, who has always been a guard for us, we put her under the basket and she went to work (17 points and 12 rebounds). TB: If there is maybe one word or so you would use to describe this team early on what would it be, something like potential? CB: Great potential, it is really great potential. This team will make a statement before the end of this season. It’s really amazing because when you have given success to so many, and this is what’s happening here at the women’s program, A&T has done this. People expect that you make no excuses for being young, for anything. We don’t have this, we don’t have that, and I make no excuses for that. I know we have the team. Our kids looks good on paper, our freshmen, they will be freshmen. I don’t know what I’m going to get from the Old Dominion game because with freshmen it’s always a surprise. You’re going to get something. You don’t know if it is going to be good or bad. However you know that they are going to grow and we are going to allow them that time to grow. The pressure has to be put on the upperclassmen to help to get it done. TB: If there is anything that you could tell the student body and the community to help get them to come out and see what will happen with our women’s team this year what would that be? CB: You have to continue to support, you can’t give up on us because if you give up before we even get started you are going to miss out on something as a fan. So we need them, when we are here at home they need to be here to see us. Not coming at halftime but at the beginning to show these young ladies that they support them. So just support us, continue, and do not give up because we are not going to give up. We are going to fight until the end. That schedule, it is a long season and right now I am feeling good because I know these kids want to win.
Learning to compete Prince j. grimes Sports Editor
The Aggies are now 0-2 at this early point in the season after taking an 84-61 loss to Morehead State Nov. 14, in Johnson Arena. The Aggies went through stretches of scoring droughts that were eerily reminiscent of last season. Meanwhile, Morehead State showed the Aggies why they were picked to win the Ohio Valley Conference this year. The Aggies scored just nine points in the first 12 minutes of the game and during that time Morehead went on a 15-3 run to gain a double-digit lead that they would never surrender. “We’re not ready for commitment,” said Aggies head coach Jerry Eaves. “We’re go-
ing to find the right combination of players who know how to compete and who are willing to compete. And that’s who we’ll play.” The Aggies were led by guard Mark Hill who scored 13 points. The teams’ only senior, Thomas Coleman, recorded his 18th career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Adrian Powell scored 11 points off of the bench. “We are still in an evaluation stage at this point,’’ said Eaves about his youthful team. “After two games I now know we’re too young to have an idea of what it means to compete to win.” Guards Demonte Harper and Terrance Hill scored 19 points apiece for the Eagles.
The Aggies lost their season opener last Friday to the number five ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The game wasn’t close and resulted in a 102-61 win for Ohio State. The Aggies were outrebounded 60-22. OSU Freshman Deshaun Thomas led the Buckeyes topranked freshman class with 24 points and eight rebounds on 10-for-16 shooting. Jared Sullinger, a freshman, finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds. “They had the superior, and they used it to get very physical against us in the paint,” said Eaves. “There is no question they deserve their [No. 5] ranking.’’ Junior guards Marc Hill and Nic Simpson led the Aggies with 14 points apiece.
Lady Aggies expect bowling success Michele Delgado Contributor
N.C. A&T earned their fourth win during their only home meet for the regular season on Nov. 13-14 at Gate City Lanes. The Lady Aggies competed against Bethune–Cookman, N.C. Central, Norfolk State, Florida A&M and S.C. State in the first MEAC Divisional Meet of the 2010-2011 season. Senior Sarah Taylor led the Aggies during the individual portion of the meet. Taylor bowled an average of 203.2 in five games, which included her career-high game of 257 against N.C. Central as the Aggies defeated the Eagles 840-805. “I was definitely proud of myself, that game took a lot of focus,” said Taylor. “I am super excited because this is only the start to a great season. To start off my last season with my career-high makes me anxious to see what I and my team are capable of.” Taylor bowled a 205 and
Sophomore Amber Brown added a score of 181 to lead the Aggies to the 830-783 win over Bethune-Cookman. N.C. A&T completed the individual round 2-3. “We lost two really close matches to S.C. State and Florida A&M,” said Aggies head coach James Williams. “We missed two routine spares that ultimately led to those two loses. I’m very proud of the way the team responded to its first collegiate tournament of the season.” “I feel the meet went way better than last year considering we have a new teammate who has never bowled on a college level before,” said Brown speaking about freshman Cherise Poole. “I feel as though this season is going to be great. Everybody from last year has improved and the new freshman fits right there in with us.” The Aggies also went 2-3 during the Team Baker round held on Nov. 14. The Aggies scored high enough to knock off Bethune-Cookman and N.C.
Central and finish the weekend 4-6. The Lady Aggies had their best showing against the Wildcats. The 196 and 185 scores the Aggies posted against the Wildcats were the top two Team Baker scores the Aggies compiled during the Baker round. But two missed spares were again the difference between a solid performance rather than an outstanding one. “It was a good meet, it went better than expected and the team performed well,” said Taylor. “A lot of people returned this year, and I feel we work a lot better together this year rather than last year. I do think we are going to make it to the MEAC Championship.” Brown agrees, “Our goal is to make it to the MEAC championship since last year was the first year we did not make it in a long time. Maybe we can even place.” The Lady Aggies compete in the S.C. State Dual Invitational on Nov. 20-21 in Orangeburg, S.C.
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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, November 17, 2010
NY/NJ Karaoke Night jessica grissom Contributor
The New York, New Jersey Connection hosted “Karaoke Night” in the Exhibit Hall on Nov. 11. NY/NJ Connection is composed of students from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware. Students were able to come and sign up to sing a song of their choice in front of a live audience. Once a song was selected, the lyrics were projected onto a screen during each individual performance. A stage was also set up at the front of the room for the performers. “Everyone can choose from a large showcase of songs. The list consists of everything from rock, pop, and R & B,” said Gloria Smith, the corresponding secretary and a sophomore sports science major. “I’m really enjoying our NY/ NJ events. Last year I was a general member and just taking everything in, but I wanted to get more involved with the organization and I’m glad I did,” Smith added. A wide range of songs was performed at the event. Senior Verdell Russell sang “Infidelity” by Trey Songz and senior Nigel Tomlin performed “Ballin” by Jim Jones. A small group performed “Beat It,” a Michael Jackson song. Also, senior Ronald Plummer Jr. performed “If You Think you’re Lonely Now” by Bobby Womack. “Karaoke nights always seem to be a hit. It gives everyone a chance to take a break from school and stress. We all know
we sing in the shower, so why not come and do it here with friends?” said Azikiweh Hall, sergeant at arms and senior computer science major. “Everyone can come out of their comfort zone and laugh together. We can all let our guards down,” Hall added. Throughout the event, students enjoyed each other’s performances and let their selfconsciousness go. “NY/NJ is known for showing out on campus so we always have a good time. We just wanted to host something light and fun. No need for practice, just come out and sing for free. Karaoke night, much like our Apollo night, is always carefree and fun,” said historian Sherrell Burt, a senior journalism and mass communications major. NY/NJ helped to make the event a success by promoting it with flyers and a campus-wide dorm storm. The event had a successful turnout and participation. Even those who could not sing in tune still belted out the words to some of their favorite songs. “I wanted to come out to support the event and my friends. I won’t personally be singing unless I’m with a group, but I’ll cheer on my friends,” said sophomore music performance major, Ashenna Moore. NY/NJ Connection hosted the event “Singled Out,” a blind dating game, earlier this semester. Karaoke night marks the last major event of the fall semester for NY/NJ; however, they plan to come back in the spring with even more interactive programs for the campus.
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Contributor’s Meetings every Wednesday at 5 p.m. on GCB 328A
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Nov. 17th to 23rd
Photo by Kenneth hawkins •The A&T Register
The A&T Register’s guide to what’s going on this week in arts and entertainment.
the chinese drumline performing with drums in mid air. The UniverSoul Circus host the Triad Sneak peek show at N.C. A&T in Moore Gym on Wednesday, November 10, 2010.
Circus has diverse SOUL shequia cole
Staff Reporter
WNAA-FM brought the UniverSoul Circus to A&T to provide a free preview in Moore gym on last Wednesday. Students were in attendance as well as some faculty and area day care centers. The crowd was slow to fill the gym but by the time the 45-minute show ended, there was a packed house. The UniverSoul circus was in Greensboro Nov. 10 - Nov.14 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Ticket prices ranged from $10 - $26.50. The emcee, Lucky, entertained the audience with dancing, jokes and witty humor. He also had a clever way of introducing each circus act. “A circus is not a circus without clowns,” he said. Then out came Onionhead the signature “clown from the hood.” Onionhead entertained with the typical clumsy clown act in addition to some balancing tricks and dancing. He also had a great deal of audience interaction, getting kids from the audience to play games, answer questions and even have a dance contest. Each audience member brought out of the crowd won four tickets to the Nov. 10
show. Next, the African Acrobats from Central Africa took the stage. “We’re gonna take you to the motherland,” said Lucky. The African Acrobats danced to a call and response type of song along with drums. They did an acrobatic form of dancing in addition to balancing tricks. One of their acts really amazed the audience as they sat on each other’s necks while clapping and skillfully throwing each other back and forth. The Chinese drum line was the next act to take the floor. They wore signature Asian outfits. They showed their balancing abilities by juggling Asian printed drums with their feet. During the juggling they threw each other back and forth while catching their counterparts with their feet. Lucky then presented the next act, Double dribble basketball. The first two guys in the basketball segment were from Europe and displayed their basketball tricks and talents. They took the basketball through their legs and balanced it on their heads and fingers. They also spun the ball on their fingers and did several over tricks similar to those of
the Harlem Globe Trotters. The second group of guys to join the basketball segment was four guys called the Slam Dunk All Stars. They used a trampoline to run and dunk the ball. They took turns dunking the ball while doing back flips and dancing to entertain the audience. Tashawna Calbreth brought a group of children from the Kiddie College daycare center. “It’s great that we could bring the kids to the circus for free,” she said. Ezinma Murphy, office administrator and radio personality for WNAA-FM, said that the UniverSoul Circus reached out to A&T because of their known work in the community. She also said the event was a huge success. “There wasn’t an empty seat in the house, “ Murphy added. “It’s only the beginning,” said D’sherie Lofton, program advisor for WNAA-FM. She also said events like the circus are done to reach out into the community. According to Lofton, events like these give potential students an opportunity to experience A&T events and see A&T placing emphasis on African American culture.
1. Did the junior class president, ruffle some feathers in his Illuminati presentation? 2. Does information about the Illuminati really benefit the larger Aggie community? 3. Why not do programs on the Financial Aid Illuminati? 4. Did y’all even know they existed? 5. Did you know they work really close with the Residence Life Illuminati? 6. Do you believe that Black Greek Organizations are similar to the Illuminati? 7. Wouldn’t that mean that knucklehead that got drunk and threw up on your shoes at the club was a member of the Illuminati? 8. Do you think Kan Yeezy is a member of the Illuminati? 9. What about Jay-Z? 10. Does that mean the Illuminati only supports east coast rappers? 11. Why not Snoop Dogg? 12. Did they shoot Tupac? 13. Should a secret society really have a fan page on Facebook? 14. Why were people really wearing shirts that said “Free Weezy?” 15. Was he wrongfully convicted? 16. Y’all know he broke a long-standing law in NY, right? 17. At what ppoint can you be a millionaire and not buy a gun permit? 18. Didn’t Weezy see the VH1 special on T.I.? 19. With T.I. going back to jail, did T.I. watch the VH1 special on T.I.? 20. With her going to jail with him, did Tiny watch the VH1 special on T.I.?
on screen Harry potter and the deathly hallows pt. 1 opens in theatres Friday. As Harry races against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, he uncovers the existence of three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.
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on Campus 2010 Carolina band brawl presents Battle of the border between NCAT Blue and Gold Marching Machine and SCSU Marching 101. The brawl takes place in Corbett Sports Center Friday at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $12 the day of the event. Tickets are available at the ticket office. - S.C.