The A&T
REGISTER free
volume lXXXVI No. 1
august 29, 2012
ncatregister.com
serving the aggie community for over 80 years
Wednesday
The student newspaper of north carolina A&t
Org Fair amps students for GHOE Kamil lockley & alaetra chisolm Contributors
Each year, the Organizational Fair takes over the campus of N.C. A&T. Students come in large crowds for two reasons: to get involved with campus activities and network, as well as to hear the highly anticipated homecoming lineup for the Comedy Show, Concert, Gospel Show, and other big events. Organizations represented at the Org Fair ranged from academic and honors groups, to social, health awareness, and hometown clubs, which all were given this time to expose students to what they had to offer. This year, at the 2012 A&T homecoming gospel concert, Tye Tribett, Donald Lawrence and the A&T Gospel Choir will be performing. The comedy show will consist of Tone X as the host, Redd Grant, Bruce Bruce, and DeRay Davis. Performing at the Greensboro Coliseum for the homecoming concert will be Elle Varner, Trey Songz, Big Sean, Young Jeezy, and 2 Chainz. Tickets went on sale that night at 9pm as many students waited in line in front of Brown Ticket Office for their tickets. Jehuti Willis and Emmanuel Johnson, members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, discussed their approach and appeal to students. “We don’t want our peers to feel like they can’t approach us. We’re focused on being more personable, increasing our intellectual abilities, and helping the community,” said Johnson. Willis followed, saying, “We have a lot planned for September and the entire year.
Most of our activities are focused on involving the community and branching out.” Various organizations and groups represented at the Org Fair included, but were not limited to, Aggies Against AIDS, West Coast Aggies, the collegiate chapter of the NAACP at N.C. A&T, Ladies of Excellence, and even the campus radio station, WNAA 90.1. “The Organization Fair has always been a good opportunity for students of all cultures, backgrounds, and abilities to find an organization on campus that fits their needs. It’s also a great way to meet people with similar interests”, said Ian Wilson, visual coordinator and member of the Marketing and Promotional Team for I Am Music and Media. Tayler Coltrane, a freshman social work major, enjoyed her experience at the Org. Fair. “I was interested in Student Union Activities Board and the Student Government Association. I hope to eventually become a part of these organizations.” SGA hosted several events on stage such as the Greek unity step show, an Aggie paraphernalia fashion show that featured both Couture and Verge modeling troupes, dance competitions, tickets and t-shirt giveaways, and an I Am Music and Media rap cypher. The Org. Fair ended with an amazing performance by the Blue and Gold Marching Band. -theatregister@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister
Photo by cHRISTOPHER martin • THE A&T REGISTER
student sits in Aggie Village lobby while listening to his ipod awaiting assistance from housing and residence life on move-in day.
Students left without housing
KENYOTTA BOONE & ASHA BROWN Contributors
Twenty-seven students were placed in Parkland Hotel on High Point Road due to application issues with housing. Most of the 27, all continuing male students, were “walkins” who waited too late to complete the housing application, which as a result, required them to stay in temporary housing at the hotel, said Linda Inman, executive director of the Department of Housing and Residence Life. “If they do what they are supposed to do with the application process, we’re obligated to provide those students with a bed,” Inman said. “I will do my best to work with the walkin crowd.” During the spring semester, students are required to pay a $150 deposit, and complete a
housing application online and sign a housing contract if they plan to live on campus. New students, mainly freshmen, are guaranteed housing before anybody else to ensure their safety and enjoyment of the college experience. Last year, there were about 150 extra beds available, so housing officials offered to create more single rooms for continuing students on campus, decreasing the amount of rooms that would usually available. Dejon Caldwell, a sophomore management information systems major from Greensboro, was a brief resident at Parkland Hotel. Caldwell could not be placed in a dorm because he was not able to pay his $150 application fee on time. “I would come up to the school every week during the summer and try to pay the fee. I was told that housing was full,”
said Caldwell. Although Caldwell is a Greensboro native, his situation was different from other students’. He explained that his family lives off Lawndale Drive near Battleground Avenue, and because he didn’t have transportation to classes, he needed campus housing immediately. “My mother couldn’t take me to school every day. The H.E.A.T. bus didn’t travel all the way out to where we lived so I couldn’t stay at home,” said Caldwell. “My situation was pretty urgent.” The Department of Housing and Residence Life was able to place him in the hotel where breakfast and transportation were provided for the students. A van comes to the hotel every hour to take students to and campus starting at 7 a.m. until 11 p.m., according to Caldwell. Security guards were provided
for students as well, just as in campus residences. After about a week and a half, Caldwell received housing in the Village dorms. The Department of Housing and Residence Life urges A&T students to pay attention to the emails that are sent in regards to housing availability to make sure they have secured a spot for the following school year in addition to application tutorials and updates with dorms. As of Tuesday, nine students are still temporarily staying in Parkland Hotel. Housing officials hope to have the remaining students out of the hotel by the end of this week. Karmen Robinson contributed to this report. -theatregister@gmail.com and Follow us on Twitter @ATRegister
FAMU director charged with fraud Denise-Marie Ordway MCT Campus
Photo by jasmine palmer • The a&t register
student watches friends enjoy the blow up station at the organizational fair on august 24
ORLANDO, Fla. — The director of special events at Florida A&M University has been arrested and charged with eight counts of fraud related to travel expenses, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Tammy Hamlet’s arrest comes months after the FDLE began investigating the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion in Orlando in November. As officials began reviewing the circumstances of Champion’s death after the Florida Classic football game, they discovered information
prompting them to look into financial irregularities connected to the music department and other areas of the university. Hamlet, 45, of Tallahassee, Fla., turned herself in to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office on Monday night. She’s accused of submitting eight fraudulent travel vouchers, collecting $1,821 more than she should have received to cover her travel expenses. FDLE officials could not say whether additional arrests will be forthcoming as the agency’s financial probe nears its completion. But Hamlet is the latest in a string of FAMU administrators and employees who have been forced out or have faced public
scrutiny as numerous problems at FAMU surfaced after Champion’s death. Last month, President James Ammons announced his plans to retire in October. But the school’s board of trustees asked him to leave immediately. It was not clear Tuesday how Hamlet’s arrest on the eight misdemeanor fraud charges might affect her job. She has been director of special events at FAMU since 2008, a position that pays $83,190 a year, according to the university. She started working at FAMU in 1992 as an administrative assistant. FAMU interim president
Larry Robinson, released a brief statement Tuesday. Hamlet could not be reached for comment. “The university continues to refine its processes and procedures in an effort to prevent financial irregularities,” Robinson said. “As a result of Mrs. Hamlet’s arrest, the university will take appropriate actions related to this matter.” According to FDLE, its investigators analyzed a variety of travel-related charges that FAMU employees made on university credit cards between July 2010 and June 2011. They discovered “numerous discrepancies” in the reimburse-
WEATHER
ONLINE
theYARD
theWORD
theSCORE
theSCENE
SURVEYS AVAILABLE
CAMPAIGN ADS GONE WILD
CONVENTIONS RELEVANCY?
NEW YEAR NEW SEASON
THE DO’S AND DONT’S: FASHION
Keep up with breaking news on our web site. Slideshows, videos and more are available online.
Both Democratic and Republican parties are airing millions of dollars of ads whether their factual or not.
With the Republican and Democratic conventions taking place, do they really matter to voters?
Football team prepares for another season with doubts from fans as their motivation.
The Register staff and contributors assist freshmen with Do’s and Dont’s when it comes to clothes.
PAGE 6
PAGE 7
PAGE 8
www.ncatregister.com
PAGE 2
u See FAMU on Page 3
wednesday
84° Low: 67° High:
Thursday: Partly Cloudy | High 82° friday: Partly Cloudy | High 88°