March 19, 2014 by The A&T Register

Who will be the next Mister and Miss A&T? Recap of the pageant on p.2

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The Business Journal honors three A&T faculty members UNIQUA QUILLINS

Three faculty members have gone beyond their written job objectives to make meaningful contributions to the community and have been recognized as the “Top 40 under 40” in the Piedmont Triad by The Business Journal. Chairperson for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and tenured professor, Anthony Graham, was pleased to be recognized with the honor. “It’s a great reward, but there’s

still so much more to be done here on the campus and in this community,” Graham said humbly. Graham was recognized for his great contribution to the Greensboro community in regards to his research which focuses on African American adolescent males and how Cook education promotes or hinders the construction of their academic and cultural identities. Thus far in his research, he has studied the micro aggressions students feel when walking into

environothers, have creing how to behave ments that ated programs and change behavare already such as the iors based on their racially disCharles Hamaudience and surcouraging. ilton Houston roundings. “We try For Graham, Summer Resito make sure that the goal is dential Leaderour students reto ﬁgure out ship Institute ally become more a way for for adolescent cognizant of their teachers to black males, environment,” said engage their Graham the Brother-2- Judge Graham. students, Brother menThe other crucial where they are represented and toring program and Lunch with piece Graham and his team try their voices are heard and vali- the Kings program. A central to focus on is building social dated in the classroom. component of these programs capital. They want to make sure In order to help address these is to teach young individuals their students are aware of the problems, Graham, along with about code switching, or know- people in the community who

are ready to help them and make sure they internalize the age-old phrase, ‘sometimes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ Louis Judge III, Director of Technology Transfer, is another faculty member recognized in The Business Journal. Judge was honored and excited to make the list, but knew he had to continue to be motivated in all of his endeavors. As director of Technology Transfer, Judge is in charge of negotiating license for  See 40 under 40 on Page 2

Groups join to create religious awareness TAYLOR YOUNG

Ministries on campus have collaborated on a series of programs to create Jesus Awareness Week. Jesus Awareness Week is an opportunity for students of all denominations to fellowship with one another to promote Christ on campus. The ministries want to promote the purpose and the reason behind living a holy life. It began on Monday and will continue through Friday. A variety of campus ministries are involved such as the IMPACT Movement, Bethel Campus Fellowship (BCF), Youth Taking Charge (YTC) and the Citadel Campus Ministry. Joshua Lee, president of the Citadel Campus Ministry, said, “Each event is set to express the love of God through various activities and to give an opportunity for those who want to be apart, for any and everyone.” Events such as movie and game nights, Bible study, and even a panel discussion will be implemented. The week will end with a worship service. The idea was presented during the annual corporate body meeting the campus ministries held. One of the campus ministries, Bethel Campus Fellowship, initially presented the idea. Nathaniel Jones, the IMPACT Movement community affairs coordinator, said all campus ministries had the same vision for campus: to give them a week of awareness of Jesus Christ. Funds were combined and time was spent to make each event a success. Jones said that the overall goal is to set aside the names of organizations to operate in the love of God and focus solely on Jesus Christ. They want to show that A&T is more than a party school. Jones said, “[We desire] to show that Jesus is here  See AWARENESS on Page 2

FILE PHOTO

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STUDENTS celebrate graduation at the Greensboro Coliseum in May 2012.

Six-year plan becoming college norm

LACI OLLISON

Though a bachelor’s degree is typically labeled a 4-year-degree, many students find themselves obtaining their college diplomas after six years. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the six-year graduation rate was an alarming 57 percent at public institutions, 65 percent at private nonprofit institutions, and 42 percent at private for-profit institutions. There are actually many reasons that a student might have to extend their stay at their university. For Lakendra Clyburn, she entered her major late. “I came to A&T as an undeclared major, so I wasn’t taking journalism classes until my second semester sophomore year.” In addition to students entering their major late, Akua Matherson, associate vice chancellor of enrollment management said that there are many other reasons that cause students to extend their stay at the university. Some of reasons include changing

majors more than once, dropping or repeating courses, poor advisement, not being aware of deadlines, not being prepared for the rigors that matriculation through college demands, as well as ﬁnances and funding. “Many of the reasons stem from the activities we tracked as we developed the new and newly revised [academic] policies.” According to the 2013 A&T Scorecard, the retention rate slightly improved from 2010 to 2012. Matherson accounts this change to those revised policies. “These policies were all to assist our students with making appropriate decisions as it relates to staying focused and on target,” said Matherson. “In addition to policy revisions, several services have been added or enhanced to support students academically. Tutoring from peers and professionals is widely available in a number of areas; there are also math and writing labs available to students.” The average retention rate for A&T is 74 percent, meaning that most of the students who enter as a freshman, graduate. A&T also has a 20 percent 4-year graduation rate and a 42 percent 6-year

graduation rate. The University’s goal is increase the overall retention rate to 85 percent by the year 2020. “Many of the programs we are currently offering will continue and expand including tutoring, success coaching, mentoring, advising and appropriate skills testing. In order for us to continue to make gains we must be fully engaged as a campus community in the success of our students, this includes additional changes in our policies meant to make the student stronger.” The associate vice chancellor included that the most signiﬁcant of the new policies for Fall 2014 is the new minimum GPA requirement that must be maintained by semester. “Beginning Fall 2014 all undergraduate students must maintain a 2.0 at all times. Maintaining at least a 2.0 assumes that barring other hurdles, that student will be retained.” A&T also plans to implement a new Early Alert/Warning System. Having been tested on several groups of students during this current academic year, the early alert system will allow professors and lecturers to generate triggers

or emails to students and their advisors when a student is not performing well in a class or missing too many classes. The system will also allow staff to send notices of encouragement to students who are on the opposite end of the spectrum doing extremely well. A ﬁnal initiative is the repeat policy. Students will only be able to repeat a maximum of 16 hours within their academic career. This limits the number of repeats, which had become a barrier for some students in retention and persistence. Several repeats also add to attempted hours which previously put students into the ‘tuition surcharge,’ greatly increasing the cost of tuition. The ofﬁce of undergraduate admissions and the Provost’s leadership team hope the new and newly revised policies will help current students remain in good academic standing. They also wish to aid and provide incoming students with the necessary tools to succeed during their academic careers at A&T. —Email Laci at lkolliso@aggies.ncat. edu and follow The Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

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UC Berkeley students have filed federal lawsuit against the university for failing to protect them.

See what Devin McAllister has to say about the students’ views on Preeminence 2020.

Questions about how the selection process happens are answered.

This week theSCENE is taking the time to appreciate some influential women.

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Mister and Miss A&T Pageant TAYLOR YOUNG

PHOTO BY SYMONE’ AUSTIN • THE A&T REGISTER

FINALISTS for the First Inaugural Mister and Miss A&T Pageant held on Wednesday, March 12, 2014. (Above from left to right) Britney Newton, Jordan Outing, and Madison Gibbs for Miss A&T. (Below from left to right) Bryan Miller, James Bowen II, and Brenden Kee for Mister A&T.

The Turner Administration held the ﬁrst annual Inaugural Mister and Miss North Carolina A&T State University Pageant in Harrison Auditorium on March 12. Last year, the pageant was supposed to premiere but the Tate Administration’s senate had come across some problems putting it into the constitution. This year Isiah Guinyard, current vice president of Internal Affairs, tackled the problems and helped implement the pageant into the constitution. Mister and Miss A&T are usually selected to become the university’s primary ambassadors and have to represent themselves accordingly. Ambriya Neal, Miss A&T, said, “Being Mister and Miss A&T are more ceremonial than anything. It is extremely important that they [are] able to speak well and carry themselves in a manner in which the university would approve.” Neal went on to say that Mister and Miss A&T have to compete in pageants against other HBCU kings and queens, so this pageant is great preparation for contestants. Four males and seven females came out to compete in the pageant. Only three males and three females were chosen in the end to be able to start their campaigns for their position. Bryan Miller, James Bowen II, and Brenden Kee are the candidates for Mister A&T. Britney Newton, Jordan Outing, and Madison Gibbs are the candidates for Miss A&T. Five contestants were eliminated from the running at the pageant: four female and one male. Auditors tallied the votes and now the fate of all candidates is in the students’ hands. Voting begins on Wednesday, March 26 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voting can be done online or in Exhibit Hall. —Email Taylor at tlyoung1@aggies.ncat.edu and follow The Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

40 UNDER 40 From page 1 university-owned intellectual property, developing business models for A&T’s startup companies, constructing University’s intellectual properties and procedures and seeking commercial partners who can contribute to A&T research efforts. In order to be successful in his profession, Judge must build a strong network and has a team of expertise. “We build those relationships and whenever we need something, call on those relationships,” said Judge. One of Judge’s accomplished ventures was starting a local chapter of the National Black MBA Association. The NBMBAA is an organization that helps African American undergraduate business students or

AWARENESS From page 1 and there are followers of Christ on this campus who genuinely seek Him and are walking testimonies of the truth of Jesus Christ.” They also want to promote that it is okay to live for God, even though it may not be popular. They want to change the norm. Lee said, “ I am extremely excited about this week.” Through many prayers, meetings and brainstorming the college ministries are glad to see their idea come to life. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. —Email Taylor at tlyoung1@ aggies.ncat.edu and follow The Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

MBA students network with one another and help each other with things varying from ﬁnancial literacy, to helping one another complete college applications. The association even has a high school mentoring program. “I just saw a need for that, and it motivated me,” said Judge. Another program Judge started is the Innovation Challenge which takes place on A&T’s campus. This challenge is designed to excite students about innovation, research and entrepreneurship. According to Judge, the Innovation Challenge has grown, and since the creation of it, the division of research has developed a program called Undergraduate Research Opportunities. The challenge started as a freshmanonly event, but now it is open to all undergraduate students. The next Innovation Challenge takes

place Thursday, March 20. Graham’s and Judge’s profession is their passion. Graham’s passion for education stems from knowing the importance of having an education because his parents and grandparents were able to attain an education. “I look at the sacriﬁce they made for me and the difference that it has made in my life,” said Graham. Judge’s passion comes from wanting to help others. Judge encourages students to follow their dreams while in college. “Start on your passion now because you never know, you might be able to start a business while you’re in college,” said Judge. —Email Uniqua at uyquilli@aggies. ncat.edu and follow The Register on Twitter @TheATRegister

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Sexual assault victims file federal complaint kate murphy

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BERKELEY, Calif. — Students angered by how their campus handles sexual assaults have filed a sweeping new federal complaint against the University of California, Berkeley, drawing more scrutiny to a campus already facing a state investigation and mounting criticism. For the second time since May, but in far larger numbers, a group of current and former students is asking the U.S. Department of Education to investigate the university, claiming Cal violated federal anti-discrimination laws by failing to protect them against sexual harassment and assault. And now their show of force is starting to get results from the university. In a powerful news conference at the campus’ journalism school, six of the women wearing Cal T-shirts and sweatshirts told stories of despair, frustration and pain. They say the campus disciplinary process commonly used in addition to, or instead of, a criminal investigation fails to investigate and punish assailants or to keep victims informed about the status of their cases. Instead of feeling supported by their school, they said, they felt victimized again. “I feel unsafe on my own campus, my own home. And the worst part of it is, I no longer trust my university to stand up for me. For four years, I dreaded leaving UC Berkeley, and now I can’t wait to get out,” wrote senior Shannon Thomas in the complaint. Thomas was one of the women who told her story publicly on Feb. 26, and for that reason this story is naming her. She said she received little help after reporting she was being sexually harassed and threatened by a classmate. The outcry at Cal is part of a national movement of sexual

violence victims pressuring their campuses to deal swiftly, consistently and fairly with a problem that according to a White House task force report affects one in five college women. The students decided to ask the Office for Civil Rights to investigate after not hearing for nine months from the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office about their complaint. Cal’s sexual assault policies and those of UCLA; California State University, Chico; and San Diego State are also being probed by the state Legislature’s Joint Audit Committee. UC Berkeley has made changes and announced more Tuesday. But the young women said their treatment has not matched the rhetoric. Iman Stenson said she returned after summer vacation last August to see a nametag for her assailant on the dorm room across the hall. When she complained, she said, she had to move to a different room. Thomas said a Cal administrator concluded the classmate threatening “hate sex” in text messages and in social media this semester was merely joking, and that the campus would not pursue a conduct violation against him or remove him from her class. Nicoletta Commins, a recent Cal graduate, said she learned about an informal disciplinary agreement between the university and her attacker about four months after it was reached, and only when she inquired. She also reported the case to the police and the young man was convicted of felony assault, she said. Cal graduate Diva Kass described a 2009 disciplinary hearing in which she was not allowed to have a lawyer or present witnesses; the student accused of rape had both. The panel did not find the young man responsible for rape, and

she was not permitted to appeal. (Berkeley police investigated but no charges were filed.) “What really shocked me was Berkeley has this reputation of being a progressive school; I expected them to be supportive of a woman being assaulted by another student and to hold him responsible in a just way,” Kass, now in law school out-of-state, said in a phone interview. In September, Cal issued its first specific policy for sexual misconduct cases; it granted additional rights to alleged assault victims, who can now appeal. Before an informal resolution is reached with the accused student, the campus is supposed to consult with the victim. A Cal administrator on Wednesday expressed sympathy for the women and a desire to improve its response. “Berkeley wants to do the right thing and if we’re not doing the right thing we need to know what we can do differently,” said Claire Holmes, associate vice chancellor of communications and public affairs. Chancellor Nicholas Dirks on Tuesday pledged to hold assailants accountable and to support sexual violence victims. In a prepared statement, Dirks said the campus was adding two positions one to help victims understand the disciplinary process and another to investigate complaints among other steps. Dirks also thanked student leaders “who have sought to raise awareness and catalyze necessary changes by sharing their own personal and painful stories of sexual assault.” A Stanford law professor who led an overhaul of her campus’s disciplinary process for sexual assault victims said colleges across the country need to do better. “These young girls had to drag the adults to the table, and that’s wrong,” said professor Michele Dauber. “Their activism is forcing us to do what we should have done.”

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UC BERKELEY STUDENTS attend a press conference at the Graduate School of Journalism in Berkeley, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014. Thirty-one female students have filed a federal complaint against the university, claiming Cal violated federal anti-discrimination laws by failing to protect them against sexual harassment and assault.

A young, gay immigrant comes out of two closets David Zucchino MCT Campus

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In almost every sense, Emilio Vicente is an American success story. He grew up a shy kid in the North Carolina mill town of Siler City. His parents, who moved there when he was 6, had little formal education and worked long, punishing shifts at a chicken processing plant to support their seven children. Vicente’s strong grades and college boards earned him a full scholarship to the University of North Carolina, one of the nation’s most prestigious public universities. By the time he decided to run for student body president this semester, two deeply held secrets had fallen away. Vicente, 22, is a confessed lawbreaker. Born in Guatemala, he is in the U.S. illegally, even though he speaks and thinks in English and considers himself as thoroughly American as his U.S.-born classmates. Nor until recently had he revealed to anyone, not even his family, that he’s gay. “I’m undocumented and I’m gay, so I’ve come out of two different closets,” Vicente said inside the student union, dressed in jeans and a Carolina blue T-shirt. If there is a face of the young, Americanized immigrant _ the so-called Dreamer _ it might be Emilio Vicente. During his student campaign, placards with Vicente’s name dotted the tree-lined

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campus here. He led three other candidates in the election last month, with 41 percent of the vote. That set up a runoff against the runner-up, an earnest scholarship student from Tennessee. Vicente didn’t have a driver’s license, passport or Social Security number. But he believed he could inspire his fellow students, especially after revealing his secrets. Vicente was, after all, attempting a trifecta: the first undocumented, Latino and openly gay student body president at the country’s oldest state university. “I’m not running just because I have these separate identities,” he said during a campaign day last month. “I have a vision for helping students have a greater voice. And I hope I can motivate other young undocumented students to be more open about their status and work hard to succeed.” Vicente was by no means unknown on campus. In 2012, he made the cover of Time magazine, along with 35 other young immigrants, under the headline “We Are Americans(ASTERISK) ((ASTERISK)Just Not Legally).” By then he had shared his memory of riding a cattle train at night through Mexico with his mother when he was 6, then squirming under a border fence in Arizona. He remembers the screams of a woman who caught her hair on barbed wire, and warnings to climb a tree and hide if anyone approached.

Lost and bewildered in rural Siler City, Vicente spoke neither English nor Spanish. He spoke K’iche’ _ a Mayan language. He soon learned that being “without papers” was an unpleasant truth to be hidden away like some shameful secret. His parents feared losing their jobs at the chicken plant. They came home exhausted, hands bloodied and scarred. “They would show me their hands and say that this doesn’t have to be my future. They told me I had more opportunities than they ever had, and I should do everything possible to succeed,” Vicente said. In 2001, his father was paralyzed in an accident. In 2007, the couple decided to move back to Guatemala with Emilio’s youngest sister, the family’s only American citizen. At 15, Vicente faced a stark choice: return to a country he barely knew, or carve out a life alone in the country he considered his own. He decided to move into the Siler City home of an older brother. As a high school sophomore, Vicente was elected class president. The soccer coach, Paul Cuadros, said he was struck by Vicente’s intelligence and diligence. “He was soft-spoken, very thoughtful,” Cuadros recalled. “But he was struggling because of an unstable family environment. At the same time, he was a really focused kid. He wanted a good education and was determined to get it.” Cuadros, a UNC journalism professor, encouraged Vicente

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to apply for UNC’s Scholars’ Latino Initiative, which pairs promising Latino high school sophomores with a university sophomore mentor. Vicente was paired with Ron Bilbao, the Miami-born son of Venezuelan immigrants. Bilbao’s older brother, who was living in the U.S. illegally, could not afford UNC. “Emilio was in the same situation, so he kind of became my brother,” Bilbao said. “I wanted to help him take advantage of the opportunity my brother never had.” Vicente was charged outof-state tuition _ more than three times what legal residents pay _ even though he had lived in North Carolina since he was 6. The private scholarship covered his costs. For some school events, a tie was required. Vicente had never worn one. Cuadros had Vicente tie and re-tie the knot until he got it right. Vicente came out as gay only last summer, in an article he wrote for a local publication, and came out as undocumented when he was invited to speak at an immigration rally in Chapel Hill two years earlier. “It was an empowering moment,” he said. “By saying publicly you are undocumented, you are letting go of all the fear and uncertainly.” Vicente says he didn’t seek celebrity, but it came his way after he met Latino actress Eva Longoria at a conference, and she tweeted about his campaign: “Tar Heels! Make history & vote (at)emilio4sbp ... He’ll be a great leader!”

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Paris looks to expel smog levels CLARE BYRNE

MCT Campus

PARIS — Paris enjoyed a rare reprieve from trafﬁc jams Monday as a draconian clampdown on cars, aimed at banishing stubborn levels of smog, took effect. Only cars and motorcycles with registration numbers ending in an odd number were allowed onto the streets of the French capital on Monday. Close to 4,000 motorists with plates ending in an even number who slipped behind the wheel had received on the spot $30 ﬁnes by midday. The measure was announced by the national government at the weekend as a way of trying to lift the cloud of particle pollution that has hung over the city

for the past week, cloaking the Eiffel Tower and other monuments in a gray sheen. Many motorists had complained about the restriction but significantly reduced rush-hour traffic pointed to high levels of compliance. Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier said morning traffic jams had shrunk by 60 percent as affected motorists opted to car pool or take public transport. Electric and hybrid vehicles, taxis, ambulances, driving school cars, refrigerated trucks and vehicles with at least three passengers were exempted from the measure. The government had toyed with the possibility of continuing the ban Tuesday, with a switch to even-number-only

plates. But with forecasts pointing to a signiﬁcant improvement in air quality from Tuesday the continuation was deemed unnecessary, Environment Minister Philippe Martin told a press conference. A spate of warm windless spring weather, coupled with cold nights, has been blamed for trapping the pollution that has cast a pallor over most of northern France and parts of the south-east in the past week. Pollution levels in Paris remained at dangerous high levels over ﬁve consecutive days last week. The cities of Lyon, Caen, Rouen, Grenoble are among others to have been affected. The last time France grounded cars over pollution was in 1997.

The device, which is common in some European countries, like Greece, proved very unpopular at the time, leading to some trepidation in government about renewing the experiment, six days before the start of municipal elections. “I think that this was an important day,” Martin told reporters. “It showed, for the ﬁrst time, you can put in place alternate trafﬁc, in the right conditions, without creating all the chaos predicted.” The ban was one of several measures taken by local and national authorities to try get cars off the road. Public transport in Paris has been free for the past four days. That measure was also due to end Monday night, the City of Paris announced on its website.

U.S. Navy SEAL forces return rogue oil tanker to Libya NANCY A. YOUSSEF MCT Campus

CAIRO — U.S. Navy SEALs took control of a rogue ship illegally loaded with Libyan crude oil early Monday in Mediterranean waters off the coast of Cyprus, ending a crisis that led to the ouster of the country’s prime minister and highlighted the inability of Libya’s central government to protect its most valued assets. It was the most overt U.S. military intervention on behalf of the fragile Libyan government since the fall of Moammar Gadhaﬁ 2 { years ago. The Pentagon said no one was hurt in the operation, which it announced at around 2:30 a.m. in Washington. The Pentagon said three armed men had been taken

into custody aboard the vessel, the commercial tanker Morning Glory, but it was not clear whether the men had been handed over to the Libyan government. A Libyan government statement said that the ship’s crew was “safe and well” and “would be dealt with in accordance to international and national law,” but it made no mention of the armed men. The Libyan government said its navy “and other forces” had tried to capture the ship “but faced challenges owing to bad weather and inadequate resources.” “The government expresses its appreciation to all countries who participated in this operation which took place to enforce the sovereign will of the Libyan nation,” the statement said. “In particular, it wishes to thank the

United States of America and the Republic of Cyprus.” President Barack Obama approved the operation at 10 p.m. EDT Sunday or 4 a.m. local time Monday, the Pentagon statement said. In the Pentagon statement, spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said the operation was undertaken at the request of both the Libyan and Cypriot governments. It referred to the Morning Glory as “stateless,” meaning it was not registered in any country, allowing the United States to move without gaining any other government’s permission. When the Morning Glory’s presence was first noted in Libyan waters earlier this month, it was flying the North Korean flag. But after Libya complained, North Korea denied

that it had been registered there legally. “The SEAL team embarked and operated from the guided missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG-80),” the Pentagon statement said. “USS Roosevelt provided helicopter support and served as a command and control and support platform for the other members of the force assigned to conduct the mission.” The statement did not specify how many Americans were involved in the early morning operation. It said a team of sailors from the USS Stout had boarded the ship and would “be supervising” its return to an unidentiﬁed Libyan port. Since then, the militias have refused all entreaties to surrender their weapons, and the central government has proved incapable of asserting authority.

National news briefs SEATTLE — A veteran Seattle photojournalist and a pilot were killed Tuesday morning when a KOMO-TV helicopter crashed onto a street just south of the Space Needle. A driver whose car was struck was critically injured when his car exploded in a fireball. KOMO-TV identified one of those killed as Bill Strothman, 62, of Bothell, Wash., a longtime station photographer who worked as a contractor for KOMO. The station identified the pilot as Gary Pfitzner, 59, of Issaquah, Wash., also a contractor. The helicopter, which apparently was taking off around 7:40 a.m., dropped to the ground, landing on the car that burst into flames on Broad Street. A second car and a pickup were on fire when firefighters arrived, but it isn’t clear if they had been hit by the helicopter or ignited by the fuel, according to the Fire Department. NEW YORK — Black and Latino applicants to the New York City Fire Department who alleged that they lost out on jobs because of racially discriminatory written exams settled a long-running lawsuit for $98 million in back pay, the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday. The consent decree, which still requires court approval, calls for a court-appointed monitor to oversee the fire department’s recruiting and hiring process. The department will face specific recruiting goals and must create the positions of diversity advocate in the uniformed force and chief diversity and inclusion officer in the executive ranks. CHICAGO — A man suspected in the murder of his wife in Georgia has been charged in the nearly nine-hour standoff on Lake Shore Drive that began with a police chase from south suburban Harvey. Joseph Felton, 44, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery/use of a deadly weapon and aggravated fleeing of police going 21 mph over the speed limit.

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Questions surround Crimea referendum MATTHEW SCHOFIELD MCT Campus

KIEV, Ukraine — The talk on the streets of the Ukrainian capital Monday was all about Sunday’s referendum in Crimea, which saw a close to unanimous vote in favor of the Black Sea peninsula seceding from Ukraine and becoming part of Russia. Ofﬁcially, the joining-Russia option on the ballot attracted a healthy 97 percent support from the 83 percent of registered voters in Crimea who made it to the polls. The most repeated tidbit was the voter turnout in Sevastopol, long a pro-Russian bastion, where a reported 123 percent of registered voters are said to have cast ballots. Ukrainian news reports said that all one needed to vote was a passport, and it didn’t have to be a Ukrainian one. One reporter from Kiev showed his Russian passport and was handed a ballot and allowed to vote. This raised questions in Kiev if perhaps the Russian soldiers and Russian paramilitary occupying the area since late February had been allowed to cast votes. It also raised eyebrows, because while an estimated 58 percent of the Crimean population is known to be ethnic Russian and very pro-Russia, the remaining 42 percent are not thought to be similarly smitten. Ukrainian opinion polls over the last decade have consistently shown Crimea to be more pro-Russian and in favor of secession than any other region of Ukraine, but previous polls had shown consistently that those favoring splitting from Ukraine and joining Russia numbered

about 40 percent. And while there were differences between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian sides on how extensively Crimean Tatars, the region’s traditional ethnic group, boycotted the vote, it was clear that many did. The low estimate said that 60 percent of Tatars, who make up about 12 percent of the total Crimean population, refused to vote. Pro-Ukraine advocates insisted 99 percent of Tatars boycotted. In either case, the admitted absence of such a large voting bloc raised further questions about the turnout numbers. And many were asking the questions. Monday, even ears unfamiliar with the Ukrainian language couldn’t help but overhear the phrase “referendum” being muttered by pedestrians, in eye-rolling tones of voice. And, of course, the talk wasn’t limited to the underground shopping malls or the Maidan square protest crowds of Kiev. Vitali Klitschko, a prominent Ukrainian member of Parliament and the former world heavyweight boxing champion, charged that those who favored secession had “sold out” Ukraine. He added that history shows that Crimea under Russian control puts Crimean Tatars in grave danger. “We are afraid of ethnic cleansing,” he said at a news conference near the Maidan, or Kiev’s Independence Square. Crimean Tatars have repeatedly pointed out their 200 years of repression under Russian rule and call former Soviet leader Josef Stalin’s forced relocation in 1944 a “genocide.”

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

N.C. State creates rural programs Lauren Williams MCT Campus

March 18--An impressive crowd gathered Monday night at the Sampson County AgriExposition Center for the 13th Friends of Ag rally. Ronnie Jackson, chairman of the Friends of Ag Board of Directors, welcomed the group made up of local farmers, county commissioners, senators, state representatives, town officials, extension staff, and many others to the event, sharing with them a bit of the history of the Friends of Ag organization. “We started this group 16 years ago in response to threats to agriculture, mainly livestock,” he recalled, adding that he and other concerned community members concluded that “a lack of factual knowledge” concerning agriculture was to blame and that education was needed. “We try to show the positives of agriculture. Sometimes the media can paint agriculture not in the best light so we try to create a positive impression and educate people. Believe it or not, there’s people right here that know very little about agriculture even though they’re in close proximity to it,” said Jackson just last week, adding that many may be surprised to learn that in Sampson County, in just one year, agriculture generates over a billion dollars. For Jackson and the Friends of Ag, the need to help spread such knowledge about agriculture still exists just as much today as it did years ago, one of the reasons the organization aims to hold a rally annually. Jackson then introduced the evening’s speaker, Dr. Randy Woodson, chancellor of N.C.

State University, a place he noted had changed a lot since he was a student there. Compared to the university’s some 34,000 students now, when Jackson attended there was “only about 7,000 students, and the bad thing was, only 200 of them were women,” remarked Jackson, drawing a laugh from the crowd. Woodson, the 14th chancellor of N.C. State University, then took the stage to talk about the university, its impact on economic development and the economy, the impact of agriculture on the economy, and what the university is doing through its programming to assist rural students. While expressing gratitude for being a part of the UNC university system, Woodson proudly pointed out that N.C. State is “the largest university in the state” with close to 35,000 students. Referring to Jackson’s comment about how males outnumbered females in Wolfpack country years ago, Woodson informed rally attendees that now the student population is almost 50/50. “Our founding is in agriculture and engineering,” continued Woodson, noting that while the two disciplines are still pillars of the university, the university has greatly expanded its areas of speciality. “We’re globally recognized as a science and technology university and ag is firmly embedded in that,” he stressed. Woodson went on to tell just how deep the university’s roots in agriculture run, sharing that in 1862, 25 years before the university’s official founding, the federal government designated 30,000 acres to each state; the land could be used or sold but

it had in some way to go toward the creation of college in each state, particularly one focused on agriculture and the mechanical. Out of that legislation -- the Morrill Act that was signed by Lincoln came the beginnings of North Carolina State University. The university has come a long way since its start, now educating thousands of students each year from all the counties in the state, shared Woodson, adding that the number of living N.C. State alumni just recently reached over 200,000. Among those, he noted, were Jim Goodnight, CEO of the Cary-based analytic software vendor SAS, and five members of the joint chiefs of staff. As attendees enjoyed a complimentary dinner of chicken and barbecue, Woodson shared the university’s “secret sauce of success” research, teaching, and outreach through extension. “Every other university is trying to replicate it,” he said. “For us, it comes down to research that matters and making sure that that research gets out to the market.” All of the university’s research, as well as its educating students to also do research, has a significant impact on the state’s economy. “Each year, N.C. State generates $1.7 billion in direct economic impact in North Carolina,” informed Woodson. “Agriculture and agribusiness generates $77 billion or 17.5 percent of the $440 billion annual gross state product.” One of the things that makes the state’s agriculture so important as well as unique is that North Carolina produces over 90 different commodities, shared Woodson, naming off

BUSINESS AT RENSSELAER

sweet potatoes, corn, wheat soybeans, cotton, pork, and much more, commodities of which Sampson is one of, if not the, top producer. Acknowledging the wellknown yet friendly competition between Sampson and Duplin for ag-related bragging rights, Woodson remarked that both counties are important to the state’s agriculture. Of Sampson, he pointed out that the county’s agriculture which alone features the production of 41 different commodities accounts for $1.1. billion of North Carolina’s economy each year. “You’ve got to be proud as a county of what you contribute to the state economy.” While on the topic of agriculture, Woodson shared that this year marks the centennial anniversary of North Carolina’s Cooperative Extension. “We have an amazing Extension Service,” he praised, explaining that as Extension celebrates this year’s milestone and looks ahead to the future that a new, fresh vision was being formed and plans were being made to keep the Extension moving forward. “We want to ensure that 100 years from now Extension is still here and going strong,” said Woodson. As it also looks to the future, Woodson shared how the university is putting programming in place to assist students from rural areas who want a N.C. State education. One of those programs is ASPIRE, ACT Supplemental Preparation in Rural Education, a program now in 32 counties that helps boost students’ performance on college entrance exams as well as works to increase the number of students pursuing degrees in ag-

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riculture and the life sciences. Another program, only implemented just this school year, is STEAM, Student Transfer Enrollment Advising and Mentoring Program. Describing it as a “transparent pipeline,” Woodson explained that rural students who wish to start their higher education journey at a community college yet wish to transfer and ultimately earn a degree from N.C. State can do so by following the university’s guidelines and pre-determined plan of study. Once ready to transfer, students in the program will have a guaranteed spot at N.C. State University in an ag-related program where they can finish thier education and earn their bachelor’s degree. Throughout the program, mentoring and advising from N.C. State is available to students. “I want to tell every kid in the state that if you want a N.C. State degree we’ve got a way to do it,” said Woodson. Woodson’s visit to Sampson and his participation in the Friends of Ag rally was very much looked forward to by community members and those with the Friends of Ag. “Sampson is one of the largest agriculture counties in the state, in the U.S. really, and what we do here ties in well with the mission of N.C. State and what they do in agriculture,” Jackson pointed out prior to the rally. “I think he (Woodson) wanted to come because it’s where a lot of the action is, both in livestock and field crops.” Lauren Williams can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 117 or via email at lwilliams@ civitasmedia.com.

As Google’s Android operating system chips away at Apple’s market share in tabloids and smartphones, the world’s most valuable company announced Tuesday that a newer iPad model will be offered at a reduced price and a cheaper iPhone is on sale in certain markets outside the United States. In a news release Tuesday, Apple Inc. said that it would begin offering its fourth-generation iPad, introduced in late 2012, at $399 and up, the price at which it had been selling the iPad 2. The newer iPad model has Apple’s Retina high-definition display and faster A6X chip, and it uses the same Lightning charge cord as newer iPhone and iPad models. Apple marketing executive Philip Schiller said in Tuesday’s release that Apple’s new cheaper option offers “a dramatic upgrade in power, performance and value compared to the iPad 2 it replaces.” In addition, Apple told media outlets Tuesday that it had begun selling a version of the iPhone 5C with less memory in Europe and other parts of the world for a lower price. The iPhone 5C was expected to be Apple’s first true foray into the market for cheaper electronics, and many observers were surprised when the company announced that the smartphone _ which does not offer as many features as the iPhone 5S _ would still sell for no less than $549 in the U.S. without subsidies from wireless carriers. “We never had an objective to sell a low-cost phone,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a Bloomberg Businessweek interview last year, after there was some grumbling about iPhone 5C pricing. “Our primary objective is to sell a great phone and provide a great experience, and

we figured out a way to do it at a lower cost.” In other countries, the devices were even more expensive, and some areas of the world do not allow carriers to offer subsidies to customers, leaving the full brunt of the price tag on consumers. Apple said Tuesday that it would begin selling an 8GB model, which has half the memory of the smallest previously available model of the phone, in China, France, Germany, Britain and Australia for a lesser price. The cheaper iPhone 5C will still be more expensive than comparable phones using the Android operating system, however: In China, the phone will sell for roughly $665, while the 16GB iPhone 5C sells for $730; in Great Britain, the phone was selling for $711, $67 cheaper than the 16GB version. Apple has had difficulty selling the iPhone 5C, with most smartphone buyers seeming to opt for the more expensive iPhone 5S or less expensive Android gadgets. Apple’s market share in smartphones declined from 18.7 percent in 2012 to 15.2 percent in 2013, while phones using Google’s Android operating system grew from 69 percent to 78.6 percent, according to research firm IDC. “Although it remains wildly popular in the smartphone market, Apple has been criticized for not offering a new low-cost iPhone nor a large-screen iPhone in 2013 to compete with other (phone makers),” IDC noted in its February report. Apple’s lead in the tablet market disappeared in 2013 as well, according to IDC. Apple captured 52 percent of the tablet market in 2012, but that share plunged to 36 percent in 2013, while Android tablets commanded 60 percent of the market.

Protecting your child from identity theft Pamela yip

MCT Campus

As you prepare to send your child back to school, your todo list will include immunizations to protect against illness. Don’t forget to also immunize them against identity theft. Unfortunately, the mountain of paperwork you have to fill out for such things as after-school programs and sports team physicals leave your children prime targets for identity theft. According to a 2012 study by Javelin Strategy and Research, 2.5 percent of U.S. households with children younger than 18 experienced child identity theft. In reality, the number is higher because many young victims may not realize their identity has been stolen until they become adults. “Parents may also be responsible for some underreporting of this issue because a family member they are trying to protect, or they themselves, committed the crime,” Javelin said. It’s beyond amazing to me that a parent or another family member would commit such a crime that has lifelong consequences for a child. “In the past two years, we’ve seen the issue of child identity theft garner media and consumer attention, but there are many misunderstandings about this crime and more work needs to be done to educate consumers,” said Steve Schwartz, president of Partner Services at Intersections, which provides consumer and corporate identity risk management services. The No. 1 thing that identity thieves are after is a child’s Social Security number, the primary component of crimes that utilize a synthetic ID, the Javelin report said. Criminals create a synthetic “Synthetic identities are very difficult to detect,” the study said. Guarding your child’s Social Security number is critical to protecting his or her identity. “When someone asks for a date of birth or a Social Security number in connection with a child _ whether it’s preschool or kindergarten _ you really need to ask them, what do you need it for and what are you going to do with it and who else is going to see it? How do I know that it’s protected?” said Adam Levin, founder of Identity Theft 911, which provides identity management and identity theft recovery services for businesses. “The thing parents have to remember is that this is an asset. Failure to properly guard it exposes your child to what could be over a decade of credit abuse that they’re not even aware of until they get old enough to actually apply for something. Then, they’re suddenly unpleasantly surprised.” Here are some tips for protecting your child’s identity: Don’t carry your child’s Social Security card around with you. Use a cross-cut shredder to destroy documents with your child’s full name and other identifying details, including date of birth. Teach your children the importance of protecting their personal information on social media. “Children should never post their full name, address, date of birth or other details on social media sites,” said Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus. Make sure your kids use passwords for their smartphones and tablets. Also, teach them the importance of changing passwords frequently and never sharing passwords with others.

theWORD 6

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Convicts are 2014’s newest celebrities In recent news, it apaccomplice. pears that convicts and Personally, I criminals are becoming do believe that the celebrities. justice system has Ray Jasper, a Texas been a bit extreme inmate who has been given in their sentencthe death penalty, will be ing. There have put to death today. been cases and He has written a letter instances where MEAGAN in regards to how jail has there was clear JORDAN played a negative role in evidence of murhis life as well as how he der, yet the verdict feels his death penalty is a tad was found “not guilty.” extreme. Other abiders of the law feel Jasper was convicted in differently. Many believe Jas1998 for a robbery, which per is getting what he deserves resulted in the death of studio and feel that his letter is a owner David Alejandro. Jasper means to cop out of a punishwas a teen at the time of the ment well deserved. robbery and was sentenced to Dallas News reporter Jacdeath row. quielynn Floyd wrote an article Controversy has risen about called “Stop turning death row Jasper’s sentence because inmates into tragic celebrities.” although he participated in In this article, Floyd begins the robbery, he did not kill the with “Want to end the death victim. Jasper slit the victims penalty in Texas? Quit being a throat, however, the autopsy re- sucker.” port stated that the victim died She concludes that Jasper’s from being stabbed 20 times, letter in which he makes referwhich was done by Jasper’s ences to Gandhi and Martin Lu-

Hire like Google? For most companies, that’s a bad idea MCT Campus

Laszlo Bock, the head of human resources at Google, made quite a splash with his announcement last year that the technology firm has changed the way it hires people. Gone are the brainteaser-style interview questions that so many candidates abhorred. But also gone, it would seem, is any concern with discovering how smart applicants really are. “GPAs are worthless as a criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless...We found that they don’t predict anything,” Bock told the New York Times. Let’s take Bock at his word and assume that the data-obsessed firm has crunched the numbers rigorously and found that the test scores of the people it hires really don’t predict how well they perform once they are on the job. If Google ranked its new hires by their SAT scores, and found that those in the bottom 10 percent of the list performed just as well as those in the top 10 percent, would it mean that traditional measures of intelligence are useless in the business world? Unfortunately for Bock and his admirers, who range from Thomas Friedman to Rush Limbaugh, the answer is no, and most other firms would be making a mistake to follow Google’s lead. Here’s why. First, decades of quantitative research in the field of personnel psychology have shown that across fields of employment, measurements of “general cognitive ability” which is another way of referring to the old-fashioned concept of intelligence or IQ are consistently the best tools employers have to predict which new employees will wind up with the highest performance evaluations or the best career paths. We shouldn’t rush to assume that Google, with its private data, has suddenly refuted all that work. How could Google be seeing no correlation between IQ and performance in their company? For the same reason that, say, there is no correlation between height and scoring in pro basketball. The average NBA player is almost 6 feet 7 inches tall, which is taller than 99 percent of the U.S. adult male popula-

tion. The NBA selects its players based on height already, and it selects people who are outliers. In the social sciences, this is known as the problem of “range restriction.” When you measure people on a dimension (height) that doesn’t vary much (in the NBA, almost everyone is very tall), that dimension will not explain much about how those people perform on another dimension (scoring). And Google’s workforce is a textbook example of range restriction _ not on height but on IQ. Bock pointed out that the fraction of people at Google without a college degree has increased over time and is now as high as 14 percent on some product teams. This means, however, that more than 86 percent of people at Google do have a college education (or more), and most of them come from the most elite schools. As a former Google employee observed on Quora, there may even be a surplus of skill: “There are students from top 10 colleges who are providing tech support for Google’s ads products, or manually taking down flagged content from YouTube.” Google runs its own annual Code Jam, a worldwide programming competition in which anyone at any age can show he or she has talent. The event has been held since 2003, and in 2012 the winner was Jakub Pachocki of Poland, who defeated a pool of 35,000 competitors to become the champion, earning $10,000 and a likely job offer from Google. In an interview, Pachocki described the content of the competition as “more like mathematical work or solving logic puzzles.” For those companies, intelligence may not matter as much as leadership, creativity, conscientiousness, social skill and other virtues once an employee is on board. Those qualities are precisely what general cognitive ability is, regardless of how you label it. If you ignore intelligence when hiring, you do so at your peril.

ther King is manipulative, and although well written, it will not be enough to change hearts on the matter. Floyd makes vital points especially since her feelings of convicts being celebrated is a mutual feeling I have in regards to George Zimmerman. Since the Trayvon Martin trial, Zimmerman has been in the news for gun charges, rumors of domestic abuse, and two instances where he would participate in a celebrity-boxing match. This past weekend, he allegedly shot himself and his conditions whether dead or alive were unknown. Why is this acceptable? It is frowned upon for a man who has served time for his actions to write a letter to prevent his death, but a man who killed a boy and got away with it is one of the most infamous people talked about. Our community is also responsible for a lot of Zim-

merman’s highlights, especially when rumors of Zimmerman fighting DMX in the celebrityboxing match arose. The attention criminals are getting is utterly disrespectful and is not justice. Fighting DMX is not seeking justice for our community, but it is celebrating actions that have affected our community. Situations like this make you question the policy and motives of the judicial system. Although laws vary from state to state, instances like this make you question the motives behind these laws that are being enforced. —Email Meagan at theregister@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @itsme_agannn

Dissatisfaction with Preeminence 2020 Devin Mcallister Contributor

Since 1891, N.C. A&T State University has been a public, historically black, land grant institution. Through the years, the institution has had very memorable events take place. From developing a 100 acre farm equipped with the latest farm machinery, to the late Ronald McNair orbiting earth in the space Shuttle Challenger— A&T has shown its potential in Progressing America. Aggie Pride echoes from the football stadium to the radio airwaves. How could someone ever question the relevance of this HBCU? Unfortunately, more than 15 Historically Black Colleges and Universities have seen decreasing graduation rates in the last decade—including A&T. After struggling to stay afloat with other institutions after budget cuts, A&T has had to consider a plan to curve the downfall.

In 2010, a diverse group of individuals began a process directed towards setting the future of this historically black institution. A&T’s Board of Trustees approved this plan in 2011. Some of the strategies in the plan include instilling passion for academic excellence, enhancing faculty-student interaction, and recruiting and retaining gifted students by providing an academically challenging environment. Overall, the plan is an outstanding one, and a seemingly bright design for our university. What is beginning to catch the attention of many students is the very last line of the strategic plan. Under “diversity”, it states that the 2011 African American population was 87 percent, and the goal for 2020 is 70 percent. A 17 percent decrease in black students is expected to take place within this nine-year span. There are a number of reasons this has begun to upset the black student population at A&T. Some fear that this will create a

trend, and they will soon return to a school that has no students that resemble them. Other black students have complained about the lack of financial support provided by the school, while the diversity scholarship has paid for many non-black students’ tuition. Complaints about Preeminence 2020 began during a tuition and fees forum in the fall. At the forum were told students were told they are now paying $25 extra to fund Asian students to finish their junior and senior years at A&T. The notion of this fee is problematic because one of the leading causes of students dropping out of HBCUs is the lack of money to stay enrolled. Recently, the college of Arts and Sciences held a program on the relevance of HBCUs. During the question and answer period, a student said he felt as if the university has given up on its black students. A few faculty members responded by saying “The demographics have changed.” According to

the Census Bureau, from 20002010, the black population of Greensboro has grown about 3 percent alongside the Hispanic and Latino population, while white population has decreased about 7 percent. This leaves the population with an estimated 48 percent white, 40 percent black and 7 percent Hispanic or Latino in Greensboro, N.C. The demographics have certainly grown, with black and Hispanic or Latino citizens. The black population is decreasing on campus, and increasing across the city. Hopefully, faculty and administration can address this concern with students so that the brighter side of the strategic plan can be implemented without creating any resentment within our student body and alumni. —Email Devin at theregister@ gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @theatregister

Is the Democratic party doomed? Doyle Mcmanus MCT Campus

This year was always going to be a difficult one for Democrats, as they battle to keep their five-seat majority in the Senate. But in recent months, the political landscape has grown bleaker. Let’s start with the basics: Democrats have more seats at risk this year than Republicans do. Of the 36 Senate seats up for election (including three midterm vacancies), 21 are held by Democrats. And seven of those Democratic seats are in Republican-leaning “red states” that Mitt Romney won in 2012: Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. The stakes are enormous. If Republicans take control of the Senate and keep the House of Representatives, they’ll be able to pass parts of their conservative agenda that have been blocked until now. President Obama will still have veto power, but he’ll have to spend his last two years in office stuck on

defense. Since the presidential election of 2012, the country’s mood has remained sour. The sluggish economic recovery has convinced most Americans that we’re still stuck in a recession, no matter what the economists say. Obama’s job approval has slumped to record lows, thanks largely to the disastrous launch of his healthcare plan. That makes 2014 a bad year to be an incumbent _ especially a Democratic incumbent. Compounding Democrats’ worries, Republicans are having a good year recruiting toptier Senate candidates in both blue and red states. In Colorado, GOP Rep. Cory Gardner has turned Democratic Sen. Mark Udall’s once-expected reelection into a race to watch. In New Hampshire, former Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., moved north last week and announced his desire to become Sen. Scott Brown, R-N.H. Charlie Cook, dean of Washington’s congressional election forecasters, pronounced the Democrats’ challenges “grisly.”

And the mood wasn’t improved by the victory last week of Republican David Jolly, who beat Democrat Alex Sink in a special election in Florida’s Gulf Coast region for a vacant seat in the House of Representatives. In Florida, Democrats thought they had a strong chance; Obama had carried the district narrowly in 2012, and Sink was a practiced campaigner. The Democratic campaign even outspent the GOP. But the untested Republican candidate won by almost 2 percent. What happened? Democratic voters didn’t show up. Only 53 percent as many ballots were cast in the district last week as in the presidential election of 2012. Among those voters, Sink’s pollster, Geoff Garin, estimated that Republicans had a 13 percent advantage in turnout _ meaning his candidate did well by keeping the race close at all. The question, of course, is why so many Republicans turned out and why so few Democrats did. The answer

among strategists on both sides was: Obamacare. But not in the sense that the healthcare law is so unpopular that Democrats are doomed; in fact, as more people sign up for health coverage, polls suggest that Obamacare is a little less toxic now than it was last fall. Instead, the problem is that a high-decibel debate over Obamacare has the effect of prompting conservatives to come out and vote, but not liberals. “The (Affordable Care Act) is an energizing issue for Republicans,” Garin noted; it doesn’t produce the same response among Democrats. Can Democrats change that? Some, like former Bill Clinton aide Paul Begala, argue that Democratic candidates need to stop being apologetic about the program’s flaws and go on the offensive, accusing Republicans of trying to rob voters of the law’s protections. But others, including strategist Mark Mellman, are skeptical. “I don’t think it’s a particularly strong mobilizing issue,” Mellman told me.

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The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Questions about this year’s NCAA bracket blair kerkhoff MCT Campus

2014 Invitation to Participate

Please check your NC A&T email for an email from NSSE.

With the growing interest in bracketology and the NCAA sponsoring an annual mock bracket exercise for reporters, light has been shined on what had been a dark mystery: The NCAA Tournament selection process. Most college basketball fans understand the basics. The Division I men’s basketball committee spends most of its time sweating over the final at-large teams and then ranks the field 1-68. At this point, the bracket comes together quickly. During the last few years there have been some major surprises, but nothing in recent years that reaches the level of former analyst Billy Packer digging the selection committee chairman. But this year provided more than the usual share of eyebrow raising, and the questions involve the top seeds and one of the final at-large teams. Starting at the top, Virginia came off the pace to become the fourth No. 1 seed. The Cavaliers finished impressively, beating Duke for their first Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title since 1976 on Sunday. Virginia has won 16 of its last 17. Virginia apparently was rewarded for that finish because little else about its resume says top seed _ not the 4-4 record against the RPI top 50, No. 10 RPI and a No. 38 nonconference strength of schedule. Selection committee chairman Ron Wellman, the Wake Forest athletic director, said the group went into Sunday with three possibilities. Michigan would have been the fourth No. 1 seed with a victory over Michigan State in

the Big Ten title game. Had Michigan and Virginia both lost, the nod would have gone to Villanova. But Virginia had a fast finish. So did Louisville, which won 12 of its final 13 and rolled to the American Athletic Conference tournament title. The defending national champion Cardinals got a No. 4 seed. That was mild surprise No. 2. Louisville seemed to have the profile of a No. 2 seed, and no worse than a No. 3. But the No. 4 line was the place to be last year, when two of those teams reached the Final Four. Wellman went with the vague, “We looked at the entire body of work,” to explain the Cards’ position. About 1,000 fans, cheerleaders and band members joined SMU coach Larry Brown and the players for a celebration at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. They were crushed. The Mustangs had come a long way in Brown’s second season, but a late three-game losing streak, coupled with a nonconference schedule strength of No. 302, doomed SMU. “Really, the glaring weakness about SMU was their schedule,” Wellman said. Brown said he had a sinking feeling when he saw Louisville, from his conference, announced as a No. 4 seed. “I feel bad for our team and you fans,” Brown told the crowd. “I feel like I let you all down.” Florida State and Wisconsin-Green Bay were among others that felt the cold chill of exclusion on Sunday. There are examples of this every year. But this March Madness is setting sail with more questionable calls than usual.

AGGIES RUNDOWN baseball TEAM

MEAC

OVR.

Northern Division Delaware State Coppin State Maryland Eastern Shore Norfolk State

2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2

10-5 9-9 3-10 4-15

Southern Division North Carolina A&T Bethune-Cookman N.C. Central Florida A&M Savannah State

4-2 5-4 5-4 3-3 1-5

8-10 10-10 7-12 6-13 6-12

MEAC

OVR.

THIS WEEK’S GAME: Wednesday at High Point 6 p.m. Saturday vs. Savannah State 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Savannah State 1 p.m. Tuesday vs. UNCG at NewBridge Bank Park 6 p.m.

softball TEAM

Northern Division Delaware State Hampton Morgan State Coppin State Norfolk State Maryland Eastern Shore Howard

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

10-6 9-8 3-7 2-5 4-13 3-20 1-7

Southern Division Savannah State 0-0 Florida A&M 0-0 North Carolina A&T 0-0 Bethune-Cookman 0-0 South Carolina State 0-0 N.C. Central 0-0 THIS WEEKS’ GAMES: Wednesday vs. Towson Lady Aggie Softball Complex 2 p.m. Thursday at UNC Wilmington 3 p.m. NEXT WEEK’S GAME: vs. S.C. State Lady Aggie Softball Complex 1 p.m.

The A&T Register has extended its application deadline to Friday, March 28 at 5 p.m. We are accepting applications for reporters, editors, photographers, and advertising staff. Stop by GCB 328 or email theatregister@gmail.com to receive an application.

11-10 7-11 5-8 9-17 4-12 3-16

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

SCENE HEARD

National Women’s History Month

Our most influential women MIJA GARY

“I’m every women, it’s all in me!” Whitney Houston said it best. March is Women’s History Month, which was established in 1987 to celebrate women of character, courage and commitment, as well as honor their extraordinary achievements. During the early 1900s, women were not allowed to work. When they were granted the right to work, they were not allowed to bring in more money than their male counterpart. Men were always at the forefront, and women were their backbone. Men were taught to go out and work in order to provide for his family while women stayed home to tend to the children. Times have changed. Women have progressed more than ever before and have become the breadwinners. There was a time when men were CEOs while women were secretaries. Now, there are a number of women CEOs. What would men do without women? One of N.C. A&T’s very own, Ms. Canisha Cierra Turner is the current student government association president for the 2013-2014 academic school year. Since being at A&T, Turner has served as the vice president of internal affairs, senator of agriculture and environmental sciences, and research undergraduate assistant in the department of agribusi-

The Return

After a four year hiatus, it has been confirmed that “Boondocks” will be returning to televison. There have been no details on what to expect from this seasons premire but, fans wait patiently. “Boondocks” is scheduled to return to Adult Swim on April 12. There is a 30 second teaser that has also been released. Although there has been much speculation about what the series could possible cover, there is no doubt that the four years since the hiatus has left writers with plenty of material to choose from. Fans will just have to wait and see what is to come of season four. - K.P.

Freshman list full of hitters CATHERINE SINGLETARY Register Contributor

When you think about a freshman, what comes to mind? A freshman is deﬁned as a beginner; one lacking seniority or experience. The hip-hop community has reinvented the term and used it to its advantage. XXL Magazine is a Hip Hop magazine that was created in 1997 to entertain and inform those interested in hip hop culture. In 2008, XXL dedicated an issue annually to up and coming hip hop artists who are on the rise and make a household name for themselves in an industry where longevity does not come easily. Since 2008, XXL’s Top 10 Freshman list has launched the careers of many rappers. The success rates for artists who have been on these lists are fairly high. Almost every person on the list since 2008 has had hit songs, gold albums, or a massive core fan base. One artist that made the freshman list in 2011 that is still generating a huge buzz in the music industry is Kendrick Lamar. His raw emotion and unﬁltered lyrics have made him a household name. After the success of his album Section 80, he signed to Interscope and Aftermath record label in 2011. Once signed in 2012, he released Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, which brought about his commercial success. His debut album landed at number two on U.S. Billboard 200 charts and has sold over 1 million units to date. His work ethic, ingenious lyrics, and production have helped him pave a way for himself. There are many artists who have made the

POPPIN’

NAH?

Beyonce

Michelle

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Obama

ness. She has received many honors and awards throughout her undergraduate career. Turner actively participates on campus, as well as in the community. At a young age, Turner competed in many pageants and cumulated many state and national titles. She was recognized by superstar Janet Jackson as a youth for her exceptional contributions to the community and abroad. The SGA president also traveled to Ghana, West Africa where she donated books and other school supplies to village schools. Upon graduating, she aspires to become White House Press Secretary in Washington, D.C. Forbes ranked Michelle Obama fourth on a list of 100 of the most powerful women. She received her Bachelor of Arts and science from Princeton University and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Harvard University. As ﬁrst lady, she promotes living healthy while ﬁghting childhood obesity. Obama’s slogan is “Let’s move!” Michelle Obama advo-

cates national service and education. She helps military families and Oprah assists working Winfrey women in balancing career and family. Television personnel, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey, is worth $2.9 billion dollars, according to Forbes. On average, Winfrey makes approximately $300 million every year. She has become one of the most powerful and influential women in America. After its debut, The Oprah Winfrey show rose to the number one talk show in Chicago. Winfrey appeared in films such as “The Color Purple,” “Beloved,” “The Women of Brewster Place,” and “The Butler,” all of which she received many awards for her roles. Oprah is a published author having written five books. She established the Oprah Winfrey and donated more than $100 million to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls in South Africa. Currently, she has her own network, OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network. Condaleeza Rice is an African American politician, political scientist, business woman,

and diplomat. She received her Master’s and PhD in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame and her PhD in political science from the University of Denver. She was appointed National Security Advisor and later served as United States Secretary of State under former president, George W. Bush. Rice also became Stanford University’s ﬁrst African American Provost. Beyoncé Knowles- Carter is a female R&B vocalist, actress and entrepreneur. Currently, Carter is worth $350 million according to Forbes. Carter and her mother, Tina Knowles launched a women’s fashion line, “House of Dereon” that produces clothing, accessories and footwear. She has partnered with L’Oreal and Pepsi. Carter has also established the Survivor Foundation. A foundation that assists Hurricane Katrina victims in Houston, Tx. There are many African American women who have made names for themselves as political ﬁgures, entertainers, and producers. Despite the odds being against them, Black women are pushing past old stigmas that have plagued them for years. Mrs. Carter summed it up perfectly. Who runs the world? Girls!

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theSCENE

Mar. 19 to Mar. 26 The A&T Register’s guide to what’s going on this week in arts and entertainment.

ON SCREEN DIVERGENT Tris Prior, played by Shailene Woodley, is not like the rest. In a world classified into factions, different can be dangerous. Unlike the others, Tris is a Divergent. With the help of Four, played by Theo James, Tris must find a way to own her powers and save the other Divergents from becoming extinct. This action packed film is based on the New York Times Best Selling novel written by Veronica Roth. “Divergent” is a great date night film for couples of all ages.

— Email Mija at theatregister@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @TheATRegister

AGGIES TOP 5 FRESHMAN LIST

The Prediction List

list show that same ambition and drive to “conquer all” in this hip hop game. Recently, XXL Magazine created the people’s champ award for the 10th spot on the freshman list. Fans vote on the last and ﬁnal artist. This list is highly anticipated every year. Be on the lookout this spring for XXL’s 2014 Top 10 Freshman list. For now, the Register has decided an Aggies Freshman list. Our list includes Chance the Rapper, Casey Veggies, Bishop Nehru, Bizzy Crook, Lil Bibby, Rapsody, Rich Homie Quan, K Camp, Dillon Cooper, and Rockie Fresh. On the right is our predictions for this year’s top ﬁve. Take a look at our list and see if you agree. Did your favorite make our list?

FUTURE- “GOOD MORNING” Although the track did not make the album, Future decided to debut “Good Morning” for a crowd of thousands at SXSW in Austin, Texas. The song seems to have a lot of “Drunk in Love” influence. Some would even argue that it is a male adaptation of the Beyonce hit. Chance the Rapper 20 Chicago, IL Acid Rap

Rapsody 26 Wilson, NC She Got Game

ON SCREEN MUPPETS MOST WANTED While on world tour Kermit and the Muppet gang ind themselves in the middle of a jewel- heist fiasco. Things get even more complicated when the main culprit is a Kermit the Frog look-like. Now the gang must come together to clear Kermit’s name and save the day. “Muppets Most Wanted” is filled with laughs and the characters that made everyone’s childhood bright. The film is also filled with tons of celebrity cameos, including Sean Combs, Lady Gaga, and Usher.

Casey Veggies 20 Inglewood, CA Life Changes

— Email Catherine at theatregister@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @TheATRegister

 PRESS PLAY Chance the Rapper

“Cocoa Butter Kisses” Chance is makng his stamp on the industry and “Cocoa Butter Kisses” might just be a major part of the blueprint. If you are not captivated by the cadence, the sample will definitely make you knod. -K.P.

ON ITUNES

Dillon Cooper 20 Brooklyn, NY Cozmik

K Camp 23 Atlanta, GA In Due Time

1. Homemade cut off? 2. Distressed jeans with the thigh out? 3. Thigh high socks with Timberlands? 4. Northface vest with short sleeve white tees? 5. Bucket hats? 6. Oversized turbans? 7. Name necklace with matching earrings? 8. Invisuble platform heels? 9. RiRi Woo? 10. Ruby Woo? 11. The Weekend dreads? 12. Solange Knowles braids? 13. Bargain Box? 14. Carolina Thrift? 15. H&M? 16. Instagram boutiques? 17. Facebook hair vendors? 18. Saggy pants and basketball shorts? 19. Polo boots? 20. Adidas track pants?

Come be a part of theScene Contributors Meetings every Wednesday at 5 p.m. in GCB 328A