Sixth Issue of The TSU Herald

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CAMPUS NEWS

The official student newspaper of texas southern university

Vol 65 | Number 06 THE TSU herALD | December 14, 2012

“I'm learning to live again”

MAriNDA fruge goeS for the goLD

LIFE & STYLE

tSu StuDeNtS DreSS to eXPreSS

SPORTS

tigerS fALL to houStoN iN oVertiMe

OPINION

tsu student opens up about how she’s overcoming her abusive past

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Campus News Houston icon Otis King dies

BY SERBINO SANDIFER-WALKER

Otis King, the iconic Houston attorney who played a vital role in Houston’s first sit-in a half-century ago and served as dean of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, died November 21. King was 77.

His son, Byron, said he died peacefully after a bout with cancer.

The Texas Southern University alumnus, who also earned a law degree from Harvard University, was one of the key organizers of Houston’s first sit-in held March 4, 1960 at Weingarten supermarket located at 4110 Almeda.

His role was legal steward for TSU students as they planned their assault on Houston’s segregation laws.

King called their organizing sessions, the “war room” meetings because they would strategize like a military unit.

“I was called on to be a behind the scenes person and to give advice to what the law was and what we had to do to avoid violating the law,” King said in a recent interview.

King said many times the students wanted to be arrested to challenge Houston’s disenfranchise laws.

The unlawful assembly measure became an exercise in civil disobedience for the young architect of change.

The March 4 sit-in set-off a firestorm of student protests that cut at the core of Houston’s moral, political and economic fiber.

The students’ non-violent sit-in strategy ultimately led to Houston’s desegregation and played a role in the establishment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

King said the greatest lesson of the movement is they took a stand against injustice.

He shied away from the spotlight and was quick to credit the movement’s success to his “brilliant” co-organizers, including Eldrewey Stearns, Holly Hogrobrooks and John Bland, to name a few.

“I think the movement showed that there is an alternative to legal action and the alternative is direct action,” King said.

From the front lines of the civil rights movement, King became a noted Houston attorney.

He was hired by Mayor Fred Hofheinz in 1976 to be Houston’s first black

city attorney.

He paved the path for others like Anthony Hall and Benjamin Hall to be the city’s chief attorney.

King also left a mark in academia.

He was the dean of TSU’s School of Law, which was named the Thurgood Marshall School of Law during his tenure from 1970 to 1976. Supreme Court Justice Marshall spoke at TSU in 1976.

He was a strategic orator and honed skills as an undergraduate student on TSU’s famed debate team with the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan.

King and Jordan also attended Houston’s Wheatley High School; where his academic excellence began. He graduated salutatorian from the historic Fifth Ward high school in 1952.

King hoped that his work served as inspiration to others.

“Stand for the right; stand for that which you know in your heart to be right and be willing to stand up and speak out,” King said in one of his last interviews.

King’s funeral was Saturday, December 1 at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

editorial staff

editor-in-chief ameena rasheed Managing Editor MECOLE HAYES Copy Editor dwayne adams Campus News Editor sijourney porter Life & Style Editor kenneth ware jr.

Sports Editor buck bedia Publications Manager tiyosha turner Advisors serbino sandifer-walker michael berryhill

The TSU Herald is published by the students of Texas Southern University.

Opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration. The newspaper is printed biweekly, except during holidays and examination periods.

For additional information, call (713) 313-1976.

King speaks at the 50th anniversary of Houston’s first sit-in on March 4, 2010.

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Campus News Depression hits home for students during the holiday season

BY PAULINE CLEMENT

Texas Southern University’s Counseling Center is busy at work helping students cope with depression during the holidays.

According to Bernadette P. Smith, a counselor at the counseling center, one of the first steps a student should take in getting help for depression is recognizing that there is a problem or need.

Depression can lead to thoughts of suicide, according to experts.

Many experts have said that there are several factors which contribute to depression including the death of a loved one, being away from home or a student’s single relationship status.

Whatever the situation, the counselors at the university are experienced and trained to help.

In a survey this year conducted by TSU’s Counseling Center in 2012, out of the 59 students surveyed, 15 percent said that they had considered suicide.

“Everybody is different,” said Smith.

“Some students may feel that because they were being bullied; they are depressed. Some students may feel that they are trying to succeed and are having difficulty. Some students experience the loss of a loved one.”

Smith said that the hardest step for many students who may be depressed is seeking help.

“When I first work with the students, I let them know that everything discussed is in confidentiality,” Snith said.

“They want to be assured that no one will know about their coming into the center and I let them know that the particular discussions of their situation are not going to go to the administration or faculty.”

Smith also mentioned that the students are looking at things going on in their lives and whether large or small, some of them seem to rationalize that nobody loves or cares about them.

The center helps students to realize that there is a solution to their problem.

“We help them to see what works for them,” Smith said.

Students may also feel lonely during this time. A final tip from the counseling center is that students should not feel afraid to reach out during the holidays or any other time of the year, especially when their mental health and or well-being is at stake.

Make new friends, call family and even create new customs.

“Creating new traditions could mean incorporating the old things that were cherished from a loved one or memories from home such as a favorite food or special decorations, build on that and create new ideas and recipes for the future,” said Smith.

The center provides confidential counseling and psychiatric services to currently enrolled students at Texas Southern University.

They are located inside the Student Health Center and can be contacted Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 713313-7804.

Collegiate 100 Men: ‘Tis the season of giving

BY MELANIE HAUER

Texas Southern University’s Collegiate 100 Black Men organization celebrated its first annual week of events, which was themed “100 Pounds: A Week of Giving” from November 12 to 18.

The organization started off with a panel discussion between students and corporate recruiters, Brittany of Aggreko, John Jordan of James & Jordan LLC, and Jason Phenix of Methodist Hospital, who advised them on how to make it in corporate America.

Christopher Bell Vice President of programming for the Collegiate 100 Black Men advisory board hosted and created the week’s start off event “Matriculating through Corporate America.”

There were various “Giving” inspired events throughout the week that caught several students’ interest, such as the comedy show and speed dating that were held in the student center.

Students were asked to bring a canned good to each event in order to participate in the various activities throughout the week.

Its fundraising goals were to raise 100 pounds of canned goods, hence the “100 Pounds” theme. All the proceeds will be given

to the Bread of Life Inc., a non-profit organization that helps the homeless, located in downtown Houston.

“The Bread of Life will then take the cans and use them to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for the homeless,” said Collegiate 100 member Jonathan Jolivette.

Jonathan Jolivette, a senior at TSU majoring in biology, also a member of the Collegiate 100 Black Men’s executive board, was just one of the many men that contributed to the weeks of events, along with Christopher Cutkelvin President of programs on the executive board, and of course the new general body members who were often in charge of directing the events upon each day.

On the last day of events, Jolivette created an event where all women could be appreciated, for a small donation of a can of greens.

The event consisted of massages, foot rubs, facials and various forms of entertainment to help the women enjoy the time dedicated to them.

Freshman psychology major Aijah McMillan found herself enticed with the event.

“I felt like I was on a big date,” McMillan said. “It had a nice ambiance.”

Aijah goes on to describe the event saying that the men were “gentlemen” and they received roses and used proper dating etiquette for the women that attended.

In honor of the week and holiday, the Collegiate 100 Black Men served a purpose that would help implicate the focus of the organization.

“Collegiate 100 Black Men is a collegiate version of the International and Metropolitan 100 Black Men of America,” said Darnell Joseph, the Liaison of the collegiate organization and a member of the metropolitan chapter in Houston, Texas.

Like most organizations Collegiate 100 men aspire to make a difference and an impact on campus and the community around them.

“Collegiate 100 Black Men is a nonprofit organization that focuses on mentoring men, women and youth,” Joseph said. “This week was a bonding experience for the general body members of the Collegiate100 Black Men, as well as a success bringing campus awareness to the organizations.”

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Campus News

Marinda Fruge goes for the gold

BY LENZI CAUSEY

Texas Southern University’s Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity recently hosted the Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant in the Sawyer Auditorium.

The new members of the Delta Theta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity hosted its Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant Wednesday, Nov. 14.

Marinda Fruge’, who had a platform of motivating young students to pursue their talents and aspirations, was crowned Miss Black and Gold.

“My platform, S.O.S., stands for sustaining our successors,” said Fruge’. “It is about building and teaching our younger generations to become young professionals, illustrious leaders, and to have a positive impact on society. I want to instill within them the value of scholarship, leadership, and giving back to our community.”

The pageant is designed to recognize academically gifted young women who are involved in community service.

“The mission for the pageant is to uplift women to the highest standard and to showcase each woman’s God-given talent,” said Jordan Morris, chairperson and member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

The first “Miss Black and Gold” pageant was first held at TSU in 1950 by the Delta Theta chapter. More than 60 years later,

the pageant’s mission still remains the same.

In the pageant’s selection process, each candidate was selected upon three components: G.P.A., charisma, and attitude.

The 14 candidates or “gems” were each represented by a number and a message.

Each young lady had platforms ranging from “empowering abused women” to “eliminating homelessness, ” and each platform was supported by a program with the platform and mission.

The contestants were also judged on swimwear, evening gowns and talent.

Several awards were given in addition to Miss Black and Gold. Miss Congeniality was awarded to Jennifer Wilson. Miss Alpha Phi Alpha was awarded to Adrienne Tate and a plaque of merit was awarded to Kayla Petetan for acquiring the most advertisements for funding.

Fruge` made certain that she emphasized the fact that her platform and performance illustrated the mission of the pageant which led to her winning the crown.

As “Miss Black and Gold,” her duties are now to uphold the crown, to continue being involved in community service, and to be a role model to her peers, just as previous winners have done before her.

The nine finalists for the Miss Black and Gold pageant as they get ready to partake in the question and answer portion.

Marinda Fruge is crowned as the new Miss Black and Gold 2012-2013.

Contestant Malaysia Hicks gives her rendition of "Home"

by Diana Ross for the talent portion of the competition.

Campus News A Special Message from President John M. Rudley To the 2012 Graduating Class and to Future Graduates of Texas Southern University

On behalf of the faculty, staff and administration of Texas Southern University, I want to congratulate each of you for your achievement in completing your degree and graduating on December 15. This is an accomplishment that will change your life and impact you and your family for years to come.

I hope that you plan to join your fellow graduates and attend the December 15th Commencement Ceremony and receive the recognition that you richly deserve. Commencement is such a special occasion, we ask that you show your Tiger Pride and remain in your seats until the ceremony is complete, the alma mater is sung, and the platform party leaves the arena.

It is not only common courtesy; it is what is expected of a graduate of this university.

Commencement should be respected in this special way.

Some of you will be the first in your family to complete a university education. You can see the importance of this ceremony in the faces of the families and friends in the audience who come to celebrate this exciting day with you.

You are part of the Class of 2012, and you should honor your classmates by sharing in their moment, even if you are the first to walk across the stage. Please remain for the entire program.

Again, we congratulate you on this special occasion and wish you the best in the future.

Sincerely, John M. Rudley

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Life & Style TSU students dress to express

BY AMBER GIBSON

Every morning, Texas Southern University student, Joy Mariana, faces the tough decision of what to wear.Either her red Bandu top with her funky-bright tights and combat boots or contemporary-styled long, flowing sundress and Steve Madden sandals will have to do the trick.

“I do believe appearance is a representative of who you are before you even get a chance to speak,” said the student who turns the Tiger walk into her “catwalk.”

Mariana added, “My clothes, shoes, jewelry, make-up, and nails do not make me who I am, but I do let it stand as a representative of how I feel.”

Fashion is known for being a form of self-expression amongst many college students.

The question is- should a dress code be implemented on college campuses?

“There should be a dress code for upper classmen and also for certain schools within the university. For example, in the business school, their students are required to wear business attire to school, and so are the students in the law school,” said TSU graduate student and Career Services assistant, Mercadi Crawford.

Though the Tiger Walk may be filled with “fashion statements,” TSU students should be aware of what their fashion is “stating.”

“I do believe appearance is a representative of who you are before you even get a chance to speak,” said the student who turns the Tigerwalk into her “catwalk.” - Joy Mariana

Some will argue that certain forms of “self – expression” can be a distraction to the learning environment.

A few years ago, at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, “The Mean Girls of Morehouse”-five male studentsexpressed their sexuality by wearing female clothing, creating great chaos and angered university authorities.

The men’s choice of wardrobe defied the university’s dress code that prohibits male students from wearing caps, sagging pants, as well as “women’s clothing”.

“Dress code should be enforced to an extent,” said TSU freshman, Melanie Hauer.

“As a student who receives a higher education, you should have self-respect for yourself and also for your university, you should look at school as if you are doing business,” said Hauer.

Others argue that the college environment should promote students expressing their individuality regardless of their fashion preferences.

On the other hand, some fashion preferences do more than distract others from learning.

“A lot of times, we see students who come into an interview wearing something you would wear in a social setting, females in particular are more distracting to not only students but also the professors because of their revealing clothing,” said Crawford.

Evan Roberts likes to dress to impress when he hits the Tigerwalk.

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Life & Style NAREB offers solutions for housing crisis

BY DIANE PAIGE

A national real estate association has developed some solutions to address the housing crisis in minority communities.

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) presented its solutions at Texas Southern University on Friday, Nov. 16.

NAREB presented its 2012 Post-Recession Housing Recovery Policy Paper, which focused on several areas that are currently impacting minority communities in Houston and across the country including foreclosure, mitigation, neighborhood blight, and disaster recovery.

“The nation is faced with a continuing crisis and proposed solutions have thus far met with limited success, for example, more than one million of the 2.4 million loan modifications completed from 2008 to 2011 have ended up back in delinquency or foreclosure,” said NAREB President Julius Cartwright.

Cartwright and others said credit is a major concern in minority communities.

He said there needs to be a strategy to help these groups acquire and maintain good credit. He added this is one solution to the housing crisis.

“Not only has an incredible amount of wealth been lost as a result of the mortgage crisis, but it is not being rebuilt due to lack of access,” said Cartwright.

The solutions were to gain and maintain credit so that homeownership opportunities are available to the minority community.

NAREB opposes the Qualified Mortgage (QM) rule that raises barriers to credit access for minorities. The qualified mortgage measure requires 700 for credit scores and large down payments.

“There are a lot of things that have occurred in the African American community and other communities of color relating to the housing crisis that many people are not aware of,” said Cartwrig ht.

There has been a successful track record of innovative mortgage products with financial counseling and homebuyer education that has been overlooked by some lenders.

NAREB wants to preserve minority homeownership, because there is no restoration of the housing market and the use of programs to refinance or prevent foreclosures many of the remaining families in these communities who are at a high risk of losing their homes.

The Mortgage Bankers Association held a study and it indicated that about 3.25 million borrowers are delinquent on their loans and are in danger of losing their homes.

Mortgages made between 2004 and 2008, approximately one quarter of all Latino and African-American, borrowers lost their homes to foreclosure.

The Housing Predictor of 2012 said 10 million homeowners will experience foreclosure through 2012. Core Logic 2012 reported that there are 1.4 million homes currently in the foreclosure inventory.

NAREB has hope that the solutions presented will make minorities aware of what is happening in their communities as well as making homeownership more sustainable.

Muerte sin fin: death without end courtesy of the Hispanic Student Association

The Hispanic Student Association continues to bring events of cultural relevance to Texas Southern University.

Latin American countries such as Haiti, Chile and Mexico celebrate Dia de los Muertos on November 2.

For this commemoration, HSA showcased a post mortem photographic exhibition by Mexican artist Alejandro Palacios Cachón at our University Museum.

The evening was filled with aromatic incense as one walked in the museum.

One could see bright orange marigold flowers, or flor de cempasúchil as they are called in Mexico, and Day of the Dead bread sponsored by Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority.

There was also an altar to the dead sponsored by Sigma Lambda Bata Fraternity and live music by Joe Pecina, a TSU alumnus.

Among the audience were two distinguished guests: Dr. Luis Malpica de Lamadrid, General Consul of Mexico, with his

wife, and Mr. Carlos Palacios Lopez, son of the artist, who presented a gift of a photograph to Dr. William Saunders, Dean of Students and Alfonso Arteaga, president of HSA.

“Through post mortem photography, people attempt to recognize human mortality, capture it and celebrate it,” said Arteaga, explaining the purpose of the photographic exhibition.

Carlos Palacios Lopez explained the difference between the children’s and the adults’ photographs, “The children’s eyes are left open to symbolize the innocence of souls not dying.”

Palacios Lopez flew in from Mexico to attend the event and expressed his gratitude to the University for housing his father’s work.

Others who participated in the event were TSU history professor Dr. Jesse Esparza, who talked about the traditions of Day of the Dead, museum director Dr. Alvia Wardlaw and Ray Carrington, professional photographer and educator, who talked about the significance of the artwork.

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through t

Collegiate 100 members gather canned goods for their week of giving.

Miracle White praise dancing at TSU Dance Company's gospel event.

Alejandra Ramos helps make gingerbread cookies at Miss TSU's Christmas Extravaganza.

TSU point guard Ray Penn goes against UH Ashley Pointer takes her final walk as Miss Black and Gold 2011-2012.

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the eyes of our tigers

Students line up in the Tiger Room to get a copy of the 2012 yearbook at the TIGER Yearbook release party.

Miss TSU Olivia Turner speaks at NAACP's Girl's Night event.

Sierra Williams, 97.9 The Box radio personality JJ and Kenneth Ware Jr. host TSU-TV's Christmas special.

H point guard Tione Womack to score.

Student Government Association president Brandon Andrews interacting with students on the Tigerwalk for SGA’s “How may SGA help you?” activity.

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Cover Story

I’m learning to live again

BY JUDE IVY

A bit of me died the first time I remember him touching me inappropriately. I was about 6-years-old and my brother *Thomas had taken me to the barn which doubled as an outhouse for us.

When I finished using the pot, he wiped me as usual and I waited for him to pull up my panties; but he didn’t. He began to touch my private area in an unfamiliar way and I felt a piece of my once lively and trusting spirit slip away.

In that instant I knew something had gone terribly wrong; but I had no idea what to do to fix it so I pretended it never happened and desperately and silently hoped that it would never happen again.

My family and I, at that time, lived in Smithville, Texas, where most of the traumatic experiences happened to me. I remember when I began to become familiar with him in the sense that I knew when he’d call me to be alone with him; it was a thought I dreaded.

I can remember being so happy and free, climbing trees, running through the tall grass, feeling the wind comb through my hair, hanging with my sisters upside down from the monkey bars, and spinning so fast on the local merry-go-round that I’d go flying off into the sand; not a care in the world, the good life.

Those pleasant thoughts; however, are often invaded by memories of being coerced into sexual encounters with my older stepbrother. On one occasion Thomas called me in the house to fix my hair; he pulled and prodded it into a weird style reminiscent of the rapper, Coolio.

I was the oldest of my three sisters and he said I had to go last; he always made it seem like it was something to look forward to.

After he’d finished my hair, I was glad it was over and anticipated where I’d go play next outside but he had other plans for me. He asked me to unzip his pants and lay my head in his lap; I was so uncomfortable I could feel myself wanting to vomit.

Thankfully we’d eaten earlier before we went outside to play and I began feeling queasy. As he caressed the back of my neck while holding my head down on his private area, in a twisted attempt to be pleasured, I tried to hold back unsettled fragments of bread, bologna, and cheese, unsuccessfully. I threw up all over his lap and his sick fantasy quickly ended.

I think about how free, innocent, trusting and completely oblivious I was to this kind of experience and how all the bliss of my ignorance morphed with each year and each horrible sexual encounter into a disturbing realization.

I learned about things no child should ever know until it’s an appropriate time, I learned about sex, and the different ways to have it, I learned about foreplay, I learned to read when a man was sexually excited and I learned to flirt with men by the age of 10. I was flirting with older guys, with the knowledge I’d been taught by my own brother.

By the time I was 12-years-old I had conflicting sides of myself the extremely sexual side whose game was to flirt verbally and nonverbally with older men just to get them to respond to me, but I would be scared to death if anyone actually accepted my advances.

I was also ashamed of my sexual side because of the things my stepbrother had done to me and forced me to do. I didn’t trust men much anymore; I began to look at them all as potential predators who viewed me as nothing more than a piece of fresh meat and as a result of that became very selfconscious and disrespectful towards them.

The other side of me longed to be the little girl I used to be, a dreamer uninhibited, unashamed, trusting, brave, respectful and most of all, – me. I wasn’t sure of who I was anymore and feared what I had become.

At 12-years-old I got the courage to tell someone what my brother had done. I told an older lady I respected in the church I attended at the time, she didn’t tell anyone and I wasn’t sure I wanted her to.

For those that may be wondering what happened to *Thomas, did he get away with what he did to me, did he mysteriously disappear and fall off the face of the earth, or did he wander off into some country field and get eaten by a pack of wild coyote? The answer is no.

My tenth grade year of high school all of the secrets I’d kept to myself and had even practiced forgetting came back suddenly.

I was sitting in my 7th period class, praying that something weird would happen to liven up or shorten the school day; like some delinquent student shaking up the mundane flow of class by roaming the halls pulling fire alarms.

Though this was typical it didn’t happen that day, instead the loud speaker in our class came on and the office attendant addressed the teacher, then answered my prayer by uttering a phrase that every student has secretly hoped to hear at some point ‘would Jude Ivy’ please report to the attendance office. ‘Thank you God!’ I thought.

You see it was unusual for my parents to pick us up from school early, momma didn’t play that. In fact, we didn’t receive awards for the best dressed or most popular in school but perfect attendance that we won consecutively.

As I did my happy dance out of class and bid my teacher a jovial goodbye, it didn’t cross my mind that anything could be wrong. I heard my other two siblings names called over the loud speaker as I made my way to the office.

We walked in one after the other, looked at each other and then at the unfamiliar couple already waiting in the office.

As suspected they were waiting for us. A white man and white woman dressed neatly thanked the office attendant, and then asked us to come with them. Now we’d been around white people before, but these people we didn’t know.

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Cover Story

Jude Ivy tells her story in the “Speak” documentary.

We eventually found out they were with Child Protective Services, picking us up on a tip they received from a school teacher at my younger sister’s elementary school. They took us to a local CPS facility and I was asked to relive many of the moments I had done such an immaculate job of forgetting up until this point of my life or so I thought.

Hours later they informed my parents, and then my parents let us know that they were investigating Thomas on suspicions of indecency with a child.

After interviewing us collectively, then separately they concluded that two of us should have rape kits done myself and one of my other sisters, *Amani. It was discovered that she and I had been raped repeatedly due to badly scarred tissue.

However, our cases had reached the statute of limitation and nothing could be done directly for us, but indirectly and for my younger sister, *Shelby, a case could be expedited and it was. Because of our testimonies my older brother was sentenced to 40 years to life imprisonment with a chance of parole.

I’m learning to live again and it isn’t easy but with help from my creator, family, friends and trained professionals, I believe a path is being created for me to live a life where my dreams can

“It takes courage to speak up about abuse. With each success in my personal and professional endeavors, I’ve learned that speaking up helps one to heal. I can slowly feel my spirit coming back to life.” -Jude Ivy come true.

I am currently a senior journalism major with an emphasis in public relations, and speech communications minor at Texas Southern University.

I enjoy communicating, it comes naturally for me so I intend to use my knack for speaking, writing, and encouraging others to promote tangible and measureable progression in sexual abuse victims as well as educate friends, family, and others on ways to recognize the effects of sexual abuse as a means to prevent it from continuing.

I hope to own a non-profit that will support this cause and empowering others, I also hope to create a platform for myself in the public relations industry by owning and operating a boutique consultancy firm run predominately by women of color.

It takes courage to speak up about abuse. With each success in my personal and professional endeavors, I’ve learned that speaking up helps one to heal.

I can slowly feel my spirit coming back to life. Because of my willingness to speak up against abuse, a bit of me is reborn and I am learning to live again.

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Office of Communications & Media Relations

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HOUSTON, TX 77004  (713) 313 - 4205

CONTACT EVA PICKENS (713) 313-4205 office

Smaller Grants Could Spell Trouble for Future Students

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the state agency that oversees higher education, has recommended a proposal that would reduce the amount of TEXAS Grants – cutting student financial aid awards in half, so more students could receive them. Other proposed changes by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board include charging higher tuition for unnecessary credit hours to reduce the amount of time students spend on getting a degree, and basing 10 percent of state funding to colleges and universities on student success rates.

Raymond Paredes, the state’s commissioner of higher education, told lawmakers in October that the average award amount would fall from the current level of $5,000 to about $3,000. Final award amounts are up to individual institutions.

“Yes, if the TEXAS Grants program is reduced and spread further it will allow a larger base of potential students to receive financial assistance to attend college,” said TSU President Dr. John Rudley. “However, if amounts are reduced any further, it will not cover the cost of attendance and because TSU has such a high need base, the more drastic the cuts the more negatively impacted our students will be,” he added.

Rep. Dan Branch, R-­‐Dallas, has pre-­‐filed a bill for the upcoming January

legislative session, which calls for up to 25 percent of state funding for higher education institutions to be based on “student success measures,” including number of degrees awarded.

This is the third time that the outcomes-­‐based funding model has been proposed.

If the proposal is accepted, TEXAS Grants will be used only for academic costs, such as tuition, fees and course materials, rather than total costs that include transportation and housing, and for students to seek out federal funding and scholarships to bridge the gap. The proposal to tighten eligibility would require students to be enrolled full-­‐time, taking at least 12 credit hours, up from the current nine, and change the lifespan of the award to eight semesters instead of the current 150 semester credit hours.

Life & Style New graduates find alternatives to slow job market

BY JANELLE MOREHEAD

James Hawkins, a senior in the School of Communication won’t be among the number of college graduates looking for a job after graduation. He has a job, being his own boss.

Hawkins, a senior at Texas Southern University’s School of Communication and sole proprietor of Hawkstyle Media is a videographer, editor, radio personality and voice over talent who provide services to corporate and municipal clients like Radio Disney and Houston Community College.

Hawkins makes us of SOC’s television station to increase his media production skills. He pursues coaching and guidance from the dean and professors of SOC who advise him on professional development, presentation and interpersonal communication skills to polish up his marketing and consultative techniques.

“Once I graduate in May 2013, I’m looking for my business to sort of catapult from where it is,” Hawkins said. “Since I have been working in radio and television for three years, completing a communications degree for my bachelors, will give me that sense of being a lot more confident in what I have to offer for my company.”

If entrepreneurship professor Jeff Brice, Jr., has his way, more and more students will follow Hawkins’ example. Brice is organizing a concentration and practical training entrepreneurship program where he serves as Interim Department Chair at TSU’s Department of Business Administration.

“An opportunity that a lot of college grads fail to consider is the prospect of entrepreneurship,” Brice said.

“I always urge students to start entrepreneurship while they are in school because they have very little to lose. If you’re going to make mistakes make them now. In other words, I’d rather have them do business while in school than when you get out you already know what you need to know to be successful.”

Brice envisions the entrepreneurship program will offer students the opportunity to compile a portfolio of projects that they have worked on to present to prospective clients and future employers.

For students wanting to start and

operate their own business, the hands-on experience offered in the program will be their foundation for the world of enterprise.

“Hands-on, wanting to start a business while being in college is the best place you could be. It’s not like being at a junior college, you can get so much more from a university,” Hawkins said.

“I want to walk away knowing that what I’ve learned from this university is going to pay off for me in a great way.”

Hawkins is slated to graduate May, 2013 and enroll into law school while working on a MBA program simultaneously.

“An opportunity that a lot of college grads fail to consider is the prospect of entrepreneurship,” Brice said.

Brice’s leadership and expertise the former assistant professor of management, entrepreneurship and general business at Hofstra University, Brice produced a number of students who launched business careers with corporate giants, while others pursued their own entrepreneurial ventures in various areas.

One of Brice’s students recently launched a concept for male grocery shoppers called the “man aisle” in a New York City grocery store. It received rave reviews in the New York Times.

According to CNN Money, a recent study by Millennial Branding shows that nearly one third of employers are looking for entrepreneurship experience when hir-

ing recent college graduates.

In fact, some companies would rather hire an unsuccessful entrepreneur than a student with multiple internships on his resume.

“A lot of people have the mistaken idea that students that go into entrepreneurship just want to work for themselves, but that’s not the case,” Brice said.

“Students that go into entrepreneurship want to develop entrepreneurship skills that they can use for other companies also. That’s really what corporate America is really looking for. They are looking for a self-starter, people who know how to do things, people who know how to analyze the market and come up with things as if it were their own company.

Brice further explains his point.

“Enterprising students can take advantage of concentration courses offered through TSU’s entrepreneurial program,” Brice said.

“The program will prepare students for entrepreneurship while they are in school. It will also allow students to incorporate the concentration courses with their existing degrees which will not require them to spend any additional time in school.”

As the interim department chair, Brice manages the management degree, marketing degree and MIS degree and provides support for the MBA and the Executive MBA programs for the department of business administration.

The only doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) of entrepreneurship currently at the School of Business, Brice manages approximately75 percent of the faculty.

Brice is a business owner and founder of several firms which include radio, television and film productions, management consulting and commercial construction. He enjoys developing his own businesses and experimenting with new business models around the country.

“Aside from playing pool, my career is like a hobby to me,” Brice said.

“Helping other people get started on the right foot and giving them support and setting up programs that are innovative is just something that I like to do.”

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14

Sports

Hersh named to the All-SWAC team

BY RODNEY BUSH

Texas Southern senior punter/kicker, Robert Hersh was the lone Tiger named to the 2012 All-SWAC team announced on Tuesday, November 4th by the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

Hersh received second team All-SWAC Special Team honors.

The Pearland, Texas native finished the season second in the conference and 23rd in the nation in punting with a 41.6 yard average. His longest punt of the season was 67 yards.

He had four touchbacks and 21 punts inside the 20 yard line. He also averaged 49.8 yards on kickoffs.

Hersh connected on 7 of 10 field goals which was the 4th best in the conference. He made two game-winning field goals this season including a career 47 yard field goal against Prairie View

A&M in the Labor Day Classic in Reliant Stadium. Hersh earned SWAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the PV game.

The ALL-SWAC teams were selected by the SWAC football head coaches and sports information directors.

Lady Tigers Win on the road

The Lady Tiger basketball team (2-6) handed Sam Houston State their 4th loss of the season by the score of 62-57.

Gianne Fleming scored 20 points and Te’era Williams added 17 to lead Texas Southern.

The two teams went into the half tied at 22, but the Lady Tigers came out alive in the second half for a great road win.

Their next home game will be on Wednesday Dec. 19 against Missouri-Kansas City.

Tigers fall to Houston in overtime 78-75 courtesy of www.tsuball.com

Omar Strong had 29 points and made eight 3-pointers for the Texas Southern Tigers but it wasn’t enough as the University of Houston held off TSU in overtime 78-75 on Saturday night.

The Cougars opened a six-point lead in overtime on backto-back three-point plays. A jumper made the score 74-69 with 1:23 remaining, and Houston protected the lead at the free-throw line.

“We just didn’t play well enough to win down the stretch,” said TSU head coach Mike Davis. “I’m proud of the effort our guys gave out there tonight but we’re disappointed that we weren’t able to come away with a victory for our program and fans.”

Houston overcame a nine-point deficit in the final 3:49 of

regulation to force overtime. A 3-pointer with nine seconds to play tied the score at 66-all.

“This is a tough loss for us to swallow”, said Texas Southern guard Omar Strong. “Everyone on our team has to use this as motivation moving forward. We were close to pulling this one out but we came up short at the end.”

UH outrebounded Texas Southern 35-to-33, TSU’s Ray Penn and Aaron Clayborn contributed 12 and 10 points respectively.

Texas Southern will have the next few days off before returning to the court at home for a non-conference match-up versus Cal State Fullerton on Sunday at 2:00 pm.

Omar Strong scored a game high 29 points.

Ray Penn drives down the court.

Opinion

15

20 Questions

BY TSU STUDENT BODY

VISIT OUR STORE AT THE GALLERIA MALL

1. Why can’t our declining balance money be used for other things instead of food?

2. Why is everyone going natural?

3. Can we put the orgnaization benches in front of the Student Center?

4. Why is there assigned seating for basketball games?

5. Was the 2012 yearbook great or what?

6. Speaking of yearbook, why do their staff members have new shirts every week?

7. Are we ever going to fix those light posts on the Tigerwalk?

8. When are we going to stop comparing TSU to Howard?

9. What’s the purpose of having our own stadium if we can’t even sit where we want to?

10. Are they going to sell Iota shirts in the bookstore now?

11. Why can't people be themselves when showing interest in a particular organization?

12. Why are we a society that is so dependant on labels?

13. Why is TSU's financial aid office so disorganized?

14. Why do the RA's in housing threaten to fine you for everything?

15. Why is eating on campus so expensive?

16. In order to get the alumni more involved, can we start hosting more events for them during the school year?

17. Why was "dead week" so live?

18. What exactly is a student leader?

19. Why are the lights always off in the Student Center elevator?

20. Aren't you glad the semester is over?

This is for entertainment only. The questions submitted are not the views of The TSU Herald or Texas Southern University as a whole. Feel free to bring any comments and questions to room 221 of the Student Center. Questions are printed at the discretion of The TSU Herald.

Special thanks to the contributing editors and writers from Serbino Sandifer-Walker's Introduction to Reporting class.

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16

What’s Happening on campus & around town

Monday - 12/10

Tuesday - 12/11

Wednesday - 12/12

Thursday - 12/13

Friday - 12/14

The Weekend 12/15 & 12/16 12/15 December graduation

Monday - 12/17

Tuesday - 12/18

Wednesday - 12/19

Thursday - 12/20

Friday - 12/21

The Weekend 12/22 & 12/22

WINTER BREAK Our calendar is reserved for the advertisement of on and off campus events. If you are interested in having your event placed on our calendar, then please stop by room 221 of the Student Center or call us at (713) 313-6710.