Friday, Feb. 25, 2011 e-Mirror

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the mirror Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

Volume 93, Number 63

uncm i r r o r . c o m

Look in The Mirr or Page 6

Basketball teams face NAU

News Fairs attract summer job seekers Two job-and-internship fairs were hosted this week to cater to specific academic colleges. PAGE 2

Sports Baseball ready to start new season UNC baseball team begins its season at the Bearkat Invitational in Huntsville, Texas. PAGE 7

Online Signing pledges against negativity Students promise to curtail use of words like “retarded” in McKee breezeway this week. Read at uncmirror.com.

AMANDA NEIGES | THE MIRROR

Students arrive early Wednesday to a packed Long’s Peak Ballroom in the University Center before the performances for Africana Night.

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Upcoming In Monday’s issue of The Mirror, look for an article about UNC’s Athletic Hall of Fame inductions.

SOURCE: WEATHER.COM

w w w. u n c m i r r o r. c o m C A M P U S N E W S . C O M M U N I T Y N E W S . Y O U R N E W S .


News

2 The Mirror

Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

Fairs offer students job, internship opportunities AMANDA STOUTENBURGH AND TESSA BYRNS news@uncmirror.com

Although it may seem far away, summer is approaching, and with it comes the task of looking for summer job sor internships. Two job-and-internship

fairs were hosted this week in the University Center Ballrooms, one geared toward students in the College of Natural Health and Sciences, the other to students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. On Wednesday, the NHS fair provided an outlet for stu-

AMANDA NEIGES | THE MIRROR

Warren Ayala, left, of Farm Bureau Financial Services receives a resume from Raymond Paolini, a senior finance and management major.

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HEAR US ON CHANNEL 3 IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS OR WWW.UNCO.EDU/UNCRADIO OR WWW.UNCRADIO.COM

dents interested in being involved with careers in scientific and health related fields. Many UNC departments host job-and-internship fairs open not only to the students in the colleges but to students of all majors who are interested in advancing careers. “We help every college we can,” said Peg Griffin, coordinator of the fair. “In the fall and spring, we hold fairs for the business and liberal arts students. We also help math students and hold a teacher fair. A lot of the organizations here are summer camps.” Among the summer job opportunities the fair offered, it also presented employment opportunities at summer camps around the state and also one in New York. “We want our employees to be dependable and focused,” said Sharon Moore, 4-H Club camp coordinator in Jefferson County. “For students looking for a job, I would suggest always looking their

best. We want them to be willing to talk to people, be friendly, be a good communicator and have lots of enthusiasm.” Other students looking for jobs offered tricks of their own for going about the process of finding employment, which can sometimes be stressful. “Definitely, just be prepared, and keep an open mind,” said Matt Badean, a senior recreation and tourism major. Some of the organizations involved were Kaiser Permanente, Denver VA Medical Center, U.S. Army ROTC, the Wyoming Medical Center and Work Out West. The spring criminal justice job-and-internship fair was hosted Thursday. Representatives from Target, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Walgreens, Capital Business Inc., Core Financial, Universal Forest Products, State Farm Insurance, various radio stations, the Greeley

Sudoku rules: Fill all empty squares so the numbers 1 to 9 appear once in each row, column and 3x3 box. Some numbers are provided to give you a head start.

See solution to puzzle on page 11

Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and others attended to solicit students. Many students browsed the booths before picking one to approach while some students knew exactly what they were looking for. Jacqui Hernandez, a junior criminal justice major, said she knew she wanted to look at law enforcement in the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Some of the job representatives were looking for specific qualifications for a student intern. Shelley Heier, the promotions director for Townsquare Media, said her business is looking for stu-

dents who are personable, make good eye contact and are highly energetic. Other organizations, such as the Greeley Police Department, are looking for students with no felonies or misdemeanors, have a high school diploma and are going through or are already certified through a law enforcement academy. Luis Castellanos, a community service officer with the GPD, said students have to have good ethics, be respectful, have a common decency toward people and want to make the way of living better for others. Castellanos also said students going into law enforcement should “value the lives of others.”

RICHELLE CURRY | THE MIRROR

Matthew Ashworth, left, a freshman marketing major, talks with Owen McCulloch of Philmont Scout Ranch Wednesday at the NHS internship fair.

Quote of the day

I also hate those holidays that fall on a Monday where you don’t get mail, those fake holidays like Columbus Day. What did Chistopher Columbus do, discover America? If he hadn’t, somebody else would have, and we’d still be here. Big deal. — John Waters, American filmmaker


Editor: Eric Heinz

Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

The Mirror 3

LETTERS The Mirror appreciates your opinions. You can submit your columns or letters to the editor to editor@uncmirror.com. Columns can be no longer than 400 words. Include your name, year and major.

POLL This week’s poll question: Do you think the government should cut all funding from public broadcasting?

Cast your vote at www.uncmirror.com

Mirror Staff 2010-2011 KURT HINKLE | General Manager khinkle@uncmirror.com ERIC HEINZ | Editor editor@uncmirror.com BENJAMIN WELCH | News Editor news@uncmirror.com PARKER COTTON | Sports Editor sports@uncmirror.com RUBY WHITE | Arts Editor arts@uncmirror.com MELANIE VASQUEZ | Visual Editor photo@uncmirror.com ERIC HIGGINS | Advertising Manager ads@uncmirror.com RYAN ANDERSON | Ad Production Manager adproduction@uncmirror.com

Chicken, church, state remain separate despite donations A number of businesses have come under scrutiny in the last year, most recently Chick-fil-A, for donating to groups or political individuals who may be against popular sociological thought. In late January, a franchised Chick-fil-A restaurant donated lunch to members of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, who were hosting a couples’ counseling workshop. The PFI’s mantra is also to “produce policy reports, promote responsible citizenship and work to promote unity among pro-family groups.” In other words, the PFI does not support gay marriage.

The Mirror’s mission is to educate, inform and entertain the students, staff and faculty of the UNC community, and to educate the staff on the business of journalism in a college-newspaper environment.

About us The Mirror is published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the academic year by the Student Media Corp. It is printed by the Greeley Tribune. The first copy is free; additional copies are 50 cents each and must be purchased from The Mirror office.

their selves, and, as the Supreme Court ruled, this extends to businesses, as well. Those who own businesses, both large corporations like Target and small mom-and-pop stores, have the right to exercise their free speech abilities and provide support to groups of their interest, as individual donors do. Fundraising has long been part of the elections process. In the last presidential election, numerous famous people used their celebrity status to win over voters and influence their donations. Is this any less or more moral than businesses doing the same?

Secret vendetta against seventh-grade teacher bears delicious fruit Joanna LANGSTON

editor@uncmirror.com

Front Desk 970-392-9270 hen I was younger, General Manager I would frequently 970-392-9286 help my classNewsroom mates with answers, even on 970-392-9341

Mission Statement

zations that take a political stance on marriage. However, these corporations have done so only to appease those who make threats based on difference in opinion. Early last year, the United States Supreme Court ruled that businesses and corporations were free to donate to non-profits and other groups as they please. This ruling captures the essence of the First Amendment and allows all entities to partake in the political process. As the Bill of Rights states, all individuals have a right to express

Mirror Reflections are the opinion of The Mirror’s editorial board: Parker Cotton, Eric Heinz, Melanie Vasquez, Benjamin Welch and Ruby White. Let us know what you think. E-mail us at editor@uncmirror.com.

Contact Us Advertising 970-392-9323 Editor 970-392-9327 Fax 970-392-9025

Americans were up in arms, calling for the boycott of the restaurant. Storefronts were closed and banned from a college campus, jobs were lost and citizens were deprived of the “original chicken sandwich.” Similarly, last year in Minnesota, two Target and Best Buy locations were a subject of controversy when the stores made donations to a group that backed gubernatorial Tom Emmer, who, like Chick-fil-A, does not support gay marriage. All three businesses have apologized and clarified their intentions. Chick-fil-A has changed its policy to not donate to any groups or organi-

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tests. Consider me the Mother Teresa of homework. I did so partly because I used to be an insufferable know-it-all and could not help but blurt out the answers to what I thought infantile queries and partly because I have a deep, withstanding belief that education is a basic human right. Knowledge should be generously shared with everyone. This habit of mine naturally

caused some friction with some teachers — selfish scoundrels that they were. I remember particularly my seventh-grade teacher Mrs. White’s remonstrance, asking me how I would like it if I were pregnant and about to get a C-section from a doctor who cheated his way through medical school. Mentally, I chastised her for presuming that all doctors are male and that pregnancy was an inevitability for me, but I feel like her dramatized scenario supports my agenda perfectly: If I were on the operating table and Dr. Cheating Fraud was unable to figure out what to remove from my abdomen — the baby or an organ — I sincerely hope someone else would give him the answer. People pontificate about our

education system being in a state of crisis, yet often what students do not learn from their teachers, they could learn from each other. The best way to demonstrate complete command of a subject is to teach it to someone else; therefore, collaboration should be a key part of the learning process. Memorizing facts may prepare you for a test, but the “real world” does not operate on a pencil-and-paper basis. Being able to pick a correct definition out of a multiple-choice test does not make you an expert on a subject; you must be able to verbally demonstrate your comprehension. We could better ingrain in our working memory the necessary intelligence by talking through a concept and sharing answers with our peers.

Students should be taught to cooperate and bounce ideas off each other, as they will have to do in the workplace to form a cohesive team. Working together can help people firmly grasp concepts, increase their creativity and augment their conversation abilities. Learning, instead of being a chore that students loathe to admit they do, can be an interactive social event. Eyes will open, thoughts will blossom, productivity will soar, and when America has taken its place among the top five countries for best education, a choir of angels will sing as I shake my fist and shout, “Take that, Mrs. White!” —Joanna Langston is a senior psychology major and a weekly columnist for The Mirror.


News

4 The Mirror

Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

Student Senate Update

Tuition rise continues to be determined while UNC budget cuts finalize SARA VAN CLEVE news@uncmirror.com

The Student Judiciary, state funding and the Bear Bus schedule were a few of the topics discussed at Student Senate’s weekly meeting Wednesday. The Student Judiciary met Tuesday to discuss the rules and procedures of the recently completed panel. Their next meeting will be 7:45 a.m. Tuesday in the Council Room on the sec-

ond floor of the University Center. Student Trustee Michael Johnston asked Senate members for their opinions on whether the student justices should be allowed to participate in the discussions of the Senate or if such participation would be a conflict of interest. The directors and representatives who voiced their opinion said they did not think it would present a conflict of interest.

“A student’s right to speak in student government trumps any position they hold,” said Benjamin Schiffelbein, the director of Academic Affairs. “We shouldn’t discourage any student from speaking about anything at any time.” Katelyn Elliott, the director of Student Organizations and the Organizations Finance Board, said if the justices are able to balance both positions, they would be able to avoid conflicts of interest. Samantha Fox, the Student Rights Advocate, said she suggested the justices attend meetings as observers so they know what is happening with the Senate. State funding cut, tuition increase pending The Board of Trustees will meet March 11, the day after the Colorado Senate’s final higher education figure meeting. The current budget calls for a decrease of $7.8 million for UNC, but more could be cut. “UNC is trying to be proactive to give students as much information as they can about tuition,” Johnston said. “We will be providing it months before any other

school. It is pending right now, but the average increase is less than 15 percent. The board will try to get it approved March 10 and adjust it if there is a significant decrease in the state budget process.” Bear Bus schedule changes Director of University Relations Ryan Shucard said he will meet with representatives from the GreeleyEvans Transit System next week to discuss the scheduling of the Bear Bus system. He will also discuss a possible increase in daytime service by using fees already allocated for the bus system. Shucard said the bus drivers are aware of the change in the bus schedule. The buses are running on a new schedule that accommodates Tuesday and Thursday class schedules; however, they are still in a transition period. Shucard said the goal of Bear Bus is to get two fullstop cycles completed during the 15 minutes between classes. Dining waste, parking issues brought to attention During the Student Senate radio program Tuesday, Shucard said students called and brought

attention to two topics: the amount of food wasted at the dining halls and various issues regarding student parking. “We got a lot of good (ideas) from students about dining and the waste we use,” Shucard said. “We talked about it last semester but got shut down when faculty said, ‘Don’t go there,’ but I think we will.” Shucard said he will contact the director of Dining Services and the Waste Not Food Program, a program that donates leftover food to the Salvation Army, about additional options for expanding donation services. Issues regarding parking included the safety of parking lots — specifically near the new west campus residence halls — the increase in ticket fines and the availability of daily parking passes. Shucard said he will contact Parking Services, the University of Northern Colorado Police Department and campus security regarding these issues. “Half of the battle of solving a student problem is exchanging unknown variables,” Shucard said. “Half of the battle is having a conversation. More people need to be had on the students’ behalf.” Academic appeals process revision possible Todd Allen, the Faculty Senate representative, said UNC faculty is currently reviewing proposed revisions to the academic appeals process. Allen explained the process to

Senate and said only one student went through the whole process last year. Though it took that student more than 300 days to complete the process last year, Faculty Senate is looking to revise the process to make it, at most, one semester. OFB allocates funding The Organization Finance Board granted funding to three clubs for upcoming events. Best Buddies received $470, the Drawing Club received $91 and Bear Hug Club received $100. This week, Sigma Delta Pi, the Northern Colorado Writers and the Sign Language Club will meet with the board about funding for upcoming events. UPC needs students for next year The University Program Council is now hiring for the 2011-12 academic year. Students interested must attend an informational meeting at 7 p.m. March 2 in Spruce Suite C in the UC. Applications are available at www.unco.edu/upc and are due by 5 p.m. March 4. Diversity Council confirms guests for two events The Diversity Council has eight confirmed and two tentative religious leaders for its Speak Truth, Not Ignorance event, “Speaking of Faith.” The discussion about religions and spirituality is at 7 p.m. March 8 in the UC Ballrooms. Election packets for Student Senate candidates are available in the Office of Student Activities and are due March 7.


News

Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

The Mirror 5

Students congregate to celebrate black culture RUBY WHITE news@uncmirror.com

To honor and celebrate Black History Month, a plethora of music, dance, poetry and traditional, black Greek activities combined to form a melting pot of culture, Africana Night: “My Black is Beautiful,” Wednesday during Black Student Alliance’s 17th annual Africana Night. The event took place in the University Center Ballrooms and began with the singing of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice.” After a warm welcome from BSA treasurer Tramaine Duncan and vice president Jessica Johnson, the audience was treated to a fashion exhibit, which showcased traditional African clothing ranging from Ethiopia to countries in West Africa. Many of the colorful items of clothing were a reflection of the different cultures in the continent being honored that evening. Covering the African diaspora, members of BSA presented a historical segment concerning the spread of African people during the Transatlantic Slave Trade and how their culture was preserved. Also mentioned was the adjustment process slaves went through in order to survive and maintain their values in the foreign

lands they were forced into. Next, an African dance segment by three members of BSA, who wore African cloths wrapped around their waists, entertained the audience. “I feel as if this event is important for students to attend, for a number of reasons,” said DeAndrea Thomas, a senior psychology major and member of BSA. “We go to a predominantly white school, and it is important for (black students) to break up the stereotypes about us and give people from different backgrounds a chance to see our culture.” Thomas, one of the main contributors to the evening’s festivities, strutted his traditional African apparel and gave a presentation on black Greek customs. Thomas, along with his fraternity brother, UNC alumnus Theo Williams from the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, performed two strolls (uniform dance routines) and explained the importance of stepping and strolling in black Greek organizations. Audience members were presented with a slideshow of major black American leaders and snippets of their accomplishments. The night was a continuous event, as poetry readings, a performance by the hip-hop troupe Solid Confidence and gospel choirs created

a euphoric atmosphere for spectators. Stacy Duncan, a senior sociology major and Marcus Garvey Cultural Center employee, said she attended because she wanted to support BSA. “I wanted to see the celebration of black people,” Duncan said. “I wanted to support BSA on this event because it is an important one for the UNC campus.” To end the program, Jasmine Poythress, a junior psychology major, read her poem “Jasmine” for the audience to take with them before they left. It stated her experiences growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood. “I think the program was a real success,” BSA vice president Jessica Johnson said. “It was hard work, but the results were great. I am looking forward to what BSA will produce next.”

We go to a predominantly white school, and it is important for (black students) to break up the stereotypes about us and give people from different backgrounds a chance to see our culture.

— DeAndrea Thomas, a senior psychology major

AMANDA NEIGES | THE MIRROR

Breonna Tindall, a sophomore political science major, gives a lecture to students as part of Africana Night: “My Black is Beautiful” Wednesday in the University Center Ballrooms. In addition to the speaker, groups performed dance routines.


Editor: Parker Cotton

6 The Mirror

Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

Men’s basketball crosses fingers TARIQ MOHAMMAD sports@uncmirror.com

After a two-game winning streak, the UNC men’s basketball team (16-10, 10-3) is primed for its next game in which it will try to take revenge over Northern Arizona (17-10, 8-6) Saturday at home. In the last meeting with NAU on Jan. 31, the University of Northern Colorado suffered a ninepoint loss in a very physical outing. Now the Bears are a full game behind Montana (20-8, 12-3), which squeaked out an 8584 victory over Portland State Thursday, in the Big Sky Conference with only three regular season games left to go. Every game is important. “We kind of got a little lost in our game plan the last time we were up there,

and things just crumbled from there,” junior forward Mike Proctor said. “It’s real good we got a couple of really nice nonconference wins. We have so many conference games in a row, and now we are just focused on these next three games and trying to take the

We’ve talked about it, the understand it and know what NAU is able to do to beat us, and we just have to do our best to counter those things. — UNC head coach B.J. Hill

momentum from the last two wins into the conference tournament.” UNC is 10-0 at home this season and will have to contest with the second-leading scorer in the Big Sky, NAU senior guard Cameron Jones, who averages 19.7 points per game. UNC will counter, however, with the Big Sky’s top scorer, senior guard Devon Beitzel, who averages 20.3 points per contest. Jones and Beitzel split the Big Sky Player of the Week honor this last week. “We have to bring a high level of physical play,” UNC head coach B.J. Hill said. “They just out-toughed us last time. We’ve talked about it, they understand it and know what NAU is able to do to beat us, and we just have to do our best to counter those things.”

The Bears have statistically one of the best defenses and rebounding teams in the conference. The aggressiveness has given UNC the chance to catch Montana, and sophomore guard Elliot Lloyd said they hope to do just that. “We definitely want to bring the tournament back to Greeley,” Lloyd said. “That would be a good thing for the school, alumni and the people around the community. We just want to come out and play these last three games in conference and give it all we got. If we play to the best of our capabilities, we’ll definitely get the three wins, and hopefully Montana catches one slipping.” Montana’s final game comes Saturday on the road at Eastern Washington (8-19, 5-9). UNC faces NAU at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at ButlerHancock Sports Pavilion.

FILE PHOTO | THE MIRROR

UNC freshman guard Paul Garnica attempts a contested layup in a game earlier this season. Garnica has averaged 5.2 points per game this season.

Women’s basketball looks to chop ‘Jacks SAMANTHA FOX sports@uncmirror.com

The UNC women’s basketball team will look to build on its first-place l e a d in the B i g S k y when i t Women’s Basketball takes on Northern Arizona Saturday in Flagstaff, Ariz. The University of Northern Colorado (15-

11, 10-3) is only three games away from finishing the end of the regular season, and Northern Arizona is in the hunt for the last remaining spot in the postseason. The Bears and the Lumberjacks (9-17, 4-9) last faced off in January, a game the Bears won, 7258, at home. In that game, Lumberjacks sophomore guard Tyler StephensJenkins scored 22 points, and sophomore guard Amy Patton, the Big Sky’s leading scorer, added 10. “Defensively, we’re

doing OK,” UNC head coach Jaime White said. “I still would like to be keeping teams under 60, but (Sacramento) State took a lot of shots. Other than that, all around, I think we’re still deep. We’re a good team from top to bottom.” The Bears said they will prepare for Northern Arizona’s intense and tough nature. “I’ve just been focusing on offense and defense and rebounding, trying to not get in any foul trouble…and mostly

matching their physicality.” UNC sophomore forward Lauren Oosdyke said. Oosdyke led the team with 17 points in the last game against the ‘Jacks. She has averaged 12.8 points in the last five games. UNC freshman guard D’shara Strange leads the Big Sky with 2.3 steals per contest and scored 13 points in the team’s last meeting with NAU. Also with 13 points in the first meeting was sophomore guard Victoria Timm, who

is in second place in the Big Sky for steals with a 2.2 average. “They guard the guards really hard and tough and close,” Timm said. “I’m just working on ball handling and then also rebounding.” Despite UNC leading the conference by half a game over Montana State and NAU sitting in seventh place in a nine-team league, Strange said the team will not take the game lightly. “We’re confident,” she said. “We’ve got a good

record, but you know, we’re not underestimating them at all.” The Bears are 10-3 alltime against Northern Arizona. Tip-off is at 6:35 p.m. Saturday in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Next Game: Northern Arizona 6:35 p.m. Saturday Flagstaff, Ariz.


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Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

UNC baseball team gets back into swing of things BEN WARWICK sports@uncmirror.com

There will be a new face at the helm of the UNC baseball program when it starts its season today against Nebraska in Huntsville, Texas. Carl Iwasaki replaces Kevin Smallcomb, who was let go after eight seasons as head coach of the University of Northern Colorado. Iwasaki, who played baseball for the Bears from 1981-84, returns to his alma mater with about 20 years of coaching experience. His Austin College team advanced to the West Regionals of the NCAA Tournament in 2007. Although the Bears lost some major contributors from last year’s team that went 34-24 overall and 22-6 in its first season in the Great West Conference, the core of the team returns for another run at a GWC title.

The team lost the GWC championship game, 4-3, to Utah Valley in 10 innings. UNC, which set school records in hitting and home runs a season ago, is led offensively by junior outfielder Jarod Berggren and senior infielder T.J. Berge. Iwasaki said he is pleased with the progress he’s seen so far in his short tenure as head coach. “They’re passionate about the game,� Iwasaki said. “They’re passionate about wanting to get better. They’re not afraid of hard work. That’s the nucleus of this team this year. We’re good, but we’ve got to find a way to be great.� He also said the team is eager to get out on the diamond again. “I’m trying to hold them back,� Iwasaki said. “They’re ready to knock off practice. My time is September to February 24. That’s my time. Their time starts on Friday at

12:30; they’re eager.� Iwasaki is not the only one who is pleased overall with the team. Berge, who finished last season with a .391 average and 10 homeruns, said he feels confident about the team’s chances in 2011. “We’ve got a whole lot of returners coming back,� Berge said. “I’m pretty excited, to be honest, with guys like Jarod (Berggren) and Joe (Sawicki), myself, Bret Fanning - Hunter (Nolan) is coming back from injury. I think we’ve got a lot of strong ‘bats’ and a lot of experience, which always helps.� Pitching is another strength the Bears have going into the new season, and senior righthanded ace Joe Sawicki will anchor the rotation. Sawicki, who went 7-0 with a 1.82 ERA and was named Great West Pitcher of the Year last season, said he is excited to start the year off well. He said he knows this team can go

far because of its strong chemistry. “We mesh well together,� Sawicki said. “We’ve got a great group of guys, new leadership with the coaches, and it’s coming together real nicely for the start of the season.� Sawicki said he likes the enthusiasm of the team heading into its opening series. “Of course we’re excited, but we’re just going to take it one game at a time and throw out our best nine out there each game and see what we can do,� Sawicki said. Sawicki will start against the Cornhuskers at 12:30 p.m. today, and junior lefty Joe Willman will take the hill later at 5:30 p.m. against Sam Houston State. Right-handers Josh Tinnon, a freshman, and Casey Coy, a junior, will handle the starting jobs in the next two games, 12:30 p.m. Saturday against Nebraska and 12:30 p.m. Sunday against Sam Houston State, respectively.

FILE PHOTO | THE MIRROR

UNC junior left-handed pitcher Joe Willman pitches in a game last season. Willman will start UNC’s second game of the year against Sam Houston State today.


News

8 The Mirror

Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

Africana studies professor details struggles of black university presidents CARRISSA OLSZEWSKI news@uncmirror.com

Black college presidents at historically African-American colleges and universities have often been demonized in literature and media since the 1930s. Travis Boyce, an assistant professor of Africana studies at UNC, gave a lecture Thursday to about 20 students at the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center expressing the ordeals these presidents have faced. Boyce said he believes it is tough to be a college president of any race. But he brought up specific reasons why blacks have faced troubles at the position, which is rooted in black history.

Frederick Patterson of Tuskegee University and Benjamin Mays of Morehouse College started the United Negro College Fund. This fund allowed these and other private allblack colleges to stay afloat during tough economic times. State schools did not receive this funding. Therefore, when de-segregation happened, many black college presidents at state universities began to fear for their survival. They surmised the public would no longer see the need for all-black institutions, and schools could be closed. They decided to remodel their schools to

compete with the other white-dominated universities. This fear of shutting down has transferred into this era. “They (college presidents of all black universities) have to be concerned with the reality that their school may close at any time,” Boyce said. Boyce said because they were under-funded, presidents had to find ways to fund their respective schools. Thus, these black college presidents became known as being autocratic. Boyce said these ideas were something they had to do in order to survive. The presidents put their reputations and legacies on the line to protect their schools, and

they were often criticized for it. Boyce said the institutions that remain need to be better funded. This is because they are historically important and offer students a chance at higher education. “I think all black colleges still need to be supported. They need to stay for cultural and historical reasons,” said Jessica Nacio, a freshman criminal justice major. Alumna Misti Aas has attended most universitysponsored events during Black History Month. Aas is doing research on black citizens and their stories throughout the University of Northern Colorado’s history.

AMANDA NEIGES | THE MIRROR

Travis Boyce, a UNC professor of Africana studies, speaks to students about black college presidents Thursday at the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center. “I think these schools are relevant today because they provide scholarships and

opportunities that certain students might not get at larger institutions,” she said.


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