Feb. 11,2011 I The Clarion
News
Page 3
BC receives NCICU grant for student success program
Brevard College was recently awarded a
mini-grant from the North Carolina Independent
Colleges and Universities (NCICU) to implement
an academic Student Success Program.
The $9,120 Independent College Access
(ICAN) Network mini-grant will allow the
College to implement a program that will
provide students with the skills necessary to
help them achieve their academic goals and
ultimately graduate.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to further
enhance Brevard College’s commitment to
student success,” said Shirley Arnold, associate
dean for student success and director of the
College’s Academic Enrichment Center “While
success in the classroom is the primary goal of
the program, we hope to provide opportunities
to help these students form personal goals, to
take fuller advantage of campus resources and
to become more fully engaged in the life of the
campus.”
The Student Success Program will include two
interlocking components: a one-credit Student
Success Course as well as an accompanying
Peer Mentoring Program. Students will leam a
variety of skills to be successful, including time
management, basic study skills and how to take
notes in class. Peer mentors will help provide
one-on-one direction and academic support to
students in need.
ICAN mini grants, which are administered by
N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities,
fund programs around the state aimed at
expanding access to college and improving
college students' success. The NCICU represents
the state's 36 private colleges and universities.
An Egyptian's perspective on revolution
By Patrick Veilleux
Staff Writer
President Hosni Mubarak originally took
office in 1981 following the assassination of
President Answar El Sadat. Mubarak’s actions as
president have been frowned upon by the people
of Egypt; notable among these actions was the
implementation of the Emergency Law.
Through the Emergency Law, the power of
law enforcement was extended, constitutional
rights were suspended and censorship was
legalized. The law has been in action throughout
Mubarak’s rule, and has brought about the
revolution Egypt is currently undergoing.
“It started on April 6, 2008; there was a
national strike throughout Egypt,” said Raghda
Mahmoud, an Egyptian citizen and pro
revolutionist. “People became enraged when
Khaled Saeed, a young man from Alexandria,
was tortured to death because he refused that
two police officers investigated him with good
reason,”
The police claimed that Saeed died when
he swallowed a packet of hashish, however
forensic evidence suggested severe blunt trauma
due to a fractured skull. Following Saeed’s
death, Egyptian Facebook protest groups were
formed. On Jan. 25, youth protesters attended
an Egyptian National Holiday called Police
Day, advocating Saeed, and protesting against
the Egyptian police.
“Many people thought it’d be something trivial.
But the Egyptian youth showed great spirit and
perseverance that day. The demonstrations
were totally peaceful. The police started to use
violence against the armless protesters. They
shot people and there were 300 martyrs in the
first 3 days,” said Mahmoud.
Jan. 25 became known as the Day of Anger,
what Mahmoud would call “the best day ever
for Egypt, and the Egyptian people.” But it
is only the beginning of a revolution to bring
down Mubarak. Mahmoud would become an
active participant on Feb. 1, during the March
of Milhons.
Raghda Mahmoud answered some questions
via Skype about the Egyptian revolution and her
experience with it:
What was it like being in the March of
Millions? What was the attitude?
It was awesome; there were about two
million people there. All united regardless of
the differences between social class, gender, or
religion. It was the first day I really felt Egyptian,
and I love Egypt. It belongs to us, not Mubarak.
There was a mixture of enthusiasm, anger, unity,
love for Egypt, insistence, and strength.
Did the police try and suppress the
movement?
The police withdrew.... The Egyptian Army
was there and it replaced the police; they were
very respectable though. They didn’t use any
violence and they treated people very well.
Have there been records of other instances
of violence? Was there violence from Mubarak
supporters?
After Mubarak’s second speech, thousands
of paid thugs began attacking people, not really
supporters.... They even confessed to that and
the protesters took photos of their IDs with the
job written in them as police.
Some people in the United States believe
that events in the Middle East are motivated
by religious purposes. What would you say
motivates the people in Egypt?
Freedom and dignity, as you see, everyone
protests. All Muslims and Christians, they now
have a stronger bond between them. I guess you
heard about the church bombing in Alexandria;
it was hinted that the Muslims did that, which
is absolutely not true. The Egyptian Muslims,
at the time of the bombing, showed their refusal
and anger to what happened. They visited the
churches and accompanied Christians in their
ceremonies later on Jan. 7—a very important
point to mention here. After the police withdrew,
and before the army showed up, nobody was
protecting the mosques or churches, and as you
can see, absolutely nothing happened to them.
Whoever bombed the church will never be able
to separate us.
How do people feel about the Emei^ency
Law?
It’s awful, everyone feels insecure. I often
wonder why a country would have an Emergency
Law for over 30 years. Uncountable people
have been taken advantage of throughout the
years; and hundreds of the protesters in the
current revolution. The admin of the protest
page I told you about was mysteriously taken
by police. He disappeared for 12 days and was
just released this Monday. His family knew
nothing about him. Now he is back and has
joined the protesters again. He has awakened
people again. Anyone can go through that as
long as the Emergency Law is there. It must
be removed.
President Mubarak said that he plans to
step down this year What do the Egyptian
people make of that?
People do not believe him. We cannot stand
one more day under his ruling. He already
showed violence with the protesters after that
speech. Imagine what he would do in seven or
eight months; moreover, he’d be acting out of
revenge of the people. We will never accept that,
and we want him to leave right now—30 years
has been more than enough.
Is there any message in particular you want
to give the United States college students who
will read this?
I just want them to wish us luck and success
in our revolution. Stay updated with its events
and don’t believe anything you hear from the
media. Just listen to the people. Only then you
can hear the truth.