November 28,1983
Black Ink
Page 3
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Freshmen urged to
set priorities
by Cynthia Givens
Special to the Ink
Congratulations are in order for all black freshmen who made it
through the first nine weeks of classes at this university. Additional
words of praise are also in store for those freshmen whose mid-term
grades showed they knew why they came here and successfully fulfill
ed their academic goals. As a member of the Minority Student Ad
visory Program, I encourage them to keep up the good work, as their
success this first half of the semester will have a significant, positive
bearing on their future academic progress in years to come.
However, while I am pleased with the accomplishments of the black
freshmen who have done well so far this semester, I am equally con
cerned with those who, for various reasons, have not set academic
priorities or, if they have set them, have not successfully been able to
realize them. Unfortunately, many freshmen fall into these two
categories. Under the Academic Monitoring System directed by Deans
Joyce Clayton and Hayden B. Renwick, forms were sent to each
freshman's professors asking them to fill out a questionaire if the stu
dent's academic work was below average or unsatisfactory.
After completing the questionaire, the professors returned the
forms to the Office for Student Counseling (second floor Steele
Building) to be reviewed by the deans and several graduate students
who are members of the Minority Student Advisory Program. These
students, in turn, wrote the freshman student informing him/her of the
academic situation and asked the student to visit them at their office
hours for further counseling. Sad to say, over 300 letters were mailed,
with some students receiving as many as four letters each.
Freshmen, please do not become discouraged or angry. This infor
mation is presented to make you aware of the facts and to emphasize
the seriousness of re-examining and re-evaluating your priorities. If
you are experiencing academic difficulty, here are some measures you
can try in order to overcome your problem;
• visit your graduate assistant if you received a letter from the
Academic Monitoring System. I cannot overemphasize this. These
students will provide vital information, make referrals, and give fur
ther advice for your particular situation;
• see your professors. In most cases, she/he does not know you. Letting
him/her know who you are, and that you are concerned about your
class performance may make a difference in passing or failing a
course. If a professor has invited you to see him/her, don't hestitate
do so immediately!
• talk to and be honest with your minority advisors. Let them know
if you are having a problem —academic or otherwise — with your
schoolwork, professors, classmates, and roommates. If you are ex
periencing a personal problem, they will direct you to someone
who can help you;
• attend tutorial sessions. These sessions are held at the following
places every Monday through Thursday from 7:00-8:30 pm:
Monday 107 Hanes Hall
Tuesday James Coffeehouse Room
Wednesday 309 Peabody Hall or
Morrison Lounge
Thursday James Coffeehouse Room
Please take advantage of these free tutoring services. Generally, a
paid tutor charges up to $10.00 per hour for help in just one course. In
this program, you receive free services for almost every course offered
in General College. Iri addition, do not wait until the night before an
examination to receive help. You cannot possibly learn nine weeks
worth of material in one evening. Even if you do not need assistance in
a course, the tutorial rooms are relatively quiet and are conducive to
studying. Sometimes seeing other students engrossed in study may
move you to do the same;
• attend minority freshmen meetings. Deans Clayton and Renwick fre
quently explain procedural rules for dropping a course after the drop
period, deciding whether or not to take a course pass/fail, etc.; and
relate pertinent new information concerning academics at Carolina.
Also, upperclassmen often discuss situations they have faced in the
past that may be similar to your own. They may offer practical sugges
tions as to how they handled the problem,
• visit and call Deans Clayton and Renwick. Inform them of the
negative and positive aspects of your academic progress. They are
perhaps the best sources of information and encouragement that you
can find and appreciate on this campus.
Of course, all of these proposals will not solve all your academic
problems. Yet, they are guaranteed to improve them. Make use of
them, especially the minority advisory and tutorial programs. Their
PAR seeks racial balance
by Dawn A. Reavis
Staff Writer
This fall, a newly established
group called P.A.R (People Against
Racism) has been working with the
UNC Campus Y. The purpose of
P.A.R. is -to explore options to
achieve racial balance in university
housing, set up ways for blacks and
whites to meet socially and to make
people aware of racial problems.
Regular meetings are held every
Wednesday at 9 pm in Morrison
Social Lounge where new ideas and
goals are discussed. Jennifer Ayer, a
sophomore and Ed Clark, a
freshmen are the coordinators.
"Members are divided into task
forces so that members will not
spread themselves thin," states
Clark, "these task forces address
social, structural or attitudal
issues."
Some of P.A.R.'s long range goals
include making Afro American
Studies a required course, and hav
ing the University hire more black
faculty members. Social goals in
clude uniting black and white Greek
organizations on service projects,
holding dances and parties for in-
tergration and celebrating Dr. Mar
tin Luther King Jr.'s birthday with big
campus festivities.
P A R. is in the process of forming
a provocative statement which will
comment on its postion on racial
issues. P A R. is currently trying to
form a NAACP chapter here at UNC.
The organization welcomes new
ideas and comments.
MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM
"Star of Bethlehem," tradition Christmas program which examines
the history and mystery of the Star of the Magi, continues through Jan.
9. Shows are weeknights at8 p.m.; Saturdays atll a.m.,1, 3 and 8 p.m.;
and Sundays at 2, 3 and 8 p.m.
"Sky Rambles," a narrated tour of the current night sky, is presented
at 7 p.m. on Fridays.
There is an admission fee for all shows. Admission rates for either
show are: children through age 11, $1.35; students, senior citizens and
military personnel, $2; and adults, $2.75.
A doubleheader discount is available on Fridays. Patrons may see
both shows for one special admission fee: children through age 11, $2;
students, senior citizens and military personnel, $3 and adults, $4. Call
(919) 962-1236 for information.
MOREHEAD BUILDING
A mixed media exhibition by the Atlanta Artist guild will be on view
during the month of November.
Hours are 2-5 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-5p.m. Saturdays; and 1-5 p.m.
Sundays. It also is open nightly 7:30-9:30. The exhibition is free and
open to the public. Call (919) 962-1236 for information.
Congratulations go to Beverly Shepard, a second-year
UNC law student, appointed to the UNC Moot Court
Bench. Shepard was 1 out of 3 law students chosen as a
result of participation in the constitutional law competi
tion. Over 60 people competed for the positions.
future existence depends on you and your success here at Carolina,
evaluated primarily on the basis of the number of black freshmen
eligible to return to the university to begin their sophomore year. Let's
try to keep these programs and increase the number of black
sophomores by concentrating more time and effort on fulfilling
positive academic goals. ■