Black Ink
Page 5
Campus News
Leaders Urge Freshmen To Get Involved
It’s not too early for freshmen to
begin preparing to take over positions that
the graduating class of 1987 will be leav
ing, a panel of campus black leaders said
at a Freshmen Forum sponsored by the
Black Student Movement.
The panel consisted of Cassandra
Butts, an executive assistant of the student
government; Rochelle Brandon, a
member of the honor court; Camille Rod
dy, Black Student Movement President;
Eric Walker, Anti-Apartheid Support
Group member; Dexter Tucker, Black
Greek Council president; Leon Herndon,
Black Pre-Professional Health Society;
and Donald Tate, Student Congressman.
Minority representation is important
in campus organizations such as the
Undergraduate Honor Court, Brandon
said.
“We need to make sure it is
diverse,” she said. Students who are ac
cused of honor code violations and who
have sufficient evidence against them must
work with the attorney general's staff, and
having someone who understands on-
campus problems may be more available
for help, she said.
Two blacks now serve as
Undergraduate Honor Court vice-
chairmen. Both, Felecia Washington and
Fred Evans, are seniors, she said.
Getting on the honor court is
challenging, Brandon said, and the ap
plication is difficult. However, she en
couraged students to meet this challenge.
The only black member of the Stu
dent Congress, Donald Tate, agreed with
Brandon and said there was a big need for
more black officials. It was not impossi
ble to have four black representatives
from South Campus or anywhere on the
Student Congress, he said.
Tate said his vote only counted four
percent in Student Congress matters.
However, one person can make a dif
ference, he said.
“(on one issue) it came down to
whether we were going to have one day
off for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holi
day . . . and I had to cast the last vote.”
The Student Congress often makes
stands on administrative policies, he said,
such as with the King Holiday and the
divesture of funds from South Africa by
the University
“It (voting) doesn't mean we have the
power to take our money out (of South
Africa), it just acknowledges the fact that
w'e don’t support it.”
Student Congress’s main purpose is
for allocation of money to campus
organizations. Tate said the BSM has
come to the Congress for increased fun
ding for Project Uplift. They did not get
extra money, he said.
“If we had more black representa
tion, then it wouldn’t have gotten tabled,”
he said, adding that many of the people
on the staff are conservative and will on
ly vote that way.
“It’s leaving us out in the cold,” he
said.
Tate also said that he dosen’t feel that
he has to vote for every black issue. He
has voted against funding for minority
projects that only cater to a small number
of people.
Tate said it’s lonely being the only
black.
“It’s not difficult, but it can be hard
and tedious,” he said.
Involvement and interaction are very
important in the college experience.
Tucker said.
“To be a good student here you have
to apply yourself, ” he said. “You have
to get involved.”
The Black Greek system at UNC is
very dedicated to making a better environ
ment for blacks, he said.
“The Black Greek system is not just
about partying,” he said. Greeks used
their stepping talents to raise money for
debt-ridden Shaw University in Raleigh,
and as part of a nationwide attempt to get
students to register to vote, he said.
Herndon said his group is trying to
encompass all black students in the health
area so that resources can be shared.
Walker said the UNC Anti-Apartheid
Support group lacked black participation
numberwise. Of the 70 active members,
five are black, he said.
“It’s a black issue even if this is on
a white campus,” he said.
Although most of the members of the
group are willing to go to jail for their
cause. Walker said, anyone can become
involved without being as adamant.
“We meed some people for teach-ins
(about apartheid) and work on our fliers.”
Speaking of her involvement with
stiident government. Butts said students
should achieve in academics, but not stray
away from extra-curricular activities.
“It’s important that you have a
voice,” she said. “There’s a great need
to become involved with student govern
ment because it is representative of all
people on campus, and since there are
black people on campus, you should ge*!
involved.”
Roddy told the audience that there
was plenty to do in the Black Student
Movement. Students should, however, try
to get a feel of where they are needed
most.
“Don’t feel as if you have to chair
every committee,” she said. “But keep
in touch with each other (on different
committees).”
Campus is intimidating, she said.
“Sometimes there’s a feeling that I can’t
.. .but you can’t make a difference unless
you’re trying.”
Students who have an idea of the
campus organizations they would like to
become involved in should seek out black
members of the organization “you have
a lot of information leaving with these
seniors,” she said.
Seniors have a sense of the politics
at UNC, she said, and can direct freshmen
to administrators and faculty who can
help.
Nancy Harrington
University and Community Groups
Team To Fight Racism
BPPHS Holds First Meeting
— ■ »T|'—
The UNC Anti-Apartheid Support
Group and the Orange County Coalition
of Conscience met at the Franklin Street
Post Office Thursday night, November
13, for a candelight vigil to protest racism
in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School
System and in South Africa.
“It’s important for people to realize
that racism i,s racism, no matter where it
occurs”, said AASG Chairman Robert
Reid-Pharr. “It is up to us, especially
blacks, to take steps to erase this plague.
Reid-Pharr listed atrocities in South
Africa that are directly attributed to dif
ferences in race.
Yonni Chapman of the Orange Coun
ty Rainbow Coalition of Conscience il
lustrated the marked difference in educa
tional opportunities for black and white
students in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
School System.
In the first grade, achievement test
scores of black students are 50% less than
those of white students, a gap which in
creases as the years progress. Chapman
asserted that a major portion of the blame
for this problem can be placed on the at
titudes of school officials.
“It is assumed that the children of the
University professors will achieve, so
special attention is paid to them, he said.
“On the other hand, children of physical
plant workers, janitors, and food service
workers are expected to assume their
parents’ positions, and they are treated
accordingly.”
Dr. Trudier Harris of the English
department brought greetings and words
of support on behalf of the faculty, as did
Eric V. Walker, BSM Vice-President,
who expressed thanks that, “other groups
are as concerned as the BSM is about the
education of the Black race, the preser
vation of the Black culture.”
Reid-Pharr and Walker expressed a
desire for more blacks and students at
large to get involved in either of these
groups, welcoming questions and com
ments at any time.
Scholars Honored
On November 6, some 65 Johnston,
Morehead, Pogue, and Postgraduate
scholars mingled with faculty members at
the Pogue Scholars Selection Committee
reception held in the scholars’ honor in
the State Dining Room of the John Motley
Morehead Building.
Dr. Robert Canon, Affirmative Ac
tion Officer, played an active role in
publicizing and gathering the necessary
information, according to Dr. Charles
Long, William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor
in the Department of Religious Studies
and the chairman of the Pogue Scholars
Selection Committee.
Canon said, “We wanted to honor
those black students who are paying at
tention to their purpose for being here.”
He added, “We would like to invite
everyone because we hope the number of
scholars will increase.”
He credits Laresia Farrington and
Shirley Heintger for having made the
’"Tception arrangements.
Richard J. White, III
Assistant to the Editor
After being defunct on the UNC cam
pus for about four years, the Black Pre-
Professional Health Society (BPPHS) held
its first meeting for the 1986-87 academic
year on November 5th at 8:00 pm in the
Student Union.
About 60 students attended along
with about 15 faculty and administration
members.
Headed by Paul Edwards and Leon
Hernandez, the goal of the BPPHS is
basically two-fold. First of all, the group
hopes to serve as an information center
for black students in all health related
fields.
Some of the services that will be pro
vided by BPPHS are a listing of re
quirements for all health majors, notices
of all pertinent test dates for health ma
jors, and guidance with academic conerns
that students may have.
Secondly, BPPHS hopes to serve as a
support group for black students in the
health field at UNC. The group will pro
vide role models through upper-classmen
and faculty involved in health fields.
The group also plans to provide social
and academic support through peer groups
and counselors.
Many students who attended the
meeting were astonished at the array of
careers that were available to them in the
health care field.
Some of the departments that were on
hand to inform students about what was
available to them were the School of
Public Health, the School of Dentistry, the
School of Medicine, the School of Phar
macy, Pre-Med/Pre-Dent department, the
department of Medical Allied Health, and
the School of Nursing.
Students were told that although there
is a lack of minorities in all of these areas,
they are wanted and can succeed in
whichever one they desire to pursue.
Most of the students that attended
were very impressed with what they
heard.
Jammee Holton, a freshman from
Raleigh, NC, said that the meeting was
very informative for her and other
minorities who are seeking a career in the
health field.
Holton also said that the meeting gave
her a chance to meet with students, deans,
and professors who are associated with the
various schools.
The faculty and administration
members who were present at the meeting
were also very open toward students.
Dr. Bob Thorpe, head of the Pre-
Med/Pre-Dent curriculum, said that
students should take advantage of the ser
vices that are offered by the BPPHS
because today students cannot wait for op
portunities, but they must prepare for
them. Dr. Thorpe is also an advisor for
BPPHS.
The BPPHS will operate out of the
Pre-Health Professional Advising office
located in 20ID Steele Building. Any stu
dent that is serious about pursuing a career
in the health field should stop by and talk
to one of the advisors there.
Abraham Segres, Staff Writer