THE CAMPUS ECHO
EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE
Issue 28
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Nov. 5,1993
Host Of Notables Hear Chancellor Call
For Higher Admission Standards,
Improved Facilities, Research, Service
by ROBYN HACKLEY
“This is an exciting, red-lettCT day here at N.C.
Central!” exclaimed Carl Stewart, chairman of
NCCU’S Board of Trustees. And that it was. The
leadership at the top was changing for only the sevMith
time since its founding.
Julius L. Chambers was sworn in as chancellor of
North Carolina Central University by Justice Hairy
Frye of the N.C. Supreme Court at the Fall Coiivoca-
tion Oct 22.
Chambers said he plans to lead the University into
a new era of national prominence. He opened his
inaugural address by saying that he is guided by an old
philosophy:
“I am tired of sailing my boat far inside the harbor
bar.
I want to go out where the big ships float
Out in the deep where the great ones are.
And should my frail craft prove too slight
The waves that sweep over billowing.
I’d rather go down in a stirimg fight
Than drown to death by the sheltered shore.”
Chambers outlined four broad areas thathe intends
to improve: the quality and commitment of the stu
dents at Central; the preparation and commitment of
the faculty and staff: fte programs, facilities and
environment at NCCU; and the community services,
that Central provides.
Chambers insisted that NCCU must raise its ad
missions standards. By doing this he hopes to “raise
the average SAT score to 900. Chambers also said that
every program offered must undergo a complete re
view. “We can no longer remain comfortable with our
successes; we must continously review what we are
doing and the objectives that we are trying to achieve.”
He added; “I feel my first responsibility is serving
the needs of the students of this University, whose
minds we have taken in trust We serve them by
addressing ... their academic preparation as well as
their social and cultural development”
Chancellor Julius L. Chambers
He concluded his address by talking about a new
community service initiative. He said that students,
faculty and staff have a responsibility to the commu
nity, state and nation to address the problems of crime
and poverty which are divisive “cancers” in society.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by students,
alumni, faculty and staff, by many fnends of the
University and by a host of prominent figures from
academia, government and business.
CD. Spangler, president of the University of North
Carolina System, presided over the ceremony, which
included welcoming remarks from University and
state leaders.
Gov. James L. Himt led the greetings by welcom
ing Chambers back to North Carolina and back to
North Carolina Central University. Other greetings
were made by: Samuel Poole, chairman of the Board
of Governors; Caii Stewart, chairman of the Board of
Trustees; Provost Mickey Bumim; Kenneth Cham
bers, vice chairman of the Faculty Senate; Derek
Brown, Student Government Association president;
Harry Rodenhizer, mayor of Durham; William Bell,
chairman of the Board of County Commissioners; and
Bert Collins, member of the UNC Board of Gover
nors. Other important platform guests included Eva
Clayton of the U.S. House Representatives; the speaker
of the N.C. House of Representatives, Dan Blue; Miss
NCCU, Laurie Robinson; and Nan Keohane, Duke
University’s new chancellor.
John Hope Franklin, professor emeritus at Duke
University, introduced the guest speaker, the Rev.
Samuel Proctor. Proctor is a professor emerims of
Rutgers University and pastor emeritus of the Abys
sinian Baptist Church inNew York City where he met
Chambers. Proctor spoke powerfully about the need
for a new attitude in the younger generation: “We need
to commend young people for their accuracy in diag
nosing the problems in society and encourage them to
change the prognosis.... You only dim your aspira
tions by focusing on the negative.”
Although the ceremony that began at 10 a.m.
lasted for three hours, the audience was entertained by
the University Band and a combined choir of alumni
and students directed by Xavier Carson and Charles
Gilchrist Several of the selections brought the crowd
to their feet
Though the audience was enthusiastic, student at
tendance was sparce. Inaugural Conunitee Co-Chair
Sarah BeU-Lucas said that the event’s planners were
disappointed by student turnout, especially since this
event gave them such ^ exciting opportunity to
mingle with some of the country’s leaders in both
government and education.
At a luncheon for official delegates. Chambers
thanked everybody involved and remarked, “If you
take a moment to help people, they remember it and
turn around and repay you like this.”
SPORTS
ARTS
tnteruieui M#Hh Chan. Chambers
page 4
NCCU i»ersu$ S,C. State
"Fascination Man" 6- more
pages 6,7