archives
F.S.U. LEADS IN INCREASE BUT
ENROLLMENT
College enrollment statistics for this
to bear out reports that many of NortlrCaKlina’s
private colleges are in serious trouble.
Student enrollment dropped in 24 of the state’s 41
private institutions, according to statistics released
by the State Board of Higher Education.
The decline contrasts with an overall statewide
increase in the number of students attending colleges
by 8,350 students - - making a total of 140,485 stu
dents attending Tar Heel colleges.
In several of the private institutions, enrollment
dropped as much as 12 percent. Dr. Cameron West,
director of the higher education board, said, “Most
new students are going to public institutions — and
they are not making the choice for qualitative rea
sons.”
Hicrher costs have been nii
NX. COLLEGES
Higher costs have been
cited as the major factor
in the shift from private
to public colleges in re
cent years. A recent re
port by the board of high
er education disclosed
that 17 of the state’s 42
private institutions face
budget deficits this year,
and that there are an esti
mated 5,000 to 10,000 va
cant spaces in the private
schools.
Recommendations for
some type of legislative
aid to the private insti-
•THE VOICE®
FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY
VOLUME 24 NUMBER 6
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.
FEBRUARY 15, 1971
ANNUAL
LITERARY
SPECIAL FEATURES
STUDENT-RUN-COURSES,
PAGE 5
RELIGION OF PROTEST,
PAGE 6
ABSURDITY OF FREEDOM,
AS A POLITICAL GOAL
PAGE 5
EDITION FOR THE SLIGHTLY BLINDED
PROSE EXPLOSION,
AFTER MASS RALLY
Students petition for
Dr. Lyons’ resignation
By SUE MALONEY
February 3, 1971, the students of Fayetteville State University filled the audi
torium and decided to present their grievances to the Board of Trustees and the
Board of Higher Education (Raleigh), at the same time asking for the regisna-
tion of the president, Dr. Charles Lyons. Several hundred students will sign the
petitions; and there is no doubt that a vast majority of the entire student body was
present.
The capacity crowd of anxious and angry students flowed from the floor of the
auditorium into the balcony, with many students left standing around the aisles.
It was obvious that they were of one mind and very interested in getting them
selves organized. The Student Government president, James Nesby, presided
over the mee'ing which was closed to all members of ^e faculty or administra
tion. In this manner, it was plain that the meeting was an authorized group — the
student body under the leadership of the Student Government Association, not
some hot-headed faction.
The first problem mentioned was the meaning of the new University status for
Fayetteville State. Mr. Nesby informed the students of the 1962 report given to
the North Carolina General Assembly concerning recommendations to unify all
state colleges and universities into regional schools which would all be under
the ultimate control of one board of trustees. This board would be made of 100
members: 49 from UNC, 49 from other colleges, the Governor, and Lt. Governor.
Control would be from the white institutions. Funding would be determined by
need; therefore, the large white institutions which already have such programs as
engineering and law would receive more money, and the small black schools
which do not have such programs would be dismissed as not needing any addi
tional funds. In this manner, the black students who wish to attend graduate school
would be forced to go to a white institution and pay increased tuition. The black
schools would be reduced to under-graduate liberal arts or teaching programs.
The results would be fewer opportunities for blacks to be educated at a lower
cost. These long-range results of the new program and organization were not
explained to the students. They were only told by President Lyons that they would
receive more money if Fayetteville State were to become part of UNC. It was not
mentioned that if the standards were raised, more white students would attend; and
in time, FSU would be a white institution, leaving poor black students out in the
cold.
Another problem mentioned was the discrepancy between the views of President
Lyons and the President of the Faculty Assembly.' In the first place. Dr. Lyons
DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE EXISTENCE of the faculty assembly which is com
posed only of the teaching professors, simply because he does not have a list of
their members, and their president is not the president of the faculty association.
When confronted by the accusations in the last issue of THE VOICE, President
Lyons said the problems did not exist with the catch-up funds. The President
tutions may be contained in another higher board
report expected this month.
According to the statistics, enrollment of college
students in the public institutions increased 9.7 per
cent, but only .4 percent in the private institutions.
Losses were heavy in many schools: Livingstone
College, down from 809 to 720, 11 per cent. The
enrollment increased at Fayetteville State Univer
sity, up from 1,137 to 1,419, 24.8 per cent.
PAGE 7
PAGE 10
of the Faculty Assembly met with the Student Govern
ment Association a few days before the mass meeting
and told of the various difficulties the faculty is having
with President Lyons. He mentioned that Lyons dis
regarded suggestions or opinions from the faculty for
school improvements, and told the faculty members
to leave FSU if they did not like the situation. He
also mentioned at the SGA meeting that the catch-up
funds have not been used to aid in teachers' salar
ies, although President Lyons stated that they have.
Another general problem discussed was the seem
ingly lack of organization and professional ethics of
the president’s administration. Students, as well as
faculty and heads of the various departments, have
had much difficulty obtaining supplies. No direct an
swer is ever given to inquiries about anything. When
the change in business manager was undertaken,
the President had “His Boy” move into the office
of the old business manager, and changed the lock
on the door. The old business manager came to work
one morning, discovered he could not get into his
office, so realized that the power structure had
struck again. He was placed into a “peace offering”
office in the upstairs back corner of the administra
tion building. The students had closed down the ad
ministration building in 1968 in a demonstration to
obtain, among other things, free or unlimited cuts in
classes. President Lyons, ignoring the students’
rights, informed the parents that suddenly there was
no longer an unlimited cut system. The new business
manager has already shown his ineffectiveness by
never being in his office (wasn’t he the chaplain in
“Catch-22??), and by issuing wholesale statements
to the parents in December that their children owed
more money to the business office, whenintruth there
had been errors in computing the records. It is
rumored that teachers are leaving en mass, as a
result of the conditions brought about by President
Lyons. Some of the teachers realized the situation
last year, and have already gone. Many more are
contemplating turning in their resignations now. The
President has said that he has not received any noti
fication of teachers who are planning to leave shortly;
these same teachers are positive their notices have
reached his desk. Something must be really wrong for
the teachers to leave the investments they have
made in homes and teaching careers in Fayetteville.
In the mass meeting, Mr. Nesby said, “It is getting to
the point that the teachers don’t care any more.”
One of the students mentioned that this school may soon
be on the black list of the teachers association, as a
result, fewer teachers than ever will consider teaching
here at FSU. The students were informed in the
meeting that it is difficult for a teacher to directly
inform the students of the conditions. If a teacher
were to speak to a crowd of students, even in telling
them the truth, that teacher would be held by the law
as inciting a riot if some of the students ever took
it upon memseives to confront the source of trouble
after the meeting.
Anotner new development mentioned was the sudden
surge of “goodwill visits” by the President to the
dorms. As Mr. Nesby stated, “Lyons has been walking
around waving his hand; what does he think he is, a
Nixon?” In one of these dormitory meetings a female
student asked the President if he thought he was the
problem at FSU. He responded by stating, “I am
not a problem to anyone.” Some of the improvements
Lyons has initiated in Vance Hall seem to be peace
maneuvers. These things shouldhave been done long
ago. In his visits around campus, Lyons is as evasive
as ever when confronted with any direct questions.
Mr. Nesby told of President Lyons’ attempts to stop
the meeting of students. The students wanted the dining
hall closed during the time of the meeting to en
courage more students to attend, as well as make them
aware of the meeting. President Lyons, fearing a mass
student gathering and unity, informed the director of
the dining hall that he was NOT to close during the meet
ing. President Lyons, as well as the other members of
his administrative staff, was conveniently out of their
offices the morning of the mass meeting. It seems
they are afraid of a direct confrontation with the
student body representatives.
The accreditation was also mentioned. In a meeting
in Harris Hall as part of President Lyons’ emergency
last-ditch-effort goodwill gesture, he was asked about
the accreditation of FSU. He stated that, “As far as
I know, the school is accredited.” One would think
that the president of an institution of higher learning
would be the man to know the standing of his school.
The Southern Association does not meet until Decem
ber, 1971, so we are only temporarily accredited.
(Continued on page 5)