Freedom
J astice
Unity
POWER
April,
1973
BLACK
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WILSON LlDHAPxY
CAROLINA CAMPUS
BLACK STUDENT MOVEMENT Oi . i^crvarArtK
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Rl37^
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Volume 4, Numbec 8
Future plans dampened
Budget cut
Monday afternoon at two
o’clock, April 9 the Budget
Committee headed up by Dick
Baker opened hearings on
proposed budgets of various
campus groups. B.S.M. Central
Committee members were
present to voice objections to
the cutback of the proposed
B.S.M. budget from $14,500 to
$6,500. They stated clearly that
more money would be needed to
insure services for the increasing
number of Black students.
Particularly pointed out as
objectionable was the cutback of
Cultural Committee
appropriations from $2,700 at
present to $900, instead of
$4,000 requested. Objections
were also voiced against the
inclusion of $1,000 for two
Freshmen scholarships. The
point was clearly made that the
B.S.M. was designed at present
to address itself to the needs of
Black students after they had
entered the University. Two
$5 00 scholarships were
described as being not enough,
and mere tokens at the expense
of the B.S.M.
The committee after hearing
these and other objections,
decided to drop the $1,000
scholarship appropriation, the
dues category and to create an
office machinery category
($500). They also proposed that
the Cultural Committee funds be
increased to $1,500, with
$1,500 set aside providing other
funds did not materialize
through the Union. They
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Staff Writer
“The law i:. a jealous mistress,
you can’t ride two horses at the
same time. It requires you to
discipline yourself and do some
work.” This epigram on the
dedication that law school
demands of its students was
made by Charles L. Becton, a
28-year-old Black lawyer in the
Chapel Hill branch of Chambers,
Stein, Ferguson & Lanning, a
Charlotte law firm.
Becton, who does most of the
criminal law work, and Adam
Stein, another member of the
Charlotte firm, opened the
Chapel HiU branch in September
of 1972. Prior to that, Becton
worked in the firm’s main office
for three years. His first position
as a lawyer was in New York
with the NAACP Legal Defense
Fund from 1969-1970.
Born in Morehead City, N.C..
Becton grew up in Ayden of Pitt
County, N.C. He received his
B.A. degree from Howard
University in 1966, and three
years later, his law degree from
the Duke University Law School
As the only Black student in
his class, Becton indicated that
his Black consciousness became
increasingly acute. He decided
then that practicing criminal law
was what he wanted to do — “to
get out and help some people.”
Attorney Becton’s devotion
to the plight of Black people is
also evident in his concern about
the severe shortage of Black
lawyers in the country. The
number of Black students at
UNC and Duke Law Schools is
disproportionately small. The
number of Blacks coming up
bc^foTf. the state bar in N -ftn
Caiolina is ever.
approximately 5% of Black
graduates.
The shortage of Black lawyers
in the United States can be
explained in part by the poor
performance of the majority of
Black students in Law School.
The study schedule is
particularly rigorous and
demanding. Becton states that
law school is not difficult in
terms of the subject matter, but
in the quantity of work — “there
is just so much to do.” He
stressed the importance of
keeping up with daily work and
not getting behind. It is also
important to realize the
different capabilities of different
people.
Putting himself into the role
of a law student, Becton said,
“There are some kids who are
brilliant and it may take them
one half hour, what it takes me
four hours to get. But if that’s
the sacrifice 1 have to make,
then I’ll have to do it.”
Attorney Becton encourages
as many Black students as
possible to become lawyers. He
participated on a panel
discussion during the Minority
Law Day, sponsored by the UNC
Student Bar Association. He was
pleasantly surprised at the
turnout and very pleased by the
responses and involvement of
the students in the discussions.
He was also met with Black
undergraduates at Duke to
discuss career opportunities in
law. Becton expressed a sincere
enjoyment iiv engaging in this
type of interaction with Black
students; “It’s rough out here,
and the more of us it is the
better it will be.”
promised that the second
compromise budget of 811,750
would be considered.
However, on April 15 the
Budget Committee met again.
This time it was stated that the
B.S.M. appropriation for next
year would be around $6,600.
The Cultural Committee
allotment will be approximately
$1,200. Conference will be cut
from $300 to $250. Speakers
will remain the same at $1,000.
Travel will be increased from
$50 to $100, while
Miscellaneous was cut from
$100 to $50. Office supplies
remained at $200, along with
Postage and Telephone - $200.
Freshman Orientation will
receive $300. The Black Ink will
receive $3,000 again. New
categories shall include
Equipment maintenance $50,
Publicity $150, and $500 for
office equipment. Final budget
appropriation will be presented
to the Campus Governing
Council on April 17 to be
possibly approved then.
Thus in critical areas the
B.S.M. will be somewhat in a
financial squeez'e; Such popular
programs as the Coronation Ball,
and even the spring’s annual
Black Arts Festival will be cut
back, unless money from outside
sources can be found. The
Budget Committee
recommended that funds be
sought from such University
agencies as the Union. Whatever
the case money will be in all
prospects a little tight in the
B.S.M. next year. And the
organization will have to
increase its dependence on the
shifting sands of white
paternalism.
Feature-pg. 6
Black Love
Former Black Ink Editor Allen Mask raps to incoming freshmen
during the BSM pre-orientation of 1971.
BSM orients
Class of ’77
Jessica Marshall
Staff Writer
For many of the incoming
Blacks of the Class of ‘77, UNC
will create a different initial
impression from the one given to
previous Blacks entering UNC.
The reason will be the Black
Freshman Pre-Orientation
Program which tentatively will
begin Tuesday, August 21.
Scheduled before the general
campus-wide orientation, the
program will give the Black
freshmen an opportunity to get
themselves together before the
influx of other students.
According to Elliot
Stephenson, Assistant Dean of
Student Affairs and coordinator
of the program, thirty-five Black
orientation counselors consisting
of upper-classmen will be on
hand to greet both freshmen and
their parents as they arrive in the
lobby of Hinton James
Dormitory. It is hoped that the
parents will remain for a general
introductory meeting and
reception so that everyone will
be aware of the schedule for the
next two days and will begin
getting acquainted.
The schedule includes free
time and leisure activities such as
parties and campus tours.
However, the primary emphasis
will be placed on recognizing
“actual situations here at
Carolina instead of superficials,”
according to Stephenson.
At several mandatory
general meetings, the freshmen
will meet representatives of the
university and student
organizations and will receive
academic counseling, and general
information. In smaller
discussion groups they will have
the opportunity to ask questions
pertaining to any facet of Ufe at
UNC and receive honest,
hopefully helpful answers.
On the last day of Black
pre-orientation the freshmen will
be assisted in moving to their
assigned dormitories. By that
time, they will have gotten to
know each other and will know
where to go for both help and
friendship.
Get into health sciences
Summer programs in Health
Sciences will be sponsored by
the N.C. Health Manpower
Development Program this year
at both the University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill and Western
Carolina University, summer
program director Dr. Hector
Farias announced last week.
Designed to aid minority and
disadvantaged students prepare
for and gain entrance to health
professional training, the
summer programs provide
courses in sciences and general
studies, acquaint students with
the realities of health training
programs, offer clinical
experiences and observations
and enable students to explore
health career choices.
According to Dr. Farias,
“National statistics show that
minority group and low income
students form a drastically small
proportion of medical and
dental school enrollments, and
the same patterns of exclusion
are found in graduate health
science schools, schools of
nursing, and schools of allied
health sciences, health care
statistics reveal an equally
appalling and critical situation.
The Summer Programs in Health
Sciences are the result of efforts
of the N.C. Health Manpower
Development Program to
remedy this situation.
“The 1971 and 1972
programs,” added Dr. Farias,
“have been successful in
providing minority students with
credentials which have seen
them admitted into professional
health schools. However our
largest stumbling block has been
the lack of assured continuity
and reliable support. We are
hopeful that the summer
program will now become a
permanent institution, for
otherwise we can expect a
continuation of inadequate
health services and limited
educational opportunities
available to minorities in the
health care system.”
See Health, page 8