Students meet with Dr. White
to protest co-ed visitation rules
Viking Spirit
Photo by Richard Ucintlro
By Richard Mclntire
and Trina Coleman
A group of ECSU students pro
tested the University’s policy on co
ed visitation during a January 30th
meeting with Dr. Leon White, Vice
Chancellor for Student Affairs.
The controversy began January
26th after copies of a pamphlet oudin-
ing the University’s policy on co-ed
visitation were distributed on cam
pus. The pamphlet notified students
that co-ed visitation is limited only to
Sunday and Thursday from 6 to 11
p.m, and Friday and Saturday from 6
to one a.m.
Senior class president Reginald
Carson told White that students were
unhappy with the policy, and objected
' to its being “suddenly enforced."
Carson asked that the University take
a more flexible approach to the issue.
“Students have gotten used to
having freedom with visitation,” said
senior Alvara Gunn during the meet
ing. “You’re saying this is how it’s
supposed to have been done, so we
have to start doing that now.”
Another student objected to her
“...if a guy and a female want to be
together, it's going to happen. And there's nothing
that anybody can do about it. People are going
to be people.”
an ECSU junior
dorm director coming into her room
looking for a visitor.
“The dorm director acted like this
was some kind of new policy,” the
student complained.
White said the pamphlets were
distributed at that particular time
(January 26th) due to a “particular
incident,” in which someone followed
a student into her room.
“We want to put safety first,” said
White. “We enforce the rules that
prevent damage to our students.”
White added the university’s con
cern over “non-students” visiting the
campus also may have been a catalyst
for the co-ed rules to be distributed
and consequently “may have been
misinterpreted.”
A heated discussion broke out over
the issue with White commenting that
the rules are “dating restrictions."
Declaring “it’s a two-way street,”
White said that the students should be
willing to compromise.
“We’re all adults,” one student said.
“Why should I, a 23-year old, have a
dating restriction?”
“We’re not going to compromise
your privacy,” explained White. “We
simply want you to ask.”
In response to a request by Carson,
White promised to look into other
UNC system schools' policies on the
issue.
SGA president Karen Richardson
and Carson agreed to set up a student
committee, with three representatives
from each class, to help submit stu
dents’ requests for changes in the pol
icy to Dr. White. White would then
present the concerns to the Chancel
lor, who would bring them before the
Board of Trustees, which is the final
authority over changes in rules and
regulations.
Many ECSU students who did not
attend the meeting objected to the
policy.
“We’re adults, and I feel like we
should be treated like adults,” said
one ECSU junior. “How can you dic
tate when you’re going to see a per
son? They’re treating us like we’re
little kids in high school.
“Most colleges are co-ed, where
the guy can come up to the room,” the
student added. “They even have dorms
where the guys are on one floor, fe
males on another. They treat them like
they’re adults.
“They know if a guy and a female
want to be together, it’s going to
happen. And there’s nothing thatany-
body can do about it People are going
to be people. It’s not fair for them to
tell us, ‘you can't have a guy up in your
room.’ ”
People need 'freedom to be equal’
ECSU's African student believes
By Richard Mclntire
and Trina Coleman
With his box haircut, headphones
and his fur-lined denim jacket, ECSU
studentPaulusMaluludoesn’texactly
stand out at furst glance.
But Paulus, who comes to ECSU
from the Southwestern African nation
of Namibia, doesn’t fit the standard
profile of the typical college student.
Paul didn’t grow up with the free
doms enjoyed by most Americans. He
grew up under Ae rigid, cruel system
of apartheid.
“It was not strange for me to grow
up in those conditions,”said Paul, 23.
“It was all I knew.”
Paul’s journey to America and
ultimately to Elizabeth City State
University began two years ago when
he applied for a United Nations Fel
lowship. The fellowship enables stu
dents from third world countries to
attend various universities in the states,
according to ECSU geosciences in
structor Ravindra P. Sinha.
Sinha recalled traveling to the
United Nation offices in New York
City to submit a proposal for such
students to come to Elizabeth City
State University.
“Normally these students would
African students so that they would
develop better academically and so
cially.”
Paul’s part in his coming to Amer
ica began in his homeland. “I had to
apply to the Namibian Commissions
Office (OCN)," he explained. “Then
“Before I arrived here
I thought Americans were very
haughty and selfish. But...they
are humane and helpful...”
Paulus Malulu
go to other schools like Harvard or
MIT,” said Sinha. "But I saw no rea
son why Elizabeth City could nothave
these students—and fellowships too.”
Sinha’s proposal suggested that
“Elizabeth City State University would
be a more favorable environment for
OCN makes the connection with the
United Nation."
Malulu says he began the process
January 15, 1989 and it wasn’t until
February 16, this year, that he arrived
in New York City.
“Oh, New York City is quite all
Science complex opens
By Tammy Taylor
ECSU officials say they are hope
ful the University’s new $5.7 million
science complex, which opened Janu
ary 23, will attract more students to
the school.
“The new complex offers a state-
of-the-art science facility for the stu
dents,” said Chancellor Jimmy Jen
kins. “And it will enhance recruitment
to the University.”
Jenkins said he was “very happy
and pleased to see “the new complex
had opened on time. The building is
living up to our expectations in both
beauty and functions.”
In addition to classrooms and of
fices, the new science building con
tains modem laboratories, a planetar
ium, aquarium, and a greenhouse.
Jenldns said “there is no concern
whatsoever” about the University’s
being able to recruit enough students
to fill the building. The new four-
story building was designed to “ac
commodate the expansion in enroll
ment for thirty-five to forty years in
the future,” he said.
In the fall of 1989, ECSU had four
geoscience majors, four physical sci
ences majors, four physics majors,
eight chemistry majors and 37 biol
ogy majors, according to Nancy Lee
of the University’s Department of
Planning and Research.
“However other students beside
majors use the new complex,” Lee
said. “You can’t go by just the majors.
There are plenty of freshmen and
sophomores who use the building
every day for their general study
classes.”
The new science complex houses
classrooms and the Biology Depart
ment on the first floor. The Depart
ment of Physical sciences is on the
second floor, and the Department of
Geoscience is on the third floor.
Faculty offices are on the fourth floor.
Dr. Maurice Powers, a professor in
the geosciences, described the new
science complex as “a nice, clean,
refreshing environment that’s good
for learning. I’ve already seen a good
learning spirit in my students.”
Powers said he thought the new
building was “built for the future. If
we only built a building to house the
present number of students, what
would happen in the future?”
N.C. Governor James Martin
toured the new facility in January
during his “Governor for a Day” visit
to Elizabeth City. “What a magnifi
cent facility this is” Martin said. He
added that the complex was “a good
example of his administration’s com
mitment to academic programs at
ECSU and other institutions of higher
learning.”
At a press conference held on the
day of the governor’s visit, Jenkins
credited the governor with playing “a
very instrumental role in getting the
building on it way “
right” said Paul in an enthusiastic
voice. “But the time was too short.”
Paul said the only place he visited
while in the Big Apple was the United
Nations. The following day he was on
a plane to Norfolk, with the next stop
the Elizabeth City State University
campus. The new Viking has taken a
liking to what he’s experienced thus
far.
“Before I arrived here I thought
Americans were very haughty and
selfish,” he says. “People thinking
about themselves. But it’s not like
that They are humane and helpful,
concerned with others.”
Paul believes his first impression
will be confirmed after he leaves the
university and travels to other parts of
the United States.
Why didn’tPaul seek education in
his own country?
“Actually we don’t have college,
only primary and secondary school.”
please see Malulu p.8
Photo by Richard Uclntire
Jerred Thomas Boyce gets a bit of help in rousing Viking spirit from
cheerleader Angela Hager. Two year old Jerred was the only male who
participated in the Viking cheering squad’s annual cheering camp.
ECSU loses $245,000
in state budget cuts
By Pacquin McClain
ECSU, like the other 15 schools in
the UNC system, is already feeling
the bite of Ae budget cutting ax.
The University’s budget was cut
$245,000 this quarter, according to
Roger McLean, ECSU’s Vice Chan
cellor of Business and Finance.
‘The budget cuts will have a sig
nificant effect on our campus just as
the others,” said McLean. “This means
we have $245,000 less to operate
with.”
The budget cuts have forced ad-
ministators atN.C. State University to
close some classes and lay off instruc
tors. Air conditioning has been turned
off, even when the weather was hot.
And library purchases put on hold.
UNC-Chapel Hill, faced with a $2.8
million cut in third quarter allounent,
is saving money by cutting out travel,
equipment purchases and consulting
services. The school has also had to
save money by not filling some va
cated jobs.
Students at the North Carolina
School of the Arts in Winston-Salem
are being asked to clean up the cam
pus, and the school has had to cancel
is guest-artist program.
The budget cuts came as a result of
a $170 million shortfall in state reve
nues. The state has unexpected ex
penses associated with Hurricane
Hugo. And state officials say sales
taxes and income tax collections are
down.
McLean said the cut in the Univer
sity’s budget could affect the hiring of
faculty and staff. “We will hire only
the staff and faculty needed,” he added.
“We are trying to make sure through
administration procedures that we do
not decrease the quality of academic
programs,” McLean continued. “We
will only spend money in areas of
definite need. We are trying desper
ately not to spend any excess amount. ”
Officials at several of the other
schools in the system said they had
been able to absorb the budget cuts
without resorting to layoffs and can
cellations of classes. However, offi
cials said they couldn’t promise these
things wouldn’t happen if future
money is cut.
Novel v^arranty plan
to help new teachers
Cellular biology students Rhonda Riddick and Gary Edwards make use
of the new rooms in the University’s new $5.7 million Science Complex.
By Kenneth Bazemore
School systems that hire ECSU
graduates in teacher education this
year will be pleasantly surprised to
find that that their new teachers come
fully guaranteed.
Should the new teachers encounter
any difficulty in teaching, they are
covered under the University’s Edu
cational Warranty Program, the first
stage of which was implemented with
the graduating class of May, 1989.
The program, the first of its kind in
the state, is part of the University’s
Academic Development plan.
“The program will provide an indi
vidualized three year warranty for any
graduate fromECSU’seducation who
is certified and employed in North
Carolina,” said Dr. Boyce Williams,
Director of ECSU’s Teacher Educa
tion Program.
“The program will assist the be
ginning teacher in becoming a more
effective professional by providing
him or her with a support team for
Jhree years from the date of gradu
ation,” Williams continued.
Teachers who encounter problems
will work with a special teacher train
ing team which includes a university
clinical education professor or con
tent specialist and a “designated per
son at the employing school disffict,”
said Dr. Lois Green, professor of
special education at ECSU.
“The team will create an individu-
ahzed teacher improvement plan to
remedy specific problems, whether
they stem from methodology, peda
gogy, content or communication,”
Green said. “In addition to helping the
new teacher, the process will provide
useful information for the University’s
education programs and for the em
ploying school districts in the service
program.”
ECSU educators say the plan will
have many positive benefits for teacher
education majors.
“It will keep them on their toes,”
said Dr. Eloise Roberts, professor of
middle grades education at ECSU.
"They will be well equipped when
they become professionals.”
Roberts and Green said that so far
only one ECSU graduate had encoun-
please see Warranty p.8