6 The Compass Friday, March 8, 1996
University Meeting held Feb, 6,..
Enrollment is ‘the top priority’
says Burnim during meeting
by C. F. Woodley
"While giving your blood, sweat and
tears is important, we also need your
money," declared Dr. Mickey Burnim
during the annual University meeting,
held Feb. 6 in Moore Hall Auditorium.
Bumim's plea for financial contribu-
tioi\s to fimd scholarships for ECSU
students followed his conunents about
the need to reverse the University's
declining enrollment. Pointing out that
the University's enrollment has de
clined "for the second year in a row,"
Burnim explained that the decline can
result in "cutbacks in expenditures in
equipment, supplies and improve
ments on campus.
"This wUl help you understand why
the enrollment challenge is our top pri
ority," he added. "It is my responsibil
ity as chief executive to ask people for
what we need to support this fine in
stitution."
Using slides and a projector to illus
trate his points, Burnim said in 1994
ECSU had 2,099 fulltime students. In
1995, the number was 1,981 and in the
fall of 1996,1,852.
"The admission's department has
been working hard to reverse this
trend," he explained. In 1995, the Uni
versity had 196 new freshmen; how
ever as of Jan. 26, 1996, the campus
had 215 new freshmen. Overall appli
cations increased in the same time from
396 to 458. And Incentive Scholarship
apphcations increased from 73 to 91.
"We are encouraged by what we are
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seeing," he said. To further reverse the
decline, Burnim hopes to make greater
use of the Incentive Scholarship pro
gram which provides ECSU with more
than $1.5 million in annual scholarships.
Since the $3,800 cap on the incentive
scholarship put ECSU at a competitive
disadvantage, Burnim said he wrote a
letter to UNC System President C.D.
Spangler asking to allow some students
"a full package." "That request was
granted," said Burnim, "and beginning
this year some incentive scholars will
receive $5,000.
"This will put us in a more competi
tive position for bringing in the best
students," he said.
Burnim also announced that the
admission's department brought 1,300
high school students to campus dur
ing High School Day. "After being en
tertained on the yard by the gospel
choir and a step show, they were fed
bag lunches," said Bumim. "Then we
took them to Roebuck Stadium to see
the mighty Vikings beat up on the
Eagles.
"It was a marvellous day. We did a
lot to get them to think about ECSU."
Bumim also announced that Presi
dent Spangler's family fovmdation had
provided matching funds to enable the
University to establish its first en
dowed professorship. The position, to
be named after E.V. Wilkins, former
chairman of ECSU's Board of Trustees,
will be in the Department of Educa
tion, according to Bumim.
[TUDDnS
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E.V.
Wilkins and
President
Spangler will be honored at a March
27 reception at the K. E. White Center
on campus.
Burnim's address included mention
of the planned fine arts building, which
will cost $9.5 million to complete. State
voters approved $6.5 for the building
in a 1995 referendimi, but during the
planning stages for the building, in
creased constmction expenses hiked its
cost to $9.5 million.
Bumim said he had spoken with area
legislators about the University's need
for the additional money.
"I'm expecting great things from the
General Assembly," he said.
Still Under Investigation...
Dorm visitor shot during robbery
by Tiffany Newell
A man wearing a ski mask shot a
non-ECSU student during a Feb. 7 rob
bery in Symera HaU.
The victim, Andre Meekins, was
treated at Albermarle Hospital for a
bullet wound in the lower portion of
his left leg.
The shooting took place after two
masked men with handguns entered a
room in Symera "with several people
in it" around 10:45 p.m., according to
Kent Felton, a detective with ECSU's
Campus Police. Two of the victims,
ECSU students Ted Cherry and Miles
Griffin, were not harmed. The robbery
took place in Cherry's room.
The robbers demanded that Meekins
and the other victims give them their
money and personal belongings and
remove their clothes, according to the
police report. When Meekins said he
did not have any money or valuables
he was shot.
The men took $350 from Griffin.
One of the robbers is about five feet
eight inches tall with a stout build, said
Felton. The other man is about six feet.
one inch tall, with a slender build.
Felton suspects that a man currently
being held for other crimes by the Eliza
beth City Police Department may be
involved in the campus shooting. He
refused to disclose any other informa
tion about the case.
"It's an on-going investigation," he
added. "We're working on several leads
with the Pasquotank Sheriff's Depart
ment Investigation Bureau and the
Elizabeth City Police Department."
This is the second armed robbery on
campus since the fall term began. On
Nov. 20,1995 two men with handguns
robbed an ECSU student of $60 and
several items of clothing on the third
floor of Symera Hall around 9:40 a.m.
The student lost four coats, two pairs
of shoes, a duffel bag, and a Timber-
land leather jacket, according to George
Mountain, Chief of Campus Police.
One of the robbers was about five
feet eleven inches tall to about six feet
tall, weighing about 160 pounds to
about 165 pounds. The other wore a
black ski mask. The suspect was a black
male, about five feet ten inches tall to
about five feet eleven inches tall.
Moimtain said that the victim was
not injured and no arrests have been
made.
Despite these two armed robberies.
Mountain and Felton believe ECSU's
campus is safe.
"We are taking extra measures to
keep ECSU students, faculty and staff
safe," said Felton.
Many students seem to agree with
Chief Mountain and Detective Felton
that the ECSU campus is relatively safe.
"Because ECSU's campus is small
and is not in a big city, crime doesn't
seem to be very high," said Timeka
Whitehead, an ECSU sophomore. "The
campus is very safe."
"I don't have to look over my shoul
der as much as I would have to do if 1
stayed on a larger campus," said sopho
more Angela Burms.
Other students do not agree with the
campus police or their peers.
"I have a tendency to look aroimd
when I am walking by myself, but if
I'm in a group I feel safer," said Shronda
Smith. (See related “Tips" below.)
CRIME PREVENTION TIPS
• If walking at night try not to walk alone.
• Beware of places where offenders can hide, like stairs,
doorways, elevatots, and bushes.
• If you think you are being followed, go to a well-
lifted area, call 911 and ask for help.
• If you are in danger yell, "Fire." (People will restramd
to "Fire" more so than "Help.")
• When going to your vehicle, have your keys in your
hand and always check the back seat.
• If you are attacked, don't try to defend yourself, yell
"Fire" and try to get away.
• Beware of your suiTOundings and periodically, change
your routes so that no one can plan your where
abouts.