Editorial
Telephone Numbers You Should Know.
What’s In A Name?
By Artelia Covington
Editor
It has been rumored that ECSU will
be changing its name from Elizabeth
City State University to the University
of North Carolina at Elizabeth City.
As you well know, this particular
rumor has been shrouded in mystery
for several years and has now once
again reared its ugly head.
According to a recent article pub
lished in The Daily Advance by Tara
Meads, a transfer student from
College of the Albemarle, "it's time
for a name change."
In the article Ms. Meads states that
"sometimes change is essential to the
growth of any grot^", and she also
states that while EC^ is a name syn
onymous with historically black uni
versities in North Carolina, for the
past 100 years, ECSU has not been
known for its high academic
standards.
Whoa!
Now how can that be when just last
semester we ranked third and listed in
US Nezvs and World Report as one of
the top regional three liberal arts
lie umversity in the south; the rariKmg
the top regional three liberal arts pi;
lie umversity in the south; the ranki
was based on seven broad categories
they are academic quality / reputation,
retention, faculty resources/class size,
student selectivity, financial resources,
graduation rate and performance and
alumni support.
This editor would like to know from
where Ms Meads got her information
regarding the changing our name.
All one needs to do is go back and
look at the current student handbook
(if one wanted to refute Ms. Meads
ungrounded statements) and one
would find that not only is our history
surrounded in achievements and
wonderful leadership to boot, but that
academics has been the sole mission
and purpose of providing a quality
education to African-American
students.
The article also went on to make
accusations of low funding, misguid
ed direction, and alleged harassment.
Well, it seems as if you would like to
know whether or not these allegations
have any ground or merit, then simp
ly refer to the paragraph above and
you would see that the article's accu
satory accusation have no foundation
or merit.
So then why write about such
things?
What makes the article and the
things it discusses important enough
for me to want to write about it and
what makes it imperative that you my
peers read this?
The answer is simple: knowledge.
Knowledge is the key to unlock a
world of possibilities.
When BET's (Black Entertainment
Television's) Real business host, Scott
Mercer spoke recently one of the
things he stressed was tne importance
of finding out as much as you can
about where you are and begin able to
clarify and understand each and every
bit of information that you are given.
Three things he pointed out where
to research, question, and understand.
And fellow Vikings, we must do that
if any change is to come for us. With
the new millennium fast approaching,
I wonder if we have all gotten so com
fortable with things being the way
they are, we can't be, we have to ques
tion each and everything that goes on
around us, certainly vraat happens
here at home.
This: rumor of the name change is
just want under the bridge, and I
implore you to please pay attention to
what is happemng at your university.
This is your school and you have to
understand that you alone have the
power to catapult this school into the
next millennium.
The Compass
Editor ....Artelia Covington
Assistant Editors.. Monique Boyce, Marty Jacobi
Editor at Large Marty Jacobi
Sports Editors Al Randolph and Jermayne King
Copy Editor .Jacquie Casey
Features Editor Ronel Brewer
Photographers Michael Lampart, Jamie Powell
Staff. Al Randolph, Xavier Wise, Maria Phelps,
Meya Humphries, Stacy Brock, Shekeria Smith
The Compass is published by Elizabeth City State University students under the direction
of the Department of Language, Literature, and Communication; Dr, Velma Blackmon,^
Chairperson; Mr. Kro Branch and Mr. Stephen March, faculty advisors (editorial); Dr. Karl
Terryberry, advisor for business affairs and technical support. Elizabeth City State
University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools to award Baccalaureate degrees.
The Compass welcomes letters to the editor. Please send letters to The Compass, Campus
Box 813. Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth Cit}' NC 27909.
Elizabeth City State University is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina and is
accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools,
The University is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against
applicants, students, or employees based on race, color, natural origin, religion, gender, age or
ability.
Editorial
AC’s Reflection
By Artelia Covington
Editor
Well, my friends it has been a tough year. I will admit that
sometimes I doubted if I would even be able to make it through to
the next day without a nervous breakdown. But I have been able to
gain strength and regain strength and I have been able to
persevere even through the bad times. I have seen many things
and I have grown a lot as a result of my new-found position as
editor of your newspaper. I discovered a lot of things about
myself, like the fact that when things don't necessarily go the way
I think that they should, I tend to pout and rant and rave and get
upset, but that doesn't do anything to solve the problem (I had to
leam that lesson the hard way). The other thing I had to learn was
that people are going to be people regardless of what I want from
them or what I expect of them. You know, in life things don't
always go the way you plan them, and I am here to tell you that it
won't. But even with all of that, we still have a dynamite paper to
show for it. Which lets me know that sometimes it takes things
going wrong to prove to you and show others just how strong you
really are. And I stand firm and with pride to tell you that "The
Compass" is and will always be a force to be reckoned with. I truly
enjoyed working with my peers on this paper this school year. I
think that we each learned from one another and were able to
bounce ideas off of the other, which is always a good thing. So, I
guess you could say that in spite of it all; this experience is one
that I wouldn't trade for anything. It has helped me to grow as a
writer, evolve as a person and respect that there are other ideas out
there that are as good as mine. So to my peers and to my advisor I
say thank you for a wonderful year. I will miss you all once you
leave and go forth and blaze the trail for me. It was a truly
wonderful experience; one I shall never forget.
Thanks for a good year. Good luck in future endeavors.
Tee
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