"ERzaSeth City
State University
Vol.69, No. 4 Circulation 2,200
March 2, 2004
Vilqng
(Pride
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Dr. MftRTiN Luther king, Jr. Day
■T Elizabeth City
** State University
Office Of Stupemt Lipp
Faculty, staff and students join Elizabeth City community in the march down Main Street to
City Hall commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Rich Harvey
MLK’s inspiration continues
“Somebody say dream!” exclaimed Master of Ceremonies, Damiyon Sledge, as he
opened the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. March and Ceremony.
Damien Lewis
dolewis@sprintpcs.com
Staff Writer
Held on January 15, 2004, the
march was a collaborative effort put
forth by the Beta Zeta Chapter of Al
pha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Eliza
beth City State University and the lo
cal chapter of the National Associa
tion for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP).
Students, staff, faculty, admin
istration and community members all
assembled at ECSU’s, G.R. Little Li
brary and marched to downtown city
hall, where the official event took
place. Many student organizations
including: Vike Nu Fashion Troupe,
ECSU’s NAACP, Vikings Assisting
New Students (VANS), Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority Inc. participated in the march.
After a few false starts due to
technical difficulties, the ceremony
began with an energized welcome from
Mr. Damiyon Sledge, President of the
Beta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha.
He gave opening remarks that set the
tone for the event. ’
Following Mr. Sledge were
speakers from the community includ
ing Mayor John Bell and NAACP local
chapter president Raymond Rivers. As
a part of the program two young stu
dents gave brief presentations that
were both light hearted and inspira
tional. Further inspiring were songs
performed by ECSU’s own Eureka
Twine, Mary Taylor, and Martha Tay
lor.
“I would definitely have to say
that the ceremony was inspiring,” said
Dr. Glenda Griffin, professor of English
at ECSU. “I attend the event every
year and will continue to do so as long
as it continues to celebrate the life and
work of Dr. Martin Luther King, through
a diverse representation of the com
munity.
Chancellor Mickey Burnim de
livered the keynote address, wherein
he gave praise for work completed be
cause of Dr. King. He also gave views
on what he felt Dr. King would think
about many of today’s societal is
sues. In questioning the progress
that had been made since the advent
of Dr. King, Chancellor Burnim high
lighted problems still facing equality
for all Americans and asked whether
Dr. King would be satisfied if he were
alive today. “Would Dr. King be sat
isfied that even amongst today’s so
ciety that though there is equality
there is also racial profiling?”
The program ended with a uni
fied singing of the black national an
them, “Lift Every Voice”,
“This event proved to be cultur
ally stimulating, the historical culture
of the Historically Black College is
made evident in events such as
See March, Page 5
“Karaoke Tyme”
launches new programing
Education based programs without vulgarity
ECSU student,Terri Dixon, performs in
first “Karaoke Tyme.”
(ECSU TV- Channel 18/22)
Terri McKean
altamujerl@aol.com
StaffWriter
The Elizabeth City State Univer
sity television station, W18BB-TV,
channels 18 and 22, has a new pro
gram line-up for Febnjary. The new pro
grams, which vary in type and scope,
will help to educate, create long-term
partnerships and sponsorships and
entertain both our Elizabeth City State
University community and the commu
nity surrounding Elizabeth City.
According to the television sta
tions goals, all programs will feature
content without vulgarity, profanity or
sexual situations. Among the new line-
Drugs, gun confiscated
University taking proactive stance
Susan Correll-Hankinson
sbcorrellhankinson@mail.ecsu.com
Editor
Seventy-five bags of marijuana
and a handgun were found in an
Elizabeth City State University dorm
room on Wednesday, January 21.
According to a North Carolina State
Bureau of Investigation Final
Disposition Report, 22 year-oid Kelly
Wayne Hudgins, was arrested for
possession with the intent to sell and
deliver marijuana, possession of drug
paraphernalia and the possession of
a gun on education property.
The arrest came as a result of a
new ECSU Campus Police policy.
“Community policing is what I’m all
about,” Captain Beamon of ECSU
campus police, said. “For every shift
I have instructed police officers to go
into the dormitories and make con
tact with the dorm director or the resi
dent assistant and be more visible.”
Students living in the dorms have
made several complaints to the cam
pus police concerning strange individu
als hanging out there. These com
plaints prompted Beamon to instruct
campus police officers to walk through
the dorms on a regular basis. While
walking through Mitchell-Lewis Hall,
the smell of marijuana overwhelmed
officers. They knocked on the door
where the smell was coming from, and
when the door was opened, the offic
ers saw the bags of marijuana. They
also found a Rossi 38 caliber hand
gun.
“The bags of marijuana were in
plain view. The marijuana was obvi
ously for sale; no one smokes 75
bags of marijuana,” Beamon said.
Some students who live in the
dorm are aware that the incident hap
pened; however, they are not aware
of any official comments made by the
University or the dorm director.
“We had a regular dorm meet
ing after the event, but nothing was
mentioned about it,” Mario Bradley, a
resident of Mitchell-Lewis Hall, said.
“Because this is an ongoing in
vestigation I’m limited to what I can
say about the case,” Beamon said.
“But I will tell you that the student has
been charged with a felony and is
being prosecuted.”
The Compass tried to get more
information about Hudgins’ arrest from
the Elizabeth City Police Department,
but was told that they had nothing to
See Drugs, Page 5
up will be programs that have been
seen in the past including some from
Major Broadcasting Cable Network,
which were shown until the station's
loss of satellite dish capabilities dur
ing Hurricane Isabel.
“We‘re hoping to have it [the
satellite dish] up very soon, before the
middle of February. There are a lot of
things that have to happen, and there
See Programing, Page 5
Vending machines, are they
friends or foes?
Jeremy Jennings
cheap_sci_fi@hotmail.com -
StaffWriter
Most Elizabeth City State University students agree
I that having vending machines on campus is corivenient.
“Everybody needs a drink," Thomas Strong, an ECSU stu-
i dent, said. But does that convenience come with a price?
Unfortunately for many students, the machines of-
I ten fail to work, leaving them thirsty and poorer. “After
losing my money about three times, I gave up,” Jamica
[ Ashley, an ECSU junior, said. Ashley also felt that the
[ivending machines were too expensive and added, “You
I might as well go buy a three liter.”
“I usually bring my own drink because these ma
chines never work,” Lauren Meads, a senior, said as she
tried repeatedly, without success, to get the Pepsi ma-
foine in Johnson Hall to take her dollar bill and give her a
George Jerman, a senior at ECSU, said vending
machines are convenient because he can get a snack
when he does not have time to get to the cafeteria. “Ex
cept for when my snack gets stuck,” Jerman added.
If you have lost mpney to,a Lance vending machine,
you can easily In the
Cashier’s Office, room 120 of the Administration Buildinb'"''-'®
SeeV4
,Page 5
Violence ruins Greek parties, no more off campus dances
Jamica Ashley
Jamica0117@hotmall.com
StaffWriter
Who do you blame when violence breaks out at a party?
When the safety of patrons and employees is at stake, where do you
point the ever-accusing finger? Two Elizabeth City State University
Greek organizations have had an up close and personal encounter
with parties that turn violent.
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and Kappa Alpha PsI Fra
ternity, Inc. held parties off campus to raise funds for their organiza
tions, and both parties ended abruptly when party goers initiated
violence. The Sigma Gamma Rho party at Levels Downtown, an
area bar, and the Kappa Alpha Psi party held at the Elizabeth City
National Guard Armory had help from the Elizabeth City Sheriffs De
partment to bring a safe end to the evenings.
“It’s just like an individual having a party and opening it to
everyone. You can’t control what happens. It doesn’t reflect the frater
nities and sororities because they simply wanted to have a fundraiser,”
said Anzell Harrell, advisor to the Elizabeth City State University Pan
Hellenic Council in response to the recent outbreak of violence.
There were no casualties during the altercations, but the
bouncer at Levels had to get his head stapled to close a wound after
being with a bottle.
Dr Anthony Brown, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, ex
plained why parties have been held off campus, this semester “Par
ties were held off campus this semester due to the renovation that
was done to Williams Hall, which is one of the designated locations
to hold students-sponsored dances."
Before the incident at Levels, sources said that Levels
was planning on having a college night for area students. There was
truth to this, however after the Feb. 5“^ incident, Levels has changed its
plans.
Beverly Casteel, a National Guard Armory representative said
that despite the incident student parties will still be allowed there.
A Levels employee described the night as a “fiasco”. “In all the
time that 1 have worked there, there has never been a situation like it.
It was very frightening. It was a tense situation.”
One student who attended the Levels party had a different opin
ion.
“The party was off the hook, but once 1 saw a bottle fly across
the bar, I knew that things were getting wild. Someone threw a
bottle that hit the bouncer in the back of the head. It was wild,” said
Julius Council, a junior Computer Science major.
Neither organization is being held responsible for the events
that occurred at their functions. One Levels’ employee does not
feel that the host organization should be held responsible. “It is not
their fault because they weren’t fighting. The girls felt really bad
about what had happened and they stayed until the end.” Vice
Chancellor Brown had a similar reaction. ‘The Greek organization
that sponsored the function at Levels was attempting to provide a
social fundraising activity off campus, and will not be sanctioned for
the behaviors of the individuals who were not part of the organiza
tion,” he said.
Asked if more precautionary measures could have been taken
by the fraternity Casteel said, “No, not really Security was there.”
Since the incident, additional preventative measures have
been taken by Levels and by Elizabeth City State University to en
sure the safety of patrons and students. Levels will reportedly
See Violence, Page 6
Car maintenance pays off
Learn how to
change your vehicle’s
coolant fluid in three easy
steps.
PAGE 4
Separate but equal
Dr H. Lewis Suggs delivered keynote
address at the Brown v. Board of Education
forum. “We should strategize on ways to
move the race forward.We should capture
the moral and spiritual uplift of Negro
history,”Suggs said. PAGE4
Wireless Internet
Wireless Internet access is avail
able at strategic points on campus. This
cheaper alternative to the traditional cop
per cable offers students mobility.
PAGES
Lifestyles and
fashion
The Timberland phenom
enon continues to demon
strate durability.
PAGE?