NEWS
BRIEFS
Amtrak to Run
Second Train
Sam Hunt, the state transporation
secretary, announced earlier this month
that the state will begin running a
second train. The Piedmont, between
its too largest cities, with seven stops
(Cary, Durham, Burlington,
Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury and
Kannapolis) on May 26.
The Piedmont and the other
Amtrak train. The Carolinian, will
offer round-trip daily service between
the state capital and the population
centers along Interstate 85.
"BOOK’EM"
A patented new Textbook
Protection system called "BOOK'EM"
hopes to put a stop to textbook theft.
Manufactured by Virginia based
"BOOK'EM", Inc, (a division of
Collegiate Designs, Inc.), the system is
based upon a proven concept in theft
protection: benefit denial.
Removal of the owner's ID
renders the textbook unsellable and
therefore eliminates the incentive to
steal it.
Being Black page 2
Softball page 6
Student Loans page 7
What's Cooking page 9
Valarie Robbins page 11
Did You Know...
John “Jackie" Robinson retired from
baseball in 1956. At the age of 37,
he started a new career as a
businessman. For eight years after
retirement, he was vice president for
personnel with Choc'; Full O'Nuts, a
chain of restaurants in New York
!!
Hi
Q
Z
NC College Students Present
Demands to State Legislature
BY KIMBERLY TERRY
Staff Writer
There’s a rumor going
around that WSSU students
and many students on other
campuses are apathetic.
Well, apathy get out of
the way! Two months ago
students from Winston-Salem
State University, North
Carolina Central University,
North Carolina Agricultural
and Technical State
University, Fayetteville State
University, North Carolina
State University and The
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, marched to the
state capitol in Raleigh to tell
members of the legislature:
No More Increases on Student
Tuition At State Colleges and
Universities.
In 1993, the General
Assembly directed the Board
of Governors to establish a 25
percent tuition surcharge for
students taking more than 140
degree credit hours in a four
year program or degree credit
hours in a five year program.
The General Assembly also
directed the Board of
Governors to ensure that
students at each campus in the
state of North Carolina
averages 15 credit hours per
semester.
Students in the UNC
System, held a press
conference where a
representative from each
school explained how this
increase was affecting their
college’s campus.
Keith Diar, UNC-Chapel
Hill’s representative said “NC
students are no longer going to
stand by and let the
government have it’s way.
This is unprecedented and it’s
been a long lime since students
have gotten together for
something like this.”
Researchers have found
that the N.C. Public College
and University System is one
of the best in the country and
by passing the 25 percent
surcharge would only
decrease the quality of
education in the state. The
state legislature doesn’t see the
quality of education
decreasing; they feel the
surcharge will act as an
incentive for college students
to complete their education on
time.
Shana McCatt, president
of the N.C. Black Student
Government Association,
didn’t see it that way. She
wonders if “ the Legislature
took time to review the effects
of it or was it an oversight
when they concluded to place
money before the education of
our young adults?”
Student athletes will also
be affected by the surcharge.
The National Collegiate
Athletic Association’s
(NCAA) minimum number of
hours is 12 hours per semester
(instead of N.C.’s proposed
15.) North Carolina athletes
would be at a disadvantage in
any national competition
against athletes that could take
See March, page 3
Ram Watch: Is Watching You
BY DEVONA MCPHATTER
Staff Writer
Have you ever felt a little
nervous about making that
short but somewhat dark walk
back to Atkins, Dillard or
Wilson Hall after leaving the
library at night?
Well, WSSU has come
up with a service that will
eliminate some of your
worries!
The Ram Watch has
been created to help you. This
idea was the brainchild of
Joelle Davis and some
influential Rams have helped
this idea become a reality. The
walking student service
officially began in March.
Michael Harpe, a member
of the student services staff
and Freshmen Class Advisor,
took on another obligation
when he decided to become
the advisor for this service.
“My obligation was to
create the escort service. The
purpose was to get students to
start helping students. This
campus has a lot of people
looking at the reactive stance
of everything, instead of
looking at the proactive
stance,” said Harpe. “What I
mean by that is, everyone eyes
are on what has happened in
the past and the stage that we
are in presently, no one looks
ahead to the future. All I am
trying to do is to get people
interested in the future.”
Harpe researched similar
programs at ECU, UNC-
Greensboro and Appalachian
State, that have such programs.
He discovered that the
programs had computers and
the student volunteers
received stipends. He then
devised a program that would]
suitWSSU’s budget. ;
Harpe and Alex Woodj
then held a sign-up drive in the j
Student Union, where over 50;
students showed an interest 1
about the program.
Approximately two weeks
later Harpe, Willie Cumbo and
Thomas Leach, held the
official orientation meeting for
The Ram Watch. At this
meeting the volunteers
received safety tips and some
very important do’s and
don’ts.
Michael Harpe
“The service runs
Monday through Thursdays
5 P.M. to 12 A.M. and Friday
through Sunday generally 5
P.M. to 1 A.M.,” said Cumbo,
the student union’s night
See Ram Watch, pg. 3