I-
n^he Campus ^cdo
No. 14
Published by and for the students of North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. 27707
^pril 8, 1981
Blackwell: “...no aid for summer school.”
Financial aid future bleak
By Teresa A. Burke
No financial aid for NCCU summer school students is the latest Reagan budget cutting
measure to hit the Central campus.
In addition, says Wallace Blackwell, director of^udent Financial Aid, the National
Direct Student Loan (NDSL) for 1981-82 has be^ suspended until the 58 percent
default rate has been reduced by 25 percent.
Recently University of North Carolina President William Friday appeared before the
joint House and Senate Base Budget Sub-committee on Education, which has asked for
proposals to cut six percent from the 16-campus system’s operating budget.
Friday protested to legislators that the proposed cuts “would cripple the university
system immediately.”
According to George Thorne, chief budget officer for NCCU, the proposal to cut $32
million for 1981-82 and $33 million for 1982-83 “has not been finalized.”
At this time, the areas “to be cut have not been identified,” said Thorne.
Varied Reactions and Reality
For some, financial aid is manna from heaven, the only means of getting out of a
perpetuating cycle of ignorance and poverty. For others, student aid is costly, counter
productive, and often fraudulent.
“If aid is cut, then I’m cut. This is the only means I have at getting an education and
bettering myself,” said Rebecca Jeffferies, a 19 year-old sophomore from Orlando, Fla.
“I made it without any kind of financial assistance. Times were harder 20 years ago
when I was in college; I had to really scrape and sacrifice semester to semester. Kids to
day need a good kick in the ass to make them appreciate educational opportunities,”
said an administrator at a North Carolina black college.
Despite the differing opinions, the reality of educational cutbacks is here. The Reagan
administration proposes to amend three federal student aid programs and phase out the
Social Security Student Benefit program in order to achieve costs savings, to “restore”
the focus of Federal student aid to the “truly needy,” and to emphasize the traditional
role of the student and the family in meeting the costs of higher education.
The Reagan Proposals
To achieve these goals the Administration proposes to amend the Guaranteed Student
Loan (GSL) program by
• providing students GSLs only for remaining need after other sources of Federal stu
dent aid and family contributions have been counted. Student loans will be limited to the
amount of need for educational cost remaining after deducting ail other aid and an ex
pected family contribution. A needs test will be administered to see if a student qualifies;
most affected will be lower-middle income students;
Chancellor’s Award
&oes to music student
By Vicky L. Wiggins
Ruth Eileen Koger, a music major, won the Chancellor’s
Award, given to the senior with the highest cumulative
average, at NCCU’s 32nd Annual Awards Day program on
April 3 for a crowd of approximately 600 students, parents,
and faculty members in the B.N. Duke Auditorium.
Classes were cancelled from 10 a.m. til 2 p.m. to honor
those who have achieved academic excellence and rendered
outstanding service to the school.
The guest speaker for the ceremony was Brigadier General
Frank E. Peterson, the only black general in the Marine
Corps. Dressed in a dark blue, immaculate Marine Corps
uniform, Peterson told students they were entering an un
friendly and competitive world, “a world where losers are
soon forgotten.”
Peterson added that life wouldn’t be all bad, “but it damn
sure won’t be all good.”
He referred to the aggressiveness and competiveness in
the Marine Corps and the working world throughout his
20-minute speech, noting that students need to be com-
petetive if they want to be successful and warning that the
careers they chose would be limited.
General Peterson ended his speech with questions from the
Jimi Awards cancelled
By Calvin Lee Williams
The Jimi Awards, designed to honor students who have ex
hibited outstanding personal traits and service to the univer
sity, will not be held this semester, according to Kenneth
Foushee, director of Student Life-Men and originator of the
awards.
“The awards were scheduled for this semester, but due to
the lack of participation from the chartered organizations on
campus and with Spring Festivial, Co-ed Week, Greek Week,
and other springtime programs, the ceremony will not be
held,” said Foushee.
Foushee saw the need for recognition of students who have
displayed good moral and social character beyond the field of
academic endeavor.
“The award was named in honor of NCCU’s founder. Dr.
James E. Shepard, who dedicated his life to developing a col
lege to enhance the mental and moral fiber of young black
men and women,” said Foushee. “We will try early next Fall to
make the program a part of the Coed Week activities.”
floor. When asked if there was racism in the Marine Corps,
Peterson responded, “Racism still exists . . . You can man
date laws against racism but you cannot change the minds of
those who are racist... You cannot legislate against racism.”
Among those receiving awards was Thurman Prescott Jr.
who received the University Relations Achievement Award
for his 15 years of distinguished service and leadership as
student union director.
“I was surprised and thrilled at being selected. It was an
honor,” said Prescott.
Following the speech. Dr. Albert N. Whiting, Dr. Walter H.
Pattillo Jr., and Dr. James F. Blue acknowledged those per
sons receiving awards by having them stand as their names
were called.
Other Special Awards
By Frieda M. Jordan
The 32nd Awards Day program, whose theme was “The
Vigor of Expectation,” honored approximately 300 students.
Some of the highlights were:
—The Ruth Edwards Memorial Award (to the outstanding
senior music major)—Arnold R. Mercer
—The James M. Hubbard, Sr. Memorial Award (to the
outstanding senior chemistry major)—Tammy Cromartie
—The Louise M. Latham Memorial Award (to the outstanding
woman student)—Tina L. Pennix
—The Ray Thompson Memorial Service Award (for student
service to the university community)—Jerry Kelly
—The Theodore Speigner Scholarship Award (for excellence
in geography)—Alfred A. McCormick
—The Eugene McManus Young Award (for excellence in
reading)—Martha Schuler
—The Duckwilder Memorial Award (to the outstanding junior
woman student)—Ardicha H. Swanson
—The Ete Phi Beta Scholarship Award (to the outstanding
senior in special education)—Wanda G. Little
—The John Stuart Memorial Scholarship (to the outstanding
science major who exhibits leadership and humanitarian prin
ciples)—Michael F. Johnson
Awards were give for excellence in each academic depart
ment and the various divisions of student affairs.
Students were also recognized for Who’s Who Among
Students in American Universities and Colleges, Who’s Who
Honorable Mention, The Alphonso Elder Student Union
Awards, Dean’s list. Alpha Kappa Mu, and graduating as
seniors with cumulative averages of 3.00 or above.
• eliminating the in-school interest subsidy (the Federal Government currently pays to
lenders the interest on a loan while the student is in school). Instead of receiving a
federal subsidy while the student is in school, or a deferment or grace period, the lender
will be allowed to add student borrower’s accruing interest to the principal amount;
• eliminating the federal special allowance payment to lenders of parent loans;
• allowing lenders to set the interest rate of parent loans at the prevailing market rate
rather than at thfe current authorized rate of nine percent.
Another program affected is the Pell Grants or BEOGs which would be amended by
•increasing the amount of discretionary income that a student’s family must contribute;
and
• requiring an annual self-help contribution of $750 from students except where ex
treme financial need is concerned. According to Blackwell, 50 percent of Central’s
students now receiving financial aid would not be able to come up with the $750 self-
help contribution.
The Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae)4which buys student promissory
notes from institutions (instead of repaying the institution, the student repays the
government) would be prohibited from borrowing from the Federal Government.
To control GSL costs the Administration proposes to eliminate the student in-school in
terest subsidy, thus limiting borrowing to remaining need as determined by a financial
needs test and raising the interest rate on loans to offset all federal costs.
The phase-out of educational Social Security benefits for students between the ages of
18-22 will impact significantly upon schools. Currently about $1.7 billion is expended
yearly to these recipients. The administration’s plan would stop the benefit for all new
students who enroll after August 1, 1981. Currently over 800,000 students receive
these benefits with an average payment of $2^5 per month. If the program is eliminated,
the Office of Management and Budget estimates that approximately 250,000 students
would become newly eligible for Pell Grants and that other students might need campus-
based and GSL funding.
‘Hell hath no fury...
‘Medea’ to open tonight
By Emma Deese
Euripides’ Medea, a classical Greek tragedy written in the 5th century B.C., about
the revenge ota princess and sorceress against her unfaithful husband, still maintains it
social relevance and entertainment power today.
Such is the feeling of Karen Dacons, director of the NCCU’s new drama production,
Medea, which will be presented April 8-11 at 8:15 p.m. and April 12 at 3:15 p.m. in the
University Theatre.
The universality of the plot oi Medea transcends time to relate to familiar issues voic
ed through the contemporary feminist movement. Women will empathize with Medea
even though her revenge will far exceed what is socially and spiritually acceptable.
Director Karen Dacons has allowed her creative instincts to adventure beyond the
traditional script. She will augment the emotional and mystical energies in the script
through a total theatre approach. Artful coordination of music, dance, creative lighting,
and film will elaborate upon the beauty of the poetic language, action, and provacative
subject matter.
The play’s leading lady is Ardicha Swanson, last seen in the NCCU production of For
Colored Girls. Jason, the unfaithful husband, is being portrayed by Roosevelt Wiggins,
last seen as God in the NCCU production of Everyman.
The women who will perform as the chorus are Tammie Wiggins, Denise Coleman, Em
ma Deese, Shamia Truitt.
Other cast members include Raphael Thompson as Kreon, Herbert Eley as Aigeus,
Hildra McCoy as Tutor, Anthony Moody as the messenger, and Trudy Burris as the
nurse.
Medea and Jason’s children are being portrayed by Roosevelt Arthur Wiggins, III and
Humphrey Truitt.
The choreography is being done by Marian Turner, an outstanding dance talent in the
Triangle Area, who was once the artistic director of the New Performing Dance Company
of Durham. She is presently teaching dance at UNC-Chapel Hill.
During the performance, Michael King and Darryl Hylton will be playing tympani, bells,
marimbas, and other musical instruments.
For reservations or more information, please call 683-6242 between 9-5 Monday-
Frid^y, April 6-10, or come by room 106 of the Communications Building, NCCU, for
tickets.
Hi, mom!
Out of an effort to show parents how we really live and that we do, on occa
sion, partake of the bounties of spring, Parent’s Weekend was created.
Many moms and dads enjoyed the fine cafeteria cuisine sans the cafeteria
and the mental rigors of backgammon during Parent’s Weekend.