n^fie Campus ^cRo
It’s too late
to turn back now
Perseverance—the drive to keep on striving, undaunted by the barriers thrown up by
foes—has become the very essence of black society. We struggled and prayed and clawed
our way to get a college education in order to create a more perfect union of Americans. The
government, out of benevolence and perhaps a little guilt, created a financial aid system for
those who wanted an education but could not afford it.
Proportionately, more black students receive student financial aid than whites, but that’s
to be expected. Proportionately, there are more blacks than whites who need aid to get a
college education.
Now Reagan and cohorts are eliminating many financial aid programs out of some
misguided loyalty to this country’s unbalanced budget—as if achieving a balanced one will
heal this nation’s ills.
But that’s okay. We—as an economic level, a nation, a race—have faced far worse
obstacles and survived. We will only have to dust off the implements of sacrifice—self-
denial, hardwork, and hope.
We cannot give up now. Sell aluminum cans, cut grass, wash some woman’s floor, beg
your church—but get the $750 and come back to school.
We have come too far to let some group with misplaced values scrap us for junk.
Teresa A. Burke
Dear Echo. . .
Members of several different fraternities and sororities have confronted me and asked
me why I have written negative articles about greek organizations. Some members have
even gone as far as to threaten me with physical assault or law suits.
Let’s analyze this hostility. A lot of negative news has been printed about the conduct of
greeks (male greeks that is) on campus. Certainly that is cause for upset. But every article I
have written was taken directly from what a greek or a pledgee told me. More important,
the facts presented in the articles were true and fully attributed to specific sources.
For the greeks who think the Echo has not done an accurate job of reporting both sides of
your conduct, you have an option. You can stay mad and do nothing, or you can submit to
the Echo articles pertaining to your community service projects. These articles must be
legibly hand written or typed, double spaced on the stipulated deadline dates that will be
available to you before the end of the year. If these articles are not submitted in this man
ner and on time, they will not get printed.
This applies to anyone who wishes to submit anything to the Echo.
I look forward to serving the student body as editor next year. The Echo will continue to
report accurately. And it will continue to seek your support in covering the news that is im
portant to NCCU.
Winfred B. Cross
Letters to the Editor
RESPONSE TO ELECTIONS
Violations of NCCU students right s in regard to the past elections were both sanctioned
and promulgated by both SGA President, Ervin Baker, and Dean James Blue, Vice-
Chancellor for student affairs.
I was shocked and appalled at the attitudes distributed by both officials.
I will attempt to record now the events leading up to and after the past SGA election.
On the night of the Rap Session, I voiced this question to the chairperson of the election
board: ‘Why was the election being held against constitutionally prescribed time (which is il
legal according to the Eagle Eye Handbook)?’ The chairperson stated, “she would answer
this after the rap session had concluded.’’ I approached the chairperson,but President Er
vin Baker commented that he could answer my question. He relayed to me that in a move
to advance the administrative calendar, the elections had to be moved up.
Following this, I asked if there was an amendment made to the SGA constitution to justify
such an advance. President Baker said no; however. Dean Blue had approved the advance
ment. 1 told President Baker that an advancement required more than the Dean’s ap
proval, that it would have to be amended to protect as well as give the students a voice in
“their” election process. President Baker then stated that there was not enough time to
get an amendment. I reminded him tliat as the SGA President he should not be allowing the
elections to take place. Presi^nt Baker then passed me along to Dean Blue.
Following this discussion, other students and I felt we could do nothing except follow our
leader. President Baker. The elections were carried on and everything was business as
usual. The longer my friends and I thought, the angrier we became. The student’s govern
ing body had allowed the administrators to alter our constitution without,granting the
students their constitutional rights, to review it.
Grace Marsh and I went to question Dean Blue. Initially we were told he was out for the
day, but upon leaving we ran into him on the steps. He granted us some time. Dean Blue,
unlike President Baker, stated that there had indeed been an SGA constitutional amend
ment but he was unable to produce a written copy. He added that he could get us one in
two or three days.
Miss Marsh then informed Dean Blue of the tale told by President Baker. Dean Blue,
seemingly growing impatient, ordered us out of his office saying, “Get out lady, and you
too.”
Next, we headed to Chancellor Whiting’s office, still in search of truth. The Chancellor
had no copies of any amendment, and was totally unaware of any such amendment being in
existence.
Having no other outlet for my frustration, 1 wrote a grievance letter to the election board,
which was denied.
So this is my last attempt to expose the students at NCCU to the policy of keeping
students unaware of the non-conformity to rules and regulations by their elected officials
and the administration. This must not continue.
Tony Harkley
page 2
Aprils, 1981
Hhe Campus Echo
Editor
Teresa A. Burke
Sports Editors
Winston Majette
Office Manager
Marilyn Williams
Entertainment Editor
Brian C. Blount
Associate Editoir
Winfred B. Cross
Advertising Manager
Paul L. Anderson
Circulation Manager
Shelley Jackson
Business Manager
Ronnie Johnson
Chief Typist
Terry Palmer
Schefting, Gears
Have I ^ot a story for you. . .
Listen:
In 1964, four Massachusetts prep school kids got together
to form a rock and roll band. The drummer, Tom, didn’t own
drums, but he’d practiced for years, rat-a,-tat-tatting to Ven
tures albums with spoons. The three guitarists—Tony, Todd,
and Bob—didn’t own electric guitars. As a matter of fact, only
one of them (Tony) owned a guitar, a beat-up accoustic.
Although this would seem an inauspicious start, they didn’t
care. They borrowed some equipment and started practicing.
Now there were some problems. For one, the drummer had
never tried to coordinate his feet with his hands. Not exactly
Ringo Starr. Two, Tony—who played the lead in several in
strumentals—only used one finger. Hmmmmm. Not exactly
George Harrison. Three, Todd—who took up the bass—had a
problem staying in tune. Definitely not Paul McCartney.
But they didn’t care. They loved the music. They loved the
playing. It was fun. That was all that was important, all that
mattered.
They needed a name. Todd picked The Remnants. The
others liked it.
Time passed. They got better. Charlie, who had formal
training in piano, joined the group as the organist. And Rich
came—bringing with him a high harmony and ability on har
monica and guitar.
More time passed, they got better.
Todd, while reading through his history notes on the
American Revolution, found a phrase he liked. So did the
others. The name of the group was changed to The Rising
Storm.
Soon they were playing at dances every Saturday night for
$50 (no more—a school rule). The money, it was decided,
would go toward a limited edition album, 500 copies.
Now it was quite normal for prep school groups to cut
albums, which were then sold at the school or girl schools or
bought up by grinning/grimmacing relatives (“That’s my son,
the guitar player.”)
HARAMBI ANNIVERSARY
The rnonth of April is a significant month for the members of
the NCCU Harambi Student Union. It marks the end of the
first year of life for out organization. During our short ex-
istance, we have organized teach-ins, speak-outs, lectures
and debates and attended many rallies, marches, workshops
and seminars.
Also, we have provided an official spokesperson for many of
those events.
Our first year, however, has not been all smooth sailing,
due to our involvement in a vigil and a march on downtown
Durham, we were , and still are, bombarded with a wave of
attacks. We were briefly denied recognition as an authorized
campus group and called names ranging from militants to
radicals to CWP members. Additionally, we were ridiculed for
protesting the invitation of racists to Central on the birthday
of Martin Luther King, Jr. In spite of this, we have remained
dedicated to the principles upon which we were founded. Our
commitment is still to develop unity and to increase
awareness of problems of African-Americans and other vic
tims of oppression throughout the world. We will also con
tinue to speak out against any and all injustice.
During the month of April, we plan tohave a series of ac
tivities designed to uncover problems ranging from the crisis
in biqck higher education to right-wing terror. Our plans in
clude having well informed speakers, student or nationally
known. Additionally, we are attempting to secure films,
slideshows, and doccumentaries which portray conditions
faced by our people here and abroad. We hope that you have
both the time and interest to attend these activities. Finally,
we of Harambi are a group of individuals who are dedicated to
making this country one which has room for all of its people.
We will let no one divert our feet from the path toward
, freedom, justice, and equality for all.
Yours in struggle
The NCCU Harambi Student Union
ASSASSINATION
BUT A SYMPTOM
The recent attempted assassination of President Ronald
Reagan has afforded many blacks the opportunity to express
The Storm’s album—ca/m before—6'\6n’t exactly make the
Billboard charts. The group did make their money back. It
cost $1,000 dollars to make the album, and copies were sold
for $3 a piece.
The group was pleased. The album sounded pretty good,
especially for 17-year-old kids.
The year was 1967.
In 1981, Tom—the drummer—came home one day to find a
letter from Bob. Dear fellow members of The Rising
Storm, it began. You’re not going to believe this, but
our album is a collectors’ item—worth between $300
and $500.
Tom stopped reading. His heart was doing a Keith Moon* *
drum solo. He read the paragraph again. And again.
Then he read on. /
Bob mentioned that the information had come from a
Boston magazine. The Phoenix, and he had enclosed a copy
of the article.
/ don’t know hoW the jest 6f you feel, y^rote Bob, but
I, for one, will die a happy man.
There’s more. A group of investors in Boston have arranged
the financing of a limited edition reunion album. The guys in
the group are trying to work it out now.
A lot has happened in the fourteen years since the group
disbanded. Bob is a lawyer in Boston. Tony is a lawyer,in
Washington, D.C. Charlie is a ski instructor in Vermont. Rich
is a medical researcher in Chicago. Todd is city editor of The
Chapel Hill Newspaper. /Kn6 Tom teaches at NCCU in
Durham, N.C.
Dr. Tom-Tom Scheft is an Echo adviser and columnist (rim
shot). His wife Laurie feels this is a very self-indulgent column
and doesn’t belong in a campus newspaper. She’s probably
rig,ht. But he couldn't resist.
*Keith Moon—the late, legendary drummer for The Who.
latent hostilities and repressed anger toward the president
because of his proposed budget cuts.
I’m not sure which disillusioned me more: Reagan’s em
phasis on military spending and his seeming lack of concern
for our nation’s minorities and underprivilidged; or the con
tempt expressed by blacks interviewed for man-on-the-street
radio programs who were disappointed that Hinckley “didn’t
kill him.”
Has our nation’s moral core deteriorated to the point that,
when confronted with frustration, dissappointment, or anger,
we choose violence as the only alternative?
“Gun control” was the cry heard nationwide as a result of
the violent interlude, Monday, March 30, but our problem
isn’t gun control; it is the erie sense of acceptance or
tolerance we seem to have developed for acts of violence, the
social and economic deprivation prevalent in our society.
The attempted Reagan assassination was only a grim
reminder that no one’s safe, no one can isolate himself from a
society plagued by such vicious crimes as the Atlanta child-
See LETTERS page 3
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