n^fie Campus "Ccfio
Non-Profit
Orftanizalion
PAID
Permit No. 374
Durham, N.C.
No. 1
The official student newspaper of North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707
September 10, 1982
IT
OXFORD, M iss.—The Confcdcrale flag waves as
cheerleader John Hawkins of (he University of Mississippi per
forms at an Ole Miss football game. Hawkins, Ole Miss’ first
black cheerleader, refused to carry tbe Confederate flag during
football games. Hawkins bad proposed to carry tbe state flag.
Despite strong reactions from Ole M|ss alumni (characterized
by the university’s public relations director as a “major con
troversy”), a new plan was devised in which one cheerleader
will carry (he Confederate flag and the rest will carry nothing.
Hawkins contended (hat to blacks the flag represented (he day>
of slavery and was offensive, but be conceded it does not repre
sent this to most white students. (DPI Phot»: Chris Womack)
Social Security benefits
end for entering frosh
By Marion McKinney
Entering freshmen are no longer
eligible for Social Security student
benefits due to an initiative of
Reagan administration.
Jane Wienke, an officer with the
Social Security office in Durham,
said that anyone beginning post
secondary education after May 1982
will not receive an extension of his
Social Security benefits after age 18.
Students already on Social Securi
ty will also notice that their benefits
are being phased out.
These students have already had
their payments stopped during the
summer months and they will see a
25 percent reduction in their
benefits this school year.
These reductions are based on
what the student received in August
1981. Further reductions will be
made in 25 percent increments until
they end completely in 1985.
“The rationale that the (Reagan)
administration used in proposing
that students be cut from Social
Security was to keep the trust fund
sound.’’ Mrs. Wienke said.
She explained that the Reagan ad
ministration feared that Social
Security was facing imminent
bankruptcy unless steps were taken
to reduce the number of people
receiving benefits.
However, she added that the col
lege student cutbacks will not affect
high school students over age 18.
In a related action the Reagan ad
ministration decreed that parents no
longer receive the dependent’s
benefits for their children over 16.
The child will continue to receive
benefits due him independently
from his parent.
Health Building opens
By James Dockery
The building that administrators
at N. C. Central University asked
for in 1965 has finally been built.
The Health Sciences Building,
which houses the health education
department on the first floor and
the nursing department on the se
cond floor, opened its doors to
students for the first time last week.
Dr. Johnea Kelley, chairman of
the niirsing department, said the
new building is a dream come true.
She also said the new facilities will
help with the recruitment of
students and will enhance the image
of the program.
Construction of the building Was
delayed because after the funds were
approved by the state legislature,
priority for construction of new
President of National Association of Black Educators
Reid calls financial problems
crncial issue for black schools
facilities was given to East Carolina
Medical School, and as a result all
other institutions were restricted in
new construction.
Also, at that time NCCU wanted
to construct two buildings, the new
Law School and the Health Sciences
Building but decided to go ahead
with the Law School and put the
other on hold.
The health education department
has four regular lecture rooms, two
lab areas, four seminar rooms, in
dividual offices, a lounge and a
research room for faculty, a student
lounge with lockers, a reading
room, a dark room and a computer
room.
The nursing department has four
See HEALTH, page 5
By Edwin Horsley
Dr. George W. Reid, assistant undergraduate dean and president of the
National Association of Black Educators (NABE), called the 1982-83
academic year a “crucial period for financial help’’ for N.C. Central
University and the four other predominantly black schools of the UNC
university system.
The financial situation needs immediate attention in Reid’s opinion. The
choices left to blacks are few. “It may come to marching up to the Capitol
steps, but if that’s what it takes, then we (concerned black citizens) should
do so.’’
Reid is quick to point out that the financial problem will take time to cor
rect unless money (denied to the black schools in previous years by state and
federal governments) is given to the schools in large sums. Says Reid, “If
you start with the period right after slavery and come up to date, you see
that we are talking about millions of dollars that would have to be given to
black schools just to catch up! Then (after catching up), the black school
will have to be funded equally with the white school annually to keep our
level of accomplishment where it should be.’’
The desire to be at least equal to the larger white schools,is justified in
Reid’s opinion. The charters governing N.C. Central and UNC-Chapel
Hill, for example, are exactly alike. But in terms of the education programs
offered or the monies allocated to each school for these programs, the
schools are far from being alike. Because of this, black students are being
cheated, according to Reid.
“The state is not serving as many people as it could,’’ says Reid. “Central
does not have doctoral programs; UNC does. If the charters call for the
schools to be the same, why aren’t they? And at UNC, the blacks who enter
the doctoral programs there have a high rate of not completing the pro
gram. Central’s rate of completion on the Master’s level is as high as
UNC’s. We could do as good a job as they’re doing on the doctoral level if
we had a doctoral program.’’
Enhancing Education
Concerned about the problems affecbpg black colleges and education in
general, Reid and several Central instructors established NABE in April of
1982 to “speak on the issues of and to enhance education.”
Presenty, there are more than 400 members in the association ranging
from elementary teachers to university administrators. There are no restric
tions for membership and students and parents of students are encouraged
to join. “All people who are concerned about black educators and students
should unite in the association,” says Dr. Reid.
There are several other reasons why Dr. Reid felt compelled to organize
NABE. One reason was his concern with the image of black schools.
“When I was an undergraduate student at NCCU, there was a sense of
pride and unity that started at the administrative level and spread down
through our student body and into the community. 1 don’t feel that pride
and unity is as strong as it was and needs to be at our black schools,” said
Reid.
Another concern was the, fact that after desegregation, most black ad
ministrators at the elementary and secondary levels were either demoted to
assistants to white administrators in intergrated school districts or com
pletely phased out.
There are presently only three black school district superintendents in the
state of North Carolina; there are 143 school districts. Many districts are 50
percent or above intergrated with black students.
Reid focused on several discrepancies. “How can the state not have more
black heads of districts with so many black children in them?” he asked.
‘We did an excellent job of educating our students when they (the white
Legislators speed up
attendance estimates
By Jim Jarvis
Did you miss a day in class last week only to find your name had been
deleted from the attendance list? Well if you did, don’t think the instructor
has a personal vendetta toward you. It’s all part of this year’s policy to get
an accurate estimate of how many full-time students are enrolled at N.C.
Central by Sept. 3.
“These estimates have been done many times in years past but this year is
different,” said Dr. Cecil Patterson, vice-chancellor for Academic Affairs.
“The state has a new policy for turning in the enrollment figures by Sept. 3
because the state legislature meets in February to appropriate funds for the
1984-85 budget.”
In the past the figures were due at the end of October.
An. accurate estimate this year will determine just how much money
NCCU will get in the 1984-85 school year.
“Enrollment figures are the most uncontrollable and volatile of all the
things the state legislature has to estimate,” added Patterson. “With the
fluctuation in the economy and the birthrate, and if you add to that the in
stability of the student aid,situation, it will be extremely difficult to get an
accurate estimate this year.”
Patterson explained that it costs NCCU approximately $2,500 per
semester to educate one full time student, so any miscalculation could cost
the school “mega-bucks.”
Patterson said the estimate the university did two years ago was within
two percent of this year’s current enrollment, so he noted that the school
has been fortunate since the money alloted from the state is close to current
enrollment statistics.
Patterson said he hopes the university does as good a job this year in
estimating student enrollmentas last year although we have much less time
to get the estimate in to the state.
Part of the problem of estimating is that some students enroll after Labor
Day and there is no way the university can add those students to the
estimate as they have done in past years.
populace) did not want us in their schools. Now we can do a better job of
educating all students with the resources available.”
The high school compentency test was another factor in the birth of the
NABE. Reid, along with many other blacks, feels that the test is unjust.
“The so-called compentency test does not measure one’s knowledge. It also
looks at one’s exposure to his enviroment. It is not an excuse but a fact that
many black youths have not had the same kinds or amount of exposure as
their white classmates”.
Reid sees the NABE as a vehicle for implementing the necessary changes
needed to help black schools start progressing towards an educatioaal level
equal to that of.the larger white schools.
Reid wants the association to have an active role in the selection of
chancellors and other administrative positions at black universities. He also
feels the NABE is where black students should rally together to voice com
plaints about the current budget cuts.
“Black students have to stop being so complacent,” said Reid. “The stu
dent bodies of black schools need to let the lower federal government know
that they are tired of having money appropriated for education taken away
from them under the pretense of balancing the budget. It’s ironic. There are
black students who couldn’t get money for school ht Central this semester
while white students are getting money to come here. I’m not against white
students getting money to go to a black school, but black students should
certainly be able to receive federal money for school here.”
New interim policy
ends unlimited cuts
By Daryl Goodman
There is a new attendance policy at NCCU this year and the faculty is ad-
vising .students to attend classes regularly.
The Interim Attendance Reporting System requires that students miss no
more than two consecutive weeks or a total of three weeks during the
semester. It also requires that each instructor take class attendance every
day.
A grading system has been added to enforce attendance. If a student
misses more than the alloted days, the instructor will then send an atten
dance report to the dean who will administratively withdraw the student
from the class roll.
The policy also creates three new grades: “NW,” “NP,” and “NF.”
Students who are dropped before the evaluation period will be given the
grade of “NW.” Those dropped during the evaluation period will be giver
either a “NP” or “NF,” depending on their average when they were drop
ped. There are no grades or hours counted against the students for the
“NP” or the “NW,” but the “NF”is the equivalant of an “F.”.
According to George Reid, assistant undergraduate dean, federal obliga
tions required that NCCU report attendance figures by Sept. 7, to the Board
of Govenors in order to determine the 1983-85 university budget.
“Students who receive financial aid and veteran’s benefits would have
been especially affected,” explained Reid, if the university had not adopted
such an attendance policy. “The university had no acurate record of their
attendance before this system,” and as a result several agencies were
threatening to withdraw funding, he said.
The attendance reporting system is an attempt by the university to
upgrade attendance records and encourage satisfactory academic progress
among its students, Reid added.
Reid noted that the faculty was split over the attendance policy, but
because of the federal demands, the Administrative Council decided “we
need a reporting system.” A student faculty task force led by Reid was
established to study the problem.
Although students were not told of the policy change until the beginning
of classes, some agreed with most of its intentions. Venice Jackson, a
sophomore from Tarboro, said, “I think it is a good policy but a little toe
extreme,” though she agreeded some students need some “initiative” to at
tend classes.
Renee Goodman, a sophomore from Castle Hayne, who also agreed
with the policy, said that the policy will enable students to “maintain a level
of academic excellence by attending classes regularly.”
GDANSK, Poland: Riot police shoot clouds of teargas to
disperse thousands of demonstrators who gathered to mark the
second anniversary of the Solidarity trade union. (UPI photo
by Jeff Widener)