THE CAMPUS ECHO
Issue 8
North Carolina Central University
March 19,1992
Renewal Applications Make
Financial Aid More Efficient
By JOHNNIE WHITEHEAD
Associate Editor
Students who applied for finan
cial aid for the 1990-91 school
year can now fill out a renewal
application, a “much simpler way
of applying for aid for the upcom
ing ’92-93 academic year,” says
the assistant vice chancellor for
scholarships and student aid.
Lola McKnight maintains that a
new system devised by the federal
government’s Department of
Education improves the financial
aid process. “With the old applica
tion, students started from scratch
where they had to answer every
question,” she said. “With the new
one they only have to update what
is new from ’90-91.”
According to McKnight, the old
form took up to four weeks to be
processed. The hew one takes only
72 hours. “We advertise one week
from our transmission of the data
to allow us some leeway.”
This is more of an advantage to
the students, said McKnight, be
cause students do not have to pay
the $7.50 fee every year—this new
system is free.
The University bears the trans
mission cost which could not be
released because the office does
not have an accurate estimate.
“Whatever the cost is,” said
McKnight, “it is less than we ex
pected.”
Computerization is what
prompted this move, says
McKnight. “The financial aid
world needs a better and faster
way to turn around these applica
tions,” she said. “Four weeks is a
long time. If a student waits until
August when he or she decides to
come to college, with the new sys
tem, before registration is over we
can get a record.”
The renewal application program
was recommended to Herbert
Watkins, vice chancellor of finan
cial affairs, by McKnight. The
program was implemented Feb. 1.
The updated information is
teletransmitted to Iowa City, Iowa,
where American College Testing
(ACT) forms are normally mailed.
To date, about one-third of the
students have picked up the new
forms. As for those who do not
pick up the applications or meet
the priority deadline March 31,
McIOiight said that the office will
do its best to assist them. “We will
get them through the system as
quickly as possible, but students
who are taking advantage are
guaranteed that their aid will be
ready by the first payment period.”
Also, McKnight stresses that the
students that file by the priority
deadline will be the first in line to
get the “free money such as NCCU
and Pell Grants.”
It is in the best interest of the
student to meet the deadline said
McKnight. “Students thatmeet the
deadline will have an award letter
before they go home in May. We’re
trying to get the majority of work
done in July rather than August.”
As in the past, students must
submit their and their parents’ tax
forms and averification worksheet.
Students who need financial aid
for summer school must register
early, from March 21-April 26.
Applications will be made avail
able March 18.
Professor and 3 Students
Arrested for Soliciting Sex
By KIM THORNTON
Editor
A North Carolina Central Uni
versity professor was among 24
men arrested on morals charges
in Fayetteville during a three-
day period.
Dr. Raphael Nash Thompson,
65, assistant dean and lead pro
fessor of the School of Business,
was arrested March4 and charged
with crimes against nature, ac
cording to the March 7 issue of
the Fayetteville Observer-Times.
According to police reports,
Thompson was among six men
picked up around adult book
stores on Bragg Blvd. The police
report also ^eges that Thomp
son solicited ansd sex from amsde
See Arrest/Page 5
Dr. Raphael N. Thompson
SGA President-Elect Phyllis Jeffers: Ready to Shut ’em Down!
Dean Blames Lack of Student Concern
for Low Turnout at SGA Elections
By KIM THORNTON
Editor
^ Lack of student concern is the
cause of low voter turnout in the
recent Student Government Asso
ciation elections, according to as
sistant vice-chancellor for student
affairs. Dr. Roger Bryant
In the election held March 4,
only 961 students voted out of an
student population of over 5,000.
Bryant said the figure is about the
average turnout for SGA elections.
“It’s just student apathy,” he
said. “There were no burning is
sues in this election.”
Moreover, Bryant said that if
the students didn’t have a cause to
fight for, they have no interest in
the SGA elections. “If people
don’t feel the need to rally around[a
cause] they are disinterested.”
Bryant said.
In the past, students complained
about the long lines to vote. How
ever, Bryant said that in this recent
election the lines were not long.
Bryant believes that this stu
dent apathy is representative of
the Durham voting community.
“Only 30-35 percent voted in the
See Elections/Page 5
Phyllis Jeffers: "Something about this generation is lost
By JOHNNIE WHITEHEAD
Associate Editor
Shut ‘em Down...Shut ‘em...
Shut ‘em Down!
With this and other slogans, 20-
year-old president-elect Phyllis
Jeffers says that she addresses the
issues that appeal to and concern
the student body. She responded
to their “cry for help,” she says.
Her plan? Question the system
[NCCU administration and the
UNC system] and hold them ac
countable.
Jeffers admits that the students
must work with the administration
in order to improve campus life.
“But what if the administration is
the problem?” she asks.
“Once we talk [existing prob
lems such as security], ask ques
tions, and present our list of de
mands and nothing happens, we
will have to march and rally,” said
Jeffers. “That’s the way it was
won in the West and in the ’60s—
by standing up.”
The president-elect is disturbed
by the passive attitude of students.
Jeffers believes that this lack of
concern is responsible for the lack
of activities and being ignored by
the administration. “Students now
find themselves comfortable with
being second-class citizens,” she
said. “Something about this gen
eration is lost. We just sit back and
let people do whatever the hell
they want to.”
But perfiaps the overbearing
problem with this University is
the UNC system itself, said
Jeffers, a native of Greensboro.
“People don’t understand that the
UNC system has a lot to do with
why we have nothing,” she said.
“This is a predominantly white
system that has the final voice on
our Chancellor. They won’t put
anyone in there who will question
them.”
Although Jeffers realizes that
NCCU receives less funding be
cause the student body is smaller
than that of the larger institutions
that the system oversees, she
maintains that thg system “does
not take this University seri
ously.”
Another important element of
Jeffers’ equation to unify the
campus is to involve the commu
nity. She stresses that the com
munity wants to be involved with
this University. However, only a
few groups ask for their help she
said. “No one wants to ask local
black-owned businesses for help.
During my campaign “World of
Flowers” donated 10 carnations
and gave me a discount on bal
loons for my campaign,” said
Jeffers. “They were impressed
that we had enough interest to
ask. The entire business commu
nity is for us.”
See Jeffers/ Page 3
Alcohol^^^Bool^
College students spend more money on alcohol than books.
Approximately $5.5 billion is spent annually to purchase 430
gallons of alcholic beverages. It is estimated that among those
currently in college, between 240,000 and 360,000 will eventu
ally lose their lives due to drinking.
*Obtained from the Office of Substance Abuse Prevention.
50%
25%
43%
College Students NotvCollege
Counterparts
New Student Art Gallery: Opening the Doors for Expression
By JOHNNIE WHITEHEAD
Associate Editor
The talented art students at North
Carolina Central University were
frustrated. There was no outlet for
them to display their woik. They
needed a way to express them
selves. They needed a Student Art
Gallery.
Room for the gallery has always
been available, but no one took the
initiative to clean up and sacrifice
their time. But now, after hours of
scrubbing and painting, the gallery
finally opened for its first exhibit
Feb. 23, with Robin King-Hoard
as its curator.
On the first floor of the Music
and Fine Arts Building in room
108 is the cube-sized gaUery with
its exhibition of 17 illustrations,
paintings, designs, drawings and
printmakings by the University’s
most gifted artists. “We have so
many talented students, and I’m so
glad we now have a place where
the public and students from other
schools can come to see our work,”
King-Hoard said.
One of the key factors in aiding
King-Hoard in her quest is the
support the department’s faculty
has given her. ‘Teachers motivate
you,” she said. “They have so much
energy.”
As a result of this new-found
energy, she maintains that students
are more motivated. “Before, they
would go to class, put their work in the Art Qub, which had been in- finm them and we try to have fund Hoard, a 21-year-old art history
their room and never show it” activesince 1988, arxl its president, raisers. This pays for things like major and native of Toledo, Oh.
Just as strong in their support is TannehAl-Amin. “We get money mats and frames,” said Kine- The work to be displayed is
Titus Thomas: "Witch Is HomelWitch Meets ChildrenIMother Tanneh EI-Amin: "Gregory Grant"
in SearchofHer Children"
chosen by King-Hoard and six
other members of a selection
committee: Celeste Bean, Tanneh
El-Amin, Pam Ferguson, Josh
King, Erica Leathers and Johnie
Riddick.
Although the job as curator is
tough and very demanding, King-
Hoard does not complain. “Hard
work motivates me. This is like
my baby. I raise and care for it until
it’s right.”
King-Hoard came to North
Carolina Central University’s art
department last semester after
transferring from Bennett College.
For her, art is “freedom.” “Art
means go for it, express yourself,
and who cares.”
Ultimately, she wants to be a
curator for a major art gallery; the
student gallery is just the “tip of
the iceberg.” “Hopefully, I can
show my teachers, the students
and myself that I can do this,”
King-Hoard said. “On television,
being a curator looks easy, but it’s
not.”
She also hopes the gallery will
“expand” by adding carpet, in
stalling new lights, and painting
the w^s once again so it will look
“real.”
“We want people to walk into
this building and know that this is
an art department—and a good
one.
Pamela Ferguson: "Memories 11"
Quincy Anderson: (left) Untitled (right) "The Factory"
See Art/Page 3