PAGE 2
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
DECEMBER 3, 1992
Editorials
Who Makes It
Happen At NCCU?
There are three types of people in the world: those who
make it happen, those who don’t make it happen; and those
who wonder what the hell happened.
Unfortunately, our campus has all three.
We are dismayed at the lack of participation in campus
activities and the apathy of the student body.
Those who try to give the student body something to do often
try in vain because students don’t show up.
The Echo is a prime example.
As a student newspaper, we cannot function without the
student body.
It is true that students read the paper.
We produce 3,000 copies of each edition and are pleased
they tend to disappear rapidly, but we need more feedback on
what you think of the paper and what you think about the issues
we report.
We have only received a handful of letters to the editor this
semester and our guest forum, open to anyone, is hard to fill.
We need more staff as well — reporters, artists, photogra
phers, salespersons and a distribution team.
Thus, we are soliciting more student support.
We are currently in the process of buying more equipment to
print national and state news and provide more insight into
world views. Soon it could be possible to produce a weekly
edition of The Campus Echo, but we can’t do it without help
from you.
Currently, we have less than 10 people on staff that attempt
to cover a student population of 5,500.
What are you contributing to the student body?
Get involved. Make your voice count and build up NCCU.
We make it happen.
Do you?
5
I Jesus Is The Reason
y For The Season
As children, many of us remember waiting anxiously oh •
Christmas Eve for the big, Caucasian man in the red suit to
,, come flying down the chimney with bags full of gifts. That
. night was much too long, but you never went to sleep without
leaving Santa cookies and milk, so he would not be tired for the
t other children.
 As you got older,you realized with amazement and disap-
- pointment that the gifts that you received every year were not
fmm .Santa, hut were the results of the hard work of your
• mother, father, grandparents or guardians. After the initial
' disgriintlements it began to be an even more beautiful experi-
' ence when you realized the effort and love being placed on this
single event.
Along the way, perhaps things got misplaced or left out
about the true meaning and purpose of Christmas. Instead of
celebrating the wondrous and important birth of Christ, some
began to just view it as a day to receive gifts.
Christmas, is a celebration of the birth of Christ and all that
he has done for us. That is the joyous occasion. Jesus is the
reason for the season, giving is the reason for the season,
• thanking your parents for all they have done, and friends for all
■ the trust, love and faith given to you is the reason for the
• season.
As you lie in your bed on Christmas Eve and reflect that
Christmas isn’t the same now that you are older, realize this. It
is not the presents you receive. You can receive many gifts and
still not know the true meaning of giving and receiving gifts. It
is the spirit in which you give to others and the love that comes
from within that make the difference. Think about others
during Christmas, especially those less fortunate than you, and
do what you can to make their holiday more enjoyable. Christ
mas is for everyone, the poor, the rich, the incarcerated, the
handicapped, the homeless.
Do you know the reason for the season?
It’s never to late to learn.
Have a safe and happy holiday.
The Campus Echo
The Student Newspaper of North Carolina Central University
Editor-in-Chief-Jason Williams
Associate Editor-Dezniona Mizelle
Business Manager-Yolanda Alexander
Entertainment Editor-Reginald Jones
Layout Editor-Sereion Humphrey
Sports Editor-Lyndon Phillip
News Editor-Maurice Crocker
StaffWriter-Anita D. Spivey
Guest Forum
A Reflection Of Benson’s Term
As 1992 comes to a close,
so to does the reign of Dr. Donna J.
Benson as Interim Chancellor of
North Carolina Central University.
Dr. Benson has provided the Uni
versity with leadership, enthusiasm,
and tenacity. Recognizing that prob
lems remain. Dr. Benson neverthe
less feels that we have all made
substantial progress this year. “Dr.
Shepard left a legacy , of triumph
over adversity, which has product
a resilient commitment to this insti
tution throughout this community,”
she said. “A lot of people have
worked very hard to move this Uni
versity forward, and for that I am
very grateful.”
Her first speaking engage
ment to the NCCU Academic Com
munity was at the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day CelelM-ation at B.N.
Duke Auditorium. She talked 9bout
college students and their search for
meaning in life. Stating that far too
many people wore Malcolm X
paraphernalia without understand
ing him and his philosophies, she
challlenged NCCU students to read
Tlte Autobiography of Malcolm X
in its entirety.
Last spring she appointed
a Chancellor’s Advisory Council
of elected Student Govbttiiher*
Leaders. ^Tfe- Advisofy Council
serves as a gbdd means ofTtttemal
commimication and allows the
University to further sui^rt stu
dents who serve the University in
various leadership capacities while
simultaneously completing their
degrees.
One of her first actitHis as
interim chancellor was to rescind
the “no deferment, no postpone
ment” tuition and fee policy. “The
Cabinet worked very hard to de
velop an installment paymrait plan
for families with hardships. This
has enabled many students to con
tinue to enroll in NCCU who might
not have been able to attend other
wise. We hope this proves to be a
good payment policy.”
One area of concern to Dr.
Benson upon arriving on campus
was die seciirity of Uie NCCU aca-
degfio community>-,S|^rdefineds
i Oaigpias security as “a Uniyersity-
wide responsibility” and work^
with Acting Chief of University
Police Rened Lynch, who empha
sized crime prevention, to estab
lish a cooperative relationship with
the Durham Police Department
This fall she has worked with newly
appointed Chief Anthony Purcell
to establish a Crime Stoppers Pro
gram and to double the number of
NCCU police officers. Changes
have included improved lighting
and a ban on high school football
games at ni^t
Prior to Commencement,
the Senior Class presented Dr.
Benson with a request to have their
names called during the ceremony.
Many groaned and complained that
the ceremony was extremely long,
and this facet would make it even
; ;]ongef. Dr. Benson disagreed, and
in a record time of ^8 minutes,
Provost Mickey L. Burnim and
Dean John Sekora called the names
of more than 500 marching gradu
ates. We were all pleasantly sur
prised by the efficiency of the cer
emony planned by Dr. Marvin
Duncan and the faculty marshals.
Working with what she
calls the “hardest working recruit-
rnent team in America,” in Febru-
ai^. Dr. Benson established a fall
See BENSON, page 3
Letters To The Edito
Dear Editor
This year at Homecoming 1 was
elated over the football team’s vic
tory. However, I wad furious over
the fact that during the game rec
ognition was not given to the other
athletic teams with successful sea
sons. This does not come as a sur
prise considering I have partici
pated on a team that has had much
success on a conference and on a
national level and has never re
ceived proper recognition.
Any person familiar with the
history of this institution can recall
the years in which numerous Olym
pic champions were members of
NCCU’s track and field team. Since
then, the renown track and field
team has brought national and in
ternational recognition to this great
institution.
Personally, I am QAA Cross
Country Champion for two con
secutive seasons (including this
season), CIAA hidcror sand Out
door Champion, a four time NCAA
Division II All-American, and a
1992 U.S. Olympic Trials Provi
sional Qualifier. There are other
members of the team that have
achieved All-American status as
well. During the 1992 indoor sea
son two members of the Lady Track
and Field Team placed eight as a
team in the NCAA Division II
Nationals.
I understand that cross country
and track and field are “non-rev
enue” sports, but if we are win
ning, why not give recognition
where it is due? This year’s the
women’s volleyball team (another
“non-revenue” sport) beat top-
ranked St Augustine’s College in
die CIAA tournament ending a
successful season. Neither volley
ball or cross country received any
recognition, not so much as a write
up in the Campus Echo.
The Cross Country and Track
and Field teams have had extraor
dinary performances on a confer
ence and national level without the
spoils that other athletic teams have
received. We have also utilized
our facilities on campus and not
use improper facilities as an ex
cuse when we were not successful.
Do not misinterpret what I have:
stated. I am a firm supporter of all i
NCCU athletic teams. It is my be
lief that each individual in the ath- •
letic program is a wirmer. How
ever, maybe we should give more:
recognition to the “true champi
ons.”
Sincerely,
Evangela Booker
Dear Editor:
In the local News & Observer,
the NCCU Student Body President
was at a rally Raleigh in October
was quoted as saying: “ . .. we
See LETTERS, page 3
Our Policy On Letters
The Campus Echo welcomes letters from students,
faculty, administrators and anyone else interested in the
North Carolina Central University community. Letters
must be no more than 300 words in length. The editors
of The Campus Echo reserve the right to edit all letters
for correctness and length. Address your letters to The
Campus Echo, Department of English, North Carolina
Central University, Durham, NC 27707.
How To Publicize Your Club
Or Organization In The Echo
The Campus Echo publishes news of campus meetings and
events, achievements, honors and activities of students, faculty
and staff. If you want your activity or event to be written up in the
Echo, just send a news release or fact sheet to The Campus Echo,
c/o The Department of English, NCCU.' We encourage you to
send photographs when they are available. Let us hear from you.