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Issue 57
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC 27707
Wednesday, February 28,1996
Students
examine
'-isms' in
education
Campus Echo Staff
North Carolina Central
University education students are
using video cameras this semester to
look at the ways in which cultural
and social diversity affect education.
As participants in a 12-college
national project, which uses thename
“-ism,” to reflect its focus on such
issues as racism, sexism, and
classism, the NCCU students are
enrolled in Education 4950, entitled
“Using Video to Examine the ‘isms.”
The course is taught by Dr. Fran
Jackson, assisted by Everett Harper
and videogragher Gerald Edwards.
The students will produce two
videos: a brief video diary, and a
10-15 minute group video, in which
the students will look at their own
encounters with adverse responses
to the differences between people
and groups.
NCCU is the only historically
black university involved in the
project.
Dr. Beverly Jones, director of the
NCCU Institute for the Study of
Minority Issues, is the principal
investigator for the project and
represents the national project on
the NCCU campus.
Other colleges participating are
California State University at Los
Angeles, the Community College of
Denver, Loyola University of
Chicago, Oregon State University,
the University of North Carolina,
Pitzer College, Southwest Texas
State University, Tulane University,
the University of Maryland, and the
University of Utah.
The project is the result of
encounters between the developers
of the effort and teenage students
around the country.
Their conclusion: America’s
youth are deeply concerned about
diversity—^the differences between
individuals and groups—and the
painful conflicts which arise from
clashes of cultures and social mores.
The videos produced at the 12
campuses will be combined into a
nationwide broadcast which the
group hopes to air by October, 1996.
The goals of the project are to use
video documentary techniques as an
approach to diversity issues, to
strengthen teaching related to
diversity, to help students become
more reflective about their own
attitudes toward diversity, and to
initiate dialogue about diversity
issues on college campuses.
Trustees OK
increase in
Who’s in control?
Steve Cokely spoke to NCCU students on Thursday, Feb.
22, 1996 in the Student Union. Sponsored by the Junior
Class, he spoke about the effects of secret societies on the
new world order. Cokely spoke again Friday night at the
Know Book Store on Fayetteville Street.
By Alicia B. Williams
Managing Editor
The North Carolina Central
University board of trustees
approved a series of fee increases
on W ednesday, February 21,1996
that will amount to an extra $359
for students living on campus.
Boarding students will pay
$109 more for regular rooms and
$209extra for air conditioned ones.
On-campus housing will be S1,600
a year.
The increased charges will help
repay a $3 million federal loan
used for renovations and a $5.9
million bond for a new men’s
dormitory.
In addition to this increase for
residential improvement, the
education and technology fee will
escalate from $59.50 to $200 a
year. Both actions will be added to
student bills in the fall.
The additional $560,350 raised
from technology fees will be used to
open threehew computer laboratories.
Computer lab moniter Ulysses
Hicks is. in support of the fee increase
if changes are made immediately.
“When school starts in the fall, I
want to see brand new functioning
computers in the English Department
computer lab,” he said. “But if the
results can not be seen next year, I
don’t want them taking my money,”
The administration circulated a
survey asking students their opinion
of the higher technological fee and
said that two-thirds approved.
English major Dam ion Wright said,
“I think it is good that some students
will benefit from the fee increase, but
I also feel it is unfair that upperclassmen
probably will not see any change while
they are here.”
Durham City Council rich with NCCU ties
City Council has
first African-American
majority since 1991
By Michael Cromartie
Echo Reporter
It has been nearly three months
since Durham welcomed its new
city council, which is rich with
North Carolina Central University
ties. The new class includes recent
grads Angela Langley and Ty Cox.
Langley and Cox join NCCU
sociology professor and Mayor Pro
Tern Isaac Robinson, Diane
Wright, HowardClement, Cynthia
Brown, Paul Miller and Floyd
McKissick, Jr., to form an 8-5
African-American majority for the
first time since 1991.
“I’m looking forward to
serving,” said Ty Cox of Ward 4.
“It’s a good opportunity to do
something to help people.”
At 24, Cox, a 1994 graduate of
NCCU, is the youngest member
on the council.
What will the change of tide
mean for African-Americans
within a city that is predominantly
Black?
“I’m just waiting to see,” said
Durham native Christine
Strudwick, vice chairperson of
North Carolina’s Fair Share
Organization.
Mayor Pro Tern Robinson can
only see positive results frm the
new majority.
“The conventional thinking of
the council is that if you havd seven
Mayor Pro Tern Issac Robinson works at his desk
votes that you can depend on, you
have control of the policy making
process,” he said. “Given that, one
would assume that the African-
American agenda can now be put
forth.”
Robinson said that holding on to
the gains made by African-
Americans in the 1960’sand 1970’s
will be the agenda for Blacks on the
local, state and federal levels of
government.
“Hanging on to affirmative
action and continuing human
service programs that impact on
poor people and African-
Americans definitely heads the
agenda,” said Robinson.
Other issues of concern include
the restoration of some local
neighborhoods.
Robinson said, “Being able to
pass aiiother bond issue that would
allow us to continue our
neighborhood revitalizations is also
very important.”
Not everyone is quick to predict
Mumni
Issac Robinson
Hometown: Durham, NC
Major: Sociology, NCCU, 1962
Ph.D, NCSU, 1979
Mayor Pro-Tern
City-Council at Large .
Angela Langley
Ward 2
Ty Cox
Hometown:
Elizabeth City, NC
Major: Accounting,
NCCU 1994
Ward 4
the success of the new council.
“At this point, it’s questionable,”
said NCCU community service
coordinator Harris Johnson.
Johnson, who unsucessfully
ran for city council 20 years
ago, has been a follower of city
government.
“What they will accomplish
remains to be seen,” he said. “It
depends on how in tune they are
with the needs of people,
particularly low income people.”
Public housing has become a
big issue, not only in Durham, but
around the country,” said
Robinson. “What’s happening is
that we are realizing that building
these large housing complexes, of
500 or 600 residents, has been a
failure.”
According to Robinson, the
new council will propose a
solution which would decentralize
public housing.
The plan is to place smaller,
nicely built townhouses around
different parts of the city.
The city council calls for more
Blacks to become involved in city
government.
NCCU Residence director
Marshall Thompson feels that
minority involvement in local
government has traditionally been
stable.
“In Durham, African-
Americans refuse to be spectators;
they are active participants in the
political arena,” Marshall said.
The terms of four of the eight
Blacks on the council end in 1997.
That leaves nearly two years
before Blacks have to campaign
to maintain control of the city
council.
While opinions on the council
vary, it still remains to be seem
how effective the new majority
will be.