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2 Campus Campus Echo Thursday, September 9,1999 North Carolina Central University More than just a press release ^ NCCU chapter BY Christine Newman ECHO STAFF WRITER It is 9:30 am. The day has already begun for the Public Relations Department stationed on campus, located next to the Administration Building. The office is cheery and bright; a large “Eagle’s Eye View” photograph of campus hangs on the wall. Work piles up on top of the secretary’s desk. The phone rings continuously. The staff is small—Carmelita Spicer, director of public relations, Robert Lawson, university photog rapher, and Cheryl George, a temp they hope to get on staff permanently. Promoting a positive image of the University takes time, energy and a love for the job. Many may or may not be aware of the daily goals, obstacles and achievements of this department or know what the Office of Public Relations do. Public Relations enhances the reputation of the University through the media, students and staff. The department mediates between the university and its constituencies. Spicer and her staff meet with media to get pos- tive media coverage. Public relations makes sure NCCU is covered and covered fairly. Spicer says recent media coverage, for instance, would be the recent fall convocation. Holding up a copy of the Durham Herald Sun that has a big pho tograph of alumni in full regalia, Spicer says that NCCU’s convocation attracted more coverage than Duke University’s convocation. , “It is never an eight-hour day. The media has access to my home number and they call all hours of the day for any pressing issue,” says Spicer. The media looks to Spicer for information on NCCU. “I will state the truth, but be fair in the assessment in reporting,” she adds. Each day the staff reads newspapers to stay abreast of media coverage. A news clipping service is used to ensure that the office gets all media cov Carmelita Spicer, director of public relations at N.C. Central University erage of the University. No one realizes the time it takes to develop a story, according to Spicer. The Office of Public Relations has to get the story, write a release, send e-mails, conduct follow-up phone calls, and make sure the press releases reach television and radio assignment desks. “It is far more than just a press release,” said Spicer earnestly. Much of the media material we receive on cam pus—The Vision Brochure, activities calendar, commercials, ads, recruitment brochures, and uni versity videos—all come from Public Relations. Robert Lawson takes all photographs we see in our catalogs and brochures for the Office of Public Relations, in addition to handling other university photography assignments. • “It is hectic... I serve every department,” said Lawson, adding that he works weekends and nights, attending special events. He also processes the film and distributes photo graphs to outside organizations. “People don’t realize how much I have to do, but I enjoy it,” said Lawson. Although some days are hectic, Lawson feels his job is rewarding. “I enjoy seeing how I can improve myself,” said Lawson. “When you enjoy something, it’s hard to wear you down.” The current goals of the office are to develop university publications and media in a way that supports a consistent university image, vision and mission. Public Relations is also responsible for promot ing the image for incoming students about the University. “But once they get here, when they are treated unfairly and have to wait in long lines, the positive image gets taken away from the word of mouth,” said Spicer. Spicer’s position is that Public Relations should be a collective effort. “The responsibility of the University is to become public relations,” says Spicer. “So many look to the department to do it all, but once the world gets here, we must show them through our actions.” Spicer’s position is that she cannot change the image of the University, but only support and pro mote the University. Negative comments can reach the media and reflects badly on NCCU. “There is a such thing as the power of the pen and spoken word: when they speak negatively it transcends, it becomes something larger,” says Spicer, adding that faculty, students and staff must be careful how we speak and what we say because we all are the official spokespeople for the University. Spicer is optimistic: “I do believe we are receiv ing more positive coverage... I think every action brings out a reaction and we have to choose in the actions that we take. So if we choose to think posi tively and act positively and support one another, I truly believe the actions we receive from each other, the community and the world will be posi tive and supportive of this great university.” By Sheon Little ECHO STAEE WRITER The N.C. Central University student chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has set objectives this year to increase student awareness of campus activities, increase political awareness and increase commu nity service, specifically services that reach out to the youth in the community. The University’s NAACP chapter advisers are Director of Administrative Services for Financial Affairs Mozell Robinson and Special Assistant to the Chancellor General George Walls. In April, NCCU junior Timothy Peterkin was elected president of the student chapter. Sheneka Douglass and Amanda Cheek were elected first and second vice president respectivelyValencia White was elected secretary and Danielle Tillman was elected treasurer. Dues are $10 for students under 21 and $15 for students 21 and over. More information can be obtained at a leadership conference scheduled for Sept. 11 in the Student Union from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The NCCU student chapter of the NAACP oper ates in conjunction with the Durham NAACP chap ter and other campus organizations. Earlier this year, Durham Chapter President Rev. Curtis Gatewood began his second term by announcing a drive to increase local membership from about 500 to over 2,000. At a news conference in January, Gatewood said that he felt confident that under his leadership, the NAACP could attract younger members. Currently, 70 percent of the NAACP's members are over 60. The NAACP was formed in 1909 in New York City by a small group of blacks and whites working together for social justice. Notqd African American activist, historian and teacher WE.B. Dubois and feminist anti-lynching crusader Ida Wells-Bamett were among the orga nization's original ranks. Bonds Continued from page i issue once the campaign jargon starts to fly. During the debate Sen. Virginia Foxx was cited in the News and Observer saying that “University people would rather drive Cadallacs than Chevrolets.” “I think it’s a serious mis take,” Keith Harrod, a former trustee at NC State. “I think it sends the message to the world that the state does n’t care about higher education, and that’s not the case.” Of the $3 billion, NCCU would have received $118 mil lion. $36.8 million would have gone towards tearing down the old Hillside school and build ing the new science complex. Annie Day Shepard Dormitory and Latham Hall would have received $7.2 million and $3.4 million respectively for reno vation and modernization. Another $250,000 was desig nated for the general campus master plan. This year both dorms have suffered rain dam age because of delapidated roofing and structual damage. NCCU Chancellor Julius Chambers expressed his dis appointment with the bond failure at the recent university convocation. As an example of how badly the university Yieeds the money. Chambers pointed out that after 40 years in the making, McClendon- McDougald Gymnas-ium is still not finished. Even with the failure of the bond package, UNC schools were not completely eliminat ed from the state budget, which included $69.5 million for renovations and repairs and a separate $20 million for improvements at UNC- Pembroke, NCCU, NC A&T, Elizabeth City, Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State. Last spring, university offi cials and legislators were shocked when a preliminary report by Eva Klein, a consult ant hired by the UNC system, stated that the universities needed a combined $6.9 bil lion in capital improvements. The report itemized a long list of repairs that were needed by buildings in the UNC system. “That is just mind-bog gling,” UNC President Molly Broad said, although she said she agreed with the recom mendations, according to the News and Observer. At the request of legislators, Klein whittled the list down to $5 billion over a five-year period, then later focused on her estimation of the most pressing needs, totaling 2.4 billion. A $3 billion package Shooting Continued from page i stopped by Lawson Street that evening, and visited separate houses. McLaurin told police that he went to Perry’s house while Shaun Hicks visited his father. When McLaurin arrived at Perry’s house, Ryles was there, and an argument between the two ensued. According to Perry, McLaurin had a gun, which he showed to one of Perry’s friends. Perry told the Herald-Sun she asked McLaurin, “What are you trying to prove by coming over here?” The argument spilled outside, which Ronald Hicte told investi gators he tried to defuse. According to the nephew, Ryals threatened to get his gun, then left with three females, including Perry. According to witnesses, Ryles and Perry returned short ly thereafter, and Ryles was holding a shot gun, which he attempted to take inside Hicks’ house. I didn’t think it was going to resort to this. — Marsha Perky NCCU SENIOR SHOT IN A DISPUTE BETWEEN HER BOYFRIEND AND A NEIGHBOR Hicks responded by pulling a gun and firing several shots in the direction of Ryles and Perry, according to the News and Observer. Ryles told police he fired two shots at Hicte. Speaking to a Herald-Sun reporter at the hospital the next day, Perrj' said that she was sur prised that such a minor incident escalated to the point it did. “I didn’t think it was going to resort to this,” Perry told the Herald-Sun. “I don’t want it to sound like it was a dispute over me. Sometimes people just do things to prove a point, and that’s what I think it was.” Perry declined requests for an interview with The Campus Echo, as did Campus Police Chief McDonald Vick, who said he was instructed by Public Relations Director Carmelita Spicer not to talk to the press about the incident. Student reaction to the inci dent has ranged from amuse ment, to apathy, to concern for student’s safety on campus. “To me it’s kind of scary,” NCCU freshman Celeste McGhee of Oxford told the Herald-Sun. “When I first got here, I already knew the perception of crime, but it seemed like it was going down. It really makes me not want to stay on campus any more.” The public perception of crime at NCCU, which was sparked last year by a series of on-campus armed robberies, may be what NCCU is trying to down play with its current press black out regarding the Aug. 16 inci dent. According to a 1998 uniform crime report obtained from the NCCU campus police, out of 16 N.C. Universities, NCCU tied for second with North Carolina State University in 1998 for total violent crimes, each having a total of 19. The highest was at Duke University, which had 24. At the time, N.C. State had an estimated student population of 7,920, while NCCU’s was 1,895. Duke’s estimated student popula tion in 1998 was 5,390. This is not the first time gun violence at NCCU and the effec tiveness of campus security, has come to the public’s attention: ■ On Aug. 30,1986, NCCU stu dent Anthony Wayne Bullock, 20, was found shot to death at Chidley Hall dormitory stairwell between the third and fourth floors. Bullock’s death appar ently resulted from a drug deal that had mmmmmmmmmmmmmm gone wrong. Bullock’s mother, Mazelle Bullock, filed suit against NCCU in 1987 for negligence in her son’s death, and was awarded $100,000 in 1989. ■ In 1990, Kenneth Jett Clark, 19, was shot and killed near the Alfonso Elder Student Union after he had spent less than a week on campus. ■ In 1992, Bernard M. Martin of Fayettevile pulled out a pistol at a campus and shot into a crowd of 30 people. Six students were shot, and three were trampled in the ensuing panic; none were killed. The shooting apparently ' stemmed from an argument that started when an unidentified man kissed another student’s girlfriend, according to the News and Observer. Two of the stu dents who were shot, Lisa Michelle Ferguson and Latonya Rogers, filed suit against NCCU for lack of adequate campus security. ■ In 1994, NCCU Eagle’s sopho more defensive back Robert Hood, 20, of Charlotte was shot in the hand and leg after a skir mish between NCCU football players and the assailant, a non student, ended in a chase through Chidley Hall that result ed in shots being fired. By the time campus police arrived on the scene, students were jeering at them, and police had to defuse a near riot. The football team had suf fered a personal loss due to gun Convocation Continued from page i from the long lines during regis tration to the competence of department workers. “We still have too many lines for registration, too much delay in hiring personnel, in pur chasing equipment or supplies, ana too little connection among departments,” Chainbers said. Chambers outlined a list of seven goals for the school to meet: the assumption of per sonal responsibility among stu dents and staff, improved aca demic standards, technology upgrades, sponsored research, increased participation in school programs, improved facilities and better communi cation between students and administration. Chambers encouraged mem bers of the NCCU community to increase their support of school programs, which he said would hasten the construction of new facilities for arts and sporting events. “How many times have you passed up the opportunity to attend a play, a choir concert, our jazz band’s performance or an athletic program?” Chambers asked the audience. “We are still arguing about our needs for additional facili ties...Unless you join with us in attending and supporting events, we will be a long time in getting these facilities.” Toward the end of his speech. Chambers challenged students to be responsible and to act as model citizens. “We have warned you about alcohol and drug use,” Chambers said, possibly refer ring to a recent sweep of drug users on campus. “We have talked with you about respect ing your colleagues. Why are we continuously throwing paper on the grounds, in hall ways? That shows no respect for ourselves or our fellow stu dents.” Chambers was born in 1936 in Mount Gilead, NC, a small, rural community east of Charlotte. He entered North Carolina Central University— then called North Carolina College—in 1954. In 1959 Chambers was admit ted to the Law School at the University of North Carolina. Opening, hisalaw practigq^in ^ 1964, Chambers was a key attor ney in the civil rights case Swann vs. Charlotte- Mecklenburg Board of Education, over school busing. During the speech, adminis-: trators, evidently worried that the sweltering heat in the gym would overcome Chambers, called in infirmary staff as a precaution. Dr. Jan Leigh- Fleming and Director of Student Health and Counseling Services, Carolyn Rogers escorted Chambers out of the gym immediately after he con cluded his address. violence a year before when sophomore tight end Derrick Boone was shot to death at a party in Northwest Durham. At the time, Boone was a criminal justice major and the father of a three-year-old child. ■ In 1997, freshman Aric Easterling, 19, was shot in the arm on Lawson Street after he refused a teenage armed rob ber’s demand for money. The cavalier attitude some seem to have toward gun vio lence these days has not gone unnoticed by NCCU’s adminis tration. In an effort to raise conscious ness about the issue , NCCU hosted a 1994 seminar titled “Facing Our Own Guns: The True Cost of Weapons Proliferation at Home and Abroad.” According to the News and Observer, approximately 75 peo ple attended the all-day confer ence, which was sponsored by liberal special interest groups, proponents of disarmament and gun control advocates. In his welcoming remarks, NCCU Chancellor Julius Chambers made a point to dis courage racial stereotyping when discussing gun violence. “A number of friends have told me they fear going to shop ping centers and other areas of public accomodation,” Chambers said. “Fear cuts across racial lines.” Chambers went on to decry crime legislation that empha sized incarceration and punish ment, while ignoring root caus es of crime, such as the easy availability of firearms. 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