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Campus Campus Echo Thursday, November 18,'1999 North Carolina Central University Technological revolution: Whose? ‘Digital divide’ examined at video conference By JACQUELINE LIVINGSTON ECHO STAFF VVRITER Oct. 27 was no ordinary day for 50 N.C. Central students, who participated in an HBCU teleconference from 7-9 p.m. in the Shepard Library Conference room. )The teleconference explored the low numbers of minority participation in the technology revolution. The topic—what’s being called the “digital divide”—is a matter of growing concern in minority communi ties. Other universities partici pating included Florida A&M, Howard University, N.C. A&T and Xavier. Communications scholar, Juliet Storr, a visiting profes sor in the Department of English, made the arrange ments so that her students in Media and Society could par ticipate in the teleconference. Storr has done research in international communication in Nassau, Bahamas, her home. The video teleconference had a short presentation by William E. Kennard, chairman of the FCC. After this there were short video clips address ing a number of issues related to the technology revolution and minority participation in new technologies. Other panelists included Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., president of the Rainbow / Push Coalition; Sherry Bellamy, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic Maryland; Tim Reid, CEO of New Millenium Studio, and Bill Duke, film director and Chair of the Department of Radio-TV- Film at Howard University. SBA loans, websites, stocks and finance were topics dis cussed. Reid told students that they needed to understand tech nology and how important it is to business and business rela tionships. “We need to learn how to conquer computer technology [and] get on the investment end,” Jackson said. “It’s about money and technology and Legislator urges students to use right to vote By Gary Tate ' ECHOSTAE^WRrTER" ?ri?. ?V',- “Politics plays a role in everything you do,” said Henry M. Micheaux during his speech at the Freshmen Forum in.the B.N. Duke audi torium on Nov. 4. “African- American students must stand erect and proud and unafraid to think and act for them selves—it is our heritage.” Micheaux, an African American, is an eleven-term legislator in the N.C. General Assembly. He expressed hap piness to return to his alma mater. As a member of the N.C. General Assembly, Micheaux plays a major role helping NCCU get the resources needed for projects like the Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, the new education building, and the new residence halls. “You can go out and com plain. You can always be a part of the problem, but you shirk your duty when you refuse to become a solution to the problem. And that solution is very simple—do your civic duty. Vote,” stressed Micheaux. He brought this issue home to the freshmen at the forum by discussing state funding of NCCU. Saying that NCCU is slated to receive $142 million if there is enough political pressure to ensure that NCCU gets its fair share of the $6.9 billion bond issue. “That will determine the Gary TATE/Staff Photographer Rep. Henry M. Micheaux addresses students at the Freshman Fbrum at B.N. Duke Auditorium. quality of life you live, where you live and how you live it,” said Micheaux. “When you vote you can exert influence and have the power to get the things that you and your community need and to get those things we have been denied so much in the past. Too many people died and fought for you to have the right to cast a vote that will determine where you go tomorrow ... the only way the government operates is by the people who put it there. Sharpe Continued from page i and they loved her. She will be missed.” According to N.C. Foundation accountant Yvonne Fisher, Sharpe always had time to talk to anyone who came in. “If anyone came in with a problem, she would try to direct you to the best resources,” Fisher said. “She was a take charge, get it organized kind of person,” said Richardson. Sharpe’s most recent accom plishment with the foundation was the'third annual Art Gala and Auction which she attended despite her illness. The gala, which covered works from Romeare Beardon to Ernie Barnes, and local artists, raised funds for student scholarships. Sharpe also worked on events for the Durham Historic Preservation and the Triangle Chapter of Needs. Her outside interests included music, painting and a variety of community activities, such as fair housing and promoting sickle cell anemia testing. “She was a confidant to many. Many secrets was buried when we buried Sylvia,” said Fisher. Sharpe is survived by her mother, Geretha Burgin and sis ter, Phyllis Johnson. Bennie Russell, Ju-IStaff Photographer NCCU students take notes at a teleconference in Shepard Library. The topic - whether access to technology is being offered equally to minorities - was discussed with students from four other HBCUs. financing technology.” Students from the HBCUs were able to call in questions and have their concerns addressed by the panelists. “It covered important issues that are relevant to blacks advancing in technology,” said Ebony East, history junior. Storr recommended that all universities, not just HBCUs, participate in the discussion of digital diversity. “I would rec ommend the video conference to all universities, if you really want to diversify and have diversity, you don’t aim it at yourselfi that’s not diversity.” HBCU faculty salaries fall short of average By Monique Perry ECHO STAFF WRITER According to a study of 61 Historically Black Colleges and Universities compiled by the American Association of University Professors, faculty salaries at HBCU’s rose 4.1% this past year. But the HBCU faculty salary average still falls short of the national average. NCCU and North Carolina A&T University have the highest faculty salary average of all North Carolina HBCUs surveyed. Overall, the average salary for a professor at an HBCU is $43,500, compared to an all-insti tutional average of $56,300. The study also indicates that there is a direct correlation between the salary gap and position. For example, there is approxi mately a $3,700 difference between the HBCU and all insti tutional average in the associate professor position, compared to the $25,600 gap in the full profes sor position. Industry analysts attribute part of this trend to newly-hired pro fessors getting higher base salaries than their tenured coun terparts. “In my view, this trend is called ‘salary compression’ which is when current faculty raises are not high enough to account for inflation and the higher base salaries being offered today, said Dr. Michelle Ware, assistant professor in the English department. “Most universities do recog nize this problem and are trying to correct it. In my initial year at the university I have seen how hard professors work with stu dents and the inadequate facili ties that we have ... they all deserve more compensation.” Institutionally, the highest fac ulty average is at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania with a salary average of $61,600 year ly- Philander Smith College in Arkansas reports the lowest average with $25,900. North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T University are tied for the highest HBCU faculty average in North Carolina of $52,000. Barber- Scotia College in Concord has the lowest salary average of $32,000. Hank Nelson, a senior busi ness management major from Durham, had this to say on the findings: “I am shocked that NCCU has one of the highest salary averages. Our professors are underpaid because they have to teach more classes and work with limited resources than their counterparts at white insti tutions and get paid less.” On the administrative front, of the 25 positions surveyed, half were HBCUs with higher salary averages than the all-institution al average. For example, an admissions counselor at an HBCU averages $30,050 per year compared to the all-institutional average of $26,000. Although these statistics are pos itive, HBCUs still lag behind other institutions in faculty pay. This trend may be attributed to many factors including lack of government funding and alumni support. More information is available in the March/April issue of Academe, a publication of the American Association of University Professors. Campus Echo Earn service hours @ the Echo Build your resume @ the Echo Rise to the challenge @ the Echo 530 7116 CampusEcho@wpo.nccu.edu Faculty Continued from page i to lead them to the door possi bility,” said Parker. According to Parker the fac ulty needs to “reclaim its voice” and “get involved in running the shop.” “We can no longer be a rub ber stamp,” he said- After Parker, Wendell Wilkerson, associate professor and chemistry chair, com plained that his department lacks the resources to do their job. “We’re tired of reaching into our pockets to buy paper and supplies,” he said. He was concerned about where academic funds were going. “Between the granting and the receiving, it disap pears,” he said. “What is hap pening here,” he said, “ is morally wrong.” And what is happening, he suggested, is that “somebody is playing shell games with academic funds.” Next Virginia Politano, chair of the physical education department, complained that she lacks funding for the well ness program and the swimming pool. Last year she spent $4,000 of her own money to meet her departments basic needs, she said. The deans are fighting as hard as the chairs to address this problem, she said. “Chairs have no power, just paperwork,” she said. Wilson spoke next. He want ed to know where the money goes when positions are vacat ed. He said faculty need to demand to be a part of the process, that students are being allowed to run the school. NCCU he said, “has a tendency not to face its problems ... we need to deal with what we need to deal with .. we need to cut the sore and let the infection heal.” “I’ve got a negative balance for faculty health insurance and a negative balance for faculty salaries,” said Deborah Parker, associate professor and chair of the human sciences depart ment. ' “We have some tremendods problems,” said Melvin Carver, associate professor and chair of the art department complained. “We can’t fix the simple prob lems,” he said explaining that a $10,000 roof repair was allowed to fester until it became a $J.' million repair. “We had bigger operating budget 20 years ago,” said ' Isabel Chiquor, associate prd- fessor of art. After almost two hours of dis cussion, Wilkerson pushed the group to outline future actions. Suggestions included: energiz ing the faculty senate, reinsti tuting general faculty meetings, mass actions, outlining specffic concerns and taking them to 'the Chancellor’s cabinet meeting. Carmelita Spicer, director of public relations, said dialogqe is important, but she advised the group to be careful about “airing our dirty laundry” to the media. The media are present at the Chancellor’s cabinet meeting, she said. Several faculty members rejected this suggestion saying that we needed more, not less, openness. “Even the people on the buses know about the cafe teria fight,” said Wilson, refut ing the possibility keeping insti tutional problems internal. “All avenues must be fol-. lowed,” said Arlene Clift- Pellow, chair of the English department. “We can be posi tive and constructive, but we must speak up and keep our. sense of urgency.” H B R I E F Civil rights seminar at Law Schooi examines student searches T he NCCU School of Law Civil Rights Class holds its last seminar in its 10th Annual Civil Rights Seminar series on Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. in room 100 of the School of Law. “Whether the use of security devices and searches of stu dents at public school facilities violate the constitutional rights of students?” is the topic. For additional information, contact Professor Irving Joyner at 560- 6293. —Campus Echo staff Freshmen First seeks faculty and staff to mentor students F reshmen First wants you to mark your calendar for noon Dec. 7. The program needs faculty and staff to help with its mentoring program. , Freshman First targets freshi men having academic difficulty and helps them adjust to aca demic life. Workshops are in.the Student Services Building, room 123. Call 530-7492 for more information. —Christine Newrhan Fall jazz concert tonight T he Jazz Studies Program is presenting its annual fall concert in B.N. Duke Auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 18. The concert will feature the Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz Combo and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble^ This is their first major per- , formance since returning froip the Montreux Jazz Festival in^ Switzerland and the Vienne Jazz Festival in France. The concert is at 8 p.m. It is free and open to the public. For more ~ information contact Ira Wiggins at 560-6369. —Campus Echo staff Expert Testimony "The professional training I received in the Meredith College Legal Assistants Program has proved invaluable in equipping me to meet my professional and career goals. Enrolling in the program was one of the best decisions I ever made." — LAP graduate Carol Ha\xlcn, Vice.President, liiN'cstors Title Exchange Cotporation ABA-Approved Para[egal Certificate Program For College Graduates One-scniestcr or Two-semester Programs available ' Jiiinuny 200'0. Admissions Dciullinc:. Novcmbci' 19'-M Legal Assistants Program MEREDITH c o L 1. F, c; f: 3800 Hillshoroitgh Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-3208 (.OIO) /60-2835 • paralegal@meredith.edu • \v\\vv.meredith.edu Meredith College admits qualified students without regard to race, creed: national or ethnic origin, gender, age, or disability.
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