PAGE 2...THE VOICE...FEBRUARY 17, 1971
... AGAINST ODDS ...
(Continued from page I)
students were aware
of possible action that
might be taken by the
administration, “I must
give you the facts of
events up to now, not be
cause of fear of fail
ure, but because I re
spect you as men and wo
men who can make their
own decisions and stand
by them. If the school is
closed, I am not solely
responsible for what hap
pens to 1400 men and wo
men. I will not set
myself up to be a super
man. In this situation,
each of us must be aware
of what is at stake. Take
a position, make a de
cision, and accept the
consequences. It is stu
pid to take no position.
Positions should reflect
the way you feel today
and tomorrow.”
He continued to warn
the students, “This
school has declined as
an educational institu
tion, with Lyons here. If
he is allowed to stay and
continue his policies and
practices, things will get
worse, not better. Are
you ready to follow our
present course even if it
means closing the school
until we get what we
want?” Loud applause
rang from the students
as they showed their full
support of the issues at
stake.
“I will not lead you
blindly. I can only give
you the possibilities as I
Amost $3 million to
ward a $5 million build
ing program for Fayette
ville State U niversity
has been recommended
by Governor Bob Scott
in the capital improve
ments budget presented to
the 1971 General As
sembly.
The building program
includes new academ
ic building and a 450-stu-
dent dormitory.
The total building pro
gram is $4,924,000, of
which $2,999,000 will be
paid, if approved, by the
state.
The 100,000 square-
foot dormitory at FSU
will cost $1,980,000,but
will be self-liquidating
with rents paying off the
cost of the project.
FSU officials had re
quested a capital im
provements budget of
$8,507,000.
The 88,000 square-foot
academic building will
house 100 classrooms, 40
offices, an assembly
room and a theater to
seat 250 persons. It will
also include a language
laboratory and a curri
culum library.
The building will pro
vide space for business
education, English edu
cation, foreign language,
speech and theater and
social science class
rooms, and offices for
special programs and
counseling.
Other approved bud
get items include a new
$205,000 communication
center. It will be convert-
see them. We must be
ready to deal with the al
ternatives of closing the
school.”
Nesby reminded the
students that all may
not be lost, "There is a
brighter side of the
coin. We MAY continue
to be sick until our de
mands are met, or until
our “sickness’ nulifies
the need for President
Lyons, or for a presi
dent \^ilo is hindering stu
dents and preventing them
from obtaining an educa
tion. We may, by our ef
forts, rescue this insti-
tuion from a gradual, but
certain, death.”
Mr. Nesby reminded
the students of their
rights of expression,
“Each of us has a stake
in this institution, there
fore each of us should
have a right to express
his or her opinion, pro
or con. I request that
we respect each others’
opinions. After discus
sion, we shall either re
commit ourselves, or
tuck our tails and run.”
Again, the mass of stu
dents sent up their cheers
of support.
The floor was open for
questions and discussion.
“Has the President
given us a statement?”
asked a student.
“No, not up to this
time,” Nesby answer
ed.
"Shouldn’t we have a
meeting with the Board of
Trustees or with the
President?”
"At a meeting with the
ed from a portion of the
old library and will in
clude studios, editing
and conference rooms,
and facilities for the
preparation of radio and
television programs.
The governor’s budget
calls for a $100,000 ren
ovation of the Mitchell
Building into a labora
tory kindergarten. This
will aid the University’s
early childhood educa
tion program.
The budget includes
$40,000 for landscaping
the east campus; $80,000
for road and a walk
way work, parking and
street lights; $65,000 for
repairs to existing build
ings; $15,000 for drain
age system extensions;
and $34,000 for a secur
ity system in the library.
Among the requested
items not recommend
ed for funding are a $2.75
million science building;
an $89,000 new presi
dent’s house; and a $170,
000 renovation of J. W.
Seabrook Auditorium.
The new science build
ing requested by univer
sity officials, called for
classrooms and labora
tories for chemistry,
physics, and biology stu
dents. The budget also
turned down requests for
$287,000 air condition
ing for certain build
ings on campus; $150,000
for land acquisition; $107,
000 to renovate the ath
letic field; $80,000 for a
biology greenhouse; $15,
000 for equipping the new
President yesterday, he
took us in circles. He
posed a threat to me per
sonally. He informed us
that the students did not
hire him, therefore they
could not fire him. But
we are not firing him,
we are asking him to
LEAVE,” Nesby stated.
One of the students
commented, “He loves
prestige and being pres
ident of this university,
so he will not close it.
We should call his bluff I”
"Who closes the
school?” asked another
student.
"The Board does,” an
swered Nesby, "But it is
composed of people who
are almost senile and do
not understand black
young people. They do not
really know what is hap
pening on this campus.
When they want informa
tion, they only go to the
one person they THINK
knows what is going on.”
Another student spoke,
“With Dr. Bishop gone,
the history majors have
no business going to
class!” A loud positive
reaction came from the
students.
A comment came from
another student, "I saw
Dr. Lyons in one of the
classroom buildings the
other day and I said to
him, ‘I’m praying for
you,’ He said, ‘I’m pray
ing alsol ’ ” Laughter
came from the students.
Nesby added, “I’m pray
ing for Dr. Lyons too,
that he gets the hell out of
here.”
Plaudits for
Lyceii m
The family body of FSU
and the friends of the sur
rounding community were
held in awe and eager
anticipation when the
Houston Ballet gave the
audience a well - per
formed performance last
November in the J. W.
Seabrook Auditorium.
I think the performance
was indeed entertaining.
It started a drive in
some of the members of
the audience to want to
see more ballets and
other performances of the
finer arts. This was the
first ballet many stu
dents had ever seen.
Some made last minute
plans to attend after sur
veying the dull TV fare
for the evening, and were
glad they did. These same
students later felt proud
to be among the students
and members of the pub
lic that attended.
A round of applause
goes to the Lyceum pre
sentation of the perfor
mance of the Houston Bal
let.
HAHDUER
J LITTLE SQUEEZE!
administration building;
$50,000 for four new
tennis courts; and $115,
000 for enclosing the
ground floor of the li
brary.
A student noticed the
errors that were made
by the press in reporting,
“If those reporters can t
come over here and get
the stuff right, tell them
to get the hell off cam
pus.”
Discussion was ended
and Mr. Nesby addressed
the group, "Do we want
to go back to class?”
A loud NO came from
the audience. "Do we
want to continue this po
sition?” An enthusiastic
YES rang out from the
students with loud ap
plause.
Nesby added, "Then I
can say that the students
want to continue with this
position and not submit
until our demands are
met! We just have to wait
and expect anything.”
He continued, "It is
very important that dur
ing the time we are
"sick” that we use that
time positively and edu
cate our minds. We are
here to learn and want
the best atmosphere that
is condusive for learn
ing. This present at
mosphere is not the best
and is causing the sick
ness.”
He asked for further
comments, "I can only
preseume that anyone
who has not spoken his
mind is in agreement. I
have given you time to
express yourself. The
floor is open for further
discussion.”
One student express
ed himself, "Brothers
and Sisters, you had bet
ter get hip, because when
this ship goes down, you
are going with us.” Active
positive reactions came
from the students with
continuing applause of
support.
. RALEIGH MEETING .
(Continued from page 1)
body $1500.00 to be spent
in chartering 20 buses to
Raleigh. In this case, 1000
students could meet with
the Board of Higher Edu
cation and impress upon
them that our complaints
are real and our prob
lems with Lyons are very
serious.
In the concluding por
tion of the meeting, the
students voted to continue
to be "sick”, and to go
as a mass representa
tion to Raleigh. A meet
ing date and time with
the Board of Higher
Education is to be plan
ned. The students will
issue a statement to the
press to clarify the stu
dent position, and to cor
rect any misconceptions
may have been formed by
concerned citizens. They
will remain non-violent,
so the President will have
no legal grounds for ac
tion against the students.
We’re learning to “Play
politics” and be alert
and cautious, just as he
has been for a long,
long time. He taught us
the rules of the "Ball
game” quite welll
The students are unit
ed under the leadership
of the Student Govern
ment Association, not
some faction. Lyons has
to deal with this legal
representive body, and
cannot dismiss us quite
so easily as he has done
with any one else who
opposed him.
About Mustard
Mustard originally came from
Asia, but today much of the
world’s production comes from
North Amcrica, particularly Cali
fornia and Montana.
In closing, one of the students read a poem she
had written about the situation. It was titled, “Black
Students Ruled by Insane Fool”. An active re
action came from the students as they listened to
the lines of the poem. It seemed to express their
collective feelings quite well. A couple of lines
were, "Just like a coffee pot needs a spout. We
need to get Charlie Lyons out!” and another, “If
insanity was electricity. He would be a walking power
house!”
James Waters closed the meeting by reading
poems of Langston Hughes; “Motto”, “Dream De
ferred”, "Who But the Lord”, and “Ghost of 1619”.
FSU Board of Trustees
wants local autonomy
The Board of Trustees of Fayetteville State Uni
versity favors maintaining local autonomy and a sep
arate board of trustees for each university in the
North Carolina higher education system.
The board issued a statement on Gov. Scott’s call
for a new centralized university system.
“We would favor a new structure such as a co
ordinating board, commission or council, to provide
order, unity and planning in higher education, and
to have power over such things as program approval
and budgets at each institution,” the FSU board said
in a statement.
"At the same time, we believe that the autonomy
of each institution should be maintained, including the
retention of its local board of trustees, ” the board
said.
It continued, "Much of what is viable and good in
higher education results from the existence of a
climate which encourages initiative and innovation at
the institutional level.”
The governor’s call for restructuring of the higher
education in the state has brought varied response
from institutions across the state, mostof them offer
ing guarded support, such as the FSU statement.
East Carolina University’s board has called
Scott’s proposal “a step backward for North Caro
lina,” but agreed to cooperate with a study of the
higher education structure.
REST LEFT TO LEGISLATURE
Gov. OK's $3 million for FSU