Speaking For Ourselves
The Voice
February, 1985
Plans Continue For
Black State Historic Site
By Bev Smith
Historic Sites News Bureau
RALEIGH—Plans to develop North
Carolina's First Black State Historic Site are
progressing. The site, called Charlotte
Hawkins Brown Memorial State Historic
Site, will be located at the old Palmer
Institute in Sedalia, east of Greensboro.
The site's program is intended to focus on
the contributions Black North Carolinians
have made, particularly in education. The
site will include a permanent exhibition on
Charlotte Hawkins Brown, restorations of
historic structures, and a Black History
Center with facilities for the collection,
study, exhibition, and interpretation of
black cultural history in North Carolina.
Project director, Annette Gibbs, and
researcher, Charles Wadelington, of the
historic sites staff in Raleigh will link the
proposed historic site to the larger themes of
black education and social history. “Much
has been accomplished since the inception of
the project in August, 1983, and we are very
excited about interpreting black history to
the citizens of our state,” explained Gibbs.
“Everywhere I go people tell me they are
unaware of the contributions black North
Carolinians have made, not just in education
but in all areas of life. The Charlotte
Hawkins Brown Memorial will emphasize
this and give the people of our state and
other states too a new awareness.”
Gibbs feels that Dr. BrGwn stands as a
symbol for what many North Carolinians
did to uplift the Black race. “We want to
honor both well known citizens such as Dr.
Brown and little knrtwn artisans,
(continued on page 5)
Construction Of New Library
To Get Underway Soon
By Margaret Phillips
The new Fayetteville State University
library will begin construction in late spring
or early summer of 1985. It will be located on
the vacant lot between the Butler Building
and the Continuing Education Building. It
will continue to be named Chestnut Library.
The estimated cost is eight million dollars.
Occupancy of the new library is expected in
the spring of 1987. The old library will be
closed down and probably used for
something else.
One of the main reasons for the need of a
new library is space. Chestnut Library was
originally built to store 90,000 to 100,000
volumes. It now has over 150,000 volumes.
New services will be provided by the new
library. It will contain a computerized
circulation system. In lieu of a card catalog a
computer terminal will be used. Audio
visual services such as films, filmstrips, video
tapes, and a listening room will be provided.
The interior of the library will be designed by
a black architect from Greensboro.
Fleming Speaks
By Lisa Herring
The Voice: What specific duties does the
position of Provost and Vice Chancellor
entail?
Fleming: The position of Provost and Vice
Chancellor is the number two administrative
position at FSU. As Provost, I assist the
Chancellor in the total operation of the
university. In some instances, I act on the
Chancellor's behalf and help to coordinate
many of the various units of the university.
As Vice Chancellor, for academic affairs, I
am the Chief academic administrator of the
university. This means I must provide
leadership and direction for all the matters
that relate to academic issues.
The Voice: What makes you qualified for
this position?
Fleming: I think that I have proven myself,
through my credentials and experiences to
be a scholar, and to have capabilities for the
administration. 1 have had experiences from
a variety of levels as a faculty member. 1
think the combination of my academic
background and professional experiences
has given me a very good profile for this
position. In addition, I have been involved in
and watched the growth of FSU over many
years. Therefore, I have a kind of sensitivity
to the needs of this institution.
The Voice: Do you feel this appointment to
this position will be a boost for ERA?
Fleming: As a minority in two particular
areas: female and black, I suppose I do
represent somewhat of a first. I think that
while it is certainly appreciated, the
important thing that this brings to light is
that this university and UNC are both open
to persons who have the capability and the
credentials and the profile to provide
leadership as administrative and other types
of staff persons. And that these persons who
have these kinds of profiles, have the
opportunity to be reviewed and considered
very strongly for positions regardless of sex,
race, or other types of special criteria. Also I
would hope that this would serve as a kind of
reminder to all young minorities who have
aspirations for top level administrative
positions that it's possible, and that one
should seek to make themselves qualified to
achieve those goals.
The Voice: Do you feel that inbreeding
within the system has a positive or negative
effect on the university?
Fleming: In the field of academics, one's
total background gives you that particular
person's qualifications. Parts of background
certainly involve a number of experiences
outside of the current place of employment,
both in training and other types of
involvement. So I'm not sure inbreeding is
what I would choose to call it.
With reference to the impact of moving
from within the system to a position of
administrative responsibility, 1 certainly
think there are some very positive things
about that. We would not wish to exclude
persons who have the potential and
qualifications to hold the position just
because they happen to be employed with
the institution or within the system.
The Voice: Why do you feel that the
university has such a low rate of retention?
Fleming: We're doing a study of retention
at FSl'. Statistically, we have less retention
than we choose to have. But as we have
begun to delve into the study, we're finding
that there are a number of reasons for
students leaving this university. Some of our
data indicates that students have come to
FSU with the intention of only staying a
semester or two. Others come to FSU and
experience various kinds of financial and
economical problems, and have to for a
short period of time, make changes in their
educational plans. Also, we do have students
that are part of a transient population here.
And many times it's due to family
relocation, or other kinds of home
situations. I think that the retention problem
that we have has some unique characteristics
that are not, perhaps, recognized initially.
I'm certainly ready to say that we want to
work on retention. We'd like to retain as
many students as we can, and move as many
students toward completion of degree
programs as possible.
The Voice: Have you given any thought
toward the improvement of the academic
environment at FSU?
(continued on page 5)
HEAD BEHEADED
Page 7
Inside The Voice
Editorial 2
Sports 7
University News 6
Variety Page 8