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r urnani Ac 2?gment NATIONAL TVs-' lie' ROSE MONTH (USPS 091-380) Words Of Wisdom It really doesa't natter wakk side ear bread b battered oa, we eat, both tides, airway. If yoa get too certain that yoa're a comer, yoa may be a g oaer. VOLUME 58 - NUMBER 22 DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1980 TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICE; 30 CENTS DUKE U. PUBLIC SAFETY fl 01 ai-UED0iiuaiiii Unidentified Assailant Downs Dir. FORT WAYNE, IND. Vernon Jordan, Ex ecutive Director of the Na tional Urban League was shot twice in the abdomen ' by an " unidentified , assailant here late Wednesday night. The shooting took place outside a hotel where Jor dan had addressed several hundred members of the Fort Wayne Urban League. In his speech to the group, Jordan had been critical of President Jim my Carter's apparent determination to balance the federal budget and in- o Officer Fired for Speaking Out and Bucking the Brass X VERNON JORDAN crease military spending at the expense of human and social programs. Police said, after that meeting, Jordan left in the company of an uniden tified woman and returned several hours later. The woman told police Jordan parked the car, got out, j and was walking toward r. r the rear of the vehicle when she heard a shot and Jordan fell to the ground. While police are in-, vestigating, they had no : suspects in custody and there was no indication of. v what v prompted the shooting at TM Carolina Times' press time. Police are reportedly in the pro cess of arranging a com posite likeness of the assailant. Robert Williams, ex ecutive director of the Fort Wayne Urban League, said he would rule out of racial tension in Fort Wayne as the motive for the shooting, saying, ". . . .in my opinion, the Fort Wayne Urban League does not relate this incident to any degree of tension racial tension or otherwise that might DENNIS ELLIS be alluded to in the com munity. It is something that does not exist here that would justify this kind of act of violence. . . ." committed against Jordan. In Washington, an FBI Bureau was studying the situation closely to deter- i mine if there is the ! possibility of a civil rights problem and if there is any violation of a civil law. Thursday morning, he said it was being handled as a local violation. "I don't know whether rob bery was the motivation or what," he said Early Thursday morn ing, Jordan's condition was reported by the hospital in Fort Wayne as being "critical, but stable." By Milton Jordan Special Correspondent Dennis Ellis grew up believing that injustices should be challenged, that a man should stand up for his beliefs, and should speak out when necessary. But now it seems that these beliefs, instilled by his minister father and nurtured during a two year Army stint, might have cost Ellis his job. Ellis, a former lieute nant with the Duke University Public Safety Office until he was "busted" to corporal, was fired earlier this month on charges of insubordina tion by disobeying an order to wear his cor poral's bars, an insignia of his rank. He was also charged with several other less serious infractions. Last week, the officer's firing was upheld by a hearing officer following two weeks of testimony in a grievance proceeding. Ellis says he will appeal ,this decision. However, the charges and the administrative decision fail to fully tell the real story of Ellis and his career with Duke tne f- iw-whnli? utnrv tenter? around two dedicated, committed police officers Ellis, who is black and Paul J. Dumas, Duke's Director of Public Safety,; -1 nana who is white and their often apparently conflict ting ideas of what was best for the department. But more importantly, the real story raises serious questions about how Dumas managed to "bust" Ellis, who had challenged the director on many occasions over the past five years, from lieutenant to corporal. Three days of intensive investigation on this case by The Carolina Times reveals that Dumas seems to have violated a number of university regulations and procedures in or chestrating Ellis's loss in rank. The rule's which appear to have been violated in clude: The university's policy on leaves of absence. A departmental rule on listing vacant posi tions. A departmental rule on repeating gossip, or un substantiated rumor.' Additionally, it appears that, Dumas lied to Ellis about his legal status as a commissioned police of ficer, following a court case against Ellis on MBWilt charges; v",. Dumas-. directed Duke's Public Safety Office since 1972, refused to be interviewed, saying he wanted" to check first with the university's Personnel Director and legal counsel. Dumas, who came to Duke from the University of Georgia at Athens where he was assistant director of public safety and Chief of Police, is described by former associates as "one of the most outstanding police officers in the country, with extremely high per sonal standards." Charles Swindall, Chief of Police in Montgomery, Alabama, where Dumas worked before going to Georgia, described his former colleague as "a total police officer, with conduct and demeanor above reproach, with uni que ability." However, many of the public safety officers who work with Dumas at Duke tell a different story. They describe a department reeking wjth an -at; mosphere of intimidation and poor morale, resulting in a high turnover rate. They outline an ad ministration based upon fear and inconsistent discipline where some of ficers are punished for because they "have the ear of the man." Department officers consented to be interview ed Only if their names were not used, saying they feared reprisals even to the point of losing their jobs if their identities became known. What these interviews and reporting revealed is that Ellis, who was hired at Duke as a public safety officer in February, 1973, began having run-ins with Dumas, almost from the beginning. In an early incident, during December, 1973, shortly after he had been promoted to corporal, Ellis wrote Dumas a memo criticizing the con dition of the patorl cars his men had to drive. In response, Dumas ordered the patrol cars checked and repaired if needed, but also issued Ellis a reprimand for the "non-professional" way he wrote and distributed the memo. In August, 1975, Ellis challenged a work evalua tion he received from Lieutenant Bob Penn ington, who was his im- aimost anvtmne wrons '.-f.-Vt they flo, white other wev wUa , jviwrvixir A. wno , na s heve JTet5rtmanded -lraaTtnr hritf-anff'fhe? Dumas, is described as a evaluation was changed. man cuton trom his subordinates, except for a few chosen favorites whom everyone else fears Pennington could wort reached for comment. Several months later, Ellis and a few other black public safety officers, con fronted Dumas with the fact that few blacks held supervisory positions and no black women had ever been hired in the depart ment as commissioned police officers. Early in 1976, under a department reorganiza tion plan, EUis became a sergeant, and two black women were hired in the department. Reviewing Ellis's career at Duke University and his run-ins with Dumas, one police officer who has worked closely with the former lieutenant said: "There is no doubt in my mind that Dumas did not like the fact that Ellis was outspoken and would challenge the director or anyone else if Ellis thought they were wrong." Interestingly enough, Dumas wrote Ellis a letter back in 1977 after Ellis, at the time a sergeant and assistant shift supervisor, defended a black woman police officer who was facing dismissal charges, saying that he (Dumas) didn't like to be challeng ed. But he commended Ellis - for . having , the "courage to "stand up tor the officer. As a matter of fact; Dumas 's reaction to Ellis has fluctuated between Continued on Page 2 J t NCCU Receives Kellogg Foundation Grant For Public Administration P'-m- VS. L. V- i4 mil : m r , rjps , ii 111 Taking Stock MIAMI Grand Union Store Manager Charlie Lowe surveys damage at the grocery store after K was looted in early morning hours May 19. Lowe estimates that soma $70 .Nl worth of mer chandise was stolen. UPI Photo. North Carolina Central University has been awarded a $217,500 grant from the W.K. Dellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Mich., for strengthening of the university's Public Ad ministration Program. The grant will be pro vided over a three-year period. It will support, ef forts to track the pro gram's graduates, to develop an alumni net work for program im provement and student placement, and to create "packaged" courses for use in off-campus classes for government employees. The funds will also assist with a series of seminars to ease the tran sition between campus and workplace for the program's predominantly black graduates. The grant is the Kellogg Foundation's second to the Public Administration Program at NCCU. Since the first grant of $168,000 made in 1975, the pro gram's enrollment has ex panded from seventy to 250 students and 110 graduates have been awarded baccalaureate degrees. Dr. Tyrone L. Baines, director of the Public Ad ministration Program, said an important compo nent of the first Kellogg grant was its support for internship programs for students. Baines, said the local, state, and federal agencies which have employed the program's interns now support the on-the-job training ac tivities. "We used the Kellogg funds to prime the pump with government agen cies," Bains said, explain ing that the foundation' funds were used to sub sidize stipends for some of the students interns. "Now we hope to prime the pump with the private sector." The NCCU program is expanding its offerings in the training of "human service" administrators, Baines said. He said few if any other public ad ministration programs train administrators for the direction of CETA programs, housing pro grams, food programs and Cities Better Business Bureau Appoints Director similar human serivce ac tivities. In-service training pro grams for govermental employees will be expand- -ed, Bains said, through the "modularizaion" pf basic public administra tion courses. "Many peo ple who are already employed in government need or want the training we offer, but cannot come to our campus for the courses," he said. "Shape Your Own Future" SKisM r vices of such a vers? St. Aug. 'sGrads Told RALEIGH - "As you graduates prepare to go on . to further your education or to begin your life's work, I invite you to do your part in the shaping of your future." The future is what you in this generation make it - make it even greater than the past. This is what Thomas A. Murphy, chair man of the board, General Motors, Detroit, Michigan; Board of Directors, United Negro College Fund, told the 280 graduates at the 1 1 3th Commencement. He said, "It is the perso nal achievement of your, special efforts in the aca deme processes, and the efforts of your dedicated parents that we pay tribute today." He went on to say that you may be concerned that this is not the best of times to graduate and to enter the employment mar ket - as a temporary shadow has been cast over employment opportunities.' But let me reassure you that a measurable strengthening in the entire economy is expected by the year's end. Furthermore, it is believed that these improvements , will continue to train mo mentum as we move into 1981 and beyond, and that your career prospects will brighten accordingly. He openly exclaimed to the 1980 graduates, The excellent education you re ceived at St. Augustine's College enhanced by youi own abilities now. affords you many opportunities." "Your long-term futures as members of a constantly changing American society and world community .are rich with promise never doubt that" Murphy ended his ad dress with these words: "Indulge yourselves in the life-long school we all attend, the school that knows no graduation and that lasts for as long as the man lasts." The best class room will be your job -and the best- kind is one that will provide you with a variety of changing re sponsibilities. In this age of communication it is important to THINK, and not become stagnant, because there is no greater source of knowledge than human life, study the pattern of other lives. "It's Continued on Page S Maceo K. Sloan, presi dent of the Triangle Cities Better Business Bureau, announced today that Joseph C. Bowling, Jr. has been selected to fill the position of Executive Director. Bowling, a native of Wake county, assumed his duties May 1 . He joins Earl Perkins, Business Relation Manager and Mrs. Carol Howell, Administrative Assistant who are tenured, loyal and - dedicated Bureau Staff members. Sloan says that the Bureau is very fortunate, ser- versatile, qualified-"and experienced person. Bowling brings ten years of trade associa tion experience and seven years of business ex perience to the Bureau. This background will be a real asset to the Staff for perpetuating the Bureau's; aims and goals in the Greater Triangle Area. The Bureau's role is to provide the mechanism for self regulation bv business and to help pro tect and assist consumers. Nearly 400 concerned business firms in the area are members of the Triangle BBB. Bowling served as Ex ecutive Director of the , N.C. National Guard Association for eight years, and he was a Field Representative for the N.C. Home Builders Association for almost two years. His business ex perience was in personnel service where he owned and managed Allied Per sonnel of Raleigh for seven years. He is a native of Fuquay-Varina. He at tended Kings College and Upper Iowa University, Continued on Page 8 DBPC Updating Minority Business Directory The Durham Business and ProfessionAL Chain is in the process of up dating its listing of minori ty businesses in the Durham area. This directory will in clude a listing of all minority businesses, without regard to size or type of business and will provide a comprehensive list as a source of minority business in Durham. The Chain acts as a resource for companies throughout the United States and federal, state and local governments which seek information concerning' minority businesses. The directory is an advertisement mechanism for those per sons seeking minority businesses and informa tion about minority sup pliers of products andor services in the Durham area. It is updated periodically upon receipt of additions, corrections or deletions. . As a business develop ment organization, the Durham Business and Professional Chain has been concerned with building and expanding the minority business community for over forty years. Be a part of this ef fort by "telephoning the Chain at 688-7356 or by writing: The Durham Business and Professional Chian, 116 West Parrish Street, Durham NC 27701, before June 20
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May 31, 1980, edition 1
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