Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / April 21, 1983, edition 1 / Page 2
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EDITORIALS & COMMENTS Ik*. Albright’s New Challenge The trustees of Johnson C. Smith University have named Robert Albright to succeed Wilbert Greenfield as president of the 115-year-old Presbyterian affiliated institution. Albright, currently serving as vice-chancellor for student af fairs at UNC-Charlotte, is ex pected to assume his new post in July, 1983. The 38-year-old, who has a Ph.D. from Kent State Univer sity, has quickly shown that the Smith trustees bave selected a - man with foresight and know ledge about higher education as seen in' his courage to' im mediately announce some spe cific goals for JCSU. Among these he listed:. -Increase the university’s en rollment of approximately 1,200 to 2,000 students to assist the school to offer more corhpetitive salaries to attract more faculty members' who hold' doctorate degrees. -Increase the recruitment of academically talented students who have good SAT scores and are highly motivated. This, hopefully,' coupled With joint degree programs with UNCC and UNC-Chapel Hill. -Increase the number of white students from its current low of less than one percent in order to create collegiate experience that better reflects the real world. -Finally, Dr. Albright aims and hopes to “keep pace” with his predecessor in the area erf fund raising. Greenfield elimin ated the university's $2 million debt during his 10 years as president. In stating these goals shortly: after his appointment as the new Smith president was evidence of his awareness of and knowledge of some of the challenges facing higher education in general, and black higher education in par ticular. Hack Enrollment Undoubtedly, Dr. Albright has seen the 1982-83 college enroll ment statistics released ' in January, which reveal an alarm ing state of affairs in black higher education. Among these facts are' the following': -Black enrollment at both pre dominately white public and pri vate colleges and universities has declined sharply in the past 12 months. For example, the combined black enrollment at Cornell University and at the University of California at Berkeley has dropped 55 per cent. ■ • -Overall enrollment at the 42 historically black colleges af filiated with the United Negro College Fund (including JCSUJ, has dropped 3.7 percent since 1981-82,' and freshman enroll ment dropped 12 percent in one year. * -The vast majority of black college students are in 2-year junior college terminal pro grams while the majority of white students are in 4-year de gree programs. -Black enrollment in white professional schools has also declined. For example, at Ten nessee public medical schools only 12 out of 969 students are black in the current school year. It can readily be drawn from these statistics that linger ing institutionalized racism - the abandoning'of historically black public' colleges and universities to meet court ordered integra tion of both black and white institution of higher education and the threatened extinction of 60 percent of the nation’s black colleges, and the policies of the Reagan Administration have combined to weaken the core of black learning opportunities at both traditionally* black and white colleges and universities.' Not too surprisingly, Civil Rights Attorney Julius Cham bers reflected oh these concerns and Dr. Albright’s goals when he told the faculty and student body of JCSU at their 115th anniver sary a year ago that the sur vival of Smith and other insti tutions like it will require the recruitment of white students, the development of modernized curricula that will include more courses in high-technology, com puter science and data col lection. Demand More Chambers added that JCSU needs to offer their students programs that win prepare them to enroli in law, engineering and medical schools. In citing low tests in medical, bar and teach ing examinations, Chambers said, “We must demand more of our students.” These observations, combined with a number of other issues, offer Dr. Albright a new chal lenge; a challenge, however, that must be shared by the trust ees, faculty, students and alumni of JCSU, Black educational institutions, black businesses and the black family are the best and only hope for a meaningful future for black youth. “IT IS INCONCEIVABLE TO ME THAT WE WHO HAVE PREVAILED IN SPITE OF THE BARBARISM OF WHITE PEOPLE SHOULD, IN THE LAST QUARTER OF THE 30TH CENTURY, STAND AS MUTE SPECTATORS TO OUR OWN DOOM.” United Community L^dersj^ZNeeded Now | — ■ . I==—'■ - 1 ■— xletter& *7* » Hand-Out Troubles Writer TO Tne Editor: At the Orange County Republican Convention I received a1 band-out which troubles me. It was pre pared by a young man who has worked for the Con gressional Club and for the North Carolina Republican Party. He has seen the way in which the Club riiles the state Republican Party and is fighting that influence by opposing the re-election of the chairman of the state P»rty. One paragraph at the hand-out describes bow the paid staff of the Congres sional Chib insult and bully the local party officials and volunteers. Although I have not been active in politics myself for the last year or two, I have served the Party as County Chair man, as member of the state Executive Committee and as Chairman of the Resolutions Committee at the 1960 state convenion. My own observations and the observations of many of my friends in the Party give credibility to his in dictment of the way the Club operates. Indeed, any one who has paid attention to the Club’s political ad vertising will recognize a quality of meanness in it. I am far from being a pacifist in politics, but I do believe in a distinction be tween honest blows struck against someone you re gard as a particular villain and poison gas at tacks against innocent vic tims. Good Republicans are supposed to march togeth er under the banner “Re sistance to Bullies.” We claim justifiably as a Party to be specially sen sitive when the Russians harrass some poor Refuse nik way off in Kiev. Can we tolerate it if here in our own home thugs in three-piece suits are bullying the mem bers of our own political party? Gilbert Lee Boger is run ning for the chairmanship of the state Republican Party against the candi date of the Congressional Club. If we elect Boger and if be does not behave as we like, we can easily vote him out. I am deeply troubled by the fact that the same thing cannot be said of the Club’s candidate. Because of its size (millions of dol lars collected every year) and its reputation for vin dictiveness many Republi cans hesitate to oppose any of the orders that come down to the Party from the Club. That young man with the hand-out has shamed me into standing up to be counted. Is there anyone in Mecklenburg County who cares enough about the Party of freedom to stand up with us? Sincerely Richard Smyth Thanks Fcr The Riirity Dear Editor: The Leighton Ford Cru sade was probably one of the biggest religious events to ever appear in Char lotte. However, I would not have been prompted to at tend it at the Charlotte Coliseum had it not been for the publicity in The Charlotte Post. Sure I had heard about it on television and by word of-mouth. I even saw bill boards around the city an nouncing the Crusade. However, the stories in The Post about the various topics for the week as well as the guest speakers, gave me an incentive to attend. Weeks before the Crusade arrived in Charlotte, your newspaper was informing the public about special guests like Joy Simpson. I really enjoyed the feature story about her. To be honest, I had never beard of her before. But after reading the story about Ms. Simpson’s achievements, there was no way I would pass up the opportunity to hear her talent for myself. Please continue to support the religious community. D. L. Steadman THE CHARLOTTE POST “THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER” Established 1918 Published Every Thursday by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc. Subscription Rate $17.88 Per Year Second Class Postage No. 965500 Postmaster Send 3579s To: 1531 Camden Rd., Chartott.e N.C. 28283 Telephone: 704-376-8496 v Circulation 11,923 105 Years of Continuous Service Bill Johnson Editor, Publisher Bernard Reeves General Manager Fran Farrer Advertising Director Dannette Gaither Office Manager Second Class Postage No. 985599 Paid at Charlotte, North Carolina Under the Act of March 3,1878 Member, National Newspaper Publishers’ Association North Carolina Black Publishers Association Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 p.m. Monday. All photos and copy submitted become the property of Hie Post and will not be returned. National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. 24M S. Michigan Ave. 45 W. 45th St , Satte I4U Chicago, III. MSI* New York. New York I MM Cotamet S-02M 2I2-48S-12M —- ------- From Caj Reagi _ [atchet Man By Alfreds L. Madison Special To Hm Post President Reagan's high ly emphasized color-blind policy, which he interprets as his dedication to civil rights, is viewed by Mack citizens as a forthright at tempt to total resegrega tion. Vernon Jordan calls the Reagan policy a coun ter-revolution which con centrates power among the state and local elites, the affluent and business com munity. Ku Khn Klan Im perial Wizard, Bill Wilkin son said the President sees things their way. There is a blatant resurge of racism taking place in this country. Just recently the New York Times revealed some of Labor Department’s new rules for hiring and award ing contracts of women and minorities. Under these new rules there will be no more class action suits, only the identifabie indi vidual suits, which will prove long and costly, and recovery of back pay will be changed from three years back to two years Under the present rules contractors with a payroll of 980,000 and 80 employ ees and above are subject to anti-discriminatory laws. The new rule in cludes companies with a payroll of $100,000 and 100 employees and above. The new rule does not require a company to show compli ance before awarding a ao -L-_L—_ Alfreds L. Madison vernment contract. The present rule requires con struction companies to make a good faith effort to have 6.9 women in each department of its construc tion. The new rule seeks an aggregate 6.9 goal. Imple mentation of these new rules demonstrate thid Ad ministration’s insensitivty to the minority employ ment problem. The Leadership Confer ence on Civil Rights says, "The Justice Department is abdicating its historical responsibility to enforce the laws enacted by Con gress and enterpreted by the Courts. ” Actions of the present Justice Depart ment says the Leadership Conference, "...should not only be the concern of black people, Hispanks, Asian Americans, women, handicapped and other vk timised persons, but to all Americans who cherish the Constitution and the sys tem of ordered liberty K has created." In every phase of Ame rican life, there is an in tensive and extensive ef fort by the Reagan Admin istration to reverse civil rights gains. The strong Voting Rights extension was done not with the Ad ministration's cooperation, but in spite of it. While the previous Justice Depart ment has been opposed to proving intent in the Mobile case by relenting to Sen ator Jeremiah Denton, the present Justice Depart ment reversed itself, and supported Intent over the effects test. In the Jack son, Mississippi case, fa voring Congressman Trent Lott, Justice approved annexation, which was really for diluting the black vote. Jesse Helms won hands down with the President and his conservative con trolled executive officials on the higher education civil rights set back. Before the advent of Reaganism, state colleges were re by the Education tment, to upstage programs and equipment at the black colleges. An rxample of the gross in equities, North Carolina provided black colleges with its nursing school. At the white state college in Greensboro, the nursing school had an elaborate well equipped building, at AftT State University, the black college, the nursing school consisted of a very _ _.___ _ . sparsely equipped one room. T hen black nurses are criticized for not being able to pass the examin ation with the same con sistency as white nurses. The Education Department was supposed to withhold funds from states that did not comply with rules era dicating these inequities. The Reagan Administra tion, in accommodating Jesse Helms, made an agreement for states to correct these conditions, but if they fail to do so, the government is forever for bidden to take any action against them. The Justice Department is vigorous in its efforts to dismantle the Supreme Court school busing deci sion. It has engaged in al most every case to over turn the decision. Justice Department’s busing stand widened the gap between blacks and whites, and naturally racism is an in creasing result Practically, all affirm ative action agreements, - are being assaulted by the Justice Department. Be cause of the shortage of funds, the police and fire departments In Boston had to cut back on its force. Because of pass discrimin atory practices against black people, an agree ment was made not to dis miss blacks. Justice en1 tered the suit against the agreement. SWITH SABRINA JOHNSONS &©DCPCE Sabrina And Chicago Chicago! America’s second city, the city of savoir faire realism and its newly elected mayor, Harold Washington, what does this mean to the United States - especially black Americans? The potential erf a black mayor in such a segregated city can prove ' to be astonishing. Chicago has joined the ranks of Atlanta, Los Angeles, Newark and the like in having black mayor: Harold Washington has pulled the city together; severely wounded the Democratic machine of former'Mayor Daley and offered a change for Chicagoans, especially the black residents. The election of Washington was a major jolt for elected government officials. Harold Washington’s victory in segre gated Chicago has made a major point and Possible change in the political' world: Without the black vote chances of winning ; ' an elected office are’ slim. Upon winning the Democratic nomination, black voter regis tration and tiirn out' for the election in creased by approximately 2.2. Mr. Wash ington and the 2.2 percent made the dif ference. * Hie lesson learned and being learned by politicians'everywhere is that the black vote is strong and has the power to make or break anyone running for public office when pooled together. Black voter turn out is most crucial in all phases of public office because a majority of what these people do directly affects the black population as well as the white population in some forms. Thus creating the heed to carefully select Uiose individuals through financial support and voting. ' f Bradley, Young, Washington and the other black mayors are the leaders of the people in the struggle against racism. It is through people like them that the true value and power of the black population in the United States is seen. An extremely power ful political force rests within the black population: the votes and the money avail able ar$ enough to put a black in the presidential seat (If pooled together and directecTlnto a common, viable cause). A comprehension of such policy among blacks can bring on major changes in the Demo cratic government. The election of Mayor Harold Washing ton represents desegregation for Chicago, a severe blow to the Democratic machine and a model for many other major city changes. Mayor Washington will be watched vdry closely as he joins the rank and file of black mayors, but somehow his newly elected post offers a national model which he will fulfill Washington’s erection has jarred the country into seeing that black voter turnout is rumiing neck-in-neck with financial capacities for the number one Spot in deciding election turnout. u momma teiy oiacK politicians have had to face many obstacles alone because he or she did not have the support of the people, the black people traditionally; black voters have not supported black politicians for fear of being exploited and under represented. However, the tide has changed drastically within the last 10 years. Black politicians are moving onward and upward with the support of black voters; Bradley, Young and Washington art proof of this political upheaval. Mr. Washington will bring with him the philosophy of Chicago realism to the office. The realism that segregation in Chicago has to come to an end and that this financial Capitol cannot afford to neglect its minor ities any longer. Mr. Washington will en deavor to teach the people of Chicago that government housing projects are not sy nonymous with property and neighborhood devaluation; that faces can coexist, both at work and home. In short, an equalization of the maftseS in Chicago will bring 6n a nationwide trend. Steven Center Open For Tours Public tours of the newly renovated Stevens Center tiave been scheduled for Ihursday, April 28, 11:30 i.m. - 1:80 p.m.; Sunday, May 1, noon - 8 p.m.; and rueaday, May 3, from 11:80 i.m. until 1:80 p.m. The tours are a contin uation of the Stevens Cen ter Opening celebration that begins April 22. Led by volunteer guides, the tours include dreasing rooms, rehearsal rooms, the stage area and orches tra pit. No advance reservation Is necessary. The public is invited to be at the Ste vens Center at the appro print* times. For further information, call tl»-781-3001. Ward Named N.C. Democratic Party Chairman Russell Walker announced the appoint ment of Everett Mair Ward of Raleigh as staff aaaist ant. “I am delighted that Mr Ward has agreed to take this position," Walker said.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 21, 1983, edition 1
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