Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Aug. 28, 1997, edition 1 / Page 2
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2 Thursday, August 28, 1997 . ,4j • " 1 m[l DTH/SEANBUSHER Graduate student Tyson King-Meadows poses the question, "What does the BCC mean to me?' at Wednesday's meeting. King led the conference, addressing the new building proposal. SAT scores’ relevance minimized by Board ■ N.C. students scored an average of 488 for math and 490 for verbal. BY AMY CAPPIELLO CITY EDITOR AND VICKY ECKENRODE ASSISTANT STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR For the eighth year in a row, North Carolina’s SAT scores have risen, but the state is still ranked No. 48. The College Board, which adminis ters the verbal and mathematical test to college-bound seniors, warned that ranking did not necessarily indicate how intelligent a state’s students are. “The College Board discourages state rankings based on SAT scores because it’s not a test that all of the students in the states take,” said Louise Dockery, a public affairs associate with The College Board. “Some states have a small per cent of high school seniors take the SAT and a large percent take the ACT,” Dockery said. “If you have a state with only the best students taking it (the SAT), then you tend to get ranked higher.” Scott Jeffy, another of The College Board’s public affairs associates, agreed with Dockery. He cited the differences between Alabama, which is one of the highest scoring states, with North Carolina. “Alabama is one of the high est-scoring states, but only 8 percent of their students took the test,” Jeffy said. “North Carolina was on the higher side,” he said. “When you have 56 per cent like North Carolina, you have 4 t L PQJMSR -]/ “The College Board discourages state rankings based on SAT scores because its not a test that all of the students in the states take.” LOUISE DOCKERY College Board public affairs associate many opportunities for middle and top students, but you also have the opportu nity for more lower-skilled students.” “That’s why it’s not fair for someone in Alabama to look at SAT scores and say that they have a better education sys tem.” Instead, Jeffy said, the only way to determine whether a state’s education al system is improving is to follow that state’s scores over time. North Carolina’s seniors tallied an average score of 488 for math and 490 for verbal. Although the verbal scores remained the same, math scores went up two points. “And a two-point indicator in math in North Carolina, however small, shows that North Carolina is doing something right,” he said. While the state’s educational system may be doing something right, there’s always room for improvement. Henry Johnson, the social superin tendent of the Department of Public Instruction, said several factors would improve the test scores of North Carolina students. The most important factor, he said, would be an increased focus on educa tion over a period of time. “It’s not a quick fix.” BCC to promote ties to community BY NAHIA ROWELL SWF WRITER Sonja H. Stone Black Cultural Center ambassadors encouraged students to promote the growth of cultural awareness at UNC on Wednesday. Students both old and new to the BCC learned about its programs and its purpose. “The purpose of the BCC Ambassadors pro gram is to spread the message of freedom, love and hope that is encapsulated in (BCC),” said Darrell Hunt, co-vice chairman of the BCC advisory board. Hunt said ambassadors plan information ses sions throughout the year to allow people to ask questions and express opinions about the BCC. He said the program is about interaction of School system celebrates highest SAT scores ever BY BARRETT BREWER STAFF WRITER Once again, Chapel Hill-Canboro City Schools have announced an increase in scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The average score for the 400 stu dents at Chapel Hill High School who took the examination went up nine points, from 1,152 in the 1995-96 school year to 1,161 in the 1996-97 school year. This average local score surpassed the average state score of 978 and the aver age national score of 1,016, according to a school system press release. Kim Hoke, spokeswoman for the school system, attributed the increased scores to students’ efforts to take more rigorous course loads. “Most of our stu dents go to secondary schools, so they are aware of the importance of attend ing these classes,” she said. Asa bonus, the school system boasts an increase of 13 points for the 35 African-American students who took the examination. Their scores went up from 899 to 912. This is higher than the state average of 834 and the national average of 857. African-Americans’ scores for the school system were first in the state this year and second last year. The schools encourage minority and African-American students to take NEWS placement tests like the SAT and cours es for the improvement of those scores, said Mark Royster, chairman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education. He said the school system had put measures in place to raise the level of academic interest and involvement. “The encouragement and support of the parents and teachers leads students to take the SAT and begin to prepare academically,” Royster said. “We have been requiring more math in the cur riculum as well as making certain to get students to actively take the SAT.” School board member Bea Hughes- Werner said most of the students who took the SAT had family ties to UNC, while the majority of African-American students did not have such exposure. “We need to get (African-Americans) invested in their future young,” she said. “We have to find a way to solve this problem.” Royster said that students did not have equal opportunities to participate in SAT preparatory courses because they cost extra money and run after school hours. “I would like to make cer tain all students are exposed to test-tak ing techniques,” Royster said. “The bottom line is that things are on the rise. On the whole, African- American scores are rising faster, and the trend is in the right direction.” ideas and people Olufunke Moses, artist in residence for Sauti Mpya, the BCC’s literary magazine, said the BCC is a home to her. “The energy and spirit of those that came before us is still here, carrying on the legacy,” Moses said. Latarsha Chambers, a UNC graduate, said community outreach programs, like the BCC’s Communiversity, connected students to the out side world. “The BCC is about reassuring that people in the community are your families,” she said. Dwayne Muhammad, a senior from Greensboro, said the BCC is a home to him. “It is my extended family,” he said. “It’s a place where I can come to relax, study and chill the things you expect to do with your fami Espy indicted on 39 charges for accepting company gifts ■ Espy accepted more than $35,000 in favors and gifts for himself and his family. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON Former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy was charged Wednesday with seeking and accepting more than $35,000 in trips, sports tickets and favors from compa nies that did business with his agency. He was also accused of lying and tam pering with witnesses to cover up. Espy, indicted on 39 counts by a fed eral grand jury, joins just a handful of Cabinet secretaries ever charged with wrongdoing. The indictment portrays him as an official who persistently sought favors from large companies reg ulated by his agency. Espy’s Washington attorney, Reid Weingarten, said the special prosecutor in the case had taken “trivial, personal and entirely benign activities and attempted to distort them into criminal acts.” Espy himself has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His law office in Jackson, Miss., said he was not avail able for comment. The indictment did not contend that Espy had given any of the companies including such agribusiness giants as Tyson Food Inc. and Sun Diamond Growers of California favorable treatment in return for the gifts. “A quid pro quo is not required” to prove he vio lated the law, said independent counsel Donald C. Smaltz. But it did charge that Espy, who lip Bath} (Ear 9r*T ly.” The presence of the BCC has also had an effect on those new to the University. Shahid Stover, a junior transfer from Conway, S.C., said the BCC was one of the first places he went to at UNC. “I’m looking to bring who I am to the BCC and that will enhance the culture of it,” Stover said. “The BCC is a channel, and a channel is only as good as the force flowing through it. “I expect to bring that force.” Stover said he did not expect the love, unity and welcome the BCC provided, but he is glad to be a part of it. Delores Mcßaie, a freshman from Pembroke, expressed comfort at the BCC. “Asa first-year student, the BCC has become a home away from home for me.” resigned from the Clinton administra tion in 1994 after Smaltz began his investigation, “solicited, received and accepted gifts” for himself, his girl friends and his family from companies that were regulated by the Department of Agriculture. The favors included illegal campaign contributions to his brother’s failed con gressional campaign in Mississippi, the indictment said. Espy also “attempted to conceal his actions by lying to a USDA inspector general representative, by lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and by lying to the Executive Office of the President,” Smaltz said. Espy was charged with mail and wire fraud, accepting illegal gratuities and violations of the Meat Inspection Act for taking gifts from companies regulat ed under that law. The indictment charges that Espy directed an aide to solicit National Basketball Association championship playoff tickets from the chairman of Quaker Oats Cos. and that he subse quently lied to the FBI about where he got them. He is also accused of failing to report trips and gifts on the financial disclosure form that top government officials are required to file each year. The trips included two that he and a friend, Patricia Dempsey, took to a National Football League game in Dallas and to the U.S. Open tennis tour nament in New York City. The couple were provided with limousines both times. The Dallas trip was paid for by a lob byist for Tyson Foods Inc. Sun Diamond bought tickets to the tennis tournament and paid for a $2,427 set of luggage for the New York trip, the indictment said. The counts carry maximum penalties of more than 100 years in prison. Espy is accused of ordering the dele tion of references to Tyson chairman Don Tyson, Dempsey and the football game from an itinerary of the Dallas trip that had been requested by the USDA’s inspector general. Tyson has acknowledged that it is a target of the investigation but denies that it committed any crimes. Campus calendar Thursday 12:30 p.m.-l:30 p.m. The Center for Teaching and Learning graduate teaching consultants invite all new teaching assistants to attend “An Early Check-In For New TAs,” in Union 210. 1 p.m.-2 p.m. The Study Abroad Office will hold a general information ses sion in Union 224. 5 p.m. Phi Alpha Delta pre-law frater nity will hold a general interest session in Union 208. This meeting is open to the pub lic and all interested in joining. 5:15 p.m. University Career Services will sponsor “Job Hunt 101,” a workshop on how to use UCS, in 209 Hanes Hall. This meeting is mandatory for all students who plan to interview on campus. It is also open to all interested students. 7 p.m. The Pauper Players will have a general interest meeting in Union 205. All interested in musical theater should attend. 7:30 p.m. Karolina Kids, a communi ty service organization dedicated to helping sick and terminally ill children in hospitals, will have a meeting for anyone interested in joining in Union 211. Call Tamesha Keel for more information at 914-2138. Please bring $3 for membership fees. 8 p.m. The Hellenic Students Association will have its first official meet ing of the year in the Campus Y basement. All new and returning students are encour aged to come. Food will be provided. Item* of Interest If you have ordered any yearbooks prior to the 1997 edition, please come by the Yackety Yack office m Suite 106 of the Union by Oct. 1 to pick them up. The Soqja H. Stone Black Cultural Center is sponsoring the BCC Awareness Week from Monday until Friday. All events are open to the public. For more informa tion, contact Ange-Marie Hancock at 962- 9001. Conversation partner applications are available at the International Center. If you want to befriend anew international student by volunteering to converse for one hour a week at a convenient time and place apply at the International Center or call 962-5661. Sophomores may apply to be in the Honors Program. Applications are available from the Honors Office on the bookcase out side of 300 Steele Building. The deadline for applications is Sept. 15 at 4 p.m.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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