The Famuan Feb. 20, 2013 Edition

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — With his Canon 60D in hand, Darrell Wallace Jr. is a fixture at the track, eagerly snapping photos with an insider’s view of auto racing. His Instagram account is littered with day-in-the-life snapshots of cars and crews, all carrying the tag, “My crazy life captured in pictures.”

Wallace, though, isn’t a typical 19-year-old NASCAR prospect trying to climb the ladder, and he’s less interested in a budding photography career. He is a pioneer of sorts as only the fourth black driver with a full-time ride in a NASCAR series.

When Wallace takes the wheel for the Truck Series race Friday at

www.TheFamuanOnline.comWednesday, February 20, 2013

In This Issue:News ....... 1, 3Calendar .... 2Lifestyles .... 4Opinions ..... 5Sports ......... 6

Deputy News Editor Janay Cook talks about the media coverage surounding Chris Dorner. Find out how she feels on page 5.

Interested in venturing into the beauty supply industry? You may have to think twice. See what challenges black owners face on page 4.

Center fielder’s confidence peaks after her performance this weekend in Orlando, Fla. Read more on page 6.

FAMU educator dies at 64College of Education professor leaves legacy of caring

Teen making history as 4th black driver in NASCAR

The Florida A&M community is mourning the loss of a College of Education professor who died early Saturday morning at the age of 64.

Tony James Manson came to FAMU in spring 2004 as an elementary education professor. According to his colleagues, he was involved with many different organizations outside of his department. Manson served on the FAMU Institutional Review Board, the FAMU DRS School Board and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Committee.

Patricia Green-Powell, interim dean of the College of Education, said Manson’s work transcended the entire university.

“He cared about his students and about imparting the best knowledge that he could possibly give in the classroom,” she said.

Green-Powell described Manson as someone who was always willing to help, even when he was not expected to. She said he was always in high spirits.

HannaH Carroll

Staff Writer

Locals react to proposed increase in minimum wage

Members of the Tallahassee community are split on the proposed increase of federal minimum wage.

President Barack Obama proposed a $1.75 increase on minimum wage during his State of the Union address last week.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Florida’s minimum wage rate is 54 cents higher than the $7.25 national average. The state increased its minimum wage from $7.67 in 2012 to $7.79.

Minimum wage for tipped employees in Florida is $4.77, which David Harris, a fourth-year

social work student from Daytona Beach, Fla., relies on working as a waiter. He said some days it is hit or miss. However, he believes a raise in minimum wage would improve his life.

“Having minimum wage rise would be a little better for me because I would have a better income and not have to worry about making enough money for the things I need,” Harris said.

Caryl Donnellan, partial owner of the Cottage Collection, is skeptical of the proposal.

“I feel like it would be hard for some small, locally owned businesses to afford to pay their employees $9 an hour,” she said. “Most businesses

are still recovering from the economic downfall.”

Donnellan thinks minimum wage should be left up to the state, depending on the cost of living.

Rodney Benoit, a fourth-year criminal justice student from Miami, said he is grateful that his job pays him more than minimum wage but thinks college students who aren’t as fortunate would benefit from making $9 an hour.

“For many of us, we enter the workforce with little or no workforce experience,” Benoit said. “Therefore, we often have to accept the minimum wage offers from employers. The small increase does add up over the course of a week, or two weeks, depending on the case.”

Olivia Smith Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has passed up another chance to deal with an anomaly of constitutional law that requires federal juries to reach unanimous verdicts in criminal cases, but allows states to make different rules.

TALLAHASSEE (AP) — The sponsor of a Florida domestic partnership bill says she’ll rework it after the measure ran into opposition from her own committee.

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — An African-American nurse claims a Michigan hospital agreed to a man’s request that no black nurses care for his newborn.

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida hospital executives warned they will be hit doubly hard if the state does not expand Medicaid under the federal health overhaul.

Suit: Hospital granted request for no black nurses

Fla. hospitals push for Medic-aid expansion

High court reject’s rapper C-Murder’s appeal

Fla. domestic partnership bill stalls in committee

New

s B

riefs

The 800-bed housing facility under construction is expected to be completed by May 2014.

The board of trustees reportedly canceled Premier Construction Company’s contract on Aug. 16, and Florida A&M hired J. Kokolakis Contracting Inc. to complete construction on the dormitory.

According to its company website, cost of construction is $37.4 million. The furnishing and equipment will be installed in May and July 2014. The unit will be open to students in fall 2014.

Michael Burton, project superintendent, said the facility’s construction is on schedule and the university will be proud of the finished product.

“The university has been great, and they want to make sure they have a good building,” Burton said.

Sam Houston, director of Facilities Planning and Construction, said the project should not experience any more delays.

“J. Kokolakis Contracting Inc. has the project on schedule and within budget,” Houston said.

The eighteen-month project of the new residence hall is located just west of the Student Services Center and will consist of 800 single beds with two people per suite.

Each suite will contain a bathroom shared by two students. Additional plans include new computer labs, multipurpose rooms, study rooms, laundry and

Jewel Brown/The FAMUanFAMU recently hired J. Kokolakis Contracting Inc. to finish construction of the new 800-bed facility.

Anthony Mundle

Correspondent

PROFESSOR, see page 3 DRIVER, see page 3

Follow us @TFamuan for breaking news!

DORM, see page 3

AssociAted Press

Charlie Neibergall/AP PhotoIn this May 20, 2012 file photo, Darrell Wallace Jr. waves to fans before the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 auto race at Iowa Speedway.

Special to The FAMUan

Susan Walsh/AP PhotoPresident Barack Obama pauses as he speaks in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office.

Dorm update: Facility to open in fall 2014

NEWSWednesday, February 20, 2013 | www.thefamuanonline.com

2Announcements

February 20OSA/ Voices presents “Poetry In The Den” at 7 p.m. in the Rattler’s Den.

The FAMU Women’s center and Men’s group will be collaborating to discuss the topic: “Real Man Strong Man.” This event will be taking place in the campus Embassy Room at 6:30 p.m.

February 21 The Office of Student Activities will host “Thursday Night Cinema” at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom The Board of Trustees has scheduled an emergency meeting at 7 p.m.

FAMU’s Men and Women Tennis teams play Mercer University at 2 p.m.

February 22 The Office of Clubs & Organizations and the Office of Greek Life will host “I Represent” in Gaither Gym at 6 p.m.

February 23 The Office of Clubs & Organizations and the Office of Greek Life will host “I Represent” in Gaither Gym at 6 p.m. The Relay For Life of FAMU Presents “Funky Flea Market For A Cause” from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Railroad Square.FAMU’s women’s basketball team will play Savannah State at 4 p.m. in Al Lawson Gymnasium

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Daytona International Speedway, he’ll become a slice of NASCAR history in a race that ignites his goal of serving as a role model for a generation of potential future black drivers.

“It’s kind of up to me,” Wallace said. “It’s kind of a huge weight.”Busting down racial barriers in a sport long reserved for

whites is pretty heavy stuff for a teenager and all eyes are on him. Yet Wallace, the son of a white father and black mother, openly talks of becoming the Tiger Woods of NASCAR — the great black star who can transcend the sport and prove people of all colors can race.

“You don’t have a role model. That’s why you don’t see anybody in it,” Wallace said. “They can’t look up and be like, ‘I want to be like him because he’s the same color as me.’ There’s no one there to do that. I’m the top one right now and I’m only 19.”

Wallace joins Wendell Scott, Willy T. Ribbs and Bill Lester as the only full-time black drivers in the 65-year history of NASCAR. Scott is the only black driver to win a race, way back in 1964.

Wallace is signed with Joe Gibbs Racing and will drive the No. 54 Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports on Friday. Gibbs knows as well as anyone what it’s like to work with black athletes under the microscope. He coached the Washington Redskins when Doug Williams became the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl in 1988. Gibbs said Wallace has the talent and the mental toughness to break through in NASCAR.

“I think he’s the right kid,” Gibbs said.Wallace, raised in Concord, N.C., has the full support

of the black drivers before him. Lester has sent him encouraging tweets. Wallace met some of Scott’s children at a race in Virginia.

“They’re just happy to see someone following in their

dad’s footsteps,” he said. “I’m hoping that I can carry that torch a little farther.”

He’s in a better position to succeed than many other minorities over the years. He has sponsorship, a top-flight team in JGR and is a graduate of NASCAR’s diversity program. Even in NASCAR, the climate has changed where drivers of all sexes and colors are openly accepted, in the garage, and hopefully in the stands.

Wallace, who goes by Bubba, spent the last three seasons driving in a low-level NASCAR developmental series and said racism in all forms was nonexistent.

At lower levels of racing, though, Wallace would hear racial insults or encounter ignorant views.

“We used to take it from fans,” his father, Darrell, said. “We’ve had it from other drivers. We’ve had it from officials. We’ve had it from promoters. We’ve had it from track owners. We’ve pretty much had it from everybody.”

Wallace said the heckles and hurtful words from his formative years in the sport have been left on the side of the road and he can continue to focus on racing — just this time on his biggest stage so far.

“I’d show up the next week and wear ‘em out again,” he said, smiling. “I really didn’t understand it. My dad got more fired up than anything.”

His father sparked a love of the sport when he was 9, putting him in go-karts, and always scouting out the next series. Darrell Wallace even bought a Legends car from Mark Martin. He attends every race and will be in the stands Friday night. His mother, Desiree, ran track at Tennessee and stays home to watch on TV (“She likes hearing what they say about me.”).

Mom did offer a piece of advice that has stuck with Wallace. Avoid confrontations with other drivers who used slurs. Just go win.

Wallace’s love and talent for the sport will mean nothing if he can’t find the right sponsor willing to fund his career. Sponsorship cash is the lifeblood of the sport.

His father has owned an industrial cleaning business since 1999 and pumped at least $1 million into his son’s fledgling career. He spent as much $250,000 in 2008. The elder Wallace paid bills late and borrowed money to keep his son’s career alive.

“He tried to do everything he could to keep me racing,” Wallace said.

It’s a path he expects to land him in the Sprint Cup series.“I’m not ready for it next year. I’m not ready for it in two

years,” he said. “It’s all about the timing. It’s all about how well I do this year.”

NASCAR has initiated several pushes toward boosting the number of minorities in the sport. There’s a Drive for Diversity program that may pay some dividends with Wallace and Kyle Larson after struggling to find racers for the top series. The program is 10 years old and was designed to attract minorities and women to the sport in all fields, from the track to the front office. Wallace participated in a short-lived reality show in 2010 called “Changing Lanes,” that featured 10 young female and minority racers competing for a spot on a developmental team.

Not even showbiz helped Wallace land the big-bucks sponsor needed to race in the second-tier series. Wallace ideally would have run in the Nationwide Series this season, but was unable to land enough sponsorship. He had three top-10 finishes and a pole in four Nationwide races in 2012.

Gibbs said Wallace is still slated for some Nationwide races.“We’ve had a lot of other African-American drivers get in the

sport, but they got in late,” Gibbs said. “It’s hard to get in late. You’ve got to start when you’re young and race your way up. I think Darrell’s got it.”

Wallace was busy balancing Daytona duties with media requests this week and was set to hold a press conference with Gibbs on Wednesday at the track.

“Darrell’s equipped to handle the attention,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR’s vice president for public affairs and multicultural development. “Most importantly, he’s equipped to handle the competition on the race track.”

He can win. But can he lead? The next generation of black golfers never followed Woods for much of the same reasons it’s hard to crack NASCAR. The sport is expensive and opportunities are few. And, it’s unfair to place the burden of a revolution on one athlete.

But it’s time for a change.“It’s not about the color of your skin or your gender, it’s about

your abilities,” four-time Cup champ Jeff Gordon said after Danica Patrick won the Daytona 500 pole.

For now, at least he has the name for a NASCAR star. Darrell, Wallace, Junior. That’s a tripleheader of iconic NASCAR names that have deep roots in the sport. His team came up with a slogan: “Darrell not Waltrip. Wallace not Rusty. Junior not Dale.”

Funny stuff for an easygoing teen who just wants to race while the hype of his achievement swirls around him.

“If you think about it much, you’ll end up messing up,” he said.He thought about it for a second, then added:“I won’t mess up.”

NEWSWednesday, February 20, 2013 | www.thefamuanonline.com

3

“He was very jovial; very happy all the time,” she said. “I don’t think I ever saw him sad or down. He was just that way Friday evening when he left my office at about four o’clock.”

Bernadette Kelley, chairwoman of the Department of Secondary Education and Foundations, said the department has taken a loss.

“He certainly will be missed by his students and his colleagues because of his sense of humor and his knowledge of curriculum and instruction,” Kelley said.

Manson left an impression on many of his students, such as Jessica Cooke, a third-year elementary education student from Atlanta. Cooke said Manson was very upbeat and helped to reassure she was in the right field of study.

“Dr. Manson was always positive and was always smiling,” she said. “It seemed like nothing could upset him, and if it did, he would brush it off and keep moving.”

Charlie Neibergall/AP PhotoIn this May 19, 2012 file photo, Darrell Wallace Jr. stands next to his car while waiting to qualify for the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 auto race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.

Driver, from page 1

ConstruCtion, from page 1Professor, from page 1

game rooms and a TV room overseeing Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Some students are excited about the new facility.

K’ Juan Bishop, a freshman biology student from Tallahassee, said it “will offer more options and better experiences for co-ed living.”

Jacoby Waters, a senior music student from Riviera Beach, Fla., said the new housing is a great advancement for the campus.

“I see FAMU transitioning from the golden years to the 21st century, which is progress for our university,” Waters said.

Jewel Brown/The FAMUanThe new housing facility is expected to have 800 bed spaces. Construction is expected to end in the summer of 2014. However, it will not be open to residents until fall 2014.

HAVE BLACK

HISTORY

MONTH celebrations fallen short?

A small stockpile of African-American hair products are lined up along the

back wall, and rows of short racks hang without enough products to fill them in All In One Hair Store, a black-owned beauty supply store.

“Buy one get one half off” is plastered on the billboard outside the store, which is located across from Walgreens on Adams Street. Discounts like these are not typical at most beauty supply stores, but storeowner Lawrence McGriff said offering deals help him stay in business.

McGriff opened the business with his cousin, Hank Hershey, and brother, Ced West, almost two years ago when he realized there were not any black-owned beauty supply stores in Tallahassee.

Some black beauty supply owners said without the support of the black

community, and with the difficulties of purchasing products from Korean-owned distributors, it is a lot of work to stay open. According to McGriff, Korean distributors refuse to sell him certain products because he is too close to competitors with identical products.

“A lot of times, what the foreigners will do is buy up stores in order to eliminate blacks,” McGriff said. “Once they buy that territory, it eliminates you from coming in and being able to compete.”

Another problem McGriff faces is not being able to buy products wholesale at the same price as his Korean competitors.

“I won’t get it at their price,” he said. “A lot of times what we buy it for is what they sell their hair for.”

Sharhonda Williams also experienced distribution problems since opening Final Touch Beauty Supply in June 2011.

“Certain companies only cater to their own people,” Williams said. “When you’re in a business like this, things should be a lot more fair.”

Williams said she experiences discrimination when she meets Korean distributors in person.

“We have gone into places in Atlanta and the way they treat you, you don’t want to do business with them,” Williams said.

A documentary by Aron Ranen, “Black Hair Industry Robbed and Dominated by Koreans,” claims Koreans began

dominating the black hair industry in the early ‘60s, with the help of the American and Korean governments.

The Chosun Ilbo, a newspaper in South Korea, is where Ranen discovered that Korean manufacturers persuaded the Korean government to ban the export of raw hair, except from Korean manufacturers themselves, in 1965. Six months later, the United States banned the import of raw hair from China.

According to a report from the Urban Media Foundation, the Korean Beauty Supply Association attributes the dominance in the black hair care industry to Korean immigrants opening wig shops in the 1980s, gaining funding to start small businesses in urban regions.

Skye Christian, founder and owner of Romeo’s Kisses Glamorous Hair, said she has not had any trouble finding distribution for her business since it opened less than a year ago.

“When it’s about money, nothing is about color,” she said.

Christian is an independent sales representative for virgin hair in Tallahassee. Her interest in selling hair peaked when she realized she was a consistent consumer of the hair industry, purchasing at least $300 worth of hair per month. Christian said the distributors she has done business with are generous.

“They hunt me down,” she said. “They try to send me free stuff. They say, ‘Hey, we’ll

give you gifts to give to your customers.’”Many people are using the virgin hair

trend to start new businesses.Brittany Johnson, owner and founder of

Pretty Remi Hair boutique, said she used to work at a large Korean beauty supply store in Tallahassee, and one day she asked her employer what it took to open a beauty supply store.

“She actually told me they don’t help other races,” Johnson said.

After hearing her boss’ response, Johnson said she stopped working at that beauty supply store and began making plans to open her own boutique, which opened in September 2012. Jackson has experienced difficulties trying to purchase non-virgin hair to sell in her store. She said Korean distributors “will not sell hair to you if you’re on the same street as another hair store.”

Rebecca Gaspard is also getting her piece of the beauty industry pie by selling virgin hair. Although she’s still a student, Gaspard opened a beauty bar selling virgin hair inside of I Am Kouture in October 2012 and has prospered within the market.

“Selling hair has been a great way for me to start my own business, especially since I’m also a college student,” Gaspard said.

Black History Month is celebrated annually around the country. But has the

importance of the celebration dwindled?Will Guzmán, assistant professor for the

Department of History and African-American Studies and director of the Office of Black Diasporan Culture, said the acknowledgement of Black History Month is still vital.

“Black History Month is an important celebration that the country engages in, in order to remember the various struggles that African-Americans overcame,” Guzmán said.

According to Florida A&M students, such as Alexis Washington, a sophomore pre-med student from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., attending an HBCU does not heighten the amount of black history learned in and out of the classroom.

“We don’t hear much about black history,” Washington said. “You have to be in that type of class to hear those types of lectures.”

Jerome Jackson, a senior business management student from Orlando, Fla., said Black History Month is not being discussed enough inside the classroom.

“I think the university needs to find a way to make it known to the students that we are celebrating black history,” Jackson said. “The professors should find a way to incorporate it in their lectures.”

While some may feel Black History Month isn’t celebrated the way it should be at FAMU, Guzmán points to the lack of attendance at university-sponsored events, such as convocation.

“Unfortunately, a lot of students do not attend,” he said. “We have over 12,000 students on this campus, and there were probably less than 600 students present just the other day (at the convocation).”

In addition to the convocation, FAMU sponsored events such as a documentary fest, Study Abroad Africa Fair and Foster-Tanner art exhibit.

Guzmán feels this month should be used to celebrate the heritage of the majority of students on campus.

“It is important to honor the memory of the ancestors, learn from the mistakes that were made in the past and know the history in general so we can apply it to our status,” Guzmán said.

Since the death of Trayvon Martin, a teenager from Sanford, Fla., racial

profiling has gained national attention. Many young minorities still face the unfortunate realities of this issue.

Fitting a description is one thing, but racial profiling is illegal and should not be tolerated, according to Sgt. Sherri Luke, crime prevention and emergency operations manager in Florida A&M’s Department of Public Safety. Luke explained the differences between the two.

“Profiling is illegal,” she said. “But stopping a person based upon having probable cause that the person being stopped has committed, is committing or is about to commit, an offense is not.”

Luke also defined what profiling is.“Profiling has been identified as the

stopping of motorists, the detention of a person and/or the searching of a vehicle based solely on the individual’s race, ethnic origin, gender, age or income status,” Luke said.

Whether directly or indirectly, minor or major, some students have experienced this in some capacity.

Sandra Cinor, a senior family and child sciences student from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, described an incident where she felt she and her father were mistreated because of their race as they were leaving Haiti.

“He was pulled aside and locked in a room at the airport for three hours for absolutely no reason,” Cinor said. “He was released with a simple apology after the airport police realized he wasn’t the suspect.”

She said this mishap left her feeling ashamed and devastated.

“It made me feel worthless watching the man, who as my father was the most honest black male I know, get accused and put in a room for three hours,” Cinor said.

Josua Jean, a junior social work student from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., said he experienced racial and cultural profiling from law enforcement as a result of his Haitian heritage.

“I’ve been racially profiled by the police several times,” he said. “I’ve even been beaten with a stick by a police officer after asking why I was being stopped.”

Luke agrees that racial profiling is unacceptable, however, she recognizes that there is a time and place to plead a case.

“Remember, the time to argue your case is not at the scene,” she said. “Each department has an internal affairs/integrity type unit, and it is there that you want to voice complaints.”

To learn more about how to handle altercations with law enforcement, Luke encourages students to attend a class provided through the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives titled “What to do when Stopped by the Police.”

“It is a great class and is provided free to student groups upon request,” Luke said.

4 LIFESTYLESWednesday, February 20, 2013 www.thefamuanonline.com

Bridgett Pittman Correspondent

alicia Jarman Correspondent

BEAUTYS U P P L Y

R A C I A LP R O F I L I N G

minorities t o d a y

LACKS

Chelse Collins

Correspondent

in

still affects

Syretta Tucker/The FAMUan Students participate in the Black History Convocation.

Blacks struggle in the beauty supply industry

All photos of All In One Hair Store taken by Chelse Collins.

Peer pressure. When this concept presents itself, there are a few questions that accompany it, such as “What exactly is it and where does it occur?”

For some college students, peer pressure is a phase that is seen only during one’s junior high and high school tenure. But can this “phase” be transitioning to college students?

I believe peer pressure also applies to college students, including those on our campus. As young adults, we tend to think that we have developed into individuals who are not susceptible to having our decisions swayed. Some people may even say peer pressure is for those who are weak-minded. But to those unaware, peer pressure has its forms: the negative and the positive.

Peer pressure is the ability of people from the same social rank or age to influence another person’s decision-making process, according to educationbug.org.

The negative, of course, is evident in college environments, which includes, but is not limited to, drugs and alcohol. But conformity in groups is a large component. I believe this aspect is seen throughout our school.

The sudden urges of transformation I have witnessed consist of a change in dress, friend association and even the persona one attempts to exude, truly interchanging academic excellence for life on the scene.

It is up to students to contemplate on whether changing the core of who they are will be beneficial to them long-term and not the temporary satisfaction of feeling as if they have found a sanctuary of belonging.

Aaron Tillman and Kierra King, now graduates of Florida A&M’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication, highlighted the pressure to belong in organizations around campus in their documentary. “A Need to Belong,” which was shown at J-School Journals last semester, depicted the desire to “fit in” among our peers and the extraneous lengths people will go.

After all, there is power in numbers. Some people will carry out actions they would not normally do because of a following.

Positive peer pressure is what any college student wants to be exposed to. The need to succeed is a quest for the majority. Certain esteemed positions on campus require leadership characteristics. I consider these to be positive aspects of peer pressure.

When you take everything into account, peer pressure is inevitable, whether this concept is proven through negative or positive forms. Everyone has experienced it, especially as college students who are matriculating as independent individuals.

Being the only African-American student at a predominantly white elementary, middle and high school, I always felt awkward during Black History Month.

Teachers would point and say, “If it weren’t for people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruby Bridges, some of your classmates wouldn’t be able to be here.”

By some, they meant one – me.

Without historic court cases such as Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kan., which overturned the decision of Plessy v. Ferguson allowing state-sponsored segregation, many of our lives would be different.

As a black woman, integration has impacted my life in many ways, but

one of the most important is the fact it has given me choices academically. Because of integration, I was able to choose to attend a historically black university rather than being forced to, and I have been afforded the opportunity to be instructed by many influential professors, both black and white.

It is astonishing to think that I would not have the chance to be educated alongside many of the students I sit in class with if I were born 60 years prior. Educating students about different races together is an effective tool in ending racism and de facto segregation, which is still a problem in this nation.

There has been great progress in race relationships in America since the initial 1954 ruling, which declared the concept of “separate but equal” to be a violation of the 14th Amendment.

While the majority of students on campus are African-American, there

are students of other races and ethnic backgrounds as well. Without integration, these students would not have had the chance to attend FAMU and enrich the cultural atmosphere on campus.

Being born into a generation where race matters much less than it has in the past, it can become easy to forget how privileged we are. We are not being told we can’t eat, live and learn in the same facilities as people of other races, and that is a profound change. We are lucky that we’ve been afforded opportunities that our ancestors would never dream of, and they shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Although I used to be embarrassed when I was singled out in class for being the only black kid, I can now look back and feel proud that the struggles of many civil rights activists and participants in the civil rights movement were not in vain. My life and many others will be forever affected by integration.

To the world, Chris Dorner may be a vengeful cop killer and racist. But I see Dorner as an urban legend added to a long list of 21st century conspiracies.

I’m not applauding Dorner for his alleged “acts of terrorism,” nor do I support any act of violence. However, the news coverage from the beginning of the manhunt has been unbalanced, biased and contradictory.

Many of the interviews were based on how the interviewee felt about the case. How a person feels is not news. Reports were made based off of assumptions.

I’ve never considered myself a conspirator, but the case is disputable.

I’m a little perplexed that Dorner managed to win a game of hide and seek with more than a dozen police officers. He took refuge in a cabin considered a “stone’s throw away” from the investigation site, according to KTLA 5, a news station in Los Angeles. Why did the police squad search every cabin except the cabin Dorner resided in?

Neither the police department nor the media have given a clear answer as to who set the cabin on fire. During a press

conference, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon defended the department against allegations that it set the cabin on fire.

“It was not on purpose,” McMahon said. “We did not intentionally burn down that cabin to get Mr. Dorner out.”

His statement hints that the cabin was set on fire by the department.

Another contradiction came from Cindy Bachman, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. KTLA 5 discovered a conflict of reports from Bachman. The station’s website said after Bachman released a statement, she denied earlier reports that human remains were found in the cabin, contradicting what news organizations received from law enforcement sources.

My third suspicion is how investigators identified Dorner’s body. If they were sure Dorner was inside the house after the shootout, why would the remains come under question?

The Dorner case has been up for discussion among my friends and classmates for various reasons. I’ve heard the government infiltrated the entire scheme to use drones to search for Dorner. Whatever the reason, there are clearly holes in the story and questions remain unanswered.

Domonique Davis

LifestyLes editor

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THE F U

The FAMUan, an award winning newspaper, is

published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters. Look for us

online on Mondays and Fridays. The opinions do not reflect the administration, faculty, or staff

of the University. The Fan is funded partially by activities

and services fees.

Wanted: OpinionsStudents in the School

of Journalism and Graphic Communication (SJGC) have the same thought and excuse for not writing for the opinions section: it does not count for capstone projects,

which are presented to a panel of professors by students in their final semester. I know because I used to have that mindset when I was asked to write for this section. But then I found out what this section is all about.

The opinions page can, and should, be utilized to stir discussion, get answers and pose questions others are thinking but are not willing to say. It may be hard to believe, but administrators, faculty and public figures will respond, either through a written piece of their own or a public announcement, when questions are raised in hard-hitting opinion stories.

Most of the time, simply coming to an administrator rarely provokes the answers or resolutions you may be seeking. At that point, The FAMUan is willing to hear all pitches about things on campus that are bothering you or that you want more information on.

This is also where the rest of the university comes into play. Our knowledge of the happenings at Florida A&M are limited. We are students like everyone else, so when we are not working on the newspaper, we are in class, and even then, most of our time is spent in the SJGC building. It is difficult for us to come up with opinion stories about what is happening in other departments of the university.

This means if you are unhappy with how things are going in the School of Business and Industry, you should write an opinions story about it. We are not as well versed in the intricate workings of all departments, schools and colleges.

I encourage all FAMU students to come down and be heard. If there is a curriculum change to your department that you feel

has not been properly justified, write an opinion piece and submit it for publication. If you don’t agree with a policy change or outstanding policy for your department or the university, voice your opinion and make the officials own up to what they decided upon.

It is up to us, the students and consumers of FAMU, to hold the university accountable for all decisions and changes made. We are your medium for getting your message across, but only if you take that first step and speak with an editor.

We are not looking for stories that simply bash officials with no grounds. But if you can articulate your point and draw upon research or precedents to support your conclusion, why would you sit back and let something happen to you that you do not agree with?

We are easily accessible with a full list of email addresses on the right side of this page. Also, we can be found in our office in SJGC.

I am challenging the student body of FAMU to step up, be responsible and inspire the changes you wish to see. But first, you need to make your voice heard.

Jorge roDriguez-Jimenez

MaNagiNg editor

5OPINIONSWednesday, February 20, 2013 | www.thefamuanonline.com

Every Florida A&M University student is invited to join the staff of the FAMUan. Staff writers and photographers receive assignments from the

Editor-in-Chief or section editors, and should meet the deadlines imposed. Material

submitted for publication should meet the journalistic

standards of accuracy, fairness, completeness and balance. The

Editorial Board reserves the right to edit or reject material.

The views and/or opinions in any of the content produced for this student publication do

not express the views and /or opinions of Florida A&M

University, the state of Florida or any of their entities.

Dorner coverage unbalanced

The ups, downs of peer pressure

Black, proud & historicIntegratIon benefIts all races

PolIce actIons PromPt unanswered questIons

ayanna young

deputy LifestyLes editor

SPORTSWednesday, February 20, 2013 | www.thefamuanonline.com6

Arthur Wharton - first African-American professional soccer player

Jackie Robinson - first African-American professional baseball player

Althea Gibson - first African-American to compete in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour

John Shippen - first African-American professional golfer

Wendell Scott - first and only African-American to win a NAS-CAR race

Althea Gibson - first female African-American to win the French, Wimbledon and U.S.

Sheryl Swoopes - first African-American WNBA player (Houston Comets)

Frederick “Fritz” Pollard - first African-American football coach in the American Professional Football League

Wally Triplett - first modern-era African-American NFL football player (Detroit Lionsa)

Earl Lloyd - first African-Amer-ican NBA player (Washington Capitols)

Venus Williams - first African-American woman ranked as the No. 1 tennis player in the world

Natasha Watley - first African-American to play of the Women’s U.S. Softball team in the Olympics

Gabby Douglas - first African-American to win the all-around gold medal in gymnastics20

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Program helps keep athletes on the field

The Athletic Center for Excellence (ACE), founded in fall 2011, has helped student-athletes improve in something beyond their respective sports – academics.

Victoria Jones, a first-year bowling team member from Miami, has seen drastic improvement in her grades as an ACE participant.

“I was struggling in my math class,” Jones said. “Since joining ACE and working hard with the tutors, I’ve passed all of my tests.”

According to its mission statement, ACE is an on-campus program designed to promote excellence, enhance retention and increase graduation rates among student-athletes.

According to NCAA data from 2012, the probability of a college athlete going on to play professionally is less than 2 percent in football and men and women’s basketball. The probability of going on to play professional baseball is 9.7 percent.

Knowing most student-athletes

will not play a sport professionally, ACE’s top priority is to help them earn college degrees and achieve personal development. Student-athletes are required to have a certain number of study hall hours and have to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.

“The athletics department recognized that we needed to have an academic program for student-athletes,” said Faydre Hawkins-Brown, assistant athletic director. “So we decided to create ACE.”

According to Roger Dowe, tutorial coordinator, many athletes take advantage of ACE. There are more than 300 active student-athletes in the program.

“It gives the athletes an opportunity to get the extra help they need,” Dowe said.

Student-athletes can come in Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tutors are available during this time. Any student is able to go to the center, which is located on the second floor of the Jake Gaither Gymnasium, for help. However, it is structured to focus on student-athletes.

ACE is run in two parts: the compliance division, which monitors

the eligibility of the student-athletes, and the academic division, which incorporates advisers to assist the student-athletes. Both divisions ensure that student-athletes are passing their classes and abiding by the NCAA guidelines.

“Each sport has an adviser that they are assigned to,” said Stephanie Thompson, compliance coordinator. “The adviser develops a specific plan based on each student-athlete.”

Travis Green, an athletic academic adviser, said, “I hope that the student-athletes will take advantage of the resources that are offered.”

Anthony Williams, another athletic academic adviser, thinks the program is a success.

“ACE provides a structured study environment for our student-athletes,” Williams said.

Richena Louis, a third-year track and field athlete from Miami, said she loves ACE.

“I love the computer access that’s available and the fact that we can print for free,” Louis said. “I also like the fact that the advisers are available whenever we need them, and I love the tutors.”

This weekend was another tough one for the Lady Rattlers softball team, which went 1-4.

While the women left the University of Central Florida Marriott Invitational with only one win against the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, one player stood out for the Lady Rattlers (1-8).

Brielle Gordon, a junior from Valrico, Fla., had three hits apiece against the University of Buffalo and the University of Texas-Arlington and finished the game against the University of Central Florida with two more hits.

Assistant coach Laurie Goodart said, “Brielle has been working

so hard at her hitting, and she has remained very confident.”

However, Gordon’s contributions don’t stop at the plate. She plays center field for the Lady Rattlers and has been making plays since the season began. From tracking down balls to throwing players out, Gordon has already impacted this season.

“She is playing excellent,” Goodart said.

Christina Robbs, a junior outfielder from Lake Worth, Fla., describes her teammate as a unique individual.

“Brielle is fun and caring on and off of the field,” she said. “Her work ethic speaks for itself.”

Gordon is constantly critiquing herself to be a better player, according to Robbs, and her hard work is paying off.

Gordon’s sister, Corrine Gordon, a senior infielder from Valrico, Fla., is also a member of the softball team. The two have been playing together for more than a decade.

“I could not imagine playing without her,” Corinne Gordon said. “We motivate each other in a way no one else could.”

Corinne Gordon noted her sister’s improvements, but she is especially proud of her new level of confidence. She said Brielle Gordon is always willing to do what it takes to help the team win.

The Lady Rattlers play Jacksonville University today at 6 p.m. at Florida State University. They will play Oakland University in a doubleheader Thursday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

AfricAn-AmericAn TrAilblAzers

Junior center fielder shines at invitational

Courtesy: FAMU Sports InformationTutors at ACE, housed in the Jake Gaither Gymnasium, help student-athletes succeed in the classroom.

Courtesy: FAMU Sports InformationBrielle Gordon (left) had a breakout performance this weekend at the UCF Marriott Invitational, earning the highest number of hits.

Brittanie richardson

Correspondent

Morgan culler

deputy sports editor