Howard University Digital Howard @ Howard University The iH lltop: 2000 - 2010 The iH lltop Digital Archive 1-25-2005 The iH lltop 1-25-2005 Hilltop Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://dh.howard.edu/hilltop_0010 Recommended Citation Staff, Hilltop, "The iH lltop 1-25-2005" (2005). The Hilltop: 2000 - 2010. 210. https://dh.howard.edu/hilltop_0010/210 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the The iH lltop Digital Archive at Digital Howard @ Howard University. It has been accepted for inclusion in The iH lltop: 2000 - 2010 by an authorized administrator of Digital Howard @ Howard University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WEATHER <t Today: Partly Cloudy High 38, Low 28 # Wednesday: Partly Cloudy 1 High 44, Low 21 Thursday: Partly Cloudy . High 28, Low 13 The Student Voice of Howard University Since 1924 \'l)l.LJ;\lE SS, N(). JI TUESlJt\Y, JANll:\RY 25, 2005 " ·" ·,v.thchilltoponline.con1 Housing RSVP Causes Near Riot Student Elections BY RUTH L. TISDALE Editor-In-Chief Get Revamped BY AMBER ENGLISH given to them on candidates Freshman physician's assis­ Contributing Writer and the various positions. In tant major Courtney Gevarn previous elections, students braved 19 degree weather and have been deterred from vot­ missed her 8:00 a.m. class in Senior television produc­ ing simply because they didn't order to be one of the first to tion major Ra Williams firmly know what they were voting secure housing for next semes­ believes in exercising her right for. ter. to vote-except when it comes Anderson and the gener- After an administration to Howard elections. al elections commission plan building shut down and a near "I didn't vote becau&e [the to solve this proble1n with an riot, Gevarn was given a blue election] was too confusing increased effort to inform stu­ ticket and told to come back. and it seemed corrupt," said dents. Anderson said that the Unfortunately, Gevarn was Williams of last year's sh1dent commission is also seeking one of 500 students who were government elections. "I didn't additional funding to increase left uncertain about the Room see a point." advertisement of the entire Selection Verification Process This year, the general elec­ process. (RSVP.) tions commission, the groui;> But not everyone feels Early Monday morning responsible for overseeing the that they are welcon1e in the over 500 students gathered elections process, strives to student government process. in front of the Administration increase student participation. Sophomore business manage­ building in order to participate Headed by Jamal H. Anderson, ment major Lindsay Harrington in the RSVP syste1n and secure the general elections admin­ feels that being involved in housing. Because of the over­ istrator, the commission is student government largely whelming amount of students Photos by ~1iarltnt 1la"1hron~ working to ensure a successful depends on whom you know. trying to pay their deposits, the Nearly 500 students gathered outside of the Administration building in order to secure hous­ spring election season. "You have to know at least Administration building shut ing through RSVP. Because of the near riot that ensued, the fire department was called. Anderson brings both one person to vouch for you," down, leaving students wonder­ started the distribution of the _Howard and real-world politi­ Harrington said. ·'And it has to ing whether or not they would tickets so that students could cal experience to his newly be someone with influence." be able to secure housing. get out of the cold." appointed post. Anderson, a Anderson seeks to open the According to Vice Provost Chambers said that although junior political science major, candidacy process to a wider of Student Affairs Franklin tickets were offered, students took time off last year to work sector of the student body. By Chambers, because of the enor­ were scared that they would not on Howard Dean's 2004 presi­ making students aware of the mous influx of students and the have housing so they did not dential campaign. opportunities to run for office, cold weather, the administra­ want to leave. The general elections com­ Anderson hopes to diminish tion decided to switch to a ticket With students not leaving mission will raise the ethical the stereotype that student system in which students would the premises, a near riot erupt­ standards through changes government is for an exclusive receive a ticket and would have ed when students began push­ in the guidelines for elections group of people. until Friday to pay their depos­ ing for a ticket; the situation staff and candidates. Though it "We're taking the time to it. became more intense when stu­ is still early and plans have not get [the elections] right," said "We started to give the dents were moved to Cramton. been finalized, Anderson's goal Anderson of the commission's students who were in the Tyrone Barksdale, special is to ensure that the elections plan to lengthen the spring Administration building a tick­ projects analyst in the Office reflect the values of Howard elections season. The elections et, but they refused a ticket, of the Provost, said that stu­ University: leadership, excel­ are scheduled to take place so we staited giving tickets to dents were moved to Cra1nton lence, truth and service. after spring break, when in students who were standing Students can also expect See RSVP, Campus AS See ELECTIONS, Campus A4 outside," Chambers -said. "We • changes in the information Out of Tune: Students Struggle Students Interact With Board With Inadequate Facilities Of Trustees at Reception BY RUTH L. TISDALE concern among many music money for the music depart­ BY AYESHA RASCOE undersized programs would Less holidays during the Campus Editor Editor-in-Chief students. ment and the practice facili­ be affected if funds were cut. school year was one suggestion According to music depart­ ties. Their purpose in going to the from a student, which caused Instead of practicing his ment chair Thomas Korth, the "Every year our budget Members of Howard reception was to promote their some negative response from original composition in the music department presented gets smaller and smaller, but I University's board of trustees program, which is under Allied the crowd. The believed that ·convened on Friday, but not in winter breaks could be longer assigned practice rooms in the dean of the College of Arts have tried to set aside money Health. the basement of the Fine Arts and Sciences with a five-year, for a piano technician," Korth a boardroom. Instead, the group "Basically, we are trying without observing federal holi­ of administrative decision mak­ to put our name out there and days every nlonth. However, building, Todd Prince pra~tices $250,000 plan that would said. "Currently, we only have on the out-of-tune pianos in the upgrade all of the pianos, but enough money to hire a techni­ ers attended a reception in the let [trustees) know that its well McKenzie responded that since Gallery Lounge of Blackburn to needed in the community," Howard is located in the capital third-floor classrooms. the plan was rejected. cian to ~ome in once a week to · "We are not supposed to . Dean of the College of Arts service all of the pianos in our get better acquainted with stu­ Mcculler sai~. "[We want to] it is necessary to close the uni­ practice on the pianos in the and Sciences Jan1es Donaldson building." dents and their concerns. start a dialogue because I am versity on federal holidays. classrooms, but if I can't use said that while the division of Senior music education "We are indeed here because sure a lot of the decisions they Before the question and these pianos, I will not practice fine arts supported the plan, major Steven Thomas said that of [the students]," said Dr. make affect Allied Health and answer session, the trustees because the conditions in the "the decisional authority found the reason why the practice Floretta Dukes McKenzie, chair­ in turn radiation therapy, so we present each introduced them­ practice rooms are horrible," some other requests more com­ facility is inadequate is because woman of the board of .trustees . want to put a face with the pro­ selves to the audience and they the freshman music education pelling." of the maintenance of the facili­ as she opened the reception. gram." See RECEPTION, Campus A4 major said. The three percent ties. "We sincerely want you to have Financial constraints, University-wide budget cuts "People leave cigarette the best education possible. We trash-filled rooms and broken that the music department has butts and food and clothes in see the future of the university pianos have become a major bad to endure has also left little the rooms all the time," the in you." trumpet minor said. "The prac­ Some issues that students tice rooms are nothing to show raised during the reception's on a tour. I wouldn't call this a brief question and answer ses­ practice facility, but a place to sion included the loss of federal practice." funding, the role of trustees and Freshman music educa­ the length of the school year. tion major Bryan Stevenson McKenzie urged students said that many people do not to be optimistic about the idea respect the facilities, because of cuts in federal fuOliing, but the facilities are open to all warned that if Howard ever lost students who take a music funding, tuition would skyrock­ course not just music majors. et, and also that smaller aca­ Korth said that although demic programs and sequences the music department has tried would be in danger of being to rectify the maintenance eliminated if the university issue by hiring one mainte­ experienced financial losses.