The Hilltop 3-19-1999

Howard University Digital Howard @ Howard University The iH lltop: 1990-2000 The iH lltop Digital Archive 3-19-1999 The iH lltop 3-19-1999 Hilltop Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://dh.howard.edu/hilltop_902000 Recommended Citation Staff, Hilltop, "The iH lltop 3-19-1999" (1999). The Hilltop: 1990-2000. 234. https://dh.howard.edu/hilltop_902000/234 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: 1990-2000 by an authorized administrator of Digital Howard @ Howard University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Voice of Howard University Since 1924 VOLUME 82, No. 23 FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1999 http ://hilltop.howard.edu Knocking on SOiing's Door • ec ions, By KIMOTHY K. BROWN election is the final decision and that Hilltop Staff Writer at this point, Santigati can only make recommendations. Allegations of wrongdoing during Short says he has submitted his alle recent elections flooded the General gations of discrepancies to a round of Hilltop Staff/Erle Hall Assembly meeting Wednesday, as members of the Howard University calls to overturn the election's results community, including President H. A group of Howard Universiy students sits on The Yard Wednesday, when temperatures soared into the 70's, exactlly one week after 13 inches of snow fell and schedule a second on height Patrick Swygert, Secretary of the ened. Board of Trustees Artis G. Hamp • Three candidates who Jost bids in shire-Cowan, and Interim Vice Pres the March 3 primary elections are ident of Student Affairs Raymond I oesn' leading the push to overturn the elec Archer. tions. Graduate Trustee Randy Short, But Short says he's also disen and Channing Hawkins and Giovan chanted with the whole saga. ni Taylor, who made bids to lead the "At this point, [contesting is] a mute Howard University Student Associ point. Why subject us to another elec ation, said this week that they are tion? Because the whole process has ' vehemently supporting calls to over been done poorly," he said. By JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV fashion. someone to investigate it," Shannon said. turn the elections. Dr. Franklin Chambers, associate Hilltop Staff Writer But many students have cited major problems in In the beginning of the semester, Howard Uni "Whatever people feel is the neces director of student activities, said the the system, saying that in some cases, the system versity Student Association President Neville sary action, then I'll go along with Administration does not play a major Two weeks ago, sirens blared and blue-and-white doesn't work. Welch told The Hilltop that many blue-light posts that,'' Hawkins said. "Whatever God role in shaping the elections out lights cut through the night as police officers "They [blue-lights] are not effective at all. Most were inoperable, and that he'd reported the prob has intended to happen, it happened. come. from both the University Police Department and of the time I'm walking on campus, the blue-lights lem to University Police. He said that crews began I can't change people's minds." "The General Assembly Elections the Metropolitan Police Department-responded will be out," said Adelia Faison, a 19-year-old correcting the problem soon after his notification. The controversy stems from stu Committee makes all decisions gov to a call about the alleged assault of a woman in radio, television and film major. "They're not in Police officials say the system is checked on a dents who claim they were allowed to erning elections," Chambers said. Howard Plaza Towers East. service," she said. regular basis. What's more, Shannon says he "sur vote for both undergraduate and grad "We [the Administration] do not have Such events have forced Howard University stu "Security is a major issue that should not be taken veys" the system bimonthly on his midnight shift. uate trustee, while other students say anything to [do] with elections other dents to examine campus safety, and the tools the lightly," said April Thomas, a 19-year-old sopho Police Chief Reginald Smith said they system they were barred from voting. What's than offering advice." University uses to protect the students it serves, more. "When students feel insecure, they cannot warns officials when it malfunctions. more, the names of at least one can Chambers also thinks students have such as the so-called "Blue-Light" system-the focus on school work, which can also effect their "Malfunctions are cataloged,'' Smith said, "Mal didate was misspelled beyond recog the final say on the elections. security network that now covers the campus. academic growth as weJI a~ th~ir moti.'Lation 10 give f1?nctions are _pr;n.ted r-:..1t for officers at the de('.k." nition on the March 3 election ballot. "Students fought to have the auton The system, when it works, is simple: A person back to their community,'' the dance major added. he added. General Assembly Elections Com omy to run their own elections; we in need of security pushes a blue button that's But Lt. Toby Shannon of the University Police, He also said that once a malfunction is spotted, mittee Chairman Anthony Santagati, want to preserve that," said Cham attached to an orange response box, which is con said that many students don't understand how the an engineer familiar with the system is notified to said a grievance committee will ren bers. ''The ultimate decision lies with nected to a pole topped with a blue light. security system works. fix the problem der its final report and decision on the students." Once a call is placed, a monitor at the Universi "When the lights are blinking, it doesn't mean the Students expressed other concerns with the sys! whether to hold a new elections by The General Assembly voted to ty's campus police station responds to the distress system isn't working. It means that someone has tem. March 30. "We want to be as fair as seize control of the election contes signal by alerting the closest security officer in the walked by and pressed it," Shannon said, Shannon "When I walk by the blue-lights, I can always possible, because it's an appeal tations if the grievance committee vicinity. And while the University has no record said, adding that the security buttons are pressed hear people talking on them," Chanel Billips said. process." fails to make a decision by the estab of response time to calls made through the system, mostly for non-emergencies. Undergraduate Student Association lished deadline. officials say that officers arrive in an "expedient" "If someone does push the button, we' 11 have See LIG_HT, AS Representative Erik Watson said the HU Clinton Plan Lenore Horton, a member of the debate Receives Attacks team, prepares for next month's tour Expected Police nament. Visit Brutality By APRILL 0. TURNER Hilltop Staff Writer Proposal Comes Weeks After African Immigrant's The University's acutely-orchestrated reaccredi Killing in New llirk tation visit came to an end Wednesday when the Commission on Higher Education Middle States By IRA PORTER would go towards such training while Association of Colleges and Schools issued its Hilltop Staff Writer another $20 million would be used for pre-assessment of Howard, stating the school was scholarships for officers. in good condition and on the road to being reac Weeks after a group of New York Clinton said another $5 million Howard's Debate Team Aims credited. City police officers were accused of would be invested in providing accu The evaluation team, which visits the University shooting an African immigrant, rate information about the police force once every 10 years, began its visit on Sunday and killing him in a hail of bullets, Presi for students. to Reclaim National Title examined the University's resources, programs, dent Clnton, in his weekly radio Some Howard students said they At Iowa Tournament, Top-ranked Team to Face Fierce Rivals services and facilities. address, offered a proposal to help don't understand the purpose of the The team told the University that it should combat escalating incidents of police president's proposal. improve the library's holdings and its technology, brutality. "I'm wondering what was the logic By NICOLE A. TONG strong comeback, Thomas said. citing that a number of faculty and students Clinton's proposal comes at a time behind that," said Roslyn Douglas, a Hilltop Staff Writer "I believe that either of my t,vo squads could take expressed signs of improvement. when police brutality is on the rise, sophomore communications. major. first place this year, because we have learned from Hours of preparation was invested into the visit and reports of police misconduct has "It shouldn't be a case of if 'it's a Aiming to reclaim the national title it lost last year, our mistakes in the past and we also learn from of the evaluation team. The University conducted increased, straining relations between minority cop or if it's a white cop .. .it's the Martin Luther King, Jr., Forensics Society, the other teams," she said. a self assessment, called the "Self-Study', which law enforcement officials and minor a case of who can do the job."' University's debate team, will next week leave to Natasha Porterfield, a junior legal communica were the results of a two-year self-evaluation of all ity communities around the nation. Other students said that changes compete in the National Championship Tourna tions major, said that while the team left the nation components of the University.

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