editoriali I_--bl ·-- '' II PT '·---- In love and unity we the staff of means is, with more dining areas and less to succeed, an equal and honest oppor- the BLACKWORLD newspaper return students FSA will have to raise the prices tunity. I find it disgraceful that in a time to serve the minority community of the of food. If what Pataki wants is a pri- where everyone wants to band together Stony Brook campus. We are very ex- vate exclusive University system he sure as one, the group of students who have cited about the new year, and the spring is implementing the right plans. Pataki always had to overcome the most, are semester. We welcome back those who also proposes to totally eliminate EOP, used as bait. What most people who were with us last semester, and those stu- SEEK and other aid to minority students. make such comments should know is that dents who were unable to attend school- We had a great big rally of unity for stu- the graduation rates for EOP students last fall. The theme of this issue and ev- dents on campus Wednesday, February compared to that of non EOP students are ery BLACKWORLD issue is love and 8th in the administration building. That almost equal. unity. Love is not reserved for that spe- was great for unity, except when I read It was very amusing when last cial day of the year known as Valentine's another campus newspaper's editorial on week I attended a meeting, along with the Day. The minority community as a whole the budget crisis, I wondered if it was all Editor-In-Chief of the Statesman, where need to show the much needed love and for nothing. a discussion of the budget crisis arose. respect for each other, year round. Our The Statesman editorial in the He expressed such concern for the mi- small community on the Stony Brook February 6th Volume XXXVIII, Num- nority students on campus and the grave campus needs to unite now more than ber 33 edition stated that everything situation we faced. He said everyone ever because we face a dire economic should be saved except for the EOP and should band together in unity and attack situation that threatens the existence of SEEK programs. Is it me, or does it seem this head on. Now I feel like I have a all the minority students in the SUNY that many students would sacrifice the sharp pain in my back. school system. minority community to save their own In this issue we have our usual What we are not excited about ass? The editorial stated that cutting the column, " To The Heart Of The Matter." in this new year is our new Governor EOP and SEEK programs would benefit Much to our disappointment, "Voices of George Pataki. We are severely disap- the student community because they a Sista" will no longer be in pointed with his vicious budget plans for "find no reason to give financial aid to BLACKWORLD. We thank Ms. the SUNY schools. His ruthless plans to people who are academically lacking." Ruschelle Reuben for writing it during cut TAP to $500 maximum award, and The editorial goes on to claim that there Fall '94, and wish her much success in eliminate graduate Tap completely is a are other worthy students who are suf- future endeavors. Also we have the de- clear attack on a state system of educat- fering because of these programs. What but of a new column written by our Edi- ing. His ideas include raising tuition many of these people do not realize is tor-in-Chief, Lauristine Gomes. We also '$1000 for SUNY colleges and $1800 for that many of the students in these pro- have a special Valentine's Day personals University centers (Albany, Buffalo, grams do not only come from a poor section where students sent some per- Binghamton, and STONY BROOK). economic environment, but also a poor sonal Valentine greetings.In the Cre- The buck does not stop there. We are in academic environment. It is not their ative Arts section, we have the column :the process of building a new Student fault that they were in an environment "L Session ," which is now being writ- Union, among other renovations. Not which did not have the resources needed ten by Big Sha. Included are reviews of only will many of those renovations stop, to attain educational success. It also does Ruby Dee in concert and The Urban Bush but if and when the new Union opens, not mean that they are stupid or academi- Women performance. In conclusion, many problems will arise. There are cally lacking individuals. What these stu- BLACKWORLD wishes everyone a plans to open new dining areas in the dents once lacked is support. The EOP healthy and prosperous spring 95' semes- new Union. The Union and dining areas and related programs are designed to give ter. Peace and Love! are expected to be accompanied by a students who show a great deal of poten- Carey Gray great drop in enrollment. What that tial, but were never given a fair chance Managing Editor The opinions and views ex- roetry oy ;tony jBroOK pressed are not necessarily those shared by the Editorial students staff.Articles, Viewpoints, Per- sonals and Poetry should be sub- Page 8 mitted to STUDENT UNION Rm 072, or our Polity Mailbox. Some -R!* AA TS articles may be edited for length Interview with Carmen Vasquez, and /or grammar. Advertising Director of Student Union & 0 The L Session policy does not necessarily re- Activities flrt editorial policy. Editorials SRuby Dee Describes the are the opinions of the majority ofthe- Blackworld staff Essence of King Page 4 *Urban Bush Women Review OThe Black Arts Movement TrAM,--'YA,-ABA Page 10 FREE' "U.. ,I U.S. Political prisoner on PE AS'- death row Pa e 5 Page 13 _ ;_._,,,~,,,~,yl.~,, - ,, I----. --- I! ~csslwaree~r~a~P?8~8~~ ~·ZLI~I~L~T6IFEIPPli~F~Bd·~t~ir~Ch+r·i~· :~;rT%^~a~i~S~L~i~i~~JC~'-'-~S~'~'Clsr-~~Zilti-~liCZ-llr··-~:ri ii;iiri~ i~-*ii·LLLiiYYld·YII1111~-------~----~-- A Rally for Change We, as students at the State Uni- to pay for? ,and by shouting "Education is our right, tell the "Ivy-league, ax-wielding gover- versity of Stony Brook, have been given As President Crystal Plati and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" nor" that we are not going to take it any- a slap in the face. The New York State Vice President Annette Hicks, tried to get Testimonies on financial diffi- more. Government, headed by Governor Pataki, the crowd warmed up the Administration culties were given by several EOP stu- Annette Hicks, when asked thinks that they can cut funding to our building filled quickly. Banners could be dents. This view was illuminated by about her thoughts on the rally, said that school, raise tuition (which we can al- seen in the middle of the crowd with BLACKWORLD Editor-In-Chief, she too was happy to see so many stu- ready barely pay), and cut essential pro- statements like, "I might not be here next Lauristine Gomes. Ms. Gomes read a dents in attendance, but at the same time, grams for student who absolutely cannot year" and "S.O.S-SAVE OUR SUNY". fiery poem which depicted typical Uni- disappointed at the number of those who pay the tuition at all. Meanwhile, Plati encouraged the crowd versity life. However, there was an un- didn't show. She also stressed that there On Wednesday, February 8 dur- to chant the slogan, "S.O.S. SAVE OUR usual twist. The protagonist in the poem should have been more student leaders ing campus lifetime, the Administration SUNY". As Plati and Hicks continued ended up graduating from Stony Brook, present at the rally. Annette believed this building was filled with students rally- to lay down the cold harsh facts about but also shooting up the graduation cer- would have made it more of a success. ing for a change in the proposed budget Pataki'S proposals to "tighten the budget emony. The crowd of angry and emo- She emphasized that this is a problem that cuts and tuition hikes recently proposed gap", the crowd began to get more riled tionally charged students were spurred on is going to affect all communities, and by Pataki. The turnout for the event up. Plati talked about financial aid be- by the welcomed rendition, that everyone should make the effort to seemed good, because the building was ing cut, tuition being hiked, EOP and There were many people from work together to combat it. packed, but many felt that the turnout AIM being totally wiped out, loans be- the faculty and administration in atten- All of these things ought to could have been much better. Of the ap- ing reduced, and aid to graduate students dance on Wednesday. The most impor- make you think long and hard about your proximately 11,000 or so students at being cut. She informed the student body tant person, our very own President immediate future at the Brook, or what USB, only about three to four hundred that it was time their voice was heard. Kenny, was not present because she was there will be left of it if we don't do some- attended (and that is only the undergradu- She urged students to tell Albany how in Albany lobbying for a change of these thing. It is time for us to be heard and to ates !!!).