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Morris Brown
In Crisis
by Kanika Williams
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Morris Brown, the only school in
the A.U.C established by and for black
people, is facing a financial crisis.
According to the Atlanta Journal
(Dec. 29, 1992), Morris Brown’s
financial advisors, the college incurred
a deficit of $10 million dollars. This
occured as a result of its Board of
Trustees launching a major expansion
after losing track of the school’s
financial situation.
The Atlanta Constitution (Jan. 16,
1993), reported that James Rogers,
executive director of the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools,
Morris Brown’s accrediting agency, said
the association has not received an
audit from Morris Brown since 1989,
despite repeated requests. As a result
the college’s accreditation may be in
jeopardy. If accreditation is lost, it can
eliminate the college’s eligibility for
federal student aid and further more
become less attractive to both students
and quality faculty.
Due to the pressure brought on by
Morris Brown’s financial crisis, the
school’s interim president, Dr. Gloria L.
Anderson, resigned Jan. 13. According
to the students, Dr. Anderson had been
the only college administrator who met
with students in the cafeteria and in the
dorms to reassure them of the situation.
"She was the only person who told
students what was really going on",
said a student. In response to her
resignation, the students started a
petition drive to reinstate Dr. Anderson
the following Thursday.
Until a permanent president is
selected in April, the college’s Board of
Trustees has appointed Dr. Herman
Smith Jr. to reside. As he entered on
Friday, he accepted $28,500 dollars in
donations and set about stabilizing his
third troubled black school in 19 years.
Although private donations were
presented to him to aid the school’s
recovery, he continued to emphasize
"keep the checks coming in."
Donations have come from A.U.C
alumnus Charles West, chairman od
NDI Video Inc., who donated $25,000;
Bishop Donald G.K Ming, chairman of
the school’s Board of Trustees
produced $500 in cash raised by
members of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. In addition the
church committed itself to raising
$200,000 by Feb. 24.
Corporations and foundations give
to private institutions based on what
the university is able to do for itself.
The more money the alumni, students
and community generate, the larger the
donations will be from funding sources.
MORRIS BROWN
COLLEGE
A Celebration of Women
By Felice Winston
Campus News Editor
Parents’ weekend is coming and
once again it is time for Celebration in
Black. According to the students who
attended the production last year it was
a huge success: powerful writing,
dynamic dancing, and an excellent cast.
That was last year. What can we
expect this year?
The most talked about difference is
that this years’ production will be all
female. This decision has come under
some harsh criticism but of the people
asked how they felt about the "radical"
change, they either had no feelings or
were in support of the idea.
LaQiana Fallin, a Spelman
sophomore, said "So many times we
feel like we (as women) need men in
our drama productions and it’s not so.
We need to know our heritage... We
especially need to recognize the black
women in our past (who) have been
neglected."
Rogers Lewis a Morehouse
sophomore, said "I think it’s a good
idea. We need more unifying activities
in our individual schools."
Director Keelah Nurse, who also
directed Celebration in Black last year,
said she is anticipating success with the
change in cast."The shows aren’t the
same, they are two different entities.
Last year it was about shocking people
and making them think. This year we
want to make them think also but more
on a womanist scope of thought."
Celebration in Black has always
been a reflection of times, and times
are changing. Ms. Nurse put it best
when she said "....(the production is)
investigating from whence we come
and acknowledging it and allowing it to
prepare us for where we need to go."
WORLD m
South Africa: Pri nal
Co rg.
The goal is to resolve differences which impede the
resumption of multiparty political negotiations.
Negotiations last broke down in May over selecting the
best method for switching to multiracial democracy,
Bosnia-K a
favored plan of the international community to end
Bosnia’s civil war. Serbs still maintain that they will
not waver on their right of se!f-de lion: to join
Serb-held territory in Bosnia with neighboring Serbia to
create a greater Serbia. Bosnian s and Croats,
the Serb’s foes, have tentatively accepted the plan.
Haiti: Clinton is planning to issue a plan to expand the
number of sites in Haiti for processing asylum
applications. However, the standard for awarding
asylum - that an individual has a "well-founded fear of
persecution" if repatriated - cannot be changed. The
government continues to regard most Haitians (unlike
Cubans) as refugees from the hemisphere’s worst
poverty.