Thursday, March 6, 2014

The Student Voice of Howard University est. 1924

thehilltoponline.com

Vol. 98 No.12

Joseph speaks to the Howard com-munity about his new book “Stokely: A Life.”

Photo via Howard Univ. News Room

View From Howard U.

WEATHER

Jazz EnsembleThe Howard University Jazz

Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Fred Irby, III, will present its Spring Concert on Thursday,

March 6 at 12:40 p.m., in the An-drew Rankin Memorial Chapel. Jazz Master Hubert Laws will be

the guest soloist.(via HU Communications)

Verizon ChallengeHoward University Middle

School of Mathematics & Science students moved one step closer

to winning $20,000 in grants and Samsung tablets. The team was among 81 Best-in-State winners in the Verizon Innovative App

Challenge.(via HU Communications)

H.G.C.The world-renowned Howard University Gospel Choir will

embark on a multi-city tour dur-ing Spring Break, on March 7

through March16. The tour, titled “Glorious God,” includes per-formances in Detroit, Chicago,

Akron, and Atlanta.(via HU Communications)

Retool Your SchoolVote for Howard in the Home

Depot Retool Your School competition at

www.retoolyourschool.com.The University is competing with other HBCUs for awards ranging $10,000 -$50,000. Awards go to the schools that receive the most online votes/social media activity.

In the News: Editor’s Picks“The Crisis in Crimea: •Eight Need-to-Know

Facts About the Russian-Ukrainian Standoff”

(via GQ Magazine)

INSIDECAMPUS..............................p.2

LIFE & STYLE.......................p.6

SPORTS................................p.9

OPINIONS........................p.10

Tomorrow Partly Cloudy

High 45Low 32

Dr. Peniel E. Joseph Speaks to Howard

About “Stokely: A Life”Shannen Hill

Staff Writer

Dr. Carr welcomed Dr. Peniel E. Joseph, as he came to Blackburn to speak to the Howard commu-nity about his new book “Stokely: A Life.” The book focuses on the politics of the Howard alumnae who coined the phrase “Black power.”It was only fit-ting that Joseph come to How-ard, as Howard University was very special and impact-ful to Stokely Carmichael. There is even an on-campus organization dedicated to him, named after his Afri-can name, The Kwame Ture Society, which meets at 7:30 p.m. on Tues-days in on the third floor of Founders Library. Throughout the discussion, Joseph continues to speak on Ture’s special connection to Howard and the Black community.

“He provides us with a different success,” said Joseph. “He didn’t have millions of dollars, but his medical expenses were paid for by the Black community.”Joseph made sure to not include any scandal or much information on Ture’s personal life as to not take away from his political ideologies and achievements. He focused on Ture’s struggle and spoke on how the mainstream doesn’t popularize Black revolutionary leaders during the discussion.

“The mainstream has kept it to Dr. King, non-revolutionary, and Mal-colm X, who is not revolutionized [when taught]” said Joseph.

Carr joked with Joseph about Top

Freshmen, Sophmores Guaranteed Housing, Must Stay on Campus

Emmy VictorCampus Editor

Are you currently a freshmen who missed the RSVP deadline for the 2014-2015 academic year and are forced to depend on the summer waiting list to receive housing?

Effective immediately, the Howard University Department of Resi-dence Life, Division of Students Affairs is announced that housing is officially guaranteed for fresh-men and sophomores at Howard University. This announcement is an extension of a previous require-ment: now requiring that sopho-more students live on-campus, an original university privilege that only incoming freshman students carried. The Department of Resi-dence Life is now accountable for pairing current freshman students (class of 2017) with housing assign-ments for the fall, regardless if you placed an RSVP on Bison Web in February.

The recent mandate follows a series of external factors from the depart-ment, including the addition of two new dorms along the 4th Street Corridor. The increased housing rollout led enough space for the administration to offer two guaran-teed years in proximity to campus facilities. According to the Marc D. Lee, Dean of the Department of Residence Life, each new dorm (one strictly for freshman females, the other open to all sophomores) will cost roughly $3,900 per semester and will require a commitment to a meal plan. Although both dorms will not feature a cafeteria, they will fashion several other components such as functioning computer labs. With a total count of providing a home to 1,360 residents, this policy could not have released at a more appropriate opportunity.

“This idea has been in the talks for about a year, and aims at a strong continuance of our enrollment and retention plan,” said Dean Lee.

With generous support from the General Counsel, the Office of the Vice-President, the Office of Stu-dent Affairs and several others, the policy-makers were able to make this parent-friendly wish, a real-ity. According to the press release dated spring 2014, the department is “confident that this policy will enhance the educational experience and performance of our students, as well as facilitate the personal growth

of our students.”

Using student measurement data was especially important to the department when making this deci-sion. Mr. Joseph Emanuel, special assistant to the Dean of Residence Life worked closely with Dean Lee and the dorm directors to compile up crucial information on how students performed in dormitory settings.

“Dr. Lee wanted to dive out stu-dents, colleges, classifications and pull out a better snapshot of what is really going on,” said Emmanuel.

By using charts, the department compared differences to make the right “living and learning” choices such as continuing infinity housing for freshman, where students are assigned to live around others based on majors and colleges. Measure-ments even observed GPA’s based on where a student lives: one chart revealed that nearly 50% of the students in Meridian Hill Hall, a predominantly sophomore dorm, maintained over a 3.0 GPA last fall.

With Howard University mak-ing strides towards better days for student living, this announcement comes with excitement from the staff.

While this policy may be enforced, with written permission, the Department of Residence Life can consider exceptions to the updated rule for students who fall under the following capacities: married students, students 21 years or older, students whose permanent address at the time of the application is within 25 miles of the Main Cam-pus, students whose parent certifi-cates in writing that the student will reside with relatives while attending the University, international stu-dents, and transfer students.

Dean Lee, along with the staff, plans to hold a series of conversa-tions with students and parents about the new housing require-ments; opening their doors to their offices on 4th Street for any ques-tions and concerns.

Photo by Shannen Hill, Staff Writer

Ramen at the start of the discus-sion, as the two were classmates during graduate school at Temple University. However, when it was time for the ‘Question and Answer’ part of the discussion, Joseph’s seat got hot. You know Howard had to grill him if he’s writing about one of our very own. Dr. Carr’s major critique of the book was that the

Black Power movement was roman-ticized and compared it to an, “Ameri-can book with Black foot-notes.” All in all, however, Carr recom-mends the book and says that students can gain from the reading it.“This kind of back-and-forth is how we narrate and connect,” said Carr. “We should critique and

discuss with the people who are preserving our history.”

Joseph didn’t mind the back-and-forth because that it the very reason why he wrote a book on Ture. He knew that there could be critique when writ-ing about a man who is so greatly studied, but he wanted the book to incite conversation.

“I want this book to be a starting point,” said Joseph. “I hope that it inspires young people to study Kwame Ture and think about what he means for this generation.”

During the event, the audience, along with Carr, voiced their ap-preciation for Joseph coming to have a discussion with the Howard community. Joseph plans to write another book that focuses on the years that Ture spent in Africa.

THE HILLTOP 2

THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

The Hilltop Newspaper

Glynn Hill Editor-in-Chief

Dominique Diggs Chief Managing Editor

Indigo SilvaMultimedia Editor

Emmy VictorCampus Editor

Keneisha DeasMetro EditorMaya Cade

Life & Style Editor Khari ArnoldSports Editor

Daniel WhiteOpinions Editor

Quantrel HedrickCopy Chief

Lindsey Ferguson Copy Editor

Tasia Hawkins Staff Writer

Jourdan HenryStaff Writer

Siniyah SmithStaff Writer

Erin Van Dunk Staff Writer

Shannen HillStaff Writer

Precious Osagie-EreseStaff Writer

Nile KendallStaff WriterSteven Hall

ColumnistMarc Rivers

Columnist

Rachel CumberbatchPhoto Editor

Disa RobbEditorial AssistantJasmine NealyEditorial AssistantKarrie LeonardEditorial Assistant

Katie DownsCartoonist

The Hilltop encourages its read-ers to share their opinions with the newspaper through letters to the editor or perspectives. All letters should include a complete address and telephone number and should

be sent electronically to diggs@thehilltoponline.com.

All inquiries for advertisements should be sent directly to

The Hilltop Business office at:campusavertising@thehilltoponline.com

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Award-Winning Journalist Ed Gordon Visits Howard University

Precious Osagie-EreseStaff Writer

This past week, Emmy-Award win-ning broadcast journalist and radio host, Ed Gordon visited the How-ard University School of Commu-nications. From Monday, February 24 to Friday, February 28 Gordon participated in multiple classroom lectures and workshops, where he reviewed and critiqued student’s work and discussed the changing media industry.

On Wednesday, Gordon participat-ed in a forum with Howard Univer-sity Association of Black Journalists (HUABJ). During this forum, he gave a speech on what it takes it be successful in the media industry and how to compile professional student videos and obtain interviews. He also provided motivational advice to the audience and encouraged them to continue to work hard and stay prepared.

Campus . Emmy Victor, Campus Editor campus@thehilltoponline.com

“There will be people that will champion for you, but you have to prove to them that you’re worth it,” said Ed Gordon.

“You can miss your opportunity be-cause you will not be ready. What I want you to do is to spend this time getting ready. If not, why are you here? Don’t spend this time and ef-fort if you’re not going to be serious about it.”

After Ed Gordon’s speech, the stu-dents in attendance all had positive reviews about the advice that was given to them.

“I think it was really good. The ad-vice was really applicable to every-one who wants to be in media,” said Karissa Braxton, a senior Broadcast Journalism major and member of HUABJ.

“It’s always good to get advice from

people in the field who will be your colleagues in the future.”

Dominique Dickerson, a fellow sophomore Broadcast Journalism major also shared the same enthusi-asm as Braxton.

“Very good points that he made as far as it being a competitive industry for broadcast majors and being con-fident and knowing exactly where you want to be in life and what you want to do with your career.”

President of HUABJ Shavon Anderson, along with the club’s advisor and assistant professor of journalism Jennifer Thomas, helped coordinated the event and found it to be both successful and informal.

“I thought it was a great opportu-nity for students to come out and see people from the industry come out and talk about their experi-

ences. We had a great turnout and it was great for students to be able to showcase their work,” said Shavon Anderson. “I think that Mr. Gordon recognized the potential that the communication students had here and wanted to meet one-on-one with them to help mold and shape their futures.”

Ed Gordon’s week-long appearance in the School of Communications showed his dedication of sharing industry knowledge to the students here at Howard University. Gordon used his own time to give Howard students lectures and workshops shows his efforts in giving back to the community.

“A lot of the nuggets of wisdom that he shared with the students- hopefully that’s something the students can take and start utilizing now, “Jennifer Thomas also added.

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THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

Metro Keneisha Deas, Metro Editor deas@thehilltoponline.com . Which Way DC?: The

2014 DC Mayoral Race

WASHINGTON—Washington, DC is at a crossroads. Often times re-ferred to as the Chocolate City, the District is known for its historically high population of African Ameri-cans. Now, the city faces shifting racial demographics and is often-times challenged for its widespread gentrification and lack of resources for the most needy.

The 2014 mayoral debate is an important one for the city and its residents, as the mayoral candidates have important plans to transition the city in the upcoming years. Al-though many DC residents say that DC is headed in the right direction, the outcome of this race will de-termine some key decisions for the upcoming years in the District.

Issues of homelessness, poor educa-tion and lack of affordable housing make many DC residents wonder how DC will be a sustainable place to live as many residents already begin to move to Maryland and Virginia, where they can find more sustainable living.

Although many candidates are running this election season, there is a clear distinction in who has a chance at winning. Council members Jack Evans, Tommy Wells and Muriel Bowser are generally considered the most likely competi-tors against current Mayor Vincent Gray who is leading the polls, with Council member Muriel Bowser following behind. Some of the can-didates aren’t even taken seriously, narrowing down the options for the next DC Mayor.

Wednesday night candidates includ-ing Vincent Orange and Tommy Wells came to Howard University

organization on campus hosted the event in conjunction with the Po-litical Science Society and HUSA. The organization believes it is very important for students to get in-volved with the DC community and chose to sponsor the debate to bring DC politics right to campus, where students would have a convenient way to find out what is happening in the city.

“We really want to encourage students to get out into the com-munity and make a difference,” said Simone Ellison, President of the Howard University Com-munity Development Association. “Students tend to stay inside of the Howard bubble, and don’t realize that they will someday face many of the same issues faced by DC resi-dents. We want to connect students to opportunities to get involved and pursue careers where they can be social change agents.”

The Community Development As-sociation plans to keep Howard Stu-dents engaged in DC politics and the greater DC community beyond the debate through discussions at its general body meetings and keeping students updated through its social media sites.

Although there is only a short time away until the primary election on April 1st, there is still plenty of time for Howard students to become engaged citizens.

To stay updated with the debate and its candidates visit the Howard Uni-versity Community Development Association at hucda.weebly.com or follow the Howard University Community Development Associa-tion on Twitter @HUCDA.

Vincent Gray: Intense scandal has not kept current Mayor Vincent Gray from staying ahead in the polls. Despite persistent attacks on his integrity primarily focused on his corrupt campaign last election season, Mayor Gray’s track record for success has him in the lead this election cycle. During Gray’s time as Mayor, DC has seen a drop in unemployment and investments in affordable housing. More informa-tion at www.vincegray2014.com

Muriel Bowser: A Ward 4 DC Councilmember, Muriel Bowser has made a record for herself by prom-ising a “fresh start” and focusing on balance and continued progress. Although she emphasizes eco-nomic growth, she wants to work on ensuring under-served populations benefit from improvements in eco-nomic development, public safety and education. More information at www.murielformayor.com

Andy Shallal: Andy Shallal is the owner of Busboy’s and Poets and a seemingly unlikely mayoral candidate. However, Shallal has an important plan: to make DC affordable for all. With his business mindset, Shallal plans to improve the affordable housing crisis, foster entrepreneurship, and improve pub-lic education. More information at www.andy4dc.com

Jack Evans: Jack Evans has served on the DC council for the past 20 years and runs for Mayor with the goal of creating jobs for all DC residents and ensuring access to affordable housing, safe neighbor-hoods, and quality educations. His track record includes leading the development of the Washington Convention Center and the Verizon Center and he plans to make further improvements to the city through economic opportunities. More information at www.jackev-ansfordc.com

Tommy Wells: Ward 6 Coun-cilmember Tommy Wells plans to make DC “a great place to live, work, and raise a family”, also referring to himself as the “educa-tion mayor”. He plans to focus on revitalizing schools, insisting on integrity from public officials, and making DC neighborhoods safe,

affordable, and accessible. More information at www.tommywells.org

Tasia HawkinsStaff Writer

Candidates to Watch

to debate on the issue of gentrifica-tion, a topic concerning not only DC, but areas around the country who are seeing low income minori-ties forced out of neighborhoods due to development. This year’s race has been a divisive, especially as residents consider the chance of electing DC’s first white mayor. Council members Tommy Wells and Jack Evans are competing to be the first white mayor since DC achieved self-governance 40 years ago.

The issues faced by DC extend far beyond its traditional residents, and it is disappointing that more college students don’t become involved in DC government. The DC election affects college students too.

For example, the bill passed by Mayor Gray to raise the minimum wage to $11.50 by 2016 means more livable wages for future How-ard students. The small business grants offered by the DC govern-ment fund many small businesses that now surround the Howard community. Affordable hous-ing initiatives make the housing market much more manageable for students who choose to live off campus.

“As a student from the DMV, I re-ally would like to see more students come out to events like this,” said Marquis Murray, sophomore Ac-counting major from Hyattsville, Maryland. “There are a lot of stereotypes about people in the DMV and students should be work-ing with-not against us. We all have the same goal of making this area a great place to live.”

The Howard University Communi-ty Development Association (CDA), a recently established student Photo by Rachel Cumberbatch,

Photo Editor

Photo courtesy of Jack Evans for DC

Photo by flickr.com, rwreinhard

Photo courtesy of Muriel for Mayor

Photo courtesy of Vince Gray for Mayor

These are the few candidates who have stood out throughout the Democratic primary.

Tasia HawkinsStaff Writer

Photo by Flick User Mr.TinDC

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THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

HOWARD UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE AND ACTIVITIES NOTICE  

STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE COMMITTEE (SAFC) MEETINGS:  

JANUARY 17, 2014         JANUARY 24, 2014        FEBRUARY 7, 2014    FEBRUARY 21, 2014   MARCH 6, 2014*     MARCH 21, 2014 APRIL 4, 2014      APRIL 11, 2014     

*Please note this meeting is scheduled for a Thursday in observation of Charter Day at the University on Friday. SAFC meetings begin at 2pm.

WHAT IS THE STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE COMMITTEE?

According to the HUSA Constitution, the Student Activity Fee Committee (SAFC) is responsible for allocation of the thirty-five percent (35%) of the Student Activity Fee that is allocated to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, for support of the University Center, University-wide activities, Residence Halls, Special Programs, Student Newspaper (Hilltop), Intramurals and Recreational Activities. All meetings of the SAFC shall be open to the public. The SAFC is mandated to meet at least twice a month. The Student Activity Fee Committee (SAFC) shall be comprised of the following membership:

The Vice President of Student Affairs, Chair Two (2) university administrators appointed by the Vice President of Student Affairs Four (4) Non Elected Undergraduate Students Two (2) Non Elected Graduate Students The Chairman/Chairwoman of the General Assembly Finance Committee Two (2) Academic Professors Two (2) Elected Student Government Leaders One (1) Elected Graduate Student One (1) Non Traditional Student (as defined by legislation)

HOW DO I SUBMIT A FUNDING PROPOSAL FOR AN EVENT OR PROGRAM? PROPOSALS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 5PM THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE THE SCHEDULED SAFC MEETING IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION. PROGRAM PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

a. Event details (proposed date, time, venue, sponsoring organization(s)/individual name, point of contact information)

b. Brief Description of event purpose and how the event satisfies the SAFC funding criteria of being a university-wide program.

c. A copy of the event/program budget (including anticipated expenses and revenues) and any program co-sponsors.

d. Indicate the total amount of funds being requested from the SAFC for the event/program.

Program Proposal must be submitted to the SAFC Executive Secretary via Student Life and Activities in SUITE 122 OF BLACKBURN or VIA E-MAIL to StudentActivitiesOffice@howard.edu with SAFC Proposal in the subject line by the deadline to be included on SAFC agenda.

Questions can be directed to Student Life and Activities at 202-806-5990.

THE HILLTOP 5

THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

WASHINGTON—In the East Room of the White House, President Obama announced ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ Thursday afternoon. His new $200 million, five-year initiative is designed to help young African-American and Latino men.

“I believe that black people as-sumed that since our president is black he would immediately imple-ment programs to help the black community,” said sophomore Jailyn Anderson said.

“What many fail to understand is that he is the President of the Unit-ed States, before creating programs for minorities, [he] needed to fix the mess left by the previous president. That being said, I like the idea of the program. Giving minorities the chance to better themselves is a concept that should have been cre-ated centuries ago,” she added.

Studies show that African Ameri-cans have a one in two chance of growing up without a father while Latinos have a one in four chance. Boys who grow up without a father are more likely to under preform in school and eventually become incarcerated.

“Growing up in Chicago, I knew a couple of people on each side of the spectrum. Some people without fathers got caught up in the wrong crowd and are now in terrible situa-tions including being in jail or even worse, dead. The others wanted to work hard and try not to be like their absent fathers,” said sopho-more Deezy Avonte.

“I don’t think mentors or job op-portunities would’ve helped them stay on the right path. It was more of them wanting to be apart of the ‘cool crowd’. Many were hard headed so it’s almost not much you can do for them,” he added.With the statistics that show that change is necessary, the money to implement the effort and President Obama’s dedication to positively impact the lives of African Ameri-can and Latino males, there needs to be more than just those factors to make this initiative affective.

“I have a six year old brother who is proficient in school but constantly gets marks for his behavior, say-ing he gets up too much or talks to much. He is in a behavioral program at a predominately white school, those in the program seem to only be young boys of color, including Asians and Indians,” freshman Charlene Jean said.

“I do admire the initiative, but it is flawed. It makes the assumption that the differences among race is based off of minorities not follow-ing some type of rubric on how to

look respectable, or not be seen as a threat. We need real legislation, such as the repeal of the stand your ground law in Florida or paying our men of color the same as white men, not counseling,” Jean said. “My Brother’s Keeper” will require a team effort such as businesses creating apprenticeships and op-portunities for men of color, faith leaders developing good values in those they mentor to, teachers making sure students are grasp-ing the concepts taught in school, and parents playing an active role in their children’s life by helping with homework when needed and providing them with the tools to succeed.

Men of color play one of the big-gest roles. President Obama urged men to not make excuses or blame anyone but himself when he does not make the best decisions. With this initiative only a week old, time will tell if it’s truly the program the black community has been waiting for.

A Step in the Right Direction: My Brother’s Keeper

Alexis PorterContributing Writer

Finding food near campus is one of the biggest struggles for Howard students. With hardly any super-markets close by, students are forced to travel to other neighborhoods in DC such as Columbia Heights, or Maryland. Fortunately, this will change in just a few weeks when a new Trader Joe’s opens on 14th and U St.

Many students have begun pur-chasing their groceries online from supermarkets such as Giant and Safeway, who offer convenient deliv-ery services and reasonable prices. Despite the convenience of making online purchases, the Howard com-munity desperately needs having a nearby supermarket.

“This is exciting news, especially for people like myself who purchase Trader Joe’s products online,” said Jeré Jefferson, sophomore Public Relations major from Southfield, Michigan. “Having one near cam-pus would eliminate that and make purchasing what I need easier.”

The new store on 14th and U will be only the second Trader Joe’s store in the District of Columbia. The California-based discount grocery chain carries its own line of products and has a dedication to offering great value and quality. Its low cost products should be a great convenience to Howard students who are looking to find the most affordable food available.

“I’m excited! I love shopping there because it’s cheaper than Whole Foods,” said Bria Taylor, sophomore Public Relations major from Little Rock, Arkansas. “It’s nice to see one coming closer than the one in Foggy

Photo by Rachel Cumberbatch, Photo Editor

Metro Keneisha Deas, Metro Editor deas@thehilltoponline.com .

Tasia HawkinsStaff Writer

New Trader Joe’s On 14th & U Street

Bottom.”

The new Trader Joe’s is evident of greater new things to come, as just a few years ago there were questions of whether DC could even support more grocery stores. However, as development continues in the areas surrounding Howard University, companies see more of an opportu-nity for growth.

In fact, the new Trader Joe’s is built as part of a new mixed-use build-ing, which also houses condomini-ums. The new apartments built on U Street and in the Shaw area create much more of a demand for grocery stores. Its executives at JBG, one of the region’s largest real estate developers who are opening the Trader Joes store, will bring a new Harris Teeter store even closer to Howard’s campus on the intersection of Florida and Sher-man Avenue. They are creating an even more convenient place for all students to buy groceries.

“Although I do wish we could see more development benefitting current area residents, I am glad that major retailers are beginning to look into this area,” said George Harris, senior Political Science ma-jor from Chicago, Illinois. “We are finally starting to have food options around campus.”

The reopening of the Giant at the O Street market, the opening of Trader Joe’s on U Street, and the future opening of Harris Teeter on Florida Avenue, students shouldn’t worry anymore about where to purchase food. In less than three weeks on March 21st, 2014, the 14th street Trader Joe’s will be open to the public.

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THE HILLTOP 6

THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

Marc RiversColumnist

Oscars 2014 Recap: Selfi es, Lupita, and Pizza

Photo via tumblr.com, quianonestdehocmundo

Life&Style Maya Cade, L&S Editor cade@thehilltoponline.com

2013 was more than good to Phar-rell. The largely infl uential pro-ducer, who has worked with nearly every popular artist (from Justin Timberlake to 2 Chainz) in the this century, married his longtime girlfriend just after being featured on the dueling songs of the summer, Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”.

“Skateboard P”, as he is often affectionately called, also scored the widely popular animated fi lm “Despicable Me 2.” In typical-Phar-rell fashion, the singer-producer also created twenty-four hours of footage for the lead single, “Happy,” from the soundtrack. After becom-ing the longest music video in his-tory, “Happy” inspired several cover videos in turn, where individuals from all over the country danced to the jovial lyrics declaring “nothing can bring me down.”

After this insurmountable success, Pharrell could have easily taken a backseat in 2014. He already racked up an absurd seven awards at this year’s Grammy Awards, and he’s up for an Oscar for Best Song on March 2. No one expected the artist to do much more than accept his awards in his usual gracious manner and enjoy the fruits of his immense labor. But nope; this is the Pharrell Williams, the artist who has played an integral part in pop music for the past three decades. That’s why his announcement on February 18 was such a shocking, albeit certainly welcome, surprise.

Pharrell released a teaser-trailer for “G I R L,” a tour de force album

“G I R L”expressing just how light-hearted and cheerful he is in this moment. He expresses his sheer adoration for girls everywhere; this “hopeless romantic” proudly professes on the third track “Hunter,” “Duck Dy-nasty’s cool and all/But they ain’t got nothin’ on a female’s call.”

The album is full of cheesy lyrics that only the effortlessly cool Phar-rell could seamlessly pull off. He and longtime friend and collabora-tor Justin Timberlake proclaim that they each feel “like the tag’s still on me” on the ridiculously catchy and infectious “Brand New.” He and Miley Cyrus’ voices blend easily together on the über-dope track “Come Get It Bae,” and he just barely manages to hold his own next to the powerful pipes of Alicia Keys in “Know Who You Are.”

At age 40, Pharrell shows off his musical acumen by creating an album that feels vintage and ultra contemporary all at once. He incor-porates funky and soulful elements to make this album appealing to all ages and demographics. There isn’t a slow track on the album; though it does ease up just a bit with “Lost Queen” and “Know Who You Are,” Pharrell closes “G I R L” with the upbeat “It Girl,” where he tells all the girls of the world that they serve as the source of his inspiration and glee.

This album serves as his own tes-timony of how good the world has been to him, and when he earnestly croons in “Gust of Wind” (which features the “Robots” of Daft Punk), “My Heart is fi lled/ with love and care,” and it is hard to not believe every word.

Kelli SlaterContributing Writer

Host Ellen DeGeneres laid out the stakes rather succinctly in her open-ing monologue at the 86th Acad-emy Awards this past Sunday night: “Either “12 Years a Slave” wins Best Picture, or you’re all racist,” the comedian told a deeply amused audience of actors and fi lmmak-ers, many of whom are a part of the 6,000 strong voting body that’s, according to a study by the “LA Times”, 94% white and 77% male. There was talk of voters being re-luctant to watch the fi lm, shaken by the slave drama’s harrowing nature.

But ultimately, like fellow Oscar nominee Pharell, director and producer Steve McQueen found a reason to be happy when pre-senter Will Smith called out his fi lm’s name as 2013’s Best Picture winner. It’s the fi rst fi lm with a black director to take home the prize, and McQueen’s enthusiastic leaps of joy were a sweet and fi tting close out to a rather loose and fun ceremony that, in direct opposition to an awards race that was intensely heated down to the wire, played out fairly as expected by most Oscar pundits.

Jared Leto and a career rejuvenated Matthew McConaughey took home the awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor for their work in “Dallas Buyers Club,” while America’s Kenyan crush, Lupita Nyong’o, who dazzled spectators one again with her sky blue Prada dress, moved everyone to tears with a passionate and emotional speech for her crowning as Best Supporting Actress: “When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid,“ Lupita said through tears, nervously yet proudly holding her Oscar.

“12 Years a Slave” screenwriter John Ridley would also win for Best Adapted Screenplay, becoming only the second African-American to take home a writing prize (the fi rst being Geoffrey Fletcher for “Pre-cious”).

The big winner of the night was Alfonso Cuarón’s space thriller “Gravity,” which took home seven Oscars, including Best Director. In claiming his statue, Cuarón, the fi rst director of Latin descent to take home the prize, praised his star Sandra Bullock in his speech, calling her the “soul” of the fi lm. Bullock was up for Best Actress, but she would lose to Cate Blanchett

for her heralded performance in Woody Allen’s tragicomedy “Blue Jasmine.” In her speech, Blanchett made a note of the bankable nature of female driven fi lms. Scolding a still male driven industry, Blanchett said of fi lms about women, “audi-ences wanna see them and, in fact, they earn money.”

The biggest loser of the night was David O. Russell’s “American Hustle,” which was nominated for ten awards and went home empty handed. Russell’s best chance at Oscar, the award for Best Original Screenplay, went instead to Spike Jonze, who wrote the brilliantly peculiar romance “Her.”

As for the ceremony itself, despite a rather pointless “Wizard of Oz” tribute and an awkward “heroes celebration” montage that seemed to feature a clip of every movie ever spat out by Hollywood, Ellen (returning after her stint in 2007) largely kept things moving with her laid back demeanor and jocular, improvised attitude. In appropri-ately contemporary fl ourishes, Ellen made social media an integral part of her act, tweeting a number of photos, including an epic selfi e of celebrities that momentarily broke Twitter.

She even ordered Pizza for the stars, using Pharrell’s hat as a tip collec-tor from the likes of Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey among others. Also a presenter for the night, Spacey delighted audience members with

his channeling of his inner Frank Underwood, his character from the popular Netfl ix series “House of Cards.”

Other highlights of the ceremony include Pharrell’s lively perfor-mance of his Oscar nominated hit “Happy” (getting both Lupita and Meryl Streep to bust a move), an orchestra that was kinder to award winners (not a singer winner played off), and Bill Murray’s touching, impromptu shutout to the late ac-tor/writer Harry Ramis. And who could forget John Travolta playing scrabble with singer Idina Menzel’s name? Just how did he come up with Adele Dazeem, one can’t be certain, but one hopes the bigger takeaway from this year’s Oscar results align more with that of Blanchett’s; fi lms with women as the stars can make money (700million dollars and counting for “Grav-ity”), they can win awards and take moviegoers on a thrilling ride.

And let “12 Years a Slave’s” victory teach Hollywood to take more chances on fi lms with diffi cult subject matter, fi lms that won’t lull the viewer into an empty and hal-low sleep, but invigorate that viewer with a new found appreciation of the power of visual storytelling and a deeper understanding of the world he or she lives in. After all, when the Oscar ceremony is over, it is the fi lms and the art that remains, and the artistry of fi lms like “12 Years a Slave” and “Gravity” is worth a lot more than a gold statue.

Photo via fl ickr.com, documentia

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THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

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THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

Life&Style Maya Cade, L&S Editor cade@thehilltoponline.com

Kid Cudi’s Rocket Powered Space CapsuleBriahnna Brown

Contributing Writer

“Now certainly we all recognize the extremely, extremely low probabil-ity of life existing on the moon.” Kid Cudi opens the second track, “Going to the Ceremony”, with this sample before he shows us that he is, in fact, that life on the moon. Cudi’s infatuation with “mother moon” has always been apparent. From his mixtape covers that always included photos of the moon to his Man on The Moon series of studio albums, the Cleveland MC reminds us once again why he is the “moon man” on “Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon.”

Like Kanye’s Yeezus, fans were only given a few hours notice before re-leasing the album. Cudi claims that this album will be the link between 2013’s “Indicud” and “Man on the Moon III” which is expected to be released in 2015. As the title itself suggests, this is a “journey” that the listener will make along with Cudi.

The album opens with “Destina-tion: Mother Moon” which is full of spacey synths that create a very dramatic effect in an attempt to prepare us for the “journey” that is the album. Then with track two, “Going to the Ceremony” we hear guitar riffs and soft-rock drums while Cudi tells us that “you don’t know where you’re going/But you’re going, it’s all happening.”Once we get to what is essentially the title track, “Satellite Flight”, whose style is similar to what we heard on “Man on the Moon: The End of Day”—Cudi’s de-but album—likely because of its production by longtime accomplice Dot da Genius. After we get hyped up with “Satellite Flight” we are quickly brought back down with the ominous and spacey synths in “Copernicus Landing” which lets us know that we are about to land on the moon with Cudi.

Then we get to the fifth track, “Bal-main Jeans” which features a verse from R&B singer Raphael Saadiq,

very appropriate considering that this is a love song. This track is very smooth, with Cudi singing “I need

you to protect my heart.” Once

photo via tumblr.com, sound-track-2-my-life

Siniyah SmithStaff Writer

Q Takes Us to School With OxymoronOxymoron is defined as some-thing that juxtaposes apparently contradictory elements together to become one. Which is exactly what Top Dawg Entertainment’s very own rapper, ScHoolboy Q wanted to convey in his recent album release, “Oxymoron.” Being included in the same label alongside Compton protégé, Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q has a significant amount of pressure and expecta-tions. “Oxymoron” was his answer to those who doubted his level of talent and ability to pull off a well-constructed album. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, California, Q raps about his real life struggles growing up in the streets. Throughout the album you will hear references to his past battles of selling and taking prescription drugs and gang affiliations.

The album is filled with 15 heavy bass beat songs with surprisingly catchy hooks. “Oxymoron” is en-compassed with boundless energy that can be enjoyed by every type of music fan. The album features artists such as: Wu-Tang’s own Rae-kwon, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler the Creator just to name a few. The singles off the album were “Man of The Year,” “Break the Bank,” and “Collard Greens,” which gave his fans a taste of what

“Oxymoron” would sound like. The beats are captivating and pres-ents itself with a different sound. ScHoolboy Q took listeners back to the ‘80s and ‘90s with his version of gangsta rap. The first song opens with his daughter proclaiming her father’s title of a gangsta. It is gang-sta rap with various melodic twists that keep listeners on the edge of their seats, wondering what element will be included next.

“Oxymoron” definitely lives up to its’ buzz around the rap music industry. Receiving respect and sup-port from other rappers like, Mac Miller, Tyga, and Wale with their recent Instagram posts of ScHool-boy Q’s album cover. His previous album, “Habits & Contradictions”, didn’t create nearly as much buzz, which shows his level of growth and development with his music. This album is very powerful with big

lyrics and beats that keep listeners hooked throughout the album. The story he tells shines from beginning to end and can help listeners that may be going through similar situa-tions. Him overcoming his addic-tion and using music as his source of therapy shows his true passion and love for music. In an interview with New York’s radio station, Hot 97, ScHoolboy Q explained what the meaning behind oxymoron

was; “The oxymoron in this album is that I’m doing all this bad to do good for my daughter. That’s why I’m robbin’. That’s why I’m stealin it’s always for a good cause, for my daughter.” Which is why he decided to feature his daughter Joy, on the standard edition of the album cover along with featuring her on some of the songs on the album.

The random unorthodox beats are definitely parallel to ScHoolboy Q’s personality on various songs. Though the beats and features are memorable, they do not detract from Q’s presence on the album. It’s inevitable that Oxymoron will get compared to Kendrick Lamar’s “Good kid, m.A.A.d city”, and Q doesn’t ignore the speculations, in-stead he accepts the friendly compe-tition. Some albums, like “Good kid m.A.A.d city”, you know are classics from the first listen; those are the most rare albums. We don’t listen to “Oxymoron” for the same reasons we listen to Kendrick’s album, so there is no real comparison of the two. This album is in a category of its’ own, he didn’t try too hard with the album, which made it a very listenable album. Check out the album, “Oxymoron” in stores now. Tweet me, @SignedYourHomie your opinions and thoughts of the album along with favorites. Congratulations to @ScHoolboyQ on a successful album. Listen, digest and enjoy!

Photo via flickr.com, cheinocat

we get to the next song, “Too Bad I Have to Destroy You Now”, we hear Cudi spitting like he did on many tracks on “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.” Celebrating his sobriety, a decision some fans felt diminished Cudi’s work, he proves them wrong as he spits, “pardon my wizard talk, but I’m elevated/ No drank, no tree and I’m levitated.”

The spacey synths return again on “Internal Bleeding” where Cudi talks about his emotional turmoil where he “tried it all/ I can’t stop this internal bleeding/ And my heart is leaking, heart is leak-ing out.” Once we get to “In My Dreams 2015”, we hear the same lyrics from the original “In My Dreams” from the first Man on the Moon, only this time the voice is much more robotic and the song is not as much of a floating-experi-ence like its predecessor.

“Return of the Moon Man (Origi-nal Score)” is incredibly cinematic;

it sounds like the background music in an action scene in a movie. The violins that appear in the middle of the track create a much more dra-matic effect though, helping Cudi tell this story without any words. The final track “Troubled Boy” fea-tures guitar playing by Cudi himself. He lets us know that he’s learned “no one wants a troubled boy.” Fans that have followed the MC over the years know that most of his songs deal with emotional struggles, so it is understandable that he feels like an outcast as a “troubled boy.”

The journey traveled while listening to “Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon” is similar to the journey experienced while watching a movie. With several instrumental tracks, there is a tone similar to a soundtrack throughout the album. It is essentially the soundtrack to our travel into space with Kid Cudi. It effortlessly puts the listener on the spaceship that he is in so we can to get to “Mother Moon” together. All systems go.

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THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

Sports Khari Arnold, Sports Editor sports@thehilltoponline.com .

Khari ArnoldSports Editor

With the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament set to begin Monday, March 10, both Howard basketball teams will play their last game of the regular season Thursday, March 6 on Senior Night against Morgan State in Burr Gymnasium.

The men’s basketball team started four seniors on the last game of the 2012-2013 season, but the new-look Bison will continue their start-ing lineup with four freshmen on Thursday.

Howard Set for Final Home GameLacking a senior presence this year, Howard (7-23, 5-10 MEAC) will focus solely on earning a victory to place a higher rank for the upcom-ing MEAC tournament.

“We are preparing by focusing on building as much momentum going into the tournament,” said forward Prince Okoroh, who scored a game-high 25 points in the two teams’ December 7 meeting. “This game is important because we want to get the best possible seed we can. If we tune-up, we can lock in and make a run this year,” Okoroh continued.

The Bison played their fi rst confer-ence game of the season against Morgan State (10-5, 13-13) when the Bears routed Howard, 87-58, back in December. The previous outing consisted of fi ve Morgan State players scoring in double fi gures.

“Since we’ve already played them, the surprise factor is out the window,” said head coach Kevin Nickelberry. “We know how good they are and we know what we have to do to match their intensity.”

On the women’s side, the Lady Bison (10-18, 6-9) are also wrap-ping up a season that consisted of

several newly acquired faces, includ-ing three freshman in the starting lineup and a fi rst-year head coach in Tennile Adams.

The women’s basketball team will acknowledge Shavonne Duckett, Tasia Majors, Cabria Johnson and Regis Stinson during the halftime of their fi nal home game as a Lady Bison.

Graduate student Shavonne Duck-ett, who’s scored in double-digits in fi ve of her last six games, will be completing her one year of eligibil-ity at the end of the season. Duckett played basketball at the undergrad-uate level for George Mason Uni-versity and brought her leadership skills and talented athletic ability to the Lady Bison roster.

“[Duckett’s] been big for us all season,” said head coach Tennile Adams. “She’s a big guard who’s strong and athletic and has really helped defensively with her pres-ence. She along with all of our seniors will be missed next year.”

The Lady Bison defeated Morgan State (2-13, 4-24), 71-66, earlier this season but are preparing exten-sively for what Adams calls a “tough game”.

“I know they’ll be ready for us,” Ad-ams said. “They run a pretty good zone defense and that’s something we struggled against this season. We put emphasis on that in practice and hopefully we’ll come out with the win.”

Photo via Rodney Pierce

Graduate Student Shavonne Duckett will play in her fi nal home game Thursday against Morgan State.

Key Takeaways From the 2014 NFL Combine

Jourdan HenryStaff Writer

The annual National Football League Scouting Combine was held in Indianapolis, Ind. last week, and the event generated a plethora of headlines. Let’s venture into some of the major takeaways.

Although Johnny Manziel has a below-average size for a quarter-back at 5-foot-11, 207 pounds, sources say he impressed general managers and coaches during inter-views with several teams. Manziel was undoubtedly questioned about his off-the-fi eld appearances and well-documented partying.

“I was in college. I did some college things with my friends,” Manziel told Peter King of Sports Illustrat-ed. “I had fun, and the thing that I told some teams tonight is, my mom always told me, ‘There’s a time and a place for everything’. There’s a

time to have fun, there’s a time to work.”

The former Heisman Trophy win-ner ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds, but elected not to par-ticipate in the passing drills at the combine.

Former Missouri defensive end Mi-chael Sam, who recently announced he was gay, attracted a lot of media attention in Indianapolis.

During a press conference at the combine, Sam said “I just wish you guys would see me as Michael Sam the football player instead of Mi-chael Sam the gay football player.”

The Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year disap-pointed scouts as he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds and bench-pressed 225 pounds only 17 times. These numbers are alarming, con-sidering that Sam is a pass rusher.

On the other hand, Jadeveon Clowney delivered a jaw-dropping performance in the 40-yard dash as he recorded an offi cial time of 4.53 seconds. The 266-pound defensive end ran the fastest time for his position. In fact, Clowney ran faster than 63 percent of the running backs at the combine.

Despite Clowney’s phenomenal athletic ability, many teams question his work ethic and motivation as the former Gamecock recorded a career-low three sacks in his fi nal season at South Carolina. Never-theless, Clowney is projected to be taken early in the draft.

Another player who impressed scouts with his speed was Greg Robinson, an offensive tackle from Auburn. At 6-foot-5, 332 pounds, Robinson captured everyone’s at-tention after running the 40-yard dash in 4.92 seconds, and bench-pressing 225 pounds 32 times. Robinson’s rare combination of size, quickness, and strength has him near the top of most draft boards.

One prospect who has fl own under the radar is Isaiah Crowell, a run-ning back from Alabama State. Crowell fi nished in the top ten among running backs in both the bench press and vertical jump, and he posted a 4.57 40-yard dash time. As a fi ve-star recruit coming out of high school, Crowell began his college career at Georgia, where he won SEC Freshman of the Year in 2011.

The 5-foot-11 running back was later dismissed from Georgia follow-ing weapons charges in 2011, which were later dropped. Crowell rushed for 30 touchdowns and averaged 5.9 yards per carry in his two seasons at Alabama State.

With all that said, watching pros-pects perform non-contact drills without wearing pads is not always the best indicator of future success in the NFL, but it brings specula-tion of who could be the next Tom Brady or Jerry Rice. Jourdan Henry is a sports writer for The Hilltop. Tweet @JHenry808 for thoughts, com-mentary, and ideas.

Briefs Men’s basketball Freshman James Daniel has been named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week for the ninth time this season. Daniel ranks ninth in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 22.0 points per game. Women’s basketball Sophomore center Victoria Gon-zalez has been named the MEAC Defensive Player of the Week. The Atlanta native averaged 14 points per game, while grabbing fi ve steals and blocking six shots this past weekend. Women’s Lacrosse In their fi fth game of the sea-son, the women’s lacrosse team (0-5) fell to Vermont on Wednesday in a 22-0 rout.

Men’s Tennis The men’s tennis team lost to Drexel on Saturday by a fi nal score of 7-0. The Bison (0-5) will look to rebound against the University of the District of Columbia on Thursday at 1 p.m. Women’s Tennis Howard defeated Towson, 6-1, in Wednesday’s tennis match. The Lady Bison (2-3) have a break until their next matchup on March 19 against George Washington.

Women’s Basketball Game: Howard vs. Morgan State Date: Thurs. March 6 -- 6:00 PM Location: Washington, D.C. (Burr Gymnasium) Men’s Basketball Game: Howard vs. Morgan State Date: Thurs. March 6 -- 8:00 PM Location: Washington, D.C. (Burr Gym-nasium). Softball Game: Howard vs. George Wash-ington Date: Fri. March 7 -- 1:30 PM Location: Washington, D.C.

Upcoming Events

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THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

Opinions Daniel White , Opinions Editor danielblackwhite@gmail.com . Carr’s Corner

Dr. Gregory CarrHoward University Professor

by Katie Downs, cartoonist

James Dimon Comes to Howard

On Friday, James Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, will speak at Howard’s 147th Charter Day Convocation. Dimon is a cel-ebrated corporate titan and heads a scandal-ridden entity that serves as a marquee face of corporate greed and largesse in a time of fi nancial uncertainty, growing class stratifi ca-tion and a searing debate about higher education’s role in address-ing inequality.

Dimon isn’t the fi rst major business fi gure to speak at a recent Howard ritual. At 2002’s Charter Day Con-vocation, Franklin Delano Raines, the fi rst African-American CEO of a Fortune 500 Company when he became CEO of Fannie Mae, spoke of the denial of Black capital and the unfulfi lled promise of “Forty

Acres and a Mule,” two years before accounting irregularities saw his departure near the beginning of the subprime mortgage lending frenzy. At 2004’s Opening Convo-cation, Stanley O’Neal, then CEO of Merrill-Lynch, spoke eloquently about being the Alabama-born grandson of enslaved Africans and the promise of Black economic progress, as his company specu-lated in $40 billion worth of the subprime mortgage bonds.

Nor is Howard the fi rst university to honor Dimon. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2010 from Syracuse University, home of the JPMorgan Chase Technol-ogy Center there and the jointly designed collaboration between JP Morgan and the program in Global Enterprise Technologirs. He was also a director of the College Fund/UNCF

Nevertheless, at this moment in his-tory there is derision of Wall Street excesses that continue to preside over growing structural inequality. Last week, JPMorgan announced the elimination of 8,000 jobs in its consumer and mortgage-banking units, bringing the total to 24,500 in those two divisions since the start of 2013. The company’s net income targets, however, soared above the $27 billion dollar mark. Several weeks before, the company’s Board gave Dimon a 74 percent pay raise for 2013 that, at $20 million dollars, brought his pay nearer the range it was in before the derivatives crises. . JP Morgan’s stock soared by 33 percent last year with a profi t of 18 billion dollars. Many commentators note that Mr. Dimon made more in two hours of work than the average minimum wage worker makes in a

year.

Rewarding a CEO who has pre-sided over 30 billion dollars in legal costs, fi nes and penalties for wrong-doing is a defensible action consis-tent with corporate logic. Speaking to any university community at its founding commemoration, however, provides a moral windfall that monetary largesse cannot bestow. Immoral but legally and fi nancially defensible business actions, also communicate larger socio-economic and cultural values. Howard’s Bully Pulpit offers an extra measure of signifi cance as one identifi ed with representing and uplifting the oppressed, whose capacity for the indulgence of ironies is unquestion-ably enhanced by the propaganda that structural inequalities can be challenged by individual merit, hard work and individual achieve-ment. If Howard received Dimon’s 2007 pay of 49.9 million dollars, we ckuld subsidize 60% of all student fi nancial aid for an academic year. The ironies are almost embarrass-ingly evident. What, then, will the University hear from a man repeat-edly feted by Time Magazine as one of its 100 most infl uential people?

In a fantasy, James Dimon would use this platform to announce a new model of corporate citizenship and, as a show of good faith, present Howard, UNCF and the Thurgood Marshall Fund with a billion dollars to be divided among all HBCUs as a down payment on more to come. Perhaps the James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation will donate thousands of dollars to Howard as it has done for schools ranging from his alma mater, Tufts University, to the University of Chicago, Har-vard, Duke, Tulane and others.

The Blue Octagon of the Chase Bank part of JPMorgan Chase emerged in the early 1960s as one of the country’s fi rst abstract symbol corporate logos. It’s shape (which looks like a cross-section of a wooden water pipe) was par-tially inspired by its original parent, Alexander Hamilton’s Manhattan Company, which provided early Lower Manhattan’s water through wooden water pipes. Thiusands of Howard freshmen travelling to the New York African Burial Ground each fall have learned that those pipes coursed through the burial sites of thousands of Africans, many of who had been enslaved by that emerging corporate gentry.

I have examined the Magna Carta and a Gutenberg Bible in New York’s J. Pierpont Morgan Library and Museum, its world-class book collection assembled primarily by D.C.-born Belle da Costa Greene, daughter of Richard Theodore Greener, the fi rst Black graduate of Harvard and one time Dean of the Howard School of Law. Will Mr. Dimon’s researchers help him make these connections in his oration? These facts are minor trifl es in a world that prizes amnesia when discussing profi ts and losses. Our academic regalia is a vestige of monastic Europe, its pomp and circumstance a constant reminder on the high holy days that old times, and the moral obligation of remem-bering as a foundation for visioning, are the academic’s bailiwick.

Straddling the realpolitik of its curious existence in a world turned upside down by race, Howard has always walked the line. A university established near the dawn of re-

construction as both statement and symbol of national hope, Howard was founded 14 months after the passage of the 13th amendment and 17 months before the 14th amendment. Its charter states that Howard was founded as “a universi-ty for the education of youth in the liberal arts and sciences,” though money from the War Department’s Freedmen’s Bureau was appropri-ated toward the construction of the university’s fi rst building. While the “Freedmen” were not mentioned in the initial charter, but the purpose of Howard was then, as now, clear: It would be an institution built on the premise of racial equality, with its primary benefi ciaries being Africans.

Perhaps James Dimon will leave advice and money for a Library Science Program, a statement about literacy and public education, in the name of Greene, her father and the Howard-JPMC Connection. Or a generous donation to the Montague Cobb Biological Anthropology Laboratory for the work that it and Howard scholars did on the New York African Burial Ground, evok-ing the slavery-ambivalent Ham-ilton and the Chase Manhattan Bank he founded. Perhaps we will rise in standing ovation, bewitched, bothered and bewildered. Perhaps. Perhaps.

Spring Break ForeverThe six years I lived in Miami gave me a dislike for tourists that sticks with me to this day. Spring Breakers came every year, trashed the beach and left as quickly as they had come. I developed a predisposition towards those who act as if they don’t belong. Not that they aren’t welcome, but those who lack a desire to engage the area they visit. This is continental piracy; you come through, steal the booty and leave. As you roll out to wherever you are going this spring break, there are some things I want you to keep in mind.

First: keep your head up; you don’t live here. Twisted people exist to prey on tourists like yourself, year after year. Every day for a week, they watch the college kids on break quickly decline in their mental

states. Waiting to catch you slipping. The dude under the umbrella who’s been watching your group all day would love to have those bright red Beats by Dre you decided to sit on top of the cooler. Maybe he waits till you and your girlfriends are drunk enough to believe him when he offers that ride on his 20-foot “yacht.” Your parents don’t want to have to go Finding Nemo on you. So be aware of what’s going on in your chosen destination for break. Observation is key; when you touch down, take a look around. Don’t claim turf on your fi rst visit to the endzone; this is an away game homie.

Next: explore and enjoy. Unless you’re on vacation solely to sit in the hotel room, then I challenge you to break the mold. Get out and go

fi nd something new. America is this overly commercialized melting pot of ideas, stories and cultures that has the potential to open your eyes and mind. Wherever you go has more to offer than $12 margaritas and slutty coeds from the local PWI. The easiest way to absorb some culture is to handle your primary objective as a college student: fi nd some good food. Ask around! This is your research for the day; talk to concierges, cab drivers and other natives to get a good bearing on where the best places to eat are. Then, dig in. Chances are you went to a neighborhood or street that you never would have gone had it not been for your chosen restaurant.

Last: nobody likes a shoobie. R-E-S-P-E-C-T goes a long way. Thou-sands, if not millions, of people

have visited the exact same spot you decided to visit for break. There is nothing to differentiate you from the other a**holes who leave piles of beer cans, McDonalds bags and blunt guts everywhere. Be humble in your interactions with the people who inhabit your destination. There is a reason they live there: they love it. They want to see you have as much fun as you paid for (just responsibly and without harming their homes). Interact with everyone around you by asking questions. Get to know their history and culture. I guarantee you’ll fall in love. Or, at the very least, not have to drive through Florida with your head down and fi ngers crossed on the way home..

Be safe and have fun this break!

By Daniel WhiteOpinions Editor

Photo via tumblr.com

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THE HILLTOP | THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014

 

 

HowardUniversity,SchoolofEducation,24414th StreetNWWashington,DC20059HowardUniversity,MinerHall,25006thStreetNWWashington,DC20059

Phone:202‐806‐7340E‐mail:sibrahim@howard.edu 

SavetheDate!Thursday,March6th,2014

Miner1173:00PM‐6:00PM

Isyourmajorundeclared? Areyouunsureaboutwhatyouwanttodoaftergraduation?

Doyouwanttogivebacktoyourcommunitybutareunsureaboutwheretostart?

Areyouinterestedinlearningaboutthemanycareeroptionswithinthefieldofeducation?

DoyouwanttobecomeaTeacher,CounselororPsychologist?Ifyouansweredyestoanyofthesequestions,thenyouareinvitedtotheHowardUniversitySchoolofEducationInterestDayonMarch6th.ComeandlearnaboutthefieldofeducationandthevariousundergraduateandgraduatedegreeprogramsofferedatHowardUniversity.Whetheryouwanttobeateacher,acounselor,oranadministrator,theSchoolofEducationhaseverythingyouneed!

RefreshmentsWillBeServed

SCHOOLOFEDUCATIONINTERESTDAY

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