North Carolina Central University - Eagle Yearbook (Durham, NC)

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Proud University The University offers the bachelor ' s degree in twenty-seven areas in the arts and sciences and the master ' s degree in twenty-onei in addition, it offers the bachelor ' s and master ' s degree in business, and the juris doctor and bachelor of laws degrees, and the master ' s of library science degree. Currently, North Carolina Central University enrolls nearly 5,000 students in five schools. The Undergraduate and Graduate schools of Arts and Sciences. The School of Business, The School of Law, and the School of Library Science. The University has an annual budget of $25 million. The University remains predominantly black but invites all students to attend. Many students at North Carolina Central receive financial aid. Nine of every ten students are North Carolinians. NCCU engages in athletic competition in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) with teams in basketball, football, tennis, track and wrestling. In addition, there are women ' s teams in Softball, basketball, and volleyball. Intramural activities are available for both men and women. The University has an Honors Program, and many academic and cultural organizations, including foreign language and other departmental clubs, as well as dance and theatre groups. It has a distinguished Touring Choir, a Concert Choir, a Marching Band, a Stage Band, and a string ensemble. It provides research opportunities in all areas with grants often in the sciences. Among its alumni are Maynard H. Jackson, Mayor of Atlanta, a graduate of the law schoolj Clarence Lightner, former Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolinai the late Dr. Vivian Henderson, noted economist and president of Clark Collegei Hiliary H. Holloway, vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and a NCCU trustee; the late John H. Wheeler, president of Mechanics and Farmers Banks of Durham, a graduate of the law schooli Ronald Barbee, judge of N.C. Superior Courts H.M. Michaux, Jr., former member of the North Carolina General Assembly, and presently U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina! W.G. Pearson, II, District Judges Sam Jones, former, all- pro basketball playeri John Baker, former Pittsburg Steeler, and now Sheriff of Wake County; Lee Calhoun, former Olympic hurdler, now head track coach at Western Illinois University; Ivan Dixon, television, movie and Broadway actor and director; and Hilda Harris of the New York Lyric Opera Company. Indeed, many, many successful individuals in business, in education, in law. and medicine are graduates of North Carolina Central University. A number of these graduates have become administrators, staff and faculty members at the institution.

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History of Our North Carolina Central University was established in 1910 by Dr. James E. Shepard as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua. Unlike many predominantly-black universities which are now state-supported, Dr. Shepard ' s school was not denominationally affiliated. The founder was active in the Chautauqua and in the International Sunday School Association movements it was from that ecumenical perspective that he established a school primarily for the training of black preachers. From the beginning a school with many purposes, this institution provided secondary education, trade courses, short courses for church workers, and bacculaureate programs in the classics and the sciences. The school suffered many financial hardships. In 1915, after bankruptcy proceedings were solved, the institution was reorganized as the National Training School, with its program primarily that of a secondary academy, although college-level degrees were offered. In 1923, Dr. Shepard faced the choice of affiliation with a denomination for support, or seeking state assistance. He chose the second option, and the school became the Durham State Normal School. Two years later it became the North Carolina College for Negroes to receive state support. In 1939, still under the leadership of Dr. Shepard, the school was authorized to offer graduate and professional programs. The graduate school was opened that fall, the law school in 1940, and the school of library science in 1941. By the time of Dr. Shepard ' s death in 1947, the institution had grown to a $4,000,000.00 enterprise of considerable stature. One year later, it became the North Carolina College at Durham. For a brief period, an interim committee directed the school. Dr. Alfonso Elder became the institution ' s second president. Under Dr. Elder, the institution continued to grow. Most of the new buildings on the campus date to Dr. Elder ' s administration. Dr. Elder who retired in 1963, continued his affiliation with the institution as its president-emeritus, until his death in 1974. Dr. Samuel Proctor Massie was president for the period 1963-1966. In 1966, he joined the faculty of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Again as a transition, an interim committee assumed the functions of the chief administrative officer until Dr. Albert N. Whiting became president in 1967. In 1969, the institution became North Carolina Central University, one of the sixteen tax-supported institutions of higher education which compose the University of North Carolina System. NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY AT PRESENT Dr. Whiting has established an Academic Skills Center, a four year nursing program, an elementary education program with emphasis on competency-based training, programs in jazz and sacred music, in public administration, in criminal justice and in media-journalism. m

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Interview with the Chancellor Q. Chancellor Walker how did you derive our 1983-1984 theme Excellence Without An Excuse — A Shared Responsibility? A. Business, Industry and the Educational Community will demand of NCCU graduates to demonstrate competence and excellence of performance. There are no more entitlements and our graduates will be except ed to compete with the upper ten per cent from all other institutions without excuse or rationalization. Students, Faculty and Staff must share in achieving this status. Q. Chancellor Walker what is the actually meaning of Excellence Without An Excuse — A Shared Responsibility? A. Excellence in performance in all aspects is an expectation. The NCCU students will not be excused from this demand. Q. Chancellor Walker what changes have you made for students as far as admission procedure is concerned that will improve our university? A. NCCU has not changed its basic admission to offer assistance to the disadvantaged. We do make a distinction between disadvantaged and underprepared. While we intend to take some students who do not score high on the admission tests, that group cannot be the major percentage of the student population. Twenty-five per cent of the 1984-85 entering freshman class will be in the top ten per cent of their graduating classes. We have also upgraded our academic support system to improve retention. Q. Chancellor Walker students have often complained about our registration procedure, especially waiting in those long lines. Do you think the students at NCCU will have the privilege of receiving the class schedule in the mail like other neighboring universities. A. NCCU is now in the process of installing new hardware and developing software packages to improve its Student Information System. The new equipment has greater flexibility and once the conversions are made, registration can be completed without lines and more accurately. There will be only one registration process. No pre-registration will be required. What you sign up for in early registration is what you get. You may even be able to pay your bills by mail when the system is completed. Q. Chancellor Walker under your leadership what direction do you see NCCU heading? A. NCCU must prepare to assume its position among the other fine institutions of the UNC System and independents. To do this, we must make the Excellence Without Excuse theme much more than a slogan. The pursuit of excellence must be a passion. Q. Chancellor Walker when you were appointed Interne Chancellor there were some critics who said you didn ' t possess administrative leadership. What were your feelings as you begun the position of Interne Chancellor at NCCU? A. The claims that I did not possess administrative ability did not bother me. The claimants were not aware of the administrative leadership provided by my services I. Director of Program, Planning, and Training for the Continent of Africa for Peace Corps As director I planned and implemented the programs in education and technology. 2. As President of the American Alliance for Health Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. The 50,000 member organizations Board of Directors was composed of leaders from major universities of the USA. 3. As President of National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics with its 742 members. 4. As first Vice Chancellor for University Relations of NCCU and other administrative services with State Departments. Q. Chancellor Walker will NCCU cirriculum have any additional programs like for example engineer programs etc.. in the near future? A. Several new programs will be implemented in the future; Computer Science; Agriculture Science; Criminal Justice; Middle Grades Education; Public Administration; etc. However, we are not authorized to initiate programs in Engineering. Q. Chancellor Walker next year is the 75th anniversary of our proud university. What kind of activities will the university be sponsoring to celebrate this occasion? A. The 75th Anniversary Celebration will highlight NCCU ' s Alumni in the areas of Arts and Entertainment, Science, Education, Business, Law, Politics and Civic Service. Departments will present exciting programs culminating with community-wide programs in the Chautaugua Series July 8-14, 1985. The schedule will be released within a few days (call the Chancellor ' s office.)