Tennessee State University Shooting: Gunman Opens Fire on Campus, Injuring 1

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One person was shot on the campus of Tennessee State University in Nashville on Tuesday night, The Tennessean reported.

The shooting occurred just after 9 p.m. near Kean Hall on TSU’s main campus.

According to WSMV-TV, initial reports from the scene said the victim suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Witnesses told WKRN-TV that two people were fighting about a gambling debt when others joined in the altercation and a man opened fire.

The victim’s identity has not been released. Police have not released details about the shooter.

Just after 10 p.m., TSU issued an emergency message about the incident, urging all students on campus to “stay in shelter as secured as possible.” HuffingtonPost

Highs and Lows of Obama’s State of the Union Speech

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Tuesday night was State of the Union time again, which meant two things:

President Barack Obama had to pull off the most difficult oratorical balancing act there is for any president: delivering a substantive policy speech that manages to inspire and move Americans.

And it means that we do what we do after every State of the Union address—grade his performance. Here is a list of highs and lows from the president’s speech:

High

Giving voice to “men of color.”

For much of his presidency, Obama has faced criticism from many in the black community, including yours truly, for not more candidly acknowledging the specific problems that plague African Americans, men in particular. Issues like racial profiling and unemployment have disproportionately impacted men of color, but rarely has their story been told by this president, or any president, particularly before a racially diverse national audience. But with the simple words, “And I’m reaching out to some of America’s leading foundations and corporations on a new initiative to help more young men of color facing especially tough odds stay on track and reach their full potential,” the president gave voice to the millions of men of color whose voices have previously been silenced and forgotten.

Low

Barely there gun control.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 children dead occurred just over one year ago, and in response, in his 2013 State of the Union address, the president made gun control a major focus. Shortly before his speech and right on the heels of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy, was also the shooting death of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton. Her parents attended last year’s State of the Union as guests of first lady Michelle Obama, and the first lady attended Hadiya’s memorial. This year, though, there was only a brief reference to as-yet-undone gun-control legislation.

High

Making the case for health care reform. (Finally.)

If President Obama had defended the Affordable Care Act as clearly, deftly and ferociously as he did in this year’s State of the Union, it’s hard to see how anyone in the GOP would have had the chutzpah to continue trying to fight it the way they have, so hard, for so long. The president managed to channel some humor by saying, “Now, I do not expect to convince my Republican friends on the merits of this law,” which drew laughs from members of both parties. He then delivered the devastating blow, saying, “But I know that the American people are not interested in refighting old battles. So again, if you have specific plans to cut costs, cover more people, increase choice, tell America what you’d do differently.”

Read more at The Root

Update: Arrest Made in Deadly SC State Shooting

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HBCU Buzz – An arrest was made early Saturday in the deadly shooting of a South Carolina State University student. 20-year-old Brandon Robinson was shot to death by student Justin Bernard Singleton, 19, after Singleton pulled out a gun and fired upon Robinson, wounding him in the neck, according to reports.

Reports say the two were arguing before the incident occurred.

“Brandon was a fine young man who was paying his way through college. All he wanted to do was play football for the university,” Bulldog football Coach Buddy Pough said. “We are at (a) loss for words right now.”

South Carolina State President Thomas Elzey: “He was a very nice young man.” Elzey added in a brief statement to reporters Friday, “Our first order of business is to make sure that our students are safe.”

Campus Police said four suspects were identified by eyewitnesses when police arrived to the Andrew Hugine Suites Living and Learning community, a residence hall on campus, about 1:30 p.m., the university said.  

Singleton was later arrested Saturday and charged with the murder of Robinson.

“We are pulling together as a community,” Elzey said.

wistv.com – Columbia, South Carolina

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Derrick Burroughs Leaves Lane to Become Defensive Coordinator at Jackson State

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The Jackson Sun has reported that Derrick Burroughs is resigning his position as head football coach at Lane College to become the defensive coordinator at Jackson State.

Burroughs informed his team at around 4 p.m. Tuesday.

He will work for Harold Jackson, who was hired Jan. 14 as the new coach at Jackson State.

Jackson and Burroughs have been friends for about 15 years and worked together coaching arena football, and they wanted to work together again when they got the chance.

Burroughs coached Lane from 2010 to 2013. The Dragons did not win in his first year, but they increased their win total every year after that. They won four games in 2011, five in 2012 and six in 2013.

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UDC’s Thomas Selected for NCAA Div II Women’s Basketball Committee

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University of the District of Columbia Director of Athletics, Patricia Thomas has been selected to serve on the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Committee representing the East Region.

Dr. Robert Dranoff, East Coast Conference Commissioner, said the conference was very pleased to hear of Thomas’ appointment. Thomas takes the place of Ms. Shantey Hill, who was formerly a Senior Associate Director of Athletics at LIU Post before recently taking on the job as the Athletic Director at St. Joseph’s College (NY).

“We are certain that Patricia will continue to lend her excellent leadership skills and knowledge to this important committee and represent our region very well,” Dranoff said.

Thomas’ appointment is for the unexpired portion of her predecessor’s term. She will serve on the committee from now through September 1st, 2016.

“This appointment is a great honor for our Director of Athletics and for the University,” Interim President Dr. James E. Lyons said. “The NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Committee will benefit tremendously from Patricia Thomas’ significant experience in athletics.” As a member of the committee, Thomas will work alongside seven other regional representatives to evaluate and select sites to host the national tournament, provide oversight over the periodic NCAA regional rankings, and conduct the national tournament which includes the selection and seeding of participants.

Thomas became the first female African American Director of Athletics in the university’s history when she was appointed to the position in December, 2008. As Director of Athletics, she oversees all department operations, specifically the university’s 10 Division II teams which include: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s cross country and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field.

Thomas came to the University of the District of Columbia with over 30 years of experience in NCAA athletics. Prior to accepting the post at UDC, she served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director at Georgetown University and as a member of the NCAA Division I Management Council.

A well-respected member of the NCAA community, Thomas has been acknowledged nationally for her work in NCAA and Big East athletics. In addition to her service on the DI Management Council, she has also served as a member of the NCAA Division I Championships and Competition Cabinet, Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport Committee, Big East Conference Executive Committee, Director’s Cup Committee, and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Executive Committee. In recognition of her experience and knowledge, Thomas was selected to serve one term on the NCAA Division II Management Council in 2010.

“It is a privilege to represent the East Region on this important committee,” Thomas said. “I look forward to working with an outstanding group of administrators and coaches.”

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Late N.C. Central Free Throw Knocks Off Morgan State Men

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Jawara Kamaro sank one of two free throws with one second left on the clock Monday to give North Carolina Central (14-5, 5-1) a 53-52 victory over Morgan State (6-12, 4-2) and sole possession of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Bears clawed back from down four with just over a minute left, but Shaquille Duncan made contact with Kamaro, which allowed him to make the game-winning free throw.

g258258000000000000ffc7dea02b8b700d21fd9b75ee4fae4830c9b144Morgan State held a 28-17 first-half lead, but Jeremy Ingram led the way with 20 points to bring North Carolina Central back.

Coppin State 70, North Carolina A&T 54: The Eagles (7-13, 4-3) hit a season-high 14 3-pointers to put them up as much as 25, leading to a key MEAC victory. The win ends a three-game losing streak and is the first against the Aggies (7-14, 3-3) since 2007. Senior guard Andre Armstrong scored 16 points for Coppin State, which moved to sixth place in the conference

St, Mary’s 73, Christopher Newport 62: Senior guard Donn Hill (Bel Air) led the Seahawks with 16 of his 23 points in the second half, allowing the hosts to pull away with the victory. Hill finished the game a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line and 7-for-12 from the field. Senior forward Brendan McFall (Poolesville) contributed 14 points and five rebounds.

 

North Carolina Central 50, Morgan State 48: Morgan State (2-17, 0-6) held a 10-point second-half lead, only to lose it with six seconds remaining in the game at North Carolina Central (8-11 3-3). Down 48-47 with six seconds left, Eagles junior guard Racquel Davis was able to draw a Bears foul, make the layup and convert on the free throw to give her team a two-point lead. Despite junior guard Tracey Carrington’s (Dundalk) 18 points and three assists, the Bears scored only 18 points in the second half.

Coppin State 59, North Carolina A&T 50: Senior small forward Kyra Coleman led the way with 18 points and five steals for the visiting Eagles (9-10, 6-1), who came away with a key win over the Aggies (14-4, 5-2). Sophomore point guard Amber Griffin went 7-for-8 on free throws, hitting many of them late to seal the game. Senior power forward Larrissa Carter contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds in the win

AAMU Mourns Death of Physics Professor, Dr. Mostafa Mark Dokhanian Found Dead on Campus

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MostafaDokhanian2The Alabama A&M University family is mourning the weekend death by natural causes of one of its most noted professors.

Dr. Mostafa Mark Dokhanian, professor of physics, died on Saturday, January 25.  Dokhanian had served in the AAMU physics program for more than 22 years.  Kobler said Huntsville police investigated the death and determined it was from natural causes.

Dokhanian penned the successful grant resulting in an $8 million award from the National Science Foundation to fund the Alliance for Physics Excellence (APEX)
project.   The five-year project aims to transform secondary physics education by integrating the latest teaching practices into secondary physics programs, ultimately impacting a quarter of the physics teachers in the state’s school systems and more than 40,000 students.

Fellow colleague and department chair Mohan Aggarwal describes Dokhanian as “a very gentle team player who had an eagle foresight, a hardworking scientist who helped our physics department grow to the present heights.”

Dr. Dokanian had also been the principal investigator for other projects, including the NSF-Pathway to Success Through Physics scholarships and the HBCU-UP program.

“Dr. Dokhanian was a very versatile educator, mentor and researcher for the physical sciences,” commented Aggarwal.

Funeral arrangements are forthcoming.

North Carolina A&T Becomes First Official Winner Of Honda Battle Of The Bands

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For the first time since the Honda Battle of the Bands competition was created, the crowd decided on an official winner via text message. The Blue and Gold Marching Machine of North Carolina A&T State University took home the title.

Thousands gathered Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the 12th annual HBOB, as it was called. Hosted by local radio personality Ryan Cameron, HBOB is a competition among bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the South. Schools were voted into the competition by their peers.

This year’s competitors were Winston-Salem State, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, South Carolina State, Morehouse College, North Carolina A&T, Bethune-Cookman, Alabama State and Alabama A&M. The Marching Maroon Tigers of Morehouse College opened the competition. Renowned band director Cleopas Johnson was this year’s honoree.

Although the crowd was noticeably smaller than previous years, those who attended got to enjoy a performance by Big Sean.

In an impromptu, post-performance interview, Big Sean said that he’s been in the studio and shooting videos. He also noted that G.O.O.D. Music is working on “something big.”

Some of the highlights of this year’s Battle of the Bands competition were University of Arkansas Pine Bluff’s electrifying performance of “Clappers” by Wale and South Carolina State’s tribute to Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Referenced from Source

Rest in Peace, 20 Year old Brandon Robinson – Football Player Killed in SC State Shooting

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brobinsonscBrandon Robinson has been identified as the victim in the shooting at South Carolina State University on Friday.

Robinson died from his injuries around 6 p.m.

The coroner’s office confirmed his identity to WLTX.

Robinson was 20 years old.

He attended Orangeburg Wilkinson High School and Orangeburg-Wilkinson Senior High School, according to his Facebook profile. He was from Orangeburg.

Police are looking for four suspects, including Justin Bernard Singleton.

Story developing; check back for updates

Student Shot in South Carolina State Shooting Pronounced Dead

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Screen Shot 2014-01-24 at 6.38.14 PMOfficials at South Carolina State University say a student who was shot outside an on-campus dormitory has died.

The university says the man was shot Friday afternoon at the Hugine Suites. The school says police are looking for four suspects who made it off campus.

University President Thomas Elzey choked back tears as he promised to keep his students safe. He said the student killed was a nice young man.

Campus Police Chief Mernard Clarkson says police don’t know what led to the shooting. The name of the victim was not released.

Clarkson says the campus is secure and students are safe.

South Carolina State is a historically black school with about 3,200 students in Orangeburg, about 40 miles south of Columbia.

Victim Injured in Shooting at SC State University

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Shooting at SC State University

Friday, January 24, 2014

South Carolina State University is now on lockdown as police attempt to apprehend four suspects they believe are responsible for shooting a South Carolina State University Student.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. today, Campus police were called to the scene of The Andrew Hugine Suites Living and Learning community on campus.

Upon arrival, police confirmed that a shooting had occurred.  One S.C. State University student had been shot. At this time, police are not divulging the identity of the victim.

Eyewitnesses on the scene of the incident identified at least four suspects in the shooting and police immediately began to pursue the individuals who, at that time, had left campus.

Students are safe. The perimeter of the campus has been secured, but the suspects have not yet been apprehended.  For this reason, the University has initiated a campus lockdown in the event the perpetrators attempt to return to the campus.

Orangeburg City police and the Orangeburg County Sheriff Department are assisting in the investigation.

As police continue to search for the suspect, students, faculty and staff are urged to take precautions and contact campus should they observe any suspicious activity.

We will continue to give you updates as they become available.

 

Doug Williams might rejoin Redskins in front office job

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Williams_image_1024wThere is a strong possibility that Doug Williams, the Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Washington Redskins, will rejoin the team in a front-office capacity, according to a person familiar with the situation.

“There’s a great possibility Doug will be going to the Redskins,” the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter. “I think there’s a very good chance of that.”

The timing of such a potential move was not immediately clear.

Neither Williams nor Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen responded to requests for comment.

Allen has been in Mobile, Ala., this week scouting college players at the Senior Bowl practices.

Williams formerly worked for Allen in the front office of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Williams nearly returned to the Redskins in a front-office job three years ago, he confirmed in November when he and other former players were honored by the team at a game at FedEx Field, but instead returned to Grambling for his second stint as the school’s head coach. Williams was fired by Grambling in September.

“You never know what’s gonna happen,” Williams said in November.  “… After the season’s over and things like that, then you see what your next step is.”

The Redskins declined to confirm a report this week by CBS that Allen had met with Williams in Mobile about a front-office job. That report said there was no deal between the two sides but things were headed in a positive direction.

Williams would join a Redskins’ front-office mix that currently includes Allen and personnel executives Morocco Brown and Scott Campbell.

Allen said after the Redskins fired Mike Shanahan as their coach following a 3-13 season that he would inherit the final say over the team’s player-related decisions formerly possessed by Shanahan.

Allen has expressed confidence in Campbell and Brown, who interviewed for the Buccaneers’ general manager job earlier this month but was passed over when the team hired Arizona Cardinals executive Jason Licht on Tuesday. Brown interviewed last year for the Cardinals’ GM job. He is the Redskins’ director of pro personnel, while Campbell is the team’s director of player personnel.

William, 58, played for the Redskins between the 1986 and ’89 seasons. He was named MVP of Super Bowl XXII after he threw four touchdown passes, all in the second quarter, and passed for 340 yards when the Redskins beat the Denver Broncos, 42-10, on Jan. 31, 1988.

The Redskins’ newly hired head coach, Jay Gruden, worked with Allen in Tampa. So, too, did several of the team’s assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Sean McVay and secondary coach Raheem Morris. Ike Hilliard, just re-hired as the team’s wide receivers coach, played for the Buccaneers during that time.

Have a Redskins question? E-mail Mike Jones at mike.jones@washpost.com with the subject line “Mailbag question” for him to answer it in The Mailbag on Tuesdays.

More from The Post:

Haslett welcomes fresh start, wants Orakpo back

More focus on Redskins’ personnel man Campbell, but he says business as usual

Senior Bowl: Va. Tech QB Logan Thomas | W. Va. RB Sims | Wisconsin LB Borland

D.C. Sports Bog: Sundberg on PATs | Unique Redskins art | More Bog

The Early Lead: Richard Sherman on ‘thug’ | Innovations: Google Glass and sports

AGB Search Picked to Assist Tuskegee University Find Next President

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TUSKEGEE, Ala. – A team of consultants that offers their networks, perspectives, and broad ranges of search experiences will work with the Board of Trustees at Tuskegee University to help select the next man or woman to lead the historically black university.

On Saturday, Jan. 18 the board had chosen AGB Search to begin a national search for candidates for the Tuskegee top job after former president Dr. Gilbert L. Rochon announced his resignation last October—following a string of other HBCU presidents to resign or to be fired from office.

[Click here to see HBCU presidents on the move]

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Message from the Tuskegee University Board of Trustees:

On Saturday, the Tuskegee University Board of Trustees selected AGB Search to immediately begin a national search for the next president of our prestigious, renowned, and historical university.

Retired Maj. Gen. Charles E. Williams, chairman of the board of trustees, has selected Trustee Felker Ward to chair the Search Firm Management Sub-Committee. The committee is responsible for the day-to-day activities of this critical search. AGB Search will work closely with the board and the committee to identify and present a slate of highly competitive and credentialed candidates to lead and advance Tuskegee University.

AGB Search is an affiliate of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), and draws on more than 90 years of experience in educational and institutional governance as well as collaborative leadership.

With upward trends in student retention and academic performance, faculty teaching, research productivity and enrollment, Tuskegee University remains a globally competitive university that prepares graduates for success and service.

Impassioned and loyal, the Tuskegee University family of alumni, students, faculty, staff, donors, partners and leadership look forward to the opportunity to embrace a new president with vision and a record of high performance and leadership.

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Harris-Stowe to Host Artist in Residence Synthia Saint James During Black History Month

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ST. LOUIS, MO – Harris-Stowe State University will host its first artist in residence, Synthia Saint James, February 2-8, 2014, with a lecture presentation on Wednesday, February 5, 2014, at 7 p.m. in the Emerson Performance Center’s Bank of America Theatre.

Synthia Saint James is a world-renowned multicultural visual artist, author, popular speaker and architectural designer who has garnered numerous awards over her 40-plus year career, including the prestigious Trumpet Award and her first honorary doctorate degree from Saint Augustine’s College, both in 2010.

She is most celebrated for designing the first Kwanzaa Stamp for the United States Postal Service for which she received a History Maker Award and for the international cover art for Terry McMillan’s book “Waiting to Exhale.” Additionally, her paintings have graced the covers for more than 70 books, including books by Alice Walker and Iyanla Vanzant.

“Harris-Stowe is so pleased to offer such a special event to not only the Harris-Stowe community but the entire St. Louis metropolitan community as well,” said Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Michelle McClure. “Ms. Saint James has the ability to capture and illustrate the ‘black experience’ in stunning and colorful ways, and I have been a fan of hers for many years. It is an honor that we will have her on campus during Black History Month so that she can share her expertise.”

During Saint James’ stay in St. Louis, the artist will interact with Harris-Stowe students in the classroom and serve as a guest lecturer in art classes. She will even participate in a finger-painting session with children enrolled at the William L. Clay Early Childhood Development/Parenting Education Center.

Wednesday’s lecture presentation, “The Creative World of Synthia Saint James,” will give the audience an in-depth look into the world of Saint James, her life and work, while viewing her art on exhibit. Displayed works of art will be sold that night, with 40 percent of the proceeds to be donated to HSSU. The lecture and reception is free and open to the public. Following Saint James’ week of residency at HSSU, her paintings will continue to be featured in the university’s AT&T Library and Technology Resource Center until March 1, 2014.

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Edward Waters College Raises Awareness About Human Trafficking

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Edward Waters College presents “Bought & Sold: Voices of Human Trafficking,” an outdoor exhibit made up of 26 billboard-sized panels that tell the stories of human trafficking survivors worldwide.

The piece comes to the campus by way of ArtWorks for Freedom. The non-profit organization partners with artists and anti-trafficking organizations in cities around the world to create multimedia art events that focus attention and inspire action against this silent form of slavery. According to their website, 27 million people are trafficked globally, half of them are children. Florida ranks third in the U.S. for human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is an international crisis that begins in our own community. A large number of victims are lured into modern slavery through force, fraud or coercion. Awareness can reduce the incidence of human trafficking in our community and beyond,” said award-winning photographer and artist Kay Chernush.

In 2005 an assignment for the U.S. State Department brought her face to face with the evils of human trafficking and modern slavery. Chernush began working with individual survivors and anti-trafficking organizations. Her innovative approach dignifies trafficked persons and re-frames how their stories are portrayed. The resulting series, “Bought & Sold: Voices of Human Trafficking, has been exhibited throughout the Netherlands and Singapore.

This is the first time this exhibit is on display in the United States. Edward Waters College is the first of three locations in Jacksonville to showcase the piece. Chernush wanted it to debut at Edward Waters College because of the College’s rich history of educating newly freed slaves. She hopes her piece will serve a similar purpose by educating others and eventually ending human trafficking.

Crystal Reed is a managing partner of Artworks for Freedom. She will be giving a presentation about the prevalence of human trafficking in Florida in the Milne Auditorium January 29th at 11:00 a.m. “I believe that “to whom much is given, much is required.”  As a result, I left my work as a business litigation lawyer to dedicate my professional time, talent and treasure to working against the slavery that exists today.  An old enemy with a new name – human trafficking – is more pernicious because its chains are invisible making the bondage easier to ignore, and its victims easier to silence,” said Freed. For more information about this initiative visit usa.artworksforfreedom.org.

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A New Academic Program That Will Give Benedict College Students “The Edge”

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Benedict College has teamed up with three other local colleges to offer students an edge in the global technology economy in a program called Coursepower®. Benedict College, USC, and Columbia College will offer a minor in applied computing, while Midlands Technical College will offer an academic certificate. This new collaboration will give non-IT majors the technological groundwork to be better equipped for the digital world that influences every career path.

“We live in a digital age,” said Lonnie Emard, President of IT-oLogy. “So whether a student’s focus is pharmacy, political science or hospitality, a minor in applied computing will set them apart. This underpinning will become the norm in a few years. We are ahead of the curve here in the Midlands.”  Benedict College is the first and only HBCU to offer this opportunity to its students.

By offering students the education that employers are demanding, this will provide employers with the workforce they need to be more competitive. According to Dr. Hong Jiang, Associate Professor, Mathematics & Computer Science Department, Benedict College, “Students can still register for the related courses (CSC 131 and CSC 239 are offered) for the minor in applied computing for Spring 2014.”

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