THE HILLTOPVOLUME 93, NO. 50 WWW.THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM

Monday November 9, 2009

WEATHER7254

Tomorrow: 67

KNOW WHAT THE HEALTH CARE BILL MEANS?

50 The Daily Student Voice of Howard University 1924Established

E&P PAGE 5

SPORTSNFL PLAYER RYAN CLARK SUFFERS FROM A DISEASE THAT ALMOST TOOK HIS LIFE LAST YEAR IN A GAME.Notebook

Monday’s

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BREAKING NEWSPRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL MEET WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU TODAY.

CAMPUSREAD ABOUT DR. ELKA STEVENS AND HER CONTRIBUTION TO HOWARD’S FASHION DEPARTMENT.

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Howard University Undergraduate Student Assembly (UGSA) held a funeral for student apathy in Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel where students took a stand to symbolically bury their grievances.

By putting their grievances in a casket, students spoke up about the issues they had with Howard University rather than being apathetic. “We are here because we have no sympathy for apathy,” said African-American Studies Department Chair Gregory Carr, Ph.D. “No passion, no pathos, no identifica-tion.” Only about 50 students showed up for the funeral.

“This did not have anything to do with student apathy,” said Melech Thomas, senior speech and applied communications major. “The time period that it was held and the fact that it ended before the set time are part of the reasons there were not many students there”

-Compiled by Tahirah Hairston, Campus Editor

INDEX Campus 2 Sports 4 Editorials & Perspectives 5 Hilltopics 6

In the wake of an outcry from Howard students and alumni upset by The Hilltop’s report that the renowned Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (MSRC) might be forced to shut down, the University’s Chief Academic Office issued a statement vowing the center will not be closed.

“There is no intention to close the center,” said Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Alvin Thornton, Ph.D., in an e-mail to The Hilltop on Sunday. “It is a treasured and valued part of Howard and will continue. With Dr. Thomas Battle’s recent retirement

as director of the center, Howard is in the process of searching for a replacement director. A national search will be conducted to identify an appropriate individual to lead the center and develop financial and other support for the center. The university is also in the process of reviewing the organization, structure and staffing of the research center as part of a larger university-wide academic and support program review.”

Thornton’s statement was intended to reassure students and alumni who reacted to The Hilltop story published last Friday in which Battle, who was called out of retirement to head MSRC temporarily after serving as its

director for more than two decades, warned financial and structural setbacks posed a threat to the 95-year-old center’s continued existence.

The story spread quickly after it was picked up by internet sites such as TheRoot.com. The Hilltop story quoted Battle as saying that the center, formerly had a staff of 50 or more people now having only 12 staff members remaining in the library division. Battle said critical positions that are vacant are director, chief librarian, chief administrator and prints and photography librarian.

“This should be a greater outcry,” Battle said. “This is the premier place to research black

history and culture.” Generations of Howard

students did research at the MSRC and developed close personal relationships with staff members who worked there for many years.

One of them, Donna Marcia Wells, who served as the center’s prints and photography librarian from 1993 until this past June, died on Nov. 2. A viewing will be held in the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. today.

The news on the state of MSRC ignited a considerable amount of controversy among the Howard community.

“I was angry when I first heard of Moorland-Spingarn’s

potential closure, that was my first reaction,” said Victoria Kirby, graduate student. “This is our treasure, Howard University’s treasure.”

Although Thornton said there were no plans to close down the research center, students think differently.

“It’s like one thing goes, then another,” said Andrew Simms, junior architecture major. “If staff and faculty retire early, the university has to find a faster way to replace them. Howard really needs to step it up and hire staff for various areas of the University, including Moorland-Spingarn because this type of information is important to us students.”

BY CAMILLE AUGSTINStaff Writer

Moorland-Spingarn Set to Stay Open

HU Mock Trial Team Places 2nd at Harvard Crimson Classic Invitational

UGSA Buries Student Apathy, Grievances

Oluyomi Sodunke - Staff Photographer

Hurricane Ida Gains Strength

All across the Gulf Coast, states are pulling their resources in preparation for Hurricane Ida. Ida is the ninth hurricane to be recognized by the National Hurricane Center and the first Atlantic Hurricane to target the U.S. Gulf Coast. According to a National Weather Service bulletin, “A hurricane watch remains in effect for the Northern Gulf Coast from Grand Isle, La. to Mexico Beach, Fla.” The watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the next 36 hours.

States such as Louisiana have declared a state of emergency. There will not be an immediate evacuation of Louisiana residents; an emergency declaration is meant to free up resources.

“I don’t think anybody’s particularly worried. It’s really out of season and the chances of it happening are probably low,” said Nicholas Mitchell, an accounting major and Hurricane Katrina survivor. “I feel like it’s going to miss New Orleans, but we’ll probably get

a lot of rain…As long as it doesn’t pick up strength.”

Hurricane Ida has been gaining force since last Thursday. Much like 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, Ida waited until the third day to pick up speeds of more than 70mph. Within 48 hours, Katrina had increased its speed from 35mph to 110mph.

Ida was supposed to have disseminated by Thursday evening, according to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) but has reached winds of 105mph since then. FEMA has recently released a statement urging people in federally issued trailers and mobile homes to vacate the areas.

“FEMA stresses that those in temporary (housing) units should not take chances,” Thomas said. “Leave the unit behind and evacuate to a permanent structure that will better withstand tropical weather systems and the associated winds,” said FEMA spokesman Andrew Thomas in a statement.

Updated hurricane advisories are typically released every three hours.

BY RILEY WILSONStaff Writer

Health Care Reform Bill Passes the House of Reps.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act made it through the House by a very narrow margin, with 220 votes in favor and 215 in opposition.

The passing of the bill served as a historic occasion, as it is the furthest any administration has advanced toward genuine health care reform.

In the limelight was a lone republican, Joseph Cao (R-LA), who shocked his Republican party and the nation by voting in favor of the bill.

“I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people,” said Cao in a statement after the vote. “My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents.”

This past Saturday- the day of the passing of the bill- was filled with debates, passionate testimonials and rumors that Democrats didn’t have the votes to push the bill through.

A guest appearance by

the President sought to unify the Democrats toward a common goal.

“Millions of Americans are watching right now,” said President Obama. “Their families and their businesses are counting on us. After all, this is why they sent us here, to finally confront the challenges that Washington had been putting off for decades - to make their lives better, to leave this country stronger than we found it.”

Although the bill did pass, Obama was not completely successful in unifying the entire Democratic Party.

One of the 39 Democratic congressmen who voted against health care reform was Collin Peterson (D-MN).

“I don’t agree with [Peterson] voting against the bill, it was something I was in favor of,” said Caroline Snowden, sophomore public relations major and Minnesotan. “He is a democrat, so I think that’s interesting. Whatever his reasoning was I am not sure, but the right thing that was supposed to happen happened.”

BY AMIRAH BEYStaff Writer

> See BILL, page 3

Key Points of Health Reform Bill

Offers a government run • “public option” that people can compare with private insurance companiesCovers more than 35 million • people currently without health insuranceDoes not contain abortion • coverageTaxes individuals making • more than $500,000 and couples making more than $1 millionCosts $1.2 trillion• Allows individuals up to 27 • years of age to stay on their parents health insurance planProhibits exclusions based on • pre-existing conditionsAnnual out-of-pocket spend-• ing can not exceed $5,000 Mandates that individuals • must purchase and busi-nesses must provide health coverage or pay a fine

-Compiled by Riley WilsonStaff Writer

The Howard University Mock Trial Team traveled to Cambridge, Mass. this weekend to compete in the fourth annual Harvard University Mock Trial Association’s Crimson Classic Invitational.

The team emerged with a six win, two loss record after competing against such schools as Cornell University, Brandeis University and Wellesley College. Their record was good enough to place second at the competition.

Senior legal communica-tions major Eddie Holiday and Sophomore print journalism ma-jor Dilane Mitchell won individu-al attorney and witness awards re-spectively. Holiday, president and a four-year veteran of the team, is one of two attorneys at the com-petition to get a perfect score.

Team members Victoria Miranda and Michael Roy’s parents traveled from Cape Cod, Mass. and Philadelphia, Pa., respectively to see the team in the competition. The Miranda’s called the team’s performance empowering and said that the team “...presented with a sense

Photo Courtesy of Joseph Laster

HU’s Mock Trial Team placed second at the fourth annual Harvard University Mock Trial Association Crimson Classic Invitational in Cambridge, Mass.

of professionalism and unique personality that the other teams did not have.”

First-year transfer student and newest member to the team, political science major Dominic Ripoli said that he is officially proud to be a Bison after this weekend. Being a white student

at an HBCU, Ripoli said that he now has a reason to be proud of his decision to attend an HBCU.

-Compiled by Marquis H. Barnett, Nation & World Editor*Editor’s note: Marquis H. Barnett and Dilane Mitchell are Hilltop staff

2 CAMPUS November 9, 2009

THE HILLTOP

Change Your Luck.

“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity” - Oprah Winfrey

Students with dreams of taking over the fashion industry should become familiar with Elka Stevens, Ph.D. She is the chair of the fashion department in the di-vision of fine arts, and a Howard alumna.

Stevens has wanted to teach students since she was in grade school. Her academic and indus-try experiences have prepared her for her career as a Howard pro-fessor.

She attended Howard for undergraduate studies and went to the University of Minnesota for graduate school. After gradu-ating, she gained several years of experience in the fashion industry through working retail and own-ing her own clothing line.

Through the years, Dr. Ste-vens has taught classes such as Intro to Fashion Industry, African American Dress and Fashion En-trepreneurship.

In the classroom, students are taught the basics of fashion and how to navigate through the fashion industry. Stevens empha-

sizes preparation for the fashion industry and hands on experience in all of her classes.

“I want students to recog-nize they have the ability to be successful in their careers. They should also know how important fashion is in our daily lives,” she said.

Those with a love for fashion have the opportunity to perfect their skills with different projects and through finding out different careers within the indus-try. The projects assigned in class allow students to express their cre-ativity and apply the skills they’ve learned.

Fashion Entrepreneurship, offered in the spring, is a popular class among fashion merchandis-ing majors. Stevens brings her entrepreneurial experience and knowledge to teacher her stu-dents.

“The class has a lot of good tips on entrepreneurship and for going into your chosen field in fashion,” said fashion merchan-dising major Angela Johnson.

As a fashion expert, Stevens stays in touch with the fashion industry and how it has changed

over the years. She observes the cultural, social and economic as-pects of fashion and shares this knowledge with her students.

She works with students in and out of the classroom. Her goal is to make sure students meet their graduation requirements.

Stevens challenges her stu-dents and encourages them to do their best. She sees a lot of poten-tial in the fashion industry and wants her students to take advan-tage of it.

“The fashion industry has room for everybody and anybody.

It has the potential to change how people perceive themselves, and how they’re perceived by others,” Stevens said.

Many students in the fine arts department like the variety of fashion courses offered at Howard and enjoys the classes Dr. Stevens teaches.

“I like that she’s real and has a good relationship her students. The classes are always lively. We touch on a lot of thing in our dis-cussions,” said fashion merchan-dising major Dominic Swain.

Howard University im-pedes on student potential. By allowing student financial services to be understaffed, housing facilities to be inad-equate, technology to be out-dated, libraries to be noncom-petitive, safety to be placed on the backburner, faculty not compensated, what type of students are we expecting to produce and attract?

What would happen if these simple amenities were available and we could live up to the true Howard student potential?

Howard University produces the best in every field no matter race, creed or color. The United States Inspector General went to Howard; the first African- American General went to Howard, first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, first Black Supreme Court Justice and many more prominent figures.

We, the students of Howard University, make lemonade out of lemons dai-ly, which translates into our lives.

We have liberated na-tions, with nothing more than an ideology. That ideology is the one thing that unites our past, present and future potential. That ideology rests upon our desire to better the conditions of our communi-ties.

A lot of the things that we face as students are reflect-ed in the past, alumni protest-ed and spoke out against the very same issues that we did on Sept. 4, 2009.

When will it change? When we say that our educa-tion is more important than anything else. When we say that if it is not efficient it is not acceptable, when we at-tend class and demand more. And, finally, when we hold the university, alumni and most importantly ourselves accountable.

Without the distractions outside of the classroom, this is what we would be able to do:

Cure HIV/Aids. Fix Education. Be Mentors to Youth. Speak out against Genocide. Be Stress free. Compete with others (though we already beat them). Cure Diabetes. Restore the conti-nent. Start businesses while in school. Be role models. Start schools that educate fu-ture leaders. Assist our D.C. neighbors. Cure the broken home. Stand against discrim-ination of ALL people. Join in the fight for health care reform. Write our history. Learn languages. Explore thought beyond what is re-quired. Raise funds for our education and that of oth-ers. Own media distribution companies to promote the correct image of people. Tell Our story. Visit countries that need our help. Find a cure for Capitalism. Fix the market.

Bryan Smart serves as the executive president for HUSA, read more of his columns at thehillto-ponline.com

Howard University Student

Association Presents....

umoja

Either, OR

Winter or Spring Conservative or Aggressive

Light or DarkNew or Old

Tradition or Change **The Hilltop gave Dr. Stevens a number of random things to choose from,

her choices for the following are highlighted in bold.

Beyond The Classroom: Dr. Elka Stevens BY VICTORIA FORTUNEStaff Writer

BY BRYAN SMARTContributing Columnist

Hundreds from across the nation gathered over three days to listen to religious and community leaders as they take on the tough issues of sex, HIV/AIDS, politics and the economy during the How-ard University School of Divinity’s 93rd Annual Convocation Ceremo-ny.

Speakers included the Rev. Joshua DuBois, the 26-year-old tapped by President Barack Obama to head the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Rev. Delman Coates, head of the highly-publicized “Enough is Enough” campaign to stop the promotion of stereotypical and degrading images of African Americans on television.

His campaign has included leading hundreds of protests outside the home of the president of Black Entertainment Television (BET).

During a panel discussion last Friday -the final day of the convocation- Dubois told the audience that the church can make an impact in politics and that it must also focus on helping members of the community by making resources available for them to succeed.

On Thursday, the most extensive day of the conference, the Rev. Drew Smith, director of the Public Influences of African-American Churches Project and scholar-in-residence at the Leadership Center at Morehouse College, told his audience that the church must take a more active role in encouraging its members to go to the polls, as it did for the 2008 presidential election.

“If we have the kind of African American turnout for each election, imagine what kind of force we would be,” Reed said during one

of three panel discussions that day. Smith, who spoke on “Black

Clergy Activism in a Transformed Public Square,” also said that black so-called “mega churches,” or church with an attendance of 1,500 or more each Sunday, are playing an important roll in electoral politics.

Mega churches are more likely to participate in politics than churches with smaller congregations, he said. Smaller churches, on the other hand, have a larger percentage of their members active within the church, he said.

There needs to be a way for the two to share their positive qualities so that they can be a stronger force in the black community and in politics, Smith said.

Rev. Gerald Kisner, a financial management expert who recently rebuilt his West Palm Beach, Fla. church after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, told participants it was important for financial literacy to become a goal of churches as an institution and for its members.

“We’ve shied away from dealing with people’s financial lives,” Kisner said during his panel on “Financial Literacy for Pastors and Parishioners in a Time of Economic Recovery.” “We must be more holistic, and finance is a major thing to look at.”

The Convocation, which was chaired by the Rev. Cheryl Sanders of the School of Divinity, received high praise from the audience, including the Rev. John H. Coursey, a graduate of the University’s School of Divinity.

“If I could use two words to describe the convocation,” Coursey said, “they would be relevant and practical.”

BY ASHLEY GUSTERContributing Writer

A group of 11 School of Business graduates have joined forces in creating the “Build As We Climb Scholars Program,” to assist second and third year School of Business students finan-cially. The program will also pro-vide one-on-one mentorship and skills to help the students develop personally and professionally.

“The financial contribution is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Chairman of the BWC Scholar’s Program, Floyd Mitchell. “The real value of a program such as this is providing students access to young professionals who can relate and provide realistic and relevant guidance.”

He continued, “Many of my friends and I were looking for the right vehicle to make a signifi-cant impact to our alma ,ater.”

From knowledge in the business field of investment bank-ing to the music industry, the leadership team of mentors plas to share their experiences with hope of providing the necessary skills needed to be successful in the various fields.

On Nov. 19, the “Build As We Climb” team will be in the lobby of the School of Busi-ness distributing applications and more information about the pro-gram.

Admittance into the pro-gram will be based on academic achievement, community in-volvement and business prowess. There is no formal interviewing process to be admitted. Accord-ing to Mitchell, only two short essays and a letter of recommen-dation is needed. He graduated from Howard in 2006 and now works as a consultant at Master-Card Worldwide.

Lenora Robinson, another member of the membership team and 2006 graduate, realizes the importance of giving back.

She hopes that participat-ing students will gain the skills that they would not have had access to if the BWC program wouldn’t have been created.

“We knew the value of [the] alumni network and how, if we pulled our resources, we could affect true change back at How-ard,” said Robinson.

Since most of the mentors have great experience and exper-tise in the business field, the pro-gram is currently only available to School of Business students.

“The scholarship is only one small component of the pro-gram. It is up to the alumni to be that driving force. I want the students to meet and have access to people who have made a differ-ence, not only at Howard Univer-sity, but in the business world as well,” said Mitchell.

BY VICTORIA FORTUNEStaff Writer

Alumni Build, Help Business Students

Convocation Tackles Controversial Issues

Photo Courtesty of Floyd Mitchell

The Scholars Program will be lead by a team of 11 HU alumni from the School of Business.

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Continued from front, BILL

Health care Bill Passes Through the House

The passing of an amendment, 290-194, presented by Representative Bart Stupak, (D-MI) was also key in gaining the votes to pass the original health care bill.

Sixty-four Democrats aligned themselves with 176 Republicans to pass the prohibitive amendment.

Stupak’s amendment will bar the use of federal funds for abortion and ban anyone getting federal health subsidies from purchasing private insurance policies that include abortion coverage.

Abortion will only be allowed in cases of rape, incest or if the pregnancy presents a danger to the

mother’s health.“Let us stand together on

principle – no public funding for abortions, no public funding for insurance policies that pay for abortions,” Stupak persuaded fellow lawmakers before the vote.

Pro-life organizations hailed the passing of the Stupak amendment as a great victory.

“The passage of this amendment is a victory for the pro-life Americans across this country who have flooded Congress this week with the message that abortion does not belong in health care,” said Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life Action in a statement.

“[The amendment] is a good

idea because of the controversy surrounding abortion,” said Roberta James, senior public relations major. James also cited free choice and religion as reasons abortion should be a “private issue.”

However, pro-choice organizations are livid at the passing of the Stupak amendment and condemned the Democrats who voted for the bill as well as the pro-life organizations who advocated for it.

“We hope that, as this struggle continues, Congress realizes that those who want to destroy the possibility of meaningful health care reform may have employed good lobbyists, but ultimately the voters will take down all those who

betray the needs of the people for short-term political gains,” said Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice in a press release.

“I feel as though the government is trying to eliminate free choice,” said Tajeem Barment, sophomore marketing major. “This is just one step closer to try to eliminate abortions altogether.”

Yet the passage of the health care bill, with or without the Stupak amendment, has upset conservatives, and many Republicans are hoping Democrats have won the battle but not the war. The president was optimistic in his predictions of the passage of the bill in the Senate.

“Now it falls on the United

States Senate to take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people,” said Obama. “And I’m absolutely confident that they will.”

Analysts remain skeptical of how the bill will fare in the Senate, as the Republicans are in larger numbers.

Nonetheless, the passage of the bill in the House is cause for those in favor of health care reform to celebrate.

“I was very surprised it passed in the House and am eager to see if it will pass in the Senate,” said Rhushonda Burke, junior political science major. “I’m in favor of the bill. I believe health care should be accessible to everyone.”

As the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos get set to clash in Denver at Invesco Field on Monday Night Football the focus has not been on the ensuing battle but rather on a player who nearly lost his life two seasons ago, under the same conditions.

On Oct. 21, 2007, the last time the Steelers and Broncos played each other, the weather was in the mid 30s and the bright lights shined down from the top of the shaking stadium as 76,000 crazed Bronco fans stomped and screamed from their seats.

Ryan Clark, the 5-foot-11inch, 205- pound starting free safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers went into that 2007 game against the Broncos with 20 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. He would go on to record four more tackles in the loss, before being rushed to a nearby hospital in Denver with complications from an aggravated sickle cell trait.

Clark, who has an undisclosed medical condition in addition to the sickle cell trait, nearly died from the incident. Upon returning to Pittsburgh the following day, his condition worsened and his spleen and eventually his gall bladder were removed, causing him to lose 30 pounds.

Clark would go on to miss the remainder of the season and could not begin training again until February 2008.

The sickle cell trait differs

from sickle cell disease in that there is only one gene which creates sickle hemoglobin and one which creates normal hemoglobin. In sickle cell disease, there are two genes which create sickle hemoglobin, causing red blood cells to be fragile and sickle-shaped, resulting in blood clots which do not allow the proper amount of oxygen to reach organs and tissue.

Ricardo Charles, a junior mechanical engineering major, was diagnosed as being a sickle cell trait carrier upon taking a blood test to fulfill the medical requirement for admission to Howard University.

“The majority of persons with sickle cell trait live normal lives. [Clark] just happens to be in that rare percentage,” Charles said. “Before the 2006 game, I guess he was able to play normally. Now, he has to pay closer attention to his body and consult with his doctors and coach. If they recommend that he not play, then he should take their advice and not risk the consequences.”

After nearly dying the last time he played in Denver, Clark has still suggested his desire to compete on Monday, despite the complications with the high elevation.

“I never had a problem training in Denver before I came to Howard. Now I go home and I struggle with the elevation,” said Brittany Stephens, a junior telecommunications major and member of the Howard University track & field team. “[Clark] has a condition on top of dealing with the altitude that could cause him

to die. He’s lost organs playing at that elevation. He would be stupid to play on Monday.”

Such feelings have been shared by teammates of Clark’s. Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu have publicly made statements to the press, advising Clark to sit out Monday’s game.

“If it were me, no I wouldn’t go,” Ward said, in an interview with SI.com’s Peter King. “Football’s second when it comes to someone’s life. Life is more important than football to me.”

Head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Tomlin plans to deactivate Clark if doctors are not 100 percent sure that Clark’s sickle cell trait could be re-aggravated by the altitude and do harm to Clark again. Initially, Clark was cleared by his doctors to play.

“I don’t agree with his [personal] doctors’ decision to clear him, and I think his coach should deactivate him immediately, because he’s not thinking about his life,” Stephens said.

Sickle cell disease affects more than 72,000 people in the United States while about 2 million Americans have sickle cell trait, with one out of every 10 African Americans carrying the trait.

The disease is inherited through parents who both carry the sickle cell trait or by one parent who has the disease. Sickle cell trait offers an immunity from malaria

while people with the disease are more susceptible to contracting malaria.

“The disease isn’t well known, because it isn’t publicized as much as other diseases. You are more likely to see fliers about STDs

in health centers rather than sickle cell disease,” Charles said. “More needs to be done to educate people on the disease, particularly persons of African descent, as it affects us mostly.”

When the Bison defeated Georgetown and Winston-Salem State at the beginning of the football season, most students were beginning to believe the talk about the team performing better this year.

According to the university’s Web site, the Bison went from having a 2-0 record to a 2-7 overall and a 0-6 record in the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference (MEAC).

According to Koscina Renaud, a senior political science major, the team has a huge impact on the students’ school spirit.

“I feel like it’s [losing games] discouraging to the students

because then we lose our morale in the school. It gives us a sense of pride when we are winning games,” she said while wearing a sweatshirt that read ‘FAMU.’

She also suggested that no one goes to the games, because the team rarely wins. “If we had a good team, I would be more amped to go,” she added.

Jacquelyn Smith, a junior psychology major, believed that not only do the students at Howard have little faith in the team, but the D.C. community feels that way too.

“I was in the grocery store yesterday and this old man asked me what school I go to, and I said Howard,” Smith said. “He said, ‘Oh, yea, [your] football team is terrible. [You all] need some new

coaches.’” Smith said she had to agree

with the man. “We have the size and the strength; we need a new set of coaches, a new group of people who are going to manage the team and mold them into the football players they’re already equipped to be,” she said.

Although students don’t like the losing reputation the team holds now, for some reason, most still make it a point to attend the big Homecoming game. Do they attend the game with hopes of Howard winning?

Cynnise Johnson, a junior mechanical engineering major, is also a proud member of Howard’s Showtime Marching Band.

She said she strongly feels that the band is the reason why

people go to the games. “I really think the football

team is just a break between songs,” Johnson said.

She said that after the band performs during the half time show, people clear the stadium. Smith, who usually sells her Homecoming game ticket, didn’t plan on making a sale this year.

“Last year, a man asked me to buy my ticket for $100, and this year my friend said she had to knock the price down to $15 just so somebody would buy the ticket,” she said.

Todd Hughes, a senior mechanical engineering major, is a wide receiver for the Howard Bison. He tries not to let the discouraging attitudes affect his mind set.

“I don’t mind what people

say because they don’t know the hard work and dedication that goes into playing this game,” he said.

Despite how anybody else feels about the team’s performance, one particular group of people is always there for encouragement: the Bison cheerleaders.

Whitney Alston, a senior business management major, is a cheerleader for both the football and basketball teams.

She doesn’t like when others say bad things about the team, but can understand their frustration.

“I feel bad, because they are not only a team, they are my friends, but it’s very hard to be defensive about something that’s true.”

William Ford rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown (TD), and Malcolm Long passed for three TDs to lead South Carolina State to an easy 43-13 win over Howard in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game at Greene Stadium on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (8-1 overall, 6-0 in the MEAC), who are ranked No. 10 in the national polls, got off to a slow start.

SC State took the opening kickoff and marched 46 yards, but the Bison defense held and forced a 44-yard field goal by Blake Erickson.

Howard (2-7 overall, 0-6 in the MEAC) countered with a drive of its own, but it ended in an interception in the end zone.

The Bulldogs began to show why they are one of the highest scoring teams in the Football College Subdivision (FCS) when they marched 80

yards on seven plays. Long capped off the drive with a 28-yard strike to Terrance Smith.

Howard was able to stay close when Dennis Wiehberg nailed a 37-yard field goal at the beginning of the second quarter to make the score 10-3.

But South Carolina State came right back on Long’s second TD pass of the game, this time a 14-yard dart to Chris Massey.

The Bulldogs tacked on two more points on a safety and a 28-yard field goal by Erickson. Wiehberg connected on a 35-yard field as the half ended to trail, 22-6 at intermission.

“They made plays and we didn’t,” said Howard coach Carey Bailey. “We didn’t take advantage of our chances in the first half. They simply did what the No. 10 team in the country does.”

South Carolina State put the game out of reach when Phillip Adams returned a Floyd Haigler pass 71 yards and Ford galloped 64 yards untouched for the Bulldogs final score.

“We came into today’s game looking to accomplish a season long goal,” said SC State head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough. “This game was one rung on the ladder toward a conference title.”

Howard’s Willie Carter closed out the scoring for the game with a 38-yard TD pass from Haigler.

Long completed 21 of 33 passes to six different receivers for 180 yards and the three TDs.

Haigler was 14 of 29 for 159 yards and one TD while Carter caught five of his passes for 91 yards and his fifth TD of the season.

The Bison football team has two games remaining in the season before the year is wrapped up and assessments are made to improve the team for next season.

Next week’s game will be against Bethune-Cookman University at Greene Stadium and will be in celebration of graduating seniors.

The last game of the season will be in Dover, Del. against Deleware State.

4 SPORTS

THE HILLTOP

BY CHEVONNE MANSFIELDHU Sports Information Office

Sports Trivia!

What year did the PGA eliminate the “Caucasian Only” rule?

Search the Hilltop for the answer.

November 9, 1984Larry Holmes TKOs Bonecrusher Smith

in 12 for heavyweight boxing title.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

Ryan Clark is debating whether he should play in Denver this year after suffering from complications with a sickness he acquired.

BY BRITTANY SIMSContributing Writer

Bison Football Team Bit by Bulldogs

Photo Courtesy of HU Sports Information Office

Bison quarterback Floyd Haigler passed for 159 yards on 14 of 29 passing and one touchdown in a Bison loss on Saturday.

Fans Waiting on a Football Team to Cheer On

Pittsburgh Steelers’ Safety Putting Life on the LineBY HEATHER ROBINSONStaff Writer

Late this Saturday eve-ning in an extremely narrow 220 to 215 vote, the House of Representatives passed the highly debated health care reform bill, taking the first of many difficult steps towards national compre-hensive health care at the urging of President Barack Obama.

According to President Obama, the passage of such a wide-ranging health care bill hasn’t occurred in American history in decades, although a number of sizable hurdles remain in the effort for universal health care.

The bill also has to be approved by the Senate, and the bill has to be reconciled between both houses of Congress in order to determine how the nation will be able to afford it.

The slim success of the Affordable Health Care for America Act in the House of Representatives is a huge step in the right direction, but students need to make sure they’re informed and educated about what the passing of the bill would entail. So

what does it mean for young people, particularly Howard University students?

The passing of this bill would create a government run health insurance plan that would directly compete with private health insurance providers. It would also prevent private health care

providers from denying coverage to American citizens because of pre-existing conditions (which are usually a large reason that people seek health care coverage in the first place).

As young people, we of course should be excited about the House passing the comprehensive health care bill - it’s a big deal. But again, we need to be informed.

There’s an option of opting out of the health care plan with a penalty of

paying 2.5 percent of your annual income.

Exceptions would be made for those with financial difficulties and/or religious concerns. Requirements wouldn’t begin until 2013.

Also, as opposed to the majority of current health insurance policies, we as

students could remain under our parents’ health care plans until the age of 27. For those of us who are uninsured, it would be drastically easier and more affordable to obtain health care coverage.

Addressing an audience including senators in the Rose Garden the morning after the House passed

the bill, President Obama urged them to “take this baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people.”

Although there is a definite concern that the bill won’t be as successful in the Senate as it was in the House of Representatives, hopefully, the bill will be passed by the Senate - and eventually make its way to the president’s desk for final approval.

EDITORIALS & PERSPECTIVES 5

THE HILLTOP

Health Care Bill Passes The House - Now What?

D a i l y S u d o k uDirections: Each row, each column and each 3x3 box must contain each and every digit 1-9 exactly once.

Nicolette McClendon - Cartoonist

Our View:Students need to be

informed and educated about what the health care reform bill entails.

THE HILLTOPThe Nation’s Only Black Daily Collegiate Newspaper

Brittany HarrisAsst. Business Manager

The Hilltop encourages its readers 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 on to hilltopeic@gmail.com.

Any inquiries for advertisements should be sent directly to The Hilltop Business Office at campusadvertising@thehilltoponline.com

THE HILLTOP2251 Sherman Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20001(202) 806-4724 (Editorial)(202) 806-4749 (Business)

businessoffice@thehilltoponline.com Now in its 85th year, The Hilltop is published Monday through Friday by Howard University students. With a readership of 7,000, The Hilltop is the largest black collegiate newspaper in the nation. The opinions expressed on the Editorial & Perspectives page are the views of the The Hilltop Editorial Board and those of the authors and do not necessarily represent Howard University or its administration. The Hilltop reserves the right to edit letters for space and grammatical errors and any inappropriate, libelous or defamatory content. All letters must be submitted a week prior to publication.

India ClarkBusiness Manager

Crystal J. AllenEditor-In-Chief

Jada F. SmithManaging Editor

Traver RigginsManaging EditorDeontay Morris

Deputy Managing Editor

Charles Metze IIINicolette McClendon

Cartoonists

Eboni FarmerOnline Editor

Alexis K. BarnesBusiness & Technology Editor

Cierra Jones Life & Style Editor

Anastacia MebaneCopy Chief

Genet LakewMetro Editor

Bree GantLandneshe MagwoodBrian Lipkins-Scott

Sean RobinsonOluyomi Sodunke

Jasmine CarpenterBrittany CliftonRonesha DennisMacy FreemanDilane Mitchell

Michele SteeleCopy Editors

Ryan HamiltonAdvertising Layout Manager

Royce StrahanSports Editor

Photographers

Jessica LewisTahirah Hairston

Campus Editors

Ryan FosterEditorials & Perspectives Editor

Faraday OkoroZelena Williams

Photo Editors

Marquis H. BarnettNation & World Editor

Erica HawkinsGraphics Editor

Courtney ColaLocal Advertising Manager

Jenise CameronAsst. Copy Chief

Jenerra AlbertOperations Manager

Want to write for The Hilltop?

Come grab a story at our next budget

meeting.

Sunday at 6 p.m. in the Howard Plaza Towers West

P-Level

Izunna EnyinnahMultimedia Editor

Perspective

“Love” Doesn’t Exist

Love.There is no such thing

or action. What you feel is only the composition of obsessive tendencies and characteristics, meant to keep you.

The complex, yet subtle meaning to our lives has a way of humoring even the lowlife in us. Heart’s sweet nector that bewilders the blind into believing in light. Nowhere else can you jump and not fall. Nowhere else can you believe and not see, when love is your belief.

Not realizing the construct to your conduct, you behave as if love will fulfill you. As if love is not an object designed to motivate, cultivate and compensate for your lack thereof. Justification for meaning and purpose in life does not discount reality. The reality is that

love is nothing more than a compensatory mechanism of defense, created in the relationship between people and actions. It is the name of the obsession created, then wanted.

When one realizes the emptiness and lack of purpose, love comes to the rescue to fill the void and create a “reason” to continue. What purpose would you have to live, if you could not “love”— if you could not repeat your admiration of action or feeling.

It is a cause to be weak. A cause to deplete a piece of yourself for someone or something else— to replace your original thoughts with the thoughts of another and assume that just because “love” is in the equation, you have reason to fail and

likelihood to succeed. Love is not equivalent

to stability. On the contrary; love is a belied trap, attractive to people as a means to cope when they have no understanding of their purpose. A desperate outcry for something more when nothing exists between the lines of every day.

The hearts real way of giving up because when you love— whether consciously or subconsciously, you have realized that your current existence is missing. That you need something or someone to fulfill you. Love, for it. Love, for them. Or Love, for Him is designed to inevitably diminish your Love for self.

Riley Wilson,junior marketing

major

Sports Trivia Answer:

1961

6 HILLTOPICS November 9, 2009

THE HILLTOP

Support the HUSA

Holiday Ornament

Sale!

November 4-10, 2009 11am- 4pm

Lower level of Blackburn

Come purchase an ornament for

your organization, office or as a

student so thatyou can be included on

the HU Holiday Tree!

Text HUSA49 to 41411 for more info.

Join UGSA for the

‘Great ICEcape’January 15th-

17th, 2010at the

Woodlands Inn & Resort in

Wilkes-Barre, PA

Pay before Nov. 9th - 13th and get the early bird

special$220 - 4 people/

room$275 - 3 people/

room$305 - 2 people/

room

Pay between Nov. 10th - Dec. 3rd

$309 - 4 people/room

$319 - 3 people/room

$329 - people/room

Get your voucher today from

Blackburn Suite 110

before you stop by Cramton

Bison Yearbook wants all

Undergraduateand

Seniors to come out

Nov 2-Dec 6

between 8am-5pm

to the Music

Listening room in the Lower Level

of Blackburn for

Yearbook photos. All UNDER-

GRADUATE students are

“FREE” Seniors $20

CASH ONLY!!!

Αlpha Kappa Psi

Professional Business Fraternity

Incorporated presents... Reasonable

Doubt: ΑΚΨ Week

2009

November 8, 2009

“Coming of Age”

Call to Chapel

November 9, 2009

“Politics as Usual”

Financial Management @ 7:04pm in

Locke Hall rm 100

November 10, 2009

“Cashmere Thoughts”

Study abroad/ Internship

Panel @ 7:04 in the Quad, Truth Hall

November 11, 2009

“Brooklyn’s Finest”

Come meet the

brothers at Uno’s

Pizzeria in Union

Station @ 6pm

November 12, 2009

“Can I Live” Feed the Homeless w/ Target

H.O.P.E. meet at Shaw/

Howard Metro @ 9pm

November 13, 2009-

“Feelin’ It” Freaky

Friday Party, refer to Club

Flyer

All majors welcomed

The

Lovely

Ladies

of Alpha

Chapter,

Alpha

Kappa

Alpha

present:

“Stop

The

Violence

Rally:

The

Movement

continues,

November

10, 2009,

from

12:00-

2:00p.m.,

Blackburn

Ballroom.

The Lovely Ladies of

Alpha Chapter, Alpha

Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc

Would like to invite you to

AKA Week

“An Extraordinary

Service Program:

Celebrating Noble

Existence”

Monday, November 9th

Not Your Usual Cup of

Tea: African

American Women &

Entrepreneur-ship

West Ballroom

Tuesday, November 10th

Hope is Not a Plan: Securing Your Future

West Ballroom

Wednesday, November 11th

No Man Left Behind:

Fortify the Minority Male

Reading Lounge

Friday, November 13th

Soul Food: What Are You Feeding Your

Mind & Body?

Reading Lounge

HUSA Presents...“Holiday Tree

Lighting”Friday,

November 20, 2009

6:00pmRooftop of UGLStudents and those in the

community are ALL invited. You will not

want to miss the lighting of HU Holiday Tree!

Text HUSA49 to 41411 for more

information.

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc, Invites you

to Founders

Week 2009

“Ruby Slippers:Rhocking our Roots through Dance”Monday

November 9th

Slowe Hall Lounge

“Lanes n Kanes:

Bowling back to Indiana”

Tuesday November

10thBlackburn Bowling Lanes

HERstory PresentationWednesday November

11thAmerican

University, SIS Lounge

“Bluty Night:Improving

Oneself Mentally,

Emotionally, and

Physically”Thursday November

12thDouglass

Hall Rm. 126

“Ladies on Ice:

Keeping true to

SistRHOod!”Friday,

November 13th

Meet by our tree 6:22pm

All events promptly begin at

7:22pm unless noted.

HU Theatre

Department

Presents Anna

in the Tropics!

Tickets

available at

Cramton from

3PM-6PM also

on

ticketmaster.com.

Show Dates:

Nov. 11th-15th at

7:30PM in

Ira Aldridge

Theater.

Housing available for faculty, staff, or graduate/professional

students HU, CUA,

Metro 3 bedrooms 2.5 baths,

W/D, Garage,

Basement: $1800 and

utilities Call (202)

291-0912

The Ladies of

Alpha Chapter,

Delta Sigma Theta

Sorority, Inc.

and CASCADE

Present: Spectrum

of Diversity: Examining

LGBT Rights

Tuesday, November

10

The Blackburn

Forum

7:00pm

The Ladies of D.I.V.A.

INCwill hold

auditions for“Poetry on Another

Level: A Hip-Hop-

era”November 9

5-8pm in ETS (Fine Arts

Bldg)Looking for Singers, Ac-

tors, Dancers, spoken word artists and

MC’sPlease come

with performance ready pieces.