BSU vocally celebrates

Malcolm X’s birthday
He took the name “X” as a symbol of the stolen identity of African slaves and became a martyr for the idea of black power after his assassination less than four decades ago. He was a force, a mind and a voice during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s.
Today the Black Student Union will make his voice and others echo across campus. In a celebration of black history and leadership, audio tapes of speeches made by Malcolm X and other influential black leaders will be played at the EMU Amphitheater from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
An open mic will be available to those who want to make personal statements, but the overall goal of the afternoon is to allow students to listen to the speeches while walking to and from class, BSU Co-Director Haben Woldu said.
With his infamous confrontational personality and his goal to achieve Black Power ideals by “any means necessary,” Malcolm X is not remembered as a pacifist.
“People usually considered him too militant or extreme,” BSU member Bola Majekobaje said. “We want people to realize he was a strong African-American leader who only wanted equality and justice.”
Majekobaje, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, one of the two black sororities on campus, said the BSU has had several celebrations and services in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. but none specifically in honor of Malcolm X. She said she thinks this effort will show the community just how powerful and influential he was as a community leader.
“A lot of people feel very passionately about him and the little we are doing means so much more,” she said. Born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, Malcolm X emerged in the early 1960s as the foremost advocate of racial unity and black nationalism. He was also an advocate for the Nation of Islam for a period of his life. During the civil rights movement, he pointed the way to a new black consciousness that celebrated black history, culture, heritage and self-sufficiency.
He was assassinated February 21, 1964, during a speech in Harlem.

— Caron Alarab

Student Senate drains

surplus for safer vans
By a vote of 12-2, the ASUO Student Senate allocated the remaining $13,887, left in surplus money for the year, to Programs and Assessments in order to make program vans safer.
The money will be used to outfit the 15 passenger vans used by the Designated Driver Shuttle and the Outdoor Program with a double set of tires on the rear wheels. The extra tires will make the vans less likely to roll over.
Some senators expressed reservations about giving away all of the surplus money when other groups would be coming before the senate next week with special requests.
“I think we should leave at least $500 in our coffers,” Sen. Andy Elliott said.
Sen. Mary Elizabeth Madden and other senators disagreed, saying that the safety issues behind the request made it necessary to allocate the full amount asked for.
“If we don’t give them the money and there’s an accident next week, how are we going to feel?” she said. “Let’s get real. We’re talking about safety here.”
The senate will have $5,000 of surplus money to distribute during summer term.
In other requests, the senate approved several transfers of funds from within the accounts of the ASUO Programs Finance Committee, MEChA and the European Student Association.
Senators also heard requests for future support from KWVA radio General Manager Charlotte Nisser, community activist Zach Vishanoff and Dennis Munroe, who is the director of Physical Activity and Recreation Services.
Sen. Ben Buzbee announced his resignation from the senate next year. Buzbee, who officially takes office as ASUO Vice President Saturday, said he couldn’t hold both positions.

— Kara Cogswell