2008 Woodie Awards
NAACP holds annual summit at South Carolina University
by Maggie Schiller
Issue date: 4/24/07 Section: News
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held its annual summit at South Carolina University this past Saturday to address racism and campus safety.
Charles Brittingham, president of the Delaware chapter of the NAACP, said the main reason for the summit is to teach more about college security.
"Over the years we have had shootings or other tragic incidents that happen on campuses across the country, including the University of Delaware," Brittingham said.
One major issue which will be discussed is how students can protect themselves, as well as how school authorities can ensure the highest standards of college campus security, he said.
Gary Hayman, NAACP president for the Newark branch, said this summit is an annual event and various guests from different branches will come and participate, bringing information back to their universities.
"It's something that we don't do on a regular basis," Hayman said. "I think it's vital as far as us doing our job in the course of civil rights. This training will help us do our job to solve problems. It is one of those things that has now become necessary."
USC was chosen as the location for the summit because it is one of the largest campuses in the country, Brittingham said.
"When large campuses do stuff, others want to follow," he said. "The idea is that after the summit people will go back to their own universities and try to create something similar or tweak it to fit their school."
At the University of Delaware, the NAACP has been trying to improve security on campus for years, Brittingham said.
"I mentioned before we have had some trouble at the university over the years with security," he said. "We thought we had cleaned it up, but every now and then something pops up. It is a continuing effort we have to give."
Senior Antonia De Luz, president of the NAACP at the university, said the group tries to inform and involve students with issues that occur off campus, such as the 2008 presidential election.
"We are co-sponsoring an event about the 2008 presidential election," she said. "We are going to have a panel of students who are going to review the 2008 presidential election candidates and our thoughts on it, such as why we thought they should be the next president, what we like the best and what we don't like about them."
De Luz said next semester they are planning to promote health education and voter registration.
"I would like to bring some presidential candidates to the university," she said. "I'm sure it won't happen this year but maybe in future elections because it is very important for college students to know what is going on in their country."
Charles Brittingham, president of the Delaware chapter of the NAACP, said the main reason for the summit is to teach more about college security.
"Over the years we have had shootings or other tragic incidents that happen on campuses across the country, including the University of Delaware," Brittingham said.
One major issue which will be discussed is how students can protect themselves, as well as how school authorities can ensure the highest standards of college campus security, he said.
Gary Hayman, NAACP president for the Newark branch, said this summit is an annual event and various guests from different branches will come and participate, bringing information back to their universities.
"It's something that we don't do on a regular basis," Hayman said. "I think it's vital as far as us doing our job in the course of civil rights. This training will help us do our job to solve problems. It is one of those things that has now become necessary."
USC was chosen as the location for the summit because it is one of the largest campuses in the country, Brittingham said.
"When large campuses do stuff, others want to follow," he said. "The idea is that after the summit people will go back to their own universities and try to create something similar or tweak it to fit their school."
At the University of Delaware, the NAACP has been trying to improve security on campus for years, Brittingham said.
"I mentioned before we have had some trouble at the university over the years with security," he said. "We thought we had cleaned it up, but every now and then something pops up. It is a continuing effort we have to give."
Senior Antonia De Luz, president of the NAACP at the university, said the group tries to inform and involve students with issues that occur off campus, such as the 2008 presidential election.
"We are co-sponsoring an event about the 2008 presidential election," she said. "We are going to have a panel of students who are going to review the 2008 presidential election candidates and our thoughts on it, such as why we thought they should be the next president, what we like the best and what we don't like about them."
De Luz said next semester they are planning to promote health education and voter registration.
"I would like to bring some presidential candidates to the university," she said. "I'm sure it won't happen this year but maybe in future elections because it is very important for college students to know what is going on in their country."
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