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FiskUniversity’sJubileeHall

Cladinhisgreekletters,fiskuniversityseniordavidhillwouldmakehiswaytotheannualhomecomingbasketballgame,onthelookoutforhisfraternitybrothers,oldandyoung,ofomegapsiphifraternity,inc.theymightembraceorjustsayhello,theolderomegasdolingoutpiecesofwisdomtotheyoungerfrats.butnotanymore.

«usuallyeveryonehasahomecomingfootballgame.wejusthaveabasketballgame.andnow,we’renotevengoingtohavethat,»hillsaid.

Amidadeepeningfinancialcrisis,fiskadministratorsrecentlyannouncedthattheywereendingalloftheuniversity’sncaaathleticprogramsafterthisyearandwilldevelopasystemofintramuralsportsintheirplace.

Accordingtoastatementbyprovostkofilomotey,releasedfeb.25,thenashvilleuniversityviewsthemoveasanopportunitytoinvolvemorestudentsinsports.

Butmanycurrentstudents,alumniandfacultyseethelossofthesportsprogramaspotentiallydevastatingtostudentlifeoncampus.

«itdecreasesthecamaraderiebetweenstudentsnowthatyoudon’thaveafunctionoraneventwherestudentsgettogether.itdecreasesschoolpride.whatareyourootingfor,otherthanyouracademics?»saidhill,whoismajoringinphysicswithplansforacareerinastronomy.

Themoveisjustthelateststrategicshiftfortheuniversity,whichhasbeenstrugglingtogaintractioninitsracetoraisefundsbeforeitrunsoutofmoney.

Financialstruggleisnothingneworuncommonatfisk,knownforthehistoricfundraisingeffortsofitsstudentchorus,thefiskjubileesingers,whotraveledthroughouttheunitedstatesandeuropeintheearly1870storaisemoneyfortheschool.thegroupishonoredwithjubileehallonthefiskcampus.

FiskstudentDavidHillonarecentvisittoHowardUniversity-PhotobyAyannaFerguson

Butthisperiodofstrugglefortheuniversityhasattractednationwideattentionasfiskhasbattledincourtovertherighttosell,oratthispointsimplykeep,the101-piecestieglitzcollectionofmodernartgiventotheuniversityinthe1949byrenownedartistgeorgiao’keeffe,wifeofphotographeralfredstieglitz.

Theuniversityhastriedtosellpiecesofthecollectionandproposeda$30milliondealtosharethecollectionwiththecrystalbridgesmuseumofart,foundedbywal-martheiressalicel.walton,accordingtotheassociatedpress.incourtearlierthismonth,thegeorgiao’keeffemuseuminsantafe,n.m.,heiroftheo’keeffeestate,arguedthattheagreementbetweeno’keeffeandfiskforbidssellingorsharinganyportionofthecollectionandnashvillechancellorellenhobbeslyleruledthatthispropositionviolatedthewishesofo’keeffe.

Nowtheo’keeffemuseumistryingtoreclaimtheentirecollectiononthegroundsthatfiskviolatedthetermsofitsagreementwitho’keeffeandhasforfeiteditsrightstothecollection.fiskandthemuseummadeclosingargumentsinthatcasebeforelyleonfeb.19andarecurrentlyawaitingarulingthatcouldtakeupto30days.

Fundraisingeffortssteppedup

Meanwhile,Fiskisscramblingtogetaholdonitsfinancialsituationthroughfundraisingandbudgetcuts.UniversitySpokespersonKenWestsaidtheuniversityannuallyspends$263,075tosupporttheathleticprogramwhileonlygenerating$10,000inrevenuefromanNCAAgrantforparticipatingincertaingames.Westsaidnoneoftheschool’sapproximately100athletesareonscholarshipsrelatedtotheirparticipationintheNCAADivisionIIIsports.Hesaidtheuniversityexpectstheintramuralprogramtocost$60,000annually.

WhileWestsaidnorevenueisgeneratedfromticketsalesorconcessions,JoVanKearse,Fisk’ssportsinformationdirectorandheadcheerleadingcoach,saidnon-studentsarecharged$5toattendbasketballgames.Kearsesaidthereisoftenmiscommunicationbetweentheadministrationandathletics.

Itappearsthatmiscommunicationisattheheartofmanyoftheuniversity’sfiscalandorganizationalproblems.KearsesaidonFebruary18,thecoachesanddirectorsintheathleticdepartmentfoundouttheschoolwouldnolongerbeparticipatingintheNCAADivisionIII.

«Itwasreallyjustasurprisetothemajorityofus,»shesaid.TheeveningofFeb.19,theuniversityheldatownhall»family»meetingandannouncedthedecision.

«Astheyweretellingaboutthefundraisingefforts,theykindofslippedinthattheathleticdepartmentwouldendJune30asfarasparticipatinginNCAA,»shesaid.»Mostofusjustassumethatwewon’thaveajob.Wejustrealizeit’sover.»

Kearsesaidmanypeopledon’tunderstandhowimportantathleticsareonacollegecampus,particularlyatFiskwherethereisn’tmuchtodo.

«AthleticsistheonlymeansofentertainmentatFisk.Mycheerleaderswerevery,veryexcited.Theywerelookingforwardtonextyear,»shesaid.

KesheaMorris,ajuniorandmemberofthewomen’sbasketballteam,saidshewasupsetandwaitingtoseewhatwasgoingtocomenextforsportsonthecampus.ShesaidshefoundoutthenewsfromatextmessageduringBiblestudy.Likemanyotherstudentsandalumni,Morriswonderswhenthefinancialproblemsfortheuniversityaregoingtoend.

«Theysaidourschoolwasalwaysindebt.Whyarethesepeoplehiredifit’sstillthesameproblemwiththefinances?Wheredoesitend?Whereisthemoneygoing?»sheasked.Hill,theseniorphysicsstudent,saidhealsowonderswhatishappeningtoallofthemoneystudentspayintuitionandfees.

«Wefeelthatwepayalotmoremoneythanwe’resupposedto.We’renotgettingwhatwepaidfor,»hesaid.

Hillsaidhealsoquestionstheuniversity’sprofessionofoperatingasafamilywhenstudentshadnosayinthecurrentchanges.

«I’msureyouwouldconsultyourfamilyaboutwhattheythinktheyshoulddoinafamilycrisisbeforeyoumakeanactualdecision,»hesaid.

Solutionssoughtthroughcampuscommittees

ButProvostKofiLomoteytoldBlackCollegeWirethataseriesofcampus-widecommittees,comprisedoffaculty,studentsandstaffhavebeenemployedtoevaluatethecurrentsituationattheschoolandcomeupwithsolutions.Hesaidstudentscansharetheirconcernswiththeirdepartmentsortheirstudentrepresentativesonthecommittees.

Lomoteysaidthatalllevelsofuniversitystaffandstudentsarecurrentlyinvolvedintheschool’sfundraisingefforts.SpokespersonWestsaidTheAndrewW.MellonFoundationhasgiventheschoola$1milliongrantoutrightcoupledwitha$2millionchallengegrantwhichrequiresFisktoraise$4millioninunrestrictedfundsbyJune30inordertoreceivethegrant.Hesaidtheuniversityhasraised$1millioninthepast60daysthroughcorporatedonationsandgiftsfrom»allover.»

«Alotofpeoplewhowehavenotheardfrominquitealongtimehavecomebacktoshowtheirsupportanddedication,»hesaid.

WestsaidFiskhasaveragedafundraisinggoal$3.6millionperyearforthepastfiveyearsandhasmetthatgoal.Fromthisyearon,hesaidtheuniversityplanstoincreasethatgoal.

TheUnitedNegroCollegeFundhaspartneredwithFisktohelptheschoolpullthroughitsfinancialturmoil.

JohnDonohue,executivevicepresidentofdevelopmentforUNCF,saiditbecameclearinthefallthattheuniversitywasstrugglingandUNCFwasapproachedbytheMellonFoundationtohelptheschool.

«MellonwasinterestedinhelpingFisk,buttheyfeltFiskneededapartnerwiththeskillsetsandcredentialstohelpthemandthat’showwegotinvolved,»hesaid.DonohuesaidUNCFstartedworkingwithFiskinNovemberandatthetimeFiskwasindangerofnotbeingabletomakeitspayrollafterthemiddleofDecember.Hesaidtherewaseventalkoftheschoolhavingtocloseitsdoors.Westcontendstherewasneveranytalkoftheschoolclosingdown.

DonohuesaidFiskhasa»two-prongedchallenge»:securingfinancesimmediatelytofinishtheyearintheblackandtocomeupwithanewbusinessmodelforthefuture.

«Wehavetochangethebusinessmodelsotheycangetoutofthisdeficitposition.It’snotgoingtohappenovernight,»hesaid.

Headdedthathisimpressionistheschooliscommittedtogettingoutofthissituationandbecauseitisa»flagshipinstitutionamongHBCUs»theycannotallowtheuniversitytofail.ManypointtotheFiskJubileeSingersasthereasonFiskisimportantbothhistoricallyandforthefuture.MatthewKennedy,now86yearsold,directedandperformedasaconcertpianistwiththeJubileeSingersfrom1957to1985alongwithhislatewife,AnneGamble.

Hisdaughter,NinaKennedy,hasrecentlybeenshowingadocumentaryonherfatheratfilmfestivalsacrossthecountry.Thefilm,»MatthewKennedy:OneMan’sJourney,»detailsKennedy’sinvolvementwiththeSingers,whichhedescribedasa»marvelousexperience.»

KennedysaidhereadsthepapereverymorningtolookforthenewestdevelopmentsinFisk’sfinancialcrisis.

«It’smyalmamaterandItaughttherefor33yearsandIfeelthatFiskhasamarvelouslegacytopreserveandamostimportantpositiontoinfluencecominggenerations,»hesaid.Kennedysaidhedisagreeswiththecourt’sdecisionnottoallowtheschooltosharetheStieglitzcollectionwiththeCrystalBridgesMuseumofArt.

«Ibelieveif[O'Keeffe]werealivetodayshewouldbeinfavorofdoinganythingtokeepFiskafloatingoodfinancialcondition,»hesaid.Hesaidit’s»unfortunate»thattheO’KeeffeMuseumfeelsitmustprotectO’Keeffe’swishesbypreventingFiskfromdoingwhat»itfeelsitneedstodotoactuallyprotectthecollectionaswellastosurvive.»

Alumni,governmentsupportencouraged

Kennedysaidthatalumnineedtocomeforwardandsupporttheuniversity.Eventhoughheisa»personofmodestmeans,»hesaidhecontributesthroughanendowmentheestablishedatFiskinhonorofhiswife,theAnneGamble-KennedyMatthewW.KennedyScholarship.

«IencouragemyfriendstosupportitwheretheycanandIhopealumniwhoareinbetterfinancialconditionwillstepforwardandcontributemoretotheuniversity,»hesaid.Kennedyalsosaidhethinkstheadministratorsaredoingallthattheycanrightnowandhopesformoreassistance.

«Theuniversity,ofcourse,isatreasuretotheworldandIhopeourgovernmentwilllookintothepossibilityofdirectingmoresupporttotheuniversity.»

Otheralumniarealsocallingfortheirfellow»Fiskites»tojoininthefundraisingeffort.CrystaldeGregory,whograduatedfromFiskin2003withaB.A.inhistoryandiscurrentlyaPh.D.candidateatVanderbiltUniversity,saideventhoughFiskneedsmillionsofdollars,everyonewithavestedinterestintheschoolshouldcontributewhateversmallamounttheycan.DeGregorysaidshegives$300peryeartotheschoolandisamemberofthealumniassociation.

«It’ssimilartochurch;whateveryoucangive,doso,»shesaid.

DamienFrierson,a2002Fiskgraduateinhistory,saidhewasupsettohearaboutthefinancialcrisisatFiskthatseemedtocomewithoutwarning.

«Iremembergoingbacklastyearformyfive-yearreunionandtheywereencouragingustogiveandtherewasnomentionofhowdeepintheholewewere,»hesaid.FriersoniscurrentlyacorporateprogramofficerandanadjunctinstructoratTempleUniversity.

HesaideveryFiskitehasbeen»indoctrinated»withtheschool’shistoryof»extremehighsandlows»intermsoffinancialstrugglesassimplyapartofFisklife.

AsanundergradatFisk,Friersonsaidtherewasconstant»yardtalk»abouttheinstabilityoftheschool’sfinancialstate,butstudentsdidn’tpaymuchattentiontoit.Hesaidhewondershowmuchstudentswouldknowaboutthecurrentcrisisifitwasn’tamajorstoryinthemediarightnow.

Buthesaysthestrugglegivesthestudentssomethingtorallyaround.

«We’reprivyto[thestruggles]andwe’retoldthatyoumaytalkbadaboutFisk,butdon’tletanybodyelsetalkbadaboutFisk.Youactuallyknowwhat’sgoingonnowwon’tlikelybetheendoutcomeofwhathappenstotheuniversity,»hesaid.

DeGregorysaidherrolenowistobeanadvocateforeffectivechangeattheuniversity.

«ThemostvaluablethingthatIcandorightnowistobeanadvocateforthebestinterestofFiskintheperpetualsenseinthatshort-termquickfixeswillnotnecessarilyproducethelong-termyieldsthatwe’relookingfor,»shesaid.

ProvostLomoteysaidFisk’sstrugglesarenotuniquetotheuniversity,butrathertheplightofsmall,privateliberalartsschoolsnationwide.

«Werelyveryheavilyontuitionpaymentsandwelivebasicallyfromyeartoyear,»hesaid.

Lomoteysaidthereis»noquestioninmymind»thatFiskwillraisetheneededmoneybyJune30toreceivethechallengegrantfromtheMellonFoundation,eventhoughtheuniversityisinthepresentcrisisbecauseofaninabilitytoraisemoney.

«I’mconvincedthatpeopleareseriousaboutensuringweaddressthesituationcurrently,»hesaid.

DeGregorysaidstruggleisapartofFiskandshehopestheuniversitywillpullthrough.»Ithasn’tbeentheroadpavedwithgold,butithasbeenaroadoftriumph,»shesaid.

postCount(‘fisk’);

ShauntelLoweisarecentUCLAgraduateandaregularcontributortoBlackCollegeWire.

PostedFeb.26,2008

1 July 12th, 2010 at 8:42 am

Juliamit

Sounds very nice!

2 July 12th, 2010 at 8:46 am

Milana

Who is the target group for this? children? :s not for me…

3 July 12th, 2010 at 9:52 am

Alyssa

I’m excited! (:

4 July 12th, 2010 at 10:07 am

Kelley

This is gonna be soo much fun! can’t wait to see what colours they choose for this line

5 July 12th, 2010 at 10:27 am

Alycia

Okay… call me a geek, but I’m actually totally pumped about this! !

6 July 12th, 2010 at 11:05 am

Alesha

I’m cannot wait for these to come out! i think i just might buy them all! ! ! eek! time to save up that dough! !

7 July 12th, 2010 at 11:41 am

Kristi

I think if they do the villians then they should also do the heros but i love the disney movies and grew up with them, so this is a wonderful idea. can’t wait to see the colors.

8 July 12th, 2010 at 12:17 pm

Laura

@milana, i was also wondering about the target group…i mean, i would buy mac makeup regardless, so i guess this collaboration doesn’t do much for me.

9 July 12th, 2010 at 12:25 pm

Jen

I’m totally excited, but really disappointed in some of the villains they chose. my friends though ursula would be a great pick, but we expected cruella and maleficent. we also thought it’d be hilarious if for the male, they picked jafar.

I still really want to see what they do with the villains they picked though. can’t wait!

10 July 12th, 2010 at 12:35 pm

Meriel

All of the villains wear purple eye shadow, black eyeliner, and red lips though….

11 July 12th, 2010 at 12:37 pm

Breanna

Wow, I’m not tempted by this particular line either. i mean, the first second i’ve seen it, i thought “wow, so awesome! ” but just a minute after i realized i wouldn’t like to carry in my sachel some jars that look like those free lipglosses they add to little girls magazines. i still love disney and i like mac cosmetics, but not together, please.

12 July 12th, 2010 at 12:57 pm

Jessi

I’m soo exited for this collaboration because I’m a big fan of the disney movies and m. a. c but I’m not quite shure i will buy something because the m. a. c. collections are sometimes too bold for my taste. but i think It’s a good idea.

13 July 12th, 2010 at 1:11 pm

Rebecca

I don’t usually buy a lot of mac products, but i kind-of want the evil queen compact! the others are a bit ugly… i think the artwork for maleficent could have been awesome if they had done a portrait like the others.

Also, i think the target group would be people who enjoyed disney films when they were younger… but, if the artwork had been adapted a bit to look more mature, maybe more people would want it? I’m thinking of how many people i know who loved the hello kitty line because the artwork was all dark/adult but still had elements of the kitty people loved as kids.

14 July 12th, 2010 at 1:35 pm

Heather

I like disney, i just hope the prices go too high because of it.

15 July 12th, 2010 at 2:03 pm

Michelle

I think this is a fun idea. everyone likes a little (evil) whimsy sometimes. there’s enough makeup out there with rather cartoonish packaging, why not at least have recognizable figures on the label?

16 July 12th, 2010 at 2:26 pm

Charlene

Disney collaborating with almost anything, i think is awesome. but villains? ? even more awesome! ! there’s just something so deliciously terrible about them, and i can’t wait to see what mac comes out with! though i do expect a lot of purple…

17 July 12th, 2010 at 5:37 pm

Andrea

I don’t think i have ever been more excited about mac makeup in my life…and practically all my makeup is mac. I’m obsessed with the line and i can’t wait to see what they do with my two favorite things in life, disney and mac! ! ! its like christmas all over again!

18 July 12th, 2010 at 5:42 pm

Eddie

I have never purchased mac products before but i can’t say no to this! i am so excited. i am going to tweet about this. haha.

19 July 12th, 2010 at 6:01 pm

Joelle

For those of you who are skeptical the colors are actually really beautiful! ! they are located at the bottom of this page and swatched on paper!

Http://www. Specktra. net/forum/f217/mac-venomous-villains-sept-10-a-166164/

20 July 12th, 2010 at 7:51 pm

Gracey

Oh my gosh yay i am soo excited! ! a little bit more than i should be haha more things to spend my paycheck on…woohoo!

21 July 12th, 2010 at 10:45 pm

Erica – kent state

I think this is adorable! i know lots of adults who love disney movies, partly just because we grew up watching them. cute!

22 July 13th, 2010 at 12:53 am

Lauren

I cannot wait to see what all is avaliable! ! ! !

23 July 13th, 2010 at 3:25 am

Nitahhhhhh

I remembered having a conversation with my boyfriend about disney villains. he brought up that disney villains are quite the ‘diva queens’ especially the male villains, because of their high cheekbones and their tall gesture. they’d make great icons for disco gay clubs and fashion gathering of snoots. surprised that jafar isn’t in there.

Disney characters sure look alike.

24 July 13th, 2010 at 3:26 am

Nitahhhhhh

And oh yes, i do believe that diva queens and mac go together pretty well. xd

25 July 13th, 2010 at 1:10 pm

Trantran

Sounds cooldef. gonna try this out

26 July 30th, 2010 at 4:06 am

Courtney

Did anyone say anything about “what is the target group” when mac released their barbie line? It’s obvious that mac likes to create fun lines for all age groups.

I personally can’t wait for this line to be released! the swatches look amazing.

27 October 7th, 2010 at 10:50 am

Mac makeup wholesale

Have a nice day for you!