News Briefs for Apr. 22

The fifth installment of the Chancellor’s Lecture Series will be April 22 at 7 p.m. in Royal Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.
The speaker will be Dr. Na’im Akbar, a “black psychologist” and “Afrocentric scholar” who is the author of Akbar Papers in “African Psychology,” “Breaking the Chains of Psychological Slavery” and “Responsibilities of Black Men.” The University Bookstore will be selling copies of Akbar’s books and doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
Chancellor’s Office hosting Financial Aid Raffle
The Chancellor’s Office is hosting a Financial Aid Raffle Monday, April 27. Students who submit their FAFSA forms and all supporting documents by next Friday will be entered into a raffle. Prizes include $2000 towards fall semester tuition and fees, $250 cash, dinner with the chancellor and two Bayou Classic tickets.
Southern to host teleconference on world issues
Southern University is hosting a videoconference with Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi to discuss social, education and health-related issues.
The event, which is free and open to the public, begins today at 10:30 a.m. in the Felton G. Clark Activity Center.
Today’s program follows similar conferences that have been conducted at Georgetown University and Columbia University.
The conference, titled “Peace and Humanity Throughout the World: A Conversation with Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi,” is co-sponsored by the Southern University Center for International Education and the American Libya Trade Mission Association.
The co-sponsors have also made the teleconference available to a number of other colleges and universities locally and across the country, including Baton Rouge Community College, LSU, Grambling State University and Jackson State University.
The program will open with a panel discussion on issues such as illiteracy, intolerance and poverty. President Gadhafi, who also is chairman of the 53-country African Union, will speak for 15 to 20 minutes before taking questions that will have been submitted from the various universities.
Residential Life hosting “Spring Fling”
BATON ROUGE – The Southern University Department of Residential Life will host its first “Spring Fling: The Resurrection of ResLife,” with various events in the coming weeks.
The Spring Fling is designed to foster cultural awareness at Southern by bridging cultural gaps, while also promoting multiculturalism.
Upcoming activites include the following:
•A Non-Greek Step Show and Talent Showcase Wednesday at Seymour Gymnasium from 6:30 p.m.-midnight. Students representing their respective residential halls and apartment buildings will perform step-show routines. Other performances include singing, dancing and other entertainment.
•”Late Night Craving” on the Dunn Hall lawn next Friday from 10 p.m.-midnight. Students will interact with others from different backgrounds while enjoying a full breakfast and late-night movie.
•”Is It Really Your Space or My Face In Your Book?” Monday, April 30 in the Pinchback Engineering Media Room from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The program will help students learn the importance of using media appropriately. Students will be informed that some postings on their MySpace and Facebook pages can impact the rest of their lives, and may impair their ability to secure jobs or attend other institutions of higher education.
For more information, contact De’Van Stephenson or James Durant at 225.771.3590, or email at [email protected].
SU Students to be honored during Academic Awards Day
Southern University will hold its annual Academic Honors Day Awards Program on next Friday at 10:15 a.m. in Seymour Gymnasium.
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Mwalimu Shujaa, will be the featured speaker for the event.
The program will award students who have received the highest academic averages for the spring and fall 2008 semesters. Some of the featured categories will be the Scholar Awards and the Faculty Senior Awards. The top graduating seniors and non-graduating seniors from each college will receive recognition.
Other categories will include: memorial awards, community organization awards, departmental awards, honor society awards, dean’s list awards and straight-A student awards.
For more information on the Academic Honors Day Awards, contact Dr. Joyce O’Rourke, Academic Honors Day Awards Committee Chair, at 225.771.3190.
SU Theater presents series of one-act plays
The Southern University Theater will present a series of one-act plays next week in W.W. Stewart Hall Auditorium. The series runs from next Wednesday until next Saturday, with each performance starting at 7 p.m.
Students, alumni, and some community performers will present two plays each night, all directed by students in Southern’s theater department.
The plays are free and open to the public.