The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

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    Fayetteville State Name Change

    Senator Phil Berger has put together a plan to change the name of Fayetteville State University (FSU), a historically black college, to UNC-Fayetteville, upsetting some students and alumni because they think the heritage of the university will be taken away.

    “Seven black men founded this university so I feel like it should stay that way,” said FSU student Aaliyah Jacobs to WRAL.

    FSU was founded in 1867 and has changed its name five times until finally adopting the name Fayetteville State University in 1969.

    “If they changed the name I think it would be hard to located the university,” said Perrezz Watson, junior.

    Since FSU is a part of the University of North Carolina system, the potential name for FSU is UNC-Fayetteville, similar to Pembroke State University in Robeson County (PSU). PSU was established for the education of Native Americans and finally adopted the name UNC-Pembroke in 1996.

    Not only is this controversy affecting students on campus but also students at Athens Drive. One of the reasons senator Berger wanted to change the name is because he wanted the school to be portrayed as diverse, but the university’s alumni is worried that it would change the heritage of the school.

    “I am fine with the name change, I am just looking for a school with a good football program” said Watson.

    Some students at Athens Drive have been longing to attend college. As a first generation college applicant Sanara Sidney has hopes of attending a historically black college. Although some people are very serious about this, some are more focused on what the school has to offer and not the changing of the university’s name.

    “With this name change, I feel like it takes the legacy away from the school,” said Sidney.

    Margaret Spellings, the President of the University of North Carolina system, took a tour of FSU March 1, and stated that she has no interest in changing the University’s name. Spellings wants to focus on lowering higher educations in state tuition by $500 and out of state tuition by $2,500.

    “I am glad she decided not to go through with the name change and preserve the university’s legacy, but I am also happy about the lowering of tuition,” said Sidney.

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