Following a year marred by violence, North Carolina Central University (NCCU) officials have announced significant changes to the school’s homecoming event protocol. The past year's festivities were disrupted by two separate shooting incidents, which resulted in four people suffering injuries, including one NCCU student, WRAL reports. Given these serious incidents, the university has taken a stance to revise its approach to maintaining safety and managing traffic during one of its most celebrated traditions.
In a statement obtained by CBS 17, university officials emphasized their commitment to "Protect the Nest," indicating that while they intend to honor the traditions, access and duration will be subject to adjustments. Among the newly introduced changes outlined by the university is a parking restriction that will reserve on-campus spaces for faculty, staff, and students exclusively—effectively barring visitors from parking on campus grounds during the homecoming.
Those intending to visit will have parking options at Durham Station and Durham Tech, from where shuttle services will facilitate transportation to the campus, as per information from WRAL. Furthermore, celebrations will conclude by 6:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with the campus set to close by 7 p.m., and shuttle and bus services wrapping up an hour later at 8 p.m.
The shooting incidents, which took place near the Student Services Building on Eagle Campus Drive, have clearly spurred the university’s policy makers into action—with safety emerging as a foremost concern. The Greek Bowl Celebration, a mainstay of the homecoming weekend, has now been rescheduled to run from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. according to ABC11. Dr. Delores Fogg, chapter president of the Raleigh-Wake NCCU Alumni chapter expressed her support for the measures when she remarked, "Safety is the main issue the chancellor is concerned about, and I applaud that. I know it's the right decision."
However, local business owners like Zuri Hester of Nzinga's Kitchen, are wary about the impact these changes may have on the homecoming's economic uplift. Hester said in an interview with ABC11, "We're always busy the whole week. It always gives us an extra push with people coming into town." She went on to express concern that her regular customers might forgo this year's event in favor of homecoming at other universities, like North Carolina A&T State University, indicating the broader reverberations such safety measures could have on community businesses.
