Alice Miller

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Libraries go tech-savvy in age of Web research

By Alice Miller | April 23

Ten years ago, starting a research paper included trips to the local library to search through stacks of books. Today, many students complete such assignments and never leave their dorm rooms. As technology makes it possible to have contact with almost a full library through computers, some wonder if the end of actual libraries is approaching. To fight becoming obsolete, libraries on campus are changing to fulfill the needs of students in this time of increasing technology.

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Students wear jeans to protest

By Alice Miller | April 17

Women who wear tight jeans could be responsible for being raped - at least according to the Italian Supreme Court. In a 1999 case, an Italian judge ruled that the victim of a suspected rape wore such tight pants that she would have had to help her attacker take them off, declaring her consent. To protest this, Italian legislators wore jeans to work the next day. And Wednesday night, about 50 people - most dressed in jeans - gathered in the Stone Center to join in the international denim protests that started after the court case.

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Students encourage healthy eating

By Alice Miller | April 15

Thanks to tiny refrigerators and a lack of pots and pans, most college students' kitchen expertise consists of heating up Kraft Easy Mac or calling for delivery. "I do cook, but it is mostly a concerted effort," said freshman Lizzy Hazeltine who lives in Connor Residence Hall. One student organization is trying to change these habits. Healthy Heels, a club that junior Amanda Velazquez started last semester, is teaching students how to cook interesting, affordable and healthy meals in the cramped quarters of a dorm kitchen.

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Ehringhaus South is renamed after Koury

By Alice Miller | April 10

As the Carolina blue ribbon was cut Wednesday, Ehringhaus South Residence Hall officially became Maurice J. Koury Hall. About 70 people attended a ceremony where the South Campus dorm was renamed in honor of Koury, a UNC alumnus and donor. The attendees ranged from those in athletics to student affairs to the general University community, representing the large impact Koury has had on UNC.

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Siren test reveals some gaps

By Alice Miller | March 27

One minute before noon Wednesday, the Alert Carolina safety campaign launched with an emergency siren that could be heard – for the most part – all around campus.

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Gender-neutral words spread

By Alice Miller | March 25

Revolutions of the last century continue to encourage young women to grow up and become anything they dream to be. But whether they want to put out fires, head a committee, enforce laws or deliver mail, women will be titled "fireman," "chairman," "policeman" or "mailman" although they are not men. "Women are made invisible by that usage," said Donna Bickford, director of the Carolina Women's Center. As more and more women begin to work in once male-dominated professions, the language describing those jobs is beginning to transform into more gender-inclusive terms.

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Student protesters seek to make impact

By Alice Miller | March 20

When the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in 1791, the right to petition and protest was made official. And more than 200 years later, students today are still gathering for petitions, adding to an already rich campus history of demonstrations and protests. But sometimes, the impact of these protests is questionable. "The effectiveness of a march depends on the issue," said Ferrel Guillory, the director of the UNC Program on Public Life. "Sometimes it has to do with not just one, but the accumulation of events and protests."

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Study on media and teenagers produces mixed results

By Alice Miller | February 21

Most adolescents spend six to seven hours a day interacting with some form of media, a trend that has been increasing the past several years. Jane Brown, a professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, presented her findings Wednesday on what teenagers are really learning from their laptops in a talk about "Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll." Increased access to media and less interaction with parents cause both negative and positive effects on the health of adolescents, Brown said. "Kids are doing what they want with little parental interpretation," she said.

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UNC pushes text messaging program

By Alice Miller | February 19

Although the University has been pushing an emergency text messaging program since last semester, many UNC students are not taking advantage of the feature. Of the about 28,000 students and 11,000 faculty and staff on campus, only about 5,200 cell phone numbers -3,500 of those students- are registered to receive a text message in the event of a campuswide emergency - totaling about 13 percent of the campus.

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UNC names budget priorities

By Alice Miller | January 30

Chancellor James Moeser has named the top four priorities of next year's budget, citing faculty, research, engagement and capital as areas to focus on. "I believe these priorities are absolutely the best for the University," said Tony Waldrop, vice chancellor for research and economic development. "They support the overall mission of the University and support our overall needs."