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(03/31/08 4:00am)
Slideshow: Fighting cancer one lap at a time
UNC's seventh annual Relay for Life turned particularly emotional for sophomore Lauren Crist when hundreds of luminary lights spelled out the word "hope."
Her friend and neighbor from her home in St. Louis, Michael Hope, died from cancer last summer.
(03/28/08 4:00am)
One of UNC's largest student fundraisers hopes to reach a milestone this weekend by topping $1 million in UNC's fight against cancer.
(02/22/08 5:00am)
For 9 years UNC has celebrated the best one-night stand of its life.The traditional 24 hours of gyrating bodies and group dances will feature a record number of volunteers gathering in Fetzer Gym for the 10th annual Dance Marathon charity event.
(02/19/08 5:00am)
Everyone has his own approach.
"Girl you're like Lucky Charms. You're magically delicious."
A clever, "Baby, what's your screen name?"
Even a simple, "How are you?" or "What's your name?"
Whether it's a clever one-liner or a simple greeting, men and women alike face a barrage of flirting and "mackin'" at every sip of a drink at a bar or every motion toward a club dance floor.
"Most of them come up with some corny line," sophomore Alyssa Medina said. "I've seen it work, and it's kind of sad."
Nick Herrera, a lecturer at Northwestern University, whose studies center on the ins and outs of flirting, said that people flirt for a variety of reasons.
"In order to really know what to do in response, you have to - at the very least - have an idea why they flirt," he said.
Almost as varied as the approaches are the reasons for that initial and often awkward encounter.
Herrera said people flirt to be friendly and satisfy their curiosity, but physical attraction is the dominant reason for flirting.
"Do you wash your panties in Windex because I can see myself in them," was one memorable line heard by junior Lauren Boening.
"I guess it starts off a conversation, if she's not too pissed," Boening said.
She said she prefers a more subtle gesture when being approached by someone.
"What works best is the casual smile from across the room," she said. "Just the little things are always better than the blatant."
Attraction is not just the result of years of socialization on beauty and sex appeal but is more inherent, said Marian Morry, psychology professor at the University of Manitoba in Canada.
"Babies at about 2 or 3 months can pick out what is attractive," she said. "Babies prefer the same sort of faces adults find attractive."
Features one finds attractive are often facial symmetry and people who are similar in physical appearance.
"How cute you are is as cute as your date will be," Morry said.
She also said that flirting and attraction exhibit some patterns between men and women. Most of the time, because women wait for men to make a move, men don't because they wait for a "green light" before taking that chance.
"There is some research that men usually wait until women look them over twice before they make the first move," she said.
Freshman Charles Brown said that many times women will hit on him, rather than him having to approach them.
"You can't get a girl by using a line," he said.
And many men on campus said that they feel the same and that they try to stay away from pick-up lines.
"If it gets that title, it's usually pretty tacky," freshman Kevin Whitfield said.
Whitfield said that eye contact, a casual smile and a bit of playing hard to get will often pique his interest.
Donn Byrne, a professor at the University at Albany, said the art of flirtation and attraction often hinges on flattery.
"Even if they're lying, people almost don't care, they want to hear good things about themselves."
Contact the Features Editor
at features@unc.edu.
(10/31/07 4:00am)
Top of the Hill is taking some unconventional preparations to prevent a broken-glass barrage during tonight's Halloween festivities.
The restaurant today will use plastic instead of glass cups - hoping to avoid any glass-related mishaps in the restaurant or off the rooftop dining area onto the thousands of Halloween revelers below.
"It's always a bit chaotic, but you just need to control the chaos and make sure that everyone has an enjoyable time," said Guy Murphy, general manager of the ever-crowded restaurant and bar.
And as thousands of people prepare to descend on Franklin Street for Halloween, local restaurants, bars and stores are bracing for the mayhem - and a big boost in business.
"The benefits are dollars, if you can sell food or drinks or whatever that night," said Liz Parham, the executive director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership.
"You've got to weigh that against safety issues, theft issues, just safety for your business."
Local businesses are gearing up for the Halloween season in a variety of ways ranging from encouraging late-night visits to forgoing the financial rewards of staying open.
Goldie's Grille, a popular bar and restaurant, will have its doors open tonight until 2 a.m. but will forgo drink specials.
Andre Fernandes, a UNC alumnus and current day manager at Goldie's, said the night will be like any other, but with the addition of more staff and bartenders' assistants.
"We're going to be running a night with the most staff I've seen personally," Fernandes said.
Fernandes said that while Goldie's has decorated its premises in celebration of Halloween, it would not be offering its patrons any Halloween night bar incentives.
"Well the problem on Halloween is never attracting people," he said. "From what I've been told, repeatedly, almost next to nothing has to be done to attract people on Halloween."
Murphy said that Top of the Hill also would not offer any additional drink specials on Halloween night, saying that with hordes of people flocking to Franklin Street, finding patrons would not be difficult.
"We're sort of at ground zero at this thing so we don't really have a problem getting people in."
Halloween Zone, which sells Halloween costumes and props, will be staying open throughout the day and night for any last-minute costume-purchasing stragglers.
Jodi Althouse, the store manager, said some of the most popular costumes she has sold this year included revealing military, referee and fireman ensembles.
"The girls want anything sexy. That's big. I mean, that's really big," she said. "Any costumes with short skirts, you know, barely there."
The store will also be open for last minute additions to costumes.
"If people still are wanting to buy things at 1 or 2 a.m. they still can," Althouse said.
But Bradley Smith, one of the owners of [B]Ski's, said he was not going to keep the late-night restaurant open Halloween night.
"This year we're going to close on Halloween around 7 just due to how many people we usually get here," he said.
More than 70,000 people are expected to flock to Franklin Street for the Halloween celebration that virtually shuts down the downtown Chapel Hill area.
"The way everything is going, maybe next year we're going to try to be open, he said. "I think it would just be pretty intense."
Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.
(10/24/07 4:00am)
University students who come to Polk Place today will experience an interesting mix of bananas, mazes and moans.
Choice USA, an on-campus organization that promotes reproductive freedom and health awareness, is holding its third annual Orgasm Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event aims to encourage awareness about the female orgasm, as well as sexual health and sexual confidence.
"We're going to have little races like who can correctly put a condom on a banana, who can make their best orgasm noise," said Maureen Stutzman, co-chairwoman of the organization. "We wanted to be able to have a way to celebrate positive sexuality."
Sexual awareness has straddled a number of disciplines and departments at the University, most recently with the inception of the sexuality studies program.
The program, which is offered as a minor, began in fall 2004. Now, about 10 students are pursuing the minor.
"It's a growing area of interest in a lot of schools across the country," said Erin Carlston, professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literature and director of the sexuality studies program.
Dozens of schools throughout the nation also have started sexuality studies programs, she said.
O-day also seeks to bring to the forefront a number of issues about sexuality, as well as dispel myths.
Some of those myths surround the presence of a G-spot and the female ejaculation, said Sara Stahlman, a health educator for Campus Health Services.
"What I would like people to take away is that women have a say in their own sexuality," Stahlman said, adding that the female orgasm uses 116 muscles.
Stahlman also said many college students have misconceptions about sex and sexual health in general.
"I think that it's important to recognize that sexuality can be a positive thing, and students should embrace their sexuality while realizing the intrinsic risk of sex," she said.
Stutzman said students often falsely believe that sexual independence among women is promiscuity, while this action is applauded among men.
She also said that masturbation receives a questionable reputation when it is associated with women.
"Men masturbate; everyone knows that there are eight million slang terms for a guy masturbating, but it's the safest way to have sex," she said. "It should be OK for a woman to do the same thing."
The goal of O-day, Stutzman said, is to allow people to comfortably engage in discussing sexual health and the reproductive anatomy.
"We like to talk about all your parts," she said. "We try to keep it really fun."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(10/10/07 4:00am)
Skydiving is something many have to be talked into.
"It's not something that I thought I'd want to do, but I'm glad I did it," said UNC alumna Helen Rogers.
She and her daughter, senior Adeline Rogers, spent Sunday morning plummeting more than 14,000 feet tandem skydiving with Carolina Sky Sports.
Adeline first got the idea of taking the plunge after meeting Elizabeth Snell, president of UNC's Skydiving Club.
The club is designed to encourage both novice and experienced jumpers to learn more about skydiving, Snell said.
She will hold interest meetings for interested students 6 p.m. today in Bingham Hall 103 and 6 p.m. Thursday in Manning Hall 209.
The group, which now has about five members, is hoping to expand and attract a higher membership this coming year.
"We're hoping to get more people interested eventually so that we could have a collegiate team and just to get more awareness out about skydiving," said Snell, who recently received her skydiving license after successfully completing her 25th jump.
There are more than a dozen college skydiving teams and clubs throughout the country.
The Rogers mother-daughter duo joined about five other first-time jumpers and Snell at Carolina Sky Sports in Louisburg this weekend to participate in tandem skydiving.
Tandem skydiving is when an inexperienced jumper is harnessed to an instructor and the two jump simultaneously.
It takes about 15 jumps before a skydiver can become licensed to jump solo. For a novice, a skydiving trip with Carolina Sky Sports will cost about $200, and $300 with a video and pictures included.
The mother-daughter combination wasn't unusual.
Skydiving attracts people of every experience level and background, said Nancy Fayard, owner of Carolina Sky Sports.
Wedding parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties and three generations of a family are all groups that have skydived with Fayard's company, which has been open for 34 years.
"Skydiving is very, very safe, but you just have to do it right," instructor Randy Hamberlin said.
Hamberlin said he has jumped more than 6,000 times since 1969.
Before each jump, he gives first-timers a step-by-step overview of their plunge, coupling every statement with words of encouragement.
"If it wasn't for the wind in your face, you wouldn't even know that you were flying," he said.
Jumpers are then called into a final room where they are geared up with a 65-pound backpack containing a main parachute and reserve parachute.
"I've always wanted to do it," 2007 UNC graduate Mihoko Sakai said as she awaited her turn to strap on diving gear for the first time. "I'm not nervous. I'm really excited."
Sakai's friend and fellow alumna Kathryn Taylor made her first skydive several years ago and encouraged her to try.
Both said they had not told their parents about their first forays into skydiving. Taylor later confessed.
"They were like, 'Thank you so much for not telling us,'" Taylor said.
But after arriving safely back to ground level, the jumpers said it would be something they would want to experience again.
"He didn't even give me time to think," Sakai said. "(I'll do it again) if I can save up enough."
Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.
The skydiving experience
Staff writer Jordan Lawrence also went skydiving at the club's drop zone this weekend. Here's his account of the experience:
The first and only time Sunday I asked myself what I was getting into was while signing consent forms plastered with phrases like "skydiving is very dangerous."
But from that point on there was really no time to think. Quickly, I was called into a briefing where Instructor Randy assured us not to worry because our instructors had a lot invested in this jump too.
Then after gearing up, we boarded the plane and took off.
The side door of the plane was opened at 12,000 feet. I was dragged toward the exit and told to crouch at the door, put my head back into my instructor's shoulder and cross my arms in front of me.
He asked me if I was ready, and then rocked me out of the plane.
As soon as we cleared the plane there was no sensation of falling, but only a feeling of floating suspended in air. The air rushed up at me at 120 mph, and I felt like I was in another world.
After my instructor pulled the cord and the parachute popped into the air, we had seven minutes of gentle descent. I admired the serene quiet and amazing views from a bird's-eye perspective.
Gently gliding down, we reached the landing zone, skidding on our rear ends to a comfortable landing.
(10/10/07 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The University prides itself on offering students the opportunity to learn about a multitude of disciplines, topics and subjects.
And while there are no formal courses to learn juggling techniques, discuss the central themes of anime or master the rhythmic motions of shag dancing, the University has recognized more than 600 clubs as official organizations this month.
"It provides a good way for you to meet other people with your interest," said Ashley Gore, president of the UNC Shag Club.
Here are some of the odder clubs on campus:
n?Shagging, a dance inspired by beach music, originated in the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area and has caught on with many young people throughout the South, Gore said.
"The interest has gone up, but we're kind of lopsided, guys to girls," she said.
Gore said membership for the UNC Shag Club is about 100 to 150 people. About 50 people regularly attend meetings.
The club seeks to encourage both novice and experienced "shaggers" to partake in beach-friendly, feel-good music.
But if the sounds of the shag favorite The Band of Oz are not appealing, plenty of other campus activities are available.
n?Something Catchy, a juggling club, was started about two years ago by junior Chase Martin.
He had seen the success of a similar club at Davidson College and was disappointed to discover there was no juggling outlet on campus.
"When there wasn't one, really, I was pretty pissed off," Martin said.
After recruiting a few campus jugglers, Martin and his posse began meeting Wednesdays at Polk Place to practice and socialize.
"We just started meeting up on Wednesdays," he said. "At first, juggling sort of advertised itself. People up to about 100 yards away will notice you juggling."
The club attracts about six to nine regulars each week.
"If you want to learn to juggle, you want to learn from another juggler," Martin said. "A lot of people see juggling in cartoons. The balls don't float around in a perfect circle."
The club also participates in community events such as performing at area middle schools.
The club is trying to strike an agreement with UNC Hospitals so that it can perform for pediatric patients.
n?UNC's Otaku Uprising - a club that meets to watch and discuss anime - did not receive recognition for nearly two years after first being formed in 1997 and boasts a membership of both undergraduate students and alumni.
"Basically it's a bunch of people who are interested in anime and Japanese culture," said club president Sarah Price.
Price said the group also gets together to play games on Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2 and even the original Nintendo, now considered to be a collector's item.
Price said the group tries to embrace Japanese culture through a number of events both on and off campus.
"It's mostly about bringing people together," she said. "But we're not limiting our focus to anime."
Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.
Become an officially recognized student organization
(09/26/07 4:00am)
Many women dread a visit to their gynecologist.
The unease, discomfort and mild embarrassment lead many to forgo their annual visits.
But an annual campaign is aiming to bring attention to the importance of gynecological health, as well as open dialogue about the traditionally taboo subject.
September is the sixth annual Gynecologic and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, which encourages women around the country to pay heed to their gynecological health.
"I think that anytime you have an awareness month like that it makes them aware of their health in general," Donna Bickford, director of the Carolina Women's Center, said. "It prompts conversations about cervical cancer."
And the University community is in a prime position to take note of the awareness month's promotion.
The University boasts a student population with a gender ratio of about 60 percent women to 40 percent men, so women's issues and health are a focus for many organizations on campus.
"I think that some people's reaction to the 60 to 40 is that they don't look at gender," Bickford said. "This leads some people to believe that there are no more gender equality issues."
In addition to encouraging women to become educated about ovarian cancer, the awareness month aims to bring up other gynecological illnesses and health concerns.
Ovarian cancer accounts for about 4 percent of female cancer cases in the nation.
"Traditionally, ovarian cancer has been said to be the silent killer," said Dr. Wesley Fowler, vice chairman of gynecology and director of gynecologic oncology at UNC. "It has no symptoms until it's really late."
But Fowler explained that there are symptoms - such as becoming full quickly after eating and having nonspecific abdominal pain - that can ring alarm bells.
"It's not a silent killer, either," he said. "Women either don't listen to the symptoms of ovarian cancer or physicians don't listen to their patients."
If caught in its early stages, ovarian cancer averages an 80 percent to 85 percent chance of being cured.
In later stages, the average rate of successfully treating cancer declines to about 30 percent to 35 percent.
And ovarian cancer doesn't have the same testing methods that breast or colon cancer have, which means women must be more aware of their body and report any symptoms, Fowler said.
"What we're trying to say is: If you have these symptoms, please go see your doctor," he said.
This year two events are already in the planning stages to foster understanding and awareness of gynecological health. They aim to bring awareness about cancers that are prevalent among women.
"What we're really trying to do this month is for women to be aware of their own bodies," Fowler said. "You are your best advocate."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(09/12/07 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Friends and family gathered Tuesday morning to remember not the lives lost, but the memories that remain of loved ones at a dedication of the 9/11 Memorial Garden.
Created in memory of six University alumni who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the garden was the gift of the class of 2005.
"I think it's fantastic, and I am overwhelmed that this day has finally come," Jovian Irvin, class of 2005 president, said at Tuesday's dedication ceremony.
"I'm really excited that we can do this for the families not only on campus, but all over the country."
Honored at the dedication were fallen UNC alumni:
(08/29/07 4:00am)
Club sports provide ways for students to interact and stay active, but they also serve as great vacation planners, giving students the opportunity to travel off campus to enjoy some of their favorite outdoor activities.
Several campus organizations, including the UNC Ski and Snowboard Club and Skydiving Club, take regular off-campus excursions.
The Ski and Snowboard Club is part of Sport Clubs program, falling under the UNC Sport Clubs Council.
The club takes a number of trips throughout the year to locations such as Snowshoe Mountain,
W. Va., and Boone.
Christine Spiller, president of the Ski and Snowboard Club, said her club uses its access to UNC Sport Clubs Council funds to give students greater opportunities.
"We try to make the sport more affordable for college students," Spiller said.
She explained that skiing is already an expensive sport and that the club aims to make it more accessible for beginners and seasoned students in terms of cost and experience.
"We have the people who are really advanced, and they just go to the mountain and do their thing," Spiller said. "But there are also plenty of opportunities for new people to get involved."
Echoing a similar idea, UNC's newly re-formed Skydiving Club welcomes novice and experienced students.
The club is not part of the Sport Clubs program, so it is not eligible for SCC funding. A group must be established as a UNC sport club for at least two semesters before qualifying for funding.
This year, the council had a $78,000 budget, which funds club activities in addition to administrative costs. Athletic trainers and emergency personnel for club events also are paid out of this fund, said Jason Halsey, director of sport clubs.
Halsey said the funding provided to sport clubs is based on a number of factors, including organization, leadership and previous disciplinary action, as well as a four-level ranking system for the clubs.
A club's position determines how much funding it potentially can receive from the council.
"There is no set formula; it is a combination of all those factors," Halsey said.
Clubs also can earn more money from the council through volunteer efforts.
The Sport Clubs program sponsors different charitable events, such as a blood platelet drive. Clubs can earn additional funding based on their number of participants, Halsey said.
"The more they donate, the more their club is eligible for additional funds."
Though the costs for participation are entirely out of pocket for skydivers, members get discounts for some of their jumps and equipment.
"It's one of the best things you could do, but it's very expensive," newly elected president Elizabeth Snow said. "It's a good way to spend the weekend."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(04/23/07 4:00am)
Ardent UNC men's basketball fans stood aghast at a January defeat at the hands of Virginia Tech, cringing at the sight of any reminder of their Virginian foes.
But for one day, students traded their Tar Heel blue for Hokie maroon and orange.
"Today we're all Hokies," senior Liz Oden said while donning Va. Tech colors Friday as part of National Orange and Maroon Effect Day.
Organized by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, the day was designed to honor the 32 victims of the April 16 campus shooting and to provide a sense of community for those attempting to return to normalcy after the tragedy.
"It's one of the littlest things you can do," said Whitney Pilson, a sophomore communications major.
"I was really proud of our community for binding together."
Support will continue at noon today as students across the nation plan to commemorate the one-week anniversary of the tragedy with a moment of silence. Student Body President Eve Carson is encouraging UNC students to gather in the Pit for a moment of reflection.
Chicago maroon and burnt orange - Va. Tech's school colors for more than a century - have become synonymous with the university.
Orange and Maroon Effect Day began as a tradition to support the school's athletic teams, but Friday it became a way to unite alumni and students across the nation.
"I have a lot of friends that go to Virginia Tech, and I felt that it was the least I could do," said Emily Bisker, a sophomore biology major.
Carson said the tragedy has impacted the UNC community significantly on both a personal and institutional level.
She said that the similarities between Va. Tech and UNC, including both schools' rabid sports fans and size, make the tragedy hit much closer to home.
"The tragedy at Virginia Tech was so affecting for students across the nation because it could have happened anywhere," Carson said.
Freshman George Drometer, whose friend was asleep in West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall when the first shooting took place, said it's important for UNC to be active in helping Va. Tech students.
"I really feel we need to step it up and show our support," he said.
Having attended Wednesday's candlelight vigil in memory of those affected by the tragedy, Drometer said he felt a sense of community emerging on a campus fewer than 300 miles away from Va. Tech.
But this proximity also has led many students to feel a tangible connection to the plight of Va. Tech.
"It opens people to the perspective that we're very fortunate it didn't happen here," said Princeston Crisp, a freshman business major.
As those affected by the events at Va. Tech seek solace, Jessi Kemp, a junior sociology major, said she is confident that every effort to raise awareness and show support to Va. Tech is important.
"It's a subtle, 'We're thinking about you.'"
Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.
(04/18/07 4:00am)
Honor students at UNC now have the opportunity to expand their course choices this fall.
The Honors Contract is a program that will allow junior and senior honor students to make proposals that regular classes be counted as honors coursework.
Presented Tuesday night in an information session, the program received approval last semester by the administrative board of the General College and the College of Arts and Sciences.
"We came up with the idea my freshman year to allow honor students to increase the array of courses they could take by designing their own," said JJ Raynor, chairwoman of the academic affairs committee of the honors program's student executive board.
Raynor said for students to receive honors credit, they must first discuss supplemental coursework with their professors.
Once the student and the professor have agreed to the supplemental work, a proposal is sent to either the associate or assistant dean for honors to be approved.
"The idea is that you have the opportunity, through that supplement, to dig a little deeper into how that particular discipline works," said James Leloudis, associate dean for honors and director of the Johnston Center.
If approved, students can continue with the class and have it count toward their honors work.
If rejected, students can tinker with their proposal and resubmit their ideas for supplemental work.
The course supplement is taken pass/fail, so it doesn't affect grades.
The program is not offered to students outside the honors program and only applies to courses within a student's major.
While no definitive requirements for the supplements exist, Leloudis said that to receive an honors distinction on a student's transcript, a tangible final product must be produced.
Slated for a three-year trial period, the program is one of two initiatives started by the honors program to keep upperclassmen involved in the program.
"This was a way to address the issue and offer a couple of opportunities to keep students intellectually engaged in the program," Leloudis said.
Aside from the Honors Contract, the department also has continued its junior honors colloquium to maintain interest and participation in the honors program.
The colloquium allows students to design a course of study that they are interested in, and University officials work to bring guest speakers to campus.
"It's about trying to address a challenge we have in our program that there are limited opportunities for honors work during the junior year," Leloudis said.
With between 80 percent and 90 percent of honor students participating in the colloquium, Leloudis said he hopes the new program will receive a similarly warm reception.
Sophomore Patty Chuang, a math and public health double major, said she is excited about the Honors Contract. "I think it's a wonderful idea," she said. "It encourages all students in the honors program to realize the intellectual benefits of the program."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(04/17/07 4:00am)
After a review of his progress during the past three years, one UNC official has received the stamp of approval for a contract extension.
Bill Roper has received recommendations from UNC-system President Erskine Bowles, among others, to continue in his three roles - dean of the School of Medicine, CEO of the UNC Health Care system and vice chancellor for medical affairs at UNC - with a contract extension into 2012.
His contract is set to expire in June.
Though final decisions are pending approval of the Board of Trustees, the recommendations come on the heels of an eight-member campus review committee formed to evaluate Roper's progress.
In a speech Wednesday to the faculty of the School of Medicine, Roper candidly said that having his work reviewed was an important experience.
"I have made mistakes - and I have fallen short of what I want to be - the best possible leader of our medical school and health care system," he said in the speech.
"I knew this already, but it is a sobering and humbling process to have one's work and efforts examined in so detailed and comprehensive a manner."
Roper was the center of some scrutiny last semester when a petition circulated concerning whether interests of patients had come after bottom-line figures.
Karen McCall, vice president of public affairs and marketing for the School of Medicine and UNC Health Care, said that the school re-evaluated its access and billing system after Bowles received a petition with about 1,100 signatures from local residents and politicians.
"Their concern was that those people who were uninsured didn't have sufficient access to appointments at UNC," she said.
According to University records, Roper made a base salary of $489,030 in 2006. His administrative bonus tallied $110,010.
Aside from patient relations, Roper also used his speech to touch on the school's desire to see more active leadership from him and greater transparency within the school. He also said he wants to finish filling top positions.
The review committee included UNC figures such as Jack Boger, dean of the School of Law, and Joe Templeton, chairman of the faculty.
The committee met three times in February and delivered its report to Provost Bernadette Gray-Little shortly after, Boger said.
Joni Worthington, UNC-system associate vice president for communications, said the assessments and recommendations of the committee would be kept confidential.
Spanning more than 25 years, Roper's career in public health has seen a number of changes and accomplishments.
"I have been much involved in the work of the medical school even when I was across the street at the School of Public Health," Roper said.
He has worked as a special assistant to the president for health policy, director of the White House Office of Policy Development, and senior vice president of Prudential HealthCare.
Roper said the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors will give their final decisions next month.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(03/30/07 4:00am)
When Luke Farley strolled into Greenlaw 101 on Thursday evening, his first words were: "Wow, standing room only."
The speaker of Student Congress was one of many student leaders who spoke in the large lecture hall to only about 20 students at the annual State of the University address.
Student Body President James Allred, Student Attorney General Candace Debnam, Honor Court Chairman Mark Ihnat and Graduate and Professional Student Federation President Lauren Anderson also took the stage Thursday to deliver their speeches outlining the successes and failures of their branches in student government.
Those in attendance were mostly student government officials, including Student Body President-elect Eve Carson and Carolina Athletic Association President-elect Colby Almond.
Though Farley said in his speech that Congress did not always receive a favorable response to its proposals, he also said that the most important function of student government is to look after students' money.
In line with a belief that "we're all customers to UNC," Farley outlined three proposals for next year - adopting a student activity rebate program, asking student organizations to compile a new budget every year and establishing a professional audit of the student activity fee.
Debnam and Ihnat, in a joint address, outlined some of the year's accomplishments within Honor Court, with a specific focus on efforts to ensure diversity within the organization.
"I hope that future student government leaders will see the importance of outreach," Debnam said.
Debnam also said that increases in participation within government also had been seen through the receipt of more than 104 applications for positions within Honor Court, a number similar to last year's.
Anderson touched upon the accomplishments of GPSF and said pushing for lactation rooms, improving medical coverage and making strides toward better child care have all been strong points.
"We're doing pretty well," she said. "We're slowly getting our act together."
Returning next year to the same post, Anderson predicts that the tone of her speech next year would be a more critical than the generally positive message she gave this year.
"I don't think I'll hold anything back," she said. "There's no telling what I'll come up with next year."
With his speech this year, Farley said he hoped to provide attendees with an overview of the accomplishments and shortcomings of this year's student government.
"It's kind of freeing because generally in student government, you just have to look at the realities of the situation," Farley said.
He said that writing his speech was a welcomed departure from his analytical role as speaker of Congress.
"I think that every once in a while, student government needs a serious injection of idealism," he said.
Each of the student leaders said they hoped their words would allow future administrations to benefit from the lessons they learned this year and continue ideas that they themselves would not be able to see through.
"I think it's a really unique opportunity to have a hand in setting the agenda for next year," Debnam said.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(03/21/07 4:00am)
With the release of student government's annual tally of successes and failures, Lauren Anderson, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Federation, is reflecting on a year of work and said she is hopeful for the year to come.
The March Report, a document issued by student government outlining the accomplishments and shortcomings of the year's administration, was released Tuesday afternoon and touched on a number of issues pertaining to GPSF.
The report details initiatives such as improved child care on campus and increased communication between the various branches of student government.
"We were able to continue the strong voice that we had in the administration from the previous year," Anderson said. "We had to make sure that the changes we made didn't unnecessarily or unduly hurt the larger population."
Justin Kita, GPSF vice president of internal relations, said that, in general, the Anderson administration has been successful in achieving its goals but that some of the platform points could not be accomplished in the short term.
"For most of the platform points there is no way to complete them now necessarily but rather to complete them over time," he said.
While he said that Anderson has improved the social aspect of graduate and professional student life, he added that Anderson could strengthen the degree of communication between student government and the student body and its ability to publicize GPSF events and programs.
While the majority of the report outlined positive aspects of the current administration, Anderson said there is room for improvement.
The town hall style meetings that Anderson hoped to use as a means of uniting graduate and professional students and receiving their input on relevant issues ultimately proved unsuccessful and might take on a slightly different form next year.
"It was an idea that in theory worked very well, but in actuality it actually takes up a lot of time," she said.
Anderson was the sole candidate to run for GPSF president in 2006. She was re-elected in February after running as the sole candidate on the ballot in a victory against write-in hopeful Doug Whitfield.
Anderson said she was glad to establish a good relationship with Student Body President James Allred and said she hopes to continue that with Student Body President-elect Eve Carson.
Anderson said she had spoken with Carson previously and said that many of their ideas and platform planks complement one another.
"I would say that over the past five years we have had a strong audience with the student body president," Anderson said.
She also said she hopes to continue work on efficiency within the administration itself and to use the experience she has gained to facilitate implementation of new programs and continue existing ones.
"A very crucial part of trial and error is recognizing what the error was."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(02/20/07 5:00am)
INTERACTIVE: Hear straight from the candidates with our interactive voter guide.
The scrutiny that student body president hopefuls Eve Carson and Nick Neptune have withstood for the past month will end tonight for one of them.
When the votes are tallied, only one person will emerge as UNC's next student body president, giving Carson or Neptune access to power and administrators, with a thrust to the forefront of student affairs.
(02/16/07 5:00am)
With less than a week of campaigning left, student body president hopefuls said they hope to keep students interested to ensure a high voter turnout for Tuesday's runoff election.
Student body president candidates Eve Carson and Nick Neptune both took a break from campaigning Wednesday but said they are moving full-steam ahead now in hopes of clenching victory.
"I think that we're just going to be taking it a step up," Carson said. "We want to reach out in whatever way we can."
She said she is continuing many of the approaches she has used throughout election season.
"To be honest we ended really well," said Carson, who received 40 percent of the vote from Tuesday's election - the most of the four candidates who were in the running.
"So I think we're going to continue the successful practices and doing more of them," she said.
Neptune's brief rest from the elections was peppered with meetings at Hector's and other locations with campaign staff members throughout Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
"I don't think that too much really changes," said Neptune, who received 33 percent of the vote. "The focus is again on talking to as many students as I can."
Neptune emphasized that between now and the runoff he will try to emphasize the feasibility of his platform and continue to make personal connections with students to help narrow the gap.
"Most students just want to understand what we can honestly, feasibly do," Neptune said.
Runoffs have notoriously brought in a smaller voter turnout than the initial round of elections. This year a record 7,441 students cast ballots. Candidates said they hope students will maintain their interest.
Neptune will face an uphill battle as he seeks to catch up with Carson.
During the past five student body president elections that have prompted a runoff, four of the subsequent winners garnered the most votes before the runoff.
The last person to clench a victory having placed second in the first election was Justin Young, who ran for student body president in 2001.
He ultimately scored a victory by a 30-vote margin.
And as Carson and Neptune seek to gain more student votes, they also might get some support from their former opponents.
Former candidate Caroline Spencer said she still is undecided about whom she will support after being eliminated from the race.
Spencer said she has met with Neptune and plans to meet with Carson to ask more questions about their platforms and that she will decide whom to support in the coming days.
"This is something that really matters, and I want to choose the right candidate," she said.
Former candidate Jon Kite echoed the sentiment, saying he wants to meet with both candidates before making a final decision.
He said he hopes the enthusiasm expressed by candidates and students will not taper off for the runoff.
"One thing I hope that the candidates do is just go at it just as hard."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(01/24/07 5:00am)
The first step in student election campaigns is a couple hundred one-on-one talks. The next step is public speeches to a couple hundred students.
Student body president candidates will be invited to attend public forums, hosted by student groups across campus, in the coming weeks.
The Interfaith forum, sponsored by N.C. Hillel and the Muslim Student Association among others, kicked off the next phase of the campaign season Tuesday.
Stephanie Berman, the external affairs chairwoman of N.C. Hillel said the Interfaith forum would not result in an endorsement, but the event nevertheless raises questions about the importance of endorsements in an election.
"When we endorse candidates we look for someone responsive to student opinions," said Tyson Grinstead, chairman of the College Republicans, which also will hold a forum this year.
Endorsements have become mainstays of campus elections, though not necessarily the proverbial be-all and end-all in the dreams of candidates, said Jim Brewer, chairman of the Board of Elections.
"The amount of endorsements you have is not always the main factor in a person winning the race," he said.
In the 2005 student body president race, candidate Tom Jensen received six early endorsements from student groups such as the Black Student Movement and Young Democrats. He ultimately lost the election.
Seth Dearmin, who also received six endorsements, claimed victory against Seke Ballard in the runoff election. Ballard only nabbed three endorsements.
Most candidates said they think that while endorsements from on-campus organizations will not hurt a candidate's chances of winning an election, they do not have a substantial impact on students outside of that particular group.
"I think they are great if you get them," Neptune said. "I don't believe that they will make or break a campaign. I believe the campaign is more about reaching students."
Former student body president candidate Bernard Holloway said immense emphasis should not be placed on the relationship between the number of endorsements candidates receive and their standing among the student body.
"You can go to all the forums and still not touch as many people as you touch visiting people door to door," said Holloway, who garnered nine endorsements. "At the end of the day, an endorsement is truly what you make out of it."
Student Body President hopefuls Eve Carson, Jon Kite, Nick Neptune and Caroline Spencer answered questions at Tuesday's forum ranging from favorite basketball players to reasons for running for office.
Some candidates have announced that they also have posted their platforms online.
Kite said he thinks that students should be more concerned about the forums, but a lack of publicity can sometimes impact the role they and endorsements play.
"In an ideal world a person who wins a forum would be the best representative of that organization," he said. "But that is not always the case."
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Tentative forum schedule
Friday
6 p.m. Feminist Students United, Bon's Restaurant
Monday
5 p.m. Young Democrats, TBA
Feb. 1
7 p.m. Di Phi, New West
Feb. 5
7 p.m. College Republicans, TBA
Feb. 7
5 p.m. Arts Advocacy Committee, TBA
6 p.m. Sports Club Council, TBA
(01/19/07 5:00am)
An old debate is resurfacing as the search continues for new faculty throughout the University.
About 60 new faculty members are expected to be welcomed to the College of Arts and Sciences next semester, said Madeline Levine, interim dean of the college.
And while that number is larger than in past years, faculty salaries remain an obstacle to attracting hires, officials say.
"It's a very competitive marketplace, and so part of why we can recruit really good people is because UNC is known to be a major, leading university," Levine said.
Recruiting efforts are in full swing with more than 80 searches being conducted through advertisements, newsletters and e-mail lists, Levine said. Most search committees are given only about four months to advertise.
"What new faculty bring is a fresh perspective on teaching and what the college should be like," she said. "They bring tremendous energy and enthusiasm."
Because the financial decisions do not lie with the academic departments themselves, private donations sometimes are incorporated into the packages presented to prospective hires to sweeten the deal.
Levine said that while not frequent, refusals of employment offers sometimes can be attributed to unsatisfactory faculty salaries.
The average pay for a professor at UNC is $115,300. In comparison, UNC's 15 peer institutions average $121,720 for professor salaries.
The N.C. legislature approved 6- percent salary increases for UNC-system professors this summer, and when the University's Board of Trustees meets next week to set tuition levels, a portion of the money will be set aside for faculty salaries.
"The problems we have in competing to get really excellent faculty is that we are struggling to keep faculty salaries up," Levine said.
The process of hiring new faculty is largely out of the hands of individual departments. Candidates must undergo an arduous process of approvals, deadlines and interviews.
"The desire to hire a new faculty member begins within each department," Levine said. "But a department doesn't automatically get the right to advertise for a replacement."
Though the final decisions are made by University officials, Levine said students can play a crucial role in the hiring process.
"We're selling them on our students, as well."
Even with all of the recruiting techniques, some departments still have trouble filling positions.
Bill Prentice, chairman of the Sport Administration Search Committee, said the Department of Exercise and Sport Science is experiencing a dilemma as it struggles to accommodate increasing enrollment with an adequate number of professors.
"It's one of the largest departments, either fifth or sixth in the College of Arts and Sciences, and yet the faculty-to-student ratio is rather poor," Prentice said.
"We need new faculty to accommodate and offer classes to our undergraduate population."
The department has 14 tenured faculty members and five lecturers, but about 600 undergraduates major in the field.
"There are an extremely limited number of new faculty positions that are created every year," Prentice said.
"They are really based on the department's ability to demonstrate need for those faculty members."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.