State decides tuition hikes
Administrators said the maximum $750 tuition increase approved last week was necessary to sustain the level of quality education that the University offers.
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Administrators said the maximum $750 tuition increase approved last week was necessary to sustain the level of quality education that the University offers.
Tuition will be raised by $750 for all UNC-Chapel Hill students starting this fall.
At an impromptu UNC-system Board of Governors meeting at 3 p.m. today in Chapel Hill, system schools announced their individual tuition hikes.
The magic of sport is taken more seriously by some than others.
UNC-Chapel Hill officials are struggling to decide whether they should increase tuition by $950 for in-state students next fall.
Correction (July 6, 2010 12:01 p.m.): Due to reporting errors, an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the last name of Tina Prevatte. The story has been changed to reflect this correction. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for this error.
A UNC graduate program to help economically distressed areas is expanding to better serve the state during these tough economic times.Graduate students in the Carolina Economic Revitalization Corps are placed with rural community governments during the summer to help revitalize the communities’ struggling economies.The program is a collaboration among the Office of Economic and Business Development, the School of Government and the North Carolina Rural Center.Started in 2009, the program was originally created to help economically depressed communities apply for federal stimulus grants. Graduate students spent 10 weeks with local governments across the state assisting in the application process. The program was so successful that a committee was formed to investigate ways to expand it beyond the summer in the future.Students will now spend 12 hours a week working with communities remotely from campus during the school year in addition to their summer work.The expanded program will allow interns to see the projects through to the end as many grant application processes extended beyond the summer in 2009, said Josh Levy, assistant director in the Office of Economic and Business Development.“Last year it was about getting boots on the ground to get stimulus money,” Levy said.“We are working to refine the model and think about ways to deploy our students more efficiently to help these communities.”This year’s program will be funded by the Office of Economic and Business Development with a matching grant from the N.C. Rural Center. Interns will have their tuitions paid and receive a stipend.Students and local governments must apply for the program and go through an interview process. While the program is open to all graduate students, Levy said they look for students who have experience with local governments and applying for grants. Of the 10 local governments and 25 students who applied this year, six were selected to work together.This year’s interns are working primarily with regional governments, many of which contain counties classified as “tier 1” for economic well-being. The tier 1 classification contains the bottom 40 most distressed counties in the state.Fredrick Davis is a city and regional planing graduate student working with the N.C. Northeast Commission. The commission includes 16 counties, 12 of which are tier 1. This summer he will be working to secure funding for a public library in Gates County, among other projects. Davis said he hopes to become a county manager in the future and believes this will give him an opportunity to acquire real world experience.“I am able to come in and work on a project they have been working on since 1991. This community has great assets but just doesn’t have the staff to go after the money they need,” he said.Matt Dudek, a public administration graduate student, will be working in Wilmington to create a community center and to secure grants for investment in local businesses.“Often people talk about what is not in a community. The challenge is to recognize what is already there and build off of that,” Dudek said.Kendra Jensen is a public administration graduate student working with the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments to secure funding for a new water treatment facility.“The people have been very welcoming and warm. They are highly skilled and ready to get to work,” she said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Rising health care costs have caused Chapel Hill to re-evaluate employee health care coverage in next year’s budget.Proposed changes include an on-site health care facility and increases in insurance co-pays. These changes come in response to an anticipated 13.9 percent increase in health care costs next year.One major change includes working with UNC Hospitals to improve health services provided to town employees through wellness programs.In an e-mail sent to town employees, Town Manager Roger Stancil stated that the increasing health care costs have made it difficult to maintain the town’s current health benefit package for employees.Town employees currently receive health coverage through BlueCross BlueShield.In the e-mail, he outlined the proposals for creating an on-site health care facility at the Town Operations Center and increasing employees’ co-pays for regular doctor and emergency room visits. Stancil has asked the town council for nearly $368,000 to fund these changes.Stancil enlisted the help of a forum of town employees from a variety of departments to provide input about how to combat rising costs and still provide adequate coverage to employees.Amy Oland, an accounting manager in the town’s business management department, was part of the forum.“We were trying to figure out the short-term fixes and then look forward to the long term to keep costs sustainable,” Oland said.Part of these long-term plans include enlisting the help of UNC Hospitals to evaluate the town’s ability to provide health services to employees.Karen McCall, UNC Hospitals vice president of public affairs and marketing, said the town approached UNC seeking advice on how to reduce health costs.She said while the discussions are still preliminary, they have focused on ways to prevent health issues by encouraging employees to participate in town-sponsored wellness programs.These programs provide employees with resources and incentives to adopt healthy lifestyle choices. This helps reduce the number of insurance claims, Oland said. An on-site health care facility would also cut costs by treating employees in house for routine doctor visits and checkups.Chapel Hill Town Council member Jim Ward said he agreed the current health coverage is not sustainable and an on-site facility would help alleviate costs.“The council understands the value a facility like that would have for employees by allowing easier access to heath care,” Ward said.Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources fined UNC last week for a wastewater leak from a research facility that drained into a local creek.The Bingham Facility, which is owned by UNC and houses animals for University research, received the $16,612.48 fine for the first of several violations that date back to October.The total cost includes a $15,000 fine plus investigative costs.Jay Zimmerman, regional environmental program supervisor at the N.C. Divison of Water Quality, said there is no standard fine for wastewater leakage.He said the amount of the fine was determined by a variety of factors, including damage caused and the other violations by the facility. The facility, located in western Orange county, has received three violation notifications from the state over the past year.The wastewater leak was discovered in a 1.6 million gallon storage lagoon in October by the University and reported to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources in December.The first violation notification was sent to the University on Dec. 18 after UNC reported the leaking lagoon.The harmful wastewater flowed into Collins Creek, a tributary of the Haw River. The river flows into Jordan Lake — a major water source used by the state.The University had three options: appeal the fine, pay the fine or ask for a reduction. Associate Vice Chancellor of Research Bob Lowman, who oversees the facility, said the University plans to pay the fine. It has 30 days.Lowman said the fine was significantly less than what could have been given considering the facility’s record of violations. He also added that the University was not surprised by the fine.“I think DENR is more interested in helping us get things right out there than giving a large fine,” Lowman said.The state currently allows the facility to pump and transport wastewater to local treatment plants as the University evaluates the facility’s water treatment system.“As long as they are showing progress, we’ll be willing to work with them,” Zimmerman said. The University hired a consulting firm in February to help with this evaluation.Lowman said they plan to build a new treatment system and improve the water quality to a reclaimed level.“To the level where I’d drink the stuff … it’s that clean,” Lowman said.Laura Streitfeld, the chairwoman of Preserve Rural Orange, a nonprofit organization that has helped express the concerns of residents who live near the facility, said she is concerned with the amount of money the University has invested in a facility with poor results.“Everything goes back to the taxpayers,” Streitfeld said. “The fine is just one aspect.” “It is a public university, so every time something happens we are paying for it.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Chapel Hill Transit hosted two forums Monday at the Chapel Hill Bible Church to explain proposed cuts to public transit and receive community feedback.
This map shows incidents reported by the Chapel Hill police from Dec. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2009. Some incidents are not shown on the map because the address provided was imprecise. Click on a pin to view more information about each address.
UNC hasn’t exactly been a breeding ground for conservative political leaders.But in the past year, the UNC College Republicans have been on the front lines of organizing and interacting with conservative groups across the state.And now the chapter’s leader is looking to become a major conservative voice in the state.Junior John Eick announced his candidacy Sunday for chairman of the North Carolina Federation of College Republicans, a conglomeration of College Republicans chapters throughout the state.He said he wants to strengthen the conservative presence at state universities and work to re-elect Sen. Richard Burr.Eick, the chairman of the UNC chapter of College Republicans, said he plans to campaign by visiting other chapters in the state and sitting down with their chairmen and delegates to discuss future goals for the group.“I want to encourage collaboration between chapters,” he said. “We need a more united effort.”He said his top priority would be to help Burr’s campaign for re-election next year.Eick, a political science and public policy major, said his interest in politics began in middle school and high school, where he was drawn to conservatism and the Republican Party. The College Republicans at UNC offered him the opportunity to become involved in the conservative movement, he said.“The College Republicans offered a chance to network with like-minded conservative students,” Eick said.Eick said the group has expanded its membership and increased campaign fundraising during his chairmanship.In the letter announcing his candidacy, Eick said he felt his experience with the College Republicans would help him create a larger conservative presence on North Carolina campuses.“The state party realized that the youth are voting Democrat,” Eick said. “We need to strongly represent the conservative youth in the state.”Current federation Chairman Benjamin Lynch wrote in an e-mail that the chairman is responsible for appointing and directing members of the group’s executive board as well as attending major GOP meetings in the state.Lynch added that the chairman must have an obvious sense of dedication and be a leader in organizing Republican campaigning on college campuses.The chairman and other positions will be elected at the federation’s spring convention in March. Each College Republicans chapter in the state will send delegates to vote at the convention.Eick said a single candidate for chairman ran unopposed in each of the past two elections, but he expects to have a competitor this year.Tyson Grinstead, former chairman of the UNC College Republicans, also served as state chairman in 2006-07.UNC College Republicans member Anthony Dent said he is confident Eick will be an effective leader at the state level.“I’ve been more than pleased with his efforts on campus,” Dent said. “His organizational ability and capacity to bring together people I think will translate well to the next level.”Dent said the UNC organization will try to promote Eick as a candidate at meetings and functions with other chapters.Eick announced in his letter that Duke College Republicans Chairman Justin Robinette will be his running mate for co-chairman.The letter also states that his campaign platform will be announced in the coming weeks.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
UNC groundskeepers have assured the campus community that falling timber poses no threat to its students and streets. The falling of an oak tree outside Mitchell Hall on Monday afternoon was a remote occurrence caused by the tree’s age, saturated soil and rotted roots, said University Forest Manager Tom Bythell.The tree, which injured two people and blocked a lane of traffic on South Columbia Street for about an hour, was uprooted and fell over when its rotten roots cracked.In addition to the roots, Bythell said the tree fell because it was growing at an angle and had a full canopy of green leaves, making it more top-heavy.Amber Hathcock, a graduate student in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, was taken to UNC Hospitals after the tree fell on her. Hathcock has since been discharged from the hospital.Bythell said he estimated the tree to be between 90 and 100 years old. “Old trees don’t heal as fast as younger trees” Bythell said. “This tree was in the second half of its life.”Bythell said trees on campus rarely fall because of rotting roots. He said thunderstorms or hurricanes are typically responsible for falling trees. The tree would have fallen earlier, he said, if there had been inclement weather. “The tree probably would have come down in August if we had had a large thunderstorm,” Bythell said.A 60-foot pine tree fell in September 2008 due to tropical storm winds.Bythell said the grounds crew inspects each tree on campus at least once a year. During the inspection, they determine whether a tree’s limbs or the tree itself are in danger of falling or causing damage. The crew went out Wednesday to inspect roots in McCorkle Place. Dangerous trees or limbs are removed by the grounds crew. “We have our crew and the public telling us about the trees” Bythell said. “We have 100 eyes out there.”Bythell said the tree that fell Monday appeared to have a healthy trunk and canopy when it was inspected in early October. He said they could not detect the rotting roots, which are especially difficult to recognize in large trees.UNC Director of Grounds Services Kirk Pelland said students should not be concerned of trees falling on them as they walk through campus.“We certainly don’t want our students being afraid of our trees,” Pelland said.Bythell said clean-up crews are prepared for trees falling if there is a threat of bad weather. He said the grounds crew quickly responded when the tree fell Monday, removing the debris and unblocking the street within an hour. “I’m really proud of my guys” Bythell said.University Landscape Architect Jill Coleman said that they are planning on replacing the tree.“We always replace trees” Coleman said. “Depending on the site we may even go ahead and plant two trees to replace the lost canopy.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
The UNC Sustainability Office and various student environmental groups met Tuesday in the Student Union’s Great Hall for a celebration of campus sustainability initiatives.The event, Campus Sustainability Day, featured displays of on-campus efforts for students to tour.Chancellor Holden Thorp received the 2009 Campus Sustainability Report as part of the event. It outlines the strides UNC has made in sustainability programs and green initiatives in the past few years.Here are a few highlights of the report.Renewable energyThe report trumpets UNC’s Climate Action Plan, which details campus initiatives to become carbon neutral by 2050.UNC also launched the Solar Energy Research Center in 2008. Solar panel research by UNC faculty members has led to the development of “solar trees” that allow solar energy to be harvested more effectively and cheaply than current solar panels.Campus water useIn conjunction with the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, UNC has connected chilled water plants to a pipeline to allow treated wastewater to be used to irrigate campus athletic fields, reducing on-campus water demand by 10 percent.UNC also has installed a stormwater collection system to help irrigate fields and flush toilets.New distillation systems have been installed in the seven labs that use the most water, saving an estimated 47 million gallons a year, the report states.Carolina Dining ServicesTwenty-one percent of the food purchased by Carolina Dining Services is produced within 150 miles of campus.Local grass-fed beef and eggs from cage-free chickens are served at both Lenoir and Rams Head dining halls. CDS offers six meals featuring local food during the semester.CDS has collaborated with the Fair, Local, Organic Food student group to find local sustainable food options.AcademicsMore than 150 courses in numerous departments relate to sustainability, the report states.Kenan-Flagler Business School offers a concentration in sustainable enterprise for MBA students.“Over the past 10 years, the Center for Sustainable Enterprise has worked to integrate sustainability into the culture at the Kenan-Flagler Business School so that students are equipped to incorporate triple bottom line principles into their post-MBA careers,” the report states.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Masculinity can be measured by many rulers: strength, athleticism and courage, for example.But none can compare to that which grows upon the male upper lip — the mustache.On Oct. 30, men and women will come together and celebrate their “flavor savers” at the annual Stash Bash in St. Louis — and UNC could have its own mustachioed delegate.Hair product company Zenagen is sponsoring a mustache-themed costume contest for college students, with two tickets to the event as a prize. Students are asked to send in pictures of themselves incorporating a mustache into a Halloween costume, perhaps Mario and Luigi, Ron Burgundy or Hulk Hogan.While the mustache has declined in popularity since the 1970’s, when celebrities and NASCAR drivers alike sported upper-lip hair with pride, it has seen a resurgence in college-aged youth, said Aaron Perlut, a self-proclaimed “nuclear mustacheologist” and Chairman of the Board of the American Mustache Institute.He said the recent resurgence of the mustache is due to youth wanting to stand out.“It’s an easy way to express yourself,” Perlut said.He added that celebrities sporting the look have lead to more young people appreciating the mustache. Actors Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp have both donned mustaches.Perlut said well-groomed upper lip plumage can help men improve weak-looking or disproportional facial features. He said a mustache increases a man’s attractiveness by 38 percent.And the UNC community is full of impressive nose lawns that could make a good showing in the competition.With a bare-lipped chancellor, Interim Provost Bruce Carney’s mustache is the highest ranking on campus.He grew his mustache while in the Army because his hair and his sideburns had to be cut short when he was drafted. Carney sports the impressive lampshade style, though he humbly called it “the best mustache I can do.”Carney said he maintains it with a small pair of Swiss Army knife scissors. He can curl the tips if he wants without the assistance of wax.Carney said his wife enjoys the mustache and has never complained about it.Some female students at UNC feel that a certain set of criteria must be met before a man can be worthy of the prestigious facial feature. Junior Meredith Fulton said men must look the part before growing a mustache.“Like if you are a rugged mountain climber or a cop,” she said, adding that the mustache should also come with a certain amount of knowledge and experience.But Perlut warns there can be downsides to a “lip tickler” if not worn correctly. A man must consider which look works well with his face and personality. A mismatched face-mustache combination could prove disastrous.“A mustache must be worn at your own risk,” Perlut said.
Nearly 25 volunteers collaborated Tuesday to clean the frequently overlooked black section of the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery.The volunteers collected trash and cleared debris from the unmarked graves of former slaves in the section as part of Race Relations Week, which ends Thursday.Students for the Advancement of Race Relations and the Kappa Omicron chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. led the event.The cleanup was scheduled to appreciate the hardship of blacks in the Chapel Hill community, said Alexia Hobbs, co-chairwoman of Students for the Advancement of Race Relations.“It’s important to know where you came from to know where you are going” Hobbs said.The clean-up was only the second of six events aimed at educating the University about racial relations and facilitating a campus-wide discussion of race-related issues.The week, which began Monday with a sketch comedy show and includes a dramatic performance as well as dinner and panel discussions, ends Thursday.Hobbs and fellow group co-chairwoman Olubunmi Fashusi said they felt it is important for students and Chapel Hill citizens to feel comfortable talking about race.“We want to say to people, ‘Don’t be scared to talk about race,’” Fashusi said.She added the week will allow people to see race issues from many perspectives.Students for the Advancement of Race Relations has organized a forum for Thursday to discuss the issue of racial profiling.The invited speakers include law enforcement officials, a lawyer from the American Civil Liberties Union and Charles Brown, a local barber who has accused the Chapel Hill Police Department of racial profiling.The group has teamed up with many other campus groups for organizing events this week. It will be joining the LGBTQ Center and Interactive Theatre Carolina in the Campus Y Lounge at 5:30 p.m. today to examine race and homosexuality through a dramatic performance.On Thursday, Students for the Advancement of Race Relations and the Minority Affairs and Diversity Outreach committee of student government will host the “Mix-It-Up Lunch,” which will feature student volunteers facilitating discussions on race relations at various tables in Rams Head Dining Hall.Hobbs said although discussions on racial relations are often shied away from and seen as serious, she wants this week’s events to provide students a comfortable atmosphere to discuss racial issues. “We want to provide a structured environment that is fun and enjoyable,” she said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
The Secret Service doesn’t want you to know who they are, they just want to make you laugh.The newly formed group — dedicated to spreading chaos on campus through costumed pranks, gags and random acts of kindness — has already struck twice. And they’re looking to continue the chaos.The group ran through the Pit two weeks ago shouting “the British are coming!” They were also responsible for Thursday’s masked chant-fest-turned-dance-party in the Pit.The Service isn’t officially recognized by UNC, and you won’t find a mission statement or a set agenda. Their only goal is to make others smile.The group was founded by “Papa Bear” and “Lancelot,” two male freshmen roommates who said the campus needed to be a little less boring and uptight.Wearing Halloween masks to protect their identities, they described the Secret Service as a student movement to spread joy to the campus community.“The movement was already happening,” Papa Bear said. “We just organized it and gave it a name.”The group accepts all people regardless of race, religion or orientation. Members pick code names, — such as Papa Bear or Lancelot — to remain anonymous and blend in with the student body.“You lose your own identity, it’s about the group and having fun,” Papa Bear said.Using code names and text messages, the group organizes and strikes spontaneously.But it’s not just about pranks. The group looks for any opportunity to have fun.“We might send out a mass text for everyone to come play out in the rain in the quad,” Lancelot said.The group currently has 125 members and is growing, Papa Bear and Lancelot said.Many students have not seen the Secret Service in action, but for those who have, the reaction has been positive. “I thought they were really funny,” freshman Alex Exum said of the group’s performance in the Pit on Thursday. “And I like that they aren’t associated with the University.”Sophomores Zach Chapman and Susie Wear said they hadn’t seen the group, but didn’t mind the pranks.“School’s stressful,” Wear said. “Its good that they are trying to make people laugh.”Upcoming shenanigans for the group might include an attempt at parkour — doing tricks while running — and a surprise party for a Carolina Dining Services employee, but the group’s leaders said anything is possible. “We weren’t born with a shame chromosome,” Lancelot said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Medical school