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Beginning this semester, students can say goodbye to pesky course evaluation Scantrons.
Bingham 103 provided a fitting forum Thursday for an immigration debate.
Against the symbolic backdrop of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house, Gov. Bev Perdue pledged her support Thursday to a fire safety campaign targeting off-campus student housing.
At a meeting Tuesday of the Faculty Athletics Committee, professors, administrators and athletics officials outlined the safeguards established to prevent misconduct between UNC athletes and those who provide academic support.
Life as an immigrant farmworker can be difficult, to say the least.A group of undocumented immigrants confirmed that statement when they spoke in front of a crowd of about 40 students Wednesday evening about their experiences working on American farms.“We try to go out to farmworker camps in the fall and hear their stories,” said Rachael Mossey, the co-chairwoman of Alianza, the group that hosted the event for National Farmworker Awareness Week.Six women from Lenoir County formed the group Mujeres Sin Fronteras (Women without Borders) in 2009 to raise awareness about farm conditions for illegal immigrants. One of the women, Guillermina, who did not give her last name, spoke to the audience through an interpreter.“There are so many things that I want to share with you, and hopefully one of them will reach your hearts,” she said. “I came to the U.S. with a lot of dreams that are unfulfilled. Even though these dreams haven’t been fulfilled, I and many others have learned how to survive.”Guillermina said she came to America “just like any other immigrant, walking across the border.” She and her family sold their house, their property and almost everything they owned in Mexico to come here, thinking that they would have a better life, she said.“But it hasn’t been like that and it still isn’t like that,” Guillermina said. “We often do the hardest work — not only for us but also for our children. There are often children between 12 and 13 years old working.”She said this kind of life can kill hopes of attaining the American dream.“We work from sunrise to sundown; it’s very hard work,” she said. “A lot of times the kids grow up thinking they don’t have to go to school anymore, so they start working. That’s where the dream ends.“Sometimes animals are better off than us. You have to go to the camps in order to believe it. The conditions are horrible, everything’s dirty; it’s just not a good place to live.”Mujeres Sin Fronteras built an organic garden in Lenoir County to help needy immigrants feed themselves.“The reason why we’re making this garden is there’s a lot of hunger,” Guillermina said.Edgar, a 15-year-old farmworker who only provided his first name, said he has lived in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina since moving to the United States when he was 4 years old. He has worked with blueberries, cabbages and tobacco.“The work is hard, and it’s hot. I didn’t want to be there but I had to,” he said.Edgar said he wants to be able to finish school so he can get a normal job. When an audience member asked what Americans can do to help, he laughed and said, “Man, talk to Obama. Give us papers. Give us driving licenses.”He said life might actually be better in Mexico.“We wouldn’t have to work in the fields,” he said. “We wouldn’t have to worry about immigration.”After the event, sophomore Sydney Gross said she hoped for an opportunity to personally see what conditions are like for the farmworkers.“I’d like to go out to the farm and work with them and see what it’s like,” she said.“I’m a Latin American studies major, and I’ve been interested in Mexican immigration for a really long time. I think it’s appalling that the animals are treated better than the human beings — probably because they can’t complain.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Correction (April 4 11:29 p.m.): Due to reporting errors, an earlier of this story incorrectly stated that Karen Parker was inducted into the Order of the Grail-Valkyries. She was inducted into the Order of the Valkyries, a women-only honorary society that later merged with Order of the Grail. The story has been changed to reflect the correction.
Winston Crisp said he believes budget concerns and health issues are the two most important areas he will address as the new vice chancellor connecting students and administrators.Crisp used an open house Monday to introduce himself to students and answer their questions. He said one of his biggest concerns is substance abuse.“I continue to believe that the significant abuse of alcohol and other drugs is one of the biggest threats to universities today,” he said.Crisp, who described himself as a supporter of Greek life, also addressed this year’s examination of the Greek system. “There are aspects of the Greek community that need to change, and I’m not going to pretend that that’s not the case,” he said.Crisp used the same lighthearted tone Monday talking about the basketball team’s recent woes as he did discussing budget issues and substance abuse.While he is a physically imposing man at 6 feet, 4 inches with a linebacker’s build, he put student government officers and other students at ease with his easy smile and jovial attitude during the open house in the Student Union.Crisp, who currently serves as the assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, is replacing Margaret Jablonski in May as vice chancellor for student affairs. He has been a part of the University community since he attended law school at UNC 18 years ago.In his new role, Crisp will lead the division of student affairs, the administrative department that oversees many aspects of student life, including the Campus Y, the Student Union, campus housing, Campus Health Services and University Career Services.In his new role, Crisp will oversee a budget of more than $80 million.“We really have to get back to the basics of what is it that matters to us, what is necessary,” he said. “We’re going to have to make some tough decisions.”Student Body Vice President David Bevevino said he has confidence in Crisp’s ability to act as an effective liaison between the student body and the administration. “I think that he’s going to do a fantastic job,” he said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
The most powerful man in porn is coming to the UNC campus.Larry Flynt, pornography publisher and free speech activist, will visit UNC on Feb. 18 to deliver a speech at the School of Law’s symposium titled “Sexually Explicit Speech and the First Amendment.”The free event — which could draw protests and opposition from women’s rights groups on campus — will be hosted in the Great Hall. Tickets will be available Monday.Flynt, who was ranked by Britain’s Arena Magazine in 2003 as the top man in porn, is the head of Larry Flynt Publications, which produces several sexually explicit magazines, including Hustler Magazine and Barely Legal.Flynt’s experience with First Amendment law includes the milestone U.S. Supreme Court case, Hustler Magazine v. Falwell. In the case, Baptist minister Jerry Falwell sued Flynt for libel after Hustler printed a satirical advertisement with fake quotes attributed to Falwell about sexual relations with his mother.The court ruled in Flynt’s favor, leading to more explicit parodies throughout the entertainment industry.“If you go back and look at David Letterman and Saturday Night Live in the ’70s, those shows were extremely tame then compared to today,” Flynt said. “That would not have been possible had I not won that case.”Flynt was paralyzed from the waist down following a 1978 assassination attempt and has since been known for his gold-plated wheelchair.Flynt’s controversial profession might spark protestors, said Dan Kelly, editor of the First Amendment Law Review at UNC, which invited Flynt to speak on campus. Flynt will not be paid to speak, he said.“While I think protests are entirely appropriate, I hope that we won’t have a repeat of the Tancredo incident from last year,” he said, referencing the uproar during a speech by former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., about illegal immigration.Junior Leah Josephson, co-chairwoman of student government’s women’s affairs committee, said her committee will consider protesting the event.“I think Hustler is a magazine that has been pushing the limit of the objectification of women for years, and it absolutely was the beginning of the hardcore porn market,” she said. “I don’t think that pornography is a free speech issue because I think it inspires rape culture.”Flynt said he was not familiar with the protests sparked by Tancredo last year but wasn’t concerned.Randy Young, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, said UNC is preparing for Flynt’s arrival, but he would not provide specific information on the DPS plans.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Some problems with UNC’s listserv system can’t be fixed — like the widespread confusion among those who can’t tell the difference between “reply” and “reply all.”But Information Technology Services is now streamlining the listserv system to fix problems with overloaded servers and slow message delivery.To fix these problems, the office is planning to prioritize which types of groups can create listservs, giving preference to lists that are directly related to the University’s mission, including academic and administrative units and student groups.
UNC is reorganizing its Citizen Soldier Support Program under a new director after the program came under criticism for misusing millions of dollars of federal money.The program, created to help North Carolina’s National Guard and Reserve members return to civilian life after deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan, came under scrutiny last year after UNC-system President Erskine Bowles was notified about concerns regarding the program’s misallocation of funds.The program will now focus primarily on the behavioral health needs of returning combat veterans and their families.Bob Goodale, who has directed the program’s behavioral health initiative since 2007, took over the program Monday.The same internal audit that found that millions of dollars in federal funding was being spent mostly on salaries, travel costs and consultants rather than the programs to help soldiers, also recommended that Goodale direct the program.Goodale said he plans to refocus the program’s efforts on military-specific training and education for health providers.“He’s been prominent in the program for some time and had done really well with the behavioral health part of the program,” said Neil Caudle, associate vice chancellor for research, who works in the office that oversees the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, where the program is based.“Because of his experience and proven abilities, we think he’s well equipped to keep the program focused on its priorities and keep it successful,” Caudle said.Goodale said he plans to orient the program more toward providing behavioral health aid for soldiers and less on building community partnerships.The program currently sponsors education for behavioral health and other care providers on post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.“We need to address psychological issues facing returning service members and their families … getting behavioral health providers to understand military culture, to understand what life is like for servicemen,” Goodale said.He added that while military service tends to change people, not every returning veteran needs help. This purpose of this program is to help those who do.“We owe it to them, the people who serve and protect us, to give them the support they need to return to a normal life,” Goodale said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Patients with severe influenza might soon have a new option for medical treatment.UNC Hospitals is the only hospital in the state that will administer a drug called Peramivir to a small number of patients hospitalized for influenza as part of a national study on the effectiveness of the drug.The drug treats several strains of the flu, including the H1N1 virus.The drug is the only existing flu treatment that is administered intravenously, said Dr. Christopher Hurt, a physician in UNC’s Division of Infectious Diseases. Tamiflu and Relenza, both common medications used to treat the flu, are ingested or inhaled.Its unique intravenous application could help UNC and hospitals across the country better treat patients, Hurt said.Hurt said because Peramivir is given though IV, it would only be used in severe cases.“It’s not that it’s stronger, but it’s getting to where it needs to be — the bloodstream,” he said.The study is funded by BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc., the company that developed the drug. The company contacted UNC and other schools to participate in the study.The program could begin enrolling patients this week, but fewer than 10 people will be chosen to participate. The patients will receive the drug along with traditional flu medications, Hurt said.The drug has been through animal trials, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it for human trials but not mass distribution, Hurt said. It is possible in rare cases that patients will be able to apply to get Peramivir before testing is complete if they are fatally ill and other treatment options have been exhausted.Peramivir would be used in cases where patients are not able to use their mouths to take medicine, such as people on breathing machines or ventilators.Hurt said the patient must give consent to be put on Peramivir. They can participate in the study free of charge.Because the test is a double-blind study, neither the patient nor the doctor will know if the drug or a placebo is administered.“We would give them the institutional standard of care,” Hurt said. “Whatever we would normally do for that person, we would also do for the person in the study.”If the drug proves effective and safe in the trial, it could earn FDA approval for production within one to two years, Hurt said.Hurt urged students to get vaccinated before going home.“The last thing you want to do is to be carting swine flu back to grandma and grandpa,” he said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Students curious about the state of University affairs have a chance to ask questions this afternoon at an open house with Chancellor Holden Thorp.“We try to do this so the chancellor and the student body get to interact on a much more personal basis,” said Student Body Vice President David Bevevino.Organized by the Chancellor’s Office and the Division of Student Affairs, the open house will focus on two main topics: budget and tuition and the University’s relationship with the Greek system.Thorp will give brief statements on the two topics, and students will then have a chance to ask him questions about any topic they want. “We want students to let the chancellor know and the student advisory committee know what’s on their minds,” Bevevino said. “Come with your questions; anything and everything is fair game.”
Everyone likes a happy ending.But this idyllic saying takes on an entirely new meaning when applied to a local massage parlor.In fact, it might be a sad story for many young women.Donna Bickford, director of the Carolina Women’s Center, gave a lecture Wednesday about sex trafficking, particularly as it relates to a longtime Chapel Hill location.Officially called Tom Cat’s 2, although formerly known as All Girl Staff and University Massage, the business at 403 W. Franklin St. has had a mysterious history.In 2007, Daily Tar Heel columnist James Edward Dillard wrote about his experience at University Massage, where he said he was offered sexual services in exchange for money.Dillard wrote that he posed as a customer and selected a masseuse, who led him to a bare mattress in a back room.He was asked to undress and was presented with rates for services including “a massage in a “special place.”“Porno mags were on a bed stand. A sign directed customers to step into the shower and wash their ‘private parts’ before the massage,” Dillard wrote.Police launched an investigation in response to Dillard’s article, but did not find evidence of sex trafficking.A woman who answered the phone at the business Wednesday night said she could not comment.In her speech Wednesday, Bickford said she would like to see the police revamp the investigation.“We don’t know that there’s trafficking going on there, and we won’t know until it’s investigated,” she said.The front door of the business on West Franklin Street used to read “University Massage.”The store now displays a sign that says simply, “Open.”Bickford said she thinks the police should do a comprehensive evaluation of the business, looking for evidence of other illegal activities, including money laundering, tax fraud and organized crime.But Bickford cautioned students not to take matters into their own hands. She asked them to leave the law enforcement to the police and write to their state and national government representatives to convey their concerns.Bickford said sex trafficking exists in the Triangle area.“It’s underground and often invisible, but it’s hidden in plain sight,” she said.Between 600,000 and 800,000 individuals are trafficked across international borders each year, Bickford said. She said most trafficking victims in North Carolina are brought from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia. Eighty percent of the victims are women and children, she said.“The average age of entry into prostitution is between 12 and 16,” Bickford said.Victims suffer from psychological abuse as well as physical abuse, she said, adding that the problem is exacerbated by the fact that some victims don’t know where they are because of language barriers.“The root cause is demand — the demand for women’s and children’s bodies for sex,” Bickford said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Everyone likes a happy ending.But this idyllic saying takes on an entirely new meaning when applied to a local massage parlor.In fact, it might be a sad story for many young women.Donna Bickford, director of the Carolina Women’s Center, gave a lecture Wednesday about sex trafficking, particularly as it relates to a longtime Chapel Hill location.Officially called Tom Cat’s 2, although formerly known as All Girl Staff and University Massage, the business at 403 W. Franklin St. has had a mysterious history.In 2007, Daily Tar Heel columnist James Edward Dillard wrote about his experience at University Massage, where he said he was offered sexual services in exchange for money.Dillard wrote that he posed as a customer and selected a masseuse, who led him to a bare mattress in a back room.He was asked to undress and was presented with rates for services including “a massage in a “special place.”“Porno mags were on a bed stand. A sign directed customers to step into the shower and wash their ‘private parts’ before the massage,” Dillard wrote.Police launched an investigation in response to Dillard’s article, but did not find evidence of sex trafficking.A woman who answered the phone at the business Wednesday night said she could not comment.In her speech Wednesday, Bickford said she would like to see the police revamp the investigation.“We don’t know that there’s trafficking going on there, and we won’t know until it’s investigated,” she said.The front door of the business on West Franklin Street used to read “University Massage.”The store now displays a sign that says simply, “Open.”Bickford said she thinks the police should do a comprehensive evaluation of the business, looking for evidence of other illegal activities, including money laundering, tax fraud and organized crime.But Bickford cautioned students not to take matters into their own hands. She asked them to leave the law enforcement to the police and write to their state and national government representatives to convey their concerns.Bickford said sex trafficking exists in the Triangle area.“It’s underground and often invisible, but it’s hidden in plain sight,” she said.Between 600,000 and 800,000 individuals are trafficked across international borders each year, Bickford said. She said most trafficking victims in North Carolina are brought from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia. Eighty percent of the victims are women and children, she said.“The average age of entry into prostitution is between 12 and 16,” Bickford said.Victims suffer from psychological abuse as well as physical abuse, she said, adding that the problem is exacerbated by the fact that some victims don’t know where they are because of language barriers.“The root cause is demand — the demand for women’s and children’s bodies for sex,” Bickford said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Gov. Bev Perdue reflected upon UNC’s history and concentrated on the bright future of the student body, especially its ability to reach out into the world, in a Monday address to campus leaders and community members.Perdue, wearing academic robes in front of faculty and administrative leaders, praised the University’s rich history, exclaiming, “Happy birthday, Carolina!” to begin her University Day speech.The University holiday marked the 216th anniversary of laying the cornerstone of Old East, the University’s first building. While she frequently referred to the role UNC students will play in addressing the global recession, the speech largely overlooked the school’s immediate economic challenges.UNC lost $67 million in state funds this year, but instead of addressing how to weather the financial storm, Perdue focused on the University’s history and future.Echoing former Chancellor James Moeser’s 2007 University Day speech, Perdue stressed UNC’s need to be a global leader in education.“Education in the 21st century must be global. It is no longer about this one state or even about our country,” Perdue said. “It’s about the world.“We are in a new century with new challenges. The next great chapter of our state’s history will be written at a global level.”Perdue added that the University community must be prepared to help lead the world out of the recession.“My goal,” Perdue said, “is to be sure that as the recession ends, North Carolina is poised for global economic recovery.”Perdue spoke about UNC’s role as a leader not only in education, but also in business, public health and government programs.“We in North Carolina must build an economy that attracts businesses from around the world, that supports small businesses and that turns innovative ideas into jobs and economic development,” she said.She used the Research Triangle Park as an example of North Carolinian entrepreneurship, saying it has helped the state become more recognized for research and innovation.Perdue commended UNC’s research, including decoding the HIV genome and innovations with nanotechnology.Perdue’s speech included topics found in Chancellor Holden Thorp’s video address posted on YouTube on Monday, including UNC’s future role as a leader beyond the campus community.“I think that she is thinking about North Carolina’s economy and how we’re going to compete against other states,” Thorp said in an interview later Monday.“I thought it was very optimistic about what the University can accomplish and what we can do about North Carolina.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Student Body President Jasmin Jones’ administration is at odds with the Board of Trustees over a plan to construct a pedestrian bridge across South Road.Her administration has cited concerns over the bridge’s cost, practicality, appearance and effect on pedestrian safety. She has tasked a student government committee to gather student opinion and explore the idea more.Jones’ opposition began this summer with her vote against the approval of the site during a Board of Trustees meeting. The bridge would span from the southwest corner of the Student Recreation Center to the section of the Pit between Student Stores and the Undergraduate Library.The board approved the site without Jones’ consent. The design has not yet received approval.Student Body Vice President David Bevevino said he is concerned about the project’s cost.“That’s a pretty hefty expenditure,” he said, referring to the estimated $8 million price tag.Jones said she wants to make sure that the bridge is the best option before committing to the plan.“I just want to make sure that the bridge is the one and only option that can make South Road safe, but in order to make that kind of decision, I would need to see what options were there,” she said.Bevevino said he is concerned that the bridge might be underused, citing the crosswalk in front of Student Stores and another in front of the Bell Tower.“We want to make sure that that’s where the $8 million should go,” he said.Bevevino said the bridge might make South Road more dangerous for pedestrians.“We want to make sure that people crossing on the street are safe,” he said. “Are they safer or are they more at risk because the cars will be moving more easily?”But Bob Winston III, chairman of the Board of Trustees, said the bridge would make South Road safer, especially with the high volume of foot traffic.“South Road is a very busy dangerous road for pedestrians. The bridge is integral to connecting the two parts of campus over South Road,” he said. “The amount of pedestrian traffic stops vehicle traffic.”Bevevino said he had reservations about the proposed design of the bridge, which was shown in a July report to the Board of Trustees.The concept design drawing shows a suspension bridge with a single mast on the south side of the road supporting the curved path.“There are some concerns that the mast of the bridge might impede the view of the Bell Tower,” he said. “We have to make sure it fits with campus and looks like it belongs there.”The design, he said, must not obstruct access to the service entrance between Student Stores and the Undergraduate Library.The Capital Projects task force, a student government group originally intended to give students a voice in the Carolina North project, has recently begun to examine the pedestrian bridge.The task force will begin gathering students’ opinions in the next couple of weeks.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Fee changes being considered this week might let the University begin a series of expansions and renovations not tied to the fees’ original justifications.The changes will affect debt service fees, a group of expenses designed to help pay for major construction projects.Students currently pay $180.50 to help manage UNC’s debt.But this year’s two proposed increases will let the University work on several projects — including a Student Union renovation and an expansion of dining space — not related to the fees’ original purposes.A third fee, which helps pay down the debt on the Rams Head Recreation Center, might be decreased $7.50 from $42.50 due to an overestimation of the building’s cost.While these fee changes were supported Monday by the student fee audit committee, a student government group that weighs in on proposals, the fees face several reviews before they reach the N.C. General Assembly for final approval.Facilities debt feeThe Student Recreation Center and Student Union debt fee was created to help pay down the debt on the construction of the two facilities.If the administrators approve a sizable $16.75 increase this year, the fee for 2010-11 would be $80.75.Christopher Payne, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, said the fee needs to be increased to bring the Union up to the N.C. Building Codes. He said some necessary renovations include overhauls to the stairwells and fire safety and sprinkler systems.“We have the responsibility to be good stewards of our facilities,” Payne said.Once the building is up to code, construction can begin on a restaurant in the bottom of the Student Union, Payne said. The kind of restaurant has not been decided.Student dining debt feeThe student dining debt fee was created to help pay for two dining hall projects: a renovation of Lenoir Dining Hall in 1998 and the construction of Rams Head Dining Hall in 2005.The dining fee faces a proposed increase of $18.25 — which will bring it to $92.25.Scott Myers, director of food and vending, said overcrowding in Lenoir has made him realize that changes need to be made to accommodate more people. He said there are 650 seats in the Top of Lenoir, but during the peak half-hour, there are 703 people upstairs.To counter this, Mike Freeman, director of auxiliary services, said the fee needs to be increased to pay for an extension of the upstairs seating area.
Fee changes being considered this week might let the University begin a series of expansions and renovations not tied to the fees’ original justifications.The changes will affect debt service fees, a group of expenses designed to help pay for major construction projects.Students currently pay $180.50 to help manage UNC’s debt.
UNC will evaluate Friday whether to raise four student fees. If approved, the fees will cost students about $17 more per year. Over the next month, the student fee advisory subcommittee will examine a total of about $85 of fee increases.Student transit/Safe Ride feeCurrent price: $104.25Suggested increase: $2.50What the fee supports: The majority of the fee supports free service through the Chapel Hill Transit bus system. An additional $25.90 would support the P2P service for students with disabilities and transportation to Student Health. That sum would also fund the P2P Express bus service from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. and Safe Ride-Campus, which provides service from the UNC Library and Student Union to campus housing after dark. Expenses also support the P2P bus service and Handi-Van replacement funds.Justification: The Department of Public Safety said the fee increase of $2.50 would help cover inflation, as well as mounting fuel and maintenance costs.Student ID feeCurrent price: $7Suggested increase: 18 centsWhat the fee supports: The fee helps the OneCard office keep printers and software up-to-date. The office prints more than 10,000 new identification cards every year for undergraduate, medical, dental and graduate students. In addition to keeping up the office’s technology, the fee helps support the maintenance of OneCard readers and the software it takes to run them.Justification: Jim Clinton, the director of card operations, said that there have been no ID fee increases since 2003 and that this increase is following the standard rate of inflation.“It will certainly help us in providing services students really need,” Clinton said.Campus Recreation feeCurrent price: $97Suggested increase: $4What the fee supports: This fee funds the five Campus Recreation services: intramural sports, sport clubs, the outdoor recreation program, Carolina Fitness and the special events program. It also supports housekeeping services for Campus Recreation facilities and equipment maintenance. Another portion of the fee pays for the salaries of student referees for the intramural programs.Justification: Campus Recreation Director Marty Pomerantz said utilities are a large part of the cost, and they are estimated to increase 12 percent for next year. He also said Campus Recreation has long-term plans, including new fields at Carolina North, more multipurpose space in Woollen Gym and additional renovations of other facilities.Pomerantz also said Campus Recreation is the largest employer of students on campus, and he said they must raise the wages they pay students to stay competitive with increases to the minimum wage.University Career Services fee (for current students)Current price: $68Suggested increase: $10.50What the fee supports: This fee lets University Career Services provide file storage for letters of recommendation. It also helps Career Services with maintenance costs and postage.Justification: Associate Director of Career Services Tim Stiles said this fee hasn’t increased in seven years, and postage rates have been steadily increasing during that time.Career Services also recently updated its payment options, so they have to pay for credit card processing software.
About 300 people on campus didn’t eat or drink between 5:22 a.m. and 7:34 p.m. Wednesday, avoiding water fountains and enduring growling stomachs. Whether Muslim or just interested in the annual monthlong holiday, participants in the Fast-A-Thon fundraiser abstained from food and drink to appreciate the plight of the hungry and poor while improving their inner spirituality. The event, inspired by the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, was sponsored by the Muslim Students Association. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Urban Ministry for Project Downtown, an educational and food service program helping the poor in Durham. Muslim Students Association President Sana Khan, who was impressed by the turnout for the event, said that about 70 percent of the participants were not Muslim. Participants were asked to donate $5, the approximate price they would have paid for lunch Wednesday. The event raised about $1,000, Khan said. “I thought the donations would limit the numbers, but it’s been pretty impressive that we have almost 300 people,” Khan said. After sundown, participants gathered in the Great Hall of the Student Union to break their fast. They ate cake and Biryani, an Indian rice dish made with spices, assorted meat and vegetables. The gathering featured entertainment acts and student testimonials about the experience of fasting. Mohammad Moussa, a sophomore from N. C. State University, gave a humorous spoken-word performance in which he suggested using an IV to bypass the rule prohibiting the consumption of food or drink during daylight hours. Moussa also jokingly complained about having to watch others eat during the day. April Vinson, a senior nursing major, spoke after Moussa’s performance about her own fasting experience. “Fasting makes you want food you don’t usually want,” Vinson said. She described how she usually doesn’t find V8 juice appetizing, but in the morning when she saw a commercial on television she thought, “Mmm, that looks good.” Like most of the Fast-A-Thon participants, Vinson is not a Muslim. She said she is a Christian and that fasting helps strengthen her faith. “Every time my stomach growled today or my mouth felt parched, I was reminded that God has a purpose for me,” Vinson said. Brian Pritchett, also a Christian, said he decided to participate because his friends encouraged him to do so. “I have several friends involved with MSA,” the junior public policy major said. “It’s an easy way to get involved with your friends and the community.” Reflecting back on a long day without food or drink, Pritchett said fasting wasn’t as bad as it sounds. “It wasn’t really that bad, but not being able to drink water was tough,” he said. “It’s a big campus.” Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.