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(10/14/10 3:24am)
More than 1,000 people crammed into George Watts Hill Alumni Center and spilled into the hallway Wednesday to remember Rob Hogan, the man the University knew as the owner and caretaker of the living ram mascot, Rameses.
(10/07/10 2:05am)
Archie Ervin, UNC’s associate provost and chief diversity officer, will be leaving to accept a newly created position at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
(04/28/10 1:57am)
He’s the young one that does the lights and the music. The fun bus driver.
(02/25/10 5:24am)
Kappa Delta’s Go Green! Shamrock Dinner is going green this evening — and they’re not talking about clovers.The sorority’s fundraising dinner will be considered a Carolina Green event, which means UNC deems it highly sustainable.The dinner, located at the Kappa Delta sorority house at 219 E. Franklin St., will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $5, and all proceeds will benefit Prevent Child Abuse America and the Center for Child and Family Health.Kenneth Bryan, a second-year law student and intern at the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling, said being Carolina Green means going the extra mile.“It’s when people have taken substantial steps to be green instead of one or two,” Bryan said.Carolina Green is an initiative started by UNC’s Sustainability Office and the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling to promote sustainability on campus.Sophomore Mary Cooper, a member of Kappa Delta, has spent the past few months planning the logistics of how to make the dinner sustainable.Sororities typically host a dinner before a 5K to raise money for their cause and to offer a carb-packed meal for runners.“We wanted to do something new this year, not your traditional sorority spaghetti dinner,” said Cooper, also a co-chairwoman of student government environmental affairs committee. “We wanted to make it bigger and better.”This year, the Kappa Deltas are trading pasta for potatoes, and it’s not just in honor of the great Irish staple. Cooper said the meal will be vegetarian since it is more environmentally friendly. The menu includes a baked potato bar, vegetarian chili and sweet potatoes.“Essentially more than 75 percent of our food is local or organic, which is remarkable considering most of our food this far has been donated,” Cooper said.To make the dinner Carolina Green, Kappa Delta will offer compostable plates, napkins and utensils. They’re also decorating with biodegradable balloons and even procured biodegradable string for them.Cooper said fliers and tickets were printed on 100 percent recycled paper. She said there will be a bike rack on the front yard and that they are encouraging transportation by foot, bus or carpool.Compost bins will also be provided by Carolina Green.Bryan said the green event initiative has been in place for about two years.“We’ve really been working to boost up this program along with Carolina Green trying to make it easier for people to go green for different events,” he said.Bryan added that making events green has become increasingly popular, with almost 40 taking place since June.Bryan offered what he calls a green coordinator training session in December that about 30 people attended. Several of those in attendance — including Cooper — were part of the Greek Sustainability Council, a voluntary group created for Greek students to make their chapters more sustainable.“It’s not that hard to do,” said freshman Elyse Elder, a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.Elder, who represents her sorority on the Greek Sustainability Council, attended the December training session.“It’s easier to start out with dinners like KD is doing,” she said. Cooper said the event has been worth the effort.“I’m hoping this dinner not only inspires green events within the Greek community but also other initiatives within our houses about being environmentally friendly and conscious of what we’re doing,” Cooper said.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(02/11/10 5:38am)
Christopher Derickson, the current associate registrar, will take over as assistant provost and University registrar on March 15.
(02/04/10 5:31am)
Adam Biel bought his first bike in June. Before then, the farthest he’d ever ridden a bike was 24 miles. That was in 11th grade. On June 26, the 23-year-old set out to break that personal record and, perhaps, a world record as well. That day, Biel embarked on a 25,000-mile bike ride from Alaska to Argentina in the hopes of raising a million dollars and awareness for autism.Biel said he averages about 75 miles a day, and he’s leaving Chapel Hill, where he’s taken a break since December, early Monday morning for Greensboro.Biel, who graduated from UNC in May, has attached a name to his campaign, calling it the Adventure for Autism. He is sending the money he raises to charities L’Arche in Canada and the Pathfinders for Autism based in Maryland.“It’s disheartening to see how widespread it’s become, but it’s been awesome to see people case by case,” Biel said. “People with autism aren’t just numbers or statistics.”In nearly every town he visits, Biel stops to talk to students of all ages about autism and his bike ride. He asks everyone he meets for donations, and has a sign on his bike to help promote his cause. When he makes it to Mexico, he’ll switch it to Spanish. He said he’s not sure how much he’s raised so far.“I cycle the same way the mailman operates — regardless of the weather,” he said.He started planning his cycling journey in January 2008. Biel said he had known he didn’t want to immediately begin a job upon graduating in 2009. Instead, he wanted to use the time to make a difference and inspire others. At first, he didn’t have a plan. Then he visited Belize.He was passing an interesting sign on the road, and though he has yet to understand what the sign was advertising, he knew it mentioned something about a Trans-American Trail.The idea of taking a Trans-American journey never left his thoughts. Initially, he thought he wanted to hike through two continents, but then discovered that such a trip would take seven years. So he settled for a two-and-a-half-year bike ride instead.One of his friends has a younger sister with autism and suggested he ride his bicycle to raise money for the cause. Before creating Adventure for Autism, Biel didn’t know much about autism beyond what he learned from coaching an autistic boy at a baseball camp and working with another at a Mexican orphanage.“I did my homework on what’s going on,” he said.Throughout his trip, Biel has been making regular documentaries with photos and video, which he updates on his Web site and YouTube. A monthly feature shows him getting to know people with autism and their families first hand.“The world of someone with autism is very overwhelming, but it’s also very simple,” he said. “They find the joy in little things that I sometimes miss out on.”Once he arrives in Argentina, he won’t be quite finished. On the way back, Biel said he wants to break the world record for fastest bike ride on the Pan-American Highway, which stretches straight from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Biel said the current bicycle record is 128 days, and that he’s shooting for completing his trip in 100 to 116 days.While Biel said he and his parents paid $10,000 to fund the trip, his cause has enlisted the help of strangers, as well.“I’ve gone to Starbucks almost every day, and I haven’t paid for Starbucks ever,” said Biel, who has stayed in the homes of strangers he has met in churches along his ride. “When you do good in the world, the world conspires with you,” he said, quoting a favorite passage from the novel “The Alchemist.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(02/02/10 6:18am)
At first, Scott Zeger’s charts, graphs and scientific approach were a concern Monday for some humanities and arts professors.But Zeger, who is one of three finalists for the position of executive vice chancellor and provost, tried to address their concerns during a public presentation in Wilson Library.Zeger, a biostatistics professor who currently serves as the vice provost for research at Johns Hopkins University, said he has an interest in working with faculty to tailor a humanities education focused on helping students find employment.He added that he values an education in the arts to foster creativity. UNC is looking to fill the position held by Bernadette Gray-Little, who left to become the new chancellor of the University of Kansas in May.The provost is the school’s top academic officer and No. 2 administrator.The words “inspire” and “discovery” were a key part of Zeger’s discussion of his goals for leading a public university on Monday.“I’m hoping to inspire students to lofty ambitions and to make a difference in the world,” he said.He added that education is a noble cause.“I loved being the person to bring a faculty member and student together,” he said of his work at Johns Hopkins. “There’s nothing better in the world than the feeling you get when the person you’ve been working with understands a new concept.”Zeger also stressed that students should be rewarded for talent and hard work instead of social status.“We should be a force for social equality and justice,” he said.Along with sharing his ideological beliefs for higher education, Zeger presented some of his research projects, which include the Nepal Nutrition Intervention Project and an American air pollution study.Joe Templeton, former chairman of the Faculty Council, said he was impressed with Zeger’s appeal to professors in the sciences and humanities. “He’s clearly a broadly based individual with academic credibility and outstanding experience,” Templeton said.Zeger said he wants to become a part of UNC’s administration because of its structure — more decentralized than Johns Hopkins — and for its high academic standards.He said he would look to create a more equitable and just society as the provost.Zeger also emphasized the importance of people, building an ethic among staff members and the value of listening. “A university is only as good as the quality of its people,” he said. While his presentation touched on his approach to research and running a school, it was not without humor.“I couldn’t resist one cheap trick,” he said, as he clicked to his last slide, which read, “Beat Duke.”Shelley Earp, chairman of the provost search committee, said he enjoyed both Zeger’s presentation and Anthony Monaco’s, who spoke Thursday. “I’m very pleased with both their ability to express their scholarship regarding a transition to a job that’s a service to others,” he said. Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(01/12/10 5:42am)
Academic advisers spent the first day of classes ironing out hundreds of scheduling wrinkles for students. By 1 p.m. Monday, more than 440 students had met with advisers in the College of Arts and Sciences.But advisers said temporarily relaxing the fine arts graduation requirement kept more students from lining up inside Steele Building.Carolyn Cannon, associate dean of academic advising, said she was not surprised by the number of problems, considering the scheduling issues that many students, and especially seniors, face under graduation requirements being tested for the first time this semester.“It’s the normal start to class. It’s a catchall the first week,” she said.With the first graduating class subject to the 2006 curriculum revision entering its final semester, academic advisers have implemented temporary changes to make it easier for seniors to fulfill a higher-level arts requirement.Under the curriculum, students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Arts and Sciences or a Bachelor of Science in psychology must take an upper-level fine arts class in order to graduate. Classes above the 199 level from only three departments — music, dramatic art and art — can fulfill the fine arts requirement, and students have had difficulties getting into these classes.“I’ve been trying to sign up for an art class for the past three semesters,” said senior Anaïs Monroy, a double major in German and international studies. A recent University survey found that 1,400 seniors had not yet completed this fine arts requirement.Senior Mary Goldstein, a dramatic art major, said many of the arts classes are filled by younger students, blocking seniors from filling their requirements.“A lot of people are snagging those classes from people who need those classes to graduate,” she said. In response to these obstacles, the advising department is allowing current seniors such as Monroy and Goldstein to take classes below the 200 level, or propose that classes from other departments fit the requirement.Monroy is petitioning advising to allow her American Studies class on the art of quilting to count toward the requirement.Because of the change, Cannon said the fine arts requirement has been less of an issue this week than she had expected. “We received permission from Dean (Bobbi) Owen to look at courses in ways we hadn’t looked at before,” Cannon said. She said fewer than 50 substitutions were made for the fine arts requirement with courses approved by advisers. “We did make some substitutions, but not like we thought we’d have to,” she said.Owen said the University would evaluate the curriculum and make permanent changes by May 2011.But Cannon said the requirements have not made current scheduling more difficult than usual this week.“We have been working with these requirements for four years,” Cannon said. “After four years, the advisers know the requirements like the back of their hand.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(10/20/09 3:31am)
The first edition of Black Ink Newspaper featured a spread on the groundbreaking start of the Malcolm X College in Chicago.Through a 40-year history, the Black Student Movement publication survived the civil rights movement and pushed for the construction of a black cultural center.More recently, it reported on the election of the nation’s first black president.And while it is the same publication, its tone and role have evolved.That’s what current Editor-in-Chief Kirstin Garriss found out when she met Monday afternoon with Cureton Johnson, Black Ink’s first editor, in honor of the publication’s 40th anniversary.Johnson, a 1971 graduate, said Black Ink involved “agitation and advocacy” in battling segregationist views in the classroom, protesting in the Food Service Workers’ Strike and mourning the death of Martin Luther King Jr.“Students loved it not because it was so great, but because it was ours,” he said. “It was a hot item.”He said it offered the minority voice in hostile times, one that didn’t always have white support. “We could say things in Black Ink that we couldn’t in The (Daily) Tar Heel,” Johnson said.The publication had a shaky start after administrators took away funding after two issues, citing the magazine’s controversial and incendiary articles.“By the time we were geared up, we were out of business,” Johnson said, adding that funding was later returned to the group.Johnson, now a minister at Fayetteville’s First Baptist Church, majored in journalism and said he’s been published in several N.C. newspapers and The Washington Post since his start.But he told Garriss he doesn’t want to see inflammatory speech in Black Ink now. “Y’all got to put aside some of the old junk the older generations had,” he said.Garriss said she liked hearing a different perspective on what student life was like during the civil rights movement.“It was very empowering,” she said. “Now I feel like I’m doing something bigger than what I initially thought.”In the past few years, Black Ink has struggled with organization and diminished in prominence. Garriss, who said she’s got a strong 20-student staff, plans to revive it this year. And she said she’d take Johnson’s advice to heart.“Be creative and enjoy it,” he told her. “Enjoy the ride.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(10/05/09 4:16am)
Black Student Movement Week culminated Saturday evening, but group president B’anca Glenn said she hopes last week’s events were just the beginning of a strong presence on campus this year.Glenn said participation on BSM Pride Day and in the election for Mr. and Miss BSM were signs of progress.More than 100 students, several clad in supportive T-shirts, gathered in the Pit on Friday for free cake and entertainment in honor of BSM Pride Day.“We want to put BSM out there and let people know we’re up and moving this year,” Glenn said.Mr. and Miss BSM usually enter the Homecoming King and Queen competition, often winning. Glenn said that tradition isn’t changing.But last year’s Homecoming election was a departure from that trend. The two white students, Jeremy Crouthamel and Meredith Martindale, who won the election were not affiliated with BSM.The organization struggled to get members out to the polls, which some members saw as a sign of dwindling participation from members.Stronger student involvement in BSM, which could help win a Homecoming election, is what Glenn said she’s aiming for this year.On Friday, 181 members cast their votes online for Mr. and Miss BSM.The number, almost half of BSM members, was an increase from last year.“It’s exciting to see who will win Miss and Mr. BSM because that’s when we’ll get the ball rolling,” said freshman Tia Davis, who joined the BSM after her second week at UNC.Mr. and Miss BSM are chosen annually based on service project platforms they work on throughout the year.Krista Stepney, who was crowned Miss BSM on Saturday, plans to provide donations and education to lower-income schools.Lorenzo Hopper, who wants to explore identity and diversity issues on campus, was crowned Mr. BSM.“I think they’re both strong candidates, and their projects are very well-developed,” Glenn said.Davis said she plans to get further involved with the BSM.“It has so much to offer everyone,” she said. “I find a lot of comfort in that.”She noted that members come from diverse backgrounds, but BSM unifies them.“We culturally share the same value system, which is to preserve black culture in this country and share it with the community.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(09/21/09 4:49am)
Ron Bilbao was sitting in a Carolina Hispanic Association meeting his freshman year when someone suggested starting a Latino Center.He couldn’t get the idea out of his head.Now a senior, Bilbao witnessed the fruits of his labor Friday evening at the unofficial kickoff of the Carolina Latino Collaborative.The network hopes to unify Latino groups on campus, work with the Latino Studies minor program and collaborate with other minority and advocacy groups.John Ribó, graduate assistant to the collaborative, said when he came to UNC from Texas a few years ago, the only Latinos he saw were working in Lenoir Dining Hall and the Spanish department. He wanted to change that.“It’s been a long time coming and a lot of work — it’s just one big collaboration,” Ribó said.After receiving input from two different chancellors and creating a task force, former Provost Bernadette Gray-Little granted permission last spring for the collaborative, a less-expensive option than a formal center.The collaborative’s new facility on the first floor of Craige North residence hall features a multi-purpose room, offices and a “smart room” with seating.After reading an excerpt from his book, “A Home on the Field,” journalism professor Paul Cuadros led a discussion about the Latino community and American identity.“It’s a great day not only with the launch of this collaborative, but also with the courageous decision of the Board of Community College System in North Carolina, which decided to admit undocumented community college students to the state,” Cuadros said.Cuadros said to collaborative leaders and the Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity that Hispanic students are expected to be the largest minority on campus in coming years.“This will be the fountain from where voices in this community and this state will be able to speak,” he said during his discussion. Bilbao said he’s excited for what the collaborative will provide.“We’re going to show this campus that this is the best thing they’ve created in a really long time,” he said.And with a year to prove the value of the collaborative to administrators, Bilbao said he is confident in its success.“Our goal is not to duplicate work but to bring together all the work happening in this community and make it worthwhile,” he said.“There’s no failure allowed in this collaborative.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(08/25/09 5:18am)
This year’s incoming freshman class is the most diverse and academically talented class yet, university officials said.The class has more minorities and fewer Caucasians, which contrasts with the drop in minority enrollment last year. It also has higher SAT scores and class rankings than its predecessors. Admissions director Stephen Farmer said the diversity flip-flop is not that significant and that there has been a trend over the past decade of enrolling fewer Caucasians and more minorities, largely because North Carolina is becoming a more diverse state.“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Carolina’s being a diverse school also makes it really attractive to diverse students,” Farmer said. “By and large, I think the brightest kids around the state and around the country want to go to this college and study with people in wide and varying backgrounds.”UNC admitted 7,344 students for the class of 2013 and expects 3,953 to begin classes today — the largest incoming class the University has ever had.The percentage of students in the Carolina Covenant program, which allows students from low-income families to graduate debt-free, has jumped 23 points.Archie Ervin, associate provost for diversity and multicultural affairs, said this large number is an indicator of difficult economic times but is also a good opportunity to broaden the scope of diverse students at UNC.Ervin also said there has been an increase in students marking “other” on applications specifying race, which may contribute to the 1.6 percent decrease of Caucasians this year.About 2.9 percent of enrolled students listed themselves racially as “other.”“There is a 400 percent growth in number of people who described themselves as ‘other’ since 2000,” Ervin said. “I don’t know if there’s an actual decline in Caucasians – people might be multi-identifying themselves.”Still, both Ervin and Farmer acknowledged the class’s ethnic and economic diversity.“In every way that I think this group can be quantified, this group is without a doubt the most diverse,” Farmer said.He also said the class of 2013 is stronger academically than last year’s incoming class.Eighty percent of the enrolling in-state students graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class, compared to 74 percent five years ago.The average SAT score was 1302, one point higher than last year.Ervin said he thinks academic talent and diversity are related, although there isn’t any data to prove a link.Farmer said the remarkable enrollment is all about students’ attraction to the University, which he says is a diverse community.“Carolina is just a screamin’ deal, just a great value,” he said. He added that word has gotten out that students can’t find a better place to be welcomed, challenged and educated.Farmer said he expects nothing less than excellence from the class of 2013.“I expect them to excel, make Carolina a better place than it already is, graduate in four years, have a great time and achieve more than they ever thought they could achieve.”Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(04/23/09 4:00am)
Both Student Body President Jasmin Jones and the UNC administration look forward to a give-and-take relationship next year.As she represents students' interests in talks about tuition and other major policy issues Jones said she sees herself as a member of a partnership with University administrators to accomplish both her goals and theirs.Jones must maintain a strong relationship with the UNC administration because several of her platform points such as reforming tuition-increase discussions academic advising and University services" require assistance and cooperation from administrators.Jones said former Student Body President J.J. Raynor left her in a good position to continue a strong working relationship with the administration.""We are in a great relationship with the administrators on campus and want to continue those relationships and help them to do the things they want to do with the University" and hopefully they can help us with ours" Jones said.Administrators expect Jones to help them meet their goals next year, such as increasing awareness of University policies.Jones said a major focus for her this summer will be compiling a report on tuition and student fees to give to students.Tuition is one area where student body presidents can have a strong voice, although ultimately they are only one of several votes.Provost Bernadette Gray-Little said regular meetings with Jones to talk about tuition will begin at the start of the school year.Gray-Little and Jones are co-chairwomen of the tuition and fee advisory task force, and Gray-Little said they each will take turns leading various components of meetings.We'll also have an opportunity to confer with one another on how things are going or with other issues" which is something I have ordinarily done with other student body presidents" Gray-Little said.Another way student government will work with the administration is through the student advisory committee to the chancellor, a group led by the vice president that meets regularly with the chancellor.This year the committee had a hand in shaping policies about protest guidelines and a proposed Latino center.Jones said she is meeting with Chancellor Holden Thorp for lunch sometime next week to talk about plans for next year.I will work with the chancellor and help him accomplish the goals necessary for the University" but always on behalf of the students Jones said.Contact the University Editor at
(03/23/09 4:00am)
Native Americans from all over the state came together Saturday afternoon to celebrate and share their cultures in the 22nd Annual Carolina Indian Circle Contest Powwow.""A powwow is basically an American Indian cultural networking social"" said Brandi Brooks, assistant director of UNC's American Indian Center and 2007 graduate. It was started as a way to get tribes to interact.""Members of the Lumbee" Chippewa Cherokee Wyandotte Haliwa-Saponi Mohawk Iroquois and Lakota tribes were present at the powwow in Fetzer Gym. Brooks estimated about 1800 people attended. Participants wore brightly colored and intricately detailed outfits and danced competitively to music provided by various drum circles that also competed.Dancers were judged on footwork posture and regalia" and winners received small cash prizes. But attendees said the prizes were secondary to celebrating the culture.""It's kind of like a big family reunion"" said Heather Jones, an East Columbus High School dancer and a member of the Waccamaw Siouan and Lumbee tribes. If you're dancing for the money"" you shouldn't be here. We're just representing our culture and the money is like a bonus.""Junior Shane Locklear" vice president of Carolina Indian Circle and of UNC's American Indian fraternity Phi Sigma Nu" said it is important to share the American Indian culture with other Americans.""I've had people ask me"" ‘Do American Indians still exist?'"" he said. ""So I try to educate others that we still do exist and teach them about our culture.""Vendors sold American Indian gifts including art and clothing. Marti Ackerman said selling gifts is her way of sharing her culture.""I own a store in Charlotte" and coming to pow wows is the next step" she said.Ackerman said she sells at powwows about once a month and travels as far as four hours away. Her biggest seller is sage, which is burned to cleanse bad energy.If your house is feeling funky and has weird energy" you can sage your house" she said.Sophomore Amelia Muse, who is half Native American and helped organize the powwow, said the Carolina Indian Circle's planning and work since August paid off.It's been really" really amazing" Muse said. We never expected this number of people.""Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(03/23/09 4:00am)
CORRECTION: Due to a reporting error Monday's online story" ""Project DInah's rejected fundraising request goes to trial"" incorrectly reports that Project Dinah requested $1,000 for I Heart Female Orgasm."" The group requested $6"000. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.The Student Supreme Court decided Monday night that Project Dinah's lawsuit against Student Congress will go to trial this Wednesday.Graduate student and Dinah member Alyson Culin claims that Student Congress violated the Student Code in rejecting a funding request from Project Dinah.Project Dinah a student group that promotes education and awareness about women's safety and empowerment" has hosted the ""I Heart Female Orgasm"" event for the past two years to educate students about female sexual health. The organization requested $1"000 for the event" an allocation that was challenged and reduced to $0 by Student Congress.One of Culin's two main arguments is that Student Congress relied on the document ""Title V for Dummies"" to make their decision instead of Title V of the Student Code"" which deals with financial affairs and rules about funding requests.She also said Student Congress violated the Student Code by speculating that Project Dinah could raise funds elsewhere for the event.""Title V for Dummies"" is available on the Student Congress Web site to help students understand Title V of the Student Code.Culin said Congress read a clause from the document at the meeting where it decided to withdraw funding for Project Dinah.Chief Justice Emma Hodson said she thinks there are discrepancies between what ""Title V for Dummies"" states and the actual Title V. ""I'm not convinced that the document necessarily portrays what's there"" she said during Monday's hearing.In his written answer to Culin's complaint, defendant Tim Nichols — speaker of Student Congress — said that by tradition, several general principles and budgetary rules not in the Code are sometimes used in funding decisions.A question of rhetoric also dominates the case, regarding the significance of the word should"" in a section of Title V"" which states that Congress ""should"" try to reduce speculation of how much money groups could raise elsewhere. In his written answer"" Nichols said the word ""should"" in the Student Code is not congruent with ""shall"" or ""must"" which mandate action.During the pre-trial hearing, Culin argued that the term should"" is used often throughout the Student Code and in most cases signifies action by Congress.Hodson did not accept Nichols' motion to dismiss the case. Nichols said Culin could not sue because the budget bill has not yet been approved by Student Body President J.J. Raynor.""I still have a couple more days before time runs out to let the Supreme Court make up their minds before I take action" Raynor said.But Raynor's inaction had no effect on the progress of the trial.I'm glad they ruled to hear the full trial" Culin said. I'm happy that they found that the case does have merit and deserves to be heard in court.""Both Nichols and Student Solicitor General Kris Gould" who is representing him declined to comment on the decision. Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(03/16/09 4:00am)
The University expects to make less money this year from trademarked merchandise sales which help pay for scholarships.The projected total trademark income for the next school year is $3926769 — down about 5 percent from last year. The scholarships awards and student aid committee discussed the numbers Monday while planning the allocation of trademark income scholarships.Trademark income for the University comes from a royalty charged to stores that are licensed to sell merchandise with the UNC trademark. After the UNC licensing office uses the royalties for administrative costs" the remainder is set aside for student aid.""I can't name another university that gives all of its trademark licensing revenues to student scholarships or that gives its bookstore profits to benefit students"" said Shirley Ort, associate provost and director of Scholarships and Student Aid.The trademark income scholarships include need-based awards, merit-based awards for in-state students and three out-of-state Pogue Scholarships which target minority applicants.One quarter of the money will go to merit-based aid. These distinguished scholarships are four-year commitments for first-years.The Pogue Scholarships will receive $183,483, and the rest goes toward need-based scholarships, next year at $2,679,122.Because of the poor economic climate, the University expects financial aid to be in especially high demand for the 2010-11 academic year. Ort said an early indication of lower trademark revenue is that orders for inventories have decreased in Chapel Hill stores. While the total dollar amount has slightly decreased for next year, the committee is in better condition than it expected. The committee projected to have a balance of zero for 2009, but now has $364,164.Although the money could be used for scholarships next year, Ort said the committee will save the money in anticipation of having greater need for it in the future.Professor Charles Daye, the committee's chairman, said a prime focus for the group is to help recruit excellent students, and that N.C. schools have become more competitive financially.That's where we compete with Pogues and need-based programs" he said. We want to attract top-notch students" and so far we're doing a great job with financial packaging and covering debt with grants.""Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(02/02/09 5:00am)
Hoping to capitalize on the excitement of the election of President Barack Obama" the Black Student Movement is planning a month's worth of events on a scale that hasn't been seen in years.BSM has organized events throughout February in celebration of Black History Month. Each week will have a different theme ranging from culture to politics.""I think overall it will be bigger this year because the BSM never really took a role in planning events for Black History Month"" said Tiffany Little, the month's planning committee co-chairwoman. With Barack Obama being president"" we have more to talk about than just the Civil Rights Movement and slavery. So I think this year will be a lot more exciting because we can tie things from the past into the present.""Last February"" the BSM held a demonstration march from Carroll Hall to the Pit in silent protest of the media's lack of coverage for minorities outside of crime.""Basically" last year was a big incentive for me with just that one thing on the last day" said Shaniqua McClendon, BSM president. I thought it was bad for the Black Student Movement to not do more during Black History Month.""So this year" McClendon formed a committee to organize events throughout February.Senior Rachel Moss a co-chairwoman of this committee" said it began meeting last semester with a group of 10 to 12 students to plan events.""What we want to stress is this is for everyone" and we really want everyone to come out and take part" Moss said. You don't have to be African-American to want to know more about our history.""She said that the month will encourage cultural awareness as well as promote learning and understanding about diversity.One activity Little said she's looking forward to this month is a tea with black professors.""It's the one I'm most excited about because I think a lot of students don't even realize how many African-American professors we have here"" she said.Other universities are also holding events to celebrate Black History Month. One theme will undoubtedly be where race relations can go from here, now that the country has its first black president.It was a really momentous occasion in history" but we're going to ask where do we go from here what's the next step" Moss said.Kornelius Bascombe, president of the Black Students Board at N.C. State University, said that the presidency has had an impact with race relations on campus, noting hate speech written on the Free Expression Tunnel earlier this year about Obama.I think people now are kind of over the fact that Barack Obama is black and a Democrat"" Bascombe said. People are just ready to see some kind of change.""Bascombe said that several more white students have taken an interest in the board since Obama's election and inauguration.The board will host events featuring black artists and performers. The board is trying to coordinate a meeting with other colleges in late February to have a discussion of topics that pertain to the black community" Bascombe said.At the University of Virginia the Black Student Alliance will be holding several events.There will be the annual Black History Bowl" where students team up to answer black history questions for cash prizes. ""Black Power at UVa."" will also be held where alumni from the time of the organization's formation in 1969 will return to Charlottesville and share their experiences with current students.""We're hoping students will relate to these experiences and think about how it was back then"" said Lauren McGlory, Black Student Alliance president.BSM leaders said they hope that activities during Black History Month will remain a tradition at UNC.For the Black Student Movement" this should be time where we have more a significant presence on campus McClendon said. I'd like the BSM to have a more a significant presence on campus in general" but I feel like this will be the best time to help make that happen.""Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(01/26/09 5:00am)
Police are searching for a person accused of repeatedly entering female students' bathrooms to capture images of them in the shower.The Department of Public Safety is urging students to be alert following two reports of a peeper on the second floor of Teague Residence Hall — one as recently as Jan. 19.One female Teague resident who wishes to remain anonymous for privacy reasons reported the first incident Sept. 25.She said she was taking a shower late at night in her suite and left the bathroom door unlocked.She heard the door open and saw a shadow across the shower curtain but no one responded when she asked who was there.She looked up from shaving her legs and found a cell phone in her face" which she assumes was recording her.""I immediately went to the R.A. and filled out a police report" she said. They did an investigation but nothing really came of it. There was no proof" no way we could really find out what is what because I didn't see a face or a hand or anything except a phone.""While the female student did not know who intruded in either case"" she said she thought the suspect is probably the same in both incidents.""There are not many boys on the floor" maybe only one suite of guys she said. I personally think it's just a random thing" and I happen to be unlucky.""A similar incident was reported Jan. 19"" and police reports indicated ""suspicious conditions.""Randy Young" DPS spokesman said that peeping was involved" but that the use of a camera device has not been confirmed.Young said there are no suspects and the incident is under investigation. DPS has increased police patrols at Teague and is working with the housing office to prevent further incidents.""It could be a resident playing a joke on the suite" it could be anything" said Rick Bradley, assistant director of housing. It's hard to tell until hard evidence has been collected by police.""The normal routine is to increase staff visibility in the building and tell residents to keep their eyes open for someone who looks like they don't belong in the community.""Young said anyone who has information about the incident should call DPS at 962-3951 or Crime Stoppers at 942-7515. He added that residents should lock bathroom and suite doors and call 911 to report suspicious behavior.Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(01/20/09 5:00am)
As the economic recession continues more and more patients are unable to pay for their care at UNC Hospitals.UNC Hospitals lost $228 million in unpaid medical bills for 2008 — a 9.6 percent increase from 2007.Projections for the first six months of the year went according to plan but now collection rates — or the ability of patients to pay — have decreased.UNC Hospitals has a legal obligation to help any patients that require medical attention. Many times" these patients are unable to pay their medical bills later.""As the economy worsens" we have to make every effort to continue to provide every service we're providing" said Karen McCall, vice president of public affairs and marketing for UNC Hospitals. But like everyone else" we're trying to reduce costs scrutinizing open positions carefully and hiring a certain number of clinical positions McCall said. We're looking at travel expenses and any way to reduce expenses" just like anybody else.""The hospitals have also lost $150 million in the stock market over the past three years. About $23 million was lost in 2008.But McCall said despite a tight budget the hospitals don't have a hiring freeze and are not anticipating layoffs.""We will do everything we can to retain our staff" but we're also facing state fund reductions and increasing bad debt and charity care she said. UNC is not the only public university whose hospitals are suffering during the economic downturn.Hospitals at the University of Michigan are also experiencing the repercussions of economic strife. We just had to lay off 80 people" said Andi McDonnell, the hospitals' lead public relations representative. We constantly review and adjust budgets. We have gone through a very significant budget-cutting process this fiscal year.""McDonnell acknowledged the economic crisis and its effects on every industry in the nation.McCall said"" ""We have to anticipate this could go on for a while"" and we have to be as cautious and prudent as we could possibly be."" Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(12/02/08 5:00am)
Due to a reporting error Tuesday's pg. 3 story" ""Fee increase up for Feb. vote"" should not state that students will have the chance to vote for two proposed fee increases in February. The proposed fee increases, which have been approved by the student fee audit committee, student fee advisory subcommittee and the Board of Trustees, still must be approved by Student Congress before they will be placed on the ballot. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error. Student groups typically receive significantly less money than they request from Student Congress.But in early February, more money could be available if students approve a referendum for increased student activity fees in a campuswide vote.The referendum will propose a 15.4 percent increase in fees for student government, which Student Congress could then distribute to student organizations. Congress had $364,000 to distribute this year.The projected $6 increase would raise the total student government fee to $45 for the 2009-10 school year. It's the first increase request in more than 5 years.The student fee audit committee, student fee advisory subcommittee and the Board of Trustees have approved the proposal.It will not take effect unless it passes the campus referendum.The number of student organizations has grown" and the number of events planned has grown significantly and there needs to be a significant increase in the amount of funds" said Peggy Jablonski, vice chancellor for student affairs. It's not unusual for students to vote on fee increases. The Student Code requires a referendum for some student activity fee increases.Students will also vote on whether to approve a proposed $10 increase to provide childcare services for students with families.But until the vote in February, student groups must formulate their own funding plans if they didn't receive what they requested from Student Congress.Be creative"" said Mike Morrill, chairman of the Student Congress finance committee. There are a number of ways to fundraise"" even if you're a 20-person organization.""Al Mask" co-founder of the student music label Vinyl Records said Student Congress has allocated money to Vinyl Records twice but that money isn't the group's main money source.Instead most of the group's funding comes from grants merchandise sales" membership and service.""Student groups are going to have to be a little more strategic than getting funds from more than one place" Mask said.Morrill said that Student Congress is always willing to review applications for funding requests.If you do need money definitely apply for money from student government he said. We have it here" it's just a matter of applying. But it's a nice sign when we see student organizations doing significant fundraising on their own.""Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.