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(08/22/07 4:00am)
UNC students now have more ways to show off their school spirit.
Beginning this summer, Student Stores began selling Under Armour apparel emblazoned with traditional UNC logos.
John Jones, Student Stores manager, said that the University signed the contract with Under Armour in the spring and that the apparel was first put on the floor in early July.
UNC officials chose to work with Under Armour in part because of the brand's name recognition.
"They're a very popular brand. They're a very recognizable brand," said Derek Lochbaum, director of trademarks and licensing at UNC. "They've done very well in the marketplace, and it seemed like a very good fit for our line."
But UNC sports teams have a long-standing sports marketing contract with Nike, which entitles them to Nike-brand uniforms, shoes and equipment, as well as other apparel.
Nike spokesman Alan Marks said the contract with Under Armour doesn't affect the sports marketing agreement with Nike because the two are separate contracts.
Still, as Under Armour gets settled on UNC's campus, the two companies will be pitted against each other on the racks at Student Stores.
"I would say it's certainly competitive with the Nike," Jones said.
"It sells very fast, and we have to go back and reorder on a regular basis. I think, as a brand, it's a very powerful brand."
Licensing a company to produce UNC apparel is not unusual, Lochbaum said.
"Like most companies, Under Armour applied for a license with the University," Lochbaum said.
The application process continues as the University reviews the company to see whether its merchandise fits with what is already being sold on campus, Lochbaum said.
Under Armour has a one-year contract with the University - the length all UNC licensing agreements run. The Nike contract is years long because it is a sports-marketing contract, not an apparel contract.
Lochbaum added that the University gets licensing applications on a daily basis and has more than 500 companies licensed to use UNC logos on both apparel and non-apparel items.
For the University, such licensing agreements bring in money in the form of royalties.
"The University collects a 10-percent royalty on the cost of the goods," Lochbaum said. "Whatever Under Armour sells their products to Student Stores for - we collect 10 percent of that."
Although UNC Under Armour apparel is not limited to Student Stores and can be sold anywhere the brand is found, Jones said Student Stores has seen success with the products. "It's been a very good seller for us."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(08/21/07 4:00am)
Holden Thorp is finally settled into South Building in an office he's been eyeing for more than three years.
Thorp first applied for the position in 2004 when now-Provost Bernadette Gray-Little was named to the post.
After being named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences this spring, Thorp officially took his post July 1 and has spent the summer acclimating himself.
As dean, Thorp is responsible for overseeing all 54 of the arts and sciences departments, but as a scientist, he said he's been learning a lot this summer.
Madeline Levine, former interim dean, called the months leading up to Thorp assuming office "a good transition period.
"He began sitting in on all the meetings of all the senior associate deans," she said. "We really had a meeting of the minds on everything."
Levine noted that the inherent challenges of being dean are varied but said Thorp has the advantage of coming from inside the University.
"There are a lot of people that I've known for 15 years or even . 25 years, who will really tell me if I have a good idea or if my idea's crazy," he said. "If you're an outsider you don't really have that."
He also noted that his six years in UNC administration - four as director of the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and two as chairman of the Department of Chemistry - also have helped him understand how things work on campus.
"I've met with all the chairs, so I think I'm starting to get a good handle on what the issues are," he said.
Because his background is scientific, Thorp said he needed to expand his understanding of the humanities and the University's international scope.
This summer he visited UNC students participating in study-abroad programs in China.
"I think he's trying to get a feel for the global internationalization activities that Carolina is involved with," said Joe Templeton, chairman of the faculty.
Thorp said he hopes to include all students and faculty as he focuses on research at the college.
"The challenges that we face are to excel in research and do a great job with undergraduate and graduate education and develop a strategy that allows us to do all of those things well."
One way to meet that challenge is to increase faculty at the largest college in the University as it deals with an influx of students and greater pressure to succeed.
Levine said Thorp's science background hasn't disadvantaged him because of the strong support structure available within the college.
"I think a good dean knows where his or her strengths are and where they have to rely on senior associate deans," she said. "That's the beauty of the design of college administration."
University Editor Whitney Kisling contributed to this article.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(04/26/07 4:00am)
One hundred million dollars only goes so far. For the Morehead-Cain Foundation the $100 million donation in early February from the Cain Foundation in Texas will mean an increase in scholarships and programming. The gift has almost doubled the foundation's endowment and will allow for future growth. In order to reap the benefits of an expansion, officials said UNC's Honors Program will need to accommodate more students. But the program needs a large gift in order to expand to admit more students. About 200 new students are admitted each year, and officials said they hope to increase that number by 90 percent to 380 students. To accomplish that goal, officials said the program would need an endowment of $25 million. James Leloudis, associate dean for honors and director of the Johnston Center, said the Cain grant has brought into focus many issues plaguing other areas of UNC. He noted the need for the University to be able to offer prospective students both a merit scholarship and a place in the Honors Program. "Increasingly our peers are doing that," he said. "What it really boils down to is how do we maximize our yield for the best undergraduate talent." Bobbi Owen, senior associate dean for undergraduate education, is in the process of preparing a report on the Honors Program to present to the University affairs committee of the Board of Trustees at its May 24 meeting. "A lot of times students who are focused on smaller liberal arts universities see the Honors Program as a way to make the decision to come to UNC easier," said Chuck Lovelace, director of the Morehead-Cain Foundation. "That's not just for Morehead-Cain students but for students in general. It's an important recruiting tool for the University in addition to being a strong educational program." The Morehead scholarship program was established in 1951 as the first nonathletic merit scholarship in the country. It offers recipients a full scholarship to attend UNC including room and board and a monthly stipend. Students are chosen based on their achievement in four areas - leadership, scholarship, moral force of character and physical vigor. And though the Honors Program also emphasizes these qualities, not all Morehead-Cain Scholars are in the Honors Program. About two-thirds of current Moreheads are honors students, Leloudis said. But Morehead students not in the Honors Program can graduate with honors even without participating in the program. "There is this disjunct between the undergraduate honors experience and what it means to graduate with honors," said Student Body President Eve Carson, who is a Morehead-Cain scholar in the Honors Program. Morehead-Cain scholars make up 1 percent of the undergraduate population. Lovelace said the program is aiming to increase the number the scholars to make up 2 percent of future incoming classes. That would raise the number of scholarship recipients to about 75 or 80 students, he said, noting that the program is looking to enroll about 75 students in the fall 2008 class. To achieve this higher enrollment goal, the two programs must grow together. Leloudis said an invitation to the Honors Program is often what secures scholarship recipients enrollment at UNC. "Honors is very important for our reputation as an institution," Leloudis said. "That's important for all of us as a community. That dovetails with the interests and concerns with not only the Morehead but all the merit scholarships." Owen said the Honors Program's long-term goal for more students would require 14 to 16 new faculty positions to effectively support the program. "Could it be bigger? Yes. It can't be bigger with our current resources," Owen said. "I want to offer more small classes for students at Carolina, not just students in the Honors Program. "But when we offer more small classes for honors students everyone benefits." Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(03/28/07 4:00am)
The senior class officers are hoping the class of 2007 has a shag-a-delic farewell.
In lieu of a senior class speaker, Chairmen of the Board and The Embers will perform in a two-day- long beach-themed graduation celebration, senior class officers announced Tuesday night.
"This kind of event is kind of a last time to see your peers," said Meg Petersen, senior class president. "I think that's something you lose with a speaker event."
The celebration, which will be free, is slated to kick off May 10 with a performance by Chairmen of the Board, best known for their song "Carolina Girl," and will continue May 11 with an afternoon performance by The Embers, a Raleigh-based beach music group.
A baseball game and fireworks will end the evening.
Petersen said the two-day event will have a relaxed beach theme and give seniors time to kick back and be with friends one last time.
"We're working on making the event exciting," said Eric Schmidt, senior class vice president, adding that he wants the event to be inviting for everyone.
This year's senior concert celebration will cost about $12,000 including stage and technical costs, Petersen said.
Schmidt said the General Alumni Association will foot some of the cost, saying their event will flow into a GAA-sponsored event that weekend.
"It makes for a nice flow into a whole senior weekend," Schmidt said.
He said there are plans in the works for a Thursday night barhop following the Chairmen of the Board performance.
The Office of the Provost will give $5,000 for the event, Schmidt said.
The past two senior classes also have received about $5,000 each from the Office of the Provost to bring a senior speaker to campus.
Dissatisfied with the selection of Rev. Peter Gomes, a Harvard University professor, as the Commencement speaker, the class of 2005 set the precedent for a senior class event by bringing comedian Mo Rocca to campus.
Last year's speaker, Jasmine Guy, who acted on the show "A Different World," was met with mixed emotions by students.
Because of the lack of enthusiasm for last year's speaker, Petersen said she and Schmidt were open to ideas other than a speaker.
"I know the speakers are never that popular," said senior Pamela Lammonds, an exercise and sports science major. "I guess music will bring more seniors out. Although it's beach music, and it's not that big," she said, adding that she's a fan of shag music.
Senior Brandi Brooks also expressed excitement about the selection of performers.
"My parents shag every weekend, so it's in my blood," Brooks said. "Shagging is such a Carolina thing. . We will drag every friend we have."
Petersen said that although some students might not be familiar with either band, she hopes people will enjoy the festivities. "It's the kind of event that if you go wanting to have a good time, you'll have a good time."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(03/23/07 4:00am)
The Faculty Council will consider today adopting a new system of comparing student achievement, aimed at eliminating student grade disparities.
The proposed system would be based on the Achievement Index, a statistical system similar to grade point averages.
The main difference between the Achievement Index and GPAs is that AI takes into account varying grading systems across departments and courses.
"Both are summaries of the grades that students get," said Andrew Perrin, a member of the subcommittee for grading, which compiled a proposal for the council.
(03/19/07 4:00am)
The Student Supreme Court will hold a pretrial hearing today for former student body president candidate Jon Kite's official appeal against the Board of Elections.
The appeal, which stems from the board's decision not to allow Kite to use a campaign video, has been in the works since just before the first round of campus elections in mid-February.
"Obviously we're not trying to appeal the election," said JJ Raynor, who is serving as Kite's counsel. "We're really trying to set a limit on what type of power the BOE has on campaign materials."
The hearing will let members of the court hear arguments for dismissal of the case and determine how the case will proceed if it does. A trial date could be set as well.
The board ruled that Kite's video misrepresented elections issues, an action prohibited by Title VI of the Student Code, student government's guiding document.
"(We're) trying to express the injury that this has had on our campaign," Kite said. "We're trying to ensure that a right decision has been made."
Kite interviewed top administrative officials and Student Body President James Allred and spliced together their answers in a style similar to that of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Administrators interviewed refused to be included in the video, citing possible damage to their professional careers.
The board unanimously decided that Kite's video was unacceptable to use in his campaign because of the style in which campaign issues were presented.
"The big thing for us was the Board of Elections didn't tell us what specific issues were misrepresented," Raynor said of the video. "That's what we thought was a very broad decision."
Jim Brewer, chairman of the elections board, said that decision was a ban on the entire video.
"They wanted to compromise with us to say, 'What do we need to take out?'" he said. "The board's decision was always a choice to ban the thing in its entirety."
In response to Kite's suit, the Board of Elections filed six motions for dismissal on the grounds that Kite does not have proper standing to file his complaint at this point.
Brewer said the fact that the board issued six motions for dismissal is testament enough that the case should be dismissed by the Student Supreme Court.
Because Kite did not make the runoff elections, his video is no longer subject to Board of Elections' rules, making it possible for him to release it to the public.
Despite the results of the election, Raynor and Kite both said they are pursuing the suit to make sure this does not happen to another candidate.
"I feel that (Kite) was kind of upset by the possibility that the Board of Elections has been given such extensive control over style and content," Raynor said.
"For him that was an abuse of liberty."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(02/14/07 5:00am)
The Campus Y has new leadership waiting in the wings.
Sophomore Josh Criscoe and junior Sarah Schuyler were elected Tuesday as the service organization's next set of co-presidents. They will assume their new roles in March.
Criscoe defeated sophomore Andy Woods for the post, while Schuyler ran unopposed.
"I'm just really, really excited," Criscoe said. "I had tough competition. I was really excited that the Campus Y chose me as the male co-president for the coming year."
Despite losing the election, Woods said he plans to remain involved in Campus Y next year.
Criscoe and Schuyler will work as a team, setting the agenda for the organization and appointing executive committee members to lead the organization's 17 committees, as well as special projects.
Two presidents have been elected every year since the 1960s, when the University's chapters of the YMCA and YWCA combined.
"The duties of president are to steer the Y and to be a support for the executive branch . (and) make sure everyone's getting the resources they need," Schuyler said.
Virginia Carson, director of Campus Y, said the co-presidents have a lot of freedom to direct the organization.
"The officer group makes all the major decisions for the organization," Carson said. "They decide on the agenda, they figure out priorities, they choose the committee chairs."
During her campaign, Schuyler said she hoped to promote greater cooperation among committee leaders and the organization's executive board, as well as increase the group's service projects.
Criscoe's platform emphasized increasing unity within the organization.
Criscoe and Schuyler had been involved with Campus Y in various capacities before running for the group's top post, said Kheang Lim, current co-president.
Criscoe has been involved with the Campus Y since his freshman year, and this year he served as communications coordinator for the executive committee. He also has been involved with Beat Hunger, Beat Duke, Lim said.
As a counselor for Freshman Camp, Schuyler also has remained involved with the organization during her time at UNC.
"It's always good to have leadership that's familiar with the organization . and can continue the programs that we are doing," Lim said.
Both of the presidents-elect said their first priority would be to sit down with each other and combine their platforms.
"After that I'd really like to focus on . a united cabinet," Schuyler said. "Getting people to know each other - using the opening of the new Y building to get people to know each other."
The duo also will take power as the organization moves back into a renovated Campus Y building in the heart of campus within the next month.
"I'm looking most forward to . the opening of the Y (and) moving in to our new building . and being able to be back in the heart of campus with our programs," Criscoe said.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(02/12/07 5:00am)
Holden Thorp, chairman of UNC's Department of Chemistry, will serve as the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, according to an internal e-mail sent Friday by Chancellor James Moeser.
(01/31/07 5:00am)
After an audit at UNC Hospitals revealed that 17 employees had used fraudulent information to obtain jobs, other University sectors might be subject to a similar investigation.
The audit, which was released by the Office of the State Auditor on Monday, found that the hospital employees had misused Social Security numbers. Some were found to be using numbers that belonged to the deceased, while others' names didn't match up with the numbers.
With several hundred University employees in the departments of housekeeping and dining - where the violations were most common for UNC Hospitals - there is a potential for similar issues within other parts of the University.
"Before we extend our offer to hire, we do a criminal background check," said Jim Alty, director of facilities services, which oversees housekeeping. "We check Social Security numbers for new hires."
But the problems that arose at the hospitals stemmed from old hires. The auditor's office suggests doing quarterly checks to make sure employees still are in good standing.
The University does not require double-checking current employees' work forms after they have been cleared for hire.
"We have no plan to right now," said Bill Burston, director of housekeeping services.
Chris Mears, director of public affairs for the state auditor's office, said audits can take anywhere from six weeks to six months.
"Generally speaking, they're kind of all over the board," he said. "It just depends on where the investigation leads us and the scope of the audit."
The UNC Hospitals audit was a strategic audit review, which tracked Social Security numbers. The office began investigating the hospitals in late September.
And UNC Hospitals isn't the only institution that has come under the auditor's scrutiny in recent months. Both N.C. State and N.C. Central universities were found to have similar violations.
At N.C. State, eight university employees had Social Security numbers matching those of deceased people. According to the audit report, seven of those were determined to be keypunch errors.
N.C. Central had 28 employee Social Security violations, 10 of which were typed incorrectly into the payroll database.
According to the audit, UNC Hospitals had one employee's Social Security number keyed in incorrectly.
As for the possibility of an audit in other sectors of UNC, Mears said the office is open to the idea, but he could not comment on any plans.
"We don't really discuss audits that are in progress or which are pending," he said. "The reason why is that we don't want to do anything to tip anyone off that we're coming."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(01/29/07 5:00am)
The University must build bridges if it hopes to fulfill its mission as more than just a research institution, said Virginia Sapiro, the fourth and final candidate to interview for the deanship of the College of Arts and Sciences.
"These bridges must stretch across fields and departments," Sapiro said during her campus visit and interview for the position. "We have to figure out how to not make our own barriers."
Sapiro, who is interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, outlined three characteristics she said are crucial to a good research institution.
"(A research institution) must be a vibrant, supportive and productive learning community for everyone," Sapiro said.
These main qualities also include recognizing the importance of fostering a true liberal arts education on campus and looking beyond campus confines into the greater community.
It is also important to "recruit and retain superb faculty, recruit good graduate students and provide a superb undergraduate education," Sapiro said.
"A college like this one is stuffed with brilliant people," Sapiro said. "Making sure that a healthy and strong institution stays healthy and grows stronger is not an easy (task)."
Sapiro also touched on the obligations the University has to its stakeholders - the residents of the state.
Creating an educated citizenry is most important, she said, because UNC is committed to helping N.C. residents.
Sapiro is the only woman vying for the position. The other contenders are:
n?Steven Matson, chairman of UNC's department of biology;
n?Holden Thorp, chairman of the UNC department of chemistry; and
n?David Zaret, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University.
The search committee selected five candidates to interview this month, but Ramon Gutierrez, professor of ethnic studies and history at the University of California-San Diego, dropped out.
Linda Dykstra, chairwoman of the search committee, said now that the interview process is completed, the committee will begin to review feedback and notes. They then will meet with the Council of Chairs to debrief department heads on the proceedings.
She said committee members hope to come to a consensus by Tuesday in order to make a recommendation to Provost Bernadette Gray-Little.
Gray-Little will be charged with selecting her successor. The deanship opened up when she took the provost position July 1. Madeline Levine has been serving as interim dean.
"We're not necessarily making a ranking, but we're looking at their strengths and weaknesses," she said.
Dykstra said an announcement regarding the appointment is expected from the provost in March.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Virginia Sapiro
November 2005-March 2006: Interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2002- December 2006: Vice provost for teaching and learning
1993-1996: Served as chairwoman of the political science department
1981-1982: Served as chairwoman of the women's studies program
1976: Began teaching in the department of political science and women's studies program
1976: Received a M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from University of Michigan
1972: Received a B.A. in Government from Clark University
(01/23/07 5:00am)
Incoming freshmen have just been assigned their first homework assignment.
(01/22/07 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For an institution such as UNC, reaching for the moon isn't good enough, David Zaret said during his campus visit and interview for the position of dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
"An institution like Chapel Hill needs to aim for the stars," Zaret said Friday to a group of about 60 people, mostly faculty members, in Carroll Hall.
Zaret, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University-Bloomington, was the second candidate to interview out of four finalists vying for the position of dean.
The other three are:
(01/16/07 5:00am)
When one of the five finalist candidates for the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences withdrew his name from the pool, administrators said his decision was surprising but not unprecedented.
Ramon Gutierrez, a professor of ethnic studies and history at the University of California-San Diego, notified on Thursday chairwoman of the search committee Linda Dykstra, of his wish to withdraw from the race.
"I was informed that I was voted to a position at another institution," Gutierrez said. He said he is a finalist for positions at several different institutions.
Gutierrez's departure from the slate of finalists perpetuates a long trend of withdrawals from administrative searches at UNC.
Recent searches for deans of the schools of Law, Journalism and Mass Communication faced similar moves by candidates.
In the past two years, three UNC search committees - the law school's, the journalism school's and the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center's - were forced to restart the selection process when candidates refused job offers or were deemed unqualified.
Dykstra said that during the long selection process, candidates might drop out to take offers from other universities.
"We're looking at people who are, for the most part, moving in a very competitive circle," she said.
Journalism professor Chris Roush, who served as a member of the journalism school dean search committee, said he was surprised by the number of people who apply and interview, only to drop out partway through the search process.
He said motives vary from person to person.
"I think there are people out there who apply for jobs at other universities just to get better pay at their university," Roush said, noting that he felt this was the case in the journalism school's search.
A similar situation occurred when the provost offered the law school's deanship to Kenneth Randall from the University of Alabama last spring.
"He ended up . declining it because they made a very substantial counter-offer at Alabama," said Mike Smith, dean of the School of Government and former chairman of the law school search committee.
Smith said competition from internal candidates is another major factor in decisions to withdraw.
"There were two internal candidates," Gutierrez said of the Arts and Sciences search. "And in my experience that means that the campus search committee is very comfortable with those candidates, and outsiders have to jump an extra, higher hoop to displace the internal candidates."
Smith said it is important to reassure candidates from the start that the search is an open process.
Despite Gutierrez's withdrawal, Dykstra said the search is proceeding as planned.
"(We are) disappointed, but it certainly doesn't disrupt our ongoing plans," she said.
Smith said he thinks the commonality of such actions are inherent in academia.
"I think it's the nature of the beast that it's going to happen."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(01/12/07 5:00am)
Holden Thorp is picking up where he left off three years ago.
Thorp, chairman of UNC's Department of Chemistry, is vying for the role of dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for a second time.
He was a finalist in the search three years ago when former dean Bernadette Gray-Little was selected for the post.
In his pitch for the deanship Thursday, Thorp promised to foster an environment of curiosity and original knowledge among the different divisions of the college.
"Students should learn from people who create knowledge," Thorp said in his presentation to an audience of almost 100 faculty and staff.
Thorp is no stranger to the University, having graduated from UNC in 1986 and served in many positions around campus.
He said his past 14 years at UNC, both as a professor and as director of the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, would help him if he became the next dean.
The search committee selected five candidates to interview this month, but Ramon Gutierrez, professor of ethnic studies and history at the University of California-San Diego, dropped out Thursday, leaving three candidates still in the running.
Gutierrez could not be reached for comment Thursday.
The three remaining candidates are:
n?David Zaret, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University;
n?Steven Matson, chairman of UNC's biology department, and;
n?Virginia Sapiro, professor of political science and women's studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Candidates will participate in a two-day campus visit, which will include an open forum to present their ideas for the college.
"They have to have a history as a teacher-scholar," chairwoman of the search committee Linda Dykstra said of the candidates.
Dykstra also noted the need for the dean to have administrative and fundraising experience, and she said Thorp has sufficient experience in these areas.
Thorp addressed how he would approach monetary issues while keeping in mind the core mission of the college.
"We don't exist to get financial gifts," he said. "We get gifts to enable our mission."
Thorp also talked about encouraging partnerships among faculty and department leaders, as well as pushing for faculty diversity.
"We want to promote a culture for younger faculty to hear the call of leadership," he said.
The dean position was left open when Gray-Little left the post July 1 to assume the role of provost. Madeline Levine has been serving as the interim dean since.
"The big picture is we're looking for someone to attract the best faculty and students to the college . to realize their potential," said Joe Ferrell, a search committee member from the School of Government.
Megan Rolfe, a junior English major who attended the forum, said she was impressed with Thorp's presentation.
She said hearing Thorp's talk was important to her because he is one of the two internal candidates.
"We see them as a far-off place; it's just up to us to make the steps to get to know them," she said. "I was just looking to hear some passion."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(11/27/06 5:00am)
UNC is leading the way in greenness.
The Sierra Club recently recognized the University as one of 10 locations focusing on storm water management and environmentally friendly building designs.
"UNC's definitely a trend-setter," said Tom Jensen, conservation organizer for the Sierra Club's Orange-Chatham Group. "I think it's the only college that we honored of the 10 (projects)."
The Sierra Club studies locations across the country for their storm water management projects, and the focus of the UNC study was the Rams Head Plaza.
The area is environmentally innovative because it has green roofs - plants that absorb rainwater.
"When rain hits the ground and heads toward the sewers, it sort of picks up everything that's in its path getting all sorts of nasty chemicals in the water," Jensen said.
Officials said storm water runoff is one of the main sources of water pollution.
"It is a more serious problem in the more developed areas," said Bernadette Pelissier, chairwoman of the Orange-Chatham Group.
"It's important as there is more development to reduce that storm water runoff," she said.
Pelissier also said that when storm water runs into streams, those streams typically feed into large water reservoirs, which means more chemicals have to be used to treat contaminated drinking water.
She said that not only is UNC trying to cut down on storm water runoff, but the campus also is making an effort to reuse water whenever possible.
"One of the major things is the underground water cistern that collects water from roofs," she said, referring to a large cistern underneath Carmichael Field that collects water from the School of Government and the indoor track.
"Not only does it reduce storm water runoff, but it also reduces the need for potable water to irrigate fields," Pelissier said.
While UNC was recognized for its existing storm water management initiatives, there are more plans to implement such projects in future buildings.
The Global Education Center, which is slated to be finished in the coming months, will have a cistern similar to that under the field to collect rain water, said Cindy Shea, director of the sustainability office.
She said that instead of seeing rainwater as an environmental problem, the University is looking for ways to use the rainwater as a resource.
"We instead are managing storm water as an asset where you are reusing that water for irrigation or flushing toilets," Shea said.
The Global Education Center will be the first building on campus to use rainwater for bathroom facilities, she said.
"Doing things like that lessens our need to have an impact on the environment," said Jim Alty, director of facilities services.
UNC has a commitment to examining how to incorporate sustainability into new campus projects, Shea said, noting that even Chancellor James Moeser has committed to ensuring Carolina North is an environmentally friendly satellite campus.
"It's really nice to be honored as an innovative leader in storm water management," Shea said.
"The campus really is one of the leaders, and I think it would be great if the students, faculty and staff committed to become a more sustainable campus."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(11/13/06 5:00am)
UNC's Faculty Council held its third meeting of the year Friday, taking up a variety of campus issues.
Female Faculty Survey
Susan Lord, chairwoman of the status of women committee, presented results from the spring survey of women faculty.
Women surveyed were able to rank the importance of issues such as pay equity, job security and childcare.
The results of the survey will be distributed to the heads of each academic department on campus, Lord said.
Most ranked work environment issues the highest and tenure clock flexibility not as important.
(10/27/06 4:00am)
The Student Supreme Court will hear two cases Sunday, both involving the Board of Elections.
The last time the Student Supreme Court heard a case was a little more than a year ago, when The Daily Tar Heel and two other student groups sued the BOE.
The two cases were given pretrial hearings Thursday night.
The first case, McLamb v. Board of Elections, involves a candidate who won a seat in the off-campus district.
Stephanie McLamb ran as one of five candidates for one of two congressional seats for district six. Jessica Thompson was the top vote-getter, with McLamb falling just seven votes behind.
But when Thompson was found to be in violation of election rules for passing out candy with her campaign fliers, the BOE voided the results, calling for a re-election.
McLamb filed a complaint with the BOE, stating that as the second highest vote-getter, the BOE should certify her as the winner of one of the two seats.
"Title VI states that we are not able to certify one seat while voiding the other seat," said Jim Brewer, chairman of the BOE, citing the Student Code.
"She should not have to run in another election," said Congress Rep. Tyler Younts, who is representing McLamb in court. Younts said the BOE instead should hold another election for one of the two district-six seats.
But BOE officials cited the small margin of cast votes for the five candidates as reason enough for a re-election.
"There is no way to determine where the affected votes would have been cast if there hadn't been a violation," said Candace Debnam, student attorney general and counsel for the BOE.
In the other case, Board of Elections v. Student Congress, the BOE is the plaintiff instead of the defendant.
The BOE filed a complaint after Congress passed the Facebook Protection Act, which overturned the board's ruling to eliminate the use of Facebook.com and other such social networking Web sites for student election campaigns.
The board initially passed its resolution based on a portion of the Student Code, which states that campaign Web sites cannot be outside of UNC Web space.
Brewer said Congress passing the bill violates the proper procedures for appealing a BOE administrative action.
He also noted that passing the bill during an election cycle would require the board to change its regulations in the middle of an election.
"Enactment of the bill obviously benefits some candidates while putting others at a disadvantage," Brewer said.
Congress Speaker Luke Farley responded to the BOE complaint, saying the bill did not become effective until Student Body President James Allred signed it into law. Farley noted that Allred didn't sign it until Oct. 18, well after the special elections had ended.
The McLamb trial will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Kenan Courtroom of the School of Law, and the other case is scheduled to be heard at 7 p.m. in the same location.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(09/29/06 4:00am)
Student Congress voted Tuesday to pass a bill that prohibits the Department of Athletics from setting aside tickets for certain student organizations.
The bill states that all students are to be placed in the same ticket-distribution pool to keep student government, the Carolina Athletic Association, and Graduate and Professional Student Federation officials from receiving free tickets.
"This is to ensure that student government and CAA leaders are held to the same standard the average student is," said Congress Speaker Luke Farley. "There is no special treatment because you are student body president."
But what the bill - which is a change to Title VII of the Student Code - did not take into consideration was the existing ticket- distribution systems in place for athletic teams and marching band members.
Athletic teams and the marching band have been granted a block of tickets for their own distributions.
"There are 150 upper level seats for the pool of 800 athletes," said Clint Gwaltney, associate athletic director for Smith Center and ticket operations.
In the past, athletes have not been able to attend Saturday morning distributions because of games and practices, which is why the athletic department implemented the separate distribution, Gwaltney said.
"We are going to continue operating under the same practices that we have been operating under," he said in response to the legislation passed by Congress.
"We have a ticket advisory committee . we all work together to come to some resolution on what is the best practice," he said. "These things have gone through those practices. This bill that was written had no discussion whatsoever."
Speaker Pro Tem Dustin Ingalls drafted and introduced the Code changes to Congress on Tuesday and said he was not aware of these stipulations before Tuesday night's meeting.
He said his intention in drafting the bill was to create a level playing field for all students to get tickets.
"There's some sense that CAA members weren't in the same boat as other students," Ingalls said. "I wanted to bring them down to the level of other students."
Farley said students' frustration with the new online system has been enough of an issue.
"If the SBP and GPSF are just getting tickets handed to them, they won't feel the average student's pain," he said.
Ingalls noted that the new online distribution system brings with it the possibility for greater ticket demand, and he was worried there would not be enough tickets if student government officials continued to receive handouts.
He said he plans to rewrite the bill to exclude the athletic teams and the marching band from the standard ticket distribution.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(09/26/06 4:00am)
With the Carolina First fundraising campaign nearing its end, UNC has seen a jump in large donations during the past several months.
The University received $30.2 million in private donations in August alone - well past the needed monthly average of $9.98 million.
"Private funding kind of helps give us a margin of excellence," said Scott Ragland, director of development communications. "(It) helps us go above and beyond what we could do otherwise."
This is one reason why private and corporate donations are so important to a school such as UNC, he said.
Donors who have recently given large amounts include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the John William Pope Foundation.
With the new programs and buildings that donations bring to the University, students aren't the only ones who benefit.
"There are several endowed professorships . that allow us to recruit highly qualified professors to the campus," said Madeline Levine, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Joe Templeton, chairman of the faculty, said professors also will reap the benefits of these new buildings, referring to the science complex that is set to open during the next few weeks.
The most recent large donation to the campaign - a $5 million gift from alumni Barbara and Pitt Hyde - will benefit faculty directly through its funding of the Institute for Arts and Humanities within the College of Arts and Sciences.
"The institute directly works with faculty who apply to get one- semester research fellowships there," Levine said.
But not all donations come with such specific stipulations, she noted.
Some smaller gifts are given to the University as discretionary funds, which means the money is used where the need is greatest, Levine said.
The Carolina First campaign was launched in 2000 and will end December 2007. By the time the University's private fundraising effort is complete, UNC officials hope to reach their stated goal of $2 billion in donations.
And with a little more than 14 months left in the campaign's run, the influx of donations seems to be bringing in more contributions.
"People see how successful the campaign is going, and I guess success fuels success," Ragland said.
Levine said she does not anticipate donations subsiding because the University has a strong history of charitable support.
But she did say there will probably be a natural ebb and flow of gifts - although there are no signs of the campaign losing steam anytime soon.
Even as the campaign continues to receive donations, Ragland said thoughts are already turning to post-campaign fundraising.
"We want to keep bringing scholarships and building buildings," he said.
All three said that UNC holds a special place in donors' hearts.
"In most cases it's almost their perception of campus as they experienced it or . their relationship with some special individual," Templeton said.
"There's some connection they have that is deep-rooted," he said. "They give to Carolina in hopes to make that a reality for somebody else."
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
(09/19/06 4:00am)
After a year of hard work and not much spare time, last year's student government leaders passed their responsibilities to a new group of dedicated students in April.
This time last year these former student leaders were busy scrambling to attend meetings and form campus policy in between their daily schedules.
Checking in now, they've taken different paths. One is busy adapting to life in medical school, another is taking an administrative role just down the road. Yet another is continuing his research at the University.
All are adjusting to the change in pace as the spotlight begins to fade from their time at the top.
Name: Seth Dearmin
Former title: student body president
Current job: UNC-system General Administration
Dearmin couldn't pull himself away from Chapel Hill after graduating in May. He began his new job down the road six weeks ago.
"To some degree (it's) an extension of what I was exposed to last year as student body president," Dearmin said.
But before he joined the higher-education policy world, he and his roommate took a one-way trip across a northern route to the West Coast.
He said it was nice to not have any worries and focus on being young.
But now he said he's putting in long hours at the office.
"It's not the same sense of freedom and carefreeness of being a student . being able to go out on Franklin Street multiple nights a week."
Dearmin said he will hold the position with the UNC system for one year and then will consider traveling or graduate school.
Name: Justin Johnson
Former title: Carolina Athletic Association president
Current job: student, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Former CAA President Justin Johnson left Blue Heaven to move up the East Coast.
Johnson said he is looking for ways to get involved on campus - including student government.
So far he said he has worked at a free clinic and tutored at a local high school.
After graduating in May, Johnson spent part of his summer working in a lab and being an umpire for girls' softball teams in Chatham County.
Johnson said the lessons he learned from working with CAA will help him with his future endeavors.
"As a physician I'll be working with all different types of people working as part of a medical team - stuff we did all the time at CAA."
Name: Mike Brady
Former title: Graduate and Professional Student Federation
Current job: graduate student
Still enrolled at UNC, former GPSF President Mike Brady, now spends his time with his daughter and working on his research project.
"I'm leading a pretty simple life now in comparison," Brady said.
But he said he misses the link to students he felt through student government.
"It's amazing how disconnected I feel already, just having been away for a few months," he said.
After a four-year stint with student government, Brady said he will find another way to get involved again - just nothing major.
But Brady said he still tries to interact with students on campus.
"I still try to be a go-to person," he said. "Whenever I overhear people talking about a problem I usually stick my nose in and tell them where they need to take their issues."