University - The Daily Tar Heel

Wilson Library overlooks Polk Place on March 1, 2021.

University Libraries launches Reckoning Initiative to advance anti-racism work

By Jennifer Tran | May. 31

Elaine Westbrooks, vice provost for University Libraries and University librarian, said that prior to the pandemic, the Libraries held an exhibition examining the historical role of science in creating concepts of race, as well as other exhibitions meant to demonstrate active commitment to the equity and inclusion work stated in the Libraries' framework. “You should belong,” Westbrooks said. “You’ve earned the right to be here, and we want to ensure that you belong, you’re represented and you’re treated equitably.”

The first vaccine dose given at UNC’s vaccination clinic is administered in the Student Union on March 31, 2021. As North Carolina began to allow college students to receive coronavirus vaccines, UNC opened a clinic on campus where students can receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

UNC announces vaccinated students won't have to participate in asymptomatic testing

By Lauren McCarthy | May. 28

The Carolina Together Testing Program Team announced on Friday that students who have received the COVID-19 vaccine will not be required to participate in asymptomatic testing in the fall.

Bob Anthony, curator of the North Carolina Collection and director of the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center is retiring on May 31, 2021. Photo courtesy of Jon Gardiner.

North Carolina Collection curator Bob Anthony to retire after 40-year career

By Lauren McCarthy | May. 27

Bob Anthony, curator of the North Carolina Collection and director of the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center, is set to retire on May 31 after a 40-year career. Lisa Gregory, program coordinator at the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center, said Anthony has always been passionate about his work, and that his work has elevated UNC’s status in the minds of people who research the state.

Photos are owned by the MacArthur Foundation and licensed under a Creative Commons license: CC-BY. Credit: John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Photo is of Nikole Hannah-Jones

UNC has until Friday to offer Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure or face federal lawsuit

By Lauren McCarthy | May. 27

Nikole Hannah-Jones is considering taking legal action against UNC following the Board of Trustees' decision to not take action in granting her a tenured position. "We are evaluating all available legal recourse to fully vindicate Ms. Hannah-Jones' rights, including possibly initiating a federal action against UNC, the Board and/or affiliated entities and individuals," the letter said.

Nikita Umesh poses with her UNC acceptance letter for a virutal portrait in her home on Wednesday, May 26th, 2021. Umesh intends to major in Biology and is excited about the upcoming fall semester.

Incoming first-years have differing thoughts about arriving on campus this fall

By Dylan Cable | May. 26

After a year of navigating remote learning, COVID-19 restrictions and college applications, rising first-year students are anticipating a return to normalcy for their first semester of college. Rising first-year Nikita Umesh said she understands that the fall semester holds a lot of opportunities for new students who are looking to get back to normal.

Mary Grace and Sebastian Graber pose for a virtual portrait in their home on Sunday, May 23rd, 2021. Grace is a transfer student at UNC.

UNC students express frustration at lack of COVID-19 vaccine mandate

By Jennifer Tran | May. 25

As other institutions across the country announce that students must be fully vaccinated before they return, some UNC students have expressed frustration at the lack of a mandate at the University. "If we want the pandemic to end, it’s just logical to make it a requirement to show an immunization record for the COVID vaccine,” sophomore Sofia De Oliveira said.

Screenshot from the History, Race and Way forward meeting on May 24, 2021.

Commission discusses campus building names, Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure case

By Jennifer Tran | May. 24

The Commission on History, Race and a Way Forward met Monday to discuss campus building renaming, the Board of Trustees' decision to not take action on approving Nikole Hannah-Jones’ tenure and projects regarding the Barbee-Hargraves Cemetery.

Screenshot from the Special Faculty Executive Committee meeting on May 24, 2021.

Faculty Executive Committee calls special meeting to discuss Hannah-Jones' non-tenure

By Isabella Reilly | May. 24

In an open session, the Faculty Executive Committee discussed ways to request for the tenure case to be revisited by the Board. Mimi Chapman, chairperson of the faculty, said she also wanted members to consider next steps if their request is not positively received.

'A disappointing decision': UNC community upset after Nikole Hannah-Jones' non-tenure

By Emily Shih | May. 23

The BOT's decision was met with indignation among UNC students, staff and faculty. Hussman doctoral student Sophia Noor Kiser said she felt Hannah-Jones was very qualified for the position. “Nikole-Hannah Jones is a MacArthur Genius, a Pulitzer Prize winner and has changed the conversation around race in the U.S,” she said. “What more could you want?”

DTH Photo Illustration. Someone views Visions of the Future, a digital art project created by students in a UNC class during Spring 2021.

'Visions of the future': UNC English class designs experiment about the value of NFTs

By Amy Xu | May. 23

Instructor Katharine Henry set up an interactive experiment to help students in her class better understand the concept of NFTs this spring. The class created a collage and put it up for sale on two sites — one normal bidding site and one NFT site — in order to see the site where the art sold for a higher bid.

UNC Student Body President Lamar Richards attends the Board of Trustees meeting at the Carolina Inn on Thursday May 20, 2021.

Lamar Richards sworn in to Board of Trustees by former Chief Justice Cheri Beasley

By Lauren McCarthy | May. 20

UNC Student Body President Lamar Richards was sworn in as the sole student representative on the Board of Trustees on Thursday. Richards is the University’s first Black, gay student body president. The ceremony was administered by Cheri Beasley, former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, who was the first Black woman to serve as chief justice.

The UNC Heelgram club makes cards and sends them to people with disabilities. Photo courtesy of Reagan Fleeher.

UNC Heel-Gram: Sending love one letter at a time

By Sarah Choi | May. 19

MacKenzie Maddox is a co-founder of the HeelGram club. She has an extended family member who regularly received letters from his community over quarantine. Seeing how much he enjoyed them, she was inspired to bring that dynamic to UNC. “Writing and receiving the letters has been therapeutic for our volunteer letter writers, especially since it provides a break from schoolwork,” she said. “It's just as rewarding for me as those with whom we communicate.”

Owen Scrudders, Madison McClellan, Markus Haig, and Kevin Barth pose for a photo at their commencement ceremony in Chapel Hill on Saturday May 15, 2021. Photo courtesy of Civitella Witzke.

UNC celebrates class of 2021 with in-person Commencement ceremonies

By Caroline Yaffa | May. 19

Dr. Anthony Fauci and Kizzmekia Corbett spoke at the 2021 Commencement ceremonies, marking the end of an abnormal year for the graduating class. Senior Madison McClellan still felt that graduation was a good experience. “It was still a great ceremony because our family and people we have worked with throughout the years were together,” McClellan said.

Jason Hu, a senior computer science and statistics double major and member of the UNC Rocket League Club poses in front of his computer on Wednesday May 19, 2021.

UNC Rocket League Club connects students through gaming

By Dylan Cable | May. 19

UNC senior Will Lancaster said he encourages everyone interested in the game to join the club. “Being a member is a lot of fun,” he said. “It's something you wouldn't exactly expect from joining a mostly online group, but the people of the club have really been able to bond over a common game that we all play.”

A small group stands near the Old Well behind South Building on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2020.

UNC announces updated COVID-19 Community Standards for summer 2021

By Lauren McCarthy | May. 13

The University's Community Standards have been updated for the summer to reflect new state and local COVID-19 guidelines, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz announced Thursday. These changes will take effect starting May 17.

UNC students walk on an empty campus on March 5, 2021. Students recount their initial reactions to the country shutting down due to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

Lights out: UNC students face power outages on the first day of finals

By Lauren McCarthy | May. 10

On the first day of final exams, some UNC students faced an unexpected problem — a power outage. Over 4,000 Chapel Hill residents experienced outages on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, which is a popular area for off-campus housing.

Department of English and Comparative Literature Teaching Assistant Professor Karen Tucker is publishing her debut novel, "Bewilderness." Photo courtesy of Karen Tucker.

'All art is political': UNC professor publishes debut novel about the opioid crisis

By Chloe Walker | May. 4

UNC professor Karen Tucker’s debut novel, "Bewilderness" tells the story of two young women struggling with addiction.

The Asian American Center Campaigns team poses for a portrait on the steps of Wilson Library. Photo courtesy of Lynne Chen.

'We should celebrate': Reflecting on UNC's Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month celebrations

By Kaitlyn Dang | May. 4

Through performances, panels and the creation of a community cookbook, this year's Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month celebration was centered around building up community infrastructure, while simultaneously trying to offer programming and community support during an extraordinarily difficult year, said Heidi Kim, center director of the AAC.

Carolina Vaccination Clinic opts to also vaccinate UNC families and employees

By Kelly Kendall | May. 4

In an effort to provide vaccination to as many people as possible, family and household members of UNC students, post-docs and employees can now get vaccinated at the Carolina Vaccination Clinic.

Cofounders of Lux Libertas Ventures, business and computer science major Sanjeev Musuvathy and business major Nathan Ho, pose for a portrait.

Introducing Lux Libertas Ventures: UNC's first student-run venture capital fund

By Jennifer Tran | May. 4

Lux Libertas Ventures focuses on pre-seed investments into consumer internet startups that attack the problems faced by Generation Z, such as mental health, digital wellness, consumer banking and other areas of exploration. The organization is run entirely by UNC students with a strong advisory network of executives from Fortune 500 companies and tier one venture capital funds.