Opinion

Student government takes student feedback seriously

TO THE EDITOR: The executive branch of student government would like to address some of the concerns raised in the recent editorial “Student voice lost on Jones” (Oct. 20). Tuition changes capture our attention each year, and students should participate in this discussion with as much information as possible. That is why we wanted to respond by discussing our methods for inviting students to join the conversation.  First, the editorial calls for our administration to create a public relations team.

Cartoon for Oct. 26

The Daily Tar Heel Caption contestEvery Monday, a cartoonist will draw an extra cartoon, and we want YOU to give it a humorous caption. Send your one- to two-sentence caption to dthedit@gmail.com, subject line “caption.” We’ll publish the best captions the following week as the lead cartoon, and the person with the best entry will win a 2009 National Championship poster.

Not quite green enough

UNC is no stranger to the “green” movement.And now the increasing push to become a more sustainable campus has paid off. UNC received an A- on the Sustainable Endowment’s Institute’s annual College Sustainability Report Card and improved from 2007, when it received a C.The grading is based on sustainability information gathered from public sources and a series of surveys sent to about 300 institutions in the United States and Canada. UNC is tied with 26 other institutions for best overall grades. Nobody received an A.

All tricks, no treat: H1N1 concerns not valid argument for smaller event

Chapel Hill shouldn’t further limit the size of Halloween.The town’s Halloween celebrations are the stuff of legends (and for some, bad hangovers).Before last year, crowds were estimated at upwards of 80,000 people, consisting of UNC students, town residents and out-of-towners.But those crowds weren’t exactly manageable. Fights, alcohol poisonings and vandalism were just a few of the problems Chapel Hill and various local police forces faced.

For good future, hard work necessary

The philosopher Vitamin C said it best in “Graduation” when she sang: “Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?”I don’t know about you, but I feel like I spend all my time these days wondering about what will happen after graduation.The clock is ticking. It seems possible that my dream career is already out of my reach even before I start after it. But I still want to have a balance between productive schoolwork and enjoyment in these years.

Let’s rock Chapel Hill for Thursday night’s game

TO THE EDITOR:This Thursday night, we have an enormous opportunity. When Florida State rolls into Chapel Hill, all eyes in the college football world will be on Chapel Hill. The future of Carolina football has never been brighter, and this Thursday night, we have an opportunity to make Kenan Stadium the home field advantage that our football program deserves: a raucous, rowdy, intimidating sea of Carolina blue.Let’s show that national ESPN audience that we are not just a basketball school, as they are so fond of calling us.

Spanish classes should not be taught solely online

TO THE EDITOR:I was stunned when I read that introductory level Spanish classes are now to be taught entirely online at UNC. I have no doubt that this measure will save money and “solve” enrollment problems, but is it really worth the academic compromise? This is UNC, not the University of Phoenix Online.The idea that someone could learn the first level of a language from an online course is laughable. Part of learning a language for the first time is repeatedly having an instructor demonstrate pronunciations and correct your pronunciations of words.

Cartoon for Oct. 21

Czajkowski has the better platform for downtown

TO THE EDITOR:I think Matt Czajkowski’s ideas for the rebirth of our downtown are some of the most exciting I have heard. They are both achievable and will also greatly benefit our local arts community.Michael BrownUNC ’77

Kleinschmidt has experience necessary for mayor’s job

TO THE EDITOR:I wholeheartedly throw my support behind Mark Kleinschmidt. As to why I am supporting Mark, I can cite his experience as a town councilman. Serving since 2001, he has the most experience in town government of any of the candidates running. I can cite his leadership as chairman of the council communications committee and chairman of the economic development committee. He served as president of the NC American Civil Liberties Union, therefore defending that right to free speech students on both sides of the political spectrum discuss so passionately.

Kleinschmidt is the most sensible choice for mayor

TO THE EDITOR:There has been a lot of talk about who would be the sensible choice for town of Chapel Hill mayor during this election season, but who is the best choice? Mark Kleinschmidt, an eight-year veteran of the Town Council, the only registered Democrat and the youngest candidate in the race is the best choice.

Czajkowski has financial sense to be great mayor

TO THE EDITOR: Matt Czajkowski showed his financial good sense when he was the only Town Council member who opposed lifetime health insurance for town officials.When we moved here 11 years ago, we loved to go downtown. Now the empty store fronts and parking problems have driven us away. We believe Mr. Czajkowski can, as mayor, expand both business and jobs opportunities here.

Czajkowski for mayor: It’s time for a new vision for Chapel Hill, and Matt Czajkowski offers the most appealing way forward

It’s time for a new vision for Chapel Hill. Because of his fiscal prudence and emphasis on growth, Matt Czajkowski is the right choice for Chapel Hill mayor.The city needs a break from the leadership of the last eight years, and Czajkowski can deliver on an alternate vision.

America’s strength is its diverse heritage

There is an undercurrent that pervasively runs through conservative American political culture that is often opposed by what truths we hold to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.This is the belief that we are being overwhelmed by undocumented immigrants and that, as a result, the nation our children will inherit will be much different than the nation we live in now.

Cartoon for Oct. 20

‘Waste Land’ and our prison system

“O Lord thou pluckest me out.”In “The Fire Sermon,” the middle and longest section of “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot, this line quoted from the “Confessions” by St. Augustine speaks to the futility of human endeavor. For me, this line — and this poem — have always held a deep personal meaning.

Student voice lost on Jones: SBP Jones needs to seek more student input

The Jones administration has largely left students out of the tuition process — perennially one of the most important topics on campus. Jones is the representative of the student body, but she is not omnipotent. To be an effective representative of students’ interests, Jones has to actively seek their input. And that is not being done with regard to tuition. The proposed tuition hike for out-of-state undergraduate students is just more than $1,000 — a proportional increase to the $200 hike that in-state students face.

One big mess: Leaders need to work together to ?ll Congress vacancies

Eleven seats in Student Congress are currently empty, and the process of planning a special election to fill them has been grueling. A lack of communication between Congress, Student Body President Jasmin Jones and the Board of Elections has only exacerbated the problem, and no one is accepting blame for why these vacancies have not yet been filled.As a result, the student body, particularly graduate students, isn’t getting the representation it deserves.

‘Massage’ has no place here: Many questions remain about Tom Cat’s 2

The establishment commonly known as University Massage— now named Tom Cat’s 2 —is an enterprise that should arouse the moral concern of everyone.A recent presentation by Donna Bickford, director of the Carolina Women’s Center, has piqued interest in the establishment again.For years, the massage parlor has been beset with rumors and allegations of prostitution and sex trafficking.In 2007, Daily Tar Heel columnist James Edward Dillard wrote about his experience at University Massage.

Obama is the subject of too much unfair criticism

TO THE EDITOR:I am disgusted with all the negativity toward President Obama.I have always considered myself proud to be an American despite my differences with some of our political leaders. When President George H. Bush lied and said, “No new taxes,” I wasn’t upset. I expect politicians to lie. But, when I hear lies about our president, I see red.Rush Limbaugh is spreading lies. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) is spreading lies. What bothers me the most is the American people believe these lies.