Opinion -

Sending University staff home early makes sense

By Letter to the Editor | August 31

TO THE EDITOR:Seriously, you write an editorial claiming that sending staff home two hours early on the day of a Thursday night game is an inconvenience to them? (“Major inconvenience,” Aug. 31) You claim leaving early would cause problems with “families, carpools or anything with a consistent schedule.” But did you even consider the repercussions of them staying?

Join student government to help implement change

By Letter to the Editor | August 31

TO THE EDITOR:Each year, student government appoints many students to important University committees that cover topics ranging from academic advising to safety. First-years have a unique opportunity to get involved with student government specifically, but not exclusively, through the student advisory committee to the chancellor. This committee consists of 12 students who work directly with Chancellor Holden Thorp on major university issues. It has previously addressed gap-year policies, international student life, safety, and academic freedom.

Letter’s take on gender relations was distressing

By Letter to the Editor | August 31

TO THE EDITOR:Kudos to Jake Fraser for his creative interpretation of women’s empowerment (“Project Dinah’s definition of rape puzzling, shocking,” Aug. 31). I’m sure Betty Friedan would be thrilled to know that drunken hookups now fall under the banner of “progressive gender relations.”

Invest in a new friend today

By Reed Watson | August 30

In Chapel Hill, the most important period of the “friend-making year” has just begun with the start of the fall semester. Everyone is riding the wave of new possibilities for connection. You should be too.

Racial diversity criticism of DTH is off the mark

By Letter to the Editor | August 30

TO THE EDITOR:I wish I could say that I was shocked to see the Daily Tar Heel publish something as obnoxiously racist as Wendy Sease’s Friday Letter to the Editor (“DTH newsroom could be aided by some diversity,” Aug. 28) concerning the color of the student writers, but such views are becoming frighteningly common.

Something about Mary

By Editorial Board | August 30

Mary Easley should step down from her position at North Carolina State University.But system administrators need to take responsibility for the situation and their inability to foresee former Gov. Mike Easley’s involvement in his wife’s hiring.The onus was on UNC-system leaders to prevent Mary Easley from receiving an unreasonable raise. It is now clear that they failed to do so.A recent report by State Auditor Beth Wood found that Mary Easley was overpaid by $91,000.

Healthy decision

By Editorial Board | August 30

The Board of Governors made the right decision when it mandated that every undergraduate student in the UNC system have health insurance by fall 2010.Though conservatives might disagree ideologically with the mandate, ultimately the program is a way to extend health insurance to students who can’t afford it while not placing a large burden on the state.Starting next fall, the UNC system will offer lower-cost coverage for students who currently don’t have health insurance. Those who are already covered will be unaffected.

Column missed the point of Greek life on campus

By Letter to the Editor | August 30

TO THE EDITOR:Abbey Caldwell’s column, (“Greeks provide us one week of bliss,” Aug. 28) was a delightful exercise in self-centeredness.We all love some quiet time with unimpeded access to the couch and DVR.However, as the president of the alumni association for Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, I can tell you that Caldwell misses the point of why her housemates are involved in the Greek experience in the first place.

Major inconvenience

By Editorial Board | August 30

UNC officials should remember that our University does not exist purely for entertainment. That’s an idea that was apparently forgotten when officials scheduled a football game for Oct. 22 against Florida State.On that day — the Thursday of Fall Break — the UNC football team will play the Florida State Seminoles at 8 p.m. here in Chapel Hill. Thousands of employees leaving the University while fans are arriving would bring traffic to a standstill.

Project Dinah’s definition of rape puzzling, shocking

By Letter to the Editor | August 30

TO THE EDITOR:I was somewhat shocked to read the letter to the editor from Project Dinah’s co-chairwomen in The Daily Tar Heel (“Tucker Max’s movie should not be shown here at UNC,” Aug. 23). Not because they were displeased with Tucker Max, who is a pretty unpleasant person, but instead because of the bizarre logic they used to support their argument.

Community should choose to celebrate Smith’s life

By Letter to the Editor | August 30

TO THE EDITOR:Courtland Smith was so much more than a student, friend or fraternity president. He was a driving force for the betterment of the entire Chapel Hill community. Smith found countless ways to use his position as president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon house to promote worthy causes. I especially remember his efforts on behalf of Habitat for Humanity.

Viewpoints: Tuition law is a sound investment

August 28

THE ISSUE: A 2005 state law allows UNC-system schools to count out-of-state students on full scholarship — athletes or merit scholars — as in-state students. This allows organizations that support these scholarships to pay the university in-state tuition for these students, a difference of $17,888 per student per year. Is this law fair? Charging these particular out-of-state students as in-state ones is a sound investment that keeps the University competitive with its peer institutions.

Viewpoints: Tuition status is unfair

By Editorial Board | August 28

THE ISSUE: A 2005 state law allows UNC-system schools to count out-of-state students on full scholarship — athletes or merit scholars — as in-state students. This allows organizations that support these scholarships to pay the university in-state tuition for these students, a difference of $17,888 per student per year. Is this law fair? This law gives an unjust subsidy to the groups that need it least.

Simple changes could make bus system more efficient

By Letter to the Editor | August 28

TO THE EDITOR: It’s nice that the Chapel Hill buses are free, but I rarely take the bus because I find it to be more trouble then it is worth. I would be happy to pay to ride, only if the system were more sufficient. The route maps show too few street names, making it hard to tell where to get off. Also, not having a pamphlet with a complete system map makes using the public transportation even more arduous. Then to top it off, the buses come infrequently and at odd intervals.

Tucker Max's movie should not be shown here at UNC

By Letter to the Editor | August 28

TO THE EDITOR: This past Wednesday night N.C. State University hosted a screening of Tucker Max’s movie, “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” as well as a question and answer session with Tucker. His movie is based on his real life experiences, which include sex with intoxicated women. This meets the legal definition of rape because an intoxicated person cannot consent to sex. His movie also objectifies women and promotes a culture where rape is acceptable.

Letter criticizing headline was insensitive, hurtful

By Letter to the Editor | August 28

TO THE EDITOR:I was struck heavily by the insensitivity displayed in Brenda Davis’s recent letter to the editor (“DTH headline for Smith article was inappropriate,” Aug. 27). After reading the letter, I couldn’t help but wonder if Ms. Davis shared the sentiments concerning the media’s coverage of Ted Kennedy’s death. Many of Ms. Davis’ comments concerning the late Courtland Smith could also be applied to Kennedy — who some have accused for causing a drunk driving death.

Greeks provide us one week of bliss

By Abbey Caldwell | August 27

Friday, Sept. 4 marks the first day of sorority rush. And though it pains me to say it, I love every blessed minute of the process. Somehow I escaped the call of the Greek Sirens my first year of college, and I am happily “unaffiliated” to this day. So this time of year means something different to me. Instead of philanthropy and sisterhood, it means a lot of solid me-time.

Explaining our coverage

By Andrew Dunn | August 27

We are hurting.Like many students around campus, The Daily Tar Heel is struggling to come to grips with the loss of our classmate, Courtland Smith.You have every right to question how we’ve covered the issue, and you have exercised it. That’s why I wanted to explain why we’ve reported the way we have.Because the situation is so painful, we’re even more mindful of our role in the community as we report on it. We have worked hard to avoid any sensationalism and have always kept in mind that the people most affected by our coverage are our friends and neighbors.

QuickHits for Aug. 27

By Editorial Board | August 26

UNC serversThumbs downthe middle of the first day of classes, it seemed like the Internet was down all across campus. Without Student Central, how could we find where the classes that we were just going to drop were located?FootballThumbs upThe North Carolina men’s football team has already sold out its first three home games. Let’s hope the team doesn’t get too nervous now that the stands will be packed with fans. DTH readers

Smoking is a choice you make, being LGBT is not

By Letter to the Editor | August 26

TO THE EDITOR: I did not know whether to laugh or cringe at Justin Crowder’s assertion that the University’s Tobacco-Free Campus Policy is discriminatory toward LGBT students. (‘Campus Smoking Policy Discriminatory to Gays,’ Aug. 26) Crowder seems to fail to identify that tobacco is a drug. A legal drug, yes, but still a drug — and one that is the single most preventable cause of death, disease and disability in the United States. Tobacco kills more Americans than does AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, car crashes, murders, and suicides, combined!