Alex Robinson

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Mazes bring an amazing day

By Alex Robinson | April 28

Seeing-eye dogs and children of all ages ran around Sitterson Hall on Wednesday, learning valuable life skills and making new friends. More than 45 children with visual impairments gathered for Maze Day, an event put on by the Department of Computer Science. The participants experimented with technology — including computer games and several room-size mazes made of Styrofoam — created by UNC researchers for people with visual impairments.

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Officials: 4 cases are a coincidence

By Alex Robinson | April 26

Campus officials are attempting to quell the fears of students and parents in the midst of a fourth investigation this year into a case of meningococcal virus on campus. Students on campus — especially in Granville Towers, which has seen three of the four cases — have expressed concern that the incidents could be related. But for now, officials say the cases are a coincidence. “Over at Granville, we are told that these cases are chance events because meningitis does not live in the environment, only in the

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Seniors strive for the moment

By Alex Robinson | April 19

In a final effort to give seniors lasting memories of their time at UNC, officials have planned a month full of games, food and festivities. The events, which run through Commencement on May 15, are intended to raise awareness for the General Alumni Association and to give seniors a final month of fun on campus. “We are trying to plan as successful, as inclusive, as exciting and as fun as possible events as we can,” said David Ruskey, chief senior marshal. “And we are trying to get as many seniors to come out as we can.”

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UNC harvests its new crop

By Alex Robinson | April 14

As UNC seniors brace themselves for their last three weeks on campus, a new crop of students is looking forward to making the campus their home. More than 18,600 high school students applied for admission to UNC, and admissions officials said the campus community can expect to see an even more diverse freshman class this fall. Next year’s freshman class will be composed of students from all 100 North Carolina counties, all 50 states and 44 countries around the world.

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Chairman stresses poverty

By Alex Robinson | April 12

With nearly 11,000 Orange County residents living under the poverty line, the Democratic Party plans to focus on issues pertinent to those people, one party official said. Jack Sanders, the newly elected chairman of the Orange County Democratic Party, explained local politics and shared his plans for fighting poverty in the county during a Young Democrats meeting Monday night.

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A coach's hoop dreams

By Alex Robinson | March 31

Just hours after the men’s basketball team departed from campus, students welcomed a hoops legend to the University. Coach Ken Carter — who made national news in 1999 when he locked out his inner-city high school basketball team after members failed to meet his academic standards — gave an animated speech to an audience of almost 100 campus and community members Wednesday night in Hill Hall Auditorium. “My speech will be like a lady’s dress, long enough to cover all the basics but short enough to keep your interest,” he said.

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UNC could see new college

By Alex Robinson | March 29

With the passing of a bill that would establish a judicial college at UNC, officials said the University could better meet the needs of North Carolina’s judicial system. Sen. Walter Dalton, D-Rutherford, introduced a bill last week that would establish a judicial college at the University. The new program would offer continuing education classes for judges, clerks of superior court, magistrates and others who support judicial officials.

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UNC hosts women's health issues research day

By Alex Robinson | March 24

Statewide researchers flocked to campus Wednesday to present the latest research on women’s health issues as part of the sixth annual Women’s Health Research Day. Projects focused on a wide range of topics concerning women’s health, including treatment options for chronic pelvic pain, the relationship between crime rates and premature births and cancer therapeutics.

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Early start eases speaker selection

By Alex Robinson | March 22

With hopes of increasing student input and enthusiasm, a committee of faculty and students already has begun discussing Commencement events for the class of 2006. After students voiced concerns regarding the lack of input on the selection of this year’s speaker, members of the Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee met Monday to begin ironing out the details for next year’s event. Monday’s discussion, which was conducted during a closed meeting, focused on potential speakers for next year’s address.

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Nursing graduate to be remembered with fund

By Alex Robinson | March 10

Katherine Wilson, an inspirational and dedicated graduate of the UNC School of Nursing, died Feb. 16 after a 4 1/2-year battle with cancer. She was 28. Now the University community is mounting a fund-raising effort to ensure her name is not forgotten. Wilson entered nursing school in 1999 and was slated to graduate in 2001. Several months after joining school, she was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, a rare form of the disease usually found in 50-year-olds. Wilson is the youngest person on the East Coast to be diagnosed with the condition.