April Bethea

News

State Owes Information To Inmates

By April Bethea | January 18

For several months, N.C. Department of Corrections officials have known that three death row inmates could possibly challenge their sentences under a new law banning the execution of the mentally retarded. And for several months, the department has refused to reveal the identities of those inmates, (even to the inmates and their attorneys) -- at least not voluntarily. Officials said they do not think they have to. Something is wrong here.

News

BOG Study Should Hit All Schools

By April Bethea | November 16

Supporters for a study of the UNC-system Board of Governors have a concrete list of reasons why an evaluation of the body is needed. They say the size of the BOG, which governs the entire UNC system, is too large at 32 members and that the selection of its members by the General Assembly is questionable. They also say the current structure might not be adequately meeting the needs of the UNC system's two flagship universities -- UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State -- and cite UNC-CH's recent slips in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings as proof.

News

Not Quite Colorblind On Campus

By April Bethea | November 9

Just as many thought Americans were shifting toward a sense of national, colorblind unity, recent incidents at Auburn University show just how far we still have to go. On Monday, Auburn officials temporarily suspended student chapters of Beta Theta Pi and Delta Sigma Phi, two predominately white fraternities, after the discovery of controversial images of several of the groups' members on the Web site http://www.partypics.com. The photos, which were taken at two Halloween parties sponsored by the fraternities, showed white students from the fraternities in blackface and wearing Ku Klux

News

N.C. State To Probe Salary Gap

By April Bethea | November 2

On an average day female and male faculty members work side-by-side at universities -- giving lectures, grading assignments and meeting with students during their office hours. But that's where the similarities end. Despite similar workloads, female faculty earn significantly less than their male counterparts, sparking debates about gender inequity at campuses nationwide. But one UNC-system school is looking to eliminate the salary gap on its campus and, one hopes, others will follow in its place. N.C.

News

Media Must Stay Fair, Balanced

By April Bethea | October 26

As the nation continues to cope with the Sept. 11 tragedies, journalists have struggled to find ways to stay objective. From the Poynter Institute to Howard Kurtz's "Media Notes" column on The Washington Post's Web site, industry analysts have provided ongoing tips about how to cover "America's New War" without appearing overly patriotic -- a task which has challenged many journalists. But objectivity isn't the only journalistic principle needing protection.

News

Legislature Must Clarify BOG's Role

By April Bethea | October 12

A last-minute addition to a bill state legislators hope will settle legal disputes over diverse representation in the UNC-system Board of Governors is raising some eyebrows -- and rightfully so. The provision, introduced in the Senate Oct. 4, calls for a study of the BOG's overall structure and governing power.

News

Court Takes Wrong Step On Profiling

By April Bethea | October 5

With week one of its 2001-02 term winding down, the U.S. Supreme Court has come out swinging. In its opening days, the court refused an appeal by Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols and banned former president Bill Clinton from practicing before the body. In a controversial move, the court also rejected an appeal from several black men who claimed police unconstitutionally targeted them during a search for a robbery suspect. The case centered on a 1992 attack of an elderly woman in Oneonta, N.Y.

News

New Vision, New Man at N.C. Central

By April Bethea | September 28

James H. Ammons is a man of vision. Since arriving in June as N.C. Central University's newest chancellor, Ammons has worked to further a new sense of pride in the university and make it more accessible for students and global partnerships. On Thursday, Ammons led the first monthly meeting for the campus's strategic planning campaign. He said the campaign will take a holistic look at the university and its relationship with corporations in the Research Triangle Park.

News

Budget Soon To Pass; It's About Time

By April Bethea | September 21

Budget Soon To Pass; It's About Time April Bethea State & National Columnist A saga that has stolen the limelight of state government news for months might finally come to an end today. State legislators are set to vote on a $14.4 billion budget bill and end a three-month impasse. The House and Senate tentatively approved the budget Thursday and could take a final vote today during special sessions.

News

Questions Better Left Unanswered

By April Bethea | September 14

I had heard the stories many times before. I had seen the destruction and mayhem shown in numerous films. I had seen the photos -- gruesome photos with images that I will never forget. But never, never did I ever imagine it could happen during my lifetime. Tuesday's attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a plane which crashed outside of Pittsburgh, have proven not only to be the worst acts of terrorism this nation has ever seen, it also represents a loss of innocence for our nation.