Cynthia Dong
Articles
After three clusters and several Chapel Hill Police reports, eyes turn to Greek life
Concerns about Greek life have circulated since UNC’s leadership announced the full reopening plan in May. And now that UNC is shutting down its residence halls, all eyes are on students who remain in off-campus housing — especially those in Greek organizations. As UNC planned its Carolina Roadmap, Greek life organizations also had to assemble plans to comply with county and University COVID-19 rules. During discussions about off-campus community standards enforcement, University leaders said sorority and fraternity houses are privately owned, meaning the majority of enforcement falls to the CHPD. Police Chief Chris Blue said the volume of party-related complaints received by the Police Department in the past month has been on par with years past.
Carolina Ready app brings new safety features — and new student concerns
On July 30, UNC announced the launch of the new Carolina Ready Safety App — replacing the LiveSafe app — developed in conjunction with UNC Police Chief David Perry and his team. The app includes features such as a mobile BlueLight system that connects students to emergency services through location-sharing and is only operational on campus. However, some UNC community members are concerned that software vulnerabilities could potentially leave users open to hackers and privacy breaches.
Analysis: 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' is a show for our moment
"This year has made it abundantly clear that we are at turning points in our own wars. Wars, not against the Fire Nation, but against disease, racism, climate change, inequality and authoritarianism. Like us, Aang and his friends stand on the precipice of great change as the series closes. They choose to remember the past, yes, but not to repeat it, forging a new path of peace and kindness."
UNC community expresses concern over Greek life compliance to fall guidelines
Though the University has dramatically altered the upcoming fall semester in an effort to shut out COVID-19, some fear that UNC’s regulations won’t ensure compliance from off-campus fraternities — opening the door for potentially deadly outbreaks.
'These are our lives on the line': Immunocompromised students consider fall return to UNC
According to the CDC, people of any age with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity or moderate-to-severe asthma, as well as people who are immunocompromised, may be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. For many UNC students with pre-existing medical conditions, the decision to return to the University in August is quickly turning into a matter of life and death.
'It’s not on us': From UNC to the courts, restraining order enforcement raises concerns
Both the North Carolina court system and UNC offer differing forms of no-contact orders — commonly called "restraining orders" — to victims of harassment, stalking, abuse or assault when they seek protection from their perpetrators. While each type of no-contact order varies by degree of enforcement and consequences, they all establish, on paper, measures prohibiting contact between involved individuals. But in reality, many victims have found that enforcement of these protective measures can fall on their shoulders alone, leaving them no more sense of protection than they felt before seeking official action.
Waitlists and frustrations grow as UNC's computer science department tries to keep up
Student participation in the computer science department at UNC has skyrocketed over the last decade, but issues have emerged from the department's inability to accommodate its newfound demand. While the number of declared or intended computer science majors has increased by more than tenfold since fall 2009, the department's faculty total has risen only 8.2 percent over the same time period. While the University recently extended a hint of incoming relief, the expectation remains that class cuts, reduced enrollment availability and other restrictive measures will make life increasingly difficult for computer science majors.
A tale of two towns: The rise of luxury apartments amid affordable housing efforts
The Town of Chapel Hill suggests that affordable housing should cost no more than 30 percent of a household's income. However, the number of new "luxury" developments is increasing despite affordable housing efforts
How students get caught up in the U.S.-China trade war
As tensions rise between the US and China over trade, international students find themselves caught in the middle of the two superpowers.
Several co-sponsors of the 'Conflict over Gaza' conference want refunds
The Conflict over Gaza conference, held at the University from March 22 to 24, aimed to “shed much needed light on the current realities in the Gaza Strip,” according to its webpage.
Media
faculty council
Andrew Perrin discusses the new general education curriculum at the Apr. 12 Faculty Council Meeting.