Emma Burgin

News

Black chosen sole speaker of House

By Emma Burgin | January 10

RALEIGH, Jan. 27 - The representatives seated in the rear of the N.C. House on Wednesday were determined to be heard. Twenty Republicans - 14 of them seated in the back row of the chamber - voted against Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, as sole speaker of the House. Black still garnered enough votes - 100 in all - to assume the role for a record-tying fourth time during the first day of the General Assembly, ending a two-year power share between the parties. After the 2004 elections, the Democrats held a six-vote majority in the chamber, 63-57.

News

BOG speaks out on budget

By Emma Burgin | May 19

The UNC-system’s governing body might be losing its grip. But, as the Board of Governors demonstrated last week at its meeting, it won’t relinquish its jurisdiction over the system’s tuition decisions without a fight. The body unanimously approved a resolution Friday condemning the N.C. Senate’s budget passed May 5 that would delegate what has been the board’s responsibility since its establishment in 1971.

News

Beyond blue heaven

By Emma Burgin | March 30

The fluorescent lights were more subdued than the blinding glare of national TV cameras, but the echoes of a presidential campaign cut short bounced off the Rotunda walls. A former presidential and vice presidential candidate, John Edwards drew a large crowd to the UNC Law School on Tuesday to speak about his new work with the University’s Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity. “The content of our country’s character is at stake,” Edwards said. “The solutions and the ideas that are needed to end poverty are out there.”

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UNC seeks balance in dual roles

By Emma Burgin | February 28

UNC-Chapel Hill, as the state's flagship public university, takes its role seriously. It strives to be the best within North Carolina's public university system, and it aims high at the national and international levels. The University ranked 29th out of all national colleges and universities in U.S. News & World Report's list of the country's top institutions. "Being the first university, it means that we're often looked to as the pinnacle of public education in North Carolina," said Matt Calabria, student body president.

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N.C. State takes lead in growth

By Emma Burgin | February 16

RALEIGH — In at least one regard, N.C. State University has set an example for the UNC system. It is the only university that has approved and built a satellite campus. While Centennial Campus is still in its early building stages — it’s a 100-year plan — it has changed the face of the school. “There was a lot of opposition in the beginning … but many legislators saw the benefits of Centennial Campus,” said Odessa Montgomery, communications officer for the campus.

News

Black snags 4th term as speaker

By Emma Burgin | January 27

RALEIGH — The representatives seated in the rear of the N.C. House on Wednesday were determined to be heard. Twenty Republicans — 14 of them seated in the back row of the chamber — voted against Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, as sole speaker of the House. Black still garnered enough votes — 100 in all — to assume the role for a record-tying fourth time during the first day of the N.C. General Assembly, ending a two-year power-share between Democrats and Republicans.

News

Power center shifts to left

By Emma Burgin | January 26

A historic power-sharing agreement could come to an end today as the N.C. General Assembly convenes at noon and Democrats take hold of the legislature. After the 2004 elections, the House welcomed enough new Democrats to gain a six-seat advantage, 63-57. Democrats were in the minority last session, but Republican disunity led to a co-speakership and a virtual split down the middle. Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, and Richard Morgan, R-Moore, took the helm in the House after one week of stalemate to elect one speaker.

News

Legislators aren't sure about hikes

By Emma Burgin | January 19

Some legislators say there is enough money in the state’s general fund to allow the UNC system a break in resident tuition increases, but others claim that the system’s Board of Governors is misguided in its assumption that the state can carry the load. Legislators are likely to face a substantial deficit of as much as $1 billion when they convene in Raleigh on Jan. 26 to draw up the 2005-07 budget.

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System officials mull issue of cap

By Emma Burgin | January 14

The nonresident enrollment cap will come under scrutiny again this month as the UNC system’s governing body investigates the possibility of deviating from the 18 percent limit. A committee of the Board of Governors decided Thursday to investigate the deviation, which would have to be “within the spirit of the 18 percent.” The change might only apply to smaller system schools. One such school was the cause for the re-emergence of talks about the cap.

News

In-state tuition likely won't budge

By Emma Burgin | January 14

Members of the UNC system’s governing body admitted Thursday that they simply will be going through the motions when receiving proposals for campus-initiated tuition increases. And Jim Phillips, chairman of the board’s Budget and Finance Committee, made it clear that any requests to raise in-state tuition likely will be struck down. “It is my reading of the board that we are unlikely to approve them,” he said. “But if we’re going to consider them, it seems that we ought to truly look at them.”