Kristy Jones

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Student BOG Rep One Step Closer To Voting Power

By Kristy Jones | April 11

RALEIGH -- The N.C. House Education Committee approved a bill by voice vote Tuesday that would allow a student vote on the Board of Governors, despite some opposition from committee members of both parties.About 10 students, including UNC Association of Student Governments President Andrew Payne, listened to the committee debate the bill, which will now go before the Rules and Calendar Committee and then on to the full House. The house committee must determine if the proposed bill is properly written and then schedule its introduction on the House floor.Rep.

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BOG to Include 5 Incumbents, 4 Newcomers

By Kristy Jones | April 6

The N.C. House elected nine members to the Board of Governors Thursday -- including four new officials.The newly elected members are James Babb, Dudley Flood, Charles Mercer and Gladys Robinson.Five of the six members of the BOG up for re-election were selected -- Bradley Adcock, Frank Grainger, Robert Warwick, Craig Souza and BOG Vice Chairman John Cecil. The only member not re-elected was John Sanders, who said he was disappointed but has no plans to run for the post again in the future.

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DNC Puts Up $13 Million for Redistricting

By Kristy Jones | April 4

The Democratic National Committee announced plans last week to give monetary aid to states redrawing their congressional districts -- including North Carolina, which gained a seat in the U.S. House based on the 2001 U.S. Census results.The DNC plans to donate a total $13 million to the redistricting effort. The money will be used by redistricting committees to buy various technology and hire staffs.And top N.C. Republicans say their party will be forced to respond to the Democrats' effort. Republicans currently have the majority in the U.S.

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Judge: Give To At-Risk Students

By Kristy Jones | March 28

N.C. Superior Court Judge Howard Manning Jr. ruled Monday that school officials must place more emphasis on disadvantaged students -- even if it means taking funds from other programs.But some of the state's education policy groups are opposed to Manning's ruling, and others are not sure what the next course of action should be.The ruling is the third in the seven- year-old lawsuit, nicknamed the "Leandro case" after one of the original plaintiffs, a student from Hoke County.Manning ruled on the fact that the N.C.

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Data Shows Growth in N.C. Cities

By Kristy Jones | March 26

Recently released U.S. census results show that a large number of seats in the N.C. General Assembly will be in the hands of urban regions -- a radical shift in a state traditionally known for agriculture.The census results show that the state's overall population increased by 21.4 percent. But population in urban counties, particularly in the Triangle, Triad and Charlotte areas, increased by more than 30 percent.According to state estimates, the counties in the three urban areas will have a combined total of about 24 seats in the N.C.

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New Study States Higher Education Not Affordable for Low-income Students

By Kristy Jones | March 22

A recent study released by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance states that lower-class college students are now paying a greater percentage of college costs than their middle-class counterparts -- putting college further out of reach for poor students.The ACSFA, which is a congressional panel examining college financial aid programs, also found that low-income students attend four-year schools at half the rate of their higher-income peers who are just as academically prepared.Since 1993, state-funded merit-based financial aid programs, which favor middle-class students

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MIT, Harvard Institute New Aid Programs

By Kristy Jones | March 21

Several universities -- including Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- recently have announced changes to significantly alter student financial aid programs.The changes, which follow a similar decision by Princeton University in late January, will offer students more grants instead of loans to cover tuition and other expenses, cutting the price of college.Financial aid officials said some other schools also might tweak their financial aid programs, but UNC and Duke universities likely will not.Betsy Hicks, MIT director of student financial services, said the

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Act Could Lure New Teachers

By Kristy Jones | February 28

RALEIGH - Rep. David Price, D-N.C., unveiled Tuesday legislation that he plans to propose designed to help fight teacher shortages both in North Carolina and nationwide.The Teaching Fellows Act, which Price plans to propose to the House on Thursday, aims to provide students with an incentive to enter teaching.

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Online Shopping Aims To Help State Budget

By Kristy Jones | February 16

RALEIGH -- Gov.