LAURA PHELPS

News

Research shines light on skin cancer spike

By LAURA PHELPS | April 25

The United States is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of skin cancer cases, but experts say it's unlikely that Americans will change their habits to prevent the onset. According to the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, the American Academy of Dermatology has labeled the disease as an unrecognized epidemic. The new research reveals that "one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in his or her lifetime," and that the rate doubles for individuals who've received five or more sunburns.

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Skin cancer on the rise

By LAURA PHELPS | April 25

News

Hickory center to aid region

By LAURA PHELPS | April 18

Representatives from the UNC system and several N.C. community colleges will meet Wednesday to continue discussing the creation of a new higher education center in Hickory. Officials from Appalachian State University, UNC-Charlotte, and Western Carolina University will be working alongside leaders from three community colleges to develop the Hickory Center for Engineering Technology, said Leroy Lail, chairman of the Hickory Furniture Mart and member of the UNC-system Board of Governors.

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Arabic courses expand in N.C.

By LAURA PHELPS | March 27

Universities across North Carolina are preparing to increase their Arabic language programs, but they'll need qualified professors to meet the demand. "There is an increase nationwide in an interest in Arabic," said Arne Kalleberg, senior associate dean for social sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill. As UNC-CH looks to bolster its Arabic language programs, more students are expected to enroll in these courses in the future. Nadia Yaqub, professor in the UNC-CH Department of Asian Studies, said enrollment in Arabic language courses has been increasing steadily since fall 2000.

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Cellular services strive to provide better coverage

By LAURA PHELPS | February 27

Cingular Wireless will expand its service this year in North Carolina as part of an overall plan to provide greater coverage nationwide. And that could mean more - or clearer - talk time for students. Laurie Parker, senior public relations manager for Cingular Wireless in the Carolinas, said the company will invest $210 million in North Carolina in 2006, which includes the cost of adding at least 196 new cell sites. Last year Cingular invested $161 million in North Carolina, which was only a small portion of the $1.8 billion invested in the Southeast as a whole, Parker said.

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Foundation criticizes refusal and timeliness of filling emergency contraceptives

By LAURA PHELPS | February 20

The Common Sense Foundation entered the fray about emergency contraception refusal clauses with the release of a February report criticizing the exception. The clauses allow pharmacists to refrain from filling emergency contraception prescriptions - commonly known as the morning-after pill - for moral or religious reasons. The report stated that such refusal "tramples on the woman's right to utilize contraception and have control of her reproductive health."

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Students increase civic awareness

By LAURA PHELPS | January 27

The stereotypical picture of the apathetic college student might have to be revised, according to a recent university report. The results of a nationwide survey released Wednesday by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles revealed that this year's freshman class was more involved in their community and less likely to have consumed alcohol in high school than previous freshman classes.

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Education from afar sees spike in numbers

By LAURA PHELPS | January 24

Skipping class is not a problem for the many enrollees in UNC's distance learning programs. These classes are becoming a popular option for students whose schedules do not allow for traditional classroom methods, and with a new UNC system president leading the way, the emphasis on distance education is growing. "For undergrads, distance education offers real flex-time convenience," said Louise Spieler, assistant dean for executive education and distance education, in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

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Foreign students allowed in labs

By LAURA PHELPS | January 20

The U.S. Department of Commerce has decided against fully implementing an earlier proposal that would restrict the participation of foreign students in university laboratories. The restrictions focused around research that might be sensitive to national security. But stipulations were met with protest from university leaders who argued that such restrictions would discourage foreign students from enrolling in U.S. institutions. The department has dropped some, but not all, of the restrictions, said Tony Waldrop, UNC-Chapel Hill vice chancellor for research and economic development.

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Displaced students see cloudy prospects

By LAURA PHELPS | September 30

Universities across the nation welcomed thousands of students displaced by Hurricane Katrina for the fall but are hesitant to make their status permanent. Many university officials say they don't want to steal Gulf Coast students and will require them to go through regular admissions processes. "We need to be careful that we have an even-handed approach and that we are not trying to poach students from other schools," said UNC Provost Robert Shelton.