Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:
International Coverage
Master the money and the rest falls into place
The Times (United Kingdom)
“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness,” Charles Dickens wrote. Not much has changed since the 1800’s. …Jim Dean, the senior associate dean for academic affairs at Kenan-Flagler business school, North Carolina, agrees: “These are senior managers who have a job and know they don’t know everything they need to know to be successful. Ultimately it is all about value creation. Managers need to know what questions to ask and what to do to drive value.”
Lessons in helping the world develop
Financial Times (London)
…Among the schools it highlighted in a report was Kenan-Flagler, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where the marketing course includes a session on understanding customers in emerging countries and how to increase social as well as monetary value.
National Coverage
Insurance Fears Lead Many to Shun DNA Tests
The New York Times
Victoria Grove wanted to find out if she was destined to develop the form of emphysema that ran in her family, but she did not want to ask her doctor for the DNA test that would tell her. … Here, doctors often feel obligated to inform patients of the potential financial downside. “I always warn them,” said Dr. Stephen Moll, director of the Thrombophilia Program at the University of North Carolina, who uses a genetic test to determine the best treatment for patients with blood clots. “Especially if they are self-employed, I don’t want it to be a surprise if their health insurance premium goes up.”
'There is always the mystery' (Opinion-Editorial Column)
USA Today
News media love conflict, and when religion and science clash in political arguments, they like to stoke the flame. …Journalists are, or should be, professional skeptics, and for help in putting these events into context, I turned to some highly specialized skeptics: a group of scientists, philosophers and magicians who investigate and debunk claims of the paranormal. (Philip Meyer is the Knight Professor of Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a member of USA TODAY's board of contributors.)
Why Commodity Inflation Helps CPGs
Brandweek magazine
Crude oil hit $100 a barrel last week and over the last year wheat prices rose 101%. Prices for other commodities ranging from sugar to rubber are also surging. …Jan Benedict E.M. Steenkamp, a professor of marketing at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, noted that historically private label brands have thrived during recessions and tend to increase their share afterwards.
Regional Coverage
Mentally ill unfairly portrayed as violent
The Boston Globe
…That said, mental disorders do increase susceptibility to substance abuse, and thus indirectly increase risk of violence. Moreover, as Eric Elbogen of University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Medicine wrote me in an e-mail, ". . . a subgroup of people with mental illness likely uses alcohol and drugs to 'self-medicate' psychiatric symptoms."
Diabetes study has surprising results
The Paramus Post (New Jersey)
The doctors' challenge: explain to 21 million Americans with diabetes how they might be affected by a major study's surprise discovery that lower blood sugar levels are linked to greater numbers of deaths. …"The intensive group had extremely rigorous treatment, with some patients taking four shots of insulin and three pills and checking their blood sugar levels four times a day," Dr. John Buse of the University of North Carolina wrote on theheart.org.
Rifts imperil Sierra Club's Florida leadership
The Orlando Sentinel
Few other environmental activists in Florida come close to matching the strength and tenacity of the Sierra Club. Now its members have turned on one another with a fierceness that rocks the group's focus and stability. …The troubles in Florida stem from "personal conflict, unwelcoming environments and hostilities where people personally feel intimidated," said (Robert) Cox, a University of North Carolina professor serving his third term as volunteer president of Sierra's national board of directors.
Shrinking vacations: Travelers cutting costs — but still getting away
The Miami Herald
Anselmo Lastra and his wife Mary are used to taking vacations in Europe, often with their daughter. But this year is different. ''We probably won't be going to Europe,'' says the University of North Carolina professor, who lives in Chapel Hill, N.C. “It's just too expensive in dollars.''
State and Local Coverage
Building a new campus for UNC (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Chapel Hill Herald
The process for the town of Chapel Hill's consideration of Carolina North has begun, thanks to the leadership exhibited by Mayor Kevin Foy and Board of Trustees Chair Roger Perry and the collegial cooperation of the town and university staffs. (James Moeser is chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.)
Study finds arthritis eased with light exercise
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Exercise might seem like the worst thing for stiff, aching joints. …"We were specifically evaluating the people with the least amount of activity coming in," said Leigh F. Callahan, the UNC-CH associate professor of medicine who led the study.
What's up — docs? (Editorial)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
North Carolina needs to train more doctors to cure what ails an aging and ever-expanding — in more ways than one — population. …In addition to enlarging medical school classes at UNC-Chapel Hill and East Carolina University, preliminary plans call for starting new physician training centers in Charlotte and Asheville, and perhaps in Eastern North Carolina too.
UNC professor helped develop system used to destroy satellite
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a memo to first responders all over the country notifying them a malfunctioning satellite was expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. .. By day, Dennis is an associate professor in the UNC/N.C. State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, where Dennis is researching bio reactors that will grow muscular, skeletal and cardiac tissue, as well as other projects that most of us can't pronounce.
Professor at UNC adds 'God's Problem' to list of book titles
The Chapel Hill Herald
Bart Ehrman is on the short list of famous professors in the Triangle. …His latest book, "God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question — Why We Suffer," also includes the personal alongside the scholarly. While Ehrman calls it "God's Problem," it is Ehrman's problem too. The failure of the Bible to answer why we suffer is what made him lose his faith.
Related Link:
http://blogs.starnewsonline.com/default.asp?item=797759
Grant to support Destiny program
The Chapel Hill Herald
The N.C. Biotechnology Center has awarded a $48,770 grant to UNC's Morehead Planetarium and Science Center to support the Destiny traveling science learning program. The grant will be used for the development and implementation of "Creating a Chain Reaction," a new curriculum module from Destiny, the planetarium's science education outreach initiative.
UNC News Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/news/campus-and-community/n.c.-biotechnology-center-awards-
grant-to-uncs-destiny-program.html
Peace Corps leader to visit
The Chapel Hill Herald
Peace Corps Deputy Director Jody Olsen will visit UNC Monday to celebrate Peace Corps Week and recognize the more than 1,000 Carolina graduates who have served as Peace Corps volunteers during a presentation to faculty and students.
UNC's Black Student Movement holds its reunion with presidents old and recent
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
It was the 1960s, and young black high school graduates were arriving as students in small numbers on the UNC campus. They wanted the same opportunities and the same respect as other students, and they also wanted to preserve and learn about their own culture.
UNC News Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/news/campus-and-community/unc-pays-tribute-to-past-
black-student-movement-leaders.html
UNC professor to lead teachers
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Pat Shane of the School of Education at UNC-Chapel Hill recently has been elected 2009-2010 president of the National Science Teachers Association. She will serve a three-year term beginning June 1. Shane, a former middle school teacher and counselor, is associate director of the UNC school's Center for Mathematics and Science Education and clinical professor of science education.
Biology prof a deer in media headlights (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Two weeks ago, Albert Harris was a respected professor at UNC-Chapel Hill who labored in obscurity teaching biology to pre-med students. By most accounts, he did a pretty good job. Then he wandered into the klieg light of media coverage, and his life hasn't been the same.
Spring into learning at the Friday Center (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Chapel Hill News
What's happening this spring at the Friday Center? With the spring semester under way and our part-time credit program students busy at work on their courses, our focus this time of the year turns to Professional Development and Enrichment Programs.
Lead contamination slows work on project
The Rocky Mount Telegraph
…The county since has expanded the project to deal with the lead, and the extra work is not expected to cut out other planned renovations, such as removing the shingled roof and installing handicap access to the building and its bathroom. …The building serves as an outlet for free monthly medical services provided by doctors and nurses from Duke University and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Wake County Forum on Water Woes Draws Hundreds
WRAL-TV (CBS/Raleigh)
A community forum focused on Wake County's water supply and demand drew more than 200 residents Saturday. …“It is clear we are playing a game against nature,” said David Moreau, director of the Water Resources Research Institute in the University of North Carolina system.
Debt comes home to roost
The Charlotte Observer
Fast-growing Union County, flooded with children over the past decade, has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on school construction. …Finance experts at UNC Chapel Hill's School of Government said Union's high debt ratio is a natural result of its fastest-in-the-state growth. "They're having to respond with providing the infrastructure for that growth," said professor Bill Rivenbark.
Lung cancer grant goes to UNC
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
The National Lung Cancer Partnership has awarded Dr. Albert Baldwin, a researcher at UNC Chapel Hill's Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, a two-year $100,000 LUNGevity Foundation Research Grant. Baldwin, an associate director of the Lineberger Center and the William Rand Kenan professor of biology and cancer cell biology in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences' biology department, will use the grant to study how normal cells are transformed into cancer cells through molecular changes.
UNC News Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/news/health-and-medicine/unc-cancer-center-scientist-awarded-
lung-cancer-research-grant.html
Community layouts discourage walking
The Citizen-Times (Asheville)
…There is a growing body of evidence that if it were safer and easier to walk to and from MANNA and other businesses, homes or schools, there would be less need for weight-loss programs like Lighten Up 4 Life to begin with. …Lower obesity rates correlate with “having things within walking or biking distance and having safe and direct ways to get there,” said Kelly Evenson, who teaches epidemiology at UNC Chapel Hill and specializes in the effects of physical activity.
Health conference to tackle issues affecting minorities
The Chapel Hill Herald
When Eboni Taylor learned of her nomination as a co-chair of the 29th annual Minority Health Conference in April 2007, she wondered what she had gotten herself into. …Funding comes from departments in the School of Public Health, the school dean's office, centers affiliated with UNC and external companies or organizations.
More in Orange lacking insurance
The Chapel Hill Herald
A growing percentage of Orange County residents — more than 1 out of 6 — lack health insurance, according to a county assessment. …Nevertheless, Orange County ranked No. 2 in North Carolina for the highest number of residents with health insurance in 2005, according to a report by UNC's Cecil G. Sheps Center.
Will Raw Food Help You Feel Better?
WXII-TV (NBC/Winston-Salem)
…Suzanne Hobbs, a registered dietician and faculty member for the University of North Carolina, conducted research on 17 raw foodists to find out information about their attitudes, practices and beliefs. "They talked about that they heal faster, have fewer digestive problems, have more energy, increased mental clarity and need less sleep," said Hobbs, a vegetarian who has had a long-time interest in raw foodism because of increased media attention.
Rainbow corporation
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
…Ben Rosen, professor of management at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill, said one reason more employers don't offer these benefits is that many companies have to answer to stockholders. "Private companies have way more flexibility than public companies," Rosen said. "Part of that is they don't have investors micro-managing how they spend their human resources dollars."
Majority of CPAs wary of economy
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
In a survey conducted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC Chapel Hill, the number of CPAs pessimistic about the U.S.'s economic outlook outnumbered optimists for the first time since December 2005, when the survey first took place.
Ways communities can encourage car alternatives
The Citizen-Times (Asheville)
Communities seeking to encourage people to drive or ride a bicycle should consider these steps: Build walking and cycling facilities. “Bricks and mortar projects are very useful, particularly in areas where you have high speed or high traffic,” said Daniel Rodriguez, who teaches urban planning at UNC Chapel Hill.
Issues and Trends
UNC offers early one-stop voting
The Chapel Hill Herald
UNC will again offer a site for early one-stop voting on its campus, just in time for this year's presidential primaries and general election.
UNC News Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/news/campus-and-community/early-one-stop-voting-returns-to-unc-
campus-for-primaries-and-general-elections.html
At what price?
The Independent Tribune (Kannapolis)
When David Murdock announced in September 2005 plans for the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, he knew he wanted help to build his vision. …In a memorandum of understanding, the UNC system will rent the UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State buildings from Castle & Cooke for 20 years. UNC-Chapel Hill will pay about $3.2 million in rent.
Training for the future
The Charlotte Observer
At the front of her classroom, Gina Sloan grasped a long pipette in one hand and went slap, slap with the tip of the pipette into the palm of her other hand. …The $1.5 billion campus, on the site of the former Pillowtex Corp. mill that once employed thousands of textile workers, is a collaboration among Murdock, the billionaire owner of Dole Foods, and several universities, including UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte and Duke University.
The Assessment Craze Knows No Boundaries
Inside Higher Ed
Success in campus internationalization efforts “is most often measured in the amount of activity, or in the inputs,” said Christa Olson, associate director of international initiatives for the American Council on Education. How many globally themed courses does a college offer, for example, or how many study abroad opportunities? …In response, Tamera Marko, outreach coordinator for the Consortium for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, offered a description of a “Duke Engage” program in Colombia they’re piloting this summer.
Colleges Consider Their Roles in Economic Development
The Chronicle of Higher Education
As many regions of the country undergo economic transitions, expectations are increasing that higher-education institutions will play critical roles in the creation of jobs and the revitalization of local economies. Many colleges are embracing economic development as a central mission. The Chronicle hosted a recent online discussion on this topic with Leslie Boney, associate vice president for economic-development research, policy, and planning at the University of North Carolina system.
Nelms installed as chancellor
The Herald-Sun (Durham)/The Chapel Hill Herald
Those who gathered Friday morning to celebrate the official installation of Charlie Nelms as the 10th chancellor of N.C. Central University came not only to honor the university's dynamic new leader, but to celebrate what they hope will be the bright future of the rapidly growing institution.
Related Link:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/960749.html
All in the Name (Editorial)
The Winston-Salem Journal
Chancellor John Mauceri of the N.C. School of the Arts has started an important discussion, that of whether that Winston-Salem school should change its name in an effort to emphasize that it’s part of the University of North Carolina system.