Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:
International Coverage
Analyst: World Watches US Crisis With Bewilderment
Voice of America
(Official external broadcast institution of the U.S. government)
Oct. 8
As the U.S. government budget crisis enters a second week, there are concerns that the rivalry between Democrats and Republicans in Congress may bring the United States to default, which would cause domestic and global economic woes. … Klaus Larres, a professor of international relations at the University of North Carolina, said the consequences would be disastrous for the world still recovering from a major financial crisis.[Note: This interview was recorded in the Carolina News Studio.]http://www.voanews.com/content/analyst-world-watches-us-crisis-with-bewilderment/1765188.html
National Coverage
Poor nutritional status before bladder operation causes higher risk of complications
Science Codex (website)
Oct. 7
Patients with bladder cancer are two times more likely to have complications after a radical cystectomy procedure if they have a biomarker for poor nutritional status before the operation, according to study findings presented today at the 2013 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons. Surgeons from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, identified a potentially modifiable risk factor for such postsurgical problems: a low preoperative level of albumin, a marker of the protein level in the blood.
Early Puberty Linked To Higher Substance Use Throughout Adolescence
The Gilmer Mirror (website)
Oct. 7
A new University of Texas at Austin study reveals that teens for whom puberty begins early and who have rapid pubertal development are at greater risk for experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana. The study … was conducted by public health researcher Jessica Duncan Cance and colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Large-Scale Survey of Women with Uterine Fibroids Reveals Significant Impact on Quality of Life and Workplace Performance and Desire for Less Invasive Treatment Options
e! Science News (website)
Oct. 8
A newly published survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. women with uterine fibroids demonstrates that fibroids cause significant fear and morbidity [and] can compromise workplace performance … Results of this national survey, led by leading fibroid experts from the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, and the University of North Carolina, were published this month in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Journal of Women’s Health.
State & Local
Public invited to Chancellor Folt’s installation on Saturday
The Chapel Hill News
Oct. 8
Students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and residents are invited to attend the installation Carol L. Folt as UNC’s 11th chancellor on University Day on Saturday. Since 1957, UNC has installed its chancellors on University Day, which commemorates the 1793 laying of the cornerstone of Old East, the nation’s first state university building. The UNC Board of Governors unanimously elected Folt in April, and she started work on July 1.
Siler City Senior Center Earns Certification as NC Center of Excellence
The News (Chatham County)
Oct. 7
The Chatham County Council on Aging announces that the Western Chatham Senior Center in Siler City has been certified as a NC Senior Center of Excellence by the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services. In September, a review team evaluated the center's SCOPE (Senior Center Operations and Programs Evaluation) … The team included representatives from the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services, UNC's Center for Aging Research and Educational Services … .
The Role of the Manager in Raleigh Government
The Raleigh Public Record (website)
Oct. 7
In light of the ruckus over the summer with the firing of the Raleigh City Manager and the announcement last week of the hiring of Ruffin Hall from Charlotte as the new city manager, we figured it was time to get a little clarity on what exactly the roles are for the manager and City Council members in Raleigh. We spoke with Vaughn Upshaw with the School of Government at UNC Chapel Hill.
Degrees at risk for UNC students who took fraudulent classes
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Oct. 7
There’s been no mad rush by UNC-Chapel Hill students and alumni to sign up for free make-up classes to replace fraudulent ones they took in the African and Afro-American Studies department.
Police ask public for information about UNC student’s death
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Oct. 7
It’s been nearly a year since UNC Chapel Hill student David Shannon fell to his death, and police are hoping that people who may know why will finally come forward. … Shannon’s blood alcohol level was 0.22 – nearly three times the legal limit to drive – when he died early on Oct. 27, 2012, according to a toxicology report released Monday by the N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office.
Issues & Trends
Federal Judge Says Maryland Failed to Desegregate Its Public Colleges
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Oct. 8
A U.S. District Court ruled on Monday that Maryland had failed to fully desegregate its public higher-education system. The ruling was issued in a lawsuit filed in 2006 by a group of students and alumni of Maryland’s four historically black universities: Bowie State, Coppin State, and Morgan State Universities and the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore. The plaintiffs accused the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which sets policy for the state’s public and private colleges, of allowing traditionally white institutions in the state-university system to duplicate many of the degree programs that would have made the black colleges more competitive for students. …
Related Link:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/10/08/federal-judge-finds-maryland-discriminates-against-its-public-black-colleges
Dome: Art Pope approves $90 million worth of state repairs, renovations
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Oct. 7
State budget director Art Pope is recommending $90 million in repair and renovation projects in state government, including new roofs, new elevators and paint jobs. The funds were part of $150 million appropriated by the legislature, with $60 million going to the UNC system and $90 million going to other state agencies across the state.
NC State parents say they weren't notified about mandatory insurance deadline
WRAL-TV
Oct. 7
Imagine discovering hundreds of additional dollars added to your child's college tuition bill. Some parents with students at North Carolina State University say that's exactly what they are dealing with after they were billed for health insurance that their children either didn't want or didn’t need.