NEWS

Former deputy White House counsel to moderate forum on faith, public life for Graduate School centennial

CHAPEL HILL -- Former Deputy White House Counsel William Marshall will moderate a special forum this month featuring a panel of speakers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who will consider questions revolving around faith and public life.

The UNC Graduate School’s Society of Fellows forum will address "Faith and Public Life: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Private Religious Belief and Public Policy" Thursday, March 27, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge of the John Motley Morehead Building.

The event is open to the public, and a reception will follow. For more information, contact Deborah Makemson, 843-3494, Makemson@email.unc.edu

From the Pledge of Allegiance to Carolina’s Summer Reading Program for incoming freshmen and transfer students, controversies over the role of faith in public life – and public policy – have been hotly debated in this country, organizers said. Panelists representing various perspectives will offer their insights on the utility, limitations and constitutionality of faith in public life.

The panelists will address questions such as: What role does religion play in public life today? Do restrictions on faith or religion in the public sphere limit freedom of expression? What are some of the benefits and hazards religious faith has created in public life in recent decades?

Moderating the session will be William P. Marshall, Kenan professor at the UNC School of Law and former deputy White House counsel and deputy assistant to the President. He will be joined by the following panelists:

· Lumbe Davis, public health adviser, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

· Seth Jaffe, staff attorney, American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina.

· Penny Maguire, consultant for middle school social studies, N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

· Dr. Carl Ernst, Zachary Smith professor, UNC department of religious studies.

· Rev. Phillip Leach, pastor and campus minister, the Newman Catholic Student Center, UNC-Chapel Hill.

· Kory Swanson, vice president for administration, the John Locke Foundation.

The annual forum is among the activities of the Graduate School’s Society of Fellows, the university’s flagship program of support for exceptionally talented graduate students.

"Faith and Public Life" is one of many events planned this year by the Graduate School, which kicked off its centennial celebration earlier in March. Other upcoming events include the release later this year of a hardback book by doctoral student Laura Puaca with a foreword written by UNC President Emeritus William C. Friday. The book is entitled "Pioneer to Powerhouse: The History of Graduate Education at Carolina." Graduate students who have won external fellowships or have been inducted into the Graduate Student Honor Society also will be honored on April 1. Other events scheduled this spring include, for the first time, a new doctoral hooding ceremony May 17 for graduating doctoral students.

In the last 100 years, the Graduate School has expanded to make up one-third of the student body at Carolina, with more than 5,700 students. It includes 64 doctoral-level programs and 91 master’s-level programs.

For additional details about the school’s centennial celebration, go to http://gradschool.unc.edu/centennial/index.html

Details on the upcoming forum also are posted at http://gradschool.unc.edu/centennial/events/Fellows_Centennial_Forum.html.

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News Services contact: Mike McFarland, 962-8593
Graduate School contact: Deborah Makemson, 843-3494