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April 12, 2007
Carolina in the News
Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:
National Coverage
False-positive mammograms have negative effects
Reuters
Women who are told their mammogram shows a possible cancer that turns out to be a false alarm are likely to suffer anxiety for a long time, according to a new study. "U.S. women who get a false-positive are more likely to come back for their next routine screen," lead author Dr. Noel T. Brewer, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told Reuters Health.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/apr07/falsepositive032907.htmlRegional Coverage
Persecutor prosecutor 'impossible to sue
The New York Post
The three Duke students fully cleared yesterday in a racially charged rape case have virtually no legal recourse against the prosecutor accused of overzealously pursuing the case, experts say. "It's extremely difficult to bring a lawsuit against a prosecutor for abuse of discretion," said civil litigation exert John Conley of the University of North Carolina.Lawmakers move forward on teen driving restrictions
Capitol Media Services
Arizona senators are moving to enact restrictions on new teen drivers over the objections of the head of the House Transportation Committee, who said it's none of the state's business. ...AAA lobbyist Stuart Goodman said a study by the University of North Carolina found that having one teen passenger in the car raises the chance of an accident by 39 percent; increasing that to three boosts the likelihood of a mishap by 182 percent.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/may02/foss051602.htmState and Local Coverage
Scandal likely to bypass N.C.
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
As director of financial aid for UNC-Chapel Hill, Shirley Ort finds it painful to read about the growing student-loan scandal involving alleged kickbacks and conflicts with private lenders.Smart drugs start to deliver
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Carolyn Distasio's cancer treatment is a doctor's dream come true. ...The University of North Carolina is among about 10 institutions taking a lead in the effort. In August, the university established a research institute to tap into medical, public health, health economics and drug development expertise on its campus and elsewhere.UNC rally targets global warming
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Students and community members will gather at UNC-Chapel Hill Saturday as part of a national rally against global warming called "Step it up Congress! Cut carbon 80 percent by 2050!"UNC to pay tribute to war dead
WCHL-AM (Chapel Hill)
UNC alumni killed in military action are getting a bronze book monument unveiled Thursday. Carolina spokesperson Scott Ragland describes the monument’s accompanying features.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/apr07/memorial041007.htmlGloria Steinem tonight at UNC
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Feminist and writer Gloria Steinem will speak tonight at UNC-Chapel Hill in a conference honoring Bereket Habte Selassie, an African studies and law professor who has published several well-known works on African political culture and independence.
UNC Media Advisory: http://www.unc.edu/news/media/2007/steinem041207.htmlDuke lacrosse players 'innocent'
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Three former Duke lacrosse players are innocent of the charges they've battled for a year, the state attorney general said Wednesday, but Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong is guilty of "a rush to accuse." ..."There are really two lessons that people can take out of this," said Rich Rosen, a UNC-Chapel Hill law professor. "One is to have a healthy degree of skepticism about our criminal justice system. The other is, 'You better not mess with the wrong people,' as the mother of one of the defendants said. If that's the message, what does that say about our criminal justice system?"
Related link: http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/chhedits/57-838217.cfmCharges Dismissed
"The State of Things," WUNC-FM
Rich Rosen and Joe Kennedy, professors of law at UNC-Chapel Hill, were featured on today's edition of "The State of Things." All charges against the three Duke lacrosse players - Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and Dave Evans - were dismissed yesterday by North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper.Panel OKs spanking ban
The Fayetteville Observer
A state House committee voted Wednesday to ban corporal punishment in public schools, setting up what could become an even bigger debate over local control. ...Gary Shaffer, an associate professor of social work at UNC-Chapel Hill, told the committee that most schoolchildren already are in a district that bans corporal punishment, including the state’s largest districts.William's story: A family's struggle with autism
The Fayetteville Observer
When he was 10 months old, William wouldn’t play with his parents or sister, but stared at a red vacuum until his parents, Jeff and Barbara Hall, joked that he worshipped it. “He’s in church,” they would say. ...Autism affects one of every 166 children, according to the University of North Carolina’s TEACCH program for autistic children.AlphaVax initiates human trials for two vaccines
The Triangle Business Journal
AlphaVax Inc. said Wednesday that it has started a pair of clinical trials evaluating two vaccine candidates - one targeting the flu, the other taking aim at a common virus known as cytomegalovirus. ...Spun out from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997, AlphaVax employs about 75 people. The company has raised about $40 million in revenue, including $12.7 million in a fifth round announced in February.Historic Halifax celebrates 231st anniversary of Halifax Resolves
The Daily Herald (Roanoke Rapids)
Thursday will be a day to celebrate a hallmark of America's march to independence. ...John Sanders, former director of the UNC-Chapel Hill Institute of Government, will be the guest speaker and will discuss the history of the William R. Davie House.Hear that? It's youth speaking truth to power (Opinion column)
The Charlotte Observer
It's not every day bald-faced truth comes spurting out of the mouths of those so young. Listen to Kenneth Graham, a senior at Fayetteville State University and a soldier in the U.S. Army. ...He was also talking about a select group: Citizens for Higher Education, a political action committee funded by alumni and supporters of UNC Chapel Hill, North Carolina's flagship.
Related link: http://charlotte.com/409/story/82269.htmlIssues and Trends
Real Pay Increases for Professors
Inside Higher Ed
The average full-time faculty salary for 2006-7 climbed 3.8 percent, outpacing the inflation rate of 2.5 percent during 2006 and giving professors a “real” raise, according to a study released today by the American Association of University Professors. The previous two years saw inflation outpace salary increases.Mount Pleasant High, new schools go green
The Charlotte Observer
Mount Pleasant High School is going green -- along with the four new Cabarrus County schools opening in August. ...More than a dozen states have mandated such programs, as have some University of North Carolina system schools, because of benefits to health and the environment, Sides said.
Produced by News Services, Carolina in the News is an e-mail sampling of current news media coverage about Carolina people and programs, as well as issues and trends that affect the university. Stories usually will be online and available free for a limited time - often one to two weeks. Expiration dates before stories move to archives vary by media outlet. Some outlets require free user registration or a subscription.
Carolina in the News is also posted daily to the News Services Web page, http://www.unc.edu/news/clips/index.shtml.
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