June 4, 2004

Carolina in the News

Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina
people and programs cited recently in the media:

International News Coverage

Obesity fight targets town plans
Nature.com, United Kingdom
Public-health officials in the United States are proposing a new and drastic way to fight the onslaught of obesity: they want to redesign entire towns to make them exercise-friendly....And although purpose-built recreation centres and parks are well intentioned, experts say that only a fraction of people make the effort to use them. "That's where we've been going wrong in the past," says Rich Killingsworth, who directs Active Living by Design, an organization that promotes physical activity and is part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

State & Local Coverage

A look at 'falling income' (Point of View)
The News & Observer
No one living in North Carolina over the past two decades could fail to notice that the state's traditional bellwether industries -- textiles and apparel, furniture, and tobacco -- are in deep decline. Although there are numerous reasons -- some general, some industry-specific -- "globalization" has been seized upon by most observers as the single most important one....Peter A. Coclanis is associate provost for international affairs and the Albert R. Newsome professor of history at UNC-Chapel Hill.

More recognition for lecturers overdue (Editorial)
The Chapel Hill Herald
Traditionally, few professions are as status-bound as academia. Inside the hallowed halls, influence and prestige have always come with holding a tenure-track position or a Ph.D....But this is changing a bit at universities like UNC that have come to depend on the work of adjuncts and lecturers, part-time profs who aren't on the tenure track and who may or may not have a terminal degree.

Majority vote, contract may be hurdles to firing
The Charlotte Observer
Union County commissioner Stony Rushing wants to fire County Manager Mike Shalati, but he has to clear some hurdles first....But Robert Joyce, a professor of law and government at UNC Chapel Hill, said Shalati's contract lists very specific conditions under which he can be denied severance.

Issues & Trends

No-frills state budget advances
The News & Observer
House budget writers agreed Thursday to fully fund Gov. Mike Easley's two signature education programs, spare the state's universities from cuts, provide more money for Smart Start and to restore funding for several human service programs.

Involve the public (Editorial)
The Charlotte Observer
As searches for new chancellors get under way at N.C. State University in Raleigh and at UNC Charlotte, those responsible for recruiting candidates should remember that the university system belongs to the public -- and involve the public in the selection process.

Note: If you have any questions about Carolina in the News, please call Russell Campbell at News Services, (919) 962-2091, russell_campbell@unc.edu, or Mike McFarland in University Communications, mike_mcfarland@unc.edu

Past issues of Carolina in the News are located at http://www.unc.edu/news/clips/index.shtml.

Note: Web links on this page are time-sensitive, so stories might not be available after the day they first appeared.