May 19, 2003

Carolina in the News

Commencement 2003 Highlights 

Actor Bill Cosby, donning a Carolina sweatshirt and hat, brought his special brand 
of humor to Chapel Hill while speaking passionately about education during his 
Commencement remarks Sunday. Carolina awarded honorary degrees to Cosby, 
Drew S. Days III, former Solicitor General of the United States; Reynolds Price,
award-winning author and Duke professor; and C.D. (Dick) Spangler Jr., a 
Carolina alumnus and president emeritus of the 16-campus University of North 
Carolina. About 30,000 graduates, family members and friends attended the annual 
Kenan Stadium ceremony. New to Commencement weekend was the first Graduate 
School doctoral hooding ceremony in Polk Place.

Media coverage of Cosby in Kenan Stadium was heavy Sunday. Among those 
attending was a crew from NBC-TV, which is expected to include footage of Cosby 
and Carolina graduates in an annual round-up story about Commencement speakers 
appearing on campuses nationwide. That story is scheduled to air on "NBC Nightly 
News" on June 6. Carolina has worked closely and successfully with the network on
this annual story for several years.

North Carolina media covering Commencement weekend activities included Triangle 
television stations (WRAL (Raleigh) WTVD (Durham) WLFL (Raleigh) WNCN 
(Raleigh) Time-Warner (Raleigh)) as well as The News and Observer, The Durham 
Herald-Sun, The Carolinian and WCHL-AM. Stories covered Cosby's speech as 
well as Saturday's first doctoral hooding ceremony and human-interest feature ideas 
suggested in a story tip sheet coordinated by News Services.

To see Commencement photos and excerpts of Cosby's speech, go to 
http://www.unc.edu/news/FYI/commence.htm

Cosby Delivers Commencement Address at UNC-CH
WTVD-TV (ABC, Raleigh)
There's nothing like the proud feeling of graduating college. At UNC Chapel Hill 
Sunday, one factor made graduation day even better. The privilege of having actor 
and comedian Bill Cosby give the commencement address. Of course he spread 
laughter and shared words of wisdom. 
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/051803_NW_cosbyuncgraduation.html

Cosby Wishes UNC Graduates Well, Tells Them To Be Ready
WRAL-TV (CBS, Raleigh)
The sky above Chapel Hill was Carolina blue just long enough Sunday for 
graduates of the University of North Carolina to get through their ceremony. 
http://www.wral.com/education/2211680/detail.html

UNC grads take final drink from well 
The Herald-Sun
By 8 a.m. Sunday, the busiest place on the UNC campus was the Old Well, the
university landmark situated at the heart of the original campus. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-353694.html

Grads end on high note 
News and Observer
As children, many UNC-CH seniors watched Dr. Cliff Huxtable, Bill Cosby's 
television alter ego, counsel his fictional children about life's perils and promises. 
http://newsobserver.com/news/story/2549104p-2366549c.html

Hooding ceremony well deserved (Editorial)
Chapel Hill Herald
As the old chestnut says, the weather outside may be frightful (we hope not!) but 
the fire inside is delightful -- this one inside the hearts of more than 5,300 Chapel 
Hill students whose status will very shortly change to alumni of the nation's oldest 
state university. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/opinion/chhedits/57-353153.html

UNC students graduate, some after many years
News 14 Carolina (Time Warner, Raleigh) 
More than 5,000 Tar Heels, dressed in "Carolina Blue" caps and gowns, got their 
diplomas from UNC-Chapel Hill on Sunday. Among them is a student who 
worked for more than ten years to join their ranks. Janet Jackson’s quest for higher 
education was often interrupted, but never abandoned.
http://rdu.news14.com/content/headlines/?ArID=29381&SecID=2

Academic regalia rules on graduation day
Chapel Hill News
It never ceases to amaze Eve Bradshaw. Every year on the Sunday of commence-
ment, UNC’s Student Stores opens early in the morning so students can purchase 
caps and gowns at the last minute.
http://www.triangle.com/triangle.com/communities/chapelhill/snapshots/story/2543126p-2361380c.html

Future at hand for graduates
Charlotte Observer
Over the years, Davidson College President Robert Vagt admits, his views have 
narrowed. ... Speaking at UNC Chapel Hill on Sunday, comedian Bill Cosby 
urged graduates to appreciate their families.
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/5893256.htm

Bush nominee says health system works 
The Herald-Sun
At Sunday’s commencement ceremony for UNC’s School of Public Health, Claude
Allen, who has been nominated by President Bush for a judgeship on the 4th U.S. 
Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, told graduates that events of the past two
years, beginning with the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have proved that public health 
is a national security concern. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-353675.html

Other International and National News

Jim Dean, associate dean of executive education in the Kenan-Flagler 
School of Business, was quoted in an article appearing in today's The 
Financial Times (London, U.K.) about business school enrollment programs. 

New N.C. Sen. Dole keeping low profile
The Los Angeles Daily Times
She's the celebrity senator whose first act was to disappear. ... "What agenda is 
there for her, aside from the Bush agenda?" asked Ferrel Guillory, director of a 
program on Southern politics and the media at the University of North 
Carolina at Chapel Hill. 
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~1398044,00.html
(Note: This story originally appeared in The New York Times.)

Higher tuition a threat to HOPE
Atlanta Journal Constitution
State leaders are bracing for Georgia's university and technical college boards to 
raise tuition in the next few weeks, further straining the HOPE scholarship program, 
which they fear may be running short of money. ... Full-time tuition at the University 
of Georgia was $1,395 a semester this year, lower than at some peer colleges such
as the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina. 
http://www.ajc.com/print/content/epaper/editions/sunday/metro_e37c92c7c2dc00470005.html

North Carolina News Note

The Tar Heel Bus Tour, which began today, was the focus of live phone interviews 
with participating faculty members this morning on WCHL-AM (Chapel Hill). 
Thirty-two new faculty members and administrators are spending a week in a 
classroom on wheels to learn about distinctly North Carolina topics ranging from 
tobacco to stock car racing to Fort Bragg to an economy in transition. The tour, 
begun in 1997, covers more than 1,000 miles from May 19-23 with stops spanning 
from Wilmington to Cherokee. New faculty see first hand where 82 percent of 
Carolina’s incoming undergraduates grow up. They learn more about the university’s 
commitment to North Carolina and how their research, teaching and public service
connects with the state’s needs.

State and Local

ACC sets sights on 3 
News and Observer
The Atlantic Coast Conference moved a step closer to unprecedented expansion 
Friday when the league's presidents and chancellors decided in a morning 
conference call to authorize formal discussions with Miami, Syracuse and Boston 
College of the Big East Conference. ... But on Friday, Duke President Nan Keohane 
and UNC-CH Chancellor James Moeser said their schools no longer would oppose 
a move deemed necessary to protect the league's future academic, financial and 
athletics interests.
http://newsobserver.com/news/story/2544512p-2362598c.html

ADs dispute revenue increase 
News and Observer
The ACC is pursuing expansion, at least in part, because of the possibility it will 
mean more money for each school. ... But the latter figure caught the eye of several 
ACC athletics directors and officials. "I don't think those numbers are correct," 
UNC athletics director Dick Baddour said.
http://newsobserver.com/sports/college/story/2544580p-2362658c.html

The non-revenue view 
News and Observer
In September, Duke coach John Rennie packed his men's soccer team in a bus and 
drove 287 miles to Maryland. ... While ACC officials aren't saying what potential 
revenues would be, projections have each school in a new ACC adding between 
$600,000 to $1.2 million to its annual athletics budget. The University of North 
Carolina's athletics budget is $35 million this fiscal year, and N.C. State's is $28.5
million.
http://newsobserver.com/sports/college/story/2548996p-2366506c.html

Duke, UNC leaders: Rivalries a priority 
The Herald-Sun
Duke’s president and UNC’s chancellor were initially against expansion. Their 
reasons were multiple, encompassing academic and financial concerns. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/sports/18-353301.html

The ACC's future (Editorial)
Charlotte Observer
Advocates of expanding the Atlantic Coast Conference argue that enlarging it from 
nine to 12 teams is good business. If all goes as anticipated, the league would add 
football powerhouse Miami and national basketball champion Syracuse plus either 
Boston College or Virginia Tech
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/editorial/5888169.htm

Statistics say N.C. civic interest limited 
Asheville Citizen-Times
Statistics paint a grim picture of the level of civic engagement in North Carolina, 
according to the director of a statewide project to measure such involvement by 
young people. The N.C. Civic Index surveyed nearly 1,600 people - youths 13 
to 17 and adults - and used existing data to get a handle on the level of civic 
knowledge and skill among the state's residents, Kelly O'Brien said. 
http://cgi.citizen-times.com/cgi-bin/story/news/35014
(Note: This story results from joint media relations work involving News Services and 
the School of Government. Also covering today's announcement in Raleigh was News
14 Carolina (Time Warner, Raleigh). A UNC news release on this study is available
at http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/may03/civicindex051903.html)

Spinoff aims to control bleeding faster 
News and Observer
A spinoff from two North Carolina universities is working on producing a blood-
clotting medication that it hopes will some day save the lives of patients whose 
bleeding can't be stopped by surgery or by applying pressure, such as with a 
tourniquet. Hemocellular Therapeutics has licensed technology from the University 
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and East Carolina University and hopes to be 
ready to test it in humans in 18 months.
http://newsobserver.com/business/story/2544585p-2362651c.html
(Note: A UNC news release on Hemocellular Therapeutics is available at
http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/may03/hemocell051503.html)

Saving a state tradition (Commentary)
News and Observer
Can a blue-blooded, well-to-do Charlotte banker find true happiness in the North 
Carolina Democratic Party? ... "The original architects of this tradition in North 
Carolina were heroes of mine," Bowles told a gathering of the Southern Journalists 
Roundtable that was sponsored by the Program on Southern Politics, Media & 
Public Life in Chapel Hill.
http://newsobserver.com/news/columnists/story/2547020p-2364832c.html 

Issues and trends

Franklin Street slide: 'Our biggest challenge'
Chapel Hill News
This weekend, as alumni, students, and families assemble for commencement, 
downtown is at the height of graduation frenzy. But very quickly the pace will change. 
Summer is a time of turnover. It’s a decision point for many business owners and 
landlords. When the tassels turn, so does Chapel Hill.
http://www.triangle.com/triangle.com/communities/chapelhill/story/2543120p-2361373c.html

Town officials consider paving way for future use of parking lot 
The Herald-Sun
Town officials hope one day to replace the public parking lot at West Franklin and 
Church streets with a mix of commercial and residential uses and community space, 
aiming to have a development deal as soon as next year. ... 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-353639.html

Note: If you have any questions about Carolina in the News, 
please call Cathleen Keyser or Mike McFarland at News Services, 
(919) 962-2091 or news@unc.edu or mike_mcfarland@unc.edu