May 9

Carolina in the News

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

International Coverage

Controversial blood trial continues
The Scientist (United Kingdom)
A clinical trial that has been criticized for allegedly violating research ethics and Federal regulations is nearing completion. PolyHeme, an oxygen-carrying resuscitative fluid to treat uncontrolled bleeding, is in the final stages of a Phase III trial at some 30 Level 1 trauma centers in 18 states, and is expected to finish in the coming months. ... The field portion of the trial satisfies the regulations because blood is generally not carried in ambulances, said Nancy M. King, professor of social medicine at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. "But the head-to-head comparison of blood and PolyHeme in the in-hospital portion of the trial is not justifiable according to the regulation," she told The Scientist.

National Coverage

Researchers Discover Why Grapefruit Juice Interacts With Drugs
Forbes.com
Researchers say they've identified the substances in grapefruit juice that can produce unwanted side effects when the juice is taken with certain drugs. ... It had been thought that the flavonoids that give grapefruit juice its bitter taste caused the drug interaction, said study lead researcher Dr. Paul Watkins, director of the General Clinical Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Related Link: http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2006/05/08/daily7.html
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/may06/grapefruitstudy050806.htm

Judge Dismisses Christian Fraternity's Lawsuit, Saying Case Against Chapel Hill Is 'Moot'
The Chronicle of Higher Education
A federal judge last week dismissed a lawsuit brought by a Christian fraternity against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which had previously refused to recognize the group because it does not allow non-Christians to join.
UNC Statement: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/may06/aiostatement050406.htm

Regional Coverage

With film on the way, churches in S. Florida go on the offensive
Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
For Sandy Romeu, The Da Vinci Code is personal. She is a member of Opus Dei -- the Catholic organization portrayed in the book as a kind of churchly Mafia. ... Many secular academics side with Brown's debunkers. Bart Ehrman, an expert on early Christian documents at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, wrote Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code.

State & Local Coverage

Time's running out on committee (Editorial)
The Chapel Hill Herald
Here's something everyone in the community should be able to agree on: Carolina North will be the single most important project in the history of the community. It seems pretty much beyond debate – the university’s planned massive second campus on the Horace Williams tract in the dead center of the area will have an impact on just about every facet of life of southern Orange County.
Note: Not available online. For a copy, email Todd at tvinyard@dev.unc.edu.

Cosby to perform at UNC-Chapel Hill
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Tickets are on sale to see Bill Cosby next month at UNC-Chapel Hill. Cosby will perform a benefit show for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication's Chuck Stone Citizen of the World Award Fund at 8 p.m. June 10 in Memorial Hall. Stone retired from the school's faculty in 2005.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/may06/cosby050806.htm

Search for UNC law dean is ending
The Chapel Hill Herald
UNC officials say they are close to wrapping up what has been a long and winding search for a new law school dean. Four candidates -- a Carolina law professor and three deans at other law schools -- are in contention for the job. By the end of the week, UNC's search committee hopes to make recommendations to Provost Robert Shelton, who can make an offer to one of the finalists.

NC Beautiful links business and education with Moore fellowship
Carolina Newswire
Katherine Henderson is interested in land conservation. Sure she likes to take walks and enjoy a beautiful North Carolina evening, but that’s not why she decided to pursue a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Katherine is interested in the economic benefits of open space, and effective ways to conserve land and water resources.

Ten Years After UNC Frat House Fire, Safety Concerns Remain
WRAL-TV (CBS, Raleigh)
All fraternity and sorority houses at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill now have sprinklers and are inspected twice a year. And each Greek house has its own student fire marshal.

Issues & Trends

Politicians on the spot
The Charlotte Observer (Editorial)
N.C. legislators may have to pinch themselves to see if they're dreaming. Not only has a state budget surplus materialized, but the three branches of public education in the state are working far more closely than before. ... For starters, the University of North Carolina system, which is the 800-pound gorilla, has set improving K-12 education as its top priority.

Business Schools
Expand Programs
In a Dicey Market
The Wall Street Journal
Applications to full-time M.B.A. programs have been in a free fall the past few years, forcing some business schools to slash their class size. Surely, in this market, no dean in his right mind would launch a full-time master's degree program in business administration. ... When it started its graduate business school in 2003, the University of California, San Diego, knew it needed a seasoned leader and recruited Dr. Sullivan, who had headed the business schools at both the University of North Carolina and Carnegie Mellon University.

Former Sen. John Edwards To Address UMaine Graduates
WLBZ-TV (Bangor, Maine, NBC)
Former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina will be making a return trip to the University of Maine when he addresses graduates at this Saturday's commencement in Orono. ... Edwards is now director of the Center of Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

N.C.'s larger newspapers losing circulation
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
The average circulation of most of North Carolina's largest newspapers eroded over the past six months, yet another tough period for newspapers nationwide. ... "There are other ways to get information now other than newspapers ... [ways] that are more specific to consumers' needs," said Philip Meyer, a journalism professor at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Money, talking (Editorial)
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Here is what the owner of electrolysis businesses said of her attempts to get North Carolina lawmakers' attention on a regulatory bill pertaining to her industry: "It takes money to get legislation passed." And there was this from Dana Cope, head of an association representing state employees, about raising money for his group's political action committee: "It's become acutely aware to us in the last five years that those top 10 PACs are the ones that get whatever they like. That's the system that we have."

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.

Please share any questions, comments or suggestions at news@unc.edu.