November 22, 2002

Carolina in the News

Current National Coverage

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

Genetic Project Begins
Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.)
A scientist who played a key role in unraveling the human genome has started a project that 
could lead to creation in the lab of novel organisms with synthetic genes, a step some ethicists
say should be considered carefully.... The team will draw on work in the 1990s by Clyde 
Hutchison of the University of North Carolina and scientists at The Institute for Genomic 
Research in Maryland. ..
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsnew223013825nov22,0,647191.story?coll=ny%2Dhealth%2Dheadlines

Plan to create single-cell life for energy, warfare gets federal backing
The Philadelphia Inquirer
By modifying a simple microbe, scientists hope to create a new form of single-cell life that 
could lead to new and cleaner energy and perhaps play a role in biological warfare. But there 
are safety and ethical concerns in this new world of biology, experts say. ... Clyde Hutchison 
of the University of North Carolina, a microbiologist who was part of Venter's team at the 
genomic-research institute, said M. genitalium was a good microbe to use because it was so 
simple and posed no safety concerns...
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/nation/4576791.htm
(Note: This National Associated Press story also appeared in The Boston Globe, 
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The Tallahassee Democrat.)

Regents call for 21.5% hike in UH budget 
The Honolulu Advertiser 
The University of Hawai'i Board of Regents and President Evan Dobelle threw down the 
gauntlet yesterday for the Legislature and new governor, calling for a 21.5 percent hike in the 
university's operating budget. .. "We're saying that this is what it takes to become a first-rate 
university. This is what it takes to be equivalent to (University of North Carolina at) Chapel 
Hill, (University of Michigan at) Ann Arbor, (University of Texas at) Austin, (University of 
California at) Berkeley," Dobelle said. ..
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Nov/22/ln/ln05a.html

Senators hope for fiscal rebound 
The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA)
State senators looking for ways to close a nearly $2 billion budget gap were told yesterday 
that the economy should rebound by mid-2003. "Things are getting better," said economist 
James. F. Smith of the University of North Carolina, addressing the annual retreat of the 
Senate Finance Committee.... 
http://www.freelancestar.com/News/FLS/2002/112002/11222002/799263

Columbia Buys Residence To House Top Professor
The Wall Street Journal 
Columbia University has taken star wars for college economics professors to a new level with 
the acquisition of an $8 million townhouse in Manhattan that will house one of its top 
economists, Jeffrey Sachs... "Jeff Sachs adds hugely to the global believability of a school. 
He is a rainmaker who probably brings that much or more in consulting contracts to Columbia
and attracts top international students," says James Smith, an economics professor at the 
University of North Carolina's business school...
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1037833852609809708,00.html?mod=economy%5Flead%5Fstory%5Flsc
(Note: The Wall Street Journal requires a subscription to access articles.)

State and Local Coverage

UNC exhibit probes N.C.’s many legends 
The Herald-Sun
With a state motto of "Esse quam videri," which in Latin means, "To be rather than to seem," 
North Carolina wouldn’t seem to be steeped in enigma. ... This winter, the N.C. Collection 
Gallery at UNC’s Wilson Library features an exhibit that explores some of the state’s best-
known head-scratchers and eyebrow-raisers. Titled "North Carolina Mysteries, Myths and 
Legends," it presents colorful tales about hauntings, buried treasure and the dubious 
accomplishments of historical figures, among other puzzles and hoaxes. ...
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-291075.html
(Note: For a UNC news release on this exhibit, go to 
http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/aug02/nccol083002.htm)

Religion students present arts show 
The Herald-Sun
Students of different religions will present music, drama and spoken word from 8:30 p.m. 
until midnight Saturday at a coffeehouse in the UNC Student Union multipurpose room. The 
free public event, titled "One World, One Night, One Celebration of Spirituality," is sponsored 
by the UNC Bahai Club and held to use the arts to share personal expressions of religious 
faith, event organizers said. ... 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-291021.html

Private funds to pay Ehringhaus 
News and Observer
UNC-Chapel Hill will use private foundation money to pay more than $376,000 over the next 
two years to outgoing university counsel Susan H. Ehringhaus, trustees Chairman Tim 
Burnett said Thursday. ... 
http://newsobserver.com/news/triangle/story/1959490p-1914966c.html

UNC trustees OK lawyer's salary deal 
The Herald-Sun
UNC’s Board of Trustees has publicly backed Chancellor James Moeser’s controversial
decision to pay a departing university lawyer her current salary for the next two years. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-291019.html

Peeling the Orange 
The Herald-Sun
The unpopularity among local pilots of UNC Chancellor James Moeser’s attempt to close 
Horace Williams Airport has reached the airwaves ... The crowd at UNC’s big win over Rutgers 
Wednesday night was pretty loud, even if there were large sections of empty seats at the Dean 
Dome ... Speaking at last week’s annual ACLU awards presentation, retired UNC law Prof. 
Dan Pollitt recalled some poignant anecdotes of the protest movement against racial 
segregation here. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-290976.html

Issues and Trends Affecting Carolina

Sen. John Edwards, Likely Presidential Candidate, Lays Out Education Proposals
The Chronicle of Higher Education
In a speech widely viewed as helping to lay the groundwork for a 2004 presidential run, U.S. 
Sen. John Edwards offered a sweeping set of plans on Thursday to revamp the education 
system in the United States. The North Carolina Democrat proposed giving qualified students
a free first year of tuition at a public college, abolishing "early decision" admissions programs, 
and restructuring the federal student-loan program. 
http://chronicle.com/daily/2002/11/2002112201n.htm
(Note: A related story appeared in today's Los Angeles Times highlighting Edwards' 
support of abolishing early decision, 
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-edwards22nov22.story and The 
Greensboro News and Record, http://www.news-record.com/news/local/gso/edwards22rk.htm. 
The Chronicle of Higher Education requires a subscription to access articles.)

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