Nov. 10, 2006

Carolina in the News

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

National Coverage

Beyond Berkeley
The Wall Street Journal
Universities have become more selective in part because there are more students seeking spots. ...Acceptances at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill fell to 34% from 38% five years ago.

Cancer Capitalists
Forbes
US Oncology's doctors treat one in seven new cancer patients-- and enrage the rest of medicine. ...In Raleigh, N.C. Ross persuaded a ten-doctor oncology practice to leave leased space at the Rex Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina and end a 15-year affiliation with the nonprofit.

More People Could Benefit From Statins
WebMD
Cholesterol-lowering statin therapy is both beneficial and cost-effective for a wider range of the population than has previously been treated with the drugs, a new study suggests. ...Cardiologist Sidney C. Smith Jr., MD, tells WebMD that the study makes an important contribution to the literature. Smith, who is a former president of the American Heart Association (AHA), leads an AHA/American College of Cardiology task force examining practice guidelines. He is a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/jan05/smith010505.html

Bishop assails Gnostic fad that ‘Code’ boosted
The Associated Press (National)
Gnosticism, the religious rival that lost out to orthodox Christi-anity in ancient times, has be-come fashionable again thanks to Dan Brown’s huge-selling novel “The Da Vinci Code” and the efforts of professors like Princeton’s Elaine Pagels. ...That text is analyzed in Wright’s latest book, “Judas and the Gospel of Jesus” (Baker Books) and in “The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot” (Oxford University Press) by Bart D. Ehrman of the University of North Carolina.

State and Local Coverage

Tech firms get cash infusion
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Three Triangle technology firms raised $10.5 million last month to hire workers, invest in research and market new products. ...Entegrion was spun out of UNC-Chapel Hill in 2003 and has been working on a potentially lucrative drug, Stasix, a substance that could reduce internal bleeding and might be used by the U.S. military to treat battlefield wounds.

Mother Inspires At Campus Fire Safety Conference
WNCN-TV (NBC, Raleigh)
Bonnie Woodruff received a standing ovation after speaking at a Campus Fire Safety Conference Thursday in Chapel Hill. It was a tough message for this mother who lost her son in a fire at a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill off-campus fraternity house in 1996.
Related link: http://rdu.news14.com/content/your_news/triangle/default.asp?ArID=94217

UNC still in holding pattern
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
With reports circulating that North Carolina and Butch Davis have reached an agreement -- or are close to reaching an agreement -- for Davis to be the school's next head coach, imaginations of some UNC fans are running wild.

Too many rumors, not enough facts out of UNC (Editorial)
The Wilmington Star-News
Real, on-the-record news out of Chapel Hill is hard to come by these days; rumors are more plentiful than fake IDs on Franklin Street. The University of North Carolina has an alumnus coaching its football team three more games, even as a tight circle of Dick Baddour appointees goes about hiring a coach to start work Sunday, Nov. 26.
Related link: http://www.wral.com/news/10275631/detail.html

Entertainment briefs: Ea Sola to premiere work
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Company Ea Sola will perform the U.S. premiere of "Drought and Rain Vol. 2," a contemporary dance reflection on the Vietnam War, on Nov. 16 and 17 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/nov06/easola110706.htm
Note: Company Ea Sola will be Dick Gordon's guest on Monday's (Nov. 13) edition of "The Story" on WUNC-FM.

'Tuesdays With Morrie' highlights humor and humanity
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Who doesn't have a Morrie in his or her life? That favorite person -- a teacher, a mentor, a family member. ...PlayMakers Repertory Company at UNC Chapel Hill will present "Tuesdays With Morrie" Wednesday through Dec. 10 in the Paul Green Theatre on campus.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/nov06/morrie110606.htm

Peeling the Orange
The Chapel Hill Herald
If thine old self is interested in acting, particularly of the Shakespearean variety, you're in luck. Some of the Bard's fellow Brits will be in Chapel Hill this month to stage a play and talk to students about the acting craft. Actors From the London Stage, one of the world's oldest internationally touring Shakespeare troupes, will visit classes and perform "Hamlet" next Monday through Sunday at UNC.
UNC News Release: http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/nov06/actorslondon110106.htm

City Council approves alarm ordinance by 4-to-1 vote
The Salisbury Post
Salisbury City Council finally approved an alarm ordinance Tuesday aimed at reducing the number of false alarms to which police and fire respond. ...They arrived at $207 a call for police and $1,465 a call for fire, using study standards established by the University of North Carolina's School of Government.

Issues and Trends

Graduation Rates for College Athletes Reach Historic Highs
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The NCAA's president, Myles Brand, went on the offensive on Thursday, defending the academic performance of college athletes and criticizing people who he says have unfairly labeled athletes as poor students.

Little changes in area graduation rates
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Division I-A student-athletes are graduating at roughly the same rate as the student body in general, according to federal graduation rate data released by the NCAA on Thursday. Duke and UNC athletes aren't exceeding the pace set by all students at their respective schools, but the schools' athletes are graduating at a rate well above the national average, just like their student populations in general.
Related link: http://www.newsobserver.com/799/story/508361.html

Review may save campuses millions
The Chapel Hill Herald
In a report that rivals some Russian novels in length, a committee studying efficiency at the UNC system is recommending changes that could result in $62 million in net savings and $426 million in avoided costs over the next five years. ...UNC Chapel Hill's pledges include subcontracting the work of dental technicians at the School of Dentistry; attempting to switch to a vendor-managed scientific storeroom; studying the possibility of not hiring a new vice provost for enrolment; and scrutinizing other staff positions that are "open and vacant for an above-average length of time," according to the report.

E. coli sickens at least 7 in Chapel Hill, most are UNC students
The Associated Press (N.C.)
Health officials confirmed today that E. coli sickened seven people in Chapel Hill, six of them students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Related link: http://rdu.news14.com/content/headlines/?ArID=94228&SecID=2

Try alternate routes to avoid I-40 repair headaches
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
If you drive to UNC-Chapel Hill this weekend for homecoming, you might have trouble home-going.
Interstate 40 eastbound will be clogged near U.S. 15-501 in Chapel Hill because of pavement repairs scheduled between 8 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Monday.
Related link: http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-786941.html

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.