September 11, 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:

AAUP Will Review the Impact of 9/11 on Academic Freedom
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The American Association of University Professors, disturbed by an array of recent events that may 
limit academic freedom, has created a committee to review and analyze incidents in the wake of the 
attacks on September 11 of last year... Individual cases that have caused concern to the AAUP 
include the controversy over the study of a book about the Koran at the University of North 
Carolina at Chapel Hill...
http://chronicle.com/daily/2002/09/2002091101n.htm
(Note: The Chronicle of Higher Education requires a subscription to access articles.)

Faithful try to comprehend attacks 
Cleveland Plain Dealer 
Last September, bomb-sniffing dogs trotted through the sanctuary of Park Synagogue in Cleveland 
Heights, securing the landmark structure before the High Holidays... In the wider U.S. culture, two 
streams emerged, both recognizably American. One was a thirst for knowledge of authentic Islam in 
an explosion of new books and courses. The other was a decrying of the world's second most 
populous faith. It spilled from Christian radio broadcasters, the Rev. Franklin Graham and those 
suing the University of North Carolina to stop it from teaching incoming students the Koran. 
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/1031738119139390.xml

Muslims in the KC area still endure the sting of backlash
The Kansas City Star
At the airport, they still feel the heavy stares. On television, they still see a few commentators 
spewing prejudice... Bill O'Reilly, the cable television commentator, also called Islam "evil" in 
denouncing a class assignment at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill that had some 
incoming freshmen read a book about the Qur'an, the Muslim holy text, in August.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/4044254.htm

On eve of 9/11 anniversary, West Michigan Muslims mix resolve with apprehension
Grand Rapids Press
A group of Bosnian men sat in a corner of the Islamic Center and Mosque of Grand Rapids, chatting 
quietly while waiting for their weekly Friday prayer service to begin... Still, Muslims remain sensitive 
to charges that Islam promotes violence. The recent furor at the University of North Carolina over a 
required reading on the Quran, and the Rev. Franklin Graham's labeling of Islam as "an evil and 
wicked religion," show their faith is still widely misunderstood, Muslims insist. 
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news-3/1031669160116170.xml

North Carolina News Note

Bill Roper, dean of the School of Public Health, was interviewed by WUNC-TV's "North Carolina 
NOW" as "North Carolina NOW's Newsmaker." This segment is expected to air on Monday, 
September 16. Roper discussed the impact of 9/11 on public health and on North Carolina. 
"North Carolina Now" airs weeknights at 7:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. For more information regarding 
the program schedule, please go to http://www.unctv.org/ncnow/schedule.html

State and Local Coverage

Reliving the tragedy
Chapel Hill News
Today holds many reminders of Sept. 11, 2001. There are memorials, church services, candlelight 
vigils and quiet remembrances. Flags are flying at half-mast... Even the thousands on campus who 
gathered in the warm Wednesday sun left the service of speeches and calls for tolerance, prayers and 
song in utter quiet. "Students came up to me after commencement this year," Chancellor James 
Moeser said in a recent interview, "and told me that was the most important moment in their years 
here."
http://www.triangle.com/triangle.com/communities/chapelhill/our_town/story/1718354p-1733638c.html

9/11 attacks added to UNC lesson plans 
The Herald-Sun
In the days following the terrorist attacks of last Sept. 11, students in Emil Malizia’s beginner course 
on city and regional planning reacted like people everywhere did; they grieved, they vented, and they 
asked "Why?"... History texts, for example, may not yet be able to teach Sept. 11 as an American 
history topic, said Risa Palm, dean of UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences... "It’s impossible to talk 
about the Muslim world without talking about the event itself," said Sarah Shields, a history professor 
who teaches a course about the modern Middle East. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-265989.html

Remembering the victims: UNC plans events today for 6 who died in attacks 
The Herald-Sun
Six Carolina alumni lost their lives in last year’s terrorists attacks. Today, UNC will hold a convocation 
on Polk Place, a volunteer fair encouraging public service and an evening candlelight vigil to remember
the victims. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-266051.html

Ryan Kohart scholarship fund at UNC nears its goal 
The Herald-Sun
For a year now, Geoffrey Kohart and his family has grieved for the son they lost last Sept. 11, but 
their grief has been tempered somewhat by the kind words of strangers. The Koharts lost their 26-
year-old son, Ryan, in the attack on the World Trade Center that day... In all, the scholarship fund 
has thus far received between 350 and 400 contributions totaling more than $120,000, Kohart said, 
drawing it close to the $150,000 needed to fully fund an athletic scholarship for an out-of-state 
lacrosse player. Ryan Kohart played lacrosse while at Carolina from 1995 to 1998 and as a senior 
he captained the team. 
http://www.herald-sun.com/orange/10-265987.html

Grant to aid rural study 
News and Observer
With the help of a $16.5 million grant won by UNC-Chapel Hill and Pennsylvania State University, 
researchers will follow 800 children in Wayne, Wilson and Sampson counties to study child 
development in rural areas... "We're really focused on understanding children in these rural areas -- 
there are three counties in Pennsylvania and three counties in North Carolina," said Lynne Vernon-
Feagans, a UNC-CH education professor and fellow at the Frank Porter Graham Child 
Development Institute.
http://newsobserver.com/news/triangle/story/1720545p-1735607c.html

Issues and Trends Affecting Carolina

Orange: Kinnaird finishes a hair ahead of Lee 
News and Observer
Ellie Kinnaird, who has served in the state Senate since 1997, appears to have narrowly defeated 
veteran senator and fellow Democrat, Howard Lee in a primary race that pitted the two political friends 
reluctantly against each other.
http://newsobserver.com/news/triangle/story/1720556p-1735619c.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