Trillin visits as Morgan Writer
Calvin
Trillin, the acclaimed writer, humorist and commentator on American
culture and cuisine, will be the Morgan Writer-in-Residence
at Carolina in mid-March.
Trillin will discuss his work in a free public reading March
19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Carroll Hall auditorium. He also will
meet with creative writing and English classes and with local
high school students.
Trillin, whose essays and columns have appeared in "Time," "The
New Yorker" and "The Nation," has written many books. His latest,
the novel "Tepper Isn't Going Out" (Random House, 2002), is
a humorous tale of the urban quest for an open parking space.
Trillin wrote the best-selling memoirs "Remembering Denny" (1993)
and "Messages from My Father" (1996), as well as "Family Man"
(1988), his humorous take on raising children.
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Trillin graduated from Yale University
in 1957. After a stint in the Army, he became a reporter for
"Time."
In 1963, he joined "The New Yorker." In 15 years there, he produced
a highly praised series of articles from diverse locations across
the country, which appeared in the magazine under the title
"U.S. Journal." A collection of those stories, about murders
in the hinterlands, was published in 1984 as "Killings."
Trillin was a columnist for "The Nation" from 1978 to 1985.
His syndicated work from that period was collected in five books:
"Uncivil Liberties" (1982), "With All Disrespect" (1985), "If
You Can't Say Something Nice" (1988), "Enough's Enough" (1990)
and "Too Soon To Tell" (1995).
He also wrote three books about his culinary adventures: "American
Fried," "Alice, Let's Eat" and "Third Helpings." Those were
compiled in 1994 into a single volume, "The Tummy Trilogy."
Trillin returned to "Time" as a columnist in 1996, and, since
1990, he has written a weekly piece of comic verse for "The
Nation." He won an Audie Award from the Audio Publishers Association
in 1996 for the best humorous audio tape for a recording of
some of his essays. He has presented two one-man shows in New
York, both of which were critically acclaimed sell-outs.
Trillin's visit to Carolina is sponsored by the English department
and the Morgan Writer-in-Residence Program, established in 1993
by alumni Allen and Musette Morgan of Memphis, Tenn., to bring
writers of distinction to campus. Previous Morgan Writers have
included Tobias Wolff, John Edgar Wideman, Russell Banks, Robert
Pinsky, Rita Dove, Annie Dillard and Shelby Foote.
For more information, call 962-4283.
Teaching Award winners announced at Feb. 12 game
Editor's
note: A special insert on 2003 Teaching Award winners will appear
later this year in the "Gazette."
Carolina
has announced winners of the 2003 Teaching Awards, the highest
campus-based recognition for teaching excellence at the University.
The announcement came during a halftime ceremony at the Tar Heels'
Feb. 12 men's basketball game against the University of Virginia.
The winners, chosen in nine separate categories, also will be
recognized by Chancellor James Moeser at an awards banquet later
this spring.
Except for recipients in three categories, the University Committee
on Teaching Awards chose this year's winners.
"There
is no doubt that teaching is a highly valued activity on this
campus," said Cathy Nielson, who chaired the selection committee
and is clinical professor and director of the Division of Occupational
Science and Division of Rehabilitation Psychology and Counseling
in the School of Medicine's Department of Allied Health. "We read
poignant stories of the impact a faculty member has had on the
life or career of a single student and equally compelling stories
of the lifelong dedication of faculty to generations of Carolina
students. A common thread in all of these stories is that teachers
at Carolina are passionate about their work, demanding of themselves
and their students and committed to not only sharing information
but developing the capacity of students to take that information
and change the world.
"Our
2003 award recipients continue the tradition of teaching excellence
at Carolina."
The Tanner Faculty Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
go to five faculty members, with each receiving a one-time stipend
of $5,000 and a framed citation. Winners are: Christopher Armitage,
professor, Department of English; Gary Bishop, associate professor,
Department of Computer Science; Bernard Boxill, professor, Department
of Philosophy; Larry Goldberg, lecturer, Department of English;
and Boone Turchi, assistant professor, Department of Economics.
These awards recognize excellence in inspirational teaching of
undergraduate students, preferably with respect to influence on
first- and second-year students. They were created in 1952 with
a bequest by Kenneth S. Tanner, class of 1911, and his sister,
Sara Tanner Crawford, establishing an endowment fund in memory
of their parents, Lola Spencer and Simpson Bobo Tanner.
Carolina expanded the scope of the Tanner faculty awards in 1990
to recognize excellence in the teaching of undergraduates by graduate
teaching assistants. The Tanner Teaching Assistants' Awards for
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching go to five graduate teaching
assistants. Each winner receives a one-time stipend of $1,000
and a framed citation. Winners are: Jen Ashlock, Department of
Sociology; Yaacov Ben-Shemesh, Department of Philosophy; Richard
Landesberg, School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Maureen
Reissner O'Brian, Department of Art; and Kathleen Theyson, Department
of Economics.
The William C. Friday/Class of 1986 Award for Excellence in Teaching
honors one undergraduate faculty member who receives a one-time
stipend determined by available funding and a framed citation.
Arrel Toews, research professor in the Department of Biochemistry
and Biophysics in the School of Medicine, is this year's recipient.
This award, created with a gift from the class of 1986, honors
full-time undergraduate faculty members who have exemplified excellence
in inspirational teaching. Friday, the award's namesake, has devoted
a lifetime of service to public higher education as UNC system
president and now as University Distinguished Professor on the
Carolina campus.
Richard H. Kohn, professor in the Department of History and chair
of the Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense, has been selected
for the John L. Sanders Award for Distinguished Undergraduate
Teaching and Service and will receive a one-time stipend of $5,000
and a framed citation. The award recognizes excellence in the
teaching, advising and mentoring of undergraduate students in
a manner consistent with the life and values of Sanders, longtime
director of the UNC Institute of Government, now part of Carolina's
School of Government.
The award was created in 1995 by Ben M. Jones III to honor Sanders,
who has worked since his own undergraduate days to improve student
life and governance. He also has advised generations of students
and counseled effective political action and pursuit of constructive
change.
Paul W. Leslie, professor in the Department of Anthropology, has
been tapped for the J. Carlyle Sitterson Freshman Teaching Award,
which goes to a faculty member teaching first-year students. The
winner receives a one-time stipend of $5,000 and a framed citation.
This award was created in 1998 by the family of the late J. Carlyle
Sitterson to recognize excellence in freshman teaching by a tenured
or tenure-track faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Sitterson, a Kenan professor of history and Carolina chancellor
from 1966 to 1972, was a passionate advocate for inspired teaching
of freshman.
The Johnston Teaching Excellence Award goes to two faculty members
for excellence in undergraduate teaching. Each winner receives
$5,000 and a framed citation. Winners are: James Thompson, professor
and chair, Department of English; and Ivana Vuletic, assistant
professor, Department of Slavic Languages. Created in 1991, these
awards are funded by the James M. Johnston Scholarship Program,
which provides need-based scholarships to the University.
The Teaching Awards for Post-Baccalaureate Instruction go to four
full-time faculty members. Each winner receives a one-time stipend
of $5,000 and a framed citation. Winners are: Debashis Aikat,
professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Barbara
Entwisle, professor, Department of Sociology; Ken Hillis, professor,
Department of Communication Studies; and Glenn Hinson, professor,
Department of Anthropology and Curriculum in Folklore. This award
was first given by the University in 1995 to recognize the important
role of post-baccalaureate teaching.
Daphne Athas, lecturer in the Department of English, has received
the Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement, which acknowledges
a broader range of "teaching beyond the classroom." The winner
receives a one-time stipend of $1,000 and a framed citation. Created
in 1997, this award acknowledges the importance of activities
beyond teaching and learning, particularly mentoring outside the
classroom. It rewards those who help students to develop and attain
their potential. Dean Smith, longtime coach of the men's basketball
team, was the first winner.
This year's Carolina nominee for the UNC Board of Governors Award
for Excellence in Teaching is Judy Miller, a professor in the
School of Nursing. Established by the Board of Governors in April
1994 to underscore the importance of teaching and to reward good
teaching across the UNC system, the awards are given annually
to a tenured faculty member from each UNC campus and will be formally
announced at a March Board of Governors meeting. Nominees, who
each receive a $7,500 stipend and a bronze medallion, will be
honored at a luncheon this spring.
For five of the nine categories, the University Committee on Teaching
Awards chose this year's winners from nominations submitted last
fall. Separate committees in the College of Arts and Sciences
chose winners of the Sanders and Sitterson awards, working closely
with the campuswide committee. Fellows in the Johnston Scholarship
Program nominated and selected the Johnston Award winners and
worked with the campuswide committee.
Nielson said she was "pleased with the number and caliber of nominations
received in all award categories this year."
"Nominations
came from across the campus from students, alumni, staff, faculty
colleagues and department chairs," she said. "Every subcommittee
had the rewarding but difficult task of selecting award recipients
from a pool of very dedicated and talented nominees."
Shuttle tragedy makes essays,
debate timely
Call
it eerie coincidence.
Edward Samulski asked the 16 students in his first-year seminar
to come to class prepared to write an essay arguing for or against
the continuation of manned space travel.
The class was held Feb. 3, three days after the space shuttle
Columbia exploded and fell in scattered pieces over the skies
of Texas and 
Louisiana.
All seven astronauts aboard perished.
Samulski, the Cary C. Boshamer professor in the University's department
of chemistry, had just happened to make the assignment the week
before.
The tragedy turned what might otherwise have been an academic
exercise into a question weighted down with unforeseen immediacy.
And instead of just having the students write an essay, Samulski
led them through a 90-minute discussion as a form of preparatory
exercise for writing their essays.
As a scientist, Samulski is interested in looking at how molecular
organization influences optical properties and flow of liquids,
and ultimately how such organization manifests itself in the strength
of materials.
As a teacher, Samulski's interest for this course -- titled "You
Don't Have To Be A Rocket Scientist" -- was to force students
to push beyond the often shallow and one-sided presentation of
science within the mass media.
The underlying theme of everything students are asked to do in
the course is to develop the Socratic method so that students
understand how to extract information from or find the flaws in
popular science writing.
Throughout the 90-minute discussion, which took place in the Johnston
Center for Undergraduate Excellence, Samulski offered no lecture,
revealed no bias. He served, for the purpose at hand, more as
a conductor without a script eliciting a cacophony of clashing
facts and opinions.
As preparation for the class and for writing the essay, students
had been asked to compile information from an array of outside
sources. In addition, all students were asked to read "Voodoo
Science: The Road from Foolishness to Fraud," a text written by
University of Maryland physicist Robert L. Park.
Park, who is scheduled to speak to the class later this semester,
describes in his book a "voodoo science" in which political and
religious commitments override rationality on a number of fronts
from global warming to alternative medicine to the Reagan-era
"Star Wars" missile-defense system, better known as the Strategic
Defense Initiative.
In addition to the text and outside source materials, students
could incorporate into their essays any of the points made by
other students in class.
But more important than the facts selected, or the position taken,
would be the skill they used to build a convincing case, Samulski
told the students.
"The
point of class is not to shoot something down, but to go in and
say, `Gee, this doesn't look feasible for the following reasons,'
or, `Here are some clear-cut benefits of this program,'" he said.
"The goal is to think critically and to argue persuasively about
science in the public domain."
A student who was most adamant in his argument against manned
space travel was Brian Gorham, who brimmed with confidence --
and a litany of facts bolstering his case.
Unmanned launches cost about a fourth of what it takes for a manned
launch. Even when astronauts return to Earth safely, they undergo
unavoidable health risks while in space -- from bone loss to radiation
exposure. In weightlessness, it is harder to exercise, which forces
astronauts to devote hours of their day exercising just to keep
fit. That is time a robot could be doing something else, students
argued.
A student named Stewart talked about how past space missions had
created a ring of litter around the Earth and that further exploration
of the shallow reaches of space seemed pointless.
"The
next thing to really explore is Mars, and humans can't do it,"
Stewart said.
Other students argued that the need for manned space flight had
more to do with gaining public attention than generating useful
science.
In response, Samulski pointed out the public's fascination with
the pictures an unmanned craft had taken of Mars several years
ago.
A student named Matthew saw another key point: Robots don't require
a round trip back to Earth. And that means NASA can take greater
risks to push farther into space.
During the middle of the discussion, Samulski had students talk
about the original motivation for manned space flight.
A student named Trey mentioned the country's embarrassment after
the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957 and the imperative that
resulted to catch up with the Russians. The U.S. space program
was powered, in its early days, by the heat of competition generated
by the Cold War.
Brian talked of how military leaders dreamed of having units up
in space, and of how Ronald Reagan harnessed that dream with his
Star Wars initiative in the 1980s.
At another point in the discussion, when the facts against manned
space travel seemed to be piling up too high, Samulski intervened.
"We
are focusing on the negative here, guys," he said.
And then Samulski offered a short soliloquy of where science stood
in 1981, before the first launch of space shuttle Columbia, before
any of his students were born.
"I
remember how bad communications were," Samulski said.
When Neil Armstrong took his great leap on the moon for mankind
in 1969, he appeared to people watching on their televisions as
a ghostly, grainy black-and-white figure. If that trip were replicated
today, with satellite technology developed through the space program,
the images sent back to people's living rooms would appear in
three-dimensional color.
Peel away the politics and hype associated with the space program,
and there are still basic byproducts of research by NASA that
has changed everyday living.
Perhaps the best example of that for students, Samulski said,
are the computers and the cell phones that most students would
probably say they couldn't live without.
For Samulski, the tragedy has even more immediacy. He leads the
University's component of a NASA grant focusing on creating new
materials that might revolutionize civil aviation and space travel.
Samulski brought no materials to class except for one: a tile
like the one used to encase the shuttle.
There are 24,000 tiles on the space shuttle, and each one of them
has its own shape and number, Samulski said.
After each shuttle flight, researchers at Carnegie Mellon use
a robotic machine to inspect each tile after each flight. The
machine moves from tile to tile and compares it to a photo of
a preflight tile. If a tile looks chipped, scratched or out of
place, the staff is alerted to inspect it further.
The one in Samulski's possession was stamped defective, which
is how Samulski ended up getting it from NASA as a teaching tool,
he said.
As the students passed it around, Samulski asked each of them
to guess what it was made out of.
To one student, the white underbelly of the tile had the feel
of Styrofoam. It was amazingly light and fragile, he said.
No wonder, Samulski said. A small portion of the tile -- 2 percent
-- consisted of fine silica fibers that are made from sand, he
said. The remaining 98 percent is air.
"It's
a gorgeous insulator despite its fragile nature," Samulski said.
Samulski asked the class if they knew how much it cost per pound
to send something up into space. The answer: $10,000, or as one
student pointed out, more than the price of gold.
"Have
you ever held $10,000 before?" Samulski asked a student next to
him. "Well, you're holding it. Don't drop it."
Forum
supports affordable
housing development
The
Employee Forum at its Feb. 5 meeting passed a resolution urging
the Carrboro Board of Aldermen to approve a development that would
provide some affordable housing units for Carolina employees.
The forum endorsed the resolution backing the Winmore project
in light of the relatively high cost of living in Chapel Hill
and Carrboro, where the average cost of a single-family home stands
at more than $300,000.
The University Board of Trustees already has agreed to sell the
Horace Williams satellite, a 62-acre parcel located off Homestead
Road, to Winmore Land Management LLC for $1.25 million so that
it can be part of a mixed-used residential development.
Winmore already has a contract to buy an adjoining 66-acre tract
for the project, which still must gain regulatory approval from
the Carrboro aldermen before construction can begin.
The developers have asked the Carrboro board to allow the project
to consist of 398 residential units, with 192 single-family homes,
110 townhouses and 96 apartments.
The Winmore partners plan to develop the community's infrastructure,
such as roads and utilities, but then sell the lots to builders
who construct the homes and apartments.
A stipulation of the deal requires Winmore to set aside 50 to
60 homes priced no higher than $175,000 that would have to be
sold to employees of the University, UNC Health Care or the Town
of Carrboro.
Also, the 96 apartments would be built and rented exclusively
to those same employees. According to Bob Knight, assistant vice
chancellor for finance and administration, the rental rates would
be based on federal affordable housing guidelines, which are based
on a percentage of the local family median income. Guidelines
change from year to year and depend on location but aim to keep
rates low enough so they do not consume more than 30 percent of
family income.
To keep homes and townhouses affordable for future buyers, Knight
said, officials would attempt to include restrictive covenants
in the homeowners' association to maintain affordability over
the long term.
The development is expected to mix offices and stores with residential
property, with about 50 acres set aside for open space.
Knight said the Carrboro aldermen will set a date for public hearings
on the Winmore project at a meeting in March, with the hearing
probably not being held until the end of March. He said it could
be a few months before any construction begins.
The proceeds from the $1.25 million land sale will go to Carolina's
Department of Philosophy as part of a settlement the University
has reached with the department over the will of the late professor
Horace Williams, who bequeathed the tract to the philosophy department.
The money will fund two fellowships in the department.
Stone
Center changes name to better reflect cultural, educational mission
The
Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History now is
using its new name.
Center leaders selected the name after consulting members of the
campus community and others and securing approval from the University
Board of Trustees.
The name better reflects the center's expanded mission, said Joseph
Jordan, center director. They wished to reinforce the center's
role in the University's educational mission, as a site for serious,
sustained scholarship around the African diaspora experience,
as well as its role as a cultural institution. The African diaspora
concerns the history and experiences of people of African descent
in all parts of the world.
Jordan said the Stone Center also wished to join the growing number
of American colleges and universities that are recognizing the
value of engaging culture as a critical exercise.
"Black
and diaspora centers are embracing a much broader range of interests,
and, in our case, our name reflects the range of concerns that
we intend to address," he said. "We continue to focus on culture
and its role in the lives of people, but now, by placing cultures
in historical context, we affirm that we are equally as interested
in understanding and documenting the effects of those cultures."
And, he said, the center remains as a resource for the entire
campus, working with other departments, centers, student groups
and faculty, as well as community-based groups. Examples of collaboration
include the Stone Center's work with the Johnston Center for Undergraduate
Excellence and the Women's Center.
The center often co-sponsors events and provides speakers or information
for specific programs or initiatives that fall within its mission,
Jordan said.
"We
also take great pains to plan and collaborate in programs that
explore the interactions or linkages between peoples," he said.
Among other efforts, the center has been exploring the relationships
between Latin American and African-American communities through
its diaspora film festival and speaker series, and its Cross-Cultural
Communications Institute series also presents inter-ethnic dialogue
about common and specific issues of concern to the campus community.
"In
all we continue to believe that the African-American experience
is a perfect lens through which this country's history can be
better understood," Jordan said.
For more information, visit the center web site,
ibiblio.org/shsbcc/.
Campaign gives employees flexibility
Carolina
boasts many wonderful programs.
From the arts to the sciences, from the libraries to community
resources. And that means there are plenty of worthy programs
that faculty and staff can support as part of the 2003 University
Campaign.
The theme of this year's campaign is "It's your choice," meant
to drive home the point that employees can give to what means
most to them.
"As
with past campaigns, employees can support their specific department
or unit, or an area of the University that has enriched their
lives," said Jeff Terry, associate director of the Annual Fund.
"Wherever a gift is designated, the money will be spent there."
Last year, 1,500 active staff and employees gave nearly $1 million
to the campaign in support of Carolina academics, designating
gifts to 502 different schools, programs and areas on campus.
Terry said employees' generosity was particularly "gratifying
in these uncertain economic times."
"We
all contribute with our time and expertise to keep our University
strong and growing, but it is especially meaningful that employees
also choose to contribute financially," he said.
At the end of February or early in March, all faculty and staff
will receive a packet of campaign materials, including a brochure,
employee gift form and return envelope.
Payment can be made by check, credit card or through payroll deduction.
The gift form includes an extensive list of specific designations
covering various schools or programs. If the preferred designation
is not on the gift form, employees can feel free to earmark their
gift to go to any part of campus they want to support.
"We
want to make this as easy and flexible as possible," Terry said.
The campaign will run through June 30. Donors who wish will be
recognized next fall in a "Gazette" insert, as well as on a special
web site -- carolinafirst.unc.edu/univcampaign -- that will be
updated as gifts come in.
For more information, contact Terry at 843-6143 or jeff_terry@unc.edu.
Graduate School vital to Carolina's evolution
By
Brian MacPherson,
"Gazette" Student Assistant
Carolina graduate students have created paintings of classic urban
life, researched the benefits of national homeownership programs,
traversed the state to spread enthusiasm for science and studied
the childhood experience of first-communion.
They have developed new agricultural methods through species diversification,
followed spawning blue crabs as they traveled along tidal streams
and investigated family structure as it relates to teenagers'
academic success.
And that was just last year.
In 2002 -- as well as the previous 99 years of the Graduate School's
history -- Carolina students conducted research, taught classes
and influenced the evolution of the University, as well as the
state, in many immeasurable ways.
"There
is a perception that they're locked in a lab somewhere for years,"
said Deborah Makemsom, Graduate School communications writer.
"Their research spans the state of North Carolina from one end
to the other. They go into communities. They conduct research,
field studies. They end up doing research that helps communities
as a whole, and society."
This innovative research, community involvement and leadership
training will be the focus of the Graduate School's yearlong centennial
celebration, which will begin March 6.
"Although
it's a centennial of the Graduate School, we're using it as an
opportunity to really help people to know what all these difference
graduate students do," said Kathy Farinola, an employee of the
school. "It's a great opportunity to showcase and celebrate the
students and what they are doing."
One of the major events marking the centennial will be the release
of a coffee-table-style book by doctoral student Laura Puaca with
a foreword written by former UNC president William Friday. The
book is entitled "The History of Graduate Education at Carolina"
and will be released sometime in this year.
The book describes the early history of the Graduate School as
it relates to the evolution of the University as a whole. Prior
to 1876, Carolina offered a master's degree, but not one that
resembled the modern version in any way.
"There
was a time when we granted master's degrees but you didn't really
have to do any research," said Sandra Hoeflich, associate dean
for interdisciplinary education, fellowships and communication.
"You took a couple more courses on top of what you did as an undergrad.
You could even basically purchase them. If you were an eminent
figure in the community, you could get an M.A."
Before 1876, when the University adopted its first research-based
graduate program, most scholars were forced to go to Europe to
pursue an advanced degree. The Graduate School, an organization
of advanced programs in several departments, was founded in 1903.
In the last 100 years, the school has expanded to make up one-third
of the student body at Carolina, with more than 5,700 students.
It includes 64 doctoral-level programs and 91 master's-level programs.
The official kick-off event for the centennial celebration will
take place on March 6 at the Carolina Club. "A Celebration of
Graduate Students and Their Contributions to the State of North
Carolina" will feature the presentation of the school's Centennial
Awards to graduate and professional students whose research has
benefited North Carolina.
"It's
really appropriate that we start with an event that focuses on
graduate students because that is really what the Graduate School
is very focused on," Hoeflich said.
On March 27, the school will host a Society of Fellows forum on
"Faith in Public Life," an especially relevant topic given the
controversy surrounding last August's assigned reading for first-year
students.
Graduate students who have won external fellowships or have been
inducted into the Graduate Student Honor Society will be honored
on April 1.
"This
is one of the key quality indicators," Hoeflich said. "The University
is looking at ways to measure quality and that's been one of the
key quality indicators for graduate education -- how many graduate
students are able to win these prestigious, external, very competitive
awards."
On May 17, for the first time, graduating doctoral students will
be take part in a doctoral hooding ceremony.
Next fall, when graduate students return to campus, numerous cultural
diversity activities at orientation will take place in an effort
to "look toward the future," Hoeflich said.
By decree of Chancellor James Moeser, University Day on Oct. 12
will be dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Carolina
graduate students. A major part of the event will be a national
conference, "Public Graduate/Research Universities: Leading for
the Future," which will feature a panel of nationally recognized
leaders in higher education.
Also as part of its centennial celebration, the Graduate School
will launch the Royster Society of Fellows Graduate Student Ambassadors,
which will permit students to share research with many community
organizations across the state, such as Rotary Clubs or chambers
of commerce.
The entire centennial event will permit the Graduate School to
focus attention on the achievements of its students, both in recent
years and throughout the school's history. The research and teaching
of graduate students have been major factors in Carolina's ascent
to becoming one of the top public institutions in the nation.
"Their
contributions are not as heralded as they should be," said Hoeflich.
"They are enormous contributions to being a leading public university."
Beth
Elise Whitaker to speak at hooding ceremony
Beth
Elise Whitaker, who received a M.A. and Ph.D. in political
science from Carolina, will be the speaker at the Graduate
School's first doctoral hooding ceremony on May 17 at 10
a.m. in Polk Place.
As a graduate student here, Whitaker was a Lovick P. Corn
Dissertation Fellow in the Graduate School's prestigious
Society of Fellows. Her research focused on the impact of
the approximately 1.3 million refugees from Rwanda, Burundi
and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), who
fled to communities in northwestern Tanzania. She spent
two years in Tanzania, looking at the costs and benefits
of the African refugees' presence in that country.
After graduating from Carolina, Whitaker moved to Washington,
D.C., where she served as a senior research assistant for
the Africa Project at the Brookings Institution.
Now an assistant professor in the Department of Political
Science at UNC Charlotte, Whitaker is one of two former
Carolina graduate students who sits on the University's
Graduate Education Advancement Board. The board is responsible
for championing the cause of Carolina graduate education
and to increase support for our graduate students.
|
Celebrate
the Centennial
• March 6 Centennial Celebration
Kick-off, Carolina Club, 3 p.m.
• March 27 Society of Fellows Centennial
Forum, "Faith in Public Life," Morehead Planetarium Faculty
Lounge, 4 p.m.
• April 1 Graduate Student Recognition
Event, Carolina Club, time TBA.
• May 17 Inauguration of the Doctoral
Hooding Ceremony, Polk Place, 10 a.m.
• Oct. 12 University Day, "Focus
on Graduate Education at Carolina."
• Oct. 12-13 A national conference,
"Graduate Education in the Public University: Building Partnerships,"
Carolina Inn, 5 p.m.
• Nov. 7 Centennial Celebration of
Donors and Friends of Carolina Graduate Education, location
TBA, 7 p.m.
|
Ehringhaus
earns Employee Forum's Three-Legged Stool award
Susan
Ehringhaus is the recipient of this year's Employee Forum Community
Award.
Also known as the Three-Legged Stool award, it's designed to recognize
distinguished contributions by individuals who work to promote
cooperation and collaboration among faculty, staff and students.
Ehringhaus, former vice chancellor and general counsel, received
the award at the forum's Feb. 5 meeting.
Speaking on behalf of former Chancellor Paul Hardin, Employee
Forum Chair Tommy Griffin said Hardin "praised Susan's work, which
included supervising five attorneys and likened it to running
a small law firm, all of whose members were handling legal affairs
for some school or other division of the University.
"He
said that she did such a fine job that many problems seldom reached
his desk."
For his part, Griffin said that "From her days as a
student through her exemplary career as a top administrator
Susan Ehringhaus has been devoted to the University of North Carolina
and has served the faculty, staff and students magnificently and
with great dedication and grace."
Ehringhaus, who received bachelor's and law degrees at Carolina,
took a faculty post with the law school here in 1970 and became
senior legal counsel in 1973. She is now on a special joint assignment
with the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Association
of American Universities and will return to Chapel Hill to teach
in the law school in the fall.
March
e-mail survey to request input from Carolina employes on housing
The
University needs employees' input to guide efforts aimed at helping
faculty and staff find affordable housing.
Many Carolina and UNC Health Care employees can't live close to
work because of the high cost of houses and apartments in Chapel
Hill, Carrboro and Orange County. Still others choose to live
closer to work but find they spend too much of their monthly income
for housing and don't have enough left to meet their family's
remaining needs.
Last month, Carolina hired FGI Inc., an independent research firm
located in Chapel Hill, to hold focus group meetings with small
groups of faculty and staff, including employees of UNC Health
Care. Focus group participants discussed topics such as what factors
influence where they choose to live and the merits of several
types of employer-assisted housing programs offered at other universities.
The next step is to test out ideas generated in the focus-group
discussions with a larger scientific survey of several thousand
employees. So in early March, the University will conduct a survey
of employees to learn about their needs and preferences for employer-assisted
housing programs. That might include developing reasonably priced
homes and apartments or helping employees get low-interest mortgages.
The University encourages everyone who is contacted by the survey
company to take the time to respond and let their voice be heard,
even if they are not currently seeking housing. The survey will
go out by e-mail to people who are on the University and UNC Health
Care computer network, and on paper via regular mail to people
who are not on the campus e-mail system.
The goal of the survey is to give faculty and staff a chance to
express their opinions. FGI will collect and analyze all results
confidentially and will provide the University with only summarized
information. Confidentiality of employee responses will be protected
-- only respondents will know how they answered the survey questions
or added comments.
Please fill out the survey. Results will provide the University
with valuable information as it considers additional resources
needed to serve the campus community.
For more information, contact Bob Knight, assistant vice chancellor
for finance and administration at 962-3795 or bob_knight@unc.edu.
FYI
Research: URC seed grants pay off with large returns
When you're thinking big, it pays to start small. Just ask Ruth
Petersen -- she turned a little less than $4,000 into almost $1.3
million.
Petersen, research assistant professor at the Cecil Sheps Center
for Health Services Research, applied for a grant from the Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) to study women's reproductive health.
In response, CDC asked for some preliminary data, which Petersen
didn't have. So she used a $3,900 seed grant from Carolina's University
Research Council to conduct a pilot study, which gave her the
data she needed to win the CDC grant. "Without any other sources
of funds for this preliminary testing, we would not have been
in the position of quickly re-submitting this grant to CDC," Petersen
says. Petersen's CDC grant totaled $1,295,500 -- a 332-to-one
return on the University's investment.
Temitope Keku, research assistant professor of medicine, studies
colorectal cancer. She used preliminary data she gathered with
a $3,900 University Research Council grant to win $40,000 from
the Cancer Research Foundation of America and more than $650,000
from the National Institutes of Health. "The URC grant helped
advance my career," Keku says.
The University Research Council (URC) is one of several Carolina
programs that specialize in giving seed grants -- small awards
that help researchers gather data, publish their work, travel
to research-related sites, buy equipment, or pay for smaller-scale
projects. Like Petersen and Keku, faculty often use seed grants
as stepping stones to larger grants from outside the University.
"Seed
funding is like priming a pump," says Robert Lowman, associate
vice chancellor for research. "We have to invest a little of our
own money up front to convince external sponsors to give us more
money down the road."
Preliminary research and scholarly work act as proof of concept
to external funding agencies, says Lowman. Those initial efforts
by the researcher increase the credibility and reduce the risk
of the project. "A small grant through the University Research
Council enables a faculty member to conduct just enough work to
reduce the ambiguity of a project and whet the appetite of the
sponsor for what is to come," Lowman says. "It's a way of saying
to the sponsor, `this is going to work.'"
Carolina's available pool of seed grant funds is significantly
less than those of our peer institutions, Lowman says. The University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a total pool of just under
$4 million, or $1,566 per eligible faculty member. The University
of Wisconsin-Madison has just over $3 million, or $1,455 per eligible
faculty member. Carolina has $420,000 -- that's $175 per eligible
faculty member. Lowman says that part of the University's Carolina
First campaign will seek to raise additional funding for seeding
research.
Seed grants don't just fund scientific breakthroughs. Julius Nyang'oro,
professor and chair of African and Afro-American studies, used
$2,500 in seed grant money to publish, in Africa, a collection
of articles on African democracy. "Africans hadn't been able to
read these articles that were discussing important issues facing
their own countries," Nyang'oro says. Michael McFee, associate
professor of English, used Carolina seed grants to help produce
a book of contemporary short stories by North Carolina authors.
And Joy Kasson, professor of American Studies, turned a $1,400
Carolina seed grant into a year-long fellowship at the National
Humanities Center and a book on Buffalo Bill. "A small amount
of money in an early stage of a project makes all the difference
in the world," Kasson says.
Provided
by Graduate Studies and Research
Writer:
Jason Smith
Editor: Neil Caudle
Sending
a message that's more than skin deep
The effectiveness of using beauty salons to share information
about cancer prevention is the subject of a new study being conducted
by researchers in Carolina's School of Public Health.
The research study, called "Bringing Education and Understanding
to You" (BEAUTY), will be conducted over a four-year period at
48 salons statewide.
Laura Linnan, assistant professor of health behavior and health
education at the School of Public Health, is principal investigator
of the study, which is housed at the Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center and funded by a $1.34 million grant from the American
Cancer Society.
"By
working with licensed cosmetologists in local beauty salons, our
study aims to test several different methods for delivering positive
health messages to North Carolina residents, to help promote health
and reduce risk of cancer and other leading causes of death,"
Linnan said. "Specifically, we will address the importance of
physical activity, increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables,
reducing calories from fat, maintaining or achieving a healthy
weight and obtaining recommended cancer screenings."
Participating salons will receive an interactive, colorful display
containing an array of health information. Salons may also receive
health magazines as well as training for cosmetologists.
Co-investigators on the BEAUTY research project, all at the School
of Public Health, are Alice Ammerman, associate professor, and
Peggy Bentley, associate chair, both of the Department of Nutrition;
Kelly Evenson, research assistant professor of epidemiology; Andrea
Biddle, associate professor of health policy and administration;
and Kant Bangdiwala, research associate professor of biostatistics.
Lineberger's Veronica Carlisle serves as project director.
The BEAUTY study was developed by Linnan and colleagues after
substantial work with beauty salon owners, licensed cosmetologists
and local community leaders statewide.
"We
began planning for this study more than two years ago, and, with
help from the BEAUTY Advisory Board, conducted a series of smaller
studies that have informed this larger community-based intervention
trial," Linnan said. "As a result, this study should be manageable
for beauty salon owners to participate in and will give added
value to their businesses and relationships with their customers."
Salon recruitment began in fall 2002, and will continue until
48 salons, and a minimum of 55 customers per salon, are enrolled
in the study. Salons serving primarily black women from both rural
and urban settings will be recruited; studies have shown that
these women are at higher risk for cancer mortality than other
groups.
"There
are more than 11,000 salons in North Carolina alone," Linnan said.
"It's a place that you find in every community, and one in which
women talk about everything, including their health.
"Our
preliminary data suggests that nearly all cosmetologists report
talking with their customers, and 82 percent were specifically
interested in talking about health issues. We will draw upon the
trusted relationship already established between the cosmetologist
and their client to share these cancer prevention messages."
Linnan said some customers visit a salon weekly, while most visit
every six to eight weeks. With multiple visits annually and anywhere
from 30 minutes to two hours spent together per visit, salon owners
and stylists have a unique opportunity to reach many individuals
and reinforce health messages with them over time, she said.
The effectiveness of using the salon setting will be assessed
through questionnaires completed by customers and cosmetologists
before, during and at the end of the study. Linnan and colleagues
will assess the impact on individual customers' health behaviors,
as well as any changes to policies or practices in the salon environment
itself, such as changes to food choices available at the salon.
"We're
working to identify the best ways to get cancer information to
people," Linnan said. "We expect results from this study, like
those in our pilot work, to show that creating partnerships with
beauty salon owners and licensed cosmetologists is a promising
strategy for reducing cancer risk and promoting health."
Carolina
helps advance N.C. conservation
The
"One North Carolina Naturally" initiative, led by the N.C. Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), seeks development
of a statewide conservation plan. Few states have undertaken this
crucial, but daunting, effort. With each new road, subdivision,
and shopping center there is less land available for farming,
wildlife corridors, stormwater cleansing and infiltration, and
parks and recreation.
Compiling an inventory of undeveloped land and establishing a
system to rank conservation priorities is an ambitious undertaking.
Comprehensive in scope, the initiative encompasses both land and
water protection. All undeveloped land, whether held privately,
or by a local, state or federal government agency will be included
in the evaluation.
North Carolina's plan is unique in that the state's environmental
agency has partnered with its public university system to ensure
timely production of a sound conservation strategy. The University's
Carolina Environmental Program (CEP) is leading the University
contribution to the One North Carolina Naturally initiative.
Many activities that are an irreplaceable part of North Carolina's
culture -- farming, hunting, fishing, lumbering -- depend on clean
water and open spaces. Many of our most important industries --
agriculture, tourism, wood and wood products, and others -- cannot
survive without sound land stewardship. The rich biodiversity
of our state is also dependent upon protecting critical habitat.
The One North Carolina Naturally planning process started with
a series of eight regional meetings held during September, October
and November 2002. All of these meetings were co-sponsored by
UNC system institutions.
The kick-off meeting, covering the Eastern Piedmont Regional Planning
Area, was held at Carolina this past September. Richard Whisnant,
from the School of Government here, facilitated the event. A survey
conducted by CEP students assessed the outcome of these regional
meetings.
Higher education's support for One North Carolina Naturally extends
beyond the eight UNC system institutions that hosted regional
meetings. Duke University, for example, is now conducting a research
project for the initiative. An interest group administered by
the CEP, the North Carolina Alliance of Environmental Science
and Studies Programs, includes additional partners from the higher
education community.
The next step in the One North Carolina Naturally process is a
statewide conference convened by DENR that will be held in Raleigh
on April 16 and 17. Planners anticipate that the conference will
be followed by development of a conservation database covering
the entire state. The CEP and DENR are jointly seeking grant funding
to pay for development of this database and a system that would
allow easy public access. These grants would also fund public
information campaigns about the database and free training for
database users.
It is hoped that the One North Carolina Naturally initiative will
focus the attention of policy makers and the public upon the need
to conserve the state's valuable and dwindling land and water
resources. A statewide consensus plan for land and water conservation
may also lead to increased funding for conservation priorities.
Another desired outcome is favorable changes in local regulations
and state laws governing the conservation of land and water resources.
One North Carolina Naturally is yet another manifestation of the
University's mission to serve all North Carolinians.
Sponsored
by Facilities Services
Writer:
Cindy Pollock Shea, sustainability
coordinator
Homework
on the right camp yields great memories
Some
of my fondest memories are associated with summer camp. When I
was 6, I attended Adventure Camp at the local planetarium, where
our counselors took us on nature explorations, including crabbing
and crawfish hunting -- we always returned home caked in mud with
a new treasure to show our parents.
After nature camp, I attended art camp where I decorated a stained-glass
window that my mom hung in front of the kitchen window. Then,
I moved up to summer-long day camp at Camp Bobwhite. I'll never
forget jovial Brother Bob teaching me how to remove a fish from
its hook, prepare it for cooking and then fry it lakeside. Finally,
I graduated from day camp to away camp. Some of my best summers
were the five seasons I spent on Lookout Mountain at Camp Desoto.
Each year I would eagerly pack my trunk with a month's worth of
shorts, t-shirts and socks as well as pictures of my family that
I could tack to the cabin walls.
For many people, summer camp is a necessity -- a form of child
care for youth whose parents work full-time. Often hidden within
the necessity of this full-time child care arrangement is the
understanding that summer camp affords many children opportunities
that they otherwise might not have -- for new skills, growing
confidences, friendships, and lasting memories.
The Triangle area offers more than 100 summer day camp opportunities,
ranging from special interests, such as music camps and sports
camps, to all-arounds that offer varied activities throughout
the camp day.
Choosing the right camp for your child can be challenging. The
following tips may be helpful in choosing a quality summer camp
program that is right for your family:
• Determine your budget. Summer camp can
be expensive, but doesn't have to be. You can expect to spend
anywhere from $110 per week to upwards of $175 per week for day
camps, depending on the activities offered. Figure out what is
affordable for you before your child sets his or her heart on
a camp that costs too much money.
• Examine the activities offered. Does
the camp offer activities that your child likes, as well as opportunities
for experiencing new things? Look for a balance between quiet
and active times during the camp day. Many summer camps emphasize
outdoor activities and swimming and also feature interesting field
trips for campers. Your camper will probably benefit most from
a combination of high energy and reflective activities.
• Maintain ongoing communication with your
child's counselors and camp director. Camp is intended to be a
fun experience for your child. Make sure that your child's counselors
know if your child has any special needs and how to address them
appropriately. Learn more about the quality of staff at the camp.
Are they trained in CPR and first aid? Has the camp conducted
criminal background checks? Do the counselors have previous camp
experience? What are the ages of the counselors? What is involved
in the Counselor Training program?
Once you know what type of camp you would like to pursue for your
child, you can turn to a number of community resources to assist
you.
Stay Balanced!
Writer:
Leslie Bacque, Work-Family Manager
Employee Services, Office of Human Resources
