Articles

May 6, 2005 · Shannon Blosser

Town Hall meeting hears thoughts on search for UNC president

CHAPEL HILL – A town hall meeting Thursday afternoon at UNC-Chapel Hill provided a short glimpse into the mindset of a search committee commissioned to find a new president for the UNC system. The current president, Molly C. Broad, announced her retirement last month, effective at the end of the 2005-06 academic year.

During the one hour meeting, several people spoke about their desires for a new president – a strong leader who knows North Carolina was the most prominent of the wishes – and what they would like to see the committee do. At the end of the meeting, the only thing guaranteed was that the committee would be very deliberate in the coming weeks and months in selecting Molly Broad’s successor.

May 6, 2005 · George Leef

Crying wolf on higher education

In a May 1 column in The Oklahoman, University of Oklahoma president David Boren sent up a loud cry of “Wolf!” over the prospect that Oklahoma may do what quite a few other states are doing – shifting some of the burden of paying for the state university system from the taxpayers to students and other parties who are willing to donate money. Mr. Boren finds this “alarming” because it “threatens to close the door of opportunity.”

May 5, 2005 · Shannon Blosser

Budget includes several wasteful programs

RALEIGH – Most the discussion regarding the state Senate’s budget proposal for higher education has focused on plans to allow UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University more autonomy to set tuition. Other proposals are worthy of controversy, too, however, because they are simply a waste of taxpayer money.

In all, the Senate budget proposed a budget of $2.07 billion in 2006 and $2.1 billion in 2007 for the UNC system. Of that N.C. State would receive $298 million for academic affairs in 2006, while UNC-Chapel Hill would receive $212 million. Only the Department of Public Instruction ($6.69 billion) and the Department of Health and Human Services ($3.96 billion) have a larger proposed appropriation than the UNC system.

May 4, 2005 · Jon Sanders

One last tango before the cruel summer

A bizarre sexual orientation has governed the student newspaper at UNC-Greensboro for years — see, for example, here, here, and most recently here. So what will its editors choose to run as its last words to students for the semester?

May 2, 2005 · Jon Sanders

Seriously, professor, did you really say that the Holocaust was “the greatest hoax of all?”

The following is my e-mail exchange with NC Wesleyan Prof. Jane Christensen, teacher of Political Science 495: “911 The Road to Tyranny.”

Apr 29, 2005 · George Leef

Paul Krugman’s Fallacious Academic Question

Paul Krugman is a columnist who never passes up an opportunity to throw jabs at those Americans whom he dislikes, a set that comprises anyone who doesn’t accept his big-government philosophy. All the jabbing would be fine if Krugman limited himself to serious arguments, but serious arguments might be too boring for his New York Times editors, so he often resorts to cheap shots and fallacious reasoning. His April 5, 2005 column “An Academic Question” is a case in point. (Site requires registration.)

Apr 22, 2005 · Shannon Blosser

Klein addresses predominance of leftist professors

RALEIGH – Daniel Klein is a distinct minority in academia. Sure, he’s open about his beliefs and is not afraid to tell you what they are. The thing is his belief system runs counter to the vast majority of professors in academia today.

Klein, currently an economics professor at the University of Santa Clara who will move to George Mason University in the fall, is one of the few in academia who do not subscribe to liberal ideology. He is a libertarian in a profession filled with leftist professors and administrations.

Apr 22, 2005 · Martin Center Staff

Women’s groups against Title IX changes

CHAPEL HILL — A group of female college administrators has begun a grassroots effort to overturn a recent Title IX clarification that makes it easier for college and universities to comply with Title IX regulations regarding athletics.

According to NCAA News, the National Association of Collegiate Women’s Athletics Administrators has sent an email to its members asking them to contact their congressmen and other political leaders to get the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights decision overturned. The Women’s Sports Foundation is also joining in the effort.

Apr 21, 2005 · Martin Center Staff

Community college audit released

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Community College System does not have supporting documentation “to ensure appropriate internal controls” are in place regarding the system’s College Data Accounting System Application, according to an audit released Wednesday by State Auditor Les Merritt.

A similar finding was found in last year’s audit. There were no financial statements in the audit.

Apr 20, 2005 · Martin Center Staff

Audit: UNC-Chapel Hill has $2.2 billion in assets

CHAPEL HILL – UNC-Chapel Hill reported net assets for the 2004 fiscal year of $2.2 billion, an increase of $216 million, according to an audit recently released by State Auditor Les Merritt.

That same audit also cited reporting violations at UNC-Chapel Hill regarding the institution’s noncompliance with the state’s daily deposit and reporting law. In spite of these minor auditing violations, the report states that the school’s financial position “remained solid.”

“Management’s view is that the [u]niversity is well positioned to continue demonstrating excellence in teaching, discovery, and public service,” the audit states. “Management believes that, although national and [s]tate economic conditions have affected resources in prior years, fiscal year 2003-2004, demonstrated an improved fiscal condition.”