Articles

Articles

May 6, 2005 ·

State, UNC, ECU purchase expensive furniture from out-of-state maker

RALEIGH – North Carolina has often been considered as the furniture capital of the world, with distinctive markets in Hickory, High Point, and Thomasville filled with a multitude of furniture factories and stores. It’s a typical sight to see consumers drive hours to those communities to purchase factory-direct furniture at relatively low prices.

Consumers are looking for the best value for their money. The same cannot be said of state university personnel who chose to spend taxpayer money on custom made furniture instead of opting to save taxpayer money on commercial furniture.

May 6, 2005 ·

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 ·

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 ·

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.

Apr 29, 2005 ·

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 ·

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 ·

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 ·

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.