by Avery Kleinman
It’s been almost seven months since UNC student Faith Hedgepeth was killed in her Chapel Hill apartment.
Her death shocked the community and many of Hedgepeth’s friends remain distressed that police have made no arrests. But family and friends are making sure the case doesn’t go cold.
Carolina Connection’s Avery Kleinman reports.
By Mark Haywood
Signatures from students pledging not to use the word “retarded.” By Mark Haywood
Spread the word. It’s a popular slogan used by organizations and advertisers. Usually it refers to promoting an idea, not discouraging one. But this week, two groups who work with disabled people, UNC Best Buddies and Special Olympics North Carolina, campaigned on campus as part of a nationwide movement called Spread the Word to End the Word. The groups spent the week raising awareness about people living with disabilities while encouraging students to stop using the word “retarded.” They refer to it as “the r-word.”
by Mike Rodriguez
You might think of a university Honor Court as the kind of panel that would investigate plagiarism or hazing.
But the high-profile case of UNC sophomore Landen Gambill has put the university under scrutiny for allowing the Honor Court — and other student judicial bodies – to get involved in a more serious situation: an alleged sexual assault on campus.
Mike Rodriguez reports.
by Mark Haywood
UNC administrators are vowing to push back against Governor Pat McCrory’s budget proposal.
McCrory is recommending that the legislature sharply cut the U-N-C system budget and increase out of state tuition more than twelve percent.
Speaking to the UNC Board of Trustees Thursday, Chancellor Holden Thorp said the state shouldn’t cut funding but instead try to support higher education.
Meanwhile, a group of professors is also expressing concern about the direction North Carolina’s new General Assembly is leading our state. They call themselves “Scholars for a Progressive North Carolina,” and they held a forum Thursday evening at Duke to speak out against policies they believe are endangering North Carolina’s progressive legacy.
Mark Haywood has more.
by Stirling Little
Governor Pat McCrory is calling on North Carolina university leaders to cut down on the amount of alcohol that college students drink.
In his “State of the State” address, he singled out binge drinking as a particular problem. But UNC officials say they’re already taking steps to prevent it.
Stirling Little reports.
by Jennifer Brodish
Two new developments this week in the ongoing investigation of how UNC handles sexual assault complaints.
Late Friday, the university released its response to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The department began its inquiry after UNC students and staff filed a petition alleging the university under-reports cases of sexual assault and doesn’t do enough to help victims.
The university also revealed the federal investigators will be coming to campus in April to pore through documents and conduct interviews. They’re trying to determine if UNC’s sexual assault policies complied with federal law.
Carolina Connection’s Jennifer Brodish has been following the story and joins us in the studio.
by Stirling Little
UNC system president Tom Ross says he’s worried about the budget Gov. Pat McCrory proposed earlier this week. Ross says the proposal will impact the university’s ability to provide students with a high quality education.
McCrory’s proposal cuts about 140 million dollars across the UNC system.
Carolina Connection’s Stirling Little has more reaction to the governor’s plan.
by Mark Haywood
Gov. McCrory’s budget proposal now is in the hands of the legislature, which is likely to make a variety of changes before passing a budget into law.
But a key Senate leader says UNC shouldn’t expect much relief from the budget ax.
Randolph County Republican Senator Jerry Tillman co-chairs the education committee, and he says UNC students should get used to bigger classes, and professors should expect increased workloads.
by Megan Hahn
Some UNC students chose to skip the traditional spring break in order to lend out a helping hand to those in need. Several UNC organizations including the APPLES service learning program and the Carolina Women’s Center sent students across the Southeast for community service projects.
Megan Hahn reports.
by Mike Rodriguez
There are new developments in the campus controversy about how UNC responds to alleged sexual assault cases.
The U-S Department of Education announced this week it will investigate UNC’s policies. Chancellor Holden Thorp pledged yesterday (March 8) to lead an open dialogue in response to a campus outcry that he characterized as “growing louder and more passionate.”
Carolina Connection’s Mike Rodriguez reports.
