2018

UNC leaders plan to announce a decision about the future of Silent Sam. A new scholarship program aims to help middle-income students pay for college. North Carolina’s new voter ID law likely will allow students to use their university IDs at the polls. Researchers are implanting radio transmitters in snakes to track the reptiles’ movements and learn about their habitat. A campus tour at UNC focuses on the university’s rarely-told African American history. Mack Brown is back as UNC’s head football coach, but how long will he stay?

UNC plans a tuition increase, and grad students and out-of-state students will bear most of it. The deadline approaches for UNC leaders to finally decide what to do about Silent Sam. It can be a challenge for veterans to make the transition from military life to college life. A UNC researcher says a serious heart valve problem is becoming much more common in North Carolina – and opioids are to blame. An ensemble at UNC plays harp music in a way you’ve probably never heard it before.

Young voters went to the polls in record numbers, helping Democrats win big gains in the midterm election. Rep. David Price, who represents Chapel Hill in Congress, prepares for life in the House majority. UNC’s decision on what to do with the Silent Sam statue has veen delayed until December. Thirty-three states have legalized medical marijuana, but North Carolina isn’t one of them. It will take weeks to investigate the cause of the water line break that shut down UNC for two days. A professor turns unusual sounds into even more unusual musical compositions.

Critics say a constitutional amendment on next week’s N.C. ballot could make it harder for students to vote. UNC remembers the victims of last week’s Pittsburgh shooting. Medical School Dean Bill Roper will take over as UNC System interim president. A major gift will build a state-of-the-art center for the School of Media and Journalism. UNC helps preserve the history of a Rocky Mount textile mill. An unconventional class teaches improv skills to business students.

Margaret Spellings resigns as UNC system president after a three year term marked by political divisions. The UNC Honor Court disciplines student Maya Little for vandalizing Silent Sam. The “James Bond of the Media” visits Chapel Hill. Arts Everywhere brings a 24/7 art studio to campus. A UNC researcher studies the impact of physical narrators in storytelling. Roy Williams expresses his frustration after the NCAA prohibits a charity basketball game to benefit survivors of Hurricane Florence. Two Hollywood film professionals return home to Alamance County to stage a haunted attraction.

Carol Folt becomes the first UNC Chancellor to apologize for the university’s lingering connection to slavery. Several Silent Sam protesters still face trial dates. Some UNC students and faculty hope to nominate Christine Blasey Ford for a distinguished alumna award in the wake of her testimony during the Blake Kavanaugh hearings. Flu season is upon us, and campus health is pushing for students to get vaccinated. UNC’s Gaelic Athletic Athletic Association practices “the fastest game on grass,” in order to keep the traditions of their ancestors alive.

The Brett Kavanaugh hearings – and President Trump’s reaction to them – spark discussion on UNC’s campus. Voter registration trends suggest more young people may go to the polls in next month’s election. UNC Vice Chancellor Winston Crisp has announced his retirement, but university officials say it’s not related to a controversial text he wrote about Silent Sam. Several local high schools are having trouble finding football players. The NCAA federal fraud trial reveals the dark side of money in college sports recruiting.  Surrounded by distractions, students find it easy to procrastinate. 

As the U.S. Senate deliberates Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, it’s difficult for some sexual assault survivors at UNC to follow the news. UNC-Wilmington’s athletes come to Chapel Hill to make up for lost practice time. UNC solicits suggestions for what to do with Silent Sam. Chancellor Folt announces a fundraiser to help UNC students affected by Hurricane Florence. One student makes a part-time living as a reptile wrangler. Students react to the change of seasons.

Students returned to UNC after an impromptu vacation due to Hurricane Florence. Many in Chapel Hill felt the effects of flash flooding Monday. Shelters have been set up in Chapel Hill for mandatory evacuees from the eastern North Carolina. Students are getting involved in the recovery efforts. Playmakers puts a fresh spin on the classic tale of Robin Hood. A recent UNC grad takes his passion for basketball all the way to Africa. Carolina football looks toward their home opener, and a mysterious red ball rolls its way through UNC’s campus.

UNC prepares for another Silent Sam protest and listens to faculty concerns about the Confederate monument. The protests over the statue continue to affect on-campus events, and many students are ready for a resolution to the debate. As the 17th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, some students struggle to remember the events of the day. It’s a labor of love for students who balance full-time schedules and pet parenting. Paperhand Puppet Intervention brings big puppets and big issues center stage.