news
October 4,2011
Additional budget cuts to UNC
wreak havoc with no end in sight
BY AKIRAH JUSTICE
Editor-In-Chief
Recently, the UNC system made
more cuts to its already bleeding
budget, making this strategy a
four-year tradition. Losses from the
drastic, but not unexpected, 15 percent
budget cuts include 3,200 positions,
half of which are exclusively faculty
and about 9,000 course sections.
UNC system officials attempted to
persuade legislators with examples of
how cutting too much could interfere
with education.
"We've got hundreds upon hundreds
of examples," said Charles Perusse,
UNC Vice-President for Finance. "We
just took out a handful to put a face on
what a 15 percent cut means."
Perusse explained the effects of these
cuts in an article entitled "Budget
cuts look grim for UNC" on
www.newsobserver.com.
"At UNC Charlotte, the average time
it takes for a student to graduate would
increase by a full semester, mostly
because fewer classes and instructors
would make it harder to take the
courses they need. At UNC-Chapel Hill,
job cuts would force the admissions
office to close two days a week for about
half the year. NC State would eliminate
six fire protection and police positions
- nine percent of its total. Winston-
Salem State would eliminate nine
percent of its faculty. N.C. Central
University would cut 12 positions in
finance, human resources and
information technology, infrastructure
jobs that could leave the campus open
for compliance problems," said Perusse.
"The UNC School of the Arts in
Winston-Salem might close its
filmmaking school."
UNC system's 17 campuses have lost
$414 million in cuts. The North
Carolina School of Science and
Mathematics (NCSSM), a high school for
juniors and seniors with advanced
math and science interest or ability, has
8.5 percent cut from its budget. NCSSM
has lost key personnel and the
renowned ability to provide its
graduates with a free ride to any
public North Carolina state school.
"I've dealt with a lot of budgets, but
I've never had a challenge quite like this
one," said North Carolina Central
University Chancellor Charlie Nelms
in "The Charlotte Observer," referring
to this year and the recent budget
cutting trend as "the new normal."
Research schools, like UNC Chapel
Hill, have taken a large portion of the
blow with 18 percent, almost $100
million, cut from last year's fiscal
appropriations provided by the state.
To counter the cuts for UNC Chapel Hill,
its Health Care system will provide a
one-time $20 million payoff to which
Holden Thorp, Chancellor of UNC
Chapel Hill, said the school bears
"difficult choices about our priorities."
Thorp has promised to keep employees
and students on campus as informed
as possible about the cutbacks.
Because all of the campuses will be
operating on a smaller budget, there is
concern that some buildings may close,
and classes may become too large. With
fewer professors on hand, universities
may turn to enrollment caps and deny
students of an education on
their campus.
"Our mission is clear, and it is not
changing. There are going to be shifts
in the way we do things. We're already
seeing that, where we're going to have
to be more efficient." He hopes that
under no circumstance does it come to
enrollment caps and any other type of
sever change that would hinder the
education of UNC system students,"
said UNC President Tom Ross on
WWW. news-record. com.
Teachers convey mixed emotions
about switching classrooms, buildings
BY MADISON CAMPBELL
Reporter
Students noticed some changes upon
their return to school this year. Almost
a dozen teachers have changed rooms,
most to be closer to department
members, and a few others just to
accommodate class sizes. While some
instructors found the need to adapt
their teaching styles based upon room
sizes and class numbers, others were
left unfazed.
Science teacher Daniel Glaze now
enjoys a larger room since his class sizes
have increased. With 34 students
during one class period, it would be
impossible to cram them all into his old
location. However, he is not exactly
thrilled with the change.
"In New Science, there is no such
thing as privacy," said Glaze. "We get
to hear what is going on in every other
classroom" a major change from his
nearly sound proof room back in
Old Science.
Science teacher Greg Hamer does not
seem very fond of his new room either
because the old one was larger.
"My room in Old Science allowed for
much more affective group work and
much easier movement within the
class," said Hamer, "it had a 16' x 16'
projection screen and was much more
conductive to all of my favorite Martial
Tate strategies."
Working adjacent to colleagues in his
department seems to be an asset, but at
the same time, Hamer admitted that he
misses Jonathan Thielen, his good friend
and previous neighbor in Old Science.
ROTC instructors and their cadets
enjoyed an upgrade, finally making
their way from the lower level of the
gymnasium. Major Ford is quite
satisfied with the change.
"It just feels more like a classroom
than being under the gym," said Ford.
Though the change in location cut down
on his storage space, it also opened up
more space for health classes to meet in
the same building as the PE classes.
New rooms also meant different
courses for a few teachers as well.
Drama and English teacher Matt
Ringrose and English teacher Evan Post
are both tackling such a challenge.
Although Ringrose kept his classroom
under the stage, he also works out of
the WHRL News room in the music
building. Having control over the daily
news show makes his life a little easier
since he has immediate access to
announcing upcoming auditions,
rehearsals, and shows as well.
Post added philosophy to his list of
courses. Although he misses his
"English comrades" from the second
floor of the main building, he admits
that it is helpful to have both
philosophy instructors Michael Courts
and Thomas "Freebird" McKinney in
"crying distance."
English teacher Darren Corbett
moved from his second-floor classroom
to the first floor into Room 100.
"For me, it's not really about the
room," said Corbett, "it's about what
you do in the room that makes it
conducive to teaching."
Although Corbett's room size has not
changed much, he does have to make
adjustments because of his location.
Staff and students know how the first
floor of main is always packed with
students eating lunch on the floor
during rainy days; consequently, the
hall is very noisy during a
fourth- period class.
Grimsley has proven that both
students and staff can accept and adapt
to any type of change.
1 ■ ^
m uansm sfisspfs mb mm
•. , .fV,: > '--tc - , •
12B
Botanica Flowers & Gifts
2130-L New Garden Rd
Greensboro, NC 27410
(336)238-1908
Save 10% off on your order of flowers for your
Homecoming on October 29th!
You must place your order by October 26th
Corsages/Wristlets and Boutonnieres
are priced from $5.95 to $29.95!
You must provide this ad to receive your discount