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Graduating seniors fill the North end zone bleachers Sunday during the 199th annual Commencement in Kenan Stadium (above). 1987 UNC graduate
Stuart Scott addresses the crowd of 32,000 that gathered to celebrate the occasion (below).
blue skies behind
Brian Frederick
Editor
Vince walked.
Stuart Scott spoke from the heart.
Senior class presidentjason Cowley raised a
blue cup.
And the UNC graduates of 2001, though
deprived of the traditional walk across the field
in Kenan Stadium, were
no less exuberant.
In a move that disap
pointed some students,
organizers of the 199th
annual UNC
More moments
from Sunday's
Graduation
See Pages 4 & 5
Commencement chose to lead undergraduates
directly through stadium entrances to their seats.
In past years, students walked across the field,
which resulted in such impromptu craziness as
games of basketball,waterslides and dancing.
“At first I was upset,” said graduating senior
Budget Cuts Could Be Smaller Than Expected
Matt Viser
City, State and National Editor
State legislatures have projected that
education budget cuts will not be as
drastic as initially expected, putting
hope in the
eyes of educa
tion officials
across the state.
Initially, the
UNC system
was asked to
For the student
perspective on
budget cuts .
See Page 3
trim their budget by $125 million, but
sources have told the Associated Press
that in all, the cuts would only total
slighdy more than S4O million, a drastic
reduction from the initial number.
The General Assembly Joint
Appropriations Subcommittee hasn’t
officially decided on anything as of yet.
Once they develop a recommendation,
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind/got my paper and I was free.
Indigo Girls
It
ft#
Katie Wolford.
“But it worked
out really well in
the end.”
Students
receiving gradu
ate degrees were
still seated on
the field.
This year’s
ceremony was
in the national
spotlight
because of for
mer basketball
player Vince
L
Carter’s decision to return to Chapel Hill to par
ticipate. He left early to fly to Philadelphia for
Sunday evening’s Game 7 of the NBA’s Eastern
Conference semifinals.
Carter, star of the Toronto Raptors, was criti-
the subcommittee will report to the full
Senate Appropriations Committee,
which will then report to the full Senate.
Jeff Davies, UNC Vice President of
Finance, said he anticipates the sub
committee will make a decision as early
as today.
“We’re in a holding pattern right now,
waiting for the General Assembly Joint
Appropriations Subcommittee to make
their decision,” he said. “We’re hopeful
that we’ll end up on the same page.”
The UNC system, comprised of the
16 public universities in North Carolina,
had earlier requested s4l million in
2001-2002 and S7B million in 2002-
2003 to support an expected increase in
students.
But rather than granting more
money, education leaders were asked to
make cuts in their operating budget to
help balance a projected budget shortfall
WEEKLY
SUMMER ISSUE
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
blue skies ahead
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN SEARS/UNC
in July, when North Carolina’s fiscal
year begins.
Legislative leaders sent out a letter on
April 11 that requested community col
lege, university and public schools to
prepare for budget cuts totalling at $290
million.
The UNC system was asked to cut
$125 million, or seven percent of the
system’s state allocated budget.
So UNC President Molly Broad sub
mitted a proposal to the education bud
get-writing committees, indicating
where the seven percent cuts should be
taken.
The proposal showed drastic reduc
tions, in administrative as well as instruc
tional planning. “What we’re hoping is
the reductions will be reduced so we
won’t have to affect instructional pro
gramming,” Davies said.
UNC-CH officials said the cuts
cized by some because of his decision to be away
from the team on the most important game in its
history. Still, others lauded his decision, claiming
that it helped emphasize the importance of grad
uating from college.
The Raptors ended up falling to the 76ers
after Carter missed a last-second shot
Scott, an anchor on ESPN’s Sports Center and
a 1987 UNC graduate, began his speech by
referring to the criticism of Carter, asking, “Why
is it we applaud a two-sport athlete who plays in
a football game and a playoff baseball game in
the same day?”
Scott then said he would be brief. “You’ve
been up most of the night before gettin’ your
party on. The last thing you want is someone
who’s gonna take 45 minutes up here telling you
‘go forth and prosper.’”
Instead, Scott gave the graduates “some things
to think about.”
He mosdy focused on diversity. “Remember
would result in eliminating 80 faculty
and 90 staff positions, along with 6,500
journal subscriptions and 15,000 book
orders.
NC State officials said 105 full-time
positions and 211 full-time staff would
be cut. In addition, $868,000 would be
cut from libraries, forcing evening and
Saturday closings.
The cuts totaled $25 million at UNC
CH, almost $24 million at N.C. State,
and nearly $3 million at N.C. Central
University.
The education cuts could come at an
inopportune time because many univer
sities have started building projects
while increasing their enrollment for the
fall semester.
“These reductions would come at a
time when we’re experiencing tremen
dous growth," Davies said.
The UNC system is expecting near
the different walks of life you’ve seen here on
campus: all colors, all creeds, all religions, all
sexual make-ups, athletes, scholars, hippies, frat
boys, sorority girls. I hope youv’e accepted what
ever is different from you as simply what it is -
just different.”
Scott also emphasized the power of commu
nication. “Don’t be afraid to use [the power of
communication.] Whether you’re reaching out to
five kids at a summer camp or whether you’re
addressing Congress.”
Chancellor James Moeser spoke highly of
Scott. “I thought Stuart did a good job of con
necting with the undergraduates. He obviously
spoke from the heart.”
Most students seemed happy with the choice
of Scott as speaker. “I think everybody enjoyed
[Scott]," said Mindi McAteer, a graduating
senior. “He was more personal than most speak-
See GRADUATION, Page 2
ly 5,400 new students next year, he said.
Universities have also began massive
building projects, funded by the $3.1 bil
lion higher education bonds that were
approved by voters in the November
elections.
The fact that such a large bond was
approved indicates that education is a
high priority for North Carolina voters,
Davies said.
But the North Carolina government
has traditionally supported education,
he said. “It’s important to recognize that
the General Assembly has always dealt
fairly with eduction.”
Davies said he is anxious as he awaits
the subcommittee’s decision on the cuts.
“We are hopeful that they will be con
siderably less."
Matt Viser can be reached at
viser@email.unc.edu.
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Thursday, May 24, 2001
Flying Club
Loses Lease
at Airport
Chancellor Moeser gave the
Chapel Hill Flying Club until
June 30 to relocate from
the Horace Williams Airport.
Geoff Wessel
University Editor
UNC officials announced the Chapel
Hill Flying Club’s lease on facilities at
the University’s Horace Williams
Airport will not be renewed next year.
The decision, announced on May 16
by Chancellor James Moeser, comes in
the wake of several crashes over the
past few years. There have been three
crashes at or near the airport since
1999.
After the most recent crash on April
19, club members did not notify author
ities or the University until two and a
half hours after the crash. The delay
prompted a reprimand from the
University and discussion that ultimate
ly led to the decision to close the airport
to the club.
“We were particularly concerned
with the irresponsible reporting of an
accident,” said Moeser.
Flying Club President Stan Munsat
said the decision was an unexpected
blow to the club.
“It was arbitrary, it was uninformed,
and it was ultimately unjustified,” he
said.
“We had no warning it was coming,
we had no discussion with the
Chancellor, there was no input from the
flying club, and there was no opportu
nity for the flying club to correct misin
formation and speculation that was tun
ning rampant."
Moeser disagreed, saying the club
was given warning, though he had not
spoken with them personally.
Munsat said the club was looking for
anew home, which members must find
by June 30, when the current lease
allowing members to park airplanes and
rent office space at the airport expires.
“We’re looking at a number of places
in the area, but it’s not going to be real
easy (to find a place),” he said.
UNC senior Giselle Hard, president
of the Carolina Flying Club, said mem
bers of the student club take lessons
with the Chapel Hill Flying Club and
will now have to travel for those lessons.
“I am disappointed,” Hard said.
“(The Chapel HiU Flying Club) was a
great resource for students, and it’s dis
appointing that it won’t be here for stu
dents to use.”
Carolyn Elfland, assistant vice chan
cellor for auxiliary services, said
Moeser’s decision had been thoughtful
ly considered.
She said the effect would be a reduc
tion in flight activity at the airport The
Flying Club, which has been based at
Horace Williams since the early 19605,
has accounted for about one-third of all
flights at Horace Williams in recent
years.
“I don’t know that there’s any specif
ic evidence (that this will improve safe
ty),” Elfland said. “But that the Flying
Club had three accidents in the last two
years is a concern.
“One accident is an isolated incident,
but three is kind of a pattern. Other
based planes at the airport have not had
accident problems,” she said.
Elfland added that she did not mean
to imply that Flying Club pilots are less
safe than others, but the University felt
the club’s presence was still a concern.
Another effect of the decision would
be a loss of revenue at the airport.
Elfland said.
“It’s probably a quarter of the air
port’s budget,” she said.
“We’re looking at that now and try
ing to figure out what we can do (to sus
tain that loss)."
Geoff Wessel can be reached at
vrooom@email. unc. edu.