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®hr latlg ctar Heel More Media Circus Than Liberal Zoo The summer reading program is helping Howard Brubaker, the staff adviser to the College Republicans, catch up with friends scattered across the nation. In just the past week, Brubaker has gotten calls from his buddies at col leges in Wyoming, Washington and Texas, and all the calls have pretty much gone the same way. “They’re ask ing me, ‘What’s going on at your university?’” Brubaker said. “They’re asking if the school is really that liber al.” The news of UNC’s summer reading program has been splashed KAREY WUTKOWSKI UNIVERSITY COLUMNIST across the pages of some of the most highly read newspapers and broadcast on the major television networks. But the national coverage of UNC’s choice of Michael Sells’ “Approaching the Qur’an: The Early Revelations” for its summer reading program is describ ing a UNC that I don’t recognize. The UNC that has made its way into the psyche of tens of millions of readers and viewers from across the country is a hotbed of liberalism that injects its students with a strongly left ist school of thought. It is the same UNC that was described to millions of people follow ing last year’s anti-war teach-ins. It is the same UNC that Jesse Helms called a zoo, according to pop ular legend. But it is not the UNC that I walk through every day. The UNC I attend, I concede, does have a faculty whose members most likely mark the boxes of Democrats on Election Day. I also concede that the UNC I attend does have a student body that regularly punctuates the cam pus landscape with marches and chants. While liberal thought has an obvious presence at UNC, it is not the domi nant characteristic of the school’s facul ty and students, as one might think from exposure to recent national news. Faculty Council Chairwoman Sue Estroff, offering her perspective on the political bent of UNC’s faculty, said that while many professors have per sonal views that lean left, they for the most part keep those views out of the classroom. “Many of us have certain ideas about political, religious and intellectual dissent, but I don’t sub scribe to the theory that we’re a cam pus of radicals,” Estroff said. Students and outsiders who complain about the UNC faculty’s overt liberal ism don’t give professors enough credit, as few of them have a teaching style that irresponsibly indoctrinates students. It must also be considered that UNC is a liberal arts campus. Professors teach courses in women’s studies, anthropolo gy and international studies that expose students to global perspectives and pro gressive ideas of social responsibility. However, courses with an inherent ly liberal slant have balances. UNC’s faculty members also teach courses in business, political science and eco nomics, which are often delivered in a more conservative framework. The liberal UNC that is represented in national news as of late, however, does not get its reputation solely from the faculty’s politics and teaching style. That UNC also has a student body of young adults who come to Chapel Hill with a moldable set of beliefs. They quickly latch on to the liberal ideas the faculty indoctrinate them with, aban doning independent thoughts and pick ing up the protest signs that have been raised in the Pit time and time again. The UNC I attend, again, is far dif ferent. I see students who come to the University with the ability to hold theft own in recitations. And when they express their opinions, I often hear con servative views that come along with a rural North Carolina upbringing. The annual college guide Princeton Review even placed UNC as No. 12 in the category of students most nostalgic for Reagan. Granted, liberal UNC students are alive and well, and they understand ably seem to have a larger presence than their numbers. They are often the most vocal with their political views and the most visible at first glance. But they are only one voice in the dialogue that takes place on UNC’s campus. And that is how an institution of higher education should operate, with a spectrum of political and per sonal thought being freely expressed. The UNC that the world is learning about lately through the national media does not operate that way. Thankfully, I do not attend that UNC. Karey Wutkowski can be reached at karey@email.unc.edu. Alternatives Abound for Textbook Buyers By Will Arey Staff Writer After years of frustration about text book prices, students returning to cam pus last week were greeted by an ever growing number of alternatives to pur chasing their books. Those in search of lower textbook prices have a seemingly endless amount of choices when it comes to retailers, many of which are on the Internet. Ram Book & Supply at 306 W. Franklin St., half.com, bn.com, ama zon.com and Walmart.com have all entered the textbook fray, promising discounted rates and textbooks for less. Some students are even entering the arena. A student book exchange, uncexchange.com, also was founded this summer by two UNC students. Junior Phillip Chang, one of the founders, said the online exchange con tinues to grow in popularity. The ser- Students Make UNC No. 2 Transfer students come to UNC for new opportunities By Tina Chang Staff Writer After high school, Christina Bell was ready to leave Chapel Hill, the place she had called home for most of her life. So when Bell applied to UNC-Chapel Hill and was waidisted, she decided to attend UNC-Greensboro. She said heading to Greensboro seemed like a good escape. “I wanted to get away from the town and from my parents,” she said. But Bell wasn’t quite ready to let Chapel Hill go. She transferred back to UNC-CH this fall after two years at UNC-G. Bell said she admired UNC CH’s reputation, which ultimately drove her to change schools. “I loved UNC-G; I fit in really well. But in the long term, Carolina has the academics,” she said. “If I wasn’t here, I wouldn’t have the opportunities I will “It was like I always knew (UNC-Chapel Hill was) the right place for me, I just didn’t pick it right away. ” Mandy Helton Sophomore have in the future.” She added, “I’m a Tar Heel bom and bred, so it wasn’t much of a challenge coming here." It’s like starting over as freshmen for BeE and the other 700-some transfer stu dents who are beginning their first semes ter at UNC-CH this year. Another transfer student, sophomore Mandy Helton, attended Wake Forest University for one semester but made the move to UNC-CH because she real ized it was the right school for her all along. “When I was little, I wanted to come here. “But in high school, so many people were coming here that I wanted to do something different,” she said. “It was like I always knew the right C-START Program Finds New Funding 5 student-taught class will be offered By Meredith Nicholson and Jeff Silver Assistant University Editors From sports heroes to quantum mechanics, five courses will be offered this spring as part of a program that lets undergraduate seniors design and teach their own classes. The program, Carolina Students Taking Academic Responsibility through Teaching, known as C-START, was started by former student Kristin Miller using a one-time grant from for mer Provost Dick Richardson. But because the funding from the Office of the Provost was only temporary, coordinators were forced to find money quickly to keep the program going. The program is operating now with funding from the Academy of Distinguished Scholars and the Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence. C-START offerings for the spring will be “Quantum Mechanics and Cosmology,” taught by Jeff Milboume; “The Model Minority Myth,” led by John Yu; “Heroes in Sports,” taught by Sarah Schwartz; “21st-Century Slave vice, essentially a classified listing of textbooks for sale, now has about 220 registered users, Chang said. A greater selection of books will be available if more students register, he said. Steve Thurston, manager of Ram Book & Supply, a main local competitor to Student Stores, said his sales have been as good as ever this year. “We are trying to expand our advertising and service every year,” Thurston said. Thurston downplayed the online competitors in the textbook market. “Online book services have always existed,” he said. “We will continue to attract the savvy shoppers on campus.” In spite of the wave of new competi tion, Student Stores officials say sales have remained strong. Student Stores Director John Jones said that through Wednesday textbook sales had increased 2 percent from last year. “The new textbook options are not affecting us at all,” Jones said. Rtl i: /1 ■ 1 *sj§l iIBMK /liiM- m Vw litifeii; OK' aTlfa •' -111 DTH/JESSICA NEWFIELD Senior Pete Jung, a transfer student from the University of Maryland, studies in the Undergraduate Library. • place for me, I just didn’t pick it right away.” Just as freshman test the waters to find their niche at college, transfer students also need to figure out where they belong by taking part in programs like Fall Fest and the Transfer Student Orientation Program. Bell, a junior political science major, Trade,” taught by Reena Arora; and “Alternative Energy” taught by Ken Varner, said Jim Leloudis, director of the Johnston Center. These teachers were selected from a pool of 15 applicants who submitted class plans to a committee last spring, said Donna Lefebvre, political science professor and C-START adviser. She said that she wishes more students could have been teachers but that money con straints limit the number to five. “We had such good applications last year,” Lefebvre said. Students slated to teach in the spring will be attending workshops throughout the fall semester, including two at the Center for Teaching and Learning and one at which faculty advisers for the pro gram will critique the syllabi the student teachers plan to use, Lefebvre said. “They’re getting really intensive guid ing and mentoring,” Leloudis said. C-START teachers also go through an advising process similar to the instruction given to students writing senior theses. Throughout the semester, the stu dents will meet individually with a fac ulty member who will help in choosing readings and preparing a syllabus and lesson plans, Leloudis said. Varner said he has wanted to teach a See C-START, Page 7 News In fact, some students said they were unaware of the new alternatives. Jordan Boyst, a freshman from Clemmons, preordered his books from Student Stores during his C-TOPS ses sion. “I wasn’t really aware of all the other options,” Boyst said. “I’ll definitely check out all of my options next time.” Jones said that despite the new offer ings, Student Stores’ policies will remain the same. “We don’t see ourselves competing with these other oudets,” he said. “Our priorities are to provide books for all courses and to have the largest selection of used books possible.” Jones said the main advantage of Student Stores is the convenience it offered to both students and faculty. “Student Stores holds a really impor tant place in the academic structure of the University,"Jones said. “We compile See BOOKS, Page 7 noted that there were so many organiza tions recruiting at Fall Fest that she felt optimistic about finding activities she would enjoy. “UNC-G is smaller and not as many things to do,” she said. “People are a lot more active here.” See TRANSFERS, Page 7 BCC, CUAB Share Caribbean Flair By Erin Ganley Staff Writer Despite the sweltering heat and humidity, a steady stream of students came to the Caribbean Grill and Feast on Friday evening to sample exotic cui sine. Co-sponsored by the Sonja Haynes Stone Black Cultural Center and the Carolina Union Activities Board, the event gave students a chance to unwind after the first week of classes. While a DJ played Caribbean music in the Union Courtyard, students tried dishes not normally found in Lenoir Dining Hall. The food, provided by The Jerk Pit Cafe#i Durham, included jerk chicken, beef patties, Jamaican cabbage and plantains. “Spicy but good” was the reaction from most students after sampling the island food. With their plates in hand, partici pants received raffle tickets that entered them in a contest to win Stone Center logo T-shirts and gift bags of books as prizes. Most students, including freshman Monica Liverman, seemed to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Liverman took the opportunity to familiarize herself with student organi zations as well as to socialize. “Since I’m new here, I like to go to all the different events, so I can meet people,” she said. Brandi Williams, public relations r— —cm DTH/KIMBERLY CRAVEN Junior education major Tim Lorelli browses the Latin section on the second floor of the Student Stores before buying books for his classes. Board Begins Search for New Superintendent Applications for the position will be accepted until Oct. 4 By Jamie Dougher Assistant City Editor The Orange County Board of Education held its annual board retreat Saturday to address and set goals for the year, namely relating to the search for a superintendent. The position was vacated last month by Randy Bridges, who left after serving as Orange County superintendent for five years to head the Rock Hill, S.C., school district. He was granted the Guy B. and A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year award by the North Carolina School Boards Association in 2001. Bridges leaves the district after implementing sweeping changes in the Orange County school system. He was instru mental in lessening the achievement gap between white and minority students in Orange County, which has reached record lows. Bridges also created a student accountability policy in 1997, and SAT scores in the district rose last year after falling the year before. The school board appointed Michael Williams, a former superintendent in several N.C. counties, to serve as interim superintendent during the search. Chairwoman Dana Thompson said the board will solicit the help of the NCSBA in its quest for anew superintendent The NCSBA charges what Thompson said is a small fee - $4,500 for a statewide search, as opposed to the $40,000 a national firm could charge to perform a nationwide search. “They will advertise, receive applications and give us advice for what steps to take,” Thompson said. The board will accept applications until Oct. 4, when the official process ends. When all the applications are compiled, the board will begin interviewing potential candidates. “We’re hopeful that we’re able to identify someone and have them come on by January 2003,” Thompson said. NCSBA officials told Thompson that a pool of about 20 applicants would be more than sufficient, but Thompson said she thinks anywhere from 20 to 40 people will apply. “I think we’re in a good position to attract somebody of high caliber,” she said. “We’re a community that is supportive of its schools and its students.” Thompson said the board is looking for a candidate who is committed to improving Orange County schools. “We’re looking for someone with a commitment to excel- See SUPERINTENDENT, Page 7 |P||g|P - W DTH/SARA ABRONS Carolina Caribbean Association President Talisha Lee talks to interested students at the Caribbean Grill and Feast on Friday afternoon. manager for the Stone Center, said the purpose of the event was to educate people about different cultures. “We want people to know that there is more than just Jamaica in the Caribbean,” she said. The event also was part of the Stone Center’s overall program structure, Williams said. The center seeks to educate people about the African diaspora. Monday, August 26, 2002 For example, Williams said that through the slave trade, people of African descent were scattered across the world and that the Caribbean was one of those places. Members of the Carolina Caribbean Association, who set up and manned a table at the feast, said they hoped to attract new members to their organiza- See FEAST, Page 7 3
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