Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Dec. 9, 2005, edition 1 / Page 9
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dty My (Ear Mrrl City schools parents leap at new program BY KYLE BILLINGS STAFF WRITER Some of the best and bright est of the area’s young minds now have another outlet for the shaping and molding of their potential, one which has delighted parents and teachers so far. About five months after the Learning Environment for Advanced Programming was phased back into the sixth- and seventh-grades, it is being met with accolades from par ents and administrators alike. Carol Horne, gifted program curriculum coordinator for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, explained in a presentation Tuesday night at Smith Middle School the logistics of LEAP. The program is geared toward kids who have “demonstrated extraordi nary levels of intellectual potential and academic achievement found in the top 1 percent of the national population in reading and math,” according to Home’s presentation. Previously offered only to fourth and fifth-graders, the program now is available at Smith to all eligible district students in sixth- and sev enth-grades. And by the 2006-07 school year, eighth-graders will get their chance to prove their skills. Ed Holub, whose child par ticipates in the program, said he is pleased with the program and emphasized its necessity. Federal research control options alarm colleges BY SETH PEAVEY STAFF WRITER A government proposal to place stricter controls on international participation in university research could prove detrimental to proj ects at institutions in the state and across the country. Many researchers who do hot hold U.S. citizenship could soon find themselves restricted from working in university labs. “It would reduce our ability to disseminate research as well as create new technologies,” said John Gilligan, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies at N.C. State University. “Virtually every laboratory on campus has foreign grad students working in it,” he said. The proposal by the U.S. Department of Commerce limits the ability of foreign students to use research equipment considered to be sensitive technology. UNC leaders also are rallying against the move. Gilligan said that the proposal lacked specifics and that it would be very time-consuming to inven tory all of the equipment. He added that the proposal could even mean universities would have to create new paperwork, put locks on laboratory doors and install sur veillance systems, which could cost millions. It would also be much more expensive to hire U.S. researchers to fill the vacancies, Gilligan said. Foreign graduate students are generally more willing to accept low-paying research positions. But Michael Steer, an electrical and computer engineering profes sor at N.C. State who is working on a $5 million research project for the U.S. Army, said there were legitimate national security con cerns. Steer, a former Australian citi ftEGAL CINEMAS DIG = DIGITAL SOUND BARGAIN SHOWS iNTT~ * Pass ' Discount Ticket Restrictions Apply GIF' T CERTIFICATES NOW ON SALE TIMBERLYNE 6 933 8600 Weaver Dairy at Airport Rd. BQO-FANDANGOI74II Adv. Tlx on Sale FUN WITH DICK AND JANE (PG-13) ★ Adv. Tix on Sale KING KONG (PG-13) ★ CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (PG) DIG ★ (100 410) 720 1030 HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE (PG-13) DIG (1230 340)700 1010 AEON FLUX (PG-13) (120420) 710 930 WALK THE LINE (PG-13) (105400)715 1015 YOURS MINE & OURS (PG) (110415)730 940 JUST FRIENDS (PG-13) (115)725 THE ICE HARVEST (R) - ID REO'D (405) 945 'l 1,., 1 • 620 Market St. 'Lllllllllil ;rr:;,r Take 15/501 South towards Pittsboro Exit Main St./Southern Village CHRONICLES OF NARNIA Hi 1 isTis HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIREE3 12:45 3:507:00 10:00 WALK THE LINE ifiaS 1:15 4157 15 1005 YOURS, MINE 4 OURS M 120-3.20 □ds itadul 8.80 |O I O IT A LI SEATING “It’s hard to operate with a wide range of students in the class,” he said. “It fulfills the district’s mis sion of meeting each child’s poten tial in every classroom.” Holub said it is almost impos sible for teachers to instruct each student at his or her own proficien cy level in a class, and that LEAP provides an efficient way of teach ing the most talented kids. Tuesday’s information session focused on availability and which children qualify for the program. Horne explained that a committee decides entrance based on aptitude or achievement students take the Naglieri Non-Verbal Aptitude Test as one indicator. Only those who score in the 97th percentile or higher on both the reading and math portions of the test are eligible for the program. Horne said many parents who have children who qualified for the program might choose not to leave their individual school, adding that each system school had a “thriving, excellent gifted program.” One concern about LEAP is that students might be isolated from the rest of the school population, which might prove detrimental. But Valerie Reinhardt, princi pal at Smith, said no such problem exists. Students in the program have homeroom and four core sections zen, works with researchers from India, Egypt and South Korea. But he argued that the United States should try to reduce it’s dependen cy on foreign students. “There are a lot of technolo gies that are potentially military sensitive,” Steer said. “We have to get more U.S. citizens and nation als into the grad program and pay above the poverty rate.” But Steer said that his project, which involves developing tech nology to detect electronics from a long distance, was much better funded than most and that many other researchers couldn’t afford to pay enough to hire U.S. citizens. Not everyone agrees that hiring fewer international students is the answer. Mark Clemens, vice chair man of UNC-Charlotte’s biology department, said the presence of international students and faculty helps create a better learning envi ronment for students. “It really broadens their outlook to give them a much more global outlook on life,” Clemens said. The department includes profes sors from Russia, England, China, France and India and post-doctoral students from Tunisia and Korea. “The benefits of science per meate every part of our lives,” Clemens said. “Almost at every level, somewhere along the way, an advance has occurred because of collaboration across national boundaries.” Staff writer John Wulsin contributed to this article. Contact the State National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu. L X -BAtlA' ln’> |ut hot ] H'w InoencMary."^^.^—. I SYH9ANA el- 7:10, 9:40, Sat, Sun 2:10, 4:40 7:00, 9:30, Sat-Sun 2:00, 4:30 ft £L'****! oof iw mrs host fombia ticiutH' nairnt BfJ/c uumuMr juimwis jbsewku okhiuc b® The SQUID a* WHALE LmHi AlhbNMbßawfodl w**.m*"#*ito*m*xm plus Christmas Wish List 7:10, 9:20, Sat,Sun, Weds 2:10,4:20 PRIDE (PREJUDICE 7:00,9:30, Sat-Sun, Weds 2:00,4:30 good night and good luck 7:15, 9:10, Sat, Sun, Weds 2:15, 4:10 with their LEAP classmates but attend three electives that allow them to follow an avenue of learn ing of their choice, she added. “Above all, they are Smith stu dents, not LEAP students,” she said. Boyd Blackburn, a math and social studies teacher in the pro gram, agreed. “In the middle school, they aren’t isolated,” he said. “It’s a good mix. I would not describe them as iso lated, and I don’t think they feel isolated either.” So far, Reinhardt said the instal lation of the program into middle school has progressed smoothly. “There’s a lot of healthy learn ing,” she said. “There were a couple of bumps in the beginning, but the kids and parents are pleased.” Holub admitted how satisfied he was with the program so far. “I think the district did an out standing job of recruiting teachers and putting together a curriculum,” he said. “They are very committed to making the entire LEAP pro gram a success.” Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu. N.C. School of Arts seeking chancellor BY ASHLEY CHRISTIAN STAFF WRITER The chancellor search commit tee for the N.C. School of the Arts has begun looking for a replace ment to head the 40-year-old conservatory, and a potential can didate could be interim chancellor Gretchen Bataille. The committee, led by Sam Neill, who also serves as the chairman of the NCSA Board of Trustees, is composed of 22 members and four subcommittees. The subcommittees are search and recruitment, mission state ment and job criteria, community input and public forums, and pro cess management and finance. The committee met for the first time Nov. 30, when UNC-sys tem President Molly Broad and President-elect Erskine Bowles County pays mind to human rights for week BY KAYLA CARRICK STAFF WRITER The Orange County Board of Commissioners declared next week human rights week on Tuesday, taking an inaugural step to acknowledge global issues that infringe people’s rights. The week will begin Saturday with Human Rights Day, the 57- year anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The county also dubbed next Thursday Bill of Rights Day. And the area has a history of recognizing and uplifting human rights. “We are a forward-thinking coun ty,” said Milan Pham, human rights and relations director. “Unlike other places, most in the county recognize that to have a good quality of life in the county, it’s going to have to be good for everyone.” The 17-member human relations commission originally was created by the county commissioners to hold public hearings about dis crimination, but now its main role is to advise the board. “Historically the commission has dealt with everything,” said Barry Jacobs, chairman of the ©| AVEDA INSTITUTE | CHAPEL HILL [ SALON & SPA indulge friends & family. ■ A EDA Bright en someone’s holiday with SsEjp MB • 'tHi j .Av jgl of i’.iH I .mis. HM tt.' XTA KSSaRgA A ft ft -?sb jb • gftHHP? Jaftßil 01 1 complimentary Share HI CJ (hi ’ ■ * ■ TUF=- H 5 SOt f ° r fourtyfhdtp AVEDA News ■■ h n.'xA-':- fflir ' * DTH/LEAH GRONNING he holiday season abounded in Carmichael Residence Hall on Thursday night as sophomore Andrew Hurd helps his “little buddy,” 8-year-old Breanna Lee, make JL Christmas cards from construction paper and markers. Hurd’s efforts are part of the Big Buddy commitee of Campus Y, one of the service group’s largest components, which pairs UNC students with Chapel Hill and Carrboro children in mentor relationships. gave the charge to the committee. Broad called the search process “a complicated dance” to solicit and ultimately hire the best candidate. She also requested that the com mittee present three unranked finalists to Bowles, who will make his recommendation to the UNC system Board of Governors. Bowles advised the committee to take its time finding a replace ment for former chancellor Wade Hobgood, who stepped down in June. Bataille, senior vice president for academic affairs for the UNC sys tem, took the chancellor position July 1, following an auditing scandal that found that the school had mis appropriated almost $1 million. Bowles stated in a press release that the school is lucky to have Bataille “moving the ship forward.” county board. “Issues have ranged from slavery and segregation to the exploitation of workers to the dis crimination of women and minori ties in the workplace.” The commission noted inequali ties that weren’t protected under law, and in 1990 Orange County adopted a civil rights ordinance to give all people equal protection in housing, public accommodations, physical assault, property damage and employment. Jacobs said issues of inequality in the workplace persist today. “We live in a world where people don’t get the same things because of their background or personal characteristics,” he said. “A gov ernment has to try to make sure nobody is left behind.” This year, the goal was just to have the week acknowledged, Pham said. Plans for activities and events to recognize the week are in the works for next year. “First we just want everyone to know that this is what’s going on in the global community,” Pham said. “It’s our first step toward acknowl edging it.” One key issue in Orange County is that some jobs don’t pay a liv FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2005 HELPING HAND Bataille has so impressed uni versity officials that Neill said he anticipates her as a strong candi date for the official position. “Gretchen Bataille has done a wonderful job as interim chancel lor,” Neill said. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and high manage ment skills.” Bataille said that she has not yet decided her plans but did say that the new chancellor should under stand the uniqueness of the school. “I think the new chancellor needs to certainly appreciate the incred ible talents of the students and fac ulty that are here and understand that it is a conservatory and makes it very different from the other 15 campuses,” she said. To fill the opening, Neill said he has received many suggestions and interest, but the committee is still ing wage, said James Spivey, civil rights specialist for community relations. “Just because one is employed doesn’t mean their sal ary allows them to enjoy all aspects of life,” he said. The human rights commission also is working with the community to establish a social justice goal. Former commission chairwom an Barbara Holland Chapman said SELL BOOKS NOW! We pay top dollar! BE A LEADER AMONG LEADERS ★★★ ★ ★ With your bachelor’s degree, you can become an Army Officer and be a leader among leaders. In Officer Candidate School (OCS), you’ll learn management and leadership techniques. Apply now. Openings are limited. Call Sgt. Ist Class Armstrong at 490-6671 to find out about college loan repayment and more Army benefits. BQ taarmy.com 02001. Paid for by the U.S. Army. All rights reserved. AM OF ONE early in the process. “We’re looking for one who has passion, understanding and knowl edge of performing arts,” he said. Neill added that the chancellor should be able to raise money in a time of limited resources. “Our goal is to find a chancellor to meet our potential and exceed our expectations,” he said. The goal of the committee is to make its selection in May and have anew chancellor in place by July. Neill said the goal is realistic, but the committee isn’t in a rush. “We’re going to take whatever time is necessary to find the very best chancellor,” he said. “(The timeline) is a goal, but not an ultimatum.” Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu. people support human rights until it’s pointed out that they’re violat ing them. “Those of us who are fortunate enough to have access to tremendous resources should understand that everything we take from the economy is what could be available to someone else.” Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu. 9
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