®lje SaUg ®ar Hwl
CORRECTION
Due to a reporting error,
Monday’s story “Tar Heels place 3
in top 16” incorrectly stated that a
UNC doubles team would advance
to the ITA Nationals if they made
it to the ITA Southeast Regional
Indoor Championship finals.
The team had to win the finals to
advance. The Daily Tar Heel apolo
gizes for the error.
CAMPUS BRIEFS
Traffic shuts down online
ticket distribution system
Monday was the first day to reg
ister for student basketball tickets,
but fans who tried to use tarheel
blue.com to register were shut out
of the system for most of the morn
ing and afternoon.
The Web site is run through
national ticket distribution system
Paclion, which was overly strained
because of baseball World Series
ticket traffic, said Clint Gwaltney,
associate athletic director for ticket
and Smith Center operations.
“As we explained to them, that
was not a very good time for them
to go down,” Gwaltney said. “They
realize that, and we’re working
hard to rectify the problem.”
The system was available for
student use and access by 4 p.m.
Students can register for games in
November until midnight Oct. 31.
Because students are not ranked
by the order they register, Gwaltney
said there is no benefit to being the
first or the last to sign up.
Officials say smoking ban
slated to begin in January
Chancellor James Moeser
announced Monday that a ban of
smoking within 100 feet of campus
buildings will go into effect Jan. 1.
The ban was proposed following
an N.C. General Assembly ruling
July 1 that allows N.C. schools to
determine their own tobacco prod
uct rules and regulations.
The campuswide ban would
only affect smoking and not ban
all types of tobacco.
UNC’s Employee Forum and
Faculty Council generally support
ed the ban, and the student adviso
ry committee to the chancellor held
two forums to gather feedback.
Campus group puts on week
to raise cancer awareness
Pink ribbons will be displayed in
the Pit this week to increase can
cer awareness. The event is part of
Cancer Awareness Week and was
organized by the Carolina Cancer
Focus organization.
Cancer Awareness Week informs
people what cancer is and how to
prevent it. Events take place to help
raise funds. The group will be in
the Pit giving out information and
food today through Thursday.
According to the American
Cancer Society, 1,444,920 people are
expected to be diagnosed with cancer
in 2007 in the U.S. North Carolina is
expected to have 38,210 cases.
CITY BRIEFS
Carrboro police association
supports candidates in race
The Carrboro Police Officers
Association met with each candidate
running for Carrboro mayor and the
Board of Aldermen to determine
the group’s endorsements, which
were released Monday.
“After a frank and open exchange
of ideas, we were able to learn
where the candidates stand on
issues that affect not only police
officers, but the entire town of
Carrboro,” Carrboro Police Officers
Association President Jason
Peloquin said in a press release.
The officers’ endorsements
include incumbent Mark Chilton
for mayor and Joal Hall Broun,
Sharon Cook and Lydia Lavelle for
the Carrboro Board of Aldermen.
NATION BRIEFS
N.G-based company accused
of stealing millions from U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - The
Democratic chairman of a House
watchdog committee said Monday
that Blackwater USA violated tax
laws and might have defrauded the
government of millions of dollars, a
charge the embattled security firm
said is groundless.
Rep. Henry Waxman, a
Californian who chairs the
Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, released a
March letter from the Internal
Revenue Service that states the
company’s classification of a secu
rity guard as an independent con
tractor, instead of company per
sonnel, was “without merit.”
Under U.S. law, companies must
pay Social Security and other fed
eral taxes on their employees. But
unlike other security companies in
Iraq, Blackwater says the guards it
trains, equips and deploys to Iraq
and elsewhere are independent
contractors hired directly by the
government.
From staff and wire reports
Cancer research goals set
Demographic disparities a priority
BY HANNAH HARRILL
STAFF WRITER
The governance committee of
the University Cancer Research
Fund has established research pri
orities for spending its initial $25
million for cancer research.
The fund, created by the N.C.
General Assembly on July 31, will
increase the investment to provide
SSO million annually beginning in
2009.
Money generated from taxes on
all noncigarette tobacco purchases
goes toward this fund.
The governance committee
oversees the planning and spend
ing of the money.
“We want the people of North
Carolina to understand what we’re
doing and how they will benefit,”
“A lot of them don’t understand that being out of their seat can be dangerous if
there is an accident.” mary lin truelove, DIRECTOR OF CHCCS TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
Dt| ..Hi
Eil\ X. !
-St SEHHBBBPSb', • Ifii wm * w .:
’r* ’fll
-.1..—1— 11 * ,1 11 l:_i ' IH
DTH/ANNA DORN
Children line up outside a school bus at Carrboro Elementary School on Monday afternoon. Monday was the first day of School Bus
Safety Week, and Buster, a remote-controlled talking school bus, is one of the innovative ways children can learn about bus safety.
SAFE ON THE ROAD
School districts hold week promoting bus safety
BY KRISTEN CRESANTE
STAFF WRITER
With the help of Buster the Bus, Chapel
Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange
County Schools are focusing on safe travel
for students who ride buses.
Buster is a remote-controlled talking
school bus that is one of the safety programs
featured at the Back to School Fair at the
beginning of each school year.
As he drives on the roads of a model town,
Buster teaches the children how they should
behave while entering, riding and exiting the
bus.
And Buster is not the only method used
to inform kids about bus safety.
Monday marked the beginning of
School Bus Safety Week, sponsored by sev
eral groups including the National School
Transportation Association ind bus manu
Dean search to be internal
Graduate School follows UNC pattern
BY ANTHONY MCPEEK
STAFF WRITER
When the search committee for
the dean of the Graduate School
begins reviewing applications in
January, it will be looking exclu
sively for tenured candidates with
in UNC.
The committee was formed
after current Dean Linda Dykstra
announced in September that she
will be stepping down in July.
“We have a number of very well
qualified people within our own
community,” said Lee McLean,
associate dean of Department of the
Allied Health Sciences and chair
woman of the search committee.
McLean said Provost Bernadette
Gray-Little ultimately made the
decision to close the search to
external candidates. Search com
mittee members agreed with the
decision in their first meeting.
The decision reflects a trend of
internal appointments of high-end
faculty UNC. In recent
years, search committees have
filled the positions for the provost
and deans of the School of Law,
College of Arts and Sciences and the
Summer School with UNC faculty.
The search committee for the
law dean had to go back to the
Top News
said Dr. William Roper, dean of
the School of Medicine, CEO of
the UNC Health Care System and
member of the committee.
The grant funds research only,
but officials said this will trans
late into a positive impact in the
future, such as clinical trials of
new treatments.
One area the committee will
assess is cancer in North Carolina,
with particular attention to dis
parities among different demo
graphics.
“There are some racial and
ethnic groups that have greater
numbers and more severe cases
of cancer than others,” Roper
said.
“We need to know why that is
the case and what can be done to
facturers. The week is designed to encourage
public education of school bus safety.
Both Orange County and Chapel Hill-
Carrboro City school districts post lists of
discipline rules on the buses. Strict pun
ishments are enforced upon students who
do not follow these rules. Safety videos are
shown in the schools, and teachers and prin
cipals are encouraged to promote bus safety
at school.
Evacuation drills are usually held twice
each year to teach children how to escape
the buses in case of an emergency.
Mary Lin Truelove, director of Chapel
Hill-Carrboro City Schools transportation
department, said officials prefer to hold
these drills when a driver is available to be
on the bus because communication between
the drivers and the students is essential.
“There is a lot of one-on-one that goes
drawing board in spring 2006
eventually selecting an internal
candidate when its external pick
denied the deanship offer.
Dykstra was chosen as an inter
nal candidate 11 years ago.
McLean said that for the
Graduate School, internal candi
dates are especially appropriate
because it is a part-time posi
tion.
The new dean will maintain any
prior research and will also keep a
role in his or her home department
because of the nature of the posi
tion, McLean said.
External candidates would not
have established roles or research
projects within UNC depart
ments.
McLean also said that UNC
needs someone who is familiar
with the school and can maintain
the momentum Dykstra initiated.
“As far as continuity is concerned,
having an internal candidate is
a plus,” said Lauren Anderson,
president of the Graduate and
Professional Student Federation.
And the internal preference goes
beyond UNC. The University of
Michigan, one of UNC’s peer insti
tutions, selected its graduate school
dean equivalent internally.
intervene.”
Committee members said that
new methods of discovering which
groups have greater risks and how
these risks can be prevented are
being researched and that the new
funds will bring expansion.
Another priority focuses on
developing clinical application of
genetics and genomics.
Some discoveries have been
made regarding gene patterns and
cancer, such as how specific pat
terns can affect response to treat
ment.
These discoveries, which are
mostly in research and not yet
in medical practice, can change
the way cancer is treated and
prevented if new tests are cre
ated that hospitals can use, said
Dr. Shelton Earp, director of the
SEE CANCER, PAGE 4
into the daily operation of keeping the kids
safe,” she said. “A lot of them don’t under
stand that being out of their seat can be
dangerous if there is an accident.”
Reliable bus drivers are another key factor
in ensuring the safety of children on buses.
Drivers in both districts go through train
ing courses. All have first-aid training, and
some are CPR certified. They are also sup
posed to be in constant communication with
their passengers.
District leaders also work to keep the
buses running smoothly.
“We have the best mechanics in the world
on site that monitor the buses every day,”
TYuelove said.
Each bus, new or old, gets inspected
every 30 days in addition to the regular state
inspections.
Both districts have several new buses, but
they also have a few that were purchased as
SEE SCHOOL BUS, PAGE 4
McLean said that the committee
aims to narrow down candidates
to a list of two to four that will be
recommended to Gray-Little in late
February or early March. The pro
vost will then make the final decision
for the deanship and negotiate a sal
ary. Dykstra’s salary is $223,700.
In the short time since the com
mittee launched, it has received seven
nominations for the position, repre
senting departments and schools
across campus, McLean said.
“It’s truly a cross-campus effort
to continue the good work of
Linda,” she said of the dean selec
tion process.
Anderson said she hopes the new
dean will build the sense of commu
nity in the school, offer more career
development for graduate students
and have ideas on how to broaden
graduate student resources.
“The biggest challenge I think will
be keeping graduate students on the
radar when campuswide policies are
being talked about,” she said.
Anderson also said she hopes the
hype of other high-profile searches
wifi not diminish attention to or dis
cussion about the search for the grad
uate-school dean. “Unfortunately
it’s going on at the same time as the
search for the chancellor.”
Contact the University Editor
at tidesk@unc.edu.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007
Research priorities
> Assessing cancer in North
Carolina with particular attention
to disparities.
> Promoting innovative research
in cancer prevention and early
detection.
> Developing clinical application
of genetics and genomics.
> Turning basic research into
new cancer therapies.
> Defining early response to
cancer therapy and improving
cancer clinical trials.
> Enhancing clinical excellence
across our multidisciplinary
cancer teams and across the state.
> Initiating a nation-leading,
multi-component cancer
survivorship research program.
Student government’s
advocacy draws fire
UNC-C students
stand up for tax
BY ARIEL ZIRULNICK
STAFF WRITER
UNC-Charlotte student govern
ment’s use of university resources
to influence a Mecklenburg County
ballot initiative has sparked fur
ther-reaching debate about uni
versity involvement in municipal
politics.
UNC-Charlotte’s Student
Government Association has come
under fire for using its student
fee-funded Web site to oppose the
repeal of a Mecklenburg County
transit tax, which Student Body
President Justin Ritchie says is
the main source of funding for
public buses that many students
rely on.
“Something like this that we
can take a stand on and can make
a difference and that is within our
jurisdiction there’s no reason
why we shouldn’t weigh in on it,”
Ritchie said.
Those opposed to UNC-C stu
dent government’s involvement
question whether obligatory stu
dent fees, which fund the organi
Plan to
address
groups
poverty
Aid for homeless
Hispanics in area
BY KELSIE MURDOCK
STAFF WRITER
The Hispanic population in
Chapel Hill more than quadrupled
from 1990 to 2000, according to
the town’s 2007 data book.
And because the local Hispanic
community continues to grow, the
demographic’s presence is being fac
tored into the decisions and projects
of local governments.
As town leaders continue work
with Orange County’s 10-year Plan
to End Chronic Homelessness,
which officially began in September,
they will consider the Hispanic por
tion of the homeless population.
“The ratio of Hispanic people is
probably one
out of every 10
people, which
is not a lot,” said
Laurie Ticker,
the Residential
Services
Director of
Inter-Faith
Council.
Despite low
■PROJECT
■homeless
MCONNECT
THURSDAY OCT. 25
What’s next
Homeless families
numbers of Hispanics at local shel
ters, the 10-year plan, which assessed
poverty locally to help shape services,
reported that the Hispanic popula
tion was a major player in Chapel
Hill’s population living in poverty.
In Orange County, 4.7 percent of
the Hispanic population is unem
ployed. The unemployment rate for
all Orange County residents regis
ters at 3.71 percent, according to
the 2000 U.S. census.
The 10-year plan reports that 24
percent of the Hispanic households
in Orange County reported an
income below $15,000 compared
to 15 percent of white households.
In conjunction with the 10-year
plan, Project Homeless Connect, a
one-stop, one-day center that links
those in need with services, such as
health care, will be held Thursday.
Chapel Hill Town Council mem
ber Sally Greene, who also serves as
chairwoman of the Partnership to
End Homelessness executive team,
said organizers of the event took
special care to make sure all event
information was in Spanish.
“There’s certainly an awareness
that we have Spanish speaking
people among our homeless popu
lation,” Greene said.
Greene said the 10-year Plan to
End Chronic Homelessness will
evolve during the 10 years to account
for shifts in population, including a
growing Hispanic community.
Shelters, including Tickers, have
started adapting to the Hispanic
population, but a language barrier
still exists. Many shelters rely on
bilingual relatives to translate.
Tucker said many of the women
can speak some English or use their
children as translators.
“Of course, they don’t always
translate correctly,” Tucker said.
“If they are in trouble, they aren’t
SEE HOMELESS, PAGE 4
“Where you cross the
line is when you use
government money
to promote one side ”
BILL JAMES, MECKLENBURG COUNTY
COMMISSIONER, ON UNC-C EFFORTS
zation, are considered a tax and
therefore government money.
Mecklenburg County
Commissioner Bill James said state
law prohibits government money
from being used to take sides in an
electoral contest Because the chan
cellor has control over the student
fees being used to express student
government association opinions,
he said, the fees are under govern
ment control and therefore consid
ered a tax.
“Schools take positions all the
time,” James said. “Where you cross
the line is when you use govern
ment money to promote one side
of a particular ballot issue.”
In Chapel Hill, student involve
ment in local politics in recent
years has been scrutinized for the
SEE UNC-C BALLOT, PAGE 4
3