Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Aug. 16, 2008, edition 1 / Page 10
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10 SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2008 Moeser examines his job, legacy BY BRIAN AUSTIN 'University editor JUNE 12 As former Chancellor tfames Moeser’s term wound to a close, he was afforded the luxury of .hindsight, and the benefit of expe dience as Chancellor Holden Thorp prepared to step into the office. ’ Though Thorp was unavailable for comment, Moeser discussed his and the opportunities and <he most pressing challenges that jjjould lie ahead for Thorp. A strong team in place T S When he first arrived on cam ipus, Moeser was met with a world 'of problems. Campus buildings {were in disrepair and there was a legislative battle over the N.C. •Higher Education Bond. But these problems paled in comparison to the dozen or so administrative vacancies that left holes to be filled. “I think there were something like 10 vacant deans’ offices,” Moeser said, further noting more Vacant positions at the offices of Jjrovost and vice chancellor for {finance. “There was a lot of work to fie done to build a leadership team, {so that was huge.” * Thorp’s administration looks to fie remaining in place for the most jpart, though Moeser was quick <to point out the value in having that are attractive, even to competing institutions. * “That’s just the natural rhythm of an institution,” he said. “When bur highest level people get pro motions and go to be presidents or {senior officers at other places, that’s {actually a compliment.” * . Lj.jui . . - m w . _ j Wclccvmc Bac(c Tav )-Ws! i r ' M * -v‘Y m ifflgm * *** l ‘ y **, 'ZwsSm iSSWI V Y z* 1 >v, \ I, i j I| J I Welcome Extravaganza for Carolina | j jJ JA J American Indian Community & Friends I *•*, Renew acquaintances and make new friends -^ T Learn about Indian student organizations and up-coming campus events. j| Side Lawn of Abernethy Mali |jj] LJJMC Thursday. August thru Friday, August 28 Beneath Franklin Street o | _____ Proesiis BUBflt Stmt Scoh Tim Ciitir S? s inif*i i - BLuL7 ; wu • jg Furthermore, Thorp had been holding meetings with upper-level administrators before leaving for a family vacation Wednesday. Globalization and sciences Moeser also worked to move the University beyond the confines of Chapel Hill and of North Carolina, focusing instead on expanding UNC’s mission to include global recognition and perspective. One of the challenges for Thorp will be to capitalize on UNC’s strengths. “Right now UNC is not really a well-recognized global brand, as some other American universities are,” Moeser said. “I think that’s really going to be the test of being the leading public university.” Moeser described other ways that the University has tried to push itself to the fore, and named improvements to the natural sci ences as the critically important piece of UNC’s goal over the next decade. “I think science really defines competition in the world econo my,” Moeser said. “We will rise and fall on our strength in science and technology.” He added that the humani ties and social sciences should be included in that consideration and pointed out immediate global opportunities for collaboration. “Sub-Saharan Africa has huge economic, education and health issues,” he said. “Universities there are desperately looking for rela tionships with American universi ties, so I think there are tremen dous opportunities.” Welcome Back i ' MV \ jf MIpP DTH FILE/RACHEL RODEMANN James Moeser gives his final graduation speech as chancellor on May 11. Laughing, he noted that he, too, was "graduating" in 2008. Fighting the 'gorilla' image One of the areas in which Thorp will first be tested is in his handling of the town-gown divide, a respon sibility he has not had to face. “We are the 500-pound gorilla,” Moeser said. “And I think we have to realize that everything we do, everything we do affects the people who live in this community. And that requires, on our part, a great sensitivity to their concerns.” The UNC Board of Thistees has begun negotiations with the town on a development plan for Carolina North, a project still in its infancy that Thorp will oversee. “We’re building a whole new campus, which in many ways is going to define his term,” Moeser said. Thorp, too, will face other con cerns, including the loss of almost half of the current Board of Trustees and possibly his own higher educa tion bond. Moeser has laid out his vision for the University as an aca demic and research force to con tend with on the world stage. As he moves on from the leadership of the University, the responsibil ity will fall to the chancellor-elect and Moeser will enjoy his own time away. He’ll be spending his days with his two grandchildren and honing his organ skills before returning in the post of professor. Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. Miscommunication delays blue lights BY SARAH E.F. SMITH STAFF WRITER JUNE 19 The emergency call boxes and blue lights slated for installation in residential neigh borhoods by a May 5 Chapel Hill Town Council decision might not be in place before students return to campus in August. Under the advisement of Sgt. Jack Terry from the Chapel Hill Police Department and Student Body President J.J. Raynor, the council voted to place call boxes and streetlights on the corner of Mallette Street and Colony Court, as well as at Church Street and Short Street. But because of a rniscommuni cation between the town staff and student government, the installa tion of the blue lights will begin a month later than scheduled. “The town doesn’t have a single point of contact,” Raynor said. “No one was feeding us information.” The proposal for blue lights included two resolutions by the council. The council rejected the first because the McCauley and Ransom streets location brought forth com munity protests. In the second, they approved the Mallette and Church locations, leaving the location of a third to be determined. While Raynor and Terry were expecting to go before the Historical District Commission to approve the other two blue lights in June, Kumar Neppalli, the Chapel Hill traffic engineer and the point per son for this initiative, had planned to meet with the commission at the Stje la% ®ar Urri August meeting. / Neppalli said they could not go before the commission at the June 12 meeting because they had not received technical engineering plans from Duke Energy. Although the location of the third blue light was a point of con tention, Neppalli said the council supports its implementation. “The council asked to go back and talk about the last location but move forward with the project,” Neppalli said. “They completely approved the project a second time, with a 9-0 vote.” Due to recently increased gas and energy prices, the delayed installment and manufacturing bids for the blue lights are likely to have gone up SI,OOO from the original quote, Raynor said. The blue lights at Mallette and Church should be installed by the end of August. But once deter mined, the third location will need to be resubmitted to the town. In order to avoid expensive glitches like this one in the future, student government is taking steps to clarify this process. “One thing we are trying to make a priority is to find out how this works in general and leave a record for others,” Raynor said. “We need to stress the importance of having one point of contact so as to avoid this in the future.” The next Town Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 8. Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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