Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Nov. 13, 2008, edition 1 / Page 14
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14 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2008 ImUj ®ar Itel Established 1893, 115 years of editorial freedom ERIC JOHNSON PUBLIC EDITOR Contract administrator for a Raleigh law firm and DTH alumnus. E-MAIL ERICJOHSON@UNC.EDU Budget articles tough to humanize T "TNC plans for cuts to I funding.” That was a Daily Tar Heel headline on March 22,2002. But it could just as easily have been last week. After several years of a booming state economy and gen erous funding increases for higher education, lean times are back. And so are budget cut arti- PUBLIC EDITOR cles in the pages of the DTH. Budget stories are to reporters what annotated bibliographies are to history majors. They are complicated, research-intensive and unexciting, and there’s a big risk of getting the details wrong. They’re also some of the most important articles in the paper. “Budgets can be intimidating for any reporter,” wrote journal ism professor Jan Johnson Yopp. “To write about financial cutbacks, journalists have to understand the budget components and then where the cuts are being made.” That can be maddeningly dif ficult to figure out at a place like UNC, with a maze of different funding streams and a decentral ized process for making cutbacks. A single department might receive a chunk of funding from the state, a little from endowments and gifts, some from tuition and another portion from research grants. Simply saying that state funding was cut by 5 percent does nothing to show what actually happened in that department “My goal is to take budget cuts —and the national economy in general —and show how stu dents are affected,” wrote Andrew Dunn, DTH University editor. With the downturn still in its early stages, that’s difficult And there’s a tendency to focus on raw numbers and broad official pro nouncements. But the interesting part is in the details. Did you know that UNC uses salaries from empty faculty posi tions to pay for everything from light bills to graduate stipends? That means you can eliminate a half-dozen faculty positions without necessarily firing any one, but some grad student in a research lab might have to take on thousands more in debt to make up for a lost stipend. How that affects her life did she miss a trip home, is she eating more mac ’n’ cheese? is the true story of the budget cut You can’t get that from the raw numbers. Allison Nichols, DTH editor in-chief, said she is committed to producing those kind of stories in the months ahead. “Almost by necessity, I think a lot of it has to be anecdotal,” Nichols said. “We tend to focus on it in a more qualitative way.” It’s still early, but reporting on budget cuts so far has included some limited illustrations of tan gible impact In the Nov. 6 article “Cuts force creative saving,” staff writer Brecken Branstrator report ed that the economics department is cutting funding for visitors and speakers, and that the anthropol ogy department has trimmed some recitations. But the article didn’t say how many events might be cancelled, or how many students might be bumped from recitations. Unfortunately for the econ omy, there’s likely to be plenty of opportunity for those kind of feature stories. “These are extraordinary eco nomic times,” wrote Chancellor Holden Thorp in an e-mail to the entire campus last week. “We’re committed to getting through this rough period as smoothly as possible with your help, coopera tion and patience. And we pledge to keep you informed.” Ditto for the budding number crunchers at the DTH. AUJSON NICHOLS EDITOR, 962-4086 NALUSONOEMAILUNC.EDU OFFICE HOURS: MON., WED. 2-3 P.M. ERIC JOHNSON PUBLIC EDITOR ERICJOHNSONOUNC.EDU EDITORIAL CARTOON By Alex Lee, lobin@email.unc.edu * al Lower tuition hikes best Higher proposed increases would burden families In this time of financial cri sis, smaller tuition hikes are the right way to go. Chancellor Holden Thorp should recommend to the Board ofThistees the lower of the two proposals for tuition increases: hikes of nonresident under graduate tuition by $1,150 and graduate tuition by s4oo. These figures are the lower of two proposals presented to him by a tuition and fee advi sory task force. But they are still high enough to cover the Higher Education Price Index. This year, college affordabil ity for all students should be of more concern than hiring more faculty to reduce class size or increasing salaries. Going with the steeper of the two levels of tuition increases for nonresident undergradu Green investment Town smart to invest in hybrid-electric buses Thanks to some federal funding, and some for ward thinking by town officials, Chapel Hill will be a bit greener by April. The Chapel Hill Town Council’s decision to more than double its fleet of hybrid electric buses is one example of a shift toward sustainable, environmentally conscious policies. Following a long political campaign season with lots of talk about “investing in green energy,” the sound decision making of the council reflects the direction of Americans toward environmentally con IsQuickHits^ About half the ellipticals at Rams Head are broken. The board is split on this half of us love the things, 6 s the others just want to see the rest of the machines break as well. Arson Authorities believe that the fire in Gerrard Hall was caused by arson. Shame on whoever did this. The University just * spent $2.4 million renovating this building. Hey, arsonist: What were you thinking? JOIN US: The Dally Tar Keel Is Wring for the spring semester. Wrt looking far atom eight columnists who wO produce hard-hitting, insightful, weß-written and weH-r*searchcd cohmrn with local relevance centered around a theme of their own choosing on a biweekly basis. W>‘r teofelng for about tight to to board members who wM writ* unsigned editorials on behalf of the D7H. Members must attend a one-hour meeting on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday each week to brainstorm and pitch ideas. Each board imnfe* cm expect to write at least three eOtorMs • weak. Wrt* bote* for cartoonists ■ pmface at** original edtarial cartoons waeHyi Submit tfme work sangles to app* visit Union 2409 or www.DaHyTarHeal.com under “About us* for an application. Applications are rfcje at S p.m. Nov. 24. Contact Editor Allison Nichols at affisoncnicholsOgfnaiLcom with questions. Opinion HARRISON JOBE OPINION CO-EDITOR HJOBEOEMAILUNC.EDU GREG MARGOUS OPINION CO-EDITOR MARGOUS.GREGOGMAILCOM ates would be a mistake given the current economic climate. One of those proposals, for nonresident undergraduate increases, is $1,339. Last year, out-of-state tuition was raised by $1,250. Considering that more families may have a harder time affording college this year, increasing tuition more than last year is an unreasonable burden. Resident tuition isn’t being debated because tuition hikes are capped at 6.5 percent and administrators are likely to go with the maximum increase. The argument for higher tuition increases is that with out funds for important mea sured like raising faculty sala ries, the University won’t keep up with peer institutions —a perspective that has resonated with this board in the past. scious decisions. The hybrid-electric buses are a solid investment because of their reduced maintenance costs, along with the obvious emission reductions. Because of the difference in price hybrid buses cost $215,000 more than diesel fueled buses it required a federal grant of $3 million to bring the buses to the streets of Chapel Hill. Seven buses will be added to the fleet, and all of them will get five miles per gallon, compared with the diesel-powered buses fuel mileage of three miles per gallon. Walgreens It's about time. One empty space on Franklin filled, many more to go. Walgreens should be a con venient option for m students. But let's face it, there's no substitute for the Gap. RSVVP On Nov. 11 local restaurants donated 10 per cent of their sales to help fight hun ger in the Triangle. We're glad to see 4 local businesses continue to support this 20-year-old ini tiative. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS LISAANDRUKONIS BEN BUCK JAMES DING MICHAEL LEWIS ANDREW STILES SARAH WHITWORTH But not this year. It’s true that UNC is commit ted to holding students harm less. Last year, 35 percent of the hikes were dedicated to need based aid. But keeping tuition hikes low in the first place would mean the financial aid office wouldn’t need as much money to immunize needy students from tuition hikes. Thorp does not have to choose any of the proposals, but he will consider them before making a recommendation to the Board of Thistees. Continued increases in aca demic quality and faculty sala ries are important. But not at the expense of making college unaffordable. This year more than ever, affordability must come first. Though federal funding made the additions possible, the town still will pay 10 percent of the total cost of the buses, with the N.C. Department of Transportation kicking in another 10 percent. Also, the addition of two longer hybrid buses will be financed by the town. This financial commitment shows the town is serious about making green investments. It is encouraging to see coop eration between the federal, state and local government in addressing environmental con cerns with financially sound ideas. Noon Football Games These games seriously cramp our style. Getting up at 9 a.m. to enjoy pre-game festivities? Come on. But on the P other hand, lighting for night games hasn't had the best track record this year. Basketball For the first time in Associated Press preseason poll history, there's been a unanimous preseason No. 1 m (UNC). Let's just hope we're unanimously No. 1 when it really counts at the end of the season. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I would certainly expect that the (stem cell research) ban would be overturned. I believe that is very good news for research TONY WALDROP, VICE CHANCELLOR FOR RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FEATURED ONLINE READER COMMENT: T United with the Northside Community NOW)’s sole achievement has been complaining about something it does not fully understand ON "NORTHSIDE STORIES" LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Homecoming selection process unfair this year TO THE EDITOR: Why two extremely quali fied female black candidates for homecoming queen, Mia Barnes and Eboni Blake, were denied the right to campaign has never been fully explained but one cannot help but find fault in the process when one reviews their resumes and service project plans. Donovan Livingston, the black male candidate, was forced to give up his opportunity to.open for “Gym Class Heroes.” He was asked to perform by CUAB but the Homecoming Committee said it would give him unfair exposure. Jeremy Crouthamel, however, was not discouraged from wear ing his cheerleading uniform and cheering or from allowing Rameses to hold his sign in the Pit Donovan is a noted rap artist on the campus, just as Jeremy is a cheerleader. Why was one pro hibited from filling his normal role and the other not? The tactics and mechanisms employed in this year’s home coming selection process were discriminatory and unjust. And we students, who value and cher ish our self-government above all else, cannot let this situation go unnoticed or unspoken about We cannot allow a committee of five people with a process that is dear ly not transparent and criteria that are not spelled out to dedde who we call King and Queen. It is 2008, we have done better than this and we should demand the same of the Homecoming Committee. Ashley Harrington Junior International Studies, Public Policy Dialogue should continue on town developments TO THE EDITOR: It’s important to recognize that Greenbridge is in fact only one piece of the broader trend of gentrification in Chapel Hill. Developments like Rosemary Village, Warehouse Apartments, the Franklin Hotel and the upcoming development at 140 W. Franklin St. all contribute to rising property taxes. Not to mention the handful of realtors who, during the last 20 years, have increased property values in Northside by purchas ing houses, renovating them and renting them out to students at high prices. This factor in particular is one of the major contributors to the marginalization of the Northside community, which has seen the number of owner-occupied homes drop from 80 to 20 percent Greenbridge is simply the most visible and current cause of gentrification in Chapel Hill, not the sole harbinger of it Give them credit fbrtheir environmental and social equity efforts, even if they have been a bit short-sighted. Let’s keep dialogue open. Northside is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in town, and it will remain that way only through a spirit of cooperation from both sides. Jon McDonald Senior English SPEAK OUT WRITING GUIDELINES: ► Please type: Handwritten letters will not be accepted. ► Sign and date: No more than two people should sign letters. ► Students: Include your year, major and phone number. ► faculty/staff: Include your EDITOR’S NOTE: Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Daily Tar Heel or its staff. Editorials reflect the opinions of The Daily Tar Heel edito rial board. The board consists of six board members, two co-editors and the editor-in chiet (Lift iaily (Ear Ht First Amendment should not be used as a shield TO THE EDITOR: After reading the letter to the editor titled “Free speech tunnel allows just that, free expression,” (Nov. 12), I am disheartened to find that some Americans still don’t understand the First Amendment. It’s upsetting to hear people say insulting things, and then use “free speech” as a way to dodge the consequences of their actions. If you verbally offend your boss and he fires you, are you going to take him to court for obstructing your First Amendment rights? If a child utters a “bad word” and his mom punishes him by not letting him watch TV for a week, are his rights being violated? No. Buck Burnette, an athlete from the University of Texas, learned this last week when he made rac ist remarks about Barack Obama and was consequently kicked off the football team. That wasn’t an obstruction of his First Amendment right, as the government did not arrest him for his offensive language. But he did suffer the informal consequences of his actions. The First Amendment doesn’t protect you from your boss, your mom, your coach, your friends or your school, and it doesn’t mean you won’t pay for your words. I implore all Americans to stop using the banner of free speech to promote a culture of immaturity and irresponsibil ity. It’s time for people to be held accountable for what they say. If you’re brave enough to say something, you’d better be brave enough to accept the conse quence, whether it’s a dirty look, a slap on the wrist or expulsion. Arielleßeid Sophomore Political Science 'La Colina' section shows the DTH's business savvy TO THE EDITOR: Far too often, Americans sac rifice the prosperity of our nation to strive for an antiquated, xeno phobic image of America where nothing ever changes. To observe this phenomenon, one need look no further than the graduate schools of America’s great universities, where we mold thousands of international students into great minds every year, only to see them leave after graduation as stifling immigra tion laws prevent them from obtaining work visas. On the other hand, The Daily Tar Heel correctly recognizes the importance of globalization, catering to the significant (and increasing) Hispanic population of North Carolina. Smart businesses like the DTH, rather than swimming against the tide, adapt to the ever-changing landscape of com merce. If “La Colina” was truly a bad idea, the DTH’s revenues would suffer, and it would likely stop publishing the section; this is the beauty of the free-marke.t system we celebrate in America. Joseph M. Crowley BSRA ’O7 Chicago, IL department and phone number, ► Edit: The DTH edits (or space, clarity, accuracy and vulgarity. Limit letters to 250 words. SUBMISSION: ► Drop-off: at our office at Suite 2409 In the Student Union. ► E-malt: to dthedltOgmall.com ► Send: to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, N.C., 27515.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Nov. 13, 2008, edition 1
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