10
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2008
SJj? Bailg ®ar MM
Established 1893,
115 years
ofeditorialfreedom
FRANCESCA GINO
GUEST COLUMNIST
Professor of organizational behavior,
Kenan-Flagler Business School.
E-MAIL: FRANCESCA_GINO@
KENAN-FLAGLER.UNC.EDU
Center
researches
decision
making
When facing decisions,
independent of how
complex they are, we
often assume we will be able
to make a rational choice. If
we have the right information
and incentive, we will bet good
money that we would take a
desirable deci
sion.
We will be
able to close
GUEST
COLUMNIST
options that no longer make
sense to us; we will not pro
vide overly optimistic forecasts
about timelines for the comple
tion of our activities and proj
ects; we will start exercising
without waiting once again for
tomorrow; we will negotiate
our first job offer without fear
of being judged negatively for
doing so.
Research in psychology and
related fields helps to explain
why we never seem to enter
this “promised land” of optimal
judgments and rational deci
sions.
This research has yielded
enormous insights into how
the mind works and how we,
as humans, can systematically
deviate from prescribed norms
of rational thinking without
even being aware of it.
But where does this research
happen?
Bringing together research
ers and students from various
departments on UNC campus,
and with the help of key col
leagues, I founded anew cen
ter dedicated to cutting edge
research on human behavior
and decision making: the
Center for Decision Research.
The Center for Decision
Research was created in
September of 2008 and is
jointly sponsored by the Kenan-
Flagler Business School, the
psychology department, and the
philosophy department here at
UNC.
The steering committee
of the Center for Decision
Research is composed of
me (director), Keith Payne
(Department of Psychology,
UNC), and Joshua Knobe
(Department of Philosophy,
UNC).
The center provides a home
for researchers from a variety
of disciplines such as organi
zational behavior, marketing,
communication, public health
and policy, philosophy, psychol
ogy and sociology.
Starting in fall 2009, the
group will meet regularly to
engage in a vigorous exchange
of ideas with speakers from
around the globe in weekly
seminars, and already per
forms cutting-edge research on
human judgment, behavior and
decision making.
Affiliates of the Center for
Decision Research investigate
topics both on the forefront
of their respective fields of
research and of current interest
to the public.
Topics include (but are not
limited to): Fairness, justice
and ethical decision making,
emotions, social influence,
moral judgment, social cogni
tion, motivation, power, leader
ship and managerial decision
making, creativity, innovation
and team decision processes.
The results of this research
can help decision makers in
both the public and private
sectors better understand how
they can improve their decision
making processes and make
higher quality decisions.
There is still a great deal to
learn about human judgment
and behavior.
Affiliates at the center will
keep making progress in this
direction.
ALLISON NICHOLS
EDITOR, 962-4086
NAUISONOEMAILUNC.EDU
OFFICE HOURS:
MON., WED. 2-3 P.M.
ERIC JOHNSON
PUBLIC EDITOR
ERIOOHNSONOUNC.EDU
EDITORIAL CARTOON By Alex Herrington, achcttsl ©email.unc.edu
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XCWWSTMAS
PREPMUCTtON FOfc W WAR ON CHRISTMAS
Bridge to nowhere
Building a pedestrian bridge over South Road isn’t
a good use of University funds right now
No one can deny that
pedestrian traffic on
South Road is a seri
ous problem, but a massive
bridge from Student Stores to
Stadium Drive is not the most
practical solution.
Of course, something
should be done to revamp
current traffic conditions and
improve safety for students
walking to and from campus.
Pedestrian safety has become
a significant concern this year
as two people have been struck
and killed by Chapel Hill
Transit buses on campus.
While the urge to take
immediate action is under
standable, there are a num
ber of important factors to
consider.
The project won’t come
cheap. A $400,000 budget has
been allocated for design alone,
with much more to be spent on
Driver policy too lenient
Chapel Hill Transit should have stricter incident
and discipline policies for town bus drivers
The accident record of
the bus driver respon
sible for the death of a
UNC Health Care employee on
Oct. 27 raises serious concerns
about the town’s vetting pro
cess of bus drivers for safety.
Chapel Hill Transit driver
James Willie Orr was involved
in 10 accidents between 2001
and 2008 eight of which
took place while driving a
Chapel Hill Transit bus. Two
accidents occurred in a per
sonal automobile.
Chapel Hill Transit policy
states that a driver can be rec
ommended for termination
after recording three “prevent
able” accidents in a rolling cal
endar year.
While Orr didn’t meet this
criteria, he did have a long his
tory of incidents.
Chapel Hill Transit or
Dollars and sense
Making financial auditing higher priority right move
UNC-system Board
of Governors has
recently made finan
cial accountability more of a
priority.
Financial accountability
has moved from tenth place
to fourth place in the BOG’s
stated priorities.
Financial accountability now
falls only behind faculty reten
tion, financial aid and campus
safety.
The BOG has made the right
decision to place a greater
emphasis on financial account
ability, especially in these times
of economic instability.
This move illustrates the
BOG’s willingness to crack
Opinion
HARRISON JOBE
OPINION CO-EDITOR
HJOBEOEMAILUNC.EDU
GREG MARGOLIS
OPINION CO-EDITOR
MARGOLIS.GREGOGMAILCOM
construction.
UNC officials should recon
sider how urgent a priority a
South Road bridge should be.
Given the struggling econ
omy, not to mention the
University’s construction back
log of nearly $1.7 billion, which
includes some long overdue
repairs and safety upgrades
on campus, this massive struc
ture hardly seems like the most
pressing project.
And aesthetically speak
ing, a massive bridge tower
ing over South Road which
must be high enough so buses
can pass underneath right
next to one of our most his
toric campus landmarks (the
Bell Tower) just wouldn’t fit
in with the quaint character
of our University.
One simple, and less visually
obstructive, alternative would
be to install upright traffic
the town, which can super
sede Chapel Hill TYansit policy
should have more closely
reviewed Orr’s record.
It’s unclear if Orr was ever
disciplined by Chapel Hill
Transit, but the incident
reports obtained by The Daily
Tar Heel indicate grounds for
such action.
The town’s concern for
pedestrian safety has been
illustrated through its efforts to
test innovative approaches at
the crosswalk at the intersec
tion of South Columbia Street
and Cameron Avenue.
While this is an appropriate
action to alleviate safety con
cerns, it does not address the
main cause of Valerie Hughes’
death driver error.
Hughes was crossing at the
intersection of Mason Farm
Road and South Columbia
down on wasteful spending by
standardizing accounting sys
tems and increasing financial
training for university staff.
These additional measures
will require more funding
initially, but Frank Daniels,
chairman of the board’s audit
ing committee, said he expects
the system to recoup these ini
tial costs within the next two
years.
Audits in the past two years
have turned up too much
wasteful spending by UNC
system universities.
Most notably among the
audits are reports that univer
sities sometimes waived com
petition for service contracts,
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
LISAANDRUKONIS
BEN BUCK
JAMES DING
MICHAEL LEWIS
ANDREW STILES
SARAH WHITWORTH
lights at the busiest crosswalks
in front of the Bell Tower. This
would alSo eliminate the need
for the crossing guards hired
by the UNC Department of
Public Safety to work during
peak traffic hours.
Or, if the University has
the stomach for it, how about
our very own free expression
tunnel under South Road? At
least the tunnel would be hid
den from view and serve the
same purpose as an unsightly
bridge.
UNC will have to make
some difficult financial deci
sions in the months and years
to come.
A pedestrian bridge would
be a substantial if unsightly
improvement to South Road
traffic conditions. But given
the state of the economy, it is
not the most sensible use of
University funds.
Street while a “walk” signal was
shown, and the bus driven by
Orr failed to yield.
Because this accident can
be chiefly attributed to that
failure to yield, it is impor
tant for town officials to be
vigilant in the future when
determining which drivers
could be at risk for future
traffic accidents.
Of the 10 accidents reported
involving Orr, several included
rear-ending stopped traffic and
hitting parked vehicles, as well
as sideswiping a utility pole.
Eight automobile accidents
in seven years certainly should
raise some eyebrows.
This issue should be revis
ited not in order 4o further
incriminate Orr, but to rethink
the town’s response to drivers
who have a history of traffic
incidents.
therefore not ensuring that
services were rendered at the
lowest possible price.
Increased, standardized
and preventative auditing will
help the state save money by
holding the universities more
accountable in how they allo
cate funds.
The BOG’s reordering of its
priorities sends a strong sig
nal to UNC-system schools
and the state legislature that
it is serious about cutting
costs.
The BOG needs to make
sure its priority shift is put into
practice and continue to look
for ways to cut costs during
times of financial strain.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“I had this feeling, this cold
feeling on my eyes , that just kept
them open. Around my face it was
just like my nerves were awake ”
UNC SOPHOMORE, ON USING ADDERALL TO STUDY
FEATURED ONLINE READER COMMENT:
“I know it can he annoying to
have an ideology shoved down
your throat ... Try being an .
unaffiliated voter in Chapel Hill!”
ON "SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, NOT 'HAPPY HOLIDAYS'"
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By law, funds need to be
handed out based on merit
TO THE EDITOR:
The article “Young Dems aim
for power,” (Dec. 1) claims that
“a greater liberal presence could
mean rejection of events spon
sored by conservative groups.”
Charlie Sellew, co-president of the
Young Democrats, is quoted say
ing that Student Congress should
“not treat everything the same.”
According to the U.S. Supreme
Court decision in The Board
of Regents of the University of
Wisconsin System v. Southworth,
it is unlawful to appropriate funds
in the manner that Sellew sug
gests. Any student organizations
cannot be denied funding based
on in viewpoint
Funds are appropriated to those
who have a legitimate request So,
should anyone who is elected act
in the manner that Sellew sug
gests, they will do so unlawfully.
Jason Sutton
Student Congress and
College Republicans
Student athletes' health
privacy is protected at UNC
TO THE EDITOR:
The Department of Athletics,
Campus Health Services and the
medical professionals who treat
Carolina’s varsity sports pro
grams take very seriously student
athletes’ rights to privacy and the
Federal and state statutes that
govern the release of patient infor
mation.
We are careful to only release
information approved by UNC
sports medicine and the student
athletes themselves. Our student
athletes sign a Consent for Release
of Medical Information each year.
Athletic department staff mem
bers review that consent form with
the student athletes each year.
There are some situations when
it’s in a student’s best interest to
release basic and limited informa
tion, and we will do so with their
consent. For example, in sports
such as football and basketball,
where gamblers are looking for
any inside information that could
help them, we feel it is prudent
to provide basic information that
would preempt people from con
tacting students for information.
In addition; because some of
our students become public fig
ures, releasing basic information
as to why a student athlete is not
participating due to injury pre
vents others from inventing “rea
sons” and engaging in wild specu
lation as often occurs in a vacuum
of valid information.
We would not release infor
mation in any of the sensational
situations Dr. Lewis Margolis
referred to at the beginning of
his column (“Athletes deserve
privacy rights,” Dec. 1).
In some situations, like that
earlier this semester of a swim
mer who had a serious health
condition, we work closely with
the family to make certain that
no unauthorized information was
given out. If the family requests
that no information be released,
then that is what we do.
In Tyler Hansbrough’s case, the
last thing Tyler wanted was to con
stantly be asked why he was not
playing when all we had to say was
he had a shin injury.
Steve Kirschner
Director of Athletic
Communications
SPEAK OUT
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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 seven board members, the associate opinion editor, the
opinion editor and the editor.
la% ®ar Hwl
Kvetching board
kvetch:
v.l (Yiddish) to complain
Dear Student Stores girt: I bought
a 100 Grand from you Tuesday
evening before break solely
because I have a crush on you.
To the girl in the UL 'sleeping'
and passing gas: Your fumes
are a bit distracting. And toxic.
'You can bake delicious bread
several ways. It's the same
with a baby.' Seriously, DTH?
My fellow freshmen: now that
we've completed a semester,
could you PLEASE stop talk
ing about AP classes and test
scores?! No one cares.
Dear best friend of my
girlfriend: You are a third
wheel, and I do not like you.
Dear Rams Head: Displaying
signs that say Styrofoam will
liever decompose and then
only providing Styrofoam cups
at lunch was anew low.
Carolina: There are double
doors all over this campus for
a reason. Instead of looking at
the line of people waiting to get
through, use the second door
before I slam it in your face.
Dipping in the library? C'mon,
we don't go to State!
To the guy on the fourth floor
of Davis with the cold: Breathe
through your mouth.
If a girl has the nerve to give
you her number, the least you
could do is call her back. Ibis
means you, library boy.
So it's the Sunday before finals
begin, knee-deep in paper
season, and there is not a
single place open to get cof
fee?? Seriously, Alpine, what
were you thinking.
When you play 'Second Life’
in a computer lab, do you
realize that you are preventing
me from getting on with my
ACTUAL life?
To the boy who peed in my
desk drawer: I'm glad you fell
out of my roommate's bed.
Please don’t say 'bless you'
for each additional sneeze
when it's so obvious that what
you really want to say is 'shut
the hell up!' Maybe I should
start 'blessing' all of you
annoying 'blessers.'
•I love pretty much every aspect
of UNC, but can we please get
anew commercial to play
during the basketball games
that doesn't make it look like
we're stuck in the 1980s?
To the rotund gentleman
skipping through the Connor
quad: If you must skip, please
do so off the walkway; some
of us have to get to class.
Dear Gumb/s: Thank you for
putting my credit card number
on the pizza box, so when I
throw it away, I am unknowingly
throwing away the little money I
have as well. Pokey Stix are not
worth my identity being stolen.
To the boy who disappeared
after I swiped him into Top of
Lenoir: I feel used and dirty.
You never even told me your
name.
Rachel Marie Jennings, will
you marry me?
Send your one-to-two
sentence entries to
dtheditQgmail. edu,
subject line 'kvetch.'
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