uncnews.unc.edu

Here is a sampling of links and notes about Carolina people and programs cited recently in the media:

International Coverage

Potential corporate partners may remain wary of Roethlisberger even if he wins
The Canadian Press
...John Sweeney, a professor of sports communication at the University of North Carolina's School of Journalism, noted that Roethlisberger — even pre-scandal — was never in Manning's league as a pitchman. ..."When people talk about marketability with Ben, how far is he going to fall anyway?" Sweeney asked. "He's not a huge player in the huge sponsorship market, so there's not as much that's threatened."

National Coverage

Universities Driving Innovation (Column)
U.S. Economic Development Administration
Universities thrive on big problems, and society has plenty of them. In the words of Stanford’s President John Hennessy, “If the universities don’t work on the world’s biggest problems, who will?” As David Brooks said in his recent column, “The Talent Magnet,” universities provide a model for how nations (and presumably regions) should drive job growth – by creating an entrepreneurial environment and attracting talent. The presence of a university in a region provides a head start on this process. (Holden Thorp is Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.)

Headbanger Nation
Time
...According to a study by neuroscientist Kevin Guskiewicz of the University of North Carolina, the average college football player sustains a breathtaking 950 to 1,100 subconcussive blows per season — hits that are enough to do cumulative damage to young brain tissue but not enough to cause immediate symptoms. "There's what we call a dose response," Guskiewicz says. "After a certain number of hits, the damage starts to show."

State and Local Coverage

Chavis: Time for apology
The Herald-Sun (Durham)
Sunday will mark 40 years since the Wilmington 10 were arrested and charged with arson and other crimes after a white-owned grocery store was burned in 1971 during racial unrest over school desegregation in the coastal city. ...North Carolina owes the members of the Wilmington 10 not just recognition," Chavis said Wednesday on the campus of UNC. "They owe them an effort to right the wrong, compensate them for the time taken from them.
UNC Release:
http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/4262/73/

Swine, 'super' bacteria linked
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
...The finding comes as public health officials grow increasingly worried about bacterial infections that defy treatments - an outcome blamed on overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals. Misuse of the drugs spurs resistance by killing vulnerable bacteria while leaving hardy strains to multiply and spread. "It's a huge problem," said Dr. David Weber, an infectious disease specialist at UNC-Chapel Hill. "We have all seen patients die from infections that no antibiotics work on."

An All-Star Boost
The Triangle Business Journal
...Richard Southall, an assistant professor of Sport Administration at UNC-Chapel Hill, says that buying into a sports franchise isn’t just about the bottom line – it’s also about emotion. And there was plenty of emotion – pride, excitement – in the RBC Center. “I think that All-Star Weekend had to be helpful,” in selling a stake in the franchise, Southall says.

What is causing the 'booms'?
WECT-TV (NBC/Wilmington)
...But on the east coast at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, another prominent Geophysicist says earthquakes have nothing to do with it. "There are earthquakes occurring all around the world that we are recording here in North Carolina," said Dr. Johnathan Lees. "If we had a local earthquake it would be impossible for us not to record that."

After disastrous ‘09, endowments back up
The Triangle Business Journal
Led by Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill, two dozen North Carolina colleges and universities have crashed the list of the nation’s richest schools, growing their total combined endowment assets to $9.7 billion in 2010. ...UNC-Chapel Hill was 29th, with $1.98 billion, up by 3.9 percent from 2009.

Teen drinking worthy focus of mayor's pledge (Opinion-Editorial Column)
The Chapel Hill Herald
...UNC cannot solve this problem alone. We must work together to protect the interests of community youths, rather than passively protecting the economic interests of the alcohol industry by our silence. Risk is often a challenge to courageous leadership. But it's time for Mayor Kleinschmidt, Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton and UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp to join in a "town and gown" collaboration to address our serious underage drinking problem.

UNC lands first recruit for 2012
The News & Observer (Raleigh)
On the morning after national signing day Thursday, outside linebacker Shakeel Rashad called coach Butch Davis to get North Carolina's 2012 recruiting class started. Rashad, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker from Episcopal High in Jacksonville, Fla., committed to the Tar Heels during the phone call.

UNC Football Player Charged With DWI
WNNC-TV (NBC/Raleigh)
A UNC-Chapel Hill football player has been charged with DWI after he was pulled over in Alamance County on Sunday. Burlington Police report 21-year-old A.J. Blue was stopped by police around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. Initially Blue was cited for following too closely and failure to maintain lane control, but was subsequently charged with DWI and for having an open container.

Issues and Trends

Duke to raise $100M to upgrade stadiums
The Triangle Business Journal
...Asked about the size of Duke’s proposed fundraiser, Richard Southall, an assistant professor of sport administration at UNC in Chapel Hill, says, “That’s not small change.” But there’s a return: He says improvements such as those envisioned for Wallace Wade not only would generate more revenue but also would help attract better players.