uncnews.unc.edu

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

International Coverage

Preserving the American South's slow-cooked, wood barbecue
Reuters (Wire Service)
...Bernard Herman, professor of American studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, described it as a "barbecue diaspora." "The U.S. as a whole is far more Southern now than it was 50 years ago. Look at music. Look at certain forms of religion," he added.

Are Coral Reefs really doomed?
Independent Blogs (United Kingdom)
...But can algae-eating fish fortify reefs against rampant warming and acidification? Probably not: a 2012 study by a trio of American scientists indicated that protected areas haven’t saved reefs from die-offs caused by temperature spikes. “The majority of coral scientists think that creating MPAs will improve coral resilience, but a lot of science suggests that hasn’t worked,” says John Bruno, a marine ecologist at the University of North Carolina and one of the study’s authors.

National Coverage

23andMe Seeks FDA Approval For Personal DNA Test
The Associated Press
...Dr. James Evans of University of North Carolina said he considers much of the information reported by 23andMe, "relatively useless," and "in the realm of entertainment." He believes patients benefit more from pursuing a healthy lifestyle than parsing the potential risks of developing various diseases.

Regional Coverage

A Visit To 2 North Carolina Universities
The Chattanoogan (Chattanooga, Tenn)
As I have stated previously in travel stories, I periodically enjoy visiting college campuses and walking around them to examine and critique their buildings and landscaping. ...Last weekend, I finally visited for the first time two well-known universities that had long been at the top of my list of colleges to see – the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University.

State and Local Coverage

UNC Is Optimistic About Success Of New Budget
WCHL 1360-AM (Chapel Hill)
For the first time in several years, UNC’s financial forecast is cautiously optimistic, especially when it comes to faculty retention. “I’ve been worried over the last several years as the number of our faculty being recruited has risen,” said Provost Bruce Carney, speaking during last week’s meeting of the UNC Board of Trustees. “This year, I’m happy to say the number of flights has declined. We’re not quite back to normal but considering the budget cuts we’ve taken, we’re doing very well.”

Rate Of College Grads In NC Declines
WUNC-FM
...North Carolina is one of 40 states that has seen significant higher education budget cuts. Last year alone, the state legislature cut the UNC system budget by 18 percent. And getting a college degree isn't likely to get any easier. In February, the UNC system's board of governors passed a nearly 9 percent average tuition increase.

Wilmington's own history detective wraps up career
Wilmington Star News
... "I look at her as a model for what a library can do to build a forward-looking local history collection," said Bob Anthony, curator of the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. One irony is that Tetterton – who glories in living in an old house in the Historic District and still preserves the local history room's paper card catalog – proved to be remarkably tech-savvy.

Girls, are you worried about attending middle school?
The Charlotte Observer
...“Right in the Middle” is a workshop for rising sixth and seventh grade girls and their moms being hosted by three experts in all-things middle school: Michelle Icard, 39, (my sister-in-law), workshop host and founder of Michelle in the Middle, Rosie Molinary, 38, University of North Carolina professor, author, and speaker and Dr. Melisa Holmes, an OB-GYN and co-founder of Girlology. These three women will combine forces for one day to offer moms and daughters tips, insights and solutions for managing the strange world of middle school.

Issues and Trends

Report finds for-profit colleges serve shareholders over students
The Washington Post
A Senate committee that successfully pressed for tighter regulation of the for-profit higher-
education sector published a report Sunday that said the business had put shareholders before students.

In the Facebook Era, Students Tell You Everything
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The impact of Facebook on the college classroom goes far beyond technological innovations and the ability to build relationships. It has led young people to publicly announce intimate personal details without thought of the consequences. And that style of communication has led to some very uncomfortable encounters between students and their professors.