TECHNICIAN
tuesday january
8
2013
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Affirmative action open for discussion Sam DeGrave News Editor
Almost a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of affirmative action admission policies at universities, the issue is back on the docket. Since Grutter v. Bollinger in 2003, four justices have been replaced, and the possibility of a different ruling has students and faculty at universities across the country wondering what the Court’s decision could mean for them. If the Supreme Court decides
to overrule Grutter v. Bollinger in the current case, Fisher v. University of Texas, affirmative action admission policies could be eliminated at all universities that receive federal funds. Gregory Vincent, vice president for Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, said that he thinks the case has greater implications than student admission. “This case is about admissions more than anything else, but it will affect other parts of the university too,” Vincent said. ““If you have less students of color you
Dan Allen gate to open soon Josue Molina Correspondent
Campus commuters will have limited access to Dan Allen Drive starting next week. The transportation office will implement gating on Dan Allen Drive starting, causing restricted traffic flow between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Construction of the gates was originally scheduled to be completed during fall break, but was delayed due to railroad right-of-ways and other issues. Gates are being placed around the railroad bridge, which will only allow access to transit, service and emergency vehicles. The gates are intended to eliminate cut-through traffic congesting Dan Allen Drive during peak traffic hours and to promote pedestrian safety. Christine Klein, public communication specialist in the Office of Transportation, said pedestrian safety and bus efficiency are the primary concerns the gates seek to fix. “Our main mission is getting our students to classes on time and arriving there safely,” Klein said. According to the final 2012 campus mobility plan, the closure of
Dan Allen Drive will reduce private vehicle traffic in addition to promote pedestrian safety and enhance the performance of the Wolfline transit system. Though many students have voiced complaints about the gate, Klein said she thinks the gate will have little impact on students and will have a greater impact on faculty that use the Dan Allen parking deck. Accounting lecturer Chris McKittrick uses the Dan Allen parking deck and doesn’t believe the traffic change will be a major issue to him. “I come to campus from the north side, so it doesn’t affect me. I rarely go the other side of campus,” McKittrick said. Though McKittrick won’t be impacted personally, he does believe there could be flaws with the gate. “The only problem I see is the back up from the light, so I’ll be watching for traffic at the light on Hillsborough,” McKittrick said. The gate is set to be active beginning Jan. 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days, and will restrict all unauthorized cars.
won’t have the diversity that you had before.” This lack of diversity is the first domino to fall in what Vincent said might become a chain reaction started by the elimination of affirmative action in admissions. “I certainly think that we will see a decrease in diversity groups and programs on campus if the court rules against affirmative action,” Vincent said. “If the numbers of minority students decrease, the programs and groups related to them will decrease as well.” Vincent is not the only subscrib-
er to the domino effect theory. Executive Director of the American Association for Affirmative Action, Shirley Wilcher said that, depending on the Supreme Court’s ruling, this case could affect more than just who gets into public universities. “The decision of this case will have a ripple effect on all aspects of universities,” Wilcher said. Aside from admissions, Wilcher said she believes this case will affect any university-sponsored programs intended to help minorities. “There are, for lack of a better
word, right-wing groups that would challenge and already have challenged diversity programs at universities,” Wilcher said. “Some limited use of race as part of a holistic admissions system strengthens the excellence of the student body and better prepares students to lead in their respective fields after graduation,” John Charles Boger, Dean of the UNC School of Law said, as reported by The Chapel Hill Herald. Boger’s statement echoes a por-
AFFIRMATIVE continued page 2
FEATURES
PHOTO COURTESY OF AUSTIN SIMMONS
STUDENTS LEARN THE IMPACT OF BREAKING BREAD WITH STRANGERS. READ MORE ON PAGE 5.
Christmas persists into new year for Copts
insidetechnician
Ravi Chittilla Deputy News Editor
Although Dec. 25 has passed, the Christmas season has carried on into the New Year for some students. Members of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the largest Christian denomination in Egypt and the Middle East, participated in festivities this Sunday, Christmas Eve and this Monday, Christmas Day. Students at N.C. State joined those around the world in celebrating the religious festival by attending services at St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Raleigh, as well as the Coptic Orthodox Church of Archangel Raphael and St. John the Beloved in Chapel Hill. As two of only three Coptic institutions in the state, both St. Mary and St. John draw members from all over the state, many from the Triangle who come together in the PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ST. MARY COPTIC CHURCH congregation. Anba David, the General Bishop of the Archdiocese of North America offers his blessing to a child during Mass Amanda Saad, senior in biologi- on Christmas Eve. cal sciences and President of the campus Coptic Club, said Mass was and symbolism as they relate to the “attended service and then gathered ing, “clothes were most often the celebrated on Christmas Eve with daily lives of Copts. Saad also re- together and had a feast.” gift of choice.” “a special nativity layed the Pope’s After 40 days and 40 nights of Coptic Christians, who repreliturgy with nativwords of “con- strict fasting during the period of sent about 10 percent of Egypt’s ity specific hymns tinuing on the Advent, including abstinence from population of 85 million, are and tunes.” heavenly and all meat and animal products, ob- celebrating their first ChristAlso included in God-fearing servers gathered for a Christmas mas under a new Islamic leader, the Mass was the path.” feast including all kinds of tradi- Mohamed Morsi. Christians in Daniel Zaki, senior traditional Papal Daniel Zaki, tional foods. And like a traditional Egypt have long complained Message from Alsenior in me- American Christmas, Zaki said exandria, Egypt describing major chanical and computer engineer- the exchange of gifts was prevalent figures present in the nativity scene ing, talked about how his family among family and friends, specifyCHRISTMAS continued page 2
“Clothes were most often the gift of choice...”
Breaking bread with strangers See page 5.
Czech food comes to Hillsborough See page 6.
Wolfpack hockey hits its stride See page 8.
viewpoint features classifieds sports
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