TECHNICIAN
monday april
1
2013
Raleigh, North Carolina
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Professors
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Republicans PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE EXUM
Gov. Pat McCrory proposed a budget that may cut state funding for the UNC System by $135 million. The proposal encited disbelief from the UNC System president, Tom Ross, who dealt with a $400 million cut to the system two years ago.
Young Lee Associate Features Editor
University professors from across North Carolina met at Duke University Thursday to voice their concerns about the Republicancontrolled North Carolina government and the direction “ultra-right” lawmakers are steering the state. Scholars for a Progress North Carolina organized the event titled “Save Our State,” which attracted a crowd of more than 120 students, scholars and community members who gathered to hear SPNC representatives make their case against recent legislative activity.
ACADEMICS VOICE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA’S FUTURE
Through a panel discussion, SPNC representatives described much of the recent North Carolina legislations — such as cuts in unemployment benefits, rejections to expand Medicaid, proposed tax cuts for the wealthy, proposed changes in voters laws, a proposed repeal of motorcycle helmet laws and proposed cuts in the education — as part of an “ultra-right” agenda to prevent accountability through increased privatization. “We came together because we saw a disturbing policy agenda emerging in North Carolina that seems to have a goal of hurting democratic communication and
dismantling proven public institutional programs from schools to unemployment insurance,” said Lisa Levenstein, an associate professor of history at UNC-Greensboro and panelist. “The state legislature is now marching through that agenda at a speed that seems deliberately intended to prevent North Carolinians from weighing in this sweeping redesign of our state.” Levinstein joined a panel of nine other professors from N.C. State, N.C. Central, UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke to condemn Republican policies. Each member of the panel highlighted a specific legislation or offered a perspective of current
Multicultural Student Affairs looks to fill open postitions Sara Awad Staff Writer
The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs will conduct interviews this month to fill vacancies in various positions within the office, according to Assistant Vice Provost for Student Diversity Tracey Ray. The office may fill the assistant director positions for African American Student Affairs and Native American Student Affairs by May, but no later than June, Ray said. The department filled hired a new director 10 months ago. Assistant directors help build community amongst the various student populations and serve as advisors or mentors to support and coordinate cultural experiences and programs, according to new office Director Rod Bradley. The openings did not decrease the number of programs offered by office, but the department did have to get “creative,” Ray said. Programs are generally planned a year in advance, according to Bradley. “We as a team in [Multicultural Student Affairs] are pulling together to continue to try to serve our student population,” Bradley said. “They’ve stepped up to help support all students.” Not only is the office pulling to-
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gether, the campus community is as well. Rachel Ensing, a student services specialist for the Office of Admissions, helped coordinate this year’s upcoming Native American Powwow, Ray said. N.C. State hosts the largest collegiate Powwow in North Carolina. “Yes, we’re down some staff, but just like any team you want to look for great team players, great candidates to come and join and to contribute to moving [Multicultural Student Affairs] forward,” Bradley said. “This is an opportunity for me to help build a team, based on some opportunities through employment vacancies.” A couple of unfilled positions within a year are not unheard of, because most people change jobs every three to five years, according to Ray. Assistant director positions are considered entry-level positions within higher education administration and are especially hard to fill. “Of course you’re wanting to be full staff, but life happens, changes happen,” Bradley said. “We understand that, and we are going to do the best we can.” The vacancies were a result of “professional transitions,” and occurred at the same time coincidentally, Bradley said. The first assistant
PHHI receiv es USDA grant to combat E.coli See page 5.
DIVISIONS OF MULTICULTURAL STUDENT AFFAIRS • • •
African American Student Affairs Hispanic Student Affairs Native American Student Affairs SOURCE: MULTICULTURAL STUDENT AFFAIRS
director left in December, and the other left in January. “It’s a transition of staff … and I’m excited about that,” Bradley said. The Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity and the campus community supported Bradley during his transition as director, according to Bradley. “This was just a great opportunity for me to get connected with a strong institution that was looking, and still looks, to help make the N.C. State community better through cultural understanding and competence,” Bradley said. Bradley said as director he will make sure students are able to compete and participate in a global society, and said he hopes to achieve this through cultural competence. “People come with different un-
STAFF continued page 3
Lebanese festival celebrates 15 years
PATRICK WHALEY/TECHNICIAN
Willie Jennings, an associate professor of theology and black church studies at the Duke Divinity School, speaks about the intersection of government and religion at the “Save Our State” forum at Duke University Thursday, March 28.
political trends in North Carolina. Among the many concerns panel members raised, education, from kindergarten to college instruction, remained a topic of particular interest to many students in the crowd. Helen Ladd, a professor of public policy studies and economics at Duke, talked about the privatization of education — from charter schools to universities. She said the Republican government, which controls the North Carolina General Assembly, the Governor’s Office and the higher courts, is depriving the state’s biggest resource, education. Ladd raised attention about Senate Bill 337 - N.C. Public Charter
Schools Board, a proposal to remove charter schools from the State Board of Education. Ladd said SB 337 creates a dual system for pre-college education: a public route and a private charter system. With SB 337, the private charter system will have access to government funds, but will be overseen by a separate school board. The bill also removes certification and college-education requirements of charter school teaching staff. Ladd said that this proposal will segregate schools even further and
SPNC continued page 3
Facilities revises plan for future projects THE VOLUNTEER TASK FORCES:
Kevin Schaefer Staff Writer
The N.C. State Facilities Division is currently in the process of updating its Physical Master Plan, which will outline the department’s upcoming projects and dictate its central vision. The process of updating the master plan is a collaborative effort in which workshops, task forces and outreach presentations work to establish a sense of place at the University by building a common vision of campus neighborhoods and their connecting paths. Ultimately, the Physical Master Plan proposal will be examined by the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for the adoption of revisions and updates to the plan. Kevin MacNaughton, the Associate Vice Chancellor of the Facilities Division, issued the following statement in regard to the revision process: “The N.C. State Master Plan is very much our plan because it is regularly updated with input provided by the entire campus community,” MacNaughton
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said. “Everybody is invited to participate in workshops that lead up to these updates. It was very exciting to see record participation this time from the student body.” Because this project relies heavily on volunteers, the Facilities Division encourages students and faculty to participate. The Physical Master Plan Update process started with a series of workshops on campus. At these workshops, the division asked for feedback in response to seven different topics and used a voting exercise to allow participants to let them know which issues need the greatest consideration.
PLAN continued page 3
‘Wolf’ fails to show growth See page 5.
As Brown leaves, pack preps for void See page 8.
See page 6.
Spring Housing Fair April 3rd - 10am-2pm- Brickyard
Sponsored by Student Leadership and Engagement NC State University