TECHNICIAN
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Ty Johnson Editor in chief
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Chancellor Jim Woodward holds up a picture of Maddie, his cairn terrier puppy, at a welcoming cermony for him. Woodward invited the University community and Student Body President Jim Ceresnak to adopt the pup as an unofficial mascot since she looks like a baby wolf.
made.” Jordan said, although he continued to suggest no wrongdoing had occurred on the part of James Oblinger or Larry Nielsen, who both resigned amidst controversy surrounding the hiring of Mary Easley. “I still have not discovered anything that indicated anybody was doing something for their own benefit. We got caught up in something we couldn’t help.” Ceresnak said Woodward’s arrival on campus was an unforeseen blessing, especially since the former chancellor at UNCCharlotte had been retired and had no inclinations to return to higher education. “We are extremely lucky to
have lured him out of retirement to lead our fine institution as we charge ahead into the future,” Ceresnak said, adding that the University should learn from the trials of the past. “There is no question we have suffered through some hard times over the past weeks, yet it is important not to forget what brought these hard times upon us. We must learn from the mistakes we’ve made.” While Ceresnak, Jordan, and Braden alluded to Woodward’s pedigree as an experienced leader, when Woodward stepped behind the podium, he said he WOODWARD continued page 3
Networking tool becomes political force Saja Hindi Senior Staff Writer
The revolution will be tweeted. Twitter, the popular social networking tool, is maturing from just delivering random, mundane status updates to organizing mass protests in Iran over the disputed presidential election. A U.S. State Department official told Reuters Tuesday that the department encouraged Twitter to delay a scheduled maintenance because it would have cut into the daytime hours in Iran. While Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, wrote in a blog that the department did not make the decision for Twitter, he did say the decision to delay maintenance was an important one. “When we worked with our network provider to reschedule this planned maintenance, we did so because events in Iran were tied directly to the growing significance of Twitter as an important communication and information network,” Stone wrote. Michael Struett, assistant professor of public and international affairs, said he was surprised that the State Department would even suggest the delay because the Obama administration has been careful not to intervene in the Iranian election debacle. “In a country like Iran, for the
MORE ON TWITTER AND IRAN: To see the livefeed, check out http://twitterfall. com/?trend=%23Iranelection To see photos of the protests, check out: http://www.boston. com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_ disputed_election.html SOURCE: TWITTER.COM
U.S. to take a formal position that seems to favor one side or another in a debate like this, actually undermines the people we would most like to see succeed,” Struett said. Iranian opposition party members turned to Twitter when the government shut off cell phone towers and began to deny reporters access to the streets. Robert Schrag, a communication professor who teaches communication technology, said this is not the first time a group has used the Internet to achieve a political agenda. Schrag said the Chinese government is a prime example of a government using technology to control information -- the Chinese government demanded that the Green Dam-Youth Escort software be installed on any computer sold in China, starting July 1. “It allows them to continually upload to any computer a list of Internet sites that you simply cannot access,” he said. Both Schrag and Struett refer-
enced the history of the Internet as the start of its political influence, beginning with its establishment as a secret project by the Department of Defense for military purposes. “I’m sure in Google’s offices or in other companies ...there’s an awareness that there’s a political implication to what they’re doing,” Struett said. Schrag said the reason Twitter has been so helpful for users is because Twitter messages are so short, they can direct readers to a Web site with either more information or photos, as Iranian protesters are doing. Communication, Struett said, has always been important to political organizations. “The way you carry out a political campaign of any kind has changed over time as technology has changed,” he said. But Schrag said Twitter is still a relatively new tool that is continuously receiving press coverage. “I dont think even Twitter knows how to use Twitter yet,” he said. And Schrag suspects that its increasing role with the Iranian elections was not expected. “I don’t think even the company itself probably ever envisioned the site as being a significant social movement vehicle. ...Although during the Obama campaign, we began to get inklings of it,” Schrag said. Schrag warned that while the culture of freedom of information through the Internet is
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essential, it does come with risks. “You have to have a really strong ethical compass because communication is power and information is power, and you can use it for good or you can use it for evil, and that’s your choice,” he said. He said with the situation in Iran, one point to remember is that Twitter is advantaging a particular group of people and it’s important to realize that not all the information may be accurate. Sorting through all the information released on the Internet, Struett said, is a real challenge in this information age. After Iranian government officials realized opposition members were using Twitter, they began to try to release their own versions of information through the feeds as well, according to some reports. “Misinformation is a very serious concern, and that’s a tactic that’s as old as time,” Struett said. But he said as technology develops, though it’s not impossible, it becomes more difficult for states to control information its citizens release. “Unfortunately, I fear that the next tactic they’re going to take is possibly violence against people who are demonstrating in the street,” he said.
The University’s interim chancellor said Thursday that budget woes will lead to a reduction in course offerings and personnel, including former first lady Mary Easley. Jim Woodward, who took over as chancellor Tuesday, said he informed Easley Wednesday of his decision to eliminate her position. “She is no longer an employee of this institution,” Woodward said in a press conference in Holladay Hall. “This was in my view the right decision given the circumstances we find ourselves in today.” The circumstances, Woodward said, involved the possibility of more than a 10-percent reduction in state appropriations for the University—an amount that could be more than $65 million and would result in the elimination of positions. “By definition a university is mostly its people,” Woodward said, pointing out that after earlier reductions across the University, personnel cuts were the only viable option if more funds
were to be cut. “We’re looking at 300-500 positions at this campus that we’re going to eliminate.” Woodward said the University had already eliminated 50 positions, and said his decision to terminate Easley was mostly due to portions of her job responsibilities already being terminated. “Some of the areas she’s involved with have already been eliminated or reduced,” Woodward said. “I didn’t need to look any further.” But the University will look further, Woodward said, as it seeks to protect its academic core while cutting excesses like new academic centers and the Millennium Seminar Series, both of which were responsibilities charged to the former first lady. “[The budget reduction] will lead to the reduction in course offerings, it will lead to increased class size,” Woodward said. “There is no alternative but to do that. [The reduction] will lead to the review of the various programs we offer and the elimination of low-enrollment, low-demand programs.” Woodward said the planned cuts were still only in the preliminary phase, though, and that the true ramifications of the cuts won’t be known until the General Assembly releases its final budget. “These are plans,” Woodward said. “These do not reflect final decisions.”
Urban Explorer created a ‘monster’ Barrel Monster continues to stir up publicity as its creator was arrested June 10 Jen Hankin & Kate Shefte Features Editor & Sports Editor
Since the creation of the “Barrel Monster” on May 31, N.C. State and the Hillsborough Street construction have become national news. WRAL and The News and Observer covered the arrest of the monster’s creator, and national media soon followed suit. Junior Joe Carnevale, a 21-year-old history major, was charged on June 10 with destruction of property along with larceny for stealing construction barrels belonging to Hamlett Associates and creating a 10-foot roadside sculpture of an angry man directing traffic with a pointed finger. The arrest violated the terms of his parole, which resulted after an incident in Carnevale’s home state of Illinois. “I’m probably going to have to do a little time because I was on probation,” Carnevale said. Although many saw the humor in the prank, the police department took the matter seriously, investigating Carnevale’s website nopromiseofsafety.com
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which led to the discovery that Carnevale was actually the man behind U Live and You Burn. “I didn’t really think the cops would come after me for it,” Carnevale said. “I guess it was one overzealous cop that decided to make a big thing out of it, even though the owners of the barrels didn’t even want to press charges.” Support of Carnevale’s monster creation reached Hamlett Associates Construction Company, which has asked authorities to drop charges. In an interview with The News and Observer, Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby said he didn’t see how Carnevale’s crime fit the definition of larceny. However, Raleigh police remain unconvinced. Carnevale is due in court on July 21. Soon after Carnevale’s arrest, hundreds of his supporters joined Facebook groups entitled “Art isn’t a crime!’ and ‘Don’t charge Joseph Carnevale,’ the latter of which has reached over 1,500 supporters. “I don’t think he should be prosecuted for something like this,” Facebook supporter Madi Shook, a junior in political science, said. “I think the city of MONSTER continued page 3
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Ty Johnson
As site continues to grow, users look to do more than just network
New chancellor fires Easley, eyes budget Decision to terminate former first lady just the first in round of reductions stemming from proposed House budget
Students, faculty turn out to welcome new chancellor as he eyes future
The ceremony, which welcomed back Woodward, a former professor, was about much more than the new chancellor according to Board of Trustees Chairman Bob Jordan. “This is not just about Jim Woodward,” Jorda n sa id. “This is about the time that Jim Woodward is coming.” Jordan said Woodward’s term as chancellor will be one of openness and transparency, and vowed changes would be made to promote outright honesty among the University’s administration “As a member of the Board of Trustees, I can assure you that there are going to be changes
Raleigh, North Carolina
Wolfpack welcomes Woodward
CHASS Dean Jeffery Braden was the first of many speakers to take the podium at Chancellor Jim Woodward’s welcoming ceremony Tuesday afternoon in Talley Student Center, and took his speaking opportunity as a chance to set the tone for the rest of the informal gathering. Braden, who served as interim dean before being named to the permanent position, said he empathized with Woodward’s situation as an interim chancellor. “I have a sense of what you are experiencing and, as a former interim, I know the kinds of questions that you must be asking yourself,” Braden said. “I can imagine the very first question that must have crossed your mind upon taking the position; ‘What was I thinking?’ “ As the crowd of about 200 laughed along with Braden and Woodward, it was apparent the University was taking the chancellor’s welcoming ceremony as an opportunity to begin looking ahead to brighter days after a month of scandal and controversy that led to the resignation of the top two University officials. Though rain forced the ceremony inside, Student Body President Jim Ceresnak said it had no correlation with the state of the University. “Don’t let the rain fool you,” Ceresnak said. “Because the sun is shining bright on N.C. State.”