TECHNICIAN
technicianonline.com
Raleigh, North Carolina
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Technician news editor Ty Johnson speaks during the selection process for next year’s Student Media leaders Tuesday night.
Board announces future leaders Media Board chooses future leaders [Editor’s Note: The students quoted in this story work for Student Media.]
Taylor McCune Features Editor
The Student Media Board passed down decisions on 200910 leaders for Student Media organizations Tuesday evening. The board approved Ty Johnson, a junior in history, for the position of editor-in-chief of the Technician and the position of general manager of WKNC 88.1 FM to Mike Alston, a senior in civil engineering. The other position in contention was that of business office manger, and the two candidates and the board came to an agreement that split the position into two new ones. Laura Frey, a junior in parks, recreation in tourism management, will fill the position of business manager and Charlie Weinfeld, a junior in business administration, will be the the sales manager. Several of the new hires ran for their positions unopposed. Helen Dear, a junior in graphic design will be the editor-in-chief of the Windhover and Bryant Robbins, sophomore in business management, will be editorin-chief of the Agromeck. The editor-in-chief position for the Nubian Message has reopened for applications. The candidates for the positions took part in a public forum Monday night where they answered questions about leadership, expansion and budgets. The candidates for the Technician and WKNC made their final statements and responded to questions from the board. Alston presented a plan to in-
crease campus involvement with the radio station through an oncampus concert. “We are a very fragmented campus,” he said. “[A concert] could bring students and organizations together.” Alston said the concert is a tough goal to attain, but he hopes the concert would become a “tradition” on campus. Johnson’s main goal for next year is the newspaper’s online presence. “Let’s not kid ourselves — online is the way of the future,” Johnson said. “The Technician should be a 24 hour news service.” The editor-elect said he will implement a Web team to oversee online content and would like to work with the other media outlets on campus. The board made the decision to split the business manager position, which came as a surprise to the two candidates. “I was surprised ... they told us they couldn’t set their mind on one person,” Weinfeld said. “They decided it would be best to have a business manager and a sales manager.” The new sales manager position will oversee the sales reps and training and the business manager will work mainly with the design and classifieds teams. “I’m really glad that they made that decision... I’m really glad that we both get to have a part,” Frey said. Weinfeld said his major goal for next year is to keep the ad staff on track and to maintain current advertisers through the economic crisis. Frey said she would focus on developing “new marketing techniques.” The new editors and managers will take their positions at the conclusion of the spring semester.
TIM O’BRIEN/TECHNICIAN
Chancellor James Oblinger talks to media at the State of N.C. State address in Stewart Theatre Tuesday. Oblinger spent most of the speech talking about the achievements the University has made in the past year, such as the successful mapping of a plant parasite’s genome by Associate Professor Rick Davis.
Oblinger discusses year JAMES OBLINGER CHRONICLES UNIVERSITY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS STORY BY TAYLOR MCCUNE & JAMES COX
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n front of an overwhelmingly nonstudent crowd Tuesday, Chancellor James Oblinger made his yearly State of N.C. State speech. Oblinger spoke mostly about the achievements of the previous year, touching on research breakthroughs, awards and recognitions before spending time recognizing alumni and faculty who have made achievements in the past year. He also gave a shout-out to President Barack Obama but spoke little of the University’s present economic state or how the administration plans to proceed. Instead, Oblinger asked — but didn’t answer — eight questions about whether the University would be able to maintain it’s history of innovation and leadership. Michael Nguyen,a freshman in political science, did not attend the event, but said he read the chancellor’s speech afterward. He said the questions Oblinger raised are questions people wanted answers to. “That’s why you would go see him talk, is to get answers to those questions,” Nguyen said. Aaron Vander Bee, a sophomore in German, was another of the students who didn’t go but read the speech later. He disagreed with Nguyen and said the chancellor was trying to open people’s eyes with his list of questions. “He’s trying to raise concerns about the budget,” Bee said. Oblinger did mention the loss that the University ADDRRESS continued page 3
TIM O’BRIEN/TECHNICIAN
Chancellor James Oblinger recognizes Mathews Medal recipients at Tuesday’s address.
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Governor Bev Perdue: N.C. State is leading the nation State of the State speech focuses on economy, education James Cox Staff Writer
In her first State of the State address Monday, Gov. Bev Perdue said research conducted at the University has led to the creation of 1,000 jobs at SpiritAero Systems. “N.C. State is leading the nation in developing lightweight textiles that are used in the aerospace industry,” she said. House Majority Leader Tony Rand said Perdue’s speech recognized the great job North Carolina universities do with research and education. “It’s fitting she choose N.C. State,” he said.
The rest of the Perdue’s speech focused on the economy. “We must go after every federal recovery dollar that is available. We need to get that money into North Carolina,” she said. In the Republican response, Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger placed the blame entirely on the shoulders of the Democrat majority. “Over the past half dozen years, Democratic leaders in North Carolina have adopted state budgets that have seen general fund spending grow by almost 50 percent,” he said. Berger said during the same time, the Democrats more than doubled the State debt. “These rates of spending and borrowing can not be sustained. The current economic situation is an opportunity to get North
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Carolina’s financial house in order,” he said. In her speech, Perdue did not give details about her budget that will be submitted next week. She did, however, say her budget will cut state government programs and services that have proven effective but ones the state “simply cannot afford.” She followed her statement about cutting effective programs by saying she will increase spending. “Even in these tough times we will increase per-pupil spending in our public schools,” she said. Berger, in response, said throwing more money at education won’t make the quality better. In addition, Perdue promised new jobs in her address. “We will put our people back to
work by building bridges, paving roads and expanding and renovating our infrastructure,” she said. To do this she called on careers that majors at the University prepare students for. “It will take engineers, architects, contractors, technology experts and laborers of all types,” Perdue said. The Governor said the government cannot let the citizens’ dream of a better future diminish. “We must do whatever it takes, our own, here in North Carolina, to create jobs, help displaced workers get new jobs, and keep families in their homes,” she said. Perdue also said North Carolina has become a “Mecca for biotech, pharmaceuticals, and
Sylvia Nasar
Author of the biography of John Nash, A Beautiful Mind.
life sciences.” According to the Purdue, the interaction between government, higher education and private business in North Carolina allows ideas to “springboard from the lab into the marketplace.” “Just look around. There’s Quintiles, Merck, Bayer, Biogen, PPD and more,” she said. Perdue said she was serious when she said she would take South Carolina’s federal recovery funds. “I’d drive a truck down to pick up his share,” she said. Tim Lipka, a senior in political science, said the speech was more of a rally-the-troops speech. “The get-down-to-work speech will come with the budget,” he said.
Pack drops ball against Patriots
wolfpack falls to george mason 4-11. See page 8.
Pack sweeps doubleheader See page 8.
Entrepreneurship Initiative See page 5.
viewpoint business & money classifieds sports
Stewart Theater
7:00 pm to 8:30pm Book signing immediately following the lecture.
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