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Coeds can help cut crime
staying safe on campus
More
hazing probes opened
NCSU suspends fraternity for year
Three
N.C. State fraternities investigated for possible hazing
Greek Life
N.C.
State Fraternity Accused Of Hazing
Greek Life
Chatham
to set school priorities
NC State study
Matheson
wins N.C. award for art
Gallery of Art and Design
2 nominated
for Park Scholarship
Park Scholarship
One
size fits all
Center for Universal Design
UBD
inks link with Ukraine
UBD has over the years signed over 20 MoUs with foreign universities.
Nov. 18, 2004
News & Observer
By JENNIFER BREVORKA
© Copyright 2004
When it comes to college, students take need to take heed: Those living in dormitories often fall victim to crimes experts say can be avoided by taking simple precautions.
"The suite door and student's room door is the front door to their house," said Sgt. Jon Barnwell, spokesman for the N.C. State University Campus Police. "And [police] have to convince students that you need to keep that door locked."
Too often, police said, students leave their room to use the bathroom, get a snack or visit a friend down the hall. And, within moments valuable items, typically electronics, vanish.
"With larceny it's a crime of opportunity," said Randy Young, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety at UNC-Chapel Hill. "And yet, that is still our most prevalent crime on campus."
The majority of larcenies at UNC -- 323 from January through the end of October of 2004 -- involve laptops, palm pilots and "things that reflect a quick turnaround for high cash," Young said. At N.C. State, there were 318 larcenies during the first nine months.
Incidents of theft are generally classified as larceny when there is no forced entry. If entry is forced to facilitate the theft, it is classified as burglary.
To keep belongings, and themselves, safe officials said students should:
* Keep doors closed and locked when leaving a dorm room for any period of time.
* Avoid propping open entryway doors in dormitories. It only invites strangers in.
* Engrave items such as laptops, printers and palm pilots with identification information so they can not be easily pawned.
* Store wallets, purses, cell phones and other valuables in drawers, closets or a lock box, keeping the items out of sight in dorm rooms.
Larceny and property crimes are the largest number of incidents police at UNC and NCSU deal with annually, according to statistics.
But officers warned that students also need to be wary of unusual occurrences or strangers on campus because these people often serve as a precursor to more dangerous crimes such as assault or sexual attacks.
While UNC police regularly patrol the campus, checking in on students and buildings, Young said students need to play a role in the department's community police effort.
"We ask that people be our eyes and ears out there," Young said.
And, students shouldn't hesitate to report suspicious activity. Informing police now about questionable situations is often the first step to preventing campus crime from actually happening, Barnwell said.
"People hesitate because they're quick to just assume that they're thinking wrong," Barnwell said. "Someone with more outside experience can realize that something is not right here."
Nov. 18, 2004
News & Observer
By JESSICA ROCHA
© Copyright 2004
Chatham County's schools are not as overcrowded as neighboring Wake County's -- yet.
But 10 of 15 Chatham schools already use mobile classrooms, and the student population is expected to jump more than 25 percent to 9,300 students in the next five years, according to a N.C. State University study published in September.
With that in mind, the Chatham school board will meet tonight to punch out a list of priorities for building new schools and updating existing ones.
Next year, voters will likely be asked to approve a new school bond, expected to be at least $60 million and maybe double that. It would be the first bond vote in about 10 years.
Tonight school board members will get rough cost estimates for building three schools recommended by the N.C. State study, and about 15 other improvements, including a a cafeteria expansion at Jordan-Matthews High School and second gyms at all three existing high schools, said board member Ronnie Collins. Then the board will start to pare down the wish list, Collins said.
The board will almost certainly ask for enough money to build a new high school in northeast Chatham and a new elementary school in Siler City, said Superintendent Larry Mabe.
"The question now becomes, 'How much more?"' he said.
A bond issue would most likely be financed by an increase in property taxes. The county has about $2.8 million in educational impact fees from new home permits, said Assistant County Manager Renee Dickson. In 2004-2005, 46 percent of Chatham County's budget is allocated for the school system, including $2.7 million to pay previous school bond issues.
Currently, Chatham County property owners pay less in taxes than many adjacent counties, according to a N.C. Association of County Commissioners survey.
Chatham resident Peter Theye said he thinks an effort to raise taxes is going to be tough to sell to residents in the south and west, where incomes are lower than in the northeast, where so much of the county's growth is happening.
Theye said he hoped the N.C. State study could help convince people of the need for new schools.
"They [the school board] actually have the tools they need, they can show the need now that they never could before," he said.
Nov. 18, 2004
News & Observer
By TIM SIMMONS
© Copyright 2004
Additional charges of fraternity hazing were reported Wednesday at N.C. State University, including one case that has led to the suspension of all activities at Delta Sigma Phi for the remainder of the academic year.
University officials determined that a late-night "scavenger hunt" by Delta Sigma Phi pledges violated school policies and codes of conduct.
Activities at Sigma Alpha Epsilon have been temporarily suspended pending a separate investigation of hazing.
Earlier this week, John Mountz, director of Greek Life at NCSU, confirmed that university officials were investigating a third fraternity -- Sigma Phi Epsilon -- regarding similar allegations. He did not mention the other investigations and suspensions at that time.
After confirming the additional suspensions Wednesday, Mountz referred all other questions to the university's News Services department.
Keith Nichols, director of news and communications, said the events at all three fraternities happened earlier this semester. National chapters of the fraternities are involved in each of the cases.
The temporary suspensions at Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Epsilon do not mean the members violated any policies or the University's Code of Student Conduct.
The office of Greek Life temporarily suspends the activities of local chapters if it determines that allegations of misconduct are credible. Groups are not allowed to participate in any activities outside of the investigation during the suspension.
The one-year suspension at Delta Sigma Phi, however, followed a conclusion that the fraternity violated student policies when it sent its pledges on a late-night scavenger hunt that lasted into the early hours of the morning, Nichols said.
Representatives of Delta Sigma Phi could not be reached for comment.
"In our investigation, it was determined that no one was physically harmed, but the definition of hazing goes well beyond physical harm," Nichols said.
According to NCSU's Code of Student Conduct, hazing is defined as "any act that injures, degrades, harasses or disgraces any person."
The university hopes to finish the investigations of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Epsilon by the end of the semester.
2 nominated for Park Scholarship
Nov. 18, 2004
Charlotte Observer
By NANCY RILEY
© Copyright 2004
A.J. Medford and Laura Broome of Central Cabarrus High School have been nominated for the Park Scholarship, a full-expense, four-year grant to N.C. State University.
The university awards about 50 Park Scholarships every year, totaling about $4 million. Three-quarters of the awards go to N.C. residents. The awards are based on scholarship, leadership, service and character.
Three N.C. State fraternities investigated for possible hazing
Nov. 18, 2004
Associated Press; Charlotte Observer; WCNC; Wilmington Morning Star; Winston-Salem Journal; WSOCtv; WVEC, VA
By staff report
© Copyright 2004
Two additional fraternities at North Carolina State University have had their activities suspended because of hazing allegations, university officials confirmed Wednesday.
Activities at Delta Sigma Phi were suspended for the remainder of the academic year after school officials determined that a late-night "scavenger hunt" by pledges violated school policies and codes of conduct.
Activities at Sigma Alpha Epsilon have been temporarily suspended pending an investigation of hazing.
Earlier this week, John Mountz, director of Greek Life at N.C. State, confirmed that university officials were investigating a third fraternity — Sigma Phi Epsilon — regarding similar allegations.
The events at all three fraternities happened earlier this semester, N.C. State spokesman Keith Nichols said. National chapters of the fraternities are involved in each of the cases.
The temporary suspensions at Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Epsilon do not mean the members violated any policies or the university's Code of Student Conduct. The Office of Greek Life temporarily suspends the activities of local chapters if it determines that allegations of misconduct are credible.
Groups are not allowed to participate in any activities outside of the investigation during the suspension.
The one-year suspension at Delta Sigma Phi came after officials concluded that the fraternity scavenger hunt violated student policies, Nichols said. No one was physically harmed.
According to NCSU's Code of Student Conduct, hazing is defined as "any act that injures, degrades, harasses or disgraces any person."
The university hopes to finish the investigations in the cases of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Epsilon by the end of the semester.
N.C. State Fraternity Accused Of Hazing
Nov. 17, 2004
Associated Press; NBC 17.com; News 14 Carolina; WXii
By staff report
© Copyright 2004
RALEIGH -- N.C. State University has launched an investigation into hazing allegations at a fraternity and suspended all the group's activities.
The allegations were made against the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Local and national representatives of the social group have met with university officials.
An N.C. State official wouldn't describe activities that led to the allegations, but says no criminal charges are involved.
Matheson wins N.C. award for art
Nov. 18, 2004
Durham Herald-Sun
By KERI CLAY
© Copyright 2004
HILLSBOROUGH -- An Irish seascape, a rhinoceros with the word "England" scrawled on its flank, an Italian clothesline.
Through her camera lens, Elizabeth Matheson can simplify and humanize any subject. Her photographs are deceptively simple and occasionally humorous, yet provoke strong emotional reaction.
That ability has won the Hillsborough resident the respect of her photographic colleagues and, as of Wednesday night, the state's highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award.
Gov. Mike Easley presented the award to seven people, including Matheson, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham. The award winners were honored for their work in a variety of fields, including public service, science, literature and fine arts.
The award, Matheson said, is the culmination of her 30 years in the field of fine arts.
"If there is any award that I could get in life, this one means the most to me," she said before the ceremony from her pre-Civil War home in the downtown Hillsborough historic area.
Originally from Hillsborough, Matheson lived in London, then in New York City before returning to North Carolina in 1972. Feeling lost amid the energy of her husband's N.C. State University students, she opted for photography as an outlet.
Friend and mentor John Menapace taught her the intricacies of the camera while she was enrolled at the Penland School of Crafts in the North Carolina mountains.
Matheson has traveled extensively to the Mediterranean and England, as well as around the U.S., in search of subject matter. Much of her work has been centered in North Carolina, with landscapes and architecture -- mostly in black and white and only occasionally in color -- her preferred focus. Only rarely do people show up in her photos.
"I prefer photographing a subject that doesn't look back at me," Matheson said.
Although she works in a public field, she acknowledges she is very shy. Several years ago, she was asked to speak at the opening of a solo exhibit of her works at the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Instead of showing up, she asked her friend and occasional collaborator, poet Michael McFee, to write and read a poem about her work.
She has worked on many different group and solo projects. In addition to the N.C. Museum of Arts show, her photos have been included in exhibits at the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. But it's her work in North Carolina that has brought her the most satisfaction.
"The thing that touches me the most is that everything good that has happened to me has happened in [North Carolina]," Matheson said. "Within this state, I have been supported by the most wonderful people."
Most recently, she has had an exhibition in the Gallery of Art & Design at N.C. State titled "A Vibrant Transparency." She has received a grant from the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art/NEA, a North Carolina Arts Council Artists Fellowship and has collaborated with other artists on three books, with a fourth as a current project.
Nevertheless, Matheson remains humbled by her success.
"When [the state Department of Cultural Resources] called with news of the award, I think I said something like, 'Oh, I could die right here,' and the woman on the phone said, 'Well, no, you can't because you have to accept this award,' " Matheson recalled. "I was totally shocked."
Brenda Follmer, director of public affairs for the Department of Cultural Resources, said requests for nominations are sent in the spring to university deans, presidents and chancellors. Letters of nomination are accepted throughout the spring, then each one is reviewed and decisions are made by autumn.
"The nominations are open to the general public," Follmer said. "There's no shortage of [recommendations]."
More than 200 people have received the North Carolina Award since its inception in 1964. An individual is only allowed one award in his or her lifetime, Follmer said.
"[Matheson] is very deserving of this award," Follmer said.
McFee, a professor of English at UNC, concurred.
Matheson's photographs, he said, display "subtle wit and a terrific drama."
As her friend and former partner in creating a book, "To See," that featured his poems and her photographs, McFee said Matheson is ambitious -- but not for fame or fortune. Rather, he said, she will do whatever is necessary to capture the essence of the subject, whether land or people.
"I am totally giddy that Elizabeth is receiving this award," McFee said. "She's completely dedicated to Hillsborough, and to North Carolina."
Her photographs have inspired people and always show her commitment to both the art of photography and to her birthplace, he said.
"She's just a great North Carolinian," McFee said.
---
2004 North Carolina Award winners and categories:
-- Voit Gilmore of Pinehurst, public service. Gilmore is a scholar, writer, world traveler and expert on environmental issues.
-- Walter J. Harrelson of Winston-Salem, literature. Harrelson created a new translation of the Bible and has been a biblical scholar and educator for more than 50 years.
-- William Ivey Long of New York City via North Carolina, fine arts. Long has dressed Broadway stars for nearly 30 years and is a four-time Tony Award-winning costume designer.
-- Elizabeth Matheson of Hillsborough, fine arts. Matheson has been an "artist with a camera" for 30 years.
-- Penelope Niven of Winston-Salem, literature. Niven is a writer acclaimed for her nonfiction and work as a writing teacher.
-- LeRoy T. Walker of Durham, public service. Walker rose from poverty to become a noted educator and one of the greatest track coaches of the 20th century.
-- Annie Louise Wilkerson of Raleigh, science. Wilkerson was the first female doctor of obstetrics and gynecology in Raleigh.
Clarendon farmers face big decisions
Nov. 18, 2004
Manning Times, SC
By Kent Compton
© Copyright 2004
Clarendon County tobacco growers will face some big decisions before the 2005 growing season. The biggest decision is whether to keep growing tobacco or change directions with the aid of a $10 billion quota buyout package recently passed by Congress.
Last Thursday, Clemson Extension Service held a statewide tobacco meeting at Lynches River County Park near Florence, to provide farmers with information to help them make up their mind. There were more than 350 tobacco farmers attending the meeting to discuss the impact of the buyout and the future of tobacco farming.
Dr. Blake Brown, of North Carolina State University, spoke to the farmers about the buyout and the what will be next for the tobacco farmer.
“ The buyout program ends the federal tobacco program and completely deregulates the tobacco production at the farm level,” Brown said. “In return for getting rid of quotas and eliminating them, quota owners and growers of tobacco will receive payments spread over 10 years. Change is always difficult, however the changes that we were facing would be much more difficult, without the buyout, than what we are facing now.”
Brown said tobacco growers can still grow tobacco but there is no price support, no limit on quotas, like there used to be and that means the price of tobacco will go down. He said in the short run, tobacco farmers nationwide will not grow tobacco but in the long run he feels the United States’ farmers will grow more tobacco than they would have under the old program.
Brown feels with the buyout program a lot of South Carolina farmers will stop growing tobacco.
“ We’re not sure how many farmers statewide will stop growing tobacco,” Brown said. “We can see right now close to 30 percent farms or more deciding to stop growing tobacco. A lot of our growers are older and near retirement age and this is an opportunity, with some financial assistance, for them to retire.”
Brown said some of the younger farmers could decide not to grow tobacco and
switch to another crop.
“ They will be looking at other crops and of course the buyout funds will assist
them as they try to make that transition,” Brown said.
Clarendon County Clemson Extension Agent Russell Duncan said he is not sure how many Clarendon farmers will take the buyout. He said he does know of one farmer in the county that will not be growing tobacco next year.
“ He told me he was going to take the buyout and move into a different direction,” Duncan said. “The big determining factor will be what the contract prices that are offered and right we’re not sure what the price will be. Right now 25-33 percent of the farmers in Clarendon County are tobacco producers. I will say I’ve had a lot of farmers come to me about alternative crops instead of tobacco. Like I said, it all depends on the contracts of the buyout and which way will be more profitable for their operation. Tobacco used to be profitable but right now the profits are pretty thin.”
Clarendon County farmer Neveland Cannon is 64 years old and farms in the Hicks community. He said he’s is looking at the buyout because he is looking to retire from farming.
“ I’ve been tobacco farming all my life. I think the buyout program is really the best thing that could happen under the circumstances we’re facing,” Cannon said. “Dr. Brown said there would be more cuts in our profits so the way things are this is probably the best thing that could happen with my farm.”
Harry DuRant, who farms with his brother Gene at Double D Farms on Hwy. 301, said he’s happy the buyout came through but still not sure if they would participate in the program.
“Looking at the alternative wasn’t giving tobacco much of a future. This is a new day of tobacco,” DuRant said. “The alternative was a serious cut in our quotas. If we had our choice, I’d like tobacco farming to go back to 1997 and stick with that program. As far as farming, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. It’s hard to figure what we are going to do when we don’t know what the contacts are going to be. After we get some answers to our questions, we’ll have to take a look at how much profit our farm will have farming tobacco.”
Duncan said the buyout contracts should be coming through within the next month or two because other states will start planting for tobacco sooner than the Clarendon County tobacco farmers.
Nov. 18, 2004
Borneo Bulletin, Brunei Darussalam; Bru Direct, Brunei Darussalam
By Maya Salleh
© Copyright 2004
In a ground-breaking ceremony, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Technical University of Ukraine, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (NTUU 'KPI') to facilitate close cooperation between the two universities in different academic areas such as the exchange of students and faculty members, joint research and teaching programme development and exchange of publications.
The MoU, signed at a ceremony held at the UBD Chancellor Hall, saw Vice Chancellor, Dr. Haji Ismail bin Duraman, signing on behalf of UBD and Professor Zgurovsky, Rector, signing on behalf of NTUU 'KPI'.
Dato Paduka Dr Oleksandr Horin, Ambassador of Ukraine to Brunei Darussalam and UBD's principal officers, witnessed the signing ceremony.
Professor Zgurovsky then made presentations on scientific projects focusing on satellite and "unmanned aerial vehicles" (UAVs), followed by a Q&A session.
Professor Zgurovsky later toured UBD's Faculty of Science.
NTUU 'KPI' is one of the oldest and best technical universities in Europe and the world. It was established in 1898 and currently has around 38,800 students and postgraduates including more than 1,000 foreign students studying science and engineering courses.
UBD has over the years signed over 20 MoUs with foreign universities such as The University of Auckland, Curtin University of Technology, North Carolina State University, University of Glasgow, and University of Malaya, to name a few.
Nov. 18, 2004
Boston Globe, MA
By Rachel Levitt
© Copyright 2004
Have you ever sat down to a leisurely breakfast, only to be foiled by the stubborn lid of a jar of your favorite spread? By the time you got it open, you may have scalded yourself, dented the counter, and snapped the tip off your favorite knife. While ergonomically unfriendly design may merely delay your breakfast, it can present an enormous hardship for others.
So many things in our homes are simply not designed for the average human hand. Fortunately, a 30-year-old movement to increase accessibility for all is becoming mainstream, affecting everything from the design of kitchen gadgets to the architecture of homes. And a generation of homebuyers, interior designers, and architects are re-examining house design the same way one might look at that jar: If it's inconvenient or uncomfortable, let's improve it.
This movement for ergonomic design traces its roots to Ronald L. Mace, an architect who made it his life's work to encourage architects and designers to see their designs from the perspective of a user with limited mobility; Mace, who died in 1998, used a wheelchair himself. His design philosophy, encapsulated by his seven principles of universal design, challenged convention and provided a design foundation for a more user-friendly world. His foundation's mission was to advocate that design of all products and the built environment be both attractive and usable to the greatest number of people, regardless of their age or ability.
In 1989, Mace established the Center for Universal Design at the School of Design at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, which today is a national and international resource for information on universal design in housing, products, and the built environment.
What seemed like a dream to Mace's followers in the 1970s has become the reality for many architects and designers who instinctively incorporate Mace's principles into their work.
Mary Jo Peterson is an interior designer in Connecticut who distinguished her practice several years ago by focusing on design for clients with disabilities. She calls it her ''aha" moment when she began to see how her own house made life unnecessarily difficult and potentially hazardous. ''The traditional bathtub is the single worst designed appliance in the house," she said. ''Getting in and out of it at any age is a nightmare. And anyone can slip in a tile bathroom."
Looking around, she began to ask questions like, ''Why should I have to bend over when I do the laundry or fill the dishwasher?" She noticed that wider-than-standard doors, which are required for people with disabilities, made moving furniture, grocery bags, and laundry baskets a lot easier for everyone.
When Peterson and her husband, Stephen, an architect, designed their new home, there was no question that they would take their cues from universal design principles. ''From my work with clients with disabilities, we had a wide range of elegant solutions to address age-old problems. Wherever possible, we used sloped walkways instead of stairs, wide doors everywhere, flat thresholds, and lowered outlets and switches. In one bathroom, which is long and narrow, we put a bathtub beyond a shower so that you have to walk through the shower to take a bath. We realized that the tub's generous swivel seat, which allows safer bathing access, could double as a shower seat. It makes shaving much easier!"
Peterson says that many potential clients worry about the aesthetics of a universal-design home, because there was a time when accessible meant institutional. The ramps, grab bars, and shower seats were off-the-shelf items designed to retrofit traditional bathrooms and kitchens for people with compromised mobility. Today, designing for universal accessibility often means just thinking a little harder about where things are positioned, and how appliances are selected.In other words, it doesn't have to cost more, or look noticeably different; designing for easier living just requires care and attention. The traditional doorknob, for example, costs as much as the lever, and if you've ever put moisturizer on your hands you know the benefit of having an opener you can operate with your elbow. In a universal-design home, one can use traditional windows, but thinking about their placement can avoid glare at the times of day when the room will be used the most. Raising a dishwasher means that one can stand upright to load it. And an open, raised dishwasher makes the perfect toddler table during cleanup time, which can be stowed away when not in use.
The universal design movement is also catching the attention of people building second homes. Maryanne Thompson, an architect in Cambridge, was approached by David and Nora Lubin, a physically active couple in their 40s, to design a house in which they could live as they aged, a house that would address their changing needs regardless of how their mobility changed.
''They balked at the idea of resale value," said Thompson. ''They were committed to the land, and the idea of being in one place throughout the phases of their lives."
So Thompson, who had heard about universal design, suggested that her clients apply some of its guidelines to their new home. The house, which was completed in Belmont last year, is environmentally and universally advanced. It uses a geothermal system for heating and cooling and has a complete living space on the first floor that is barrier-free, in case the couple decides to live on one level.
The greatest obstacle was avoiding the typical 2-foot height difference between the outside and the first-floor level, which would require at least two steps to negotiate. Thompson opted to depress the slab on the interior, achieving a minimal height differential, which required only one small step to enter. The clients also decided to build a guest wing that could be used by a caregiver if they ever needed live-in assistance.
Thompson's clients are thrilled with the results. ''It took very little extra expense to achieve a more accessible house. We love the International Style and its open floor plan, which actually ended up wedding quite nicely with the principles of universal design," said Lubin.
Now you may still be thinking about that impossible jam jar, and a host of industrial designers have, too. There are many products that help people get the leverage they need to twist open jars of various widths, which is one solution. One of the most clever and low-tech tools is the ''Jar Pop," a $3 appliance that looks like a plastic bottle opener that breaks the vacuum seal on jars so the lids spin free. Once you use one, you'll wonder why anyone would spend even a few minutes wrestling with a lid. Which is how it is when one sees the ideas in action behind universal design.