Technician
friday january
20 2012
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
UNC System president throws Board of Governors new tuition curveball
New tradition
With a new and lower proposal on the horizon, Student Government awaits an answer from the Board of Governors.
jordan moore/Technician
Playing a game of backgammon, junior in computer science Daniel Zaki and junior in international studies Laura Deweese enjoy some free time on Hillsborough Street, Thursday. The friends were playing the popular board game in Global Village, a coffee shop on Hillsborough Street. “We just have an hour before class,” Deweese said. “I think [playing backgammon] is going to become a new tradition though.”
Student Health Center relies on discretion When it comes to strong medications, student health officials rely on case-by-case discretion for prescriptions. Anna Riley Staff Writer
As the peak of flu season draws near, students are drawn to the Student Health Center, though not always for the right reasons. Cases of the flu virus and various sicknesses peak during January and February and require diligent care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Persistent f lu symptoms include high fever, sore throat, and a cough that is often treated with Promethazine/Codeine syrup, an antihistamine and narcotic cough suppressant mixture. Codeine syrup is an opiate, leading to concerns about allowing mass numbers of students direct access to the medication. Opiates come from the substance opium, which is derived
from poppy plants. They are typi- Student Health Center. “I think that if a student actually cally used for the treatment of pain, though abusers commonly use them needs it, it should be readily available, but I also believe that prerecreationally. In recent years, codeine became a scription drug abuse is a problem fixture in hip-hop culture and mu- that should be taken seriously by school authorisic after people ties,” Wa l ker bega n m i x i ng said. coug h sy rup While a cowith soft drinks de i ne c ou g h and labeling the syrup prescripdrink “lean” or tion is avail“si zzu r p,” aca ble to s t ucording to a USA dents from the Today report. health center, Though small Sanford-based amounts of cophysician’s asdeine cough syrsistant Carolyn up are effective in Matt Walker, a senior in Rodgers said it treating painful, communications is much more persistent coughc om mon for ing, continued use and abuse of the narcotic can lead private practices and outside practitioners to prescribe the drug. to addiction. “Some doctors give it freely, but Matt Walker, a senior in communications, said he’s known many stu- others don’t at all,” Rodgers said. dents who were prescribed codeine cough medicine after going to the health continued page 3
“I also believe that prescription drug abuse is a problem that should be taken seriously by school authorities.”
Civil rights celebrated on campus Students celebrate MLK Day with a week-long tribute. Lauren Vanderveen Staff Writer
In the heat of the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, where he stressed the importance of non-violent protest and the undeniable need for racial equality in America. Forty-eight years later, not only is King celebrated through a national holiday, but his message is still being taught through campus-wide events. Wes Moore, author of “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates,” led one such event by paying tribute to King in a speech to students Jan. 9. Tanya Watson, a graduate student in curriculum and instruction, attended the event and spoke on what it meant to her. “For me, the activities and Martin Luther King’s teachings interrupt the negative thoughts I have, and as a woman and an African American, convince me to understand the plight of others and ‘The Other’ [Wes Moore’s book],” Watson said. Having a campus with a population
of around 30,000 — all of whom come from different backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures — makes it imperative to continue to promote King’s convictions, Moore said. “Wes Moore also weaved into his talk the importance of having multiple vantage points, where our view should be a world view, an outward look into the lives of others,” Watson added. Other students have seen the benefits for having these events at the University as well. “One thing I like about this campus the most is how much it promotes diversity and how that brings everyone together to make a bond that no one else can understand,” Kendyll Graham, a freshman in animal science, said. According to Kathryn Michael, director of youth programs for the CSLEPS’s Service-Leadership Team, several Martin Luther King Jr. Day events took place throughout the week. “The event’s theme is ‘respecting our right to free speech’ in light of the hate speech incidents on campus,” Michael said. “Edward Brown, director of diversity programs at N.C. State, spoke on this and led a discus-
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sion. We also had another speaker, Dennis Gullick, give some remarks on peaceful protest, and then we made some signs for the march that participants did around campus.” The SLT will also be making hygiene kits and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Raleigh Rescue Mission, along with donating 48 haircut vouchers to The Healing Place, Michael said. The same group will be hosting the 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Service Challenge Saturday, funded by the NC Campus Compact Grant. “Due to a huge response from the student body, we had to cut off registration for the event at 100 students; our goal was 50. In addition, 50 Ligon Middle School students participated,” Michael added. Uniting students from all levels of education in a combined effort service project shows the power King’s words still hold almost 50 years later, Michael said. “His quote, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what you are doing for others’ and his belief that anybody can serve were inspirations for the event,” Michael said.
tuition increase is] a one time chance to make up some of the headroom in the market and regain lost resources.” Chandler Thompson, student body president, says right now it’s a bit of a waiting game. “I’m glad that Ross is looking to Jessie Halpern make a new proposal that should be Deputy News Editor lower. As soon as we get that informaStudent Government has been grap- tion about it, we’ll inform students,” pling with a proposed tuition increase Thompson said. Though Ross’s proposal is less than since early last semester. After the latest Board of Governors meeting, it the “catch-up” plan, it still represents an increase in tuition, but Student looks like an end might be near. Wednesday night found the Student Government isn’t concerned. “We don’t need to worry about fightSenate listening intently as Chancellor Randy Woodson summarized the ing that increase as much because we UNC Board of Governors’ latest meet- feel that Ross’s increase will be less ing regarding the proposed tuition in- than what State originally asked for,” creases for N.C. State and other UNC Devore said. Students continue to wait for Ross’s System schools. The proposed increase, called the final proposal. In the meantime, Stu“catch-up” plan, seeks to increase tu- dent Government will be hosting a ition by $1,500 over the next five years. tuition talk day to let students ask As of December, Student Govern- questions right to the source. “Our tuition ment took a unitalk day will be fied stance against in the Brickthe increase, yard on Feb. sending a bill to 1 at 11: 30,” the Board of GovThompson ernors asserting said. “For stuthat the proposed dents who have tuition increases class, there will were unacceptbe an online able to the student forum where body. they can post Patrick Devore, their questions. chair of the StuThe chancellor dent Senate’s tuChancellor Randy Woodson will be present, ition and fees comand hopefully mittee, said at the Jan. 13 Board of Governors meeting, he’ll be able to answer some students’ the Student Senate bill didn’t make the questions.” Thompson encourages students to impact they had hoped it would. “We didn’t bring the bill forth at come out and voice their concerns, the last governor’s meeting because it explaining that while Student Govwasn’t an appropriate time due to the ernment does not get a vote on the context of the conversation,” Devore Board of Governors, they can still have said. “In the future, if we ever find a powerful effect on the final outcome. “After the increase proposal is voted ourselves at odds with the Board of Governors again, writing another bill on by the Board of Governors in February, it goes downtown to the legiswon’t be off the table.” Though the Student Senate bill lature,” Thompson said. “That’s where didn’t come up at the meeting, Thom- students can have a real effect on the as Ross, president of the UNC-System outcome. They can call, email, write schools, did. Ross alluded to a differ- letters and contact the Student Senate Public Affairs Committee to oppose ent increase plan. “Ross said his proposal would be for the increase.” Additionally, Thompson is invittwo years, not more than a 10 percent increase per year, not more than $500 ing students to send in videos for the first year, and not more than $250 the “Cuts Hurt” initiative about how budget cuts negatively impact their the second,” Devore said. While Woodson accurately con- education. “If we can have a more stable budget, veyed Ross’s proposed plan, he hesituition increases might not be as crutated to support it. “President Ross is considering less cial,” Thompson said. “It’s definitely than the school recommendation to time for North Carolina to invest in keep pressure on the General Assem- higher education.” bly,” Waoodson said. “[The catch-up
“President Ross is considering less than the school recommendation to keep pressure on the General Assembly.”
insidetechnician Wolfpack clips Eagle’s win steak See page 8.
Wine selection, a classier route for students See page 5.
Milk stout serves both strong and sweet See page 6.
viewpoint features classifieds sports
Mon-Sat, Jan 23-28 10am to 3pm at NC State Bookstore
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