TECHNICIAN
thursday july
29 2010
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
100 DAYS OF WOODSON
JONATHAN STEPHENS/TECHNICIAN
A car fire began in the parking deck underneath the bowling alley on Hillsborough Street at approximately 9 p.m Tuesday. Firefighters and police blocked off traffic between Pogue Street and Horne Street, as well as foot traffic on the sidewalk at the entrance of the deck.
Car fire in Hillsborough Street parking deck JULY
JUNE
Emergency officials evacuated the Alley due to smoke and closed westbound Hillsborough Street Tuesday night because of a car fire. Chelsey Francis Staff Writer
APRIL 5
Chancellor Randy Woodson begins his first day in office at the University.
JUNE 25
MAY 4
Athletics Director Lee Fowler announces his resignation.
University announces hiring of Debbie Yow as the new athletics director.
JULY 1
Thomas Stafford, vice chancellor of student affairs, begins reporting to the yet-to-be-hired provost.
NEW CHANCELLOR MET SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION ON KEY DECISIONS IN FIRST 100 DAYS STORY BY CHRIS BOUCHER | GRAPHICS BY JONATHAN STEPHENS PHOTOS BY AMANDA KARST, TIM O’BRIEN, SUSANNAH BRINKLEY
C
hancellor Randy Woodson’s been busy. During his first 100 days as chancellor, Randy Woodson has replaced former Athletics Director Lee Fowler, restruc-
tured the University hierarchy, and raised tuition in response to $20 million in state budget cuts.Woodson, and his employees, feel his first 100 days have been productive, but not all his decisions have been met with approval.
AD situation a ‘real challenge’ Within the first month, Woodson handled major upheaval in the Department of Athletics, forcing Lee Fowler to step down to make room for new Athletics Director Debbie Yow. “The departure of one athletics director and the hiring of another one was a real challenge to work through,” Woodson said. “Lee Fowler had done very well in a lot of areas, but we needed to get better at winning and graduating students.” On June 25, Woodson selected Yow because of her record at the University of Maryland. She won 20 national championships in 16 years at Maryland. “From my vantage point, [Yow] was a very good hire, I think people are energized by the strength and experience she brings to the job,” Woodson said. Board of Trustees member Bob Jordan said the chancellor showed his true character in his handling of the athletics director situation. “The Debbie Yow hiring was indicative of how he does things. He went after a person with experience, a proven athletics director who could come in and hit the ground running,” Jordan said. “He made it clear that he made the choice. I admire the chancellor for that; just stepping up in that situation shows that he trusts himself and his own decisions.” Thomas Stafford, vice chancellor for student affairs, called the hire Wood-
son’s top accomplishment so far. “There was a lot of division among N.C. State supporters on that issue, but I think he has hired an extraordinary new athletics director. Debbie Yow is going to lead us into a very, very positive future,” Stafford said. Tuition hike causing some unrest Since his arrival, Woodson says he has spent time representing the University in the N.C. General Assembly. “Getting to know key members of the General Assembly, and making sure N.C. State was well-represented, was one of my top priorities,” said Woodson. Stafford said he was impressed by the way Woodson got involved with law makers. “He worked very hard over the summer to represent N.C. State in the General Assembly, and tried to minimize the budget cuts for students, when possible,” Stafford said. But facing a revenue shortfall, lawmakers imposed $70 million cuts on the UNC system, with N.C. State bearing $20 million of that burden. Erskine Bowles, president of the UNC system, dealt with this by increasing tuition $750, in addition to a $150 hike approved in February. Woodson said he has heard from some irked students and parents about the increase and timing. “I’ve gotten some calls and messages. One caller said the state should
save money by firing me,” Woodson said. “It’s not the way any of us would want it to happen. I didn’t come here to raise tuition. The state is struggling to be the primary source of revenue for the University.” Some students who have gotten to know him accept Woodson’s line of reasoning. Student Government Deputy Chief of Staff appointee Phillip Christofferson, a junior in political science, said he feels that Woodson has done a fantastic job in his first 100 days. He said the tuition increase does not affect his opinion of the chancellor’s performance. Ethan Bartlett, a sophomore in management and chief of staff for Student Government, agrees. “I don’t speak alone when I say that our tuition increase is undesired,” said Bartlett. “However, the University has taken great measures to see that all students are not caught off guard by the increase.” But Amanda Egan, a junior in mathematics education, does not like the way the tuition increase has been handled. “I’m out of state, so my tuition is already really high. I love this school, and I love being here, but raising tuition ... that money could have gone to better use,” Egan said. Kaitlyn Oppenheim, a sophomore in general engineering, agrees with Egan’s view of the tuition increase. “I’m out of state already, and tuition is very pricey as it is. Tuition is almost four times as much as [for] in-state students. I really feel like they’re using all their money to do things that aren’t necessary to better the school,” Oppenheim said. “I feel like the facilities we have right now are plenty adequate
While you’re on campus, visit NC State Bookstores
WOODSON continued page 3
A car fire closed the 2500 block of Hillsborough Street near N.C. State and forced the evacuation of nearby businesses According to Jim Sughrue, of the Raleigh Police Department, a 1999 maroon Dodge Stratus parked in the parking deck under The Alley appeared to catch fire in the engine compartment. Emergency vehicles and smoke prompted the road closure around 9 p.m. Eyewitnesses say the vehicle was already engulfed upon discovery. “I saw smoke coming from the [parking deck] and when I saw the car, flames was coming from the hood,” said James Cates, employee at Savage & Heads Tattoo shop. Sugrue said the incident was not suspicious. “There was nothing the police found to make this look like an arson case,” Sugrue said.
Bystander Caleb Leonard said although the vehicle was surrounded by other parked cars, it was the only one on fire. “It was just one car by itself,” Leonard said. “We grabbed a fire extinguisher, but that just kept it from spreading.” According to Sughrue, no other vehicles were reported damaged in the fire. “There were other cars nearby, and as far as our report goes, there was no damage,” Sughrue said. “But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any heat damage to nearby cars.” Smoke from the fire filled the deck and billowed out onto Hillsborough Street for hours. “There were people in there taking pictures,” Cates said. “But then the smoke got too bad.” The fire department had to put out the fire and clear the parking deck of smoke. “The flames were probably 10 feet tall,” Cates said. “It was burning good.” Businesses, such as The Alley, Savage & Heads Tattoo Shop, and Wolfpack Pub, were forced to evacuate because of the smoke coming from the parking deck. News Editor Nathan Hardin contributed to this report.
Kaye Cowher dies of cancer at 54 Cowher, former N.C. State women’s basketball star, died Friday of skin cancer. Chelsey Francis Staff Writer
Kaye Cowher, ex-Pack basketball star and wife of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, died of skin cancer Friday. Cowher, formerly known as Kaye Young, and her twin sister Faye were dominate women’s basketball players during the late 1970s and won an ACC championship under former coach Kay Yow. Yow, who also died of cancer in 2009, is the sister of N.C. State athletics director Debbie Yow. Debbie Yow said Cowher’s memory at N.C. State will never be forgotten. “Kaye was a person to be admired and respected, whether as an N.C. State student-athlete, mother of three beautiful girls or as a devoted wife,”
insidetechnician
Yow said. “Wolfpack Nation lost one its best and she will never be forgotten.” Bill and Kaye Cowher met in 1976 when they were classmates at the University, and married in 1981. After living in Pittsburgh, they moved back to Raleigh in 2006. The funeral was held Monday. Chancellor Randy Woodson expressed his condolences and said Cowher left a lasting impression on the University. “The Wolfpack family is deeply saddened by the passing of Kaye Cowher. She was a tremendous supporter of N.C. State and remained committed to the University from her beginnings as an extraordinary student-athlete until recently as a member of the Board of Visitors,” Woodson said. “Kaye’s impression on this University and the Raleigh community will have a last-
COWHER continued page 3
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