As the 2017-18 school year draws to a close, the DTH wants to bring back the biggest campus stories of the year. So much has happened that it would be impossible to fit everything in, but here are the top 12. Happy LWOC!
Students and community members began a 24/7 demonstration at Silent Sam on Aug. 22.
Following the tragic death of a counter-protestor at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., protests calling for the removal of Silent Sam at UNC escalated. The year included months of student sit-ins and protests throughout the year. In February, an anonymous group of 17 senior faculty sent a letter to Chancellor Carol Folt threatening to take down the statue if the Chancellor’s office had not taken it down by March 1, 2018. Silent Sam is still standing.
On March 13, 2017, the NCAA ended a six year long investigation into UNC's academic scandal.The NCAA said the University had not violated any bylaws and thus was not punished. The NCAA panel investigating the case said they could not prove that UNC’s ‘paper classes’ benefited only student-athletes as opposed to all UNC students.
"Since the NCAA has officially determined that there will be no punishments for the academic and athletic scandal that has haunted UNC-Chapel Hill for years, the university, its faculty and its students are focused on simply moving forward."
UNC began an ambitious fundraising campaign, the Campaign for Carolina, with the goal of raising $4.25 billion by 2022. The campaign is the largest in school history, and it aims to secure funding to incorporate more experiential learning into curricula, attract and retain quality faculty and modernize buildings among other things. So far, the campaign has raised $2.02 billion made up of 290,083 gifts from graduates and non-graduates.
UNC must release names of sexual assault perpetrators
Lawyer Hugh Stevens presents the DTH's argument in court on Tuesday morning.
The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that UNC must release the names of people responsible for rape, sexual assault or any related acts of sexual misconduct, effectively overturning a previous ruling in favor of the University. The Daily Tar Heel was joined by Capitol Broadcasting Company, The Charlotte Observer Publishing Company and the Durham Herald Company in filing a lawsuit against UNC after the University rejected a public records request.
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Savannah Putnam reacts to winning the 2018 UNC Student Body President Election on Feb. 13.
Junior Savannah Putnam beat Garima Tomar to clinch the 2018 election for student body president. After two candidates in last year’s SBP race were disqualified, several rule changes and new regulations were instituted to improve the election process. Putnam will replace Elizabeth Adkins as SBP and will work toward improving mental health services on campus.
After rallying against the shut down of the UNC Center for Civil Rights, protesters march to Silent Sam to show solidarity with the sit-in.
In September, the North Carolina Board of Governors voted to ban the Center for Civil Rights from litigation. The center can no longer do legal work pro bono for low-income and minority groups like it once did. Members of the BOG that were proponents of the litigation ban argued it is improper for the center to engage in legal action against other government entities.
UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School is home to a new health and business program.
Incoming business majors will be charged an extra $2,000 yearly, and business minors will be charged $1,000 yearly after the Board of Governors approved a fee proposal by Kenan-Flagler Business School in March. Douglas Shackelford, dean of the business school, said the fee will be used to expand the number of students who can study business. Some are concerned the fee will discourage diversity in the business program.
UNC basketball season comes to an early close
UNC guard Kenny Williams (24) during the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament on Sunday, March 18th.
Joel Berry and Theo Pinson finished their basketball careers at UNC after an 86-65 loss to Texas A&M University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The second-seeded Tar Heels were outworked by the Aggies’ strong frontcourt, and struggled to get a foothold in the game. Out of 18 three-pointers in the second half, UNC scored only 5.
An explosion happened at the Davie Poplar tree, a historic UNC landmark, on Nov. 2, 2017.
Professor Daniel Reichart suffered first- and second-degree burns to his face and arms after a small explosive device exploded by the Davie Poplar. Reichart is nearing a full recovery. Former UNC student, Joshua Daniel Edwards, was indicted on six felony charges and could serve a sentence of 10 years in jail if convicted of placing the explosive.
Jalek Felton withdrew from UNC following suspension
Guard Jalek Felton (5) guards against a Northern Iowa player on Friday in the Smith Center.
Jalek Felton withdrew from UNC in March, a month after being suspended from the University. The five-star recruit is being represented by Kerry Sutton, an attorney who works primarily with Title IX and ethics issues and previously represented Allen Artis. Felton played 9.7 minutes per game, and scored 2.9 points per game in the 22 games he played for Carolina, according to ESPN.
Virginia and North Carolina players chase the ball on April 7, 2018 in Kenan Stadium.
Kenan Stadium replaced all of its aluminum bleachers with individual seats with chair backs and armrests. The new seats reduced Kenan Stadium’s capacity to 51,000 and cost about $6.5 million. The 200,000 pounds of metal were sold to L. Gordon Iron & Metal Company, a family business from Statesville that specializes in recycling various types of metals.
Stadium Drive is currently undergoing construction.
There has been a lot of construction on campus this year, as UNC began building new athletic facilities with funding from the Rams Club. Construction on a new hybrid soccer and lacrosse stadium, a new indoor practice facility for football and a new field hockey stadium took place all at once and caused sports teams and Lifetime Fitness classes to be displaced. Rest assured, all new complexes should be done by the beginning of the 2018 fall semester.
