Note: Today is the last paper of the semester. As such, I'll be taking an Adele-inspired hiatus from the newsletter until we return to school in January. Don't forget about me.
We have a story today in which people talk about all the training teaching assistants go through and how important recitations are to education. Throughout the whole article, I couldn't help but think of my various and sundry past TAs. Their names are Amy, Tim, Ipsita and an econ TA who never actually mentioned her name now that I think about it.
Tim was friendly. He had kind eyes. Amy was bitter and from Texas. Ipsita told us on the first day of class that she had no desire to teach and just needed to do this to continue her education. I always admired her candor.
And because this is the last newsletter I'll be sending for awhile, I want to leave you with Ipsita's resonating, departing words on LDOC.
"I thought I'd be sad, but I'm not. Haha. Anyway, I brought some candy."
— Danny
QUICK HITS
- Marcus Paige returned to us last night just in time for an 89-81 win over Maryland's basketball team.
- North Carolina just got in trouble with the Department of Justice for failing to meet 2012 goals to improve patient care for mentally ill residents.
- Bryan Burton, who graduated from UNC in 2012, is making his acting debut in “Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter,” an Adult Swim miniseries about werewolves. It airs Dec. 7.
- Marquise Williams and the rest of Tar Heel football is out for three things: redemption, an ACC championship and an opportunity to say heck the haters.
- With our first reading day around the corner, studious first-years everywhere should prepare for the Davis streakers. And the fact that even 40 naked people singing "Hark the Sound" isn't enough to make the UL not boring.
IN RECITATIONS
Officials say teaching assistants and recitations aim to ease discussion and help student understanding. One taught me the art of looking like I'm paying attention when in actuality I'm scientifically dead. Also Game Theory. Lots of Game Theory.
IN CAMPUS NEWS
Activists who protested at the town hall meeting on race will meet with Chancellor Carol Folt today. They plan to address the top five demands out of their list of 50. Subjects they plan to discuss include lifting the 16-year moratorium on renaming campus buildings, increasing the number of black faculty and a mandatory Black and Blue Tour as part of orientation.
IN GOVERNING BODIES
In a shocking move, Cortney Miller stepped down from her position as vice president of internal affairs. UNC's Graduate and Professional Student Federation is losing officials almost as fast as I lost motivation for school this past semester.
IN STATE NEWS
Congress will soon vote on Sen. Richard Burr's proposal to reallocate funding under No Child Left Behind. The plan would basically pull funding from smaller states and give it to states who are growing faster — like Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons. North Carolina is expecting to get a $24 million increase in federal funds every year. We're Drogon.
IN THE BLOGS
A lot has happened since UNC last lost a football game. Chapel Hill got a new mayor, businesses closed, a UNC faculty member won a Nobel Prize. I re-evaluated my choice in academic minors and ate 1.5 pizzas while writing one newsletter. Keep it up, Tar Heel football.
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