Julia Lamm

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List of 'Failing' N.C. Schools May Grow

By Julia Lamm | April 30

Officials at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction fear the number of schools on the "failing" list might escalate to as high as 100 by the end of the school year. The failing schools list is published by the DPI so schools that do not meet basic academic standards can improve their status. A school is deemed failing if it performs poorly on standardized tests. Seventeen schools are on the failing schools list, entitling them to additional financial support from the state.

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Racial Conflict Spurs NCSU Survey

By Julia Lamm | April 24

N.C. State University officials, prompted by allegations of racially offensive speech in a class, have announced plans to examine racial tolerance on campus. The offensive speech allegedly occurred in February before a law and justice class taught by Phillip Mu

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Students to Protest Tuition Hikes

By Julia Lamm | April 1

Student leaders from across the state are slated to participate in a rally Friday showcasing their opposition to tuition increases recently passed by the UNC-system Board of Governors. The Common Cause Education Fund is organizing a tuition protest rally at noon outside the N.C. Legislative Building in Raleigh, where the N.C.

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UNC Officials React To Service Proposal

By Julia Lamm | February 5

Some UNC administrators are questioning President Bush's proposal that universities encourage community service by tapping into federal work-study funds. In his State of the Union address last week, Bush called on Americans to help the nation by increasing their involvement in the community. He introduced the USA Freedom Corps, which is a new civil service initiative, in an attempt to encourage more community service.

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Senate Candidates Will Use Technology To Even Playing Field, Reach Out to Voters

By Julia Lamm | January 25

Underdogs in the upcoming U.S. Senate race might find it easier to compete with experienced politicians with the help of the Internet. Most of the 13 candidates for the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Jesse Helms, R-N.C., have developed Web sites to help them reach out to voters. Although the Web sites vary greatly in their degree of sophistication, most outline campaign goals, provide candidate biographies, tell Web surfers how to contribute to a campaign and provide contact information.

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Airports More Secure, Not Slower

By Julia Lamm | January 22

RALEIGH -- Congestion at Raleigh-Durham International Airport this weekend mirrored that of airports nationwide, with some slight delays but not significantly more than usual, after airlines beefed up security Friday to comply with stricter federal regulations on bag searches in airports. RDU officials said the airport did not experience significant travel delays because of the increased security. Theresa Damiano, RDU director of customer service and organizational support, said the airport has complied with tougher security regulations but still has more work to do.

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Economists Predict Bond's Long-Term Benefits to State

By Julia Lamm | January 22

UNC-system officials say the state's economy will get a boost within the next few years with the new construction projects funded by the $3.1 billion higher education bond. While the bond is just beginning to take effect, legislators and economists expect it will aid North Carolina's recovery from the recession that has gripped the state for the last few months. Michael Walden, N.C. State University economics professor, said the bond projects' effects on the state economy will be both short-term and long-term.

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Incentives for Certification Encourage Teachers to Apply

By Julia Lamm | November 27

North Carolina leads the nation in the number of National Board Certifications -- symbols of teaching excellence -- given this year. National Board Certifications are granted by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which announced last week that the state gave out a total of 1,260 new certifications this year, bringing the total to 3,665. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has the second highest number of certifications in the nation with 351, trailing only Los Angeles.

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N.C. Lacks Appeals Court Representation

By Julia Lamm | November 20

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is having difficulty getting N.C. representation on the court. N.C. Judge Terrence Boyle was nominated to the 4th Circuit by President Bush in May, but his nomination has been blocked by Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. Boyle, a former aide to Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., is the fifth judge from North Carolina to have his nomination blocked by one of the state's two senators since 1992. When a president nominates a judicial appointee, either senator from the appointee's state has the right to reject the choice.

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Chancellors Protest Proposed BOG Study

By Julia Lamm | November 13

UNC-system chancellors banded together Friday to protest the time and necessity of a proposed legislative study examining the UNC-system's Board of Governors -- the policy-making body charged with governing the system's 16 campuses. All 16 chancellors signed a letter that was addressed to members of the N.C. General Assembly. It received its final signatures Monday and will be sent to lawmakers in the next few days.