Carolina Union Artwork Creates Community, Sense of Home

FEBRUARY 13, 2008 UNC HOME PAGE REDESIGN Until UNC’s main Web pages receive a makeover, the current site has been given a minor facelift. See story on page 2. CAROLINA’S FACULTY AND STAff NEWSPAPER ■ gazette.unc.edu Carolina Union artwork creates community, sense of home Downstairs, the Carolina Union bustles with activity. On a given day, thousands of students pass through to grab a cup of coffee, catch up with friends or hunker down in a comfortable chair tapping away on their laptops. Peeking out from the sea of tables and chairs are three of Clyde Jones’ “critters.” Commissioned in 2006, the wooden animal caricatures were constructed on site by the Chatham County artist and painted by Carolina students. As part of the union’s expanding art collection, these playful primitive sculptures help create the fun and warmth that can remind students of home. “It isn’t enough to supply coffee and tables. We want to create an inviting atmosphere here. Art is very important in creating that sense of community we’re after,” said Don Luse, Carolina Union director. For the past couple of years, Luse has been on a mission to fill the union with a variety of art, from oil paintings to pottery, quilts and brickwork to bronze and fiberglass sculptures — even glass doors depicting the beauty of a North Carolina sunset over the ocean. The union’s permanent art collection, named after Peggy Jablonski, vice chancellor for the building’s first two full-time directors, Howard student affairs, stands before “Thinking Henry and Archie Copeland, was started 10 years ago. Outside of the Box #2.” The colorful pieced Recently, the Division of Student Affairs, in which the quilt by mixed-media artist Niki Bonnett Carolina Union is based, has sought to find new ways was hung recently in the union stairwell. for students to enjoy art. The goal is to bring more art — and different kinds of art — into the union. It also involves placing art wherever students are connected, in areas such as “Monk” by Joel Washington (detail shown) hangs outside the residence halls and the new Student and Academic Services Buildings (SASB). Carolina Union administrative offices and depicts North Carolina native Such an undertaking is possible because of the staunch support of Peggy Jablonski, vice chancellor for and renowned jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. It was donated by Don Luse, Carolina Union director, in 2007. See Union Art, page 6 UNC Global brand showcases breadth of international impact Not that long ago, it was enough global university — locally, nationally and centers, curricula and initiatives that to earn a national reputation. In the internationally. Carolina has steadily been together comprise UNC’s international 21st century, though, being a leading working toward both goals. endeavors and partnerships. university means being a global university. Last fall, the opening of the FedEx “At Carolina, we have an impressive Carolina has been moving closer Global Education Center created the depth of research and breadth of resources to its aspiration of becoming a great means to bring international studies and that are at the forefront of our inter- global university. By expanding the research under one roof and to advance national efforts,” said Margie Crowell, scope of teaching, research and service a major academic priority: to prepare assistant provost for international affairs. to affect people around the world, students for success in a global world. Creating a global brand — or message — Carolina is “bringing the world to Earlier this month, those endeavors to connect this body of work helps North Carolina and North Carolina to were enhanced through the launch of a illustrate how Carolina improves people’s the world,” as Chancellor James Moeser new Web site (global.unc.edu) show- lives around the world through its lead- said in his State of the University ing the scope of international activity ership in global research, teaching and speech last September. throughout the University. service, she said. Becoming a great global university Carolina’s comprehensive global en- “UNC Global creates a compelling is only part of the challenge. Equally terprise, known as UNC Global, provides profile of the University’s overall global important is to be known as a great a framework for the array of programs, strengths,” she said. See Global, page 6 2 UNIVERSITY GAZETTE Carolina’s Web site to be redesigned Summer reading assignment explores The University’s main Web pages are about lead the redesign effort, working closely with issues of equality, social justice to get a makeover. In the meantime, the Information Technology Services and faculty, current site has been given a minor facelift. staff and students during the process. This summer, new Carolina students will be Visitors to the home page today were greeted “It’s literally been years since the University’s asked to read “Covering: The Hidden Assault with a slightly tweaked version that features an Web presence has been updated,” said Davis. on Our Civil Rights” by Kenji Yoshino. updated banner and graphics. A major overhaul “Our goal is to create a site that reflects The book was chosen by the nine-member of the University’s Web presence will come next. Carolina’s role as a leading public research 2008 Summer Reading Program Book Selec- “The change today is really intended to get university and that does an excellent job of tion Committee, which began meeting last fall the attention of the campus community and to serving the many users of our site.” to consider books for this year’s program. get people thinking about what they want in As the redesign process gets under way, As part of the summer reading program, a redesigned site,” said Nancy Davis, associate the University welcomes your comments the University asks all first-year and incom- vice chancellor for University Relations. and input. Go to www.unc.edu and click on ing transfer students to read a book during the The interim look provides a link for visitors the “help redesign unc.edu” banner. You summer and participate in small group discus- to the site to provide suggestions about what will be directed to a form, which you can sions led by faculty and staff once the students they want to see in a redesigned site. complete and submit to Scott Jared, the Web arrive on campus. The Office of University Relations will content director. The non-credit assignment stimulates critical thinking outside the classroom. The program focuses on discussion and dialogue and creates a means for students to come to their own conclusions and turn information into insight. Prejean to speak on death penalty Yoshino, the Guido Calabresi Professor of Law at Yale University, specializes in constitu- Sister Helen Prejean, author of “Dead Man 1984, she has divided her time between tional law, law and literature, and Japanese law Walking,” will present the 2007–2008 Hillard campaigning against the death penalty and and society. Gold ’39 Lecture Feb. 25 counseling individual death row prisoners. In “Covering,” published in 2006, he uses at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial She works with the Death Penalty Discourse his identity as Japanese-American and gay mistakenly believe we live in the ‘post-civil Hall. Tickets are free and Center, the Moratorium Campaign and the to illustrate sociologist Erving Goffman’s rights era’,” Coclanis said. “It is both rigorously available at the Memorial Dead Man Walking Play Project and is at work notion of “covering” — downplaying stigma- put and beautifully rendered. Hall Box Office. on a new book, “River of Fire: My Spiritual tizing identities in order to assimilate to the “This book offers an excellent introduction Prejean’s talk, “Dead Journey to Death Row.” cultural mainstream. Yoshino challenges ideas to what rigorous critical inquiry is like at the Man Walking: The Jour- Other upcoming events include: about minority rights and the sometimes- university level. And the central topics treated — ■ ney Continues,” is part of The “Perspectives on Public Justice” damaging effects of social integration. identity and self-expression — are central to the University’s ongoing exhibition through May 4 at the Ackland Committee Chair Peter A. Coclanis, associate most 18- and 19-year-olds.” examination of the death Art Museum. provost for international affairs and Albert A. The committee chose “Covering” from ■ PREJEAN penalty from different “Still … Life,” an original play that uses Newsome Professor of History, said the book suggestions made by 224 students, alumni, points of view. interviews with people in North Carolina who would push students to rethink the definition faculty, staff and community members. Four “During this yearlong examination, we will have been affected by the death penalty to of equality and how “covering” degrades other books were considered as finalists: “A explore issues of power, justice, the individual examine both sides of the issue, March 27–29 everyone’s civil rights. Home on the Field” by Paul Cuadros, an and the state, society and equality through the and April 5–6. “Kenji Yoshino’s book forces readers to assistant professor of journalism; “A Long ■ universal language of the arts,” said Emil Kang, “Spectacular Justice,” a multimedia installa- confront important issues relating to what we Way Gone” by Ishmael Beah; “Escape from executive director for the arts. tion that includes video and audio recordings and mean by equality and social justice, important Slavery” by Francis Bok; and “The Looming The project, facilitated by Carolina Perform- images by Joyce Rudinsky, associate professor themes indeed during a time when many Tower” by Lawrence Wright. ing Arts, was undertaken in conjunction with of communication studies; presented by the the 2007 summer reading program selection of communication studies department and the Prejean’s “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewit- Renaissance Computing Institute.

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