Serving UNC students and the University community since 1893 Volume 119, Issue 124 dailytarheel.com Tuesday, December 6, 2011 Thorp, Obama talk costs Ticket sales by the White House to make col- student debt. the average inflation-adjusted, College administrators lege more affordable. “His focus was not so much post-graduation debt for UNC met with the President Thorp was one of a dozen on the tuition process that has students has decreased since down in leaders in higher education played out in this particular 2000, Thorp said. to discuss student debt. invited to participate in the cycle but on the fact that he’s “I think there’s a lot to be meeting, which centered on the concerned about a lot of stu- proud of there,” he said. By Andy Thomason issue of decreasing the cost of dents not being able to pay back Thorp said Obama went University Editor attendance at universities across their loans or not going to col- around the room and asked 2011 season the country. lege because they don’t want to the guests about their ideas for Chancellor Holden Thorp met Thorp said in an interview have that debt,” Thorp said. decreasing universities’ cost of per game this season, and pre- with President Barack Obama that Obama met with the The Board of Trustees recently attendance. Football program sees game ticket sales dropped by an on Monday for a discussion that attendees for about an hour, and approved a 15.6 percent tuition an average drop of average of 2,510 per game com- signals a coming national effort focused not on rising tuition but increase for in-state students. But SEE obama, PAGE 7 pared to the 2010 season. 2,250 fans per game. New athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who began his By Mark Thompson duties Nov. 14, knows it’s crucial Senior Writer to stop that slide, because medi- ocrity in football is something If anything, former North the Tar Heels might not be able Carolina football coach Butch to afford. Davis looked relaxed and confident “It’s good to be successful in when he spoke at ACC Football everything that you have, but eco- HARK HIS SOUNDS Kickoff media day on July 24. nomically we need to be successful Three days later, Chancellor in football as well, because it can Holden Thorp announced Davis support a lot of other things within was fired. One day after that, for- the department,” he said. mer UNC athletic director Dick Baddour resigned. Getting cheeks in the seats Davis’ firing and impending sanctions from the NCAA left the Soon after Davis’ firing, the prospects of UNC’s season both website www.fireholdenthorp. on and off the field hinging on com was erected and planes were almost nothing but uncertainty. even hired to fly “Fire Holden Everett Withers took the inter- Thorp” banners over Chapel Hill. im position and experienced vary- “It certainly wasn’t anything ing success on the field. The Tar that we wanted to happen right Heels (7-5, 3-5 ACC) maintained before the season started, but for a winning record for the fourth the most part everybody hung in consecutive year, but UNC ticket there,” said Karlton Creech, Rams sales and attendance declined. Club director of capital projects. On the whole, average atten- dance was down by 2,250 fans SEE TICKETS, PAGE 7 Football sees drop in attendance Kenan Stadium may have gained 3,000 seats, but UNC saw a drop in attendance this season compared to its two prior years. The stadium sold out four times in 2010, but not once in 2011. Georgia Southern Citadel Florida State Miami 2009 Duke 2010 Virginia 2011 East Carolina Stadium William & Mary Capacity Georgia Tech Virginia Tech NC State Clemson East Carolina Rutgers Louisville Virginia Capacity is 63,000 DTH/KARLA TOWLE James Madison with the addition of Michael Crosa is the Bell Tower ringer for the 2011-12 school year. There has been a bell ringer every year since 1931. Duke the Blue Zone Wake Forest Miami is 20 miles. Senior Michael Crosa takes But the perks to Crosa’s job aren’t 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 just the views. pride in controlling the Bell SOURCE: UNC ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CLINT GWALTNEY DTH/LYDIA HARRELL “The best part is having keys to the Tower’s traditional tunes. Bell Tower,” he said. “Especially when the weather was nice, I’d come up here By Claire McNeill do some reading, something like that, Assistant University Editor sit out on the balcony.” It even serves as his personal movie Every day, UNC students hear the theater. “The Bell Tower actually gets UNC to play exhaust of buses, the hubbub of the Pit pretty decent Internet signal, so I can and the scuff of shoes on bricks. bring a computer up here,” he said. But there exists one sound more “It gets kind of lonely, but every familiar than any other. once in a while it’s a good thing.” Missouri in bowl UNC’s Morehead-Patterson Bell The bells run on an automated Tower chimes every 15 minutes and system except for special events, when is to play a bowl game in D.C.,” plays songs every few hours. Crosa can use prerecorded songs or The Tar Heels will face Renner said. “But definitely for And every year, one student is hon- play manually. the Tigers in Shreveport, this team, we’re looking forward ored with the position of master bell “I come up on special events such as to playing Missouri.” ringer — the person in charge of the football games, certain memorials and La., on Dec. 26. When all is said and done, the tower, and one of the only students for crazy midnight initiations for some Tar Heels will have had a month with a key to its door. societies,” he said. By Michael Lananna of off time, dating back to their This year’s bell ringer is Michael Dozens of spiral stairs wind up the regular-season ending victory Crosa, a senior double majoring in Bell Tower’s hollow and dusty center. DTH/KARLA TOWLE Assistant Sports Editor Crosa’s primary responsibility is to ring against Duke on Nov. 26. psychology and music. It’s filled with just a few scattered chairs, But interim head coach Everett the bells on special days, such as game A native of West Springfield, Crosa joined the marching band music books and equipment from when Va., Bryn Renner said he was Withers said the team has its days. and Phi Mu Alpha, the men’s music bell-ringing was done manually. hoping to play a bowl game in practice schedule all mapped out. fraternity, his freshman year. The tower’s inside walls are scrawled front of his home-town fans. “We’re going to go back to fun- “The guy who was the master bell with signatures. Seniors climb the steps going to take ownership of it and take But now it looks like the North damentals early in our practices ringer — actually, the master bell ring- at the end of the year to leave their lit- pride in doing it and who I can trust.” Carolina quarterback won’t be ... protecting the ball, creating er for about the past five or six years — eral mark on the University. Though the bell ringer must have a going home for Christmas. turnovers, tackling — just the has been in Phi Mu Alpha, so I knew Crosa was appointed master bell musical background, he or she doesn’t On Sunday, the Tar Heels stuff that you lose a little bit the position, got to know the guy and ringer by band director Jeffrey Fuchs. need to have too much keyboard tal- accepted an invite to the when you have some down time,” got to learn the ropes,” he said. “Ultimately, all I’m doing is del- ent, Fuchs said. AdvoCare V100 Independence Withers said. “We’ll do that early Built in 1931, the tower stretches egating my responsibility to make sure “There’s only 11 or 12 bells so it’s not Bowl, where they will face the Big and then we’ll get right into the 172 feet into the sky. Through narrow that the tower rings at the appropriate like they have to have massive key- 12’s Missouri Tigers on Dec. 26. game plan for Missouri.” windows at the top, visitors can see time, gets turned off at the appropri- board chops,” he said. The bowl, slated to take place Under head coach Gary Pinkel, the football field peeking out of Kenan ate time and gets played for any spe- But Crosa likes to use his musical in Shreveport, La., is about 1,200 the Tigers (7-5, 5-4 Big 12) have Stadium and the quad stretching out cial occasions,” he said. miles away from the one they been to bowl games in each of the to the North. On a clear day, visibility “But I do look for a student who’s SEE RINGER, PAGE 7 expected to play — the Military past six seasons, including two Bowl in Washington, D.C. appearances in the Independence “I definitely wanted to go back home. One of my dreams SEE boWL GamE, PAGE 7 MEATLESS HOME COURT This day in history Today’s weather MONDAYS ADVANTAGE Dec. 6, 2009 It’s not exam time Inside yet... Students, pushing for No. 4 North Carolina will host The women’s soccer team H 68, L 58 SWORN IN vegan options, presented Evansville for the first contest of won its 20th national cham- Three Chapel Hill Town Council in- a proposal to Carolina Din- the Tar Heels’ nine-game home- pionship, defeating Stanford Wednesday’s weather cumbents, Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt ing Services to designate stand Tuesday.