In a manner of speaking, Tony Waldrop and Mark Crowell have spent the past three months on the road.

Since presenting the concept plan for Carolina North in early December, the two men have held nearly 100 meetings in a variety of venues to explain the project to all interested and affected parties.

They have met not just to explain the plan, but to listen to concerns. Last month, building and street configurations were changed to respond to those concerns expressed by residents living in nearby neighborhoods.

Lower-paid employees to get break on parking cost The University Board of Trustees on March 25 approved a new traffic and parking ordinance with only one major change: the addition of a fourth tier of fees to limit parking-permit price increases for University employees who earn $25,000 or less annually. Beginning with permits to be issued this summer, about 950 employees will qualify for the reduced rate. The complete sliding fee scale, based on annual salaries, will be: Employees making $25,000 or below -- increases of 2.5 percent for the next three years. Employees making from $25,000 to $50,000 -- increases of 5 percent for the next three years. Employees making from $50,000 to $100,000 -- increases of 10 percent for the next three years. Employees making $100,000 or more -- increases of 20 percent for the next three years. The sliding scale was prompted in large measure by a shared concern throughout the University community about the disproportionate financial burden that sharp, multi-year fee increases would impose on lower-paid staff members who have not seen a substantial pay raise in recent years. The need for permit increases is being driven by the amount of funding needed to pay for parking, parking decks and park-and-ride development to accommodate campus growth and the loss of more than 20 acres of surface parking lots to make room for new buildings and added green space. The new permit year starts Aug. 15.

But University trustees such as Roger Perry, who serves on the Carolina North Executive Committee, have said efforts to engage with Chapel Hill town officials on such vital issues as transportation planning have so far proved futile.

Perry said the Carolina North team has demonstrated a cooperative spirit toward the town, and it is time for the town to reciprocate.

Perry and others expressed this frustration at the March 26 meeting of the University trustees. In response to these concerns, the governing board agreed to draft a letter to the town urging the town to respond to requests for meetings.

The letter, which had not yet been drafted as the "Gazette" went to press, follows letters that Chancellor James Moeser sent in the past year.

Moeser sent the first letter to Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy on Jan. 12 and followed up with a second letter to Foy on March 9.

In this letter, Moeser briefed Foy on the significant changes to the plan. Further, Moeser said the University would like to present the revised plan to the town after it was reviewed by trustees on March 25.

"I believe that Carolina North offers us an unprecedented opportunity to work together to achieve something of lasting value," Moeser wrote. "In that spirit, I would like us to explore ways to foster a productive exchange of information and ideas about Carolina North as we move forward with our planning. Given that various committees are working on Carolina North, it would be useful for us to discuss how best to organize our efforts."

Waldrop, in a March 31 interview, said he and Crowell wanted to lead the Carolina North effort because they want the plan that emerges to be the best it can possibly be.

Waldrop is the vice chancellor for research and economic development. Crowell is an associate vice chancellor and the director of the Office of Technology Development.

Between them, they have earned five degrees from the University. Crowell has lived in Chapel Hill for the past 30 years. Waldrop, before returning to Chapel Hill three years ago, had previously lived here for 11 years.

What all of that means, Waldrop said, is that they love the town, too. "We want Carolina North to be right for Chapel Hill as well as for the University," he said.

And the chances of getting it right can only be increased by more communication with the town -- and sooner, rather than later, he said.

The Town of Chapel Hill, meanwhile, has formed its own group, called the Horace Williams Citizens Committee, which recently released report listings its goals and principles.

Chapel Hill town board members, along with Foy, have publicly stated their concerns about the potential negative effects that Carolina North might have on the surrounding community.

But the best way to respond to those concerns, Waldrop said, is for the town and University to join together to see what mutually agreeable solutions might be found.

Waldrop is also eager to point out all the positive effects the development can be expected to produce, from jobs to affordable housing for students and an array of University employees to permanent watershed protection.

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University places 34 graduate programs among 'U.S. News' top 25

Thirty-four of Carolina's graduate degree programs and specialty areas are among the top 25 nationwide in the "U.S. News & World Report" book, "America's Best Graduate Schools," which went on sale April 5. Of those 34, 14 made the book's top 10.

Many of the ranking categories also appear in the April 12 edition of the magazine -- now on sale. The rankings are published online at www.usnews.com.

Of the schools and programs that were ranked among the top 10, the School of Medicine overall tied for fifth for its primary care. The master's degree program at the School of Social Work tied for seventh (listed under health disciplines), and the master's of public administration program tied for 10th.

The following Carolina specialty areas ranked among the top 10 programs:

School of Medicine:

Rural medicine, tied for fifth;

Family medicine, tied for fifth; and

Women's health, tied for sixth.

Public affairs:

(Carolina has programs and specialty areas within several units based in the School of Government, the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Public Health with master's degree programs that are ranked by "U.S. News" in a public affairs list in the following categories.)

City management and urban policy, tied for sixth;

Health policy and management, ninth; and

Environmental policy and management, 10th.

Health disciplines:

(These programs offering master's and doctorate degrees are based in the School of Medicine; clinical psychology is in the College of Arts & Sciences.)

Occupational therapy, tied for fifth;

Clinical psychology, tied for eighth; and

Physical therapy, tied for eighth.

Kenan-Flagler Business School:

Accounting, 10th; and

Production/operations, tied for 10th.

"U.S. News" does not rank every program and specialty every year. Carolina had several top entries in last year's rankings for programs not listed this year.

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Campus changes reviewed by town

The Chapel Hill Town Council on April 1 reviewed the details of six proposed changes to the University's development plan.

The University submitted the list March 15 after turning down the town's request not to do so.

In making the request to delay last month, Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy cited concerns expressed by council members and residents about starting another controversy similar to the one that ignited a year ago when nearby residents fought to block the construction of the Cobb parking deck and chiller plant.

In responding to the request, University officials said that Carolina had a responsibility to complete millions of dollars in construction projects on time and on budget and any delays in moving forward would jeopardize those goals. Further, the University had argued that the four major projects were located in the interior of campus and were away from view and out of earshot of residents.

The biggest change involves the parking deck and chiller plant that had previously been proposed for the Science Complex. The amended plan calls for the deck and chiller plant to be built across South Road in the area of the Bell Tower. (For a complete projects list, see page 6 of the March 24 "Gazette" or the online "Gazette" at
gazette.unc.edu/archives/04mar24/morestories.html#4.)

During the period of the April 1 meeting designated for residents to speak on the proposal, no one did. Council members, for their part, asked questions about potential effects on stormwater management and traffic.

The development plan is the linchpin of a new zoning designation for campus called Office-Institutional-4, or O1-4, that allows the University to complete construction projects financed through the 2000 higher education bond and others through the end of the decade.

Under the zoning, development plan projects do not have to undergo further city review. However, if the University wants to change a project in the development plan, it must submit an amended project plan to the town for its review and approval. The town, under the zoning, is required to take action no later than 90 days after receiving the request.

The Cobb deck was the first time that mechanism was used. The six projects now under consideration would be the second.

The town staff officially accepted the proposed changes to the development plan on April 1, which set the 90-day clock ticking.

The town planning board will review the proposed changes -- or concept plan -- on May 5. The official public hearing, as called for in the ordinance, will be held May 17. The town board is scheduled to vote on the proposed changes on June 14.

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Toastmasters: learning to fight stage fright

By Russell C. Campbell III
"Gazette" contributing writer

This is John Heuer's 10th speech, and at the Bell Tower Toastmasters, it is a milestone. Heuer now is recognized as a Competent Toastmaster (CTM). As Heuer speaks about the American flag, his voice is steady, slow, his words come easily. His props, flags printed on white paper, trigger his speech along. His hands, his eyes bring his audience together. Toward the end of the speech, it becomes personal. Speaking of his father talking to his elementary school class about World War II, there's a hint of emotion in his voice, but still he makes speaking in public look easy.

TOAST OF THE BELL TOWER Mal Foley, applications analyst programmer with biostatistics, is also president of the Bell Tower Toastmasters, and at the March 16 meeting he serves double duty as toastmaster -- or master of ceremonies.

Claudia Christy, a research study nurse and fellow member of the Bell Tower Toastmasters, said that she remembered watching Heuer, a construction and renovation design technician in Facilities Services, when he wouldn't move at the podium.

For slightly more than two decades, the Bell Tower Toastmasters have helped people become better public speakers. Chartered by Toastmasters International in 1983 through the efforts of local toastmaster Will Towne, the organization began with seven administrators and directors from UNC Hospitals. The roster presently stands at 26 members who come from all walks of the University and the community.

On its web site, www.unc.edu/bellttmi, the Bell Tower Toastmasters promises two things: "leadership skills" and "effective public speaking." For some, public speaking is the absolute worst thing imaginable -- each pair of critical eyes deconstructing every word, ready to point out errors, ready to reveal any imposter taking a microphone.

Public speaking takes many forms, not necessarily confined to boardrooms, conferences or lecture halls. There are roundtable discussions, office meetings and other social gatherings.

Where to go Visitors are welcome to attend Bell Tower Toastmasters meetings, held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month in Room 419 of the MacNider Building. Meetings start at noon and last for one hour, catering to busy schedules. See www.unc.edu/bellttmi for more information.

As Doug Strong -- who confessed to having two left feet when it came to public speaking -- put it, stage fright is a natural physiological response. It's a threat to feel exposed and vulnerable -- the adrenaline races. Now on his seventh speech, Strong said it's not so bad.

"I've started loosening up," said Strong, who works in the Office of Educational Development at the School of Medicine. "Disasters didn't happen. There's an unfounded fear of what it's really like; unreality of the fear."

Part of overcoming the fear is the supportive environment the Bell Tower Toastmasters fosters.

Angkana Bode, a facility architect with Facilities Services, has lived in the United States for 22 years. She mentioned she has never encountered the type of support that the Bell Tower Toastmasters offers.

"Helpful is an understatement," she said. "In the past, when I needed to speak my best English, I spoke my worst. I've come a long way since that time."

Robert Hill, recently retired from the UNC Office of the President as a director of information systems, has been in Toastmasters since 1984 and found that the constant practice has helped him become more comfortable with public speaking.

"I enjoy seeing people overcome their reluctance to speak and become leaders of the meeting and the club," he said.

Because public speaking was becoming more prevalent at his job at Carolina, Nadim El-Khoury, a systems programmer at Academic Technology and Networks, found Toastmasters a perfect fit.

"I just came back from a conference, and a person I work with in the Netherlands had heard me speak before. He said, 'The first time you gave a presentation you were all nervous, but this time you took charge and were completely in control,'" El-Khoury said. "I attribute this to having been part of Toastmasters."

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3-D video could aid long-distance doctoring

A medical professional responding to an accident scene or dealing with a trauma at a remote clinic often must make split-second decisions within a rapidly changing situation to save lives.

Consultation with a health-care provider by phone, video or Internet offers crucial support, when possible. Carolina researchers are exploring if extending that distant consultation to a portable, three-dimensional telepresence technology could improve the quality of long-distance consultation and, as a result, increase the quality of medical diagnosis and treatment.

The National Library of Medicine recently awarded the Department of Computer Science a three-year, $2.6-million contract to develop and test technology allowing 3-D video of the patient and surroundings, with opportunity for medical professionals on- and off-site to communicate in real time.

Computer science researchers here are developing a prototype for use in medical facilities. The research team plans to test its effectiveness by exploring its use, compared to the use of two-dimensional teleconferencing, during tracheostomies being performed at UNC Hospitals.

"Tracheostomies do not take long but are critical procedures in many emergencies and have a degree of difficulty," said Henry Fuchs, the study's principal investigator and Federico Gil professor of computer science.

"Airway obstruction is the leading cause of preventable death in situations where patients die en route to the hospital," said Bruce Cairns, co-principal investigator on the study, research director in the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center and assistant professor of surgery in the School of Medicine.

"Testing this technology in an acute situation allows us to assess the hypotheses regarding the capture of these procedures and determine whether we can effectively bring the consultant to the bedside and the bedside to the consultant."

Fuchs said the idea behind the grant originated two years ago, when the team of investigators sent a proposal to the National Library of Medicine to study how high-speed mobile networks could improve health-care management. Two-dimensional teleconferencing, or telemedicine, is being done but does not allow full enough immersion into an emergency scenario, he said.

"What we wanted to explore was how to make that link significantly stronger in an emergency," Fuchs added.

"We hope that ultimately this 3-D technology will prove helpful not just in immediate treatment but in the ride in the ambulance to a medical facility, so that an EMT alone with a patient during that ride will not feel so alone."

Cairns said his experience as a doctor in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Guam, demonstrated the importance of telepresence technology. The closest land mass to Guam was five hours away by air, and his hospital, Naval Hospital Guam, had no neurosurgeon, yet served a civilian and Navy population of about 150,000. Therefore, he was occasionally called upon to operate on patients with life-threatening head injuries, despite having limited training and support in performing neurosurgical procedures.

The hospital, however, also was a participant in the first international Internet tumor board consultation, which allowed doctors in Guam to share detailed information and graphics about their cancer patients and discuss whether the individual should stay in Guam or seek treatment elsewhere.

"Our experience with the Internet tumor board gave us the sense that we were doing everything we could for our patients, while limiting transportation costs and separations from families," said Cairns. "The advantage of the experience for me was that, unlike being at an advanced academic medical center like UNC where people send patients for care, I was in a very remote location with limited support, or as we used to call it, at the tip of the spear.

"We were being asked to make decisions with limited resources but our instincts were that those patients should not suffer as a consequence of their being in a remote location."

The technical questions involved in extending telepresence are substantial, he said, but the need for such advances is intuitively obvious.

"If you could use technology to cross geographical barriers, you could extend opportunity to people who live in rural or remote areas. We believe people should be able to get the very best care they can get and not have their access to specialized acute care limited by where they live."

The other co-principal investigators on the National Library of Medicine project are Ketan Mayer-Patel, assistant professor, and Greg Welch, research associate professor, both of the Department of Computer Science; and Diane Sonnenwald, professor, of Göteborg University and University College of Borås, Sweden.

Additional collaborators include Anthony Meyer, professor and chair of the Department of Surgery; Eugene Freid, associate professor of anesthesiology and pediatrics; and Robert Vissers, assistant professor of emergency medicine.

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New DVD fills role of microscope

First-year medical students at Carolina are finding less need to adjust a traditional microscope in their histology curriculum. Instead, they are using their computers and a unique DVD to study the exacting science concerned with the minute structure of cells, tissues and organs.

This virtual microscope allows students to instantaneously receive high-resolution images of individual tissue slides at the click of a mouse button. Images can be adjusted continuously to fill all or part of a screen, and different magnifications may be viewed simultaneously, something not possible with traditional light microscopes.

FOCUSING ON A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE William Koch (left) and Peter Petrusz have developed a virtual microscope, by way of a DVD, that allows high-resolution images of tissue slides to be seen simultaneously at many different magnifications. Both men are professors of cell and developmental biology.

William Koch and Peter Petrusz, professors of cell and developmental biology, developed the virtual microscope for the histology course.

"As a viewing device, the light microscope is difficult to use, mechanically complicated and requires following strict rules in order to get optimal images," Petrusz said. "The fields you see are limited to the capabilities of the given objective lens, and that means having either a low-resolution image over a relatively large field where you don't see detail or you focus on a very small field with high resolution and you don't see the big picture.

"Our virtual version has a continuous magnification, so you can always select the optimal one to see whatever you want to see, while the big picture, the overview, is always available."

The interactivity of the new DVD is designed to appeal to today's computer-savvy medical students, who can save the screen images, print them, annotate them and label anatomical structures and layers using common computer applications.

The medical histology DVD at UNC differs from other such technology in linking syllabus text directly to specific images, making a paper manual unnecessary. In addition, the technology does not require students to switch between multiple CDs, adding ease in navigation.

To make sure the DVD images met their exacting demands, Petrusz and Koch sent sample tissue sections to several outside imaging technology companies. They eventually selected one providing high-resolution images far superior to the others, Koch said.

"Scanning, in this case, is a step-by-step process taking one square area at a time, producing hundreds or thousands of little squares, or tiles," he said. "Like mosaics, these little pieces must be assembled seamlessly, very smooth and correct. It's a very critical part of the process."

Each resulting image is gigabyte size. Images are then encoded and compressed with computer programs developed that assure minimal loss.

This viewing program is known as MrSid, the acronym for multi-resolution seamless image database.

The new DVD is cost-effective. Typically, medical schools struggle to maintain their teaching microscopes. UNC has hundreds of microscopes that are at least 30 years old, difficult to maintain and ripe for replacement. Replacement costs may approach $1 million, even without taking into account support personnel.

"The virtual microscope eliminates that need," Petrusz said.

With about 160 medical students and 10 to 20 faculty, the University's histology course needs nearly 200 slides of the same structures and of good quality. "This is a practical impossibility," Petrusz said. "But in the new system, everyone sees the same high-quality images."

Still, Koch said, the new virtual microscopy technology has not erased practicing physicians' need for traditional microscopes.

"That's why we kept instructional material for using the light microscope in the syllabus," he said. "Included in the resources for this course is a video demonstrating use of the light microscope. Students also have the opportunity to work with microscopes."

The DVD can be used beyond the first year of medical school, for review while taking pathology or any other time students want to review the basic material, Koch and Petrusz said. They can carry the histology course with them.

"In assessing how histology had been traditionally taught to medical students, we decided that traditional methods were not only inefficient, but would become increasingly so," said Vytas A. Bankaitis, professor and chair of cell and developmental biology.

"Technical difficulties associated with uneven tissue slide quality, and an aging set of microscopes with which to view these slides, conspire to reduce quality teaching time. We decided a virtual format offered a superior and long-term solution to the major challenges of histology instruction."

Next for the DVD is a third dimension: depth. "The company we work with is developing a new viewer having the ability to focus vertically. It will allow us to resolve structures that are too thick for the current system," Petrusz said.

Gerald Gordon, research assistant professor of cell and developmental biology, helped Koch and Petrusz with computer-related issues during the DVD's development.

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Godschalk: grounds for appreciation

For 10 years, David Godschalk has chaired the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

And for 10 years, he has stood in front of the Faculty Council to submit the committee's annual report.

This year, though, would prove to be the first and last time he would be greeted by a standing ovation.

TAKING A BOUGH David Godschalk, longtime chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, will retire this summer. He received a standing ovation at the March 26 Faculty Council meeting.

It would be the last time, Faculty Council Secretary Joseph Ferrell pointed out at the council's March 26 meeting, because Godschalk will retire this summer.

After Godschalk briefly reviewed the committee's work over the past year and asked if there were any questions, Chancellor James Moeser felt compelled to stand and set the record straight.

"Dr. Godschalk is much too modest," Moeser said, as he began to describe Godschalk's incredible attention to detail regarding building design.

"We have better buildings because of the work of this committee, and especially the chair."

Godschalk responded by saying, "I may be biased, but this has been the best committee on campus, and it has been my privilege to serve."

Godschalk said he became chair of buildings and grounds when John Sanders stepped down. He left big shoes to fill, Godschalk said, and a good example to follow. "John had done a wonderful job, and I learned a lot from him."

Sanders had confronted the controversial decision over where to locate a new black cultural center. Godschalk, in turn, faced controversies ranging from Wachovia Bank's placement of automated teller machines on campus to efforts to get the campus development plan approved by the Town of Chapel Hill. People who work on this campus care deeply about the look and feel of the place -- so much so that it is natural for them to view any dramatic change with a worried, skeptical eye.

"I think a lot of times people get agitated when they see a project starting because it's change and it affects the landscape they love," Godschalk said after the council meeting. "Any construction requires taking down some trees and moving some dirt around, and they think it looks terrible. But when they see it after four or five years, they see how well it fits in."

Godschalk first came to Chapel Hill in 1964 to earn his master's degree in regional planning.

Over the next five years, he served as the planning director for Gainesville, Fla., taught at Florida State University and served as associate editor of the "Journal of the American Institute of Planners."

These diversions from academic life were deliberate ones, he said. "My feeling has always been I would be uncomfortable trying to teach students something I haven't done myself."

In 1969, Godschalk joined the faculty of the Department of City and Regional Planning as a lecturer and found what would prove to be his permanent home. He would go on to chair the department from 1978 to 1983 and be appointed as the Stephan Baxter Professor (a University endowed chair) in July of 1994.

And as for that keen eye for building detail that Moeser alluded to, there is a reason: Godschalk also holds an architectural degree from Dartmouth College that he earned in 1953.

Godschalk is a contrarian on the subject of suitable architecture for campus. The prevailing view is that buildings must all be made of brick and feature the same punched windows and roof line.

But consistency can be overdone, Godschalk argues. "A campus really reflects the history of architectural thinking, in a way, and that's not a bad thing to have." Davie Hall -- now debunked as an ugly monstrosity conceived in 1970s modernism -- won a statewide architectural award when it was built.

New buildings that have been allowed to deviate from the traditional model include the nearly completed Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History, the global education center and the addition to the Ackland Art Museum. As Godschalk put it: Each special building deserves its own special look.

His other areas of expertise encompass everything from coastal management to smart growth to conflict resolution.

One key aspect of smart growth is to live close enough to work that you can walk to get there -- and here Godschalk has both talked the talk and walked the walk. The first thing he did when he and his wife Lallie went looking for a place to buy was to draw a circle within a quarter-mile radius of his office. When he found no suitable property in this territory, he expanded the circle to a half-mile radius in which he discovered a lot for sale on Glendale Drive that he could afford to buy.

The house they built there is where they reared their son and where they will probably stay for the rest of their lives.

(His son is now married and working as a lawyer in Washington. And on St. Patrick's Day, Godschalk's first grandchild turned 1.)

Godschalk's record of accomplishment and service extends far beyond this campus.

It includes two stints in the U.S. Navy -- the first from 1953 to 1956, the second in 1961 and 1962 when the Navy recalled him because of the Berlin crisis -- and a tour of duty in the 1980s as a member of the Chapel Hill Town Council.

Godschalk said that even though he will be retired, he will keep his office on campus and stay engaged in issues that remain important to him. One project he will continue to watch closely is the development of Carolina North.

Godschalk said the decision to retire was a slow, gradual one and one he put off long enough.

"I'm just getting old," said Godschalk, who will turn 73 in May.

As a way to prepare for retirement, Godschalk has for the past three years been in the phased retirement program that allowes him to teach half time for half pay. Now that he doesn't have classes to get to on the minute, he expects he will walk to campus more than he does now, at a pace of his own choosing.

Asked about the reaction he received at his last Faculty Council meeting, Godschalk said, "I was totally blown away by it. The whole thing was a wonderful event."

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Ask HR

Child Care Financial Assistance
The following is a summary of major points of the Child Care Financial Assistance policy. For more complete information, refer to the policy on the Office of Human Resources web site.

What financial support does the University offer to employees for child care?

The Child Care Financial Assistance Program, provided through the Chancellor's Child Care Advisory Committee, is designed to provide financial assistance to Carolina employees and students for quality child care. The University contracts with Child Care Services Association (CCSA) to administer the program; the Employee Services Department serves as the University's liaison to CCSA.

Who's eligible?

To be eligible, the parent or legal guardian must be a permanent employee of the University working 30 or more hours per week, or a student currently enrolled full time at Carolina, or some combination of employee/student status at the University. In addition, the gross household income for the family must be $35,500 or less per year.

What type of child care is eligible?

Eligible programs must be a full-time child care in a registered family day-care home or licensed center, an after-school care, part-time or preschool care, or full- or part-time summer care in a program that is registered with or licensed by the State of North Carolina's Division of Child Development. For additional details, refer to the HR web site.

How much assistance can I get?

The Chancellor's Child Care Advisory Committee has a limited amount of funds available each year. The awards are based on need as calculated by Child Care Services Association (CCSA) in Chapel Hill, and funds are allotted on a first-come, first-serve basis. The funding is a co-payment system: The family pays a portion of the cost, and the remaining portion is paid directly by CCSA/UNC-Chapel Hill to the child care provider.

How do I apply?

To request assistance, complete the Child Care Subsidy Application, available on the HR web site at: hr.unc.edu/formfinder/forms-workfamily/. You can also request forms from the Employee Services Department at 962-1483.

What if I need more assistance or my household income is too high for this program?

Child Care Services Association has contracted with the University to assist Carolina families in finding the available funding sources (such as the Department of Social Services or Smart Start) for child care programs.

Where can I get more information?

Contact Leslie Bacque, Work/Family Manager, Employee Services Department, at 962-6008 or leslie_bacque@unc.edu; or the Child Care Services Association at 403-6950; or visit the HR website at hr.unc.edu/Data/benefits/workfamily/.

Have a question? Ask HR by emailing hr@unc.edu or calling 962-0266.

HR Briefs

Chancellor's Awards nominations due April 30

Is there a co-worker, manager or employee who you would like to recognize for his/her outstanding contribution to the University? If so, then nominate that individual for the 2004 Chancellor's Award.

The Chancellor's Award was established in 1991 to recognize the contributions of University employees. Awards are based on meritorious or distinguished accomplishments in the categories of Outstanding State Government Service, Innovations, Public Service, Safety/Heroism, Human Relations or Other Achievements.

Award recipients are honored at a recognition luncheon and receive a monetary award and a special leave award of 24 hours. Recipients of the Chancellor's Award also become the University's nominees for the Governor's State Employees Awards for Excellence.

University employees will receive nomination forms through campus mail in the coming week. Nomination forms also may be downloaded from the HR web site.

Nomination forms must be received by the Employee Services Department in the Office of Human Resources no later than April 30.

For more information, contact the Employee Services Department at 962-1483, or see hr.unc.edu/Data/benefits/recognition/chancellorsaward.

HR Facilitator of the Year nominations due April 30

The Office of Human Resources is now accepting nominations for the HR Facilitator of the Year.

Human Resources facilitators are employees within University schools, departments or work units or who process personnel actions, assist employees with HR-related questions, and who work with the Office of Human Resources on behalf of the unit.

The Office of Human Resources gratefully relies upon these individuals and has established the HR Facilitator of the Year Award to recognize their service. Nominees and the award recipient will be honored at a reception in June.

Nomination forms are available on the HR web site at hr.unc.edu/Data/benefits/recognition/hrf. Multiple or group nominations for a facilitator are welcome.

Nominations must be received by HR Communications, CB# 1045 in the Office of Human Resources, no later than April 30. For more information, contact Chris Chiron at 962-0266 or chiron@unc.edu.

Summer job fair set for April 30

A summer job fair will be held on April 30 at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education from 9 a.m. to noon. Representatives from units anticipating summer hiring are asked to participate in this job fair so that they can provide information to University employees and family members.

The fair has been created in response to the Chancellor's Task Force for a Better Workplace. One recommendation from the task force was to provide information about summer temporary work at Carolina that may be available and of interest to family members of University faculty and staff.

Family members who wish to find out about these opportunities can attend the Summer Job Fair on April 30 and speak with department/unit representatives. Interested family members should bring copies of a resume or Carolina application to provide to departments at the fair.

If an interested family member cannot attend the event, their University-employed relative may attend the fair in their place in order to collect and share information with them. Participation at the job fair by University employees is considered work time if approved by the employee's supervisor in advance.

Applicants must be at least 16 years old; however, certain positions have other age requirements.

Departments or work units at Carolina who are interested in hiring temporary employees for the summer are encouraged to attend the fair. Any temporaries hired through the fair would be payrolled as "direct-hire" temporary employees, funded by the hiring department.

This job fair is designed to facilitate departmental representatives to meet applicants who are family members of faculty and staff. The University does not guarantee any employment of a family member.

The hiring unit representatives should bring to the fair information about their summer work possibilities that employees or family members may take away, including information on hours, wages, the application process and deadlines.

If your department or work unit would like to have a table at the Summer Job Fair, contact Judy Granberry Sladen at judy_granberry@unc.edu or 962-8377. Hiring units will be provided a table and chairs.

For information on any additional accommodations, contact Granberry Sladen or visit the HR web site at hr.unc.edu/specialprograms/jobfair.

New online employee orientation for staff to launch in May

The Office of Human Resources soon will launch an online New Employee Orientation option for incoming SPA employees. This web site will provide the same information on programs, services, policies and benefits that is available in the current classroom orientations. The new web site will be available in May.

This web-based orientation program is similar to the program for EPA employees that launched Jan. 1. "The EPA rollout has been extremely successful. We anticipate similar success with the SPA population," said Rob Kramer, acting director of Training and Development, who also co-chaired the development committee.

Employees have only 30 days from their first day of employment to enroll for most of their benefit programs. Current orientation sessions are held each Tuesday morning at the Office of Human Resources. The sessions last more than four hours.

"It's a lot of information to take in at one sitting," noted Karin Abel, director of Benefit Program Administration. "This web site option allows new employees the chance to go through detailed explanations of their polices and benefits at their own pace. And because it's available through the web, employees can access the site from an office or wherever they have web access."

Each new employee will receive instructions on how to access the site. In addition to policy and benefits information, employees can download and complete all of their benefit enrollment forms. The web site also includes web-based demonstrations on completing the State Retirement enrollment form and the State Health Plan enrollment form.

"The retirement and medical enrollment forms in particular can be confusing to complete due to the amount and type of information they require," said Dan Rosenberg, HR systems analyst, who co-chaired the development committee. "The Flash presentations in the web site guide employees line by line through these forms to help ensure that every item is completed accurately."

If employees find they do not understand something in the web-based orientation, or if they want more detailed information, they may also elect to attend question-and-answer sessions that will be held on a regular basis.

In addition, "lecture-style classroom sessions will still be available to employees who prefer that format or who do not have convenient access to the web," added Laurie Charest, associate vice chancellor for Human Resources. "We hope that the added flexibility of either a classroom or web environment will help our new SPA employees have a smooth transition into the University community."

With this issue of the online "Gazette," an effort will be made to include most photos that are presented as "stand alone" entities in the print version of the paper.

SPORTS FAN President George W. Bush poses with Jordan Walker while wearing the cowboy hat presented to him by the Carolina women's soccer team during the group's visit to the White House on March 23. Five teams were invited to take part in the NCAA Fall Sports Championship Day. (Photo by Eric Draper)

PIT POSTER SESSION As part of World TB Day on March 24, Carolina researchers studying tuberculosis disease organized an informational poster session to raise awareness of the worldwide health crisis posed by TB and the research under way on campus. Center, Miriam Braunstein, assistant professor in microbiology and immunology in the School of Medicine, talks with graduate student Masha Kazantseva. Braunstein's research is focused on understanding how the bacterium responsible for TB causes disease.