Carolina Connection

Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts discusses his first month at Carolina, the state's political environment, campus safety, and other issues. Will state leaders punish the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools for refusing to follow a state law concerning LGBTQ+ students? Some UNC faculty members are encouraging students to use artificial intelligence in their classes. Animal shelters in the Triangle are overcrowded. Some changes have come to the traditional art of Contra dancing.

A new effort in Greensboro gives homeless people a safe place to live in their cars. The national FAFSA fiasco is delaying university financial aid. Some UNC students confront their toxic relationship with social media. The alcoholic beverage mead is making a resurgence. Miss America’s Teen of 2024 is planning to enroll at UNC. Students share their mixed feelings around Valentine's Day.

A UNC clinic is helping patients cope with the lasting symptoms of long COVID. The government is working to bring high speed internet access to more than a million North Carolina homes. Sports betting is already popular in North Carolina, but now it will become legal. Artists express what the future of Blackness holds in their creations and for their communities. Chapel Hill businesses are preparing for a busy night as the Tar Heel Mens Basketball team prepares to tip off against Duke.

Time magazine has named Taylor Swift its "Person of the Year" for 2023, and the Washington Post and Research company QuestionPro found that she was responsible for nearly $4.6 billion in consumer spending in the U.S. But there's more to Swift than her music. For some fans, she represents a new concept of modern femininity, in which women can talk about their emotions, wear glitter, be hurt by a breakup, and still be strong, financially literate, politically influential, and unapologetic about their accomplishments.

On this edition of CarolinaCast, Samatha Hoffman talks with Sierra Pfeifer about the Swift phenomenon.

UNC students are navigating the emotional toll of the Israel-Hamas war. As Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz considers a job as president at Michigan State University, UNC reacts to his potential departure. The Town Council rejects a proposal for what would have been the tallest residential building in Chapel Hill. Ph.D. students at UNC and NC State work to save birds from window collisions. College students spend thousands of dollars on Taylor Swift.

Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz is considering leaving UNC; he's a finalist for the presidency at Michigan State. Students say UNC’s recreational facilities are overcrowded. Some people are boycotting Starbucks because of their labor practices.  Carrboro’s Film Fest is featuring work by UNC students and faculty. The Town of Chapel Hill is encouraging residents to put aside their rakes and leaf blowers and leave their leaves in their yards.

North Carolina’s Attorney General says social media illegally hooks and harms kids. Chapel Hill Mayor-elect Jess Anderson says she'll try to balance the concerns of both students and permanent town residents. Inflation is easing, but a lot of people at UNC are still dealing with food insecurity. Student veterans reflect on their transition from military life to college life. A UNC student is serving on the board of education of Boise, Idaho.

A new law requiring a photo ID presents challenges to Chapel Hill residents heading to the polls. Some business owners complain about Franklin Street’s bike lanes. A WRAL documentary explores the racist past of Kenan Stadium’s original namesake. UNC researchers find that certain Chapel Hill neighborhoods have higher temperatures than others. Students are finally starting to feel the change in season.

The U.S. senate unanimously passes a resolution condemning UNC's chapter of  Students for Justice in Palestine. Scammers are targeting UNC students with bogus emails. A university committee creates AI guidelines for students, embracing the new technology rather than shying away from it. A 48-year old Halloween mainstay returns to campus for a sold-out performance.

The UNC community reacts to the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Democratic Rep. Valerie Foushee, who represents Orange and Durham Counties in Congress, shares her frustration over the Republicans' struggle to choose a new Speaker of the House. The U.S. Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action means changes to the UNC admissions process. The Tar Heel men’s basketball team hopes to improve after underperforming last year. A prominent historic building on Franklin Street comes back to life after a challenging renovation.