Heel Talk

The 2020 UNC Football Season officially began with UNC playing Syracuse this past Saturday, kicking off the Atlantic Coast Conference's 10 conference games for the season.

But with all the uncertainty that's led up to this game, one question that's on the mind of many: What will this season look like?

Host Evely Forte chats with DTH Sports Editor Brian Keyes to talk about what many deem a quintessential part of the UNC experience — Carolina athletics.

Episode co-edited and co-produced by Maddie Ellis, Evely Forte, Will Melfi, Anna Pogarcic and Praveena Somasundaram.

Jurisdiction. Though the University transitioned to remote class delivery, many students have stayed in the Chapel Hill area. And now that UNC has shut down its residence halls, all eyes are on students who have stayed in off-campus housing. For the 20th episode of Heel Talk, host Evely Forte talks to assistant online Praveena Somasundaram and University Desk staff writer Sara Raja about how the University and Town of Chapel Hill are holding students — found in violation of University and/or state guidelines — accountable.

Confusion. That's what many students say they experienced last week after an initial post on the University's registrar's webpage detailing the pass/fail option for the fall semester was taken down. But last Thursday, UNC Provost Bob Blouin announced in an emailed message to the campus community that the pass/fail option would be made available for all undergraduate courses as an alternative to earning a letter grade for the semester. Host Evely Forte and DTH reporter Heidi Perez-Moreno discuss this and more on today's episode. Episode co-edited and co-produced by Maddie Ellis, Evely Forte, Will Melfi, Anna Pogarcic and Praveena Somasundaram.

Today, marks exactly two weeks since the first day of classes began for all undergraduate students on campus, yet a lot has changed since then. On this episode of Heel Talk, host Evely Forte chats with University Desk Editor Maddie Ellis and Assistant Online Editor Praveena Somasundaram to break down University decisions from the past few weeks that have most impacted the semester and to share their thoughts on what the future of the University will look like. Episode co-edited and co-produced by Maddie Ellis, Evely Forte, Will Melfi, Anna Pogarcic and Praveena Somasundaram.

Host Evely Forte chats with DTH reporters Cynthia Dong and Isabella Sherk to discuss new technology on campus — some of which has raised concerns about data privacy and others that are being used to determine community compliance relating to social distancing rules on campus. Tune in to learn more about the new technology UNC plans to use on campus this semester. This episode was co-edited and co-produced by Maddie Ellis, Evely Forte, Will Melfi, Anna Pogarcic and Praveena Somasundaram.

With the start of the fall semester today, many students are adapting to the realities of university life amid a global pandemic. The Daily Tar Heel's Editor-in-Chief Anna Pogarcic spoke to Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz in an exclusive interview last Thursday. She asked him about his worries for reopening campus, what protocols exist for students who contract the virus and what the potential consequences for student organizations would be if found in violation of the University's "Community Standards." Reporting by Anna Pogarcic. This episode was co-edited and co-produced by Maddie Ellis, Evely Forte, Anna Neil, Will Melfi, Anna Pogarcic, Praveena Somasundaram.

On July 16, the Board of Trustees decided on an official policy to rename buildings on UNC's campus. This follows the BOT decision in June which rescinded its 16-year self imposed moratorium on renaming buildings. Host Evely Forte spoke to incoming Sports Editor Brian Keyes to understand what this policy means for UNC's campus. Evely also spoke to Summer University Desk Editor Maydha Devarajan to break down the July 10, unanimous decision of the Commission on History, Race and a Way Forward to remove names with ties to white supremacy of four on-campus buildings. University desk writer Kate Carroll also shared her reporting regarding the various UNC departments that came together to begin the process of renaming Hamilton Hall as Pauli Murray Hall. Reporting by Kate Carroll, Maydha Devarajan and Brian Keyes. Episode co-edited and co-produced by Evely Forte and Meredith Radford.

Additional reading:

• These four names need to be removed from campus buildings, Commission resolves, by Maydha Devarajan
• Pauli Murray Hall: UNC departments begin process of renaming Hamilton Hall, by Kate Carroll
• Board of Trustees approves policy on removing names of buildings on campus, by Brian Keyes

On July 6, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced changes to temporary exemptions for students on F-1 and M-1 visas taking online classes in the fall because of the pandemic. Under the exemptions, students who are taking an entirely remote course load are not allowed to remain in the country, and if they do not leave or take measures like transferring to another school with in-person classes, they face potential deportation. Host Evely Forte spoke to international UNC students to get a better sense as to how they are feeling about this federal policy change and what their expectations in response to this policy are for the coming semester. Maydha Devarajan contributed reporting. Episode co-edited and co-produced by Evely Forte and Meredith Radford.

For more reading:

https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2020/07/international-student-cancellation-0708, by Maydha Devarajan

As the fall semester rapidly approaches, many housekeeping and facilities workers have questioned the practicality of implementing safety guidelines for on-campus operations. For example, part of the community standards expected of housekeeping staff involve disinfecting "high-touch surfaces," like restrooms and elevator buttons, four times a day, which some say is not possible. This episode is the second part of a two-part series where we highlight University employee reactions to the upcoming fall semester plan. Reporting by Chiara Evans and Isabella Sherk. Episode co-edited and co-produced by Evely Forte and Meredith Radford.

For further reading:

• 'On the front lines': UNC facilities workers consider costs of fall return to campus, by Chiara Evans and Isabella Sherk
• UNC enters into $1.5 million settlement over Clery Act violations, chancellor announces, by Maydha Devarajan
• Here's what you need to know about the Commission on Campus Equality and Student Equity, by Sara Raja
• University delays releasing sexual assault records despite N.C. Supreme Court ruling, by Maydha Devarajan

Many UNC faculty members, professors and teaching assistants are petitioning UNC administration to guarantee that no instructor will be required to teach in person during the fall 2020 semester because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other concerns. Host Evely Forte spoke to DTH reporter and incoming assistant copy editor Sasha Schroeder and incoming assistant online editor Praveena Somasundaram to understand what the petitioners are really demanding and how they hope the University will implement potential changes. Reporting by Sasha Schroeder and Praveena Somasundaram. Episode co-edited and co-produced by Evely Forte and Meredith Radford.

For further reading:

• 'This is something that's killing people': Instructors petition for fall teaching options, by Sasha Schroeder
• Remote teaching preferred for fall semester, faculty survey indicates, by Praveena Somasundaram