Jackson Auchincloss
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Articles by Jackson Auchincloss
Trump administration proposes $70,000 fee for international students applying for work experience
Categories: Current F-1 visa holders at UNC say the number of recent proposals and rule changes has become difficult to follow. The Department of Homeland Security proposed a new rule on Oct. 8 to charge schools a $70,000 fee for each F-1 international student applying for Optional Practical Training — a key resource for gaining work experience in the United States.
Day two of Faith Hedgepeth trial continues with more jury selection
Categories: The court was able to move on from individual interviews and question a larger group of 12 potential jurors at once. Tuesday marked the second day of the Faith Hedgepeth murder trial at the Durham County Courthouse. The court continued the jury selection process. Hedgepeth, a UNC sophomore, was murdered in her Durham apartment on Sept. 7, 2012, after a night out with her roommate Karena Rosario.
Man who attacked Black students during ‘Love Island’ watch party pleads guilty, will be released from jail
Keegan Carlisle Wilson, the man responsible for the Aug. 31 attack on Black student organizations in Greenlaw Hall on Aug. 31, pleaded guilty and will be released from jail on Monday. During a “Love Island” watch party in Greenlaw Hall hosted by multiple Black student organizations, Wilson made racially charged threats, brandished an aerosol can and lighter and threw multiple objects at students.
Not guilty by reason of insanity: UNC community members react to ruling in Tailei Qi case
Categorías: Some feel a sense of closure with the decision, while others feel the ruling was unsatisfactory. Content warning: This article has mentions of gun violence and mental illness Three years ago, Tailei Qi, a former UNC graduate student, shot and killed professor Zijie Yan on campus. On Sept. 21, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Now, UNC community members are split on whether to view the verdict as closure or as justice left unfulfilled. On Aug.
Taiwanese Student Association views footage of racial harassment more than three weeks after lodging first complaint
Categories: Members of the organization say they were asked to identify the students involved in the incident Members of the Taiwanese Student Association met with UNC’s University Compliance Office on Tuesday to view video footage of racial harassment that occurred on Aug. 29 in front of Wilson Library and of which several members of the organization were victims. The racial harassment took place during a TSA welcome party and tour for incoming Taiwanese students at UNC.
‘Rich botanical legacy’: UNC acquires Duke Herbarium
Categories: The new plant collection will hold over 1.7 million specimens, making it the third largest university herbarium in the country. On the fourth floor of Coker Hall, filed away within seven-foot-tall metal cases, there lies a vast museum composed of over 800,000 artifacts. However, unlike a typical museum, the UNC Chapel Hill Herbarium has a collection made entirely of plants.
UNC ends partnership with Chinese university following Department of Defense order for research security audits
Categories: In his response to the DOD, Chancellor Lee Roberts wrote that UNC ended its partnership with Fudan University out of an abundance of caution, adding that the University is committed to research security. UNC has ended its study abroad partnership with Fudan University in Shanghai, China, following the U.S. Department of Defense’s order for security audits regarding academic, financial and research partnerships with “foreign entities of concern.” The request published Aug.
UNC reviewing and updating CPT processes following memo sent by ICE
Following a broadcast message sent by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) on Aug. 12, UNC’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is reviewing and updating their curricular practical training (CPT) processes at the University.
Depression and anxiety listed as top health concerns among UNC employees
Content warning: This article extensively discusses chronic anxiety and depression Data shared at the most recent Employee Forum meeting on Aug. 7 showed the top health concerns for UNC staff and faculty enrolled in the N.C. State Health Plan are chronic anxiety and depression. This is the first time in 12 years that such data has been shared. According to UNC, the University employs 14,387 staff and faculty.
UNC withholds findings from concluded School of Civic Life and Leadership investigation
University Jed Atkins, Dean and Director of the UNC School of Civic Life and Leadership, speaks at the School's "Reviving Civil Discourse on Campus" event at the George Watts Hill Alumni Center on Nov. 18, 2025. Assistant University Editor Mar 12, 2026, 11:42 PM An investigation into UNC’s controversial School of Civic Life and Leadership was announced to have concluded earlier this month.
Leaked group chat suggests SBP candidate Nayan Bala encouraged her team to disparage opponents
University Nayan Bala answers the floor's questions at the SBP forum in Gardner Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Feb 9, 2026, 3:14 AM Screenshots of a Signal group chat titled "NB for SBP '26" appear to show student body president candidate Nayan Bala engaging in and facilitating the denigration of other candidates on social media and spying on another candidate's campaign. The screenshots were provided to The Daily Tar Heel by a member of Bala's campaign, who requested to remain anonymous.
UNC Health bars those under 19 from gender affirming care - stricter than state limit
University Assistant University Editor Feb 2, 2026, 2:12 AM UNC Health has instituted a new policy that restricts access to gender-affirming care to those under 19 years of age, changing the previous policy which included 18-year-olds in care coverage. The new guidelines go beyond the requirements of North Carolina state law, under which gender-affirming care is illegal to distribute to minors, or those under 18.
On-campus 'chalktivism' at UNC aims to promote veganism
University A pro-vegan sign chalked outside of Lenoir Dining Hall in Chapel Hill on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jan 26, 2026, 1:43 AM “They only have one life, and you’re choosing to end it?” This is one of several pro-veganism messages seen chalked across the walkways on UNC's campus lately, encouraging a diet that excludes all animal-derived food products. The statements are part of an animal rights advocacy effort spearheaded by North Carolina Animal Advocates United, according to student members.
Column: UNC's grading system deserves an F
Opinion Photo assets courtesy of Adobe Stock. Jan 26, 2026, 12:43 AM After the fall 2025 final exam in Chemistry 430: Introduction to Biological Chemistry, students discovered that their instructor readjusted grade cutoffs, significantly lowering many students' marks relative to a typical scale. This is a pre-med student’s worst nightmare — they had to score a 95.44 to obtain an A- in the class, and a 97.49 percent to score an A.
Carving Out Space: Stephan Moll finds creativity beyond medicine and work with NASA
University Dr. Stephan Moll, a UNC Health doctor and Professor of Medicine and at UNC-Chapel Hill, stands in front of the Coker Arbor, currently under renovation, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Dr. Moll used wood from the arbor to create a piece of art that will be included in a fundraiser for the UNC Children's Hospital. Jan 26, 2026, 12:16 AM Stephan Moll’s best projects begin with a chainsaw.
Column: UNC promised us the world, then defunded it
Opinion Demonstrators gathered outside the Sprangler Center to show opposition to the removal of all 6 area studies research centers during a UNC Board of Trustees Meeting in Chapel Hill, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jan 23, 2026, 1:28 AM For many UNC students, the phrase “global education” isn’t just a buzz word used to attract more University applicants. It’s a promise.
After Board affirms centers cuts, TransparUNCy holds demonstration outside, advocating for area studies
University Demonstrators gathered outside the Sprangler Center to show opposition to the removal of all 6 area studies research centers during a UNC Board of Trustees Meeting in Chapel Hill, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Jan 23, 2026, 12:02 AM During the UNC Board of Trustees full board meeting at The Spangler Center on Thursday, student advocacy group TransparUNCy held a press conference speaking out against the planned "sunsetting" of the University's six area studies centers.
Where faith meets the First Amendment: Religious speech at UNC
University A Christian preacher or "pit preacher" sets up a sign on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. Senior Writer Jan 20, 2026, 11:00 PM Most, if not all, UNC students are familiar with the plethora of religious speakers that frequent campus. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution preserves the freedom of religious practice and expression by protecting them from government censorship.
From the Speaker Ban to Dwayne Dixon: How student activism breaks the mold of speech limitations at UNC
University Photos courtesy of Angelina Katsanis, Viyada Soukthavone, Allison Russell, UNC Library, and 1987 Yackety Yack Digital Managing Editor Jan 20, 2026, 11:00 PM During the 1960s, UNC became a testing ground for how far students at a public university could go when challenging the boundaries of free speech and political expression. The disputes at UNC mirrored national conflicts over free speech and student activism at public universities during that era.
‘About regulation of voices’: How UNC’s protest guidelines have shaped student activism
University People put up banners and flags during a vigil for Palestine on Oct. 7, 2024 in front of the Old Well. Assistant University Editor Jan 20, 2026, 11:00 PM Last February, the UNC System Board of Governors approved a policy to regulate campus gatherings, such as protests, at all 17 of its N.C. campuses. The BOG approved the policy quietly and without discussion through a vote on the meeting’s consent agenda.
Where A's become B's and B's become C's: students voice opposition to chemistry grading curve
University Senior Writer Jan 6, 2026, 2:05 AM What can students do when a grade they receive seems unfair? As winter break began, this is the question that students in UNC Professor Gary Pielak’s Chemistry 430: Introduction to Biological Chemistry grappled with. Their concern: Pielak had curved the final grade for the class in a way many found unreasonable — it significantly lowered their final letter grade from what it would have otherwise been on a typical scale.
'A 22-year-old like us': Students gather to remember James L. Cates Jr. 55 years after his murder
University Dec 3, 2025, 3:35 AM When students are walking to and from their classes every day, they can find a plaque located by the Pit and beside the Undergraduate Library. This plaque is dedicated to James Lewis Cates Jr. , a former Black resident of Chapel Hill, who was murdered in an act of racial violence on UNC's campus on Nov. 21, 1970. On Nov. 20 of this year, students and members of the Chapel Hill and University community gathered for a memorial service to honor and remember his life.
Of the 15 campus demonstrations in 2025, almost every protest opposed federal actions
Young people attend university to learn, grow and begin their journey through adulthood, making their campuses both energetic marketplaces of ideas and engaging forums for expressing them. Political shifts and division felt across the United States emanated on campuses throughout the country. From First Amendment protections to environmental awareness to demands for disclosure and divestment, UNC acted as a hub for activism this year.
As recent federal decisions elicited challenges and uncertainty, UNC students stepped up
University Senior Writer Dec 1, 2025, 1:58 PM As the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration approaches, UNC students are continuing to grapple with the onslaught of federal policy changes that characterized their year. “There's generally been two types of attacks that we've seen," Lucia Paulsen said.
UNC class that traveled to Gaza last year unveils clips of documentary chronicling experience
University Nov 21, 2025, 6:53 PM U nder the lofty vaults of the Carolina Club in the George Watts Hill Alumni Center, around 240 community members gathered on Tuesday evening for an event hosted by the School of Civic Life and Leadership titled “Reviving Civil Discourse on Campus.” One key draw of the event was the first look at a 13-part documentary following students who took a controversial class at UNC in the spring semester of 2025.
Heritage Foundation and Heterodox Academy speakers discuss higher education reform
University Nov 6, 2025, 7:10 PM The UNC Alumni Free Speech Alliance hosted two scholars on campus to discuss and debate the role of the federal government in reforming universities. The event, held on Tuesday, was titled “Trump vs. The Ivory Tower: Government’s Role in Higher Education.” The discussion was co-sponsored by the student organization affiliated with UNC AFSA, the UNC Student Free Speech Alliance.
UNC to centralize its policies in a searchable database, use AI to improve accessibility
University Oct 30, 2025, 8:49 PM On Monday, the UNC Board of Trustees Governance Advisory Committee held a special meeting to update trustees on the progress made in the University Policy Code Project. The project originates from the Sept. 25 BOT meeting, where trustees passed a resolution “in support of greater access to University policies”.
Former ambassador to the UN visits campus amid pro-Palestine protesters' criticism
University Oct 20, 2025, 8:42 PM Former ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, visited UNC on Thursday for an event ahead of UNC’s Collegiate Model United Nations conference. Several protesters interrupted the event at separate times to address her sole vote responsible for vetoing a ceasefire in Gaza in 2023. Originally, the event was meant to be a fireside chat with Thomas-Greenfield and Diplomacy Initiative Faculty Fellow Jennifer Davis.
'Too woke': Former provost talks with TransparUNCy about free speech in higher ed
University Senior Writer Oct 13, 2025, 2:02 AM Former Provost Christopher Clemens sat down with Toby Posel, the co-founder of the student organization TransparUNCy, 16 days after suing the University and all 14 members of the UNC Board of Trustees, to discuss contentious conflicts in higher education and their implications for free speech. The panel took place on UNC's First Amendment Day.
Students for Justice in Palestine calls out UNC's Israel-adjacent investments at demonstration
University Oct 13, 2025, 1:59 AM At a UNC Students for Justice in Palestine tribunal demonstration on Thursday, a crowd of about 40 gathered in front of the flagpole on Polk Place to watch members of the group condemn the University’s affiliation with individuals and groups they deemed Zionists and complicit in genocide.
Visiting legal scholar gives talk on free speech in American universities
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, spoke about free speech and cancel culture within American universities at a UNC Alumni Free Speech Alliance event on Monday.
Campus community heals, strengthens safety in two years since shooting
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue Last month, UNC marked the two-year anniversary of the on-campus shooting and death of Professor Zijie Yan with a memorial site dedication. The anniversary was a time to remember Yan’s legacy and served as an opportunity for the community to reflect.
'His light will always shine': Memorial site dedicated to professor Zijie Yan two years after shooting
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue Before his death, UNC associate professor Zijie Yan, a beloved teacher, colleague and friend, studied how to organize nanoparticles with light. On Thursday, exactly two years since Yan was killed in a campus shooting at Caudill Laboratories, community members gathered to honor his memory with the unveiling of a new memorial site, as well as with the launching a memorial lecture named after him.
Sunrise UNC calls for an end to University use of coal-powered electricity at rally
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue On Thursday, the student organization Sunrise UNC — a local chapter of the national Sunrise Movement — held a rally on the steps of South Building demanding an end to UNC's continued use of coal-powered electricity. The University uses coal and natural gas to create energy at their cogeneration facility on Cameron Avenue. The facility produces steam for power and other various uses on campus.
Amid flu season, University offers on-campus vaccination sites
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893. Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue As flu season nears, UNC is offering opportunities to receive the influenza vaccination at locations across campus. The flu is a virus that causes an infection in the respiratory system and can affect the entire body. For the vast majority of cases, the virus has little effect besides a fever and cold-like symptoms.
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