UNC system President Tom Ross is concerned about the damage that could be done if Gov. Beverly Perdue's budget proposal wins approval.

In a statement released this afternoon, Ross said the loss of nearly 1,500 jobs, as Perdue has projected, will do severe damage to the university.

"With fewer faculty, staff, and course sections, many more students would not be able to obtain the courses and academic services they need to graduate on time," he said.

Here's the whole statement:

Given the economic climate and the size of the projected revenue shortfall, Governor Perdue had to make some very difficult decisions in order to balance her proposed state budget.  All of us in the University appreciate the challenges she faced and are grateful that she identifies potential ways to avoid even more severe cuts that certainly would cause permanent damage to our institutions.

We are particularly thankful that she recognizes the critical importance of our enrollment growth funding and need-based financial aid, although those needs would be only partially met, as well as operating reserves for new buildings.  In addition, revenues from tuition increases would stay on the campuses to provide more need-based financial aid and help reduce the impact of proposed budget cuts.
 
As our state struggles to work its way out of this recession, affordable access to higher education has never been more important to North Carolina’s economic recovery and long-term competitiveness.  That’s why I am deeply concerned that additional cuts of the magnitude proposed would place academic programs across the University in jeopardy and require the loss of more than 1,500 jobs. 

With fewer faculty, staff, and course sections, many more students would not be able to obtain the courses and academic services they need to graduate on time.  Given that the University has already absorbed $620 million in cuts and mandated reversions over the past four years, requiring the elimination of over 900 administrative positions, it is simply impossible to absorb further budget cuts without adversely affecting the quality of the academic experience for our students.  

While the Governor has proposed a small pool of funding for statewide repairs and renovations, I am also increasingly worried about the $2.1-billion backlog of unmet R&R needs across the University.  University facilities are valuable state assets, and unless we are provided adequate resources to maintain them properly, we put that taxpayer investment and public safety at risk. We stand ready to work with the Governor and the legislature to preserve both access and educational quality.

Governor Beverly Perdue's State of the State address will be broadcast live tonight beginning at 7pm.

News 14 Carolina, UNC-TV and WRAL will all air the speech, which is expected to last about an  hour. WTVD will air the speech on their digital broadcast channel 11.2. News 14 will begin their coverage at 6:50. The speech will also stream live on the UNCTV.org, WTVD.com and WRAL.com websites.

Gov. Beverly Perdue has unveiled an ambitious plan today to plug the state's massive budget hole through a consolidation of state agencies.

As Rob Christensen reports here, Perdue proposes a hiring freeze while merging 14 state agencies into eight. As part of the move, 100 or more computer service centers across state government would  be shut down, and a private firm would be brought in to help run computer operations.

Perdue's plan makes no mention of the UNC system or any level of public education in North Carolina. It isn't clear whether her plan to freeze hiring would apply to universities and community colleges.

Stay tuned for details as we learn more.

Gov. Bev Perdue chose not to sign the last bill on her desk.

The deadline for Perdue, a Democrat, to sign or veto House bill 1292 has come and gone, which means the bill is now law. The law is meant to encourage UNC campuses to find ways to save energy and cut utility bills.

The bill allows campuses to keep money they save through conservation. The law requires that in the next year, 60 percent of the money must be used on conservation.

Ben Niolet has the rest of the story over on the Under the Dome blog.

A year of observances linked to N.C. Central University's 100th birthday come to a close this afternoon.

The university is throwing itself a birthday bash that starts at 3 p.m. and will include some words from dignitaries like Gov. Beverly Perdue.

Festivities today are on the Brant Street Plaza just off of Fayetteville Street. Among the highlights: the dedication of a new Centennial Garden and the re-christening of the old Holy Cross Catholic Church, relocated earlier this year from its original spot along Alston Avenue.

It will now be known as the Centennial Chapel.

Events today begin with the ringing of the NCCU Bell. A representative of the U.S. Postal Service will unveil the new NCCU Centennial Cancellation stamp.

And perhaps most importantly, there will be cake.

So come on out.

We've already given you the UNC system president's thoughts on Gov. Beverly Perdue's budget proposal.

Now, here's what Scott Ralls, president of the state's community college system, had to say today about it.

“Governor Perdue’s budget recommendation to fully fund our colleges’ unprecedented enrollment growth reflects her understanding of North Carolinians’ increasing demand for job training and education, and we appreciate that recommendation.

While we know that lean budget times demand difficult decisions, we also know that the
proposed system-wide cut of 3.5 percent -- a direct reduction of our per-student funding -- will reach into our classrooms and lessen our colleges’ ability to provide high-quality educational opportunities for our students, particularly in healthcare and technical education.

We will be working with the Governor and the leadership in the General Assembly to find an alternative solution.”

Included in Gov. Bev Perdue's newly announced government accountability reforms is a detailed, two-page application for state board appointees that requires them to disclose criminal conduct, conflicts of interest, references and other valuable information.

Perdue called the application part of a "new process requiring full disclosure of an applicant's background" that she put into place through an executive order she signed on Monday.

But the "full disclosure" is only to the governor. Those applications will not be made public because of North Carolina's personnel law, Dan Kane reports.

"Legal counsel has advised that the new application — as was the prior application — will be a part of the personnel file that is confidential," said Chrissy Pearson, Perdue's communications director.

That means someone with a criminal background, for example, could become a political appointee and the public would have a difficult time obtaining that information. Nor would they know if a major fundraiser, political party official or powerful special interest recommended an appointee.

North Carolina has one of the most secretive personnel laws in the nation, a recent News & Observer series, Keeping Secrets, found. The law prevents the public from finding out about pay and employment histories, as well as details on disciplinary actions and hiring decisions.

Gov. Beverly Perdue will make what her office is calling a "significant" jobs announcement today at 3 p.m. in Catawba County.

Although the governor's office isn't saying what company is involved, the announcement is taking place at a location in Claremont that is home to a Pierre Foods plant.

The Cincinnati company makes pre-cooked meats and ready-to-eat sandwiches that you find in vending machines and at other locations.

Los Angeles private equity company Oaktree Capital Management took control of Pierre Foods in December 2008.

Pierre filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2008. The company said it was being hurt by the rising cost of raw materials.

Pierre emerged from bankruptcy protection in December 2008.

Pierre recently received a $275 million loan to refinance its debt. The debt was sold to investors.

Campaign finance watchdog Joe Sinsheimer is urging Gov. Beverly Perdue to remove Ruffin Poole, a former top aide to Gov. Mike Easley, from the Golden LEAF board because he refused to testify at last month's state elections board hearing.

Sinsheimer, a Democratic political consultant who has emerged as an advocate of transparent government and campaign finance reforms, also said Perdue should release all reports on missing travel records from 2005. Perdue has so far refused.

In addition, he asks for a review of the permitting process surrounding a controversial cement plant near Wilmington, citing ongoing revelations about the state's environmental agency.

There was no immediate response from Perdue.

(Full text of letter follows.)

Duke broke ground today on a big new cancer center, one half of a $700 million construction project designed at least in part to enhance the health care system's global brand.

The cancer center, slated to open in 2012, follows a similar project at UNC Chapel Hill, which just opened its own cancer hospital.

The Duke facility will put cancer research and clinical services under one roof and will come as cancer rates continue to rise. The N.C. health department has predicted a 16 percent hike in cancer cases from 2006 to 2011, with a 21 percent hike in the Triangle over that same time period.

Jarring stuff, and sobering enough to prompt Gov. Beverly Perdue, who attended the Friday ceremony, to say "I don't ask if I'll be diagnosed, but when, because it's so prevalent among us."

For more, read Saturday's News & Observer.