Two N.C. universities were awarded $850,000 in federal grants as part of a $39 million grant program for developing and advancing nuclear energy.

The grants, awarded today for 51 projects at 31 universities, are part of the Obama administration's goal of promoting clean energy sectors.

UNC Chapel Hill and N.C. State University received a pair of grants under the heading of "Transformative Research."

UNC received $400,000 to develop technologies to enhance economic extraction of uranium from deep sea reserves.

N.C. State netted $455,629 to develop, model and test neutron detectors based on nanotubes, increasing the accuracy and efficiency of detecting neutrons during nuclear fuel manufacturing and waste processing.

If you're not sure what sort of silly hat your kid was wearing Sunday at UNC-Chapel Hill's commencement, we've got you covered.

Navigate your way over to this super-fantastic, interactive panoramic photo of the graduation ceremony, zoom in and find your child in all his or her silly glory.

Have fun.

My bad.

I wrote this story last week about the UNC system's decision to eliminate 60 low-performing degree programs across the state.

I didn't list them all. That's a lot of real estate in a newspaper.

Thankfully, a few readers pointed me to the existence of something called the Internet, a newfangled gizmo that is apparently a useful way to disseminate information.

So here goes:

There's a pdf attached to this blog post. Click it open and you'll find the entire list of program cuts. The list starts on page 5.

Documents:

My bad.

I wrote this story last week about the UNC system's decision to eliminate 60 low-performing degree programs across the state.

I didn't list them all. That's a lot of real estate in a newspaper.

Thankfully, a few readers pointed me to the existence of something called the Internet, a newfangled gizmo that is apparently a useful way to disseminate information.

So here goes:

There's a pdf attached to this blog post. Click it open and you'll find the entire list of program cuts. The list starts on page 5.

Documents:

Weather Update: UNC-Chapel Hill is ending classes at 5 today.

On Tuesday, classes don't start until 11.

Here are the details.

As I write this, Duke remains on its normal schedule.

 Nothing yet for N.C. Central.

 NCSU is now closing at 5 today.

Community College note: Wake Tech closes at 2 today. No night classes.

And Durham Tech closes at 5 today, with no night classes.

Check back for updates.

UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School announced this morning that it will begin an online MBA program next summer, following the recent news of a similar degree at N.C. State.

The Chapel Hill school is accepting applications for its first class, which will be limited to 50 students and is scheduled to start in July 2011. Tuition will be $89,000 for the two-year program and will include books, texts, student fees and lodging and food costs for four weekend immersions.

N.C. State's College of Management plans to begin taking applications in January and start its program next fall. Its 2-year program will cost $30,600 for in-state residents.

Both schools are betting on the increasing acceptance of online learning, especially among busy professionals who want a business degree. 

StubHub, an online ticket market, announced a new partnership with UNC Chapel Hill that will allow Tar Heel fans to exchange and buy basketball and football tickets.

The deal will start with hoops tickets this year and expand to the football program next season.

Tar Heels ticket holders will be allowed to list season and individual game tickets on StubHub and have the tickets instantly sent to buyers. Sellers type in the tickets' barcode, and StubHub cancels those tickets and immediately reissues new, electronic tickets to the buyer.

The system is designed to help fans avoid scams, and help UNC keep seats full. UNC has begun promoting StubHub as its new "secondary ticket marketplace."

StubHub doesn't prohibit sellers from scalping tickets for prices much higher than their face value. State law also allows it, as long as the online ticket reseller provides a refund guarantee.

Robert J. Greczyn Jr., the retired CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, is now a Gillings Visiting Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health.

The appointment was effective Oct. 1.
 
In his new role as visiting professor of health policy and management, Greczyn will share his health care experience with faculty and staff members and students throughout the school, according to this UNC news release.

He will lecture on insurance, health care and health care reform and serve as a policy adviser and resource for faculty members and students.  School leaders will call upon Greczyn's experience and creative problem-solving to help catalyze and shape North Carolina's focus on reducing obesity.
 
"Bob Greczyn is known around the country for creating incentives, programs and innovative quality initiatives to encourage positive health behavior," said Barbara K. Rimer, the school's dean. "In a period in which we seek to understand the impact of health reform on health insurance and on people's health, having Bob Greczyn among us will be a tremendous asset. We're delighted to have him here, sharing his experiences in health care management and finance."
 
Greczyn earned a Master of Public Health degree in health policy and administration from UNC's public health school in 1981. He also completed the executive program in health care finance management at UNC.
 

On the News & Observer's op-ed page today, UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor writes in some depth about several issues surrounding his university's football program.

Thorp does so in response to this column from last week penned by N&O editor John Drescher, who called out university faculty for largely remaining silent during a recent faculty meeting at which Thorp had discussed the football situation.

As I report today, Thorp's op-ed offers a defense of a massive expansion to Kenan Stadium now getting underway in Chapel Hill, as well as a vote of confidence for Dick Baddour, UNC's athletics director.

UNC trustees meet this morning in Chapel Hill, and the topic of football will likely come up. Stay tuned here and at www.newsobserver.com for more.

At UNC-Chapel Hill, some employees are smarting over adjustments to their vacation and sick leave bank.

A recent audit found a big mess with the school of education's timekeeping practices. As a result, dozens of employees have had their bank of vacation and sick time reduced to balance the books.

It hasn't made folks happy. Here's the story.