The Asian Heritage Cultural Center (AHCC), located in the Fisher University Union room 1002, officially opened in September of 2022. The center serves as a space for students to interact with and learn about the various cultures in the Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Feb. 9 and marked the grand opening of the space. Since its opening, the AHCC has served as a welcoming meet-up spot for UNCW students, both within the AAPI community and the general population
The Honoring Southeastern NC Indigenous Peoples Celebration, held on Thursday, Nov. 3, served to commemorate the lives and culture of Indigenous peoples. The day featured many Indigenous performances in the amphitheater, celebrating both traditional Indigenous practices and modern life. Cheers filled the air of the Clock Tower Longue as three paintings recognizing Southeastern Indigenous cultures were revealed to the public. Artist Jessica Clark focused specifically on contemporary Indigenous peoples when creating her paintings.
In 2015, UNCW launched the "Like No Other" campaign intending to expand key elements that make the university unique for its students. With over 32,000 donors since the launch of the campaign, the school has reached its goal of $100 million, resulting in the most successful campaign in UNCW history. The promise to expand and enrich the programs does not stop there; UNCW will now be stretching the amount of the original campaign, with a new goal of $125 million.
Whether or not we are neurotypical, we each have an inherent desire for convenience. However, UNCW’s campus is fundamentally designed for the convenience of specifically neurotypical students. As a result, neurodivergent students deal with a number of challenges on campus. As a person with cerebral palsy, there are many inconveniences that I have struggled with, and continue to struggle with, while navigating around UNCW’s campus.
As students settle back into life on campus, so does UNCW’s new Chancellor, Dr. Aswani Volety. On July 1, 2022, Dr. Volety returned to UNCW to serve as the university’s seventh Chancellor. Volety, who previously served in the role of Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Executive Director of the Center for Marine Science, brings with him decades worth of education and research experience, particularly in the field of marine science.
Dr. Aswani K. Volety has been elected to be UNCW’s seventh chancellor and tenth leader overall. He was nominated by UNC System President Peter Hans during a Board of Governors meeting on May 26, 2022 after a rigorous nationwide search process that involved input from students, staff, faculty and alumni, as well as the Board of Trustees.
Of the ten cases only one is listed as closed, while eight are under further investigation. In all cases except the closed one, the perpetrators were listed as known to the victims. The tenth case, which is the most recent, concluded because the assault took place outside of UNCW’s police jurisdiction, as it did not occur on campus. Despite this new information, though, the question of what UNCW resources are doing to address sexual assaults on campus is ongoing. Many students have worried for their safety this academic year as these unusual cases drew their attention to the issue.
After nearly two years of wearing masks on campus, UNCW will no longer require them in most campus situations on March 7. An email was sent from OUR on Feb. 25 after UNC System President Peter Hans...
Caroline Straubel, Culture Editor
• January 24, 2022
Over 400 students were evacuated out of Terrapin Hall last night beginning at 10:30 p.m. due to a pipe burst in the building, causing significant damage to at least 16 students’ residences. The evacuated students were placed in temporary housing for the night. This afternoon, most students were notified the building passed safety assessments and they could return to their rooms at 2 p.m. via an email from UNCW Housing and Residence Life Director Kevin Meaney. However, the rooms of 16 students are in need of repair before the students can move back in. The scheduled repair will take place in one to two weeks, and until then these students will remain in temporary housing.
Caroline Straubel, Culture Editor
• January 20, 2022
In response to an ice storm warning for southeast North Carolina, UNCW announced classes are canceled on Friday, Jan. 21. Campus dining will continue to provide services for residential students during the storm, and areas with heavy foot traffic across campus will be salted by Housing and Residence Life. However, the university is urging students to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary trips across campus.
In a change from previous guidelines, UNCW will now require all students living on-campus to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to campus. Previous guidance stated only unvaccinated students were required to participate in return-to-campus testing. Guidance for vaccinated faculty, staff and off-campus students attending on-campus classes will remain the same. These groups are not required to participate in return-to-campus testing. This guidance goes into effect among the rise of the fast-spreading omicron COVID-19 variant as students return from various places following winter break.
Brian Hudec, Contributing Writer
• December 29, 2021
On Dec. 10, UNCW’s board of trustees voted to increase the cost of attendance for the 2022-2023 school year. In the presentation provided by the board of trustees’ website, the university requested approval from the board to increase tuition rates for nonresident students, both undergraduate and graduate, by 3%. There was also an increase of student housing rates by 3.5% and an increase of the all-access meal plan rates by 5.1%.
