UNC Chapel Hill’s incoming class is less diverse after Supreme Court affirmative action ruling

 By Christine Zhu

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s newest class is less diverse following the Supreme Court’s 2023 affirmative action ruling, according to its latest student enrollment data released this week.

The percentage of first-year and transfer students identifying as white or Asian increased this year from 88.5 percent to 89.6 percent, compared to the fall 2023 report.

Meanwhile, the number of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students declined from 22.9 percent to 19 percent.

Sec of State LaRose says it’s easy to vote in Ohio, but critics say he’s making it more difficult

Secretary of State Frank LaRose is fond of saying that “it’s easy to vote and hard to cheat” in Ohio elections. But his recent — and not-so-recent — conduct seems to contradict both halves of that formulation, a watchdog says.

Just two months before a presidential election, the state’s top elections officer continues to change the rules in ways that make it more difficult for some Ohioans to vote — particularly new citizens and the disabled. Meanwhile, he’s supposed to conduct elections neutrally, but the things he’s done concerning the state’s extreme partisan gerrymandering are clearly biased in favor of his own party and his friends, the watchdog said.

University faculty in the South increasingly worried about political climate, survey shows

 By Piper Hutchinson

A survey of higher education faculty in the South found that professors are increasingly worried about political interference in higher education, with 80% of respondents ranking the political atmosphere surrounding colleges and universities as poor or very poor. 

AT&T strike continues in Southeast as company presents ‘final offer’ for union contract

By Cassandra Stephenson 

Thousands of unionized AT&T workers across the southeast marked their 20th day on strike Thursday amid a bargaining stalemate over a new contract with the telecommunications giant.

AT&T on Wednesday presented the southeast district of The Communications Workers of America (CWA) with what it calls its “final offer,” proposing cumulative wage increases of up to 18% over the life of the 5-year agreement and higher company contributions to employees’ health care benefits.

SC’s 1st inmate to be executed in 13 years will die by lethal injection, attorney decides

 By Sklar Laird

COLUMBIA — Death row inmate Freddie Owens will die by lethal injection, his attorney decided Friday.

That is, if the execution is carried out as scheduled. His attorneys filed another petition Thursday night seeking to stop it.

Owens’ execution, scheduled for Sept. 20, is set to be the first in the state since 2011. Five more executions could follow in five-week intervals.