UNC Charlotte experienced a lot of breaking and important news during the 2022-2023 school year. As the academic year draws to a close, the Niner Times reflects on the key events of the past year.
Lack of housing on campus
One hundred and forty-one students were placed in extended university housing at the start of the fall 2022 semester.
The temporary student living conditions were as follows: 91 students at The Edge apartments, 26 students at the Sonesta Select hotel and 24 at the Holiday Inn hotel, according to Buffie Stephens, director of issues management and relations with the media.
Sikh student arrested over kirpan at UNC Charlotte
A Sikh student was arrested by campus police on Thursday, September 22 for bringing a kirpan to Popp Martin Student Union. The incident came to light via social media and the student’s tweet the next day, which contained a video of his interaction with police.
After discussions with local and global Sikh communities to be more inclusive of Sikhism, Charlotte updated the campus weapons policy to allow possession of a kirpan on campus.
Man arrested at UNC Charlotte’s Popp Martin Student Union for trespassing
Campus police arrested a man for breaking into the Popp Martin Student Union on October 20. The man, wearing pink boots and a pink vest, was charged with drug possession and intent to distribute, trespassing, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. according to a statement released by the Student Government Association.
The man arrested in the Student Union, Jordan Timothy Baker, was released on October 21.
According to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office websiteBaker was charged with possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, assault causing serious injury to an officer, resisting a public officer, second-degree trespassing and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.
UNC Charlotte fires head football coach Will Healy after 1-7 start
Charlotte fired head football coach Will Healy on Oct. 23. The dismissal came after a 34-15 loss in the return game at Florida International University, which eliminated the 49ers from bowl contention.
On November 15, the Charlotte administration announced that University of Michigan associate head coach Francis “Biff” Poggi would be the 49ers’ third football coach.
The anti-abortion group sets up a graphic display in the CHHS/COED plaza
An anti-abortion group known as the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) set up a graphic display comparing abortion to genocide in the plaza of the College of Health and Human Services and the Faculty of Education on 26 from October to October 28. Student protests against GAP began by forming around the screen on the first day.
The Student Government Association and the Charlotte administration later specified where outside groups can stage displays or protest. They can only be in Belk Plaza or West Quad and must be five feet from the sidewalk.
UNC Charlotte student found dead in off-campus apartment
Fourth-year political science student Patrick Harding was found dead by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) on December 26 at approximately 4 a.m. in his off-campus apartment.
The death was determined to be a suicide, according to the incident report released by CMPD. According to the Police record of December 27UNC Charlotte police were called to the scene.
The renovation of Crown Commons began on April 1st
UNC Charlotte’s Dining Services is renovating Crown Commons and has temporarily relocated it to Upper Prospector.
The renovation is planned to turn it into a more open and bright area for students to eat and hang out. The renovated Crown Commons and Upper Prospector will reopen in fall 2023.
CATS bus drivers threaten to strike
On January 7, Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) bus drivers voted to go on strike.
On February 4, CATS bus drivers voted 204-11 in favor of an improved contract. The new improvements include significant pay increases, double holiday pay, increased pensions, increased night pay and the extra June Day holiday. These improvements prevented a possible bus driver strike.
Food delivery robots are coming to UNC Charlotte
Autonomous robots were introduced as a food delivery option for students on the UNC Charlotte campus in early March.
Starship Technologies partnered with Charlotte through on-campus catering company Chartwells. Charlotte deployed 30 to 40 food delivery robots on campus.
Charlotte protests police brutality after Tire Nichols’ death
Dozens marched peacefully through Uptown Charlotte on January 28, protesting police brutality following the death of Tire Nichols.
The protest came a day after body camera footage of Tire Nichols’ Jan. 7 arrest was released. Memphis Police (MPD) arrested Nichols for an alleged traffic violation after taking photos of a sunset in Memphis, Tennessee. The confrontation was captured. in a video where MPD beat Nichols for three minutes while yelling profanities. Nichols died on January 10, after spending three days in the hospital.
Susan Harden and Shamaiye Haynes, chairs of UNC Charlotte’s Urban Youth and Community Studies department, along with some of their students, organized a campus march on Feb. 15 to honor Tire Nichols.
A UNC Charlotte student was robbed at gunpoint in Lot 5
A UNC Charlotte student reported a carjacking at gunpoint in Lot 5 on March 23rd.
The suspect in the UNC Charlotte Lot 5 carjacking was arrested on the night of March 23rd.
According to the Mecklenburg County JailWilliams was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, possession of a firearm by a felon, felon in possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm on educational property and a misdemeanor. robbery
UNC Charlotte completes April 30 memorial
After four years, the April 30 Constellation Garden memorial to commemorate the deaths of Ellis “Reed” Parlier and Riley Howell has been completed.
The $2 million memorial was designed, installed and built by TEN X TEN, hypersonic i Susan Hatchell Landscape Architecture.
The tubes, at the six points, are interactive with touchpads. People can play the pipes and the memorial lights will shine brighter. The more people interact with the structure, the brighter the lights.
April 30 Memorial in memory of Ellis “Reed” Parlier and Riley Howell.
The light animations will play 365 days a year from dusk to dawn. The animations will be different on April 30th, October 2nd (Parlier’s birthday) and December 13th (Howell’s birthday).
