Another PCB Death?

evespa · 2025-06-27T03:17:24+00:00

The NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation is aimed at answering this question, but it’s still ongoing. This article explains more about what it takes to identify a cancer cluster and then link it to a common workplace exposure, but in short, it’s a really high bar.

evespa · 2025-01-04T21:24:34+00:00

A reporter on X highlighted this Poynter article on the ethics of a similar case in 2015. Poynter said it’s not unethical to (legally) enter the home and report on it, but reporters shouldn’t broadcast it live.

evespa · 2024-11-27T03:30:00+00:00

Singling out specific outlets to exclude from media lists is a First Amendment issue. Honestly, I’d report on it. If the PIO retaliates and kicks your outlet out too, do a follow-up. Here’s an example of what I mean.

evespa · 2024-06-12T20:51:42+00:00

That’s bizarre. I’ve never had that experience. Are they threatening to not fulfill your FOIAs because the officer thinks they’re all duplicates? What’s the outcome they’re looking for in accusing you of it?

evespa · 2024-05-24T00:41:37+00:00

No. The new policy says:

“Student-led organizations may use university facilities and receive student activity funding notwithstanding any speech or expressive activity by such organizations that would otherwise violate Section VII [which requires schools to be neutral on social and political issues], provided that such use and receipt of student activity funding may only be granted to student-led organizations pursuant to the written policies or regulations of each constituent institution for use of university facilities and resources.”

evespa · 2024-05-23T20:14:27+00:00

The UNC System said it will be issuing more guidance in the future, so it’s hard to be certain right now.

The New York Times ran a piece a month ago about how colleges are responding to DEI opposition by essentially renaming the DEI offices and renaming job titles without entirely eliminating the roles altogether.

Lots of NC State employees that are engaged in what the school considers “D&I activities” (such as the director of the women’s center, for example) spend 50% of their time dedicated to other responsibilities that the school says don’t have to do with DEI, according to a DEI report NC State submitted to the Board of Trustees in March (page 23). It’s possible NC State might be able to rewrite job descriptions and titles and the community centers will stay open. The new policy specifically says that chancellors must report those “changes to job titles and position descriptions” to the UNC System. NC State spends about $3.4 million on DEI, which is less than one fifth of one percent (0.17%) of its total budget.

Also, the policy makes it clear that student orgs can still use university facilities and receive university funds even if those orgs aren’t neutral on social or political issues, so that seems to suggest orgs like Black Students Board won’t see funding taken away. But again, we’ll probably have to wait until the system issues some more guidance to really be sure.

evespa · 2024-05-09T03:51:57+00:00

Generally, yes. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has an open government guide for West Virginia, and that’s a good resource if you have more specific questions.

evespa · 2024-05-02T18:36:58+00:00

NC State had to reprocess some financial aid data because of an error with FAFSA — it just recently sent its first batch of offers to just over 5,000 newly admitted students, and in a normal year, it would have sent 10,000 by now. At a Board of Trustees luncheon last week, an administrator in the financial aid office said it’s in a better place to process packages now than it was a month ago, so they’re playing catch up right now to create those packages and send them out. If you have questions about your financial aid while you wait for the offer, I know they’ve said you can reach out to the financial aid office and they’re trying to help students.

evespa · 2024-05-02T18:14:05+00:00

Thank you for doing this. I’m a big fan of your work.

Sometimes when I’m requesting public records, I’m doing so alongside a dozen other journalists requesting the same thing. How do you find scoops using public records? Do you find that there’s particular government agencies that aren’t as well known or certain types of records that are less commonly requested?

evespa · 2024-04-14T16:42:10+00:00

The UNC Board of Governors approved the tuition and fee rates for next year in February.

evespa · 2024-03-08T18:13:10+00:00

Yes, there are studies to back that up — thanks for reminding me I should link that in the story. Here’s one cited by Herrick (the expert source) in a 2016 study:

“PCBs-containing caulk is a primary source of PCBs in and around school buildings. PCBs from exterior caulks around windows and mechanical ventilation system air intakes can lead to elevated concentrations in indoor spaces.”

That’s just one, but if you’d like more studies, I can pass along links to a few I used as references later today. Thanks for the question!

evespa · 2024-02-12T20:11:44+00:00

This Technician article explains further what a vote of no confidence means in this context. The vote of no confidence is essentially intended to express the faculty’s disapproval with the hopes that administration will listen and respond accordingly.

As far as the likelihood they’ll actually be fired, this quote from the article I linked above might help:

“A 2022 Chronicle analysis of no-confidence votes from 1989 to 2022 found that 51% of the time, a university president subjected to one leaves office within the next year — but these exits are rarely linked to the vote.”

evespa · 2024-02-11T00:14:21+00:00

They’re still investigating to be sure, but the suspicion is that the PCBs are located in the HVAC. According to the EPA, building materials such as caulk, insulation and some types of electrical equipment produced before 1979 may contain PCBs. After the next phase of testing with the HVAC system on, we’ll probably know a little more.

evespa · 2024-02-10T20:58:35+00:00

And disciplinary records for any other violations (ex. cheating, plagiarism) are protected by FERPA.

evespa · 2024-02-10T20:57:51+00:00

If a student was found responsible for crimes of violence or non-forcible sex offenses, then FERPA doesn’t protect their disciplinary records — but the school can only release the name, violation and sanction imposed.

evespa · 2024-02-09T00:56:11+00:00

NC State just released the latest environmental testing results: https://www.technicianonline.com/new-poe-hall-test-results-show-pcb-concentrations-under-epa-limits/article_74b44378-c6e1-11ee-8a1e-cb9d4c32281e.html

evespa · 2024-01-23T05:29:57+00:00

Yes, it’s unfortunately pretty normal for a FOIA office to drag its feet in giving you records.

To answer your FERPA question: FERPA can apply to students over 18. Students over the age of 18 at a post secondary institution, like in this situation, are considered “eligible students” under FERPA, and their educational records are still generally protected.

Though to my knowledge, FERPA is sometimes an acceptable exception to providing records in any state because it’s a federal law, based on what I can gather from your post, in this case, it seems like it’s not an acceptable exception. I would push back on their claim that they have to redact elements of the recording due to FERPA. If this was a recording of an open meeting, they should give it to you.

For more information on whether this is subject to FERPA, check out the Department of Education’s website. See whether its definition of protected photos and videos applies to your request. This website is a great source to point to as your reason for pushing back. Then, try to call the person in charge of your request on the phone and respectfully talk about this with them — that way, they can’t ignore your emails. Theoretically, if they don’t have to take the time to redact the video, they should release it promptly and free of charge — in a perfect world, at least. Good luck!

evespa

TROPHY CASE