Wednesday, September 03, 2003

WILMINGTON, NC – Programming for the week of September 8, UNCW Community Link, an interactive, public affairs television show, includes a chat with UNCW’s new chancellor, Rosemary DePaolo, and with three area reverends with different affiliations regarding the induction of a gay bishop into an Episcopalian Church in New Hampshire.

H.E. “Hunter” Thompson Jr. speaks with Chancellor DePaolo about her plans for the university. When asked how she is taking to the campus, she said, “It’s even better than I thought it was. Of course any university is only as good as its people, and it has been an absolute joy to meet everyone.” Over the next five years DePaolo confesses that the budget will be her biggest challenge. She aims to “help the entire University of North Carolina System through the budget crunch.”

UNCW rose from seventh to sixth among public universities in the South in the latest college rankings by US News & World Report and is tied for 18th among the 131 public and private comprehensive universities in the South.

“This interests me. We are now looking more closely at the universities that are above us and seeing what they are doing, what resources they have, and we will strive for the same things,” DePaolo said.

Betty Ann Sanders speaks with Minister Susan Karlson, from the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington, Rev. Russell Heiland of Unity Christ Church and Rev. Joe Cooper from Church of the Servant about their feelings regarding the recent induction of a gay Episcopalian reverend. Since the Episcopal Church’s House of Deputies decided that Reverend Canon Gene Robinson, who has been in a committed gay relationship for 14 years, may serve as a bishop there has been a tremendous uproar.

Karlson said, “We (Unitarians) have been ordaining and marrying homosexuals for the last 30 years, but the Episcopalians are more out there, they are a larger part of the population. That is why they are making headlines.”

Rev. Cooper, who attended the convention that elected Robinson, said, “It was an interesting convention. It was loving and caring and spiritual. Having a bishop approved was a big step for the world.”

The Guest Editorial segment is provided by Rev. Richard G. Elliott from St. Andrew’s On-The-Sound Episcopal Church regarding Bishop Robinson’s induction as well. Elliott delivers an eloquent commentary on the subject and touches on several issues that have been left out of the press.

“Issues surrounding sexuality and homosexuality are a struggle that is being lived out in our homes, our schools, our civic organizations and in most of our churches. The Episcopal Church is but one of many denominations facing similar questions in recent years.”

UNCW Community Link reaches beyond the television studio to allow citizens to sound off on compelling issues facing Southeastern North Carolina. Hosts Sanders and Thompson engage and challenge the region’s newsmakers and opinion-shapers and then ask viewers to voice their opinions. Through collaboration with the Southeast Public Interest Network of North Carolina (www.SpinNC.org), citizens can use the latest Internet technologies to continue the dialog on show topics and community ideas.

For more information on this show’s topics please visit:

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington

http://home.earthlink.net/~uufw/

Unity Christ Church of Wilmington

http://www.unitywil.com/

Tune into UNCW Community Link

Wilmington & Brunswick County 7 p.m. Mondays

7 p.m. Thursdays

7 p.m. Fridays The Learning Network on Time Warner Ch 5 and Charter Com. Ch 12

Pender County 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

Government Channel 8

Carteret County/Havelock 7 p.m. Thursdays

Time Warner Channel 10

Jacksonville 7 p.m. Thursdays

Time Warner Channel 10



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