Kyra O'Connor

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Recent Articles

NEWS 4/12/21 5:12pm

Female representation on campus is crucial but only one step, leaders say

By Kyra O'Connor

Of every 10 undergraduate students who walk Elon University’s brick pathways, six identify as women. From being 60% of the undergraduate population to 50% of the faculty population, female members of the Elon community are represented across academics, clubs, organizations and in leadership positions

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LIFESTYLE 4/11/21 4:04pm

Confronting religious trauma

By Kyra O'Connor

For some, religion serves as a community, a place of support. It can serve as a common identity shared among family members or a set of beliefs one has held since childhood that governs their lives. For others, religion is a source of pain and shame, a place they feel shunned and unwelcome or even unsafe. Unlike other forms of trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, there is little research on the impact of religious trauma syndrome.

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NEWS 3/31/21 9:57am

Q&A with Joseph LeMire, Elon University’s new chief of campus security and police

By Kyra O'Connor

Joseph LeMire began his new role as Elon University’s new chief of campus safety and police on March 29. LeMire entered the field 28 years ago after he was inspired in high school by his uncle, who worked for the Chicago Police Department. Elon News Network spoke with LeMire about his plans for his first days on campus, his thoughts on the mutual aid agreement and how he will connect with the Elon community.

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NEWS 3/11/21 11:13am

Board of Aldermen addresses mass gathering limits, university financial contribution

By Kyra O'Connor

The Board of Aldermen discussed the town of Elon’s executive order for mass gathering limits at their March 9 meeting. The board also discussed Elon University’s financial contribution to the town, which includes $80,000 annually to the fire department with a 2% increase each year to account for inflation and passed a budget amendment.

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NEWS 3/8/21 2:11pm

Redesigning Elon University's bias reporting system

By Kyra O'Connor

The working group to design the Elon University bias response system has begun to hold listening sessions with students, faculty and staff. The sessions will allow university community members and those who receive bias reports to provide feedback before a preliminary report is delivered to vice presidents Jon Dooley and Randy Williams on April 15.

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NEWS 3/4/21 5:27pm

Elon University to bargain with faculty union

By Kyra O'Connor

Elon University administration will bargain with the faculty union, according to an email from Provost Aswani Volety to faculty and staff on March 4. This decision follows the certification of the faculty union by the National Labor Relations Board on Feb. 19. The decision determined that part-time, limited term and visiting faculty at Elon are eligible to form a union.

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NEWS 2/25/21 5:40pm

Advancing diversity, equity and inclusion for faculty and staff

By Kyra O'Connor

The working group for diversity, equity and inclusion of the academic council — the governing body over faculty — is working to include information addressing bias in the faculty handbook, particularly with regard to evaluation for faculty. The university is also working to redesign the bias response system and will debut a new training program for all university employees.

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NEWS 2/24/21 6:47pm

Faculty groups respond to NLRB decision in support of union

By Kyra O'Connor

After the National Labor Relations Board reaffirmed the non-tenure track faculty members’ right to unionize, Elon University’s Academic Council and chapter of the Association of American University Professors both released statements urging the university to begin bargaining with the union.

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NEWS 2/23/21 6:01pm

Joseph LeMire chosen as Elon University's next chief of campus safety and police

By Kyra O'Connor

Joe LeMire will serve as Elon University’s chief of campus safety and police starting March 29. The university chose the former University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee police chief after restarting the search process in the fall. The first search was conducted last spring, but was paused and ultimately stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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NEWS 2/20/21 9:47pm

National Labor Relations Board rules in favor of Elon University non-tenure track faculty members’ right to form union

By Kyra O'Connor

The National Labor Relations Board ruled in favor of Elon University non-tenure track faculty members’ right to form a union on Feb.19. This decision ends the year-long legal back-and-forth between the university and the faculty union, Elon Faculty Forward. 

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NEWS 2/19/21 4:50pm

Elon University expenses exceeded projections during fall semester

By Kyra O'Connor

Elon University spent more money than anticipated during the fall semester due to pandemic related costs, according to Provost Aswani Volety. Representatives of the university did not say how much was planned for in the annual budget or how much more it spent than anticipated during the fall semester. Among the expenses were COVID-19 tests, cleaning supplies and the personal protection equipment required to open campus safely. 

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NEWS 2/15/21 8:28am

Students, staff weigh in on final director of campus police candidate

By Kyra O'Connor

Elon University students and staff members express what they expect of the final candidate for director of campus safety and police. Some members of the university community want the new director to establish relationships with different communities across campus.The yearlong search is coming to close after final candidate Joe LeMire presented to students, faculty and staff on campus.

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NEWS 2/10/21 8:45pm

Board of Aldermen discuss littering in town of Elon neighborhood

By Kyra O'Connor

The town of Elon Board of Aldermen discussed litter issues in neighborhoods, recognized two town of Elon police officers and heard from Elon University officials on COVID-19 cases at the agenda-setting meeting on Feb. 9. 

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NEWS 2/2/21 8:31pm

Final candidate for Elon director of campus safety and police gives presentation

By Kyra O'Connor

Joe LeMire presented on-campus as the final candidate in the search for Elon’s next chief of campus safety and police. He presented his background, leadership philosophy, their vision for campus policing and the challenges and opportunities in campus policing to students, faculty and staff, as part of the fifth and final stage of the interview process.

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NEWS 1/20/21 10:34am

Elon University aims to administer COVID-19 vaccines

By Kyra O'Connor

University physician and member of the Ready & Resilient committee Ginette Archinal said that getting approval to become a vaccine site is a process with a lot of moving parts. Not only does the university have to have the ability to store vaccine doses, but there also have to be enough people to distribute the vaccine, and any distribution site must have the ability to record the data from the vaccinations.

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NEWS 12/10/20 10:37am

North Carolina plans COVID-19 vaccine distribution, as FDA approval nears

By Kyra O'Connor

According to Alamance County Health Director Tony Lo Giudice, long-term care facilities u2014 which are part of Phase 1b of vaccine distribution u2014 have the ability to partner with pharmacies registered with the state and federal government to provide the vaccine. As soon as doses become available, the state will then give the allotted number of doses to registered pharmacies and providers, who will work with long-term care facilities to vaccinate staff and residents.

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NEWS 11/12/20 2:27pm

University, town to take actions to improve safety in Elon

By Kyra O'Connor

After students expressed their concerns and the establishment of a roundtable by Elon University President Connie Book, “immediate actions” are being taken by the university following a convoy in support of President Donald Trump that drove through Elon in September. These action steps involve the collaboration with the town of Elon.

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NEWS 11/11/20 10:13am

Alamance County GOP will vote on vacant commissioner seat

By Kyra O'Connor

The Alamance County GOP executive board will vote on a candidate to finish the remaining two years of Amy Galey’s term in January, according to Chairman of the Alamance County GOP Ben York. 

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NEWS 11/10/20 7:57pm

Board of Aldermen approves five story building for Twin Lakes

By Kyra O'Connor

The Board of Aldermen voted this week to approve granting the Lutheran Retirement Ministries a special ordinance to build a five-story apartment project in the Twin Lakes Community campus, which will be the town’s first five story building. 

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NEWS 11/4/20 12:30am

Alamance County commissioners projected to maintain Republican majority

By Kyra O'Connor

With 38 of 38 precincts reported in, the three Republican candidates for county commissioner — John Paisley, Jr., Bill Lashley, Jr. and Pamela Thompson — took the three seats available. John Paisley won the majority of votes for county commissioner with 18.48%.

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