https://justinwelch.journoportfolio.comRSS Feed for Justin WelchenTue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://trumpdossier.com/dossier.htmlA website documenting a chronological record of political, financial, and moral corruption in the Trump Administration. Each entry sourced and documented.Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://trumpdossier.com/dossier.htmlhttps://technicianonline.com/75537/opinion/opinion-have-you-caught-on-yet/Two weeks ago, NC State lost two members of the Pack to the Trump Administration’s ‘crackdown’ on immigration and student visas. As a community, we should be disgusted and angry by this arbitrary injustice without cause. As a country, we should feel mortified by what we’ve created — and what’s next.Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/75537/opinion/opinion-have-you-caught-on-yet/https://technicianonline.com/75480/opinion/letter-from-the-editor-bittersweet-release/Fare thee well, Technician.Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/75480/opinion/letter-from-the-editor-bittersweet-release/https://technicianonline.com/75489/news/a-professors-death-reflects-persisting-cultural-administrative-issues-across-nc-state/In November, Marshall Brain II, then director of NC State’s Engineering Entrepreneurs Program, died by suicide in his Centennial Campus office. Hours before he was found by University police, Brain sent an email to his colleagues entitled, “I want to help you understand.”Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/75489/news/a-professors-death-reflects-persisting-cultural-administrative-issues-across-nc-state/https://technicianonline.com/75576/news/how-trump-executive-orders-immigration-changes-affect-nc-state/A string of executive actions from the Trump administration have raised concerns about immigration status, student visas and free speech on campus. University officials say NC State will continue to monitor the changes and adhere to federal law.Wed, 05 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/75576/news/how-trump-executive-orders-immigration-changes-affect-nc-state/https://www.durhamnc.gov/5259/Participatory-Budgeting-Paper-Ballot-ResIn 2023, the City of Durham conducted Cycle III of the Participatory Budgeting (PB) program. The I-Team conducted an in-depth review and redesign of the program's paper ballots, and tested them during the voting period.Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5259/Participatory-Budgeting-Paper-Ballot-Reshttps://technicianonline.com/76410/opinion/opinion-this-was-supposed-to-be-a-reckoning-for-republicans-it-needs-to-be-one-for-the-democratic-party/Democrats again taste defeat to Donald Trump. The party only has itself to blame for continually platforming hollow candidates.Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/76410/opinion/opinion-this-was-supposed-to-be-a-reckoning-for-republicans-it-needs-to-be-one-for-the-democratic-party/https://technicianonline.com/76543/opinion/dueling-column-raleigh-voters-ought-to-reckon-with-the-t-ruth/Sure, Janet Cowell has the experience, but does she know what Raleigh really needs? Terrance Ruth’s unconventional political background shouldn’t discount him from Raleigh’s mayoral race, and here’s why.Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/76543/opinion/dueling-column-raleigh-voters-ought-to-reckon-with-the-t-ruth/https://technicianonline.com/76522/opinion/opinion-manipulating-misinformation-and-rising-death-tolls/In the midst of one of the state’s worst ever natural disasters, relief, volunteers and well wishes have poured into North Carolina. In a time of absolute calamity and suffering, people across the world have come together to demonstrate the very best of humanity to support our state. Well, almost all of humanity...Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/76522/opinion/opinion-manipulating-misinformation-and-rising-death-tolls/https://technicianonline.com/76600/news/the-conscientious-frat-boy/First-generation American. Fraternity brother. Insightful political participant. Meet Deven Desai, the voter.Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/76600/news/the-conscientious-frat-boy/https://technicianonline.com/76624/news/the-queens-gambit-how-the-harris-campaign-is-targeting-north-carolina-and-where-it-could-come-up-short/The hype for the Harris-Walz ticket has taken the state by storm. But Democrats haven’t tasted general election success in the state for over 16 years. Is the tide really set to turn this year, or will Democrats fail to entice the full coalition of young voters needed to swing the state?Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/76624/news/the-queens-gambit-how-the-harris-campaign-is-targeting-north-carolina-and-where-it-could-come-up-short/https://technicianonline.com/76774/news/student-body-president-allison-markert-vetoes-resolution-29-calling-for-ceasefire-in-gaza/Student Body President Allison Markert vetoed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and divestment of University funds from Israel Tuesday night...Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/76774/news/student-body-president-allison-markert-vetoes-resolution-29-calling-for-ceasefire-in-gaza/https://technicianonline.com/76776/news/nc-state-revises-policies-following-antisemitism-title-vi-complaint-to-integrate-contentious-shalom-act-language/NC State has revised its anti-discrimination policy following a settlement with the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under the Law. Some experts believe the obligations in the agreement could challenge freedom of speech on campus...Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/76776/news/nc-state-revises-policies-following-antisemitism-title-vi-complaint-to-integrate-contentious-shalom-act-language/https://technicianonline.com/77034/news/faculty-students-raise-health-and-safety-concerns-akin-to-poe-hall-ahead-of-dabney-renovations/Ahead of a multi-year, $140 million renovation to Dabney Hall, faculty and students in the chemistry department have flagged concerns about the safety of the project. Construction and safety managers involved in the project say the University is confident the occupied renovation will be conducted safely...Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/77034/news/faculty-students-raise-health-and-safety-concerns-akin-to-poe-hall-ahead-of-dabney-renovations/https://technicianonline.com/77048/opinion/opinion-unc-board-of-governors-cowers-behind-institutional-neutrality-in-gutting-dei-initiatives/Last week, the UNC Board of Governors voted to repeal a 2019 regulation that outlined diversity, equity and inclusion positions and initiatives for the state’s public universities. The board is justifying the move, which could result in diversity strategists  across the state losing their jobs, with their favorite scape phrase...Sun, 09 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/77048/opinion/opinion-unc-board-of-governors-cowers-behind-institutional-neutrality-in-gutting-dei-initiatives/https://technicianonline.com/76142/news/dabney-cox-hall-conditions-prompt-years-long-140-million-renovation/This summer, NC State is set to break ground on a $140 million renovation project on Dabney Hall that is set to last through 2029. The renovation comes after years of complaints concerning Dabney’s conditions...Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/76142/news/dabney-cox-hall-conditions-prompt-years-long-140-million-renovation/https://technicianonline.com/76086/news/republican-candidate-mark-robinson/For the first time in eight years, the North Carolina governor’s mansion in downtown Raleigh will be occupied by someone other than Gov. Roy Cooper. One of the main candidates for the most powerful office in the state lives right down the street...Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://technicianonline.com/76086/news/republican-candidate-mark-robinson/https://technicianonline.com/75910/opinion/editorial-students-have-power-within-the-university-use-it/There were four tickets for student body president and vice president in last year’s Student Government election. This year, students had just two options — the current student body vice president or an abstention...Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/75910/opinion/editorial-students-have-power-within-the-university-use-it/https://technicianonline.com/75909/news/snow-a-no-show-how-climate-change-is-affecting-the-triangles-winter-seasons/With spring break on the horizon, NC State and the wider Triangle area are beginning to feel the gradual lift of winter’s dormancy. Recent weeks’ warm temperatures have been a welcome change from the dreary rains, ashy skies and frigid walks from class to class. But how cold of a winter did North Carolina really have?...Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/75909/news/snow-a-no-show-how-climate-change-is-affecting-the-triangles-winter-seasons/https://technicianonline.com/76351/opinion/opinion-jon-stewart-returns-just-in-time-to-save-political-commentary/Last month, “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central surprised the media world by announcing the return of Jon Stewart as guest host and executive producer of the show after an eight-year hiatus. Though his homecoming will not magically cure the deep fractures of American media and political commentary, it's a good place to start.Political discourse in the United States is at an abhorrent level. Partisan divides continue to stretch further and further, everyone hates one another and the fundamental un...Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/76351/opinion/opinion-jon-stewart-returns-just-in-time-to-save-political-commentary/https://technicianonline.com/76279/opinion/editorial-lets-talk-about-nc-states-connections-to-white-supremacy/In this edition, Technician brought attention to 12 buildings on NC State’s campus with names directly connected to white supremacists and their racist ideologies and policies. Any way you frame it, the values and the sentiments they advanced in their public capacities are contradictory to our principles today...Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/76279/opinion/editorial-lets-talk-about-nc-states-connections-to-white-supremacy/https://technicianonline.com/76313/opinion/opinion-the-brick-layers-project-a-promising-catalyst-left-as-a-catalog/Almost five years on from the initiation of the Brick Layers Project, its work and legacy remain unfulfilled.In the spring of 2019, Chancellor Woodson funded several graduate students to work on a project exploring the campus’ built history for five semesters. The research publicized the reasons for the dedications of several individuals throughout campus, as well as the more nefarious sides of their biographies...Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://technicianonline.com/76313/opinion/opinion-the-brick-layers-project-a-promising-catalyst-left-as-a-catalog/https://www.durhamnc.gov/5073/2019-Municipal-Composting-StudyIn 2019, the City’s I-Team partnered with the Solid Waste Management Department and the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University to conduct several resident-based evaluations for designing and implementing a city curbside composting program.Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5073/2019-Municipal-Composting-Studyhttps://www.durhamnc.gov/5081/Durham-Expunction-Reinstatement-Program-In 2017, the I-Team's research into the barriers facing justice-involved Durham residents and their efforts to find solutions in overcoming these barriers led to the creation of the Durham Expunction & Reinstatement Program (DEAR).Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5081/Durham-Expunction-Reinstatement-Program-https://www.durhamnc.gov/5088/Equal-Business-Opportunity-Re-Form-ProjeThe City of Durham maintains goals for MWBE contracting, but has struggled to reach these goals in recent years. In the spring of 2022, the I-Team was asked contribute to a project addressing equitable contracting.Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5088/Equal-Business-Opportunity-Re-Form-Projehttps://www.durhamnc.gov/5109/2021-Global-Mayors-Challenge-ProposalIn the wake of COVID-19, the I-Team worked alongside various partners to address the pandemic through a proposed project entered into the Bloomberg Global Mayor's Challenge. The City of Durham’s proposal was selected as one of 50 finalists.Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5109/2021-Global-Mayors-Challenge-Proposalhttps://www.durhamnc.gov/5142/Ordinance-Equity-Review-ProjectIn the summer of 2022, the Innovation Team was tasked with designing and piloting a proactive review process for the Code of Ordinances as a part of the City's Continuous Improvement Plan.Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5142/Ordinance-Equity-Review-Projecthttps://www.durhamnc.gov/5208/Welcome-HomeHundreds of residents return to Durham each year from prison. Many struggle to find work, homes, and basic necessities needed to re-establish themselves in society. In 2017, the I-Team helped develop and launch a prototype for the Welcome Home Program.Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5208/Welcome-Homehttps://www.durhamnc.gov/5236/Equitable-Collections-Water-Hardship-FunAs a part of the CAFFE initiative for FY 2019-20, city leadership identified improving the Water Hardship Fund (WHF) process as one of the priorities for municipal collections reform. The I-Team was tasked with overseeing this process improvement.Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5236/Equitable-Collections-Water-Hardship-Funhttps://www.durhamnc.gov/5265/Accessible-Durham-ProjectIn 2023, the Innovation Team collaborated with a Duke Occupational Therapy doctoral student to design an accessibility assessment tool for parks and libraries in the City of Durham.Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://www.durhamnc.gov/5265/Accessible-Durham-Project