Trustees compliment Spellings, remove Hunt Institute

At Thursday’s full Board of Trustees meeting, both Chairperson Dwight Stone and Chancellor Carol Folt praised new UNC-system president Margaret Spellings’ visit to campus.

Stone said UNC is a welcoming place, and he expects all students, staff and faculty to extend that welcome to Spellings.

"I believe President Spellings has gotten off to a fantastic start," he said.

Folt cited Spellings’ appointment and visit as a milestone and a celebration of women’s success at UNC.

Trustees met in closed session for two hours and 20 minutes Thursday. The board's personnel committee met for an hour and 10 minutes Wednesday.

Votes

The board approved the removal of the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy from the University’s collaborative network. The institute's review by a UNC committee started in February 2015 and Provost Jim Dean recommended its removal at Wednesday’s University Affairs committee meeting.

In a UNC press release after the meeting, former Governor James Hunt said the institute has deeply valued its affiliation with UNC-Chapel Hill and the UNC-system General Administration.

“While these actions will allow us to implement an even more ambitious agenda for our future, this has been a very difficult decision. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Carolina for many years to come," he said in the press release.

The finance committee had three renovations approved: an extension of dining services to the top floor of Chase Hall and renovations to Wilson Hall and Beard Hall.

The board also voted to approve an update to traffic and parking on campus that came from the finance committee.

The board appointed Terry Magnuson as Vice Chancellor for Research by mail-in ballot. Folt named Magnuson, the founding chairperson of the genetics department, to the role in February.

Connect NC bond

Stone and Folt both talked about the promise of the Connect NC bond, which passed during North Carolina's March 15 primary.

“No greater example of teamwork than the stunning success of the Connect NC bond vote,” Stone said.

The bond provides for $68 million for a new medical school building to replace Berryhill Hall. UNC would contribute $22.6 million for a total $90.6 million budget for the new construction.

“The Connect NC bond passage is really important for us,” Folt said. “Beyond the gift of the building, it’s the gift of the confidence and what we can do.”

Research spotlights

Sharon Holland, associate chairperson of the Department of American Studies, talked about her research into the relationship between blackness and animal association, which she conducts largely through interviews with contemporary black writers.

“I want to remove the cloak of objectivity and think about blackness in much more interesting ways,” she said.

Physics professor Richard Superfine presented applications of the Be a Maker program, which encourages creativity through makerspaces around campus equipped with tools like 3D printers.

In order to attract students, Superfine said, the University should put more focus on these spaces. He announced the upcoming construction of a new makerspace in Carmichael Residence Hall.

“If you’re really going to change lives, you’re going to have to have students want to do this work, need to do this work,” he said.

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