UNC-Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees held their full board meeting this past Thursday in the Carolina Inn. Here's what was discussed.
After roll call, the board immediately motioned to approve the revocation of Bill Cosby’s honorary doctor of laws degree. In the memorandum, Chancellor Carol Folt wrote, “facts have come to light that Mr. Cosby engaged in conduct inconsistent with the values of the University and with remaining as a recipient of an honorary degree.” The motion was approved unanimously without discussion and passed.
The Board then allowed Savannah Putnam to give her oath of office as UNC Student Body President.
“We especially would like to welcome Savannah to the Board of Trustees,” said Haywood Cochrane, chairperson of the Board. “She is a breath of fresh air with a unique perspective that I think will benefit each member of this Board as she gives us the student perspective that we all too often need to have at the forefront of our thinking."
Putnam was given some time to make remarks about what her administration plans to accomplish and her role on the board.
“I understand that at times you all will look to me for guidance,” Putnam said. “This is a role I do not take lightly, and I am looking forward to the challenge.”
Martin Brinkley, dean of the UNC School of Law, then spoke about the Kenan-Flagler Business School and the School of Law's new joint program, the Carolina Institute for Law and Entrepreneurship.
“We wanted to launch a clinic in which the start-up activity here on our campus could come and get a corporation set up, or a limited liability company,” Brinkley said. “And then have the ability to capture the intellectual property that is probably going to be the driver of that business and ultimately get commercialized.”
The program aims to provide law students with practical experience while also helping out UNC’s entrepreneurial scene.
