At the UNC Board of Trustees board meeting on May 18, board members discussed updates to the planning of the School of Civic Life and Leadership, swore in 2023-24 Student Body President Christopher Everett and reviewed the committee meetings on May 17.
What’s new?
- Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz provided updates on the School of Civic Life and Leadership.
- In early May, the personnel policies for fixed-term faculty in the program for public discourse were approved, Guskiewicz said.
- He also announced that the School has hired its first faculty member: Rory Hanlon. Hanlon is currently a teaching fellow in the philosophy department at the University of Chicago.
- The faculty committee responsible for guiding the creation of the new School, which includes establishing a plan for developing the curriculum and forming the faculty, met on May 17.
- “I’ve spoken with many of our faculty and senior leaders who believe we can and should be a higher education leader in civic discourse, civic life and promoting democracy as part of our strategic plan,” Guskiewicz said.
- In the N.C. General Assembly, both the N.C. House and Senate have allocated funds to the School of Civic Life and Leadership in their proposed budgets. The Senate’s proposal also includes reduced funding to the UNC School of Law and the UNC School of Government.
- Members of the Board of Trustees passed a resolution to honor trustees Allie Ray McCullen, Teresa Artis Neal and R. Gene Davis Jr., whose terms end on June 30.
- Davis will be joining the Board of Governors on July 1.
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Christopher Everett, the student body president for the 2023-24 academic year, was sworn in by the Board of Trustees.
- “I hope to, and will, make sure that my work and the work of this board creates space for all of us at this table — those from diverse identities, experiences and backgrounds, and making sure that inclusion is at the forefront of our work,” he said.
- Everett said that the UNC Joint Governance Council has passed a resolution expressing its full support for the bills currently before the General Assembly seeking to repeal the ban on public sector collective bargaining, which would allow UNC employees to collectively bargain through the union of their choice.
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Lauren Hawkinson, the 2023-24 graduate and professional student government president, spoke about supporting graduate students at the University.
- “Graduate students are not only students," she said. "We are researchers, teachers, project organizers. We are daughters, sons, parents and caregivers."
- In her role, Hawkinson said she plans to explore ways to provide housing and food security; advocate for protected time off and reasonable work hours; increase stipends and ensure that graduate students are aware of reporting mechanisms if they experience difficulty with their advisors.
- Davis moved a resolution to remove the naval armory from the proposed demolition list, which passed unanimously.
- On May 17, the Strategic Initiatives Committee received a presentation about the history of the ROTC at UNC.
- The Armory is the center of student life for ROTC students at UNC, according to Captain Andrew Hertel, the chairperson of the Department of Naval Science.
- During the closed session, the board discussed personnel action items, including 10 promotions conferring tenure, four new appointments conferring tenure and 12 other personnel actions.
- The board unanimously approved the requested personnel action items.
Who is on the BOT?
- The Board of Trustees is comprised of 13 members. Eight members are selected by the UNC Board of Governors, four are appointed by the N.C. General Assembly and the UNC student body president serves as an ex-officio member.
The board will meet again on July 26 and 27.
