General News
State Department picks education professor for Tunisian assignment
The U.S. Department of State has selected Spencer Salas, a Cato College of Education professor, for a weeklong project as an English language specialist; he will focus on curricular innovation and building teacher capacity in Tunisia.
University again designated Tree Campus USA institution
For the fifth consecutive year, UNC Charlotte has earned the Tree Campus USA Award. Given by the Arbor Day Foundation, this national honor recognizes colleges and universities that are committed to urban forest management and that engage staff and students in conservation goals.
Established in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Campus USA currently has more than 250 colleges and universities that have achieved this distinction.
‘Ganache at the Gardens’ scheduled
UNC Charlotte’s Botanical Gardens is celebrating chocolate, just in time for Valentine’s Day. This free, public event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10, at the McMillan Greenhouse.
Jeff Gillman, director of the Botanical Gardens, will give a short talk about the cocoa tree at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Esa Weinreb, head chocolate maker at the Underground Truffle, will demonstrate chocolate making at noon and 1:30 p.m.
State Department official to talk about nation’s opioid crisis
James Walsh from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs will present “The National Opioid Crisis” at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center, Salon D.
Walsh was appointed the bureau’s principal deputy assistant secretary in September 2018. In his UNC Charlotte talk, he will address the global dimensions and international implications of the opioid crisis and the drug trade.
Whitaker to address ‘Refugees and Global Migration’ for Great Decisions
Beth Whitaker, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, will discuss “Refugees and Global Migration” as the second speaker for the 2019 Great Decisions Lecture Series. This free, public presentation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 6, at UNC Charlotte Center City.
Series to explore the Civil War ‘Beyond the Myths’
A series of programs scheduled in February and March will look at the impact of the Civil War on North Carolina, and how the state’s role in the Confederacy plays out today in the ongoing tensions surrounding the monuments of that war.
Proposals being accepted for Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund
The Council on University Community is accepting proposals for the Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund, which supports initiatives that promote the daily value of diversity in the intellectual life of the campus. Faculty, staff or students are eligible to apply for awards of up to $5,000.
MUD program and middle school partner to create ‘tiny park’
A new “tiny park” near the corner of 10th Street and Jackson Avenue is the result of a community collaboration that brought students of the UNC Charlotte Master of Urban Design (MUD) program together with seventh-graders from Piedmont Open IB Middle School.
Seattle University professor to address ‘Immigration Crisis’
Natalie Cisneros, an assistant professor at Seattle University, will present “How Does It feel to be a Problem? Racism and the ‘Immigration Crisis’” at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7, in the Cone University Center, Room 111.
‘Defender of Acceptance’ shared her story as part of MLK Celebration
As 15-year-old Dorothy Counts-Scoggins walked toward the entrance of Harding High School on Sept. 4, 1957, she endured the taunts of both children and adults. They threw sticks and rocks, pushed and shoved her and even spat on her.