Chancellor

James (Jesh) Humphrey IV has been appointed vice chancellor for legal affairs and general counsel, effective July 1.

Humphrey has been a member of the Office of Legal Affairs staff for almost 10 years, as assistant, associate, senior associate and deputy general counsel. For a short period in 2011, he served as chief legal counsel for the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics and assistant vice president for legal affairs at UNC General Administration.

State employees will get a combination of across-the-board and merit raises via the budget compromise announced late Monday night. The budget compromise will be sent to Gov. Pat McCrory for his signature this week, after being voted on by the N.C. House and Senate.

The budget includes a 1.5 percent raise and a one-time bonus equal to 0.5 percent of their annual salary for all employees. UNC campuses also will receive funding to award additional one-time bonuses to EHRA employees based upon performance.

The extension of light rail from Center City to UNC Charlotte is scheduled to begin operations in summer 2017, with two stations serving the main campus. To prepare for this transformational event, the University has launched a new informational website.

Lightrail.charlotte.edu is a campus resource for students, faculty and staff on how the Blue Line Extension will connect the University to Center City and other points along the light rail route to its southern terminus.

The UNC Charlotte community is mourning the death of Charles C. “Cliff” Cameron, 96, a longtime and dedicated supporter of the University.  

Cameron’s service to the University began in 1967, when he became a member of the board of directors of the UNC Charlotte Foundation.

“It is impossible to measure the impact that Cliff Cameron made on UNC Charlotte and the whole University City region,” said Chancellor Philip L. Dubois.

Raises for state employees and enrollment growth funding for the UNC system are among the measures included in the N.C. House of Representatives budget, slated for a final vote May 19. The state Senate is working on its budget, which is expected to be released by May 27.

For state workers, the N.C. House budget proposes a 2 percent salary increase with a one-time $500 bonus for all employees. The UNC system would receive $31 million in funding for enrollment growth, of this, UNC Charlotte would get about $8.6 million.

UNC President Margaret Spellings has offered the following comment on her response to the U.S. Department of Justice regarding federal nondiscrimination law and the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act (HB2), as well as legal action initiated today by the department:

UNC Charlotte is a vibrant, expanding institution, and the University is making plans for another transformational jewel in its crown.

 The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) LYNX Blue Line Extension (BLE) is an approximately nine-mile addition to the Queen City’s existing light rail service that will connect UNC Charlotte Center City and the main campus. There will be two stations that will provide service to the University. 

UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip L. Dubois is the 2016 recipient of the World Citizen Award, presented by the World Affairs Council of Charlotte. This prestigious honor recognizes his commitment to improving the international presence of the Charlotte region. He was given the award formally at a dinner Wednesday, April 20.

Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C., announced today that Krista Newkirk, currently chief of staff for Chancellor Philip L. Dubois, will be the college’s new president. Newkirk, a 13-year employee of UNC Charlotte, will assume her new role at Converse on July 1.

The Alumni Reunion Weekend, First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal ceremony and Leadership Charlotte are among the topics for the latest installment of the “Chancellor’s Fast Five.”