Chancellor

A pedestrian safety zone surrounds the Belk Tower, and the zone will remain until the tower is dismantled during winter break. Campus leaders now are focused on planning to revitalize what will be known as Belk Plaza.

LandDesign, a Charlotte-based urban design and landscape architecture firm, has been hired to provide recommendations for an improved aesthetic design of the quadrangle that is located in the historic core of the main campus.

The Advisory Committee to the Chancellor for Employee Health and Wellness is sponsoring the webinar “Emotional Eating: The Connection Between Mood and Food” from noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 18. Register online to be able to view this offering.

Chancellor Philip L. Dubois welcomed Gov. Pat McCrory and other dignitaries to campus Oct. 22 for a ceremonial signing of a bill that authorizes the state to vote on the Connect N.C. bond package. The $2 billion in bonds for economic development and infrastructure would include funding for the growth of science education at UNC Charlotte, specifically $90 million for a critically needed new science building.

The bond issue will be included on the state’s primary election ballot on March 15, 2016.

The Vickie and Gene Johnson Marching Band Center was officially dedicated on Wednesday, Oct. 21. For Chancellor Philip L. Dubois, the new building represents one more important step in the formation of a reputable football program at UNC Charlotte.

In his remarks, Dubois recalled feeling something was amiss at the first home game three years ago — even though the 49ers came away with a 52-7 victory over the Campbell Fighting Camels before a packed crowd in Jerry Richardson Stadium.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory will visit UNC Charlotte this week for a ceremonial bill signing to authorize the state to ask voters to approve $2 billion in bonds for economic development and infrastructure projects. The bond issue will be included on the state’s primary election ballot on March 15, 2016.

 Included in the package is a proposed new $90 million science building at UNC Charlotte. University leaders have cited the dramatic growth at the institution, notably in the sciences, math and engineering fields.

Alumnus Robert Niblock, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lowe’s Companies Inc., is donating $2.5 million to UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business. His gift will support the Student Center for Professional Development in the Belk College, which will be named the Robert A. Niblock Student Center for Professional Development.

Plans are in the works to remove the Belk Tower, which UNC Charlotte personnel and outside consulting engineers have determined to have significant structural issues.

In an Oct. 17 statement to campus, Chancellor Philip L. Dubois wrote, “Although the tower is not an immediate risk to campus, it does pose a potential safety hazard, and it is prudent to take precautions. The deterioration of the tower is the natural result of age-related corrosion, water penetration and rust that have damaged the tower’s concrete, metal and electrical components.”

Autumn harvests can be a time of plenty, and at this year’s Staff Council Fall Festival, there was an abundance of employee participation, generosity and camaraderie.

Approximately 700 individuals attended this traditional event that offered food, fun, prizes and contests. It also was a time for community engagement, as University employees contributed items to benefit Joyful Hearts, an organization where people of any age can volunteer and serve the special needs community.

Jeff Baker, Dawn Floyd and David Spano have been appointed to the recently established UNC Campus Security Committee.

Comprised of individuals from the University system’s 17 constituent institutions, the UNC Campus Security Committee will advise the president and other members of the UNC system leadership on best policy practices and ways to improve campus safety, in addition to implementing recommendations from campus security initiatives. Committee members include campus safety professionals, students and faculty representatives.

The Advisory Committee to the Chancellor for Employee Health and Wellness is sponsoring the webinar “Resiliency: Bouncing Back after a Setback” at noon, Thursday, Oct. 15. Employees interested in viewing this offering should register online.