University Operations

The 2014-15 state budget provides an across-the-board salary increase effective July 1, 2014, for employees who are subject to the State Personnel Act. The salaries of all full-time permanent and probationary SPA employees, including those on time-limited appointments, will be increased by $1,000. Permanent full-time employees who work a 9-, 10-, or 11-month work schedule also will receive the $1,000 increase. Permanent part-time employees’ raises will be pro-rated.
• Employees are eligible for the increase without consideration of performance ratings or disciplinary actions.

Chancellor Philip L. Dubois focused on the University’s past and future in his Convocation remarks, noting in a highly competitive world of higher education, interest in UNC Charlotte continues to climb.
“Notwithstanding some challenges … this institution finds itself in a very good place,” he said. “Completed applications for freshman admission this fall reached 15,600, an 80 percent increase since 2005. Our goal with all of these students, of course, is to send degree recipients out into the world of work as productive and engaged members of the community.”

The Orbis Grille at PORTAL, a new campus dining facility, opens Monday, Aug. 18, and will feature a vibrant mix of breakfast and lunch fare.
According to auxiliary services, Orbis Grille will offer salads, sandwiches and featured entrees with a “global flavor.” Its Evo grill action station, which is a round, open cook top, offers a  healthy cooking method and chef interaction.

Gina Ramoz recently joined UNC Charlotte as biosafety director in the Office of Research and Economic Development.
With nearly 30 years of scientific experience working in clinical, research and academic laboratories, Ramoz will manage the biosafety program for the University’s rapidly growing and evolving research and academic environment.

Fall semester always is an exciting time as a new academic year gets under way at UNC Charlotte. More than 30,000 students, faculty and staff will be on campus engaged in research, scholarly or life-enriching pursuits. This includes an incoming freshman class of about 3,350 and roughly 2,700 transfer students.

Staff members from UNC Charlotte are working with community partners to soften the disruption for students whose off-campus apartments near the University will be delayed.
Several new high-end apartment complexes designed specifically for UNC Charlotte students are running behind schedule, with most of them able to accommodate only a portion of the 1,500 students who have leases. Most of those students had expected to move in around Friday, Aug. 15, but construction delays have pushed back move-in for many by up to three weeks.

South Village Crossing, the University’s new dining/gathering facility, will open in mid-October due to construction delays.
“South Village Crossing will be different from anything we’ve ever had at UNC Charlotte,” said Keith Wassum, associate vice chancellor for business services in the Division for Business Affairs. “The combination of state-of-the-art kitchen equipment and building systems, green building features and site considerations, added a significant level of complexity to the project.”

University Convocation, which traditionally marks the start of the academic year, will begin at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 19, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall. This annual event is an opportunity for the campus community to learn more about the University’s short- and long-term goals and plans.
Chancellor Philip L. Dubois and Provost Joan Lorden will address faculty, staff and students.
In addition, Jim Kay, chair of the Staff Council, will give remarks; Greg Starrett from the Department of Anthropology will present the faculty agenda for the 2014-15 academic year.

The UNC Campus Security Initiative report that was provided Thursday, July 31, to the UNC Board of Governors by President Tom Ross was developed by a team of individuals focused on different aspects of safety from each of the 17 campuses.  UNC Charlotte was actively engaged in developing the report, which will be blueprint for the University system to further strengthen its protection of our students.  The entire report is online.

UNC Charlotte police, business continuity, communication, and facilities personnel will participate in a limited, emergency response simulation on campus Wednesday, Aug. 6. The activity is another example of the University working closely with local first responders to enhance campus safety and security.