ECU welcomes students to campus
GREENVILLE, NC — East Carolina University welcomed back students and faculty this week as the university prepares for the first day of classes Aug. 23.
Approximately 23,500 students are enrolled for the fall 2006 semester.
In the faculty convocation Aug. 21, Chancellor Steve Ballard outlined the current state of the university as well as goals for the future that will ensure the university’s progress.
“Our stature as a national university, our accomplishments and the quality of work by our faculty are noteworthy,” he said. “In combination they create a culture at ECU that enables us to think big as we design our future.”
Ballard asked those assembled to take part in the future of the university.
“Give us feedback on the strategic directions of the university, let us know what we’ve missed, and help us articulate how we can achieve these directions,” he said. “More importantly, take seriously the opportunity to define the future of your own area.”
ECU officials predict a record number of first-year students will come to campus this year. Last year’s freshman class was 3,550. Final enrollment figures will be available after the close of the add/drop period, the 10th day of class, Sept. 6.
Freshman began moving to campus on Thursday and move-in continued over the weekend. Just over 5,100 students are housed on campus, said Todd Johnson, associate vice chancellor for housing and dining, putting the residence halls at 98 percent occupancy.
The new College Hill Suites Residence Hall, which opened Saturday to upperclassmen, houses 488 students. The $31.5 million facility is a five-story, 488-bed apartment-style residence hall. Each four-person suite has amenities such as Internet, cable TV, local phone service, kitchenettes, a shared living room space, and semi-private baths shared by two students.
The Belk Residence Hall on College Hill was reopened this semester due to demand for on campus living, said Johnson. The original plan was to take it offline this year for upgrades.
Other campus activities include the following:
• Four new master’s level programs will be offered this year: a master’s in health communication; a master’s in athletic training; a master’s in construction management; and a master’s in software engineering. Several of these programs are offered online.
• The $61 million Allied Health Sciences Building opened on the west campus this summer. The schools of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (health services management, rehabilitation services, speech and hearing sciences, speech language pathology, physician assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling), and the Laupus Library are housed in the new facility.