GREEK LIFE, CAMPUS REFLECTIONS

BOT members, chancellor look back on service to ECU

During what will likely be the last meeting of the East Carolina University Board of Trustees for Chancellor Cecil Staton and several board members, Staton and others recalled memories of their time serving the university and expressed their hopes for its future.

Board chair Kieran Shanahan thanked the chancellor for his work on ECU’s behalf and for the vision he brought to the university.

Staton said he and his wife, Catherine, would always value their time at ECU, and that from the beginning, it felt like the right fit for them because of the university’s mission.

“We have a lot of talent across this university, and they get the work done day in and day out. I am grateful for them,” he said. “But the vision that you referenced, Mr. Chairman, it wasn’t really my vision. It was the vision I discerned as I listened during the search process and did my research about this university. It was a vision I picked up as I listened to governance members, faculty, students, community leaders, donors and alumni.

“I hope you will hold fast to that vision of what ECU is and what it is yet to be,” he said. “(Catherine) and I have enjoyed every moment working with our inspiring students and world-class faculty and staff. As we prepare for this transition in leadership, we remain committed to the idea that we arrived with that the future of this university is full of promise. There are no limits to what ECU can attain in service to the East, North Carolina, our nation and world.”

During his comments to the board, Staton noted several of the accomplishments of his time at ECU, including the retooling of athletics “that has been and will remain a significant accomplishment for this board and my administration.” He added, “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to press the re-set button for Pirate Athletics over the last year. We have prepared a foundation for future success.”

The chancellor said, “It’s been a busy three years. It takes a team to accomplish important things. It takes a great board of trustees working together; it takes administrators, faculty, staff, community leaders, donors and alumni to make a great university.”

During Staton’s tenure the university launched a branding and marketing campaign; efforts to increase research activity by 50 percent over five years, including the Rural Prosperity Initiative; a plan to increase internationalization efforts including goal of doubling number of students studying abroad over five years; efforts to increase the number of students in the Honors College and in the Brody School of Medicine; and opened the ECU Community School. He also thanked the board for supporting the comprehensive campaign and its goal of $500 million, of which approximately $230 million has been raised so far during the quiet phase of the campaign.

Chancellor Cecil Staton presents Jordan Koonts, SGA president, with a plate honoring his service as ex oficio member of the ECU Board of Trustees.

Staton and Shanahan thanked outgoing board members Mark Copeland, Kel Normann, Edwin Clark and Deborah Davis for their service. Student government president Jordan Koonts, who served as an ex oficio member of the board, will also hand over that role to the new SGA president, Colin Johnson.

Staton presented each outgoing member with a commemorative gift and recognized their service to the board.

“Your personal lives and accomplishments, as well as your service on this board, are a testament to the success of this university as gauged through … the success of our students,” he said.

The board honored Staton with the designation of chancellor emeritus status.

During the university affairs committee meeting on Thursday, April 11, Director of Greek Life John Mountz presented the final report from the Chancellor’s Task Force on Greek Life.

The 16-member task force was appointed by Staton and composed of alumni, faculty, community leaders and students to examine national issues facing Greek life on college campuses and the culture at ECU.

“I am grateful to members of the task force for their willingness to examine Greek life on ECU’s campus. Their insight will be vital in helping improve the culture of Greek organizations at ECU so they can continue to be positive, vibrant contributors to our university and community,” said Staton.

Mountz said the report lists seven initiatives currently underway at ECU as well as five focal areas the task force recommended for enhanced support for the Greek community. Those focal areas are transparency and communication; standards and expectations; recruitment, intake and new member education; training and education; and alumni and volunteer engagement.

Two significant action items mentioned in the report were the implementation of a performance scorecard for Greek organizations and the creation of a Greek standards program. The report lists specific action items within each focal area.

The scorecard will build upon the community report that is already available online for ECU’s Greek organizations and would provide additional information on the health, success and performance of individual fraternities and sororities.

The implementation of a Greek standards program will establish clearly defined expectations and provide a clear pathway to success for Greek organizations. Metrics related to academic performance, service and philanthropic activities, and leadership and programming would will be included.

“I appreciate the task force diligently examining both the issues facing our campus as well as recognizing the work we have already started. These recommendations give us additional direction to develop our program,” said Mountz. “We look forward to working with our students, alumni volunteers and international/national organization partners to develop and implement these new initiatives.”

In other business, the board:

• Received an update on ongoing construction and renovation projects, including the stadium renovation, the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building, Greene Hall, the biology greenhouse and Uptown 209.
• Received an update on campus safety and security from John Barnwell, chief of ECU Police.
• Voted to approve the conferral of degrees for the Class of 2019.
• During the Athletics and Advancement Committee meeting, Athletic Director Jon Gilbert said the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation Project is on schedule for a tentative ribbon cutting on Aug. 16. TowneBank committed $3 million to the project April 10. Gilbert added that athletics is renovating its weight room for student-athletes this May, looking to hire a nutritionist and evaluating the feasibility of creating a training table for its sports programs.
• Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Chris Dyba provided a campaign and financial year fundraising update. He reported that as of April 1, the university has raised $34.3 million this fiscal year. East campus has raised $20 million, West campus has raised $5 million and athletics has raised $9.1 million. ECU’s $500 million comprehensive campaign now totals $222 million.
• Awarded Max Ray Joyner Sr. of Greenville the Thomas Jarvis Medal for his lifetime contributions to the university.
• The following individuals were appointed to the ECU Board of Visitors for the Class of 2021: Ryan Beeson, Jim Bolding, Jonathan Brooks, Shirley Carraway, Alisa Chapman, Jon DeFriese, Mickey Foster, Lynne Garrison, JR Gorham, Kent Lawrence, DaJuan Lucas and James Morgan. The officers approved are John Cooper, chair; Will Litchfield, vice chair; and Linda Hofler, secretary.

Board chairman Kieran Shanahan, left, Chancellor Cecil Staton, and the outgoing members of the ECU Board of Trustees reflected on their time serving the university.