University Day marks achievements, looks ahead in serving students and state
- Student success is ECU’s No. 1 priority.
- ECU is making progress in its fiscal health initiative to cut $25 million over three years.
- Administrators, faculty and staff embraced shared governance in achieving efficiencies.
East Carolina University’s commitment to student success took center stage at its University Day celebration on Thursday.
Chancellor Philip Rogers welcomed trustees, faculty, staff, students, administrators, alumni, donors and community partners in the Main Campus Student Center ballrooms.
Chancellor Philip Rogers updates trustees, faculty, staff, students, administrators, alumni, donors and community partners attending University Day. (Photos by Steven Mantilla)
“University Day is one of those moments in the life of this institution when we are reminded of what makes ECU special,” Rogers said. “Today is an opportunity to reflect on the prior year, to take stock of the work in front of us and to recommit ourselves to the mission that connects all of us together.”
Helping students thrive means expanding work-connected learning through internships, co-ops and student employment; serving adult learners enrolled in Project Kitty Hawk and ECU’s Flight Path programs; refining ECU’s academic portfolio; and continuing to provide exceptional value to students, Rogers said.
“At ECU, we’re equipping students with more than theory and practice. We’re giving them tangible, employable skills,” he said, highlighting ECU’s construction management program — the oldest in North Carolina — that has almost 100% job placement rates for graduates.
Other successes this past year include philanthropic support totaling more than $78.7 million; raising $15.5 million for academic scholarships and endowments; and state funding for key strategic priorities including new scholarships, rural residency medical education, athletics and resources to operate a virtual school psychology training clinic.
The state provided direct funding for major capital projects including the new Brody Center for Medical Education, Howell Science Center renovations, a new regional medical examiner’s office, a rural emergency care center in Martin County and new patient bed tower for ECU Health in Beaufort County.
At the same time, faculty members secured $79.8 million in sponsored awards for research in fiscal year 2026.
“That success reflects the quality of their scholarship, the relevance of their work and their willingness to adapt as conditions change in real time,” Rogers said. “ECU will remain focused on adapting with purpose and on advancing research that serves our students, our region and the broader public good. I want you to hear it loud and clear from me: Research remains a top priority for our university.”
As ECU invests in its future, Rogers announced the creation of an ECU Innovation Fund from a portion of the savings from ECU’s fiscal heath work. Funds will be set aside to seed efforts in academic innovation, student success initiatives and research. The first component will be a research innovation fund set to launch this year, he said.
People attending University Day had the opportunity to take their photos in front of a backdrop featuring ECU’s updated brand.
Chris Buddo, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Stephanie Coleman, vice chancellor for administration and finance, gave updates on ECU’s fiscal health initiative and workgroups, tasked with identifying $25 million in savings over three years. In year one, ECU has trimmed $6 million and has targeted another $8.5 million in year two.
The work has been achieved through shared governance and a guiding principle: protect our people, Rogers said.
Cost reductions have been realized by merging ECU’s libraries, forming a new College of Health and Human Sciences, and moving the coastal studies program into the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. Forty-seven programs were identified for curtailment; the majority through self-selection in departments and colleges. Administrative savings came in IT and the Department for People Operations, Success and Opportunities, campus operations, student affairs and ECU’s motor fleet, Coleman said.
The coming year will see a review of concentrations, doctoral programs and programs of distinction. Administratively, changes and improvements will continue for POSO, IT, and the Office of Research, Economic Development and Engagement, and the consolidation of alumni affairs into university advancement.
Allen Guidry, associate provost for learner operations of academic affairs, and Chris Stansbury, senior associate vice chancellor of student affairs, provided updates on the ONE ECU student success model, developed through the involvement of more than 60 faculty, staff and administrators across ECU’s campus.
Guidry and Stansbury said student success requires a coordinated, systemic approach to guide initiatives and ensure efficient use of resources. They provided a conceptual framework centered on six core domains (academic success, financial stability, student well-being, student experiences, learning environment, and professional and career readiness) supported by three foundational commitments to culture of care, data-informed policies and practices, and strategic communication.
Already, the first 450 student retention grants have been awarded to help keep students in school as part of a three-year $1 million initiative; creating a standardized approach to advising, so students will get the same experience no matter their major; signing new agreements for transfer student pathways; and developing new scholarships and review processes.
“We’ve long talked about student success. It’s time to live it,” Guidry said.
To close the event, the School of Music’s assistant professor Kobie Watkins and the ECU Jazz Ensemble performed.