RECOGNIZING LEADERSHIP

Chancellor Ballard thanked for his service

The East Carolina University Board of Trustees gathered for their regularly scheduled meeting on Friday, April 8. It was Chancellor Steve Ballard’s 61st and final Board of Trustees meeting before he steps down as chancellor July 1. He listened as members thanked him for his years of service and commitment to ECU.

“Thank you for your leadership of this university and the Board of Trustees during the last 12 years,” said Board of Trustees member Danny Scott. “Because of you we’ve been able to grow this university to where it is today.”

He then presented Ballard with a large gift basket filled with outdoor grilling items. “Chancellor Ballard, you’ve been grilled some by the board during your 12 years. We want to give you a gift so that you can do some grilling of your own.”

After the gift presentation, Ballard addressed the board members and audience. “The soul of this university is our students. I’ve never been a part of any public university that comes close to ECU in terms of its commitment to students.”

In addition to putting students first, Ballard spoke about the university’s authentic mission, passion and engagement. “More important than any recognition or award is that our commitment to service and engagement is why we do things the way we do them. This is who we are and what we believe in.”

Outgoing SGA President Mark Matulewicz accepts a gift from Board of Trustees chairman Steve Jones.

Outgoing Student Government Association (SGA) President Mark Matulewicz highlighted some of the accomplishments of SGA from the past year. They included the implementation of the LiveSafe mobile safety app on campus and the creation of the Pirate Access Line through several partnerships around ECU. The program makes access to campus easier for those with permanent or temporary mobility issues.

Matulewicz ended his report by thanking the board for their support. Board of Trustees chairman Steve Jones presented him with a gift. “You are a great leader who has a great perspective and has always carried the students’ perspective to heart,” Jones said.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the conferral of degrees for 3,748 students eligible to graduate May 6.
• Approved the purchase of four properties on Fieldside Drive along the south side of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for a total price of $1.1 million.
• Approved naming the School of Entrepreneurship, the Miller School of Entrepreneurship. The school was made possible by a $5 million gift from Raleigh area entrepreneur and ECU alumnus, J. Fielding Miller and his wife Kim Grice Miller. (Read more about the school: https://news.ecu.edu/2015/07/15/ecu-to-establish-regions-first-school-of-entrepreneurship/).
• Were presented a proposal for increasing class size at the Brody School of Medicine from 80 to 120 students. The proposed expansion would happen incrementally over several years and would require additional facilities and faculty, as well as additional clinical partnerships throughout the region. The UNC Board of Governors approved an increase of 40 students at Brody in 2008, but economic downturn prevented the expansion. The new proposal also includes adding more resident-physician positions, which all medical graduates are required to complete before they can deliver patient care independently.
• Heard from Chris Dyba, University Advancement vice chancellor, on how ECU and other UNC system schools are facing the challenge of the $1 million cap on the use of state funds for UNC Advancement programs that will go into effect July 1.
• Heard from Bill Koch, associate vice chancellor of environmental health and safety, about the new LiveSafe campus safety smartphone app (link to story: https://news.ecu.edu/2016/04/04/seamless-safety/), which debuted this month. LiveSafe provides seamless two-way communication between users and campus safety officials to directly and anonymously report concerns using text messaging, audio, video and photos. Koch said across the UNC system, campuses are safe places to be.
• Heard a report about ongoing efforts and new ideas to improve the success of male students. Nationally, there is a gender gap in the enrollment, retention and graduation rates of men and women. Statistics show women are more likely to enroll, stay in school and complete a bachelor’s degree. ECU has formed a nine-member working group to bolster outreach and education efforts to encourage male students to use existing services and possibly expand programs to achieve male success.
• Heard from students presenting projects as part of the Clinton Global University Initiative. Some of the projects highlighted included re-purposing unspent or partially-used gift cards to reduce food insecurity, and providing college and career preparation tools to rural North Carolina students to help combat poverty.

Members of the Elite Pirates applaud Chancellor Steve Ballard as he is recognized by the Board of Trustees.