Honors, ovations at May BOT meeting

The University Board of Trustees on May 19 honored four departing administrators who collectively have served the University for almost 140 years.

Each received a standing ovation after resolutions of appreciation that detailed the singular qualities each possessed and used to create a unique legacy.

Chancellor Carol L. Folt said she felt privileged to have worked with four extraordinary people who have done so much for the University and meant so much to so many.

The longest serving of the four was Joe Ferrell, who is retiring after serving his alma mater for more than half a century. Ferrell has served as the keeper of the spirit and the letter of the law at Carolina – both as a faculty member of the School of Government, which he joined in 1964, and as secretary of the faculty since 1996. A mentor to countless students, faculty and staff, Ferrell “inspired us all by his gentle hand and sharp mind.”

For 35 years, Pat Crawford provided invaluable legal stewardship and support for researchers and departments at the University, most recently as associate vice chancellor and deputy general counsel. Crawford is retiring with a body of work that will endure. Adept at “analyzing complex issues to produce elegant solutions,” she promoted the idea that each decision creates precedents for the next 100 years.

Associate Provost Shirley Ort, who is retiring after 19 years of service, will always be remembered as the visionary author of the revolutionary Carolina Covenant program that has helped more than 5,300 high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds attend Carolina – debt free – since its inception in 2004. Throughout her career, Ort became a national leader in the field of college accessibility and affordability, while remaining a compassionate and constructive advocate for individual students and the entire student body at Carolina.

Barbara Entwisle, who joined the Department of Sociology in 1985, will continue her tenure as Distinguished Professor of Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences after she steps down as vice chancellor for research, a position she has held since 2010. During times of challenge and change, Entwisle led the charge to diversify funding partnerships to ensure more stable research support. Under her leadership, Carolina established itself as a global research powerhouse, with total expenditures reaching nearly $1 billion in 2015.

Other news at the May meetings:

• Student Body President Bradley Opere was sworn in as a member of the board. In his remarks, Opere said student representation on the board underscores the important that Carolina places on student leadership. He asked for support from people across campus “so that we can keep student issues at the heart of everything we do.”
• Speakers reviewed the range of initiatives inspired by the university-wide theme “Food for All: Local and Global Perspectives” that began last fall and will continue for another year. Chancellor’s Fellow Emily Auerbach discussed the “Edible Campus” program that has transformed the campus into a living laboratory for faculty and students while providing a source of free, healthy food for staff. In the works for the fall is the creation of a garden by Davis Library.
• Stephen Farmer, vice provost for enrollment and undergraduate admissions, reported the in-state “yield” (the percentage of admitted students that enroll) has declined from 65 percent to 61 percent, largely because the very best students in the state are being offered substantial merit scholarships from other universities.
• Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Winston Crisp reported that the History Task Force has hired a designer for the installation in Carolina Hall, but that the time needed to research and condense the history involved makes it unrealistic that the installation will be done by September.
• Kevin Guskiewicz, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said that the new general education curriculum should be implemented in fall 2019, with a goal to “prepare students for a meaningful life” and emphasis on creativity, communication and collaboration.
• Ed Samulski, chair of the Department of Applied Physical Sciences, expressed concern that the rapid growth of his fledgling department will be slowed by lack of space. Short-term space supposed to be move-in ready at Kenan Labs now needs air-handling upgrades that may cost $12 to $18 million, and long-term space in the Physical Sciences Complex is uncertain since two of the seven planned buildings were put on hold for lack of funding.