AROUND CAMPUS {What's going on at UNC Charlotte}
Professor pens historical thriller, lost Shakespeare work at heart of mystery
Someone has a copy of the lost Shakespeare play “Love’s Labour’s Won,” at least that is the premise of A.J. Hartley’s new historical thriller “What Time Devours.”
In his latest novel, the Theatre Department’s Distinguished Professor of Shakespeare Andrew (A.J.) Hartley weaves a literary murder mystery based on a well-researched centuries-old mystery. According to Hartley, most scholars believe “Love’s Labour’s Won” did exist. “Not only was it written and probably performed, but it was published.”
But the play, a comedy, has since vanished. For many years it was assumed that “Love’s Labour’s Won” was an alternative name for “The Taming of the Shrew,” but a booklist written in 1603 lists the two as separate works.
“What Time Devours” is Hartley’s third historical thriller, following “The Mask of Atreus” and “On the Fifth Day.”
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Charlotte 49ers launch sale of football seat licenses
The UNC Charlotte Athletics Department has announced that seat licenses for 49ers football will go on sale Thursday, Jan. 29. A 49ers Seat License (FSL) gives the license-holder the right to purchase 49ers football season tickets. The University’s Board of Trustees voted to add football this past fall, and the 49ers expect to field a football team starting in 2013.
Three tiers of FSLs will be on sale – green, gold and white gold. Costs and seat locations are:
Green tier - $1,000 (seat located between the end zone and the 30-yard line)
Gold tier - $2,500 (seat located between the 30-yard lines)
White Gold tier – Premium FSLs (contact the 49ers Athletic Foundation for details)
To purchase FSLs or learn more about 49ers football, go to the Web site www.charlotte49erfootball.com beginning Jan. 29. FSL purchases can be divided into four payments over the next four years with the first installment due at purchase. FSLs will be transferable to a member of the license-holder’s immediate family at any time. For a $300 transfer fee, license-holders will be able to transfer their FSL to anyone, beginning July 1, 2012.
According to Judy Rose, director of athletics, UNC Charlotte has not yet determined the site of its games. The 49ers are looking at on- and off-campus options for a temporary and permanent home. Currently, the 49ers plan to sell 5,500 green tier FSLs and 1,800 gold tier FSLs. Stadium plans are not complete, but the 49ers plan to compete in a 15,000-seat facility.
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Charlotte Regional Partnership to honor University with Jerry Award
UNC Charlotte is one of the honorees for this year’s Jerry Award presented by the Charlotte Regional Partnership. The University will be recognized for its work in the public sector. As a member of the N.C. Research Campus and the state’s only urban-research university, UNC Charlotte is being honored for its contributions that help drive the region’s economy. The award will be presented at the partnership’s annual Jerry Awards luncheon in May. California financier David Murdock also will be honored. The Jerry Awards are named for inaugural recipients Jerry Richardson, owner and founder of the Carolina Panthers, and Jerry Orr, aviation director for the City of Charlotte.
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Dining and vending services responds to peanut butter recall
In response to the nationwide salmonella outbreak and recall of products by Peanut Corp. of America, UNC Charlotte dining and vending services has pulled products with ingredients from the Blakely, Ga., company and those not yet declared safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“If it’s on the shelf or in a vending machine, it’s been cleared,” said Ray Galleno, director of UNC Charlotte Auxiliary Services, who oversees campus dining and vending services.
Products under the brand names Lance, Kraft, M&M Mars, Hershey, Nabisco, ConAgra and Planters are not affected by the peanut butter recall; their products are manufactured at facilities not associated with the investigation. A list of recalled peanut butter products is available on the FDA Web site; click on the link salmonella typhimurium outbreak located in the section “In the spotlight.”
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Trustees preview design drawings of EPIC building
UNC Charlotte’s Board of Trustees recently previewed the architectural design for the new Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC), which will be located on the Charlotte Research Institute’s campus.
During a presentation at the trustees’ meeting, David Creech, of Narmour Wright Creech Architects, displayed several renderings of the building, which will house the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Electrical Engineering in a collaborative teaching and research facility.
At 200,000 square feet, the EPIC building will provide classroom, office and laboratory space to accommodate growth in energy infrastructure research and collaboration with industry partners, including Duke Energy, and construction partners like AREVA, Parsons and Shaw Group.
UNC Charlotte proposed EPIC as a response to a projected 30 percent increase in the demand for energy in the U.S. by 2030. Industry leaders are looking to UNC Charlotte to help address a critical shortage in the intellectual capital necessary to modernize current energy production operations and facilitate the development of alternative energy sources.
Groundbreaking on the building is scheduled for summer 2009 with an anticipated completion date of July 2011. Funding for the project was temporarily placed on hold in the fall. However, the Council of State decided this month to allocate the remaining $57 million in construction funds so the project could move forward.
At Thursday’s board meeting, Creech told the trustees the building would be LEEDS certified, at the silver level.
“As an energy center, we want to lead by example,” Creech said. The three-story structure will make ample use of natural light along with other energy-saving features, he stated.
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SafeRide extends late-night service through 2:30 a.m.
SafeRide has extended its evening escort hours for its service schedule from Sundays through Thursdays to accommodate individuals who are working especially late.
On-demand safety escort requests now will be taken from 6:30 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. through campus police dispatch at ext. 7-2200. Regular evening set-route shuttle service from Atkins Library on the half-hour and hour will end at 12:30 a.m., but one SafeRide tram will remain available for on-demand service requests from the center of campus to residence halls, parking decks/lots and other areas around the outer perimeter of campus until 2:30 a.m.
“We said from the beginning that SafeRide is a pilot program, where hours may be adjusted according to emerging needs of the University community,” said Gary Caton, director of parking and transportation services (PaTS). “We have identified a safety concern for those who work late in labs, research areas and studios. Extending SafeRide’s hours gives them more time to work and allows them to feel safer doing so. This is another way SafeRide helps support the University’s educational mission.”
Starr Wimberly, PaTS transportation manager, added, “Extended hours are a trial and will continue based on demand.”
SafeRide does not operate on weekends or during holidays when the University is closed. More information about SafeRide is available on the Web.
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New Year’s resolution – clean out those files
It is a new year, and the Internal Audit Department suggests every University administrative office should review general office files against UNC Charlotte retention policies. The most recent University General Schedule describes the types of files to maintain and provides retention/destruction/archive guidance. Madeleine Perez, University archivist, is available to answer questions about which files should be kept or shredded. To contact Perez, call ext. 7-3595 or e-mail mbperez@uncc.edu.
“Very few of our documents require long-term retention, and many have a very short shelf life,” said Thomas York, director of internal audit. “Save space in your desks and file cabinets by routinely reviewing what you have against the general schedule.”
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Reminder about emergency evacuation of buildings
Emergency evacuation of campus facilities can occur unexpectedly. Possible causes for evacuation include fire, explosion, severe weather, incidents involving hazardous chemicals or similar problems.
To prepare for such contingencies, members of the campus community should take note of appropriate exits, which are indicated on locators in each building, and the location of building alarms.
Anyone who discovers a fire should immediately activate the wall pull alarm and call the Police and Public Safety Department by dialing 911 from any campus phone; cell phone users dial 704-687-2200. Building alarms include wall pull alarms, smoke and heat detectors and water-flow alarms.
Upon hearing the fire alarm, individuals should immediately evacuate to a safe location away from the exits and remain clear of emergency personnel and operations. Do not use elevators. During an evacuation, individuals should offer assistance to those with disabilities by alerting them to the nearest route to safety. Mobility-impaired individuals on upper floors should proceed to the nearest appropriate stairwell for rescue assistance. Stairwell landings that allow space for a person to wait without blocking the exit of others can provide possible areas of rescue assistance. Alert police and public safety or on-site emergency personnel, such as the Fire Department, of the exact location of individuals waiting rescue assistance. Do not re-enter the building until notified by proper authorities.
Employees should check with their supervisor for details regarding the department’s specific evacuation plan. Check the Web sites for the Safety Office and the Office of Business Continuity Planning for more information on emergency procedures and/or emergency planning.
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Cultural experiences open to the campus community
The International Student/Scholar Office sponsors a number of cross-cultural experiences open to students, faculty and staff.
Friendship and Culture Exchange is a program that provides the opportunity for American and international students to meet one another, learn about each other’s culture and practice English language skills. Faculty members could consider using this program to provide extra credit for their students. More information and an application are available on the Web. The deadline to apply is Sunday, Feb. 1.
International Coffee Hour is an informal gathering of University students, faculty and staff who are interested in meeting people from around the world. It is held on the first and third Thursday of the month during the semester. The next one will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 5 in the Prospector Building’s Gold Room (Faculty/Staff Dining Room).
Cultural Ambassador Program provides custom-designed panel discussions offering the perspective of international students to meet faculty members’ teaching needs. For more information, e-mail Denise Medeiros at dvmedei@uncc.edu.
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University cosponsoring ‘The Big Read’
The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, in collaboration with the University, is sponsoring “The Big Read.” This effort is to engage the community in reading and discussing a single book for pleasure and enlightenment. The book selected is Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Published in 1960, “To Kill a Mockingbird” tells two entwined stories set in a small Southern town. One is focused on lawyer Atticus Finch’s defense of an unjustly accused black man, the other on the coming of age of his children.
As part of the University’s participation in “The Big Read,” the College of Education is hosting a viewing of the film version of the book at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 30, in Room 065, followed by a discussion and light lunch. To register to attend the luncheon, call ext. 7-8722. In February, the college will hold two informal discussions of the book. These talks are set for 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, and Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the College of Education, Room 110.
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Department of Counseling to host Supervision Institute
The Department of Counseling will host the inaugural Supervision Institute on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28. The institute is intended for K-12 counselors, professional/school counselors, and master’s-level mental health clinicians to aid in their development of supervision skills and roles. Topics include multiculturalism in supervision, ethics and models of supervision and strategies. Prospective attendees can register on the Web. For more information, contact Ed Wierzalis, counseling, at ext. 7-8970 or e-mail eawierza@uncc.edu.
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COUC soliciting proposals for Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund
The Council on University Community (COUC) is seeking proposals to support through the Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund.
Created by Chancellor Philip L. Dubois, the Diversity Challenge Fund provides grants to support faculty, staff or student initiatives that promote the daily value of diversity in the intellectual life of campus. Awards are up to $5,000. Restrictions on state funds apply, and food purchases are not permitted.
Potential uses of the fund include:
- Research on issues related to diversity
- Workshops, cultural programs, exhibits, speakers, film series or colloquia that celebrate diversity and foster a climate of inclusion and mutual respect
- Professional opportunities for faculty and staff, such as creating new courses and curricula that infuse diversity into the classroom
- Programs that increase diversity in the academic pipeline
- Projects that promote diversity through linkages with the Charlotte community
More information on the fund, including how to submit a proposal, is available on the Web. The deadline for submissions is Monday, Feb. 16. Direct questions to Kerrie Stewart, COUC special assistant, at ext. 7-2059 or e-mail kdstewar@uncc.edu.
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