Founders Week packs in awards, history, name changes and celebrations

An academic procession opened Founders Week activities for Thursday, March 24. (Photo by Cliff Hollis)

The education theme of this year's Founders Week surfaced during speeches, presentations, name changes and even the Board of Trustees meeting as the week drew to a close.

March 24-29 marked ECU's 96th year as an institution for higher learning. Founders Week events revolved around the theme, "Celebrating a Legacy of Teacher Preparation," beginning March 24 with the Community Leader's Breakfast and the Chancellor's Forum on Education.

Festivities continued March 25 and 26 with the Student Celebration and the Arts on the Plaza with jazz, dance and a percussion ensemble.

March 27 was full of keynote speakers and special announcements starting with the chair of the N.C. Board of Education, Phil Kirk, speaker for the Founders Celebration Convocation in Wright Auditorium. Kirk stressed ECU's commitment to becoming a leader in education in the country and reducing the minority achievement gap.

"ECU is leading the effort to provide highly qualified teachers in every classroom," he said. "You will be part of the drive to get North Carolina Public Schools No. 1 in the nation by 2010."

That afternoon, university community members gathered in front of the Rivers Building to celebrate its expansion. Home to ECU School of Nursing and the School of Human Environmental Sciences, the building will be expanded to add offices, laboratories and classrooms.

Over the humming engines of bulldozers and trucks on the construction site, UNC President Molly Broad spoke to a couple dozen gathered leaders.

"It embodies years of planning and dreaming, and — as a result of the November 2000 Higher Education Bond Referendum — a sizeable investment from the taxpayers of North Carolina," she said. "The provision of modern allied health and science facilities was a key priority in UNC's $2.5-billion bond package."

Broad joined Chancellor William V. Muse, members of the ECU Board of Trustees and the design and construction contractors for the project to symbolically hammer gold jumbo nails into a purple plank. The gallery then moved to the Speight Building where the School of Education formally received its new name, the College of Education. The School of Business was also renamed a college.

"This signifies that our school of Education has grown up," Muse said. "Our goal is to become the best college of education in the nation. We've never shied away from a challenge at ECU and we believe we can do it."

Marilyn Sheerer, dean of the College of Education, thanked the chancellor for excellent leadership for teacher education.

"The impact we are making is becoming more and more visible," she said. "We as a college of education remain committed to education and to service."

Thursday evening at the Murphy Center, Robert Luke Hause, assistant dean in the School of Music; Eugene Owens, a counselor with Community Nursing Systems; and Nellie Taylor, the director of Materials Management, were awarded the 2003 Founders Day Service Award for outstanding service to the university.

Founders Week events continued March 28 as the Board of Trustees met in the Murphy Center.

The trustees took time during the meeting to recognize inductees to the Educators Hall of Fame. Inductees, who are sponsored with a $1,000 gift to the College of Education, are recognized for service the education profession. Inductees are: John Dornan, Kathy Taft, Mike Ward, Charlie Russell and Janice Faulkner. Willie Gilchrest and Ed Warren each received stars on their names, signifying an additional $1,000 donation in their honor.

Other business at the Board of Trustees meeting included:

• An update on the College Hill residential housing expansion.
• Approval of a change in campus metered parking fees from 25 cents per 30 minutes to 25 cents per 15 minutes.
• Discussion of the attendance policy of trustee members, including whether or not a board members should be counted as present if they participate in the meeting via electronic communication.
• A written response to minority student concerns was approved.
• The trustees gave final approval to naming the College of Arts and Sciences in honor of Thomas Harriot, the English Renaissance scholar. Harriot (1560-1621) has connections to eastern North Carolina as Sir Walter Raleigh's resident scientific advisor. He was instrumental in planning, executing and participating in the world-changing Roanoke Voyages.
  

  ---