General News

North Carolina voters displayed wide-ranging bipartisan support for higher education on Tuesday by approving $2 billion in bonds for public universities, community colleges, state parks and other projects across the Tar Heel state. Statewide, voters approved the Connect NC bonds with 66 percent voting in favor of the package, according to the latest figures.

UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business made big gains in the part-time MBA rankings by U.S. News and World Report, placing among the top 20 percent of all business schools nationwide.

The Belk College’s part-time MBA jumped 27 spots in the 2017 “Best Graduate Schools” rankings released Wednesday, landing at No. 59 among national universities and No. 35 among public schools. UNC Charlotte tied at No. 59 with 7 other schools including University of Connecticut, University of Richmond, and University of Colorado-Boulder.

UNC Charlotte is one of nine institutions to receive a $50,000 national micro-grant to fund a pilot program to prevent low-income college students from dropping out prior to graduation.

The Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU) awarded $450,000 to nine public urban research institutions. Each college received $50,000.

Margaret Spellings, the new president of the University of North Carolina system, is concluding a two-day visit to UNC Charlotte and the Charlotte area with events on campus March 15. As she makes visits to the various UNC campuses, Spellings has been active in supporting the Connect NC bond issue on the March 15 statewide ballot.

Christy Jackson recently joined UNC Charlotte as the first director of communications for the Division of Business Affairs.

State appropriations and tuition and fees are among the funding sources for the University; however, the “extras” that add to academic and research opportunities and enhance campus facilities often result from the generosity of donors.

“Green with Gratitude” is a campus-wide initiative to inform students about the importance of philanthropy and to create the chance for them to express their appreciation to donors to the Chancellor’s Fund.

A pair of UNC Charlotte social work master’s students recently unveiled a plan to help provide mental health services to Charlotte’s underserved Latino population.

Graduate students Laura Pierce and Cameron Rifkin presented the plan at the UNC Social Entrepreneurship Conference after being selected as UNC Charlotte’s participants.

Barnes & Noble at UNC Charlotte, located in the Student Union, will host the Commencement Fair Tuesday, March 22, through Thursday, March 24.

Between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., seniors who will graduate in May will have the chance to pick up their caps and gowns, obtain tickets for commencement and shop for commencement-related items and alumni merchandise. Representatives from Balfour and Herff Jones (rings, custom invitations) and Grad Images photography will be in attendance, too.

Alicia Garza, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter, will speak at 7 p.m., Monday, March 28, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall. The event is free for UNC Charlotte students and is cosponsored by the Campus Activities Board and the Multicultural Resource Center.

Luke Kuechly, a three-time pro bowler and middle linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, will visit UNC Charlotte for a conversation with the campus community at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 23, in the Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

Tickets for this event, sponsored by the Center for Leadership Development as a part of the Forty-niner Forum Speaker Series, are $7 for students and $15 for faculty and staff members with a UNC Charlotte ID. They will be on sale at the Halton Arena Box Office starting, Monday, March 14.