General News

Poets Venus Thrash and Cedric Tillman will participate in the 2016 Black Poetry Series at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 16, at UNC Charlotte Center City.

 The UNC Charlotte Africana Studies Department will host the 40th annual conference of the National Council for Black Studies (NCBS) from Thursday, March 17, through Saturday, March 19, at the Omni Hotel. The 2016 theme is “Forty Years of Black Studies in the Local, National and Global Spaces: Past Accomplishments and New Directions.”

Dennis Kowalski from facilities management was the fan favorite at the recent Staff Council Chili/Soup Cook-off for his brisket chili.

Best table decoration went to Kim Hight from the Financial Aid Office. She prepared the entry “My Mama’s Recipe.”

While the fan favorite was decided by votes from employees who sampled the entries, Erin Ritter from financial aid was named the Staff Council’s favorite for her “49er Miner Chili.” Debby Watts from the Venture program was the council’s second-favorite recipe (Venture Backpacker’s Chili Warmup).

In North Carolina — a state home to stellar colleges and universities, high-tech and biotech firms, health and energy industries – Carolinians are surrounded by science. And finding science in one’s backyard is the point of the 2016 North Carolina Science Festival, a statewide celebration of science and technology, which, like El Nino, emerging wildflowers and migratory flocks of song birds, is happening again this spring, April 8-24. The statewide festival presents hundreds of events.

Saturday, March 12, is the final day of early voting in advance of the March 15 primary; University City Regional Library is an early voting site. Its location makes it convenient for faculty and staff members who decide to cast their ballots before the normal election date.

Jeffrey Leak, president of the Faculty Council and professor of English, voted early, and he encourages fellow employees to engage in this civic exercise.

The Advisory Committee to the Chancellor for Employee Health and Wellness is partnering with UNC Charlotte Dining Services to celebrate National Nutrition Month. From noon to 2 p.m., Tuesday, March 15, SoVi Dining Hall will offer new, exciting menu items at the various stations.

Also, registered dietitian Beth Mack will be on hand to answer questions about nutrition and mindful eating and provide tips to improve one’s diet. Nutritional information and other healthy eating resources will be displayed, too.

Rowe Galleries will host an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 17, for three coinciding exhibitions.

“Drawing into Space,” will feature works by Hollis Hammonds, a visiting artist at the McColl Center, and students from the Department of Art + Art History. Their efforts explore drawing and its relationship to three-dimensional space. Hammonds and student will speak about the work in a panel discussion at 4 p.m., March 17, in Rowe Arts Building, Room 130.

UNC Charlotte faculty members are asked to encourage their students to enter the 2016 Undergraduate Research Conference, scheduled for Friday, April 22. The deadline to enter this competition is Wednesday, March 23.

This university-wide showcase of research projects completed by undergraduate students of all levels from all colleges and departments will be at the Cone University Center.

Student work submitted for conference presentation can range from in-class projects to year-long honors theses and everything in between.

The North Carolina economy continues to grow, but there are several areas to watch in 2016, UNC Charlotte economist John Connaughton reported today in the Babson Capital Management/UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast.