General News

Carlos Castillo-Chavez, Regents Professor and the Joaquín Bustoz Jr. Professor of Mathematical Biology at Arizona State University, will discuss the recruitment of students and faculty from underrepresented groups at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the Atkins Library Halton Reading Room. Lunch will be provided; email RSVPs to advanceuncc@uncc.edu.

UNC Charlotte’s part-time MBA ranked 20th among 74 programs profiled in the Bloomberg Businessweek biennial rankings.

“I am so proud to see our part-time MBA ranked as one of the top 20 programs in the nation. This significant recognition is representative of the caliber of students, faculty and graduate programs staff that embody our program,” said Belk College of Business Dean Steve Ott.

As office manager for the Department of Aerospace Studies, Cole Carter often is the initial point of contact for prospective cadets for the University’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 592.

Since joining the University and aerospace studies in 2000, Carter has worked for seven department chairs or commanders, along with numerous other officers and non-commissioned personnel who oversee the University’s Air Force ROTC program. Lt. Col. Richard Sanders is the current ROTC commander.

The annual Basketball Madness event, which is presented by UNC Charlotte housing and residence life, will be at 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 22, in Halton Arena. The night consists of men’s and women’s basketball team introductions and members of men’s basketball (Braxton Ogbueze and Ridell Camidge) and women’s basketball (Lefty Webster and Ciara Gregory) participating in a three-point shootout. The Gold Dusters, Charlotte 49ers Cheerleaders and Norm the Niner will be on hand.

On Saturday, Oct. 17, UNC Charlotte hosted a large crowd of visitors on campus for the 40th installment of its International Festival, and thousands more experienced the wonder of the festival via a live webcast.

This annual event featured the traditional offerings of art, costumes, games music, dance and food representing cultures from around the world. New for 2015, in recognition of the festival’s four decades, the Office of International Programs introduced a lively procession of nations and a celebratory fireworks presentation.

Lindsey Pollak, a national career expert, will speak at 2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 29, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

UNC Charlotte philosopher Shannon Sullivan posits that well-meaning white liberals are more concerned with establishing anti-racist credentials than with confronting systematic racism and privilege in her work “Good White People: The Problem with Middle-Class White Anti-Racism.”

A professor of philosophy and health psychology, Sullivan will discuss the award-winning book and why she decided to write it at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10, at UNC Charlotte Center City as part of the 2015-16 Personally Speaking series.

Alumnus Robert Niblock, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lowe’s Companies Inc., is donating $2.5 million to UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business. His gift will support the Student Center for Professional Development in the Belk College, which will be named the Robert A. Niblock Student Center for Professional Development.

The Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is the 2015 recipient of the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology received the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising.  Also, José Gámez, associate professor of architecture, was presented the Provost’s Faculty Award for Community Engagement.

Plans are in the works to remove the Belk Tower, which UNC Charlotte personnel and outside consulting engineers have determined to have significant structural issues.

In an Oct. 17 statement to campus, Chancellor Philip L. Dubois wrote, “Although the tower is not an immediate risk to campus, it does pose a potential safety hazard, and it is prudent to take precautions. The deterioration of the tower is the natural result of age-related corrosion, water penetration and rust that have damaged the tower’s concrete, metal and electrical components.”