Academic Affairs

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute has been accepted into the National Neighborhood Indicator Partnership (NNIP), which is a collaborative effort by the Washington D.C.-based Urban Institute and local partners to further the development and use of neighborhood information systems in local policymaking and community building.
Membership in the network opens participation in conferences and other learning opportunities as well as participation in cross-site research projects.

University Convocation, which traditionally marks the start of the academic year, will begin at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 19, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall. This annual event is an opportunity for the campus community to learn more about the University’s short- and long-term goals and plans.
Chancellor Philip L. Dubois and Provost Joan Lorden will address faculty, staff and students.
In addition, Jim Kay, chair of the Staff Council, will give remarks; Greg Starrett from the Department of Anthropology will present the faculty agenda for the 2014-15 academic year.

Bruce Blackmon recently joined the University as director of financial aid; he brings 28 years of experience in the field.
“I look forward to defining ways we can leverage our financial aid funds to best meet the student body needs and help as many students as we can using the dollars we have available,” said Blackmon, who also plans to improve financial aid operations in the office. He describes his leadership style as adaptive, adding his goal is to provide a positive experience in working with staff, students and parents.

The University Career Center soon will launch Hire-A-Niner, a new online system with a host of advanced features designed to connect UNC Charlotte students and alumni with employers. 

The Office of Academic Services is offering free workshops during July for University advisors on a variety of topics. Prospective participants can complete an online form for session(s) they plan to attend.
The first three workshops, scheduled for Monday, July 14, in Colvard Building, Room 4103, are:

Amy Hawn Nelson, director of research at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and director of its Institute for Social Capital, recently was named to the 2014-16 class of William C. Friday Fellows for Human Relations.

The goal of the Friday Fellowship is to cultivate a network of “courageous leaders who connect across differences in identity and ideas to develop new solutions to the complex challenges facing the people and communities of North Carolina through a human relations lens.”

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation (CMCF) has awarded the UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture a $10,000 grant for the KEEPING WATCH initiative, a three-year project led in partnership with the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute.
Working with historians, writers, artists, scientists and environmental experts, KEEPING WATCH is exploring three local environmental issues: plastic waste and recycling (KEEPING WATCH on PLASTICS, 2014), urban streams (KEEPING WATCH on CREEKS, 2015), and air quality and the value of trees (KEEPING WATCH on AIR, 2016).

The Office of International Programs, in conjunction with the International Student/Scholar Office and the International Club, will host screenings of the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony/game and finals/closing ceremony in Norm’s in the Student Union.
The opening ceremony/first game will be from 3 to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 12. The finals/closing ceremony will be shown starting at 3 p.m., Sunday, July 13.
“Come join us to watch great games, enjoy refreshments and cheer your team at the most-watched sporting event in the world,” said OIP’s Sayra Brynn.

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, in partnership with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, will present the second annual Charlotte Data Day on Tuesday, June. 17.
A series of presentations, discussions and interactive workshops led by experts in the field will familiarize attendees with Charlotte housing-related data. Topics include homelessness, affordable housing, planning, and the changing real estate market.
The event will be held 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City.

Is “urban agriculture” possible in a city like Charlotte? Can backyard chickens and rooftop gardens solve urban hunger?
The public will get a chance to consider those questions – and sip free martinis made from local ingredients – at the June 13 KEEPING WATCH Clean Martini Screens. This free, public event will be 6 to 9 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City.
The evening includes a showing of “Growing Cities,” a documentary that details urban farming successes across the nation. Short clips from agricultural eco-artist Jean Paul Ganem will be part of the event.