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Board of Trustees meets to discuss orientation programming and Silicon Valley

The finance, infrastructure and audit committee for the Board of Trustees met on Wednesday to discuss various infrastructure changes around campus.

The finance, infrastructure and audit committee for the Board of Trustees met on Wednesday to discuss various infrastructure changes around campus.

Clayton Somers, vice chancellor for public affairs, said federal relations with the University are uncertain ­­— and important, since they can determine UNC’s funding.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen with the next president and his administration, no one does, I don’t even think the president does,” Somers said. “But the point is, we’re going to have to adapt.”

University affairs

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Winston Crisp said his department is working on an extensive review of the orientation program for new students, looking at the length, efficiency and effectiveness of the program.

“We want to make sure that this time around as we go forward that everything that we do has a very clear purpose and is set up to be as effective as it can be, so that we can really truly get the transition for our students that we want out of orientation,” Crisp said.

He also said he hopes to make changes in the structure of student government before Student Body President Bradley Opere leaves office. Crisp said he wants graduate and undergraduate students to each get the appropriate level of attention.

Chancellor Carol Folt introduced five initiatives to support UNC’s strategic framework — to support nontraditional students, to focus on where disciplines intersect, to promote innovation, to ensure healthcare across the state and to stimulate the economy.

“This framework is really the direct result of almost two years of hard work and some very creative thinking and inputs from literally thousands of people,” Folt said.

Finance, infrastructure, audit

Anna Wu, associate vice chancellor for facilities services, presented three items for action: a site approval for the women’s field hockey stadium, a demolition approval for Henry Stadium and firms to manage construction at Kenan Labs and the Medical Education Building. The committee approved each item.

David Routh, vice chancellor for university development, informed the committee of a recent donation valued at $25 million to Ackland Art Museum. The donation includes seven works by Rembrandt van Rijn.

“That was a fun announcement to make. It was powerful on a lot of different levels, for those of you (who) were here, a very emotional thing for the donor to be able to do for the University that he attended and they love,” he said.

External relations

Routh said the University is leasing a place for temporary use by entrepreneurship students in Silicon Valley. He said the University is on the waiting list for a more permanent co-working space in San Francisco.

“It’s a pretty neat concept,” Routh said. “What we’re hoping is that we have use and an option and if we do we’ll continue to grow it.”

Joel Curran, vice chancellor of university communications, said he has been tasked with looking into future uses of the Old Town Hall at Rosemary and Columbia streets.

“Things that we’re evaluating it for is could it be the new home of the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Orange County visitors center and perhaps a civil rights museum,” Curran said.

university@dailytarheel.com

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