UNC-system happenings for Feb. 14, 2017

Western Carolina “Soft Diplomacy” exhibit

The exhibit “Soft Diplomacy: Quilting Cultural Diplomacy in Liberia” will be on display at Western Carolina University’s Fine Art Museum through May 5. 

The exhibit shows quilts made by women in Liberia and given to organizations and embassies throughout the United States in effort to create relationships between cultures.

Jennifer Schiff, director of International Studies at Western Carolina University, said the quilts depict political and cultural ideals. 

“The quilts offer insight into the ways in which Liberian people view themselves in relation to the world around them,” she said.

Schiff said the exhibit gives western North Carolinians access to the quilts.

“They have a chance to interpret the stories they have to tell,” she said. “In turn, that allows everyone to gain more of a global perspective and to identify the similarities between themselves and other cultures with which they may not be familiar.”

Students film outside the classroom

Broadcast journalism students at Appalachian State University are getting real-world experience by filming events around campus without the normal studio setup. 

The electronic media and broadcasting course, taught by AppTV Chief Engineer and Production Manager Rob Gelber, uses a new portable studio — introduced last fall — to promote campus events. 

“We wanted to be able to show more of the campus and be able to produce programming that we just wouldn’t be able to fit inside our typical TV studio setup,” Gelber said.

He said students gained experience and essential skills in the current media landscape.

“I am proud of their ability to adapt because it requires a certain adaptability to be able to take what you know in a TV studio, where everything is already pretty much set, and have to rebuild it in a portable fashion,” he said.

The class is currently working with students in Appalachian State's Hayes School of Music and plans on filming dance performances. 

“I feel like it’s given our students a lot of opportunities that they would not have had otherwise,” Gelber said.

Search for new chancellor

The search for North Carolina Central University’s new chancellor has begun under the guidance of the Chancellor Search Committee. 

A subcommittee drafted a statement about the position Wednesday. The full committee posted the job on Friday. 

UNC-system President Margaret Spellings said she is looking for someone to continue the legacy of the late Dr. Debra Saunders-White, in a meeting Jan. 17. 

George R. Hamilton, the committee chairperson, said they are looking for a dynamic leader who values academics and can continue the progress made in the last five years. 

"It’s an opportunity to take something that is really, really good and make it even better,” he said.

The committee plans to have the candidate chosen for the 2017-2018 school year. 

“I would say that this is arguably the most important thing that a university family can do," Hamilton said. "And that is picking a right leader for the future.”

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