Board of Trustees
sees things in a new light

The NC State Board of Trustees took an entirely different view of the university during their regularly scheduled meeting on Friday, Sept. 17.

Roger Winstead / Creative Services

Members of the NC State Board of Trustees don 3-D glasses to view a demonstration by the College of Physical and Mathmatical Sciences during the board's meeting Sept. 17.

Donning 3D glasses, the trustees heard physics professors Ruth Chabay and Bruce Sherwood, co-authors of a new introductory textbook, “Matter & Interactions,” describe their research into improving physics education. Their approach differs radically from the traditional way physics is taught in that course content emphasizes the atomic nature of matter, and engages students in activities that more accurately reflect the activities of practicing physicists.

One of those activities is modeling physical systems in 3-D, which allows students to visualize the concepts they are studying. Trustees wore the glasses to view an example of physical modeling.

The presentation was part of an overview of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Dean Daniel Solomon explained that while the college continues to provide quality core science and math instruction to the rest of the university, it also is a major national player in research and graduate education.

He cited the growth of the college’s programs and the recent, unprecedented receipt of NSF CAREER Awards by research faculty in each of the college’s five departments. He also described how PAMS is a national leader in the development of innovative, effective
post-secondary instructional methods and technologies.

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Maria Oliver-Hoyo, a CAREER Award recipient, reported on the success of Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP). Developed in the physics department and now used in chemistry, SCALE-UP divides students in large classes into small teams who collaboratively develop solutions to problems posed by a roving instructor. Lecture and lab sessions are combined to create a new classroom paradigm.

In other business, the board heard positive news of a strong freshman class and a successful year of fund raising.

This year’s incoming freshmen include 76 high school valedictorians, 79 salutatorians and one student with a perfect SAT score. About 43 percent of the first-year students were in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Freshmen averaged 1,193 on the SAT and had an average weighted high school GPA of 4.09.

The development committee reported that gifts and pledges totaled $201.5 million in fiscal year 2004, exceeding the goal of $166 million, due in large part to two nonrecurring gifts. Fiscal year 2004 gifts exceeded 2003 by almost $50 million. Next year’s goal was set at $158 million.

The board also heard that the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program saw a large increase in participation, from 56 participants last year to 164 this year. WISE is a living and learning community based on a “village” concept.

The women in the WISE program – students who are enrolled in colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Engineering, Natural Resources, and Physical and Mathematical Sciences – live together on one floor of Lee Residence Hall. Six upperclass women majoring in science, statistics, math or engineering are serving as mentors for the freshmen and are also living on the same floor.

Board member Richard Robb suggested the board consider whether additional support is needed for NC State’s marketing and communications efforts.

“We need new ways to tell the story of the great things that are happening at NC State,” Robb said. “Sometimes I don’t think the university receives the credit it deserves. Our Achieve! (marketing) campaign has been great. Let’s build on that.”

Chair Peaches Gunter Blank appointed a board committee to consider marketing and communications and asked Interim Chancellor Robert Barnhardt to consider the appropriate university staff to analyze current marketing efforts.

Posted September 21, 2004
Updated October 1, 2004

Return to the Bulletin homepage