on the yard
WSSU announces
campus news & events
reorganization of select functions to better support implementation of its
WSSU introduces new dual admissions program in partnership with Forsyth Tech
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inston-Salem State University and Forsyth Technical Community College have entered into an agreement that will allow students to be simultaneously granted admission to both institutions. The new Dual Admissions Program (DAP) partnership will provide support and resources to students who may not be ready to succeed in a bachelor’s degree program. The initiative, which began Fall 2010, is designed to provide a seamless and successful transition from community college to a university. “We have students who come to WinstonSalem State without the depth of preparation needed to be successful at our university,” said Chancellor Donald J. Reaves. “This partnership with Forsyth Tech will provide those students with such important supports as smaller classes and lower tuition. By using dual admission, we also will be taking the steps necessary to help students feel a part of our campus so that the transition to a four-year institution will be easier.”
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Under the DAP agreement, students will have an application process that includes admission to both institutions. The two schools will share responsibility for student advising, access to resources at both campuses, and opportunities to participate in university activities. Supporting access to higher education “Part of the mission of WSSU, and of all Historically Black Colleges and Universities, is to provide access to higher education,” added Reaves. “As we increase our admission standards, this program ensures that students will continue to have the opportunity to earn a four-year college degree.” Students who apply and do not meet the admission standards at WSSU will receive information on the Dual Admissions Program. Students who sign the contract to join the program and are accepted will receive a letter of deferment for admission to WSSU. Once they complete their requirements at Forsyth
Tech, the students are guaranteed admission into a related baccalaureate degree program at WSSU. Students who graduate with associate degrees in arts or science from Forsyth Tech are already able to transfer their credits to University of North Carolina schools. This new partnership provides additional advantages. “Students will have the same benefits as in our regular program, but will have the additional benefits of an established relationship with Winston-Salem State,” said Forsyth Tech President Gary M. Green (shown above with Chancellor Reaves). “They will have access to academic advisers, student activities and facilities at both schools. “We are excited to be able to offer our students another option for continuing their education,” Green added. “Our partnership with Winston-Salem State enhances our ability to provide quality, affordable, accessible educational opportunities.”
WSSU receives $100,000 Walmart grant
Endowed chair in nursing will honor chancellor emeritus Cleon F. Thompson
Winston-Salem State University has been selected by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) to receive a $100,000 Walmart Minority Student Success Award grant to support the university’s continuing efforts to provide additional academic assistance for first-generation college students. WSSU was one of only 14 minorityserving institutions in the nation selected by IHEP to receive a grant and the only institution selected in North Carolina. The award, made possible by a $4.2 million grant to IHEP from the Walmart Foundation, is aimed at increasing and enhancing efforts to enroll, retain and graduate first-generation college students.
Chancellor Donald J. Reaves has announced the establishment of the Cleon F. Thompson, Jr. Distinguished Professorship in Nursing. The endowed chair was made possible by a gift of $250,000 from the C. D. Spangler Foundation and a matching grant from the State. “Our program continues to be a major provider of nurses, particularly in the State of North Carolina,” said Reaves. “An endowed professorship is crucial to our ability to recruit distinguished professors who will promote excellence in teaching, research and service. With the impact of the healthcare field on our area and the state’s economic development efforts, the emphasis on quality nursing education becomes even more important.” The chair is named in honor of Dr. Thompson, who served as Chancellor at WSSU from 1985 until 1995. During Thompson’s tenure, the goals of the university included recruitment of quality faculty and surpassing accreditation standards. The Student Services Center on the campus is named for Thompson. After leaving WSSU, he continued work within
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the University of North Carolina system and at Shaw University. Thompson is also a director emeritus for the North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development.
$100,000 received for nursing scholarships The School of Health Sciences at Winston-Salem State will receive $100,000 for scholarships from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN). Grants provided through this competitive program will be given to students traditionally underrepresented in the field of nursing and strives to prepare culturally competent leaders in WSSU’s accelerated bachelor’s degree in nursing program. NCIN was launched in 2008 to address the national nursing shortage and fuel the pipeline of diverse nurse faculty.
strategic plan
Wrestructuring that is designed to provide more implementation support for its strategic inston-Salem State has announced a
plan that focuses on improving student retention, graduation rates and post-graduation outcomes. The changes were effective July 1. “Our strategic plan has identified the programs and initiatives that will provide our students with the support that they need to be successful while at Winston-Salem State and after graduation,” said Chancellor Donald J. Reaves. “We define success as graduates who are well prepared for advanced study or work in their chosen profession and who also are willing and capable of providing leadership and service to the community. There is, however, a set of management challenges that must be addressed if we are to implement successfully the strategies that are contained in the plan.” Realigning responsibilities To provide the implementation support necessary to monitor and measure the work outlined in the strategic plan, the role of the executive vice chancellor for management and strategic initiatives will be realigned. “We must have someone working continuously on the various aspects of the plan,” Reaves explained. “Dr. Dorcas Colvin will be the day-to-day driver of our implementation efforts. Reporting directly to me, and working collaboratively with the other senior officers who have responsibility for various aspects of the plan, she will lead the ongoing implementation effort and will ensure that we are
measuring our progress in a meaningful manner. “We will be reassigning the enrollment service and human resources function to allow the executive vice chancellor to provide leadership for new initiatives such as staff development, service excellence and
“We define success as graduates who are well prepared for advanced study or work in their chosen profession and who also are willing and capable of providing leadership and service to the community.” process improvements,” Reaves added. “Dr. Colvin also has been designated as WSSU’s project manager for the UNC-FIT, or Finance Improvement and Transformation initiative, which is designed to align people, processes and technology throughout the multi-campus University system.” In August 2008 the responsibility for enrollment management was assigned temporarily to Colvin while the university searched for a new provost. With Provost Brenda Allen in place for a year, enrollment management has been reassigned to academic affairs. Additionally,
the office of human resources has been reassigned to the finance and administration area where it is better aligned with other business operations. Improving teacher training As part of its larger restructuring effort, the university created a Secondary Education Department within the School of Education and Human Performance to better serve students who are preparing to teach high school English, mathematics and science. “We have been providing a high level of education in these specific subject areas that have been housed in our College of Arts and Sciences,” said Reaves. “By consolidating our secondary education program in the School of Education and Human Performance, we can focus more attention on teacher training. The world of teaching has changed significantly over the years and we need to be sure that the teachers that we produce are equipped to be successful in the classroom.” Other changes include moving the physical education major from the Department of Human Performance and Sports Sciences to the new Department of Secondary Education and moving the English as a Second Language program from the College of Arts and Sciences to the new Education Department of Educational Leadership, Counseling, and Professional Studies. The new departments became effective July 1. Strengthening graduate programs The university is also reorganizing the administration of its graduate programs by eliminating the School of Graduate Studies and Research and consolidating the responsibilities for graduate school programs administration, institutional research, sponsored projects and special projects under one associate provost. Effective July 1, Dr. Carolynn Berry, formerly assistant provost for planning, assessment and research, was named an associate provost with responsibility for the activities outlined above. She also will retain responsibility for institutional research.
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