The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Board of Trustees
Wednesday, July 26, 2023, 3 – 4 p.m.
Zoom Videoconference Call
Agenda
The Board Chair will state the following at the beginning of each meeting: In accordance with the State Government Ethics Act (Chapter 138A of the N.C. General Statutes), I remind all members of the Board of Trustees of their duty to avoid conflicts of interest and appearances of conflicts of interest. If you are aware or become aware of a conflict of interest or any item that may create the appearance of a conflict of interest, please notify me immediately.
Call to Order
Dennis Bunker, Acting Chair
Farewell to Outgoing Trustees
Sharon Gaber, Chancellor
Introduction of New Trustees
Dennis Bunker, Acting Chair
Election of 2023-24 Officers of the Board of Trustees
Teross Young Jr, Nominating Committee Chair
BOT Chair Remarks
Board of Trustees Chair
Request to Establish a New Dean Position
Jennifer Troyer, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
7 Request of Authorization of a Capital Project
Rich Amon, Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs
Documents: Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection – Advance Planning
Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection – Project Authorization
8. Motion to Convene in Closed Session
Board of Trustees Chair
a.Pursuant to N.C.G.S §143-318.11 (a)(6), To consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual, public officer or employee, or prospective public officer or employee.
Closed Session
9. Faculty Tenure Recommendations
Jennifer Troyer, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Document: New Hire Tenure Recommendations
10. Appointment of the Dean of the “New Science College”
Jennifer Troyer, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
11. Appointment of the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement
Sharon Gaber, Chancellor
12 Tier I Salary Increases
Sharon Gaber, Chancellor
Document: Request for Tier I Salary Adjustments
13. Motion to Resume in Open Session
Board of Trustees Chair
Open Session
14. Action on Faculty Tenure Recommendations
Board of Trustees Chair
Board of Trustees Chair
15. Action on Appointment of the Dean of the “New Science College”
16. Action on Appointment of the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement
Board of Trustees Chair
17 Other Business
Board of Trustees Chair
18. Adjourn
Board of Trustees Chair
Members of the Board of Trustees
Dennis N. Bunker III
John A. Bailey
Geoffrey D. Gray
Wendy J. Grubbs
Christine P. Katziff
J. Brett Keeter
Fred W. Klein
Hugh L. McColl Jr.
I. Tife Olusesi
Michael J. Smith
Sasha J. Weintraub
Dontá L. Wilson
Teross W. Young Jr.
Request for Authorization
Center for Meditation and Reflection - Advance Planning
Project Cost: $275,000 Source of Funds: Donor Funds
Project Description: Advance Planning for The Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection will provide students with space to focus on health and wellness, including meditation, mindfulness, personal reflection and group wellness activities A gift in memory of professor Loy Witherspoon will fund the design and construction of the center The total project budget will be $2,750,000.
Action requested by the Finance and Physical Properties Committee and the Board of Trustees: Authorize the University to undertake the following capital improvement project:
The Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection - Advance Planning - $275,000
Request for Authorization
Center for Meditation and Reflection - Advance Planning
Project Cost: $275,000 Source of Funds: Donor Funds
Project Description: Advance Planning for The Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection will provide students with space to focus on health and wellness, including meditation, mindfulness, personal reflection and group wellness activities A gift in memory of professor Loy Witherspoon will fund the design and construction of the center The total project budget will be $2,750,000.
Action requested by the Finance and Physical Properties Committee and the Board of Trustees: Authorize the University to undertake the following capital improvement project:
The Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection - Advance Planning - $275,000
Request for Authorization
Center for Meditation and Reflection
Project Cost: $2,750,000 Source of Funds: Donor Funds
Project Description: The Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection will provide students with space to focus on health and wellness, including meditation, mindfulness, personal reflection and group wellness activities. A gift in memory of professor Loy Witherspoon will fund the design and construction of the center.
Action requested by the Finance and Physical Properties Committee and the Board of Trustees: Authorize the University to undertake the following capital improvement project:
The Loy Witherspoon Center for Meditation and Reflection - $2,750,000
AssociateProfessor2019-present
AssociateProfessor 2022-presen PhD UnversityofAlabama2008TexasA&M IntermDean 2022-present PhDUniverstyofCombra2005UniverstyofCombra Professor 2017-present
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Dr. Bernadette T. Donovan-Merkert received a B.S. in Chemistry from Duke University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Vermont. She held postdoctoral research associate positions at Dartmouth College and the University of Texas at Austin prior to beginning her appointment as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at UNC Charlotte in 1992. She was promoted to Associate Professor (with tenure) in 1998 and to the rank of Professor in 2003. Donovan-Merkert’s research program focuses on electrochemically-induced reactions of organometallic complexes, with an emphasis on asymmetric reactions promoted by electrochemical means. This work has implications in areas such as energy research and synthetic chemistry. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, and the American Chemical Society (ACS). She co-authored over 120 journal articles and conference presentations. In recognition of her accomplishments in teaching and research with undergraduate students, she was awarded the Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Scholar-Fellow Award, both from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. She also received the 2003 Harshini V. deSilva Graduate Mentor Award, and was named a finalist for the 2002 Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence. Donovan-Merkert was named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society in 2011.
Since January 2023, Donovan-Merkert has been Interim Divisional Dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences where she works primarily with the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics and Optical Science. Immediately prior to that appointment she served as Chair of the Chemistry Department for over 18 years. In that role, she worked with faculty to promote a departmental culture that embraces excellence in research, teaching and engagement. Under her leadership, the Chemistry Department’s funding portfolio grew substantially, with less than $500K in extramural funding in 2005 to over $3.5M in 2022, including major grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and other federal agencies. She led the design and implementation of the interdisciplinary Nanoscale Science Ph.D. program -- the first program of its kind in the State of North Carolina -- and served as the program’s director from its beginning in Fall 2007 through June 2023. At the same time, she encouraged and supported faculty efforts to adopt evidence-based teaching practices in the classroom to improve student learning and success. Donovan-Merkert was a long-time advocate for the construction of the new science building that opened in 2021. She assisted the Chancellor in demonstrating the need for the building, helped to raise public awareness about the 2016 $2B Connect NC bond to fund the science building and other construction projects across the state, and served as a key participant in the design of the building.
Donovan-Merkert was Chair of the 2014 Gordon Research Conference on Organometallic Chemistry. She held leadership positions in the ACS, including Chair of the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry (DIC), Program Chair of the ACS DIC, and Chair of the Carolina-Piedmont Local ACS Section. She recently served as a member of the board of directors for Charlottebased Arts+ (formerly Community School of the Arts), an organization that provides outstanding arts education to students of all ages, skill levels, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
PERSONNEL ACTION REQUIRING APPROVAL OF THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
This form is designed for submitting all personnel requests that require BOT approval
Name of Institution:
Name of Appointee:
Department:
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Bernadette Donovan-Merkert
Dean’s Office
Current UNC Rank or Title:
(if applicable) Interim Divisional Dean and Professor with Tenure
Indicate Type of Action:
College:
TBD
Interim Dean and Professor with Tenure
) Administrative Appointment: X Reappointment:
(select all that apply
New Faculty Appointment: Conferral of Tenure:
Promotion: X
Salary Increase in Excess of 15%: (* must complete Item #8 on page 2)
Other: (describe)
Distinguished Professorship: (provide name of professorship)
Effective Date of Action: August 1, 2023
Contract Period: Administrative Appointment: 9 mo.
Faculty Appointment: 9 mo.
Salary: $ 235,000 Source(s): State Funds: $235,000
Proposed Rank: X
12 mo.
12 Mo.
*Non State Funds: $
* ):
Education Background:
Indicate Sources of non-state funds generically ( i.e., grants, receipts, trust funds, endowments, medical faculty practice plan, etc. Ph
(indicate degree, date earned and institution, note additional study & training)
1988
1983 University of Vermont Duke University
Teaching and other professional experience:
(Show inclusive dates, rank and/or title, institution or agency, and indicate first appointment at current institution with rank and any changes to date)
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
2011 – Present Director, Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Program
2007 – 2011 Interim Director, Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Program
2003 – Present Professor
1998 – 2003 Associate Professor
1992 – 1998 Assistant Professor
Scholarly & Creative Activities
Dr. Donovan-Merkert’s research focuses on electron-transfer reactions of organometallic complexes. She has made major contributions to the graduate program in nanoscale science as the program director.
Request for Appointment of Vice Chancellor for Advancement BoardofTrusteesMeeting
July26,2023
LastName Crigler
FirstName Beth
