Charlotte, N.C./Aug. 18, 2023 – Faculty and staff gathered at the Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel in August to discuss the University’s numerous Title III activities and how they progressed throughout the 2022-23 academic year.
The year-end review impact presentations followed the successes of 13 activities, which included updating technology for student and employee success, renovating academic facilities, integrating the arts and sciences and supporting research integrity and ethics, among others.
“Our year-end review event is a wonderful opportunity to look at where we’ve been and where we are going,” said Dr. Diane Bowles, vice president of Government Sponsored Programs and Research.
The morning began with a special address from Dr. Valerie Kinloch ’96, the 15th president of Johnson C. Smith University.
She emphasized her professional focus on inclusivity and operational efficiency and shared her views on collaborative research and how Title III activities can help engage students, faculty, staff and surrounding communities.
“We don’t research people. We research with people and communities,” she said. “That has to be a part of our philosophy here.”
Following her introduction and a few questions from the audience, the impact presentations began.
John Norris, chief information officer at JCSU, discussed a number of technology updates, including the implementation of RingCentral, a telecommunications tool that allows faculty and staff to answer calls via their desktop computer or a mobile app.
“You now have one place to message, video call, and, in the near future, send SMS messages to anyone, no matter if they are on or off campus,” said Norris.
Norris explained that the Information Technology team had engaged in a comprehensive study to find the best tool that would lower operational costs but give employees the ability to remotely access their JCSU phones and keep their personal cell phones private.
The Information Technology department also expanded its team and created a new service to offer academic technology assistance for faculty and instituted campus-wide cybersecurity training.
Erna Perkins-Jones, director of the Department of Facilities, shared the ways in which she used Title III funding to upgrade academic facilities on campus.
The renovations work together to uplift the JCSU brand by incorporating accent walls and the “JCSU dash,” which she says will inspire students to excel in a colorful and creative environment.
The full list of activities included:
- Enhancing Student Retention through Upgrading Academic Facilities | Activity Director: Erna Perkins-Jones*
- Advancing Information Technology Services | Activity Director: John Norris*
- Strengthen and Enhance Use of Emerging Digital and Networking Technologies | Activity Director: John Norris+
- Establish a Data Warehouse to Strengthen Institutional Effectiveness | Activity Director: Dr. Antonio Henley and John Norris+
- Necessary Enhancements Across Unified Sectors (NExUS): Leveraging Institutional Frameworks to Improve Evidence-Informed Capacity Building | Activity Director: Dr. Karen D. Morgan*
- Advancing Sponsored Programs, Initiatives and Research in Education | Activity Director: Virginia Rowe-Anderson*
- STEM to STEAM-Improving Student Understanding by Integrating the Arts and Sciences |Activity Director: Dr. Gary Guffey*
- Enhancing the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning | Dr. John Bannister*
- Building and Strengthening Smith Institute for Research, Career Development and Postgraduate Readiness (SIRCDPgR) | Activity Director: Jennifer Joyner+
- Supporting Research Integrity, Ethics and Education in Sponsored Programs | Dr. Erika Dugo
- Expanding and Improving Online Learning | Activity Director: Andrea Hylton*
- Enhancing Wellness Programming to Support Campus-Wide Healthy Living | Activity Director: Dr. Jennifer Lee*
For more information about JCSU and its various programs, visit www.jcsu.edu.
*Indicates the activity was funded by Title III Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities funds (grant cycle 2022-27)
+Indicates the activity was funded by the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act (grant cycle 2020-25)
