The Fall Semester

Regardless of the calendar and thermometer readings, most of us regard the beginning of the academic year as the official end of summer.

Once again, summer has passed quickly, and now we await the arrival of fall semester and the return of nearly 34,000 students.

It is my first summer at NC State and my first in the South after 25 years in northern Indiana. It didn’t take long for me to remember just how hot it can be in these parts!

So, before going any further, I want to extend my sincere thanks to all the staff who worked tirelessly through this extreme heat to keep our campus attractive, functional and accessible to all of our students, employees and visitors.

It is tough work when the heat index seems to be perpetually above 100 degrees.

While summer might be a down time for some on campus, it’s a busy time for University Housing and Greek Life.

More than 12,000 people participated in camps, conferences and other activities. That number doesn’t include summer semester students.

On the Facilities side, several renovations and maintenance projects were completed this summer, including new steps on the Court of North Carolina, leading to the 1911 Building. The court is one of our iconic places on campus and the stairs and a new outdoor classroom make nice additions. Congratulations to everyone who contributed to a successful – if brief — summer on campus.

Looking forward to the late-August and September calendar, several dates stand out:

On Aug. 20-21, we will celebrate the annual Service NC State weekend, beginning with a massive blood drive on Friday, followed by the Million Meals event on Saturday.

By the end of the weekend, students faculty, staff, alumni and community members will have collected more than 500 units of blood and packaged about 400,000 meals. Find out more about the weekend’s activities, including how you can volunteer at the Center for Student Leadersip, Ethics and Public Service.

You can also make a donation to the cause at Stop Hunger Now.

On Aug. 24, we will officially dedicate Kay Yow Plaza in the area between Reynolds and Talley.

On Sept. 25, more than a decade of waiting and working will end when we celebrate the re-opening of the renovated Hillsborough Street.

It’s been a long time coming, but the unofficial “front door of the university” has finally gotten a needed facelift.

For the last several months, I have been visiting our community partners across the state to hear what they have to say about how we can help them.

On Sept. 13, we will begin a series of chancellor forums that will give you a chance to speak up about our campus and the future of the university.

Please stay tuned to the NC State University web site for further details on all three forums.

Until then, if you have questions or comments, you can always submit them through the Ask the Chancellor page.

Randy Woodson
Chancellor
NC State University