 ERSKINE
BOWLES
NC University System President
By Jill Santuccio
"I was a terrible
politician and I have the empirical data to prove it," quipped
Erskine Bowles, citing his two unsuccessful bids for the U.S. Senate
at the opening of his presentation.
Bowles, with an impressive list of state and national positions to
his credit, including White House Chief of Staff under former
President Bill Clinton, recently took the helm of the University of
North Carolina university system.
With 16 campuses, 40,000 students, 200,000 students and a $6.5
billion dollar budget, the university system could be considered the
"second largest city" in North Carolina. As special envoy for the
United Nations in southeast Asia following the 2005 tsunami, Bowles
gained new perspective of the importance of education in the United
States as it pertains to a knowledge-based global economy.
"China, India and Singapore are making huge strategic investments in
education and research. It's happening at warp speed - faster than
the entire dot-com era," he said. "Eighth-grade children around the
world are outscoring American eighth graders, especially North
Carolina eighth graders. If we don't wake up and get better
educated, we are going to be a second-rate nation."
Some of his goals include bringing down the cost of education,
ensuring that more people are better educated and to match the needs
relevant to North Carolina businesses with the research and
education offered through the UNC system. A major initiative to
achieve these goals is to supply better and more teachers in more
fields that are in high demand, such as nursing.
When asked how the UNC system can influence education improvements
at the public school level, he reinforced these teacher-focused
initiatives and noted that "we pay teachers nothing and they work in
the poorest of conditions."
Bowles lauded retired UNC-Charlotte chancellor and club member Jim
Woodward's accomplishments in growing the university and recognized
that current chancellor Phil Dubois is poised to take the campus to
the next level. He also singled out the Ben Craig Center small
business incubator at UNC Charlotte as the flagship and model for
similar entrepreneurial programs at UNC campuses around the state.
Head Table:
Ed Kizer, Ashley Oster, Luther Moore, Jim Woodward, Phil Dubois,
Elsie Garner; Invocation: Marilynn Bowler
Visitors &
Guests:
Tom Hutchins; Health & Happiness: Harley Dickson; Song: Richard
Early
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NEW MEMBER
PROFILES |
William M.
Anderson, IV (Bill)
Communities in Schools
601 E. 5th Street, Ste 300 (28202) 704-335-0601, ext 9442
banderson@cischarlotte.org
Classification: Youth Outreach
Dr. Bill Anderson is Executive Director of Communities In
Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc. (CIS), part of a national
dropout prevention program that locally provides resources and
support to at-risk students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg public
schools. Dr. Anderson has been an educator for more than 30
years, 25 of those with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).
Prior to becoming Executive Director of CIS, he was the
Assistant Superintendent for High School Curriculum and
Instruction in CMS. He previously served as principal and
assistant principal at several middle schools in Charlotte and
in Shelby, including four years as Principal at Myers Park High
School. During his tenure at Myers Park, the school was named
the seventh best public high school in the nation by Newsweek
magazine (2003). During his work at Shelby High School
(1997-2001), the school was named one of the "Top 10 Most
Improved Schools in North Carolina." Dr. Anderson was named N.C.
Principal of the Year in 2001. Dr. Anderson and his wife,
Herminia Flores, have two college-age children, Jessica and
William. Anderson is an avid cyclist who regularly participates
in cycling events in Charlotte and Western North Carolina. |
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Rotary Club of Charlotte
841 Baxter Street, Suite 118, Charlotte 28202
chltrot@bellsouth.net 704-375-6816 |
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Sympathy is expressed to members of our Rotary family as
they mourn the loss of loved ones:
John and Kristin
Bradberry lost Kristin's Father, Dr. David Allen
Hills, last week; Tom Bartholomy's
Mother passed away in Indiana on Tuesday.
þ
Best wishes to Pam
Meister as she heads to Greenville, SC in April
to manage a new museum.
þ
President Luther
recognized Peggy Wesp
for her leadership and coordination of details associated
with the Group Study Exchange team. Luther also asked
everyone involved in the project to stand as he expressed
his thanks: Home Hosts: Bill
Bradley, Herb Harriss, Mac McCarley, Jan Thompson;
Professional Program: Marilynn
Bowler, Meg McElwain, Mac McCarley, Darrell Stephens, John
Armistead, Pam Syfert, Ron Kimble, Janet Fortner;
Transportation: Biff Virkler;
Cultural Program: Tom Robertson, Brian Gibson, Pam Meister,
Herb Harriss, Marilynn Bowler, Mac McCarley, Tim Newman;
Rotary Meeting March 20: Kurt
Waldthausen, Harriman Jett, Sandy Osborne and
table hosts Jan Thompson, Tom
Cottingham, Herb Harriss, Pam Meister, John Snyder
and Colleen Blanchard.
The GSE blog and photo gallery can be found at
www.rotaryinlondon.org.
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UPCOMING ROTARY CLUB EVENTS: Belmont Rotary
Club invites you to participate in the Taste of Belmont on
Friday, April 27th at Stowe Manor in Belmont. Tickets for
the Roaring 20's Celebration are $50 per person and proceeds
benefit the newly founded Belmont Historical Society; China
Grove Rotary will hold its 8th Annual Golf Tournament May 3
at Warrior Golf Club in Landis, NC. Individual fee $75, team
entry $300, or hole sponsorship for $100. If you have
interest in either event, contact the Rotary Office for
registration material.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: To participate in
Friday Friends, contact Tony
Marciano, 704-334-4635, ext 202; To be a mentor
for a student at the Performance Learning Center,
contact Bob Culbertson,
704-334-2700, ext 303; To make a contribution to support the
Rotary Scholarship Committee, make your check payable
to The Rotary Foundation DAF and send to the Rotary
office |
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Attendance
Record |
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3/27/07 |
3/28/06 |
| visitors &
guests |
15 |
9 |
| club
members |
187 |
149 |
| total
attendance |
202 |
158 |
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New Members | Resignations |
Tom Hodges
Tom Templeton
Liz Irwin
Jeff Blackey |
n/a |
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Wedding
Anniversaries |
4 Debbie and Bob Constangy
4 Robin and Smith Foushee
7 Brenda and Jim Lea
8 Vanessa and Calvin Ramseur
8 Jane and Gib Smith |
| Birthdays and
Birthplaces |
5 Guy Wilson, Americus, GA
7 David Anderson, Florence, SC
8 Trent Merchant, Charlotte, NC
8 George Thompson,
Charlotte, NC |
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