On Oct. 6, Thomas W. Ross was inaugurated as the 17th president of the 17-campus University of North Carolina, the first system president to choose North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University as the host institution for the ceremony.

Ross became president of the UNC system on Jan. 1, succeeding Erskine Bowles. He previously served as president of Davidson College (2007-2010).

Ross took office at the nation’s first public university in the midst of economic uncertainty. During his inaugural address, Ross identified challenges the University has faced – such as over $414 million in new permanent budget cuts this fiscal year – and will face in the immediate future – such as funding for capital facilities, technology and human resources. He said it would take the concerted effort and commitment of the University and the citizens of North Carolina for the “University of the People” to strengthen and to succeed.

“If we want North Carolina not only to regain its economic equilibrium and its well-earned confidence, but also to thrive and prosper in the years ahead, then it is our time to preserve, protect, and strengthen our university. If we want our people to be able to compete in the global economy, to work in the jobs of tomorrow, and to enjoy with their children and grandchildren a standard of living that is better, not worse, then it is our time to break free of today’s turmoil and to equip this university to become the University of Tomorrow’s People, as well as today’s,” said Ross.

“We must prove once again that North Carolina’s deep-rooted belief in the transforming power of education has not been misplaced.”

A Greensboro, N.C., native, Ross graduated from Grimsley High School, Davidson College and the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law. Earlier in his career, Ross served as executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, spent 17 years on the bench as a North Carolina Superior Court judge, and served as director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. He also has practiced law, served as a congressional staffer, and served on the faculty of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government..

Our nation’s teachers are expected to develop the work force of the future in fields like nanotechnology, biotechnology and other advanced disciplines. But how can teachers themselves keep up with the breakneck pace of science and technology?

One opportunity for K-12, community college and university educators from across the United States is a workshop that will provide hands-on lab experience and curricular material for teaching a broad range of subjects in material sciences and technologies. The National Educators Workshop 2011: Converging Technologies and Disciplines will be held October 16–18 at North Carolina A&T State University.

“It’s not often that teachers from K-12 schools, community colleges and universities have the opportunity to work together in labs, learn from each other and share classroom experiences,” said Mel Cossette, executive director of MatEd, the National Resource Center for Materials Technology Education. “This workshop is designed to give teachers new knowledge, insights and teaching ideas when they’re in the labs and when they’re together informally outside the labs.”

The event will open Sunday, Oct. 16, with a free half-day professional development workshop for middle school and high school science teachers. The hands-on session will feature low-cost/no-cost labs and experiments that can be integrated into existing lesson plans.

Registration fees for up to 50 STEM teachers registering from the Guilford County Schools will be paid by the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials at N.C. A&T. This would include pay for a substitute for Monday, Oct 17.

Sponsorship capacity is rapidly being approached, with over 40 sponsored registrations already confirmed. GCS STEM teachers that have an interest in a sponsored registration and would like to attend Monday’s sessions should email Robin Liles, rgliles@ncat.edu, for full details.

Registration for the Monday and Tuesday sessions is $349. Registration for K-12 teachers and for students is $75. For more information or to register, go to www.materialseducation.org/educators/new/

One mission of the ERC is providing educators at all levels with new skills in teaching advanced science and technology,” said Jagannathan “Jag” Sankar, principal investigator of the ERC. “As we take part in hosting this conference, we want to be sure that our local teachers have the fullest opportunity possible to learn about these converging technologies.”

The 2011 event will mark the workshop’s 39th year. It is sponsored by MatEd; Edmonds Community College of Lynnwood, Washington; the Manufacturing Technology Advisory Group; and A&T. Edmonds is a partner with A&T in the ERC.

Vaccination is the best protection against influenza and, once again, North Carolina A&T State University is partnering with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) and Maxim Health Systems to host an on-site flu shot clinic Thursday, Nov. 3, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., at 1020 E. Wendover Ave., room 007.

With proper identification, the clinic is free of charge to all employees enrolled in the State Health Plan and their covered dependents. Participants are required to bring their BCBSNC identification card and a photo ID to the clinic, and must sign a consent form before receiving a flu shot. Children under age 4 must receive shots from their primary care physician.

To register for this free clinic, please send an email to benefits@ncat.edu. Sign-up is in 15-minute increments. Someone from the Benefits Office will confirm the appointment via email.

Included below are answers to frequently asked questions about the flu and flu shots. Visit the BCBSNC website at www.bcbsnc.com/flu for related links and the latest information about the flu.

Flu FAQs

Q: Will I get the flu from the flu shot?
A: No. Flu vaccine is created from dead or inactive viruses that are not contagious.

Q: Do I need a flu shot every year?
A: Yes. Influenza viruses continually change every year. A new vaccine is used annually to fight the most current influenza virus. In addition, the antibody a person develops from the vaccine declines over time.

Q: When should I get a flu shot?
A: Influenza usually occurs from November until April, with activity peaking between late December and early March. The optimal time for flu shots is October through November; however, it is clinically beneficial to be vaccinated through December and January.

Q: Why get a flu shot?
A: Influenza usually leaves its victims unable to function for several days and is responsible for an average of 140,000 hospitalizations each year (National Coalition for Adult Immunization, April 2000). Getting an annual flu shot is your best protection.

Q: Can children receive a flu shot?
A: Maxim will immunize children 4 years and older. Children between the ages of 4 and 17 will require parental consent to receive the flu immunization. Parents of children under the age of 4 will be asked to check with their primary care physician about flu immunizations for their child.

Q: Should women who are pregnant receive a flu shot?
A: Flu shots are recommended for women at all stages of pregnancy. Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy may receive the flu shot without a prescription.

Q: How effective is the flu shot?
A: Flu vaccine has been determined to be about 75 percent effective in preventing the flu and is the best method of protection.

Q: Who should get a flu shot?
A: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a flu shot for individuals who fit their criteria of high-risk or one of the following categories:

• Anyone who wants to reduce the risk of contracting the flu
• Those over the age of 50
• People with high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, a history of stroke or heart attack, a chronic disease, diabetes, a compromised immune system, anemia, asthma or other breathing problems
• A health care worker with high-risk patients
• Those who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic, kidney or blood cell diseases
• People traveling to a foreign country
• People living or working with persons who fit into one of these categories

Q: Can I still get the flu after receiving the flu shot?
A: Yes. Like other vaccines, flu vaccine is not 100 percent effective and it does not take effect until one or two weeks after it is received. During this time, you will be just as susceptible to contract the flu as individuals who have not received the vaccination. Still, the best option to prevent flu is to get a yearly flu shot.

Q: Am I classified as high-risk?
A: You are classified as high-risk if you fall under one of the following categories:

• 65 years of age or older
• A household contact of persons at increased risk of influenza-related complications
• A resident or employee of a nursing home or other chronic care facility where some of the residents have chronic medical conditions
• Have a chronic medical condition such as asthma or another lung disease,
heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, blood disease
• Have immune system problems caused either by disease (e.g., HIV or lymphoma) or by medication (e.g., chemotherapy or radiation therapy)
• A woman who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during flu season (You must bring a physician's written prescription to the clinic location.)

This information was provided by the Benefits Office at N.C. A&T, (336) 334-7226.