RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The Alston Avenue Apartments’ first residents moved in during thefall 2020 semester.

Mr. Derek C. Stanfield served as president of the Student Government Association for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Stanfield lived in Alston Avenue Apartments during his junior and senior years. “There are so many resources there – it’s not just a place for you to lay your head like a traditional dormitory or residential hall,” he says. “It creates a living learning community. There are common spaces, computer labs, study spaces – all the resources you need to be successful as a student.”

“And the NCCU Student Center is probably my favorite building on campus, “It’s an open collaborative place to relax and socialize in various ways. It really promotes student engagement.”

DEREK C. STANFIELD

Akua Johnson Matherson, the university’s vice chancellor for administration and finance, says these improvements were, in fact, part of a strategy to improve the quality of life on campus.

“In addition to your outstanding academic offerings, you’ve got to stay new and fresh to provide an environment that students want to come to,” Matherson says.

But there’s more to NCCU’s capital improvements push than the new buildings. “There are repairs and renovations that the average person won’t really see – utility upgrades, steam upgrades, security upgrades,” Matherson says. “We are an older campus, so there are a

lot of things underground that, as we move ahead, if we don’t repair them, we’re going to have problems. We’re in a pattern of repair, renovation, and new buildings – and I think we will be in that space for the next five years.” Matherson made a point of praising state legislators for committing “significant dollars” to NCCU and other UNC System schools for renovation and repairs.

Funding to build the NCCU Student Center came from fees from the students themselves; a $300 annual fee was approved by the student body in 2014.

For the new School of Business building, the financing has been more traditional, starting with $30 million from the Connect NC Bond, a $2 billion general obligation bond approved by state voters in 2016 to

The Lawson Street Residential Complex opened in early 2022.

finance capital improvements at UNC System schools, community colleges, state and other local and state entities. The Legislature appropriated $8.6 million more.

“We want to have the best, be the greatest and be an attractive campus for a diverse community,” Matherson says. “We will always retain our designation of a Historically Black College and University, but that also means we are growing to serve a more diverse, selective student population.”

Additional Highlights

University Opens State-of-the-Art TV Studio

A $1.86 million state-of-the-art television studio opened in April 2019. Funded with Title III support, the high-tech, high-touch facility provides advanced training for students entering the mass communications industry.

10-Year Master Plan Approved

A 10-year campus Master Plan was approved by the NCCU Board of Trustees in November 2020. It includes new capital building projects; land and space use; space needs; transportation and accessibility; safety, utility and infrastructure needs; and campus landscaping concepts.

Starbucks Comes to NCCU

A full-service Starbucks opened in 2020 in the James E. Shepard Library.

New Collaboration Space Planned for Campus

A 24/7 Collaborative Learning and Research Center is in development, with an approved design.

Administration Building Renamed for University Founder

An unveiling for the renamed James E. Shepard Administration Building was held in April 2019, following a unanimous vote from the NCCU Board of Trustees.

When the COVID-19 entered our society and caused a sudden change in life worldwide in March 2020, the university immediately responded through a coordinated, campuswide effort. The response was led by the COVID-19 Taskforce, with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety and Division of Students Affairs at the helm. Daily and weekly meeting were held to provide recommendations that followed the science and data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration, with the UNC System, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service and Durham County Health Department.

NCCU developed comprehensive mitigation protocols that protected the health and safety of the campus community, including a rigorous testing and contact tracing program and a quarantine and isolation program. Strict community standards led the university to posting positivity rates consistently well below county, state and nationwide averages. The NCCU COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic opened in March 2020 to serve students, faculty, staff and community members; it remains in operation.

Through the university’s Advanced Center for COVID-19 Related Disparities (ACCORD) program, under BBRI, additional community outreach was funded by more than $3.2 million. A new mobile health unit has also provided testing and vaccinations in four North Carolina counties.

Additionally, financial assistance was provided to students from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to eliminate outstanding debts. Support also included textbooks and e-book vouchers and 1,815 laptop bundles.

40,000 COVID-19 Rapid Antigen and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Tests Conducted

From 2020 to May 2022

5,680 COVID-19 Vaccines Administered

(Students, Faculty, Staff, Community) From 2020 to May 2022

Under 5.5% Transmission Rate Maintained

Since 2020

The Eagle Promise Realized

2017-2022

Five Years in Review