Stephen Meinhold Senate Statement Faculty. Students. UNCW. Go Seahawks! I am a professor today in part because Lance LeLoup, a professor of political science, took me to lunch when I was an undergraduate. This kind of close student-­‐faculty interaction creates powerful learning experiences, and its part of what we do well at UNCW. For example, three weeks ago Babette Boyd, John Scherer and I took UNCW freshmen in our Pre-­‐Law Learning Community to an oral argument of the U.S. Supreme Court. Afterward, I took one of our political science alumni Bradley Ballou to lunch (political science alumnus, student body president, and now UNC Director of Federal Relations in Washington). During our visit he reminded me why he came to UNCW “because you can get to know your professors and they care about you.” I love this institution and I am proud of Bradley and the thousands of other UNCW alumni I have taught and with whom I have done research. As such, I would be honored to serve as faculty senate president. UNCW can be better. There is much to be proud of, and I am proud #UNCWproud. But we must not ignore that morale and student learning have suffered over the past few years. We owe it to ourselves, our current students, and those on their way to acknowledge these points, without dwelling on them, and find a positive path forward. There is change ahead of us and I would like to be a part of that change, along with you. A powerful learning experience does not happen without faculty. We are faculty and together we must debate, discuss, agree, disagree, advocate and contribute meaningfully to the future of UNCW. The faculty senate is the place for us to do this. I will work hard to involve you and am not afraid to ask all faculty and Senators to be a part of the discussion and needed action to make UNCW the place we want it to be for our students and us. I have had a rewarding 18 ½ years at UNCW and deeply hope that new colleagues have the same and even better opportunities-­‐-­‐mentoring students, serving in faculty senate, working with faculty across campus as Associate Dean of Research, serving/or chairing 34 University level committees (including senate committees starting in 1996, graduate council, RTP), million dollar club member, and teaching award winner. In the community I have chaired large nonprofit organizations including the United Way of the Cape Fear Area and the Good Shepherd Center and worked with diverse audiences, educating them about the great work of UNCW. Thank you for what you have done for UNCW. I am grateful to my colleague Carrie Clements for nominating me for faculty senate president and I would be happy to answer questions about my qualifications or philosophy. Regards, Steve