03.12.10 | posted by Joe Hice |

100 of 100. Where to go from here.

03.11.10 | posted by Joe Hice |

Chancellor’s vision for NC State starting to emerge

Our new chancellor’s vision for NC State is starting to emerge and I’m excited with what I’m hearing.  In today’s News & Observer, Chancellor Woodson talks about the need to improve the university’s “national and international reputation” and the need to make difficult choices in defining who we are and what we’re going to focus on.  I take that to mean One voice, One message.  How ’bout you?

“The grand challenges of society now – water, climate, energy – have science and technology issues that have to be resolved, and N.C. State is in a tremendous position to be among the leading institutions in the country that address those challenges. But we can’t do that if we’re not strong in engineering, the physical sciences and mathematics,” Woodson told the N&O.

That would mean taking bold academic risks, he said, such as identifying colleges, schools or departments that will get more funding, even at the expense of others.

“So academic risk is when you step up in front of your colleagues, and put a stake in the ground and say, at the risk of offending another discipline, we’re going to the next level in chemical engineering or we’re going to the next level in molecular biology and the life sciences.”

Woodson also talked about increasing the university’s endowment.  The endowment stands at approximately $463 million today, and of that, the 80,000-acre Hoffman Forest accounts for $117 million.  Thus, the true value of the endowment is around $346 million.  The average value of the endowments of our peers is around $1 billion or more than  $25,000 per student.  At NC State, the per student endowment is just $14,000.

The numbers are among the absolute lowest of all research-intensive universities and that’s got to change.

So stay tuned and speak up.  If you want to have a voice in the process, you’ve got to have a voice.

Passion Rules!

99 of 100

03.10.10 | posted by Joe Hice |

An NC State family’s legacy, a tradition of service to North Carolina

Governors W. Kerr Scott and Robert W. Scott Courtyard Dedication — March 9, 2010

I was fortunate enough to attend a university event this week that recognized the contributions of one family to NC State University and to the state of North Carolina.  That family is the Scott family.

Bill Friday, who has proven quite the public servant himself, put the family’s contributions into perspective and quite honestly, his comments moved me.  Here was another example of how this university has made North Carolina what it is today…one of the greatest states in the nation.

Friday spoke for a mere 10 minutes, but the history lesson he provided is one we should all hear.  So here, brought to you by NC State University, I present

Remarks by William C. Friday

We gather to celebrate and to remember the gifts and service of a father and son, both alumni of this place and to give permanence to their service through this dedicatory occasion.  We gather to honor their committed and superior service to the people of the state.

I had the pleasure of knowing W. Kerr Scott early on in my years of association with the University.  Like thousands of others, I greatly admired his energy, his intelligence and his commanding sense of the needs of people, especially our farm population.  In those days, the executive committee of the then Board of Trustees held its quarterly meetings in the office of the Governor, since the Governor was then the chairman of that body.  The great pastime amongst the members was the wager as to whether each session would last for one cigar or two.  The Governor’s adept handling of the agenda never exceeded that limit.   He was an especially entertaining and skillful chairman.

We all remember Kerr Scott as County Agent in Alamance and as our  Commissioner of Agriculture.  Being one himself, he was in close, intimate touch with the farmer, the issues of agriculture and its great importance to all of us.  He decided to run for the governorship of North Carolina against established and tradition succession and he won.  And it was during his administration that he exhibited his boldness and daring by calling for an unheard of  $200 million bond vote for highway development to lift the farm people out of the mud.  It was then that he truly won the hearts of all thoughtful North Carolinians.

Governor Scott did not waste time or words.  Once, in Chapel Hill, he demonstrated both qualities when he introduced Eleanor Roosevelt by saying, “She served as First Lady of our country.  Today she is First Lady of the World.”  Kerr Scott did many good and wonderful things while our Chief Executive.  During that term of office he made a very daring move that changed the course of history in our state and it was an action inspired by his dear wife, Miss Mary, who urged, and Kerr Scott did, appoint President Frank Graham to the United States Senate.  It occurred on the occasion of the very first O. Max Gardner dinner in 1949.  The faculty of the university campuses had gathered.  The evening progressed as planned.  The award to Miss Louise Alexander was made and at the very end of the evening, Governor Kerr Scott rose and said, “I have an announcement to make.  I’m going to appoint President Frank Graham to the Senate.  The room exploded. (more…)

03.09.10 | posted by Joe Hice |

At NC State, we are one university … One voice, one message, one common goal

NC State’s Chancellor-elect, Randy Woodson, is in town again this week.  In between meetings and events, he had a chance to wander campus a little on his own, and lo and behold, he wanderd into Agriculture Awareness Week on the Brickyard.  A number of students recognized him and Chancellor Woodson had a great time with the group; though he declined the opportunity to milk a cow.  “Done that before,” I think he said.

Last night the new Chancellor was at the annual Founder’s Day Banquet where he and his wife Susan had an opportunity to meet about 400 of the university’s staunchest supporters.  Jay Dawkins and Shanna Rose received the 2010 Mathews Medal, the highest non-scholastic award an NC State student can receive, during the event.

The University also recognized Kenneth M. Bryant, Hou-Min Chang and H. Frank Grainger with the Watauga Medal.  The Watauga recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the University.

Woodson is clearly excited about joining NC State and he let the crowd know that during brief remarks.  He also hinted that change may be afoot at NC State.  He has said this before during earlier visits.

“This is a university for a reason,”  he said.  “It’s not nine or 10 colleges. I really want to stress the idea that we are one university. There needs to be strong collaboration across colleges, and our students need to benefit from the breadth of educational opportunities at this university – regardless of their major. So, it’s really stressing the idea that this is one university. We have a lot of individual colleges and departments, but we share one common goal.”

One voice, one message, one common goal.  Music to my ears.

But the most exciting aspect of the new Chancellor’s comments is that we’ll all have an opportunity to work with him and follow his lead to define that common goal.  Excellent timing for our Strategic Communications Planning Process don’t you think.

Passion Rules!

97 of 100

03.08.10 | posted by Joe Hice |

Failure to deliver on the Brand Promise; Not us, but just what is NC State’s Brand Promise? (see comments at the bottom)

Interesting piece by Matthew May and Brad Kinney over at Industry Week, deconstructing what is possibly the most interesting — as well as the most impactful — aftershocks of the recent Toyota recalls. That is to say, the emotional reactions of  customers who bought into a Brand Promise made by Toyota that it seems the automaker has failed to deliver.

Mays first lays the groundwork for his argument by referencing a famous marketing innovation story, in this case from another automaker during tough economic times.  I’ve added my own reference to a famous motorcycle manufacturer as well:

• The idea of perceptual, emotional or otherwise intangible value in business can be traced back to the Great Depression, when Cadillac effectively stopped selling automotive transportation. In the 1930s, Nicholas Dreystadt took over as the company was about to fail and announced that Cadillac did not compete with other automakers, but that “Cadillac competes with diamonds and mink coats. The Cadillac customer does not buy transportation, but status.” That simple perceptual innovation translated to a price premium and saved the company. Within two years Cadillac had become a major growth business despite the dismal economy.

• Harley-Davidson did something similar in the early-1980s when the company was facing bankruptcy.  CEO Vaughn Beals began to position the company and its motorcycles as a lifestyle rather than a product.  Harley started charging riders $35 a year to join a club that helped them do what they were already doing, riding their Harleys to local dealerships and trading experiences with their buddies.  They created the Harley Owners Group, or HOG as most of us know it.  That move has helped Harley sustain its business through the tough economic times and today more than a million members pay the Motor Company about $75 a year to do what they already do, ride their motorcycles.

According to May, that same perceptual innovation has been used by Toyota over the past decades. What they’ve been selling is not an automobile, but the perception of quality.  Just think back to the introduction of Toyota’s Lexus brand from 1989 to 1999: “The relentless pursuit of perfection!”  So much for perfection.

What is happening to Toyota right now is that the emotional bonds of trust, built over decades, is being eroded by the dramatic scope and scale of their product quality issues. Many people, loyal customers, are feeling betrayed.

Toyota is fighting back with everything possible, but will it be enough?  Time will tell.  The play did work for Harley, but then the company was focusing on lifestyle precisely because of quality problems.   And if Harley-Davidson fails to deliver on the dreams of some of its owners, another dreamer is standing buy to pick up on that dream and make it his or her own.

The bigger question in my mind right now is not about Toyota, Cadillac or Harley.  My question is about the Brand Promise we are making at NC State University.  Do we even have a brand promise?  Do we need a brand promise?  Have we failed to deliver on that promise of late and, if so, how do we win back that trust? (more…)

03.06.10 | posted by Joe Hice |

NC State University has a beautiful campus … and three new wolves

Walking around campus on this beautiful day, it’s hard to imagine how anyone could consider this place ugly.  Crab apples and pear trees are starting to bloom, the grass is green and the holly bright red!  Yet for several years our own students have voted NC State one of the least attractive campuses in the land.  Top 10, and that’s when top means bottom.

Efforts have been underway to make the campus “edges” more attractive and the project on Hillsborough Street is a great example.  While there is still a lot to do, it’s easy to see how the new design will really set the stage for a bright future.

Also exciting is the new wolfpack that’s about to make its presence known.  Just outside the Free Expression Tunnel in a new plaza area — an area I’m calling Wolf Plaza –  three new wolf statues will stand watch on the student body.

San Diego-based artist Michael Stutz created the over-sized “woven bronze” wolves that weigh in at approximately 1,200 pounds each and stand about five feet tall.   The sculptures are part of a continuing campus beautification project helped along by the bond referendum of 2000 that allowed NC State to address facility construction and renovation across campus.

“Now we have an opportunity to turn our attention to the spaces between buildings,” said Tom Skolnicki, university landscape architect.  “If you look across our campus, there are some iconic places, like the Bell Tower, the Brickyard and Holladay Hall.  As part of the physical master plan, we’re trying to create additional (iconic places) as well as improve the areas that have high visibility and high pedestrian traffic.”

An informal unveiling of the new wolf trio is planned for Tuesday, March 9, at 2 p.m. with free wolf cakes, er…I mean cup cakes, for all who attend.  But, no circus dogs. (more…)

03.04.10 | posted by Joe Hice |

Jack Bauer and North Carolina College Students: Saving the World from Nuclear Annihilation!

“Maybe you didn’t understand me. This man is our only connection to a stolen nuclear warhead. If you don’t save him, millions of people could die! Do you understand that? Millions of people.”
–Jack Bauer from the TV series, “24″

So, is this what we’ve come to with media relations today?  I ask, almost tongue in cheek, because the headline is an approach I suggested to promote NC State’s involvement in the Raleigh Grand Challenge Summit.  It’s the second year the Grand Challenge has been here and last year — for a variety of reasons — the publicity effort was a bit of a bust and the group was eager to garner more local attention.

Since protecting the nation from the threat of nuclear terrorism is one of the topics, why not capitalize on the popularity of the television show, 24.  Working with the communications group at our College of Engineering, University Communications and Duke University’s communications group, we put together a pretty effective media outreach campaign.  And it seems to be working.  Stay tuned for more results.

Here’s the media alert in full.  Let me know what you think.

Passion Rules!

94 of 100  (more…)