The 2011 Aggie football season is approaching, and several changes will be awaiting fans.

“North Carolina A&T State University has restructured its operations for the upcoming football season with a new Aggie Game Zone initiative that is designed to reduce gridlock in the tailgating and parking sections of Aggie Stadium," said Earl Hilton, athletics director. “The new Game Zone area also aims to improve safety and allow for a more pleasant experience for all Aggie football fans to enjoy."

The Game Zone encompasses the areas in and around Aggie Stadium that are used for parking, tailgating and general entry. The area begins on the northwest side of Aggie Stadium at the corners of Lindsay Street and Headquarters Drive, extending south to the corner of Sullivan and Lindsay streets, east to the intersection of Sullivan Street and Benbow Road, and north to Headquarters Drive.

All vehicles will be required to have a valid parking pass and game ticket or tailgate pass to access the Game Zone. Each tailgate space holder is required to be a season ticket holder to receive that space, so they do not need an additional ticket besides the season ticket.

In addition, every individual who is two years of age or older – whether a pedestrian, a passenger in a vehicle or a tailgating guest – will be required to have a valid game day or season ticket for entry into the Game Zone, which includes admission to the game. The cost to enter the Game Zone area will be the same as general admission, $25-$35, based on the game.

Pedestrian points of entry to the Game Zone include Entrance 1, Lindsay Street near Headquarters Drive (Lot A-4); Entrance 2, Strickland Field House on Sullivan Street (Lot A-3); and Entrance 3, Benbow Road and Sullivan Street.

Game Zone and season tickets will be available during the University Ticket Office's regular business hours, beginning Monday, May 2. Tickets also will be available for purchase online at www.ncat.edu/~tickets and may be purchased with a VISA, MasterCard or American Express card. Satellite locations will be available to purchase tickets on the day of the game. A new feature to online purchasing is the eTicket, which will allow fans to print a general admission ticket from home, bring the printout to be scanned at the game, and eliminate waiting in line to purchase a ticket.

Another new facet to Aggie athletics will be a new state-of-the-art press box at Aggie stadium that will boast of expanded space for the news media that cover sporting events and hospitality suites that will be available for fans to name and lease. The latter will represent a new way for fans to enjoy Aggie Football.

These changes are being implemented to enhance the game day experience.

“A&T has some of the best fans in the world, and we have always appreciated their continued support," said Hilton. “I look forward to rolling out this new initiative and believe it will create a more festive and safe environment for our fans and the community."

A&T officials encourage fans to purchase season tickets in advance to avoid the rush. Visit www.ncataggies.com for more information about the season, the Game Zone and Aggie Athletics, or call the Athletics Department at (336) 334-7686.

Internal Salary Authorization forms for summer employment of EPA employees on contract and grant funds are due in the Office of EPA Salary and Budget Administration by April 21. 

Summer employment is inclusive of all work performed in the areas of sponsored programs (i.e., contracts, subcontracts and grants), summer school, distance learning, and continuing education and extension. The period for summer employment is May 12 through August 10. 

Account code 61118 may only be used for contract and grant funds and must be used to charge summer salary costs for nine-month faculty. Authorizations to charge contract and grant funds must reflect the actual time and effort that an employee will work on an award. The employee must be able to certify on the summer Time and Effort Report that he/she worked on the award – not merely that this is where the summer salary was charged.

In the event of an audit, the responsibility for validating actual time worked rests with the employee. Authorizations that are received to charge salary costs for faculty not identified in the award and proposal will be returned. Additional documentation and/or agency approval may be required.

Salary authorizations received more than 30 days after the authorized effective start date will require a letter of justification signed by the departmental chair and dean. Failure to provide sufficient justification and signatures may result in non-payment.

Faculty summer employment compensation should not exceed one-third of the faculty member's nine-month base salary. Partial month calculations will be based on the number of weekdays during the authorized period divided by the total number of weekdays in the month.

Student employment will follow the guidelines established effective Jan. 1, 2009. Refer to the Human Resources website or contact Penny Smith, student employment manager, (336) 334-7862 for details. Other questions should be directed to Lavonne Matthews, (336) 334-7683, or Linda McAbee, (336) 334-7862.

Randal D. Pinkett, the founder, chairman, and CEO of BCT Partners, will be the keynote speaker for North Carolina A&T State University's spring commencement ceremonies, which will be held Saturday, May 7, at the Greensboro Coliseum. More than 1,200 students will receive degrees.

Pinkett has established himself as a leading author, entrepreneur, speaker and community servant. His corporation, BCT Partners, is a multimillion-dollar consulting firm based in Newark, N.J., specializing in program management, information technology and public policy. Prior to founding BCT, he gained corporate experience as a member of the technical staff at General Electric, AT&T Bell Laboratories and Lucent Technologies.  

The season four winner of NBC's reality show, "The Apprentice," has been featured on nationally televised programs such as the "Today Show," "Live with Regis and Kelly" and "Nightline" as well as in Parade Magazine, The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Winning "The Apprentice" provided Pinkett the opportunity to run one of Donald Trump's companies.

Participants are asked to arrive at the Coliseum fully gowned by 7:30 a.m. The ceremony will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m., and all participants should remain through the recessional.

"Commencement is a formal, dignified academic observance," says Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. "It is important that each student is recognized appropriately and that the ceremony is not disrupted."

North Carolina A&T State University Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. and Indiana University President Michael McRobbie hosted a meeting of the Indiana University-HBCU STEM Initiative on the campus of N.C. A&T, April 3-4.

The initiative is a science, technology, engineering and math academic and research partnership between Indiana University and 12 historically black colleges and Universities. The HBCU partners include Alabama A&M University, Bennett College for Women, Clark Atlanta University, Hampton University, Jackson State University, Langston University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Tennessee State University and Xavier University of Louisiana.

The goal of the meeting was to create a strategy to ensure the effectiveness of the IU-HBCU STEM Initiative as a national model of collaboration between HBCUs and a majority institution that addresses the critical national need to create more African American scientists in the STEM disciplines; provides tangible mutual benefits for all partners through enhanced opportunities for students and faculty, including inter-institutional research collaborations, faculty and student exchanges, and advanced STEM capabilities; and engages all partners in the initiative's programming and funding. The strategy will provide specific recommendations for programs, funding and implementation.

This collaboration is intended to help channel students into graduate school and research programs with the ultimate goal of increasing the number of faculty and academic researchers traditionally underrepresented in the STEM disciplines.