This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that I express my feelings regarding Hurricane Floyd and the incredible response to that tragedy by our students, faculty, and staff. Your actions were timely and heroic. While many of our professionals in Cooperative Extension were suffering personal losses, they exhibited the very philosophy of Extension by reaching out to their neighbors. Our people remain on the front line today assisting farmers, families and communities, reacting to immediate concerns such as human and animal life and health and housing needs, as well as long-term recovery issues.

A special thank you to our Communication Services professionals who provided timely disaster information on recovery and safety, and to the folks who distributed this information to the media. I recall our Governor requesting that recovery information be made available in Spanish translations. I was pleased, but not surprised, to learn that our professionals in Communication Services had already done so and were delivering these translations throughout eastern North Carolina both in print and electronically.

Immediately following the storm, Dr. Jon Ort, Keith Oakley and I met with N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Jim Graham and many of the states top farm commodity leaders. From this meeting the NCDA Farmer Disaster Fund was created in the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc., to benefit Floyd victims. I am proud to say that this fund has raised more than $1 million to date.

You should know that we enjoyed a very successful year on other fronts. A number of milestones deserve mention. In June we broke ground on Centennial Campus for our Toxicology building where students, faculty and staff will assess the effects of chemicals and radiation on human and animal health and the environment. In early August we opened the College's Geographic Information Systems Education Laboratory in Williams Hall. A week later we added yet another Distinguished Professor to our ranks when Dr. Robert E. Lyons was named the first JC Raulston Distinguished Professor. Bob is a Professor in the Department of Horticultural Science and Director of the JC Raulston Arboretum.

In August we were reminded of how the Colleges research touches all of North Carolina when we celebrated the Golden Anniversary of the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Fletcher. The programs theme,"Making a World of Difference for 50 years!" said it well. We returned to these facilities in October for a tour which hosted Provost Kermit Hall. And although the event was canceled due to the impact of Hurricane Floyd, I want to acknowledge the leadership of Roger Crickenberger and all of you who helped prepare the College for the Carolina Farm Show, which had been scheduled for early October in Kinston.

A "Twilight Tour" was held on October 28 as a recognition and farewell for George and Rhoda Kriz. We will miss George and Rhoda and wish them well in their retirement. It is significant that as a result of the "Tour" over $10,000 was added to the George J. and Rhoda W. Kriz Study Leave Endowment.

The College's 8th Annual Career Expo was held on October 28 at the Talley Student Center. This Expo is important to the College, our graduates and the businesses who recruit our students. A reception for faculty and industry recruiters at this event hosted more than 100 companies offering internships and full-time jobs to our graduates.

Hardly a secret, the budget outlook remains less than optimistic. A 1% cut in operating funds has been imposed, and capital expenditures have been frozen as the state attempts to garner resources for the many needs Hurricane Floyd left in its wake. In addition, when positions are vacated by a retirement, 30% of that positions funding is lost. This will not effect our Academic Programs FTEs, but it will impact our Extension and Research positions and all SPA positions. There is some good news, however, in the capital improvements area. It appears that the Toxicology Building and the move of the beef herd have been excused from the freeze. We feel extremely fortunate to have these projects progress in the face of the overwhelming needs of the State.

The Compact process continues to be a challenging, but productive, endeavor. I have met with the Provost about the Round 2 version and received feedback. This meeting dealt primarily with the Academic Programs portion of the Compact, and specifically focused on our plans to prepare for enrollment increases. I will soon meet with the Chancellor and Provost and the emphasis will be on the Agricultural Programs part of our College.

Of course we are always pleased to reach our goals, especially when they are as challenging as those we set for ourselves with the Campaign For NC State Students. With the recent commitment of a $2 million dollar gift by the Griffin, Taylor, and Robert's families of Holden Beach, NC, the Colleges Campaign has now exceeded its goal of $15.45. Our campaign now totals over $17.3 million in contributions and pledges for endowed student scholarships and fellowships in the College. I want to personally thank Bill Fike, Bob Jenkins, Mozelle Costner-Parker, and Bryan Perry, the College's Campaign Co-Chairs, as well as the other members of the committee and the thousands of donors who have contributed to this much needed and valuable effort.

I am also pleased to report the "Nickels for Know-How" Referendum recently passed, with 88% of those voting in favor of continuing this self-help program. This vote also authorized an increase to fifteen cents per ton of feed and fertilizer sold effective January 1, 2001.

I will close with good news from Alumni Relations, College Relations and Development. Tailgate'99, the Universitys largest alumni reunion, was a tremendous success again this year with more than 1,500 in attendance. And in the coming months, College Relations will initiate a marketing program (called "Food...For Thought!") designed to educate urban North Carolina about the value of food, farming, and the role the College plays in agriculture and agribusiness.

I hope you have a productive fall and winter, and that you enter the new Millennium with optimism and pride knowing that our College has, and will continue, to make the world a better place to live.

Sincerely,

Jim Oblinger

Dean