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News Nuggets, 09.28.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Administrative shakeup continues at East Carolina

Another high-ranking member of East Carolina University's management hierarchy has been pushed out of his executive position.

East Carolina University Provost William Swart has been relieved of administrative duties and reassigned to a faculty position, Interim Chancellor Bill Shelton said in an announcement, noting that the change is effective immediately.

"After consultation with various university constituencies, I determined that a change of leadership was necessary," Shelton said. "It is in the best interest of the university."

Shelton himself became ECU's interim CEO less than two weeks ago in the wake of former Chancellor William Muse's resignation.

Muse, criticized for his handling of a pair of audits and for inadequate oversight of the accounting for a federal grant, stepped down under pressure from the Board of Trustees and UNC System President Molly Broad and accepted a tenured faculty position in the School of Business.

Shelton said that Dr. James LeRoy Smith, executive assistant to the chancellor and a longtime professor of philosophy, would for an interim period fill the vacancy left by Swart's reassignment. The provost, the university's chief academic officer, oversees the Division of Academic Affairs, which includes seven colleges and enrolls the majority of ECU students.

"Jim Smith is widely known and respected at ECU and throughout the University of North Carolina system," Shelton said. "He is intimately familiar with both academic and administrative issues on our campus, and I have complete confidence that he will bring excellent leadership and uncommon wisdom to Academic Affairs."

Smith, who will retain his current position, joined the philosophy faculty at ECU in 1969. He has chaired the philosophy department, the Faculty Senate and the system-wide Faculty Assembly. He directed the self-study that preceded the university's 10-year reaccredidation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1992.

Since 1993 he has served as executive assistant to the chancellor and assistant secretary to the ECU Board of Trustees. He also has continued to teach philosophy courses, including an ethics class in the university honors program this semester.

Swart, who was hired by Muse, came to ECU in August 2002 from Old Dominion University in Virginia, where he had been dean of the College of Engineering. His faculty role at ECU will be in the Department of Decision Sciences in the College of Business.

The rapid-fire reshuffling of administrators at ECU began last month when Mike Hamrick resigned as athletics director to take the same position at Nevada-Las Vegas.

Muse assisted Hamrick in his efforts to land the UNLV job, and ECU made no known attempt to retain Hamrick, who had become the focus of dissatisfaction among key university interests for a string of controversial decisions.

Bower elevates freshman to starting QB role

HATTIESBURG — Following an eye-catching, fourth-quarter appearance in Thursday night's game against Nebraska, freshman quarterback Damion Carter was tabbed as the Golden Eagle starter for Southern Miss' Oct. 4 game at Cincinnati. Head Coach Jeff Bower made that announcement today, following a lengthy afternoon workout.

"Damion's performance in that game earned him the opportunity," Bower said. "I really don't have any doubts about starting a true freshman. You saw him. He showed more poise in the game than probably any freshman quarterback I've ever seen."

Carter came on five minutes into the fourth quarter of the Nebraska game and proceeded to take the Eagles on a 17-play, 92-yard scoring drive that equalled the longest drive of the year for the Eagles. In that drive, he completed his first six passes and 10-of-12 during the drive, including a 6-yard strike to another freshman, Caleb Hendrix, for Southern Miss' second touchdown of the game. He also had two rushes in that drive for another seven yards.

Carter finished his first game as a Golden Eagles with 14-of-17 passing for 143 yards and a touchdown.

Several players were slowed during the Friday afternoon workout, most with the typical "bumps and bruises" associated with a game such as Nebraska. Junior running back Timmy Blackwell, who led the Eagle rushers against Nebraska with 47 yards on 10 carries, and a touchdown, has an injured ankle he suffered in the game and will have that injury evaluated over the weekend.

Following the Friday practice, Golden Eagle players will take most of the weekend off, before reporting back to campus for Sunday night study hall sessions. Southern Miss will get back into Conference USA play with the game at Cincinnati and then play the following Saturday (Oct. 11) at Alabama before finally returning home for an Oct. 25 home game against South Florida.

Famed actor's son leads Morehouse past Johnson C. Smith

CHARLOTTE — John David Washington, the son of Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington, is carving out some impressive accomplishments of his own. The younger Washington ran for a school-record 242 yards and a touchdown as Morehouse beat Johnson C. Smith 39-21 on Saturday night. With his famous father watching from the sideline, the sophomore running back helped the Maroon Tigers improve to 1-4.

Mean Green tie NCAA record for safeties in Sun Belt win

DENTON, TX — North Texas tied an NCAA Division I-A record by scoring on three safeties Saturday night in its 44-23 Sun Belt Conference victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. The first safety came when nose tackle Brandon Kennedy tackled running back Travis Smothers in the end zone in the first quarter.

The next two came on consecutive Louisiana-Lafayette possessions to open the second half. Eric Rekieta was called for intentional grounding in the end zone, and the ball was snapped over punter Grant Autrey's head out of the end zone. North Texas tied the record set by Arizona State against Nebraska in 1996. to 13.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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