Leaders from the three branches of public education and from private colleges and universities in North Carolina will convene in Raleigh for an annual gathering. They will look at the future of education and specifically, education technology opportunities in the state.

The State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) will host the eleventh annual joint meeting of the North Carolina Education Governing Boards at the NC Museum of History in downtown Raleigh on Thursday, March 18, 1999. The theme of this year’s meeting is Distance Learning: A Vision for the Future. The business session of the joint meeting will run 1:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m., with a reception following sponsored by the NC Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

The day begins with a 10 a.m. meeting of the Education Cabinet, which is chaired by Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. and includes Community College President Martin Lancaster; Molly Corbett Broad, president of the University of North Carolina; Phil Kirk, chair of the State Board of Education; Mike Ward, Superintendent of Public Instruction; and Dr. Hope Williams, president of the North Carolina Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

The formal annual meeting, which includes the SBCC, the State Board of Education and the University of North Carolina Board of Governors will convene in the museum auditorium at 1:45 p.m. Education leaders from the four organizations will discuss the potential and challenges of distance learning in North Carolina.

The 3:00 p.m. session features an interactive discussion on the NC Information Highway. Meeting attendees in Raleigh will be linked with Southwestern Community College in Sylva, Tri-County Community College in Murphy and Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. The discussion will center on collaborative efforts in distance learning.

The State Board of Community Colleges holds its regular March meeting on Friday, March 19, at the Caswell Building at 200 W. Jones St. in Raleigh. Committees meet in the morning, and the full board convenes at 1 p.m. A full agenda for both meetings follows.

Financial support of the joint meeting of the NC Education Governing Boards was provided by Nortel Networks and BellSouth.

All events are public meetings, and coverage is welcome. Contact Chancy Kapp or Audrey Bailey for details about the joint meeting on Thursday and the SBCC meeting on Friday. Contact the Governor's Press Office at 919-733-5612 for details about the Education Cabinet.