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3 <br /> 1 and responsiveness. Smith recently announced his intention to step down as dean on December <br /> 2 31, 2022. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 Commissioner Bedford read the following proclamation: <br /> 5 <br /> 6 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 7 <br /> 8 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING <br /> 9 DEAN MIKE SMITH <br /> 10 <br /> 11 WHEREAS, Michael R. "Mike" Smith became a faculty member of the University of North Carolina <br /> 13 at Chapel Hill Institute of Government in 1978 and became its director in 1992; and <br /> 14 WHEREAS, when the Institute of Government became known as the School of Government in <br /> 15 2001, Mike Smith was named Dean and has held that position continually since then, becoming <br /> 16 one of the longest serving deans in University history; and <br /> 17 <br /> 18 WHEREAS, Dean Mike Smith facilitated the successful transition of the Master of Public <br /> 19 Administration (MPA) program to the school in 1997, and helped launch the fully online MPA <br /> 20 degree in 2013, quadrupling the number of students served; and <br /> 21 <br /> 22 WHEREAS, through Dean Smith's leadership in raising legislative and private funds, the Knapp- <br /> 23 Sanders Building, home of the School of Government, was renovated and expanded in 2004; and <br /> 24 <br /> 25 WHEREAS, Dean Smith expanded the School's capacity to serve by offering programs in public <br /> 26 technology, public leadership and governance, environmental finance, development finance, <br /> 27 28 data-driven policy, and criminal justice; and <br /> 29 WHEREAS, under Dean Smith's leadership, the School of Government has become the largest <br /> 30 and most comprehensive university-based local government training, advisory, and research <br /> 32 organization in the United States; and <br /> 33 WHEREAS, in 2006, Dean Smith was appointed Vice Chancellor for Public Service and <br /> 34 Engagement, leading the response to UNC Tomorrow, an initiative to make the University of North <br /> 35 Carolina System more responsive to the needs of the state; and <br /> 36 <br /> 37 WHEREAS, during his tenure, Dean Smith was a force behind some of the University's most <br /> 38 significant public outreach efforts within the state, including the Carolina Center for Public Service, <br /> 39 the Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholars Program, the Carolina Engagement Council, and the Tar <br /> 40 Heel Bus Tour; and <br /> 41 <br /> 42 WHEREAS, Dean Smith exemplifies the values of neutrality, nonadvocacy, and responsiveness <br /> 43 of the School of Government in its mission to improve state and local governments for all North <br /> 44 Carolinians; and <br /> 45 <br /> 46 WHEREAS, as he steps down as Dean at the end of 2022, Dean Smith leaves a legacy as one <br /> 4477 of the University's greatest champions of public service; <br /> 49 NOW, THEREFORE, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the people of <br /> 50 Orange County, does hereby proclaim Wednesday, November 2, 2022 as <br /> 51 <br /> 52 53 DEAN MIKE SMITH DAY <br />