Donald E. Bailey . . . Quality in student advising

Biographical sketch of Donald Bailey. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.

Citation for this article is: "Donald E. Bailey . . . Quality in student advising " Pieces of Eight, February 15, 1983.

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Three gallons ago, Don Bailey (Dean, General College) gave his first pint of blood. He was 30 years old at the time.

"The first pint I gave was back in the 60s at an ROTC blood drive in Wright Auditorium," Bailey recalls. "Floyd Mattheis (Science Education) and I went over together."

"I now try to give blood as often as I am eligible," says Bailey who has for several years been coordinator of the campus blood drives.

Achievement Award

For Bailey, the act of giving blood has developed into a habit that's made him one of the community's most prolific blood donors, a pint about every 56 days.

Last year his contributions and efforts were recognized by the Red Cross when he and his wife Betty, a nurse were named the first recipients of the Arthur S. Alford Achievement Award, given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Pitt County Red Cross Blood Services.

"My physician shamed me into giving that first pint," Bailey recalls. "I would go to see him for an annual physical and he would say, 'Your blood is in good shape. Give somebody some of it.'"

Bailey, a native of Moore County, joined the East Carolina faculty as an assistant professor of Science Education in 1961. He received his doctorate from the University of North Carolina the same year.

Advising Students

In 1967, he was appointed to the new position of Dean of the General College where his responsibilities include advising students during their first two years of college and helping them prepare for admission to a degree program.

"I have one consuming interest right now and that is to improve the quality of student advising," Bailey says. "Changing to a personal advising system is a step in the right direction," he says, explaining that students and faculty members previously met in a centralized location to receive and impart advice on academic programs.

"Now we have changed from that to a personal advisor system. The students are advised in the faculty member's office. We do our best to keep these students in an area in which they hope to major.

"I also see the evaluation of advising as a step in the right direction and that's in the mill if it gets through the (Faculty) Senate. I see giving the advisors the necessary information as a step in the right direction, too."

Today's Students

Bailey says today's students remind him of his genearation.

"They are self interested and not as active at least politically or socially, as were the students of the 60s and the early 70s.

But I don't think they're apathetic. I think they may be looking toward the future and they see performance at this point as the key to the future, I believe this generation is going to try to work through the system," he said.

Bailey is active in the Presbyterian campus ministry and serves on the Scholars Weekend ad hoc committee. A member of the N.C. Science Teachers Associatio, he edits The Science Reflector, the NCSTA's newsletter, and was named recently the recipient of the association's Presidential Award for service.

Fishing and Golf

"I'm a hacker at golf but I enjoy the exercise and fellowship. If I break a hundred, I've had an excellent day," he says. Also, Bailey frequently is found aboard his 14-foot aluminum boat fishing around Goose Creek Island and Belhaven. With a cricket-baited flyrod, he hunts a four-pound bass.

"I've never caught one yet. Of course I'll take anything that bites but I am still after that bass," he says.

Don Bailey's trademark is his pipe. He never leaves home or the office without one.