N.C. State University just hired a new communications chief. His name is Joseph Hice, Jr., and he has a blog.

It's called HiceSchool.

Get it? Sound it out....

Anyhow...Hice just arrived at NCSU from Gainesville, where he was formerly a communications guru at the University of Florida.

He's new to Raleigh, as evidenced by his most recent post, in which he expresses some dismay about traffic patterns around NCSU's campus. These days, Joe, you're not the only one.

Check out his blog by clicking here.

N.C. State University, which has suffered major blows to its image in recent months from the scandal over its hiring former state First Lady Mary Easley and related resignations of its chancellor, provost and trustees' chairman, has filled the job that oversees its public relations efforts.

Joseph Hice, an administrator at the University of Florida in Gainesville, was named chief communications officer and associate vice chancellor of University Communications Wednesday.
The job had been vacant since January. It includes overseeing Creative Services, News Services and Web Communications.

Hice's salary will be $190,000, said an NCSU spokesman.

He is the associate vice president of public relations and marketing at the University of Florida. He also has experience in the corporate world, including stints as chief marketing officer for Segway, director of corporate communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company and director of marketing communications for Bombardier Inc.'s Marine Products division.

- Reporting by Jay Price