Craft Campus Committee Update

For the Faculty Senate

Prepared November 30, 2009

Submitted by

Jane K. Fernandes, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

As approved by the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees at its September 11, 2009 meeting, a Craft Campus committee was formed in accordance with the original proposal. The members are:

Jim Buckner, Chair, Board of Trustees, ex officio
Doug Orr, Board of Trustees
Pat Smith, Board of Trustees
Ed Katz, Associate Provost and Dean of University Programs
Brent Skidmore, Craft Campus Director
Courtland Mercer, Board of Trustees and Student Government Association President
Katelyn Patterson, Art major
John Pierce, University Chief Financial Officer
Steve Baxley, Facilities Director
Debbie Griffith, Director of Marketing and Communication
Jane Fernandes, University Provost

Our first meeting was held on Friday, November 6, from 2:30 – 5:00 pm. Committee membership and charge were distributed. The charge to the Craft Campus Committee from the Board Chair is below:

· Review Craft Campus history – understand the sequence of events that has led us to the current situation

· Learn about Craft Campus mission

· Learn about Craft Economy and Industry in Western North Carolina – the economic development potential as a result of the Craft Campus

· Learn about Studio Craft and Craft Scholarship regionally, nationally and internationally

· Understand the importance of a BFA in Craft Studies to UNC Asheville students

· Learn about the Center for Craft Creativity+Design and the mutual benefits of merging it with the Craft Campus

· Understand which arts and crafts will be part of the Craft Campus/Craft Creativity + Design

· Understand what the new facility is supposed to do for UNC Asheville students, professors and staff

· Discuss options and strategy for bringing a site to BOT for final approval

· Provide input on the architectural design process and product

· Discuss and provide input to fundraising strategy; develop roles for BOT members in fund-raising; educate BOT on possible development opportunities they might assist with

· Review the Craft Campus in the context of the Master Plan and campus priority needs

Craft Campus History

A history of the Craft Campus starting in 1995 was reviewed. At that time, the Center for Craft Creativity & Design during its annual think-tank to advance the craft field broached the idea of a 4-year degree program in Craft Studies. In 2004, Craft Studies was announced as an area for development as an academic University program. Over the next three years, we negotiated a site lease at the Buncombe County landfill, initiated a search for a director and associate director (who subsequently returned to his home university), and hired an architect.

In January 2009, we began to realize that the Buncombe County landfill was not a sustainable or economically-feasible site. At the June 2009 Board of Trustees retreat, there was a review of challenges posed by the landfill site for Craft Campus construction. Primarily, these were related to the costs of extracting methane from the landfill site to power the Craft Campus and to a fuller understanding of the land actually available to us. As a result of the retreat, the Board established the Craft Campus Committee to discuss options and strategy for moving ahead with this project. At the conclusion of the committee’s work, we intend to have a clear direction for the Craft Campus and a recommended site.

Economic Impact of Craft

A 1995 study on the economic impact of craft in the Western North Carolina region was updated in 2008. The total economic impact of the professional craft industry is $206,500,000. It is important to note that 56% of practicing artisans in the region are over 55 years old. Only 9% are under 30 and most of them move here because of what is already here. With the majority of our practicing artisans reaching retirement age, and few young craftspeople in line to take their place, the region needs new artisans to support crafts in Western North Carolina. An entire heritage depends on new, young artisans to build on the region’s cultural and historic traditions.

Craft Curriculum

Art is among the fastest growing majors on campus and it is housed in very crowded conditions. The Craft Campus will make it possible to more reasonably and safely accommodate this vital and growing program. Students choose to major in Art at UNC Asheville because of our outstanding faculty, in spite of our currently challenging facilities.

In response to the UNC Tomorrow initiative, a BFA in Craft Studies was one of five future degree programs submitted to the General Administration by UNC Asheville. The process of gaining approval for a new degree program is elaborate and time-consuming. In order to assure that the curriculum is approved in concert with the construction of the building, we will need to begin working on the degree proposal as soon as we have a clear direction for this project.

Fifty percent of UNC Asheville Art majors since 1974 have stayed in Western North Carolina. It was noted that although other universities have ceramics (UNCC and WCU) or a wood program (ASU), the UNC Asheville Craft Campus will be a unique program combining craft production and interdisciplinary study within the liberal arts, leading to a BFA in Craft Studies. The CC&D contribution of research, scholarship and outreach will be a unique and invaluable asset to the program. An important part of our success will be undergraduate research. Some of WCU’s graduate students are currently taking independent study courses with UNC Asheville faculty, which reflects the quality of our instruction and its potential for curricular expansion into the craft disciplines. At this time, we are only talking about undergraduate studies on our campus.

Formal articulation agreements and informal interfaces with art programs at community colleges are possible.

Role of Center for Craft, Creativity & Design (CCC&D)

The Craft, Creativity and Design Center (CCC&D) located at the Kellogg Center in Hendersonville was discussed. Their present role is research and outreach. They have recently published the nation’s first textbook on craft. CCC&D is now transitioning to become a UNC Asheville center. It is no longer a UNC General Administration inter-institutional center. The Director of CCC&D reports to Craft Campus director, who reports to the Associate Provost. CCC&D is an outstanding asset to UNC Asheville and an excellent fit with the Craft Campus. Our long-term goal is to bring CCC&D and the Craft Campus closer to one another, housing both of them in the new building on campus. Their work is mutually supportive and beneficial.

Craft Campus Facility and Property - Art Department Facility

The campus will contain facilities for instruction in ceramics, sculpture, wood and glass blowing. The current sculpture and ceramics programs will move from Owen Hall into the Craft Campus facility. We will add the areas of wood and glass-blowing to the existing ceramics and sculpture programs.

We are not clear yet whether the Craft Campus will be one building or several studio buildings with a separate space for CC&D. We must pay attention to our use of university property – our land is a scarce resource. We must be mindful of the impact of this facility on our peripheral property out of respect for our neighbors.

Currently the Art Department is housed in Owen Hall, where we are challenged by severe space limitations and safety issues. When ceramics and sculpture relocate to the Craft Campus, art programs other than crafts will continue to be housed in Owen Hall which is need of renovation. To date, the Craft Campus/Owen Hall renovation is the University’s third capital priority.

A discussion took place about whether space at an off-campus facility is a viable option for the Craft Campus. The committee agreed that we should articulate the pros and the cons of an off-site location. Generally, the committee agreed that UNC Asheville’s visibility will be raised by having a Craft Campus on our property. An off-site location would result in a sense that the Craft Campus is separate from UNC Asheville.

Finances

The most recent estimate of the cost for construction of a Craft campus is approximately $10 million. We anticipate asking for $5 million in State dollars and raising $5 million from private sources. We currently have a pledge of $1.8 million from a private foundation. It was clarified that the costs to date have been paid through donations (e.g., Kresge Foundation, Windgate Foundation) except for the director’s salary, which has been drawn from State funds.

Committee Membership

The committee discussed the value of having an Art Department faculty member in our midst for these deliberations.  Since the Art Department and the Craft Campus are integrally connected, the benefits of full participation by the Art Department are evident.

Closing Thoughts

The group agreed that an environmentally-friendly campus should be the first priority. Location relative to campus is critical. We will meet again in December to discuss next steps, consider our work to date with Frank Harmon (architect), and review possible locations.