University of North Carolina at Asheville FACULTY SENATE MINUTES September 25, 1980 A special meeting of the Senate was called by Chancellor William E. Highsmith for Thursday, September 25, 1980 at 4:00 pm in the Owen Conference Center with Dr. Gene Rainey, Chairman, presiding. Members present: Dr. Braggio, Dr. Coyne, Dr. Dorr, Dr. Friedenberg, Dr. Howard, Dr. Lang, Dr. McCoy, Dr. Perry, Dr. Rainey, Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Sulock, Dr. Walker. Visitors: The faculty. Dr. Rainey called the meeting to order and recognized Chancellor Highsmith. Dr. Highsmith said that the purpose of the meeting was to inform the faculty of current developments. (1) Enrollment and SAT scores. Our head count enrollment is 2178 at the end of the drop-add period, an increase of 18% over the last two years. The FTE is up 6.8% over last year, which is very healthy. We are budgeted for the year at 1360. Since North Carolina budgets on a biennium basis, the actual FTE is the basis for computing the budget for the next two years. Because the enrollment is above the budget for this year, this increase helps to establish a higher budget for next year. All institutions in the state are 600-700 students above what was expected. Because enrollment goes up during economic downturns, the Central Administration is hesitant about budgeting ahead for the next biennium. Out budgeted FTE for 1981-1982 will be 1435 (an increase of 75 students) and 1485 for 1982-1983. We should, however, go a little above those figures since the new dormitories will be in operation. We should pay attention to where these are majoring and strengthen those departments to attract more students. SAT scores are down by 30 points as of last year. Although our enrollment is up, there is not that much increase in first-time, full-time freshmen. The increase is from transfers from other institutions or our own students returning. The problem is maintaining or improving SAT scores when the first-time students are declining in number. We are going to have to become attractive to the traditional source of first-time college enrollment - the 18-year-old student - by better program. (2) Review of the budget. One project in the works is the renovation of the Lipinsky Building, which will house the Center for Continuing Education. The columns need to be repaired and the asbestos taken out of the auditorium. We have requested a new classroom building to be placed on University Boulevard across from the Science Building. There is no firm decision on which departments will move into that building. A good portion will be made available to the sciences. The projected cost is $3.75 million. Page 2 We have requested funds for another dormitory for 300 students, part of which might be made into apartments. If built during this biennium, the projected cost would be $4.35 million. This building would be paid for with self-liquidating funds (i.e., rent). One other capital project is the removal of blown-in asbestos on this campus. This problem is going to be very expensive. The entire buidling would have to be stripped of everything and completely sealed off. The Science Building will be the first building to be treated. We are in the process now of getting an architect to design this. An effort will be made to do this project during the summer. If done right, it could be cleaned up within 8 or 9 weeks. (3) Progress report on proposed degree programs. Three degree programs that are in the state of being approved for planning by the Board of Governors are: Accounting, Computer Science, and Communications. Communications has two tracks: journalism and radio and TV. All would greatly expand our undergraduate curriculum. There are two tracks in management: marketing and industrial management; two tracks in writing: creative and technical writing. No action has been taken on these requests. Music and religion are two other major programs proposed. There has been a negative reaction to a major in religion by the General Administration. (4) The Office of Director of University Relations. The Search Committee has examined a large number of applications and recommended Dr. Alfred Canon as Director of University Relations. He has accepted the position, but his appointment must be approved by the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. If everything goes well, Dr. Canon will join us on December 1 or January 1. He will also be responsible for the Alumni and the Office of Public Information. We are in hopes of starting an Office of Grants and Contracts. We expect to have a full-time person in this office. Dr. Canon can do some work in this area. We are behind other institutions in developing this kind of office. Dr. Highsmith asked the Faculty Senate to consider a Faculty Research Council. The purpose would be the identification of sources of funds for faculty research, the encouragement of faculty members to become involved in research, and providing assistance in preparing proposals. In addition to faculty research, we need to consider institutional development grants. (5) Report on discussion with Western Carolina University. As a way of review of what has been happening with WCU during the last several years, Dr. Highsmith reported that during the 1960's, UNCA Page 3 was entirely a liberal arts college. We did not offer any programs or degree work in Education and Business Administration. WCU had been doing extension work in Asheville since the 1930's. They eventually converted part of the old Oteen Hospital into classrooms and offered courses there. The students taking classes there counted toward the budget at WCU. In 1974 we reached an agreement with WCU. Their degree credit activities would be moved to this campus. These students count toward WCU's budget and FTE. All liberal arts work would be done at UNCA for our and their students. We had a meeting recently in Chapel Hill. A basic decision is in the process of being made as to what our guidelines will be for the next several years. A proposal for a joint UNCA-WCU Graduate Center has not been approved. At some point in time, UNCA will begin graduate work, but we are not sure when. (6) Transfer policy, especially with technical colleges. The General Assembly has passed a bill that converts the technical institutes into community colleges. These institutions can possibly offer college-parallel work. Dr. Highsmith urges the Faculty Senate to get together and come up with a transfer policy. (7) Policy toward departments with few graduates. Dr. Highsmith read a portion of a letter sent to all 16 UNC campuses from President Friday. The letter called for a reevaluation of departments with fewer than five graduates each year. Dr. Highsmith asks that the Faculty Senate study the graduates from each department at UNCA for the last several years and to make recommendations about the low-graduate departments on our campus. The meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm, at which time Dr. Highsmith held a wine-and-cheese reception for the faculty. APPROVED: Deryl Howard Jan Scroggs Faculty Senate Secretary Secretary