THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINAT AT ASHEVILLE
                         FACULTY SENATE

Senate Document Number   1891S
Date of Senate Approval     1/17/91


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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:   

     IDC #3:  Resolution to Modify UNCA's "Guiding Concepts"


The "Guiding Concept" titled "Quality Growth" will be modified as
follows:

Change the total number of students expected by 1995 from "5,000"
to "4,300."

Change the number of graduate students expected by 1995 from
"1,200" to "800." 

Change the number of undergraduates expected by 1995 from "3,800"
to "3,500."

Delete the words ". . . in order to achieve a resident student
population of 1200 by 1995."  from the third sentence.


Rationale: There are very serious considerations on both sides of
this question.  The Planning Council felt that, on balance, the
proposed reductions are both realistic and appropriate.  Our
resources are not keeping up with demand.  If we intend to
attempt to live up to our carefully crafted mission statement we
must make a choice about our institutional priorities.  This
resolution promotes the idea that the emphasis in "quality
growth" should shift from "growth" to "quality."  Here are some
of the issues.

1. Total Headcount:  Previous administration felt committed to
the aesthetic and mnemonic qualities of the number 5,000.  It was
thus willing to achieve that total with any obtainable mix of
graduate and undergraduate headcount.  For example, if the
graduate headcount leveled off at 800 (as it has) then the
expectation was that we would make up the difference by further
increases in the undergraduate headcount (in this case up to
4,200). 

2. Graduate Headcount:  The likelihood of our achieving 1,200
graduate headcount by 1995 is slim.  The graduate programs,
including the MLA, seem to have leveled off at just short of 800. 
There are no plans to expand the offering of graduate programs
significantly in the next five years.

3. Undergraduate Headcount:  Steadily increasing average class
size, without significant increases in funding, has brought us
near to a threshold point at which the faculty will be unable to
deliver the kind of education which makes the institution unique. 
The teaching, advising, scholarship, and service workload
associated with a size much larger than our current headcount
precludes our establishing and maintaining a vibrant intellectual
community without significant increases in funding.  Such funding
increases seem unlikely in the foreseeable future.  A minimal
yearly increase will enable us to achieve a target headcount of
3,500 by 1995. 

Implications of the recommendation:  Slowing the growth of
undergraduate headcount means a slowing of state funding, which
is enrollment driven.  This will mean increased pressure for non-
state funds.  Acquisition of funding for new buildings beyond the
completion of NCB, the library, and possibly the gym is unlikely. 
New faculty positions will slow to a trickle.  This means that
the growth of individual departments will be achieved more
through the reallocation of vacancies created by retirement or
departure than by the current means of adding new positions. 
Slower growth may affect the tenure, promotion and reappointment
process.