THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE
FACULTY SENATE

Senate Document Number 0104F
Date of Senate Approval 08/26/04

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

IDC 1: Proposal to create a Senate Task Force on Enrollment Growth and University Size

Rationale: The UNCA Guiding Concepts specify that UNCA will provide a superior liberal arts education, and is "small by choice, seeking no more than 3500 students." This cap was established in 1991. The estimated Fall 2004 headcount will be 3461. Because the university budget is determined by enrollment, it is imperative that a decision be made this year whether to remain within this enrollment cap. In addition, there is a need to clarify the language in the Guiding Concepts, which does not specify whether "students" should be enumerated using headcount or FTE.

Goals: By the April 2005 Senate meeting, 1) make a recommendation to the Senate and to the Chancellor whether university enrollment should continue to grow; 2) if further growth is recommended, make additional recommendations on the extent, rate, and nature of growth; 3) clarify how UNCA "students" will be defined (i.e., fall headcount, annual headcount, FTE, etc.).

Terms of task force: Academic year 2004-2005. The chair of the Task Force shall make periodic progress reports to the Faculty Senate at times to be determined by the Chair of the Faculty Senate and the Chair of the Task Force.

Composition of task force (16 members):
(Chair to be determined by IDC)

4 members of IDC

4 faculty members (at least one untenured), with at least one faculty member representing each of the three divisions, and with a reasonable distribution of faculty ranks

Provost

Institutional Research Director

Admissions Director

Diversity / Multicultural affairs representative

Student Affairs representative

SGA representative

CSAC representative

Chancellor's appointee

IDC will compile a roster of suggested task force members, which will be brought to the Executive Committee for approval.