Faculty Handbook - version 8/07
Handbook for contracts dated prior to 7/1/03 (PDF)
Index | Faculty Senate | UNCA

1.0 HISTORY, ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION

1.1 The University of North Carolina (UNC) System

1.1.1 History

The University of North Carolina was authorized by the State Constitution in 1776 and chartered by the General Assembly of North Carolina in 1789. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill admitted its first students in 1795.

The Constitution of North Carolina, Article IX, Section 3, provides that the "General Assembly shall maintain a public system of higher education comprising The University of North Carolina and such other institutions of higher education as the General Assembly may deem wise. Beginning in 1877, the General Assembly of North Carolina established or acquired ten additional separately governed state-supported senior institutions of higher education: Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina School of the Arts, Pembroke State University, Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University.

In 1931 the General Assembly of North Carolina enacted legislation which brought together UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State University, and UNC-Greensboro, into a multi-university system identified as The University of North Carolina. In the 1960's the University of North Carolina at Asheville (1969), the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1965), and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1969), were added to UNC to create a six University system governed by a one-hundred member Board of Trustees.

In 1971, the General Assembly redefined The University of North Carolina; under the terms of that legislation all sixteen public senior institutions became constituent institutions of UNC  responsible to the Board of Governors (see Section 1.1.3 for list by category).

Each constituent institution of The University of North Carolina elects its own Board of Trustees, administers its own budget, appoints its administration with the Chancellor as the chief administrative officer, hires and evaluates its own faculty, sets policies for admission of its own student body, and is responsible for self-governance consistent with Board of Governors policies.

1.1.2 Board of Governors, the President, and General Administration

1.1.2.1 Board of Governors

The UNC-Board of Governors is the policy-making body legally charged with "the general determination, control, supervision, management, and governance of all affairs of the constituent institutions." It elects the president, who administers the University. The 32 voting members of the Board of Governors are elected by the General Assembly for four-year terms. Special members are non-voting members with varying terms. Such members are former chairs of the board, former governors and the president of the UNC Association of Student Governments, or that student's designee. 
For more information, visit http://www.northcarolina.edu/bog/.

1.1.2.2 The Code of the University of North Carolina/UNC Policy Manual

The UNC Administrative Manual has been merged with The Code of the UNC Board of Governors.  The  contents of these documents may now be found in the UNC Policy Manual.  All faculty have access to The Code online at this website.  A complete copy of The Code can be downloaded at http://www.northcarolina.edu/bog/code/code.cfm.

1.1.2.3 The President

The President, elected by the Board of Governors, is the chief administrative and executive officer of the University and has complete authority to manage the affairs and execute the policies of The University of North Carolina and its constituent universities, subject to the direction and control of the Board of Governors and the provisions of The Code. The President is the "official administrative spokesperson for and the interpreter of the University" to all external constituencies. The President is responsible for all reports and presentations about the University to the General Assembly, the Governor, state offices and commissions and the Federal Government. For more information, visit http://www.northcarolina.edu/content.php/pres/index.htm

1.1.2.4 General Administration (GA) 

The President is assisted by professional staff members who are elected by the Board of Governors on nomination by the President.  For more information, visit http://www.northcarolina.edu/pres/.

1.1.3 UNC Faculty Assembly

The Faculty Assembly is the elected body of representatives of the faculty of the sixteen campuses of the University of North Carolina. Its objectives are set forth in the Assembly's Charter.

The Assembly is dedicated to upholding and exercising the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, tenure, and the faculty's primary responsibility for the university's curriculum.

1.2 History of the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA)

The University of North Carolina at Asheville originated as Buncombe County Junior College, founded in 1927 under the aegis of the Buncombe County school system. It operated as a free public institution until 1930, when a financial crisis forced the county college to begin charging tuition. It changed its name to Biltmore Junior College and was controlled by the faculty until 1934, when a newly-established board of trustees secured a charter under the name of Biltmore College. In 1936 control passed to the Asheville City School Board, and the name was changed to Asheville-Biltmore College. It was by this name that the institution was known until 1969 when it became a member of The Consolidated University of North Carolina.

In 1955, the General Assembly of North Carolina voted the first state appropriations for the support of Asheville-Biltmore College, and in 1957, under the provisions of the Community College Act, the college became the first institution to qualify as a state-supported community college.

Two locally-initiated and approved bond issues, along with state appropriations, enabled the college to begin a period of vigorous development. In 1961, the institution moved to its current 165-acre site in north Asheville and occupied the first two buildings on the new campus (Phillips and Rhoades Halls). Five additional buildings followed in the next few years (Ramsey Library, Carmichael, Lipinsky, Owen and Zageir Halls).

On July 1, 1963, Asheville-Biltmore College became a state-supported senior college, under a new board of trustees, and began establishing the character of the institution that ultimately was to emerge as the University of North Carolina at Asheville. In his Report to the Board of Trustees of Asheville-Biltmore College on July 1, 1963, the then President of the college, William E. Highsmith, stated that the institution was beginning the development of a liberal arts college stressing excellence in teaching and learning.

As early as 1962, Asheville-Biltmore College had expressed its ambition to become a campus of The Consolidated University of North Carolina, and in 1966, the Board of Trustees passed a resolution endorsing this goal. In 1968-69, after extended discussions of the state-wide implications of such a move, the Board of Trustees of the Consolidated University and the State Board of Higher Education endorsed the proposal, which was subsequently approved by the General Assembly of North Carolina. On July 1, 1969, Asheville-Biltmore College became the University of North Carolina at Asheville, one of six campuses of the Consolidated University. On July 1, 1972, the ten remaining state-supported senior institutions were merged into a unified sixteen-constituent member system, The University of North Carolina.

When it was established as a four-year senior state institution in 1963, again in 1969 when it joined The University of North Carolina, and throughout the vicissitudes of the past two decades, UNCA has remained dedicated to its distinctive role in North Carolina: a public undergraduate liberal arts institution striving for the highest standards of excellence in teaching and learning.

UNCA's mission has received further endorsement from the UNC General Administration. In January 1991, the President of The University of North Carolina asked four external consultants to review the missions and long-range plans of the sixteen constituent institutions. They were to recommend changes appropriate for each within the context of the constituencies they serve, the needs for higher education in North Carolina in the next decade, and the ability of the state to provide resources to meet those needs.

As part of its mission review for General Administration, UNCA asked to be reclassified from a Comprehensive II institution to a Liberal Arts College I, to reflect more accurately its philosophy, character, and ambition. In November 1991, the President released the consultants' findings, which stated, in part:

UNC-Asheville has developed a solid reputation as a public liberal arts institution. Its rate of enrollment growth in recent years has been very high. At the same time it attracts a high quality student body. . . . It prides itself on its interdisciplinary undergraduate core curriculum and its highly successful Master of Liberal Arts curriculum. . . . The institution is qualified to be classified as a Liberal Arts College I. This designation reflects its mission and we recommend that the change be approved.

This confirmation of UNCA's historic commitment to undergraduate liberal arts education, coupled with an equally strong commitment to serve the region and state in ways that complement its educational program, sets the stage for the institution in the coming decade and beyond.

UNCA is fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Science and the Master of Liberal Arts degrees.

For additional history, read The University of North Carolina at Asheville, The First Sixty Years written by former Chancellor William E. Highsmith, published in 1991 by UNCA. It is available in the UNCA Bookstore and in Ramsey Library.

1.3 Planning Guidelines for UNCA

1.3.1 Objectives

The University of North Carolina at Asheville is designated a Liberal Arts University in the University of North Carolina and offers degree programs at the baccalaureate level. A strong liberal arts curriculum has been broadened by the addition of career-oriented programs in accounting, atmospheric sciences, computer science, education, mass communication, and management.

The Asheville Graduate Center, offering a wide range of courses and cooperative programs, was established on the UNCA campus in 1984. It plans, promotes and coordinates graduate education in Asheville by hosting programs from other UNC institutions on our campus.

UNCA offers a Master's in Liberal Arts degree program. This interdisciplinary program is offered through the Asheville Graduate Center and builds upon a highly successful undergraduate humanities and arts core curriculum.

1.3.2 Mission Statement - UNCA (adopted by the Board of Trustees on 8/24/00.) (SD5300S)

The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers a superior liberal arts education for well-prepared students who are committed to learning and personal growth. Its education is liberating, promoting the free and rigorous pursuit of truth, respect for differing points of view and heritage, and an understanding that values play a role in thought and action. Through this education the university aims to develop students of broad perspective who think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and participate actively in their communities. UNCA is North Carolina's only designated public liberal arts university.

Small by choice, UNCA brings together faculty, students, and staff of diverse cultural backgrounds to interact closely in a supportive community. The university makes excellence in teaching the highest priority for its faculty. It fosters scholarship and creative activities by faculty and students alike.

UNCA provides undergraduate programs in the arts, the humanities, the natural and social sciences, and in selected pre-professional programs that are solidly grounded in the liberal arts. The university seeks to connect the traditional liberal arts fields through interdisciplinary studies and to integrate these areas of inquiry with programs that prepare students for rewarding careers. To enhance and extend the undergraduate programs, UNCA offers an interdisciplinary Master of Liberal Arts.

As a public university, UNCA serves the region and state in ways that complement its educational mission. It encourages students, faculty, and staff to interact with and serve the community, and it shares cultural and educational resources with citizens at all stages of life and learning. The university houses the Asheville Graduate Center, the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, and other programs which provide opportunities to citizens for continued learning and public service.

The ultimate aim of the university is to provide students the best possible opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge, and understanding necessary to pursue their goals, to find meaning in their lives, and to take their places as contributing citizens of a changing society.

1.3.3 Guiding Concepts (Adopted by the Board of Trustees on 3/11/01.) (SD3201S)

Note: These guidelines should be reviewed no less than every five years. They shall be subject to change by two-thirds vote of the Board of Trustees.

The University of North Carolina at Asheville provides a superior liberal arts education for well-prepared students who are committed to learning and personal growth. Through this education the university aims to develop students of broad perspective who think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and participate actively in their communities. The ultimate aim of the university is to provide students the best possible opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge, and understanding necessary to pursue their goals, to find meaning in their lives, and to take their places as contributing citizens of a changing society. In light of these aims, the following concepts guide UNCA.

Who We Are

I. Liberal Arts

Education at UNCA is solidly grounded in the liberal arts. A liberal arts foundation provides the surest means of enabling students to develop in a manner consistent with the aims of the university. In accordance with its designation as North Carolina's public liberal arts university, and consistent with the Carnegie Classification, at least half of all UNCA degrees are awarded in the liberal arts and all degrees are infused with the liberal arts. The centerpiece of General Education at UNCA is its nationally-recognized Humanities Program, which examines what humanity has achieved, desired, and believed over several thousand years of recorded history, and how these concerns and passions influence today's world.

II. Diverse and Collaborative Community

The community of students, faculty and staff that is UNCA is diverse and collaborative. UNCA graduates will live and work in an increasingly diverse world. Those who would contribute to such a world must be aware of and sensitive to human diversity, and be able to work with those whose perspectives and backgrounds are not their own. Through a diverse and collaborative community, UNCA recognizes and celebrates human diversity, while preparing students for the future. In order to facilitate collaboration, and especially collaboration among faculty and students, UNCA is small by choice, seeking no more than 3500 students, with a constantly increasing proportion of residential students. 

III. Environmentally Responsible

UNCA is environmentally aware and responsible. The UNCA campus is the home of more than 1100 residential students and the place where approximately 4000 additional members of the UNCA community spend many of their waking hours. As such, their well being is affected by the quality of the UNCA environment. Through environmental awareness and responsibility, UNCA provides a campus that supports the well being of the UNCA community and serves as an example for others.

IV. Commitment to Excellence and Continuous Improvement

Commitment to excellence in liberal arts education and continuous improvement in all things is characteristic of UNCA life. These commitments focus the efforts and broaden the understandings of the members of the UNCA community so as to best provide for the learning and personal growth of students.

What We Do

V. Emphasis on Learning

Undergraduate learning is the highest priority of UNCA and the continued learning of faculty and staff is supported. Undergraduate learning, because it profoundly affects the intellectual development of students, is the highest priority of UNCA. To assist in this development, the continued learning of faculty and staff is also supported. Consistent with learning on a human scale,  classes at UNCA are small enough to allow active involvement and large enough to encompass diverse perspectives. 

VI. Support of Personal Growth

Undergraduate personal growth is strongly supported and the personal growth of faculty and staff is supported. Undergraduate personal growth, because it profoundly affects the overall development of students, is strongly supported by UNCA. To assist in this development, the personal growth of faculty and staff is also supported.

How We Do It

VII. Primary Focus on Teaching

Teaching is the primary focus of UNCA faculty and interdisciplinary teaching is encouraged. Teaching contributes directly to the learning and personal growth of students. Interdisciplinary teaching is encouraged because the ability to connect different areas of knowledge is one of the highest expressions of the intellect, and faculty who demonstrate this ability help students to make such connections themselves.

VIII. Creative, Scholarly and Collaborative Activity

Creative, scholarly and collaborative activity are integral parts of UNCA life, and activities involving students are especially valued. These activities, by the new knowledge and perspectives they bring about, contribute to the learning and personal growth of the UNCA community and to the larger communities of which UNCA is a part. UNCA's Undergraduate Research Program is a nationally-respected expression of student scholarship and collaborative learning. 

IX. Co-curricular Experiences

UNCA provides diverse co-curricular experiences and helps create new ones. Co-curricular activities provide experiences and help form relationships that powerfully affect the personal growth of students. These activities, like the students they serve, are varied and ever changing.

X. Community Involvement

UNCA is involved in the community. Community participation is a responsibility of a public university that contributes to the community while simultaneously enhancing the learning and personal growth of those involved.

XI. Lifelong Relationships with Graduates

UNCA has lifelong relationships with its graduates. Learning and personal growth are the pursuits of a lifetime, not only of the college years. UNCA seeks to contribute to the continued learning and personal growth of its graduates through lifelong relationships. These relationships, through the opportunities they provide, help provide for the learning and personal growth of current students.

1.4 Administrative Structure

1.4.1 Board of Trustees

Each UNC Board of Trustees is composed of thirteen members, eight elected by the Board of Governors, four appointed by the Governor and the current President of the Student Government Association, ex officio. Elected and appointed members serve staggered four year terms commencing on July 1. Powers and duties of the Board of Trustees are described in Chapter IV, Section 403 of The Code. For Delegations of Duty and Authority to Board of Trustees see Section 13.1.3.  A membership list of the Board of Trustees is available at http://www.unca.edu/admin/co/bot.html

1.4.2 Chancellor

The administrative and executive head of UNC Asheville is the Chancellor who exercises complete executive authority therein, subject to the direction of the President. (Sec. 502A The Code). Chapter V of The Code discusses Officers of the University with Section 502 devoted to Chancellors of Constituent Institutions (see Section 13.1.2)  In the absence of the Chancellor, the Presiding Officer position rotates through the Senior Staff.  If the chancellor is absent or incapacitated for an extended period of time, UNC Asheville will, working with the General Administration and the president in naming leadership, recommend that the provost be asked to serve. 

The Chancellor's senior staff consists of:

Dr. Katherine M. Whatley, interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs 

Dr. Bill Haggard, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

William P. Massey, Vice Chancellor for Alumni & Development

Dr. Pat W. Hunt, Vice Chancellor for Finance & Operations

Janet Cone, Athletic Director

Christine Riley, Chief of Staff

Jesse Ray, Special Assistant to the Chancellor

Tom Lawton, University General Counsel

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

1.4.3 Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA)

The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is responsible for oversight, management, and accomplishment of the core of the institution's mission:  As stated in UNCA's Mission Statement- ..."to offer an undergraduate liberal arts education of superior quality for serious and able students."  Not only is the institutional mission the primary charge of Academic Affairs but so too are the institution's "guiding concepts" which amplify the mission and bring focus to the efforts of key administrative offices.  Academic Affairs is the gyroscope of the university and as such assumes the accomplishment of the institution's mission and the guiding concepts as the foundation of the office's mission.

The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is responsible for all activities in the area of Academic Affairs. The Provost and VCAA is the Chancellor's delegate in all areas of the academic program, including curriculum and academic policy, as well as the development of personnel policy, hiring, evaluation, salary determination, and promotion of all professional personnel in the academic areas.

    Academic Affairs Staff (follow a link for more information about a unit.)

  • Academic Deans
    The Academic Deans are four tenured faculty members, each selected from the programs they serve, with the exception of the Dean for University Programs who serves programs across the curriculum. Each of the Deans has broad experience in University matters as well as service as a prominent member or chair of faculty or University committees, service as the chair or director of a department or program, service in administrative and directorship roles, or demonstrated leadership in another area of University affairs. 
    Click here for a list of department websites.

       Lisa Friedenberg            Social Sciences
       Edward J. Katz              University Programs
       William M. Spellman      Humanities
       Gregg A. Kormanik        Natural Sciences (interim)
     

  • Dean of Academic Administration
       Patricia P. McClellan
     

  • Assistant Provost for Budgeting
       Patricia E. Catterfeld
     

  • Assistant Provost for Graduate and Continuing Education
       Sandra P. Byrd
     

  • Chief Information Officer
       Jim Kuhlman
     

  • Chief Research Officer
            Gregg Kormanik

  • Office Staff
     Office of Academic Affairs:  Jan Scroggs, Executive Assistant;
         Elaine Warren, Administrative Assistant
     Office of the Deans:  Cindy Reagan, Administrative Assistant
     Asheville Graduate Center:  Annis Lytle, Administrative Assistant
     Faculty Senate:  Sandra Gravely, Program Assistant

1.4.3.4 Department Chairs

Most academic programs at UNCA exist within academic departments.  As a general rule, academic departments have full-time faculty members and host programs that grant baccalaureate degrees.  The notable exception is the Education Department which grants various forms of teacher licensure and has the formal status of "department." Each academic department is supervised by a Department Chair.

Chairs are both the academic and the administrative leaders of departments. Chairs are appointed by the VCAA, generally for three-year terms, and their appointments may be renewed.  For a detailed description of Chair duties, see Section 3.1.2.  For information on the evaluation of Chairs, see Section 3.3.4.

1.4.3.5 Academic Program Directors

Some academic programs do not have the formal status of "department."  Although these programs do not have full-time faculty, some do award degrees, others offer minors and still others provide curricular activities that support the university's mission.  These programs are supervised by Program Directors rather than Department Chairs.  They fall into three basic categories:

  1. Programs which grant degrees
    Includes the Interdisciplinary Studies program (B.A.), the Women's Studies (B.A.), and the Master of Liberal Arts program (M.L.A.)
  2. Programs which offer minors but do not grant degrees
    Includes Africana Studies, Humanities, and International Studies.  (Note:  Some other minor-granting programs exist within academic departments.)
  3. Programs which support the University's mission but have neither minors nor degrees
    Includes Arts and Ideas, Honors, Teaching Fellows and Undergraduate Research.

Like Department Chairs, Program Directors are appointed by the VCAA, typically for three-year terms, and their appointments may be renewed.  For a detailed description of their duties, see the end of Section 3.1.2.  For information on the evaluation of Program Directors, see Section 3.3.5.

1.4.3.6 The Faculty Body

The faculty is organized into academic departments and programs which are informally grouped into four academic clusters: Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and University Programs. The departments/programs in each cluster follow. 
Click here for a list of department websites.

           Humanities
     Dr. William M. Spellman
  • Art
  • Classics
  • Drama
  • Foreign Languages
  • History
  • Literature & Language
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Religious Studies
           Natural Sciences
      Dr. Gregg A. Kormanik (interim)
  • Atmospheric Science
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Studies
  • Mathematics
  • Multimedia Arts & Sciences
  • Physics
  • Pre-Med Program
          Social Sciences
       Dr. Lisa Friedenberg
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Health & Wellness
  • Management & Accountancy
  • Mass Communication
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology & Anthropology

 

           University Programs
           Dr. Edward J. Katz
  • Africana Studies
  • Cultural and Special Events
  • Integrative Liberal Studies
  • Interdisciplinary Studies
  • International Studies
  • Service Learning
  • Teaching Fellows
  • University Honors Program
  • Undergraduate Research Program
  • Women's Studies

 

1.4.4 Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA)

The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs is the chief administrator of the Student Affairs Division. The fundamental purpose of this Division is to provide support systems that enhance the educational mission of the University. Questions concerning students' rights and responsibilities, student life, and services should be directed to the VCSA.  For more information, please visit the following links:

1.4.5 Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations (VCFO)

The Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations is the chief business and financial officer of the University. Major functions include developing and allocating resources and responsibility for all activities within the business affairs and physical plant organizational structure of the University.  These areas include architectural services, accounting systems, bookstore, budget, business office, campus mail, facilities planning and construction, dining fiscal management, grants and contracts administration, motor pool, procurement, physical plant, safety and risk management. The VCFO also serves ex officio as Treasurer of the UNCA Foundation.  For more information please visit the following links:

1.4.6 Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Development (VCAD)

The Vice Chancellor for Alumni & Development has leadership and management responsibility for the University's development, alumni, and communications programs.  Fund-raising program units include the annual fund (alumni, parents, senior class), planned and estate giving, major gifts, private foundation support, corporate contributions, the State Employees Combined Campaign, special capital or comprehensive campaigns, donor prospect research, and alumni and donor records.  Through the Vice Chancellor, collaborative fundraising is coordinated to benefit programs, units and activities of the University.

Alumni programming, events and communications are a key responsibility of the Division. Additionally, the Vice Chancellor provides leadership for University-wide publications as well as print and electronic materials for, among others, the Chancellor, alumni, development, admissions, and the Asheville Graduate Center.  University Publications also manages and approves all uses of the University's official logo. 

The Office of Public Information provides external and internal communication to the media and to the University's many constituencies.  Crisis communication also is coordinated through Public Information.

The Vice Chancellor serves as secretary to the Foundation Board of Directors and the Endowment/Investment Committee, and serves ex officio on the National Alumni Advisory Council, and the National Parents Council.

Website links are:

Alumni & Development: http://www.unca.edu/ad/
Alumni Office:   http://www.unca.edu/alumni/
Office of Publications:  http://www.unca.edu/publications/
UNC Asheville Foundation, Inc.:  http://www.unca.edu/foundation/
News & Events:  http://www.unca.edu/news/
Public Information:  http://www.unca.edu/news/contact.html

1.4.7  Chief of Staff

The Chief of Staff is responsible for planning, organizing, and guiding the activities and initiatives of the Chancellor’s office as they relate to the internal relationships and operations of the university, as directed by the Chancellor in support of the university’s mission.  The Chief of Staff supervises Human Resources, Institutional Research, the Chief Information Officer, and the Chancellor's office. 

1.5  Budget Process for Academic Areas 

UNCA is funded predominantly from funds appropriated bi-annually by the General Assembly. The UNCA Foundation provides some support through the Endowment and Annual Giving Campaigns. A few academic programs have special "Friends" groups which also provide funds for the operation of the program, e.g. Art, Athletics, Drama, Management, Music. Some academic programs have augmented their operating budgets through research and community service grants.

1.5.1 State Budget Process

Biennially the General Assembly of North Carolina appropriates funds to the University of North Carolina based on the recommendations of the UNC Board of Governors. Minor budget adjustments are made in the "short sessions" held in even numbered years. Each of the constituent institutions submits to the Board of Governors through GA budget requests. The budget requests typically include three types: Continuation Budget, Expansion Budget, and Capital Budget. The VCFO is responsible for the preparation and management of these budgets at UNCA.

The Continuation Budget, as defined by the State, provides for the continuing level of service of existing programs. The Expansion Budget provides for expansion of existing programs (including enrollment increases), new programs, and salary increases and/or benefits for teachers and state employees. The Capital Budget provides for construction of new facilities, repair and renovations to existing facilities, major equipment purchases, land purchases, and infrastructure improvements. Capital funds are normally appropriated by the General Assembly for a specific project.

The North Carolina General Assembly appropriates the funds to UNCA in one lump sum. These funds are distributed by purpose and line item by the Office of State Budget and Management based on historical information. Purposes are standardized three digit codes that allow UNCA to compare itself financially with any other university. Purposes are defined as:

PURPOSE

CODE

 

PURPOSE

CODE

Academic Instruction

101

 

Academic Support

152

Summer Session

102

 

Student Services

160

Extension

103

 

Institutional Support

170

Libraries

151

 

Physical Plant

180

The UNCA administration distributes the funds to departments. Major deviations by line item or purpose must be reported to the North Carolina General Assembly.   

The Academic Instruction budget typically comprises 44-45% of the entire operating funds appropriated by the State of North Carolina. Within each purpose funds are distributed by "Account".  The  account designates the specific use of the funds. The  Banner Finance system divides the accounts into "major" categories. The five common major categories are:

 ACCOUNT 

CODE

Personnel

 600000 

Supplies

720000

Current Services

730000

Contractual Services

719000

Equipment  ("Capital Outlay") 

750000

Within each account category there are more specific groupings  (minor categories) for the use of funds. For example, educational supplies for use in the instructional program are assigned the account number  723000. Faculty travel, considered a "Current Service", has an  account  code of  731xxx; the last three digits identify the type of expense.  For example, In-State Lodging is charged to account 731140. A complete list of the Banner Finance account codes is available on the UNCA Controller's website: http://www.unca.edu/controller

 The State of North Carolina permits transfer of funds among the 7xxxxx (operating)  series of accounts, but does not allow transfer of funds from the 6xxxxx (personnel) series of accounts without reporting to the North Carolina General Assembly. Contact the Controller's Office to get a copy of the account code definitions.

The third accounting notation used by the state identifies the specific department or program to which funds are assigned or expended. These identifiers of specific departments, programs, or offices are called "Cost Centers". The Art Department for example has the cost center, 421, while Management is identified by the cost center, 463. 

When funds are assigned or expended the accounting notation begins with a numeral indicating "Type of Funds", the fourth accounting notation used: 2 = state funds, 3 = unrestricted trust funds, 5 = restricted trust funds, 6 = UNCA endowments, 7 = debt service and capital improvements, 9 = UNCA Foundation and agency funds.

As an illustration of the complete notation system, the entry 201421- 723000 translates as follows

Type of funds

 2 = state funds

Purpose

 01 = academic instruction

Cost center

 421 = Art Department

Account

 723000  = educational supplies

More information on budget process and procedures can be found in the UNCA Budget Primer, available online at http://www.unca.edu/admin/budget

1.5.2 Budget Procedures at UNCA

The Provost and VCAA oversees the budget process for the instructional program with assistance from the Deans. Annually, in the spring, department chairs/program directors submit budget requests for the following academic year. After appropriate consultation, the Office of Academic Affairs develops allocations for each department or program. Factors determining allocations typically reflect the goals and objectives established by the University Planning Council (UPC) and the Chancellor.

Once funds are allocated to departments/programs, the chairs/directors are responsible for the management of the budget. Monthly status reports are provided electronically  by the Business Office. An individual faculty member wishing to expend funds must have the signed authorization of the chair/director, or the Dean in the Chair's absence.

A faculty member may request funds to be expended from a 201xxx  (academic instruction) budget by identifying the purpose of an expenditure and an approximate amount and presenting the request to the department chair/program director for review.

If funds are available in the departmental budget the chair/director may approve the request and forward it for processing. If funds are not available but the chair/director approves the rationale for an expenditure, it may be forwarded to the Dean for consideration for funding.

1.6  FORMS for Section 1.0

No forms for this section [../aa/handbook/include.html]