September 23, 2011
University Planning Council
Minutes for September 23, 2011
Present: Buffy Bagwell, Jane Fernandes, Catherine Frank, Eric Gant, Katja Greeson, Archer Gravely, Julie Heinitsh, Gregg Kormanik, Erica Abrams Locklear, Ted Meigs, Patrice Mitchell, Kevin Moorhead, Dave Peifer, John Pierce, Anne Ponder, Christine Riley, Robert Straub
Absent: Keller Berry, Melissa Burchard, Bill Haggard, Gary Nallan
Guests: Mary Lynn Manns, Bruce Larson, Herman Holt, Janet Cone, Amy Lanou
UPC met on September 23 from 3:00 to 4:50 in HIG 222.
1. Chancellor Ponder introduced the topics for today’s agenda and noted that the year is off to a good start with three observations. One, the level of campus budget distress is being positively managed. Two, the Board of Governors new member visit last week went very well; thanks to the participation of many faculty and staff members, we won them over in helping them understand the high quality liberal arts education we provide. She added that this will make our other Board of Governors work easier. And three, Chancellor Ponder reported that the combined Family Weekend and Wellabration events went well. Next month, UNC Asheville will send a small delegation to attend President’s Ross’s installation. She concluded her update by citing several examples of how UNC Asheville exerts far more influence on the UNC system than suggested by our 1.6% share of the total UNC budget.
2. Dr. Holt gave a presentation on our NCAA recertification process which takes place every ten years and involves external peer reviewers. The NCAA process has three organizing principles: (1) governance and commitment to rules; (2) academic integrity; and (3) gender diversity and student athlete well-being. The NCAA staff had originally noted thirty-six areas of concern and most of these are minor. One major concern was the need to conduct a self-study of academic support services for student athletes, and this was accomplished during summer 2011. Two major issues left to be resolved are closely related to one another: (1) the requirement to increase athletic participation of women to within 6% of all undergraduate women enrolled; and (2) the proportional distribution of scholarships by gender. In response, UNC Asheville created a gender equity task force, and we are in the process of establishing a women’s swimming team, and a search for a head coach is now underway. The NCAA site visit by the peer review team will occur on October 31 & November 1. The NCAA recertification reports are provided on the Athletics Department web site:
http://www.uncabulldogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=19200&KEY=&ATCLID....
3. Drs. Manns and Lanou provided UPC with an update on the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The purpose of the QEP is to enhance student learning and it is important to have broad base support for the project which we have accomplished over the last eleven months. Our QEP project is designed to enhance critical thinking skills using The Inquiry ARC model which has the following components: inquire, apply, reflect, and communicate. The QEP project is based on institutional survey data and the CLA test results. The QEP is aligned with our mission, strategic plan, and four of the student learning outcomes. Dr. Manns emphasized that the QEP is an on-going research project on student learning where we are expected to assess and make changes as we move forward. A summary of the QEP project is provided on the web: http://sacs.unca.edu/sites/sacs.unca.edu/files/August_31_Campus_Report.pdf.
Campus feedback on the QEP will need to be received before October 10th.
4. Dr. Moorhead led a discussion of UPC’s role in social sustainability noting that it was important to address rumors, errors in fact and miscommunications. Some examples: The statement that individuals who have lost their jobs have been escorted off campus by armed police officers is not true. UPC learned more about the actual process undertaken when SPA RIFs or EPA Discontinuations have occurred for budgetary or other reasons. In addition, Provost Fernandes clarified the change in direction, as well as the status and operation, for the Career Center. Other topics suggested by UPC members for future discussion include: Meeting our responsibilities of assessment given increased teaching loads, a discussion already underway in IDC; early discussions in IDC of a potential BS/MD joint degree program with UNC-CH; how do we find out about changes in processes and protocol with 15% reduction in staff positions in two years; Chancellor Ponder stated that UPC might choose to clarify topics already in play and receive updates on what is and is not under consideration. UPC members were encouraged to bring questions to UPC for clarification and discussion.