January 30, 2013
University Planning Council
Minutes for January 30, 2013
Present: Buffy Bagwell, Jeff Brown, Shannon Earle, Jane Fernandes, Catherine Frank, Melodie Galloway, Archer Gravely, Bill Haggard, Julie Heinitsh, Blake Hobby, Gregg Kormanik, Ann Martin, Nicole McGaha, Ted Meigs, Dave Peifer, John Pierce, Anne Ponder, Christine Riley
Absent: Jessica Dunsmore, Eric Gant, Keith Ray, Leisa Rundquist, Christy Williams
Guests: Karla Piccirillo, University Advancement staff
UPC met on January 30 from 3:05 to 4:30 in HIG 104.
- Chancellor Ponder began her update by welcoming our University Advancement colleagues.
She reported that it has been four years since the last BOG-required Chancellor evaluation and this process will be completed once again before June 30. BOG regulations require that the Board of Trustees use a consultant to facilitate the process which will include a survey, interviews, and focus groups. Chancellor Woodward performed this role for UNC Asheville four years ago, and has agreed to serve in this role again. Chancellor Ponder will complete a self-evaluation as the first phase of the process.
UNC Asheville’s tuition and fee proposals submitted last fall received a first reading at the January Board of Governors meeting. Chancellor Ponder expects our request will be approved.
In February, the Board of Governors will receive the next iteration of the UNC Strategic Directions document. Chancellor Ponder noted that in general, the work has moved in very quickly and it appears to be as much a budget proposal as a strategic plan. She will spend most of next week in Chapel Hill and Raleigh and will keep us posted on the latest developments. She indicated that UNC Asheville has developed greater influence with the Board of Governors than might be suggested by our small size. Chancellor Ponder closed by noting that media-inflated rumors about the loss of tenure in UNC do not match the substance of actual Board of Governors conversations.
2. Ms. Bagwell introduced seventeen members of the University Advancement team and noted that they have been in business for seven months. She reported that 87% of the Advancement staff are either new to UNC Asheville or in a new role at the University. University Advancement’s first task is to expand awareness and pride in UNC Asheville within the greater Asheville community. This year Advancement will:
- Hold 270 events
- Increase internal and external partnerships
- Invest in alumni
- Strengthen stewardship surrounding our cultural programs
- Invite community to hear from faculty, staff, and students
- Raise $300k for scholarships
Ms. Bagwell reported that we are working to build an internal operation to better support the campus and noted that we have already achieved 81.2% of this year’s $4M fund raising goal. The staff for each of the following Advancement areas provided an overview of their major functions.
- Annual Giving
- Corporate & Foundation Relations
- Family Business Forum
- External Relations (federal and state)
- Planned Giving
- Social Media and Communications
- Major Gifts
- Alumni Relations
- University Events
- Advancement Services
Ms. Bagwell concluded by inviting UPC members to attend a cultivation event rehearsal of faculty and students telling UNC Asheville’s story at Pisgah House on February 11th.
3. Dr. Haggard gave UPC an update on student health insurance. He reported that ten years ago, a group of UNC health directors created a voluntary consortium to get the best deal on student health insurance. In subsequent years, in order to get the lowest rates, students not covered by family health insurance were required to participate in the student health plan. This plan was implemented in FY 2008 at a cost of $700 per year.
In 2012, President Bowles made the plan a system-wide requirement. This year, the price doubled from $700 to $1,400 per year with a $300 deductible. Dr. Haggard suggested that these rates are still a good deal at $118 per month for the 30% of our students enrolled in the UNC system health plan. Our student health insurance premiums are the lowest among our UNC-GA designated peers and these expenses are built into the financial aid cost of attendance calculation. Last year, approximately 1,000 UNC Asheville students enrolled in the plan received $530,000 in benefits. UNC-GA is searching for a new plan with lower rates but the unreleased regulations of the Affordable Care Act on student health insurance complicate the process. As a result, a change will probably not happen until 2014.