April 14, 2008

University Planning Council

Minutes for April 14, 2008

Present: Melissa Acker, Gwen Ashburn, Buffy Bagwell, Archer Gravely, Bill Haggard, Herman Holt, Jim Kuhlman, Bruce Larson, Judi Leffe, Bill Massey, Adrienne Oliver, Dan Pierce, Anne Ponder, Christine Riley, Barbara Svenson, Betsy Wilson, John Wood

Absent: Amanda Alvarez, Lothar Dohse, Bill Haas

UPC met in HU 224 from 11:30 to 1:30.

1. UPC discussed the Strategic Plan – Implementation Draft 7 (http://www.unca.edu/sp/). Chancellor Ponder noted that we may have assigned our new Provost, Jane Fernandes, responsibility for too many action items from the plan. She will work with Dr. Fernandes to review assignments and received UPC approval to combine workgroups for similar items where appropriate. Dr. Wood stated that the members of the workgroups are primarily sets of stakeholders and that we may need some flexibility in organizing these groups. Groups won’t have to meet all together with the coordinator at all times. Workgroups are authorized to establish sub-groups and other ways of operating efficiently. Chancellor Ponder reported that campus feedback on the strategic plan Flash presentation at the All Campus Meeting has been primarily positive. We have received constructive feedback in four areas:

• The digital flash presentation and brochure do not include student outcomes, or enough photos of students.
• Our picture of diversity is ‘overproduced’ as the proportion of minority representation overstates our reasonable expectations.
• The campus leadership depicted is primarily male.
• Stylistic issues were also noted in the frequency and movement of pictures in the flash production. Pictures moved too quickly, were repetitive, and there was too much text.

Chancellor Ponder reported that we will rebalance the pictures in the printed brochure and edit the flash presentation after the end of the semester in time to have them ready for the start of the Fall 2008 term.

2. Chancellor Ponder reported that the Diversity Action Committee (DAC) has convened and received preliminary guidance and advice from UPC. Dr. Fernandes will assume leadership of this group. The DAC will work on developing legal and external definitions of diversity. We will also account for the dollars and funding sources/accounts spent on diversity. The DAC will work for eighteen months and check-in periodically with UPC. At the end of this period, we will evaluate the effectiveness of the DAC. Two additional DAC members who have diversity-related responsibilities have been appointed to the committee: (1) Rusty Marts in Human Resources as Affirmative Action Officer (replacing Buffy Bagwell); and (2) Steve Cornish in Athletics as NCAA Diversity Plan representative.

3. UPC spent the majority of meeting time reviewing and revising, in detail, UNC Asheville’s Phase I response to UNC Tomorrow (UNC-GA’s long-range plan). Our draft response will be provided on the web for campus review and comment at http://www.unca.edu/aa/UNC%20Tomorrow/UNC_Tomorrow_response.htm. Ms. Riley served as the primary editor with assistance from Chancellor Ponder, senior staff, Ed Katz, Dean of University Programs, and those Department Chairs and Program Directors who responded to requests for information from their areas. The document is due to GA on May 1.

4. The group acknowledged those UPC members who would be cycling off UPC for the next academic year, and asked that as many members as possible gather for a mid-summer planning session for the 2008-09 academic year.