December 5, 2008

University Planning Council

Minutes for December 5, 2008

Present: Melissa Acker, Amanda Alvarez, Gwen Ashburn, Buffy Bagwell, Becky Doyle, Bill Haas, Archer Gravely, Bill Haggard, Herman Holt, Jeff Konz, Jim Kuhlman, Nick Ladd, Amy Lanou, Linda Nelms, Adrienne Oliver, John Pierce, Anne Ponder, Christine Riley, Barbara Svenson, Betsy Wilson

Absent: Jane Fernandes, Bill Massey, Dan Pierce

UPC met from 3:00 – 4:45 on December 5 in HU 104.

1. Dr. Haggard reviewed the new campus smoking policy (attached) that will be effective January 1, 2009. He noted that the NC General Assembly passed legislation in 2007 that allowed campuses to have smoke-free residence halls and restrict smoking up to 100 feet from buildings. SGA has called for an amendment to permit more smoking areas inside the campus loop and to reduce the smoking building distance from 100 to 50 feet. Senior staff has approved a revision to the original smoking policy as a pilot. The policy will be reviewed in Fall 2009. The policy states our campus’ intent to eventually have a smoke-free campus.

2. Chancellor Ponder provided UPC with a budget update. She reported that 96% of our budget has been authorized and we will need to manage this 4% budget cut. In early January, we will begin to plan more specifically, as we should know by then which portion of the cuts will become permanent. This process will require a different level of consultation and UPC will be asked to help plan the permanent cuts. UNC Asheville’s 2009 tuition and fee recommendations are within UNC-General Administration guidelines, and are ready for review by the Board of Trustees on December 20. The final decision will be made by the Board of Governors in the new year.

Chancellor Ponder also reported that we are making progress on a number of capital projects:

We are on track in moving our instructional program from Rhoades/Robinson to the Zeis Science and Multimedia building. We expect Zeis to be fully operational for Fall 2009. The Health and Wellness Building has appropriated funding and a site plan. Construction bids are due in the second week of January. We have raised $5M in private funding and hope to announce another $2M gift in January. Additionally, Chancellor Ponder reported that Pisgah House has a roof, is on schedule, and should be completed by this time next year.

3. Ms. Riley and Mr. Kuhlman led a discussion of the draft benchmarks that have been submitted by the strategic plan workgroups. UPC members made a number of comments and suggestions. Ms. Riley will coordinate UPC feedback to the workgroups on the draft benchmarks.

4. The UPC agenda materials included an update on UNC Tomorrow Phase II report drafts. Provost Fernandes will send to UPC draft reports on Existing Degree Programs and New Degree Programs in the coming weeks. These reports are due to GA on December 15. The agenda also included UNC Asheville’s Mission Review response to UNC Tomorrow Phase II. Time did not permit discussion of this document (attached).

Policy #48 Smoking Policy

Policy – Effective January 1, 2009

The University of North Carolina Asheville is committed to providing employees and students with a safe and healthful environment. Evidence shows that tobacco use in general, including smoking and breathing secondhand smoke, constitutes a significant health hazard.

I. POLICY STATEMENT

The University of North Carolina Asheville (the “University”) is dedicated to maintaining a healthy working and learning environment. Smoking is currently prohibited inside University buildings, facilities, and residence halls. Following the adoption of this policy, smoking will also be prohibited in all outdoor areas within the University Heights loop around campus, except for in areas designated by the attached campus map (http://www.unca.edu/campusmap/smoke_free_map.pdf). Smoking will also be prohibited within 100 feet of University buildings, outdoor athletic facilities, and outdoor recreation facilities. The only exception to this 100-foot rule is outside University Residence Halls, where outdoor designated smoking areas may be closer to buildings for the purpose of resident safety.

For the purpose of this policy, smoking is defined as burning any type of tobacco product including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, and bidis.

II. SIGNAGE

The University will post signs about the policy appropriately throughout campus.

This policy will also be published on the University website.

III. APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all University visitors, volunteers, students, faculty, EPA non-faculty, all staff members, and student employees. It is the responsibility of every member of the University community to comply with this policy. Organizers and attendees at public events, such as conferences, meetings, public lectures, social events and cultural events will be required to abide by this Policy.

IV. ENFORCEMENT

Effective implementation of this Smoking Policy depends upon the courtesy, respect, commitment, and cooperation of all members of the UNC Asheville community to comply with this policy. In the event that violations of this policy do occur, violations should be brought to the attention of the person who is most directly responsible for the violation. If that does not resolve the situation, it should be brought to the attention of the person/office responsible for the workplace, event, or residence, or to that responsible party’s supervisor. Complaints against students will be addressed through the Student Code of Community Standards process, and will be resolved according to the procedures therein. Any person, including a guest of the University, who is uncooperative when being asked to cease smoking in a prohibited area, may be issued a state citation by University Police, if initial measures are ineffective.

V. IMPLEMENTATION

This policy will become effective January 1, 2009. The initial implementation will be considered a pilot and will be reviewed in the fall semester of 2009. It is the intent of this pilot policy to be the next step in a progressive transition to a smoke-free campus.

VI. CESSATION SUPPORT

Smoking cessation support and referrals, particularly nicotine replacement therapy, will be offered to students through the Health and Counseling Center and to employees through the Human Resources Office.

Effective: January 1, 2009

Next Review: October, 2009

F. Mission Review

Process:

In fall 2006, UNC Asheville, under the leadership of Chancellor Anne Ponder, embarked on a campus-wide strategic planning process. All members of the staff and faculty, along with students, parents, community leaders and the members of our four boards were invited to small-group discussions to offer their advice on "who we aspire to be" and "how we plan to get there." Chancellor Ponder led each session, assisted by a group of 25 faculty, staff, and students known as Conveners, in a process intended to identify our campus’ foundational tenets as well as our loftiest dreams. Session participants offered ideas and insights, criticism and complaints, and thoughtful visions for a better future.

With all the collected comments in hand, a number of the Conveners began working with the Chancellor on drafting the strategic plan in Spring 2007. The work continued during the Summer of 2007 with a subset of the Conveners, known as the Think Tank. This process revealed an affirmation of the University’s current mission, expressed in a revised and considerably more concise statement. The process also produced a Strategic Plan that includes three broad themes (Liberal Arts, Public Responsibility, and Long-Term Sustainability), nine goals, categorized within three themes, and a description of student outcomes that the UNC Asheville experience is designed to engender.

Over the next six months, the group presented a series of drafts of the revised mission and the Strategic Plan to the campus community and external groups, collected comments, and revised the draft. In late Fall 2007, responsibility for the next steps in the strategic planning process was transferred from the Conveners and Think Tank members to the University Planning Council (UPC), the multi-constituent group responsible for campus planning.

In the six months that followed, the UPC created detailed implementation strategies, including establishing a timeline, assigning work groups to undertake specific actions, and identifying ways to measure progress over the next five years. The UNC Asheville Board of Trustees officially approved the new Mission Statement and Strategic Plan in June 2008.

Mission:

To serve as the standard of excellencein public liberal arts undergraduate education

Vision:

Our way of practicing the liberal arts embraces the centrality of learning, rigorous undergraduate scholarship and research, creative expression,exemplary teaching, and an informed commitment to serving our community and to leading our complex world.

Approved by UNC Asheville Board of Trustees, June 6, 2008