November 20, 2009

University Planning Council

Minutes for November 20, 2009

Present: Buffy Bagwell, Becky Doyle, Jane Fernandes, Archer Gravely, Jeff Konz, Amy Lanou, Keya Maitra, Ted Meigs, Cortland Mercer, Kevin Moorhead, Linda Nelms, John Pierce, Anne Ponder, Christine Riley, Louise Thompson

Absent: Vic Foster, Bill Haas, Bill Haggard, Jim Kuhlman, Bill Massey, Patrice Mitchell, Adrienne Oliver, Dan Pierce

Guests: Ed Katz, Mark Harvey, Steve Baxley

UPC met on November 20 from 3:30 to 5:00 in HU 224.

1. Ms. Riley provided UPC with an update on the strategic plan dashboard (see attached). This update reflects seven new pieces of information provided by the strategic plan workgroups.

2. Chancellor Ponder reported that the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees thinks that since we now have a strategic plan it is now time to update our campus master plan (facilities), which may take another year or two. However, in January, we expect to be asked to provide UNC-GA with a list of our top capital projects, as we understand that the NC legislature may want to use capital projects to stimulate the economy. In anticipation of that request, Chancellor Ponder distributed a list of capital projects currently on file with UNC General Administration (see attached) and stated that we will want to develop a consensus about our top three priorities. Steve Baxley provided some background about how this list was developed in the past. In 2000, UNC Asheville received $50M for capital projects as part of Phase I of the Bond Project, based on the system-wide Eva Kline Facilities Study. Mr. Baxley noted that the 2000 Bond Project provided us with the Highsmith Union, New Hall, Zeis Hall, and the Sam Millar Facilities Complex. Chancellor Ponder stated that campus priorities no longer need to align with the Eva Kline study, as previous priorities have. Dr. Moorhead raised concerns about coupling the Craft Campus with the Owen Hall project. Chancellor Ponder stated that the Craft Campus project includes $5M of privately raised funds, and that any change to the location, size or condition of our craft studios will require retrofitting Owen Hall afterwards, since that’s where our current craft studios are located. Several suggestions for revision to the list were offered from the group. Mr. Pierce noted that there will be more opportunity for input at the next UPC meeting in December.

3. Dr. Ed Katz was invited to speak to UPC as the workgroup leader of Strategic Plan goals related to Undergraduate Research, Greater Asheville, and Environmental Sustainability. He and Dr. Harvey led an extensive discussion of the development of undergraduate research definitions, measurement issues, and strategic plan benchmarks. Our goal is to move towards a course-based model to facilitate identifying students participating in undergraduate research and assigning appropriate teaching load credit to supervising faculty. In addition, they explained that some of the things we have decided to measure for the Strategic Plan Dashboard related to Undergraduate Research and Sustainability are new measurements, and results will not be available until the end of the academic year.