Board of GovernorsOctober 16, 2008

The Region

The Region

Proximity:

• Western North Carolina is more naturally linked to Atlanta, Knoxville, and Greenville-Spartanburg than to Raleigh

• It takes as long to drive from Raleigh to Cullowhee as from Raleigh to Washington

Southern Piedmont Megalopolis (SPM)

Southern Piedmont Megalopolis (SPM)

Importance of Atlanta & GSP

Business Locations Related to GSP

Asheville-Hendersonville

Aging Population in SPM

Clusters of Innovation

ARC•Industrial machinery•Electronic

equipment•Chemical production•Lumber/wood

products•Automobiles and

related•High-end furniture•Specialty textiles•Environmental

technologiesBiotech Center•Bio-tech applications•Bio-manufacturing•Environmental

quality•Clinical trials•Health-related

biotechnology

AdvantageWest• Environment-related• Advanced manufacturing advanced materials and

composites chemicals and plastics• IT software• Communications including

multimedia, film, TV, internet-related

• Food-related including: hospitality horticulture packaging• Life sciences and agribusiness biotechnology nutraceuticals native plant commercialization bio-manufacturing non-toxic pest control• Retirement construction retirement communities gerontology and geriatrics adaptive technologies

AdvantageWest (cont,)

• Arts crafts and design home-based entrepreneurs graphic arts architects set design and arts

performance historical preservation• Environment-related renewable energy minerals environmental reclamation• Health care health delivery systems medical equipment

manufacturing• Recreation and tourism eco-tourism heritage tourism hospitality recreation facilities and

services recreation product

manufacture• Security-related forensic science homeland security

technologies criminal justice

A Unified Response:

Linked Strategies

University Strategies Focused on theRegion’s Future: Core Concept

Underlying all of our strategies (education, scholarship and service) is the concept of ENGAGEMENT:

Engagement is the process by which the University links its programs and resources to the needs of the people of the broader community

Unified Approach to Addressing RegionalNeed: The Millennium InitiativeCore Strategies:

• Implement UNC-Tomorrow

– Grow high quality enrollment, especially in key fields

– Implement the WCU QEP: 21st Century Education for ALL students

– Support high quality, regionally-relevant graduate programs

– Implement Boyer Model-based faculty reward system

– Implement the “Stewards of Place Model”

– Develop the Millennium Campus

Grow High Quality Enrollment in Programswith Regional Importance

WCU is focusing on increasing academic standards and improving student quality as part of an integrated strategy to develop “intellectual capital” for the region

Summer Transition Programming• Second summer session integrated program

• Southwestern Community College partnership; SCC provided excellent collegiate skills testing support

• Students take beginning English (English 190) and college reading (EDRD 150) or a second general education course

• Classes enrolled an average of 18 students

• Each student assigned a faculty mentor to assist student in exploring his/her academic and life goals

• Co-curriculum and curriculum closely linked:

– Students visit Museum of Cherokee People

– Group hike in mountains

– Service learning project

Summer Transition Programming

• Student’s mentor developed understanding of student’s academic weaknesses or personal issues that could interfere with academic performance

• Individual follow-up plan developed and implemented for each student

• Students lived in a learning community. RAs received special training and worked closely with the faculty mentor to assist in helping student develop

• Strong activity-based group building activities throughout program

• Each week, students required to attend a program focused on linking them to personal development opportunities

Summer Transition Programming

Program continues into the fall and spring semesters:

• Each student assigned a peer mentor

• Each student assigned an academic advisor who works proactively with the student for the first year

• Strong academic progress reporting system used to track student performance and to flag need for intervention

• Students strongly encouraged to enroll in career and major development seminar in spring term

Summer Transition Programming

Outcomes (2008)• 152 students started the program• 4 students were dismissed from the program

—three for behavioral problems• All but 4 students eligible to enroll in Fall

term (97.3 percent)• Average GPA for summer: 3.40• 50 percent of students received a 3.5 or

higher

For 2007 class, fall/spring retention was same as for regularly admitted student

UNC-Tomorrow

A. Our Global Readiness (4.1)– WCU will continue to realign its academic programs and services consistent with

its unique and nationally significant philosophy of integrative education.

B. Our Citizens and Their Future Access to Higher Education (4.2)– To address the projected demand for higher education among North Carolinians,

WCU will utilize an educational extension model to provide programming and services to non-traditional, underserved, and place-bound students; and increase the main campus capacity.

C. Our Children and Their Future: Improving Public Education (4.3)– Through its partnerships with the region’s schools and its applied research, WCU

will influence public policy and practice with regard to teacher preparation and retention, administrative quality, and school performance.

D. Our Communities and Their Economic Transformation (4.4)– WCU will apply the Stewards of Place model to effect regional economic

transformation.

UNC-Tomorrow Flag Statements

E. Our Health (4.5)– WCU will expand its role as the major provider of allied health and

nursing education, applied research, and service in the Western North Carolina region.

F. Our Environment (4.6)– WCU will expand its focus on education and research tied to

environmental sustainability with particular emphasis on biodiversity and land use.

G. Our University’s Outreach & Engagement (4.7)– WCU will use the Boyer Model of Scholarship and the SACS-approved

integrative, intentional learning model to encourage the application of research to regional issues.

UNC-Tomorrow Flag Statements

Quality Enhancement Plan:

The QEP

Implement QEP with Specific Examples

“Synthesis: A Pathway to Intentional Learning”

Purpose: Provide an educational experience where students integrate knowledge, skills and co-curricular activities that result in deeper learning, meaningful career choices, and developing an understanding of one’s role in society

Implement QEP with Specific Examples

Reflection

PracticeContent, theory &methods

Implement QEP with Specific Examples

Keys to the QEP:

Coordination of advising, service learning, international programs, undergraduate research, and career education

Development of the “Education Briefcase. The “Education Briefcase” is a longitudinal portfolio available for assessment of student learning and program quality.

Implement QEP with Specific Examples

Students are required to be involved in experiential education such as service learning, internships, co-operative education, international travel, or mentored research

Students are required to reflect on the meaning of their education as related to their goals—their world

Focus is on meaning, application, and integration

Implement QEP with Specific ExamplesEngaged Learning

Recreation therapy students work with Webster Enterprises to develop exercise programs for adults with disabilities

Engineering technology students and faculty give up a winter break to develop an injection mold for Watauga Industries

Eleven students do “alternative fall break” to work with homeless in Atlanta

Implement QEP with Specific ExamplesEngaged LearningTheater and education students develop a performance, “School House Rock Live!” and perform for hundreds of the region’s elementary students

Entrepreneurship students work with the Town of Canton to rebuild economy after recession and flood

Future Physical Therapists perform workplace ergonomics assessments, helping to reduce musculoskeletal or repetitive stress injuries

Implement QEP with Specific ExamplesEngaged Learning

During the 12-month period ending

June 30, 2007, 7,300 students at WCU

completed 38,500 hours of community

service, and 2,500 of those students

participated as part of their academic

courses

Implement QEP with Specific Examples

Engineering

Recreation Therapy

Boyer Model

Boyer model is critical to implementing the QEP and UNC-T

Assures that faculty reward system has the flexibility needed to support other programs

Focuses on “meaningful” scholarship rather than “publications”

Boyer Model: A Few Examples

Natural Resource Management faculty member spins out not-for-profit focused on sustainable forestry

Faculty member and students in engineering technology develop device to allow disabled artist to paint again

Faculty member in education creates web-based material for K-12 schools

Chemistry faculty member creates material used in “non-poisonous pesticide”

Boyer Model

“Faculty members should demonstrate that they are current and scholarly in their disciplines as reflected in the ways they teach and serve. They are also expected to demonstrate regular activity in one or more types of scholarship outlined below”:

The four types of scholarship from Ernest Boyer’s model include:• Scholarship of discovery• Scholarship of integration• Scholarship of application• Scholarship of teaching and learning

Graduate Education

• Increasingly develop strong programs that reflect the needs of the region

• Increasingly focus on distance education to address regional and state needs for an educated workforce

Stewards of Place Model

Framework for Regional Stewardship

Overall Millennium Initiative and Campus

Town Center

Branding Initiative

Branding Initiative - Athletics

Branding Initiative - Campus

“WCU offers opportunities for those who aspire to make a

difference in their world.”

Branding Initiative - Campus

Core Components of the Brand:

ClimbPride of the MountainsEngageYour

Questions