University of North Carolina at Asheville
Encyclopedia
The University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) is a co-educational, four year, public liberal arts
university. The university is also known as UNC Asheville. Located in Asheville
, Buncombe County, North Carolina
, UNCA is the only designated liberal arts
institution in the University of North Carolina
system. UNC Asheville is member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
.
In 1961 Asheville-Biltmore College moved to the present UNCA campus in north Asheville. In 1963 it became a state-supported four-year college, and awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 1966. Its first residence halls were built in 1967. It adopted its current name in 1969 upon becoming part of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, since 1972 called the University of North Carolina System. It is the designated public liberal arts university
within that system, and has been classified as a Liberal Arts I institution since 1992.
UNCA has more than 207 full-time faculty members and an enrollment of approximately 3,600 students. Classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
as a Baccalaureate College—Arts & Sciences (Bac/A&S), the university offers thirty-two baccalaureate
programs and a master's degree
in liberal arts, first granted in 1991.
1927 First 86 students (men and women) attended Buncombe County Junior College
1929 First graduating class, merges with Asheville City College, name changes to Biltmore College
1936 Chartered as Asheville-Biltmore College
1957 First two-year college in NC to receive state funds
1958 First African-American student enrolled
1963 Asheville-Biltmore College authorized to offer baccalaureate degrees
1969 College joins the UNC System & chartered as the University of North Carolina at Asheville
1992 Officially recognized as one of the nation’s first public liberal arts colleges
2007 University celebrates 80th anniversary
and several advisory groups. The institution operates under the guidance and policies of the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
As part of the University of North Carolina's 16-campus university system, UNCA also falls under the administration of UNC President Tom Ross and the UNC Board of Governors advised by the UNC Faculty Assembly.
UNC Asheville's athletics teams are known as the Bulldogs. They are a member of the NCAA's
Division I and compete in the Big South Conference
. The basketball
team is coached by Eddie Biedenbach.
Highlights
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
university. The university is also known as UNC Asheville. Located in Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, Buncombe County, North Carolina
Buncombe County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 206,330 people, 85,776 households, and 55,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 314 people per square mile . There were 93,973 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile...
, UNCA is the only designated liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
institution in the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
system. UNC Asheville is member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges or COPLAC is a consortium of 26 public colleges and universities in 24 states and one Canadian province...
.
History
UNC Asheville was founded in 1927 as Buncombe County Junior College, part of the Buncombe County public school system. In 1930 the school merged with the College of the City of Asheville (founded in 1928) to form Biltmore Junior College. In 1934 the college was renamed Biltmore College and placed in the control of a board of trustees. 1936 brought both a further change of name to Asheville-Biltmore College and a transfer of power to the Asheville City School Board.In 1961 Asheville-Biltmore College moved to the present UNCA campus in north Asheville. In 1963 it became a state-supported four-year college, and awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 1966. Its first residence halls were built in 1967. It adopted its current name in 1969 upon becoming part of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, since 1972 called the University of North Carolina System. It is the designated public liberal arts university
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
within that system, and has been classified as a Liberal Arts I institution since 1992.
UNCA has more than 207 full-time faculty members and an enrollment of approximately 3,600 students. Classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a framework for classifying, or grouping, colleges and universities in the United States. The primary purpose of the framework is for educational research and analysis, where it is often important to identify groups of roughly...
as a Baccalaureate College—Arts & Sciences (Bac/A&S), the university offers thirty-two baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
programs and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in liberal arts, first granted in 1991.
Precis of the University's History
Year - Name and Levels1927 First 86 students (men and women) attended Buncombe County Junior College
1929 First graduating class, merges with Asheville City College, name changes to Biltmore College
1936 Chartered as Asheville-Biltmore College
1957 First two-year college in NC to receive state funds
1958 First African-American student enrolled
1963 Asheville-Biltmore College authorized to offer baccalaureate degrees
1969 College joins the UNC System & chartered as the University of North Carolina at Asheville
1992 Officially recognized as one of the nation’s first public liberal arts colleges
2007 University celebrates 80th anniversary
Academics
The school's quality and value for money have drawn praise from national college guidebooks. The Princeton Review of "America's Best Value Colleges" ranked UNCA third on their list of Top 10 Best Value Public Colleges of 2008. The Fiske Guide to Colleges ranked UNCA among top 20 Best Buys in public liberal arts education, saying, "The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers all the perks that are generally associated with pricier private institutions: rigorous academics, small classes and a beautiful setting. And it does it for a fraction of the cost." The U.S. News & World Report's annual college rankings has placed UNCA fourth in the nation among public liberal arts colleges. The Princeton Review lists UNCA in "the Best 311 Colleges", saying, “For students who seek a public education in a smaller campus environment, this is a great and excllent choice.”Majors
UNC Asheville offers four-year undergraduate programs leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in various majors.Administration
The university is led by Chancellor Anne Ponder the chief administrative officer, along with Provost Jane FernandesJane Fernandes
Jane Kelleher Fernandes is a deaf educator and is the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of North Carolina Asheville as of July 1, 2008. Dr. Fernandes was the former President Designate of Gallaudet University...
and several advisory groups. The institution operates under the guidance and policies of the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
As part of the University of North Carolina's 16-campus university system, UNCA also falls under the administration of UNC President Tom Ross and the UNC Board of Governors advised by the UNC Faculty Assembly.
- William Haggard - Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
- John G. Pierce - Vice Chancellor for Finance and Campus Operations
- Janet Cone - Senior Administrator for University Enterprises and Director of Athletics
- Skip Capone - University Counsel
- Christine Riley - Chief of Staff
Student Government Association
UNC Asheville's Student Government Association (SGA) consists of two branches, an 18-seat Student Senate and an executive branch comprising a President, Vice-President, and Cabinet. Representation in the Student Senate is divided among the four classes, with three additional seats each being given to residential and commuter students. SGA's authority is derived from the Chancellor and the Board of Governors.Athletics
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I and compete in the Big South Conference
Big South Conference
The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. The conference's football teams are part of the Football Championship Subdivision...
. The basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team is coached by Eddie Biedenbach.
Highlights
- 1984 - The Women's Basketball team won the NAIA National Championship.
- 2003 - The Men's Basketball team won the Big South Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time, going 1-1, winning the "play-in" game before falling to top-ranked Texas.
- 2006 - The Men's Baseball team won the Big South Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
- 2006 - The Women's Soccer team won the Big South Tournament and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
- 2007 - The Women's Basketball team won the Big South Tournament and advanced to their first NCAA Tournament.
- 2008 - The Men's Basketball team set a new school record for victories (23) and won a share of the Big South Regular Season Championship. UNCA became the first team in the history of the Big South Conference to advance to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
- 2011 - The Men's Basketball team defeated Coastal Carolina in the Big South Conference Final to win the Big South Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time. The Bulldogs then won their "First Four" game in the Southwest bracket against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. They advance to play the 1-seed Pittsburgh in the Southwest bracket.
Points of interest
- Botanical Gardens at AshevilleBotanical Gardens at AshevilleThe Botanical Gardens at Asheville , also known as the Asheville Botanical Gardens, are non-profit botanical gardens located at 151 W. T. Weaver Boulevard, Asheville, North Carolina. The gardens are open daily with free admission, though donations are welcome.The gardens were established in 1961 on...
(adjacent to the campus) - Asheville Graduate Center
- College for Seniors
- Honors Program
- North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement (NCCCR)
- Teaching Fellows
Notable Faculty
- Surain SubramaniamSurain SubramaniamDr. Surain Subramaniam is a noted academic and professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He is contributor to several journals on international relations. The focus of his writing has developed the theory of Asian Values, defining and illustrating the contrast...
- Richard ChessRichard ChessRichard Chess was born in Los Angeles. He spent most of his childhood and youth in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He is the author of three books of poetry, Third Temple , Chair in the Desert , and Tekiah...
- David Brendan HopesDavid Brendan HopesDavid Brendan Hopes is an American author, playwright, and poet. He is a professor of literature at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. His books and volumes of poetry have won him critical acclaim and his plays have been produced all over the world and he continues to be prolific...
- Robert MoogRobert MoogRobert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...
Notable alumni
- Kristina Abernathy - meteorologist
- Wilma DykemanWilma DykemanWilma Dykeman Stokely was an American writer of fiction and nonfiction whose works chronicled the people and land of Appalachia.-Biography:...
– environmentalist - Kenny GeorgeKenny GeorgeKenneth George Jr. is an American college student and former college basketball player known for his great height. Somewhere between and , he was the tallest basketball player in the United States during the two years he played for his college team, the University of North Carolina at Asheville...
– the tallest player (7'7") in NCAA men's basketball history - Topper ShuttTopper ShuttCharles "Topper" Shutt is Chief Meteorologist at WUSA Channel 9 in Washington, DC and forecaster for WHUR-FM.-Career:In 1981, Shutt began his television weather career with CNN in Atlanta, Georgia, working as a weather producer and substitute weather anchor. In 1984,he moved on to a weekday weather...
- meteorologist - Roy A. TaylorRoy A. TaylorRoy Arthur Taylor was a U.S. Representative from North Carolina.Born in Vader, Washington, Taylor graduated from Asheville-Biltmore College, Asheville, North Carolina, 1929....
- Member, US Congress - Ty WiggintonTy WiggintonTy Allen Wigginton is an American professional baseball infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. He is known as a utility player, having platooned as an infielder and an outfielder during his career. He bats and throws right-handed...
- Major League Baseball player
External links
- University of North Carolina at Asheville website
- Brief History of the University of North Carolina at Asheville
- University of North Carolina at Asheville alumni website
- University of North Carolina at Asheville athletics website
- University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Government Association website
- University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Radio, The Blue Echo
- Black Student Association at the University of North Carolina at Asheville
- University of North Carolina at Asheville student newspaper, The Blue Banner