riiursclav, Scplcinbcr 1 2007
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University searches for unique fit for dean position
By Aaron Dahlstrom
A , -.•A.NT N: /, . Ec- ■ >•
The otfice of the dean of admis
sions currently sits empty as UNC
Asheville conducts its search for a
new dean, a four-month hunt uni
versity members hope will pay off
in the end.
"We are l(K)king for a candidate
that fits the institution,” said Laura
Heth Payne, senior history major
and member of the university’s
search committee. ".Someone who
is passionate about the liberal arts
system because there are not a lot
of public liberal arts universities
out there. That makes us unique,
and that makes our process
unique."
The dean of admissions recruits
the incoming class of freshman
and transfer students, according to
Kathy Whatley, interim vice chan
cellor for academic affairs. The
position requires traveling and
speaking with students, high
sch(K)ls, counselors and families.
.Selling UNC" Asheville's liberal
arts liKUS to potential students is a
crucial skill for anyone who takes
the position, W'haticy said.
"The admissions office is the
gateway to the university. The
dean of admissions needs to be
able to talk to lots of different
kinds of groups about the value of
a liberal arts education" she said.
"They need to be able to talk about
why U.NC' Asheville is so unique
and why a person would want to
Iowa. Since announcing the posi
tion opening, the sch(X)l received
some 4() applications. They nar
rowed the candidates down to 10
and conducted phone interviews
before inviting two finalists to
come to campus, according to
Whatley.
Applicant Alison Jesse currently
ii,
1?
We are looking for a candi
date that fits this institution.
L/\URy\ Bklh Payne
.Snidcnr .Member.
I ’ni\ersit\ .Seareh
(Yimmlttee
a
We are talking about diversi
ty in a variety of forms. Not
only ethnic diversity...hut ue
also want economic diversity.
K.VII iyWhailey
Inrerim \ iee (Ihaneellor for
.\eademie .Affairs
come here as opposed to another
liberal arts institution. It needs to
be something other than the fact it
is cheap and close."
In June. Scott Schaefer resigned
as director of admissions, taking a
position at Lutheran College in
works in the admissions office of
Kenan ['lagler School of Business
at (’hapel Hill serving as their .sen
ior director of MBA Admissions.
Applicant Rhett Brown current
ly serves as the director of admis
sions at Wingate University, a pri
vate liberal arts school in
Wingate, N.C.
“They both have experience in
admissions, which is really impor
tant," Whatley said. “They both
have a real commitment to under
graduate liberal arts education.
Both have internalized a support
for liberal arts education and arc
very good at articulating why it is
important for a student and what
value it has for families."
The university assembled a com
mittee of nine faculty members
and one student for the search. The
addition of a student in the deci
sion process shows UNC Asheville
cares about student input, accord
ing to Bayne.
"1 feel that at a larger institution,
there might not be as much input
from students. All the students
who enter this university go
through the admissions office. U
shows me that they care itbcrtitfiftw *
students feel about the admissions
office." Bayne said. “There are
things that we are concerned
about, things that we feel could be
done differently. It gives students a
chance to be in on that."
Diversity remains a key issue in
Kathy Whatley, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs, sits outside Phillips Hall. Whatley is part of a search committee looking to hire a
new dean of admissions to replace former dean Scott Schaefer, w'ho resigned to take a position at Lutheran College in Iowa. Nine faculty mem
bers and one student make up the committee, assembled by the university, and they are currently have two finalists for the position.
the dean search because of the
constant concern among students
and faculty, according to Whatley.
“We are talking about diversity
in a variety of forms. Not only
ethnic and
racial diversity, (i
which is really
important to us \Yhen people
as an institution of the details usu
and we want to - -
The university enrolled 13.3 per
cent ethnically diverse students
this fall, the highest percentage in
more than 10 years, according to
Whatley.
“The high
before that was
around 10 percent.
So it has signifi
cantly improved,
although it is not
rt>
describe the
get a
class that included is that we are a
that Predominantly white school.
also
reflects
but w
want economic
diversity,” she
said. "We don’t
\Vant all “stu
dents from the same socio-eco
nomic class. We want to be able
to reach students who have a
family history of going to col
lege and students who don’t.
Diversity yes, but diversity in its
broadest sense.”
Sheila Steelman
Sophomore Student
higher
So we
making
she
IS much
than that,
are
progress,'
said.
Despite the
efforts of the univ^sity, the lack of
diversity remains.
“When people describe the
school, one of the details usually
included is that we are a predom
inantly white school,” said
Sophomore Sheila Steelman,
who is one-fourth Paraguayan.
“It is not like the students here
are racist. It seems like a nega
tive thing to say about the stu
dents on campus, that we are all
white. It would just be nice to
know why that is and what could
be done to fix it.”
With a college education grow
ing more crucial every day, col
leges compete for the best and
brightest students. A good dean of
admissions gives the university a
better chance at attracting a larger
and more diverse body of students,
according to Whatley.
“It is a competitive market right
now, and we want to get the best
students we can get,” she said.
“We are really looking at matching
the students who apply with our
mission and our goals. If we can
do that, I think we can not only get
more students to apply, but also
improve retention.”
The university hopes to mail
their recommendation to I
chancellor within the next fci|
weeks, but is taking their tin-
with the decision, accordingti
Payne.
“We don’t want to rush tk
4 4
1)
The admissions office is tki
gateway to the university.
Kathy Whatley
Interim Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs
process. It is sort of a catch-221;|
that way,” Payne said. “Yoy|
want to fill the position quicklji
so the admissions office can run
well, but you don’t want torusli
the process. When you rush,theii|
it is not a good fit for the univer
sity.”
NCCCR Alumnus
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE'
focused on lifelong leaTning.
The center is one of only six
international programs invited to
attend the forum, which is spon
sored by the Taiwan Ministry of
Education. Taiwanese students,
educators and policy makers
will attend, according to
Manheimer.
"Taiwan is anticipating a high
percentage of retirement age
people in the coming years.”
Manheimer said. “They are
developing programs for them to
participate in. .Several
Taiwanese universities even
have graduate programs in
teaching older people.”
One of over 400 l ifelong learn
ing institutes in the United
States and Canada, NCCCR
already has over 1,3(K) members
this fall. More than 9(X) are tak
ing one of over UK) courses
offered through various pro
grams such as College for
Seniors. Blue Ridge Naturalist
and Leadership Asheville
Seniors this semester.
Only one-third of the
NCCCR’s funding comes from
state assistance, with the other
two-thirds raised through mini
mal membership and course
fees. It emerged out of a move
ment that began in the 1970s.
which was intended to engage
active seniors, and to foster a
greater sense of connection.
Although the average age of
NCCCR members is 67, the cen
ter hopes student involvement
will rise this year more than any
before, according to .Manheimer.
"It has been a challenge over
the years to figure out how to
do that,” Manheimer said.
“But students are very wel
come here."
long-term water needs.”
Individual rights, especially the
right to protest, are a main topic in
Meredith’s campaign. The local
government in Asheville infringes
on these rights, according to
Meredith.
"The city council has a very
direct impact on such things as the
protest movement," Meredith said.
"As the Iraq war moves into its
sixth or seventh year, a lot of
efforts have been made to stifle
war protesters, including the con
struction at the Vance monument,
which is just an underhanded way
of shortchanging the protesters of
the most visible protest spot in this
city. It is a blatant disregard of the
rights of the people.”
The city has a strong need to
switch to alternative methods of
energy, and doing so would be a
major benefit to the community,
according to Meredith.
Government incentives for people
to use alternative energy would be
the best method to accomplish
this.
"Duke Bower and Brogress
Energy have projected that within
the next five years they will no
longer be able to generate the elec
tricity needed by the citizens of
North Carolina,” Meredith said.
“This means that we will soon be
purchasing energy from outside
states, which is a horrible position
to be in. To remedy this, the gov
ernment should offer green incen
tives for home owners, such as tax
breaks for reducing energy con
sumption by using micro genera
tion capability.”
Robin Cape, Asheville City
Council member, said she believes
alternative energy is a major con
cern.
“I believe the most important
issues facing all of us, here and in
the whole world, are issues about
how we can learn to live sustain
ably and responsibly on this plan
et,” Cape said. “I am working
specifically on issues of how we
can encourage and support reduc
ing the energy footprint of build
ings and the overall operational
aspects of living together in a
city.”
Meredith said new homeowners
and developers should put alterna
tive energy sources into affect
when building in Asheville. If
elected he would push for giving
developers incentives to build with
environmentally conscious meth
ods, he said.
“I love this city, and I respect it’s
environment and uniqueness,”
Meredith said. “However, that
uniqueness is a double-edged
sword because it draws people
Asheville City Council member
Jan Davis said he agrees new con
struction in Asheville is of primary
concern.
ii
The more choices you have in
government, the better your
demographic republic works.
To shut out more choices
ethically and morally wrong
IS
Wiliam C. Meredith
UNC /Vshcvilic Alumnus
here that want to live here, bring
their money here and build here.
You can’t stop this kind of devel
opment. but I would demand that
this new development would be
green, environmentally-friendly
growth. Development should have
a positive impact on the communi
ty-”
“Obviously, developmental
problems are our most pressing
issue,” Davis said. “It is the
Council’s responsibility to direct
staff in crafting rules responsive to
public need and demand. Issues
like the height of buildings, densi
ty, transit and sustainability
are examples of what is being
affected by our decision making.”
Meredith, a Libertarian, said the
lack of choice when voting for
local government is hurting the cit
izens of Asheville.
“The more choices you have in
government, the better your demo
cratic republic works,” Meredith
said. “To shut out more choices is
ethically and morally wrong. The
Libertarian party in North Carolina
has been de-certified, so every
year we have to fight to get back
on the ballot because
Republicans and Democrats
trying to shut us out.”
Getting people involved in the
political process is one of his main
goals and voter apathy is of major
the
are
concern, Meredith said.
“I encourage more people H|
get involved with government,
Meredith said. “So many peoplt
that I’ve talked to tell me
they don’t vote because tlteil
don’t feel it makes a different!.^
and it really disappoints mette'
so many of my fellow citizens
think so little of voting. I tW
that the system is so obviousl;
rigged that people have coni'
pletely lost faith that their voS'
matters. When we come totW'
point in this country, we’re real
ly in a crisis.”
Access to local government s
also a big priority, and Meredi
said he would welcome anyone®
come and talk to him. He willlit
on campus most Tuesdays W
now to Oct. 9, registering voters®!
front of the University Dinisi,
Hall.
“A big part of my platform
local access to government j®
purposes of complaint,” Meredi
said. “I would have an open W
policy as a city council mernWt
That is the job of a city count
member, being the first level o
governmental access.”
I Coming soon, to a computer near you.
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