Program expansion moves academics into strengthened position
ON 17 May, 1997, Chowan College con
cluded its 149th year of service with the
graduation of 136 students. Of this number,
110 were awarded the bachelor’s degree and 26
were awarded the associate degree. The college has
now phased out all but three of its associate degree
programs. Further, the college has now graduated
four classes with the bachelor’s degree.
Chowan College is accredited by the Commis
sion on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools (COC/SACS), to offer the baccalaureate
degree. It is required that the accreditation of all
institutions be reaffirmed every ten years, following
the completion of an Institutional Self-Study. Since
Chowan’s accreditation was last reaffirmed in 1988,
the next reaffirmation should occur in 1998.
In preparation for reaffirmation, the college was
granted permission to do an Alternate Model/
Strategic Self-Study. In such a self-study, most of
the faculty and staff are involved in an in-depth
study of issues that the institution considers to be
vital to its well being, while a smaller group is
involved in documenting compliance with the
Criteria for Accreditation. Initial work on the
self-study began in the fall 1995 and w'ork contin
ues as of this writing. The college is scheduled for
a two-part visit by a Reaffirmation Committee from
COC/SACS in April 1998. One committee will
evaluate the college’s compliance with the criteria,
while the other will consult with the college
concerning issues raised in the strategic portion of
the self-study.
The State Board of Education has granted the
college temporary authorization to offer the
following teacher education licensure programs:
Elementary Education (K-6); Mathematics Educa
tion (secondary); English Education (secondary);
and Physical Education (K-12). In North Carolina,
full authorization is not granted until an institution
achieves academic National Council for Accredita
tion of Teaching Education (NCATE) accreditation.
The college, led by an NCATE Steering Committee,
is currently pursuing the regional study in prepara
tion for an NCATE committee visit scheduled for
the fall of 1998.
When the college moved to four-year status,
expansion and improvement of library resources
became a necessity. The budget for the improve
ment of the resource collection was increased in
approximately the following amounts;
1993-94-$50,000; 1994-95-$35,000;
1995-96-$50,000; 1996-97-$ 100,000;
1997-98-5200,000.
At the end of the 1996-97 academic year, the
resource collection included some 93,808 volumes.
The improvement of the collection also required the
deselection/weeding of materials that were obsolete
and of no real use for historical or research pur
poses^ As a result, some 11,000 volumes were
withdrawn from the collection in 1996-97. It is
noteworthy that the library collection also includes
1,014 periodical titles.
Plans for fully automating the library are in
place and on schedule. Eight vendors have been
invited to bid on the system and software. It is
anticipated that a vendor will be selected and a
contract signed by December 31, 1997. System
installation should be completed in March 1998 for
on-line cataloging and circulation, with acquisitions
and serials added by May 1998.
The college begins the 1997-98 academic year
with the following baccalaureate programs in place;
Business Administration (emphasis available in
Accounting, Inl'ormation Systems, Marketing, Small
Business); Elementary Education; English; English
Education (secondary); Graphic Communications;
History, Liberal Studies; Mathematics; Mathematics
Education (secondary); Music; Physical Education
(emphasis available in Teacher Licensure, Sport
Management, Sport Science, Athletic Training);
Psychology; Religion; Science; Biology (emphases
available in Environmental Biology and Allied
Health); Graphic Design; and Studio Art. In
addition, a program in Criminal Justice was
approved late in the 1997 spring semester. Intro
ductory courses are currently being offered, with
full program implementation scheduled in the 1998
fall semester. The Curriculum Committee is
reviewing proposals for additional programs and
continues to review current programs.
One of the major emphases of the Institutional
Dr. B.
FRANKLIN
LOWE
Vice
President
for
Academic
Affairs
Self-Study has been a review of the current core
curriculum with a view toward major revision.
This matter has been under consideration for more
than a year and discussion continues
rhe college recognizes the increasing need for
education to assume a global perspective. A
London Program has been approved for implemen
tation in the spring of 1998, when some 15
students, with a faculty sponsor, will spend a
semester studying in England. Attention is being
given to the development of other opportunities for
international study.
During 1996-97 considerable attention was
given to the development of an Ethics-Across-the-
Curriculum emphasis. Full implementation of this
concept will entail a required ethics course for aM
students and an emphasis on ethical issues built
into all of the curricula of the college. In addition,
a Center for Ethics will be established which will
afford an opportimity for the study and discussion
of ethical issues by the broader community. A
search for a program director is imderway with the
expectation of program implementation in 1998.
The department of fine arts was divided into
the departntent of art and the department of music.
Christina Rupsch has been named chair of the
department of art.
Dr. Jean Tillman has been employed to fill a
newly created position in the department of
education. Tillman received her Ed.D. in educa
tional administration and M.A. in elementary
education from UNC-Greensboro. She holds a B.S
in elementary education fi'om Guilford College.
Sarah Davis, who had been employed on a
part-time basis, has been moved to a full-time
position for the 1997-98 academic year. In
addition to her teaching responsibilities in English,
she will coordinate most of the college's academic
support services. Janet Rogers resigned her
position as director of academic support at the end
of the 1996-97 academic year.
Dr. Calvin Owens agreed to serve as acting chair
of the department of mathematics for the 1997-98
academic year. Joining the department this fall is
Dr. Neil Sigmon. Sigmon holds his Ph.D., M.S., &
B.S. degrees in applied mathematics from N.C. State
University. Dr. Carol O’Dell, former chair, resigned
her position effective with the end of the 1996-97
academic year.
As a result of heavy enrollments in both the
department of mathematics and science. Dr. Michael
Justice, who taught on a part-time basis in 1996-97,
has been given a one-year, full-time appointment for
1997-98 with teaching responsibilities in both
mathematics and biology.
Carole Nicholson will serve as acting chair of
the department of music for the 1997-98 academic
year. Joining the department this fall will be Dr
Dennis Mclntire and Fred Smith. Mclntire received
his Ph.D. in music education from the University of
Southern Mississippi and M.M. and B.M.E. in
vocal music from Mississippi College. Smith re
ceived his M.M from the Peabody Conservatory of
Music at John Hopkins Univ. and his B.M. in
trumpet performance from East Carolina Univ. Dr.
James Chamblee, former chair of the department of
fine arts, elected to enter retirement at the end of
the 1996-97 academic year and Dr. James Rogers
resigned his position effective with the conclusion
of the 1996-97 academic year.
Dr. Frederick Mercilliott was hired to fill the
newly-created position in criminal justice.
Mercilliott holds a Ph.D. in criminal justice and
M.S. in philosophy of justice from City University
of New York, M.S. in forensic science from Univer
sity of New Haven and both the M PA. in public
administration and B.S. from John Jay College.
The following information pertains to the
full-time faculty at the beginning of the 19% fall
semester and reflects changes in the faculty and
faculty status. The full-time faculty consists of 36
(55 .4%) males and 29 (44 .6%) females. Of the 65
full-time faculty members, 61 are involved in
instruction and 4 are professional librarians. Among
the instructional faculty, 26 (42.6%) hold tenure
while 35 (57.4%) are nontenured. Two of the four
professional librarians are tenured and two are
nontenured. Under current policy, the college no
See ACADEMICS on Page 4
Additional
professors join
faculty;
preparations
being madefor
next reaffirmation
of accreditation
Athletic department has active, challenging year
The department of athletics reached a mile
stone during the 1997-98 academic year
when the college gained full admittance into
the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Divi
sion in. The admittance was granted following
Chowan’s successful probationary period, required
of all institutions assiuning four-year status, and
making application for NCAA Division HI com
petition.
Application for admittance into the Dixie Con
ference was declined based on marketing and media
attention efforts. A “marketing plan of action”
along with short and long-range department goals,
athletic policies and procedures, departmental re
organization and a gender-equity plan will be deve
loped within the next year and presented to the
presidents and athletic directors of the Dixie
Conference for reconsideration of acceptance.
In addition, plans have begun for Chowan to
join with five other senior institutions in forming a
new football conference scheduled for competition
in the fall of 1998. Joining Chowan in the efforts to
establish the new conference are Ferrum College,
Frostburg State College, Methodist College,
Salisbury College and Wesley College.
The Helms Center received a polished facelift
during the summer with the installation of new
carpet and interior painting and the pool received
an upgraded filtering system. Preliminary planning
is imderway for the construction of a new football
stadium and a proposal will be presented to the
board of trustees during the December meeting.
A new Student/Athlete Handbook will be
developed to outline procedures and regulations for
all students participating in the various athletic
programs of the college. In addition a handbook
will be written for coaches that will include
updated materials on NCAA compliance regula
tions.
The Athletics Committee, which serves an
important role in college athletics, will consider a
proposal for the establishment of an absence
policy for all students representing the college as a
member of a student organization or function. The
proposal will be presented to the administration
and full faculty for consideration and approval. In
addition, the Athletics Committee will study the
minimum grade point average required for students
to participate in intercollegiate athletic programs
and will submit con-clusions and recommendations
to align re-quirements of Chowan with the
expectations of the NCAA.
Multiple facets of the athletic depart-ment will
undergo exploration during 1997-98. The need to
provide additional athletic opportunities for female
athletes has been recognized for several years and
work has begun to identify the most feasible areas
of expansion. Reorganization of faculty office
space, corrections to the ventilation system in the
See ATHLETICS on Page 4
Plans underway
to form new
football
conference
with five
other senbr
institutions
CHOW/kN TODAY, Fall. 1997 — Page 3
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