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Serving the students of the University of North Carolina Asheville since 1982
Volume VI, Number X
Thursday, April 4,1985
Brown installed
in Sunday Ceremony
By Mike Norris
In a colorful and in
spiring Sunday afternoon
ceremony in Justice Cen
ter, Dr. David G. Brown
officially assumed his
position as the second
chancellor of UNCA.
Several hundred students
and members of the com
munity looked on as Brown
took the oath placing the
reins of the university in
his hands, then accepted
the Chancellor's Medallion
from outgoing Chancellor
William E. Highsmlth.
Inspirational music pro
vided by the University
Community Band and Oiorus-
es kept the assembly in a
festive mood — a mood al
ready set by a procession
of administrators and
faculty members and aca
demic officials from UNCA
and universities across
the nation.
Each member of the
procession wore the cap
and gown of his alma mater
and degree of academic
achievement.
Speeches by several
dignitaries preceded the
installation of Brown. Dr.
William C. Friday, presi
dent of the University of
North Carolina, spoke
first, welcoming the pub
lic and guest speakers to
the ceremony.
James E. Ellis, chairman
of the UNCA Board of Trus
tees then introduced Dr.
Clark Kerr, former presi
dent of the University of
California. Kerr, a long
time friend of Brown,
spoke about the challenges
faced by a new campus ad
ministrator.
Coming into an institu
tion of higher learning as
a new chancellor consti"^
t utes the "greatest learn
ing experience in life,"
said Kerr. "Someone in
this position faces the
often formidable tasks of
familiarizing himself with
new budgets, traditions.
and staff members, many of
whom can be too eager, al
ways sure that their pro
blems are most important."
A new period of leader
ship should be looked upon
as a "springtime" for a
school, said Kerr, a time
for trying new ideas and
establishing traditions.
After Kerr’s speech,
Kenny Cagle, former stu
dent government president;
Asa Spaulding, former stu
dent of Brown; Alan Comer,
chairman of the faculty
senate; Norma Messer,
president of the alumni
association; Philip Car
son, chairman of the board
of governors; and Robert
B. Jordan, North Carolina
lieutenant governor, made
short statements welcoming
the new chancellor to the
community.
Dr. Alan Comer, repre
senting the UNCA faculty,
delivered a welcome speech
in which he expressed the
hope that Brown would come
to see the members of the
faculty as stepping stones
to the future of the uni
versity at least as often
as he viewed them as
stumbling blocks.
Comer then recounted
some of the chancellor's
activities during the past
year, emphasizing the main
purpose of these activi
ties - the betterment of
the school and its repu
tation in the community.
In conclusion, . he said,
regarding future relations
between the faculty and
Brown's administration, "I
think we can share a vi
sion."
Continued on page 8
i
I
DR. DAVID BROWN takes the oath of office Sunday to become the second
chancellor in UNCA's history. (See related interview on page 7.)
Staff photo by Penny Kramp
GE vote slated
for April 11
RUTH McLAIN RIOPEL AND NANCY ANN McLAIN of the McLain Family Band
perform Saturday night in an installation weekend concert honoring UNCA's
new chancellor. Staff photo by Sylvia Hawkins
By Chris Streppa
The Faculty Senate com
pleted its deliberations
on the general education
curriculum March 28 when
it rejected an ethics re
quirement and adopted a
bibliography proficiency
requirement.
Members will vote April
11 on the complete pack
age which boosts the re
quired number of general
education hours from 45-47
to 55.
If approved, the changes
will be in effect by fall
1986 and will apply to all
new students entering UNCA
from that point on.
In some cases, students
will be able to fulfill
certain general education
requirements with courses
also required by their
majors.
But it's also possible
that the combined require
ments will leave some stu
dents with few "free"
hours left to fill as they
wish.
For example, students
must successfully complete
a minimum of 120 hours to
graduate. If required
courses for chemistry ma
jors total 59 hours and
general education require
ments add up to 55 hours,
only six hours remain for
electives.
But Dr. Alan Comer,
chairman of the Faculty
Senate, argues that the
more extensive general
education curriculum "is
not really limiting stu
dents that much."
He points out that it's
the "rare student" who
graduates with only 120
hours. Most, he says, have
taken more than the min-
innim number of hours re
quired by the time they
receive their diplomas.
Comer adds that students
usually don't "sample
broadly." An art major,
for example, is likely to
fill elective hours with
courses that pertain to
art.
Therefore, he says, gen
eral education require
ments that expose students
to disciplines as diverse
continued on page 8