September 9, 2009
{The Blue Banner}
Page 3
University spends $42 million on new health center
New athletic facilities and health center set to open in April 2011
By Heather McGaha
Staff Writer
HMMCGAHA@UNCA.EDU
Although work continues on the multi
million dollar health and wellness building
off of Campus Drive, some students said
they are still unsure of the building’s pur
pose.
1 don t really know what is going on.
I m not sure what the outcome is. All 1
know is I see construction,” said Sam Ma
ser, sophomore health and wellness stu
dent.
A state committee wrote a proposal for
a new degree program to be developed as
the North Carolina Center for Health and
Wellness in 2003.
The proposal went directly to the N.C.
Legislature, and when UNC Asheville re
ceived funding it went specifically for the
new degree program and the center.
We intend to be a catalyst and resource
for the state in terms of promoting healthy
lifestyle, said Dr. Keith Ray, associate
professor and director for North Carolina
Center for Health and Wellness.
The facility is a way for the state to close
the gaps for promotion of childhood well
ness, improving workplace wellness and
optimizing healthy living among older
adults, Ray said.
The new facility will include classrooms,
offices, a fitness training area, dance studio,
the Wellness Cafe, meditatiort room, three
biometric labs and the Kimmel Arena.
The facility will also house the new
Susan Terry- Photography Editor
Construction laborers work on clearing space for the new multi-million dollar health and fitness center,
planned to open in spring 2011.
Health and Wellness degree program. million to the project in 2005, according to and will be used for many different occa-
The Kimmel Arena is named after local UNCA officials. ^ rpTj
businessman Joe Kimmel who donated $2 The arena will seat 3,600 to 3,800 people See HlltALl H_PagE 5_|
UNCA and NC A&T launch student exchange program
By Josh Robinson
Staff Writer
©UNCA.EDU
UNC Asheville and North Carolina
A&T University plans to exchange more
than 20 to 25 students each next semester
as part of a premiere transfer program.
“A lot of times, it’s hard for white stu
dents to imagine what it’s like to be a
minority, so this will be a very different
experience than what our white students
have ever had, going to a place where
they’re actnallv the minoritv.” said .John
Bucher, assistant vice
chancellor for student
affairs.
Attending differ
ent schools regions
of the state requires
an open mind, said
Evan Foote-Hudson,
Student Government
Association’s execu-
tive of multicultural
affairs.
“Cioinp to school in Western North
John Bucher
Carolina is simply different from going to
school in the Piedmont. Having lived in
the piedmont my whole life, I can tell you
that,” he said.
Because N.C. A&T is a historically and
predominantly black school, the students
there will have a much different experi
ence to share, Foote-Hudson said.
“I think this is a great opportunity for
people at this school, especially for peo
ple like me. As a black American on this
campus, where the student body is over
90 percent white. I would not normal I v
have a chance to attend a historically
black school, where people tend to have
more of the same interests as me,” said
Residential Senator Lemar Newsome.
This would be a great way to raise di
versity on campus and to also spread our
culture there and spread their’s here, in
the classroom and socially, Foote-Hudson
said.
“Greensboro is a city that has about five
or six different colleges. It’s built up, a lot
See exchange Page 6