About the University and the Graduate School

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 A member of The University of North Carolina, Western Carolina University offers courses in the arts, sciences, technologies, humanities, and professions. Students can elect degree programs at the bachelor’s or master’s level, or doctoral level study in educational leadership. As a regional institution, it serves the people of North Carolina from its residential campus at Cullowhee and through off-campus instruction in Asheville and other locations.

Teaching and learning constitute the central mission of Western Carolina University. The University seeks to create a community of scholarship in which the activities of its members are consistent with the highest standards of knowledge and practice in their disciplines. The commitment of the community to service, research, and creative activities complements the central mission and extends the benefits of its scholarship to society. As a major public resource for western North Carolina, the university promotes regional economic development through its teaching, research and service. Western Carolina University seeks to provide an environment in which students, faculty, and staff jointly assume responsibility for learning, where free exchange of ideas, intellectual challenge, and high standards of scholarship prevail.

Western Carolina University aspires to provide an environment in which students, faculty, and staff jointly assume responsibility for learning where the free exchange of ideas, and in which intellectual challenge, and high standards of scholarship prevail. The university aspires to prepare students to become responsible citizens in a global community. By working both independently and collaboratively, graduates of the University should demonstrate:

• the ability to think critically, to communicate effectively, to identify and resolve problems reflectively, and to use information and technology responsibly;
• proficiency in the intellectual and technical skills of a disciplined study in the arts, sciences, humanities, technologies, or professions;
• an appreciation for the creative and performing arts; and
• a basis for continued personal development and lifelong learning.

To encourage and protect the free and open interchange of ideas, the university strives to provide experiences that foster the development of respect among all its members toward the larger communities of which it is a part. Accordingly, the university encourages its students, faculty, and staff to display the following traits of citizenship:

• behavior characterized by honesty, integrity, and responsibility;
• service to others;
• awareness of and sensitivity to the concerns of diverse people and cultures; and
• commitment to stewardship of the natural and cultural environment.

Western Carolina University is located in the scenic Appalachian mountain ranges at Cullowhee, North Carolina. The university consists of the main campus in Cullowhee and resident credit centers in Asheville and Cherokee. A faculty of approximately 700 serves a student body of almost 9,000 in resident-credit and extension classes. The Cullowhee campus is in a rural valley between the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, 52 miles west of Asheville and seven miles south of Sylva on North Carolina Highway 107. The location, at the southern end of Cullowhee Valley in the heart of the Tuckaseigee River basin, gives it an unusually attractive setting. The closest commercial airport to the university is located in Asheville, and there is airline service to Asheville. Private taxi service is available. The central campus consists of about 233 acres, including beautifully wooded areas and modern academic, student residence, recreation, and athletic facilities. The Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee Indian Reservation, Fontana Lake, and numerous resort areas offer golfing, skiing, fishing, hunting, hiking, water sports, and other recreational opportunities nearby.

Western Carolina University, a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina, functions under the jurisdiction of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina and the Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University. Policies of the Board of Governors are administered by the president and the General Administration of The University of North Carolina. The Board of Trustees receives its authority by delegation from the Board of Governors. The chancellor is the chief administrative officer of the university. The Faculty Senate, the principal policy-recommending body of the faculty, operates under the provisions of a faculty constitution and bylaws.

Western Carolina University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone number 404-679-4501) to award bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist’s, and doctoral degrees. In addition to this institutional accreditation, other special accreditation by appropriate agencies includes these:

• AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• American Chemical Society
• American Council for Construction Education (candidacy status)
• American Dietetic Association
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in cooperation with the Council on Accreditation of the American Health Information Management Association, and the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Professions
• Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education - candidacy status
• Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Council on Accreditation of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
• Council of Applied Masters Programs in Psychology
• Council on Accreditation of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• Council on Social Work Education
• Foundation on Interior Design Education Research (FIDER)
• National Accreditation Council for Environmental Health Science and Protection
• National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
• National Association of Schools of Music
• National Association of School Psychologists
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• National Council for Teachers of English
• National Kitchen and Bath Association Endorsement
• North American Society for Sport Management/National Association of Sport and Physical Education
• North Carolina Board of Nursing
• North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
• Project Management Institute, Inc.
• Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (Manufacturing Engineering Technology and Electronics Engineering Technology)

The university is a member of appropriate state and national associations and organizations to which its professional programs are related. These include but are not limited to:

• Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• American Association of State Colleges and Universities
• American Council on Education
• American Society of Allied Health Professions
• Association for Theatre in Higher Education
• Association for Continuing Higher Education
• Association for Institutional Research
• Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
• College Entrance Examination Board
• Conference of Southern Graduate Schools
• Cooperative Education Association
• Council of Applied Masters Programs in Psychology
• Council of Graduate Schools in the United States
• Institute for International Education, Inc.
• International Council for Small Business
• Mathematics Association of America
• National Association of College and University Business Officers
• National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
• National Business Education Association
• National University Continuing Education Association
• North American Association of Summer Sessions
• North Carolina Academy of Science
• North Carolina Association for Institutional Research
• North Carolina Association of Colleges and Universities
• North Carolina Bar Association
• North Carolina Middle School Association
• North Carolina Political Science Association
• Southeastern Theatre Conference
• Southern Association for Institutional Research
• Southern Atlantic States Association for Asian and African Studies
• Southern Regional Education Board
• Southern States Communication Association
• Speech Communication Association
• United States Distance Learning Association
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology

In North Carolina, all the public educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees are part of The University of North Carolina. Western Carolina University is one of the sixteen constituent institutions of the multi-campus state university.

The University of North Carolina, chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1789, was the first public university in the United States to open its doors and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century. The first class was admitted in Chapel Hill in 1795. For the next 136 years, the only campus of The University of North Carolina was at Chapel Hill.

In 1877, the North Carolina General Assembly began sponsoring additional institutions of higher education, diverse in origin and purpose. Five were historically black institutions, and another was founded to educate American Indians. Several were created to prepare teachers for the public schools. Others had a technological emphasis. One is a training school for performing artists.

In 1931, the North Carolina General Assembly redefined The University of North Carolina to include three state-supported institutions: the campus at Chapel Hill (now the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), North Carolina State College (now North Carolina State University at Raleigh), and Woman’s College (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The new multi-campus university operated with one board of trustees and one president. By 1969, three additional campuses had joined the university through legislative action: the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

In 1971, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation bringing into the University of North Carolina the state’s ten remaining public senior institutions, each of which had until then been legally separate: Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, the North Carolina School of the Arts, Pembroke State University, Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University. This action created the current sixteen-campus university. In 1985, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, a residential high school for gifted students, was declared an affiliated school of the university; and in 1996, Pembroke State University was renamed The University of North Carolina at Pembroke through legislative action.

The UNC Board of Governors is the policy-making body legally charged with the general determination, control, supervision, management, and governance of all affairs of the constituent institutions. It elects the president, who administers the university. The thirty-two voting members of the Board of Governors are elected by the North Carolina General Assembly for four-year terms. Former board chairmen and board members who are former governors of North Carolina may continue to serve for limited periods as non-voting members emeriti. The president of the UNC Association of Student Governments, or that student’s designee, is also a non-voting member.

Each of the sixteen constituent institutions is headed by a chancellor, who is chosen by the Board of Governors on the president’s nomination and is responsible to the president. Each institution has a board of trustees, consisting of eight members elected by the Board of Governors, four appointed by the governor, and the president of the student body, who serves ex officio. The North Carolina School of the Arts has two additional ex officio members. Each board of trustees holds extensive powers over academic and other operations of its institution on delegation from the Board of Governors.

Board of Governors

Officers of the University of North Carolina

Western Carolina University was founded in August 1889 as a semi-public school. Chartered as Cullowhee High School in 1891, it served the Cullowhee community and boarding students from neighboring counties and other states.

For Professor Robert Lee Madison, the institution’s founder, the aim of the school was teacher training. In 1893, with the first state appropriation of $1,500, a normal department was established. In 1905, the institution became Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School, a title it held for 20 years.

Beginning about 1912, the status of the school was gradually raised to that of a two-year normal school or junior college. With state support increasing and work at the secondary level discontinued, the name of the school was changed in 1925 to Cullowhee State Normal School.

In 1929, under a new charter authorizing the school to extend its work to the four-year level, the name Western Carolina Teachers College was adopted. Modifications in function and rapid growth climaxed in 1951 with the addition of the postgraduate year to the curriculum, and the granting of the Master of Arts in Education degree was authorized. Demands in the liberal arts, and for programs in other areas of learning, led to an expansion of its offerings and to a further change, in 1953, to the name Western Carolina College.

In 1967, the institution was designated a regional university by the North Carolina General Assembly and the name of the institution was changed to Western Carolina University.

In 1971, the state legislature reorganized higher education in North Carolina, and on July 1, 1972, Western Carolina University became a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.

In 1996, Western Carolina University was approved by the University of North Carolina-General Administration and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to offer the Doctoral degree in education.

Board of Trustees

Academic and Administrative Officers

Only officers thought to be of special interest to graduate students are listed. See Undergraduate Catalog for complete listing.

The Graduate School

*Graduate student member

The Graduate School consists of a graduate faculty represented by the dean, who is the administrative officer, and the Graduate Council. The dean reports to the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor and is responsible for Graduate School and Research.

The Graduate Council formulates and recommends policies and standards for the Graduate School, reviews and recommends all teaching personnel for graduate courses, and appraises and recommends new graduate degree programs and changes in existing programs.

Graduate study is a personal experience, and the selection of a graduate school is one of the most important decisions a student is called upon to make. At Western Carolina University, graduate study is characterized by small classes, personal interaction with faculty members, and a pleasant atmosphere conducive to the pursuit of individual educational goals.

Western Carolina University is a state-supported coeducational institution with a student body of almost 9,000, of which over 1,700 are graduate students. Including its credit and noncredit instructional courses, continuing education offerings, and workshop, conference, and service programs, the university serves more than 12,000 persons each year. The Graduate School offers programs leading to 17 master’s degrees in over 50 professional and academic areas, the Education Specialist degree and the Doctor of Education degree.

The Graduate School provides programs to prepare members of the teaching profession for licensure at the master’s and sixth-year levels, to prepare persons to teach in higher education, and to meet the needs of persons working in or preparing to work in other occupations and professions. A student interested in any of the following programs should request additional information from the Graduate School or the head of the appropriate department: accountancy, art, biology, birth-kindergarten, business administration, chemistry, college student personnel, communication sciences and disorders, construction management, counseling, educational leadership, educational supervision, elementary education, technology, English, entrepreneurship, health sciences, history, human resources, mathematics, middle grades education, music, nursing, physical therapy, project management, psychology, public affairs, school administration, science and entrepreneurship, social work, special education, or sport management.

The university operates on a semester system, with two semesters making up the regular academic year. In addition, a summer term offers a wide variety of courses for both graduates and undergraduates.

Further information may be obtained by writing the Graduate School, Western Carolina University, 110 Camp Building, Cullowhee, North Carolina 28723-9022, or by telephoning 828-227-7398 or 800-369-9854.

Western Carolina University offers a broad range of instruction at the graduate level and a limited number of advanced undergraduate degree programs in specialized areas in Asheville. The programs of instruction, intended primarily for the adult professional student, are taught late afternoons, evenings and weekends. Western Carolina utilizes the educational facilities and resources of the University of North Carolina at Asheville and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Western’s graduate programs are affiliated with the Asheville Graduate Center.

The graduate programs offered in Asheville include: accountancy (M.Ac.); business administration (M.B.A.); college student personnel (M.Ed.); comprehensive education with concentrations in elementary education (M.A.Ed.), English education (M.A.Ed., M.A.T.), math education (M.A.Ed., M.A.T.), middle grades education (M.A.Ed., M.A.T.), social science education (M.A.Ed., M.A.T.), and special education (M.A.Ed., M.A.T.); community counseling (M.S.); educational leadership (Ed.S., Ed.D.); educational supervision (M.A.Ed.); entrepreneurship (M.E.); health sciences (M.H.S.); nursing (M.S.); public affairs (M.P.A.); school counseling (M.A.Ed.); technology (M.S.); and community college teaching (M.A.Ed.). Students enrolled in the counseling and certain secondary education and community college teaching programs will enroll in some coursework offered only in Cullowhee.

Through inter-institutional agreements with the University of North Carolina at Asheville and North Carolina community colleges, a program is available to students in Asheville leading to the bachelor of science in nursing degree from Western Carolina University. Students enrolled in this program would complete the first two years of liberal studies and science prerequisites at a local institution, the junior year of study on the Cullowhee campus, and the senior year of study in Asheville. Registered nurses who are graduates of an associate degree or diploma program can complete all remaining requirements for the bachelor’s degree online. Also, through an inter-institutional partnership with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, most of the course requirements for a bachelor of science degree in engineering technology are offered. Upper–level course work in special education is also available in Asheville.

Western Carolina University administers its programs in Asheville through a staff whose offices are located in Room 120, Karpen Hall, on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Additional information is available from WCU Programs in Asheville, 120 Karpen Hall, CPO #2160, UNCA, Asheville, North Carolina 28804-3299, telephone # 828-251-6642 or 828-227-7423, www.wcu.edu/wcuasheville.

Western Carolina University Department of Nursing is located on the Enka campus of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, 1459 Sand Hill Rd., Candler, NC 28715, telephone # 828-670-8810.

Children’s Developmental Services Agency. The Center in the College of Education and Allied Professions is a service agency for the seven counties of Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain, including the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Projects are variously funded by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Women’s and Children’s Health; and Western Carolina University. The center provides for families developmental evaluation, intervention, recommendations for services, and guidance for newborns, infants, toddlers, preschool children with, or at-risk for, developmental disabilities. Special services are provided or located if necessary, and progress is followed until the child enters a school program. The center affords opportunities for training and research relevant to the university’s academic programs in child and family relations, communication disorders, counseling, elementary education, health information management, health services management, nursing, nutrition and dietetics, physical therapy, psychology, recreational therapy, social work, and special education.

Division of Educational Outreach. The Division’s primary mission is education outreach. As the instructional outreach unit of the University, the Division of Educational Outreach extends educational options regionally, statewide, nationally and internationally using a variety of educational delivery systems and formats. A wide range of degree programs are now available through distance learning, including a number of online degree programs.

The Division manages the Cherokee Center, summer sessions, summer travel courses and a variety of specialty courses and programs in addition to distance learning programs. The Division offers noncredit workshops, seminars and professional development programs and hosts a number of conferences on an ongoing basis.

To obtain information or to be placed on a mailing list call 828-227-7397 or 866-WCU-GRAD, or visit us at http://edoutreach.wcu.edu.

Highlands Biological Station. The Highlands Biological Station is a field station for biological research and education focused on southern Appalachian ecosystems and organisms. Since 1977 the station has been an Inter-institutional Center of the University of North Carolina. Thirty-three regional colleges and universities participate in the Station’s programs as member institutions.

The Station is located on the Blue Ridge Escarpment about 30 miles south of Cullowhee in the town of Highlands, North Carolina. The topography, latitude, and high rainfall of the area yields rich biotic and environmental diversity, making the Station an ideal locale for a variety of field studies. Its facilities are open to students and senior investigators engaged in research on the organisms and environments of the southern Appalachian region. Station facilities include housing (36 beds in several residences), a dining hall, well-equipped research space, and teaching classrooms and laboratories. The campus also includes the Highlands Nature Center, which offers educational exhibits and a diversity of public programs, and the Highlands Botanical Garden, which features a great many native plant species in a variety of southern Appalachian habitats.

The Station offers six courses each summer at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels. Limited financial aid is available for these courses. A grant-in-aid program also provides financial assistance to graduate students conducting thesis research on the biota of the region. Since 2001 the Station has hosted a fall semester-in-residence undergraduate program in cooperation with the Carolina Environmental Program at UNC-Chapel Hill. WCU students majoring in biology or environmental sciences are encouraged to apply to this unique program.

To learn more about the programs and course and research opportunities at the Highlands Biological Station, see our website (http://www.wcu.edu/hbs) or write to Dr. James T. Costa, Executive Director, Highlands Biological Station, 265 N. Sixth Street, Highlands, NC 28741.

Hunter Library

The Hunter Library considers providing high quality service to students and faculty as its primary mission. Librarians provide both individualized research assistance and classroom instruction. The library is open more than 110 hours per week during the semester.

The collections and services that support student and faculty research include:

• Main book collection consisting of over 679,000 books and bound periodicals. This is augmented by the cooperative agreement with UNC Asheville and Appalachian State University through the use of a shared online catalog and delivery service. Students can readily borrow items from these other libraries and generally receive them in 2 days or less. The combined collection is approximately 1 million volumes.
• 95+ electronic databases and 8,000+ electronic journals that can be accessed remotely
• Free document delivery service that provides access to articles from approximately 25,000 journal titles that can be accessed remotely
• Electronic reserves collection that can be accessed remotely
• 1,200 print journal subscriptions
• Free interlibrary loan service for all students and faculty
• Microfiche collection of 1.5 million pieces
• Government documents providing access to over 227,000 government documents representing both the federal government and the North Carolina government
• Special Collections containing manuscript collections, books, photographs and other resources documenting the history of Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia, the history of the Cherokee Indians, and literary works and papers of Western North Carolina authors
• The Map Room collection contains more than 122,000 sheet maps and an extensive collection of digital mapping data with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to support it
• Media Collection, an extensive collection of CDs, videotapes, DVDs and other media in its Curriculum Materials Center (CMC)
• Curriculum Materials also maintains collections of state-adopted textbooks, curriculum guides, children’s literature and other classroom instructional materials in support of the university’s professional education programs.

Information Technology. Information Technology is responsible for providing technology assistance, information and services in support of Western’s mission and aspirations. These services include providing information resources to students, faculty, staff and administration to support teaching, learning, research, administrative and regional engagement efforts. Information Technology provides advice, planning and technical guidance for the appropriate use of technology in support of the university’s educational endeavor. Information Technology is located in various campus buildings with assistance available at many of Western’s facilities beyond the Cullowhee campus. The university is an active member of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology.

Information Technology has over 60 staff and is comprised of the following units: Applications Programming, Educational Technologies, Information Technology Services, Networking and Communications, Systems and Operations, Technology Service Center and Web Services. The University uses a state-of-the-art administrative system that allows students and faculty to do virtually all of their business with the university, such as register for courses or post grades, online. All students receive a WCU email account that allows them to communicate with their peers, faculty members, and university offices. The MyCat portal is the primary tool used by students to access email and other campus and course related information. WebCat, based upon the WebCT Vista software, is the primary instructional delivery system in support of traditional classroom and online courses.

There are over 3,000 microcomputers in offices, classrooms, and lab facilities all with connections to high speed broadband networks. Students enjoy high-speed network connectivity from their residence hall rooms, with two ports per room, or from the wireless network available throughout the Cullowhee campus. There are four general student computer lab facilities which are open at least 80 hours per week. The lab located in Hunter Library is open 24 hours from Sunday afternoon through Friday night during fall and spring semesters. Users may call the Information Technology Help Desk at 227-7ITS (227-7487) or 866-WCU-7ITS (866-928-7487) to request assistance with any Information Technology service or resource. Faculty routinely work with the Coulter Faculty Center to integrate technology into their teaching activities.

Information Technology supports both Windows and Macintosh operating systems along with various software applications including a focus on Microsoft Office products. Office products are provided for faculty, staff and students along with the Windows operating system. Many software packages are centrally licensed with a limited number of licenses available in labs and classrooms. Statistical packages include SPSS, Minitab for Windows and SAS which is provided by a grant by the SAS Institute. Other specialized software found in labs includes digital media editing, geographical information system, and engineering design programs. Information Technology also provides computer virus protection software to all faculty, staff and students and is committed to keeping computers safe, secure and current in a highly networked campus computing environment.

The campus network interconnects with the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), which provides Western access to interactive videoconferencing as well as a very high speed network path to the Internet (655-megabit). IT’s Web Services unit supports the WCU Web site at http://www.wcu.edu and provides the campus with Web publishing assistance by providing departmental access to the Red Dot Content Management System. The Information Technology Web site at http://www.wcu.edu/IT provides a variety of useful technology information and self-help resources as well as links for downloading software and accessing computer purchasing information.

International Programs and Services. The Office of International Programs and Services (IPS) coordinates and supports many types of international programs and activities at Western Carolina University, such as student and faculty exchanges through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), the University of North Carolina Exchange Program (UNC-EP), and WCU bilateral programs; K-12 International Outreach Program to the public schools; Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars; international university linkages; the Japan Global Partnership Program; and academic programming. The office also assists the Host Family Association and the International Club, and sponsors the annual International Festival and International Education Week.

Mountain Heritage Center. The center collects, interprets, and disseminates knowledge about the southern Appalachian region and its people. Its research and artifact collections promote public awareness of the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage using publications, exhibitions, and demonstrations presented both on campus and throughout western North Carolina. The center also collaborates with public schools in preparing programs for educational enrichment and provides a learning experience for university students through internships.

Myron L. Coulter Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. The Coulter Faculty Center provides services designed to assist and support all part and full-time faculty and Graduate Teaching Assistants in seeking, achieving and maintaining excellence in their teaching. Training and guidance are available for those who wish to use instructional technology in their teaching. The Center’s web site is located at http://facctr.wcu.edu/ and includes a GTA page.

Activities and services most relevant for GTAs include:

• The GATE Program (Graduate Assistant Teaching Experience), a program designed to enhance the graduate experience by providing a thoughtful and thorough preparation in the art of teaching
• Consultation on course syllabi, course development, teaching goals, active learning, and applications of instructional technology
• Faculty Sandbox <http://facctr.wcu.edu/sandbox.html>, a place where faculty and GTAs can develop instructional materials via computer
• Computer classroom orientation and training
  • Schedule <http://facctr.wcu.edu/learningops.html> of semester presentations and workshops
  • Training in the use of WebCT to enhance classroom courses
• Faculty Forum <http://facctr.wcu.edu/forum.html>, a monthly publication featuring evocative opinion pieces of WCU faculty
• MountainRise, an eJournal on the scholarship of teaching and learning
• Renaissance of Teaching and Learning Booklet Series published each semester
• A lending library of professional literature on college teaching that is located in Hunter Library 240

The Coulter Faculty Center can be reached at 828-227-7196.

North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) was established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1985 as a statewide center to recognize and support outstanding North Carolina pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade school teachers and to enhance teaching as an art and profession. The center has two campuses, one located west of the WCU campus and one on Ocracoke Island. A center of The University of North Carolina, it is governed by a board of trustees, and its programs and activities are conducted by a professional staff of administrators and faculty.

Office for Rural Education. The Office for Rural Education in the College of Education and Allied Professions helps rural elementary and secondary schools improve the quality of their programs by conducting various types of studies, performing practical classroom research, providing instructional and administrative support services, and assisting in identifying alternative types of funding and instruction. The office also sponsors summer residential programs including youth leadership institutes and a program for the gifted students.

Office of Regional Affairs. The Office of Regional Affairs serves as the University’s liaison with local, regional, state, and federal governments and agencies, and with regional civic and economic development organizations. The office seeks to enhance relationships and partnerships with public and private entities, supports initiatives to secure funding and legislative priorities, and focuses on local and regional economic development.

Office of School Services. The Office of School Services in the College of Education and Allied Professions works to coordinate university faculty and staff resources to assist local schools with the achievement of local and state education goals. The office disseminates information on services offered by the university, receives requests for assistance from school districts, and directs requests to the appropriate campus college, department, or unit. Reports of services provided by WCU are compiled annually.

Reading Center. The Reading Center in the College of Education and Allied Professions offers assessment and individual tutoring as well as reading improvement courses for all students of Western Carolina University. Also, in conjunction with academic programs for the preparation of birth-kindergarten, elementary, middle grade, special education and reading teachers, the Reading Center provides an enrichment program for school-age children. This program offers assessment of reading strategies and several weeks of one-to-one tutoring for children enrolled. The Center also provides a resource room which includes children’s literature, mathematics, social studies, and science materials, as well as teacher resources of many kinds. The staff provides consulting services, conducts workshops and conferences, and provides a variety of reading services for public schools in the area. The center is located in Room 138 of the Killian Building on the campus in Cullowhee.

Speech and Hearing Center. The Speech and Hearing Center’s (SHC) fundamental mission is to provide quality clinical education for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in the discipline of communication disorders. As a critical adjunct, the SHC provides diagnostic, treatment, and consultative services to citizens with known or suspected speech, language, and/or hearing disorders in its catchment area of western North Carolina. The SHC also strives to serve as a community resource for allied professionals and agencies requiring information about human communication and its disorders. The center derives its strength from a combined academic/clinical orientation that directly fosters the delivery of state-of-the-art services. The SHC’s services are available to persons of all ages. In addition to traditional speech/language/hearing services, the SHC offers the following:

• hearing aid evaluation and dispensing
• otoacoustic emission diagnostic testing
• brain stem evoked response screening for newborns
• augmentative communication evaluation
• interdisciplinary evaluation
• assistance with assistive technology
• training on various topics related to communication disorders

University Writing Center. The UWC recognizes the specific needs of graduate students, including the needs of graduate students for whom English is a second language. Trained graduate assistants work one-on-one to assist their fellow students across the curriculum with any aspect of graduate level composition or research. Visit the center’s Web site at www.wcu.edu/writingcenter for hours, online resources, staff information, and helpful links. For more information or to make an appointment, call 828-227-7197 or visit the center in Hunter Library 161.

Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines. The Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines (PSDS) is a research and educational outreach center. The primary mission of PSDS is to conduct scientific research into coastal processes and to translate that science into management and policy recommendations through a variety of professional and public outreach mechanisms. PSDS personnel foster faculty and student participation in these areas of research through grant writing and active engagement of students in research projects.

Public Policy Institute. The WCU Public Policy Institute promotes effective public policies for the region through research, reports, and conferences. Faculty interested in public policy may be selected as Faculty Fellows or Senior Faculty Fellows to work on projects in the Public Policy Institute.

 Housing

Residential Living. The university’s residence halls are an integral part of campus life, offering a variety of experiences that contribute to intellectual, personal, and social development. The residence halls are staffed by Resident Directors, professional staff responsible for both community and personal growth and development.

The residence halls are open to all students, undergraduate and graduate, to the extent available. Freshmen are required to live on campus. This requirement may be waived if the student is married or lives with parents in Jackson, Macon, Haywood, Swain or Transylvania County. Waivers for other reasons are decided upon by the Associate Director for Operations.

A variety of accommodations are available; however, most rooms are designated for double occupancy. Each room is furnished with computer data ports, single beds, study desks, chairs, dressers, and closets. Students provide their own pillows, bed linens, towels, lamps, clocks, wastebaskets, and telephones. They also bring radios, stereos, and televisions. Cable television is provided in student rooms, as well as designated public areas. Other amenities include vending machines, washers, and dryers. Mail service is provided to all residential students at the mail center located in Hinds University Center. Mailing addresses are assigned by the Department of Residential Living and will be provided when students receive housing assignments.

Room Reservations and Non-refundable Housing Deposit. Any new, transfer, readmitted, or graduate student may reserve a room in the residence halls by submitting the $150 non-refundable housing deposit and a signed Residence Hall Agreement to the University One Stop. Returning students are to submit the signed agreement with the $150 non-refundable housing deposit. These deposits for the fall semester should be submitted no later than June 1. Deadline for submission of the Residence Hall Agreement for Spring Semester is December 1. All checks should be made payable to Western Carolina University. Deposits and Residence Hall Agreements received after the deadline will be accepted on a space-available basis. Financial aid awards may not be used to cover the non-refundable deposit.

Students may move into the residence halls the weekend prior to the beginning of classes. Information on the designated move-in day will be provided with assignment information. Unless the Department of Residential Living is notified of late arrival, reservations expire at 5 p.m. on the first day of classes.

Residence Hall Agreement. Each student residing in a residence hall signs the Residence Hall Agreement with the University for the entire academic year, or any part of the year remaining when the student moves into the residence hall. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of the student and the University, and is a legally binding contract. It may be cancelled by the student or the University under conditions outlined in the agreement.

Summer Terms. Students who begin their enrollment in summer terms (May, June, or July) are not required to submit the $150 non-refundable housing deposit but must submit the Residence Hall Agreement if they wish to reside on campus.

Housing for Married and Graduate Students. Robertson Hall is available for married students, and consists of 37 efficiency and 5 one-bedroom apartments. Madison Hall is available for graduate students and offers 35 private rooms with private baths and is an air-conditioned hall. 

Residence Hall Regulations. The Department of Residential Living, in order to provide a positive environment conducive to individual and community living and learning, has established specific policies and regulations related to personal conduct. These policies are available in the Student Handbook and Guide to Residential Living. In an effort to meet a variety of student desires and needs, each residence hall may have variations of certain policies, including visitation hours and smoking options. Please refer to the Student Handbook upon move-in to familiarize yourself with these policies and regulations, as well as student rights and responsibilities.

Off-Campus Housing. Students who plan to live off campus must make their own living arrangements. Students who move from the residence halls to off-campus locations must officially check out of their residence hall rooms and are subject to a housing cancellation fee of $800 if the move occurs during the period of the Residence Hall Agreement. Students living off campus are still governed by the rules and regulations of the University while on campus.

The Student Affairs Division has entered into an agreement with Off Campus Partners to list off-campus housing opportunities. OCP provides a site to link potential tenants with potential landlords/property managers. Users are provided a variety of online services, including but not limited to the capability to search a database of off-campus properties, to post properties for rent, and to post and search messages on message boards.

The link to this service is available at: http://www.wcu.edu/offcampus.

Dining

Western Carolina University provides food services for students at the following campus locations:

Brown (on the upper campus)
Cyber Cafe (Dodson)
Dodson (on the lower campus)

Einstein Brothers Bagels - Hinds University Center
Hinds University Center Food Court
Java City (Hunter Library) and Java City (University Center)
Convenience Stores located at Dodson, Brown, and Norton Residence Hall

Food service may not be provided when dining locations are closed during holidays and other periods when the university is not in session.

Students living in university residence halls are required to purchase a campus meal plan each semester. Participation in a food service plan is optional for commuting students. Special dietary requirements are accommodated by contacting WCU Dining at 227-7396.

The various food service plans offered are described in the fees section of this catalog. For additional information and frequently asked questions, visit the Dining Services Web site under Current Students at http://wcudining.wcu.edu.

Law Enforcement

The University Police Department is responsible for providing law enforcement, criminal investigation, and protective services on campus. University Police officers are certified by the N.C. Attorney General’s Office and meet all standards set by the Attorney General for law enforcement officers in this state.

All crimes that occur on the campus of WCU should be reported to the University Police Department. Emergencies should be reported by dialing 911 from a University telephone or by dialing 828-227-7301 from your cellular telephone; non-emergencies may also be reported by dialing 828-227-7301. Reports for crimes may be filed by visiting the University Police Department, located in the Camp Building Annex, or by contacting an officer on patrol. Officers may also be summoned for emergencies by activating any of the emergency blue-light callboxes which are placed at various locations throughout campus.

Information regarding crime statistics and crime prevention programs is available at the University Police Department. This same information is made available online at http://police.wcu.edu. For Clery Act Report information, see the Student Affairs homepage.

To better serve and enhance relationships with students, the University Police Department, in cooperation with Residential Living, maintains a substation in Leatherwood Hall.

Traffic and Parking. The University Police Department is responsible for the administration of Western’s parking system, vehicle registration, and traffic and parking regulations enforcement. State statutes provide that campus traffic and parking regulations have the full-authority of law, and violators may be subject to the penalties such law prescribes.

Everyone parking a vehicle on campus must register that vehicle with the Parking Services Office and display a current decal on that vehicle. Visitors who park a vehicle on campus less than three days per semester do not need to register their vehicle. Parking and traffic regulations literature is made available in the Parking Services Office, located in the Camp Building Annex. These same regulations are made available on-line at http://police.wcu.edu/parking.html.

The Parking, Traffic, and Safety Committee, composed of students, faculty, and staff, functions as an appellate board for faculty and staff members wishing to contest parking citations that they have received. Appeals concerning student violations are heard by a similar SGA appellate committee. The faculty and staff parking citation appeal form is available in the Parking Services Office. The student parking citation appeal form is available online. For more information, contact the University Parking Services Office at 828-227-7275 (PARK).

Shuttle Bus System (CAT-TRAN)
The shuttle bus system, or Cat-Tran, is operated through the University Police Department. Cat-Tran provides student shuttle service according to prescribed routes throughout the semester during day class hours. Reduced shuttle service is available during evening, weekend, and summer hours. The Cat-Tran does not operate during holidays, spring or fall breaks, or semester breaks. Cat-Tran is an on-campus service and is not available for off-campus or special event use. For information regarding routes, hours of operation, or other issues, please visit the Cat-Tran web site at http://www.wcu.edu/cattran/ or call the Cat-Tran office at 828.227.8726 (TRAN).

Health Services

The University Health Center (Bird Building) provides assessment and treatment of medical concerns. The center is staffed by physicians, physicians’ assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and a laboratory technician. The telephone number is 828-227-7640. Additionally, the Health Center administers a student-run ambulance service that allows for on-campus coverage for emergencies. Specialty services offered include: comprehensive Women’s Health; Allergy and Immunization Clinic; and limited pharmacy services. Students’ health fees support many services; some services require a reasonable charge. The University of North Carolina Consortium-sponsored health insurance offers excellent coverage. Health insurance coverage is mandatory if you are a full time graduate, undergraduate, or international student. Please visit studenthealth.wcu.edu to either enroll in the plan or waiver if you already have health insurance coverage. You may also visit the insurance company’s website at www.studentinsurance.com if you are interested in obtaining health insurance for yourself, your spouse and/or dependents.

Counseling and Psychological Services Center. The Counseling and Psychological Services Center offers most of its counseling services at no cost to students seeking assistance with personal concerns and difficulties. Short-term goal-oriented counseling is provided along with emergency on-call, therapeutic consultations, psychiatric assessments, weekly groups, outreach presentations, and referrals. Appointments can be made by calling 828-227-7469. The Center is located on the second floor of Bird Building. 

The Career Services/Cooperative Education Office is multi-faceted and student service oriented. We are committed to providing up-to-date services which: assist in career/major decision-making; promote career experiences, and job search learning; and then facilitate contact with employers and graduate schools.

Activities/services include the following:

• on campus student employment ( http://careers.wcu.edu/nws-jobs.asp )
• 4 on-line, web accessible job listings programs
• individual conferences with career counselors
• vocational and interest testing, both on-line and in person
• cooperative education and internship programs
• resume and cover letter critiquing service
• an on-line mock interview program
• a career library with a university-wide computer aided career guidance program
• career events (18)

The Career Services Cooperative Education Office is located on the 2nd Floor Killian Annex. For more information ( http://careers.wcu.edu ).

Educator Licensure Assistance. All students and alumni seeking initial or subsequent education licensure will find assistance in the Office of Field Experience and Licensure in Killian Building, 828-227-7314. 

The UC is the central facility for student participation. The UC provides a wide range of services, programs, and organizations aimed to improve student involvement and to provide a well rounded collegiate experience. Programming groups include Last Minute Productions (LMP), Base Camp Cullowhee (BCC), Lectures, Concerts, & Exhibitions (LCE), Student Media, Leadership, Greek Life, Student Government Association (SGA), the Women’s Center, and the Multicultural Center. Programs provided include movies, film series, comedians, concerts, dance performances, workshops, events on women’s issues, race, and gender, and various conferences. Base Camp Cullowhee is located in Brown and provides opportunities for outdoor activities, leadership experiences, and an equipment rental program for camping, rafting, climbing, and other outdoor adventures. In addition, the Center for Leadership, Ethics, and Civic Engagement and the Leadership Institute both function as the coordinating bodies for the university’s present and future leadership related activities, programming, and resources. Also a vital part of the UC is the Student Media Center, an historic facility that houses student-run media groups including radio, newspaper, television, public relations, and literary magazines. Conferences, meetings, and presentations can be held in conference room areas, including the Grand Room and movie theater. There is also a food court and ATM located on the first floor. On the second floor, visitors can shop at Catamount Clothing & Gifts, view the student mail center, and take advantage of email stations, copy and fax services, and student lounges. The third floor houses student organization offices and information services as well as the Multicultural Center and the Women’s Center. Wireless capabilities exist throughout the building.

Concerts and Entertainment: Western North Carolina’s most versatile entertainment complex, the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center provides quality programming for the entire community. The 8,000 seat arena hosts major concerts, national touring acts, commencement, and Catamount basketball and volleyball. Student tickets to major events are often available at a discount.

Event Services: The arena, concourse, meeting rooms, outdoor patios, and other reservable spaces are available to the public for banquets, trade shows, conferences, and meetings. Students may utilize the Ramsey Center’s full line of event services including event planning, equipment reservations, and room set-ups.

Fitness Activities: The Ramsey Center offers opportunities to enjoy regular fitness activity. Students have free access to five racquetball courts, two basketball courts, walking or jogging around the concourse, and a lighted outdoor rollerblade and skateboard area.

Job Opportunities:Students play a major role in the operation of the Ramsey Center. Student managers keep the Ramsey Center open for activity during evenings and weekends. Stage crew, lighting operators, and promotion and event staff help with concerts and other major productions. Utility crew and office assistants work closely with staff to handle day-to-day operations. Ramsey Center team members work flexible hours; gain leadership experience; and develop communication, teamwork, and time management skills.

For more information about the Ramsey Center and its programs and services, go online to http://ramsey.wcu.edu.

Bank Services. Branch offices of BB&T and State Employees Credit Union are located in Cullowhee. ATMs installed by State Employees Credit Union and BB&T are located in the Hinds University Center. In addition, branch offices of Wachovia, Carolina Community Bank, Century South Bank of the Carolinas, First Charter Bank, First Citizens Bank and Trust, Community Bank and Trust Company, Jackson Savings Bank, Macon Bank, and the State Employees Credit Union are located in or near Sylva.

Books and Supplies. The WCU Bookstore offers students a wide variety of merchandise, including textbooks and course materials. WCU clothing and gift items are located at Catamount Clothing and Gifts in the University Center. An extensive selection of books is offered for class use and pleasure reading and books may be special-ordered if not in stock. All books for 500-, 600-, 700-, and 800-level courses are sold by the store. Books for graduate students taking courses numbered below 500 are sold by the book rental department located in the store. Graduation caps, gowns, invitations, and class rings also may be purchased at the bookstore. For more information visit the Web site under Bookstore at Current Students Link at www.wcu.edu.

International Programs and Services. The Office of International Programs and Services (IPS) coordinates and supports many types of international programs and activities, such as student and faculty exchanges through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), the University of North Carolina Exchange Program (UNC-EP), and WCU bilateral exchange program; K-12 International Outreach Program to the public schools; Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars; the Asian language program; international university linkages; International Education Week activities; International Festival; Diversity Week; and International Women’s Day. IPS provides services to international students on campus including visa issuance and counseling, student services, Host Family Association, and International Club. IPS is also the center for student F-1 and J-1 visas, visiting scholar visas as well as international faculty H-1B visa and Permanent Residence petitions. More information is available at 828-227-7494.

Mail Service. Students residing on campus are assigned a mailbox with their room assignment. All other students may rent a mailbox in the Cullowhee Post Office. U.S. postal regulations do not permit receipt of mail addressed as general delivery after an initial 30-day period. A postal commodity machine offering stamps, envelopes, post cards or aero grams, overseas services, and other features is located in the lobby of the A.K. Hinds University Center.

Recreation. The Campus Recreation Center is considered the playground of Western Carolina University’s campus and home to a wide variety of recreational opportunities.  Within the 73,000 square foot facility there is a 48 foot climbing wall, three lane indoor track, gymnasium, two multi-purpose studios, and full locker room amenities.  The fitness area includes selectorized weight machines and an assortment of free weights and cardio equipment which provides options for every fitness level.  Additional programs offered by the center include: personal training, fitness assessments, group exercise, and other wellness activities that contribute to health, well-being, and social development.

Housed in the Campus Recreation Center is the Intramural Sports Program which offers sports in more than forty individual, team, and co-ed activities allowing students an opportunity to participate in sports in a fun and competitive atmosphere.  In addition, the Intramural Sports Program has 14 established sport clubs.  These clubs are open to all students regardless of skill level.  Students are also encouraged to develop new sport clubs.

Additional recreational facilities on campus include: Reid and Breese pools, Ramsey Center racquetball courts, tennis courts, and a 12-hole disc golf course.

Schools for Elementary and High School Students. Cullowhee Valley School, located near the campus in Cullowhee, is a Jackson County school, grades K-8. Smoky Mountain High School and Fairview Elementary School, also Jackson County Schools, are located on the Sylva highway about five miles from the university.

Student Support Services ( www.wcu/cap/sss/sss.html ) is a comprehensive academic support program which assists eligible students in choosing and working toward their academic, career, and personal goals with programs tailored to meet individual needs. Services include academic advising, career and personal counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and services for students with disabilities. For those students who qualify, all services are free. To be eligible, participants must meet one of the following criteria: they are first generation college students; OR they meet U.S. Department of Education income guidelines; OR they have a documented disability.

The Kneedler Child Development Center provides affordable, accessible childcare for approximately 60 children of students, faculty, staff, and community members. The center operates four classrooms (ages 1-5) staffed by wonderful teachers who are committed to early childhood education. Each classroom offers developmentally appropriate activities designed to stimulate social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development. The facility is located in the remodeled west wing area of the Cordelia Camp Building. If you would like further information please visit our website (http://www.wcu.edu/studentd/kneedler/index.html ) or contact the center at (828) 293-1530.

The Multicultural Center strives to have programs that are fun as well as educational. Cultural awareness programs are great for learning about the heritage and customs of others. The Multicultural Center sponsors programs during nationally recognized celebratory months to highlight some of the many cultures represented on campus.

The center serves as resource, advocate and foundation of support for the Western community on issues of diversity and multiculturalism. The Multicultural Center works to promote an inclusive community for students with diverse needs. For more information contact: Tanisha Jenkins, Director, email: tjenkins@email.wcu.edu or call (828) 227-2276.

Study Abroad. Graduate students are eligible to study for a semester and/or summer, with advisor approval, in 37 countries world wide through the following programs administered by the Office of International Programs and Services: the University of North Carolina Exchange Program (UNC-EP), the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), and several Western Carolina University exchanges. Graduate students pay Western Carolina University tuition and fees to WCU and comparable room and board charges to the host institution. Financial aid assists students with study abroad costs and scholarships are available through external grant agencies. Summer programs including intensive language courses and internships are available through many of our overseas partners and financial aid, grants, and scholarships are available. For more information call 828-227-7494. Summer abroad programs by Western Carolina University faculty are handled by the Division of Educational Outreach at 828-227-7397.

Wellness Program. The goal of the Wellness Program is to provide students, faculty, and staff a positive and healthy environment in which to live and grow. The program provides services on health and wellness issues, including health presentations; resources to help individuals with projects and personal issues; a wellness resource library; and events centered on national awareness topics such as sexual health, fitness, nutrition, AIDS, alcohol, and tobacco issues. For further information, call 828-227-3471.

Women’s Center and Women’s Programs. The Women’s Center provides resources, support and advocacy for women as they empower themselves and each other in their individual and collective pursuits. Opportunities include: leadership development, Women, Leadership and Social change class, programs about gender and women’s issues, book club, volunteering, internships, sexual assault awareness and education programs, student employment, and more! The Women’s Center is located at 334 University Center. For more information call 828-227-7450 or email: www.womenscenter@email.wcu.edu.