Western Carolina University

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Western Carolina University
Motto:	Facultas Vestri Mentis (latin)
Motto in English:	Power Your Mind
Established:	1889
Type:	Public University
Chancellor:	Dr. John W. Bardo
Provost:	Dr. Kyle R. Carter
Faculty:	500 full-time
Undergraduates:	9,055
Postgraduates:	1,945
Location:	Cullowhee, NC, USA
Campus:	Rural/Valley 589 acres
Athletics:	NCAA Division I 14 varsity teams
Colors:	Purple and Gold
Nickname:	Catamounts
Mascot:	Paws the Catamount
Affiliations:	University of North Carolina (School System) SoCon (Athletic)
Website:	www.wcu.edu

Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The university is named Western Carolina University by statue, but commonly referred to as Western Carolina, WCU, or simply as Western. The university is a dynamic and fast-growing constituent campus of the University of North Carolina System. ^[1]

The fifth oldest institution in the UNC system,^[2] the university was founded to educate the people of the western North Carolina Mountains. The university has expanded its mission to serve the entire state and the nation and has grown to become a major cultural, scientific, and educational force in the the state and region. WCU now serves more than 11,000 full time undergraduate and post graduate students - providing an education to students from 46 states and 39 countries.^[3]

[edit] Location

Map of NC highlighting Jackson County

Asheville, NC

Western Carolina is located in Jackson County, in the unincorporated village of Cullowhee, North Carolina. The university operates satellite campuses in both Asheville^[4] and Cherokee^[5] with programs offered online and at various community colleges.^[6][7] The main campus is located in a picturesque valley of the Tuckasegee River between the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, 52 miles (84 km) west of Asheville, NC. The university lies close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation (officially known as the Qualla Boundary) and some of the nation's most beautiful national forest lands. At an elevation of 2,100 feet, the campus enjoys the best of all four seasons but is shielded from most extreme temperatures by surrounding peaks. Located in a thermal valley, Cullowhee typically enjoys a rather mild winter season. In fact, the community can go some winters with no snowfall or with just a trace. In the summer, high temperatures can reach into the 90s Fahrenheit (30s Celsius.)

With abundant rivers and forests and the mild climate of Southern Appalachia, the region offers endless opportunities for outdoor activities such as climbing, hiking, biking, rafting, kayaking, and camping.^[8] Cities within a 2 to 3 hour drive of campus include Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Greenville, South Carolina.

[edit] History

Robert Lee Madison (1867–1954). WCU's founder and first president - Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School, 1889-1912

Joyner Building, served as a combination classroom and administration facility. Constructed in 1913, it was the focus of the Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School campus for decades. Until 1952 it housed the school’s library. The building was destroyed by fire in 1981.

In 1888, the citizens of Cullowhee, NC desired a better school for the community than was offered in public schools of that day. They organized a board of trustees^[9] and established a community school that came to be known as Cullowhee Academy. Founded in August 1889^[10] as a semi-public secondary school and chartered as Cullowhee High School in 1891 (also called Cullowhee Academy); it served the Cullowhee community and boarding students from neighboring counties and other states. The founder,^[11] Professor Robert Lee Madison, wanted to provide an education for the young people in the region and train teachers to spread education throughout the western part of the state. In 1893, through the efforts of Hon. Walter E. Moore,^[12] representative from Jackson County, the N.C. Legislature authorized an appropriation for the establishment of a normal department at the school "for the purpose of training teachers". This designation became the first publicly funded normal school in North Carolina.^[13]

In 1905 the state assumed title to the school’s buildings and property and made it a state institution. That same year, the school’s name was changed to Cullowhee Normal & Industrial School. In 1925 the school’s name was changed to Cullowhee State Normal School. During its years as Cullowhee Normal, the stated purpose of the school was to train teachers for the North Carolina public schools. A coeducational institution, Cullowhee Normal was reported to have trained over two thousand teachers by the mid-1920s.

Over the next 40 years, the school expanded its curriculum and evolved into a junior college, and in 1929 it was chartered by the legislature as a four-year institution under the name Western Carolina Teachers College. Called "the Cullowhee experiment^[14] Madison’s idea became the model for the other regional colleges in the state.

The demand for the liberal arts and programs in other areas of learning led to an expansion of the school's offerings. Postgraduate studies and the Master of Arts in Education degree were added to the curriculum in 1951 after several decades of rapid growth and sweeping changes. In 1953, the name Western Carolina College was adopted.

In 1967 the institution was designated a regional university^[15] by the North Carolina General Assembly and given its current title, Western Carolina University. On July 1, 1972, WCU became a member^[16] of the University of North Carolina System.

The university’s mission is focused on quality education and preparation for responsible citizenship in a changing world.

[edit] Precis of the University's History

Year - Name and Levels^[17]
1889 Semi-private school
1891 Cullowhee High School
1893 First state appropriation; Normal Department established; First graduating class
1905 Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School
1912 Junior College rank established; Secondary school discontinued
1913 First college-level (one-year) degree awarded
1925 Cullowhee State Normal School
1929 Western Carolina Teachers College; Senior College rank established
1931 First Baccalaureate degree awarded
1951 Graduate degree established
1952 First Master's degree awarded
1953 Western Carolina College
1967 Western Carolina University
1972 A constituent institution of the University of North Carolina

[edit] Administration

The university is led by Chancellor John W. Bardo the chief administrative officer, along with Provost Kyle Carter and several advisory groups. The institution operates under the guidance and policies of the Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University.

As part of the University of North Carolina's 16-campus university system, Western also falls under the administration of UNC President Erskine Bowles and the UNC Board of Governors advised by the UNC Faculty Assembly.

[edit] Academics

Main article: Western Carolina University Academic Programs

With its main campus located on the site of an ancient Cherokee Indian village^[20] and adjacent to the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, Western Carolina has a commitment to the rich traditions of both the Appalachian and Cherokee cultures. The university's Mountain Heritage Center; Cherokee Center; Craft Revival Project; Cherokee Studies Program and WCU's partnership to preserve the Cherokee language^[21] both reflect that influence — and provides irreplaceable educational resources for the region.

Classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a comprehensive (Masters/L)^[22] university, Western is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award degrees at the bachelor, masters, intermediate, and doctoral (in education) levels. The university holds 21 program accreditations and is a member of more than 30 state and national associations and organizations to which its professional programs are related.^[23]

[edit] Campus

Main article: Western Carolina University's Campus

Western's 600-acre campus offers all the amenities of a small town. The campus includes residence halls, cafeterias, food courts with fast-food outlets, health services and counseling, bookstore, library, indoor swimming pools, tennis courts, movie theater, jogging trail and quarter-mile track, intramural fields, and ample parking.

In the fall of 2000, the university's Board of Trustees launched a building boom of a magnitude never before seen in campus history. Over $130 million in new and renovated buildings and roads have redrawn the main campus map, as the university prepares for projected enrollment growth in the decade ahead. The Millennial Initiative which doubled the physical size of the campus, is a knowledge enterprise zone where university faculty and students, private industry, and government partners will conduct research and development into scientific and technological innovations that have commercial applications.

[edit] University Publications

The University produces the following publications:

• Western Magazine: A seasonal publication primarily for alumni and friends of WCU, Western is packed with features on university people and programs, alumni updates, and news and events.
• The Reporter: A bi-monthly newsletter for the faculty and staff of WCU, The Reporter features news, events, and campus community updates.
• MountainRise: an open, peer-reviewed, international electronic journal published twice a year by the Coulter Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning at Western Carolina University for the purpose of being an international vehicle for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL).
• All-Western radio program: All-Western airs during half-time of Catamount Sports Network broadcasts and highlights WCU’s academic all-stars and some of the exciting happenings on campus.

[edit] Student Media

Radio, television and news by and for WCU students:^[24]

• WWCU-FM: WWCU-FM, Power 90.5, is the broadcast service of WCU and broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as Jackson County's only FM radio station.

• Channel 62: Channel 62 is WCU’s closed-circuit television station with offices located in the A.K. Hinds University Center. Channel 62 is an organization that allows students to showcase their short films, as well as announce events on campus and highlight recent sporting events.
• Western Carolinian: A bi-monthly print and electronic publication, the Western Carolinian is written, edited and produced by WCU students. This student-run newspaper strives to keep the members of the WCU campus informed.

• The NOMAD: Student staff members work together to produce and distribute WCU’s student literary magazine The Nomad.

• The Tuckasegee Valley Historical Review: The Tuckasegee Valley Historical Review^[25] is an annually published graduate history journal. “The Tuck” publishes articles by WCU graduate students in history with a primarily local focus.

• WCU Film Club: Students explore their interests in all aspects of film production—acting, set design, costuming, filming, lighting, script writing, and editing—and meet to watch great films and discuss them with like-minded students.

[edit] Greek Life

WCU is home to a wide range of Greek fraternities and sororities, as well as several councils and societies. The Greek community offers many social opportunities to enrich college life. Greeks get personal guidance in planning their curriculum and choosing classes and instructors, and assistance with registration and financial aid. Chapter study sessions, educational programs, tutoring, and study partners and teams offer support for developing and maintaining study skills. Greeks are recognized for their academic successes through Greek scholarship and awards programs and honor societies such as the Order of Omega. View this Greek Life Promotional Video.

[edit] Athletics

Main article: Western Carolina University Catamounts

Western Carolina University Athletic Logo

Southern Conference‎

As a member of the Southern Conference, Western Carolina University participates in NCAA Division I athletics.

Intercollegiate athletics include men's football, men and women's basketball, baseball, softball, women's soccer, men and women's golf, men and women's track and field, cross country running, women's volleyball and tennis. Catamount football is a member of Division I, Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) and calls E.J. Whitmire Stadium home. The Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center is home to men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. Baseball is played atChildress Field/Hennon Stadium, softball is played at the Catamount Softball Complex and the Catamount Athletic Complex is home to women's soccer, tennis, and Track & Field.

• On Nov. 29, 1980, Western Carolina's Ronnie Carr made the first intercollegiate 3-point field goal^[26] in college basketball history versus Middle Tennessee State University, a game Western won 77-70. The ball he used is on display at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. The shot was made from the left corner with 16:09 left in the first half (7:06 pm).

Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center

• Western Carolina and Appalachian State have a strong rivalry in football where they Battle for the Old Mountain Jug on an annual basis.
• The Catamount football team was runners-up in the Division I-AA National Football Championship Game in 1983.

[edit] Marching Band

Under the direction of Dr. John T. West and Bob Buckner, the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band is the largest college band in the Carolinas. The marching band includes 320 members^[27] (making it also one of the largest marching bands in the U.S.) with approximately 60% of its members non music majors. The marching band is open to all Western Carolina students regardless of class or major.

The Cathouse Bands (pep bands) plays at all home basketball games during the spring semester. A larger band of approximately 100 members for Men's Basketball games is open to all students and a smaller band of 20 members plays for Women's Basketball games. The women's Cathouse band is determined by auditions, and members receive a scholarship for playing at 10 games through the semester. Opportunities involved with the Cathouse Band are the chance to travel with the Basketball teams to the Southern Conference Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

• WCU hosts an annual Tournament of Champions for high school bands every Fall.
• Watch the over 300 members strong - "Pride of the Mountains" Marching Band in action:
  • WCU Marching Band 2007 Field Show Part 1,
  • WCU Marching Band 2007 Field Show Part 2,
  • WCU Marching Band 2007 Field Show Part 3
    • WCU Drumline
    • WCU Drumline "Changes",
    • WCU Drumline with Kieth Urban Rehearsal
    • WCU Drumline with Kieth Urban

[edit] Other University Music Ensembles

• Wind Ensemble - Directed by Dr. John West, this auditioned ensemble of 40-50 musicians performs a challenging repertory that includes premieres of commissioned works. This group meets every semester and tours in the spring of odd-numbered years.

• Jazz Band - Directed by jazz pianist Mr. Pavel Wlosok, this auditioned group performs jazz standards and new works for jazz band. Tours in the Spring of even-numbered years.

• Symphony Band - Meeting in the spring semester only, this group of 60-80 musicians is open to all students without audition. Directed by Dr. John West.

• Artist-in-Residence Orchestra - With a professional string section from the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, this auditioned ensemble performs orchestral masterworks with wind, brass, and percussion students.

• Civic Orchestra - A college and community chamber orchestra, led by Mr. Bill Henigbaum.

• Percussion Ensemble - Led by Dr. Mario Gaetano, this group performs challenging works for various combinations of percussion instruments. Percussion majors.

• Studio Ensembles - Most of the wind and brass studios offer small ensembles of like instruments that are conducted or coached by the studio teacher.

• Gamelan Ensemble - Tuned percussion instruments (gongs, chimes, etc.) from Indonesia. Directed by Joy Shea. No audition.

[edit] Mountain Heritage Center

The Mountain Heritage Center celebrates the cultural heritage of the southern Appalachian region. The museum was founded in 1979,^[28] and located in the H. F. Robinson Administration Building. The Center is committed to public history, especially to interpreting current academic studies of Appalachia to the public. Its programming highlights traditional music and crafts along with the history and natural history of Appalachia. The Smithsonian Institution and the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress have adopted some of its programming. The center studies, documents,^[29] and interprets the history^[30] and culture of Southern Appalachia. The museum collects artifacts, builds exhibitions, documents and presents traditional craft demonstrations, musical performances, produces books and musical recordings. The museum's collection of over 10,000 artifacts is rich in agricultural implements, woodworking tools, and transportation equipment. Major research exhibits have examined the Scotch-Irish, various handicraft traditions, and mountain trout. Click on the Digital Heritage Network for lectures recorded at the Mountain Heritage Center.

[edit] Mountain Heritage Day

Held each year on Western's campus, Mountain Heritage Day is a showcase for authentic Southern Appalachian folk arts combined with an old-fashioned mountain fair. The festival attracts more than 25,000 visitors annually, and is rated as one of the top 200 craft events in the United States. Western Carolina's Mountain Heritage Center provides demonstrations and exhibitions of traditional mountain crafts and skill such as basket making, weaving, quilting, and woodcarving. The Mountain Heritage Center's objective for the Mountain Heritage Day is the linking of generations and helping maintain authentic folk arts of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Vititors to the Mountain Heritage Day can expect music and dance (clogging, fiddle and banjo music, and shape-note singing) as well as crafts, food and fun. Western's 34th annual Mountain Heritage Day will be held on September 27, 2008 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and admission is free.

[edit] Tuition & Fees

• Tuition^[31] (per semester)
  • In-state: $2,505.25
  • Out-of-state/international: $7,296.75

• Residence Halls (per semester, double occupancy)
  • Undergraduate residence halls $1,458
  • Reynolds (Honors College) $1,597
  • Central Drive $1,709
  • Greek Village $2,302

• Meal Plans
  • Freshman meal plan $1,175
  • Upperclassman declining balance meal plans $965-$1,355

• Estimated Costs (per year)
  • In-state: $10,277
  • Out-of-state: $19,860

[edit] Financial Aid & Scholarships

Loans,^[32] grants, and work-study make up the bulk of most students’ financial aid packages. But scholarships don’t have to be repaid and many are merit-based, recognizing achievement in areas in which a students already excel. The university awards nearly $1 million in merit-based scholarships. Many more private scholarships^[33] are provided through the university by donors.

• Other Scholarships
• State Scholarships
  • College Foundation of North Carolina
  • North Carolina Teacher Incentive Program (NC TIP)

[edit] The Future

Designated as a “focused growth institution” by the UNC system,^[34] the university is committed to doubling its enrollment within a decade, while simultaneously increasing the academic quality of its student body. Enrollment growth will occur on the Cullowhee campus (record enrollment in fall 2007) and through expanded course delivery at off-campus sites across the region and through distance education. Western also has been approached by residents of Henderson County and Cherokee County to establish a physical presence to serve the people of those areas of Western North Carolina.

[edit] Notable alumni

• Gerald Austin - NFL referee
• Douglas S. Bailey - Former Executive Vice President for the Windsor Group, and is a senior political officer for Associated Industries of Florida
• James A. Beaty, Jr. - current U.S. District Judge and former nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• Dean Biasucci - Athlete, actor; former placekicker, Indianapolis Colts (NFL)
• Kurt Bonnett - Trumpet player in Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003, World Champions.
• Sean Bridgers - Actor, HBO Original Series “Deadwood” (2004), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Once Upon a Time… When We Were Colored (1995), and Nell (1994).
• Dave Bristol - Former Major League Baseball Manager (Reds , Brewers, Braves, Giants)'
• Jared Burton - Major League Baseball Player- Cincinnati Reds
• Art Byrd - Athlete; First football All-America selection at WCU, 1945
• Ronnie Carr - Basketball Player, made the first three-point field goal in College Basketball history on November 28, 1980
• Kevin Cassels and Tommy Dennison - Musicians with the rock band Mother Vinegar
• Ernest A. Fitzgerald (1947) - a Bishop of the United Methodist Church
• Jerry Gains (1970-75) Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association All-America selection in 1974, also earned All-America honors in baseball and track & field while at WCU
• Mel Gibson (Basketball) - former basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers
• Rich Hall (Comedian)
• Larry Hendricks - President / CEO of Boyles Furniture.
• Michell Hicks - Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
• Brad Hoover - Fullback for the Carolina Panthers (NFL).
• Paul Johnson - Class of 1974 - Head Football Coach at Georgia Tech, Johnson received one of the coaching profession’s most prestigious honors the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award in 2004.
• Tony Jones - (football) Started Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII with the Denver Broncos
• Andrew Jordan - In the NFL for eight seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Henry Logan - Athlete, in 1964 became NC’s first African-American collegiate athlete, and the first to play basketball for a “white” public institution in 1964
• Keith LeClair - Both an athlete and coach at Western Carolina University (Player-1985-88 & Coach-1992-97)
• Kevin Martin - Guard for the Sacramento Kings (NBA)
• David Patten - NFL wide receiver, three-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. Currently with the New Orleans Saints
  View his player profile
• Clyde Simmons - Defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Wayne Tolleson - Athlete; former Major League Baseball player.
• Tony White- President and CEO of Applera Corporation. Graced the cover of Forbes Magazine and was called the 24 billion dollar gene machine.
• Willie Williams - NFL Defensive Back for Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Find more about Western Carolina University on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Dictionary definitions
	Textbooks
	Quotations
	Source texts
	Images and media
	News stories
	Learning resources

• Official site of Western Carolina University
• Official site of Catamount Athletics
• Student Government Association
• Hunter Library
• Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center (Arena)
• The Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University
• The Mountain Heritage Center
• Power 90.5 - WCU's student run radio station
• Undergraduate Admissions Website
• The Western Carolinian (University Newspaper)
• WCU Pride of the Mountains Marching Band
• University of North Carolina-Association of Student Governments

[edit] Maps and Aerial Photos

• Campus Map
• Driving Directions
• Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps.
• Satellite image from Google Local

[edit] Notes