University of North Carolina at Asheville

The University of North Carolina Asheville (known for short as UNC Asheville) is a public liberal arts university in Asheville, North Carolina. It is the designated liberal arts institution in the University of North Carolina System.

History

UNC Asheville was founded in 1927 as Buncombe County Junior College, part of the Buncombe County public school system. In 1930 it merged with the College of the City of Asheville (founded in 1928) to form Biltmore Junior College. In 1934 it became Biltmore College and was put under the control of a board of trustees. 1936 brought both a further change of name to Asheville-Biltmore College and a transfer of power to the Asheville City School Board.

In 1961 Asheville-Biltmore College moved to the present UNCA campus in north Asheville. In 1963 it became a state-supported four-year college, and awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 1966. Its first residence halls were built in 1967. It adopted its current name in 1969 upon becoming part of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, since 1972 called the University of North Carolina System. It is the designated public liberal arts university within that system, and has been classified as a Liberal Arts I institution since 1992.

As of 2005, UNCA has 207 full-time faculty members and an enrollment of approximately 3,400 students. It offers thirty-two baccalaureate programs and a master's degree in liberal arts, first granted in 1991.

Academic Programs

Undergraduate Majors
- Accounting (B.S.)
- Art (B.A., B.F.A)
- Atmospheric Sciences (B.S.)
- Biology (B.S.)
- Chemistry (B.A., B.S.)
- Classics (B.A.)
- Computer Science (B.S.)
- Drama (B.A.)
- Economics (B.A.)
- Environmental Studies (B.S.)
- French (B.A.)
- German (B.A.)
- History (B.A.)
- Interdisciplinary Studies (B.A.)
  - Concentration in Ethics & Social Institutions
- Literature and Language (B.A.)
- Management (B.S.)
- Mass Communication (B.A.)
- Math (B.A.)
- Multimedia Arts & Sciences (B.A.)
- Music (B.A., B.S.)
- Philosophy (B.A.)
- Physics (B.S.)
- Political Science (B.A.)
- Psychology (B.A.)
- Sociology (B.A.)
- Spanish (B.A.)
- Women's Studies (B.A)

Additional Minors
- Africana Studies
- Art History
- Creative Writing
- Dance
- Humanities
- International Studies
- Religious Studies
- Sports Medicine

Administration

Anne Ponder - Chancellor
Mark W. Padilla - Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs
William Haggard - Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
William P. Massey - Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Development
Patricia Hunt - Vice Chancellor for Finance and Campus Operations
Janet Cone - Director of Athletics
Thomas Lawton - University Counsel
Don Locke - Director of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs
Christine Riley - Chief of Staff

Athletics

UNC Asheville's athletics teams are known as the Bulldogs. They are a member of the NCAA's Division I and compete in the Big South Conference. In 2003, the Men's Basketball team won the Big South Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In 2006, the Men's Baseball Team won the Big South Tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

Points of interest

Botanical Gardens at Asheville (adjacent to the campus)

Alumni

UNC Asheville has over 13,000 alumni. Nearly 8,000 live in North Carolina. The rest live in every state and territory and in over 30 nations around the world

Notable Alumni

Roy A. Taylor (Class of 1929) - Member, US Congress ^*
Michael Cogdill (Class of 1984) – Emmy Award-wining Anchor, WYFF-TV
Wilma Dykeman (Class of 1938) – Noted Environmental Author
Zollie Stevenson Jr. (Class of 1975) - Deputy Director, US Department of Education
Pete McDaniel – Senior Writer, Golf Digest Magazine
Kristina Abernathy, on-air meteorologist for The Weather Channel

External links

Liberal arts colleges | University of North Carolina | Buncombe County, North Carolina | Asheville, North Carolina