The University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNC Asheville), a nationally recognized public liberal arts institution known for its innova-

tive undergraduate research and exceptional faculty-student mentoring, is

launching a national search for a chief advancement officer. The Vice Chan-

cellor for Advancement, who also serves as the Executive Director of the UNC

Asheville Foundation and a member of the Chancellor’s Senior Staff, will

forge strong partnerships with the Chancellor, Senior Staff, Trustees and the

Foundation Board to solidify broader support for the University. UNC Asheville

is seeking a proven development leader with the capacity to strategically build

upon the University’s past success in fundraising by creatively engaging its

alumni and community supporters and to utilize its many untapped assets.

Vice Chancellor for AdvancementAnnouncing a national search for

S E A R C H P R O S P E C T U S » N O V E M B E R 2 0 11

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An Overview of UNC AshevilleAs the only designated liberal arts campus within the University of North Carolina System, UNC Asheville provides a distinctive intellectual undergraduate experience that is featured routinely in every major college ranking for high quality faculty-student interactions, an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and discovery, and its nationally-acclaimed undergraduate research program. Combining this unique curriculum with internship, service learning, and study abroad opportunities enriches a wide array of co-curricular activities and helps students find practical applications for their education in the classroom. UNC Asheville is committed to a liberal arts curriculum that develops critical thinking, clear and thoughtful expression and honest, open inquiry. UNC Asheville challenges students to explore the connections among disciplines and pursue active engagement with the world. The University is actively engaged with the Greater Asheville community in important areas such as health & wellness and climate and technology. UNC Asheville has, for decades, furnished North Carolina’s economy with highly accomplished thinkers, negotiators, planners, collaborators, and problem-solvers of today and tomorrow. The University fulfills its outreach mission through a number of innovative centers, partnerships, and initiatives. UNC Asheville also incorporates key strategic themes, such as economic, social and environmental sustainability into its institutional practices and curriculum.

Founded in 1927 as Buncombe County Junior College, the institution underwent several name changes, mergers, and moves before relocating in 1961 to its present 265-acre campus in north Asheville at the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Today, UNC Asheville enrolls about 3,400 students and awards the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees with 30 programs in the arts, humanities, natural and social sciences, and selected pre-professional programs, all of which are solidly grounded in the liberal arts. Through collaboration with North Carolina State University, a unique Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Mechatronics) is available, as is a more traditional 2+2 engineering program. To enhance and extend the undergraduate programs, UNC Asheville also offers an interdisciplinary Master of Liberal Arts degree.

UNC Asheville’s clear educational advantages include deeply committed faculty who interact closely with students in an uncommonly supportive campus community. The University makes excellence in teaching its first priority, while valuing faculty scholarship and service as integral to the quality of the rigorous and interdisciplinary educational program. Full-time faculty total 211, ensuring an intimate learning environment where the average class size is 19 and the student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. Approximately 85 percent of the full-time faculty hold terminal degrees; individual faculty members have been widely recognized for their scholarship, publications, and creative accomplishments, as well as for their ability to attract educational grant support.

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UNC Asheville Vice Chancellor for Advancement Search Prospectus

This intensely personal learning environment inspires well-prepared students to explore diverse interests in order to discover their full personal and intellectual potential. The average weighted GPA of this year’s freshman class was 4.0. The student body (58 percent women and 42 percent men), is largely from North Carolina (82 percent), as required by North Carolina statute. Out-of-state students are drawn from 42 states and 19 countries. Since 1973, 34 Fulbright Scholarships have been awarded to UNC Asheville students. Students have also gained recognition as Goldwater and Rotary International scholarship winners.

UNC Asheville is highlighted annually in all the major college rankings, including U.S. News & World Report’s list of the Top 10 Public Liberal Arts Universities in America. Citing value and affordability, UNC Asheville is listed in Fiske Guide to Colleges’ “Best Buys,” Kiplinger’s “Best Values,” Forbes “Top 100 Best Buy Colleges,” and Bankrate.com’s “Ten Best Colleges for the Money.” The Princeton Review includes UNC Asheville in its “50 Best Public Colleges.” The University’s Undergraduate Research Program has been ranked among the best in the nation for nine consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report’s “American’s Best Colleges.”

UNC Asheville supports a variety of projects in a lively alliance with the vibrant city of Asheville (population of 70,000) and nearby metro areas (population of 391,000). In fact, The Princeton Review recently listed UNC Asheville as one of 20 institutions nationwide that are located in “Great College Towns.” The new N.C. Center for Health & Wellness, a statewide hub for the coordination and promotion of health-living initiatives for the State is housed in the new $41 million multi-purpose Wilma M. Sherrill Center, which is the largest and newest building on the campus. The University’s nationally acclaimed North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement offers numerous programs that enhance the quality of life for the region’s community of vibrant older adults. In an effort to foster new regional economic development, the University collaborates in the community’s Asheville HUB Project, with particular involvement in the project’s technology and rejuvenation initiatives.

Over 40 advanced degree programs from four universities in the UNC System are available to Asheville area residents through the University’s Asheville Graduate Center. The University also contributes to the improvement of K-12 education in North Carolina through its established teacher education program, which offers advanced courses online for lateral entry teachers who seek alternative licensure. The University also participates in the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program through which UNC Asheville students commit to launching their teaching careers in North Carolina. In addition, the UNC Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy has begun its first year of hosting its doctoral program on UNC Asheville’s campus, a city/county/UNC/community partnership developed to attract doctorally-prepared pharmacists to Western North Carolina.

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Program HighlightsSeveral special initiatives enrich the UNC Asheville academic offering and illustrate the vitality of the educational program:

» Integrative Liberal Studies Program (ILS)—The program, incorporating Integrative Topical Clusters and Liberal Studies Intensives, invites students to deepen their understanding of complex contemporary issues through interdisciplinary topics and courses.

» Humanities Program—The 43-year-old Humanities Program, one of America’s oldest and most admired, was originally organized to be at the core of each undergraduate’s education and is a central part of the Integrative Liberal Studies Program.

» Undergraduate Research Program (URP)—A founding member of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in 1986, UNC Asheville continues to set the pace for student-led, faculty mentored undergraduate research. The URP encourages collaboration between faculty and students in any discipline on original and often publishable research. Each year, UNC Asheville students present their work at the University’s Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creativity. From this program, approximately 25 students are chosen each year to participate in the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Through a grant from the Mellon Foundation, UNC Asheville faculty is engaged in assisting other faculty throughout the region in implementing undergraduate research programs on their campuses.

» Service Learning—The practice of linking academic coursework to community service is becoming an increasingly important facet of UNC Asheville’s curricular offerings. Supporting this development is the existing participation of students, faculty, and staff in more than 100 organized community service activities at UNC Asheville each year. The Key Center for Community Citizenship and Service Learning takes the lead in these activities.

» Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)—The CTL was founded in 1995 to help faculty at all career stages reflect on their professional and personal life goals, and to investigate means of attaining these goals. Special emphasis is placed on the teaching, scholarship, service, and administrative dimensions of the academy.

» SAIL Program—A hallmark of student life at UNC Asheville is the SAIL program (Student Activities and Integrative Learning), designed to enrich the academic, personal, and social development of students and to encourage an empowered community of learners.

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The Campus CommunityUNC Asheville offers a lively campus community which is enriched by the attractions of the city and the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One-third of students live on campus, and another one-third live within a one mile radius of the campus. More than 60 clubs and organizations at UNC Asheville help to educate the whole student. The Outdoor Program provides diverse opportunities to expand horizons through personal growth, social interactions and environmental understanding. In addition, UNC Asheville Outdoors fosters the development of leadership skills and outdoor ethics in our student leaders and participants. Honor and service societies, sororities and fraternities, drama and musical groups, 10 club sports and 14 NCAA Division I sports, a strong Student Government organization, the student newspaper, and an arts journal are all part of the University’s co-curricular fabric. The area’s natural laboratories and recreational sites are used by UNC Asheville for both work and play.

The Bulldog Athletics program at UNC Asheville has had impressive success in athletics, academics and community outreach. The men’s basketball team won the most recent Big South Conference (BSC) Championship and competed in the NCAA Tournament. Baseball, Women’s Basketball and Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams posted excellent rankings in the BSC. A growing number of its 185 student-athletes have received recognition for their academic achievements by being inducted in special clubs and honor rolls and by winning scholarships. Student-athletes, including those from under-represented groups, graduate at a similar or higher rate than the general student body. With an active commitment to give back to the community, the Athletic Department and Student-Athletes partnered with nearly 20 community organizations during the course of 2010–11. Under the motto “Champions in Athletics and Leaders in Life,” the Department believes that “the combination of a strong, liberal arts education combined with multi-dimensional athletics experiences will foster long-term community and professional accomplishments by our student-athletes after they graduate.” The Bulldogs fundraising total of $375,370 and scholarships of $1.7 million for all sports in 2010–11 reflected a well led, highly respected and successful program.

The Strategic Plan and Campus Master Plan ProcessThree key themes define the focus of UNC Asheville’s Strategic Plan: Public Responsibility, Liberal Arts and Long-Term Sustainability. At the center of UNC Asheville’s strategic plan is the desire to serve as a standard of excellence in public liberal arts education. This is achieved by emphasizing interdisciplinary undergraduate learning, promoting exceptional faculty-student mentoring, assuring a robust undergraduate research program and involving students in a vibrant campus learning experience. Through these academic achievements and a commitment to diversity and inclusion,

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the University seeks to fulfill its public responsibility to North Carolina’s students, the State’s economy, and the Greater Asheville community. The plan sees a commitment to sustainability as another means of connecting and fulfilling its academic and public roles. It identifies specific goals in social, economic and environmental sustainability on campus and in the greater community. Increasing private fundraising is a focus of the University’s economic sustainability goal. The University’s strategic planning Dashboard publicly measures its achievement against its targeted goals. It has established an institutional effectiveness process to assure the alignment of its assessment plans with evolving strategic planning processes.

UNC Asheville plans to have a new Campus Master Plan by the fall of 2012. Since the fall of 2010, it has been actively engaged in an inclusive process with a large group of stakeholders to develop guiding principles, study alternative financial and enrollment projections, and complete the evaluation of current facilities toward the development of a comprehensive Campus Master Plan.

The Operational Budget and EndowmentsIn 2010, UNC Asheville’s operating expenses were $76.3 million. Approximately 60% of the operations were devoted to instruction, academic support, student services, financial aid and institutional support. In that same year, UNC Asheville derived 37% of its revenues from state appropriations and another 15% from tuition and fees. Capital gifts and grants brought in 24% of revenues, while non-capital gifts and grants another 10%. In a period of declining state resources and concern about increasing pressure on tuition, the University is placing more emphasis on private giving and public/private partnerships to support academic initiatives and facilities. UNC Asheville raised $3.2 million in 2010, a level consistent with their fundraising 2006 and 2007. Higher levels were achieved in 2008 and 2009 ($4.6 and $9.4 million, respectively) through fundraising for specific capital needs. In 2010, approximately 12% of gifts came from alumni and parents, while another 16% was provided by other individuals. Foundations and corporations contributed 62% of the total.

The UNC Asheville Foundation Endowment and the UNC Asheville University Endowment together had a market value as of June 30, 2011 of $27.8 million. These funds are invested with UNC Management Company. The UNC Asheville Board of Trustees and the UNC Asheville Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors are responsible for overseeing these funds. Approximately $1 million will be expended from income from the endowments in 2011 for professorships, scholarships, awards, departmental support and other special programs.

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During the past five years, UNC Asheville has built impressive new facilities with a combination of state and private funding. The $32 million Zeis Science and Multimedia Building and the $41 million Wilma M. Sherrill Center are among the most recent.

Organization of Advancement ActivitiesChancellor Anne Ponder has played a prominent role in the rise in UNC Asheville’s reputation, visibility and growing private support. She is an advocate for a comprehensive advancement program that is well articulated to the University’s strategic goals. The Development, Alumni Relations and University Events, and Communications and Marketing Departments are currently units of the Chancellor’s Division with directors reporting either to the Chancellor or her Chief of Staff.

Chancellor Ponder has recently retained Dr. Donald Gray, a nationally-known advancement leader and a former senior vice president of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, to serve as the Interim Executive Director of the Foundation and to coordinate the advancement area during 2011–12. Dr. Gray will provide support to the UNC Asheville Foundation Board, advise the Development Committee of the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees and help steward the search for the new Vice Chancellor. Chancellor Ponder, with Dr. Gray’s assistance, will be strategically realigning the development infrastructure and strengthening capacity of advancement efforts during this transitional year. The new Vice Chancellor will have the opportunity to build upon these accomplishments and the program’s future potential to fulfill the University’s need for sustained growth in private support.

Development advances the University’s private giving program under the leadership of the interim Executive Director of the UNC Foundation and is currently managed with the support of nine staff positions, including: Director of Development, Director of Annual Fund, Director of Advancement Services, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Major Gifts Officers (two positions), Database Assistants (two positions), and Executive Assistant/Stewardship Coordinator. The Family Business Forum, a resource for family-owned businesses, has recently been added to the development office with an additional staff member. UNC General Administration also provides centralized support for development efforts to the 17 campuses. Currently, the Annual Fund is availing itself of centrally-coordinated direct mail services out of the General Administration.

The Director of Development focuses on the Individual Giving Program (special gifts, major gifts and planned gifts), which has had a strong history of attracting gifts to fund scholarships. Recent database screening by Target America and a newly defined prospect management system will help

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staff to increase prospect engagement and communicate newly-identified University priorities. The Annual Fund implemented a new definition for 2011 and with new leadership has initiated in-house calling by students and a new tracking report. The Director of Annual Fund plans to increase personalized cultivation and use of social networking. The program has set goals to increase its alumni and parents participation rates, which have declined during the current economic downturn (currently at 6.3%). Corporate and Foundation Relations now has a dedicated staff person to coordinate strong existing corporate and foundation relationships across the campus and partner with various University offices to develop new relationships and partnerships. Advancement Services has a solid foundation in using Banner Advancement but plans to improve alumni data, provide basic prospect research and integrate the prospect management system.

Alumni Relations and University Events provides leadership and staff support to the UNC Asheville Alumni Association and is responsible for organizing all major University events, including those at the University-owned Chancellor’s residence. A Director leads a four-member staff and provides support to an 18-member National Alumni Council. The Council, in additional to providing counsel to the Chancellor, helps alumni and friends of UNC Asheville to increase University resources and support. With 17,000 graduates, UNC Asheville has a young alumni base (three-quarters received their degrees in the last 20 years and the average age is just 40 years old.) One-third of all alumni live in the greater Asheville area, providing a strong geographical base for the growth of the program. Like many alumni programs, UNC Asheville is trying to increase the engagement of alumni in their 30’s and 40’s as well as current students. The office has strong partnerships with the development, admissions and career offices. This function currently reports to the Chancellor, and is expected to transition to the new Vice Chancellor for Advancement once that person is hired.

Communication and Marketing is charged with providing research-based strategies for promoting the university with both internal and external constituencies and strengthening the University’s identity, image and reputation. The Office has seven staff, who produce print, multi-media and web-based materials, conduct the University’s news services and media relations program and provide communications advice to other units. The Office produces the UNC Asheville Magazine and materials for the Office of Admissions, UNC Asheville Foundation, the Office of the Chancellor and other campus constituents. The University has recently invested in significant market research and a new branding initiative, which will provide a cohesive and unique message, as well as look and feel, to all future communications from the campus. This function currently reports to the Chief of Staff and coordinates closely with the Advancement team.

Advancement at UNC Asheville is also assisted by a strong Athletics Department, which has strong community ties and a highly-successful fundraising program. The Director of Athletics has been a

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catalyst in many campus-wide development efforts and with the Chancellor effectively works with an involved cadre of volunteer leaders (Trustees, Foundation Board Members, Bulldog Athletic Association members, and members of the National Alumni Council) to increase the University’s profile in the community and attract major private support for the campus.

Opportunities for Advancement LeadershipUNC Asheville has an enviable array of assets to deploy as it seeks to strengthen its visibility, community support and private fundraising. With its reputation for academic excellence, its leadership role among public liberal arts campuses, multiple recognized outreach programs for the Asheville community and the State, and young alumni base in the region, UNC Asheville can be creatively positioned to ensure the growth of its advancement program. A beautifully-sited campus with many state-of-the-art facilities is increasingly attracting the involvement and support of the greater Asheville community. Asheville’s growing arts, business, recreation and retirement communities provide a host of potential partners as the University seeks to broaden its base of support. This young advancement program has many impressive achievements. The fact that it is moving forward under expert guidance is an extra benefit. The importance of advancement to the Chancellor and the entire leadership team of the University create momentum for the program and attractive opportunities for the next Vice Chancellor. A new branding initiative will help tell the story of this unique and seriously creative academic enterprise. Clearly set priorities for fundraising around student scholarships, faculty support and academic programs provide a compelling message for engagement with alumni and community supporters.

The next chief advancement officer will:

» Creatively utilize UNC Asheville’s assets and potential to strengthen advancement

» Enrich UNC Asheville’s culture of philanthropy and inspire wider participation in campus outreach and fundraising efforts

» Engage the Greater Asheville and North Carolina community to foster a deeper understanding of UNC Asheville’s distinct value and impact

» Provide leadership to the UNC Asheville Foundation and serve as the Foundation’s Executive Director

» Sustain UNC Asheville’s excellence and provide for its future by focusing immediate fund raising efforts on critical support for endowed professorships and student scholarships

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» Build and align the advancement infrastructure; support and mentor creative advancement professionals

» Strategically position the advancement program for long-term growth by expanding the breadth and depth of support from the alumni, parents, faculty and staff, and the community

» Grow the University’s endowment to support the long-term goals of the University

» Assist with the overall leadership of the University by serving collaboratively on the Chancellor’s Senior Staff.

Desired Attributes of the New Vice ChancellorUNC Asheville is seeking:

» An advancement professional with significant leadership experience and demonstrated success in fundraising

» An effective advocate for higher education with a deep commitment to a public liberal arts university and a capacity to effectively communicate with diverse constituencies on behalf of UNC Asheville

» A strategic, innovative manager with the ability to build consensus, delegate and mentor staff, and provide direction and support to the UNC Asheville Foundation Board

» A fundraising professional with knowledge of how alumni, communications and marketing programs contribute most effectively to a successful university advancement program

» A leader with strong interpersonal skills who can build authentic, lasting relationships within the University and the greater community, and bring people together at the appropriate time to achieve common goals.

» A trusted advancement advisor to the Chancellor, Trustees, and the University community.

» A seasoned professional with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, with preference for an advanced degree. A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible development experience within a comprehensive advancement program is required, with leadership experience within higher education highly valued.

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The Application ProcessThe Search Committee will begin screening applications in December. Although application materials will be accepted until an appointment is made, candidates should submit materials by January 3, 2012, for the most favorable consideration. An appointment is anticipated by March 2012, although the start date could occur between May 1 and July 1, 2012, depending on the commitments of the selected candidate.

Applications should include a letter of interest that responds to the opportunities for advancement leadership at UNC Asheville and the desired attributes for the position; a complete resume or vita; and five professional references with e-mail and telephone numbers (references will not be contacted without prior authorization from the applicant).

All applications will be considered in full confidence and should be submitted electronically (MS word or Adobe PDF) to: UNCAshevilleAdvance@agbsearch.com

The search is being assisted by:

Dr. Thomas B. Courtice Ms. Judith B. WardSenior Consultant Senior ConsultantAGB Search AGB Searchtbc@agbsearch.com jbw@agbsearch.com614-395-3229 202-215-8519

For additional information about UNC Asheville, please visit its website at www.unca.edu.

The University of North Carolina Asheville is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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