• Format
  • Publications (documents)
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• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_2013-09-13_Vol79_No01_A03

The Western Carolinian NEWS September 13, 2013 A3 WCU enrollment tops 10k for the first time in history WCU News Service Its official. Total enrollment at Western Carolina University has topped 10,000 students for the first time in the institutions history, a milestone reached in large part because of an increase of five percent- age points in the fresh- man retention rate to nearly 79 percent. Western Carolinas to- tal enrollment for the fall 2013 semester is 10,106, a 5 percent increase over last years tally of 9,608 students. The universitys fresh- man retention rate the percentage of first-time, full-time freshman stu- dents who returned for their sophomore year is 78.7 percent this year, compared to last falls retention rate of 73.7 per- cent. WCU Chancellor David O. Belcher announced the enrollment figures during a special event and reception held at the Central Plaza area on campus Tuesday, Sept. 3. The enrollment record comes as the university is gearing up to mark the 125th anniversary of its founding, Belcher told the large crowd of students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered for the announcement. A yearlong quasquicenten- nial celebration is being planned for the 2014 calendar year. Its amazing to think that when this institu- tion was founded ina one-room schoolhouse in 1889, up there on the hill, it had a grand total of 18 students, he said. To- day, Westerh Carolina has grown to become a major cultural, scientific, economic and education- al force in this region and in our state. Enrollment figures are up across the board, with increases in the numbers of first-time freshmen, undergraduate transfers, graduate students, dis- tance education students and students taking classes at the universitys instructional site at Bilt- more Park, Belcher said. The improving en- rollment and retention numbers are important, he said, because they signify that WCU is doing its part to help increase to 32 percent the number of North Carolinians who have four-year degrees, which is one of the goals of the University of North Carolina system. One of the things I am most pleased to see is that the number of returning students is not just up, but its way up, he said. A larger number of students who started their educations at Western Carolina last August are staying for their sophomore years and beyond. Keeping students enrolled and on track to graduation has become even more important because the UNC sys- tem is moving toward performance-based fund- ing, with graduation and retention rates among the factors that will deter- mine how much money WCU and other universi- ties will receive from the state, he said. In addition, the fact that more students are choosing to attend WCU and are remaining enrolled and on track to graduate also provides evidence of the rising awareness of the univer- sitys academic quality, its value and its focus on student success, Belcher said. Tts an indication of the quality of our academic programs and shows that students want to be here. Frankly, look around you, he said to those attending the announcement on a sunny September day in the mountains. Who wouldnt want to be ata great university located here in paradise? And its a clear indication of the excellent work of our faculty and staff, who are here because they care about students. Although classes began at the university Monday, Aug. 19, enroll- ment numbers are not official until after the 10th day of classes. That is when WCUs Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness com- piles census statistics for reporting to the UNC system. That report indicates that the total number of first-time, full-time fresh- men at WCU this fall is 1,614, a 4 percent increase over last years freshman class of 1,550 students. Undergraduate trans- fer students are up by 7 percent, from 796 last Chancellor Belcher and Paws announce the new numbers. Chancellor Belcher and Paws reveal the precent increase on retention. year to 850 this fall. Total graduate student enrollment this fall is 1,658, a 2 percent bump over last falls number of 1,629. Distance education enrollment has jumped 9 percent, from 1,747 last fall to 1,897 this year. Enrollment in WCUs Programs at Biltmore Park stands at 524 ip this fall, up 3 percent over last years tally of 507. The total number of |: continuing and return- ing students is 6,817, compared to 6,500 last year. Jamie North Staff Writer After months of renovation, the Smokey Mountain Sk8way in Waynesville will, hope- fully, be opening its doors again Sept. 20. Starting Baek i in July, the skate rink purchased a warehouse behind the original building in order to expand,.and expand they have. They have doubled in size ( from 10,000 square feet to 20,000 square feet. Owner Jolynn Bry- ant said that the process has been crazy but well worth it. Tts finally working out, and were excited about all the new ideas. . She went one to say that if there is no more construction then the opening will definitely be happening Sept. 20. The expansions have included doubling the size of the rink, wood floors for the rink, an ex- panded arcade and many surprises. Bryant stated that even after the open- ing they are planning to keep adding new things to the Sk8way. Some of which include laser tag, obstacle course and indoor climbing cube. The expansions have run into some issues, but that is not stopping Bryant from making the Smoky Mountain Sk8way an awesome place. The Sk8way has also expanded its snack bar to provide more food for customers, and the arcades now have ticket redemption. They can now play the arcade games, the games will give them tickets, and they can get prizes from the tickets, said Bryant. The venue is a great place for birthday par- ties, and after the expan- sions there will be many packages, which Bryant is working on, for fami- lies to purchase if they want to have events at the rink. Bryant has also pur- chased over 300 new skates for visitors to rent. They are currently work- ing on new packages, but as of now it is $8 to get in and $2 to rent skates. Dont worry if you dont know how to skate; they - will teach you. On top of the purchas- ing of the 300 skates, the Sk8way also securred parking for over 200 more cars. The Sk8way also offers many different classes. and events. One of the major activities is their Roller Derby team. The Balsam Mountain Roller Girls is Haywood Countys first womens flat track derby league. Any woman ages 18 and up can join and joining costs $40 a month. They practice Sundays and Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Their Junior Roller Derby, for girls under the age of 18, meet Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. Some of the recent events the Sk8way hosted included a Summer Beach Party and Lock-In. The Sk8way had roller skating, dancing, water- balloon fights, beach ball dodge ball and pizza for attendees, which lasted until 6 a.m. This reporter attended a hip-hop/pop dance class hosted by Richard Sanford. The class meets Wednesday at the Sk8way from 4-6 p.m. and Sun- day at the Swain County Recreation Center from 8-5 p.m. and only costs $10. The class i up into three sction: warm-ups/stretching, a challenge dance. T want to show people a different side of what they expect and of dance, said Sanford, who has been dancing for 13 years. Not only are the dances a great work-out, but Sanford also teaches his students why hip hop is different and some of its history. He pulls original choreography together for popular mainstream songs like Poker Face by Lady Gaga and 3 by Britney Spears. The classes end October 27, so get to them while you can! Some of the schedul- ing will change once the Sk8way is reopened again so be on the lookout for those changes. Located at 19025 Great Smoky Mountain Ex- divided | Lex Menz/STAFF Richard Sanford, dance instructor. pressway, Bryant is extremely excited for the re-opening and new fea- tures the rink is bringing to the community. For more information about = the opening and what the Sk8way offers, call 828- . 246-9124. Graduate Tyler Auffhammer Managing Editor The Council on Aca- demic Accreditation (CAA) recently reaccred- ited Western Carolina Universitys graduate program in speech-lan- guage pathology, housed under the Department of Communication Sci- ences and Disorders, for another eight years. The reaccreditation came after a two-day visit by four members of the American Speech Language Hearing As- sociation (ASHA), two academic professors and two field practitioners that are certified for ac- crediting. Department Head Dr. Bill Ogletree said, [Re- accreditation] is a good learning process. It keeps the program as tight as it can be. It helps to make your program better. The CAA, under ASHAs authority, conducts these program reaccreditations to make sure every university that has a graduate pro- gram in speech-language pathology is providing an education that meets its standards. Ogletree said that it is up to each program to meet those standards, which can change from year to year. WCUs Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders works endlessly on an annual self report to ASHA to show what improvements the programs has made to better meet the stan- dards. After the length of the programs reaccredi- tation is up and a site visit is near, the program must conduct a large report detailing and encompassing every- thing from each annual report. Often programs will invite in an industry professional or academic to participate and con- tribute in assembling this large report. During the two-day site visit with academics and professionals trained by ASHA, they read and evaluate the report, pull student files, evaluate curriculum and syllabi, and also interview stu- dents and faculty. If the site visit team feels that the program has improved then they recommend to the CAA that the program receive reaccreditation. In WCUs graduate pro- gram in speech-language pathology, the maximum eight-year reaccredita- tion was granted. Since the program received its initial five-year ac- creditation in 1992, it has received the maximum eight years ever since. Having that maxi- mum eight years re- ally helps to show what a great program we have and also helps with things like recruiting. If you dont get reaccred- ited, then you are placed on probation, which is not a good thing, said Ogletree. The reaccreditation comes for a two-year graduate program that boasts a 100 percent em- ployment rate upon grad- uation and houses about 65 students currently. Out of 300 program ap- plicants last year, only 30 students were accepted. While trained to be speech-language patholo- gists, students enter a wide range of fields from Bill Ogletree, head of WCu's Department of Communication Sciences and Disor- ders, works with a client in the university's Speech and Hearing Clinic. hospitals and rehabilita- tion facilities to schools and private practices. Ogletree called speech- language pathology a lifespan profession, meaning that a profes- sional will be able to work with young chil- dren on speech or swal- lowing therapy as well as mid-life and elderly people who might have had a stroke ora head. injury. Ogletree is proud a ; his department faculty ~ and staff as well as his. students, who have combined their skills and determination to make sure that WCUs graduate program in speech-language pathol-... ogy remains accredited for another eight years.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
  • Text
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 2013-09-13
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 11.5"
  • Pages: 12
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_2013-09-13_Vol79_No01
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library