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State teaching center in Cullowhee could be shuttered by budget cuts

fr nccatThe North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching in Jackson County had its funding slashed in half in 2011, and this year, Raleigh may finish the job.

Cullowhee hitches its college-town dreams to the Tuckasegee River

fr riverparkLackluster at best and run-down at worst, it’s no question the has-been commercial district on Western Carolina University’s doorstep needs a life line.

Battle over degrees at WCU could heat up

coverWestern Carolina University is grappling with whether to cut unpopular or obsolete majors, posing a conundrum as it and other universities examine their deeper role in society: to provide a well-rounded, liberal arts education or steer students toward degrees in promising career fields?

The curriculum at Western Carolina University is fluid — every year, degrees are added and subtracted from its list of offerings to meet shifts in student demand.

Bringing a world of art into your own backyard

art frFor Norma Hendrix, it’s all about connecting the dots.

“I love working in a community of artists,” she said. “I really like pulling all of those dots together, where you create a sense of community with the energy of people working side-by-side.”

Controlled Chaos Film Festival comes to Cullowhee

art filmfestFilms created by Western Carolina University students will be screened at the fifth annual Controlled Chaos Film Festival at 7 p.m. Friday, May 3, in the Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at WCU.

WCU invites student and faculty input on campus master plan

fr wcuplanWestern Carolina University is open to suggestions — from students, faculty and the general public — as it undergoes a campus-wide planning process that will steer infrastructure at the institution for the coming decade.

In search of the right word: Literary icons to converge on WCU

art frShowcasing the finest in Southern Appalachian and national writing talent, the Western Carolina University Spring Literary Festival comes into its 20th year with bevy of events, author appearances, readings and talks from April 8-11.

WCU study to determine faculty satisfaction rate

Employees at Western Carolina University are distilling the recently released results of a Harvard University study to see if regional comprehensive universities have lower faculty satisfaction rates.

What makes you stay: Survey evaluates faculty experience at WCU

coverEvery three years, Western Carolina University gets a report card.

It does not prescribe the university an A, B, C or even F, but the report does tell WCU what it does right and where it needs to improve. Then, it instructs the university to do better.

“It’s not ‘this is your grade’ and you’re done,” said Mark Lord, WCU’s interim associate provost. “It’s really supposed to be a call to action.” 

Riverside development proposed in Cullowhee

A large residential development proposed near Western Carolina University could boost Cullowhee’s revitalization movement and cater to the region’s professional crowd seeking an outdoor lifestyle, but its proximity to the Tuckasegee River has also attracted criticism from area environmentalists.

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