Faculty Handbook
Section II:
University Organization
& Governance
Section III:
Faculty Governance
Section IV:
Teaching, Research & Service
Section V:
Appointment, Promotion
& Tenure
Section VI:
Salary, Leaves & Benefits
Section VII:
Other University Policies
Section IX:
Organizations, Special Events
& Recreation
Office of the Provost
Section IX: Organizations, Special Events, and Recreation
- University Organizations
- University-Wide Special Events
- Recreational Opportunities
University Organizations
Alumni Association
The Alumni Association held its inaugural meeting in 1894 when graduates of the first class, 1893, returned for their reunion. The Association promotes education, provides continued cultural and educational opportunities for alumni, and builds ties and relationships among alumni. In addition, the Association provides an avenue for alumni input on University concerns and links the University of today and tomorrow with its heritage of excellence and commitment. Through a program of Annual Giving, alumni have provided funds for scholarships, student aid, teaching excellence, student activities, and special academic programs.
The Alumni Association was incorporated in 1909 and is administered by an elected Board of Directors. Membership in the Association is open to any graduate of the University or former student. The Alumni Office, which administers the UNCG Alumni Association, is located in the Alumni House.
The UNCG Alumni Teaching Excellence Awards were established by the Association in 1963. The Alumni Scholars Program was established jointly by the University and the alumni Association in 1962-63.
There are over 82,000 graduates of the institution. Of this number, there are approximately 65,000 still living and with current addresses.
American Association of University Professors
The American Association of University Professors was founded in 1915 to represent the interests of all college and university faculties and continues to be the only national organization exclusively devoted to that purpose. Its primary concerns are academic freedom, regulations concerning promotion and tenure, other aspects of academic due process, faculty participation in institutional governance, and the economic status of the profession. AAUP also represents faculty interests in state and federal legislatures, participates in judicial cases involving academic freedom and tenure issues, and offers various membership benefits and services (including professional liability insurance). The local University chapter and national membership is open to all members of the University with faculty status. Chapter meetings are open to the entire University community, members and non-members alike, and all may avail themselves of the local chapter for consultation about individual questions.
American Association of University Women
The American Association of University Women is the oldest and largest women's organization that has, from its beginning in 1881, worked for educational opportunities for women. AAUW promotes equity for women, education and self-development over the life span, and positive societal change. A variety of pre- and postdoctoral competitive fellowships are available, as are selected professional fellowships and other forms of financial support for women seeking to further their education. Membership in AAUW is not required, in most cases.
The University is affiliated with AAUW through a corporate representative appointed by the Provost. Membership is open to all graduates holding a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution. Five branches in the area hold monthly meetings on different nights of the week.
Friends of the Library
A Friends of the Library group was organized in 1959 to promote the interests of the Walter Clinton Jackson Library and help develop its collections. All members of the faculty as well as members of the community at large are invited to join. Special membership rates are available for the University's students. A brochure with the schedule of dues and an outline of privileges of membership is available through the Administrative Office of the Library.
Musical Arts Guild
The University Musical Arts Guild was formed in 1972 to help support and promote the School of Music. Members encourage attendance at concerts, aid in the development of scholarships, undertake annual project drives, and attend a variety of social and musical events arranged specifically for the Guild. For membership information, contact the School of Music office.
Theatre Angels
The UNCG Theatre Angels was formed in 1960 to provide scholarship support for deserving theatre students. UNCG Theatre Angels sponsor dinners and social events in conjunction with UNCG Theatre productions. Membership is open to faculty and staff as well as to the community at large. Further information is available from the Office of the Department of Theater.
Weatherspoon Museum Association
The Weatherspoon Museum Association was established in 1942 to help support and promote the Weatherspoon Art Museum. The Association raises funds for art acquisitions, promotes Weatherspoon exhibitions and educational programs, and serves as an important link between the Weatherspoon Art Museum and the community at large. Membership is open to the public, and all faculty are invited to join. Members of the Association may also join the Weatherspoon Guild, which provides active educational and volunteer opportunities. The Contemporary Collecting Group offers special events and activities that promote an understanding and appreciation of contemporary art. For more information, contact the Weatherspoon Art Museum.
University-Wide Special Events
Excellence Day
Excellence Day is an annual spring celebration traditionally held on Reading Day to recognize excellence in teaching, research, and service. The afternoon ceremony includes presentation of the Alumni Teaching Awards and the Research Excellence Awards to faculty and the Gladys Strawn Bullard Awards to a faculty member, a staff member, and a student. The evening ceremony, which recognizes academic and service achievement in UNCG students, features the presentation of the Student Excellence Awards.
Alumni Teaching Excellence Awards
The Alumni Teaching Excellence Awards were established to recognize outstanding teaching at this University. Two awards of $2,500 each are given, one to a tenured member of the faculty (associate or full professor) and the other to an untenured faculty member. Nominations are made through established channels by both faculty and students. In making the final selections, the Chancellor is advised by a University committee composed of students and faculty members. A faculty member is not eligible for the award twice within a span of five years.
Research Excellence Awards
The Research Excellence Awards were established to recognize excellence in research at this University. Two awards are given: the junior award for assistant and associate professors in the amount of $4500 and the senior award for full professors in the amount of $7500. The awards are based on three criteria: (1) the importance of the cited contribution to the field, (2) the originality of thought and execution demonstrated, and (3) the pattern of the nominee's research productivity. The awards are usually based upon work accomplished within the past five years at this University, and a person is not eligible for the award twice within a span of five years. A committee appointed each year by the Chancellor reviews the nominations made by other faculty.
Gladys Strawn Bullard Awards
The Gladys Strawn Bullard Awards were established to recognize and reward members of the student body, faculty, and staff who provide outstanding leadership for and service to the University. Three awards of approximately $500 each are given to a student, faculty member, and staff member. Consideration for selection is given to students and members of the faculty and staff who are nominated by their colleagues. Selection of recipients is made by a committee whose membership is appointed by the Chancellor and represents the on-campus constituencies of the University (students, faculty, and staff).
Founders Day
Founders Day is celebrated the first Monday in October to pay tribute to Dr. Charles Duncan McIver and the many able men and women who have followed Dr. McIver since the founding of this institution.
McIver Medal
The Charles Duncan McIver Medal, created in 1983, is normally awarded on Founders Day for recognition of North Carolinians who have rendered unusually distinguished public service to the state or nation. A special committee appointed by the Chancellor presents nominations to the Chancellor who submits them to the Board of Trustees.
Holderness/Weaver Medal
The Holderness/Weaver Medal, created in 1999, is awarded each year for recognition of North Carolinians who have rendered unusually distinguished public service to the community, state, or nation, but who would not be generally prominent or known on a national basis. It is named in honor of Adelaide F. Holderness and H. Michael Weaver, two Greensboro residents who have been longtime supporters of UNCG. The committee appointed by the Chancellor to present nominations for the McIver Medal also presents nominations for this award.
Harriet Elliott Lectures
The Harriet Elliott Lectures in the Social Sciences were established in 1947 as a memorial to Harriet Wiseman Elliott, former professor of political science and Dean of Women. Planned and administered by a faculty-student committee, the lectures are usually delivered by persons of national reputation on current issues of major importance dealing with the problems of humans and society.
FallFest
FallFest is normally celebrated the first weekend in October. The activities associated with FallFest provide opportunities for involvement of alumni and community supporters as well as students, faculty, and staff. These activities encourage school spirit and pride in the institution. Administrative responsibility for FallFest rests with the Division of Student Affairs, Office of Campus Activities and Programs, and with the Division of University Advancement, Office of Alumni Relations.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Special events are held during the third week of January around the time of the nationally celebrated holiday for the slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That week, called King Week, is used as a time to commemorate the contributions of Dr. King. Part of the celebration is the presentation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions in the areas of human relations and community service performed by a UNCG student, faculty, or staff member. The Martin Luther King Award was established at UNCG in 1986 and was first presented in 1987. The award is given in even years to a UNCG student and in odd years to a UNCG faculty or staff member.
Theatres
The Department of Theatre produces four major series of plays: UNCG Theatre, Studio Theatre, UNCG Summer Repertory Theatre, and The North Carolina Theatre for Young People. Each year the department produces 15-16 plays and musicals that vary from the classics to the latest Broadway hits. The fall musical and spring opera are produced in cooperation with the School of Music. The North Carolina Theatre for Young People presents productions both on and off campus through its extensive touring program. In addition, every fall the department hosts the North Carolina Theatre Conference's State Secondary School Play Festival.
University Concert/Lecture Series
Each year the University Concert/Lecture Series (UC/LS) presents a varied program of touring performing arts, including concerts, theatre, and dance. A committee of faculty, staff, and students advises the coordinator of the Series on management and program concerns.
Season tickets are offered to the faculty at reduced rates; tickets for individual performances are available as well. The University Box Office is in Elliott University Center and the School of Music; it is open from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For further information, contact the Associate Director of Student Life.
Weatherspoon Museum
The Weatherspoon Art Museum, located in the award-winning Anne and Benjamin Cone Building at the corner of Spring Garden and Tate Streets, boasts an internationally known permanent collection of nearly 5,000 works of art, primarily by contemporary American artists. Represented are such recognized artists as Willem de Kooning, Alexander Calder, Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Nevelson, and Andy Warhol. Also significant is the Cone Collection of lithographs and bronzes by Henri Matisse and the Dillard Collection of over 500 unique works on paper acquired from the annual Art on Paper exhibition.
The Weatherspoon offers six galleries of changing exhibitions organized by the Museum's curators, either borrowed from other institutions or drawn from the permanent collection. It also presents exhibitions of Department of Art faculty and student work. Faculty members are invited to schedule class tours. Group tours for students or community organizations may be scheduled at no charge by calling the Weatherspoon. In addition, free public docent-led tours are offered monthly. Admission is free to faculty, staff, students, and the general public. Parking behind the Museum is accessible from Tate Street.
In addition to the six exhibition galleries, administrative staff, and art history faculty, the Cone Building houses an auditorium, a classroom, a museum shop, a public atrium, and an outdoor sculpture courtyard. University groups not affiliated with the Weatherspoon or the Department of Art may reserve space for educational and outreach activities (subject to approval) through the Division of Continual Learning. (Alcohol consumption on the premises must be approved by the University.)
The Weatherspoon Art Museum with its membership group, the Weatherspoon Museum Association and its auxiliaries, the Weatherspoon Guild, and the Weatherspoon Contemporary Collecting Group offers volunteer opportunities, docent training, tours, and educational and special events throughout the year; these include opening receptions, lectures, films and videos, presentations of music, dance, and poetry, an after-hours series, social functions, and trips. Organized by the Weatherspoon and the Department of Art, the Falk Visiting Artist Program offers free lectures and exhibitions by artists of national reputation. Children's programs are offered on weekends. Associated membership groups receive regular newsletters, and catalogues and brochures are published in conjunction with exhibitions. Free art videos may be checked out by members of the Guild. The Inside Corner, a museum shop located on the main floor of the Cone Building and staffed by Guild volunteers, offers prints, original pottery and jewelry, books, postcards, a children's corner, and other gift items, which are discounted for museum members and Department of Art faculty.
Recreational Opportunities
Intercollegiate Athletics
The University's intercollegiate athletics program is comprised of 16 teams, all competing at the NCAA Division I level. The teams include men and women's soccer, basketball, tennis, golf, cross country, and enhanced running; men's baseball and wrestling; and women's softball and volleyball. Spartan teams compete in the Southern Conference. Between 1988 and 1991, the program was elevated from the Division III, non-scholarship level, through Division II, and then to Division I. UNCG has intercollegiate athletics facilities that include a 2,320-seat spectator gymnasium in the Health and Human Performance Building, a 3,540-seat soccer stadium, a 900-seat baseball stadium, and tennis and softball facilities. Faculty members are able to purchase discounted season tickets for all sporting events in which admissions fees are charged. There is also a faculty/staff athletic event pass that can be used for all home games. For additional information, contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 334-3250.
Piney Lake Field Campus
Piney Lake is a 40-acre field campus located eight miles south of Greensboro. The facility includes two lakes, one for swimming and canoeing and the other for fishing. A picnic pavilion with picnic tables and BBQ grills is located next to the beach and swimming area. Other recreational activities include sunbathing, volleyball, horseshoes, table tennis, and hiking. A lodge and eight sleeping cabins capable of accommodating 64 people are also available. The School of Health and Human Performance uses the field campus for instructional programs in camping and outdoor/environmental education as do other departments or schools for instructional work in outdoor laboratories. Piney Lake is also availiable by reservation for student organizational meetings, staff retreats or departmental outings.
For more information about Piney Lake, call the Campus Recreation Office at 336-334-4273.
Student Recreation Center
The Department of Campus Recreation provides a wide variety of recreational programs and facilities for the UNCG community. The Student Recreation Center, built in 1992, includes a three-court gymnasium, two weight rooms, six racquetball courts, an indoor track, a cardio workout area, the Edge (indoor rock climbing wall), an outdoor equipment rental center, and a Sauna in both the men and women's locker rooms. An indoor swimming pool is available in the HHP Building for daily lap swim. Outdoor facilities include the Team QUESt challenge course, ten tennis courts, recreation fields, a golf practice area, and a sand volleyball court.
A membership to the Student Recreation Center entitles each member the use of all recreational facilities, along with aerobic classes, lap swimming, rock climbing at the Edge, private and open shower/locker rooms, a daily towel and locker key, recreational equipment, and the Sauna in each locker room. Programs that are also available, but require a small fee, include Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan, a fitness assessment, Team QUESt Challenge Course, trips with the Outdoor Adventures Program, semester locker rentals, and CPR and First Aid classes. Students and professional staff are available to assist members during fitness workouts or recreational activities.
Family Weekend hours are available to a member's spouse and children for free and begin on Fridays at 5:00 p.m. and continue through building hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Parents must stay with their children in the facility when recreating during Family Weekend hours.
Campus Recreation Programs include the following: Team QUESt Challenge Course, located at Piney Lake, involves a system of low and high elements that are used to enhance the facilitation of activities that strengthen teambuilding skills, improve self-esteem, and develop positive group dynamics. Trained facilitators assist the group throughout the events to ensure a productive and fun ½ day or daylong set of activities. Outdoor Adventures offers outdoor trips in hiking, rock climbing, river kayaking, ocean kayaking, biking, and caving. Trips are scheduled for trips in North Carolina, the southeast region, and across the United States. Fitness Programs offer aerobic classes, weight room instruction and orientation, Spinning classes, fitness assessments, Tai Chi, Yoga, and water aerobics. Intramural Sports provide opportunities for team and individual participation in flag football, basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, golf, special events, and much more. Club Sports are student-run sports activities that offer students an opportunity to practice with each other on campus and, at times, compete against other university club programs.
The Recreation Center is one of the most complete fitness facilities in the State of North Carolina and is open many hours of the day to accommodate all fitness needs. Memberships are available to UNCG faculty, staff, and their spouses. UNCG employees may sign up for memberships and programs at the Recreation Center Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The Spartan Club
The Spartan Club is the booster organization supporting UNCG's Division I Athletic Program. It is responsible for raising scholarship funding to support over 250 student-athletes competing in 16 sports. The Club operates under the auspices of The UNCG Excellence Foundation and is a department of the Division of University Advancement.
The Spartan Club was formed in 1987 and its membership of 1000 is represented by alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the University. The Spartan Club has 18 named athletic scholarships, and its endowment has a market value of over $4 million. The goal of the Spartan Club is to provide all student-athletes with scholarship assistance.