Appalachian State University
Watauga College
Address: Living Learning Center
City: Boone
State: NC
Zip or Postal Code: 28608
Country: USA
Program Director (or best person to contact): David Huntley
Email: huntleyde@appstate.edu
Phone: 828/262-2417
Fax: 828/262-6400
Web Address: http://www.ids.appstate.edu/watauga/
Brief Program Summary
Watauga College is an interdisciplinary program of general
education in a residential college setting. Students take a
total of 21 semester hours in English, the social sciences,
and the humanities to fulfill specific requirements.
Watauga College is housed in the newly formed University College. 100 freshmen enter the program each fall
and complete their requirements in either semester of
their junior year. The diverse mix of students shares
the traits of creativity, curiosity, tolerance, and the
desire to be part of an alternative educational program.
Sources of funding
Watauga College is funded as the campus-wide general education program. Faculty from a variety of departments teach in the program on a rotating basis, with a three-year minimum commitment.
Program Reports To:
The Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.
Are students charged an additional fee: Yes
The number of persons in each of the following categories are teaching academic credit bearing courses
Fulltime Tenured Faculty: 0
Fulltime Probationary Faculty: 0
Fulltime Instructors: 0
Fulltime Retired Faculty: 0
Fulltime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Fulltime Graduate Students: 0
Fulltime Residence Hall Staff: 10
Parttime Tenured Faculty: 5-6
Parttime Probationary Faculty: 0
Parttime Instructors: 4-5
Parttime Retired Faculty: 0
Parttime Adjunct Faculty: 1-2
Parttime Graduate Students: 0
Parttime Residence Hall Staff: 0
Academic staff involved in the program that weren't included as faculty above
(Academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing academic services to students such as advising.)
Fulltime Academic Staff: 2
Parttime Academic Staff: 0
Non-academic staff involved in the program
(Non-academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing services that do not directly involve academics such as residence hall staff or staff who organize social activities that are not tied to academics.)
Fulltime Non-Academic Staff: 1
Parttime Non-Academic Staff: 0
Number of faculty offices in the residence hall: 0
The approximate percentage of students in each grade level
First Year: 55
Second Year: 45
Third Year: 0
Fourth Year and above: 0
Graduate Students: 0
Total Number of Students: 200
Year the Program Began:1972
Academic Courses Offered In The Community
Local Investigations: required 6-hour freshmen core class in the fall.
Global Investigations: required 6-hour freshmen core class in the spring.
Tangents: 3-hour classes for sophomores (minimum of 2 required: 5-6 offered).
Seminar: 3-hour junior-level seminar for juniors (minimum of 1 required: 4-6 offered).
Other Academic Offerings
Student-facilitated Edible Schoolyard class (2 credit hours each semester)
Classrooms in hall
9
Summary of Facilities and Facilities Budget The Living Learning Center (312 beds) houses Watauga College students, North Carolina Teaching Fellows, the Language and Culture Community, and degree-seeking and exchange international students.
Computer Resources in the Residence Hall
PC and Mac lab on first floor; all room wired for internet (two ports per room).
The Role of Community Partnerships
Students in the fall core class do group projects based on their academic work and service work within the community of Boone and Watauga County.
The Role of Leadership Development
Students participate in the Watauga Assembly, which plans
events and manages the $10,000 budget generated by the $100
fee for freshmen.
The Role of Research
The fall and spring core classes require extensive group research projects, presented at the LLC Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors in December and at the University Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors in April.
Summary of Assessment Activities
Each class is evaluated at the semester's end. New classes
are also evaluated at mid-term. Team-teaching and peer
observation keep an eye on instructors. A much more comprehensive and ongoing assessment is in the works.
Summary of Extracurricular Activities Formally Associated with the Program
Freshmen do service-learning projects in the fall as part of the core class. They are active in the residence hall management through a variety of committees, fund-raisers, international meals, etc.
The Role of Interdisciplinary Studies
The fall and spring core classes are team-taught: 4 instructors teach a common class for all 100 freshmen and each instructor teaches a linked class for 25 of the freshmen. A curriculum committee examines all courses, which are topically focused rather than discipline focused.
How Diversity Issues are Addressed in the Program and in Courses
Because we recruit a diverse group of students and have the
reputation for being diverse, we rarely address it overtly.
Our students seem both proud and fascinated to be part of
such a group. There is an amazingly high level of respect
and tolerance for differences.
How Diversity Issues are Addressed Among Faculty and Students
Student Demographics
Estimated average SAT among Watauga Freshmen: 1200
Age: typical for college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors
Gender: we try to have a gender balance but it's harder to
recruit males these days.
Race/ethnicity: 8% non-white (compared with 3% at
Appalachian State University)
Socioeconomic level: upper middle class
Family education level: 95% of our students have college-
educated parents.
Faculty Rewards for Participation in the Program
Release Time:
Salary Supplement:
Travel Funds:
Other: yes
Description of Other Rewards
The opportunity to teach special topics
Disciplines Represented by the Faculty
All disciplines except math
Willing to Serve as a Consultant:
Yes
Greatest Challenges for this Learning Community:
As of fall 2008 Watauga College will not have a permanent faculty as it has for 36 years. Some departments are reluctant to release faculty for 3-6 hours per semester, and this will remain an issue until the culture of departmental and program cross-overs is established.
Suggested Bibliography