NCSU'S STRENGTHS
North Carolina State University has established a strong base on which to
build an outstanding future. NCSU has excellent faculty and students, quality
undergraduate and graduate programs, and effective research, extension and
outreach activities. Since World War II, through rapid expansion in size of
the faculty and student body and in diversity and comprehensiveness of the
curriculum, a "state college" has become a major, research-intensive
university, with faculties in the arts and sciences aspiring to the same
levels of excellence and recognition already reached by their colleagues in
agriculture and in technical fields.
NCSU faculty demonstrate their excellence through such measures as election to
national academies; receipt of competitive grants, contracts, and fellowships;
and service in professional organizations as outstanding practitioners and
leaders of their professions and disciplines. NCSU students demonstrate their
excellence through such measures as scores on standardized tests; scores on
professional qualifying examinations; admission to distinguished graduate
and professional schools upon graduation; and receipt of nationally
competitive fellowships.
The excellence of NCSU's academic programs is shown by national rankings and
competitive admissions. Many programs in engineering, design, textiles,
agriculture, veterinary medicine, physical and life sciences, education, and
forest resources are consistently regarded as national leaders in their
fields. Programs in the humanities, social sciences, and management are
rapidly achieving similar recognition.
The awarding of grants and contracts, voting of state and national financial
support, and the receipt of awards demonstrates the excellence of research and
extension activities at NCSU.
NCSU also demonstrates special strengths in all areas of institutional
functioning. These strengths form the basis for the University's
aspirations to preeminence as a comprehensive research-intensive university in
the land-grant tradition.
NCSU has a strong Mission Statement, recently prepared as a result of thorough
review and participation by all campus constituencies. This Mission Statement
accurately reflects the character of the institution and its distinctive
combination of basic and professional degree programs within a broad range
of disciplines, together with its commitment to research and public
service.
NCSU's Mission Statement effectively ties together the threefold land-grant
mission, describing research and scholarly inquiry as forming the basis for
academic programs at all levels and for outreach and extension programs.
Self-study surveys indicate broad institutional consensus about the nature
of the University and deep commitment to its mission.
NCSU's planning process is clearly tied to budget and to an ongoing program of
assessment. New initiatives to broaden access to information are under
way. NCSU's planning process is outcomes-oriented, and NCSU's Office of
University Planning and Analysis is making rapid progress in helping all units
in the University implement outcomes assessment.
NCSU's educational mission is at the center of all University activities.
NCSU's administrative mechanisms ensure the quality of all its degree programs
and of supporting facilities and services. NCSU is committed to providing
access to higher education for all qualified students, and has made a strong
institutional commitment to racial, ethnic, gender, and cultural diversity.
NCSU has strong undergraduate academic programs in all disciplines,
combining the University's traditional excellence in technical and applied
fields with developing strengths in the arts and sciences.
The largest of any university in North Carolina, NCSU has a well-qualified
undergraduate student body. The average SAT score (1071) of its entering
students consistently ranks second highest among public universities and
fourth highest among all universities in the state. NCSU's faculty and
administrators are committed to undergraduate education and strive to
integrate undergraduate education with NCSU's research and service
activities.
NCSU has made a long-term commitment to undergraduate education, and is
currently implementing strengthened general education requirements and
enhancing the quality of its computer services for students.
Since World War II NCSU has emerged as a national center for graduate
education, now offering master's or doctoral degrees in over ninety fields,
both traditional and interdisciplinary.
NCSU has a number of nationally recognized professional master's programs
and a significant number of doctoral programs ranked in the top 10 percent
nationally. Its Investment in Graduate Education initiative has set a goal of
doubling the number of nationally recognized doctoral programs by the end of
the century and strengthening the professional master's programs.
NCSU is recognized nationally and statewide for its excellent research,
outreach, and extension programs. NCSU's administrative support for
research and extension activities seeks to improve the balance between
research and extension activities by establishing a continuum between the
discovery of knowledge and its dissemination.
Effective and innovative interdisciplinary centers at NCSU benefit
government and industry and provide unique opportunities for graduate
education and research. NCSU also has rapidly growing international programs,
which tie the University to research centers and industrial activities in
other countries and identify NCSU as a center for research and learning for
foreign students and faculty.
NCSU is deeply committed to traditional extension activities in agriculture
and industrial development and supports development of extension programs in
nontraditional areas such as lifelong education and humanities extension.
NCSU has an excellent faculty in all disciplines, as demonstrated by their
election to national academies; reception of competitive grants, contracts,
and fellowships; and service in professional organizations as outstanding
practitioners and leaders of their professions and disciplines. Befitting the
faculty of a comprehensive university, the professional interests of the
faculty are diverse, but all NCSU faculty recognize the importance of teaching
and outreach activities along with research and seek a better balance among
the three aspects of the University's mission.
NCSU benefits from close faculty ties with government, industry, and other
universities, especially through partnerships with the research centers and
industrial facilities of the Research Triangle Park.
NCSU's faculty are committed to exercising their responsibility in
institutional governance and decision making.
Many of NCSU's facilities for teaching and research are excellent. Since
the last self-study, NCSU has built new buildings for the Colleges of
Textiles, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Engineering, Physical and
Mathematical Sciences, Forest Resources, and Veterinary Medicine; added a
new gymnasium; and renovated a number of older buildings. In some academic
areas, NCSU has established some of the best computing environments in the
country. Many of the University's classrooms and laboratories are
excellent, and make innovative use of new instructional technologies.
Since NCSU's last self-study, the University has added a new tower to its
central library building, which provides critically needed space for study and
for storage of materials. Management of NCSU Libraries is excellent and
innovative, and NCSU has become a leader in development of networked access to
holdings and electronic delivery of information.
NCSU's student development activities include outstanding programs in the
visual and performing arts, including music, dance, theater, crafts, and
visual arts. The professional theater, dance, and music programs sponsored by
the University have been recognized for their outstanding contribution to
cultural life in central North Carolina. The newly constructed Visual Arts
Center houses and exhibits a growing collection of works that complement the
University's academic programs, including textiles, pottery, folk art, and
photography. NCSU has pioneered in the area of joint academic-student
development activities such as the University Scholars Programs, which combine
honors academic work with cultural enrichment and service activities.
Since the last self-study, NCSU has constructed a new Student Center Annex,
which houses the African-American Cultural Center and provides space for
consolidation and expansion of several key student services. NCSU has also
constructed a new residence hall, South Hall, and purchased the Mission Valley
Inn, which (when renovated in 1994) will provide additional residential
space as well as new space for student development offices.
NCSU has made significant progress in ensuring the integrity of the
University's programs in intercollegiate athletics. NCSU has implemented
direct participation by faculty and students in overseeing athletics.
Direct lines of communication have been opened between the chancellor, the
athletic director, and the Athletics Council. Written evaluation processes
have been established for coaches and administrators in the Department of
Athletics. Written agreements are being ratified between the Department of
Athletics and the Wolfpack Club establishing University oversight of all
booster activities. An excellent program for compliance issues has been
established.
NCSU's administrative system has demonstrated its soundness over time,
responding to changing needs resulting from a changing environment, as far
as the University's resources can provide.
Since the last self-study NCSU has successfully completed two major capital
fund-raising campaigns that nearly doubled the total holdings of University
endowments. The University has also reorganized its ongoing fund-raising
activities into a single, annual fund appeal.
Since the last self-study NCSU has added two new administrative buildings,
Pullen Hall and the Administrative Services Building, which house a number
of administrative offices.
NCSU has a new Centennial Campus of 950 acres that is just beginning to be
developed. The Centennial Campus will provide the University with substantial
space for expansion and creative development.
Self-Study Table of Contents